#AND HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HER!!! as far as dark's concerned it's just another form of 'sorry for causing you pain w my presence'

[dnangelic]

' shut up !! who's getting nervous , you hypocrite --- ?! '

this half-tone halfwit , this full-time idiot --- !

' i never said i was nervous , so i'm not ! i wasn't !! '

sure , there was this weird squiggling feeling inside of his chest , and all of him felt just one faint electric current away from having every single hair on his body standing straight up on end , but that didn't mean that he , ( the great , almighty him --- ?! ) was nervous ! maybe his --- or rather daisuke's face was just like this ! fast to flush and slow to cool , much like a hidden self's temper .

just as soon as sakura crashes back into her seat to stammer and ramble , he swiftly swipes her phone with nothing more than a grumbling give me that --- !

nothing more than a split second passes when he turns it around and points to a station on the opened map app , his glare and beet-red fluster half-hidden by the block of the screen .

' go here , okay ?! --- and don't even bother packing , you don't need to ! '

if she wanted to bring all sorts of crap anyways , ( not that he could really imagine her towing along all that much in the first place ... ) then that would have been her decision . all he knew was that he's never packed for any of his own little slumber parties over at her apartment , planned or otherwise . shouldn't it have been enough for sakura to likewise bring nothing beyond her own self to the mansion ?

there was more too , like the way that azumano could have been just as readily reached by bus instead of train , but the latter was faster and far more comfortable despite its somewhat higher pricing , and he wouldn't hear her fuss over menial things like costs and money on the way . what emergency funds that remained in daisuke's pockets remained untouched and more than enough to cover transport , waiting for opportunities like this there they might finally feel the trade of themselves into somebody else's hands .

' ... tell whoever you have to , but don't keep me waiting . ' the words , even while seeming demanding , remain twinged with a faint grumble of a whine and plea . ( because she wouldn't have , right ? for all his apparent carelessness , for all their fast pacing , she wouldn't chicken out and abandon him halfway , would she ? )

without waiting for any more reaction , his hands press and lift him abruptly out of his own seating . he's hasty in his leave , and he doesn't look backwards as he exits to make his own way towards the station . ( what was this supposed to be , anyways ? hope ? ) getting all embarrassed over something like this , like someone like sakura , was just ---

geeze .

‘Why wouldn’t I?’

Haruka’s got a few ideas, but for once in’er life, she shuts right up about’em; mostly because Dai’s laughin’ and she’s never not shuttin’ up to hear that, but also because anything she could think or say just... It won’t come like it normally does. Even more with his continuation, the add-on that comes after, those horrible bad ugly thoughts that normally come alongside this sorta thing don’t come up in her head. All that’s left in their place is a heated fluster and a jut-out lip.

“‘Like that’ to ya now, huh...” She’s repeatin’ (almost dreamily) for the sake of it, just to hear it again, without having to ask him to do it. Not even knowing if she can (Would he run off if I did? Would he take it back?) and not having the confidence to try and push her luck. But it’s fine, ‘cause she’ll take what she can get—she’ll take miles off this inch and be grateful for it all the while.

When she raises her eyes again, though (she’s not even too sure when they fell, though maybe it was when she was askin’ about Azumano a second ago), and sees that he’s got his own blush on his face, hers just about quadruples and sees’er scrambling. Something, anything--whatever it is, she just needs to do it!!!

“Y-Y-You—You bastard, don’tcha just go sayin’ shit like that!” He’s crazy, completely and utterly! Who says this kinda shit so casually!?!?! “Even if, if it’s—” if it’s true, if it’s true, but how can she know??? “You can’t—augh, you can’t get all...nervous, or whatever, too!!!”

Because that’s gotta be the reason for him, right? Though, even if it ain’t, it’s no big deal, because Haruka’s always giving her own fwump! back into’er own seat and crossing her arms over her chest again, small grumbles escaping her. Sometimes, just like Dark, she never knows what Dai’s really thinkin’ (a little weird for a guy with his heart perpetually on’is sleeve, but hey, everyone has their moments!), but this time really takes the cake! The whole thing makes her a little itchy, so unused to somethin’ like that said so...easily. Like everything he said was just supposed to be fact.

(The fact that it’s said like that at all makes her so, so happy, though—genuine joy makes her cheeks get warmer, makes her chest constrict and tighten in a way that’s both painful and nice. She knows—she knows—that everyone in Furin is happy to know her, but Dai is just...so different. He’s not Furin and he’s not Makochi, either, he’s from beyond the barrier of both. And yet, just like them, he...)

As he repeats after her, too, though, she breaks from her surprise, an eyebrow rising as she looks at him—in disbelief, in complete and utter shock.

“T—Today?? Now??? Isn’t that...!?” Ain’t that kinda soon??!!

(Is he still actin’ or somethin’!?)

“I—I mean, there’s the break, so yeah I have some time off, an’—and I did wanna spend it with ya,” whoops, what a hell of a way to admit that; at least she’s only half payin’ attention to herself, “but I didn’t... I’ve never even been to someone else’s house?? I don’t even have anything packed?!”

Not to mention the patrols!! Almost meek, she glances over at her phone, sitting in an idle corner of the table and glinting, unyielding, in the afternoon light. Struck by this whole development, she can’t hardly remember who’s taking what patrol on which day, but maybe if she says somethin’ now, before everyone files out to do as they’ve been assigned.

...for all that she’s never been to someone else’s place, the fact that Daisuke is the first one she may get to go to is so...weird. And she’s already talkin’ about packing, like it’s a whole done-deal...!

I have, she thinks; blindly, through the haze of it all, to make a decision.

“I’d...have to tell someone first, too...!

“But, I—I really do...”

...wanna go. I wanna go with’im, wanna see what someone else’s life looks like.

(Was this sorta thing... always so normal for others to do? Is this what normally happens...!?)

[disregardandfelicity]

i was lucky enough to attend the premiere on tuesday (as the +1 of a contest winner); in case this is of interest (and, indulgently, to preserve it for my own memory), here are some tidbits from my night:

for the screening, the cast had assigned seats (jacob and delainey in the same row, sam behind jacob, eric behind sam, assad on the other side of the aisle, the same side as rolin, hannah, and mark johnson). sam and jacob were off to the side chatting during intros and never sat in theirs

delainey got applause from the audience upon her first on screen appearance, the only cast member to get one

daniel had a fair few interview beats which got laughs from the audience

afterwards, an actor from the venue came up and gave a little speech as though he was from a sister coven to the TdV in paris. then we were dismissed to the party, which was upstairs

initially post party, assad and luke were in the front larger room of the reception - sam and jacob were, i believe, already gathered in a far back corner in the second room, along with some other people. eric didn't stay for the party

the venue had a couple little 'shows' - at one point the whole cast and some other guests went up several flights of stairs to a room (delainey commented on how many flights there were as we climbed) where a version of the no pain scene from the books was reenacted by venue actors

kalyne coleman was there, i saw her chatting with jacob. i let her cut in front of me for drinks as an excuse to talk to her. there's a nod to grace in the episode and it sounded like that was a surprise to her (a pleasant one!)

my conversations with the cast were deeply unsubstantive, i was too pleased to be there to come up with anything too clever or probing to say tbh

when i spoke to jacob, i started by saying "sorry" (just reflexively) and he immediately, very warmly, was like what are you apologizing for! when i said how excited i was for the season and he said something like 'i hope it doesn't disappoint' (which i did think was surprisingly pessimistic for a premiere party lol but having seen the quote about hoping ppl still like louis by the end, maybe he is actually a tad concerned! i did obviously say i didn't think it would)

sam was the best at these meetings because he very naturally asks questions back. i told him i loved him in the newsreader as well, and he asked whether i was pirating it (i'm not exactly, i had a vpn). then we all walked off to do that no pain scene experience

after the no pain scene, we exited down some stairs which opened to the second smaller room. assad was behind me so i asked him who did it better (these actors or the show), and we joked about that. he then introduced himself to me, and when i couldn't help noting that i did in fact know who he was, he said he would never want to assume. sam came up to us and assad introduced him to me, and i got the joy of saying we'd met!

(SKIP this bullet if you don't want newsreader vibes-based spoilers) sam asked me what i liked better, iwtv or the newsreader. i said iwtv but that newsreader was great and season 2 was so sad! he said season 3 is the last of the series, and told me it's dark and bleak, worse than season 2, maybe only a second of peace/happiness at the end. so. there's that to look forward to....

he also told me about the crossover staffing between shows (emma and the DOP). i tried to ask if he was responsible for any of that but dont think i articulated it well but he said 'you want to work with the people you like'

my delainey convo was brief, i turned while we were walking up to the no pain thing and realized she was next to me, so just took the opportunity to let her know i was excited about her in next season

around 10-ish, sam and jacob left to (i believe?) go to levan's friends bar, along with hannah and others i didn't recognize. assad and luke were around for another 30-40 minutes after that, then the whole thing ended at 11. i didn't notice when or with who delainey left

delainey, as far as i noticed, did the least mingling; assad and luke did the most. generally speaking (and as expected) sam and jacob hung around together or in the same spaces. also perhaps as expected, assad and luke were hanging around together for lots of the night. at the end of the night, when it felt less burdensome to ask, i got a pic with those two. they were very cool about it, luke was sweet, we'd spoken earlier, he stuck out his tongue for one of the shots and he found me again later to chat

that photocall video i took (above) was after the 'no pain' experience.

[pinescent-and-gingerbread]

Can I request a drabble where Arthur comforts a female reader who has a broken heart? The reader's ex-boyfriend cheated on her and left with another woman.

Here we go! I took the liberty to name Reader's ex Jim (pretty random name for that place and time so I thought it would fit alright.)

I hope you'll like it anon!!🙌

࣪ ˖✧ The World is living.

✦ Pairing: Arthur Morgan x Fem!Reader ✦ Warnings/Tags: Mention of cheating, reader's ex is a loser (boo him), reader is in a pretty bad mental state but Arthur is here to save the day, cursing cause he's mad as hell someone hurt you. ✦ Words: 1,5k ✦ a/n: As Anon had requested a drabble I tried to keep this short! Takes place in Clement's Point because the lake is so good for that kind of work, reader is part of the gang. Clearly this drabble is a big hug to all my sis out there who have been poorly treated by their ex🫶🏻

You were sitting by the shore, just behind camp. Flat Iron Lake was always beautiful at that time, just before dawn. Frosty, pastel colors on the sky and the water surfaces, melting into a soft shade of pale lavender and teal blue. You could only hear the occasional chirping of birds, splashing of an adventurous fish jumping out of the water, and lonely howls of coyotes.

The World was living.

You couldn't understand how. How did the World was still turning while you were hurting that much? It should have stopped. It should have. This was the only option after what you had been through.

You felt tears watering your eyes again. You couldn't sleep, as often lately, so you just had decided to come and sit here in the sand to do something, anything else than just lying in your cot, alone in the cold night, alone in the cold silence, alone in the cold emptiness. Alone, so alone even though you were surrounded by people at camp; it didn't mattered. He was gone now, and everything felt tasteless without him, everything looked drearier, even the beautiful morning scenery under your eyes.

You were now crying hard. Damn it, you didn't even knew you still had water in your body for it. You had cried so many times in the past few days your eyes were permanently red, your cheeks scarred by two trails of dry tears; you felt like one of those oranges that people squeeze to get the juice, leaving behind only a corpse of fruit devoid of all substance.

You couldn't do it anymore, it hurt too much. You buried your face in your hands, sobbing once again, trying to let out the sorrow that was eating you up from inside like a noxious parasite since he had left you.

"Y/N? Is everythin' okay?"

You tilted your head up, a slight feeling of panic and shame crashing on you as you searched for your interlocutor.

It was Arthur. He was a few meters away from you, empty bucket in his hands. He probably was on his way to the lake to fill it, but had heard you crying. You weren't too surprised to see him this early, Arthur had never slept much, he was always up before you in normal time, already helping everyone around camp.

He looked at you in the eyes, waiting for an answer. He seemed genuinely concerned; you realized you hadn't seen him for a while since he had been on a difficult job for weeks, he probably should have came back during the night, but you were far too deep in your own dark thoughts to have noticed it. He was clearly clueless and surprised about your state, his arms hanging awkwardly by his sides, his blue work shirt's sleeves rolled up carelessly.

"N-no..." You only answered, trying to wipe what you could of the literal torrent of tears flooding out of your eyes, but it just wouldn't stop, you felt even more ashamed. You must have looked pitiful right now.

Arthur let go of the bucket, letting it fall on the ground without an ounce of care. He then slowly approached you, and sat down in the sand next to you, leaving a little space between your two bodies. He didn't look disturbed or annoyed, but almost as stoic as usual. Except for his eyes. His eyes were telling a hundred stories even if he didn't wanted it. Their azure color bright and deep, you almost recognized a hint of sadness in them, as if he was pained seeing you like this. 

"What's happenin' to ya, miss?" He inquired, voice deep and maybe a bit more empathetic than usual. He wasn't extremely expressive in usual times, so yet you could feel just by his presence how he cared about your well-being.

"It's Jim... He... He slept with one of these pretty girls from the Parlour House and he left me for her..." Saying it was making it all even worse. It was making it all too real. You struggled to get those words out, your tone cracking up as if they were crushing your vocal cords.

More tears, your eyes shutting close in a pained expression, the ache in your heart physically hurting you, as if someone had opened your thoracic cage and was crushing it with his bare hands. In a way, that's exactly what he had done to you.

"Goddamn piece of shit..." Arthur mumbled before looking at you, his intense indigo stare fixated on your face. He felt genuinely sorry, and outraged for you. Who in the world could have to audacity to hurt such a sweet girl like you? He was starting to clench his fists, feeling his blood boiling, a silent kettle on a burning fire. After a few seconds of hearing you cry, he couldn't hold it anymore, empathy getting the better of his rage, and opened his arms to gently pull you against him.

His strong, wide body enveloped you, and you let him. You buried your face into his chest, not really thinking about it, your hands wrapping around his waist, and gripping tight on his shirt. Looking clingy or odd was your last concern, you were way too blinded by your pain. You started crying loudly, wanting to make everything go out of you, your pain, your sadness, Him, everything.

"Yeah, that's it girl, let it all go..." He encouraged you, in a calm and quiet whisper. One of his hands had found its place behind your head, gently caressing it, the other resting around your waist. He carried you, as you screamed your pain to the World, as you poured all these gnawing feelings outside of you.

"He's a damn fool, Y/N. You deserve way better than him, lemme tell ya." Arthur murmured to you, voice still deep and caring. You could also hear behind that a hint of genuine anger in his tone, as he truly was pissed at Jim for having harmed you like this. "And you're gonna be okay, alright sweetheart?"

You slightly nodded into his chest, barely able to answer something properly. His scent and warmth were enfolding you, and you felt like you were somewhere else now, somewhere sunny. Somewhere pleasant. Somewhere better.

As the minutes went by, and his embrace didn't loosen, you slowly started to get out of your personal darkness, breath calming, thoughts clearing. You were taking in the fact that usually, Arthur wasn't frankly fond of hugs or other physical attention, and you felt thankful. He was doing this just for you.

"You're gonna be okay." He repeated like a silent vow. You felt like he was going to make sure of it. And for the first time in days, you honestly believed these words. You were going to be okay. It would take time, of course, but you just knew you would, as certain as the Sun was rising and setting every day.

You gently pulled back, both of you still holding each other in your arms, sitting on the sandy shore, but not as close, so you could look at this face. Your tears had soaked his shirt. You tried to apologize for it, but he quickly opposed it, telling you he had been covered in far worse than your tears. You smiled a bit, knowing he was right.

"Thank you so much for that Arthur..." You told him, genuinely feeling so grateful.

"Eh, I may be a cold-hearted killer, but I wouldn't have let a sweet lil' flower like ya cry..." He asserted, a slight grin on his face. You noticed how he looked a bit reassured himself, less worried. Maybe, just like his affection towards the other members of the gang, Arthur actually cared much more about you than what he was letting everyone see.

He carefully wiped the last tear from your cheek, thumb feeling rough but gentle against your skin, before getting up, his hands leaving your body but not going too far away as he proposed one of them for you to take and help you get up. You gladly took it, enjoying the warm contact of your fingers on his skin.

