#‘I’ve come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I will be spending the rest of my life in a state of constant paranoia’ has to be mine

[mellorphic]

Have not seen enough people on my dash talking about call me what you like so put in the tags what your favourite lyric is!!

[idleoblivion]

"The Dismal Story of Our Creation" Malleus Draconia x GN Reader

Spoilers for Book 7!

Synopsis: Malleus has put the island to sleep, but the dream he puts you in is an especially unique one.

Word Count: ~1200 A/N: Thank you to everyone who sent me happy birthday messages! I hope to finish a few more drafts soon to make up for my absence. I loved writing him as a yandere, it just fits him so well to me.

Warnings: Yandere Malleus, captivity? (trapped in a dream), forced kissing

Something wasn’t right.

He’d done it. He overblotted. Putting everyone to sleep, leaving them to their dreams. For their own good, to make them happy. That’s what he had said. 

So why was this your dream? What had happened to you?

You remember catching a glimpse of the unconscious forms of your friends, sleeping under the power of his magic. You remember the fear that washed over you as you expected the same fate. And you remember the satisfied grin he wore as he faced you, and then everything went black.

Darkness surrounds you now. You are stranded in a void, an empty black space. No floor beneath your feet, no walls indicating you might be in some strange room. You hesitantly take a few steps forward, and then in another direction. Still nothing. You are walking through some kind of purgatory, left alone with nothing but an endless darkness and eerie silence.

Until you hear footsteps behind you.

You whip around to see him, uncomfortably close to you. Looming over you, with that same smile as before.

“What…what did you do? Where am I?” You question, trying to keep your voice steady.

Malleus’ smile still doesn’t falter as he answers you. “Our home, Child of Man.”

As he speaks, the space around you starts changing. You blink repeatedly as a room starts creating itself from the darkness, walls and furniture forming from the shadows before manifesting as real objects. Everything appears in the same gothic theme you’re familiar with from Diasomnia.

“What do you mean, ‘our home’?”

He tilts his head at you a bit, mirth still palpable in his expression. “I think it’s quite self-explanatory. This is where we will spend the rest of our lives together.” Your head is spinning as you process his words. “Malleus, what are you talking about? I don’t understand, you’re scaring me.”

He frowns immediately at that. He sighs quietly before speaking again. “My apologies, Child of Man. I suppose I’ve yet to explain myself properly to you. Please, fear not. I never would wish you any harm, you should know.”

“Child of Man,” He starts after a deep inhale, “I know this may feel sudden, but I must confess something to you.” He reaches for your hand, and you cautiously allow him to take it. “I…I love you. I care for you so dearly, my Child of Man. You’ve brought life to my life, brought me a kind of joy that I’ve always considered unobtainable for me. I’ve never known someone as kind, brave and sincere as you. I love you, from the bottom of my heart. So much that I don’t know what to do with the feelings you stir in me sometimes.” He grinned softly to himself. “You treat me like no one else does. You seek out my presence yourself, you look at me with fondness in place of fear. You’ve taken over my mind and heart, and I couldn’t do without you anymore.”

“So,” he continues, “I’ve created a place for us, and only us, my love. I’ve put much thought into it, and come to the conclusion that it would be difficult for us to be together in reality. It would be blasphemy for me to attempt to introduce a human as my partner in Briar Valley. As heir to the Draconia lineage and future king, such a thing would never be allowed.” His brow furrowed at the thought. “And on your end, the headmaster is searching for a way to send you back, to separate you from me. There are many obstacles to our love. This is the solution I’ve come up with.” His hand moves to cradle your cheek gently, staring deep into your eyes. It takes great effort for you to not tremble under the weight of his gaze. “There is nothing but us here. No Crowley, no other world to return to, no royal duties or expectations, nothing at all to disturb us. We will hide happily in here forever, where nobody can interfere with us.” You’re shaking now, fear coursing through your veins as you realize the gravity of your situation. You are trapped alone with him, in a space of his creation and control, completely at his mercy. And he’s seemingly decided you won’t be going anywhere.

“M-Malleus, please. I don’t…I don’t want this.” You meekly speak, your voice hardly above a whisper. You’re terrified of rejecting him, but equally afraid of what would happen if you accepted his advance. “I don’t want to be asleep forever. And what about everyone else, my friends-” “Do not speak of them.” His harsh tone cuts you off and makes you flinch. There’s a new darkness to his eyes that makes your legs want to buckle. You avert your eyes from his to avoid it.

“Look at me.” He commands. You don’t comply, too nervous to meet the anger in his expression. He grabs your face roughly and forces you to tilt your head up. “I said, look at me. Do not speak of them again. This place is for us, not them. Your life is meant to be spent with me, not them. Your place in this world is with me, not them. You will not mention them again. I will not allow any others but myself to occupy your thoughts. Do you understand me?”

Tears start welling up in your eyes as you nod slightly, dread heavy in your stomach as the weight of your circumstances only seems to keep increasing.

He stares down at your teary face, eyes wet and lips trembling. He still holds your face in his large hand. His eyes soften the longer he looks at you, and after what seems like an eternity he starts leaning in towards you. You don’t dare to close your eyes, scared of what he’d do if you avoided him again. He gets closer, and you hold back a fearful whimper as his lips softly press against yours. Your stomach turns as he holds the kiss, leaving you anxious and uncomfortable. He pulls back and meets your gaze once more. 

“You’re…ethereal. Perfect, so perfect my love. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you. I’ve always wanted to claim you as my own.” He kisses you again, with more need and passion than the first. The tail of his overblot form comes to wrap around your waist and pull you into him, pressing your bodies together. His mouth is hot against yours as he kisses you with more and more fervor. His tongue slips past your lips and you let out a small groan despite yourself. He smiles against your lips before pulling away to press his forehead to yours. His demeanor had lost some of it’s intimidating aura as he looked at you completely lovestruck, strong hands caressing your back as his tail still held you in place.

“I’ll be all that you need, my love. I will be your entire reason for being, your entire purpose, as you are mine.” You shudder a bit in his hold, but if he notices, he pretends he doesn’t.

“This is my creation for us, dear. Our paradise. Doesn’t it make you happy?”

[tkaulitzlvr]

HEYYY sorry if this is kinda long but ur my fav writer so i trust u w writing this 🤞

Could you write smth where tom used to be a player but he started dating the reader and seemed really loyal, but they go to a party together, their first party as a couple and when the reader leaves to go buy drinks she comes back to find tom sitting down with a bunch of girls, it looks like he’s flirting with them. sooo the reader gets really upset and walks all the way home thinking he’s cheating already even after only dating for like a month. tom follows her home, trying to explain himself and he eventually explains that he wasn’t cheating, he was trying to get away from all the girls politely, but was kinda trapped. the reader forgives him and it ends in smut or fluff or whatever u want.

