#[muse] Peony Rose | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

potionpeddlerpatchy · 2 years ago

Text

word count: ~10.4K

paring: God!Sero x f!Nymph!Reader

warning(s): dubcon, drugging, use of aphrodisiacs, loss of innocence, first time, marking, oral (f!recieveing), creampie, sero being manipulative in general.

authors note: hello again! Figured i would repost this lovely Sero piece once again as I have its sequel coming out very shortly, and its best to have everything in one place. This was part of a Mythology collab, and I loosely based it on the Apollo and Daphne myth; though I twisted it a little. So please, enjoy Sero using sweet words to convince you into his conniving plan~ 🔮

Nymphs, nature deities that are not fully gods yet not mortal as well. The only true creature that lives for themselves and yet the only one invariably bound to the land of mortals. And what more can a nymph do than to plenish their lands, give lone travelers a peek of god-like beauty, and to tempt the gods?

A long time ago, Gods ruled the world.

Before mortals became too abundant, their faith lost, and took over everything; the gods controlled all that was seen, heard, and felt. They gifted the mortals things like the wheat in their fields, the water in their cups, the hearth and warmth in their homes, and even the beautiful visions they would see when they slept.

The gods were kind enough to bless them with the sun, the moon, the tide, the rain that filled the clouds, the mountains that provided shelter from the harsh winds, the peacefulness of being guided to safety in death, and even love; in the many beautiful shapes and forms they came in.

And beings.

Ones that were not fully mortal, yet not fully gods. Creatures created by the gods to simply be enjoyed by the mortals; those that were lucky enough to find them. Maidens of rare beauty, and melodic laughter, that could be found in all parts of the mortal realm.

Some say they were a gift from Aphrodite herself, as a way to give her thanks to those that were ever devoted to her. Some say they were a gift from Apollo, another form of his muses to gift them with beautiful singing and subjects to paint. And some say it was Zeus, having to give away all of his lovely daughters to the mortals to appease his queen.

Either way, they existed too.

Nymphs, they were called. Nature deities that were beyond that of mortals, but not powerful enough to be labeled gods, or even demi-gods. They lived hidden away from all. Not wanting to be seen or disturbed by many, if any at all. But, if a lone traveler was lucky enough, they may spot a few bathing by waterfalls, or dancing amongst the forest's trees, or soaking the sun rays in a beautiful meadow.

They were everywhere. The oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the forests, the meadows, anywhere the gods had touched and blessed there were to be nymphs to plenish and restore. To keep alive what the gods had left behind; to love what had been forgotten.

You were what the mortals called an Anthousai, a flower nymph. The luckiest of all spirits that were contained to forests and fields; even your fellow wood and plant nymphs were jealous of what you were. A beautiful flower to be admired.

Though the tree stands tall, and grass gives plenty, they could not compare to the beauty that came from anthousai, not even if they were to give up their lives and transform; for a tree could not compare to the beauty of an everlasting flower.

Though you never knew what flower you truly were, whether it be a rose, bluebells, or peonies, your beauty was beyond compare. Even your sisters, fellow flower nymphs like you, over time grew to be spiteful at just how radiant you had become; overshining even them, and they were to be just as beautiful.

They were resentful of you, the one that was most blessed by the gods.

You never were to be invariably bound to one place, for no place wanted to keep you. You constantly were searching, trying to find a home to be secure within, to find sisters that loved you and would dance and sing and care for you as you cared for all that crossed your path. But over time it was made clear that those of forest and field would not want to keep you and call you their own.

So you fled towards the mountains, where the springs and rock would be; hoping they would provide you with what you needed to live.

And, as luck and fortune would bless you once more, you came upon a fellow nymph that was like you. An Oceanid, one that was to be associated with water, as the personification of the springs that dwelled within the land you stumbled upon. And much like you, she was blessed more than anyone else and cast out for it.

She took you to where she lived. A place hidden by rock and trees and held within it a large pond of water that was so blue and clear one could get mesmerized by the simplest ripples on its surface. Not far from it was a tiny home, cozy and sweet that made your heart fill with warmth when you stepped inside it for the first time. And right below it, a passageway that led to a path, that if a traveler was lucky enough to stumble across, could cut his journey through the mountains in half.

Not ideal, truly, for a nymph that wishes to hide away from any mortal; and though this path and place were hard to reach, it had a higher probability to have a mortal stumble upon it, and you, than where any other nymph resided.

But, where one saw misfortune, you both saw the opposite.

If travelers wished to use your sacred path, to hopefully gaze upon beauty that they will never see again in their life, to trespass and invade your home, then they must leave a gift upon your altar. Failure to do so meant traveling back to where they once came, and conquering the mountain with even fewer supplies. So it only made sense to give up a small token, or bits of coin and gold to you both to be able to pass through.

And oh how blessed with gifts you were. Piles of gold and silver coins filled tiny satchels that hung upon your walls; and made beautiful jingling sounds whenever the wind would shift them. Jewels that would glisten in the sun whenever you held them up to gaze at their beautiful colours. And trinkets, both old and new, that decorated any part of your dwelling with their unique beauty; with some you would wear or attach to your clothing with how much you adored their charm.

It was not long that the news of this passageway, and the creatures that were being treated better than the gods, reached the heavenly realm.

~~~

“It’s becoming ridiculous!” Ashido cried out, bringing a golden fan up to cool her heated face “They’re getting more offerings than me now! Me!”

Ashido threw herself down on a nearby chaise lounge, the pillows making a soft landing on her otherwise dramatic display, as she brought an arm up to cover her eyes. The fellow gods around her just rolled their eyes, more than used to the over-dramatics their friend and fellow deity was currently putting on display. They knew that, in due time, this would all blow over and she would be acting as if nothing ever happened.

“So, it’s all well and fine if we lose out on offerings. But the moment the Goddess of Love and Beauty starts to lose just a few, then it’s an issue?”

Denki smirked from his spot, chin in palm, as he retorted back to the fellow god that was throwing a fit, more than amused by it all - unlike his fellow brethren. His smile only became wider when he saw Ashido’s eyebrows furrow and a scowl form on her face.

“Oh don’t make such a face!” He laughed, throwing his head back so far he too was lying comfortably on his chaise “It’s very unbecoming of you!”

“Will you two knock it off?” Katsuki grumbled, hands working a stone over the blade of his sword with practiced ease “Who cares about what offerings two stupid nymphs get?”

“I do!” Ashido sat back up again, her glare now pointed towards the man sitting on the floor “They lesser beings! Lesser creatures than I am! And yet their beauty is being more devoted than mine! It’s not right!”

And while those words only received an eye roll from the War God, another god’s interest was now piqued. Sure he knew of the situation, it was all anyone could talk about up in the heavens, but to now know that these creatures were deemed more lovely and fair than his friend? Well, it was certainly interesting news, to say the least.

“Fascinating…”

“Oh come now Hanta!” Ashido cried once more, knocking the arrow he was absentmindedly twirling in his hands “Really? As a fellow love god, I figured you would take my plight more seriously!”

“It is your plight, not mine” He hummed in response, before scoffing in mirth “Come on, how can you not find this interesting? When in our lives has any nymph really claimed the hearts of so many mortals? To the point where they are mistaking them for Gods?”

“Well….”

“Never! We have only ever seen them as nuisances at best, or in Denki’s case a quick romp to let off some steam. Nothing more than a means to an end. Now they are controlling mortals, and even us to a degree! Surely you should find that quite amazing of creatures you half-heartedly help make, turning into something almost as beautiful and powerful as you.”

Ashido rolled her eyes at the last statement, not liking having her greatness compared to that of two lowly nymphs; but Hanta did have a point. Though she would never admit it, her scoff and abrupt standing proof she no longer wished to be in the same room as him for simply being right.

“If you find them so fascinating, then why don’t you meet them?”

Hanta, or any of her fellow friends, did not have a chance to reply before she stormed out of the room. It caused Katsuki to scoff once more before resuming his task, this time with more vigor. And for Hanta to roll his eyes, fingers deftly twirling his silver arrow once again as his mind began to wander.

Just how beautiful was the pair of you?

Before he could ponder the question any further, he stood abruptly too. Not wanting to waste another moment wondering about those thoughts, instead, he wanted to see for himself. He was a god after all, so why shouldn’t he know more about these beings that were creating quite a stir in his realm?

“Maybe I will…” He mumbled to himself, feet starting to take him to where he wanted to go before his mind could fully comprehend where.

“Like hell you are!” Denki stood in his way, effectively blocking the taller god from taking another step “Not without me!”

This caused Hanta to smirk down at him “Nymphs are cautious creatures, and due to their nature one must be careful how they interact with them. And if I actually want to interact with them at some point, my best bet isn’t to bring the one god known for sleeping with, and breaking the hearts of, almost everyone single one.”

“W-well! So what?” Denki’s skin became flushed as blood rushed to his face in embarrassment over his friend's truth, “You’re a god too, and it's clear they don’t like any! So what makes you think you can succeed with them, huh?”

“Because, my simple friend,” Hanta smiled, side-stepping the flustered god to continue on his way “I am the God of Flattery and Sweet Words, hard to lose the trust of such lovely creatures with that.”

~~~

Though it took a lot of effort, and even more flattery, to get just where in the mountains (and which mountain) you and your friend were calling home from Ashido, he still managed to get it. And with gleeful steps, strong winds to help his wings glide him swiftly through the air, and the gracefulness of his very being, he managed to find you both with no issue at all.

He perched himself upon a nearby tree, high enough that one would not notice he was there if they were to walk by, and just observed the pair of you.

Your friend (or sister, as you kept calling her), he would admit, was beautiful. She was the one that caught his eye first. The way her skin seemed to always glow under the sun's rays as she gracefully danced upon the meadow you were residing in was hard to ignore. He chuckled to himself at the thought of some mortal stumbling across her, just knowing they would mistake her for his dear friend Ochako mid-hunt with how ethereal she looked.

But then his eyes finally glanced over to you, unable to help himself from sparing you a glance when your sister had called out to you, and it was then he felt his heart stop in his chest and for the world around him to stop moving.

It was your smile, or so he thinks when he thought back at that moment again and again, that caused such a powerful reaction within him. How radiant it was, how it lit up the world around you brighter than a thousand suns. How warm it made him feel when it unknowingly was sent in his direction. And how it made him finally look at your beautiful face.

After he saw that smile he wondered why your sister had ever caught his attention in the first place. The way the flowers around you sat upon your head and fell into your hair, the way your eyes looked so bright as they gazed up at your companion, and how soft and small your hands look when they reached out to her, to allow her to pull you up into a dance, were all so captivating.

He may have been fascinated before as to why mortals were throwing themselves into danger just for a glimpse of you, but now he understood fully. You were the most breathtaking creature he had ever witnessed in his long immortal life, and he could not lie when he thought to himself that day that your beauty could rival that of Ashido’s. In fact, he could not lie and say that he wouldn’t choose you over his old friend if he had to judge who the most beautiful in all the realms was.

He wanted you.

He wanted you more than he had ever wanted anything else in his life, and he wanted for very little. But he knew that you would deny him from plucking you from where you called home; it was in your nature. And in a perfect world, he can simply walk up to you and say a few pretty words and you would be his.

But thanks to his friend Denki, you would not trust him in the slightest; nor his intentions, for you could sense that they would not be pure. For how could they, as nymphs really only existed to be temptresses to the gods and then have their hearts broken once they gave their flowers to them. And you knew you were a rare flower, one that would not choose so willingly to be plucked up and away from your life, home, and companion.

No. If Hanta wished to have you, all of you all to himself, he would have to be patient. And well, it was a virtue and he knew he was virtuous enough to conquer the lust that raged within him when he looked at you to see himself succeeding. To see you run into his arms and ask him to take you away and be his forever.

And what better way can he think to court you, to earn your favour and trust, than to leave you gifts at your altar?

Not just any gifts though. No, he would not waste your time with the meaningless trinkets and coins that those travelers gifted you, he would give you things only the gods could. To give you all the spoils known to them as a way of proving his devotion to you; for why else would a god willingly give up all his riches if not for love?

~~~

It was strange to you at first, the small gifts that were left at your door. Usually when there was a gift there was a traveler nearby, waiting for you or your sister to allow them to pass. But these gifts would just appear as if they came into existence by the wind.

And what gifts they were!

Robes made with the brightest and finest silks, always adorned with beautiful gold and silver embellishments, with a few jewels within the intricate carvings. Rings that were so heavy your hands always felt like lead when you wore them. Bracelets that could wrap and entangle all the way up your arms and legs, adorning your whole limb in its beauty. And necklaces that always perfectly sat upon your chest, with their large gemstones settling flawlessly in between your bosom.

You always shared these splendid and grand gifts with your sister, not wanting to be cruel and hoard all the splendor to yourself. But over time you started to grow nervous about where these gifts were coming from, about who was sending them to you. For who could afford to give you these things if not a god? And if it truly was a god, how did you catch his eye? And why would he only want to give you these things, never your sister?

Soon there were gifts being given to you every day. As every morning they would sit at your doorstep, waiting for you to collect them. There was little space for you to place them in your home over time, with many of the gifts being left unopened; them sitting upon shelves in the bindings they came to you in.

And one day, upon a pile of other treasures that awaited you that morning, a golden apple sat glistening in the sunrise. That was the day all your doubts and nerves got the better of you as you shut the door and hid yourself away.

That was the day you knew for certain a god was trying to court you, for no other being other than god could get ahold of golden apples. The heavenly fruit that they all ate upon as if it was nothing more than a common fruit; but to you and all other mortals it was more than that. It was the only thing that could grant any being immortal life.

Therefore the reason it was given to you, sat upon piles of other treasures, was a sign that a god had wanted to take you away; to call you their own. And the thought terrified you. For where would you end up? What would they want from you? And would they cast you aside as if you were nothing, like all nymphs were treated by them? And what would happen to your sister? Would you never see her again?

That was the thought that terrified you the most.

Heartache, terror, abuse, you could bear if it meant she was by your side. You had waited long enough to finally get the companionship you had always craved; the one you searched for in many lands, and you did not want to give it up any time soon.

So the gifts, and that apple, stayed outside for days as you stayed hidden behind your walls in hopes that the sender would take that as a sign of your rejection. A sign you did not want, or need, the lavish gifts anymore and for him to move onto a more wanting and deserving creature.

When Hanta saw that his gifts were left untouched, the apple still perched precariously upon the other lavish items he had wanted you to wear and adore, it made his entire being slouch in despair.

How could you not like them? Why would you not take them?

He knew they were no different from all the other gifts he had given you, and he knew you loved those. He watched as you glided through the forests, and that wonderful meadow where he first saw you, twirling in those gowns. Giggling with your sister when you were jangling those bracelets as you danced, holding those rings up to the light. Unable to let his eyes wander whenever his necklaces would sit between your breasts.

And though he was never a fan of whenever you shared those gifts with your sister, he only ever wanted you to wear what he gave, he knew that you did so out of excitement. Excitement that you would show with every new gown and jewelry you placed on your body you would always pair it with a new crown made of the very flowers you tended to.

He watched you, from his favorite spot in the trees, as you gleefully would make them. Hands always hurried as you tried to finish them as quickly as possible as if you could not bear to wait another moment without it upon your head. And though they always looked so beautiful upon your brow, he always promised he would give you a real one someday.

One made of gold, if you were to say yes to him; to be his. But there it sat, collecting dust upon your altar. A rejection of him and all other splendors he wishes to give you.

It made him furious, just as it did fill his being with sorrow. Not furious at you, no, he could never hate you. Furious that he overturned his hand and made you skittish. Made you untrusting of him and his intentions. Made it seem like you did not want him.

But of course, you did. Of course, you wanted him.

He just had to make sure you understood why you wanted him. How no one else could compare to him. How no one else would treat you with such warmth and comfort and give you any spoil your little heart could ever desire for the rest of your life.

And well, it seemed only fitting that you should finally meet him as he told you all these things.