"I just feel like... I'm not enough..." You concluded with a pained tone, your eyes looking down at your feet. The fact that on top of having broken up with you, Jim had left you for another woman, was absolutely destroying you, making you feel like you were worthless. It was also this feeling that was so hard to handle; so hard to live with.

"Listen t'me." Arthur told you a bit more firmly, his eyes searching for yours. He knew how you felt, he felt bad about himself every day of his life. He didn't wanted you to feel like this in any way, ever. "Don't let this bastard make ya feel shitty. You're a beautiful, sweet, kind young woman, that is the truth." He asserted, his hands squeezing yours in a comforting gesture before letting go of them.

"Thank you, Arthur..." You said once more, feeling like you were repeating yourself, but he didn't seem to mind. He was walking back to where he had left the bucket, grabbing it to finish his chore.

"Ah, no worry, miss." He said to you with a smile, now feeling better as you felt less depressed. "Let me tell ya, this piece of shit better be far by now, 'cause I'm goin' to beat the Hell out of him if I ever see him again." He added, still smiling, but you knew he was being dead serious, and he was way more than capable of it. You almost chuckled, thanking him for the third time and telling him you wouldn't mind if he did.

He noticed the little grin that had curled up your lips. He loved it. His days at Clement's point weren't the same without your bright smile and your pleasant presence.

The Sun had completely risen now, the camp slowly emerging from its slumber. The first drowsy voices of your companion softly filling the air, yawning, saying greetings, some already teasing, merging with the sound of nature around you.

The World was living.

And now, so you were.

[zafirosreverie]

Not enough (Bruno x Reader)

For @tolkien-fantasy hope you like it

__________________

You sighed and tried to block the pain from your mind as you let Casita help you to the nearest chair. You were sick of this, of not being able to do things by yourself and having to depend not only on your family, but on the house itself. It's not that you weren't grateful, but each day you felt more like a burden than a person.

"Thank you Casita" you whispered

You didn't even pay attention to the little tile that waved in greeting, you were too busy gently rubbing your hands and trying to hold back the angry tears that stung in your eyes.

You really missed the time when you could do more things, when you could run, jump, cook, play with your nieces and nephew, when simply moving from one chair to another was not an almost impossible herculean task for you. A time that seemed so far away now.

It started just three years after your wedding. You and Bruno were at your best, just enjoying each other's company, being goofy and happy, you had even made plans to make your family bigger (even if he turned red as soon as you mentioned it), it was all so perfect. Until the first blackout.

It had happened out of nowhere, one moment you were buying books with Pepa and the next everything had suddenly gone dark. By the time you woke up, you were already at home, in your bed, with the whole family looking at you with concern while Julieta tried to bring down your fever. Your sister-in-law didn't know what caused it, and despite what she might say, the soft smiles she gave you and how much she cared for you, you knew that a part of her had never stopped feeling guilty, because no matter how much magical food she gave you, you never healed.

Things had only gotten worse for you since that day, blackouts occurring more and more frequently, your joints and muscles getting weaker, condemning you to a life of constant pain. At first, you didn't want to say anything, you didn't want to worry Bruno or give Julieta more work, but when Pepa had to carry you back in her arms because your legs couldn't bear your weight anymore, you had to admit that something was wrong with you.

Your husband hardly ever left your side since then, saying that he didn't help the town much anyway. Alma accepted it, too worried that something could happen to the person she saw as another child, Julieta scolded you for not going to her every time something hurt and Pepa had made it her mission not to lose sight of you in the strange times when her brother was not with you.

"You can't leave me alone with those two, Y/N" she had told you "I'd go crazy"

"You already are" you teased softly

She smiled at you, but you could see in her eyes the same fear that invaded them all. They never told you anything, but you knew that Bruno had tried to look into your future to find out how he could help you or what would happen to you, when would you get better? But he never shared that vision, and deep inside you knew the answer: you never would.

It was hard at first, but you were strong for him, because you knew that the only person more terrified than you was your husband. He was afraid of losing you, of not being able to do anything for you, and even though you felt the same fear of leaving him, you decided that you couldn't let that paralyze you, that regardless of whether you had much or little time left, you were going to enjoy it with your family. 

Your nieces and nephew were quick to get used to your situation. Isabela tried to act as if she could take care of you by herself, she would spend afternoons with you after school and she would fill your hair with beautiful flowers to cheer you up when you felt bad. Often she and Camilo competed over who could make you smile the most.

Luisa was extremely careful with you. She had just gotten her gift just two years before and she was terrified of hurting you with her strength, so she was content to just talk to you from the door. Mirabel, your precious butterfly, was the one who kept you the most company.

The girl was a miracle, you had told Julieta, who lit up the whole room with her mere presence. It didn't matter if Pepa or Bruno were keeping you company, Mirabel was always, always by your side, telling you how her day had gone, what things she had found, showing you her drawings and simply making you feel warmer every time she smiled at you.

However, everyone knew that it was Dolores who took care of you the most. The girl was silent, but her gift had turned out to be the most useful in helping you. She was always aware of you, your heart rate, your breathing, everything. If you started to get agitated, the girl immediately warned any adult who was nearby, she was like your little personal sentinel, always watching over you even if she wasn't around.

So you weren't surprised when Bruno rushed into the kitchen, almost tripping over his own feet. You smiled lovingly at him when he dropped in front of you with concern etched on his face. You were pleasantly surprised how after so many years, he was still incredibly handsome in your eyes and how he could look at you with such love and adoration, as if he hadn't spent the last few years practically having to shadow you.

"What happened?" he asked worried

"Nothing" you smiled "I just got a little dizzy, but I'm fine, Casita helped me"

He smiled back gently, stroking the back of your hand with his thumb, his touch as light as a feather. That was another thing he knew you hated: that nowadays your conversations were just to say who had helped you. There were no longer funny stories, innocent gossip or funny anecdotes, your life was slowly ending between the same walls.

"Amor..." you whispered

"Yes?"

"...please"

Your husband's expression changed to one of intense pain. It wasn't the first time you had this conversation, that you begged him to tell you what he had seen in that vision. You weren't stupid, you knew there was no cure, otherwise Julieta's food would have already worked, you didn't want to know how it would happen, if it would be painful or if you would go off quietly between dreams. All you wanted to know was how much time you had.

"Y/N -" he started

"I need to know, Bruno" you interrupted him "I don't even know if I'll make it to next Christmas"

It was a depressing thought, because it was September, and if it weren't for the intense pain you felt all the time and that had gotten worse in recent weeks, you wouldn't be making such a suggestion knowing that Dolores was listening to you. But you felt that now was not the time to be careful.

"Mi vida-"

"Please" you begged "...just tell me, how much time do I have?"

Bruno looked at you with an intense mix of fear, pain, and regret, but with a flash of love, love so deep you could almost feel it in your very bones. He sighed and took your hands gently. His grip was shaky and you knew, even before the words left his mouth, that his response was causing him great pain.

"Not enough"

[sokkastyles]

Based on this post by @daily-zutara-prompts

“I just can't believe he'd do that to mom,” Katara huffed, as Zuko poured her a glass of wine. It was a vintage he'd been wanting to try, but he wasn't much of a drinker himself. He didn't like the way wine clouded his judgment and made it harder to stave off the dark thoughts that always hovered on the edges of his subconscious, threatening to drag him down into the depths. But when Katara had come asking for something strong, he'd obliged. He'd never been able to deny her anything.

Zuko poured himself a glass and sat down opposite her, holding the wine up to his nose to get a whiff of the warm Fire Nation spices mixed with the scent of fermented fruits from the isles. “Have you met her?” he asked calmly, with interest.

Katara wiped her eyes and sniffed. “Yes, once or twice,” she took a small sip of the wine, then a larger one. She cleared her throat “But, honestly, I guess I haven't been as…present in the past few weeks. You know, everything with Aang…I haven't been home enough.”

Katara swirled the wine in her glass, then took another long drink.

“It's like I've been afraid to go home.” She looked down, and Zuko could see the shame in her expression, the way she couldn't quite meet his eyes. He tried to will her to meet his gaze, wishing he could fix her sadness, wishing that she would look at him with only that joy and determination that were his favorite things about her. But she had come to him to talk, and he would do his best to listen, to be the support she clearly needed.

“No one blames you for what happened,” he said quietly but firmly, swirling his own glass and watching the dark red legs of the wine trickle down the sides.

Katara looked up, then, setting down her glass. “Oh, come on, Zuko,” she said, the fire that he remembered igniting behind her blue eyes. “The entire Earth Kingdom knows me as the Avatar's ex, the girl he left behind in pursuit of a younger, more ‘enlightened’ partner. The whole world worships the ground he walks on, just like she does. I'm ostrich-horse dung, as far as the world is concerned.”

There was no use in pretending he hadn't heard the rumors, just as she had. He regretted that he hadn't been there for her as much as he had wanted to be, but if he were being honest with himself, it wasn't just his duties as Fire Lord or his friendship with Aang that had kept him from getting involved, then. More like, he was afraid of what he would have done, had Katara chosen to confide in him about her relationship troubles. Of what he very much should not do, of the feelings he had harbored that had only grown over the years. He thought of how often he had imagined Katara coming to him to confess her feelings, to ask him if he felt the same way…

But that hadn't happened, and that wasn't what Katara needed now.

Zuko took another sip of spiced wine.

“I know you're right,” Katara said, her eyes still a bit misty. “And of course I want him to be happy, and of course I know he's been lonely, he's had to be. It's just…weird.”

“No one blames you,” he said again, even though what he really wanted to say was I don't blame you, and what he really meant was I love you. “Talk to your dad. If she makes him happy, then that's a good thing, right? I know it's hard, but it doesn't mean he's replacing your mom.”

“I know,” he said, his hand reaching out and stopping just short of touching hers.

Katara rubbed her forefinger along the rim of her glass. “How'd you deal with it?”

“Well,” Zuko said, “It's not the same, obviously. I don't care if my mom wants to forget about my dad. She'd be better off. Was better off.” Zuko took another long drink. “But I'd be lying if I said I never felt…resentful, when I found out that she had a new family and everything. A whole new life.”

Katara listened in fascination. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Zuko cradled his glass of wine.

“But you and Kiyi get along so well!”

“Yeah,” Zuko said, smiling at the thought of his half-sister. “That's what helped me a lot, at the beginning, knowing that I had this sister I didn't even know about who wouldn't have existed if mom hadn't remarried.”

“And now?”

“Now, I just…” Zuko thought for a minute. The dark shadows were clawing at the edges. Too much wine. But if he was going to drink, it would be with Katara, who he trusted more with himself than he trusted himself. “I think about how different things were back then. And I know they're never going to be the same, even the good parts.” Katara was watching him, taking in his every word. “And I think about how sad my mom was, even when things were good. I didn't know it back then, of course, because I was just a kid. But I'm not a kid anymore. And I'm happy for her happiness, you know?”

He smiled in a way that he hoped was reassuring, although he was a bit stupid from the wine. He didn't know if any of what he was saying made sense, although it did in his head when he had thought of saying it.

“Happy for her happiness,” Katara repeated, thoughtfully. “Yeah. Thanks, Zuko.”

She reached out, then, placing her warm hand over his, and her smile was warm and lovely, and he thought he could be happy for her, too. All he wanted was her happiness. That was all he had ever wanted, even if it was never going to be with him.

[akutasoda]

Can you be a reader with two personalities? For example, her normal personality is shy but the reader's second personality is sadistic and yandere?

flip side

synopsis - they loved you, even if you held a more darker side

includes - dan heng, kafka, gepard, luocha

warnings - gn!reader, fluff, slight crack, reader has two different personalities, one of them is slightly more sadistic, wc - 616

a/n: hope you don't mind but i did hsr as i was in that mood

dan heng ★↷

↪he always thought your shyness was endearing. in some way it was similar to him as he was never one to enjoy conversation - although your shyness may be a but worse than him but that didn't matter that much.

↪maybe the first time he ever witnessed your 'other side' was when he caught you getting annoyed at someone or something. and initially he brushed it off, maybe you were just in a bad mood.

↪but then somehow he saw it again and then he knew it wasn't a mistake. he was initially quite shocked but who was he to try and tell you how to act?

↪but that being said he didn't mind unless tou let it get too far. while it wasn't ideal as long as it didn't harm anyone i guess he saw it as part of your charm.

kafka ★↷

↪initially, she found you shyness rather cute. eventually choosing to lightly tease you about it but would always let off if you truly didn't want her too. she just couldn't help it, it was too adorable.

↪but from the very moment you slipped into that more sadistic side, she found out. she didn't even have to fully understand the situation, she just knew you were hiding something - intentionally or not. but this only made her more enamored by you.

↪afterall many would say she harboured a darker side behind her normal composure - and that was very much true. she found it as such better material to tease you with.

↪and she even preferred it when you showed that side towards people she disliked or tolerated for the time being. and as weird as that may seem to a more 'normal' person, she truly found every aspect of your personality endearing. as dark as it may be.

gepard landau ★↷

↪he always saw your shyness as one to match his own. and in that way you both related and could understand eachother as you both were rather socially awkward. gepard slightly less when needed however.

↪and even so he never imagined you had a more hidden side to your personality. and some part of him refused to believe it. even when he witnessed it first hand and didn't know quite what to make off it.

↪it's not that he disliked you for it, it was just new for him so he couldn't quite figure out how he felt. he loved you, he truly did and so maybe this new side to you is just another part of the you he cherished.

↪he would get used to it eventually but he still didn't really like it. but it wasn't hurting anyone and you did take his concerns on board. but even so it never did atop him from loving you as much as he did.

luocha ★↷

↪many could say that the travelling merchant had many secrets to hide - personality wise or actual secrets. but regardless he found your shyness rather endearing. while sometimes he disliked how it could prevent you from doing things he still found it rather adorable.

↪but a small part of him deep down knew that you probably had a more secret side that he ahd yet to witness. but he never jumped to conclusions and rather waited to see of he was peoved correct.

↪and he was. and it wasn't quite what he was expecting. although he hadn't minded in the slightest, if anything it drew him to you even more as he found you increasingly more intriguing. and that made him love you even more.

↪and as long as you never took it that far he would continue to not mind. and sometimes even would tease you in his own way.

[livelaughlovesubs]

Rara’s unholy board story

(But I don’t have his artefact so only the first half-)

Anyway, I made this into a fic and connected some sentences. But I changed some wordings too, cuz they just made no sense or were difficult to read. Hopefully you don’t mind. Also, it could be that I made mistakes cuz it’s so long

Dom!reader x sub!raphael (that’s the direction the story took)

!Warning!: CNC (rape play), Bondage, chocking, SM play, marking, biting, punching, spitting, exhibition kink (he is being displayed in a club) and tell me if I forgot somehting

Word count: 8.5k (can’t believe I actually read through all that, multiple times ;-;)

“Phew...”Minhyeok's sighed, the warm breath formed something white and disappeared into the sky. Although Minhyeok didn't know, there were many eyes watching him nearby. One of the passengers whispered to their friend, “So handsome, is he alone?” “There's no way a handsome guy like that would be alone on Christmas.”A young woman's excited voice scattered throughout the cold, clear air.

“Uncle Minhyeok!!”Between voices of the conversing pair, a particularly loud and lovely voice reached him. The owner of the voice energetically made his way to Minhyeok, a black haired child ran into his arms.

Soon, another familiar voice reached his ears. “I made you wait.” Minhyeok smiled gently: “It's alright.” A man who looked like the child's father spoke to Minhyeok. The father and son also breathed out white air as they stood leisurely next to him. “Brother! You're here! What about your wife?” Minkyeok asked while patting his nephews head. His older brother responded, “Your sister-in-law is preparing Christmas presents at home. She told me to leave quickly before I get in her way.”

Now, it was the man whom Minhyeok called 'brother' who patted the head of the boy who was still hanging on to Minhyeok. That’s right, your best friend also had a married older brother who lived far apart from his parents who lived overseas. Minhyeok's brother was always concerned about leaving his studying little sibling at home alone, and brought his own family and Minhyeok to his wife's family this Christmas. Since Minhyeok knew that his brother was kind, accepted it gratefully. The three had come to a large, nearby park to see a 5-meter tall Christmas tree. It was completely dark and the lights on the trees seemed to shine unusually brightly.