SORRY ITS SO SPECIFIC LMAOOO

WHAT IT SEEMS - T. KAULITZ

synopsis: tom has finally managed to settle down with you, discarding his womanising ways. but, you see something that makes you think otherwise, tom desperate to explain himself to you, certain that you have got the wrong idea.

content: angst + fluff

a/n: love this idea, thank u so much for the request i hope u enjoy !! this is lowk ass tho i’m so sorry😭😭

“we really don’t have to go schatz, i know you don’t like these sorts of places.” tom repeats, standing in the frame of the bathroom door as i apply my make-up in the mirror. “we can stay here instead, i’ll get some snacks from the store, just me and you?”

he tries to reason with me, knowing that i’ve never been a party person. i hated large groups of people, not understanding the buzz that people got from drinking unsafe amounts of alcohol and fucking some random, the idea literally my worst nightmare. i preferred to stay inside and watch a movie, or bake something, finding comfort in familiarity, never described as an extroverted person.

tom however, was the complete opposite. he was a party animal, ending up at a different club every night, with a different girl between the sheets after he left. that is why our relationship was so unexpected, but it seems that tom had changed. he settled down, spending less and less time out at a random bar, instead spending his nights with me, soon realising that the party scene wasn’t something i enjoyed. at first, i was hesitant to believe that he had changed his ways completely, but, a month into our relationship, he has given me no reason to not trust him, this the reason why i am deciding to finally give in and go to just one party, tom having missed out for so long. but he is clearly confused by my change of heart, trying to remind me that he is more than okay with not going, growing to enjoy quiet nights at home.

“tom i’m fine. you haven’t been to a party in forever.” i start, blinking rhythmically as i apply my mascara, before moving backwards away from the mirror and turning to face him. “besides, i can’t stay locked up here forever. i have to live a little.”

he tilts his head, still uncertain despite my clear lack of hesitation. his lips purse together as he walks towards me, resting his hands on my hips. i can tell that he is questioning it, part of him missing the parties that he used to go to. but the new and sensible part of him, the part that is more prominent now, silently reminds himself of how much he has grown to love spending time with me and only me, coming to the conclusion that parties were never as fun as he had sometimes made them out to be, much preferring my company to getting shitfaced in some random club.

“there’s other ways to have fun besides getting wasted all the time. i like that about you. you don’t have to be drunk to have fun.” he says, kissing my forehead softly.

“i want to go.” i state, looking upwards at him, my eyes wide as i attempt to convince him to calm down a little.

“are you sure baby? i don’t want to force you into doing anything you’re uncomfortable with. you know i’d hate myself if you got there and didn’t like it. i’d much rather we-”

i cut him off by pressing my lips against his, sealing his over dramatic rambling with a short kiss. “i’ll be fine, okay?” i reassure him, my forehead against his.

he lets out a small smile, sighing heaving before speaking. “fine, get ready. but if you don’t like it, we’re leaving straight away. deal?”

i roll my eyes at his protectiveness, my heart melting at how much he cares. though it is a little frustrating, i can’t be mad at him, nodding my head slowly as a chuckle leaves my lips, my body turning back towards the mirror as i finish applying my make-up, my small crop top and tight skirt already on. tom walks behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, letting his hands rest on my stomach, before resting his head in my neck, planting gentle kisses there as i finish the rest of my makeup, small giggles leaving my mouth when his lips touch a sensitive spot on my neck, or his hands gently squeeze my stomach and his fingers slightly tickle the skin. he smiles behind me, his eyes calm and half-lidded, dreads resting over his shoulders and draping onto mine as he slowly rocks us side to side, continuing to kiss my neck from behind until i am finally finished.

the walk to the club is short, tom’s hand staying clasped in mine as we wander through the darkened streets, few people and the occasional car driving by us. i prefer peaceful nights like this, time to admire the city, rather than being face first in the crowds that daytime brought along with them. tom is speaking about something random, a lazy smile tugging on my lips as i look upwards, not particularly focusing on what he is saying, instead admiring his features - eyes fixed on the way his brown eyes shine, occasional smile gracing his face as he speaks, tongue grazing against his lip piercing. i take in this rare moment, though to some it is simple, to me it is something to be treasured, happy to listen to whatever tom is saying, finding it adorable how he gets so into a conversation when it is about something he cares for.

my cold breath leaves my lips as i exhale, reminding me how bitter the weather is, despite the warmth that the jacket tom had insisted on letting me wear brings me. occasional laughter emits from our mouths, sharing pointless conversation, enjoying the simplicity of each other’s company, our content exchange soon cut off by the sound of overly-loud music, signalling that we have arrived.

the queue to get in is longer than i had expected, tom not phased by this as the bouncer seems to recognise him, flashing him a quick smile and letting the both of us in. it is completely packed, drunken bodies encircling my vision, this enough for me to become easily overwhelmed. tom realises this, bending downwards so that his voice can be heard over the loud music.

“you okay? we can leave if you don’t like it.” he squeezes my hand as he speaks, bringing me into his embrace, his hands now running up and down my arms.

i shake my head, not wanting to leave before i had even given the place a chance. i let out a small ‘i’m fine’ in response, tom nodding his head and leading me through the crowd, looking downwards at me every few seconds, his hand never leaving mine until we emerge, arriving at a smaller section cut off from the rest of the club, being what i assume as the VIP section. the staff there recognise tom like the bouncer had, letting him in as we find a couch and table unoccupied.

he flops onto it, spreading his legs and wrapping his arm around my shoulder as i sit beside him, his other resting on the back of the couch. he scans the area, his lips pursed, head lazily nodding to the beat of the music, fingers tapping against my shoulder.

“you okay?” he shouts over the music, looking over at me and planting a small kiss on my forehead, pulling me closer into his side.

i nod my head, pointing a finger over to the bar. “i think i’m gonna go get a drink. you want one?”

he seems hesitant to let me go, his face falling a little, seemingly surprised at my willingness to walk around alone. the place somehow seems to feel busier, the bar totally packed, scattered with glasses, some empty, some practically full. but i figure that if i want to put myself out there more, i can’t rely on tom to be by my side, wanting to do this small thing alone.

“you sure baby? i can come with you?” he asks, looking upwards and seeing how crowded it has become.

“i’ll be fine. you can see the bar from here anyways, it’s not like anything can happen.” i say, pointing out the direct view our table has to the bar. though it is a little far away, past the small crowd of people forming there, it is in our eye line, tom able to maintain a perfect view of me.

“okay, but i’m watching the whole time. if anything happens i’ll be right over.” he gives in, though i can tell by his tone he is still reluctant. despite this, i stand up, pulling my skirt down a little bit. “and get me a beer please schatz.”

his hand plants a small squeeze on my ass, my body whipping around to scold him, yet my eyes are met with that same infamous smirk, his tongue swiping across his bottom lip as i shake my head, a low chuckle escaping my lips. i walk over to the bar, reaching it successfully after pushing through a few wasted bodies. i turn around, squinting my eyes to try and spot tom, seeing that he is still alone, his own eyes searching to meet mine. he spots me, sending me a small smile and wave, his face visibly calming down once i am within his sight.

i turn back around towards the bar, resting my frame against the hard wood. a tall man comes towards me from the other side, nodding for me to order.

