#Apple pay confuses me in my world and it confuses me in this one

[caterpillarinacave]

Well, you suppose, no point in hanging around their home, not unless you'd wanted to search the place, but the unfamiliarity with your environment and its odd creatures makes you hesitate to be left alone, so you join them on the creatures as they ride into town, sitting behind the older, friendlier person, the path from the hut takes you past the trees and onto a road, it looks like asphalt similar to your world which explains why you didn't think it odd before when you first went into town, though now you're curious about why they have it if they just ride these creatures, you observe the woods and can see a variety of trees, all looking autumnal, you find yourself wondering about the structure of the seasons around here, just how different is this world anyway? The walk is slow but pleasant, leaving you far too much time for thinking, the two you ride with chat amicably, though you can't determine the topic, you've resisted the urge to check your phone valiantly up until now, conserving the battery, but you've decided a sleeping phone still loses its charge, so you might as well fiddle around with it before the inevitable strikes, as it powers on you are surprised to find that the battery is actually at full power, as if you'd left it charging rather than turned off, but after a moment you really can't be bothered to care especially since you're already maxing your brain space putting one foot in front of the other as is, what's one one more oddity to the shenanigans? Still no service unfortunately, you flick open the camera and take a look at yourself, a little tired, a bit messy, but stunning as always, you flip the camera around and take a photo of the younger rider, looks the same even caught on a digital screen though, you can't say you're disappointed but you were kinda hoping for something more just for the heck of it, the two look at you curious and you show them the picture, the older one seems excited and pulls out a black box about the size of your palm and shows it to you, gesturing between your phone and it, you stare confused, the older one passes the box to the other and with a put upon expression the younger takes the box, holds it out in front of themself, almost like...a camera? They hold the box pinching a corner and the other hand pinching diagonal to each other and then pull, the box breaks apart into two triangular pieces, between the two pieces thin silvery strands appear and then solidify into an image, an exact reflection of you and your fellow rider, it's a picture, they hand it to you and close the box, putting it away, the photograph feels like a soft fabric, it acts like it too allowing you to fold it, on the other side is an image of the younger person who took the photo in the same pose as when it was taken, you have no idea what to do with this information, but luckily you guys are now riding into town so you tuck the photo away and refrain from overthinking it.

The town looks as it did before, the architecture is odd, not in that it looks horribly strange, just in that it isn't what the town you were from looked like...you are very knowledgeable on architecture of course, but it's about here your narrator fails you, suffice to say, the buildings are building shaped, taller than the structures from your town, the people seem to appreciate multiple stories more than your town did, and the rooftops are more sloped, perhaps this environment gets a lot of rain comparatively, the riders stop at what you would guess is probably a downtown sort of area, you didn't really see much of the town or its people in your panic before so you enjoy observing here, the people meander freely going about their day, if it weren't for the unfamiliar language and other minor changes you could honestly forget you were in the midst of some other world, you all climb off the backs of your creatures, the friendlier one goes to put them away, when they get back they say something to the younger and then shoo you both away indicating that you two should stick together while they take care of some errands, feeling a little wrong footed you follow the younger person around, they enter shops, clean and organized, they feel like local shops at home, the younger wanders with you in tow, they don't seem to be buying anything, between shops you notice a group of kids, unlike all the adults you've seen they all have bright colorful hair, including colors unnatural in your world, pinks and greens and blues alongside your standard blondes and redheads, you wish you could ask why all the adults have dark hair, if it was a fashion thing or a natural aging thing or if the children dye their hair maybe, but that's a complicated topic for how little you can communicate. The two of you enter another building, it reminds you of a thrift store, everything seems randomly placed on shelves, less organized, there's writing you take note of but can't understand, on the shelves are many items which you don't recognize, but as you sift through a basket you find a hair brush, just a plastic bristled brush with some brand name you can actually read, it looks so odd sitting there among the box of long spiky sticks, so you pick it up and head to what you presume is an employee or something at the back near a counter to ask where this came from but alas, you still don't speak the language and they unfortunately do not know what you want, they do take the brush though and tap it to the counter, a square appears on a screen you hadn't noticed and the employee stares expectantly, you're hit by that one feeling of being left at the cash register when you aren't the one paying and realize that's because you are exactly in that situation, before you can embarrassedly turn and walk away, your companion walks up and taps a space beside the screen which glows and the square turns to a circle before fading away, the brush is handed to you and you both leave, of course you refuse to be impressed or flustered, you're sure if any of them saw how tap to pay worked in your world it'd be pretty confusing too.