“Is y/n alright?” The slightly taller male asked, turning to look at Minhyeok without even looking at the tree. “Yeah.”Minhyeok answered shortly. “I haven't seen them for a while now. Where did they go on a day like this? That y/n, without saying anything to me.” His tone was more that of a worried parent than disappointmentYou had also hung out with Minhyeok's brother like a childhood friend when they were young, so Minhyeok's brother thought of you as part of his family.

The little brother said, “She has a job to do. Still. She'll be sure to be back soon.”For some reason, Minhyeok couldn't meet his brother's eyes and lowered his own, then took his 5-year-old nephew who was under his legs into his arms as if to hide it. When his nephew's small palms hung around Minhyeok's neck, the child's characteristic warmth moved onto him. “Is she studying abroad or something..?”Minhyeok didn't answer and instead turned to look at the tree, until the little kid in his arms questioned him again, “Uncle Minhyeok, what did you ask for from Santa??”His nephew asked with expectation eyes, his uncle looked right back into the eyes of his adorable nephew, and stroked his flowing cheek with his index finger. “Although I probably can't get anything from Santa now... If I can, l'd like to ask him for the peace of someone precious to me.””Peace? What is peace? Does it mean you get stronger? How can you be at peace?”Those innocent eyes further questioned the male.

Minhyeok smiled gently, “This is peace. Where no one around you becomes hurt or dies, where everyone understands each other, and people can do what they want.” After finishing his explanation, his eyes turned to the star at the top of the tree. The stars were shining under a separate set of lights from the tree itself. “I want her to live like that where she is right now.”Minhyeok's voice seemed wistful. His brother stared wordlessly at him, but his nephew loosened his flowing cheeks into a huge smile. “Let's ask Santa! I hope your wish comes true!” The innocent smile made Minhyeok's eyes into a brighten. “Yeah. I hope it does.”Said Minhyeok, patting his nephew on his head. The star on top of the tree in front of him continues shining brightly.

Abyssos was flourishingly packed on this day of Christmas as well. In Abyssos, a country of gourmet food and a nation of revelers, it was natural to want to do anything that involves drinking and talking. The streets were alive with dancers in samba-like costumes even in the cold, and the smell of delicious food wafted through the air. Loud music was playing and the sounds of drinking and enjoyment echoed here and there.

‘Samba has nothing to do with Christmas though…’ was what passed your mind. It wasn't like Christmas, but it was befitting of Abyssos. In that place of such atmosphere, you felt dumbfounded but relieved at the same time. You came here under the invitation of devils from Abyssos and upon hearing that the Christmas parties in Abyssos were held splendidly, you just had to come.

“You just thought that the atmosphere in the streets have nothing to do with Christmas, right?”Said Naberius, bringing a roast turkey on a skewer he'd bought from a stall to your mouth. He was by no means offended by what you said, since he simply said it because he read your thoughts, but you felt somehow guilty and denied it hard. “No, I wasn't, nope.” But you accepted the skewer, realizing in hindsight that Naberius didn't mean it as a finger wag, but as a sincere meaning of telling you to "eat". Then, Naberius also nibbled on the turkey. “Ooh, this turkey surely feels like Christmas. It's delicious!” You said, after trying it. “I had this prepared as soon as I knew you were coming. I found out that humans eat things like chicken or turkey on Christmas.”Naberius offered the skewered turkey to your mouth again. You lifted it to your mouth and glanced at Naberius, wiping some of the sauce from the corner of your mouth. It was a little embarrassed in retrospect, because it didn't seem at all lover-like... But more like he was treating you like a child.

“Hey! Don't take my juice!!” “Huh? Did this belong to Stolas? I thought it was mine because it was in front oh me.” “I was holding on to it, how is it yours?!”On the other side next to you, Amon and Stolas were fighting over juice made from a bowl of fruit from the stall. Sandwiched between Naberius, Stolas, and Amon, you walked through the streets of Abyssos, barely making any progress as they kept stopping at every stall.

Eventually, you got curious about the well-being of the acting king, “How's Bael?”You felt rather melancholy at the shadow who alone wasn't here, although you wanted to meet everyone you wanted since you were here. “Working. As always. It's sad, although it's Christmas.” Amon responded, a hint of pity flashed across his features. “You have jobs to do too. I'm the only one who was ordered to guide.” Naberious said. Amon only answered out of pity for Bael, but Naberius looked dumbfounded.

“So what? It's been a while since I last went out for Christmas too.”Stolas dug into the meat happily. “Stolas, do you normally not celebrate Christmas?”When you asked dubiously to Stolas, he shook his head. “Hmm. Everyone is simply happy by the fact that it's Christmas for some reason. That annoys me and makes me want to kill them, so I don't go outside.” The black haired male took another bite from his skewer. “Stolas normally shuts himself in a dark room at this time. He's quite mature, unlike his looks.”

Amon said with a smile while recalling Stolas in his normal years, but it seemed to have triggered Stolas' inferiority complex as he yelled back. “What?! I'm an adult! Are you complaining about my looks too?! Shall I kill you then?!”

‘Dissatisfied at people who enjoy Christmas... I think I understand him a little.’ You didn't hate them to the point you wanted to kill them, but you could sympathize with Stolas to some extent. “I also don’t have many memories about Christmas. Y/n, make good memories with me today!” The devil with the unicorn horn nudged your shoulder. Just as you were about to feel compassion for Amon's lack of memories, Naberius slapped the back of Amon's head with a loud thud. “That's because you always hide and sleep, regardless of whether it's Christmas or not! Christmas is noisy like this every year so we have to go and patrol the place!”Even when Naberius blamed Amon, Amon didn't even make eye contact with him, and just took your hand and put it next to his cheek.

“Ha ha... Oh, anyway. You celebrate Christmas in Hell too.”You felt a little embarrassed at Amon's action and spoke up as if to hide it. Naberius walked next to you and looked around. “We're not exactly celebrating anything. We just need a reason to chat. Before the war broke out, everyone was celebrating every day, even the birthdays of people they didn't even know. I honestly think it's good that things are a little more subdued now.”Said Naberius, but he was actually hiding a degree of loneliness.

You hastily changed the subject again at his expression, “Is there no such thing as Santa?” Then, something warm climbed on your shoulder before waiting for Naberius to reply.

“Satan’s here.”Before you could react to the familiar voice, Naberius reacted first. “Your Majesty...!”It was Beelzebub, the king of Abyssos who stood behind the four of you and placed his hand on your shoulder. “You're back?!” “It's his Majesty...! It's his real Majesty...!!”The devils spoke without hiding their joy. When Beelzebub was in front of them, they looked like young men and not soldiers.

“I heard y/n was coming. But humans need Santa on Christmas!”Beelzebub winked, with a white bag over his shoulder. “So, here. Take this. A present for our y/n. I thought you would need it. This is for Naberius. I have something for you too.”the tanned man took presents out of his white bag like a real Santa and passed things around. “Thank you!!”Naberius thanked him, then opened the adorably wrapped small box he was given, he found a doll of a dog with glasses. The doll had a horizontal crack in the center, and you could open it up like a box, which you could open again to reveal a smaller doll of a dog, and you could open it up to reveal an even smaller doll of a dog...

‘A dog Matryoshka?’ You thought to yourself, you had seen similar ones in souvenir shops on Earth. Beelzebub grinned brightly, “I found it while wandering around other countries. It seemed to resemble you.”Afterwards he gave Amon an unicorn keyring, a pendant to Stolas, a T-shirt of the country flag for Bael...

“They all suit them.”Beelzebub smiled like an innocent boy. “Your Majesty! I am elated!! Thank you!!” Naberius stared at the small doll. Stolas hold the pendant in his hand and eyed it up and down, “Ooooh, it's nice. I'll decorate my room with this!”The subjects who received presents were most honored and happy. If they had tails, they would be wagging them like crazy. “I will treasure it until my next life...!” Amon whispered, which you thought was a little over the top.

“Ha ha ha, sure. Y/n, open yours too.” Beelzbub seemed eager to see your reaction and handed the bag to you. “Okay!” You were quite exited too, wondering if your present was a souvenir from another country too. When you opened the wrappings and put your hand inside the envelope, it seemed like there were more than one thing inside. Suspicious, you reached inside and find a devil's red horned headband in your hand. Other than that, there were red wings of a devil, a red leash with collar, a red ball gag, and a devil's tail.

“…What's this?” You hesitated, holding the items carefully. Beelzebub smiled in satisfaction as you grabbed the devil's tail, which had breads at the end to insert into your bottom, and uttered in disbelief. “I thought it would suit you perfectly! You can role-playing a devil with this, or just use and enjoy it comfortably as you want. He winked at you as he spoke, as if he had just purchased a very convenient piece of furniture. ‘It’s certainly something you can only see in hell, getting adult toys for Christmas…’ It was different from the souvenir you imagined, but since beel looked so proud of himself, you decided to protect his ego.

“Yeah, thanks for the thoughts, i’ll…use it well.” You thanked Beelzebub with a small smile, then put his presents back inside the bag and put it between your armpits. “Is this a Christmas miracle that I met his Majesty?!” Said Amon in delight, holding the unicorn keyring to his eyes. “Christmas miracle?” Thanks to Amon, you were able to change the topic at hand. When you returned his unfamiliar words with a question mark, Naberius answered. “Ever since long ago, mysterious things happened to this world on Christmas. So it's natural for strange things to happen on Christmas to us.” He said, hugging the doll-dog he preciously got and nudging his glasses back up.

Beelzebub stroked the back of your head and continued. “According to the rumors, they're phenomenon from a human wish being fulfilled or the work of God... But I also think there's no need to think about things you don't know too.”The tanned man spoke lightly, but his words always seemed to be half joking half truth. ‘I don't think anything can surprise me in Hell now...’ after the extraordinary presents you got, this didn’t seem that strange anymore. You were already aware of the fantasy like connection between Hell and earth, so you were ready to accept anything.

“Y/n, go on a date with me on Christmas too.”Said Beelzebub, bringing his face closer to yours. Your heart instantly sped up at the sudden closeness, maybe because of that handsome face, or because you were feelingly slightly uncomfortable. “Wait for me, I'm going to give presents to the others as well...”Said Beelzebub, before he suddenly stopped talking. Then, he turned immediately and looked up at the sky. “Beelzebub? What's going on?”As you turned with him, wondering what was going on, the sky lit up and some of the clouds that had been spread out opened up. Then a flash of light connected heaven and earth, like a path of light in the air.

BAM!!!

Immediately after you perceived it, a deafening explosion erupted at the end of your sight and pummeled your ears. Devils screamed near the place the sound seemed to originate from. It shook the ground, even though it had happened earlier, and wind rustled with the impact.

“What's that.?!”While you widened your eyes and froze with surprise, the two devils moved on right away. “Shall we go?” The king asked his subordinates. “Yes!”Responded the man with glasses. “We'll go first. Your Majesty, please take care of y/n.”At Beelzebub's single sentence, the devils instantly disappeared in the direction of the sound in unison.

You and beelzbub arrived a little later, since he walked with you out of consideration. There it was, the source of the loud sound, you couldn’t make out the figure because it was dusty. The ground on which he had fallen had caved in with many cracks. A shattered stall was covered in rubble nearby, and a devil stood with several meat skewers in his hands.

“Ahh..! Your Majesty! You're here!”The panicked devil in an apron turned pale and ran to Beelzebub. “That guy just fell out of the sky and...! He's been eating my meat and destroying the stalls! He did the same to other stalls, so the neighborhood was pretty much decimated...!”The owner of the stall gestured and pointed to the figure in question that had fallen from the sky. “I see, alright. It's dangerous so you should stay away.”Beelzebub said to the owner and moved closer to the scene.

It was the middle of a street lined with food stalls, and the figure was eating whatever meat he could get his hands on. The devils who were nearby were being protected behind Naberius who had arrived earlier. Naberius bared his teeth and raised his eyebrows to threaten the mysterious figure, while Amon and Stolas stood stern and ready to strike.

“My, this is surprising.” Said Beelzebub, although he wasn't too surprised. ‘Huh? Could that be...!’ You had seen the man in the center of everyone's attention. A blond man with an eye patch and band aids covering the cuts on his face was in the center of the attention. You wanted to ask beelzbub who that was, then your questions got answered by the surrounding Devils.

“I-it's Raphael...!” “Raphael!? Are you talking about Raphael, agent of heavenly punishment!?” “I heard that he annihilated hundreds of devils in armies alone, saying that it's divine punishment...!” “Not only devils...! I heard that he even beheads colleagues if he doesn't like them..!” “He's the Red Angel because he's always soaked in blood!?” “Eek, is that really the angel of carnage? We'll be killed...!!”

The nearby devils stirred with rumors about Raphael and clamored. Standing alone in the center of Abyssos, unperturbed by the chaos around him, the man slowly glared in your direction and bit into the meat skewer in his hand.

“You scum, why are you here? Do you want to die at our hands?”Naberius bared his teeth and snarled with wariness and hatred. Despite his threats, Raphael didn't flinch in the slightest, nonchalantly fiddling with one of his finished skewers. “What for...? Weren't you guys the ones who called me?” Said Raphael, and wiped the gravy from his mouth with the top of his hand. And then, he pointed at each of the destroyed stalls. “It was pretty good, but there were small amounts. That stall is slow in giving me the meat, too clumsy. And that stall over there doesn't have the sauce I want.” Raphael said slowly, folding the skewers in half. “Can you give me what I want?” The blond angel had a threatening aura, he seemed like a beast you couldn't talk to. In contrary to you, Beelzebub stepped in front of you and stroked his chin in observation.

‘What's happening? What is that angel talking about?’ You looked bewildered and said nothing, but so did the devils around you. “Looks like you're not here to have fun. Then... Are you here to have me murder you?” When Beelzebub said with a smile but a murderous look in his eyes, the tension only tightened. “Oh? Do you wish for me to punish you?” A slight smile appeared on Raphael's face. Then, he spat out the meatbone he was chewing at Beelzebub. The bone straight flew at terrifying speed toward Beelzebub, but it missed and hit the wall behind him with a bang.

“You scum, what are you doing to his Majesty!!” Amon put his hand inside his clothes and swiftly drew out a small gun.

Bang bang bang!!!!

Bullet shots could be heard echoing thought the place, but the bullets he shot at Raphael missed him, and dug into the wall precariously behind him. “It missed...!?” Amon looked dubious as though his bullets could never miss, and Beelzebub only stared at him. ‘No way, Amon missed...!’ You winced with nervousness and absentmindedly hugged the bag of gifts Beelzebub had given you.

“Move!!” Ка-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka!! Stolas hugged his beloved Thompsons in both his arms and shot them in quick succession at Raphael. Although Raphael had barely moved, the bullet went off track and dodged him. “Ha!? Why is this happening!!” “Stolas, you should consider the surroundings too!” Naberius warned him. Stolas's bullets hit the stalls around Raphael in turn, creating a honeycomb where there had been no damage before. Just then, Beelzebub who had been watching pulled a whip out of nowhere and attacked Raphael. The curving tip of the whip bounced in front of Raphael like a magnet repelling the same poles.

“Huh...!?” You couldn’t help but gasp out. The definitely strange movement made not only you but also the surrounding devils stir. You were watching nervously in case Raphael used his powers to counterattack. ‘Is there anything | can do...!?’ While you racked your brains in panic, Beelzbub looked deep in thoughts, “Hmm. It looks like that.” The avatar of gluttony murmured and lowered his whip. You stared at Beelzebub's back in puzzlement, as if he had given up the fight. “Beelzebub, what is the meaning of this...? What's like that?” “I told you that strange things happen on Christmas.” “No way... Is it indeed the Christmas miracle?” Wise Naberius seemed vaguely aware of it, though he spoke without as much agitation as you. “Must be. It's a Christmas miracle.” Beelzbub said and turned to look at you. Something clicked in your head, now it made sense, ‘oh…!’

