#And ate the living creatures outside to sustain himself

[xx-sketchy-xx]

Paper doodles for the soul. I’m working real hard on making new art, but my tablet is having a good old time not working. So here are drawings on paper

Hopefully I’ll get it up and working soon :)

[whumpurr]

Adrien and Sawdust part 25

masterlist

cw: pet whump, male whumpee, torture (sleep deprivation), animal death

--

Sawdust ate as much as he could handle, knowing that tonight would be the night he’d prove to Ma’am and Master Adrien that he could survive out in the wild. He could be like a real dog, self sustaining and capable. Though, Sawdust never pictured himself as capable or anything of the sort. No, when he looked at himself in the mirror, he saw something to be used and thrown away. He didn’t know why Master Adrien still kept him, or why Ma’am wants to keep him now.

Nonetheless, he would persist. He ate and then waited until everyone was asleep. It was killing him inside to not talk to Master Adrien about his grand plan. It felt like a betrayal to not tell him. Yet this was something that Sawdust had to do on his own. Once he could prove to Master Adrien that he was a good dog, then maybe he would be less stressed.

Sawdust was curled up in Ma’am’s room, pretending to be asleep in his dog bed while he thought of his plan. He could sneak out of the front door, maybe, but he could remember Ma’am needing a key to unlock it from the inside. She must be really protective of her house if she needs the door to lock from the inside and the outside! He would need to get that key if he wanted to leave that way. He had no clue where the key was. 

Maybe he could try the windows? He waited until he heard Ma’am snoring softly before he crept out of the room. He made it to the kitchen and looked around for windows, but his attention was caught by a sound. It sounded like a cough coming from Master Adrien’s room. Sawdust couldn’t ignore his curiosity, he crept over to the door and kneeled on his knees and paws, looking through the keyhole.

Sawdust… didn’t understand what he was looking at.

Master Adrien was laying down on a bed of some kind. It was hardly a bed, more like a table, and it looked like he might be strapped down to it, but Sawdust couldn’t tell. His head extended off the top edge of the table, with the rest of his body on the table. On a stool under Master Adrien’s head was a wide bucket. It sat with its top rim not even an inch away from the tip of Master Adrien’s nose.

Sawdust sat there just long enough to see Master Adrien nod off, falling asleep just for a moment and letting his neck relax just for his face to fall into the bucket. Sawdust heard a splash, then Master Adrien pulled his face out and sputtered, his hair and face dripping. Whatever was happening there made Sawdust even more resolute in his actions, he had to prove to Ma’am and Master Adrien so that the tensions in the house could ease.

Sawdust checked every window in the kitchen and living room until he found one that was unlocked. He pushed it open, then climbed through and closed the window once again.

The outside air was chilly, but not biting. It didn’t sting his skin or his eyes. He tried his best to stay on his two paws, rather than four. It would be quicker to move on two paws, and he did not want to hurt his front paws on the long, rough, gravel road that led to and from Ma’am’s home. 

He wobbled as he walked towards the sparse woods that laid down the road a bit. If he could go there, maybe get some kind of proof or item to bring back with him, spend the night, and then get back to his owner, maybe that would be enough to convince them that he could take care of himself. Then maybe Ma’am would focus more on making Master Adrien happy. He deserved it far more than Sawdust did, after all.

The night was far from silent. Owls hooted, small creatures rummaged through the grass and bushes, and yet Sawdust was so far from the rest of town that he could not hear any cars. The same could be said for Master Adrien’s house and the woods that surrounded it. That was not the case for his old master’s home, however.

His old master’s home wasn’t in a busy city, but it was at the end of a dirt driveway just off of a big road with lots of loud cars. Sometimes the other dogs would get upset by the cars, or riled up by the sirens of emergency vehicles. Sometimes Sawdust would peek towards the road just to see another animal, some kind of not-dog, bloated and left on the road. Compared to the loud sounds of the road near his old master’s house, Sawdust far preferred the woods.

The dog stood at the edge of the forest, right where the gravel changes to dirt and sand. Pine needles lay scattered at his paws. The start of the forest was not dense, yet it was still imposingly dark. Sawdust trembled just a bit as he took his first step into it. He tried to breathe, to imagine that this was outside of Master Adrien’s home, that the warm yellow light of the windows was just behind him, waiting.

Sawdust hoped that this forest was truly as empty as he thought. He prayed that there would be nobody else here, that he could find somewhere dry to curl up and take a little nap. It was late, and he was tired.

Each step felt heavy. The tiredness coupled with the fear made it difficult for Sawdust to continue moving, no matter how much he envisioned the space as being familiar. He tried to focus on putting one paw in front of the other, and keeping his eyes peeled as best he could in the darkness. 

He walked a little further before he found a spot that looked suitable. A little hollow space, an area that was cleared between and under some bushes. It was just big enough for him to curl up in, and it was dry and the bushes could keep him relatively warm until morning. 

Sawdust adjusted his headband and his tail, curling his gangly limbs to the best of his ability so he could fit. He laid his head on top of his arms and closed his eyes. 

He drifted in and out of sleep for a while, he couldn’t tell how long. The sounds of the wildlife around him started to lull him to sleep. The trees rustled with the wind, small animals crept to their homes to sleep, and Sawdust was prepared to spend the night outside.

But something was strange. He moved in his sleep, skin crawling. He heard something. Footsteps?

Sawdust opened his eyes and squinted into the darkness, trying to discern what was in front of him. It wasn’t human footsteps, Sawdust counted four. It sounded big. He sat up and propped himself up on his paws, still trying to see.

It was only when the moonlight passed through the trees just perfectly was he alerted to what was truly in front of him. Sawdust shot up out of the bushes, standing up just outside of them as he stared down the creature that woke him up. A mountain lion crept closer to him, its ears pinned back as it let out a rumbling sound from its chest.

Sawdust turned and ran. He had to, he couldn’t fight that thing, but he wasn’t nearly fast enough to outrun it. He whimpered, hearing it thunder after him. It wouldn’t be long before he was caught, but he didn’t stop running. Sawdust could not stop running if he ever wanted to see Master Adrien again. Trees flew past him, his paws slipping on the leaves that covered the forest floor. 

His clumsy paws fell out from under him and he tumbled forwards, slamming down into the ground, at the mercy of the animal.

It jumped at him, thick claws digging and dragging down his lower leg. Sawdust screamed, trying to move back away from it. He could never escape it. He was a stupid dog, and he was even more stupid for ever thinking that he could rely on himself. And now he was going to die.

The animal did not waste time staring him down, it did not loom over him. It pulled back, got its massive paws underneath it, and leapt forward. Sawdust squeezed his eyes shut, body tense, only to be met with a loud bang ripping through the forest.

The animal dropped, heavy on Sawdust’s body. He began to cry.

His own blood flowed out freely, soaking his sweatpants and then pooling on the ground. The creature… Sawdust couldn’t bare to look at it. In the brief glance he had seen, there was a small red hole, just above its right brow, and a splattered red mess in the left-back of its head. Sawdust sobbed, he didn’t want to cover his face for fear of smearing blood all over himself. He moved out from underneath the dead animal, only to be greeted with more footsteps. Not animal ones, but those of a human. A man’s voice spoke up.“Now, I expect a you’re welcome, but let’s get you back to my camp.”

--

taglist :@starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @neuro-whump @whump-me-all-night-long @cupcakes-and-pain @whumpzone @whumpcreations @dancinglifeboat @pinkraindropsfell @looptheloup @cowboy-anon @meetmeinhellcroutons @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @firewheeesky @maracujatangerine @it-will-all-whump-out @theydy-cringeworthy @kim-poce @bluetheautisticrat @whump-in-progress @wh-wh-whu @mylifeisonthebookshelf @grizzlie70 @wolfeyedwitch @nicolepascaline @melancholy-in-the-morning @jumbledbyrd @batfacedliar-yetagain @no-terms-and-conditions-apply @scp-1269 @whumpdreamz @bees-among-the-okami @taterswhump

[real-fanta-sea]

Red thread trash - AU Trikey fanfic

Hey! I promised to upload my fanfic here as well - find it right below the “Keep reading” button. Let me know what you think about it - your feedback fuels me like anything else :) I included some minor hints of pop culture/literature every now and then and generally had a great time writing it even though it’s still short.  I plan on updating it soon so if you like it, stay tuned :) Chapter 1 -  My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains my sense “You are sick, dickhead!” That was all she was able to spit out before shutting the door with such force all the yellowish photos on walls thumped the disgusting, bleached out wallpaper they were attached to. It was getting dark and a sharp sound sent shockwaves through creeping silence of the night. Tired street lamps gave out eerie orange light which sculpted everything in soft outlines and gave a fine monochrome touch to washed-out colours of the early evening. Dust, startled by the outburst, sat back on surfaces it originally sat on, creating a delicate icing on the ugly cake of an apartment it was in. It was full to the brim, filled with dying cacti in flower pots, virgin self-improvement books, some of them sealed in original plastic, action figures, statues, souvenirs from places so distant and abstract no one ever heard of them, old calendars and along with dozens of empty ball pens an assorted clutter of a bachelor. It was a miracle the small, one-room apartment did not explode with everything stored inside. On the wall next to the door, the landline phone decided to commit what it’s silent owner contemplated for years and fell down from the holder, and hit the ground with an ugly crunch. The sound made the owner snap from lethargy. Up to now, he only stood in the middle of the place, staring at the door emotionless.

 He felt nothing but a gentle touch of the street light and bags under his eyes growing heavier. When he heard what happened to his world link, he blinked and with a sigh, he took a step forward and hanged the phone back to the holder, inspecting it only to find nothing broke so far. “There, there, not today- You’ll outlive me, little friend” he let out a raspy mumble and rub back of his neck with his other hand. He didn’t feel anything out of ordinary. His back hurt a bit from the lair of his improvised bed and his sedentary job - the latter was most likely the culprit there, but he wouldn’t admit it. His stomach rumbled angrily through the thin skin and onto the fabric of his shirt - two cups of ramen a day were not enough to shut it anymore. His nose was full again - and the dust irritated it as much as it annoyed him. Yet somewhere deep inside him, the void seized power a long time ago and he didn’t give a shit about any of these things anymore. For the life of his, he couldn’t bring himself to grieve the recent loss of a lover either. People always came and went, he thought to himself. People always used him. Cheated him. Played him and inevitably left him when he needed them the most. They left him miserable. Vulnerable. Hurt. He didn’t need nor want them anymore. He abided them. He just wanted them all to die a horrible, gruesome death and if possible, to watch the whole process from the first row, bathe in their cries and pleading and enjoy his utter shortage of fucks to give with a wide grin on his face. Aaand it would make the show so much fun if he got to sprinkle his popcorn with a bit of fresh blood! Hell, if he murdered his shrink first, he would help more people than that stupid jerk ever did in his life. Come to think of it... Suddenly, before he could slide any further on his twisted spiral of thoughts, there was a familiar pressure on one of his feet and a soft purr vibrating against his shin. He blinked the mental image of creatively mutilated psychologist away and eyed his pet with a soft smile. The tomcat which settled on his foot was one of the new members of the pack as he prefered to call his furry companions. It gave those obese fluffy balls of fur a feral glamour of feared predators they might have shared with their ancestors. In reality, his pack preferred the luxury of being fed three times a day and shedding hair on his sweatshirts while sleeping wherever they collapsed. The tiny apartment currently held six members including the human one. They were all flawed to perfection, collected from behind the bars and given a new life. John Silver, the tomcat, curled up securely on his master's barefoot, lack one paw to be a complete, light grey cat. He probably lost it in a scientific experiment which went tremendously wrong and accidentally involved an electric can opener and children of his previous master. He never meowed about it but other cats knew anyway. Then there was Jude Hardy, a brown cat who smelled so bad other hissed anytime at her anytime she came close and made her spend life under the kitchen sink. Johny Lemmon had shotgun scars visible through his tabby and white fur - he got them for meowing too loud. Somewhere under the blanket on a bed was a tabby named Ulysses who lost his tail and ear on his way home one day in an accident. Right beside him slept his sister Sybile who was terribly short-sighted and bumped to anything when she attempted walking around the flat. She was there when her brother was hit by the car but there was nothing she could do to prevent it as she didn't see it coming. The only human left in the pack was named Trevor Philips.

With a cat in his arms, he made his way through a maze of full bookshelves and sat heavily into an old armchair, fidgeting to find the perfect angle. Nothing could ever compare to a fuzzy feeling of love he shared with his pack. A soft touch of fur soothed him in a way his prescription pills would never do. Trevor raised his eyes from a purring bundle of joy he held and run his fingertips down its spine, scratching and gently stroking every now and then, completely lost in his own palace of thoughts again. There’s still a couple of hours left till next dose, he thought to himself. He vividly remembered the first week he was forced to medication - a wild roar of anger and disgust from being put on a schedule, from becoming a number not worth anything else but chemical alternation. He hated every touch of an old, naphthalene smelling nurse or the bull kind of a doctor who forced his jaw open to the point it snapped on one wonderful evening. He always had himself for a person not bound by any chains or rules. His persistence in breaking rules and spitting medicine was legendary. Heck, he did it for fun. It gave him all the attention he never had and fuck people who had to pay for it with their health of job. However, one day, he woke up a different person. The mighty, untamed creature he once was was gone, and the only memory it left were nail scratches on sterile white walls of his cell and a variety of body fluids mixed and smeared all over the ceiling in a brutal, honest impersonation of Michelangelo’s chapel. The day the beast went missing was a breaking point. The world he woke up to was void of bright colours. Every bit and piece of his existence felt detached, taken aback, abstract. He would always recall the feeling of cold liquid under his bare feet and a horrid smell that brought him to senses. He never asked the doctor how long he had stood in his own faeces nor did he ask why he pissed blood. He would never tell him. Instead, he got yet another dose of medicals. And he obeyed this time. And every time they came he accepted it. Trevor knew too well they broke him and shaped him like a piece of Tetris puzzle so he could fit in the line. He knew he lost himself in the process. But since he got separated, he couldn’t bring himself to care. And when they eventually let him out of the bright white hell, when they dressed him in a cheap second-hand suit and gave him a small place to live, he didn’t rebel. He obeyed. He followed the lead. He spoke to his shrink. He got a pet. He got a job. He drank water. He ate. He slept. He shat. The same fairy tale noir of a lonely life on repeat forever. He fit the line too well. Trevor let his hand slip from Silver’s back onto an armrest. Orange coloured light from outside mixed with neon from a place he could see through a narrow alley which led to his block of flats. A bright red, intrusive and obscene. A moth trap set up with fresh meet every week, he thought to himself. He eyed the place from his armchair and looked around. His last love interest came from that bar. All she left behind was a used toothbrush in a plastic cup on a kitchen sink, a pair of bob pins under the bed and lingering smell of cheap perfume piercing everything it touched with a brutal force. She was not that different from any other woman he ever knew. Each of them wanted money and stripped men of it by shaking their asses and burying faces into their sagging cleavages. Even if they did not admit it, be it high-class wive all glamour and chic or a grey mouse of an accountant in his shithole of a job, they all were miserable whores, bitches not worth a dollar yet they would surely kill for it if given a chance. They all wore insufferable perfumes and fake smiles that made his blood boil. Unfortunately, when he got a job as an assistant in a small branch of a Fleeca bank, he had no idea the place would be full of such creatures. He recalled the first day of work with a sigh, being yelled at for not bringing a latte for accountants, then for not fetching paper clips fast enough, and then again and again till he was let out in the afternoon, completely stripped of dignity and quite frankly, he didn’t even have the energy to sustain one at given time. Now that the fifth year of his atonement passed by, all he wanted was to burn the place down as a celebration. He hasn’t done it yet. His favourite coffee mug was there and he chose not to risk such a loss. The red light took over and illuminated his way when he carefully put Silver down and took a couple of careful steps towards an old cupboard and let it moan its screech into the night. With a light chuckle, he grabbed the colourful box realising they made his mind work in schedules and tech plans. He never put it on the same place two days in a row when he first came there. Now it had its fucking place right beside unused penis-shaped pasta he received in secret Santa game at work a couple of years ago. They had their place too. Never moved an inch. Trevor popped the lid and slid an elephant worth of pills into the palm of his. Funny how everything looks like candy a second before you start tripping balls. He knew the thrill too well. Fishing a dirty glass out of the sink, filling it with piss some still called water and swallow it like an obedient little bitch he was. Good, good. Let them keep you alive or let them kill you in ways which are not as fun as drugs. As he felt the chemicals taking rule over him, everything was good somehow. The room swayed. The colours exploded. He fell on the bed. Good. Good. Good.

[thechocoboos]

last one I promise: ffxv but in space?... OK I'll admit I'm starting to run out of ideas. have a nice day and good luck with school!

holy fuck i went way more crazy with this than I planned. so have fun. Keep in mind, y’all, this is a space au–things are defo different than the actual plot. also: happy ending

FFXV IN SPACE HC

The Regalia is a small prototype ship made for small trips to and from space stations and moons

Noctis’ father is the leader of a massive space colony circling a dimming blue star

Their space colony is running out of resources and energy as a result of a longstanding war with The Empire, a corporation that grew too powerful back when space travel became big and now aims to take control of every colony, resource, and inhabitable planet in the galaxy

so Regis sends Noctis and Co out on an expedition to build alliances and find potential resources that the Empire had overlooked

Noctis is a drifter who doesn’t want to take over his dad’s colony

Gladio is a soldier, a bodyguard in training for the leaders of the space colony. His family has always worked closely with the colony’s founders, so he was raised to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and to protect Noct

Prompto is a lower level settler of their space colony

He ran into Noctis during their school days and latched himself to Noct like a leach (Noct never minded and even grew to like Prom)

Ignis is still an advisor, albeit a SPACE ADVISOR

He is well versed in most, if not all, of the known alien languages and settlements (he spent so much of his schooling learning languages that he dreams about learning them–granted they’ve become more of nightmares by this point)

He guides Noctis on their mission to find resources and build alliances, giving advice such as “Do not try to navigate that asteroid belt” and “stay far from the Black Hole of Ostenbar–many civilizations were lost there”

Granted that advice is always ignored, but hey, it’s the thought that counts!

One day on their expedition, he mentions rumors of a ship called The Oracle–a ship that opposes the Empire

Supposedly, it started out as a simple rescue ship that grew bigger and bigger and soon became a massive self sustaining ship that travels around the galaxy helping those in need

Noct and Co. realize that it may be their first step towards building alliances and aim to find The Oracle–it’s their first tangible mission

The Oracle, if you hadn’t already guessed, is run by Luna

She and her brother, Ravus, inherited it from their family

The Oracle had many run ins with the Empire as a result of its good deeds, and Ravus grew tired of the pain inflicted on both his people and his inheritance due to those assholes

He knew he could never deal with the Empire directly, especially while handling The Oracle, so he left the ship in the hands of Luna and ran off

He fell in with a group of good-natured space pirates and now raids the Empire’s smaller ships with his small, growing fleet and gives the resources he obtains from them to those who need it–kind of like a robinhood of sorts

(I’m expecting some SpacePirate!Ravus spin offs in the future–i’ll even take the transcript of pirates of the caribbean except with ravus and in space)

anyways

Ardyn is a strange deity who was once worshiped on a more primitive, jungle based planet

His planet is hot, humid, and full of bright, colorful creatures. Some of them are poisonous and deadly, and others are docile and harmless

His people made beautiful buildings of stone with carved designs and everything they made was otherworldly and beautiful, there wasn’t a single item of theirs that wasn’t art in one way or another

They made the most beautiful songs and their language was magnificent and elegant; it was as though their voices were woven from the stars

Keywords? Made. Was.