You inspect the brush but find nothing interesting about it, as the two of you finish wandering you end up back where the creatures were left and settle in to wait, you figure your hair could use a brushing and get to work, your companion gives you an odd glance but you pay it no mind, at least until you look down and find a streak of blue in your hair where you just brushed, confused you check the bristles but they seem clean, yet your hair is blue, you put the brush away annoyed, you feel a headache coming on, instead of brooding you pull out your bundle of berries feeling hungry, you inspect them each carefully remembering how they tasted before and pop one in your mouth, immediately your headache disperses and you feel less hungry and tired, you put away the berries and go back to waiting, once the older person comes back with a cart of boxes they hook one of the creatures to, you all head back to their place, on the way the friendlier companion hands you a black box which you recognize as the camera like item, indicating that you should keep it, you guess they got it for you while shopping earlier and you accept it bemused but thankful, when you all get back you help unload the boxes and when you're all done you're offered a place to stay, you aren't sure for how long they mean, but you have a feeling that understanding your predicament they mean quite some time, they show you a smaller, yet still cozy hut off to the side of the main living house with what you can easily identify as a bedroom and bathroom, not having anywhere to go you accept for the night and enjoy an evening meal with them before going to bed, but as morning approaches you have to decide what to do next, do you plan to accept their offer to stay longer?

(Feel free to expand on your choice either way. :) )

Yes.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Your car spies on you and rats you out to insurance companies

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TOMORROW (Mar 13) in SAN FRANCISCO with ROBIN SLOAN, then Toronto, NYC, Anaheim, and more!

Another characteristically brilliant Kashmir Hill story for The New York Times reveals another characteristically terrible fact about modern life: your car secretly records fine-grained telemetry about your driving and sells it to data-brokers, who sell it to insurers, who use it as a pretext to gouge you on premiums:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html

Almost every car manufacturer does this: Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, Chrysler, etc etc:

https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2020/09/09/ford-state-farm-ford-metromile-honda-verisk-among-insurer-oem-telematics-connections/

This is true whether you own or lease the car, and it's separate from the "black box" your insurer might have offered to you in exchange for a discount on your premiums. In other words, even if you say no to the insurer's carrot – a surveillance-based discount – they've got a stick in reserve: buying your nonconsensually harvested data on the open market.

I've always hated that saying, "If you're not paying for the product, you're the product," the reason being that it posits decent treatment as a customer reward program, like the little ramekin warm nuts first class passengers get before takeoff. Companies don't treat you well when you pay them. Companies treat you well when they fear the consequences of treating you badly.

Take Apple. The company offers Ios users a one-tap opt-out from commercial surveillance, and more than 96% of users opted out. Presumably, the other 4% were either confused or on Facebook's payroll. Apple – and its army of cultists – insist that this proves that our world's woes can be traced to cheapskate "consumers" who expected to get something for nothing by using advertising-supported products.

But here's the kicker: right after Apple blocked all its rivals from spying on its customers, it began secretly spying on those customers! Apple has a rival surveillance ad network, and even if you opt out of commercial surveillance on your Iphone, Apple still secretly spies on you and uses the data to target you for ads:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

Even if you're paying for the product, you're still the product – provided the company can get away with treating you as the product. Apple can absolutely get away with treating you as the product, because it lacks the historical constraints that prevented Apple – and other companies – from treating you as the product.