[Ever since long ago, mysterious things happen to this world on Christmas.]

‘Someone's wish must have been granted. But those wishes are always granted in unexpected ways. That's a Christmas miracle.’ That was when you finally recalled Naberius' words. “Does that mean... That's why your attacks won't work?” Raphael frowned and covered his ears with his fingers as you widened your eyes in surprise and spoke in a loud voice. “Shut up... Speak loudly only when you're about to die, human.” At Raphael's lazy, sullen tone, Beelzebub walked slowly toward him and continued. “I think that's why you fell out of the sky. Or, were you banished from Heaven?” Beelzebub sneered.

The angel pointed an uneaten skewer from his hand at the king, “A Christmas miracle...? Shall I try it out? I can keep fighting and kill each other until my attacks do.” Raphael was angry at Beelzebub's behavior and was acting provocatively, while beel didn't hesitate to open his mouth wide in response to Raphael's insolence. Instead, he jammed the skewer Raphael was pointing at him deep into his throat and bit down on it, skewer and all, before Raphael withdrew his hand. The crackle of breaking the thick wooden skewer mixed with the sound of chewing meat. Raphael looked satisfied, and beel swallowed the whole thing, then opened his sauce-covered mouth.

“Alright, follow me. I know a good place. Shall we do it somewhere we can enjoy Abyssos while we're at it?” Beelzebub's smiling face and black aura sent chills down the spines of the devils around him.

“Here.” A few hours after this happened, Bael led you to a store. When Beelzebub said they should go somewhere else, you said you would follow. But Beelzebub looked like he had other plans, “Come here with Bael at night.” And left with those words. He and Naberius helped clean up the wreckage, then returned to the palace to tell Bael about it... And so it came to pass. Anyway, he had left before you could ask him about the location, and it took you some time to find the place he meant. In the end, it was deep into the night when you two arrived.

“That idiot...! He should tell us where if he's going to tell us to come...!” Bael had to figure out where Beelzebub was using only the information he left behind: 'A place to enjoy Abyssos.' The man with the crown opened the door with a trembling hand, as if he was afraid this was the wrong place in the end. “Bael, what kind of store is this?” You ponded, the sign in front of the entrance wasn’t very informative. As you walked through the door and into the store, you were greeted by loud, erotic music and reddish lights. The deeper you went in, the more you heard the customers' devilish cheers.

“Ah, this is the Abyssos SM club.” “Ooh... An SM club... Huhhh..?! An SM club?!” You were startled by Bael's nonchalant reply. “Yeah. Have you never been to one before? That's interesting.” Bael suddenly walked on coolly as though he had entered a karaoke, as if he was used to it, but you in turn felt excited. ‘I always wanted to try. A SM club...! I look forward to it!’ Because you advanced with anticipation, you almost forgot about your original goal. Until you saw a shocking sight in the middle of the room when you entered the spacious interior of the store.

Surrounding Devils were screaming, cheering and laughing, all while pointing their phones in one direction. “Ha ha ha ha! Yeah!” “Resist some more!!” “Look into the camera!” There was a writhing someone chained to a standing seat surrounded by customer devils. His hands were chained together behind his head, and his legs were also bound together tightly. The only thing holding him up was a single leg, and the rest of his body was tangled in multiple chains, immobilized. The bound person was..

“R-Raphael...!!” The angel Raphael who had fallen to Abyssos a while ago. Raphael's pale skin was stained red with chain marks, which seemed to dig into his flesh with every twist and turn of his body. The reddish lights were all on him, he was definitely the highlight of the club.

“W-what's going on?” You widened your eyes at the incomprehensible sight and headed toward the center of the store. Even though he was restricted, he swayed and rattled his chains, looking like a defeated beast in your eyes. “I will kill you!!! Come here!!!”While Raphael groaned and spat, leaving himself to the rage, Beelzebub stood in front of him with a whip and a satisfied look on his face. The moment you and Bael saw Beelzebub, you both ran towards him.

“Beel!” Surprised and confused, Bael reached Beelzebub through the throng of audience devils, and Beelzebub briskly greeted him. “Oh, you're here. Bael, it's been a while. I was waiting. You're late.” “You. What is all this? I thought your attacks didn't work because of the Christmas miracle?” Even though they hadn't seen each other in a long time, Bael was unable to respond to Beelzebub's light tone, as he asked Beelzebub in confusion about what you told him. “We weren't the only ones who couldn't attack, he couldn't attack either. This is probably that wish. I hope everyone can get along or something like that. Anyway, it's a good opportunity, right? If he can't attack, then he can't handle power coming from great numbers, and he went wild as soon as he came so we tied him up, but since we already went through the trouble to tie him up, we might as well teach him about our favorite role-play and have some fun. It was hard tying him up here!”

The carefree man spoke gleefully and struck the floor with a single crack of his whip, the impact of which produced a crackling sound. It wasn't the kind of whip he usually used in attack, but the kind he used for role-play in this shop, with the words [Who the Hell is God?] engraved on the hilt. Now that you looked, the inside of the store was a mess, proof that Raphael had already thrown a huge tantrum.

“The descendant of Solomon is here too!!! Perfect! I will sweep this place at once and bestow divine punishment on both human and devils!!” Raphael exhaled white murderous energy and shook his chained body vigorously, causing a rattling, clanking sound. He was like a furious dog on a leash, and somehow you thought his angry from was pretty adorable. ‘Maybe because this is an SM club... Even when he rebels with wrath, it looks cute.’

“Ha ha ha. How cheerful. True, since he's here, we might as well teach him the fun, devil way or role-play.” Bael laughed at Raphael as though it was funny. He was always gentlemanly and soft toward you, but a devil was indeed a devil. “Right?”Beel also curled the corners of his lips in amusement. “Alright, y/n. I'll leave it to you.” Your heart skipped a beat in surprise at the sudden mention of your name. “Huh? Leave what to me?” “Are you pretending that you don't know?” Beelzebub leaned in close to you and spoke to you in a suggestive manner, his index finger brushing across your chest.

“What we devils all want and like to do, let's have a Christmas party here.” The king standing in front of you closed in, signed into your ear with a low voice, and that alone send a shiver down your spine. For good or bad reasons. “I think you have something we could put to use as well.” He pointed at the bag in your arms. It was the gift you received from Beelzebub earlier, the one you still held in your hand as you ran out of the palace in a panic.

‘Right, I had this...!’ You pulled out the ornaments from your pocket: a devil's red horn, red wings, a ball gag, a necklace, and a red collar. A stereotypical devil cosplay set. Raphael began to struggle more furiously at the sight of the adult toys. “You..!! What are you trying to do to me with that!! Let there be divine punishment!!! No, even if it isn't divine punishment, I-I'll...!!” While Raphael desperately struggled, devils around you laughed and took pictures with their cell phones, you felt a little sympathetic to him. ‘What should I do... Can I do this to an angel...? I wasn’t even planning on using those on him…anyway, SM-play? So I have to take the lead…?’ You fitted the ball gag on Raphael's cursing, yelling mouth. “Shut up.” Your tone was harsh, way more than you intended, you could feel your blood rush at this change of events.

“Mmm-! Mmmph!” Raphael kept yelling under the gag, but you couldn't understand him. While Raphael flailed in all directions, you also put the devil horns on him as well. Damn it, the blondie thought, wondering if he could do anything to the leery chains clinging to his body. Raphael struggled desperately, but whenever he moved, the chains clinked over each other more firmly and tightly. Thanks to them tightening, his movements were even more restrained, you were able to fit the devil wings on him with ease. And when you looked around the club, the sign 'Who the Hell is God?' decorating the walls caught your eyes. It seemed to be the name of the store, which had also been carved on the whip earlier, and the sign was displayed high up as a symbole of this SM club.

“You found something good.” Bael noticed your gaze and took the sign down with his hand. He was also enjoying this strange situation very much. “Thanks.” You took the sign and was about to hang it on Raphael's neck. “Mmm!!! Mmmph!!”The man you were planning on decorating shook his head in displeasure, but the placard which looked like a sign eventually decorated his chest. He glowered even more at you. The look in his eyes said he would never forgive you, a growing and burning hatred present in those red pupils. But that didn't matter to you right now. The devils around you were watching you with expectant eyes, and you had no choice but to do something. Even though you were still baffled by the situation, it didn't stop you from feeling some kind of excitement. What horrible thoughts you were having, to think you weren’t even surprised by the situation. Next, you picked up the necklace and put it on your index finger, twirling it as if to show it to Raphael.

“This will suit you nicely too.” You snickered. “Mmmm-!!” Unlike you, who was in a good mood, Raphael resisted and shook his head vigorously. ‘Don't make me laugh. Do you think I would do anything as disgusting as that?!’ He thought to himself, unable to voice out his opinion. Raphael still growled under the gag, and his spit was already flowing down the ball and his chin. The now furious looking man flailed and struggled to kick you, but his feet obviously never touched you. You took no offence and simply dodged Raphael who kept trying to kick you away. Tugging on the golden cross that adorned Raphael's ear and making him bow his head, then you pressed your lips to his ear.

“Today’s Christmas, isn’t it? Let’s do something fun.”Before he could register your words, you bared your teeth and bit Raphael’s ear. Crunch!! When you set your teeth on Raphael's white, thin ear and bit down, the ear cartilage crunched in your mouth. You receded and blew in his ear. “Ughhh!”Raphael shook his head at your action, and you drew away. His ear had turned red and had distinct teeth marks on it. You looked at the indentation, like the marks of a healed earring hole, and felt a little sad. “I must have not bit hard enough...”

You were deep in thought and looked at Raphael's reddened ear, while he was floundering his chains. “Mmmm!!!! Aghhhh!!” With rage dominating his mind, Raphael was bellowing and groaning like an animal in captivity.

How many humans on Earth would consider him to be an angel?

He looked ready to rip your throat out if only his chains were broken. In particular, he was a Seraph who believed that his beloved God had disappeared because of Hell and humans. This situation where he was a spectacle to humans or devils he considered to be vermin evoked woe and fury Raphael had never felt before. ‘I will do anything to exterminate you!!!’ The angel thought.

Your heart leapt at the sight of Raphael's neat and always scarred face, glaring at you and the devils around you as he glowered at you with murderous intent. The feeling of training and taming a beast who knew nothing other than the feeling of rage filled you, anticipation began to swell in your heart.

‘He really is like a beast...’ That thought flashed your mind multiple times. Even if you felt overwhelmed by Raphael's rage, you thought you would feel like you were losing if you stepped back here.

‘I don't know what exactly I have to do... But let's do what I like first.’ You determined yourself. “I think you need this...” After finishing your sentence, you could feel his eyes wander to your hand. You were unbuckling the red leash and unraveled it completely to loop it into a round shape. Then, you took it behind Raphael's neck while he struggled and kicked, trying to keep you from putting the buckle over him. You payed him no mind, and pulled the end of the belt to make the ring of the collar smaller and smaller before putting it through the hole that fit the size of his neck.

“Ugh, urghhh...”Raphael was being slowly strangled, his scarred face slowly turned red and his resistance weakened. ‘What a pretty expression..!’ You ran your tongue over your lips, your heart pounding at the sight of Raphael being like that. The faster your heart beat, the harder you unconsciously pulled. His consciousness slowly faded as his oxygen was being cut off, but you relaxed your grip at the right time. Then, air began to fill Raphael's body again.

You repeated your actions, chocking him repeatedly. It was addicting, you liked his pitiful expression so much that you felt bad. This continued until you were satisfied, and Raphael's eyes began to bead with tears from physiological reaction.

‘This human... And the devils... I will condemn them with the worst punishment...’ This was the thought Raphael held on to, despite his white, fading consciousness. For you, it was purely an act of mutual pleasure, but for Raphael, it was pure torture. Unlike you and the devils who envied Raphael for his suffering, Raphael's thoughts were filled with humiliation and bitterness. He felt dirty, he felt fury and angry like never before. At least, that’s what he believed.

‘How painful, how pleasant it would feel...!’ You were excited to see him staring at you with tears in his eyes even as he struggled to breathe, it was erotic and fuelled your twisted desires. The uncertainly you once had was now replaced with new confidence. So you smiled at him, all while you felt yourself getting wet between your legs.

“Yeah! He's beginning to make lewd expressions!” The surrounding devils turned feverish at Raphael's pain. Regarding a devil glancing at bills in happiness, you let go of Raphael's neck. “Ha! Cough, cough, huff... puff...”Raphael was collecting oxygen desperately like a drowning man. He wanted more than anything to articulate even under the ball gag, but he couldn't do anything about his body’s survival instinct. You smiled at Raphael who had turned slightly more docile.

“Did you feel good? Everyone is having fun watching you, Raphael. If you make a prettier face, you'll receive even more compliments.”Watching Raphael contort his face in pain made a whirlpool of dark thoughts within you. It’s true that you warmly praised Raphael, but you also wanted to turn him into a complete mess. You reached for Raphael's shirt and slowly pulled it up. Both you and the raucous devils were dazzled by the skin that showed from his abdomen.

‘Pretty...!’ It was a smooth, beautiful one, the reddish lights of the club reflected on his perfect skin. One had no choice but to believe that God made it, a perfection only God could creat.

“Mmmmm!!” Raphael screamed his protests loudly, even to the point of stopping his rapid breathing, but all he could manage was a groan under the ball gag. When his upper body began to emerge from beneath his clothes, it revealed his toned abs, which served as proof of his strength. But what caught your eyes more than his muscles were the numerous body piercings. Chains, buttons, dozens of crosses… all that metal on his body showed his love and loyalty to God, his body was a canvas of his dedication.

“Wow, you have many piercings... It's really sexy.”On Raphael's lightly pigmented body, the silver chain on his belly glistened and looked bewitching in your eyes. Even his devotion to God was only a source of excitement for you here and now, should you feel bad for being a sinner? Raphael had been exposed to the devils and humans he wanted to destroy, and now even his love for God was being watched with an evil eye. This made him feel rage and violation he had never felt before spread throughout his body. “Mmmmm-!!!”The angel groaned endlessly, but you only pulled his clothes up higher. Once you passed the piercings that seemed to be driven into his body, you saw his light pink nipples, and those also had piercings of crosses hanging from them.

“Wow, you even have piercings here!”The excitement was immense, you couldn’t wait and pushed his clothes up to the top, then fixed it under the sign you hung from his neck. ‘Stop!!! Don't touch me!!’ Raphael begged to god in his mind, each time he writhed and struggled, the piercings on his chest also shook. ‘Lovely. Did you... Pierce them yourself?’ You ran your fingers over the piercings that jiggled on Raphael's nipple with a look of pure admiration.

Piercings he wasn't wearing to show anyone, since he never revealed any skin. Watching the hidden thing made you feel as though you saw something special and it bobbed and swayed, the nipples pouted and rose under its weight. Seeing something he obviously had no intention of showing you only turned you on even more. ‘There are piercings on a pretty body. That's so lewd...! I want to make more holes on it...’ This was truly hypnotising, you were drawn into him and bit his nipple, piercings and all. ‘Urgh...!’ Raphael bent over even more. He was chained, so the angle was slight, but if he hadn't been restrained, he would have arched his back further.

‘Damn it..!! Stop it!!!’ Raphael never even contemplated the possibility of anyone other than God or himself touching his naked body. There was a clink of chains hitting each other. You held his waist tightly so he wouldn't buckle and wobble. The grip you had on his was rough, it felt weird and unfamiliar for the angel. You rolled your tongue over his buds, the feeling of Raphael's hard and erect nipple, as well as his cross piercing made you most ecstatic.

‘It's me who's licking, but his reactions are amazing… and the feeling of cold metal is pretty good too…I want to bite it more…I want to lick it more...’ Once you thought so, you couldn't stop yourself. You began to lick his entire body as if washing it with your tongue, teasing him all over. Your tongue traveling from his nipples to his navel then his lower body. At the same time, just thinking about the pleasure he must be feeling made you feel wet between your legs without even stimulating it.