The Empire found him one day and found his immense power very beneficial

They captured him and his worshippers, turning the worshippers into slaves and science experiments while they used torture and abuse to control Ardyn before turning him into the High Commander or the Empire

They brainwashed him into thinking it was Regis’ colony that had done him wrong, and he has it out for Insomnia Space Colony ever since

It takes a metric fuckton of cycles for Noct and co to finally find The Oracle, who is very willing to join the Insomnia Space Colony cause (my god is that a mouthful or what)

Sidenote: Cor is pretty high up on commanders from Noct’s colony, so he was out conducting business with other settlers at the far end of the galaxy

After the destruction of Insomnia Space Colony, he managed to get hold of Noct on The Oracle and relay the news

It leaves Noctis and the others crushed

They end up lost for a little bit, uncertain what their goal should be from then on

One day, however, The Oracle receives an SOS call from that same dimming star that Noct’s colony had orbited

The Oracle takes them there, and they find many, many survivors

The Oracle takes those survivors on board without a single word, and as Noctis sees the remnants of his people’s suffering at the hands of The Empire, he swears to bring an end to those fuckers as long as he lives (cue his new reason for living)

ANyways

Noct and co.’s favorite pit stop is a small colony on an asteroid called Crash Comet

It’s run by Cid, an old alien friend of Regis’ and his granddaughter

It’s the nicest gas station, diner, and mechanic outside of their solar system

They visit it regularly, especially after Noct learns how to fly the Regalia (he can’t avoid those asteroid belts even when he tries)

Gladio once asked why Prompto was with them on their expedition bc he genuinely had no idea why the kid was there

Gladdy was there for protection, Ignis was their walking, talking adviceman, and Prom? He had no idea

Prom lowkey didn’t know either, but he just held up his old lil camera and said some BS about being their historian

In reality, Noct really just brought him bc he didn’t want to be stuck in a tiny spaceship with Ignis and Gladdy alone, besides, he knew that Prompto always wanted to see the galaxy outside of their colony

They have many run-ins with Ardyn and The Empire–it always ends in a massive chase scene through the stars, a disappearance in a hectic asteroid belt, and another trip to Crash Comet

Noct, Iggs, Gladdy, and Prom have a blast on their space adventures

At least, up until their colony is destroyed

Still, they meet aliens from all walks of life and eat strange alien food at strange alien gas stations on the edge of the galaxy and make friends everywhere

They make alliances as they go, building up their own army of settlers, colonists, space pirates, and aliens alike to rise up against the Empire, with The Oracle heading their fleet

Prompto takes so many pictures that he ends up with a massive database of things ranging from aliens, planets, stars, flora, fauna, selfies, weird poisonous glowing bacteria–you name it, he’s got it (after their adventures he actually finds scientists and alienologists asking him for his pictures for research and references; our boi makes bank on his pics!)

Ignis tries every single different cultured cuisine he can get his grubby lil gloved paws on and he will eat ALL OF IT. he has been poisoned by the clashing chemical makeup on more than one occasion (but he still won’t stop)

Noctis hates trying new culture foods, like he goes for some of it but if Ignis tries to feed him one more Glockinshnid’esiria throat casserole, he’s going to vomit

Gladio towers over a lot of alien species they meet, but he also looks like a penny next to some of them (he lowkey feels insecure about it)

Gladdy likes to trade work out regimens with some aliens

He once tried working out with the very gruff, muscled Kleeverprongs, a species known to eat the muscles of their dead to become stronger and who begin weightlifting at 3 months old (he threw his back out and couldn’t walk for a week)

Prompto tries to steal small alien pets but Ignis threatens to throw him out the back of their cruiser if he so much as looks at one more Puffelzingor.

He once hid a small mouse like rodent in his shirt for three weeks, but it escaped and ate through one of Ignis’ prized pots (it’s one of the more expensive ones that can handle stardust and the harshest of acids)

Ignis hasn’t forgiven him yet. And he probably never will.

Sometimes Noct and Co. cross paths with Ravus

Ravus usually screams about them being the ones who got his sister tied in even further with the bloody empire and being the biggest thorn in his ass

There was one time where Ravus was thought to be dead in the middle of space, and none other than Noct and Co. rescued him (he had lost an arm and been abandoned by accident. Space pirates aren’t very bright sometimes)

He was less aggressive towards them afterwards, especially because he was stuck with them for about 2 and a half cycles (roughly 3.67 months) because the nearest welcoming outpost was at least a good hundred stars away

ANyways plot stuff:

So, throughout their journeys and travels, Noct and Co. slowly learn about some of the Empires more hidden histories and ties with differing colonies

They learn more about Ardyn, how he was essentially a tool used by the empire

THey actually travel back to the planet that Ardyn had been worshiped on and end up learning even more

At first, they thought he had just been a leader of some strange planet, but when discovering he was essentially a god? Oh boi, they were faced with a big moral dilemma

Noctis still wants to bring down the Empire, but now, he also wants to help Ardyn and Ardyn’s people

Gladdy is against it, of course, saying that Ardyn had still done terrible things and was still a terrible person who should pay for his actions

Noct mostly disagrees. He thinks Ardyn needs to pay to a certain degree, but to him, it was more important that they at least try to free his people and attempt to get the truth out there

He argues that it really wasn’t all Ardyn’s fault, that he was nothing more than a pawn who had been manipulated and lied to for nothing but selfish reasons

He doesn’t want to help Ardyn, necessarily, but he does want to make things right

It was truly at this point that his friends began seeing the leader that Noct truly is

Noctis and Co. were never really able to convince Ardyn as much as they tried; he was past the point of simply believing things

Still, he made a deal. A snarky deal with a smirk and teasing tone to his voice, but the look in his eye had been enough to give them hope

He told them, that if they were able to find his people and set them free, he just might be willing to strike up some sort of deal that would work out for both of them

Cue montage

The space bros go through hell and back trying to find out what happened to most of the worshippers

They break through and destroy so many Empire outposts and institutes that they probably single handedly cripple part of the Empire

Even so, with how hard they work to find out where the worshippers were, they had to ask for help

They asked both Ravus and Luna for help, as well as some of the more trusted allies they had made through their journey

In the end, they find that most of the worshippers had been killed. They manage to rescue those who had survived, and bring them to Luna’s ship for safety

They’re beaten and bruised with fearful eyes and they spend most of their time praying–it’s all they can do at this point

It’s heartbreaking, and it truly reminds Noctis and his friends that they weren’t the only ones who had lost their home

Luna and Noct both promise the worshippers that they would be brought back home when it was finally safe, but no one knows when that will be

The next time Noctis crosses paths with Ardyn, there is no snark in Ardyn’s voice–only the serious tone of a man who had lost everything

He demands that Noct bring him to his people, his voice harsh and sharp as he snaps. His eyes are furious and his stance is dangerous but Noct remains calm and tall, his eyes cool as he talks Ardyn down

Ardyn agrees to go with Noctis alone, he agrees to relinquish his weapons and trickery–all he wants is to see that his people are safe

The others aren’t happy, the air is tense in their cruiser as they return to The Oracle. Gladio silently fumes and Ignis is ready to pounce any second.

But Ardyn makes no moves. He waits, his heart still, his eyes sharp–he could be walking into a trap, and he knows it, but he doesn’t care, not if his people are there

Luna is respectful when Ardyn boards her ship. She doesn’t show any ill will despite what he has done–she knows he had been tricked, and she knows that all that really matters to him are his people. She respects that.

She leads him to the worshippers, and the second his eyes fall on them, he smiles–truly smiles

He feels relief, hope–glee

They look just as stunned as he is, their eyes wide and sparkling as they drop to the floor and bow

He only tells them to stand, speaking in an old, dead language that even Ignis doesn’t know

He asks them questions, touches their cheeks, their shoulders, their hands… He’s so gentle and careful, no one else can believe it

As they finish answering, he thanks them with a warm, soft voice, promising he’ll get them home safe–that they will all go home safely and that he’ll join them, that they will rebuild their beautiful civilization once again and no one will ever hurt them again

He turns and looks at Noctis, his eyes full of cold murder as his fury burns. He asks when they’ll launch their full attack–because he wants in. He quietly vows that he will bring down the empire–every last ship, even if it kills him.

It only takes a few more cycles for everything to be ready.

There are at least a thousand ships that come forward to help fight. Their alliances hold true to their words and promises and join The Oracle, bringing their own smaller allied ships and friends with them

Ravus brings at least 200 ships full of space pirates with a new, shiny arm at his shoulder

Noctis contacts older allies that his dad had made, as well as the hundreds of new ones he’s made through his travels–and those allies bring their own, as well

Luna has age old promises that are being fulfilled, her oldest contacts coming forward from the deep recesses of space to help fight the Empire

Even Ardyn pulls some strings, pulling a few of the Empire’s allies over to their side–after all, many of them had been loyal to Ardyn alone, in the end

With the Empire spread over so much of space, it isn’t a clean, straightforward war (then again, most aren’t)

The war lasts 81.7 cycles–nearly ten years. Strategies are stretched, lives are lost, people were worn down, but Noctis never wavers

In the end, the Empire crumbles–losing far too many of its ships and colonies, especially as the civilizations it took over rebel and fight back.

Eventually, there is only the head colony left–and Noctis’ side easily corners it.

Noctis isn’t alone when he approached the leader of the Empire. Ardyn goes with him, his losses just as valid as Noctis’

The leader begs. He cries, yells in desperation, falls to his knees and simply weeps–asking for Noctis to have mercy.

Noctis is cold as he responds, simply staring down the old man. He’s gotten what he wants–the Empire’s downfall. Yes, the leader needs to pay for his crimes, but he doesn’t care much for the logistics of that–so deciding punishment falls to Ardyn.

The details don’t matter too much–the Empire fell, Noctis was able to rebuild his colony around a new star, The Oracle was free to help the civilizations that had been under the Empire’s control, Ravus and his space pirates became the police of sorts–protecting people from unsavory sorts in space, and Ardyn was able to return to his home with the remainder of his people

Space was free again, its planets and civilizations free to return to run their lives as they pleased

Edit: Things I forgot to mention™

Arenaea is space’s local lesbian space pirate whose fleet was actually hired by Ardyn somewhere down the line

She was actually notorious and was a big rival of Ravus (they crossed paths on more than one occasion)

She’s lost a couple digits and a foot, as well as an eye in her pursuits but replaced them all with cybernetic implants (her eye can actually see in infrared, very handy in space)

Her cyborg foot has a built in high heel

She’s one of the most dangerous enemies and one of the best allies to have

No one crosses her and lives to tell the tale (unless she wants them to)

Insanely good strategist and is one of the best allies Noct has in the war

You can hear her loudly walking down the metal bridges of ships when hunting down mercenaries and criminals, her cybernetic foot and high heels clanging loudly (she likes to scare them--she could move quietly with no effort at all)

Anyways so weapons right

LASERS LASERS LASERS LASERSSSS

Ignis’ weapons are duel blades ofc, however, they’re HEAT DUEL BLADESSSS

With a click of his thumbs he's got some lasers shooting down the edge of his daggers and ready to burn the guts of his enemies as he stabs them (it’s pretty good at cauterizing wounds so his slices and jabs are well placed for instant death)

Gladio??? Yes, he still uses those massive as two handed swords. No one can rip that away from him

However

They, too, have laser capabilities

He keeps two laser pistols on either side of his belt for when they’re fighting in smaller quarters  

Y’all haven’t lived until you’ve gotten a mental image of sweaty gladio with burn wounds from laser rifles and holes in his tanktop shootin a couple of laser pistols with his beautiful manbun-ponytail thing and 10-year gap hair chillin out there, mouth turned down into a scowl as his sharp eyes aim

He also has a couple of electric cybernetic gloves that stun enemies with a single punch

Now. Noctis? Listen. He doesn’t use lasers--too much of a hassle

Our boi has a few cybernetic implants, kay?

Y’all ever played mass effect? His magic is basically like the biotics of mass effect

In other words, he still has magic, it’s just sci-fi magic!

His swords are made out of the sharpest metals one can find, and they glow because 1) I say so, and 2) they were forged from radioactive materials and stardust from the heat of a dying star because that’s how we do things in S P A C E

NOW PROMPTO

HOOO BOI MY LORD SO MANY LASERS

S O  M A N Y  L A S E R S

He’s got a laser rifle, he’s got a laser sniper, he’s got bullets that electrocute, bullets that explode, bullets that burn, grenades that stun, grenades that blow up, grenades that disintegrate only organic forms (helpful in space ships tbh)

He has a good trusty ole missile launcher type of weapon that launches concentrated laser ball missiles at shit

Also he’s far sighted.

Anyways; prom is always making modifications to his weapons (and gladio’s pistols) and is always the one to repair or alter the spacebro’s weaponry

He once smacked Noct for trying to fix a sword and somehow damaging its mechanics

Prom actually makes some serious cash fixing weapons at outposts and such, he also buys cheap weapons and bulks them up before selling them for like three times his buying price

He’s actually the most well-off out of them further down the line and he’s the one who brings in the credits throughout their journey because he’s the only one with some sort of income

Also i forgot to mention

Noct loses a leg in the war and gets a cheap prosthetic to tide him over until the end; then he gets a hella cool cyborg leg like Arenaea

Ignis does NOT go blind, however, he loses an eye in a fight with some space pirates who try to raid The Oracle and ends up with an eyepatch for a while

Later on, he gets his own cybernetic implant eye--it’s a lot like Arenaea’s actually

It glows red and the metal covers the area around his eye completely, reaching around towards the side of his head and disappearing beneath part of his hair

Ravus’ right hand pirate is an android

Gentiana is also an android

Cor punches Ardyn in the face the first time they meet during the war--yes, he does know that Ardyn is on their side, now

Cor was the one who found many of Ardyn’s worshippers and brought them to The Oracle

Also Cor is a cyborg

[seiya234]

Orfeo

hey hi hello my name is seiya and i love child ballads and very self wanky au-au’s inspired by child ballads.

------

Once there were a pair of twins to a mortal woman born.

(Does this sound familiar? Perhaps this is in a place that is a distorted mirror to your own, only a hop skip and dimensional jump away. Or this is a bedtime story, told by a wizard to his recently found daughter. Or by a harried new father, or a sleepy uncle.

Perhaps you should keep reading regardless.)

The midwife rolled the bones, went through the ashes and the entrails, and then when that show was done for the parents, got her actual answer in a bowl of soup. One was fated to live and die, live and die, live and die a hundred thousand lives over and over again as we all are fated to do. The other however, would live until every star in the sky went out, and every other living thing died, and only then would he pass on to what was next.

Naturally, the couple didn’t take it well. Luckily, they had his uncle, an old man in the woods they could offload the b-

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the witch told them.

“How...how did you know?” the mother asked, a tremor in her voice.

The witch raised her eyebrow, and let them think it was magic and not forty years experience of the human condition and more specifically having to deal with unwanted children.

“You can keep both, or give both away,” the witch went on, “but you must keep them together or else.”

“Or else?” the father demanded.

The witch smelt fire in her nose, felt her skin crackle under the force of unnatural energies, and sighed. “Just fucking do it or I’ll curse you both with warts.”

Ten minutes later she had carefully bundled the babies and some goat milk into a basket, and was headed to the Old Fox. He was the trickster of all tricksters, a crank and a crook and not as good in bed as he thought he was, but the witch knew there was no better place for these babies to be than with him.

(you may be wondering where the beast with one eye is in this story. the answer is that he’s a big stinky jerk and will not be appearing tonight.)

----

Once there was an old man who took in the grandchildren of his sister. He was cranky and smelly and may or may not have been missing an eye, and was the absolute last person on earth who should have been trusted with the raising of children.

(within thirty seconds of meeting them the girl had spat up on him, and the boy had sneezed fire and burnt his eyebrows off and there was no way he was ever giving them up.)

He taught the boy how to lie, cozen, cheat, and steal. How cheap tricks and flash would distract a mark enough that they would never notice you were fleecing them for all they were worth. The art of the deal, and even more importantly, how to lie with the truth. He taught the boy almost everything he knew, and when he was done felt satisfied knowing the boy would one day surpass him.

He taught the girl the ways of the forest, introduced her to the Hidden Folk (and the Not So Hidden Folk). What you could eat, what you couldn’t eat. He taught her how to punch and kick and otherwise defend herself. And cheating at cards, the one thing the boy never could quite master. He didn’t have a lot to teach the girl, and he worried about that at first, before he realized she was teaching him more than he was her. 

They were the boy and the girl, and then they grew slowly into the Demon King and the Lady of Rainbows. And if the boy stopped aging for awhile until he remembered that he needed to match with his sister, or the girl began putting together her cassone, it didn’t bother either of them. Eternity was forever away, wasn’t real, all that mattered was that they were here now and together and would continue that way for an indefinite amount of time and-

Then one day a red haired woodsman came into the woods.

---

The Demon King pulled out his ace in the hole, the one argument that his sister surely could not defeat.

“He plays the bagpipes.”

The Lady of Rainbows frowned. “So?”

“So?!” Her twin sputtered. “They sound like dying cats!”

“The pipes are a noble instrument!” said the disembodied bespectacled head that rolled around their uncle’s place. Neither of them had ever gotten a straight answer from the Old Fox on why the head was there.

The Lady pointed a finger at the King. “I love him. I’m marrying him, and we are gonna have kids and you’re going to be their weird, horrifying yet loving uncle, and we will be okay and-”

“No we won’t! Because he’s taking you away from me-”

“-um, he’s not?”

“-and you’re going to grow old-”

“-that was going to happen any way.”

“-and you’re going to d͙̰͉̯ie̯̬̜̫͝!!!”

The Demon King’s words echoed in the room, even as they both fell silent. So of course this was when the red headed woodsman came into the house.

He looked between the two siblings for a long second, before finally saying “Is this a bad time?”

“Yes,” replied the Demon King at the same time the Lady of Rainbows said “Oh no, my brother was just getting ready to leave for the day.”

“Oh. Um. I’ll just... leave you both alone to uh, say goodbye.” The red headed woodsman stepped back outside, and the Lady of Rainbows huffed out a sigh. 

“He’s a good man,” her brother finally offered. “I can see his heart and everything. It’s just-”

“Just what?”

The Demon King shook his head. “Nothing. Everything. Fine. Have your little dalliance-”

“He’s going to be your brother-in-law, can you at least try not to be a jerk to him?”

“-And when it all falls to pieces, I’ll be there waiting for you.”