~~~

It was in your springs where he found you that night. Though it was not Hanta’s intention to spy on you while you both bathed in the cool waters, he couldn’t help it. How could one resist that temptation? To hear the sweet laughter mixed with the splashing of water to lure one in, and then to see the sight of two beautiful maidens while they bathed. It was simply not fair.

If he were a lesser man he would have jumped out to try and take one of you then.

But he was not and found great pleasure simply watching the pair of you. How the moon illuminated your skin to make it that much more supple; that much more tempting for him to touch. How he could not stop his eyes from roaming your figure as you brought oils to your skin, to lavish and clean it before they disappeared into the water around you.

Hanta was almost envious of the suds, the small bubbles, that had a chance to touch your perfect body and soft skin. Of the water that elicited such sweet squeals of excitement when it was splashed onto you, to the soft sighs it cast from your lips when you would lounge back into it. And of your sister, the only one who was able to witness all of these things about you; and so selfishly kept it all to herself.

Though it was only when a twig snapped under his foot, an oversight he normally wouldn’t let happen, that he realized his mistake. Realized that his first meeting with you would be tarnished over impure thoughts and actions, which would only lead to you not trusting him even more.

For what nymph could trust a god they caught spying on them while they bathed?

But he had to try. And he leaped from his spot once he saw the pair of you scurrying for your clothing and out of the spring. He cared not for your sister, and allowed her to run towards your home, though he followed you closely; making it impossible for you to return to the place you felt the safest.

He managed to corner you once again, back to where it all started. The waterfall from the springs could be heard faintly behind you as you watched him approach the tree you had hidden behind. Your breathing labored as you held your clothing up to your body as best you could to conserve what was left of your modesty.

“I won’t hurt you.” Hanta called out to you, his voice soft to not further spook you “And I won’t cause you any harm, I promise. I just think you are the most beautiful maiden I have ever seen; so won’t you please come out and talk to me? For just but a moment?”

You glare at him, eyes holding suspicion over his claims. Though you finally relented when you watched as he stepped closer and closer to you, in your ever-vulnerable state.

“S-stop! Please stay where you are…” You called out, voice losing strength as you continue to cower away from him “I will speak with you, only if you promise to turn your head away and allow me to get dressed.”

Hanta gave a small smile, hands clasping behind his back as he turned his body away from you; making sure to keep his head and gaze straight ahead of him, to not make you suspicious that he was trying to catch another glimpse.

“Did you not like them?”

His question startled you, a small gasp slipping out as you stumbled with your garment; almost tripping over your own feet. You took a deep breath to regain some level of composure as you shakily slipped your legs through the gathering.

“I am not sure what you mean…” You pulled the fabric upwards, placing the final strap over your one shoulder; your eyes never straying from the back of his head.

“The gifts.” He replied, “I have given you plenty, but it seems that lately, you have not accepted any. I am wondering if you did not like them.”

“Oh, it was you…” You made your way from out behind the tree, the movements being heard by the man before you as he finally turned back around to face you.

He was taller than you by a far margin, one that kept growing as he made his way towards you; his steps were careful to show he was not to harm you. When he finally reached you, he crouched down as close to your level as he could and clasped your hands in his, gently squeezing them in his hold.

“I am.” His voice was but a whisper as he pulled you closer, trying in vain to get you to look up at him, wanting nothing more than to gaze into your beautiful eyes.

“Then you should know why I did not accept them” You voice soft but strong, as you turned your head away from him “You are a god, the gifts you have given proof of that. And from all the tales I have heard and seen, all a god does is take the chastity of nymphs before casting them aside.”

“How could I ever do that to you? I would never do that to you. In my eyes, you are far too lovely and beautiful to ever just be cast aside.”

He heard you scoff, head moving away from his deft fingers as they tried to tuck a piece of your hair behind your ear, clearly not believing him. His actions just displayed proof of why you were untrusting, and so he would have to use his sweet words in a different manner.

“In all truth, had I not come down this very night to see you, I am sure my brethren would try and take you away.”

You stiffened in his hold, fear gripping your being at his words. Frozen in place you finally allowed him to move your head up to look at him, into his dark eyes that told you what he said was true.

“W-what…?” Your voice was shaky, as was your body when you continued to scan his face for any semblance of trickery; only to still find none.

“My fellow gods, the ones I call friends from time to time, they heard the stories of nymphs in the mountains that had caught all sorts of mortals' attention.” Hanta began, “They were curious, and wanted to see for themselves just how beautiful you were. But my friends are more beast than gentleman; I fear of what might have become of you had I not scared them off.”

You collapsed into him, the shock of his words controlling your body more than your mind as you clung to his tunic. Though you could not see it, Hanta had an impish smile on his face as he comforted you; his hands running soothing patterns up your arms.

“But you needn't worry!” He pulled back to look at your face once more, squeezing your arms in comfort “I will protect you from them. All I ask is that you accept me, take my gifts, and allow me your company.”

“How… how will I know?” You looked back up at him, hands lowering from his chest “How will I know you are being truthful with me?”

“I am a God of Love, my dear,” Hanta fluttered the wings on his back to make light of that truth. “And as one, I never appreciated or cared for those that would take advantage of it; to abuse it and harm others with their lust. I can tell my friend's intentions are not pure, as I can with any being, and I cannot bear it if they were to harm a precious flower like you.”

Hanta watched you carefully. Watched how your eyes glanced at his wings, back to his face, and turned downcast once again as you took in his words. He has hoped the sweet words he was known for would work on you, to break down your walls to allow him in. He had to hide the victorious smile from gracing his features when you gazed up at him and accepted his protection and his terms.

“Tell me your name” You mumbled, taking a step away from him. “If I have to agree to all of this, then please allow me to know the name of my protector.”

“Hanta, you may call me Hanta.”

Your head shot back up to look at him, eyes once again glaring at him as you took another step away from him “There is no god named Hanta.”

“None named for the mortals.” Hanta smiled, closing the gap between you once more “None of us gods are ever named what mortals claim we are, even in their stories. Our true names are only spoken and used amongst each other, in the heavens. Only you, in this mortal realm, shall have the knowledge and privilege to call me it.”

“Hanta.” You whispered out, nodding your head in agreement with his words.

“Good, now be off.”

It took all of his strength to step away from you; not wanting to be away from your warmth now that he finally had it. But he did. Only if it were to prove to you he was on your side, that he wanted to protect you.

He watched with bated breath as you scurried away, back to your home. Only allowing himself a breath, and a mirthful smirk to appear, once he knew you were too far away to see it. His wings stretched out behind him as he took flight back home.

His meeting with you went far better than he ever planned it. And now he had plenty to dream of that night.

~~~

It was rare for the God of War to come to the mortal realm.

Especially seeing as there was no war to be had. No fight to participate in, no blood for him to shed, and no victory to be won for him once all the dust and debris settled. And it was even more rare that the God of Strength would follow alongside him into this plane when there was no battle to be had.

But there were never ones to turn down a mission.

Their pride and honor to strong within them to let a challenge go to the wayside simply because they thought it was stupid, pitiful, or a waste of their time. And though Katsuki thought what he was doing here, what he was about to do, fit into all three categories he simply could not tell his friend no.

Hanta never asked for much, especially from him. And Katsuki had to admit that his fellow friends served him very well in battles of past; always fighting on his side to help him claim his victories. So, he could swallow his pride for a moment or two so he can fulfill a small favour in return to the larger ones he was in debt to.

It wasn’t like he had much of a choice either.

“Why are we doing this again?” Ejirou asked, scooting himself closer to his friend while still staying crouched behind some foliage.

“Because Hanta asked us to.” Katsuki mumbled, huffing out his answer as it wasn’t the first time he was asked.

“But it doesn’t seem right, doing any of this. And you normally don’t waste your time on such trivial things, especially when it comes to beings like nymphs, so why are you here? And why did you drag me into this?”

“Because!” Katsuki hissed, baring his teeth in warning “Hanta asked for us to do this! And the last time I refused that bastard made it impossible for me to be intimate with anyone for over 200 years!”

Katsuki huffed, watching his friend eye him warily before shifting slightly away, the action making him slump his shoulders in slight defeat.

“Listen. I don’t want to do this either. If I had it my way, we would all just leave these two idiots alone for the rest of their lives. But Hanta seems to like one of them, and we all know there is nothing we can do to stop him.”

“You’re right….”

Ejirou mumbles that last part, knowing that his friend was right. There was no way to change Hanta’s mind once it was set on something, much like it was impossible to change any of their minds. They were gods, and they were selfish. They took what they wanted and when they wanted it.

It was just that both of them were unnerved at the taking of a nymph away from the place they were bound to. Something that was never meant to be done. When they were created they were made to be invariably bound to the mortal realm, to avoid any chaos that may happen if they were to come to the heavens.

Hanta was playing a risky game, and though they trusted he would play his cards right, and well. They could not be sure that his actions would not cause a ripple effect that would turn into a grand-scale fight amongst them; like the choosing of the fairest once again.

Though they had no time to further delve into their thoughts on the matter, not when you and your sister had approached where they were hiding. Your giggles filled the air as you came into the springs once more; wanting a dip in their cool waters to help quench your thirst and cool you from the warm summer rays.

Both men tensed, breath hitching in their throats as you both started to slowly undress; taking off your charms and jewels, and placing them into neat little piles by the water's edge. Katsuki hated that you were lovely, hated that the stories of you both were true; for if they weren’t he would be able to justify what he was about to do as some sort of favor - to save those travelers all that time from trying to seek out a creature that turned out to be hideous.

Eijirou hated what he was about to do because you were so beautiful. Hated the fact that he would have to scar and torment such enchanting creatures for the sake of his friend; for if it were up to him, he would just bask in your glow until he was satisfied, and leave this place with a beautiful memory to last him eternity.

But it was not up to him, nor his companion next to him; and with deep, quiet breaths they both solidified their resolve and stood from where they once were hiding.

The startled gasps, the scrambling, and the screaming were all something they loathed to hear from you both as they made their way over to where you were. They hated how they had to play the part and chase you both down, to separate the both of you to further petrify you both. How they had to watch you stumble and fall, to scratch your perfect skin on tree branches and rock as you tried to get away from them; all of it.

They hated all of it.

But once they watched the pair of you rush into your home is when they stopped their chase. Made it seem like they had lost you somewhere within the trees; mumbling to each other how they would just come back another day before walking off, back to where they once were.

Sickness, that was all they felt at the bottom of their stomachs as they returned home. This victory was not like the one found in battle. Not one filled with glory and blood and sweat. This one was hollow, shallow as its waves crashed down upon them in a way that made them feel uneasy.

It was not the first time they chased a maiden down in hopes to garner their sweet bodies as their rewards. But somehow it felt like it was, and they could not look upon their friend when they told him of what had just transpired; couldn’t bear to see the glee in his eyes when he heard it all.

~~~

You both had not slept that night, for how could you when the one thing you were most afraid of happening to you, happened.

So, when Hanta visited you the next morning you couldn’t help but run out to him. Sprinting through the field of tall grass and throwing yourself onto him; clinging to him like he was the other tether keeping you to the ground.

“You cannot leave us again!” You cried out, tears flowing freely from your eyes and soaking into the cloth of his tunic “You cannot leave me again! Please! You cannot, not again!”

Hanta had to hide his smile, one that was filled with so much joy and satisfaction, from you as he further buried your head into his chest—allowing himself this moment to hold you close and shush you, to try and calm his body down and act the part of a confused and concerned friend.

“What has you so upset, my beloved?” He asked, pulling you from him to gaze upon your face, to allow you to see his concern for you. “What has gone wrong?”

“Y-you were right!” You wailed, unable to hide your sniffles and sobs as you spoke “T-they came! Y-y-your friends! They tried to take us!”

“Shhhh…” He cooed softly, pulling you back into him to try and calm you down “I know you must be terrified right now, but I’m here now. Nothing to worry about.”

“But you’re not always here!” Your voice was muffled due to your position, as you brought your arms up to dig into his side “You weren’t here yesterday! And that‘s when they came! You promised you would protect me!”

Hanta would admit, he hated seeing you cry. Hated hearing the way your voice, one usually filled with cheer, sounded so broken; so miserable. And he hated knowing he was the cause that set in motion the event that shook you to your core.

But it needed to be done, you needed to see how important he was to you. Needed you to see that your place was to be by him, that was where you were meant to be.

“I am trying to protect you, my honeysuckle…” Hanta brought a hand up to pet your hair, “But it is difficult for me to be in two places at once. My home is in the heavens, it is where I am to fulfill my duties to the mortals; it is rather difficult for me to make these trips to you as it means neglecting what I am meant to do. Unless....”

He let it hang in the air, a pregnant pause for you to become curious about what he might say. He knew he had you when you lifted your head up to look at him once again, repeating his last word back to him.

“Unless…” Hanta sighed, “Unless you leave with me, and come to live with me in my domain. Only then can I assure your protection.”

He knew you would not like his answer, especially as he saw new fresh tears starting to fall from your eyes, staining your cheeks with their hot streams. He cupped your face in his palm, wiping them away as he tried to comfort you once again, playing the part of a torn man in a tough situation perfectly, as he tried to reason with you.

“B-but my sister!” You babbled, head shaking at every word he was saying “I cannot leave my sister behind! I won’t do it!”

“Your sister can find solace in the mountains if needed! An anthousai is bound to meadows and fields! You cannot find that there, cannot find safety anywhere but where I can protect you!”

“B-but...”

“I know that it is a difficult thing to accept, a difficult choice you must make. But if you want the protection I can provide you must leave with me. I can promise you that nothing will harm you; not a finger to be laid on your skin while you are within my domain.”

You sniffle, looking into his eyes once more; to see if there was any trace of dishonesty within them. And, like always, there was none. With a shaky breath, and a nod of your head, you stepped away from his hold to walk back to your home to say your goodbyes.

Your feet felt like lead with every step. Your heart ached at every flower, leaf, and blade of grass that you passed for you knew it would be the last time you saw it. And as you made it closer and closer to where your sister was, to the home that made your heart feel warm.

Now it filled you with sorrow and dread, as you wondered if you would ever again feel the kind of happiness you felt when you first stepped within these walls. Wondered what would become of your sisters once you left this place for good. You hoped for nicer and better things, better companions, but your heart could not promise you such things, your mind could not ease its worries.

You couldn’t speak when she opened the door, asking you what was going on. All you could do was pull her into you, hold her in your tight grasp as you whispered how much you loved her. How brighter sunrises were upon her horizon, and how you would miss her so.

She watched you walk back down to him, your body shaking with the violent sobs coming forth. Watched as this man, this god, took you back into his arms and shushed you; claiming you down and whispering what she could only assume was sweet nothings to you.

She watched as you turned back to her once more. A broken smile, one that looked more like a pained grimace, appeared upon your lips as you brought a weak hand up to wave your last goodbye to her. A goodbye she never envisioned ever happening.