Your tongue quickly reached the soles of his chained feet. He kicked his bound legs as you licked each pierced toe down to the sole of his foot. “Mmmmm-!!!” Licking the soles of someone's feet must be a humiliating act, yet you did it so effortlessly with a look of ecstasy on your face. And Raphael shuddered with disgust and some fear. “There are still many more parts that look delicious.” You whispered quietly. Regardless of his thoughts, you were feeling interested in Raphael’s other body parts. Spinning a thread of saliva, you lifted your tongue from the sole of his foot and tore at the arm of his shirt with all your might. You also tore his pants at the thighs, which had been lifted by the chains. After they ripped, you bit down on his body without hesitation.

‘Don't touch me!!!’ Raphael thought, then squirmed, but you took hold of his foot and bit into it like a fruit. At the same time, you tugged on the piercing at the end of his nipple hard enough to make the pale pink nipple turn red. “Ahhh..!”The poor angel shook in a reaction that was part protest, part pleasure. This sight of a pretty angel being defiled was a work of art. Watching his white skin stain red, his upper body still untouched by anyone's hands, writhing about was so lascivious that it fed your fetishes.

Raphael's reactions heated up the devils in the SM club. One of the devils was licking the end of the whip, as though he wanted to do it as well. Another devil flapped his bills in front of his face and approached Raphael. The surrounding devils started to cheer again, “You really are an obscene angel, I envy you, but thank you that you did this for us.” Then, he tossed the bills in Raphael's face and twisted it in the torn arm of his shirt. Afterwards, a few other devils also approached to add their bills between his torn clothes. Even when Raphael tried to kick them away, it was of no use. He glared at each and every one of them, looking as if he might shed tears of blood. ‘I shall never forget this humiliation..! I will punish them with my life!’

He couldn't believe he'd fallen into Abyssos without knowing why, and he was being punished for it when he was normally the one doing the punishing. Rage dominated to the top of his head, and he unconsciously shuddered. Then, the halo behind Raphael's head began to shine brightly. The light seemed to be shining to purify this store, or to erase everything. But Raphael's reaction only made you happier. ‘What is this...! A phenomenon neither devils nor humans can cause...Looks like there are more fun things lying in wait...!’ You felt your heart thump out of anticipation of what would happen now.

Your eyes moved from the shining halo to stare at Raphael’s side profile as he glared at the devil with the bills in hand. Ptui. Your spit hit the band aid on his cheek and slowly slid down. ‘Look over here too.’

Was all you had to say, you wanted to keep his attention on you, to have Raphael turn to you, rather than the surrounding devils. His gaze did wander to you, glaring at you menacingly, his eyes showed a hint of confusion mixed with anger. Raphael's terrifyingly white, murderous energy was swallowing you whole. You knew the angel, who had been on a rampage up to this point was quietly raging, and the murderous intent was dedicated at only you. When Raphael's halo shone particularly brightly and tried to wallow you…

Slam!!

You hit his stomach with all your might. Although you never hit anyone on Earth or in Hell, you saw Satan use violence with love (you weren't sure, but it looked like it to you) to his colleagues. Since you recalled it, you copied him and punched Raphael. It wasn't an attack. You were striking Raphael's stomach with love like an instructor. While you did that, your eyes were shining red like Satan's.

“Argh...!!”The vigor made both the piercings on his upper body and body quake. When his piercings swayed, you were turned on again. “You shouldn't think of standing up to me.” Whack!! “I just want you to enjoy it.” Thump!! With each sentence, you punched him in the gut. Bruises were forming on his stomach.

‘Ugh, if only I had more power in my arms...! If only | had more power to punish them...!!’ Raphael was feeling nervous, that he couldn't do anything about being overwhelmed for the first time, about his helplessness and vulnerability. You, on the other hand, were tormenting Raphael with your mouth and hands, and yet you were rejoicing in the return of his attention to you.

You pulled the piercing on his belly button and bit the upper half of his body. “Ugh, ughhh...” followed with your fangs which bared and bit into the flesh as if to tear a larger hole in his pierced body. Meanwhile, you stroked Raphael's groin over his pants. “Ughh..!” And his body flinched at that very harshly. His nerves and senses which had only been focused on being bitten by you a moment ago were now focused on his lower part. The unexpected touch of his intime part suddenly added an additional stimulus to the sensations whirling inside his body. It felt even more intense, because he had only been paying attention to your bites. The reaction made the surrounding devils cheer loudly.

Meanwhile, Beelzebub and Bael were biting their lips to stop themselves from laughing with quaking shoulders. “Ahhhhhhh..! That's a cute reaction, even though they only touched it for a second, hahaha!” Beelzbub declared with an amused tone. “Huhuhu, don't laugh too much. Beel. He's an angel so there's nothing he can do about it. Hehe...”

The booing reaction of the two devils made Raphael feel ashamed for the first time since he was made by God. ‘What was that... Feeling just now...!’ He panicked at the stimulation he'd never felt before and the way his body reacted. You had little regard for the surrounding cheers, and the fact that Raphael was panicking was unbeknownst to you. In contrary, you were glad that Raphael was reacting, so you nibbled on him and groped his lower body more feverishly.

“Mmm, mmmh...” Accustomed to the pain of having his body pierced, Raphael began to feel strange at the gentle treatment. Somehow he took a little pleasure in conjunction with the stimulation of his lower body. His member which had grown harder and more erect than when you first touched it began to clearly announce its existence. ‘Why... Why are you getting harder!’ Raphael was crying internally. ‘I'm reacting to it, so does this mean that God brought this pleasure to me…!?’ He couldn’t help but stare at his ever-growing lower body in bewilderment, thinking that there couldn’t be anything meaningless about the body created by the God he worshipped.

“Is it your first time touching it?” You smiled pleasantly at Raphael's novice-like reaction and asked. “I'm presented with your first time? What a great Christmas present...” Almost wanting to hum to yourself, you unbuttoned Raphael's pants and unzipped it.

“Ooooh...!” “Finally...” The surrounding devils gulped as though they were the ones violating Raphael. Their hands were slowly massaging themselves at the sight of the pretty angel. When you unbuttoned his pants, his underwear appeared, and those were stained with his fluids. Your hand cupped his bulge gently, caressing it even. Raphael’s face finally catches colours and flushed, his figure kept trembling and squirming around.

“Mmmm-!” To touch somewhere neither God nor himself had touched… being humiliated like this by devils and the descendant of Solomon who must be the reason God disappeared… moreover, his lower body was reacting regardless of his intentions...!

Raphael felt like he was going crazy.

The despair and terror of losing control of his body was an emotion he hadn't felt since God disappeared. ‘My body turning strange!! It’s all because I touched this filthy being!!!’ In the end, the blond man blamed you for everything.

Touching Raphael's lower body and watching it get wet, you felt like you were looking at a painting that was getting closer to completion, and your excitement heightened. The thought filling your mind gradually got lewder and more perverted. ‘I want to see more of Raphael's body!’ Your excitement and curiosity gained momentum, and with nervous fingers you pulled down Raphael's underwear. Then, it was revealed that a chastity belt forged in Heaven from heavy metal, surrounded Raphael's cock. You widened your eyes at the chastity belt you had never seen before.

“Is this...” You ran your hand hesitantly around the heavy, metallic chastity belt. “It was true what they say about angels wearing chastity belts.” Beelzebub was watching with amusement, before continuing, “Dedicating oneself to God and continuing celibacy for billions of years. And wearing a chastity belt to keep from breaking it. Hah, angels were doing such strange things, they truly were.” Your gaze clung to the chastity belt at Beelzebub's words. Then you shuddered and felt a rush of excitement as you saw Raphael wearing a chastity belt, as proof of his purity. He seemed so aggressive and eccentric at first glance, but that wasn’t his true colours at all?

The devils around him studied the chastity belt, pretending to approach to insert the bills. Raphael's erect, hard dick was writhing inside the chastity belt, ready to burst, and something was leaking out of the hole at the end. It was transparent, white and milky, but it glowed and had a viscosity. ‘What..Is this...?’ Your cheeks blushed slightly. ‘Could this shining liquid possibly be an angel's cum...?! Is it… his precum? I want to try licking it!!!’ You felt curiosity mingled with excitement at the liquid that was unique to that holy angel. The glowing, melting liquid drew the admiration of the surrounding devils.

[yandere--stuck]



Can you do Yandere! Cahara, please? <3 I think he would be an interesting one

💙 Cahara hadn't exactly been the best person before delving into the dungeons. He'd been a thief, a burglar, an assassin for hire, the works. The stories he could tell… The point being: Cahara's record wasn't exactly squeaky clean. He could've spent the rest of his life like that, living adrift and moving from one job to the next, going where the work took him. But, then he met Celeste. It was meant to be a one-time encounter, but they hit it off. They kept meeting just to talk and get to know one another. And, gods Alll-mighty, he fell for her. She was with child, probably not even his own but, hell, he loved her and the child already. He wanted to take care of her. Start a family. Settle down with someone after years of being adrift. And the perfect job came at just the right time - for enough riches to take care of his family for generations, all he had to do was go into some dungeons to retrieve some guy. How hard could it be?

🔪 Incredibly. Incredibly hard. Cahara had never seen anything like this. Guards turned into horrible monsters and all kinds of other horrible beasts stalking the halls. And of course, he just had to go and get himself captured and thrown in a cell. Just his luck, huh? But just when he thought he'd spend the rest of his days in a dank, bloodstained cell… Lo and behold, his savior had arrived! You had managed to snatch a key from the hulking guards and were kind enough to allow him to join your party, the only other member being a girl you'd found locked up in this place.

💙 Now, truth be told, Cahara's initial plan was to take some silver and vials off your hands and hit the bricks while you were none the wiser, but something about you made him stick around. And not just because there was strength in numbers. Maybe it was a result of the sanity-sucking darkness of the dungeons, but something made him gravitate toward you. You were like a light in the darkness and he soon worried about trailing too far behind you or too far ahead. As you traversed through the dungeons and courtyards and prison, you slowly began speaking more and more. When you had the chance to, at least. Little things. Jokes or observations, which lead into a rapport between the two of you that seemed as easy as breathing. Just like with Celeste…

🔪 Not only that, but you made an amazing team. Usually, Cahara thought he worked best alone, but working with you in sync, like a well-made machine… It was like nothing else. When you both, not even needing to call out instructions mid-battle, struck at just the right time to send an enemy toppling and their head exposed… It was thrilling. Electric. Despite the terror found within the depths of the dungeon, Cahara couldn't recall a time where he'd felt more alive. And considering the dungeons themselves absolutely reeked with death, Cahara knew it had to be you that made him feel like this. He wasn't sure how long he'd been down in the depths with you and the girl, but already, you felt almost like another limb. He hoped you thought the same.

💙 Apparently, you were getting concerned about his state of mind. So sweet of you, always so sweet. But, the Mercenary had a feeling he was thinking so much clearer than he ever had before. He didn't need any ale or something to smoke. He just needed you. To be around you. You were his light in the dark. Someone he could tell everything to. It became so much easier to talk to you and the girl - well, chat to her, rather. You spoke of tales of old, of funny memories, of how you got certain scars… Of why you came here. His Celeste… And you did the same, spilling every detail for Cahara to soak in like a sponge. Maybe, partly, because you were scared of dying here and no one ever knowing the real you. It felt… Almost too perfect. Something preordained. Destiny. Like you and he were meant to meet. Because he was the one who was supposed to know you and love you. Cahara had never been a praying man, but the next ritual circle he saw, he prayed endlessly to Sylvian for bringing you to him.

🔪 If Le'garde was found alive, he'd quickly book up the levels of the dungeon with you and the girl in tow, all but shoving Le'garde through the halls in a frantic attempt at escape. If you try to part ways, Cahara would insist on thanking you for your help with money, or favors, or staying at his and Celeste's new manor indefinitely? He took in the girl as a daughter, too, which meant leverage over you if you were still particularly attached to the child. Cahara hoped just showing that he and Celeste wanted to provide and take care of you would be enough… But he isn't above drugging the meal Celeste's made for you (either with her knowledge and support or otherwise) and using chains or other restraints when you wake. 

💙 If Le'garde is dead, Cahara would still be annoyed at the whole thing, but grateful that he was led there to meet you. So, it all works out! Cahara would try the straight forward approach to asking if you wanted to join his and Celeste's relationship not long after emerging from the dungeons. He just… He just felt like he loved you. How could he not? After all you've been through together, you couldn't just leave. You confided in him, and he in you! You snuggled together for warmth and became companions… Friends… Something more? And he told Celeste all about you, and she loved you already! Please? Please, he needed you. The children, their- your growing family needed you and… Don't fight what's meant to be. He still had that bonesaw he found down there. That place changed him. You could see it. And you had, too. Don't think he wouldn't use it to keep you with him. Safe. Together. The lights of his life. Please. You have to understand. Bearing the soul of the endless meant that his love for you, his addiction of you, was just as endless and all-consuming.

[mishietishie]

Reincarnated hearts

TW: HeianEra!Sukuna, fem!reader, death mentions, su!cide mentions, not proofread, possible ooc Sukuna, heavy angst

A/N: Dark themes will appear in this fic and the upcoming parts, I advise minors under 14 to not read this, but if you do, I am not responsible for what you read on the internet. The author also doesn't advise to re-enact anything that appears in this fic, as it is purely fiction.

Also, all parts of this fic series will be tagged "reincarnated hearts"

Part 1 (here!), Part 2 (coming soon~)

In the golden age of Jujutsu, the Heian Era, Ryomen Sukuna roamed the lands, known as the King of Curses. He was a cruel being, and far from a man. He destroyed villages, slaughtered countless of people without flincing or even thinking about it. The feeling of their guts on his hands, the taste of their blood on his tongue, and their screams and cries leaving his mind as quickly as they came.

But behind the walls of the cursed being's estate, was his wife. A formidable Jujutsu Sorcerer with a special technique that gives her the power to turn into a shadow, and strike from the darkness. She fought by Sukuna's side most of the time. And when she didn't, she was helping out Uraume. Their lives weren't exactly peaceful, but they were happy with it. As long as they were together, they could take on the world.

.

.

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But what if the world has decided that it was time for you to suffer?

When the jujutsu sorcerers finally succeeded in sealing Sukuna, their wrath turned towards his wife, you. Branded a traitor and hunted mercilessly, she became a ghost in the shadows, always one step ahead of her pursuers. For years she eluded them together with Uraume, her every move a testament to her cunning and resilience. But with every day that passed without her lover, she grew lonely. Yes, she had Uraume by her side, but the thought of never seeing her beloved ever again ate at the back of her mind.

Uraume knew of this, and tried their best to keep you hopeful, to distract you from those thoughts and the empty feeling in your heart. But you just couldn't handle it. You needed to see your Sukuna again, to be in his arms once more and feel his warmth. But you could only dream and long for that fantasy to become a reality once again. Even in your sleep, thoughts and images of him haunted you, asking you why you ran away, and didn't stay by his side like all those other times.

The guilt you felt consumed you slowly, like a leech sucking on someone's blood. You avoided sleeping, and Uraume only grew more concerned for your mental health.

.

.

Uraume was out to gather ingredients to cook with tonight. You were alone. You sat near the edge of a lake, looking at your reflection in the crystal blue waters. You recognize this lake, it was the lake were you met Sukuna for the first time. He was heading back to the estate with Uraume after slaughtering another village, and you were out here training. After attempting to fight the King of Curses and failing, you piqued his curiousity with your technique. And from there on, he took you to his estate, planning onto killing you once he got bored. But he never did, which lead to the relationship you builded up with him.

You looked back at yourself in the reflection, the golden hairpins Sukuna gifted you in the early stages of your relationship glowed in the light of the moon. You took them out of your hair, and held them gently in your hands. The golden hairpins were one of a kind, Sukuna had them specially made for your hairtype by one of the best jewelry smiths in Japan. He was always so thoughful when it came to you.

And to think he's not here with you anymore. Tears rolled down your cheeks as you thought of it, the guilt returning and filling up your thoughts. You started hearing whispers of people that weren't there. Telling you to 'do it'. You weren't sure what you had to do, but your body reacted slowly, bringing the hairpin slowly up to your chest, right infront of your heart. You first didn't do anything, you just sat there, looking up at the night sky as the tears streamed down your face. Your lips parted, whispering. You weren't sure to who you where whispering, but the words were clear.