The Lady stared at him for a long minute, before bursting out laughing. She grabbed her twin for a surprise hug. “You goofy butt, don’t you know that my Woodsman would do anything for me? Now are you done being a snooty snoot?”

Her twin started laughing a second after her. “Yes, okay, I am, I promise!”

(she wanted to think the best of the demon, which is why she didn’t notice his fingers crossed behind his back.)

----

They got married, and the Demon King waited (and also ate all the cake.)

The red haired woodsman got bitten by the Old Fox’s goat and still the Demon King waited.

They moved into a set of rooms they added on to the Old Fox’s house, and still the Demon King waited. 

The red haired woodsman and the Demon King went on a fishing trip that was totally Not Awkward and still the Demon King waited.

Then the Lady of Rainbows started talking about the patter of little feet in the house, and teaching kids how to cut down a tree in five minutes, and then, and then-

----

One day the red haired woodsman went out hunting. He left his Lady at home all alone, with the confidence of a man who knew his wife could kick his ass any day of the week with ease. 

(scowan erla grae)

The red haired woodsman came home at noon, and saw the Old Fox on the porch. 

“Hey S-.” The red haired woodsman paused. Something was off.

“Where is she?”

The Old Fox lifted his head up, and for the first time that the red haired woodsman could remember, looked simply old. 

“She’s.... she’s gone son.”

The red haired woodsman didn’t go into the house to check for a body. He didn’t ask why or how. 

He didn’t need to.

He turned his back on the old Fox and went into the woods.

(Far yorten han grun orla)

----

the red haired woodsman sat down on a tree stump, only for a moment, only to weep, and the woods swallowed him whole

for he was the earth’s favored son, long lost but finally home

(Skoven arle grön)

he sat on the stump and his head followed the sun across the sky, his feet burrowed deep into the dirt and his toes grew impossibly long branching out into even more toes, the better to get water and nutrients and wrap around rocks and his feet remained in their boots 

he sat on the stump and the bears pledged their strength to him, the birds brought the secrets of the world to his ears, the snakes taught him cunning, and the deer and rabbits brought him bloody meat to sustain him

he sat on the stump and his clothes wore into tatters beaten by the rain and sun and snow, and his hair grew long and just as his roots were spreading deep into the soil so did two massive branches begin to grow from his skull, textured like wood but colored like the bone they came from 

he sat on the stump and thought of nothing was still like stone and the only thoughts that went through his head were those of the earth and wind and sky, thoughts of love and above all a chorus of “mine, mine, mine” and he was clung ever closer to the forest and

One day a company to him drew near

(Hvor hjorten han gar arlig)

----

The Demon King and the Lady of Rainbows spent most of their time now in the King’s land under the hill- well, it was metaphorically under the hill, being that it was really everywhere and nowhere and composed of the minds of every conscious being and we are getting off topic here aren’t we? 

So.

The Demon King and the Lady of Rainbows spent most of their time under the hill, but The Demon King recognized the importance of letting his Court out in the fresh air every once in a while, and thus they would ride.

(Scowan urla grun)

A creature stepped out into the road in front of the Court. The Demon King kept everyone going for a minute or two, to see if the creature- no, a man- no, a dryad- no, something else entirely- would step out of the way.

He did not, and the Demon King stopped inches from his feet. The Demon King’s mount reared back, and made to trample the man, but the man did not move out of the way. The Demon King pulled back, raised his eyebrows, and then dismounted, walking up to the man himself.

“Normally, I would strike you down for such insolence,” the Demon King began. He waited for his sister to call him on his bullshit, but she said nothing, her hands holding the reins of her mount so tight her knuckles were white. Huh. Odd. 

“But being as it is a lovely day and I am on a ride with my fair sister, I’m willing to let this pass, if you let us pass. Sound like a d̞̫̹̖̦͇̬e̠̜̳̮̲a̝l̥͈̀?”

The man opened his mouth once, twice, but no sound came out, as if it had been a long, long time since he had spoken. Finally he managed, “Yes. But first, may I play you a song?” And from behind his back he drew out some bagpipes.

(don’t ask where he got the pipes or how they had not rotted during years of being in the forest, this is a fairy tale damnit.)

First he played the notes of noy, and all the members of the Demon King’s court beautiful ladies and lords, all froze to stare unerringly at the piper, in awe at the beauty of his music. Then he played the notes of joy, which made even the Demon King dance with his subjects and the Lady of Rainbows smile. 

Then the music dropped in tone (and did the forest get darker? clouds begin to gather in the sky?) as the piper began to play the gaber reel. The court dissolved into tears- literally, as they shed their human forms for their true visages, of creatures sharp in tooth and nail and claw, and fluffy of wool. The Demon King stood tall and strong against the onslaught for one minute, two, three.... and then bent over in half, golden tears streaming down his face and hitting the ground with little sizzle and hisses.

Only the Lady of Rainbows remained untouched, her eyes never moving from the man playing the pipes. 

Finally, the Demon King held up a hand, and the man stopped playing.

“I...” Rarely was the Demon King at a loss for words. He stayed quiet for a long minute and then tried again.

“That... was terrible. Awesome. It broke me. What will you have now for your pay?”

The Red Headed Woodsman gently placed the pipes down onto the ground. 

“I would like my wife back.”

---

There was silence for a full minute.

Then the Demon King uttered gravely, “Oh fuck.”

---

The Lady of Rainbows had been, to this point, uncharacteristically silent. Now she turned in her saddle and said sweetly to her brother, “You told me my husband was dead.”

“Look, I can exp-”

“You told me that a tree fell on him in the forest and his body had been completely crushed.”

“Yes but-”

“And that when you told the Old Man what had happened, he had a heart attack and died too and then a bear ate his face. I’m guessing that he’s still alive and kicking?”

“Okay so the bear was overkill-”

The Lady of Rainbows dismounted, and walked over to her brother.

“You lied to me.”

“It was for your own good!”

She slapped him once, twice, across the face and was going for thrice when a hand wreathed in blue fire grabbed her wrist. 

They stood locked like that for a second.

“You had no right,” the Lady said.

“I had every right, you will die if you don’t live in my realm.”

She relaxed her hand and he let it go. 

“I haven’t been living these last seven years. You know that.”

The Demon King said nothing.

“Please. Let me go home.”

“I can’t.”

The Lady of Rainbows folded her arms, and tapped a foot. “It seems to me you have two options. You let me go home with my husband. We make hot sweaty love-”

“-ew-”

“-give you lots of niblings to spoil, and we all live together, if not happily ever after, happily for as long as we can, because, despite everything you’ve done, you are still my brother and I want you in my life.”

“And if I say no?”

“I never, ever, ever speak to you again.”

“You don’t mean that.”

The Lady laughed bitterly. “I have never been more serious in my life.”

“I could take you back any way.”

She nodded.

“You could.”

“I could make you talk.”

“You could indeed put words in my mouth. But you and I would both know that they meant nothing and they were worthless. So once again. You can lose me in 80 years, or you can lose me right fucking now. So choose Dipper.”

---

There once was a shack in the woods, and in it lived a grumpy old man, the queen of light and beauty, a great and terrible power, and the husband of the queen. There were children (though no one, not even the Demon King, had planned on all three coming at once) and two dozen pigs that the Lady of Rainbows adopted, and the Flock and Jeremy. There was life and love and light and laughter. 

It tore the Demon King apart as they all left him, one by one, but he was comforted, cushioned by the memories he had made with his family, the lessons his sister and his brother had taught him. 

And whenever he found himself drifting from those lessons, the Shadow of the Red Headed Woodsman would come to remind him of the consequences of forgetting.

----

"...And you’ll be king for all your days,” the Demon King said absentmindedly.

The Red Headed Woodsman looked up from leading his wife’s horse back to the Shack. “What did you say?”

“I said something?”

The Red Headed Woodsman almost challenged his brother, but he genuinely looked confused, and it had been a very long and very weird day, so he let it go.

(and if he left something of himself behind in the woods, no one noticed. At least, right away.)

[mercurytail]

Glide

^u^ Happy Halloween everybody! This is a little mini-Mchanzo fic I wrote up for the holiday! With help, excerpts, musing, and support from my friends: @the-hallowed-lady @captainneedsnosleep @drizzerey @Nobodysangel1980

You can also click the link to read it on Ao3 <3 Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

a slight gore warning since this is a Wendigo fic - its nothing intense, so no worries. Also, Its not a super happy fic, but it has a happy ending! (No he does not eat Hanzo)

Glide (down the throat)

How would it feel? To be so hungry...so in need and yet there is nothing to eat? 

Yet, there is 'food' all around you...but, nothing you CAN eat. 

Like putting a feast in front of a starving man and tying his hands.

How would that feel?

Would you break?

It started off so small. A finger here, an ear there, little things that could staunch the hunger inside him. Things easily explained that could be missing from a body. So small, so easy. He almost didn’t notice when he started devouring hands, organs, hearts, and still the hunger grew. It seemed like every time he ate, his stomach demanded more. The curse demanded more. IT demanded more.

He refused to tell Gabe about the hallucinations. The monstrous creature that stalked him on missions, the lanky, skeletal form that would crouch in the corner of his bunk, antlers scraping the ceiling. There were never any marks in the morning. He could see it even now, grinning away at him, wrapping those long, inhumanly long hands around his stomach, pressing inside and Scratching. Tearing. Demanding more, more, more…

He couldn’t tell when deer and boar and bear and whatever else he could shoot down didn’t cut it anymore. When it finally tasted too rotten, too ashy to swallow down without gagging…The day he realised he’s eaten over half the corpse he’d shot down, he almost threw it all back up again. But the monster wouldn’t let him do that. What a waste of food.

At least the cemetery helped…The monster always demanded more, but at least it didn’t care if it was dead or alive.

Sometimes, late at night when the fire in his tiny shack couldn’t quite chase the cold from his bones, when the monster was pacing through his home on silent hooves, growling and dragging its long hands over the ground. Sunken eyes staring him down from across the fire, and jagged teeth stretched wide in its grotesque face as it listened to how Jesse’s stomach growled and groaned for food, he remembered his mother’s old stories –

“The Wendigo are cursed beings, Jesse, but as long as you never consume a person’s soul – have enough restraint that they may have one piece of them left to carry that spirit over, then a wendigo will be trapped to its human. Never let it consume everything, and you can keep it bound.” 

~ the-hallowed-lady

Jesse McCree, a victim to a 'hunger curse', The 'Wendigo's Curse' . He craves human flesh/blood/bone.

When his hunger takes hold of him he transforms into a Wendigo like creature with horns, mangled teeth, sharp claws, and strange swirling eyes.

In Native American mythology, the Wendigo was a creature that came into being when a human consumed the flesh of their own kind. His grandmother had told him the story and many others. She had seen it. 

In Deadlock, they told him to shoot a young man who had been running drugs for them and was skimming off the top. Jesse refused, ‘it wasn’t right’ he said and tried to get the target out of there - He was caught, locked up, beaten and starved...

...until one day they gave him a huge roasted piece of meat. Told him if he ate it all, he'd be forgiven.

He lunged for it. The grease squelched through his fingers as he took it in his hands tearing into it. The first bite so satisfying, so juicy. Like eating chicken off the bone but amplified by the month of starvation. Its flavor so salty sweet on his tongue, he rolled each bite in his mouth wanting to savor it, the fear it was a trick prominent in his mind. Taking a bite, then another and another, the skin of it crisp and breaking just so under his teeth. The bone came into sight too soon, his stomach still growled...almost as if it hadn’t been fed at all.

...it was only afterwards he found out where it had come from.

The curse set in after that...planting its roots deep. Binding him to the creature he was cursed to become if he gave in.

The nightmares came every night, he dreams of a stag-like creature hunting him down, waiting to consume him just as he consumed human flesh, to take over him, to be free in the mortal world - to eat and eat and eat because it is here now and it is here to stay.

He’s still himself. The curse had not taken him yet. But, it was so tempting in Deadlock. He killed everyday...the bodies were so fresh and supple.

Blackwatch came and they took him. “Raw talent” they said. At least it was a home. He’d say it was his first. Gabe treated him like a son. They helped him curb his appetite, fed it and kept it under control. Genji was his only friend. The only true friend he’d ever had.

Moira grew him flesh from human stem cells.

But, after Blackwatch It got worse. On the run, food was harder to get and "burying the dead...well, that's just a waste of food." He’d told himself.

He began to get desperate. He wanted to stay somewhere familiar but, that brought too many bodies. Too many opportunities to eat and consume. “Can’t eat it all” he reminded himself, chanting it to himself as he gnawed on the assassin’s exposed liver. Trying to keep that last bit of himself human. ‘Leave a finger, that’ll be enough’.

Swallowing, he came to, the taste still thick in his mouth. He screamed throwing the piece of…whatever it was away and falling back scraping against the dirt. The moon was high in the sky and full lighting the body at his feet. Blood was thick on his hands, under his nails...claws and his head ached from the split skin on his forehead, the horns having receded. He didn’t remember...he didn’t remember coming out here or chasing after this…’food’. He curls in on himself, shivering in the cold night air...crying. 

But the Hunger became too much and he ran. He ran north.

He moves into a estranged deep forest...lives in a cabin alone. Near a small village, and a cemetery.

He sustains himself off of deer and wild game he kills. Whether with his gun or his claws when the hunger and hallucinations cloud his judgement.

The urge to consume human flesh is always there, and sometimes he gets so ravenous for it he digs up fresh corpses or steals body parts from the morgue.

Hanzo comes into his life after a short while.

He is simply running away as well...someone who murdered their own brother. It's why he likes the church yard so much. He lives there for the peace, and because when you are surrounded by the dead, it's easier not to feel judged for your actions.

They fit too well, every bit of banter, late night talk over coffee at the diner, the hunts. It was all too natural. Hanzo was getting too close and McCree craved him. He craved for his words, his touch, his time...and the beast craved him too.

And Hanzo was too curious for his own good. They strike up a small friendship and the closer they got. The harder McCree tried to push him away.

McCree tried to get Hanzo to leave.

“Hanzo, I just need you to understand it ain’t safe out here for you. They’ll find you too easy. I should know! You got to leave and keep moving.” McCree slumps against the wall, hands in his pockets; hiding. They’d had this talk before.

“I am fully aware of my surroundings and my clan will never find me here. You as a fellow criminal would know. You are hiding here, are you not? Why shouldn’t I? Especially, since we go so well together. We could fight them together...live here together.” the last bit of his sentence is but a mumble not quite making it to McCree’s ear.

McCree finds one night he’s too short on meat - much too short and winter is setting in. He goes out into the light snow for a final hunt, hoping for a bear or moose.

Hanzo finds him out there, cold and unlucky. Hanzo has been around way too much. It puts him on edge.

When a surprise snow storm hits McCree is forced to stay the night in Hanzo's home.

His hunger starts to gnaw at him, scratching, clawing at his insides; out of control. Even though Hanzo had just share his hardy venison stew...three servings of it.

The grotesque beast looms over Hanzo; caging him as he sits in front of the fire, reading. It salivates and begins to whisper in his ear. ‘Just one bite. The taste will be worth it. It will feel so good, so delicious gliding down.’

McCree licks his lips, fighting back the drool building in his mouth. He leans forward in the leather chair rubbing and worrying his hands; one over the other. Staring at the oblivious man across from him.

‘It would be so easy...just a bite. It wouldn’t hurt. It wouldn’t even kill him.’ the skull of the creature caress Hanzo’s shoulder. Its black abyssal eyes like fire on his soul.

McCree cringes, cradling his head and crushing his eyes closed, “SHUT UP!” His heart feels like its leaping from his chest. His breathing is ragged, drool slipping from his mouth as he cries. He tastes the salt.

It's quiet, he feels warm, happy, ‘just chew...it’ll be alright...just eat.’ Freedom is at his fingertips he thinks. Then...

Before he realizes, McCree has changed. His small horns, claws, and teeth have peeled free of his skin and his eyes are a wild black and silver. Hanzo steps back in horror.

Half manic, McCree stalks the room, trying to run or hide. But as time passes He finally pins Hanzo when the hunger clouds his mind.

And Hanzo just gives in. Accepts his fate. ‘It’s what he deserves.’

This Snaps McCree out of his haze. He pulls himself back, eyes becoming clear and he shrinks into the corner of the room just whimpering in an inhuman voice, "food"...”so hungry.”

So, Hanzo goes outside. He takes the remains of an Elk carcass from the snow and brings it in for him. Laying it at his feet. It's a sickening sight, as the horned man leans in drooling and finally shredding into the decaying remains, moaning...

McCree changes back soon, wiping his mouth of the gore and Hanzo faints, the shock too much for his body.

When he wakes, McCree explains everything and after a shared silence Hanzo nods and agrees to help him. To McCree’s great disbelief. However, He accepts the offer...just tired of being alone.

Hanzo knows a thing or two about curses after all, from his family and his past.

They travel in search of a shaman to remove the curse. McCree had never thought of it. Of asking for help of breaking the hold on him.

It takes almost a year but they find the shaman. Hidden away deep in the tropics of mexico. However, they find that it would kill McCree to revoke the curse or change him entirely.

So, with a heavy heart and tears streaming down his cheeks McCree accepts his life. They decide to just live with it and Hanzo says as he holds his lovers face in his hands, he will stay by his side.

The flaming wood cracks as it settles in the fireplace. The orange glow lighting the room. Snow drifts down softly outside the window. Each gust of wind causes the cabin to creak, the room quiet and yet not silent; the sounds of home.

The two men lay together on the sofa, swaddled close in warm wool blankets. Hanzo nuzzles into his neck humming a song neither know the words to.

“Are you hungry my love?” Hanzo asks.

Jesse swallows taking in the flames as they dance. He kisses the top of Hanzo’s head, “No, You keep me full Darlin’.”

[closetofanxiety]

Beyond Wrestling: Americanrana 18

I got home after 1 a.m. today and woke up at 6 a.m. Then it was a full day of home improvement stuff. I’m tired. I’ve got ice on my bad foot. But I have some thoughts and impressions about the hottest US independent wrestling show of, uh, the month of July, at least. 

Big crowd: This was Beyond’s biggest live gate of all time, and at the same time the most-watched live stream in the young life of Powerbomb TV, AND the single event responsible for more new subscribers than anything else they’ve shown so far. At the venue, a Polish-American club in Worcester with oil paintings of the Old Country on the walls, people were berserk for almost everything that happened during the night. I don’t know how it came across on TV (or whatever, screen, I’m talking about watching it on a screen), but people were loud and excitable. Dan Barry got the biggest reaction Dan Barry has possibly ever had. People reacted to the surprise appearance of Anthony Green  like he was Mike Bailey, and they reacted to the surprise appearance of Mike Quackenbush like he was Steve Austin. It’s so much fun to be with a crowd of people who are just going nuts for professional wrestling.