And then she watched him take you away; forever.

~~~

Hanta’s home was beautiful.

It was filled with golden pillars and furniture. Marbled rock adorned many surfaces, with plush pillows and linen upon beds, lounges, and chairs. You knew they would feel like clouds, be the softest things you could ever lie on.

But at this moment you couldn’t care for how soft anything felt, how plush and inviting the comfort was as it sank perfectly when your body had collapsed on top of it. Or how inviting it was to allow your body to enjoy it all, to allow it to lure you into a wondrous sleep.

No, for at this moment you were mourning the greatest loss you could possibly think of.

Hanta was kind enough to sit next to you through it. A hand running soothing patterns up your arms, your back, and even your hair as you cried out in anguish; never saying a word. Only murmuring out to you, after what felt like days of sobbing, to rest your head; to let yourself enter the land of dreams, and for Hitoshi to guide you to a sweet one. And you could not stop your body from finally agreeing.

For you would need your rest.

Hanta had waited long enough to finally have you here with him. He adored that you always believed him, that your naivete allowed you to trust him and his sweet words. To allow him to take you here, to the one place where you will never be able to escape him; for once a nymph was the enter the realm of the gods, she would lose her ability to transform - for how could a nymph become a tree, or a flower, while in the heavens?

They couldn’t. And now you were forever at his mercy. Forever to spend your days with him, indulging him in whatever splendor he wanted from you; for he was kind enough to indulge you for the months it took to woo you, it was only fair to pay him back in kind.

You, the sweet little anthousai. One too blinded by the God, whose sweet words and flattery made you melt, to notice that he had other titles too; that treachery and deception and craftiness came hand in hand with sweet nothings and empty compliments.

And oh, what a crafty web he had spun for you. The one who laid so sweetly upon his bed.

The one who called to him like a lost and sad child when you finally awoke. Your big eyes stared up at him, as you asked him for some food for your hungry tummy and something to quench your dry throat.

And who was he to deny someone so precious? A sweet little thing that asked him so nicely? He couldn’t and wouldn’t, and so he went to fetch you some of the finest fruits and ambrosia to nibble on as you tried to awaken your tired body. And wine, his special and most favourite wine for you to sip on.

When he held out the goblet to you, you hesitated; your arm halting before it could reach the drink. “I-it’s pink…”

“Yes, yes it is!” Hanta couldn’t help but laugh at your obvious statement, enjoying the way you eyed the pink liquid that seemed to swirl within its confinement with a mind of its own “A special kind of wine, the only kind reserved and enjoyed by the gods.”

The way you looked at him, eyes still showing trepidation over what he was offering. He couldn’t blame you for it, someone like you would not know the type of splendors the gods enjoyed from day to day; you were but a humble and simple thing.

Hanta shrugged his shoulders, bringing the goblet to his lips and taking a gulp of its contents. “Look see? Nothing wrong with it at all! Just a sweet wine, one that tastes like wild strawberries.”

He smiled when you finally relented, a sheepish smile gracing your own face when you finally accepted his offer; almost like you felt silly for doubting him in the first place. But again, you were just a sweet simple thing. How could you have known that gods are immune to the effects of aphrodisiacs?

How could you have known what they would feel like once they had taken hold of your body?

You couldn’t. And when you felt your breathing become labored, your body started to sweat as your heartbeat quickened, and for a strange heat to enter your belly; you grew scared. Wanting whatever heat that had entered you to subside and allow you to breathe; to allow the aching you felt to stop.

Hanta watched with mirth from the corner of his eye at you. Watching how your body squirmed and shifted, trying to get comfortable but never succeeding. Trying to ease your discomfort but failing to do so, not knowing how.

“Honeysuckle, are you alright?” He asked you, moving aside the platter of fruit to shift closer to you.

“I-I feel funny…!” You mumbled out, hand grasping around the wrist trying to check your temperature; unable to help yourself as you pulled him closer to you “I don’t know what’s wrong!”

You wished you could stop yourself, and show some form of modesty and restraint. But your body was on fire, and your mind had no way of stopping it from acting on its own. You clung to him, yet again. Though this time you had climbed into his lap, your hips stuttering as you inadvertently ground your lower half onto his leg.

“Funny how?” Hanta asked, eyes turning dark with lust as he watched you try to relieve yourself upon him so shamelessly, it made blood rush to his cock as he had to hold your hips in place; to help ground himself.

“I don’t know!” You whined, nails digging into the muscles on his shoulders - wishing he would allow you to move your hips again “I feel warm and funny, and it hurts!”

“It hurts?”

“Mhm!” You nodded, head ducking down to rest against his chest as you panted heavily, trying to get a level head once more, but failing miserably “I don’t know what to do!”

“I can help you” Hanta murmured, taking some of your hair and pushing it aside so he may be able to kiss along your neck, smirking when he heard you whine at the contact “Will you let me help you?”

You frantically nodded your head, but he tuts at that response; teasingly squeezing your hips in his gasp “Ah, ah, ah, I need you to say it love.”

You moved your head back up to look at him, and he relished the frustrated tears that were now forming in your eyes. The way your lips formed a pout, made them look more plush and delectable to try and bite and suckle on.

“Please help me Hanta” You whimpered out, unable to resist pushing yourself closer to him.

“Say that you’re mine, and I will give you everything you could ever need.” He baited, wanting to hear even more of your sweet voice.

“I’m all yours…”

You were going to say more; going to beg him further to finally help you; to ask him to stop prolonging your suffering. But you were silenced when you felt his lips press into yours. Felt the way they moved against yours, trying to get you to follow suit; which you do after a moment with fever.

You could help the moan that was muffled between you when you felt his tongue peak out, running along the bottom of your lip. You wished you knew what he wanted, you would be more than willing to give it to him. But Hanta seemed to understand this, and he moved your hips against him, allowing you to feel the hardness underneath. The gasp you let out was short-lived, as his tongue plunged into your mouth, exploring it slowly and expertly.

All you could do was melt into him; melt into his touch and the way he was kissing you. He left you breathless, panting hotly into the air when he finally parted from you; unable to keep the smirk off his face when he saw the blissed-out look you had acquired.

Hanta loved hearing the small gasps and whines you would let spill forth from your mouth, almost like you were unable to keep them hidden, when he started to kiss down your jaw. Moving slowly down your neck, leaving little nips to see your jump in surprise; your sweet little mewls going straight to his length that he was slowly rocking you onto

He was taking his time with you; he had waited so long just to have you at this moment and he wasn’t going to rush it; even if it was tempting with the way you kept pulling him closer and calling his name so sweetly. But he knew he needed to do everything right, everything perfectly, so you would crave him. Want him like this all the time.

He slowly pushed your shift down your arms, lips following closely behind his hands; to slowly caress and kiss every inch of skin you had allowed him to see and look upon. And what a sight you were to see; to him every inch of you was perfectly crafted and made him that more elated that you were all his.

“I know…” Hanta cooed, lips lavishing the skin of your breasts, fingers gently tugging on your hardened nipples “I know… it is uncomfortable. But let me take my time, love. I promise you it will be worth it. Let me worship you like you were meant to be.”

You jumped, unable to help yourself from placing a hand in his hair, tugging it harshly, when Hanta’s fingers brushed against your folds. He groaned, both at your harsh tugging and at how soaked you had become; just over some heavy petting.

Though, the feeling was foreign to you; one that kicked your senses into overdrive. You couldn’t help but clamp your legs shut, effectively stopping his hand from continuing, at the sudden and unfamiliar feeling.

“My love,” Hanta cooed, gently pulling your legs apart, “You asked for relief, and I shall give it to you. Put your trust in me, I can assure you it will feel good.”

He placed reassuring kisses along your chest, slowly petting his free hand up and down your thigh to help calm you; to help relax you and allow him access once again to your dripping cunt.

You sigh out after a moment, trembling legs finally parting for him, freeing his hand once again. Unable to help yourself from keening at his long fingers as they slowly started to up and down your folds. Being careful at where to touch, looking at your face to see which spots you reacted most to; centering in on them to hear you cry out for him.

Your little bundle of nerves is where he narrows in after he accidentally brushed against it; the way you moaned his name made his whole being shudder - wanting to hear you say it again and again and again. Wanting to watch you writhe and whine atop of him as you finally come undone by him.

You gasped, legs trying to close once more but unable to do so by a hand holding a thigh in place, when you felt his fingers start to circle your entrance, the one place that has never been touched or breached.

“Just breathe, I need to properly prepare you, my love.” Hanta groaned when he felt your quivering hole clench around nothing at his words “I promise you this will be just as good, if not better, than what I have already done.”

He truly had the hands of a god, the way they so delicately entered you; stretched you in such a way that you had no choice but to moan out for more. You never could have imagined this feeling, even in your sweetest dreams.

And it was accompanied by his words. Oh, how you could listen to him forever with the way he was groaning and purring our praises. Telling you how good you were doing, taking his fingers so well. How beautiful you looked like this, how he couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight. And for you to come undone, allowing yourself to feel euphoria and grant him the chance to see it.

Who were you to deny such a tempting offer?

You were such a sight to behold. The way your body trembled, legs buckling as they struggled to hold your weight, hips unable to stop jerking away from his touch by still trying to keep the beautiful friction all the same. The way you cried out his name, unable to stop chanting it as you tried to breathe at the same time.

Hanta couldn’t help but push you down on your back, to hover over you as you tried to gain some semblance of thought once more. Hastily unrobbing himself, hissing when his cock was freed; having to take a deep breath and he stroked himself a few times before placing the blunt head at your leaking entrance.

“W-wait!” Your mind snapped you back into reality so quickly, you almost felt lightheaded “Hanta please wait!”

“For what?” He panted, hands gripping under your knees to lift your legs higher, “You are ready for me, my sweetest, and this will finally make all the unpleasant feelings disappear.”

“M’afraid!” You whimpered out, feeling the entirety of his length move between your folds as if to try and entice you once more; and the heat within you was proof it was working “Afraid it will hurt”

“You need not worry,” He purred, thumb rubbing little circles by your knees as he drank in the sight of you almost folded in half; how complacent you were. “For a moment it will, but only a moment. Then it will start to feel heavenly. Trust me, for I have not lied to you yet, have I?”

You shook your head, the action saying what you wanted to say - as words were failing you. He was right, he had always been honest with you, and even now he had shown you patience and pleasure beyond your wildest dreams. So why doubt him now?

He started to sink into you, after you had asked him to do so. Hanta let out a long groan as he felt your tight walls clamp down on him, both in trying to prevent him further but also milking him for everything he had to offer, and inch by inch he carved his way into your heat.

The burn was as he claimed, painful. But once he was fully sheathed, that burn began to change from that of pain, to that of wanting pleasure. The agonizing heat that had come from nowhere was coming forth once again to consume you in its agonizing flames.

“Hanta, please!” You cry out, hands reaching out to grip where his sat on your legs “Please move! Make this feeling go away!”

He was never one to say no to you. He nodded his head, taking a shaky breath, before slowly moving his hips; taking his length almost completely out of your weeping cunt, before pressing it back into you. Watching your face carefully to see if any discomfort could be found.

When your pinched brows started to relax, your breathing changing from pained chirps into those sweet breathy moans, and when you start to cling to him once more - nails finding purchase into the skin on his arms - does he pick up the pace.

Though, Hanta knows he will not last much longer, not when your warm heat clings to him so tightly, begging him to claim what is rightfully his and paint your pretty cunt white with his seed; he knows he must first have you cum around him. To selfishly feel your messy cunt spasm around him like it has never done before.

He brings one of his hands from where it was placed on your knee downwards to your bundle of nerves, moaning when he feels you instantly tighten around him.

“Come on, my sweet love” He pants, hand rubbing messy, uncoordinated, circles upon it “Let go for me, please? Trust in your god, and let that coil within you snap. Make a mess of the both of us.”

You keen and whine, the pressure building to an almost painful level within you. Though the dam finally breaks when you felt his length hit a particularly sweet spot within you, one that had you seeing stars. Your back arched, as you felt your breath hitch in your throat; unable to make any noise as your mind and body ascended to that plane of euphoria once more.

Hanta could not help but follow suit. Only a few messy thrusts and he stills inside you, his grinding up against the swell of your thighs as he moans; painting your insides with his seed - finally claiming you, completely, as his own. After regaining his breathing, though not fully, and placing your legs back down; he starts to pull out of you.

“No please!” You cry out, eyes turning glassy as you wrap your arms and legs around him once more “Stay with me please! I don’t want you to go!”

“I am not going anywhere, I promise” He smiled gently down at you, tucking your head under his chin as he pulled you to lay atop of him.

Hanta watched your breathing, watching you try and calm down. He cannot blame you for being so emotional, after all the highs the aphrodisiac gives are much stronger than anything you have ever been used to.

He smirks to himself when he sees your breathing finally began to even out, sleep over-taking you in its grasp. For now, he finally has you right where he wants you. And now, thanks to that wonderful potion, you will never, or want to, leave him.

Much like a rose and its petals, once one is swept away by the wind it is gone; forever. You were his rose petal and he was the wind that snatched you away.

#bnha x reader #mha x reader #sero hanta x reader #sero x reader #bnha sero #mha sero #bnha oneshots #mha oneshot #sero x you #bnha smut #mha smut #sero hanta smut #sero smut #🔮.the peddler brews #🔮.potion for sero

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goforth-ladymidnight · 2 days ago

Text

For @achaotichuman, from me! 🎅Happy @acotargiftexchange!

You asked for:

Canon-compliant (ish) post-ACOFAS/ACOSF

Tamcien

Angst

Mutual Pining

Hurt/Comfort

I hope I delivered! ✨🎁

Full disclosure: This was supposed to be a one-shot, but, uh... I got carried away. 😅At this point, I just know it's going to be multiple chapters. So, um... Merry Christmas to you!! 🎄

Thank you for giving me so much freedom with this story! While it's not specifically a holiday fic, I did give it a Winter Solstice setting. (Happy Solstice, by the way!) And thank you for your patience for this very last-minute reveal.

I hope you enjoy!

THE WOLF AND THE FOX

Ch. 1/?

Pairing: Tamlin x Lucien

Wordcount: 2.1k

Summary: It's the day of Winter Solstice, and while Lucien has an obligation to visit the Night Court, he decides to visit Tamlin in the Spring Court first to deliver a very important message.

The first chapter is available to read on AO3 now, or you can read it here below the cut:

Part 1: Winter

* * *

It was the beginning of winter when the fox approached the wolf’s den.

* * *

The vines were new.

The last time Lucien had visited the Spring Court manor, the claw marks in the door were the first thing anyone saw. A warning, perhaps, of what could happen if anyone dared to knock. Now, however, tangled vines grew, hiding the gouges—and the door knockers—from view. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought the vines meant that nature was healing the broken manor. But he did know better. Nature was taking over.

Lucien pushed on one of the doors, and it creaked where he pressed, straining against the green vines that clung to it.

“Tam?” he called through the narrow opening. “Tam, are you in there?”

Silence.

He pushed harder, and the vines snapped and snarled as they fell, releasing their hold on the door before falling into a rustling heap at his feet. It even seemed as though they sighed, but he could have been imagining it. The door swung slowly open, so Lucien took a deep breath and tugged at the hem of his embroidered jacket before stepping across the broken threshold.