"Sukuna, my love, my heart beats only for you."

You couldn't process what happened then. Your body reacted on it's own. You felt a sharp pain striking you through your heart, and your body fell limp onto the ground. Your vision became blurry and you heard someone yelling out your name. The voice came from Uraume.

You couldn't move, nor could you speak, you were just lying limp on the floor, and your heart stopped beating.

Was this really the end of your story with Sukuna? Doomed to be seperated from him forever?

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.

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(Guys this isn't the end this is just a cliffhanger the fic will have multiple parts)

Thanks for reading till the end!

~Misha

Taglist: @ilovesukunamorethanmyself, @mssmil3y, @thejujvtsupost

return to Sukuna's domain?

return to the main masterlist?

check out the Reincarnated Hearts masterlist?

This story is Discontinued

[ahhnini]

So Close, But So Far - Finnick Odair x Hunger Games victor! Reader

synopsis: reader is hijacked by the Capitol amidst the second rebellion, afab! reader

warnings: angst, TW: sex traffic mention (from Finnick), contains violence, 18+

as a reminder, my ask box is open, please feel free to request prompts for fics!

If you like the story, please reblog! I appreciate it! :)

word count: 1,615

You don't remember anything. You don't remember who you were. All you know is one person, Finnick Odair. You remember the Capitol showing photos of you two, photos of a wedding you two had, photos of him kissing you. But, there were also photos of him attempting to hurt you, to kill you. Why would he do that? You don't attempt to kill people you love, right? The doctor from the Capitol said that he was a killer. You couldn't believe it, how could you fall in love with a killer?

You wake up confused and angry in an unknown hospital. A new doctor is tending to you, she's young, no younger than fourteen. She told you her name, speaking in a voice so soft you could barely hear it. Prim. Such a beautiful name, why did that sound so familiar? You look around, this place was not your hospital room in the Capitol. Where were you?

Finnick rushed through the hallways in the hospital wing. You were here! The mission was successful and they've brought back the remaining victors from the Capitol underground to District Thirteen. He was worried sick about you. Every night that you've been away from his arms was another night he spent sleepless. His eyebags were a dark gray, and his face sunken. Katniss was concerned for his wellbeing, but he didn't care, he just wanted to know if you were alive. He saw your profile hung up by your door upon entering your room, your photo...what have they done to you? You don't look like yourself anymore. His anxiety spiked as he entered your hospital room, you were sleeping. "I had to sedate her, she became too aggressive" Prim said, holding a needle in her hands. You? Aggressive? "Prim, what did they do to her?" Finnick's voice becomes shaky, eyes filled with tears. What if the Capitol citizens used you like they used him? "I don't know, Finnick, but the Capitol did something to mess with her brain, she doesn't know who she is." Prim softly spoke.

Finnick had to step out of the room after Prim said those words. All your memories with each other, erased. He was devastated, and almost had to be sent to one of the hospital beds himself. Thankfully, Katniss saw him and helped him calm down.

It was midnight, Finnick couldn't sleep. You were so close but so far from him. He overheard Prim and Katniss earlier, saying that the sedation wore off and that you were awake again. He kicked his blanket off and walked to your hospital room. He still wanted to see you, he wanted to help you remember. Hell, he would even stay next to you until you regained all your memories, no matter how long it took. He caught a glimpse of you through the tiny window before entering your room. You were awake, sitting down and staring at the wall.

You flinch as you hear your door slam shut. Finnick entered your room and sat down next to you. You were scared. Do the doctors know that the person trying to kill you is in the same room as you right now? Your hands shake as he smiles at you, was this the last thing you were gonna see before you die?

You were weak, but somehow, you had enough strength to stand up. Finnick stood up as well, and stalked closer. He called your name out, and you screamed before your impulses took over, grabbing a metal tray from your table and hitting him over his head. He fell down, blood dripping from his hairline. He called your name out again, and again, sounding like a chant. He was taunting you. Every time he would call out your name you would hit him again, each time harder than the last. Your breathing became erratic, tears flow down your cheeks, his blood staining your gown. It was too much. The world began to spin, and the last thing you see before collapsing was a girl with long, brown hair and Prim standing over you.

Finnick woke up with a headache. He touched the crown of his head and felt multiple bandages wrapped around it. As he begins to wake up, he remembers how you hurt him. How you hit him harder every time he pleaded your name. You would never do that to someone, even in the Games you used non-violent tactics to win. His head perks up as he hears someone enter the room. "She's been hijacked," Plutarch states, "I'm guessing the Captiol rewired her brain to attack you. I'm sorry, Finnick, I know you loved her." Finnick wanted to speak, but his head hurt so much he couldn't. You were just an empty shell.

A couple of days pass, Finnick still gets headaches from time to time, but he takes morphling to numb the pain. He decides to visit you again. He knew this time you would actually murder him, but he's willing to risk it. He eavesdrops from the other patients in the hospital wing; you were transferred to a more socially isolated room. That broke his heart. It wasn't your fault, it wasn't your fault at all. You loved talking to other people, you wanted to know their stories. That's how you two got close in the first place. You were the first tribute to ever ask him to tell you the stories about his Game. It brought back haunting memories for Finnick, yes, but you truly wanted to listen to him, and he could sense that. So he did. He opened up to you, you were the only person that knew what the Capitol citizens did to him after his Game.

He roamed around the hallways of the hospital wing, and stumbled upon the isolation rooms. There, he saw you. You were inside a padded room, soundproof, with a window close to the door. Your hospital gown discarded, now in place a white jumpsuit. On top of that, you were restrained to the bed. As Finnick saw you violently thrash against your restraints, he wanted to take revenge to the people who did this to you. He wanted to take revenge on the Capitol.

Even though Finnick was still recovering, he chose to volunteer for Katniss's squadron. He put on his tactile gear before boarding the plane to the Capitol. As the plane landed and the squadron began making base, Finnick only thought of you. Alongside his weapons, he brought a photo of you two, from your wedding. He caressed the photo, your smile outshining the sun, eyes twinkling like the starry night. You are the only person keeping him afloat in this world. He smiled. When the rebellion ends, and Panem is free, you two would finally have the future that you've always talked about. Living a quiet life, away from the pesky Capitol citizens who invade Finnick's privacy every chance that they get, away from him being pulled every year to mentor children in a death game they have no chance of winning, finally being able to have children without the fear of them being Reaped. But, with your mental state, would you two ever get that future? Finnick stays optimistic, as it was recently reported by President Coin that Peeta, who had been hijacked alongside you, has been making progress, and became aware that he was hijacked by the Capitol. He's been remembering bits and pieces, and Finnick hopes you're remembering as well.

The sewer was damp, sticky, and smelled disgusting. Finnick had been watching over Peeta, noticing how he's slowly becoming accustomed to Katniss again. Finnick hoped you were progressing the same back in District Thirteen. He hears growling a distance away. His eyes widen as he sees the creatures. They look unnatural and uncanny. He quickly wakes up the rest of the squadron and they all run the opposite direction.

The sewers were like a maze, they were all struggling to outrun the mutts. They were terrifying creatures made to kill. He can't help but think earlier, when Katniss compared Peeta to a mutt, and wondered if the rest of the squadron thought the same way about you. Why wouldn't they? Katniss and Prim both saw the way you attacked him. It was obvious you weren't the same person anymore.

The squadron finds themselves in an aqueduct, all falling into the water. Katniss fires her arrows, as Finnick stabs the mutts with his trident. When Katniss and Finnick climb up the ladder, Finnick slips off one of the steps, and falls in.

He screams for help, for mercy. This was it. He feels the mutts' teeth sink into him, and he cries out. His last thoughts; you. How he was never going to see you again, how, now, your perception of him was someone he wasn't.

Finnick's life flashes before his eyes. He has memories from when he was born, his parents, fishing as a child, getting Reaped for the Hunger Games, his victory, what the Capitol did to him afterwards, meeting you, mentoring you, how he was the first person you went to when you won your Game, getting married to each other. He started getting glimpses of his future, the future that no longer was possible now. He sees two kids, a boy and a girl, playing catch with you two. He sees you, aged, you look as beautiful as ever with smile lines and wrinkles adorning your face. He gets one last flash-forward where you two are in bed, old and pruny, holding each other as you both prepare to go into the next life.

"Nightlock, nightlock, nightlock,"

Goodbye

[kazu-naito]

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄 — cassiel x audrey

astrea's broken heart | rating T | @rc-catalog

Audrey was leaning against the counter, staring at the wall filled with every type of alcohol one could imagine. After the last few days all she needed was a good drink, but unfortunately for her, she wasn't a connoisseur in the matter - for a moment she wished David was there to serve her something. Defeated in her mental quest, she ended up settling for scotch and poured herself a glass.

Not that used to strong alcohol, Audrey was taking her sweet time and slowly sipping the amber liquid. It tasted very woody, but she also noted a sweet undertone to it. She ruminated with it while watching the moonlight from the window - the faint gust of wind and outside noises were just in sync with the layers of her drink: slightly unpleasant and smokey at first, but ultimately soothing.

Audrey wasn't thinking about anything in particular as the liquid burned down her throat, but at the same time she was lost in thought, locked inside her own mind. So much so that she didn't even hear Cassiel coming in. “Really? A Glengoyne?” His voice startled her but she was too tired to even show it, “I didn't know what to pick.” One look at her and Cassiel could tell something was wrong, she wasn't in the mood for jokes. Was that how others felt around him? He didn't really care. But for some reason he did care about the fact she was drinking alone in a dark room, illuminated only by moonlight. He didn't know how to console people, that was kind of her job, not his, but he wasn't going to leave her alone. He circled the counter and grabbed an Ardbeg bottle, “You should try this one, it has a far more complex taste,” he poured himself a glass and looked at her, to which she nodded, so he gladly poured another glass.

For a while they drank in silence. Audrey didn't feel like talking, but she was grateful for Cassiel’s presence, she was surprised at how easily he read her. He somehow knew she wasn't seeking advice nor someone to listen to her wailes, but deep down she didn't want to be alone. The shimmer of the night illuminated their faces, making them look like otherworldly creatures - the scene in itself was ironic, an ethereal exterior and the most mundane worries raging inside.

She glanced at Cassiel, nudged him slightly and they looked into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. It’s no wonder people say the eyes are a portal to the soul, they could see so many emotions that would never be voiced, so many contradictions: fear, longing, anxiety, calmness. Cassiel was looking at Audrey like she was made of crystal, he could see right through her. “I can handle it,” he whispered. Their hands were now touching, and neither of them dared to move.

The touch of an angel. The taste of a drug. The look of a stranger who has seen too much. The addictive, albeit fleeting, bliss they were experiencing at that moment. His words touched a rough spot deep in her soul, hardened by time. How come this man, who hardly knew her, was showing more sympathy than those she had known for years? People didn't care about others’ problems, not really. They asked questions out of politeness but hoping no one would start venting - they didn't want to hear it, no one did. Audrey was used to it, she tried to ignore her problems just like everyone else did. But he wasn't asking out of politeness, he was genuinely concerned. She knew how to read people well, in fact, she got paid for doing that, and yet she still wondered if it wasn't just the alcohol clouding her mind. That seemed more believable than someone actually caring. But he did care, and deep down she could feel it, faint as it was.

“Nothing comes for free, Cassiel.” She broke his gaze and downed the drink. Indeed it tasted better than what she was having before.

“But you can pay with your heart.” He refilled her glass to the brim, spilling some of it on his fingers. “If you got one.”

Audrey laughed hoarsely. She couldn't tell whether the man was joking or not, but she decided to play along anyway. “Tell me all your questions, all you got to ask.” Cassiel was licking his fingers and shuffling his mental cards, even though Audrey said to ask everything he knew whatever he asked first was gonna determine the entire conversation.

“It’s not just about the beast.” He wasn't asking, he was stating a fact. “What happened to you?” Audrey was always so composed and took her job very seriously, she'd try to understand everything instead of panicking. So if she was willingly drinking a ridiculous amount of strong alcohol it could only mean she already knew something he did not.

She was silent for a long time, pondering what to say. He was very vague in his question but she knew what he meant. What happened to you in your past? Before you became a psychiatrist?

“I grew up in a very religious community. Many things I could not explain happened there. I’m no stranger to death, and my blood is not innocent.” Audrey was mostly emotionless, as if she was recalling a long lost tale, but the way she spat out the last part made it clear those were vivid memories that she could not bury, no matter how hard she tried. Ever so attentive, Cassiel knew exactly what she meant by that: whatever happened in that community, her family was involved; maybe deep down she thought she too was to blame for it.

Cassiel linked his pinky finger with hers, snapping her out of the melancholic stupor she was diving in. Upon noticing a lone tear slowly making its way down her elysian face, he couldn't hold it anymore - he pulled her into a very much needed hug. Tears were flowing relentlessly now, an ocean of words built by her own silence that almost made her drown. Cassiel held her close, not letting go.

Audrey started speaking again, telling Cassiel about her most traumatic experience - how she felt the pressure as she sunk deeper and deeper and how eventually the need to scream was gone. She learned to deal with it, she locked it all away in a vault profoundly into her soul, she had to wear down to her knees to cancel their names from each one of her experiences. She started anew, she managed to leave it all behind. Tears were still silently running down her face, her words were painted blue, but her heart was unusually warm - as for once, she wasn't alone. Cassiel was calming every tornado in her blood with his gentle touches and reassuring whispers.

“I swear to God that from tomorrow there will be no more pain.” He was cupping her face, tenderly caressing her cheek with his thumb. “I could bring the world down to its knees for you.”

In a way, her chest was opened up during her childhood, a moment in which they took everything she got without ever caring about the consequences. She believed in no devil, for she thought hell was empty and all of the demons were roaming free in the world - she had definitely witnessed it firsthand. However, at that moment Audrey believed in it again. The existence of a Devil implies the existence of a God, she was sure none of them were real, but how else could she explain Cassiel - if not someone sent by God? She leaned into his soft touch as her chest was opened a second time, now it was filling up with everything she had previously lost. She didn't need the alcohol anymore, she was drunk off of him. Audrey couldn't truly give a shit about the danger she’d have to face, she knew he'd come along.

“Just don't leave me alone.”

[queenshelby]

Our Little Secret (Part 11)

Pairing: Dark! Cillian Murphy x Virgin! Reader

Warning: Infidelity, Brief Mention of Stillbirth

Notes: This will not be a love story. It will be dark, twisted and kinky. Cillian is portrayed as totally off cannon.

A few days later…

A few days later, and following an array of arguments between Danielle and Cillian, Danielle decided to investigate matters further after her husband had gone to bed early that day. After all, she couldn't trust anything he said anymore, especially when it concerned other women.

As quiet footsteps echoed across the cold wooden floors, Danielle tip-toed cautiously into Cillian's bedroom as, just recently, they decided to sleep separately. Despite being aware of the risk involved, her need for confirmation trumped her common sense.

Slowly, opening the door slightly, she peered into the dimly lit space. Her eyes darted quickly, trying to locate his cell phone on the nightstand beside the bed. Her senses heightened, anticipating danger.

As quietly as she could manage, she tiptoed toward the object of her search, which was plugged into a wall charger. She undid the latch on Cillian's phone case swiftly but silently. As she lifted the device from its perch, her heart thundered in her ears, nearly drowning out the faint ringing noise emanating from within.

Careful not to drop the expensive piece of technology, she slinked back to her room, closing the door behind her softly. Closing her eyes briefly, she took a few calming breaths, grateful to still be unnoticed. Opening her eyes again, she glanced at the clock - it was almost midnight.

She punched in his passcode, which was still the same, and then she went straight to his text-message folder. Scrolling past the ones from friends and acquaintances, she stopped abruptly at something that seemed odd, referring to a person simply by their initials, followed by a heart emoji.

Intrigued, she opened the conversation thread and, just as she did, her chin dropped.

The entirety of the text exchange revolved around explicit content that made her question whether she wanted to delve any deeper. In shock, she read on and also saw pictures as well as short videos attached, each showing several intimate moments.