Final appearance: Matt Riddle had what is almost certainly his last-ever Beyond Wrestling match, getting pinned by Nick Fuckin Gage during a tag match that pitted Gage and Matt Tremont (the New H8 Club) against Riddle and Filthy Tom Lawlor. It’s wild to think that a year ago he was putting his undefeated streak on the line in the main event at Americanrana 17, and this year he was in a mid-card tag match where he ate a pin. He’s headed for big things, though. Gage is great as the fan favorite, thanking people for willing him onto victory, and looking genuinely delighted when he got the pin. Awkward moment: the crowd, excited at the announcement that the winning team was now called “the New H8 Club,” started chanting “C-Z-Dub! C-Z-Dub!” despite Gage having gone over to bitter rivals GCW and Tremont wrestling his final CZW match on Saturday night. Just chant “Nick Fuckin Gage! Nick Fuckin Gage!” Speaking of which ...

Working blue: This was the sweariest Beyond Wrestling show I can remember for some time. They had pregame interviewers with Wrestling Social Media Personality Alicia Atout in front of a fancy Beyond/Powerbomb backdrop, and Janela and ring announcer Rich Palladino, of all people, kept using the word “fuck” like a comma. Kids in the room, gentlemen! 

Unpopular Opinion #1: I like intergender wrestling a lot, but in order for it to become a normal part of pro wrestling, promotions and wrestlers have to stop loudly drawing attention to the fact that THEY AREN’T AFRAID TO HAVE INTERGENDER WRESTLING, DAMN IT. The opening match on the show was a terrifically fun four-on-four pitting Team Pazuzu against “Team WWR”: Kimber Lee, Jordynne Grace, Mia Yim, and Skylar. It was fun and crazy, as you’d expect from that cast of characters, and Skylar did a good job of keeping up with wrestlers who are much more experienced and established than she is. But then after the match, Chris Dickinson cut a promo about how HE RESPECTS THESE GIRLS SO GODDAMN MUCH AND INTERGENDER WRESTLING IS HERE TO STAY. Good! I like that! But the more you act like it’s some remarkable anomaly, the more people are going to treat it like that. It’s just another variety of match, like tag team wrestling.

Oh, also: There was a GREAT moment in the match where Dickinson was about to give Jordynne Grace a Pazuzu Bomb, but she was saved by Kimber Lee, who then stared Dickinson down. This was a callback to the spot in Beyond years ago where Dickinson waffled Lee with a chair and then hit her with a crazy Pazuzu Bomb in a clip that went viral and gave both of them some not-entirely-wanted exposure to the wider world. The crowd, happily, recognized this immediately and went APESHIT. I loved it!

Loco spotfests: There was an announced four-way tag match with Team Tremendous, the Gentlemen’s Club, the Beaver Boys, and the recently renamed Massage Force. There was also an unannounced Chikara showcase, with Solo Darling, Fire Ant, someone working a “Dasher Hatfield’s kid” gimmick, and Quack himself against a Dungeon of Doom-esque cast of characters. Also Travis Huckabee. I honestly groaned when I heard “Chikara showcase,” but they tore down the house. Quackenbush may be a guy who talks like Darril and wants to turn wrestling into TED Talk fodder, but he’s one of the most important US indie wrestlers of all time, and I had never seen him wrestle in person before. At one point, a sea creature or maybe the Gimp or someone picked Quackenbush up by his feet and heaved him backwards over the rope, and he sailed higher and farther than any person I’ve ever seen launched out of a wrestling ring. It was just a hugely fun match, and the four-way tag managed to top it. There was no “storytelling” or “psychology” in either match, and honestly, that’s fine for a big-spectacle show like Americanrana. Just have a bunch of talented people come out and do stuff they don’t normally do in a show, and go wild.

The plot thickens: The big news from the four-way tag is Dan Barry’s betrayal of beloved partner Bill Carr (there was a loud, enthusiastic chant of “Bill Carr fucks! Bill Carr fucks!” after the big man launched himself through the ropes. “Oh my God, I love it! I love it, you guys!” he yelled back. He is like a big happy golden retriever and it’s impossible to think negatively about him). Betrayals don’t always work on the indie level, and I’ve seen my share of partners turning on partners that are greeted with shrugs by the crowd, but people went NUTS after Barry screwed over Carr. A louder, more sustained negative reaction than I’ve ever heard in Beyond. Should be a hot feud! In further plot twists, MJF was injured and couldn’t wrestle Gresham in their blowoff, so Trent was drafted as a surprise Dream Team member. The match ended in a DQ and Gresham roughed up Stokely Hathaway while MFJ watched helplessly from the outside. THIS SETTLED NOTHING. Presumably. 

Unpopular Opinion #2: I think PCO’s run as the TV veteran who has inexplicably become an indie darling is nearing its conclusion. I also think that run does not sit as well on PCO’s shoulders as it would Gangrel. It should be Gangrel out there, getting the big paydays and the crazy receptions from crowds. PCO does not have a lot in his toolbox, if I’m being honest. He had a sloppy, overlong match with Brian Cage that was full of blown spots and awkward pauses. Let’s all focus on Gangrel from now on. 

A new favorite: I’ve done a total 180 on “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams, who used to bore me to distraction. I really like him now. I think it’s because I’ve heard him on commentary a bunch, and he reminds me of friends who lived in squats and punk houses in the 1990s but who now live in Brooklyn and have respectable jobs in the low six figures, but who are still capable of smashing a bottle in the face of a Nazi skinhead. 

Mayhem: What can I say about the main event, a no-ropes barbed wire death match between David Starr and Joey Janela, to settle a feud that’s been simmering on and off for years? It was extremely violent and bloody. It lasted 22 minutes but felt like 10. Starr won, and cut an absolutely searing promo afterward, calling Janela “a glorified stuntman” who only came to prominence because someone else made goofy Internet videos about him; seriously, it’s one of the best promos I’ve heard an indie wrestler give. Bile and bitterness from a man covered in his own blood; there would be no Triple H Handshake of Respect between these two gladiators.

Grace notes: This was the most efficiently run Americanrana I’ve ever attended. The doors were supposed to open at 6:30, and they opened EARLY. An indie show! This was good, but it trapped one of my friends outside, because he had gone to a bar, assuming it would take forever to get inside the building. I mean, he made it in eventually, he just had to wait at the back of the line ... There was a nice shoutout to Dominki Dijakovicokowiczogonov, gone but not forgotten from Beyond: during his match with AR Fox, Anthony Greene did the Feast Your Eyes and hit Dijakulakovich’s poses while the crowd chanted “Feast Your Eyes! Feast Your Eyes!” ... Chuck Taylor hit a Rainmaker during the four-way tag match and screamed “This one’s for you, Little Kazu!,” which is a reference to an ongoing Twitter joke that I’m almost ashamed to have recognized ... I bought a hat from David Starr and we talked about the need for national healthcare, which is a conversation topic that wouldn’t work with most wrestlers .... I don’t know why or how they do it, but Americanrana really feels special. Everyone seems to raise their game for the show, and the fans are really in a holiday mood. It’s not a show I ever want to miss ... The crowd went from skepticism over the Chikara wrestlers - one guy grunted, “Fuckin’ Vince Russo gimmicks” when the bad guys came out - to joyous acceptance, capped when the same guy yelled at the sea monster character, “Look at this big green bastard! How’s he able to breathe on land?” ... One of my favorite parts of the day was sitting in the bar downstairs while they broke down the ring and set up the barbed wire. Just seeing a bunch of the wrestlers relaxing and enjoying themselves, having a (non-alcoholic) drink with my friend Mike, enjoying the air conditioning on a summer night: this was a good night ... after the show, we stopped at a service plaza on the Masss Pike to get some unhealthy snacks and use the bathroom, and on our way in we passed Solo Darling. “Great match tonight,” we said. “Thank you!” she said. On our way out, we passed a much less happy Solo Darling as she walked over to the counter to give the McDonald’s people hell. “I distinctly said no cheese on ...” she began, as we hurried out. 

Final thought: There was a 20 or 25 minute break before the main event, where they set up the barbed wire and all that. Mike and I went downstairs to the bar while Mark stayed up in the hall. The first person we saw in the bar, sitting by himself at one end, was David Starr. He was hunched over a glass of water and a shot glass and staring into the middle distance, at nothing in particular. In a few minutes, he was going to walk upstairs and wrestle the most violent match of his career in front of 500 people and you could see the concern on his face as he went over the possibilities: barbed wire, steel chairs, staple guns, cinder blocks, baseball bats. One spot that goes a little sideways and someone leaves the building in an ambulance. That glimpse of David Starr brooding put the whole night - put all of wrestling, really - into perspective. This wasn’t an angle, this wasn’t a promo, he wasn’t in character: this was a man working up the courage to do something reckless and potentially dangerous because he wanted to do it more than anything in the world. It was the look of a man who has willingly taken a great weight onto his shoulders, as many of us have, or will have to one day. It was a wordless rejoinder to all those snide comments about how wrestling is fake: looking at David Starr’s face, sitting alone and being left alone by his friends and peers, his staring eyes showing exactly what he was prepared to do, one thing was clear to anyone who was paying attention - nothing is more real than wrestling.

[nsfwclo]

Too Sweet.  BTSVampire!au PREQUEL- “Too Bad.”

Genre: Angst/ Fluff/Smut /+18 /Mature themes / Descriptions of blood and…other things/ Supernatural

Biased: You X Vampire!au BTS  Type: Vampire!au A/N: Hi guys! This is my first time posting my fanfictions on Tumblr (still trying to figure out how to use tumblr, so I apologize in advance for technical difficulties and troubled reading) Anyway, I’d like to say that I by no means created this story from scratch on my own, this is a disclaimer! I messaged the writer @justoneday-namjoonii (who in fact has become a great friend of mine) for permission to post my version of her amazing story Too Sweet; which you all by the way should read BEFORE reading this! It is f@!%ing amazing!!! READ IT

I had a blast writing this!!!!(Just an FYI)

This is an official continuation of HER story. Again, THIS IS A PREQUAL.  You as the reader will not able to understand this prequel without reading @justoneday-namjoonii “Too Sweet.” first.*This prequel updates as the original updates* I had the honor of messaging, converstaitng and more than anything collabortating with her. ~Just a Fan Writer loving on another Fan Writer~

Mkay well lets get going shall we?

Continuation of Part 8 From “Too Sweet” by @justoneday-namjoonii

Written on 12/16/17      Published 1/16/18

As you lay in bed sleep wouldn’t come to you. You thought back on what had happened after Jungkook had fed from you. All the guys told you that almost anyone Jungkook bites into dies because of his hybrid venom, yet here you were healthy, alive and just dandy. Your mind surfed over to when J-hope and Tae had almost devoured you, both feeding from you simultaneously. Your mind did not rest on the different feelings of their bites “Why did Tae’s hurt more than Hobi’s?” ran through your head every ten seconds, even Jungkooks didn’t hurt as bad. You tried justifying it saying because it was a bite in your inner thigh, but it just didn’t settle well in your thoughts. As Jin was in his lab you put on a robe over your PJ’s and walked outside toward the balcony. Your feet stopped in there place as you saw the one person who’s been on your mind all night sitting on the balcony. “You’ll fall, please be careful” you begun to approach him, Tae ignored you and smiled toward the moon, you heard a howl in the distance, Taehyung sighed. “What are you doing up so late y/n? You should be asleep, around this hour your pretty little face is easy bait” he made fun.

“I couldn’t sleep”

“Awww were too busy dreaming of me that you had to come see me?” he laughed jokingly

“Yes actually” the words spilled from your mouth before you realized what exactly you were saying.

“Why are you the only vampire who leaves campus regularly to visit your parents? How come your bites hurt more than the others? Why are you so confident and narky, like you act like nothing you say do affects anyone or anything?” maybe it was because you were tried and the Drugs Jin gave you were kicking in but you couldn’t hold your tongue

“You’re curiosity is a dangerous thing Y/n, it is best you stick to the books you’re reading”

“Tell me about you, I have yet to find or read any books on your bloodline. How come I answer the questions you ask me when I dont want to answer them! How do you force me to tell you the truth”

“The same way Namjoon gets in your head, suga links his thoughts, jimin seduces and deceives, Hoseok inflicts mental disorders, and Jin heals sickness and injury. It is a gift i was born with.”

“Bullshi-”

“Ah ah ah, no foul language at this time of day y/n your still a lady” he teased, intrigued by your questions. “I always give you answers to your questions, the least you can do is answer mine once” you begged, and oh how he liked you begging. He wasn’t one to make deals but he liked this one

“The truth comes with a cost if your willing to pay for it” he tilted his head to the side coyly

“What kind of price are we talking?” he looked you up and down and bit his lip

“No absolutely not! Pervert!” you couldn’t believe it and playfully hit him

“I’m just kidding. How about blood, hm?” he was more serious now, you weren’t feeling well but that was one you were willing to make do with “sure” he gave a quick smile and looked away from you “jin is going to kill me, but it’ll be fun to get under his bones” tae said under his breath

“I wasn’t born a vampire like the others” he smiled slightly to himself as if finding the story he was telling you was hilarious. He pressed his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, playing with his toes.

“What do you mean?” you stared at him perplexed as how he came to be vampire, more bewildered on the fact that he said “born”. You always thought vampires could turn others into vampires at will, by choice. Well what do you know, you learn something new everyday. You begun to approach sonderly.

“I was born a werewolf.” he said quite frankly still holding onto his feet as looked up at the moon smiling faintly, so bright and full was the moon. The reflection that casted in his eyes captured you, how could someone already so beautiful become even more beautiful simply by looking up. Maybe it was an effect of being a vampire to always leave a human in awe, if that were so I’d said he succeed exceedingly you thought. You took a deep breath and sat closer to him “born a werewolf?” you took a few seconds to contemplate the possibility of how he .. “But how are you a--” he cut you off “A vampire?” you nodded, he placed a hand on your arm circling with his finger the vein to one of your main arteries “I grew up very poor.” he started “My parents moved closer to the city for better jobs to sustain a better income, to help provide us with a better life”  his eyes faltered “I was left to live on the farm with my grandma” tae smiled and at the suddenty you had never seen taehyung smile so sincerely since you’ve met him, it was so nostalgic it hurt to look at. “You probably know this by now with all your reading, but being a werewolf is ranked in the lowest class amongst all creatures” his eyes met you “including humans” his eyes narrowed piercing into your very thoughts “ it’s hard to make and find fair pay when no one wants to hire a dog.” he said in almost a spat like tone as his teeth grit thinking of the struggle his mother and father had to endure. “Vampires hated us for humanitarian reasons, witches killed us for our hair, organs, and entirety for elixirs and potions, humans were kind to us until they discovered our sub rosa” his jaw clenching, his hand on your arm squeezing ever so tightly that it felt he could crush your bones at any moment's notice, but he stopped “Life was mundanely pleasant” he said abruptly, his eyes softened moderately wavering. You wanted to ask what he meant by humanitarian reasons, and why he said it so longingly as if his misses it; but with the conversation at this moment of time it wasn’t appropriate. “My grandmother” he put his hand closer to that grin of his “She gave purpose to my life” he looked at you excited “I remember when i was going through puberty and I first changed, I almost ripped off her arms and my grandfather had to school me on just who the alpha male was in this family, yet she loved me anyway. Oh! And how we would pluck the berries and cut down our livestock” he smiled thinking of all the cows, sheep, and pigs they ate. Those are things he can’t stand the taste of now, but the taste will always be embedded in his memory “My grandmother taught me everything, did you know I know how to play the saxophone?”

“Really?” you said surprised, he nodded “She bought me one on my 70th birthday, in dog years of course” he laughed “wolves age faster internally, physically is all up to us. I suppose that was the coolest quirk of being a werewolf; once you reach adulthood you can maintain that outward appearance for as long as you’d like, the downfall is that you can always age when you’d like but never become younger” you were learning a lot about werewolves talking to taehyung, listening to him answer your questions,you realized why you never saw any werewolves in the school and if you did there was only one by the name of Park Bo Gum and he was the football coach. “How i came to be this devilishly handsome blood stucker, that you are ever so curious about” he said as he grabbed ahold your chin and gave a sexy cheeky smile with a wink “happened on the day my grandmother died… and I had finally moved into town with my parents nowhere near her location” his happy attitude diminished, his ora becoming serious “I got a phone call from my grandfather on my way to school, I was excited to be going to a school with actual people. I was happy that abeoji was calling so I could tell him of my excitement, but when the news got related to me, the last thing on my mind was school. In an instant I wanted to kill everything and everyone in front of me out of anger.” his hands shook and tears started to form “I thought how could my birth be any worse than what it already was, and just like that God answered “like this” and i didn’t want to live anymore” you had never seen the always so confident taehyung so vulnerable, tears dripped off his nose “so i sought a witch, I wanted to bring my grandmother back, give her some of my years.” he wiped his nose of tears “werewolves only mate once in their lives, my abeoji would eventually die of grief. I couldn’t afford to loose him too” he glanced back at the moon in a swift moment “so I sought; cavern after cavern, bloodline after bloodline, there was no witch or any supernatural being that could help me!” he shouted at you, you were now struck with pity and fear and sat there like a deer in the headlights as he cupped your face to bring you closer to him. “So I went to the source of death himself” he lowered himself to your ear and whispered “The devil”. You tried to shake your head away; scared, the adrenaline sped through your veins at a miraculous pace but Tae held your face still looking you straight in the eyes, he drew his face and his hands from you maintaining a close distance “So i made a deal with devil.” His eyes darkened at the renvior, “but i should’ve known better than to trust the devil, only a fool would forget his dealing with Adam and Eve. But there I was, in desperate need for anyone to help me” and suddenly he broke into spaced laughter “what good was it to make a deal for it only undoubtedly fail knowingly that the devil always lied.. So i figured I’m already damned anyway; I’ll be the fucking devil himself. A deal unfulfilled was simply just not good enough for me. So I did it, I ate him” you’re eyes widened in fear as you didnt want to believe your ears, but he wasn’t lying he couldn't be lying while staring at you with eyes like that. You tried to make out words “b-u-u-utt how do-o-oes that explain you becoming a --” “I gave up my life to give my grandmother her’s. Only at the end, I was lifeless and my grandmother remained dead. I became cursed to a hell on earth, a similar punishment that was made on him. Turning me into a vampire was him being gracious” he scoffed “gracious” he repeated under his breath annoyed. “I didn’t like our deal, so I ate him. In a way you could say I made things worse for myself, he still alive down there in his hell hole but he no longer owns me. I have his abilities” silence rang momentarily as you thought on how Taehyungs speed was faster than the others, his venom was stronger, his control over voice, the dominance he radiated. “Trying to put the pieces together Bunny?” he stalked closer. “huh, funny. Wolves eat bunnies.” you thought as you tried to ease yourself on the situation, nervousness poring over you.

“So you escaped a deal with the devil?”

“Yes... but I don't believe one can ever truly part with a dealing made with the devil. It come with many curses, one in which where I no longer cross paths with him but instead I’m more often than not always in full control”

“like your feeding cycles?”