“a beer and a piña colada, thanks.” i say, pulling out a twenty dollar bill from my purse and pressing it flat against the table.

he nods, taking the money and starting to prepare the drinks. i awkwardly tap my fingers against the wood as i wait, the music seeming to get louder, leaving me with a pounding headache. my body is warm, unsure of whether it is the proximity of sweaty figures dancing around me, or the sweltering air, everything in the room feeling ten times closer than it would outside.

he places the drinks against the table, shooting me a small smile as i take them, returning the gesture and turning around. my eyes catch a small glimpse of tom from where i am stood, quickly doing a double take as i realise that he is not alone. from a distance, i can spot at least four girls, two at either side of him. he appears pretty content, a large grin from ear to ear as he engages in conversation, the girls way too close for my liking. they are practically up against him, wearing next to nothing, their bodies covered with dresses so skimpy i wouldn’t have bothered wearing anything at all.

he seems completely comfortable, the only difference in how he was sat before being that his hands had moved from either side of the couch, now resting in his lap. i can see him shake his head, that flirty smile never faltering. however i reach my breaking point when one girl leans closer, about to place her hand on his thigh. that’s when i lose it.

i storm towards the table, tom’s attention quickly turning to me as the eyes of the girls sat beside him all turn to me too, curious to see what has been able to divert his attention so easily. his face softens as he seems somewhat glad to see me, this only angering me more. one second, he is entertaining girls because i leave for a minute, then his eyes light up as i return, as if he hadn’t looked at them with that same grin i have seen way too many times before - all before we started dating. my jaw is clenched, eyes cold and harsh as i slam the drinks down onto the table, part of the liquid splashing out of the tall glass from the force.

“there’s your fucking drink, asshole.” i scoff, shaking my head and turning around, starting to find my way through the large crowd in the centre.

i can hear his voice behind me, constantly calling my name as he forces his way through the crowd, only a few steps behind me. i ignore his pleas, feeling like a complete idiot for believing that he had changed.

“get out of my fucking way!” i shout over the music, pushing the last few people out of my way, my eyes finally meeting the exit, leaving it quickly, tom still following me as he continues to be persistent, my name pouring from his lips every few seconds.

the night is even colder than it was when we had arrived, my entire body shivering once i emerge onto the empty street, the distorted blur of music no longer helping to drown out the sound of tom’s voice as it seems to get closer and closer. i continue to shrug him off, speeding up as my heels click across the pavement. my hands run up and down my arms in an attempt to warm myself up, now without the comfort of tom’s jacket to keep my temperature high, my small and tight outfit providing no warmth at all.

however, my fast steps are no longer enough to keep myself distanced from tom as i feel his hand on my shoulder, the strength of its hold causing me to stop in my tracks.

“jesus christ, baby, what the fuck?” he asks, out of breath, his chest heaving up and down as i face him, his eyes heavy and filled with confusion once he processes the hurt etched upon my face.

“don’t fucking touch me!” i scoff, roughly detaching my shoulder from his head, my eyes becoming glassy, both from the harshness of the wind and the reality that tom hadn’t ever changed his ways as i had thought. “just fuck off, you’ve done enough. and i actually thought you were different, how fucking naive can i be?”

i turn around, starting to walk away again. yet he speeds up, jogging and moving to stand in front of me, completely trapping me.

“baby, please it’s not what it looks like.” he pleads, his own expression now filled with desperation as he begs for me to hear him out, my mind set on what it had seen - no explanation able to change that.

“really? so i didn’t see those girls all over you?” i challenge, shaking my head as a sarcastic chuckle leaves my lips, in disbelief of how stupid he is making me out to be.

“you’re blowing this way out of proportion! you’ve got the complete wrong idea schatz.” he says, his own voice raising a little as he becomes frustrated.

“do you know how unbelievable you are? i should’ve known, i was never good enough to make you want to settle down.” the tears cascade down my cheeks, my teeth sinking into my lips as i quickly move around him, walking away once again.

but, he doesn’t accept my desire to leave, taking my hand and pulling me backwards, his eyes glossy with tears, his sudden display of emotion taking me by surprise.

“liebe, please can you just listen to me for a second?” he sighs, his voice wavering as he speaks. i stay silent, the tears pouring down my face, yet he takes my lack of response as a sign to continue. “they came over to me. i told them straight away that i wasn’t interested.”

i furrow my eyebrows, a mixture of guilt and disbelief taking over. one part of me feels terrible for not letting him explain, this whole thing my fault if he is telling the truth. but, the more infuriated side of me doesn’t believe him for a second, refusing to even consider that he brushed them off, tom never being the type to refuse a girl’s company. and it is this anger within me that acts out, cutting his explanation short.

“fucking bullshit. do you think i’m an idiot-”

he cuts me off, continuing to explain. despite my cold tone, he remains calm, taking my hands in his own, his eyes softly looking into mine as he speaks.

“i told them my girlfriend is here, and i’m not interested. they wouldn’t give in. i didn’t want to be rude, you know i’m not like that. but i didn’t let them do anything. didn’t you see how i was sitting? i’ve never had my arms closer to me in my life!”

he lets out a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood a little. but once he sees that i am in no mood to joke around, he shakes his head, straightening his expression before continuing.

“i was literally about to get up to come and find you, but then you came over. i get that it might’ve looked weird from far away, but i promise you.” he trails off, taking one step closer to me, reluctantly reaching upwards to gently graze his thumb across my cheek, applying a little more pressure once i accept his touch. “i promise you that i shut it down straight away. i want you and only you.”

both of his hands cup my face, his thumbs running comfortingly over the soft skin, his eyes scanning mine as he awaits my response, my mind working at a million miles per minute as i try to find the right words. though i am still angry, now more at the girls than him, it is impossible to ignore the sincerity of his words, guilt rising within my stomach as i feel nothing but regret for not trusting him.

“i’m sorry.” i mutter, removing my eyes from his own as i stare at the ground, salty tears rolling down my face more than they had before.

“hey, hey…” he trails off, lifting my chin with his pointer finger, his face falling once he sees my state. he plants a soft kiss to my lips whilst his fingers wipe away the tears resting on my cheeks. i kiss back, his lips soft and warm, enough to calm me down instantly.

he pulls back, resting his arms on my lower waist as his forehead sits against mine.

“you can always trust me. i’d never, ever, cheat on you. i’m sorry for how i used to be, and if i could change it, i promise you that i would, in a heartbeat. i want to be better, for you. you mean more to me than anyone else in this world, and i want to show it. you just have to let me try. okay?”

his lips stay parted as his slightly ragged breathing fans against my face, his warmth contrasting with the harshness of the climate around us.