As I described in my McLuhan lecture on enshittification, tech firms can be constrained by four forces:

I. Competition

II. Regulation

III. Self-help

IV. Labor

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/30/go-nuts-meine-kerle/#ich-bin-ein-bratapfel

When companies have real competitors – when a sector is composed of dozens or hundreds of roughly evenly matched firms – they have to worry that a maltreated customer might move to a rival. 40 years of antitrust neglect means that corporations were able to buy their way to dominance with predatory mergers and pricing, producing today's inbred, Habsburg capitalism. Apple and Google are a mobile duopoly, Google is a search monopoly, etc. It's not just tech! Every sector looks like this:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

Eliminating competition doesn't just deprive customers of alternatives, it also empowers corporations. Liberated from "wasteful competition," companies in concentrated industries can extract massive profits. Think of how both Apple and Google have "competitively" arrived at the same 30% app tax on app sales and transactions, a rate that's more than 1,000% higher than the transaction fees extracted by the (bloated, price-gouging) credit-card sector:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/07/curatorial-vig/#app-tax

But cartels' power goes beyond the size of their warchest. The real source of a cartel's power is the ease with which a small number of companies can arrive at – and stick to – a common lobbying position. That's where "regulatory capture" comes in: the mobile duopoly has an easier time of capturing its regulators because two companies have an easy time agreeing on how to spend their app-tax billions:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

Apple – and Google, and Facebook, and your car company – can violate your privacy because they aren't constrained regulation, just as Uber can violate its drivers' labor rights and Amazon can violate your consumer rights. The tech cartels have captured their regulators and convinced them that the law doesn't apply if it's being broken via an app:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/18/cursed-are-the-sausagemakers/#how-the-parties-get-to-yes

In other words, Apple can spy on you because it's allowed to spy on you. America's last consumer privacy law was passed in 1988, and it bans video-store clerks from leaking your VHS rental history. Congress has taken no action on consumer privacy since the Reagan years:

https://www.eff.org/tags/video-privacy-protection-act

But tech has some special enshittification-resistant characteristics. The most important of these is interoperability: the fact that computers are universal digital machines that can run any program. HP can design a printer that rejects third-party ink and charge $10,000/gallon for its own colored water, but someone else can write a program that lets you jailbreak your printer so that it accepts any ink cartridge:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/ink-stained-wretches-battle-soul-digital-freedom-taking-place-inside-your-printer

Tech companies that contemplated enshittifying their products always had to watch over their shoulders for a rival that might offer a disenshittification tool and use that as a wedge between the company and its customers. If you make your website's ads 20% more obnoxious in anticipation of a 2% increase in gross margins, you have to consider the possibility that 40% of your users will google "how do I block ads?" Because the revenue from a user who blocks ads doesn't stay at 100% of the current levels – it drops to zero, forever (no user ever googles "how do I stop blocking ads?").

The majority of web users are running an ad-blocker:

https://doc.searls.com/2023/11/11/how-is-the-worlds-biggest-boycott-doing/

Web operators made them an offer ("free website in exchange for unlimited surveillance and unfettered intrusions") and they made a counteroffer ("how about 'nah'?"):

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/07/adblocking-how-about-nah

Here's the thing: reverse-engineering an app – or any other IP-encumbered technology – is a legal minefield. Just decompiling an app exposes you to felony prosecution: a five year sentence and a $500k fine for violating Section 1201 of the DMCA. But it's not just the DMCA – modern products are surrounded with high-tech tripwires that allow companies to invoke IP law to prevent competitors from augmenting, recongifuring or adapting their products. When a business says it has "IP," it means that it has arranged its legal affairs to allow it to invoke the power of the state to control its customers, critics and competitors:

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

An "app" is just a web-page skinned in enough IP to make it a crime to add an ad-blocker to it. This is what Jay Freeman calls "felony contempt of business model" and it's everywhere. When companies don't have to worry about users deploying self-help measures to disenshittify their products, they are freed from the constraint that prevents them indulging the impulse to shift value from their customers to themselves.

Apple owes its existence to interoperability – its ability to clone Microsoft Office's file formats for Pages, Numbers and Keynote, which saved the company in the early 2000s – and ever since, it has devoted its existence to making sure no one ever does to Apple what Apple did to Microsoft:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/06/adversarial-interoperability-reviving-elegant-weapon-more-civilized-age-slay

Regulatory capture cuts both ways: it's not just about powerful corporations being free to flout the law, it's also about their ability to enlist the law to punish competitors that might constrain their plans for exploiting their workers, customers, suppliers or other stakeholders.