“exactly, and you see bunny” he cooed “I like that; me in control” his eyes preyed on you. “so you can imagine how annoying it is to have a feeding cycle that is highly dependent on the moon”

He started to unbutton his shirt “Tae! What are you--” he placed a finger on your lips to silence you “would you like to see the mark of one of my many curses?” he stared at you attentively and you nodded, an instant smirk appeared on his face as he dropped his shirt to pool at his elbows and black wings appeared from his back, in a woosh taehyung had slammed you against the wall and buried his head in the crook of your neck. You didn't know whether to be afraid or to be mesmerized by his beautiful wings. Struggling to push him off of you, your attempt to flee only egged him on and he bit down into you, wings slowing retracting back into his back. Bite after bite after bite, perhaps that’s why tae’s bites always hurt the most upon entering the skin then fills you with the euphoric pleasures making you feeling like you want him to continue to suck you until there is nothing left pumping through you. Taehyung was one with many secrets, funny because he didn’t look like someone who would be. “Tae” you said breathlessly still trying to fight, but too much venom had entered you and you began losing consciousness.

Taehyung smirked upon your skin, leaving a bloody mess. His marks weren’t healing, let’s just say taehyung didn’t tell you all his secrets and you have yet to discover what the others have been hiding from you all this time. You were losing it, about to go completely black as he pressed himself onto you when suddenly someone had yanked taehyung away, literally almost throwing him across the room. “Y/n” the voice met your ears but you couldn’t tell who it was “Y/n you’re going to be okay” and you saw the dark figure candle down to you before blanking out.

________________

“Mhmmm hmmm” Jimin was humming a song to himself waiting for Jin. Yoongi walked in and sat on the couch at the corner of the room also expecting Jin, Jimin glanced at him slightly. Although he’ll never admit it, Jimin missed Yoongi feeding from him. Before you came along Jimin had to give Yoongi his feeds three times a day twice a week, more if he was craving, but since you came Jimin has been able to be a “normal” vampire. He should be grateful, although not jealous he felt bittersweet toward the situation. Jimin rubbed his neck throwing his head back from thought and let out a sigh “Jimin are you feeling alright?” Jin finally walked tapping jimin on the shoulder and gesturing for him to come sit on the patient table “Have you been feeding properly, someone of your bloodline should have no problems in obtaining meals” he raised an eyebrow at him with a sincere smile “I’m fine hyung, don’t worry” jin stuck a needle in Jimin's arm and begun to draw blood. “Have you heard from your parents? I know it’s not easy being a royal, especially when you’re not treated as one” jin flicked the glass vile of blood. Jimin was born into the “the lovers of the moon” royal bloodline, his life was destined the moment he came into existence yet he still chose to be here, for research and to help Jin discover remedies for his brothers. He didn’t regret any of his decisions as he thought back on his cousin taemin. By the third needle it actually begun to hurt “Ah-” he said as he tried to remain still, something was wrong “I knew it” Jin stopped “You’ve been missing meals, how long has it been since you’ve had a proper feeding?” jin tapped his foot arms crossed waiting for an answer “6 days” jimin said slowly and in a guilty manner. “Get to your room I’ll have Y/N meet you up there for a proper feeding, I don’t want to see your face until you’ve had a whole weeks worth of blood in your system do you understand Jimin” this was that motherly side of Jin, it was kind of scary, his eyes piercing into your very soul ever so seriously. “I think that would be too much for Y/n to take” Jimin said with concern. “Then i’ll have you alternate between donors” jin was done talking and turned his back to jimin with viles in hand. Jimin wasn’t hungry, he hadn’t been eating for more than 6 days but he couldn’t let jin know or he knew that he would freak. He went to his room.

Namjoon burst through the door and set you on the patient table panicking “Jin!” he turned around yoongi got up to see your lifeless body on the table covered in bite marks. Jins eyes widened with worried anger “taehyung.” he already knew, had it already been 6 years? it was that time of the year 6/6 devils peak, taes devil comes out to play. “Has the moon already begun phasing?” he sighed at his unspoken thought. Hoseok entered the room hurriedly but stopped abruptly once he saw jin occupied “Jin.” he looked at the situation and didn’t know if his announcement was important to say anymore “ughh..” he stared at all the concerned faces “What, spit it out already” Jin spat as he put on gloves and had his staff place an oxygen mask over your mouth, IV needles were placed into your arms. “Taehyung just killed another donor” Jin looked at Yoongi and he nodded as he left with J-hope to go get Taehyung. It left Namjoon, Jin and his staff alone giving them time to talk

“Jimin is too weak to be feed on at this moment” jin said as he cleaned off the wounds

“At this rate I think we might have to tell the others”

“I don’t think that’s the best option at the moment Namjoon” he glared at him

“Jimin has been the donor for both Yoongi and Taehyung since you’ve founded this institute and you and I both know how long that’s been”

“If you’re so concerned about Jimin why don’t you take over until he’s recovered enough to inform me of his discomfort in being Yoongi's and Tae’s donor.” jin injected a serum into your IV “Tongs” he asked one of the nurses and he patched up the deeper bites. Namjoon was silent, he knew what kind of venom Taehyung had at this time, to be bite several times over and over again was death sentence, he didn’t know how Jimin did it. A vampire who feeds on vampires is the worse deformity to inquire and a rare one at that, what were the odds of being in the company to two. Two deformative vampires who have no idea about one another's deformities. Jin took Namjoons silence as his answer and smirked “I thought so” he finished, the bites will go away in three days, these bites lasted much longer than that but luckily he had a serum from taes last endeavor. “She should wake up soon”

_________________

“I can’t find him anywhere dammit” Hoesok spat as he walked into all the dorms, he opens another door “*screams*” and quickly shuts the door “Sorry ladies” seeing he’s already walked in on three other dorm girls fresh out of the shower, he didn’t mind it. Yoongi went to the feeding hall, cafeteria, lounge, still no trace. He was worried he could have possibly left school grounds, he didn’t know much about taes defect nothing other than he knew it scared Jin and that was enough to make Yoongi worried. He grabbed Hoesok and left the grounds toward the cafe, there’s no way he could’ve strayed further, tae was getting exactly what he wanted, his hyungs out of the way. Tae entered his room which he shared with jungkook, jungkook was napping to submerge the hunger pains Jin put him in as a result from feeding from y/n. Since Tae couldn’t find Jimin, jungkook was the second best thing; half human and vampire. He towered over jungkook, sitting on top of his lap and brushed his nose across his neck. Tae wasn’t selfish when feeding from his brothers, his gift allowed him to draw all the poisons from his blood/body and direct them into his venom so that way his prey could drink from him too without being poisoned, this exhausted him though. It took conscious effort to project all this poisons into his venom to make sure that the vampire he’s feeding from doesn’t drink any toxins. That’s why it made taehyung's bites so unbearably painful. When drinking from humans tae didn’t have to do this, he could drink with a normal venom dose inflicted on his prey, but if he were to bite a human in this state they’d surely die after the second. Even for a vampire, if weak too many bites could cause them to pass out, if they’re strong enough the worst that they’ll probably get it really really dizzy. Tae smelled jungkook, his mouth salivating with anticipation, this would come as a surprise to Jungkook. Jungkook shuffled in his sleep but was unable to move, the immobility woke him up “Tae what are you--” he tried to prop himself up but was pushed back down, jungkook used his weight to flip tae to the bottom holding his wrists down

“I’m hungry” tae said with playful serious tone

jungkook was confused by taes statement

“If you’re hungry you know to go to the feeling hall” jungkook let go and stretched

“I’m hungry for blood a little thicker today” tae said as he pushed Jungkook to the wall

“What are you on? You know you can’t drink from vampires, it’s poisonous” tae walked back to the bed annoyed counting down the time yoongi and hoesok have been out.

“Jungkook”

“Yea?”

“Do you trust me?” he was doing it, using his power to get what he wanted

“Of course”

“I can give you blood to suck on”

“You’re bringing Y/N?!”  Jungkook exclaimed excitedly, Tae frowned and then laughed

“Not exactly but it’s better than animal blood and I know your hungry. It’s something other than Y/N you can sink your teeth into without killing” jungkook was interested

“Well you have my attention.... so you gonna tell me what it is because I want some” Jungkook said eagerly and impatiently

Taehyung gestured for him to come down so he could whisper in his ear, bringing his neck close enough “It’s me” tae whispered and quickly bit into his perched neck straddling him down. He took the bait and Tae wasnt latching off. Jungkook yelled in agony like never heard before “Tae-” he wanted to throw taehyung off knowing he could but the venom was too strong, he wasn’t use to it yet. Then tae bit again lower down and another yell of agony left, low key turning tae on “They’re not as high pitched as jimin's” tae said in a hushed tone over his bite blowing cool breath onto the gash before digging in again “but his will do” tae helped himself to the adreline rushing through Jungkooks veins, it caused the blood to be hotter and run faster. What a shame there would be ton wasted. Jungkook was getting dizzy  “mhmmm” tae hummed as his blood tasted delicious going down his throat, he broke his contact with the skin huffing for breath “The bites would hurt a lot less if you bit down too you know” then sinking back in. Jungkook couldn’t think, tae felt Jungkooks body suddenly fall limp and stopped. “A limp body is no fun to feed from” Taehyung said lowly annoyed. He grabbed the back of Jungkook's head and guided him to his neck being patient for him to bite before continuing his meal. Jungkook half unconscious felt skin touching his lips forgetting whos neck it belonged to and dug in aggressively taking Tae aback. “Ugh-” tae glared at him from the corner of his eye, jungkook never opened his eyes, they were too heavy but began to suck and found that Tae’s blood tasted euphoric, powerful, rich like dark chocolate, he bite again. There they were feeding off of one another and no one had the slightest clue.

Jimin was in the other room, he knew exactly was going on and crouched up into a little ball on his bed. He somehow felt bad he couldn’t feed Tae but relieved that Jungkook was taking the first night instead of him. Sometimes Tae didn’t know when to stop and jimin was in no condition for blood sharing, he barely had enough of his own blood pumping through him. An hour past.

Tae left jungkook sleeping on the bed as he sighed in satisfaction, jungkook kept up well but that didn’t mean he still wasn’t going to some of jimins.

_____________

“y/n!” namjoon greeted you warmly, he’s been different since you’ve woken up from your injury.

“Hi namjoon” you smiled warmly as you gathered your books to place back onto the shelves of the library

“Have you read up on the blood lines? Which one are you most familiar with” you found it strange he was trying to make actual conversation with you, normally he’d just peep into your head for the answers to his questions that he wanted.

“Jimin’s bloodline I’ve become more familiar with, and Hoseok’s is generic. But I have yet to do any research on you although I should” you playfully scolded, you did have tons of questions but were afraid to ask him about. Namjoon’s eyebrow raised “Jimin's bloodline may be the easiest to comprehend but his heritage is another ballpark” he grabbed another book titled “Bonding” you were interested in the title and coaxed your head to the side to peer over his shoulder

“always so curious y/n” he snickered

“Haven’t you ever heard of “curiously killed the cat” in your case “kitten” he pried the book from your eyes.

“His heritage? Why would it be hard to understand?” you said ignoring his comment and concentrating on the topic of Jimin’s heritage. Jimin has always been the kindest, you made sure to study more on his bloodline as a thank you for always being polite and mindful when feeding from you.

“Mine and Jimin’s bloodlines are the oldest” he licked this thumb to turn the page

“We’ve set the foundation of bonding, without it our race and our family lines would have deceased to exist”

“Tae had mentioned something about vampires being born? Is that true, i always thought vampires could turn others into vampires?”

A smile danced its way onto Namjoon’s lips as the words left from yours

“You watch too many movies y/n” he chuckled

“It is extremely difficult to turn someone into a vampire but not entirely possible. That is why my and Jimin’s bloodlines are vital. They carry the ways of bonding, establishing a married connection” he shifted the weight of the book back and forth from each hand

“Jimin being first born into his family has had his suitors picked out since he was young. If I’m not mistaken it’s about that time where they consummate.” his eyes faltered

“Vampires have a process of marriage?”

“Absolutely. It’s a very serious matter. You know by now that vampire blood is poisonous don’t you” you nodded in response to his question

“Vampires are very intimate creatures.” He looked you up and down and bit his lip teasingly. God how he stirs up, you were a little embarrassed. He chuckled before continuing.

“It is quite difficult being intimate with your spouse or lover when you worry of possibly killing yourself and or your partner. During intimacy vampires tend to bite, it’s an oral pleasure, a release. You know like...” 

“No no no it’s okay I get what you mean” you waved your hands franticly almost about to cover his mouth to stop him from explaining further. Your flustered embarrassment amused him

“You don’t have to be so detailed” you blushed covering your face, Namjoon laughed at your reactions. Sometimes you wished you weren’t so curious.

“Okay okay. To sum it up blood sharing between spouses is a basic necessity toward our existence. Our blood makes that almost impossible, so you would think right?” he perched his eyebrow up to you

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember in history class how the king claims his wife as his own? How that tradition started?”

“You mean where the pope, higher class members, and witches had to watch them consummate for the first time?”

“Yes exactly!”

“That is so vulgar. The queen must have felt so violated”

“It’s a custom, you get use to it. It started with vampires, our line to be exact.” he said ever so proudly.

“So people have to watch you ….” you gulped “ “do it” for the first time with your wife”

“Yes, for good reason. During consummation the witches use a spell to link the married couple’s blood together. Unspoiling the blood for just them two” he smiled kindly “It’s a beautiful thing to be able to drink from the person you love most for the rest of your life and not have to worry of poison.”

“Does that mean other vampires can drink from you too?”

“No, the blood is only linked between partners. The blood is still toxic just not to the couple.”

“How is that possible?”

“It’s difficult. More often than not three witches die during the process.”

It finally begun to click in your head why there were so many witches attending the school, Chaseon specifically came to mind. You admitted, it horrified you bit “Would it be okay for a vampire to marry a human?” you asked thinking of your own feelings. “There are laws about that Y/n that you definitely can read about.” he said vaguely with remorse not giving you a clear answer. What didn’t he want to tell you? He handed you the book and pat your head. “Alright then, well at least tell me about Tae’s bloodline, I can’t find anything on it” you yelled down the vacant library aisle as namjoon began walking away. Namjoon stopped, frozen to your question before sighing, dreading what it he’ll have to. He’s going to have to make you forget. “Y/n” he said concerned as he turned back to face you “What exactly do you already know?” he began walking toward you.

________________________

“Jimin! Jimin! Jimin” Tae and J-hope were chanting Jimin on as he started to eat again, this being his third girl as the other two had fallen unconscious.

“See, and I thought I was bad” tae elbowed Hobie

“You are. Jimin hasn’t killed any.” the atmosphere went from frat to serious “When vampires were first brought into the world they killed just about every human they fed on”

“We arent as animalistic. We’ve adapted and have become domesticated.” he growled showing fangs, Tae isn’t one to back down a challenge but felt it was best to let it go before it got ugly.

*coughing* “Jimin slow down will you” tae said cheekily as he patted his shoulders. Normally you’re not supposed to stare while vampires are eating but Tae wanted Jimin, it was kind of hard not to stare.

“Tae let’s go, Jin needs you” J-hope checked his messages. Tae grabbed the back of jimin's neck tenderly, flashed him a smile and got up “Let’s go see what the mom wants”

“You’ve never had to see him so often before, is everything okay?” Hobie was concerned, Tae was his best friend [of course when Yoongi wasn't around]. Taehyung felt a struck of guilt as he’s never told Hobie his secret, he who has always went with him to see his parents on the holidays instead of seeing his own and always made him laugh, he wanted to tell him but couldn’t bring himself to do it quite yet. “Yea, he’s probably concerned with my blood intake after what Jimin pulled? Blood depreciation, c’mon now” he playfully nudged him to bring him at ease “I thought so”

You read up on bonding and ran to Jimin’s room to ask him about “Rose” how she happened to be on his heritage plan. What did her picture next to Jimin mean? Was she a suitor like Namjoon was talking about? If she were why would it bother you? Maybe that was the reason Jimin stopped eating, he isn’t ready to announce his engagement. You could be wrong but wanted to find out for sure. You banged on the door “Jimin, Jimin” you heaved as you were out of breath. Jimin groaned as he got himself off the bed and opened the door. “Y/n? What are you doing here? Sugas room is two doors down” he pointed down the hall sleepily, eyes suddenly widened at the books in your hand “What are you reading?” the grabbed your hand and pulled you in. “I was curious, I have to know who is this?” you pointed in the book. Annoyed he didn’t answer your question instead he decided he was hungry. He pushed the books out of your hands 

“Hey!” you shouted as the papers inside the textbooks flew onto his bedroom floor. He approached you. He placed his hand behind your head and grabbed a fist full of hair pulling it back for your face look up at him. You let out a groan of pain as he held you in an uncomfortable position. He smirked as your painful expression brought a dark pleasure to him, he began kissing you and quickly moving down to your neck. Although you didn't stop him, you began to fill with fear.

“I don’t like the taste of fear in my blood like the others” he said breathily as he sniffed your neck then gently placing a peck on it. You’re breathing was uneasy, you didn’t like this Jimin, this Jimin when he’s hungry scared you. “Y/n” he used his other hand to run his fingers down your body “Relax for me please, it’s just me” in an instant your body complied and relaxed, you hated Jimin’s gift the most and the effect that his voice had on your body. How his words engulfed your mind, like a siren calling you making you fall competent to all his wishes, demands, and questions willingly.

“Jimin please.” you tried to move your head into a more comfortable position at your discomfort, hoping for just the slightest bit of a distraction to get him to stop. He gripped tighter and moved your head to the side for better access to your neck. You clenched your eyes shut from the pain of your hair being pulled and he bit into you. An accidental moan of anguish slipped from your lips and followed by groans from the two sources of pain. You felt jimins lips form into a smirk on your neck as he fed. “Keep making those noises y/n and you’re going to have more than just my teeth entering you” If you were being honest with yourself, Jimin was the most dangerous among the vampires. You tried suppressing by biting your bottom lip, some still managed to come out muffled. His gifts making you want what he wants, making you strive to please and satisfy him, genuinely what a cruel gift- you thought has he begun teasing you, licking up your neck and random pecks as he dug his fangs back into you. He removes his hand from your hair and places both hands on your arms, clenching them tightly to try and restrain himself. He bit again  higher up your neck and as much as you tried to stay quite another moan left louder and pained, he was being a little too aggressive than usual but still sensual. This was a different type of fear you were feeling, and not one where you were scared of him. He knew exactly what he was doing as he pushed himself up against you, you could feel him. Your blood was releasing oxytocin and higher amounts of endorphins, jimin was getting exactly what he wanted, you were letting him dominate you. “Ah-” he broke away from your neck momentary to release a gasp of pleasure from the way your blood tasted, it was precisely how he liked it, hot with the right amount hormones. “I’m not satisfied Y/n” he whined for more

“Then drink until you are” why did you say that? You didn’t know if that was really you talking. He looked at you with your blood stained on his lips “I know of another you can feed me, someway more satisfying” he placed his lips onto yours and pushed you flat onto the bed with his weight, why weren’t you fighting him? He moved his lips to your neck kissing the bite marks he’s left on you “Y/n?” he said as he made kisses down your body “Do you like me?” he was at your naval “yes” you managed out of your lips, you wanted to stop but at the same time you didn’t, Jimin’s venom had a way of making you a paradox. “Y/n” he slid his hands across your thighs “do you want me?” the question caused your heart to quicken, pumping blood faster throughout your body, Jimin could feel it across your skin, he was growing impatient. “Yes” you paused “stop it you idiot” you told yourself on the inside, but your mind and your words weren’t communicating as “I want you Jimin” left your lips. He placed his hands between your knees looking at you darkly “good, because i want you to.” another kiss placed upon you as he played with your knees “Y/n, could you open your legs for me please?” his eyes seductively hypnotic, his voice controlling your movements, you couldn’t beat him. You lay there flat on your back in defeat as you slowly begin to spread your legs open to him, inviting him. He squeezes your thighs in his hands as he lowers himself in between and just before he could remove any apparel to get to his destination a knock was made at the door. Before someone walked into it “Y/n are you in here?” Jin opened the door with of course Namjoon following right behind. Jimin was annoyed and stood up as jin barged in to scoop you up brindle style “Jimin what the hell” Namjoon glared at him following Jins glare “We will discuss this later, meanwhile if you’re still hungry I suggest drinking blood bags until we’ve discussed things” jin carries you out of the room being mindful not to bump your head into anything.  Namjoon flashing on last glare, jealous that you let Jimin dominate you. He felt he was the only one who was allowed to do that to you. He recalled that first and last time he had drunken from you. Namjoon left and shut the door. It left Jimin alone. He felt it again, that wave of dread. He was not anticipating speaking with Jin and Namjoon about his actions, actions in which he didn’t regret.