His golden eye whirred against the dim light, but he didn’t need it to see. He knew the room very well. Or, at least, he used to.

Here was the black-and-white marble floor, once shining, now covered in dust and debris. There was the winding staircase with the oak banister that seemed to be held aloft by delicate vines made of brass, now badly in need of a polish. And there, there used to be a table that held enormous vases of freshly plucked flowers from the garden: hydrangeas, peonies, tulips, roses… The Lady of Spring’s roses.

But that table was broken now. It had been whole once, strong enough to hold a broken body… a winged faerie with no wings…

Lucien shivered at the memory and turned away.

Rosehall Manor was empty, yet full of so many memories… Memories, and ghosts.

Lucien squared his shoulders and looked around for the one that was neither man nor ghost. He was looking for a beast.

“Tam?” he called out again, and his voice echoed. “Tamlin Hawthorn, High Lord of Spring, I seek an audience with you.”

“An audience,” a familiar voice echoed, drifting from the top of the stairs. “How formal of you.”

Lucien lifted his head, but saw no one. His metal eye could see through glamours, but the owner of that deep, growling voice didn’t need one. Not when the manor was filled with so many shadows.

“Tell me: What is the occasion?” the voice went on, though it rasped a bit, as if it hadn’t been used in a while. “I need to know if I should serve wine or whiskey to my guest.”

Lucien swallowed. “It’s Solstice, Tam,” he managed.

“Summer, or Winter?”

Lucien’s shoulders sagged a bit. “It’s Winter, Tam.”

“Ah. Winter,” Tamlin mused distantly. “Whiskey, it is, then.”

Before Lucien could respond, Tamlin called out, “Alis? A glass of my finest whiskey for the Night Court’s finest emissary… What’s that? You say you’ve returned to the Summer Court? As has everyone else in the manor? Oh, yes. Yes, I see.”

Lucien rolled his good eye, but his host didn’t seem to notice.

“It would seem that I have no servants left to serve you,” Tamlin said dryly. “Or whiskey to serve. Or glasses to serve it in, for that matter.”

It seemed to Lucien that the dark shape at the top of the stairs sank down like a cat and crossed its massive paws.

“So, in light of the circumstances, perhaps we should dispense with the formalities, so that you may be on your way… to enjoy the rest of the Night Court’s most auspicious holiday.”

“Tam, this is serious,” Lucien chided. “I need to speak with you.”

“And I need to finish my nap before I go hunting tonight, so make it quick.”

Lucien took a deep, albeit exasperated, breath and shook his head in resignation. “Fine. It’s about Feyre.”

Any amusement in the beast’s voice, however mild, vanished in an instant. “What about Feyre?”

“You haven’t heard?”

“You haven’t told me.”

Lucien spread his fingers wide. “Before I tell you, you should know—”

“Is she dead?”

Lucien sighed. “She’s with child.”

A long pause. “I see.”

“I just…” Lucien lifted his hands, then let them fall. “I thought it would be better if you heard it from me.”

“And I suppose you thought I would be grateful.” There was a sneer in Tamlin’s tone, but it softened when he asked, “Is she happy?”

“I would assume so.”

“And her mate?”

“You already know the answer to that question.”

“Yes,” Tamlin mused quietly. “I am surprised that he didn’t come down here himself to gloat.”

“Rumor has it he was too busy doing just that in the Hewn City last night,” Lucien said wryly, then cleared his throat. “But I wouldn’t know. I wasn’t invited.”

“What a coincidence. Neither was I.”

Lucien’s lips twitched into a smile. For a moment, it was like old times… but his smile faded as he remembered the other reason he had come. “I have business in the Night Court tonight. Are there any messages you wish to convey?”

“If you expect me to offer up my congratulations, you can piss off,” Tamlin snarled, all traces of friendliness gone. “I have nothing more to say; to you, or to them.” The beastly shape rose to its feet. “Now get out, and take your formalities with you.”

“Tam, wait,” Lucien said, starting for the stairs.

A sharp growl stopped him short. “It may be Solstice, but that does not mean you can enter my home uninvited. Do so again, and you will find thorns in your boots. I still have that much power, I can assure you.”

Lucien’s toes curled at the thought, but he reached into his jacket pocket anyway. “It’s just—I have something for you.”

“If this is another message from Night—”

Lucien pulled a small envelope out of his pocket. “It’s an invitation.”

“To what.”

“To a party,” Lucien said simply. “With the Band of Exiles,” he added, and held it out.

There was a long, long pause. “Why,” was all the beast said.

“Because it’s Solstice,” Lucien said gently. “And you’re my friend.”

When Tamlin remained still, and silent, Lucien stepped forward—slowly—and carefully placed the envelope on top of the flat swirled handrail at the bottom of the stairs.

As he stepped back, he continued, “I know I should have given it to you sooner, but… I had hoped…” He shrugged, struggling to find the words. “I thought you might invite me here like you did last year,” he admitted at last.

Now that his good eye was fully adjusted to the dim light, he could see the gleam of the beast’s green gaze as it fell on the creamy envelope.

“To do what, exactly,” Tamlin said flatly.

Lucien shrugged again. “To celebrate. To be together.”

“As we once were?” Tamlin finished mockingly.

Lucien’s face flushed.

“Those days are over,” Tamlin said coolly. “You know that. You’ve known that ever since the night of the Masquerade Ball.”

Lucien took a step forward. “Tam…”

“Don’t.” He said it so sharply that Lucien actually fell back a step. “I am still High Lord, and you do not have my permission to approach.”

Lucien’s jaw tightened. “I thought you hated formalities.”

“And I thought you had business to attend to… at the Night Court.”

Lucien snorted in disgust and looked away. “Very well, if you must know, Feyre invited me to spend the evening with her and her family… for Solstice.”

“Is that right.”

Lucien looked to the top of the stairs, but the rest of Tamlin’s beastly expression was still well-hidden by shadow. “My mate is going to be there,” he said flatly. “I have to go. If there is a chance that someone out there wants me…”

“I never said I didn’t want you.”

Lucien blinked against the sudden blurriness in his right eye. His left eye was always clear. Clear and cold and mechanical. Pity that his heart couldn’t be the same.

Tamlin continued, “I only said it would be best if we… remained friends.”

Lucien swiped away a stray tear from his cheek with his thumb. “Is that all we were?” he asked evenly. “Friends?”

Several—painful—heartbeats passed before Tamlin answered. “The Cauldron has finally blessed you with a mate,” he said quietly. “After everything you’ve been through… You deserve it. It’s what you’ve always wanted—”

“Not always.”

In that moment, the golden thread of fate that bound him to someone else seemed to grow slack. He took a tentative step forward, and Tamlin did not rebuke him.

Lucien reached out and laid his hand on the banister, next to the unopened invitation. “The party is tomorrow night, at Northwall Manor,” he said gently. “It’s just going to be me, and Jurian, and Vassa… Will you come?”

Lucien’s heart rose as Tamlin seemed to be considering it… but it fell when Tamlin finally answered.

“The Spring Court cannot withstand another attack from another Archeron sister,” he said flatly. “Elain is bound to you, just as Feyre is bound to Rhys.”

Lucien shook his head. “Tam…”

“You saw what Feyre did when I tried to sever her bond,” Tamlin snapped. “To get closer to your mate, you helped her. You chose her over me. You chose them both over me.”

Lucien’s chest grew tight. “As if you didn’t choose Ianthe over me.”

Tamlin growled. “I did what I thought was right… for Feyre.”

“So did I.”

Tamlin’s green-eyed glare seemed to glow in the dim light… but even so, he was the first to look away.

“Go away,” the High Lord said quietly.

Lucien blinked in surprise. “What?”

“I said: Go. Away,” Tamlin repeated emphatically. “Go. Enjoy your party. Enjoy what’s left of Solstice.”

Lucien watched in dismay as his shaggy form turned away from the landing. “Tam, wait…”

“What?” the beast snarled. “What do you want from me? A gift? An apology? Fine.”

His heavy paw touched the top of the stairs.

“I’m sorry I listened to the words of a High Priestess that I trusted for centuries,” he snarled, then took another step. “I’m sorry I tried to save the woman I loved from my worst enemy.” With each step, he got closer, and angrier. “I’m sorry I allowed Hybern onto my lands instead of waiting for them to invade. I’m sorry I sent my men across the Wall to be butchered like cattle. And I’m sorry I was a coward and sent you Under the Mountain in my place. If I had just let Amarantha have her way with me at the High Lords’ Ball that night, none of this would have happened.”

Lucien slowly shook his head in disbelief. “You don’t mean that,” he said distantly.

Tamlin’s beastly green eyes stared directly into his own. “Yes I do,” he said quietly.

Tamlin was in even worse shape than Eris said. Gone was his shining golden mane, replaced by matted fur as dull as dirt. His bone-white antlers were cracked and crusted with dried blood from the long thorns sprouting there. He was much thinner, too; his under-eyes and cheeks were hollow, even with the fur.

Lucien slowly reached out a hand to touch Tamlin’s furred cheek. “What happened to you,” he murmured.

Tamlin’s lip curled, revealing his long, yellow fangs, and he snapped, barely missing Lucien’s fingers.

Lucien instinctively jerked away and flexed his fingers, but he knew—deep down—that Tamlin didn’t want to bite him. “I was trying to say that what happened to you is not your fault.”

Tamlin growled at him. “I don’t want your damn pity,” he muttered, then turned away.

Lucien huffed in aggravation. “Then what do you want?” he called out as the beast took the stairs two at a time.

Tamlin was already at the top when he called back, “I want to be left alone, and you can tell your masters that I said so.”

“They’re not—” Lucien faltered, because that’s exactly what they were. As long as Elain dwelled in the Night Court, they could make Lucien do whatever they wanted, like a puppet on a string. That same string—that golden thread—tightened around his ribs, and Lucien let out a tired, resigned sigh.

“Happy Solstice, Tam,” he managed, then gave a slight bow before turning away toward the sliver of fading sunlight still visible through the open doorway.

He might have been imagining it, but he thought he heard something sigh: “Happy Solstice,” before he stepped across the threshold and winnowed away to the realm of the Night Court.

* * *

At his approach, the wolf growled a warning growl, so the fox retreated into the safety of the shadows.

* * *

#surprise #and happy solstice #i hope you liked it #it was very hard to keep a secret!#another chapter will be coming soon i promise #acotar secret santa #acotar gift exchange #my fanfiction #my writing #tamlin x lucien #tamcien

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cultofdionysusnet · 9 months ago

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𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓾𝓪𝓰𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓕𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓼

It's spring and the flowers are blooming! Take a walk through a cultivated garden or a wild meadow to inhale the wonderful medley of aromas provided by mother nature. But with each blossom and bundle of pollen is always an underlying meaning. Whether you're broken hearted, attempting to explain your feelings, or simply looking for subtly-worded revenge, flowers can be your language.

°˖✧✿✧˖°MUST INCLUDE! mentions of flowers, gardens and spring

°˖✧✿✧˖°You must also pick a flower from the prompts provided and utilize the meaning somewhere within your fic

°˖✧✿✧˖°Minimum word count is 500

°˖✧✿✧˖°deadline: June.19th

°˖✧✿✧˖°must be a member of our net to participate

°˖✧✿✧˖°all network rules in regards to posting applies

°˖✧✿✧˖°please use the hashtag #codn: spring24 for all posts submitted for the event

The Prompts:

Amaryllis- Shy

Anemone (white)- Sincere

Ambroisa- Pious

Aster Tataricus- remembrance

Black Lily - love, curse

Bluebell - grateful

Cactus (flower) - lust, sex

Camellia (red)- in love, perishing with grace

Camellia (yellow) - longing

Camellia (white)- waiting

Carnation - fascination, distinction, love

Cherry Blossom - kind, gentle, transience of life

Chrysanthemum (yellow) - imperial

Chrysanthemum (white) - truth

Four-leaf Clover - lucky

Daffodil - respect

Dahlia - good taste

Daisy - faith

Edelweiss - courage, power

Erica - solitude

Forget-me-not - true love

Freesia - childish, immature

Gardenia - secret love

Hibiscus - gentle

Honeysuckle - generous

Iris - good news, glad tidings, loyalty

Jasmine (Arabian/Spanish) - friendly, graceful

Lavender - faithful

Lily (white) - purity, chastity

Lily of Incas - such strong connection that language is limited when trying to explain it

Lily (orange) - hatred, revenge

Lily of the Valley/ Spider Lily - sweet

Lotus - far from the one he loves, purity, chastity

Magnolia - Natural

Mistletoe/holly - looking for love

Morning Glory- willful promises

Narcissus- self esteem

Pansy- thoughtful, caring

Peony- bravery

Poppy (red)- fun loving

Poppy (white)- rejoice

Poppy (yellow)- success

Rose (red)- love, in love

Rose (white)- innocence, silence, devotion

Rose (yellow)- jealousy

Rose (pink)- trust, happiness, confidence

Spider Lily (red) - never meet again, lost memory, abandonment

Sunflower - respect, passionate love, radiance

Sweet Pea- goodbye

Tiger Lily - wealth

Tulip (red)- fame, charity, trust

Tulip (Yellow)- one sided love

Verbena- cooperative

Violet- honesty

White Egret Orchid - purity, delicateness, "I'll be thinking of you even in my dreams"

Zinnia- loyalty

Like always, have fun with our first seasonal event of the year, may you be blessed with the muse, and The Fates look forward to your submissions~!

#codn: spring24 #ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ- Events

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talonabraxas · 7 months ago

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The Flower Moon Talon Abraxas

Flower Moon Meaning

The Flower Moon’s name isn’t much of a mystery given the time of year it graces the sky. Gardens and landscapes are in full bloom with perennials such as primrose, bleeding heart, bloodroot, iris, violet, hellebore, peony, et cetera; flower trees such as pear, crape myrtle, crabapple, magnolia, redbud, dogwood, and others; and spring bulbs including bluebell, hyacinth, lily of the valley, tulip, daffodil, crocus, and more.

As for the May full moon’s other names, this is the time of year when the tribes and farmers plant corn. The frogs are singing their mating songs, and milk-producing livestock such as sheep, goats, and cows now have lush green pastures to fill their bellies and produce more milk.

Flower Moon Spiritual Meaning

The May full moon embodies the spirit of Beltane and all the energy of new life, passion, fire, and rebirth. It brings creativity, inspiration, and a sense of purpose with it.

The Flower Moon in May is a spiritual reminder that our goals should be manifesting. This is the blooming season, but it’s also the planting season. Tap into the energy for growth and fertility. Take some time to think about your intentions and what needs to be done in order to reach your goals come harvest season. This may mean asking yourself some hard questions and reevaluating your priorities and plans.

Don’t feel overwhelmed if you feel like the goals you set at the beginning of the year are still far away. We can’t magically leap to the top of the staircase in a single jump; the journey happens one step at a time. If you feel like you aren’t progressing, take a moment to focus. What do you need to prioritize? What is the next step forward that needs to be taken? What is holding you back (and therefore needs to be released)?

Let the spiritual energy of the Flower Moon inspire you to continue growing, even though it comes with a reminder that we can’t move forward until we let go of what’s inhibiting our ability to fully blossom.

Flower Moon Altar Tips, Colors, & Crystals

The most common altar colors for the Flower Moon are yellow, red, orange, and green. Freshly cut flowers make a perfect altar decoration.

In fact, you can go even further and find many more ways to incorporate flowers on this special night. Arrange them in vases to decorate your home. Integrate them into your tea and cooking. Add them to your bath. Press blossoms that you can later use in your book of shadows, journal, artwork, or even a thoughtful surprise tucked in a card for a loved one.

Crystals that work well with the Flower Moon include:

Moonstone – new beginnings, fertility, intuition, lunar/feminine energy

Selenite – purification, cleansing, protection, a symbol of light, ties to the moon

Labradorite – connect with the psyche, dreams, creative muses, spiritual awakening

Amethyst – spiritual protection, insight, self-reflection, shadow work

Rose Quartz – love, friendship, romance, self-love

Rhodonite – “stone of love,” passion, fertility, grounding energy, healing emotional scars

Flower Agate – new beginnings, self-growth, restores emotional balance

Moss Agate – restoration, healing, rebirth, a connection with earth and plants

Black Tourmaline – strength, stabilization, grounding, alleviating fear (onyx and obsidian are also good alternatives)

Smoky quartz – grounding, emotional calmness, stress relief

Clear quartz – healing, peace, cleansing the mind and aura, divination

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bookloover35 · 20 days ago

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Blossoms and Headlines- Jack Kelly x fem reader.

The bustling streets of Manhattan never seemed so bright as they did on a morning when Jack Kelly strolled through them with a spring in his step. The city was waking up, and so was he—though his reasons had little to do with the sunlight streaming through the buildings and everything to do with a certain flower vendor setting up her cart.