The final historical constraint on tech companies was their own workers. Tech has very low union-density, but that's in part because individual tech workers enjoyed so much bargaining power due to their scarcity. This is why their bosses pampered them with whimsical campuses filled with gourmet cafeterias, fancy gyms and free massages: it allowed tech companies to convince tech workers to work like government mules by flattering them that they were partners on a mission to bring the world to its digital future:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/10/the-proletarianization-of-tech-workers/

For tech bosses, this gambit worked well, but failed badly. On the one hand, they were able to get otherwise powerful workers to consent to being "extremely hardcore" by invoking Fobazi Ettarh's spirit of "vocational awe":

https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

On the other hand, when you motivate your workers by appealing to their sense of mission, the downside is that they feel a sense of mission. That means that when you demand that a tech worker enshittifies something they missed their mother's funeral to deliver, they will experience a profound sense of moral injury and refuse, and that worker's bargaining power means that they can make it stick.

Or at least, it did. In this era of mass tech layoffs, when Google can fire 12,000 workers after a $80b stock buyback that would have paid their wages for the next 27 years, tech workers are learning that the answer to "I won't do this and you can't make me" is "don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out" (AKA "sharpen your blades boys"):

https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/29/elon-musk-texts-discovery-twitter/

With competition, regulation, self-help and labor cleared away, tech firms – and firms that have wrapped their products around the pluripotently malleable core of digital tech, including automotive makers – are no longer constrained from enshittifying their products.

And that's why your car manufacturer has chosen to spy on you and sell your private information to data-brokers and anyone else who wants it. Not because you didn't pay for the product, so you're the product. It's because they can get away with it.

Cars are enshittified. The dozens of chips that auto makers have shoveled into their car design are only incidentally related to delivering a better product. The primary use for those chips is autoenshittification – access to legal strictures ("IP") that allows them to block modifications and repairs that would interfere with the unfettered abuse of their own customers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

The fact that it's a felony to reverse-engineer and modify a car's software opens the floodgates to all kinds of shitty scams. Remember when Bay Staters were voting on a ballot measure to impose right-to-repair obligations on automakers in Massachusetts? The only reason they needed to have the law intervene to make right-to-repair viable is that Big Car has figured out that if it encrypts its diagnostic messages, it can felonize third-party diagnosis of a car, because decrypting the messages violates the DMCA:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/11/drm-cars-will-drive-consumers-crazy

Big Car figured out that VIN locking – DRM for engine components and subassemblies – can felonize the production and the installation of third-party spare parts:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/08/about-those-kill-switched-ukrainian-tractors/

The fact that you can't legally modify your car means that automakers can go back to their pre-2008 ways, when they transformed themselves into unregulated banks that incidentally manufactured the cars they sold subprime loans for. Subprime auto loans – over $1t worth! – absolutely relies on the fact that borrowers' cars can be remotely controlled by lenders. Miss a payment and your car's stereo turns itself on and blares threatening messages at top volume, which you can't turn off. Break the lease agreement that says you won't drive your car over the county line and it will immobilize itself. Try to change any of this software and you'll commit a felony under Section 1201 of the DMCA:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/02/innovation-unlocks-markets/#digital-arm-breakers

Tesla, naturally, has the most advanced anti-features. Long before BMW tried to rent you your seat-heater and Mercedes tried to sell you a monthly subscription to your accelerator pedal, Teslas were demon-haunted nightmare cars. Miss a Tesla payment and the car will immobilize itself and lock you out until the repo man arrives, then it will blare its horn and back itself out of its parking spot. If you "buy" the right to fully charge your car's battery or use the features it came with, you don't own them – they're repossessed when your car changes hands, meaning you get less money on the used market because your car's next owner has to buy these features all over again:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/edison-not-tesla/#demon-haunted-world

And all this DRM allows your car maker to install spyware that you're not allowed to remove. They really tipped their hand on this when the R2R ballot measure was steaming towards an 80% victory, with wall-to-wall scare ads that revealed that your car collects so much information about you that allowing third parties to access it could lead to your murder (no, really!):

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/03/rip-david-graeber/#rolling-surveillance-platforms

That's why your car spies on you. Because it can. Because the company that made it lacks constraint, be it market-based, legal, technological or its own workforce's ethics.