[darkhymns-fic]

So I’ve Been Told

Like nomads they both were. Raine knew that to stay in one place too long - and to believe in another - was to invite suspicion. Besides, only Genis was her family, and nobody else.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Raine Sage, Genis Sage, Dirk, Phaidra Brunel Rating: G Mirror Links: AO3, FF.net Notes: Written for Tales of Symphonia Week 2017, for Oct 9 - Friends and Family. (A day late, sorry!)

What Raine remembered most from waking up that morning was the taste of mana in the air; so light and weak.

“We didn’t sleep much when we traveled, did we?” Genis would ask her sometimes. He’d mutter a spell of flames to put the kindling on the stove to work. Shortly afterwards, there was a scent of spices, topped with freshly cut onions and peppers and parsley, to accompany the buttery rice that Raine held in her own dinner bowl.

“No. You cried every night. Quite a task for a young girl to keep you silent from the wolves, but we managed.” She poked the rice with her fork, ideas of exotic recipes surfacing in her mind. Surely, with rice so soft and fluffy, adding a bit of texture – perhaps of the gravelly kind – would bring about a new dish that people would appreciate. Something to keep in mind when she experimented tomorrow.

Genis was quiet for a moment, taste-testing their meal with a sip from the wooden spoon. “I don’t remember much from that.” He paused. “I’m sorry I was a lot of trouble.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Genis. I’ve already told you.” She took a bite from the rice, appreciating the lush flavors on her tongue, already forgetting her need to improve upon it. “We managed, and now we’re here.”

However, it had not always been that easy.

.

.

.

“An abomination,” one lady had whispered, shutting her door to the starving children. It had not been said as an aside, or as a floating thought that was not meant to be heard by any passerby. It was the words of one filled with utter conviction, whispered like a warding spell that would keep terrible demons at bay. Such words had been thrown at Raine right at her feet, circling around her like a ring of stones, keeping her imprisoned from the rest of the world.

That night once again, Genis had cried.

“It’s okay. It’s alright.” With small hands, the young girl brought forth what little mana she could, inducing calm, wrapped in feathers and cotton, around her baby brother. The patch of the forest they resided in for the night was so dark, and she had thought for sure she had heard the soft sound of padded feet from only a few feet away. Still, even with the world’s lack of mana, she could coax out enough to work her spells. Strange adults had wanted her for her magic, her mother once said. And back home, there was no escaping them.

So she and Genis had left home, suddenly and viciously. When she had woken up, all she could recall was the taste of mana in the air; so light and weak.

Genis’ cries lessened, and he sunk in deeper in his tattered blanket. Yet as he slept, Raine felt tears leave her eyes. She held her only family close, hoping for the sun to rise as soon as possible. There was the village far-off ahead of her, rooftops coated in silver light, thick smoke from the hearths rising into the air. The door that had been shut to her was hidden by the rise of the hill, its doorknob still twisted off its clasp of poor workmanship, its sole-window still stained from age and wear.

It was not a sight she could forget, no matter how much she slept, or dreamed, or wished.

This house was different.

A trek down well-worn dirt paths led both half-elves to the work of a master craftsman. The ivy crawled up the eaves of the home, hanging from it like a tapestry of rich green. It even clung through the slim openings between the wooden planks of the front door, yet not in the ways of an invader. Soft light peered out through several windows on the ground floor, highlighting the potted plants outside. For decoration? No. Raine looked closer and saw they were plants of a medicinal nature, for treating scrapes and wounds if a doctor was nowhere nearby.

They were not nearby anything, except for this large house placed on private land, seeming so warm and inviting in the night.

“Sis?” Genis tugged on her arm. He already spoke clear and well for a child of four. She said nothing, instead fixing his long, silver hair to hide the sharp points of his ear. An uncanny eye could notice the details; the soft hint of bluntness around that point, indicating a weaker link to the blood of those elves, secreting themselves away into forests beyond human knowledge.

They smelled food. It was too hard to ignore.

“Let me talk,” she told him. At fifteen, she could pull off a maturity that most adults found charming – until she let her tone carry her away into rudeness. But she had learned how to make due in their passage, living off the roads and a few strangers’ kindness. It had not felt right to her to impose herself on that caravan, despite their zoological ambitions. She had immersed herself in their self-written academic texts for so long, but could not give much else back – they were only traveling bags, her clothes, and the precious papers in her pocket. Besides, wandering the world had become the norm.

Wrapped in traveling cloaks that she had bartered for in the fishing town of Izoold, both Raine and and Genis passed stores of barrels – more food supplies perhaps, arranged by an owner who knew the importance of sustainability – and made their way to the door. Off to the right, she could see a stable, and hear the soft huffing of a creature. The moonlight reflected off its eyes, yet it did not growl or come forward like most guard animals. Instead, a little whine left its throat, and it retreated further back into its stable.

Raine knocked on the door. What next she noticed – and stored away for future reference – were the heavy footsteps beyond that door, like a boulder that had suddenly sprouted two feet.

The door opened. Her eyes instantly latched onto the cooking pot to the left of an open room, the ladle having been left within its contents as steam rose. Once she focused in front of her, she was thrown off guard once she saw that the house owner only barely reached her height. “Ah, don’t get many strangers at this time of night.”

Raine knew him to be a dwarf, though she had never seen one before. She had read about them in old books that the kindly historian had once let her borrow. The information in such books had been scarce still. Recalling what little she knew, she inclined her head slightly, yet forgone the female dwarven greeting of arranging one’s long braids before her neck – a gesture of openness, that no secrets shall be kept. All the more fitting, she thought. Her hair was short anyway, and her secrets were as long and as hidden as the lower-most roots of the great everwoods.

“Good evening. I beg of you a favor to show me the way,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “Me and my brother are trying to find the path leading towards, Iselia, the village of oracles. The forest has been confusing our senses, and so we have gotten lost.”

Her request finished, Raine stood before the dwarf, unnerved that she had to look down to meet the other’s eyes. She had only ever had to meet such an angle with Genis.

“My, how well-spoken you are, lass! Though if ye want to be more convincing, I’d suggest keeping your eyes rooted to me instead of my dinner!”

Raine could feel the flush rising to her cheeks. She shook it away, hoping it would not highlight the ears she kept hidden beneath the careful arrangement of her hair. “That’s – I apologize. I did not mean to impose. I really am only looking for directions to Iselia.”

“Yet how can you travel on an empty stomach? My forge is still shaping my latest work, and the ringing of my hammer still sits in my ears. Even through all that, I can hear both of your stomachs growling like a mangy wolf searching for his next meal!”

Raine’s voice died instantly. Even through all her travels, she had not met anyone quite like this dwarf – one that caught onto her mind, and who met it straight on with a wide smile. Genis was staring, eyes open and curious, holding tight to her hand while he shifted on tired feet.

“I…” she stopped, then started again. “I do not wish to impose.”

The dwarf waved away her concerns. “Nonsense, lass. I was only cooking some leftovers for myself. My boy ate the last batch all by himself, and now he’s out like a light.” He laughed at that, and there was a genuine happiness there that Raine instantly envied. “You are free to rest yourselves and have a bite or two. I’ve always made it my business to have my home open to weary travelers – though I guess that is so because most of my clients are travelers – traveling to meet with me that is!”

Raine put the information together. She had examined what she could see of the home; the forge that was near the stove, the bundles of swords that lay wrapped in cloth, hanging within a metal basket on the floor. Dwarves were the original metalsmiths of the world, after all.

“The name’s Dirk, by the way. Like the weapon, though I am not as deadly as one! Ya don’t need to give your names if you wish to keep them a secret, but my food is available to the nameless.” He gestured, leaving the door open. So trusting he was. Was it because he was not human? “Come, before you catch more colds than ye already have!”

Genis sniffled at the comment, then did a great sneeze that made Raine flinch. “Sorry,” the child spoke, eyes wandering to that cooking pot.

Raine swallowed.

“I don’t want to impose.” She shook her head. “I must… speak with the priests at Iselia. I have a recommendation.” A secret revealed without her meaning to. She refrained herself from petting the pocket where that paper was kept, scrawled by the kind historian’s writing. “Please. Just show me the way and we will leave you alone.”

She ignored Genis’ sad eyes, tried to brush past the dwarf’s look of slight confusion. She could not let herself stay long here, nor at Iselia, nor anywhere. She would learn, she would adapt, and then she would leave with her brother in tow. Never long enough for one to be curious about their heritage, to question why full-blooded elves would stray so far from their hidden homes.

Dirk seemed to have not heard her then. Instead, he walked over to the cooking pot, reaching out for bowls that were placed conveniently near a work table. Raine was speechless as he proceeded to serve the still simmering food, even going so far as to tear off a loaf of bread that was sitting within a woven basket.

He came back to the door, two bowls complete with utensils in each hand, bread crusts dipped into a concoction of spices, of onions, of peppers and parsley. The ingredients were swimming in sauces steeped from well-tenderized meats, the kind that were probably imported from a butcher’s market. He handed one of them to her.

“For your travels. I can vouch that they will do your empty stomachs good.”

There were suspicions; it would not be the first time a stranger had tried to poison her or her brother, their hatred for half-elves running deep. But none of the tell-tale shiftiness was in the dwarf’s eyes. She took one bowl, and let Dirk hand the other to her brother.

“I will not ask you to stay in my home if you do not wish. But I will say the glade beyond the stream is safe, and a good campsite. No beasts of the night will come near, that I can promise you.”

The dwarf spoke to her as if she were a ready-made friend. Even the kindly historian had taken time to show some hospitality.

“Once you go to Iselia, be sure to ask for Phaidra or Frank. Both she and her son-in-law are good people, and she has the kindliest granddaughter one ever did see. I’m sure that will make your recommendation go down easier, my friend.”

Raine felt warmth in her palms; from her brother’s ever-lasting grip, from the clay bowl she held delicately in one hand. “I hope to teach,” she confessed. “Just for a little while.”

Dirk smiled at her. “Those with brains are what’s sorely needed these days. I’m sure you can teach my son a thing or two!”

She wanted to ask him about his son, suddenly. But she only thanked him, leaving quickly with a stuttering Genis, who could only half-thank him back. The dwarf reassured her to keep the bowls, or leave them by the stream if she so wished.

Past that same stream with the moon shining high, both ate their fill of their meal, savoring the heat and taste, one that never left her through the years. When she woke up the next day, back no longer aching from its rest on the soft grass, with Genis curled next to her, the mana still tasted light and weak. But it was no longer so frightening.

“History seems to be Colette’s favorite subject,” Raine said, arranging her graded papers on her desk.

“Ah, yes. She always asks me or Frank to read a story from one of the Church’s tomes. She loves the tales of Spiritua so.”

Phaidra only rarely visited the schoolhouse, but a newly-arranged priestess took over her temple duties for the day. Raine had guided the old woman to a student’s seat that was just across from her. The imagery seemed a little absurd to her, privately. Here she was, a teacher of only eighteen years, speaking to an elderly, worldly woman in a desk where innocent but juvenile scribbles were drawn.

“Oh my, what a charming picture of a dog.” Phaidra traced one such scribble across the desk’s surface, admiring the detail of the tail specifically. “Is this Lloyd’s work?”

“Yes.” Raine sighed. Even making Lloyd sit at the front of the class could not get the boy to concentrate. “He had been drawing it for Colette.”

“How sweet of him! No wonder she was so happy today.” Phaidra chuckled, still holding onto her gnarled cane in her left hand.

“Anyway… Colette is doing well in all of her subjects. She also seems to be more open with speaking with others, mostly with Lloyd and Genis. Overall, she has been a wonderful student.”

Phaidra nodded before Raine even finished. The knowledge was nothing new, yet she had wanted to hear it from the elf herself. “It is all due to a wonderful teacher such as yourself.”

“Ah… I only gave her the tools. She used them well enough on her own.” The compliment did not sit with her well.

“You have a way with teaching, Raine. Perhaps it is an elven trait, but the village and its children have never been better, I can promise you that.”

Raine only nodded. She shuffled the papers around even more, the peppering of red marks adorning each one, some more than the other.

“I hope that one day you can accept that you have a family here.”

Raine looked up, eyes wide. The old woman only looked on her kindly, dressed in the robes of those who followed Martel, the embossed designs of her dress indicating her high status within the Church. Twin braids flowed past her ears, their shine contrasting the tan wrinkles that was her face.

The elf – half-elf, they will never accept you – swallowed. “Your words are kind, Phaidra.” But Genis is the only family I have.

Phaidra nodded once again. She then leaned upon the cane to stand up, her feet tottering on the hardwood floors. The setting sun reflected off her burnished hair, bringing to mind the young, golden-haired child that Raine could not help but smile at whenever she spoke with her brother. A smile tinged with strain, hoping that her sibling kept his own hair arranged just so, for eyes can be quick and suspicious.

They had already stayed here far too long.

“Then I hope that, at the very least, you can consider us all as your friends.” Phaidra was already at the door of the classroom, startling Raine from her brief daydream. “Colette already believes you are.”

.

.

.

In the morning, Raine woke to the taste of mana in the air; weaker and lighter than the days before.

Her classes would not start again for several days, a fact that gave the children joy, Lloyd most of all. Before she fully roused herself for a cup of coffee, she heard the familiar steps running up to her door, then a swift knocking.

“Genis!” Lloyd’s voice could travel through stone, unhindered, and still as clear as the sky. “Hey!”

Her little brother grumbled from his bed, silver hair in a tangle. She watched silently as he patted it down around his pointed ears – only enough to give his ears their shape if not their details. But few eyes were sharp around here, especially when a high priestess of the Church already gave her word that full-blooded elves would be joining their village. Only truth came from the Church of Martel and nothing but.

After an exchange of shouts between Lloyd and Genis, her brother finally opened the door. An excited human boy – almost as tall as she was – was shifting on his feet in excitement. The red jacket he wore was too blinding for her to deal with this morning. “Come on, already! We have to get to the beach before the day’s over!”

“Lloyd, I wish you would wake up this early for school,” Raine said, knowing such words would fall on deaf ears. Besides, Genis would do enough reprimanding in her place.

“It’s seven in the morning! We have plenty of time. And I need to prepare the sandwiches!”

“Yeah, but we gotta get the best seashells before someone takes them! I promised Colette I’d make her bracelet from the best ones down there!”

Genis shook his head. “I think she’ll like anything you find her from the beach. You could even get her some seaweed and she’d still think it was amazing.” Both continued teasing each other back and forth, silent on the fact that Colette could not join them past the village’s perimeters.

Raine knew as well, and only looked on as both her brother and his best friend left their home to enjoy their day.

I have been here too long.

She curled a lock of hair from her face, placing it behind her sharply-pointed ears – only blunt when you looked past, and when you didn’t trust the words of another.

It was too late. She had already made friends here, perhaps a family if she ever dared, yet that was a fragile concept that she dared not explore.

“Colette thinks of you as a dear friend,” Phaidra once again told her, visiting the young elven woman now aged at 23. Eight years she had stayed, longer than she ever meant to. “And as her friend, I must ask of you a favor.”

Raine set her mug back on the breakfast table. Graded papers met her eyes from the same place, the red marks on them a familiar pattern.

It had taken so long of her to find such friends. How cruel it truly was for her to lose one of them so soon.

[kaylacantadult]

NaNo Day 1: Nightmare

Words Written: 1685

Total Word Count: 1685

Goal: 50,000 words

How it Went: Today was kind of hard for me, I’ve barely scraped my word count in at 11:45 (over an hour past my bedtime btw). It wasn’t my best writing; the wording is mediocre, the plot is nonexistent, the characters say things that don't make sense, and my details are vague, but you know what? I finished the day, and I like where it’s going and that's what really matters! This weekend is going to be tough for me because I have so many assignments to finish, but I feel really motivated to push through! 

Content Warning: mentions of sex at the end. Nothing explicit.

Snippet of Prompt 1: Your nightmares start invading reality a little bit at a time.

      It started a few months ago, out of the corner of my eye I would see it; a quick flash as I checked my rearview mirror, an odd reflection on windows as I passed. It was so dark it absorbed any light that came near it, it lived in perpetual darkness. It didn’t bother me at first. I was used to strange things happening around me. I had a knack for drawing the occult towards me. I was three when I met my first witch, seven when I found my first vampire, twelve when I accidentally found Mothman. Things that go bump in the dark don’t scare me because usually, they were actually pretty nice. The witch I met gave me a small pendant that I still wore around my neck. It was protection from the others that moved at night.

      I’ve met ghouls, ghosts, were-creatures, giant spiders, reapers, angels, and devils, all of them perfectly nice, none threatening or mean. They just wandered the earth like I did, looking for some purpose to find. Once it began invading my life more, I invested in better locks for my doors and windows and started calling all the witches I knew for protection. I could hear it every night now, its talons scraping against my roof as I tried to sleep, its high pitched cry echoed through the valley every night.

      It disappeared for the most part during the day. I would see it around corners, hiding from my view, non-threatening during the daylight hours. There would be massive, two foot long feathers invading my herb garden and gouges in the earth around my chicken coop.

      I lived a little way out of the city, close enough that I could easily drive to pick up anything I might need, but far enough that I had space for a sustainable garden for myself, my animals, and enough spare leftovers to send boxes of vegetables to the food bank. Outside the city, I had the space to do my own thing, I didn’t have to worry about so many things showing up to bother me.

             I was pulling weeds out of the garden today, I had tilled the land a week ago, but had gotten so caught up with dealing with the pixies’ problems that I hadn’t been able to get to planting. That was my plan for the weekend:

-   Weed the plot

-   Set up irrigation

-   Plant

An easy enough plan for the weekend, especially since the tilling was done, and this was one of my smaller plots.