"Morning, Sunshine," Jack called out, tipping his cap as he approached your stall.

You glanced up from the vibrant bouquets you were arranging, a smile spreading across your face at the sight of your boyfriend. "Morning, Jack. Shouldn't you be slinging papes by now?"

"Shouldn't you be swimming in customers? Seems like I got here just in time to help." He leaned casually against the edge of your cart, his hazel eyes sparkling with mischief.

"You? Help?" You teased, motioning to a few stray daisies he nearly knocked over. "Last time you tried, I ended up with tulips and carnations mixed together. It was chaos."

Jack held a hand to his heart as though wounded. "Hey, they were still pretty! Anyway, I'm better at sales. Watch this." He straightened up and glanced down the street, spotting a man in a suit. "Sir! Yes, you! Lookin' for somethin' to brighten your day? Maybe a rose for your sweetheart?"

The man hesitated but approached, clearly intrigued by Jack's enthusiasm. You handed the customer a single rose, and as he walked off, Jack grinned triumphantly.

"See? Natural-born salesman," he said, turning back to you.

"All right, I'll give you that one," you admitted, giggling.

Jack stole a glance at the bouquets and plucked a soft pink peony from the bunch, holding it out to you. "But there's only one customer I'm really interested in today."

You felt your cheeks warm as you took the flower. "You're smooth, Kelly. Real smooth."

He leaned in, close enough that you could see the faint smudge of ink still on his fingertips. "I try. Now, how about I walk you to lunch after your shift? I know a spot with the best pie in the city."

"Tempting," you mused, brushing a petal with your finger. "But only if you help me unload these lilies first."

Jack groaned playfully but set to work beside you, his usual charm never wavering. As the two of you laughed and worked together, the city felt a little brighter, a little sweeter.

The flowers you sold that day weren't the only blossoms on display—your love for Jack was just as vibrant, blooming with every moment you spent together. And as Jack often reminded you, you were the one thing in his life that made the headlines seem a little less important.

#wattpad #wattpadstories #wattpad story #my own words #jack kelly x fem reader #jack kelly x reader #jeremy jordan jack kelly #newsies jack kelly #newsies #newsies x reader

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triforce-of-mischief · 2 years ago

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A Wild Beedle Appears

Summary: Slate and Loft encounter a familiar face on the road to Hateno.

Word count: 540

AO3

AU belongs to @ezdotjpg/@bonus-links, go check them out!

Reblogs > Likes!

The sun was low as Slate led Loft through the Dueling Peaks, and sunset had fallen by the time the stable came into view. Slate was a little more blunt than usual as he spoke with the stablehands, hoping to board the horses and continue the trek as fast as possible.

“Uh, Link? You might need to help him dismount,” Peony said, and Slate turned to see Loft still sitting on his horse. The stranger chuckled nervously when he noticed Slate’s quizzical stare.

“I’m fine! Should be just like a loftwing, just- give me a second,” Loft said.

Slate shrugged and handed Murderer’s reins to Rensa. The two shared a secret eyeroll as they heard Loft struggle to dismount, culminating in a painful-sounding thud.

Loft brought Apple over to stand beside Slate, giving the horse a final pat before Rensa took their mounts away. The resident stable dog wandered over and the stranger gladly switched his attention to the new animal.

“Is that who I think it is?”

Slate groaned, recognizing the voice immediately. Of course the merchant just happened to be at this stable. He could’ve sworn that he had seen that giant backpack on the opposite side of the Floria Bridge…

“It is you! Hi, Link! Who’s your new friend?”

Slate sighed and whirled around, resigning himself to another conversation. ‘Hi, Beedle.’

Loft suddenly lost interest in the dog rolling at his feet. “Wait, what?” He blinked and rubbed his eyes like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “You know a Beedle too?”

“Not just any Beedle! I’m the only Beedle to ever roam the land!” the merchant bragged, then stopped in his tracks as he finally got a good look at the stranger’s face. He clapped his hands and shouted, “OHHHH! Two Links in one place! I didn’t expect to see you again, Sky Hero!”

Slate glanced at Loft, who for his part looked just as confused as Slate was.

“You know me?” Loft asked.

“I know you, you know me!” Beedle confirmed. “It’s been a long time, but some faces can’t be forgotten.”

Loft muttered, “How in the ever-loving-”

‘This has been a fun…’ Slate’s hands stalled as he found the right word, ‘reunion, but we really need to get going. I’d like to reach Hateno by morning.’

“Are you sure you don’t need to buy anything for the road?” Beedle tried, but Slate waved him away.

‘Come on, we’re leaving.’

“I still have a lot of questions,” Loft protested.

“And I won’t give you the answers!” Beedle said with a grin. “I know better than to interfere with you hero-types. Go do what you need to. You know where to find me!”

Ignoring how the word hero made his skin crawl, Slate simply pointed at the road and started walking. Loft gave Beedle one last suspicious glare before falling beside Slate.

“How is that even possible?” the stranger mused aloud.

Slate gave him a wry glance. ‘That’s what you’re focused on?”

“In this moment, yeah. That was weird. Really weird.”

‘Beedle’s a weird guy. Try not to think about it too hard.’

They left the stable and the odd merchant behind, silence falling over them as the moon rose over Blatchery Plain.

#bonus links #bonus slate #bonus loft #fable writes

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asterisque · 2 months ago

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OTPs + nOTPs + sorey and sharena!

send "OTPs + nOTPs + [a muse name]" for me to list out my favourite pairings, and the pairings i am not interested in, for that muse

The S babies lol (my tablet, english hater, insists on correcting sorey as sorry, why smh)

Sorey :

For the otp i am not very original it's mikleo or rose. Both give so much for sorey's development and writing and i just love their dynamics! Both of them also give something different for said dynamics so you can see sorey's personality in full hehe, they bring out a lot out of him!

I don't really have a notp i guess ? I don't ship him with Alisha, but i wouldn't call it a notp 🤔

Sharena:

Hrid for the otp and i mostly blame you! I liked it and considered it and bam you came with your hrid on his white horse and- yeah. I love them very much ! Peony a solid rival to hrid tho!!! (I guess i can blame you a bit for that one too). Both ships are extremely cute and make sharena happy so that's all i ask for her hehe.

For the notp i'd say veronica, i would write the ship if a rpg friend asks, but otherwise i don't ship it romantically. Tho i like them being super close in canon and sharing stuff and all, even if feh often forgets sharena exists and their relationship does too...

#ask;;answered #soulcluster #//thanks!!!!

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sharkssharpteeth · 1 year ago

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⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡Muses ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

“I'm down pounding my head against the kitchen floor, apologizing for my life and ever entering yours”

- “Against the Kitchen Floor” by Will Wood

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Listed below are my current fandoms and muses within them. I’m not too picky when it comes to ships, though I tend to lean towards those that are under-explored when the fandom allows (ex: Hadir Karim/Alex Keller). If you want to shoot me a DM or ask regarding a plot ideas, go for it.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Current Fandoms:

The Boys ♢ Brokeback Mountain ♢ Call of Duty (Modern Warfare Reboot) ♢ Detroit: Become Human ♢ Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ♢ Fallout (New Vegas & 4) ♢ Far Cry (4 & 5) ♢ Gen V ♢ Hannibal (NBC) ♢ House Of Ashes ♢ Legend of Zelda ♢ Moon Knight ♢ Mortal Kombat (1) ♢ Night At The Museum ♢ Outlast (1 & Whistleblower) ♢ Pokémon ♢ The Quarry ♢ Resident Evil ♢ Scream (1) ♢ Uncharted (2 & 4) ♢ Until Dawn

Muse List:

Brokeback Mountain

Ennis Del Mar

Jack Twist

Call of Duty (Modern Warfare Reboot)

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

Phillip Graves

Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin

Hadir Karim

Alex Keller

John “Soap” MacTavish

Vladimir Makarov

Andrei Nolan

Rodolfo Parra

John Price

Simon “Ghost” Riley

Alejandro Vargas

Detroit: Become Human

Colton (RK900)

Connor (RK800)

Elijah Kamski

Markus (RK200)

Gavin Reed

Simon (PL600)

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Simon Aumar

Edgin Darvis

Xenk Yendar

Fallout

New Vegas

Craig Boone

Caesar

Arcade Israel Gannon

Benny Gecko

Joshua Graham

Vulpes Inculta

The King

Pacer

Swank

Paladin Danse

Deacon

Porter Gage

Preston Garvey

Robert Joseph MacCready

Mason

Arthur Maxson

Sturges

X6-88

Far Cry

Ajay Ghale

Paul "De Pleur" Harmon

Regi

Yogi

Charlemagne "Sharky" Victor Boshaw IV

Jacob Seed

John Seed

Hannibal (NBC)

Frederick Chilton

Francis Dolarhyde

Will Graham

Hannibal Lecter

Mason Verger

Legend of Zelda

Kass

Link

Prince Sidon

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Steven Grant ♢ Mr. Knight

Jake Lockley

Marc Spector ♢ Moon Knight

Mortal Kombat 1

Baraka

Johnathan Carlton ♢ Johnny Cage

Bi-Han ♢ Sub-Zero

Liu Kang

Kung Lao

Kuai Liang ♢ Scorpion

Raiden

Reiko

Syzoth ♢ Reptile

Kenshi Takahashi

Shang Tsung

Tomas Vrbada ♢ Smoke

Night At The Museum

Ahkmenrah

Jedediah

Octavius

Outlast + Whistleblower

Jeremy Blaire

Eddie Gluskin

Waylon Park

Miles Upshur

Pokémon

Archer

Archie

Beni

Colress

Emmet

Faba

Ghetsis

Giovanni

Guzma

Ingo

Professor Kukui

Lysandre

Matt

Maxie

Milo

Molayne

Nanu

Peony

Petrel

Proton

Chairman Rose

Professor Sycamore

Tabitha

Resident Evil

Karl Heisenberg

Leon Kennedy

Carlos Oliveira

Chris Redfield

Ethan Winters

Scream (Original)

Billy Loomis

Stu Macher

Randy Meeks

Dwight “Dewey” Riley

Supermassive Games

The Devil in Me

Charles Lonnit

House of Ashes

Nick Kay

Eric King

Jason Kolchek

Salim Othman

Man of Medan

Conrad

Bradley Smith

The Quarry

Jacob Custos

Ryan Erzahler

Chris Hackett

Travis Hackett

Dylan Lenivy

Until Dawn

Christopher Hartley

Michael Munroe

Matthew Taylor

Joshua Washington

Uncharted

All Entries

Nathan Drake

Victor Sullivan

Among Thieves

Harry Flynn

A Thief’s End

Rafe Adler

#fandom #video games #movies #tv shows #fictional characters #drabble #fanfic #mun muses

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darkdevasofdestruction · 4 months ago

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Chapter 10 - Dearly Departed

"Hao!" Lau smiled. "I haven't expected you could dance with such grace, little Fox Fairy." the man teased her as he played idly with the material of her silk sleeve.

"I've been pestered with dancing lessons since before I could even walk." Katrina joked lightly, continuing to play around to the melodious sound of the zither strings.

"Western dances are much different than our own." he mused, taking out his fan and unfolding in elegantly. "In England, the focus is on the harmony between the two dancers. In the East, however, the focus is on the Beauty alone." he continued, barely hiding his vague smile. "I must say, Huxian, that you do attract the looks of every man in the room. Perhaps I might need to call you now Fenghuang, the Vermillion Bird herself. "

"Now, now, you're just flattering me, little dragon." she reached out her hand to his own, revealing the dragon tattoo going up from his palm, across his forearm and to his elbow.

"It is not flattery, but the truth." he rose her chin up with the tip of his fan. "Now then, won't you thrill me with the sound of your voice? Ran Mao praised you a lot to me these days."

"Only if you accompany me, Lau, otherwise, I might be too bashful to perform, all alone." she played coy with with, skittering around in short and elegant steps, like a wild goose taking its flight.

"I will, if you agree to do me a favour." he turned around abruptly. "Of course, I will make sure to pay you back tenfold for your kindness."

"A few days ago, we discussed the possibility of being in mortal danger because of my supposed other-wordly beauty - And now, you are deliberately sending me on an errand?" Katrina grinned, silently stepping being the man, and standing on her tippy-toes, she reached out her arms around his neck, placing her chin on his shoulder. "If my golden dragon promises to watch over me with his protective Eye of Heaven, then I suppose I could indulge in fulfilling a quest for thee."

This lonesome cup of wine The beginning of spring poured at the top The gentleness in my drunken trance Accompanies me again

Lau's voice, softer and more tender than anything Katrina's heard before, felt like honey mean caressing her soul oh so gently as he sang a melody in his native tongue. Were it not for Ran Mao introducing her to this song prior, she would have had no idea of the tragically sorrowful undertone of it, for his voice was that soothing to the ear.

The piled worries blurred I watch the years come and go The reason of my pain each night Are worries that I had once forgotten

Though broken and with a heavy accent, lacking the smooth melodicity that Ran Mao previously displayed as she taught her this song, Katrina, in a tone much higher than ever she sung before, thrilled the tune of a tragic love story. She was never allowed to sing before, and with how she always kept her voice low and soft, she dearly doubted that she had any such affinity. She still doesn't think she's a great singer - Ran Mao is a fantastic Soprano. The first time she hear the woman sing, Katrina started crying, feeling her heart throbbing with emotion and impress for the first time in her life. It was a revelation.

This poem left behind I tear through the paper window Imagining your shadow Wrapped in my yearning

To think that Lau, also had such a tender voice... She wondered what it would be like, falling asleep to him humming a lovely tune. She'll have to try that out. Lau turned to gaze at her, an empty smile like that of a snake painting his features as though he was a nobleman at a banquet, courting the princess. Though the man attempted to reach out and hold her hand to dance, she playfully twirled around, looking like a beautiful peony.

This once continuous string of love Cannot be locked away forever Now we have turned into Forgotten matters of the past

Katrina continued to dance like a pretty fairy, imitating every move that Ran Mao taught her, to Lau's tune. - Every joint had to move with precise accuracy and discipline, to counter every slow move with a faster one. And smile. Smile, for you are most beautiful when you smile, when you are filled with joy.

Look at the person in the mirror, bright red face turn thin Look at this love and hatred, old and new Look at the lamp bright as the day, with tears drenched Look at who arranged to meet after nightfall

Now standing in front of him, Katrina mimicked the Beauties painted on decorative scrolls, in those coquettish positions, and sang every word like a poem, just like those wonderful ladies at a Peking Opera. Though there was no such thing in England, the many ladies that Lau has in his underground business were so talented and kind with her, so understanding and patient teaching her.

"Fènghuáng, Fènghuáng, wǒ de Huánghòu." the man hummed, gently holding her delicate hands. "Is this how you became the Queen's Fox? One woman, brilliant and talented above all - Such can only be not a human, but a Fox Spirit."

"Oh, no, nothing of the sort! I'm just smart, you see?" she smiled softly. "I had no idea I could even sing. It's all thanks to Ran Mao and all the other ladies you sent to accompany me. Truly, thank you. These days have been the happiest I've ever been."

"Women are supposed to be happy and indulge in their passions." Lau leaned down, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Alright, you flatterer. Tell me about that mission, and I'll tell you what my reward should be, for me to agree to it." though she couldn't see the blush on her face, she could feel the warmth rising.

"Wonderful negotiator, little fox." he hummed softly. "Are you familiar with the concept of a pleasure house? Not those filthy brothels that Englishmen frequent, those are filth." Katrina looked up at him, blinking in confusion and urging him to carry on. "My ladies only entertain the elite; First, with their high caliber art and intelligence, and only further, if they wish, with their bodies. As you already suspect, it's al a rouse for information gathering."

"And you want me to act as a courtesan?" she asked simply.

"Higher. The highest one can get in the hierarchy. The more unreachable and mysterious, the more wanted." he continued. "I have this... Rather pretentious and capricious client that has been upsetting my girls, you see. He comes into my home, though complains that my ladies aren't worth his money, because they are from the East. And I, my darling, want to put an end to my girls' sadness and extort every bit of information that a person of his status can have."

"A'ight, sound like a deal. I'm in. I just have to be pretty and wait for him in my room, yes?" she nodded, agreeing with the plan.

"Attract his attention first. Dance and sing on the stage, do what you like best - You will attract all eyes on you regardless." from his sleeve, he took out a veil, placing it over half of her face; A beautiful pink, sheer and delicate with fragile golden thread. "Nobody will recognise you."

"I see. Blessing the audience with the Phoenix's song. Very well, I will do that..." the woman looked up at him with a smirk; Her gorgeous green eyes only highlighted like gems with the soft red makeup and the gentle eyeliner. "I want you to sing me to sleep."

Lau's eyes opened wide in surprise for a few seconds, before he started chuckling. "Hao! I shall do as you wish... Wǒ měilì de mu lan."