One common critique of my enshittification hypothesis is that this is "kind of sensible and normal" because "there’s something off in the consumer mindset that we’ve come to believe that the internet should provide us with amazing products, which bring us joy and happiness and we spend hours of the day on, and should ask nothing back in return":

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/how-to-have-great-conversations/

What this criticism misses is that this isn't the companies bargaining to shift some value from us to them. Enshittification happens when a company can seize all that value, without having to bargain, exploiting law and technology and market power over buyers and sellers to unilaterally alter the way the products and services we rely on work.

A company that doesn't have to fear competitors, regulators, jailbreaking or workers' refusal to enshittify its products doesn't have to bargain, it can take. It's the first lesson they teach you in the Darth Vader MBA: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/26/hit-with-a-brick/#graceful-failure

Your car spying on you isn't down to your belief that your carmaker "should provide you with amazing products, which brings your joy and happiness you spend hours of the day on, and should ask nothing back in return." It's not because you didn't pay for the product, so now you're the product. It's because they can get away with it.

The consequences of this spying go much further than mere insurance premium hikes, too. Car telemetry sits at the top of the funnel that the unbelievably sleazy data broker industry uses to collect and sell our data. These are the same companies that sell the fact that you visited an abortion clinic to marketers, bounty hunters, advertisers, or vengeful family members pretending to be one of those:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/07/safegraph-spies-and-lies/#theres-no-i-in-uterus

Decades of pro-monopoly policy led to widespread regulatory capture. Corporate cartels use the monopoly profits they extract from us to pay for regulatory inaction, allowing them to extract more profits.

But when it comes to privacy, that period of unchecked corporate power might be coming to an end. The lack of privacy regulation is at the root of so many problems that a pro-privacy movement has an unstoppable constituency working in its favor.

At EFF, we call this "privacy first." Whether you're worried about grifters targeting vulnerable people with conspiracy theories, or teens being targeted with media that harms their mental health, or Americans being spied on by foreign governments, or cops using commercial surveillance data to round up protesters, or your car selling your data to insurance companies, passing that long-overdue privacy legislation would turn off the taps for the data powering all these harms:

https://www.eff.org/wp/privacy-first-better-way-address-online-harms

Traditional economics fails because it thinks about markets without thinking about power. Monopolies lead to more than market power: they produce regulatory capture, power over workers, and state capture, which felonizes competition through IP law. The story that our problems stem from the fact that we just don't spend enough money, or buy the wrong products, only makes sense if you willfully ignore the power that corporations exert over our lives. It's nice to think that you can shop your way out of a monopoly, because that's a lot easier than voting your way out of a monopoly, but no matter how many times you vote with your wallet, the cartels that control the market will always win:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/05/the-map-is-not-the-territory/#apor-locksmith

Name your price for 18 of my DRM-free ebooks and support the Electronic Frontier Foundation with the Humble Cory Doctorow Bundle.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/12/market-failure/#car-wars

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[on-my-vigilante-sht]

The Final Quest

Luke Castellan x Apollo!Reader

Requested by: @reader-bookling123: hiii I had a request for Luke where it kinda takes place in the past but he was dating reader and they were deeply in love but on their quest somehow reader sadly dies and Luke is just heartbroken and angry and he’s mad that everyone just moved on from her and maybe some cute reuniting moment

Summary: How a quest with the love of Luke's life turned him away from the gods

Warnings: Angst, major spoilers for series, graphic description of death, suicide (technically), anger, resentment, pain, fluffy ending, Dionysus and Apollo slander

Word count: 5.5K

Masterlist

Later A/N So I'm just now rereading Titan's Curse for the first time in like four years so I forgot that the Garden of Hesperides is west in the books. However, when I was researching the myth it was said to be some place north so I chose Canada. So that's why it doesn't reflect the book.