“okay.” i say, nodding my head. he brings his lips to mine, smiling into the kiss as i gladly reciprocate, feeling his hands bring me closer into him.

“come on, let’s get you home.” he says, pulling away and holding his hand out for me to take. i smile warmly, intertwining my fingers with his as he pulls me closer, kissing my forehead gently. we begin the short walk home, tom stopping after a few seconds. he pulls his jacket off, tugging it along his frame. he takes a sleeve, gently threading my arm through it, repeating his motion with my other arm, until the material completely submerges me, my body warming up almost instantly.

he smiles downwards at me, kissing my cheek quickly, noticing the way a loud yawn escapes my lips after he does so. he bends down, placing one arm behind my neck, the other scooping me upwards by my legs as he carries me bridal style, a surprised gasp leaving my mouth at his actions, however it soon turns into a loud giggle once he begins planting large kisses across my face. he is grinning from ear to ear, his heart warming at the happiness plastered on my face, his hold on me tightening as he places one last kiss to my nose.

his arms remain securely around me as he walks slowly, the rocking motion of his steps causing my eyes to feel heavy, my eyelids beginning to fall shut, on the verge of falling asleep. my breathing slows, close to slipping into unconsciousness, however tom’s low voice prevents me from doing so. he clearly thinks that i have fallen asleep, yet i hear the phrase pour from his lips as clear as day.

“i love you.”

requests are open! keep sending them in, there’s a lot in my inbox atm but i’ll get to it as soon as i can!!

[grimm-rider]

Entry 31

I informed the others about the message I’d received from A’pul’la. We decided, given how spent we were from today’s events, it would be wise to spend some time in the Möbius Chamber. Considering the time difference in the room, Aenland asked me how many uses of Miracle I could use daily—my answer was apparently enough for him, as he decided to go buy some diamonds to expend as spell components, and then asked me to use my power to enhance his abilities. Nestian spent most of his time in the room reading one of those magical tomes we’d picked up to enhance his own abilities, but when he overheard Aenland’s plan he got in on it as well, asking me to help enhance his endurance. So I had my hands full the entire time we were resting. Which was probably for the best—less time to dwell on things with Keisuke, or on what might happen soon, meeting with some mythic powered Pharasman.

Edeya vanished for a few days by our perspective—she’d just popped out for a few minutes to buy something from her point of view. When she came back I gave myself a reprieve from casting for a bit to chat with her. She noted that I looked pensive, so I asked her—given how much thought she’d clearly put into it in recent months—what her thoughts on redemption were. It’s not something I’d ever put much thought into. I don’t normally care for that sort of thing—everyone makes their own choices in the end, for good or for ill. But one thing I’ve come to realize recently is that those choices aren’t made in a vacuum. The people around you—or lack thereof—affect the choices you’ll make. Change the circumstances, and you might completely change the outcome for the same person.

At least…that seems to be how it worked out for me.

Anyways. I asked Edeya for her thoughts on redemption. On what conclusions she’d come to. And, most importantly, whether she thought someone with no memories of what they’d done could actually redeem themselves. For the first part, Edeya said that redemption was hard—especially now—but not impossible. The person just had to sincerely want it and take action towards being better. As for the second part…she said I would know better than she would. She told me the reason I felt so uncomfortable thinking about this is because I was stepping into a philosophical debate, and at the heart of it was: are you the same person if you come back with no memory of your previous self? I told her that I’d always considered myself to be the same person, memories or no. The Grimm Rider is just the choices I made in different circumstances—that’s still me, still someone I was entirely capable of being.

But I think Edeya hit closer to the target than I let on. When I write about my past self, I talk about the Grimm Rider like another person, even though that’s still all me. When I think about the Grimm Rider I can’t help but think of ‘him’ instead of ‘me’. The Grimm Rider is like a story to me, distant, barely real. But that was me, even if I don’t remember it, I did all the things the Grimm Rider did. I would be entirely capable of being him, and had things gone differently I could have been that same person all over again.

I told Edeya that I am simply me, regardless of the circumstances that might change what that means, and I do believe that. She said I had my answer, then. I suppose I do. If I believe that of myself, then that would logically carry to Keisuke as well if I went through with this.

I’m finding fewer and fewer excuses not to go through with this. Part of me desperately wants to find a reason this is the wrong choice. Because then I wouldn’t have to give up the goals I’ve been reaching for from practically the very beginning. Mythic power, immortality. Safety from Pharasma’s grasp. Especially looking that in the face right now, knowing we’re about to be working with a Pharasman who could probably smite me with a thought…my every instinct screams to save myself, Keisuke be damned. And in my position, that’s certainly what he would do. I doubt it would even be a question.

I guess Nestian’s not entirely wrong about our differences.

I’m going to keep just going around in circles if I keep writing about it. I at least have a few more days to consider my options. Maybe more if we keep using Jadrenka’s nifty little time chamber.

Eventually we had to leave the chamber and return to our mission—only a few hours after we’d entered rather than days later. We made a beeline for the royal cemetery, with no Winter Witches or fungal monstrosities stopping us on the way. We should probably do something about Xanthadon sooner rather than later, with that rot encroaching on the city the way it is.

Not today, though.

We made it to the cemetery, where we saw a number of wraiths milling about, and two necromancers guarding the entrance to a grand mausoleum. They looked like chumps, as far as necromancers go, despite their ghostly apparitions.

We were prepared to strike—but someone else got there first. A dark streak fell from the sky like a bolt of dark lightning, landing before one of the wraiths. A scythe glinted in the dim light that shone through the clouds blanketing the sky. But the figure did not bring the blade down on the wraith. A second—much larger—streak fell from the sky, shaking the earth as it landed behind him. As the dust cleared, an enormous skeletal creature towered over the figure. It reached down, striking at the man—who I could now make out was a dusky purple tiefling with raven-like wings—but he barely flinched at the giant claws raking at him. Instead, he leapt into the air, using those wings that were clearly not just for decoration to fly straight up as he dragged the scythe along the creature’s midsection. He flipped in mid-air, then came hurtling back to the ground, before flaring his wings and landing safely.

Showoff.

The hulking creature’s bones crumbled in on themselves from the single slice, as effectively as if I’d used three Boneshatters on it at once.

In the back of my mind, I knew what this thing was, from some reading or encounter I’d had in my past. A tzittzimitl—an unimaginably powerful undead that can change positive energy to negative, shoot powerful eyebeams, and cause freezing eclipses. And this man had destroyed it with a single swing of his scythe.

I was getting another look at what Mythic Power was capable of.

There wasn’t time to gawk, though. Those other necromancers might have been c list at best, but they still had a bunch of wraiths surrounding us, and we had to deal with those to even get close to the crypt.

Even without some sort of mythic psychopomp-tiefling, we would have cleaned up the necromancers and their little spirits in no time. Really, is this the best Elvanna has in terms of necromantic power? Apparently I was the only actual talented magic user she had working for her, and with the Grimm Rider gone she has nothing but these bottom of the barrel flunkies.