Just as promised, the next evening, Ran Mao, acting as Katrina's maid, took care of her; She did her hair, her make up and dressed her up in the most beautiful outfit. Lau was patiently waiting in the corner of the main room, drinking a little wine, watching the graceful dance of the flower fairy, her lovely melody harmonising perfectly with the flute and the zither. As he expected, men were looking away from the girls serving them, their eyes lingering lecherously on the new lady so different than all the others; Red hair like the feathers of a Vermillion Bird, eyes of the most gleaming green. A foreigner, singing Chinese songs with such an adorable accent. Surely a maiden pure such as herself would be everyone's first target to taint.

As she finished her enchanting performance, she did a pretty courtesy and followed his sister to the assigned room for her, where she would patiently wait and drink her tea, gossiping with the other woman until the victim would enter her room. It took a while for the said man to walk over to the matron and request the performer with the carmine hair - And oh, how much he had to pay for such privilege! After all, not just anyone can afford to even look the Empress in the eyes, let alone speak to her.

Finally, with an exorbitant amount of money given to the pleasure house, the matron guided the man up the stairs, to the luxury suite of the mysterious lady. As the door was opened, Ran Mao scurried away, just outside, clinging onto her brother's arm, ready to attack when given the signal.

With the veil off and a demure smile, Katrina looked up at the new-comer... Only for a terrified shock to wash over her. "Wh-What are you doing here?!" on the other end of the door, Lau rose a quizzical eyebrow - Did Katrina know this client?

"So this is what you've been doing since you left? Living off as a cheap whore?" Katrina felt her body and mind frozen with terror. "We invested so much money and time into an ungrateful child who ruined everything. What will Edgar say when I tell him his fiancee is a filthy slut who sells her body to the highest bidder? Have you forgotten that you were only worth your virginity? Redmond's family is rich." was it due to past trauma of her scolding, or the image of her being ritualistically sacrificed by her own parents, that she was unable to move even a single inch of her body, nor utter a single word? "Useless child. Why did you have to be born a woman? All you're good for is being traded as a pawn. Status and money."

Katrina almost felt her body trembling with guilt and remorse - What was going on? Why was she unable to react in anyway? This wasn't her - She was reactive, she was a fighter, she spoke up and defended herself. Why can't she do it now? Why isn't she shouting for Lau? Why is she doing anything at all?!

"You're going home right now." her father's strong and fearsome voice made her cringe fearfully. "You're old enough now. Edgar is finishing college in a few months, and when he's done, you're going to marry him." he ordered sternly. "You do know what will happen after that, don't you?" the man huffed, roughly grabbing his child by the arm and harshly dragging her up. "You are going to pop children until you have an heir, and the Viscount's wealth can be divided to us after your sudden and unexpected death."

"Edgar wouldn't do anything to hurt me! He's a gentleman! He's always been very nice to me!" the vibrato of her voice wasn't missed by her father. "Let me go, I'm not returning home! That's not my home, and it never was!"

"Stupid little whore." a small squeak of pain followed by a loud thud was heard, as Katrina's father towered above her, strangling her. "You just had to bring us trouble, didn't you? You're not even worth as a sacrifice. Your mother was wrong, they all were. You're not worth a thing. No demon would ever bother showing up for a filthy wench like you!" no matter how much Kat struggled to free herself of his grasp, how she clawed at his hands, feeling the blood drench her skin, it was to no avail. Was he trying to kill her now? Or was he trying to make her faint and kidnap her home?

Just as Katrina's vision was beginning to blur and darken in the already dimly lit room, the door was slid open and the barbarian was pried off of her. Despite vertigo having captured her senses, she could feel Lau's arms wrapping protectively around her, and Ran Mao's silhouette was standing protectively in front of them, shielding the two with her two chui maces. She was ready to strike. Hard. "Wait, don't kill him!" the red head cried out, grabbing the attention of her lady friend, who could only look in confusion at her.

"He hurt you." Ran Mao spoke in a mellow voice. "A cat's job is to eliminate rats."

"He's my father." using Lau's shoulder for support, Katrina managed to stand up. "The disgusting client that you wanted to get rid of... Is Duke Raymond, the High Court Judge." she gingerly placed her hand over her neck, feeling great discomfort after being choked like that.

"Not only do you collude with these filthy chinks, but you let that bloody ching chong yellow bastard to fuck you. You couldn't get any lower than that, even if you wanted to." the duke spat on the ground, raising his sleeves up. "Home. Now."

"And people actually question why I ran away from home." Katrina scoffed, and in a rush of fury, she snatched one of Ran Mao's chui mace and hit her father in the head. His eyes rolled in the back of his head and his balance was thrown off. "I already am home." she hit him again, sending him toppling to the ground. "Now die and beg for forgiveness to my brother for killing him." and thus, Katrina maced her father's head until it looked like spilled porridge.

"That's enough." swiftly, her lady friend grabbed the weapon away and threw it away, pulling the red head into a strong embrace. "It's okay. You're safe now. Mou mantai. Don't worry." gradually, Katrina's heavy breathing began to even out in Ran Mao's considerate hug, her mind calming as her hair was being pet. "I'll take care of you. Let's go home."

Ran Mao didn't give Lau any second to speak, as she dragged Katrina to the carriage and the three of them left for their home. She was taken to her room, where her friend brought over a pretty, thin long sleeping dress for her and shamelessly undressed her, only to stop upon seeing the faded wounds left on her body. She sat on the edge of her bed, her finger tips gently tracing down her skin, making Katrina shiver a little, great shame overwhelming her not from being fully exposed as God left Eve in Eden, but for anyone seeing the flaws of her skin, the discipline and threats inflicted on her by others. "Monsters." she heard Ran Mao grumble, her brows furrowing a little. "Anyone who hurts a woman is a monster." she said, hugging Kat's head to her chest, caressing her hair like a mother would comfort her child. "I will protect you. Jiějiě."

For once, Katrina actually knew what Ran Mao meant. Thought she couldn't quite understand Chinese, she did pick up on enough words in the week spent in the den, after all, and learning poems and songs did help a lot. Ran Mao, who was barely a year or so younger than her, was calling her big sis. "Xièxiè, wǒ kě'ài de mèimei." somehow, hugging her supposed little sister from a completely different family reminded her of that warm feeling she always had when her older brother hugged her.

It was always such a comfort, seeing his tender smile and his warm words as she held her crying little form after a bunch of harsh scoldings and disciplinary physical tactics to forever damage her body. Didn't they know how important a woman's body was? Her husband could refuse her, if he saw her scars and thought she was ugly. Although... With the Baron having almost killed her in a ritual, and that sadistic Derek being unhinged... It only got worse. If she ever does live past the age written in the book and she has the opportunity to marry Edgar, she truly fears he might end up rejecting her, and she will end up like a discarded broken porcelain doll.

With Ran Mao having taken care of her wounds, fresh or old, she showed a small smile before leaving the girl alone to red in her bed. Incense sticks and fragrances were helming her relax, and the sweet peach wine, along with some sweets were enough to make her feel as if she belonged. She felt comfortable and welcomed, the likes that she hadn't even felt at the Phantomhive manor, where the only saving grace was Sebastian, with whom she played a constant tug of war game, though sometimes, even that became exhausting. It wasn't as though a human could keep a demon's attention for too long, and there was only so much one could play games, before they became predictable.

Whether she lives a long life, or a short one, Katrina wanted to experience all the things she could. It wasn't a smart idea, trying to do everything at once, knowing full well that she might end up screwing everything up anyway. A single girl, barely of age, left to fend for herself in a vast and cruel world. Left to learn everything to survive. A little girl, so terrified of death, that she wants to live ten lifetimes in a few months. How much more tragic can it get, she wondered. What a pitiful existence.

"I wonder if I should write a new iteration of the Ballad of Mulan, in which she actually ends up killing her father." Lau's familiar voice garnered a chuckle from the girl who lazily turned her head to look at him. He, too, was wearing only his sleeping clothes, much lighter and more comfortable.

"That would make for a most dishonorable and highly criticised piece of writing. You wouldn't make much profit out of it. Especially by Confucian ideology." the man, also, chuckled at her reply before unceremoniously letting himself fall on his back on the bed, stealing a few pastries from the tray and dragging from his pipe and letting out a puff of smoke, before offering it to the girl.

"What...? I don't smoke."

"But did you try?" of course, she shook her head. "Give it a try."

"You're a bad influence on me, Lau. You're trying to make me take up vices." she joked, gingerly taking the pipe from his hand.

"I don't see you opposing me too much." he grinned, pulling her into his side, her head resting back on his shoulder. "Careful not to drag too much, you'll end up choking." as if he predicted, she ended up doing just that. Lau chuckled, patting her back.

"Well, that was a mess." when she stopped coughing, she tried again, but she felt a little confused. "What am I supposed to feel?"

"Nothing, from a single try. Just a few more and you'll feel brand new." he assured her playfully. "Mou mantai, I'm here, aren't I? I know when to stop you."

"Fine, fine." she huffed. "Sorry for overexaggerating today. I forgot that you wanted to interrogate him. I let my emotions dictate my actions."

"Now, now, what are you apologising for? Silly girl. The Phoenix doesn't bow down in front of anyone." he chuckled, watching the soft puffs of opium dissipate into the air. "Thought you might want a little distraction after I put you through all that trouble. Feeling any better?"

"I... I'm not sure. I think so?" she looked up at the ceiling, attentively following the swirl of smoke. "I think I... Feel nothing at all."

"Hao!" he exclaimed. "Now, to turn that blank slate into happiness!" perhaps she wasn't realising it herself, or her brain processed it as normal, but she was smiling, and the look in her eyes was glazed over, as if she was feeling a child-like euphoria, like a little one being gifted a toy for the first time. He brought her into a comforting half-embrace, her head resting on his chest, just under his chin. His hand was gently caressing her body, as if to sooth her into a deep sleep. Lau kissed the top of her head, smiling as he heard a cute little giggle, and as he promised, he would sing her to sleep.

She is lightsome as a startled Phoenix, And he, as graceful as a roaming dragon; Her lovely complexion outshines the autumn chrysanthemum, Whilst his radiance surpasses the springtime pine.

She is as nebulous as the moon concealed in light clouds, Gracefully gliding, as snow spun by a flowing wind. He is gazing at her from afar, She shines like the sun rising above the rosy mists of dawn; Observing her close by, She is as luminous as a lotus emerging from clear ripplets.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

When Katrina woke up, there was no sign of Lau ever being there, though she knew she hadn't hallucinated. Regardless, it was time to return home, and when she did, the Undertaker greeted her with a strong embrace, swinging her around until she got too dizzy to protest. "How come whenever you go somewhere, you return with new injuries, you pitiful girl?" he sighed as he poured her some tea.

"Ah, right, about that..." she lowered her collar, showing off the hand prints on her neck. "My father tried to kill me last night." Undertaker's jaw dropped in shock. "Let's just say... The Queen is going to need a new High Court Judge soon."

"You know you got yourself in huge trouble, didn't you?" Katrina sheepishly scratched the back of her neck. "Didn't I warn you that the Queen likes fox-hunting? With hounds?"

"I overreacted, I know, okay? I got angry, I was terrified!" she rose her tone without realising, only to quickly return back to her seat. "I'm sorry for shouting. I didn't mean to." she muttered, looking away in shame. "I was just... Scared, okay?"

"You are getting reckless, little fox. I hope, the next time I see you, you won't have become the Queen's door mat rug." the poor man must have gotten a century older just by having her to worry about.

"The book didn't say the Queen would kill me." she muttered. "Though, even if that did happen, it wouldn't surprise me. Frankly, I don't think anything would."

"You seem to be in a particularly tragic mood. What ever could have happened?" the man asked, munching on a dog biscuit.

"I just had the best week of my life. With Lau and Ran Mao." she admitted. "I... I was... Happy." she smiled a little. "I guess I just got scared of dying so much... I got scared of never being able to feel this good ever again." her bottom lip trembled a little as she shifted her gaze towards those glowing eyes of the mortician. "I just realised how terrified I am of dying in a few months, without having lived at all." a broken sob escaped her throat.

"If I didn't know I would die so soon, it would've been fine. I'd have just... Died! Like... Like falling asleep - It's fine! But the knowledge that I... That life can just be ripped away from you so unfairly... So cruelly... Not having the chance to live out your aspirations, get a job, fall in love, marry, see the world, have fun with friends, try out new things, learn new languages, cultivate yourself -- What is the meaning of life, if not, to be lived?" she quickly wiped away the tears drenching her cheeks. "I had no room to make mistakes of my own, no room to be wrong, to fail, to grow. Everything I did was dictated by others, as if I'm everyone's marionette on a string, and occasionally, I get a glimpse of the real world and what it's like to be proactive and live out the choice that you make, be them wrong or right, or even neutral -- Only to be strung up by the neck again, and forced in my birdcage."

"You have been living in a mortician's parlor shop for months, yet death petrifies you to the core. My sweet little thing." the Undertaker knelt in front of her, his hands cupping her face. He carefully wiped away the tears, urging her to look at him. "Don't worry. I won't let you die. I promise." he smiled playfully. "Besides, I've got a little surprise for you. A three week trip on a cruise, first class tickets. How's that for an adventure?"

"Are you implying there's anything, at all, that might make being stuck on a luxury boat for almost a month... Exciting?" the mortician smirked widely, cackling.

"Don't you know, dearie, that the most bizarre of things always happen in places seemingly ordinary."

With the Easter holiday in full glory, the Campania cruise began, and the two enjoyed themselves in lavish luxuries for three straight days - Though, who paid for all this, or how was it paid, was still a mystery to her. Regardless, she accidentally met up with Viscount Druitt around one of the dinners, and they had a light conversation, mostly about Edgar and his time at Weston.

With those three days passing, Undertaker taught her a most ridiculous slogan and quite the hilarious pose, that of The Phoenix, he says - If Lau were to see her pretending to be one, he would laugh at the coincidence.

The complete flame in our chests shall not be extinguished by anyone. We are... The Phoenix!

Perhaps she should have chosen death, instead of this humiliation. "Wonderful as always, darling!" he mocked her, only to wrap his arms around her and twirl her around, fixing her jaw to look in a certain direction. Undoubtly, Ciel and Sebastian were going through the same humiliation she had gone through. Without any bit of shame, both the mortician and his apprentice laughed mockingly at them. "To think you'd ever do something like that!" Undertaker was crying of laughter by now. "Saying THE PHOENIX!!! with such a serious face - Ahahahaha!"

"I thought I was ridiculous, but you -- Both of you -- Hilarious!" Kat also giggled like a little brat, making the young Earl yell at them.

"While it's lovely seeing you - What exactly are you doing here?" Sebastian eyed the two of them with a fixed, empty gaze.

"We're working. Sort of. Mostly him. I'm here to have some fun and help out if needed." Kat shrugged her shoulders carelessly.

"Yes, yes, exactly, that's why my pretty fox is dressed so cutely." the two simultaneously did a cute pose, making the two cringe. "The hospital is a regular customer of mine."

"We're investigating the illegal human experimentation going on here. Do you know anything about the revival of the dead?" Ciel asked firmly.

"Revive the dead? Ha! What a joke. Is it tied to that mass-buying of slaves from East End?" Ciel nodded at her. "Let's see, let's see... Ah, of course!" Katrina grinned mischievously. "Payment first."

"Yes, how about you do that pose once more?" as if on cue, someone else actually did said pose, with no shame at all. It was the Viscount.

"Sorry, I arranged to pose in my own style. Aren't I so gracious, little kitten? If I knew you'd be here, I'd have told them to let you choose your own posing style also!" Aleister went over to the lot of them, clinking his empty glass with the two new-comers.