One of the pictures showed a woman's intimate parts exposed to the camera, her nipple hardened and covered in ejaculate and another photo revealed what appeared to be a closeup of her husband's erection, ejaculating onto the woman's body.

In a very short video clip, she witnessed her husband penetrating the unknown woman vigorously, and the audio even captured their moans.

It was evident that they had performed multiple sexual acts together, in which he did not even bother to wear protection, suggesting carelessness and recklessness. Danielle felt physically sickened at the thought of such practices happening behind her back.

In his text messages to the female stranger, she discovered that not only were their exchanges filled with dirty talk, but he also told her that he missed her and wanted to see her again.

His last message, in particular, went as far as to invite this woman to his home on Tuesday afternoon, telling her that he really needed to talk to her, and Danielle wondered what this last message could possibly have been about.

It certainly suggested some level of premeditation for their secret encounters, which intensified her rage further. The texts indicated his desire to take things beyond mere sexual interactions and she worried that the time had come when he would leave her.

In the end though, she knew that there was nothing she could do about this now and thus she decided to return his phone

to him, making certain no trace remained of her snooping. Before placing the phone back, she scrolled through the threads again looking for any additional evidence, finding none. It wouldn't change how betrayed she felt or alleviate her wrath, but she found solace in knowing she had answers to questions she had feared asking.

Feeling tired, worn out both emotionally and psychologically, she climbed back into bed fully clothed and let the darkness envelop her like a cloak, knowing that she had to patiently wait until Tuesday to confront Cillian face-to-face and hopefully catch him in the act.  

Tuesday Afternoon…

It was late Tuesday afternoon when you arrived at Cillian's house after school and, unlike usual, he did not greet you with a kiss even though no one else was around.

"How are you feeling today?" Cillian eventually asked casually, knowing that you had been feeling slightly off, while attempting to break the awkward silence that had taken root since you arrived at his home. 

Your head dropped low, focusing intently on his feet, "Just tired, and worried", you replied quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"Worried? Why?" Cillian questioned softly while gesturing for you to come inside and have a seat.

"Well, you wanted to see me because you needed to talk and I have a feeling about where this might be going," you spoke honestly, still struggling to maintain eye contact. "Plus, lately, you've seemed quite distant, so just make it quick, okay?" you told him, knowing very well that he would be ending your affair soon due to his guilt-ridden conscience.

Feelings of resignation flooded through you as you acknowledged that it was futile to try fighting fate anymore.

"Alright," Cillian agreed, finally meeting your gaze. "I need to put an end to this," he admitted, clearing his throat nervously, anticipating your reaction. 

Your heart dropped, but you maintained composure, unwilling to succumb to tears.

"Okay, but can you tell me why now?" you asked, sadness creeping into your voice.

Cillian shifted uncomfortably, visibly troubled by what he was about to say. "Because things are getting out of hand, and I am losing control. I want you more than I thought I would. I don't wish to cause you harm Y/N, but I can't carry on with both you and my wife," he explained apologetically.

"I understand. This was always going to be short-lived anyways," you stated, masking your feelings. 

"You know, you are more mature than I gave you credit for" Cillian said appreciatively, surprised by your understanding.

As if sensing your vulnerability, he moved to comfort you by placing his arms around your shoulders.

Emotionally distraught, you allowed yourself to lean against him briefly, taking solace in his warmth before pulling back, attempting to hide your turmoil behind stoicism.  

You swallowed hard, trying to compose yourself as your world began to spin out of control. Inhaling deeply, you met his gaze defiantly.

"I am just being realistic. You are more than twice my age and as much as I will miss the sex, I too need to move on eventually, right?"

Your statement held a mix of sorrow and determination and Cillian understood how difficult it must be for you to accept this reality, seeing that he was the first man you've ever slept with.

"For what it's worth, I had the best sex I ever I had in those last three or four weeks with you," he confided with a slight smile, running his fingers lightly along your cheekbone, eliciting a quiet moan from you.

In turn, you brushed your lips across his tenderly before moving in closer and whispering near his ear, "how about one last time?" 

The intensity in your eyes hinted at something more profound than simple desire, stirring an unexpected wave of longing within him. Unable to bear the painful yearning any longer, Cillian acquiesced reluctantly. "One last time," he confirmed solemnly, knowing that despite everything, he couldn't resist temptation.

"Good, then take me to your bedroom

," you suggested confidently, your resolve matching his own. As you walked together, Cillian admired your boldness, finding himself aroused once again at the mere prospect of indulging in forbidden pleasures with you.

Once you reached his room, you 

quickly undressed, casting aside your clothes without shame. Your body gleamed in the dim light of the room, every curve tantalising.

Naked, you approached him, pressing your lips hungrily against his neck as you traced its outline with your tongue, sending waves of pleasure through him. As your hands explored his chest, Cillian could not help but return the favor, teasing your breasts with his mouth. Each touch heightened the hunger building within you both.

"Take off your clothes," you told him

firmly, urgency lacing your tone. Your words were like a commandment, striking him directly to his core. Relinquishing all restraint, Cillian obeyed instantly, swiftly shedding his clothing until he stood nude before you.

Reaching out to stroke his erection gently, you took note of his impressively large member and smiled coyly. Glancing back up at him, you saw a mixture of relief and pride illuminating his face as he watched you handle him so expertly.

"I will miss this beautiful thick cock of yours,” you murmured seductively, wrapping your fingers around his length and stroking it lovingly. His body stiffened at your caress, a groan escaping him involuntarily.

"That feels incredible," he rasped huskily, unable to contain his desire any longer. With a gentle nudge, you encouraged him onto the bed, positioning yourself straddling him, allowing your wetness to slicken his rigid shaft.

Grabbing hold of his firm balls, you looked into his eyes with a playful glint, smiling devilishly.

“Do you want me to ride you and fill me up with your cum one last time?” you whispered suggestively, giving him enough time to contemplate his response.

“Fuck yes," he answered immediately, fully surrendering to your lead.

With a small giggle, you lowered yourself onto his cock, impaling yourself tightly. Both of you moaned simultaneously, your bodies melting together in perfect syncopation.

"I love how tight your pussy feels around my cock," Cillian growled, thrusting forcefully upward as he picked up pace. "Let me hear you scream my name one last time babe!" he demanded, and you complied.

"Oh God! Cillian!" you cried out, arching your back as a wave of ecstasy crashed over you.

"Come on baby, come for me," he demanded, driving you even further toward climax with each powerful plunge.

"Yes! Yes! Oh fuck, I'm coming! Unghh!" you screamed loudly, throwing your head back as your orgasm consumed you completely, knowing very well that this was just one of many to come within the next hour or so. 

Every muscle in your body contracted, sending shockwaves throughout Cillian's loins.

"Damn, baby girl, you are amazing," he praised you breathlessly as, all of a sudden, the door swung open, startling both of you immensely.

"What...the fuck? Y/N?" you heard Danielle's familiar voice, filled with fury. 

Tags:

@sunbeamseas @saint-ackerman @oatmealisweird @naxxsstuff @amanda08319 @r-m-cidnah @elysiannook @cillshot @infireddabdab @tastycakee @harrysbestiee @lilybabe22 @adalynlowell @henrywintersdearestgirl @ietss @thatgirlthatreadswattpad @ryiamarie @axionn

@heidimoreton @nela-cutie @futurecorps3 @delishen @nosebleeds-247 @thirteenis-myluckynumber @gills-lounge @hjmalmed @lost-fantasy @tiredkitten @sidechrisporn @smallsoulunknown @charqing-qing @hopefulinlove @aporiasposts @shycrybaby @me-and-your-husband @hjmalmed @lacontroller1991 @galxydefender @aporiasposts

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[l0v3rg1ri]

Heya! Could a request a platonic!Levi Ackerman x cadet!reader? The reader used to live in the underground and kind of finds a sort of kinship with Levi, bonding over their shared trauma- if that makes sense

Ofc, no pressure to write this! But, if you do write it, I hope you have fun with it!!

Writer note:

Hello! Thank you for requesting <3! And ofc! I would love to write this fun idea! :3 He might be abit ooc, but hopefully not so much! I made a small snip it and a headcannon area since I didn't know which one you wanted! -----------------

Tw: Mention of child trafficking

Platonic!Levi Ackerman x Cadet!Reader who comes from the under-ground "Instead of seeking people who can stop the bleeding, we're attracted to those with similar wounds, who may not know how to find a way out of the darkness, but suffice, simply because they're in the same boat as us."

Headcannon:

his first reaction to hearing a cadet being from the underground was a bit mixed. For one, the undergrounds weren't an area a child would normally be unless they were from a poor or broken family. Even in dark cases, child trafficking. Another is, he doesn't like to get into people's personal life so he just shrugs it off. I imagine him being surprised but also not that interested to just ask you about it.

If you did decide to talk to him and figure out more about him he'll turn interested about how you got to the undergrounds. He will say a thing or two of his own experience in the start of you both talking.

Once you tell him how you got there he can react multiple way. For one if you were from a poor family he'd feel connected to that since he grew up dirty and without anything. The only money and resources coming from his mother who was a prostitute.

But if you were a child being trafficked he'd feel anger rise. His mother was a prostitute and was trafficked into that lifestyle because of lack of resources. Seeing her cry and wonder what she can do and even if she could continue whilst having Levi as a young child at home while she was gone for hours. That's one hell of an image stuck in his head ever since he was a child. He couldn't imagine a young child or teenager going through that made his world crumble. He always hated children getting hurt even if he had no interest in having his own or even being around children

The more and more you both continue to talk he felt like he met someone who could relate to him besides his old friends. He grew comfort in knowing someone could relate and he wasn't the only who had these feelings.

soon he started to see you like a sibling or his child you could say. Talking to you more and checking up on you, though he never gave special treatment during training since he wanted you to grow as your own person just like him, yet he also wanted you to defend yourself enough against titans.

he starts giving you small head pats and small learning lessons he's gotten from Erwin when he was first brought into the Survey Corps. Though he changed a couple of things to make it more understanding.

If you ever gained some sort of mental health disorder then he would try his best to help. In this period of time mental health disorders wouldn't be known as much, but Levi as far as he was concern he knew these were stress signs since he had gotten PTSD from his time of serving and even his underground times. So he would spend nights with you giving you tea and calming you down even if it was just sitting in silence.

------------------------

It was night time and Levi was awake since he couldn't fall asleep for some odd reason. Sitting in his office drinking tea and just writing papers and papers. Documents he had to fill days ago and he had fallen behind. Suddenly his peace of silence was broken by a light knock at his door. He sighed as he spoke up. "come in"

The door made a small creak as it was open before letting out a loud thud as it was shut. He raised an eyebrow at who entered but soon recognized the familiar face. "Couldn't sleep again?"

"no....I keep getting those weird pauses again" you shrugged as you took a seat on one of the chairs in front of his desk. "mh...you want me to make that tea for you again or?" Levi asked as he looked up at you from looking at his papers. You nodded your head as he stood up and went to a small area of his office. He had his personal area to make tea since he didn't want to walk all the way down to the kitchen to make his tea. Once he was finished he settled down the cup in front of you as he sat down drinking his own tea while the sounds of rain hit against the window. "Levi...does..it ever go away?"

The question surprised him before he just sighed putting down the papers he held in his hands. "no...some may say scars will heal, but they never do. Scars can't go away no matter what you do. You can bandage them, wash them, cover them, or just ignore them. Yet they will always be there because huge scars aren't always healed up. You need to come to terms that the scar is there and always will be and the only thing you can do is understand why the scar is there." "as much as it is shitty to feel like crap you can't heal a wound, but you can learn to live with it and understand why it's there. Learn to grow and understand the world." he sighed as he stared right at you. His grey eyes looking genuine and comforting. He looked back down and then noticed the time. "how about you go to bed now? you need your strength for tomorrows training" "I want to stay just for abit.."

"be my guest then, but if you wake up tired don't blame me and I'll make sure to kick your ass if you can't function tomorrow" "I know sir" "good.."

---------------------------- I hope you enjoyed this! It was a very fun prompt and I loved writing it! :3 Hope you liked it !!

[beautifulterriblequeen]

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When Viren was ready to die properly, he went out wearing the clothing of a Sunfire prisoner, defending his home against a maddened archdragon. His death was dramatic, but it's still a death within the cycle. He died in Xadian penal clothing, actively defending against one of its strongest figures.

He couldn't escape that cycle, in the end. He spent too much time fueling its great engine.

Thanks to all the parallels between him and Runaan, I've already been worrying for my favorite assassin following a similar route in S7. (and celebrating his return, I can multitask) Specifically, Runaan achieving another death, one of his own choosing, but also one where he remains trapped in the cycle he kept contributing to.

We know someone is going to die. Runaan is very much a sacrificial character. He owes a debt to humanity that is so great he can never truly repay it, just like Viren.

And now he's out of uniform, too. Wearing the shirt of a softer, more penitent person.

If Runaan dies saving someone else, it will probably be Ezran. He owes Katolis that debt specifically. But he could also save Callum, for Rayla. He could save Aanya, other royals, or somehow all of the humans at once. If Viren's call to action and his final foe were both "Dragons!" then Runaan's should be a human threat. Probably dark magic.

Probably Claudia.

One human - Viren - and one elf - Runaan - dying to stop the two halves of the cycle might be enough to finally do it.

The part that makes me saddest about this speculation is Runaan leaving Ethari twice. I don't think Ethari would let him go alone a second time. And with the way we've seen Lain and Tiadrin dance off into their forever-after, happy and together, well...

Ethari wouldn't let Runaan go alone. Xadia could lose its best craftsman as part of the price to pay to stop the cycle. Rayla could lose her last parents.

It's a kids show. You don't generally get to keep living parents on a kids show. No one else has any, at this point. The kids have to grow up and take over. They can't do that in the shadow of their parents, and those parents' sins.

Rayla has made up for her mistake in getting Runaan coined, as far as the Silvergrove is concerned. She can be unghosted now. Any further deaths on Runaan's part won't be her fault. She's free to move forward with Callum.

There is balance here. I could see this playing out somehow. A fitting end.

But, of course, this isn't a perfect show with perfect characters and perfect outcomes. Can I make it a little angstier?

Ahaha. Of course.

Maybe Runaan does try to sacrifice himself, seeing no other purpose for his life anymore, but Ethari takes his place alone, knowing that he will do anything to spare Runaan's suffering a second time, and Runaan is left once again to live, and live, and live, past the point when he expected to perish.

A peaceful long life with Rayla and Callum and no cycle of violence, everything he could want, but no precious husband to share it with. What if living in the best timeline without Ethari is Runaan's true punishment for his choices?

That Green Mile is so long.

[midnightcrw]

Running away

Chapter 4

Kadota

Pairing: Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

Summary: Life really had it in for you. Just moving to a new apartment seemed to unleash a brand new hell

Warnings: non (please, tell me if there actually is anything triggering)

a/n: For this chapter, I tried to write a bit differently, but I hope you all will still like it. The reader is implied to be bisexual

Your heart was pounding against your chest like crazy. It wasn't normal, none of this was normal anymore.

You thought things were going well, and once again you were proven wrong. At this point, you didn't even know why you thought a fresh start would have helped.

You even slammed the door shut infront of Simon's face even though he hadn't done anything wrong.

You longed to unleash your pent-up frustration, to scream, to cry – anything to alleviate the overwhelming pressure within you.

Seeing Simon now seemed like an insurmountable challenge. How could you ever face him after he had witnessed your panic attack, an intimate glimpse into the turmoil you desperately tried to hide?

With a weary sigh, you tossed your phone onto the sofa, powering it down in an attempt to silence the chaos around you.

It had been years since you'd received a message from the person you despised so deeply.

The tangled web of your past was inescapable, a suffocating embrace with no way out, no matter how far you moved.

There would be no escape.

"Did something happen?" Grace's voice, gentle and concerned, cut through the thoughts that held you captive. Her hand, a comforting presence on your shoulder, triggered a reflexive flinch.

You turned around and looked at her with wide eyes as you exhaled in relief to see that it was only the twenty year old woman.

Her hand was still raised when you turned around, and she slowly lowered it as she looked at you with a mixture of confusion and slight hurt.

She probably felt guilty for scaring you, but it also looked like she was hurt by the way you reacted so abruptly to her innocent gesture.