Not that I’m complaining, of course. I’d just think the queen of a country could get some better help. Then again, we’ve probably killed most of her ‘better help’, and the rest probably don’t want to work for her because she’s a crazy bitch who’s trying to freeze the world.

All this is to say, we had no issues clearing out the necromancers and their pets. I definitely did not let on that I was, myself, a necromancer in front of the mythic demi-psychopomp who apparently works directly for Atropos. That’s in the strictly ‘need to know’ category, and for once my dear friends did not spill a secret within moments of meeting someone new—as much as I could tell Aenland desperately wanted to.

At the door of the crypt, Nestian resisted the urge to immediately knock at a closed door—only for this bird-man, who’d introduced himself as Corvus, to knock instead.

There was no response, and when Nestian and Corvus pushed the door of the mausoleum open we found the room beyond completely devoid of life. Which, I mean, it’s a crypt so I suppose that should be what one would expect to find. But given our luck usually there’s a monster crawling about, or a Winter Witch ambush, or something.

The others spotted a trap within an alcove with a door beyond it. Aenland shot an arrow into it, using his dispelling power to negate whatever magic was on it. Unfortunately, this seemed to set off some kind of alarm, because we immediately started hearing sounds coming from down below.

Then some woman dressed in strange clothes appeared, using what appeared to be Interplanetary Teleport—except whatever she had just done, it didn’t use magic. Only some sort of technology way beyond the scope of my knowledge.

The woman activated some sort of barrier around Corvus, then she disappeared with her mythic prisoner in tow.

So that was great. We come here to help stop a thing because a plant told us to, and some mythic asshole gets captured by an alien.

Sorry if I don’t sound like I was excited to go save a psychopomp-in-training from certain doom.

We ended up having to fight our way through a handful more enemies who ran up through the door that had been warded—but Talsune had been ready to strike anyone who entered, and between him and Aenland we made quick work of them.

We determined that we should head further into the catacombs. Even if the mythic psychopomp weren’t being held below, the enemies had clearly come up from there. And we still needed to stop the resurrection of a Crone Queen, with or without feather-boy’s help.

Down below we killed a skeletal dragon, then found ourselves in a chamber with a strange machine that was being tended to by more of those half-baked necromancers. And as luck would have it, the would-be psychopomp was hooked into the machine, being used as a power source or something.

We started killing the necromancers—and a ghost ship that had been placed within the underground reservoir of water around the catacombs. Well, I say water. Where the ghost ship touched, the water around it turned into blood. Honestly, pretty cool. If I had a place to keep a giant ship in Grimm Labyrinthus I’d have considered adding it to my collection. But as it was, it would just be a waste of my powers that could go towards more useful pets.

We’d fought through most of the necromancers when there was a horrible sound. It was like the machine was screaming. And then some big construct that had been wired to the machine stood, and the face of a Crone Queen appeared on the screen where its face should be. Not one we’d faced. This was Yelizaveta, who from what I gather had been destroyed some twenty years ago in the Veil of Frozen Tears, the same day Ilivorr had died.

She began attacking us, with a mix of her old Crone Queen magic and her new monstrous metal body.

And about that time, feathers decided to quit napping on the job and broke out of the machine. Not like we needed his help, we pretty much took care of the metal crone queen on our own.

After her destruction, some unusual letters came out of her, and vanished into a hole in the sky. I have…literally no idea what that could be.

Anyways, we parted ways with bird boy without any psychopomp related attempts to kill me, so that’s nice I guess.

Before resting, we decided to go to Baba Yaga and find out what we could about the strange hole in the sky we’d seen.

Baba Yaga was not willing to share that particular secret, but she said she was a fair Kindly Grandmother, so she would answer one other question, no matter what, without any subterfuge.

So we asked her about Tashanna. The queen who is absent, the only one we hadn’t faced as a Crone Queen.

Baba Yaga was extremely displeased that what we’d decided to ask was one of her greatest secrets. But a deal was a deal, and she wasn’t going to back out. So she told us the truth. The truth about Tashanna, and about irrisen as a whole.

Baba Yaga created Irrisen as an experiment. After seeing how things were where she was from, Earth, Russia, she wanted to create an experiment to see what it would take to cause a great rebellion that could topple a cruel and controlling empire. So she carved out a place for herself, killing and banishing the Mammoth Lords and anyone else to stood against her. And then she put her first daughter on the throne, and every hundred years she put a new daughter in the previous one’s place. And they were all icy and harsh rulers, all the better for Baba Yaga’s experiment.

But then there was Tashanna.

All of her other daughters had come quietly when their century of rule was over. They were either too afraid to stand up to her, or too ignorant to realize what Baba Yaga was doing to each queen who vanished into the Hut, never to be seen again.

Tashanna saw what her fate would be, and chose to defy it. She made a deal with a Demon Lord, and had an army of demons and frost giants to back her.

Her rebellion failed. Her entire branch of the bloodline was mercilessly killed by Baba Yaga in the Vale of Frozen Tears. Every follower she had—gone. But Tashanna did not share their fate. No, because Baba Yaga was impressed by what she had done. She had come the closest to making Baba Yaga’s experiment a success. And for that, she was not drained of her life like her sisters. She was left on an alien planet far from Golarian, to live out her life so long as she never returned.

So…that’s that. Irrisen has been nothing but a long game played by an immortal trickster.

I wasn’t terribly surprised myself. Not that I suspected something like this, but simply that it fit Baba Yaga to do so.

Aenland was pissed to learn about it. We talked. He wanted to remove Baba Yaga from power, and put Anastasia on the throne like we did. But he was afraid that if Baba Yaga was allowed to have any influence, she would simply twist Anastasia’s rule and keep her experiment running. But he also did not want to banish her from Irrisen or Golarian, just to have her subjugate some other people on some other world.

I normally wouldn’t care what happens to some other planet we’re never going to even be aware of. But Aenland cares. So I want to find a solution. I suggested he think over using his wish to somehow force Baba Yaga to leave forever, while also keeping her from using her powers to hurt others. I…don’t actually know the best wording for this wish, to make sure things go the way Aenland wants. I don’t think Baba Yaga is going to screw us over with our wishes, but I also could see this getting on her bad side. Still, it’s something for him to consider, especially since he doesn’t believe he needs a weapon from Baba Yaga anymore, and he doesn’t trust her to give him anything else he wants without twisting things.

Anyways, that’s a worry for another day.

We’re resting in the Mobius Chamber now. After, I think Aenland is finally ready for us to go deal with Xanthadon.