In all that commotion, with Druitt getting uncomfortably close to Ciel and claiming that Doctor Ryan could fix the boy's eyes... Kat could only start suspecting that there was more to the Revival of the Dead rumour than she knew. "Huh? Where's Undertaker?" the red head panicked a little, realising that her companion had but disappeared.

"It's starting!" Aleister pointed to the respectable looking doctor on the stage. "That's the founder, Ryan Stoker." before he presented himself, he also did the Phoenix pose, before speaking of the Aurora Society's plan of complete salvation of mankind through medicine.

Respectable doctor, Katrina thought - No, not at all. With the way she was cringing, she felt like skinning herself alive. "We will now show you, ladies and gentlemen, the fruits of our complete salvations of mankind through medicine!" the helpers brought a coffin on stage. They took of the lid, revealing a beautiful young lady, just Katrina's age. Very much dead.

"No way..." Katrina's mind went into a state of panic and alarm, watching the girl that could as well have been her, laying so peacefully on that coffin. Unconsciously, she grabbed Sebastian's hand for comfort, unable to shift her gaze from the lady.

"Margaret Connor, 17. The young lady lost her life at an early age due to an unfortunate accident. It is truly pitiful. An accident that should not have happened. Her death did not only put her, but also, her family's hearts into bad health." Kat watched Margaret's parents weeping, heartbroken, griefing. She felt her own breathing going in disarray. Was this what Undertaker wanted to show her? That reviving the dead was possible, and that, should she die, he could just as easily bring her back to life? Impossible! It can't be! It really can't!

Though Sebastian didn't wish to speak, as to not draw attention to them or disturb the display and speech, he intertwined his fingers with her own, squeezing her hand lightly. "Is the body real?"

Ciel asked. Katrina nodded, knowing from experience, whilst Sebastian approved, from his smell. "The smell of death is so intense that it's causing my nose to twitch."

"Well, ladies and gentlemen! I will show you the power of medicine! Complete salvation!" they applied some electrodes around the skin of her chest area, which they powered with electricity.

"Frankenstein's Monster and his Bride...?" Kat managed to mutter, looking in complete confusion.

"Come! Rise from Death! LIKE THE PHOENIX!" Katrina's body almost felt like giving up, watching the body of Margaret slowly raise in a sitting position, her shoulders slumped and heavy. "Take a look! With our medicine, we can even overcome death!"

"She's not alive. She's not alive. She's not bloody alive!" the red head kept repeating, watching in horror as the cadaver of Margaret, being embraced by two happy parents, opened her mouth wide open and took a large bite of her mother's shoulder.

With the tragic event unfolding before their very eyes, everyone fled the scene in complete chaos and disarray. Revealing from their disguise, Sebastian threw his butter knives at the cadaver, hitting her heart - But she still got up. "What on Earth is she?!" Ciel gasped in disdain.

"I'm sure I stabbed her in the heart. It is a being that I do not understand." Sebastian confessed, watching the cadaver stand up.

"Idiots. Both of you." with lethargic steps, Katrina stood in front of a feral Margaret. "Oh, Margaret, Margaret, ever the unfortunate. I am sorry this happened to you - And can only hope that I won't end up like you. You really creeped me out, you know? Poor girl." she shook her head, and in one swift move, she cut off her head in the middle, destroying her brain. Her body slumped motionlessly on the ground.

"So... The brain...?" Ciel guessed right.

"It is not the heart, but the brain that is the core of any living being. Common misconception, I know. The basic idea is that, if the heart doesn't pump blood to the brain, it dies - But her brain is already dead, you see? The brain works with electric impulses, and those electrodes were put on her heart and brain. The brain dictates the activity of every part of the body... So..." the woman used a drape to wipe the blood and filth off her sword, looking with worry at the two. "Mary Shelley's book became reality, and Doctor Frankenstein brought to life her creation... Though, the monster could speak eloquently, at least. That is, however, not possible, no matter how far medicine goes. I don't think even supernatural magic can reverse death."

Out of nowhere, a Shinigami using a lawn mower appeared to collect the souls of the deceased, complaining that Margaret was already long dead - Though he was surprised that someone guessed so shrewdly the means of defeating the undead. This Shinigami was called Ronald Knox, and he already knew Sebas-chan and Katrina thanks to the gossip of Grell. Awful way to be known.

Unfortunately, the Shinigami also don't know any details about this mess, though they had reports of corpses whose souls had surely been collected, moving around. As the trio were ready to move away and investigate for themselves, Sebastian found himself with his face almost mowed off by the Shinigami. "Are you crazy?! We've got dead people roaming the place, and you're trying to attack the living?! If my unfortunate premonition comes true, and there actually are a bunch of dead people brought on this accursed ship, then a demon is the only thing that could keep the living people safe!" Katrina yelled at the obnoxious brat, only to see the weapon being pushed further close to the demon's face.

"Nahh, can't do that. Shinigami can do the same thing, and better, missy." Ronald smirked wickedly. "If administration gets wind of there being a demon on the board, you betcha they'll be going - Aren't you just hiding the fact that you let the beast snatch all the souls away? - Dontcha think that those kinda false accusations will get me into a looooot of trouble? And I'll totally pass on overtime! So, won't you just vanish?"

"Are all Shinigami screwed in the head, or is it just the reason you and that Ophelia-wannabe get along?" Katrina looked at him weirdly, only to get tugged on the sleeve by the Earl.

"We'll go on ahead! After you're done playing, hurry up and follow me!" Ciel ordered his butler, dragging the Duchess away.

"Will he be alright? That weapon is really nasty." she asked, but Ciel didn't seem to care much. He knew Sebastian wouldn't let himself just die, especially to some lowlife Shinigami.

The Earl got her all the way towards the lowest levels of the ship, where they met not only Lizzy, but Snake also - Silly girl followed them with a piece of cake. He told her to go back to her mother, Aunt Frances, because it was dangerous, but it was too late, another undead already found them. With Ciel only having his pistol, he couldn't use it carelessly. As the undead tried to attack Lizzy, the Earl brought his fiancee away, as Katrina slashed his brains out. Perfect sync.

Only for Snake, who became the Phantomhive's new servant, showed them that the sigil of the Aurora Society was printed on a shit ton of coffins, being hung everywhere, left, right and center. If those things escape, they are screwed.

Never mind.

They managed to claw their way out of those coffins.

"We have to get the hell out of here. Now." Katrina and Snake were the first to react, grabbing and pushing at the two younger ones to escape - But they were flooding the exit also.

"Snake, take Lizzy to the top of the luggage, quick!" Ciel instructed his servant.

"Go up, too. I don't want you to alert them with the gunshots." Kat pushed him away, getting in an offensive stance and slashing away at the approaching undead. "They stink so bad!" she whined comically.

"You work in a funeral parlor, why are you complaining about the stench?!" Ciel scolded her.

"Vixen, come quickly while we restrain them! ... says Oscar." Snake was bent down from the top luggage, offering his hand to her.

"I can't. I have to keep them away from the crates. If they managed to get out of the coffins, with how many they are, no doubt, they could end up destroying the luggage and ambush us." she pointed out. "Snake, don't let your snakes bite them, they might get sick. They only stop when you destroy their brains."

Katrina continued to step around, making sure to make some noise with her echoing heels to confuse the undead. Ciel quickly picked up on what she was trying to do, so he shot his gun in the opposite direction - Only to gasp, seeing that none had reacted at all, and their theory went down the drain. "Katrina, they can't hear either!" the boy shouted at her, seeing her alarmed expression. She was almost trapped.

"Then how are they following us?!" she yelled back, a little annoying that now, of all times, she had to wear a cupcake dress. She should have worn her work clothes - Maybe that way she would have been more agile and fast. Damn her stupid mind.

From the other end of the corridor, the undead there kept biting and scratching and their luggage, and nothing that Katrina did could hinder their obsessive attention from destroying that crate. She only got heavily surrounded. "I'll definitely protect you, no matter what happens!" she heard Ciel hugging Lizzy protectively, bracing for the impact of the crate falling down.

"How admirable, Young Master." Sebastian's amused baritone voice called smoothly through the chamber. "That's how an English gentleman is supposed to be." the butler's mock-praise earned a bratty comeback from the Earl as Sebastian quickly killed some of the undead closer to the red head. "And so I should be also, following my Master's suit." the demon picked her up in his arms, leaping away from the abominations as he placed her in a safe spot. "I, also, protect My Fair Lady." his eyes turned fuchsia, rejoicing in the way his kitten's face burned pink like a pretty flower - He could feel how entraced she was with him, even after spending days away with other men.

"Don't just stand about - Clean them up already!" Ciel yelled at his distracted butler, who simply smirked, unwilling to look away from that cute and innocent expression he managed to get out of the little Duchess.

"As you wish."

Like a blood-thirsty beast, unhinged, lusting for blood, the demon unleashed the second death upon the abominations roaming the earth without a soul. Snake was shocked at what he was seeing, Lizzy was disallowed to look at the carnage being done in front of her, and Ciel was reliving past traumas still haunting him.

But Katrina was different.

Splattering crimson, a dancing demon, with a wicked grin on his face and glowing eyes, ripping away at rotting flesh, drowning the place in darkness and sin.

For the first time in her short life, Katrina felt her whole body glowing aflame, and her heart was pounding shamelessly against her chest. Katrina felt arousal, watching the gleeful demon massacre and destroy away at the human husks of what once were living beings that threatened their own. Why did she feel so attracted to that smiling face, so innocent and pure, painted carmine with the blood of the deceased, as though he did nothing wrong in the world? Why was she pulled towards him, unable to escape the magnetic force?

She could marry Edgar, who was treating her so tenderly. She could continue courting with Lau, who was understanding her like no other, and making her happy. Hell, she might even end up coercing Charles Grey into a most flirtatious teasing dance.

So why, oh, why was she so smitten with an immortal demon, a sinner, a being incapable of feeling the way the heart of a mortal human does? Why was she so taken with a man she could never have? Why was she so hopeless? Was it because she was young and inexperienced, that her heart still managed to dictate her feelings, and ration was often overwhelmed by the overflowing emotions? No matter how many scientific or logical reasons she made up - The truth still remained - That no other man could make her heart beat the way he does.

After changing his gloves, Sebastian was allowed to help Ciel and Lizzy of the luggage, before returning to Katrina, who was still awkwardly sitting there, in a mesmerised trance. "My Lady, I wonder, what could have caused you such distress? Have I not promised to keep you safe?" he asked in a low voice, whispering in her ear.

"Oh, Sebastian, if only you knew. I fear that not even a demon can save me from this mess." she smiled, bittersweet, craving his touch some more after he helped her down, her heeled boots staining crimson with the pool of blood.

"Be as it may, you must be greatly underestimating my skills, My Dear Lady, and of that, I am greatly saddened." Sebastian lightly teased the woman, though he could see the half-hearted and empty replies and smiles were caused by deep worry.

"It is not your skills that I am underestimating, but my situation that I am overestimating." she chuckled softly, stepping back to the group.

"Katrina, you work with the Undertaker. Did you have any idea of this? Why are there so many of these things on the ship?" Ciel asked, only to receive a negative answer.

"Beats me. I wish I knew. Undertaker never really mentioned anything about reviving people - We just did autopsies and such, you see. But, uh..." how could she explain she was away, studying at an only-boy college, and had no idea what her own master was up to? "I knew that this hospital bought a lot of slaves - He and Lau both told me briefly about this - But, uhm... That's as far as my knowledge goes, unfortunately." how could she tell them that she feared Undertaker's obsession with the cycle of life and death got her worried?

"I propose that we ask him." Sebastian threw a few knives in the direction of the hiding, terrified doctor Ryan.

"I-It's not like that! That was an incomplete-complete salvation and -- I didn't plan on reviving them in this unhealthy state... Please listen to me, I'm in a hurry, and... Ouch!" the demon, with a smile on his face, immobilised the doctor, hindering his escape.

"No need to be hasty, there is plenty of time until we reach New York, so we'll listen to your story leisurely." the demon threatened so beautifully. "What is it? I already cleaned them all up, so..."

"It's not that!" Ryan snapped at him. "This ship has the latest gigantic voiler with a reciprocating steam engine installed at the center. This place is divided in two sections, the boiler separated them." he continued. "In other words, this ship is divided into a front and a stern - There are TWO freight storages!"

"Please, for the love of - Don't tell me you have more of these freaks stored up in the front freight storage. Please, I beg of you, don't say that." the red head pitifully whined.

"... Ten times as many samples as there were here." the somber answer earned different reactions.

"TEN TIMES AS MANY?!" Ciel was incredulous, Lizzy was depressed, Snake was stunned, and Katrina started laughing almost hysterically.

"I can't believe I'm going to be ripped apart by a bunch of zombies!" she cackled, almost as maniacally as the Undertaker. "Well then, time to get killing~!" she did a weak peace sign. "I need to find Undertaker and that stupid Aleister. I hope they're fine." she muttered to herself.

"Well, this turned into something unpleasant." Sebastian declared with amusement.

"Do you think 'unpleasant' covers it? Even one of those monsters is a hassle... Imagine tenfold!" Ciel grumbled. "Sebastian, go ahead and take my aunt and the others to a safe place."

"What are you going to do?" the butler asked.

"We'd just be a burden. I also have a gun, Katrina has her sword, so we'll be okay for a while. Come back as soon as you're sure they are safe." Ciel ordered the demon, who sprung away, out of sight. "Well then, how about telling me everything? And be brief, because I'm not very patient." with the doctor tied up with a snake, and Ciel's gun at his temple, he was forced to confess all he knew.

He spoke of some kind of machinery that exposes the undead to a special kind of supersonic waves, and it's supposed to inactivate them again. This machine is his his room, first class. "I don't believe that one bit." Katrina huffed.

"Wh-What do you mean?! We tested that, it works!" the doctor defended himself.

"It hardly has any logic to begin with - I get why it's the brain you have to destroy to stop them - But the truth is... No matter the electric voltage you shock the brain with, it won't create an undead capable of... Everything these freaks have been doing; So, naturally, I don't believe that machinery is going to work in stopping them." the red head cut him off harshly. "I would much rather want to know about Aurora Society and why the hell were you so obsessed with resurrection. Is it a religious thing, like Jesus, or what?"

"Regardless, take us there." Ciel ordered, and the doctor took them towards the stairs of the boiler room.

Ryan Stocker confirmed Katrina's theory with the electric current in the brain, and Ciel was left to believe whatever he wanted - Whether the electricity could truly have such an effect, it was up to him to believe whether it was true or not. He said that a company called Osiris, rumoured to be working on a new drug, bought the technology behind the Complete salvation thing.

Once they reached the turbine engine room, Snake released the doctor as a human was approaching, and with the PHOENIX pose forth, they became friends, and he guided everyone towards the elevator. In the Second boiler room, they were comforted with the company of more living people, only for a powerful shock to shake the whole ship horrifically, making some of them fall to the ground.

"What was that shock just now...?" as Ciel asked that question, the wall surped and waterfalls of water began flooding the place; the alarm was blaring loudly, announcing the water tight doors closing. "LIZZY, KAT, HURRY UP, WE'LL BE LOCKED IN!" Ciel cried out as the elevator man helped Ryan and Snake to the other side of the door before it continued closing.

"Worst time to wear a heavy dress!" the girls' heavy dresses weighted them down even more, being soaked to the bone, and no matter how much Kat kept dragging and pulling at Lizzy, they were still too far away from the door. "LIZZY!" Ciel cried out desperately, and in a fit of madness, he leapt to stay with his fiance

"You are one crazy little man." Kat found herself laughing weakly.

"CIEL, WHY?!" Lizzy wailed, crying desperately, unable to cope with the idea that the boy she loved so much was facing almost imminent death, just because of her.