You were pathetic. Just like they used to tell you.

Attempting to banish such thoughts, you mustered a meager apology. Your gaze, however, remained fixed on the list before you – a flimsy shield against the torrent of emotions.

In fact, you couldn't concentrate at all. Your attention was taken by your thoughts as you just stared at the list mindlessly.

Normally you would try to hide it when you were distracted, but it was inevitable. You were paranoid and scared.

Biting your lip, your fingers found solace in a familiar habit, idly fiddling with your fingers.

It was an old habit that stuck with you to this day, but on days like this, it was far more intense.

Family members and friends would always notice this habit of yours. They would ask you if you were nervous, and you would just nod, not wanting to explain anything.

It was a sign of weakness, a glaring display of your fragile nerves.

That's what they said. That's what they always criticized you for.

Memories of that dusty, small room resurfaced – a place that had once suffocated you with its insidious dust, clawing at your throat as it slowly choked you.

Grace's confusion was evident as she settled beside you, her eyes darting your way with curiosity. Uncertain of whether to breach the silence or let it linger, she hesitated.

Her clothes contrasted with yours. Yours were in dark shades, not wanting to wear anything colourful as hers popped off next to yours.

Her blonde hair was braided this time, tied at the ends with pink ribbons. She wore a light blue skirt and a sweater that was striped in all sorts of colours.

For another try, she lowered her hand to rest on yours. Her touch enveloped your moving fingers, and her soft voice pierced the silence. "Do you want to talk about it?"

You didn't want to talk about it. Never again, not after what had happened. But at the same time, you longed for it.

You longed for a conversation, an honest one, a vulnerable one, where you could finally let it all out.

Grace's hand clasped yours tighter. She wanted you to feel safe. She wanted you to know you could be honest with her.

"It's nothing," it wasn't, and she knew it. But she nodded anyway.

She squeezed your hand and said, "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you." Her voice was sweet, it was kind. There was not a single note of judgment laced in it.

It was as if she was the older one here. Even though Grace was naive and had her shenanigans, she was still smart. She was smart enough to know that there was more and that you needed time, and she respected that.

Feeling overwhelmed that she was so close, you stood up. The chair made a grinding noise as it dragged across the floor.

With the cart as your flimsy shield, you retreated to the library shelves. Not even a single apology for the noise was spoken from your lips.

From this vantage point, no one could see you unless they walked to the back of the library, and that made you feel a little relieved.

You couldn't help but feel guilty for pushing Grace away, she was your only friend. But the struggle to open up, to unveil your vulnerabilities, remained.

Grace had watched you walk away, she sighed to herself in defeat as she leaned back on the chair she was sitting on.

She wanted you to talk to her, to finally tell her what was bothering you. Hours had passed and nothing had changed.

You hadn't smiled, hadn't even tried to fake it, and that worried her.

Sighing to herself once again, she rubbed her temple. Grace actually wanted to tell you about Jack since he asked her out, but seeing the way you were acting today, she didn't want to bother you with it.

She spun around in the swivel chair and put her hands on the desk to come to a stop. It would probably take you a while to open up.

Hours had passed since your shift ended, and now you sat on your bed, legs drawn close to your chest, your arms wrapped protectively around yourself.

It had been a while since your last nightmare, and it was just as unpleasant as you remembered.

It was in the middle of the night, and you knew that most people were deep in slumber. You, however, remained wide awake, consumed by an overwhelming fear.

At work, Grace had not pressed you further to talk. Instead, she had been a constant presence, her proximity a source of both comfort and unease.

It was a paradox – the yearning for human contact, yet the fear of it.

Years had passed and it still hadn't changed. You couldn't enjoy being too close to someone's body because it made you feel weird.

Whenever someone got too close to you, you wanted to run away. Feeling another person's hand or body made you feel like you were being suffocated.

You didn't mind if it was a brief touch, but the moment it lasted too long, you felt uncomfortable.

But it wasn't always like that.

You sighed deeply, surveying your room. It had been far too long since you had felt at home. The closest you had come to that sense of belonging was during your time with your parents and your first apartment.

Vivid memories flooded your mind. The walls adorned with photographs, moments frozen in time with friends who had once brought joy and laughter into your life.

Everything seemed so much easier then. You hung out with your friends and actually had fun.

Your roommate back then also never made you feel lonely. She was always there for you when you needed her. It was like an unspoken rule to make sure the other person was at ease before you both went to bed.

Having her around never made you feel uncomfortable or even the slightest bit annoyed. You used to take so many pictures of each other.

Your friends and family members used to joke that the two of you were glued together at this point, a two-in-one deal, and so on.

You spent many nights between the sheets with her. Many things were left unspoken, but it didn't matter.

The two of you never had to clarify the situation, you both knew.

Until you didn't.

Your fists clenched as you squeezed your eyes shut, the memories threatening to overwhelm you. You had buried these thoughts for a reason, and it had been for the best.

Slowly standing up, you made your way towards your door. You didn't even think of wearing a jacket as you only wanted to leave your apartment.

The landlord had mentioned a rooftop accessible to residents. Most people ventured up there for a smoke, but you sought the crisp night air to clear your mind.

Your footsteps were soundless as you ascended the staircase, finally reaching the metal door that led to the rooftop.

The night air enveloped you as you stepped onto the roof. It wasn't bone-chillingly cold, but a shiver still coursed through your body.

Walking towards the railings, you steadied yourself, the cold metal cool beneath your palms. Standing on the rooftop at night definitely felt a lot more freeing than sitting inside of your small bedroom.

"Need a smoke?" The gruff voice snapped you out of your thoughts as your hand instinctively clutched your chest in shock.

You hadn't even noticed that someone was already there and you turned to the side to face the person.

And it was Simon.

Embarrassment from the previous day still lingered, your cheeks burning with humiliation. Yet, your thoughts vanished as you met his gaze, a gaze that ignited a fire within you.

His hood was drawn up as usual, but this time his mask was pulled down, granting you an unhindered view.

For the first time, you saw his features in their entirety and it made you feel hot inside, almost wanting to undress because of the sudden heat.

His eyebrows were dark blonde, just as you remembered them. The eyebrow slit from his scar was also visible.

His deep brown eyes were piercing. Eyes that seemed to see straight through you. His gaze was intense, captivating, a bottomless abyss that threatened to consume you.

Your gaze descended, observing the subtle imperfections that only added to his allure. A slight, crooked nose that you probably wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't stared.

Now your eyes were on his lips. His lips were a bit down-turned and adorned a pale rose hue that beckoned your attention. A pale pink scar, like a delicate brushstroke, ran from the left upper corner of his lip to its lower counterpart, adding an intriguing dimension to his face.

His jawline, sharp and commanding, spoke of a life marked by experiences both untold and captivating.

Every aspect of his countenance was a paradox, simultaneously intimidating and enchanting, a visage that would haunt your thoughts for eternity.

You were ensnared, unable to look away as your heart quickened and your breath caught in your throat.

Realizing that he had actually asked you a question, you shook your head, "I don't smoke," your voice emerged timidly.

It was the truth. You had never even taken a puff of a cigarette, the smell was enough to drive you away from it.

Simon nodded, his eyes still on you as he put the cigarette between his lips. You never thought that smoking could look so appealing, but he made you want to try it.

An awkward silence settled between you, but the intensity of his gaze and the weight of the moment left you strangely unbothered.

But you felt bad. You felt bad for slamming the door on him when all he did was help you. And you wanted to apologize.

So that's what you did.

"I'm sorry," you finally found the courage to speak, the words tumbling out hesitantly. You fiddled with your fingers again as you looked down, too scared of his reaction.

Simon paused, taking a final drag of his cigarette before extinguishing it. He regarded you with a level of understanding that surprised you. "Shouldn't apologize," he rasped, his voice both gruff and strangely soothing. His actions spoke louder than words, as he had turned away to prevent the smoke from reaching you, an act of consideration that warmed your heart.

And it was quiet again. You didn't know what to say as you remained on the same place. You weren't sure if you felt uncomfortable because of his glaring eyes or because of the awkward silence between you.

"You okay?" Simon asked when you looked up again. You weren't sure if he was just trying to break the silence or if he was actually concerned.

But there was something in his eyes that told you it might be the latter. Just like yesterday, his eyes showed you more than you probably should have known.

"I'm okay," you told him with a sullen voice. You knew that your voice was wavering, but no matter how much you forced yourself to sound monotonous, there was no way you could really succeed.

Simon seemed to sense your reluctance to share further, and rather than pressing you, he began removing his jacket. And suddenly he stretched out his arm with the hand that held his jacket towards you, the warmth of his gesture melting through your uncertainty. "You're cold. Take it," he said.

You opened your mouth to protest, to decline the offer, but he shook his head softly, his eyes adopting a softer, more empathetic quality. It was as if he actually understood what you were going through.

With a reluctant nod, you accepted the oversized jacket, feeling the comforting weight of it around your shoulders. It was large, enveloping you completely, but it radiated warmth.

As you inhaled, his earthy and smoky scent surrounded you, soothing your frayed nerves. It was a scent that felt oddly comforting, grounding you in the moment just like it had yesterday.

His scent made you relax a little as you looked up at him. "Don't stay out too long," he said, and with that, he left.

The night stretched before you, and for a brief moment, the world seemed a little less daunting as you stood on the rooftop, cloaked in Simon's jacket.

And even though you knew you had to give it back, you wanted to keep it.

Taglist:

@ghostlythots

@kittyoonsstuff

@poohkie90

@gothgirl6-6-6

[smol4bluengine]

All was quiet at the Boxford's summer home, the couple were sleeping soundly in their bed, little Spencer doing the same from within the safety of his crib. However, the Duchess's slumber was disturbed when she heard glass shattering. She gasped awake, quickly looking around the room for any danger, when she didn't see anything, the Duchess immediately woke up her husband.

"I think someone might have broken in." She whispered.

Without another word, the Duke reached under the bed and pulled out a Cricket bat, his wife grabbed a lantern and lit it, arm in arm they left the safety of their bedroom and into the dark house.

Their first concern was Spencer, as quickly and quietly as they could, the couple anxiously made their way toward the nursery. They felt themselves go cold as they noticed the nursery door was open wider then it had been after the two had tucked Spencer in for the night.

From behind, the Duke could hear his wife's shakey breathing, she was scared and worried. The Duke took the lantern from his wife, readying to face any possible would be criminal. He too was shaking out of worry for the baby, as such he rushed into the room.

The nursery was dark, the Duke had to use the lantern to get his bearings, the Duchess staying close. At first everything seemed in order, but as they turned their attention to Spencer's crib, they found a hunched figure looming over it.

"Sssh, you'll wake the baby." The figure warned, their voice old and raspy.

With the stranger so close to Spencer, the Duke couldn't risk threatening the stranger for Spencer's safety.

"Please, we'll give you anything you want, just let our..." The Duke was cut off.

"Oh, I could never hurt the little ones, especially the ones I created." The stranger said as they cooed over the sleeping form of infant Spencer.

The figure stepped away and turned to face the couple, revealing that their intruder was a little old woman.

"I see that you two are utterly bamboozled by what I just said, so allow me to clarify." The old lady said.

"I was the one who sent out the orbs that turned Sodor's steam engines into human infants. Names Mabel, nice to meet you." Mabel introduced.

There were so many questions, but the royal couples focus was on the well-being of Spencer. Mabel saw that their attention was on Spencer, as such, she stepped further away from the crib, allowing the Duchess to rush over and swoop the infant into her protective embrace. Now that Spencer was safely with them, the Duke felt confident to confront the intruder known as Mabel. "Why did you do this?! How did you do this"?! The Duke snarled. "Simple my dear duke, magic. As for why, well that is a very, very long story." Mabel replied.

"Just tell us, please." The Duchess begged. Mabel thought for a moment. "There's not that much time to explain everything, but I guess I can give you the short version." Mabel compromised. "Basically, I am what you people would call a witch, my family are natives to Sodor and have been here dating back to even before the arrival of king Godred. My people believed that the island was alive, that it could breathe life into anything inhabiting it, as such we took care of the island, being careful whenever we built, hunted, cooked, and destroyed to expand our settlements. This island allowed us to live on it, it was only fair for us to return the favor to care for it. However, things became...complicated with the arrival of Godred. For the following centuries after his and his people's arrival, we struggled to protect this island from their destruction, but they were better equipped than we were. When the first steam engine arrived, everyone was blown away to witness the engine come to life, for my people this only confirmed the magic within this island. Although, the engines were built from lands far away, their inner being was birthed here on this island and as such my people labelled these engines as the first born, the true inhabitants of Sodor. Because of this my people treated them as we would treat each other, to us they were our equals, they were our family. However, the rest of Sodor's inhabitants didn't see the first borns in the same light, even though they were alive the others still saw them as tools, yes, they did treat them kinder because of their life, but at the end of the day they were only machines to the Sudrians. My people tried to reason, we tried to show both them and the engines that they were something more, but then that darn Awdry appeared. Within a fortnight he cemented the rules of the railway and how the engines should see themselves and be seen. The first born no longer had desires to be something more, no, from then on they were confined to happiness as just being "really useful". Mabel Explained, feeling sickish as she uttered the words "really useful". "But why target us? Spencer was our private engine." The Duchess asked. "The question is why not target you? You had a private engine, one that probably didn't get to work as much as the others, or interact with others and as a result, I imagine it made rather pompous, correct"? Mabel asked. The Duke and Duchess nodded. "So, why shouldn't he be a human? Why shouldn't he be a part of your family? Especially, after...." Mabel paused, staring at the Duchess dead straight into her eyes. "The loss you went through"? Mabel continued. The Duchess of Boxford was sobbing, holding Spencer close as her husband held onto her. "H...How do you know about that? We...We never made that public." The Duke asked bewildered. "You didn't, but I can see that pain in your eyes, that longing and joy you two felt as you held Spencer as a human for the first time." Mabel said. She looked at the clock on the well. "I'm sorry to intrude, but it is getting late, and I have been getting off topic as to why I am here." Mabel said. "I've arrived to give you two a choice, a final decision on Spencer's fate. You see tonight will be the night if Spencer will go back to his old life as an engine or start over a new as your son." Mabel explained. "Why aren't you letting Spencer decide? It's his life your interfering with"? The Duchess asked. Mabel snorted in laughter. "Because the others and him never got a say in anything before. It was you humans who decided where they should go, what trains they should pull, and if or not they should be scrapped! So, if all of you can make those decisions then you should have no qualms making this one to"! Mabel snorted. "And that time starts, now"! Mabel said.

With a snap of her fingers everything changed. No longer were they in their summer home, the Duke and Duchess now found themselves in a starry void of sorts. Spencer had been teleported away and replaced with a rope the couple were now holding, as something heavy tried to pull them forward in a scary game of tug of war. Once the two saw what it was, they were in disbelief. There, tied up by the other end of the rope and standing on a steep decline of rails was Spencer, or at least his engine body. The A4 was completely faceless. From all around them, the Duke and Duchess could hear Mabel speak. "This is a very simple game, if you want Spencer to be your private engine again, simply drag the flag tied on the rope over the marked rail and I'll have him back to his old self by tomorrow morning. Though, should you two decide that Spencer is better off as a human, then you simply....Let go." Mabel explained. The two struggled as the heavy engine began rolling backwards. "We need to make a decision now"! The Duke said as he struggled to keep hold of the rope. He looked back over towards his wife, her eyes still crying, but her intent was clear. The Duke hugged his wife with one arm, the two close in a one-armed embrace. They looked sadly back at the engine, the Duke coupled his hands over his wife's and together....They let go. With nothing holding it back, the A4 began to pick up momentum and went over the decline, quickly descending into a black abyss. There was a flash and in an instant the Boxford's found themselves laying on the floor of Spencer's nursery, Mabel was nowhere in sight. Spencer was safely back in his crib but was now crying from his sleep being disturbed. Instantly, the Duke and Duchess got on their feet and rushed over to his aid, they gasped as they saw Spencer. His hair was fading from silver to the Duchesses hair color, his grey eyes were now the same color of the Duke's. Nevertheless, the two comforted him, their son.