[pemberlyy]

THIS JUST IN:

I AM A TOTAL FUCKING DUMBASS

AND I'VE COME TO THE UNCOMFORTABLE CONCLUSION I’M GONNA BE SPENDING THE REST OF MY LIFE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF PARANOIA JUST LET ME FOLLOW YOU AND I’LL PROCEED TO BANG MY HEAD ON EVERY DOORWAY AND DOORFRAME YOU SEE SUITABLE FOR US TO GO THROUGH AND I’VE FOUND THAT THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS IS PAVED WITH ROWS AND ROWS OF VERY TEMPTING PARKING SPACES IM NOT PARINOID IM A REALIST I KNOW YOU’RE GONNA KILL ME

[fadeawaywithyou]

This just in: I am a total fucking dumbass And I’ve come to the uncomfortable conclusion I’ll be spending the rest of my life in a state of constant paranoia Just let me follow you And I’ll proceed to bang my head on every doorway and doorframe you see suitable for us to go through And I’ve found that the road to happiness is paved With rows and rows of very tempting parking spaces I’m not paranoid, I’m a realist I know you’re gonna kill me! -Lovejoy "Call Me What You Like"

[ranboo5]

LIKE MAN “ She never felt that safe in her own head/We both hate the news” “Smiling when I ask if she’s bored yet/Wondering if we took it too far”“But you can’t stay awake forever/No, you can’t stay awake forever” “Unless she tells me that it’s nothing/I really hope it’s nothing” “I’m not sure if you want it, not sure if you need me, too” “And I've come to the uncomfortable conclusion I'll be spending the rest of my life in a state/Of constant paranoia/Just let me follow you/And I'll proceed to bang my head on every doorway/And doorframe you see suitable for us to go through!/And I've found that the road to happiness is paved/With rows and rows/Of VERY TEMPTING PARKING SPACES” “I'm not paranoid, I'm a realist/I KNOW YOU’RE GONNA KILL ME!!”

[surfpent]

i have memorized the bridge to call me what you like and it gets better every time..

THIS JUST IN: I AM A TOTAL FUCKING DUMBASS

AND I’VE COME TO THE UNCOMFORTABLE CONCLUSION THAT I WILL BE SPENDING THE REST OF MY LIFE IN A STATE OF CONSTANT PARANOIA

JUST LET ME FOLLOW YOU. I WILL PROCEED TO BANG MY HEAD ON EVERY DOORWAY AND DOORFRAME YOU SEE SUITABLE FOR US TO GO THROUGH

AND I’VE FOUND THAT THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS IS PAVED WITH ROWS AND ROWS OF VERY TEMPTING PARKING SPACES.

I’m not paranoid, I’m a realist.

I KNOW YOU’RE GONNA KILL ME—

[firefurious]

[   07:42:02 PM   :   grace   ]   —   i’ve   said   before   that   i   don’t   like   not   being   able   to   see   whoever   i’m   talking   to   ,   but   i   think   this   is   much   ,   much   worse   .   is   texting   really   the   preferred   method   humans   use   to   communicate   with   each   other   these   days   …   ?   not   that   i   don't   appreciate   the   beauty   of   the   written   form   but   you   can   hardly   call   this   any   sort   of   scripture   . i’m   not   used   to   this   …   what   did   you   two   call   it   …   a   keyboard   ?   it’s   taken   me   at   least   ten   times   as   long   to   write   all   of   this   out   when   i   could   have   just   spoken   to   you   in   person   .   or   called   you   ,   even   .   yes   ,   a   phone   call   .   i’d   happily   be   on   one   with   you   now   .

and   …   sent   .   finally   .   a   deflated   sigh   rises   out   from   unfolding   posture   ,   straightening   from   position   sat   and   leaned   uncomfortably   over   his   phone   for   what   must   have   been   the   past   ten   to   fifteen   minutes   .   vision   begs   for   rest   and   now   that   focus   has   unlatched   itself   from   task   ,   he   realizes   with   full-force   the   headache   striking   like   lightning   between   his   temples   .   tension   has   taken   root   in   his   body   ,   and   as   he   stretches   upwards   and   back   with   a   deep   grunt   ,   apollo   brings   to   mind   the   way   he’s   had   to   repeatedly   ,   but   gently   (   and   unfortunately   ,   ineffectively   )   remind   the   oracle   to   mind   her   own   posture   while   spending time on   the   computer   .   perhaps   the   sun   god   would   never   understand   just   how   mortals   could   subject   themselves   to   —   wait   .

eyes   dart   back   to   the   screen   and   the   text   he's   just   sent   .   he   reads   it   again   .   next   to   the   message   ,   there's   a   tiny   ‘   read   ‘   and   checkmark   and   in   the   second   it   takes   him   to   process   this   ,   the   bottom   of   the   screen   suddenly   shows   that   grace   is   in   the   middle   of   responding   .

his   finger   finds   the   call   button   at   the   top   of   the   screen   with   a   speed   that   he's   never   had   with   anything   to   do   with   technology   .

after   a   few   rings   ,   she   picks   up   .   thank   the   gods   .

❛   grace   —   my   message   just   now   —   i   apologize   for   suddenly   calling   and   interrupting   you   while   you   were   speaking   .   i   just   had   to   clarify   what   i   said   and   i   knew   that   i   would’ve   never   been   able   to   type   it   out   fast   enough   …   ❜   breathless   ,   almost   .   catching   up   ,   catching   up   —   he   pauses   for   a   second   ,   more   for   his   own   benefit   than   hers   to   slow   down   .   ❛   i   didn't   mean   to   suggest   that   i   don’t   enjoy   calling   you   ,   i   —   ah   …   ❜   a   realization   hits   him   that   that's   probably   not   at   all   what   she   would've   thought   .   even   if   she   had   noticed   that   possible   interpretation   ,   at   worst   she   would've   teased   him   .   for   too   long   has   he   been   too   used   to   others   —   and   himself   —   jumping   to   conclusions   .

❛   …   what   am   i   saying   .   ❜   all   energy   leaves   him   .   the   next   sigh   finds   his   back   and   shoulders   pressed   into   the   mattress   ,   hand   over   his   eyes   like   bridge   between   temples .   ❛   forgive   me   ,   grace   …   i   think   i   just   miss   hearing   your   voice   .   ❜

TEXT MESSAGES, always accepting. // @roteden

The smile that spreads upon her lips comes easily and unnoticed, too enraptured in what causes it to realize her own reaction. It never fails to amuse her, his aversion to technology and the subsequent lack of understanding of the purpose of even simpler things; endearing, despite the frustration so palpable she can almost feel it from the other side of the country.

He still tries, though, and she loves him for it.

(There she goes again, Bryan teases in the background. Honestly, I've never seen Grace reply that fast to anyone but Freddie. It must be love, Kaz complements. She lifts her eyes from the screen only enough to tell them to shut up.)

UNSENT [ 07:43 pm : the sun ☀️ ] — i don't know, the way you type makes it seem a lot more like some sort of s

Eyes widen at the sudden interruption, though somehow Grace thinks she should've seen it coming. A quiet chuckle and her bandmates are divided in their reactions (Say hi to Apollo for me, Kaz asks while Bryan rolls his eyes. Freddie is more practical: We really should start getting ready soon. Don't take too long, ok?), and it's only the latter Grace acknowledges, a nod and a promise she'll be ready on time. Or close to it.