"I promised I'd protect you at all costs!" the Earl declared sternly - What a beautiful love story, Kat thought, smiling at how sweet those two are. "Snake! You guys go on ahead!"

"I CAN'T LEAVE YOU BEHIND - SAYS EMILY!" Snake was pounding on the door.

"Don't worry, we'll escape via the duct! Your friends can't be soaked in cold water for too long, right? Go!" Ciel ordered his servant.

"Smile! Vixen! Keats will guide you through the duct! We'll meet up later - Says Emily." Snake yelled, before he, too, departed.

"Yeah, I'll definitely see you later!" Ciel thus grabbed his fiance's hand strongly - He looked at the duct, before frowning with worry at the two girls, soaked to the bone and barely keeping themselves standing up straight, all because of those heavy dresses that were hindering their chances of survival. They were already trapped there because of those garments - Like hell he would allow them to die because of a stupid thing like a clothing item.

"Take off those clothes, now!"

Was Ciel beginning to take over Sebastian's reverend persona?

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#demon standards #black butler x oc #black butler x reader #black butler #black butler imagine #kuroshitsuji x reader #kuroshitsuji x oc #kuroshitsuji imagine #kuroshitsuji #sebastian michaelis x katrina raymond #sebastian michaelis x oc #sebastian michaelis x reader #sebastian michaelis imagine #sebastian michaelis

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flcgod · 5 months ago

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[ madelyn cline, cis female, she/her ] ⸺ i’m pretty sure that was just lenora clemonte of the old money that just passed by. the twenty-six year old hotel heiress, socialite & philanthropist has been a resident here in the upper east side for fourteen years. they’re known for being captivating & benevolent, but i overheard someone mention they’re also manipulative & vain…considering they’re a libra i think there might be some truth to it. but maybe that’s just because they’re always worried someone might find out about redacted. something about them has always reminded me of blowdried bouncy hair, dewy skin, a glass of rosé during the day, chanel eau tendre perfume sprayed at the nape of her neck & decolletage but maybe that’s just because they like to have impulsive shopping sprees & be the center of attention in their free time.

* ◟ stats .

full name : lenora elsabeth clemonte nicknames : goes prominently as lena age : twenty-six years old gender : cis female pronouns : she / her age : 26 dob : september 24th , 1998 ( libra ) pob : monte carlo , monaco sexual orientation : heterosexual / heteroromantic social group : old money

* ◟ appearance .

height : 5'6" - 1.68cm build : slim ethnicity : white eye color : dark brown hair color : dirty blonde with light highlights notable features : fox eyes , plump lips , high cheekbones , a few freckles on her nose style : lena is famous for her notable natural beauty & often admired for looking gorgeous effortlessly

* ◟ personality .

positive traits : captivating, confident, loyal, passionate, coquettish, benevolent, affectionate negative traits : manipulative, vain, stubborn, insecure, possessive, hypocritical, dramatic likes : romantic comedies, skincare, satin sheets, red lingerie, diamonds, charity work, snow days, summer days in the hamptons, champagne, yachts, shopping sprees, traveling, french cuisine, scented candles, peonies, having her picture taken, bubble baths. dislikes : being kept out of the loop or not knowing stuff, cheaters, being bored, low quality pictures of herself, bad mannerism, bigotry, being ignored in any shape or form muse inspo : serena van der woodsen ( gossip girl ) , gabrielle solis ( desperate housewives ) , cher horowitz ( clueless ) . rachel green ( friends ) , tahani al jamil ( good place ) , caroline forbes ( the vampire diaries ) , barbie ( barbie ) , haley dunphy ( modern family ) more aesthetic things : plumping lipgloss, dewy skin, blowdried bouncy hair, french top oval nails, silk dresses, champagne for breakfast, chanel eau tendre sprated at the nape of her neck and decolletage, impulsive shopping sprees, lavender oil, half naked pictures, rose water

* ◟ career & education .

current occupation : hotel heiress , socialite , philanthropist past occupation(s) : model degree(s) : the nightingale-bamford school ( high school diploma ) , yale ( majored in business psychology but never graduated )

˚ detailed bio & more . ˚ wanted connections . ˚ pinterest . ˚ penthouse tour . 　

#wealth_intro

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vampirikoss · 8 months ago

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Muse.

By me Vampi🎀

(Ik it’s pretty bad but it’s my first poem 😭)

Every artist needs their muse

I’ve been looking for mine my whole life

A girl with many ideas and no way to express it

My muse had black hair

He had the eyes of a doll and the mind of a scholar

All my honor went to my muse

My muse was my first love

The reason the bud of my heart blossomed into a garden of peonies and roses

Many nights spent mind exploding with ideas, pen to a page

At my age, “everything should be a muse” they tell me

School,family,earth,feelings

But my muse stood tall in front of me

Face to face every day

My heart would race at the site

Just passing by

One day I was ready

The last day

The last day I had my muse, my dearest muse,

I sat with my heart in my hands bared to my muse, like a wilted rose in the arms of a lost lover

My feelings propelled from my aura

But my aura went to a shade of blue and my heart now in fragments

When I got the news

I was now an artist with no muse

🎀

#my writing #my poetry #poetry #langblr #writing #first poem #omg give me critique but be nice #love poem #rejected #writers on tumblr

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blackbutler-readerinsertsandjunk · 1 year ago

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Can I get abatina, amaryllis, anemone, chrysanthemum, gardenia, heliotrope, hibiscus, ivy, marigold, peony, and rose for Peter please? Our short king deserves love.

heck yes, he deserves all the love!!

though some of these are like why would you do this MY HEART XD

abatina : is there anything in life your muse has changed their mind about over time ( due to becoming more educated on the topic , certain experiences , etc . ) , or that they would change their mind about under certain circumstances ?

Sure, he’s changed his mind about people being mostly good. There’s good people here and there, but he no longer believes that people as a whole are mostly good. He did, once upon a time. However, he and his family have suffered so much because of other people; not only because other people actually did cruel things to them. Very few people helped. Day after day so many would walk by these disabled, different wretches slowly dying in the East End, and he only remembers the people who offered any kind of help ― a few coins, a little bit of food, a small shelter for a night or two ― because they were so rare. He… might be willing to change his mind about it again. Maybe. If someone were able to show him how much good exists out there.

amaryllis : what is something or someone that your muse takes pride in ? how do they express that pride ?

Whilst he doesn’t have too many things to take pride in, he at least can be proud that he protects his family. He doesn’t back down if any of them are in danger, even though someone small like him, who doesn’t have a lot of physical prowess, might not be the ideal fighter. He’s not some fuckin’ coward who runs at the first sight of danger despite knowing that he might end up hurt himself. Someone threatens his family, and he fights to keep them safe. He doesn’t actually talk about it very much, though. It’s a little funny; when he does manage to do something that protects someone he cares about, and someone else mentions it, he acts like it isn’t a big deal. He’s proud that he can do it, sure, but pride is definitely not his fatal sin.

anemone : how does your muse view the world ; as a cruel & unforgiving place , a land full of wonders , or something in - between ? where does that world view come from (what experiences , life lessons , etc . ) ?

Cruel and unforgiving, for sure. He looks out at the world and sees a bunch of stupid, rude, entitled, horrible excuses for human beings who all only give a damn about themselves. He and his family and (if he has one) his S/O are the exceptions, as well as anyone else he sees firsthand who doesn’t exhibit those traits. The rest of the world? Fuck, it’ll chew you up and swallow you for breakfast and shit you out, then go on to do the same thing to the next person who doesn’t stand a chance. If it’s not one thing in the world pushing you down, it’s another. This view comes from experience on the streets, all the crap he and his family went through. He used to not be so cynical… that was when he was about ten years younger, though. He’s been through too much to look at the world through rose-tinted glasses.

chrysanthemum : how does your muse express romantic love ? how do they feel about love as a concept ?

If he’s reasonably sure that the other person won’t reject him, or if they’re already together, his usual way to show his affection is with a kiss. Along with lots of touching, like squeezing their hand or giving gentle (or not so gentle, if that’s what they like) tugs to their hair. He likes to run his hands all over their body, and if they’re alright with it, he’ll usually use all of that as a segue into sex. Logically, he knows that sex and romance are two different things, but, well… he’s had so little experience with romance, he often turns romantic feelings into sex without even thinking, because that’s what he’s used to. Upon realizing that his S/O may not want just sex, he… tries very hard to be a bit softer. In public, he’ll be holding their hand as the two of them walk, or he’ll beckon them to crouch down to whisper something in their ear ― only to give them a peck on the cheek and snicker at their reaction. He, er, also tends to express his love by literally fighting anyone who so much as looks at his S/O more than purely platonically. Honestly, as far as love in general goes, he’s kind of bitter toward the concept just because he’s never really known romantic love like that. He’ll see other people holding hands or kissing and scoff at them. Though, after he gets together with someone, he does it less frequently and just sort of ignores everyone else. He’s happy with someone, so he doesn’t really care about the rest of the lovers in the world.

gardenia : is your muse one to confess romantic feelings early on , or to conceal them for long periods of time ?

Well, he tries to conceal those feelings, given that he’s convinced that ‘normal’ people couldn’t possibly find him attractive, so a confession is a waste. In this regard he’s a bit like Joker, if Joker had much poorer impulse control; both of them feel so intensely that it’s impossible to just shove under the rug. Peter attempts to take a page from the ringleader’s book, stuffing his feelings down and keeping a tight leash on them. But… he’s Peter. He fails spectacularly at keeping any feelings hidden for too long, and they end up just exploding out of him. Usually it happens at the worst moment imaginable, because of course that’s his luck. After the initial… outburst… he typically comes back to the object of his affections, fumbles his way through an apology, and manages an honest confession.

heliotrope : does your muse believe in soulmates ?

Not as such, really. Although he does believe there are people you’re supposed to meet, for one reason or another. He just doesn’t quite believe that one person is ‘fated’ to be with someone else in a romantic way. Or even a platonically loving way. Or any relationship. He thinks you’re destined to meet certain people, but what role they play in your life and how important they become to you is up to you. He believes that if you have a ‘soulmate’, it’s because you chose them to be your soulmate. You did, not the universe or God or whoever other people think picks soulmates. Sure, there’s someone out there you’re meant to be with, romantically and/or platonically. It’s just that you get to choose who they are.

hibiscus : how does your muse view the gentler , daintier things in life ? as things worth preserving & caring for , or things only bound to wither & disappear ?

When things are fragile and delicate, they get broken. Anything or anyone who is too gentle, too sweet, too beautiful, is bound to get shattered into a million pieces sooner or later. Not everyone is going to treat those things and people with the care they deserve. Some people are clumsy and break those things by accident. Some people are cruel and do it on purpose. … But. That doesn’t mean those things aren’t worth protecting, if one can do it. He just won’t be the one risking his neck unless those fragile things are precious to him. He’s always angry when he sees people not taking care with gentle things, and he’s angry at himself if he forgets to treat something gentle with care. People should at least make a fucking effort, you know?

ivy : what are your muse’s views on marriage ? do they believe it is something strictly for love , or an institution rooted in business & social benefits ? do they desire or have they desired to be married ?

As it stands, because he’s only ever seen it used to reap (admittedly, normally mutual) benefits and climb social ladders, that’s how Peter views it. Marriage is like a business contract, except that it involves people rather than money and goods, right? Of course, there’s a small part of him that wants to dream, to hope that some people think of marriage as a thing to be done for love. For himself, someone would have to love him for who he is to consider marrying him, because a man like him comes with no benefits and is practically the lowest rung on any social ladder. In some corner of his heart, he still prays that someone will decide they love him and want to get married one day. He’s just someone who would have to be in love to get married. He’d definitely want to get married ― he simply is repelled by the idea of marrying someone just for the sake of it, and then being trapped in a loveless marriage with someone whose company he couldn’t stand.

marigold : is your muse prone to jealousy ? how might they handle envious feelings ?

And how!! Peter is an incredibly insecure man who’s full of anger, he’s possessive of anyone he has feelings for, and he’s a powder keg of jealousy ready to ignite if given a reason. He very much loathes anyone else looking at his S/O with a romantic eye; that’s one of the biggest guarantees for him seeing red. He particularly hates anyone who’s trying to flirt with his S/O touching them. Not only is his sweetheart spoken for, but touching someone you don’t know, putting your arm around them or taking their hand or whatever, is rude as hell. Unfortunately, he’s the type to deal with these feelings by getting physical. He may start out with aggressive words, telling the other person to get their hands off his S/O or leave them alone or just put an arm around his S/O’s waist to clearly show they’re his. Any arguments he gets or if the person keeps coming on to his S/O while he’s standing there, and Peter will get violent. Whether it’s to shove the other person back or go straight to a punch, he’s not going to waste any more breath with words when actions speak much, much louder.

peony : what would a ‘ happy life ’ look like in your muse’s eyes ?

‘Happy’ life… God. He’s dreamed about that so often, and the details are never the same, because the details aren’t really what matters to him. His happiest life includes himself and his family being safe and sound, with a roof over their heads and food in their bellies and enough small comforts that mean they aren’t constantly struggling. He would love a partner by his side, and… maybe a child of his own or two. He wants to wake up in a soft bed, a few hours later than he has to rise each morning right now, and go to sleep in that same bed at night after the kind of hard day’s work that leaves him feeling a little sore and accomplished, but isn’t back-breaking. All the tiny details can be filled in if ever this life starts to come together. The big picture is astonishingly (though perhaps not surprisingly) simple. At his core, Peter just wants security, love, and purpose.

rose : how much does your muse value other people ? do they wish to have many friends , lovers , and/or associates ? are they an easy person to love ?

He values his family and his S/O more than anyone else. He’ll acknowledge that life is precious as itself, because he doesn’t believe that one can put a true price on even a wicked person’s life. Life is life, and it has an intrinsic worth that doesn’t change just because he personally doesn’t care for someone. He can appreciate that another person’s life has value because they’re a person, and that they have loved ones who value that person more than they’d value his most important people. That’s just how it works. He doesn’t care to have more friends or family than he does now, and he’s actually quite monogamous in nature once he settles with someone. He doesn’t have this burning desire to have a lot of people who are his, really… as long as the people he does have love him, that’s enough. As for being easy to love, that’s… a bit of a loaded question. On the surface, one might wonder exactly what there is to love about him. He’s a foul-mouthed, quick to anger, always-ready-to-fight person who does things he hates for the sake of the people he loves, even though he knows he hates doing those things for a good reason. Under the surface? One will find a violently loyal person with a big heart that’s missing some pieces, who’s not so much nasty as he is simply guarded, who’s protective of the people he cares about, whose passion is a double-edged sword he has to balance on the edge of all the time, who will do anything for someone he cares about. He thinks he’s hard to love, and maybe he’s right. But anyone who will fall for someone like him will agree that someone doesn’t have to be easy to love for that love to run very, very deep.

#onehellofashadynerd #Black Butler #Kuroshitsuji #Peter #headcanons #romantic #platonic #general #drama #angst #fluff #THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING IN HERE AYYY!#one hell of a queue

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