I readjusted my sun hat, pulling it to cover my face and my dark hair. My overalls were mud and grass stained from kneeling along the edge of my garden. My gardens were surrounded by a sturdy rock wall, just over waist high. It was covered in moss and vines. It’d been there for a long time and it wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. There were a few colonies of dragon fly fairies that lived in the cracks and crevasses of the wall. In one corner of the yard, there was a weeping willow, with a small platform haphazardly nailed in between two branches; a makeshift tree house.

      A small tapping came from the other side of the wall.

      “I told you, Leif, not today,” I said, “I’m busy.” I yanked another weed out, its thorns doing its best to rip through my gloves.

      “I was just wondering if-“

      “No Leif.”

      A small face peeked out over the top of the wall.

      “Can I at least hang out?” he said. “It’s lonely out here.”

      “You have 14 siblings Leif, how can you be lonely?”

      “They don’t count.”

      He plopped himself down beside me, his bare feet made indents in my soft tilled dirt. I scooped him up by his shirt collar and set him outside of the garden, I didn’t need him tamping down the earth.

      “There’s milk in the fridge if you want it,” I said.

      He shrugged. “Did you know there’s a bird in your yard.”

      “There are lots of birds in my yard,” I said

      “Yeah, but this is a big one.”

      “I know.”

        I had my first nightmare when I was six. I could still remember every detail perfectly. It repeated itself a few times growing up, but I hadn’t had it for years. No matter how old I was when I had the dream, inside it I was also just a little kid.

      I was walking in the creek by myself. The cottonwood trees loomed up above, impossibly large, bigger than the whole world. It was daylight, but as I moved under the trees, it turned black as night. The sun disappeared completely behind the dense branches. I was sure that the trees had grown so tall they wrapped themselves around the sun and made it burn itself out.

      My mom had been walking with me, but once we reached the trees she had disappeared, lost in the trees with the sun. I could feel it before I could see it. Smell it before I could hear it. I turned my back to the trees and ran. The dirt roads pounded under my feet. I couldn’t look behind me, but I knew it was there. I knew the road and didn’t at the same time. It looked the same as the ones I knew; tan dirt and desert brush surrounded me. The road crumbled at the edges, yellow grass, dry and hard as thorns ripped the dirt up at the sides. Cottonwoods gave way to mesquites and I was running down a road I knew and didn’t know.

      I reached my house, a white mobile home, in the middle of a small plot. It was one street over from the freeway that ran through our small town. I locked all the doors, latched all the windows, and thanked the stars we didn’t have a chimney. I could hear it now, its heavy body on the top of our roof, scratching off the shingles. It smelled like every rotting thing I’d ever smelled. Fruit long fallen off a tree, the dead cow my mom and I had found on a hike, milk sat too long in the fridge, the leaves that collect in mushy piles in the fall.

      I covered my nose and screamed.

  Leif picked up one of the feathers. It was bigger than his entire body. The rank of death leaked out of every fiber.

“Put it down Leif,” I said. “You’ll catch something from it.”

He whipped it around like a sword instead.

“What is it doing here?” He asked.

“Things find me.” I adjusted the strap of my overalls, which kept slipping off my shoulder.

“Is it nice?”

“Not sure yet,” I said, pulling the last weed out of the land. The dirt was already pushed into perfectly aligned parallel lines. Satisfying to look at. I loved the smell of earth stuck under my fingernails. I could see the bird’s outline hiding within my weeping willow.

“Maybe we should get it a present,” I said. The terror that followed the bird shook me to my core, but all other scary things I had ever met were just misunderstood. Maybe this one was too. Leif followed close behind me as I went inside to grab salmon out of the freezer. It was rock solid, but I hoped the bird wouldn’t mind.

I marched my way over to the tree, glaring at the shadow within it. I shoved the fish into the branches, taking a breath when my hand disappeared into the shadow. I felt its beak gently take the fish out of my hand. Its eyes glowed through the branches, watching me as it ate.

Leif stood just behind me, watching the bird. His arms were wrapped around my knee, squeezing tighter as he watched it gobble down a fish the same size as him.

  That night, there was no scratching on my ceiling, just the soft clambering of the bird curling up around the warmth of my chimney. It pecked a few times at the roof’s shingles, knocking them off just as it did last night. In the morning, I could see it at the edge of my freshly weeded garden, eating the scraps that had been left there the day before. It churred softly when I walked outside. I chucked another fish towards it. It snatched it up and darted back to the willow tree.

If it made a nest in my treehouse, I’d kill that thing.

 I called a witch friend over that afternoon She took one look at it and told me it was my baby. My forgotten dreams needed to be remembered and showed themselves, invading their way into our lives. She made a pot of too-strong-tea and lectured me about the strength of memories for longer than I thought possible. I made cucumber sandwiches because that’s what felt right.

“Traumas need to be acknowledged.” She said, “Your brain knows that even if your heart doesn’t. That’s why you made him show up.”

We watched as the bird climbed on my wall and tip toed carefully around its ridge, its massive frame looming, carefully balanced.

She stripped my shirt off as she explained it and unclasped my bra in an overly businesslike manner. I ran my hand through her buzzed short hair, marveling at its fuzziness.

Her skirt dropped in a puddle on the floor and she tugged me up the stairs in my too-tight house.

“Tell me about the dream again. Maybe there’s a deeper meaning we can find.”

I grinned back, following her trailing hands, “Yeah. Maybe there is.”

 We watched the bird that night, wandering around its new space, it found the river and ate so many salmon that I was afraid it would kill them all off. My witch cozied up against me. We were squished in my loft bed, overlooking my too small cottage. She looked over at me and grinned, she liked a new project. 

[diddlesanddoodles]

Mercy  (G/T, human pets, hurt/comfort.)

SIDE STORY TO BITTER LEMONS MAKE.

 You don’t need to read it to enjoy this story, but it will give some context. 

Picture of Tommy and Evrik. 

The room was the equivalent size of a school gymnasium, high bare ceilings exposing the metal structural beams that held bright white lights, and giving the floor a sense of sterile control. There were rows of plastic tubs, square and deep, sitting atop small metal carts and arranged in a grid pattern that ate up the majority of the floor space, looking not unlike a hospital’s nursery ward. Towards the entrance was a long table where an intern and two volunteers enthusiastically greeted people as they came inside, politely asking if they were registered. If the affirmative, and after confirming their names on their lists, they were given a brightly colored sticker to wear upon their person that marked them as being eligible to adopt from the event while those without a sticker were merely there for the novelty of viewing the wares on display.

The wares being Humans beings.

All the potential adopters and casual voyeurs alike were Feirgian. Beings who were very similar to the humans in the tubs save for a few key differences such as the large pointed ears, long sharp canines, and the fact they averaged 26 feet.    

Each plastic tub, made of cloudy plastic, held a single human. Save for the largest of the tubs which was closer to the front and pushed along the side wall. This container held several of the younger humans, children, and of the domesticated variety. Dressed in plain matching cotton coverings, the children were all bouncing and calling as giants passed by. They were not shy in the least and were begging for affection from the all too willing Feirgians who gladly petted and stoked the smaller creatures.

Along the far back wall and nearly wholly neglected by most of the events attendees were the wild humans. A total of five, all fairly young, and mostly in a dour moods. Most of them were curled up in their blankets, one was sleeping, and another was nervously pacing. There was a young blue haired woman, covered in colorful tattoos, who stood close to the edge of her confinement, trying to see outside the clouded plastic or above the rim to watch the giants. When she pulled herself over the rim to see better, their handler came by and shooed her back inside with a mildly scornful frown.

“You have to stay inside, Claire,” Jarden told her, but there was no heat to his tone.

“I was just looking,” the woman replied dejectedly. “It’s dull as crap just sitting here. And I honestly might start ripping this blanket apart. Just to have something to do.”

“It’s just nervous energy,” he told her.

“Giving it a name doesn’t help get rid of it,” she replied. To which Jarden only shrugged.

“The doors just opened,” he said, raising his voice so all five of them could hear. “Have a little patience.”

Tommy wanted to say something snippy, something nasty, but he stopped himself. He had all but bold faced lied to get to this point, having scrapped through his evaluation by biting back every yell and curse word that bubbled up from his throat. The pretense of the whole ordeal was nearly lost when, during his evaluation, Dr. Weis declared that he would have to have two vaccinations. Unlike Astrid, having been seen before him, who did not need any. They had been unexpectedly painful. It was not as though he was not accustom to pain. He played high school football, he got knocked down constantly. He had broken both arms by the time he was ten and had several dentists visits under his belt, one of which included getting a palatal injection that honestly felt as though the needle had penetrated up into his brain. But those vaccinations had been an entire new level of discomfort. Whatever the serum inside actually was, Tommy was inclined to believe it was some kind of carbonated beverage for the way his arms and back felt after both. His skin quivered oddly and there was incredible heat and everything just below the skin at the injection site felt like it was bubbling. The pain lasted for a good five minutes and left him sore and irritable and he almost forgot to play the part of meek, obedient pet. But the giant doctor declared he was suitable to be adopted all the same and he then spent three days cooling his heels in a room with several other humans under the guise of quarantine.  

Even now he had the very real fear that he was more likely to start yelling furiously at the first potential adopter to come near him than keep up his charade of the docile animal. Far more terrified than he had even been in his life, Tommy was pressed up to the back corner of his container, blanket folded neatly into a cushion under him, and he starred out at seemingly nothing. The clouded plastic material of his confinement allowed for him to see vague blobs that were the Feirgains milling about in and amongst the various other tubs that held the domestic humans, who seemed much more popular than the wild variety.

He was not entirely ungrateful for that. Even though his goal was to be adopted, it was more out a sense of self preservation than any real desire to degrade himself to nothing better than a lap dog. The whispered warnings had decided him. There were only three options for a wild human. Adoption, sanctuaries, or the zoo. Jarden had told them that sanctuaries were currently on a freeze and would not accept any more humans save for the sick or elderly as they were sustained almost wholly on visitor donations and as of late, visitor rates had dropped to a decade low and they were in a bit of a crisis. So any young or healthy human would either be adopted or sent to a zoo. The zoo had an unfortunate reputation and after hearing only a small bit of the supposed conditions, Tommy was desperate to be adopted. And so he found himself in a plastic tub. In a gym. In a strange world, a strange city, and surrounded by giants and waited for one of them to pick him.

It was enough to make him cry.

“You’re not looking too good there, little guy,” said a voice from above him and Tommy jerked to attention, not having noticed someone walk up. A Feirgian man was standing over his container, looking down at him with a mild mixed expression of curiosity and concern. “Need me to get one of the workers?”

“No, no. I’m fine,” Tommy managed to blurt out with more assertion than he intended, revealing his answer for the bold faced lie it was.

“You’re paler than milk,” the giant retorted, resting his arm on the lip of the container. “...and shaking.”

“I’m fine. I mean...I’ll be fine,” Tommy amended. “I’ll be fine.”

The giant glanced around briefly and said, “This all a little overwhelming for you, is it?”

Tommy could not catch himself and he snorted. “Oh, you have no idea, buddy. Overwhelming doesn’t begin to cover...” He stopped himself and let the angry snarling of his expression fall back into placid neutrality. “I mean...yeah. It’s...a lot.”

“Don’t feel obligated to censor yourself on my account,” the giant replied with the faint hint of a smile. “Might make you feel better to get it all out. Say it out loud. Does wonders for me.”

The human allowed his mask fall and he regarded the being before him with a pointed look.

“Trust me, you don’t wanna hear the shit-er, I mean, stuff that I have rattling around in my head right now,” he said.

“Try me,” dared the Feirgian in reply, smirking. “I might surprise you.”

He studied the giant for a moment with a critical eye, trying to gauge the seriousness of the challenge, and he decided if this big guy really wanted to know what he thought...well, he did ask for it. With a fortifying breath, Tommy began his tirade on the state of things from his view. How absolutely stupid it was that humans, particular wild humans, were immediately trapped, stripped of their humanity, and sold for profit directly after experiencing easily the most traumatic moment of their lives. If anyone thought being pulled through time and space by a cosmic hissy fit was pleasant, he suggested they find someone large and pay them five bucks to sucker punch them in the chest. Then they might have some semblance of understanding of what the true experience was like. Then have them stripped of all personal possessions, - “...down to you’re freaking tighty whities!” - and told to behave so you can be adopted or you might go to the zoo. Where apparently, people routinely commit suicide due to severe depression or out of desperation to escape crushing the monotony of a rigorously controlled existence where your one purpose is to parade around for the enjoyment of paying tourists and then breed so the resulting babies can be taken away and raised by giants and then sold as pets.

“And then of course,” Tommy continued on heatedly. “On top of all that fresh level of hell, you’ll never see your family again. I’m Italian. You know how big my family is? I have twenty cousins, buddy. Twenty! And they’re all gonna think some serial killer murdered me, hauled off my bloody corpse, and stuffed me in the woods somewhere so some hiker can find my bones thirty years later. My Mom will be wearing black for the rest of her life! And here I am, trying to be patient while some giant without any real understanding of what the fuck I am going through strolls in and decides I’d make a good lap dog because they like the color of my hair or because maybe I look like the pet human they had growing up and give me a stupid new name like Fluffy or Bosco or something stupid like that. I am not a pet, dammit. I am a person!”

He ended his ranting, out of breath and panting, and it was after a quiet moment that he realized his cheeks were streaked with tears. His breathing wavered as he scrubbed viciously at his face to wipe away the offending moisture, equal parts mortified and relieved. The giant had not been wrong, it felt amazing to say it out loud, but the relief was brief as the new fear of the giant’s reaction took hold.  

Staring up at the Feirgan, Tommy could not tell what his expression was. Astonished? Mad? Offended? Would he tell Jarden of his ranting? Had Jarden heard? Would they void his approval and send him to the zoo? Had he just screwed himself over? Oh god, oh god...oh god!

“I admit,” said the giant at last, not sounding at all offended, but rather he seemed bewildered. “That I never even considered how wild humans felt about it all.” He stared thoughtfully, brows furrowing. “Or that I have ever given any of it much consideration. Humans I mean.” The Feirgian was silent for a few more moments before turning his eyes back to Tommy, who for his part was waiting with bated breath and slightly trembling. “What’s you’re name?”

“Thomas Contini,” he replied flatly. “B-but I go by Tommy.”

“I am sorry for your loss, Tommy,” the giant said gently. “I don’t know how much value there is in saying it, but...I am sorry.”

Even after the giant had gone, Tommy was left feeling oddly empty yet...content. Such a simple phrase, often meaningless in the face of such calamity and tragedy. But somehow, it felt sincere. A feeling of calm washed over him then and for the first time since coming to this world, he was able to sleep soundly and without nightmares.

He awoke about half an hour later to a Feirgian lady cooing at him and he was able to bare the indignity of it better than he thought he would. Thankfully, the woman seemed to lose interest in him pretty quickly and outwardly exclaimed her delight upon spotting Claire, with her brightly colored hair and tattoos.

Poor Claire.

Another group of giants passed by, all wanting to touch and pet him and though it made his stomach squirm and roil with indignation and moritfication, he allowed it. But in his head, he was cursing at them all. After what seemed like a solid hour of nonstop petting and general molestation by the curious giants, there was a lull and Tommy was able to catch his breath. He tried to arrange his hair back into something that might generously be called neat. Then he looked around to take stock and felt a start when he did not see the vague shaped blog that was Astrid inside the container to his right. A pang of guilt and sorrow hit him to realize she was gone. She had fallen into this world with him, just a little kid. With bright eyes and freckles and entirely innocent. He prayed silently that whoever it was that picked her out to be their pet would treat her well.

But he did not have much time to grieve as Jarden was suddenly at the edge of his container, grinning like mad. “Congratulations, Tommy.”

The boy blinked up at the dark skinned Ferigian. “What?”

“You got adopted.”

His mouth fell open and he visibly paled. “Wha...uh, but I...huh?”

“Vinya just gave me the confirmation papers,” Jarden said, clearly ecstatic. “Someone’s taking you home.”

Tommy immediately tried to recall every face that had come by to bug him and who might have showed enough interest to consider adopting him. His closest guesstimation was a young Feirgian woman who had enough audacity to actually pick him up and hold him. He had been far too shocked to do anything and perhaps she had interpreted this as him liking her. She had smelled strongly of perfume and was overly affectionate and did not say a blip of English to him during the entire encounter, only cooing at him in Feirgish.  

His stomach felt as though he had swallowed a lead bowling ball. Oh god, he’d been adopted by Elmyra from Tiny Toons! He could just imagine the woman saying, “I’m gonna hug you and kiss you and love you forever and never let you go!”

If she could speak English at all, that is…

“This is a good thing, Tommy,” Jarden said, breaking the boy from his stupor. “I promise. You’re going to be fine, kiddo.”

Tommy could only nod absently even as Jarden reached down to gather him up. Everything else was a blur as they passed the grid of other tubs, some of them now empty. The front entrance was crowded with people and the volunteers were bringing various humans up to the intern who was busy doing something. The intern would call something out and a Feirgian would step up and be handed a bag and then a human. Tommy noticed a lot of the Feirgians were leaving with children and though he did look, he did not see Astrid. But he did see Elmyra. Standing amongst the throngs of people milling about and waiting, ostensibly to collect their new pets.

Tommy wished he were anywhere else.

Jarden walked up to the table where the intern was saying something to a Feirgian couple who were walking away with one of the domestic humans, an adult woman who seemed perfectly pleasantly peachy to be going home with them. The intern, a sandy blond haired woman with brown eyes, turned to Jarden and said something in a chipper voice. She turned and called out something that sounded like it might have been a name, but Tommy felt numb to it all and he did not catch it. His eyes were trained on Elmyra, waiting with his heart in his throat and wondering how the hell he was going to live with this woman…

But she did not move.

Instead, someone else eased out between the crowd with mutterings of apologies and made their way to the table. It was the Feirgian gentleman that Tommy had ranted to earlier in the day. He was on the taller side as Feirgians went, with a lean build, and a face that was only just starting to show his age though his hair was already streaked with gray. He wore a maroon sweater and brown slacks, a long black coat folded over his arm.

And Tommy was at an incredible loss as to how to feel. Even when their eyes met and the giant flashed a small smile, Tommy detected a hint of something else. Something in the man’s eyes. There wasn’t any of the anxious excited energy like the other giants picking up their new pets. He seemed rather...subdued. And it worried Tommy.

A lot.

“Evrik Viteur?” asked the intern as the Feirgian reached the desk. “Wetrim hect geir vos?”

“Jen,” replied the giant, pulling out a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his trousers and handing it to the intern. He silently put his long black coat on.

“Vank suden,” the intern read over the paper before turning to Jarden with a smile. “Ah! Jarden, hos ternum va?”

“Je’,” replied Jarden with a satisfied grin.

There was no sound to the world all of a sudden. People moved their mouths as they spoke above him in Feirgish, but Tommy couldn’t hear it. The only sound that penetrated the haze of panic was the hectic thumping of his own heart.