When she picks up, a brief moment after the phone starts ringing, there is no time wasted in 'hi, how are you?'. Instead, the greeting she receives is a succession of words, poured and trampling one another in his rush to say them all, so fast she has no time to ask him to calm down. Apollo tries to, nevertheless, speech becoming easier to follow — and forming an apologetic explanation she didn't need at all, the thought that's what he meant not even having crossed her mind.

Grace doesn't mean to laugh at him; laughter escapes her all the same, soft and musical and endeared rather than mocking. She can hear how tired he is in his voice, the heavy sigh only adding to it. The lingering smile starts to fade; she can only think of how much she misses him.

❝ It's okay, ❞ Reassurance, genuine and gentle, is inevitably tempered with a bit of teasing. ❝ I loved getting your almost scripture, o God of Enlightenment, but it's nice to just talk to you. ❞

❝ We'll be preparing for the next concert soon, ❞ Would-be silence is filled as she continues to talk; if he wished to hear her voice, she wouldn't deny him that. ❝ But you know you can always just call. Texting is just easier when for whatever reason I can't pick up. ❞

❝ Have you asked Oracle to teach you about video calls? We could solve the problem of not seeing who you're talking to that way. ❞ She would do it then, were it not for the thought it might be even more confusing to the already frustrated Apollo. ❝ Not as good as being in my dazzling presence, I know, but an alternative. ❞

❝ You could also just come along for the rest of the tour, you know, ❞ An offer posed before, an option from the start; no one would mind — she would rejoice. ❝ I don't mean to press or anything, just... saying you could. If you want to. ❞

❝ I miss you too, ❞ Softly added, even though it was likely noticeable from the start. ❝ I love being on stage, but — well. I just miss you. ❞

[achingly-shy]

🎧

“this just in / i am a total fucking dumbass / and i’ve come to the uncomfortable conclusion / i’ll be spending the rest of my life in a state of constant paranoia”

send me a 🎧 and i will put my music on shuffle and give you a song and my favorite lyric from it

[mybeautifulownlittleworld]

This just in: I am a total fucking dumbass And I've come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in a state of constant paranoia https://www.instagram.com/p/ColGuo9JpxI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[peridotunoffichel]

I am a total fucking dumbass And I've come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in a state Of constant paranoia

[constelco556]

"This just in; I am a total fucking dumbass

And I’ve come to the uncomfortable conclusion I’ll be spending the rest of my life in a state of constant paranoia

Just let me follow you And I’ll proceed to bang my head on every doorway and doorframe you see suitable for us to go through

And I’ve found that the road to happiness is paved

With rows and rows of very tempting parking spaces

I’m not paranoid, I’m a realist I know you’re gonna kill me!"

[hollenka99]

“I’m not paranoid, I’m a realist. I know you’re gonna kill me.” is so Regicide!twinsduo core.

“This just in: I am a total fucking dumbass and I’ve come to the uncomfortable conclusion I’ll be spending the rest of my life in state of constant paranoia. Just let me follow you and I’ll proceed to bang my head on every doorway and doorframe you see suitable for us to go through. And I’ve found that the road to happiness is paved with rows and rows of very tempting parking spaces.” is also a very good way to explain his relationship with War.

[chaos-and-kromer]

This just in: I am a total fucking dumbass,

and I've come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in a state 

of constant paranoia!

[shoutaaizawas]

↳  keigo takami x fem!reader → ❝preening❞

summary: hawks loves your hair, playing with it, brushing it, washing it. you realize that it comes from another instinctual nature of his. you try to figure out how to return the gesture. word count: 2k+ tags/warnings: fluff, bird terminology, hawks being a birdman again  a/n: i don’t know much about birds but i’ll sure act like i do. this is sort of a sequel to shiny things but can be read alone

masterlist 

Hawks was obsessed with your hair.

When you convinced him to take a lazy day off you would lay on your couch and watch movies together, your head resting on his lap. Without a doubt his hand was always in your hair, brushing through it and braiding and upbraiding your hair. It was hard to focus on what you were watching not that you minded. You’d much rather give your attention to your boyfriend.

At night when you laid your head on his chest, he would always run his hand through your hair, nails gently scratching across your scalp. You always let out a sigh of content. It was impossible not to fall asleep when he did that

Anytime he caught you brushing his hair he would insist he does it for you and would offer to do your hair for you. Was he good at doing your hair? No. But in his defense, he tried his best and was getting better every time. It didn’t stop you from wearing said hairstyles out in public. The way he looked at you, so happy that you wore his work out in public more than made up for some of the odd looks you got.

When you had a bad flu Hawks was there for you to take care of you even though you insisted that he stay away for his own good but he refused. He brought you medicine, kept you fed (not his cooking, he couldn’t cook to save his life), kept you hydrated and pretty much waited on you hand and foot. He had even washed your hair for you. You were so exhausted you couldn’t bring yourself to do it but Hawks was more than happy to help out. The way he worked the shampoo into your hair was amazing. You were starting to think he was in the wrong career. It didn’t escape you that he enjoyed it too and since then he offered to wash your hair for you.

You should have realized sooner what the reasoning behind it was. You had been at a pet store to pick up food for your friend who was too bust to run by herself. It was hard not to get distracted by all the cute animals. The cockatiels caught your attention, one playing with a toy in the cage. It was hard not to think of your boyfriend when you saw any sort of bird.

But what caught your attention more was the two birds perched beside each other preening each other. It was so cute to watch and it took a few moments before it clicked in your head.

Oh.

Had Hawks obsession with your hair stemmed from an instinctual need to preen? It wouldn’t be his first bird trait you had discovered. How had you not realized sooner?

“They’re so cute aren’t they.” Looking up you saw the storekeeper standing there looking at the pair of birds. “They just preen each other all day it’s the cutest thing, they love each other.”

“They’re adorable.” You agreed to smile at her. “Is there a reason they do it?”

“Those two are mates, it’s part of the courting ritual but they still do it to show affection to each other.” She explained.

“Aww,” You cooed but you were trying to process it all in regards to Hawks. As you checked out and headed to your friends to drop the pet food off for her your mind was racing. Hawks played with your hair, braided it, washed it to show affection in his own way. That warmed your heart. Keigo never ceased to make you feel like the most loved person on Earth.

But you were concerned. Should you return the favor? Was it offensive that you hadn’t? Had you made him feel unloved? Sure, you loved running your hands through his hair but you didn’t do it as often as he did. Or should you preen his wings? Would that make him uncomfortable?

Sighing you figured you’d leave the subject for later, there was only so much you could accomplish right now. You would have to spend more thinking about it.

The conclusion you came to was that you should return the gesture. You hadn’t quite figured out how you would do that but you thought that then you would see an opportunity arise eventually.

Eventually came a lot sooner than expected. The day had come to an end and you were headed over to Hawk’s place to surprise him by making dinner. You knew he was home he had text you when he got off patrol. It was a surprisingly short day for him.

You had the key to his place so you let yourself in, placing the groceries in the kitchen. Looking around you didn’t see Keigo anywhere. A noise from the master bathroom alerted you to where he was. Walking in you hadn’t expected the scene in front of you.

Hawks sat perched on the edge of the tub, wings spread out his torso turned and hands moving through his bright red feathers. Well normally they were bright red, at the moment they were covered in mud. Keigo turned and looked at you like a kid with their hand in the cookie jar.

“Kei?” You questioned.

“Uhh, hey sweetie.” He said flashing you an innocent smile, wings fluttering but didn’t have much movement with all of the mud on them. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to make you dinner as a surprise.” You said staring at his wings, the feathers were sticking in different places in some areas. “What happened here?”

“Oh, it’s a long story. The short version is there was an incident with a mud puddle.” He said sheepishly.

“Looks like the mud puddle won that fight.” You teased. “How did that happen?”

“Villain in the park. The rain left it pretty messy out there.” He explained.

“Poor thing.” You said walking towards him. Standing over him you took his face in your hands.

“You can start dinner if you want while I finish up here.” He said looking up at you with soft eyes.

An idea popped in your head. This was finally the time.

“Can I help?” You questioned.

A look of surprise covered his face along with a light blush.

“You don’t have to-” He started but you wouldn’t have it.

“I want to if that’s okay with you.” You questioned. You knew that his wings were sensitive. You had avoided touching them too much not wanting to bother him. There was a chance he might be uncomfortable at the idea of you touching his wings.

You couldn't lie you loved his wings. They were so stunning, so unique. You could never look away and you had thought about running your hands through them more than you'd like to admit, learning every edge and curve of them.

“I don’t mind.” He said scooting over making space for you. Before you joined him you grabbed some clean washcloths before running some warm water in the bath. Sitting down you straddled the edge of the tub, one foot in the water and the other on solid ground.

With his wings over the tub, you wet the washcloth and held it looking at the brilliant wings in front of you debating where to start. It made the most sense to start at the top and work your way down.

Smoothing the cloth over the patagium, had you done a lot of research on the terminology of birds wings? Yes, your boyfriend had wings what else were you supposed to do? It was just a really just a fancy word for the skin that covered the top of his wings.

“Is this okay?” You asked. You could feel how tense Keigo was in front of you, you hoped you weren’t doing this wrong.

“More than okay.” He said letting out a sigh. “I’m just not used to anyone touching my wings.”

The mud there was mostly dried at the base of his wings and it took a few attempts to get it to loosen up. There was some mud that was especially stuck in his feathers, you applied a little more pressure earning a groan from your boyfriend.

“I’m sorry,” You said pulling your hand back.

“Don’t be that felt amazing.” He hummed. He was starting to loosen up and feel more relaxed now.

You cleaned down the wrist of his wings and to the wingtip, once the top of his wings was cleaned you moved through the layers of coverts down to his secondary feathers. It was nice running the cloth through his beautiful feathers. As more mud was gone you let go of the cloth and used your hands to brush out the rest of the dirt. You were amazed by how soft his feathers were. Right now you would never think that they would be able to become so strong and dangerous. By the time you had almost cleaned off all of the mud, Keigo was nearly leaning on you.

“That feels nice, pretty bird?” You teased looking down at him as he rested the back of his head against your chest.

The last thing you expected as an answer was the soft coo that came from him.

Keigo’s eyes shot open and his face turned red with embarrassment as he covered his mouth.

“Was that?” You questioned but he cut you off.

“Please pretend that didn’t happen.” He said covering his face.

“How am I supposed to forget the cutest thing I’ve ever heard?”

“Stop teasing me.” He whined.

“I’m really not for once.” You said your hand covering one of his on his face, smoothing your thumb over his skin. “That was adorable. I didn’t know you could make noises like that.”

“I don’t usually.” He sighed, moving his hands. He sat up looked at you but kept your hand on his. “I used to do it as a kid when I got excited or if I was really comfortable. It’s so embarrassing I learned how to stop but I guess it just slipped out.”

“I love it.” You said you wouldn’t let your boyfriend feel bad for doing something that was natural to him. “Don’t ever feel embarrassed to do it around me.”

Keigo smiled at you, not a cocky smirk or one of excitement. It was gentle and soft, it made you feel like you were wrapped up in his arms.

“C’mon, let me help you dry them off.” You said standing up and grabbing a towel before sitting down on his bed. He followed sitting in front of you. In all truth, Hawks probably could have shaken his wing and had them dry in a moment but you weren’t trying to let this moment end. And you could bet that he was thinking the same thing. It never ceased to amaze you how something so simple could make you feel so much closer to someone.

His feathers dried fast and once they did you reluctantly put the towel aside ready to tell him you were done but he spoke before you could.

“Do you think you could-” He stopped for a moment before speaking again. “Uh, run your fingers through my feathers for a while?”

It was so rare to see Hawks anything but sure of himself. It was something you cherished, the thought that you could have an effect on him like that. Not to mention it only felt fair considering all the times he made you flustered.

“Of course, baby.” You said smiling at him softly. “Come here”

Laying down Keigo followed you, his body over yours. Resting his head against your chest he let out a sigh before you even touched his wings. His wings folded against his back. You wrapped your arms around his neck, hands reaching for the top half of his wings.

It was relaxing to run your hands through the way too soft feathers. You wondered if he used conditioner for them.

“I love you so much.” He sighed against your skin.

For Keigo, this had been the last thing he expected. He wouldn't lie and say that he never thought of asking you to help him clean his wings or even just run your hands through them. He thought about it a lot. More than he'd like to admit. But he was always so nervous that you wouldn't want to, or worse that his wings weirded you out. It's not like it was normal.

This small gesture had meant far more than you probably even understood. Not only was it a way for the two of you to grow even closer but it fulfilled the care that had never received as a child. His own parents had given him up and things had only gotten worse from there. He never had someone take care of him.

But now he had you and he promised himself he would do anything for you.

“I love you too, Kei.” Your heart never failed to flutter at those words.

You continued the gentle motion, hands brushing over the red feathers and at times between them. His wings relaxed and rested against him. It didn’t take long for the soft cooing sound you heard era lier to return. It was overwhelming the amount of emotion that flooded through you knowing that he trusted you that much.

Laying there with his weight and warmth against you along with the sound of his quiet coos it was hard not to get tired. His arms wrapped around you holding you close.

“I think we might need to order take out.” He mumbled against you, you could practically feel his smirk.

“Mmhm.” You hummed in reply. Food was the last thing on your mind. All you wanted to do was lay here with your boyfriend and never move again. A late nap sounded perfect. If you woke up at once in the morning and had to make a chicken nugget run, it would be a small price to pay to stay here with him and rest.

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