This was it. The moment. Papers were traded again between the Feirgian man – his owner – and the intern. He said something to Jarden and Tommy felt more than heard the giant’s reply in the form of the vibrations of his chest as he spoke.

He’d been adopted. His humanity was stripped away. He was a pet. Owned. Property. A thing. Having thought of this moment over the course of the last several days to an extent that came close to monomania, Tommy was surprised that he felt more sorrow than anger or fear. He would miss being seen as a person. As an equal to those around him. More than he ever thought he would before this whole mess. It was all he could do to keep from sobbing.

“Tommy,” Jarden said and he was broken from the noiseless maze of his mind. Sound returned with a vengeance and everything seemed far too loud now. He looked up at Jarden with wild eyes.

“H-huh?” he stammered.  

“I said good luck,” the giant replied quietly with a smile and then his hands were pulling Tommy away from him, holding him out into the world. Tommy felt blind and naked and vulnerable in those outstretched hands. Like a new born calf, unsteady, confused, and filled with the instinctive yearning for his mother. “I want to thank you again, Mr. Viteur. I’m happy to see Tommy go to a good home.”

Mr. Viteur inclined his head slightly, his enigmatic smile never wavering and his hands came to take Tommy. “I am happy to provide him with one.”

The moment the unfamiliar giant’s fingers touched him, Tommy shuddered involuntarily and could not meet his eye. Tucked up against the thick wool of the black coat and cradled by one of his owner’s arms, Tommy was lost to the world once more as he retreated into himself. The intern handed a large plastic bag, the logo of the adoption agency plastered on its front, and heavy with its contents. With both bag and human in hand, Mr. Viteur turned towards the doorway and walked out into the noisy street of the city. At some point, his owner shifted him about so that Tommy was tucked inside the coat to shield him from the biting chill of the wind. Neither spoke.

The strange sights of the city were lost to Tommy as he sat miserable and lost and docile in his owner’s arms. The sound of the lively streets were abruptly cut off and the brisk chill was replaced with pleasant warmth as Mr. Viteur walked into a shop. By the smell of it, he wagered it was a coffee shop. Once more Tommy was shifted about and two warm hands placed him carefully onto a high table.

His owner’s face probed his personal space, eyes furrowed and mouth frowning. “Are you all right, my boy? You haven’t said a word and you’re still very pale.”

Tommy could barely bring himself to maintain eye contact and his paltry attempt at answering came out as a strange kind of warble. His eyes were watering…

“Tommy,” the giant said quietly, but firmly. “Talk to me. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”

After several false starts and fortifying breaths, Tommy managed to croak out a feeble reply. “I….I’m terrified.”

The giant did not seem surprised, but he did look a little sad. “Of me?”

“No. I mean...well, not so much you,” Tommy replied honestly. “I’ll be fine though. I just...I’ll be fine.”

“So you keep saying,” replied the giant, dryly. “But please know that I am not going to hurt you or do anything that would make you unhappy.”

Before he could stop himself Tommy muttered, “You already have...”

There was instant regret, a great wave of it, and he was certain now that his morose mood was now turning towards the suicidal. He should just shut up. Be quiet. Settle down. But his thoughts and feelings felt out of control, almost as though they were not his own. Everything felt out of control. If only he could gain purchase on something. Anything. If only…

“Sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. Not like it sounded. I’m sorry, I just...”

“Tommy,” said his owner, voice confusingly soft. He should be mad, Tommy thought. He should at the very least, scold his pet for disobedience. But instead, there was a soft, warm palm pressed to his back. The face ahead of him did not look an ounce angry or displeased. He looked sad. “I may not know very much in the way of humans as a species or what you’ve been through, but I do know people. And it seems to me that you might be having a panic attack.”

If anything, that broke Tommy from the death spiral of thought and feeling and he managed to look a bit dubious at the suggestion. “A panic attack?”

“Yes,” the large man replied. “You’re acting like a cornered animal.”

“Isn’t that what I am?” he replied. “An animal?”

“I quite clearly remember you asserting that you were a person.”

“What does it matter what I say?”

“It matters very much to me,” replied the giant frankly and then a ghost of a smile broke the mild annoyed frown. “Seeing as I just signed a contract promising to take care of you.”

“Why?” Tommy asked finally, getting to the real meat of his confusion. “After I literally screamed all my bullshit at you, you go and decided ‘Hey! He’s a nice kid. I think I’ll adopt him!’ I don’t get it. I don’t get you.”

“Is that why you’re panicking?” his owner asked, greatly amused and perhaps a little relieved. “Because I confuse you?”

“Sure,” Tommy replied disingenuously. “Let’s go with that.”

“Well,” he replied with a shrug. “To be blunt, it was pretty much a spur of the moment decision. I didn’t go there intending to adopt a human. Just to look. But what you said...”

He grew silent, his focus growing distant as he mulled over his next words. “I knew instantly that you were right. And everything felt disgustingly wrong all of a sudden. Those other wild humans and you looked and acted wholly different than the other ones. Like you were going to prison rather than a new home. It’s not like I’ve never seen humans before, but...”

“You didn’t see them as people. Like you,” Tommy finished, the uncomfortable churning of his guts beginning to ease and his mind began to settle. “And now?”

“And now I’m sitting in a coffee shop in the middle of downtown Raudenstein trying to convince a scared kid that I am mean him no ill will.” A pause. “Nor do I intend to change his name to either Fluffy or Bosco.”

Tommy didn’t have a ready answer and his tired mind was not coming up with any snippy retorts or humerus comebacks. So he just said, “So...why then? If you didn’t mean to adopt a pet, why go there? Why bother with any of it? With me?”

“Because you looked like you might need someone to care,” his owner said with enough perceived sincerity to be believable. “And I’m conceited and confident enough in my own abilities and position to think I’ll be able to help.”

“So if you didn’t adopt me to be a pet...then what am I?”

To Tommy’s surprise, the giant shrugged. “In the eyes of the law, you’re property. Bought and paid for. There’s nothing I can do about that.” He paused again and the large hand that had been settled around the human’s shoulders disappeared and the giant stood to his full height, placing his hands into his coat pockets and regarded Tommy with an open expression and looking nonchalant. “But as far as I am concerned, you are simply an unconventional, but still very welcomed, roommate.”

“Roommate?” Tommy echoed and found the corners of his mouth twitching into a grin. After a moment, he quipped a sardonic, “Well, how do you expect me to pay rent?”

The giant’s smile turned into a pleased grin and he winked. “We’ll work it out later.” He then offered Tommy his hand and for a moment, the boy was bewildered before recognition hit. A wave of relief, a warm comforting feeling, spread throughout his body. His internal panic subsided and there was something akin to genuine hope nesting in the back alleys of his subconscious. 

He rose to his feet, albeit shakily, and placed his absurdly small hand, in comparison, into the giant’s and they shook.

“By the way, I’m not sure I ever introduced myself. My name is Evrik Viteur.”

This is a side story to Salty Lemonade and its prologue Bitter Lemons Make. Read together and they read ‘Bitter Lemons Make Salty Lemonade’. Get it? Well, I thought it was clever. 

I may write more with Tommy and Evrik in the future, but I really need to start in on the body work of Salty Lemonade which follows Astrid through her life settling in as giant’s pet. Or rather two giants. 

[d-a-v-i-d-j-o-n-e-s]

We're The Jones' | Chapter 63 |

Rated M for Sexual Reference Trigger Warnings: Depression, Mourning, Death Mention

Featuring David Jones and his domestic life. Meeting the lady of his life and building a home and family with her…

—————–

In some ways Winter held a certain level of dismay in people’s’ minds. But in other ways, it also held many qualities that could cloud the bitter, miserable weather and bitey chills.

When was there a better time to gorge on Hot Chocolate and excuse staying at home or even tucked up in bed. It was a season of togetherness, families, couples, flocks of seagulls. Everybody and everything was moving quickly, shuffling through ankle deep slush, wading through powdery layers of snow. It was a time that definitely brought us all closer together, with the nature parks & swimming pools out of the question. It meant indoors stoking the fireplace or tediously notching up the boiler dial was the place to be.

Lucky for them, David’s apartment was particularly well insulated and fitted with sufficient heating. Even the towel racks and tiled floors heated to keep them warm. It meant nothing really changed for them. Still able to skip about in the nudey freely as they wished.

Iman found it an amusing clash. David Bowie. Creator of Ziggy Stardust. Fashion Icon in the music world. Known widely for pushing the boundaries with clothing, dresses, kimonos, platform boots…

It turned out that he actually revelled in the glorious freedom of his home, freedom of clothes. He was pretty relieved to be free of itchy labels and any form of restriction. It was a rare occasion he might pull on a pair of boxers if the mailman came or a friend was due. But otherwise it was nothing out of the ordinary in his household, now, their household.

Currently David remained almost completely still as he squinted from the window, cuddled up against Iman’s front. Legs either side of hers, allowing Iman to continue running her fingers through his hair.

“It’s going to be a home day today.”

David mumbled against her, turning his head to look her way again.

“Well I don’t have anything to do today, luckily..”

Iman replied with a relieved sigh, feeling just as lazy and lethargic as David looked slumped against her with a pout of sorts. Home day didn’t mean bed all day, but simply spending time together whatever they got up to. Housebound was no chore to them. It was nice to take days off from the outside world, a steady recharge before stepping out in front of judging eyes and dishonest cameras.

It could get frustrating sometimes, when they went out together intending a discrete day out or quiet meal together. Wherever they went the nosey paps tagged along. But it was nowhere near as bad as David’s hometown where the Artists were tagteamed the moment they woke up to when they went to bed.

Which is why he unfortunately, couldn’t go back to stay. He wouldn’t settle in England with his familiarity there. He had no idea how to remain anonymous there so he wouldn’t even try. New York had always been an interesting location for him. He’d always wanted to live here and now he did, and had been in and out a few times.

The culture and locals were a whole new wonderful bunch. Around Soho & Manhattan. It was littered with unique and interesting shops, bookstores, record stores, it was a musicians galore. And not quite as in your face as other places he had been to in the past. Possibly one of the more settled places of all, Berlin being another, Switzerland probably one of the quietest. He still owned his retreat there, so him and Iman could go skiing. But living there, it could get lonely in the little remote villages.

“Come on hun, I’ll make you some breakfast.”

Iman eventually found herself fidgeting to get up and start the day, but she was stuck under the big warm trancing lump, David. He was delayed in response, but he lifted up and let her scooch out and pad around. While faceplanting into her pillow himself, still too out of it to face the day. But he rolled out of bed after her a couple of minutes later, despite his lazy, tired form. Slouching around, grabbing his gown and tugging it on as he walked through to the kitchen space.

Iman already had the pan on the stove, milk carefully measured, and stirred consistently so it didn’t curdle. The kettle sitting waiting, steaming. She worked efficiently and quickly in the kitchen, it was almost a hidden passion, her time spent cooking. Obviously, David hadn’t been quite as interested but then she understood the way he would get by, less cleaning and waiting when going out to restaurants or heating pre made meals.

But she was determined to keep him healthy, those meals were packed full of carbohydrates and not good enough to sustain him. Occasionally, but not daily. He didn’t need those though. Iman made larger portions of things to stow away so when he came wandering in he’d have options but also well prepared home cooked food.

Freezing pasta sauces and stews. Iman made him breakfast every morning, and he ate leftovers for lunch most days. Goodness knows what he’d do without her. When she left for work, he needn’t sit and ponder. She knew that the other side of his unhealthy diet before their meeting was forgetting to eat or not doing so to avoid cooking.

David sleepily leaned against the wall, quickly greeted with a hot steaming mug of coffee and his cigarettes, a lighter. She was more than used to his unchanging routine by now, and she realised how important it was for him not to tamper with it. He didn’t like change, he was a creature of habit. It made everything simpler, minimal effort required from his brain so he could function until he finished his first cup of coffee.

“Thank you darling.”

He muttered before gratefully taking his first sip, testing the temperature before gulping instead. He could drink it almost straight from the kettle. And the sooner he got his caffeine, the sooner he could start his day.

It followed the usual hum of content as he drank the coffee pretty quickly while Iman was shifting around the kitchen preparing their breakfast. She regularly bought in fresh products to make meals with, fruits and vegetables, specialised breads. Though David tried to get away with just syrup in his porridge, she littered the top with berries and fruits to keep him healthy.

Iman was the more assertive one of the pair, once she had stepped into his life, he had taken quite a backseat and always followed along with her because she was usually right, looking out for him. It was quite the change for the usually assertive, confident and cocky London boy in him. But he actually found comfort in being the observer.

It didn’t mean his cheeky confidence wasn’t there. He just knew Iman had certain tasks she had to do herself too. Sharing control and responsibility between them. It took some of the pressure off.

“It’s hot, be careful.”

Iman warned him with a raise of her brow as she grabbed their bowls and handed him his, following after him padding through to the lounge space to slump down on the sofa. He switched the TV on and idly flicked through the channels to the news before taking his first mouthful.

He had looked at her with a raise of his own brows, he drank his coffee scalding hot. But he was puffing and waving his hands in seconds, struggling to swallow his food. Iman snorted and shrugged, it had been boiled and cooked through at a high temperature, higher than he was expecting.

She was carefully blowing upon her own spoon, and he was quick to sit up and make more effort to cool his own. His gaze upon the television as he was soon enjoying his porridge after burning the roof of his mouth. It was the same old political nonsense really, false promises, or pumping negativity into the populous.

He was soon to change the channel, and finish his breakfast, laying back into the sofa and sighing softly, eyes half closed. Iman looked over at him quizzically, he was easy to read, there was something on his mind. But before she opened a can of worms, she took care of their bowls and let them rest to soak in the sink.

When she returned David had disappeared, and she had to make a decision. Follow after him or let him have some space. She knew he was quite inward sometimes, letting thoughts gather or rather unreleased feelings. He could get clammed up and when he used to live alone, he’d just sit upon it until there was a release. He didn’t have to hold it all in anymore, and that was something he was still getting used to because he didn’t like to offload in fear of affecting his confidant. In this case, Iman.

She noticed his office door was open and decided to peer in quietly. He was sat in front of the window, trancing out upon the skyline aimlessly, wearing a slight frown and folding his arms. He was definitely not right, he was too busy, too impatient, it was rare he ever sat down and did so little. He always needed to have something to do and would work copiously or fill his time with whatever he could to not let himself sit dormant. Otherwise, this is how he ended up, lost in thought, facing everything his work and hobbies had been tucking away.

Even on his days off, if he didn’t have anything else planned, he ended up working again just to fill the void.

“David.”

Iman slipped into the room and approached him, settling herself down right next to him and taking up one of his hands to rest between both of hers. He was hesitant to look her way, she could see the mask slipping, he always tried to put on a brave face. Even when he was convincingly smiling and goofing about, deep down, he may not feel that way at all. But around Iman, he let his guard down. There were only a handful of people in his entire life that got that close to him, intimately, it was very intimate for him to share his thoughts and feelings.

“Talk to me.”

She spoke quietly, encouraging him, as he looked down at his feet and his whole expression diminished quite quickly. There was a glaze upon his eyes, a sadness in his drooped head and almost inaudible sighs.

It remained silent for some minutes, but she didn’t push him to open up, or talk. It was his choice, but she had made it very clear that she was there by his side and there to stay, as long as he needed.

He did look her way, there were small glistening streaks down his cheeks, little droplets clinging onto his chin. You’d think, how could somebody with so much going for him, so much success and luxury, comfort…

How could he feel depressed? How could he get down when his life was so high, everything was going for him. Well. There’s a very simple answer to that. He is only human. As the rest of us. It would be freakish of anyone to never get down, never feel blue.

Iman held his gaze, seeing him leaning forward and coming to catch him in her arms, kissing his forehead softly, letting his face rest against her neck. She could feel the fresh tears seeping and dripping upon her skin, gulping and trying to remain strong for him. But something had really broken him. Even in his lower moods, she never saw him cry, it was such a rare occasion.

She held him close and rubbed his back, he was almost starting to hyperventilate when she did lift his head and touch noses with him, forcing him to look at her this time.

“David, look at me, look, what’s wrong, did something happen?”

She held his chin, her tone and look sincere, this wasn’t just him feeling low, what had she missed?

“It’s n- I… I don’t usually get like this.”

He grimaced and wiped at his tears, stumbling upon his words and gulping audibly to try and gather himself.

“I uh.. It’s um, my father’s birthday to-today.. I’m sorry… It’s nothing serious.. I don’t know why it got to me.. He’s been dead twenty years now, I don’t usually get like this..”

David stuttered, confused, letting Iman wipe fresh tears away with her thumbs delicately, he drew a sad smile, but his lips trembled as he broke down again.

Iman held him tightly again, kissing just behind his ear as he trembled in her arms. He was quite collected and calm usually, so this was a moment that, without it coming across as strange or sadistic; she cherished seeing his emotional side because she knew he never gave anyone else even a hint. It reminded her of how special she was to him, to have that bonded trust, and the fact that he wasn’t just scrambling to hold it all in. Because it was unhealthy, and against the nature of a human being.

It was cherished for his sake, the more he got off his chest, the better, in her eyes. Even she wasn’t always sure just how much emotion he kept pent up inside. But she’d soon realised that he was an ever so emotional man. So emotional that he constantly moved between rooms, going into the office to throw it all down on paper rather than shout, or throw his weight, or show any such unpleasant behaviour. Which he had never done, she’d seen him annoyed, and frustrated, but never angry.

“You have nothing to be sorry about hun, it’s hard, I know you were closer to him than your mother. I’m sorry I didn’t realise sooner.”

Iman told him, as he lifted his head again and started to smile instead. He was focusing on the memories of him, the good times.

“I remember once, I had just got home from school and I was sitting in the living room. He came stomping through the door with a big old dusty crate and threw it down in front of me and Terry. We both looked at each other, because he just left the room without saying anything, and obviously, we wanted to know what was in the crate. Turns out he’d spent almost all of his cash on record for us, we fought over a few of em’, me and Terry.. That’s the sort of man he was.. I’d like to think I took after him in some way.”

David shared his anecdote with a change of moods, becoming animated as he explained, a big smile growing. Iman smiled sweetly, an arm around him, pouting and eyeing him when he showed a little doubt.

“David, Robert, Jones. You are the most beautiful. Interesting. Generous. Loving. But also frustrating man, I’ve ever met. Look, come on, look.”

Iman planted kisses on his jaw to punctuate her sentence, cheering him up as he formed a tiny blush and smiled when she did so. She took up his left hand with hers and held it up in front of them both.

“Look. Do you really think we’d be wearing these if you weren’t all those things.”

David gazed upon their rings with such bliss, his toothy grin shining, looking to her with a cheeky glower.

“Probably not..”

He muttered cutely, his eyes rolling up and down, between her lips and eyes, before he leant straight for her and engaged in a ceremonious kiss, where they leant upon another heavily, starting out innocent, but this is Iman and David we’re talking about here.

David gasped against her lips, smiling, both of them giggling a little bit when their eyes caught another’s again, noses still pressed; they weren’t finished yet…