“Happy birthday, Luke,” my girlfriend smiled. Our lips were so close our noses were already touching. But just as I could feel the fleeting touch of her lips on mine, there was a flash of light, making her jump away from me in surprise. Looking over to the source of the light, I found my father standing three feet from us on the dock.

Neither of us had time to react before Hermes was speaking. “Hi Luke! Happy birthday. I have a gift for you.”

“Uh… th-thank you,” I tried to sound grateful but I was a little caught off guard and annoyed he ruined the moment.

“Oh, sorry!” he laughed, noticing my girlfriend who was still half in my lap. “How are you Y/N?”

“I- I’m well, Lord Hermes. How are you?” she asked nervously, awkwardly scooting away from me, moving her legs so their weight no longer rested on mine.

“Oh, no need with the Lord stuff. I may not be the god of prophecy but I am the god of gambling and I’m betting you two will get married. We’ll be family!”

“Father,” I tried to interrupt him as the embarrassment coursed through my veins, bringing heat up to my face. I didn’t even want to see Y/N’s reaction I was so nervous and embarrassed.

“Oh, right. Sorry kid. I forgot how much you teenagers hate sharing your feelings. But uh I’ve heard your prayers and offerings Luke and I have a quest for you.” My eyes widened. Finally. All my training would pay off. I could prove myself and go down in history as a hero. “I need you to get me the golden apples in Hesperides’ garden. Hera is getting a little too insufferable these days y’know?”

Y/N and I sent each other looks, our mouths open in hesitation. Our next words had to be careful. If we agreed to the wrong thing we’d be insulting Hera and I was sure she’d strike us down right here. She didn’t like demigods, to her we were an offense to marriage. Especially the ones that were a product of offense to her own marriage. “Thank you for the quest,” I carefully dodged his last comment.

“Of course, kid. Here, you’ll need this.” He snapped his fingers and in another blaze of heavenly light, a duffle bag appeared in his hands. “Well, good luck. I’ll see you back here when you bring me my apples,” he smiled, handing me the bag. “Uh, avert your eyes,” he warned. Waiting for us to cover our eyes, he disappeared in a golden spray of light.

When the world dimmed again I turned to Y/N. “Oh my god!” she yelled excitedly. She stood up, throwing her arms around me, almost knocking us both into the water. I laughed, hugging her tightly in return. “Luke, you’re gonna be a hero!” she gushed, pulling away so she could look at me.

“We’re gonna be heroes,” I assured her, placing a hand on her face. “Come with me,” I requested. My heart was thumping quickly in my chest out of excitement and nervousness. “We can be the Greek Bonnie and Clyde. Hundreds of years from now demigods will read our myths and say, ‘We can be like Y/N and Luke.’”

She looked at me, confused. “Luke, they were criminals and died tragically,” she laughed a little at the ridiculousness of it all.

“Okay wrong analogy but you get the idea. Please, I can’t do this without you.” As much as I wanted my glory, I knew the Daughter of Apollo wanted it too. And I’d be damned if I couldn’t give it to her.

“Okay, okay,” she laughed. “I’ll go with you.”

“Yes!” I cheered, hugging her so tightly I ended up lifting her off the wooden docks. She laughed as I began to spin, even almost spinning us into the cold water.

~

After talking to Chiron and getting my prophecy, Y/N and I were off in a car that Mr. D had somehow acquired. The only reason we were allowed to take it was because I was 17 and had a little driving experience from when I would take my mom’s car when she was too out of it to even get groceries. I shook off the thoughts as Y/N once again went through our supplies and plan. She seemed nervous even though I assured her numerous times we’d be fine.

“Drachma, cash, ambrosia, passports, drivers license, an enchanted map, and a bow and arrow,” she repeated the contents of the duffle bag. “The Garden of Hesperides is in northern Canada,” she mused, looking at the map. “Heracles defeated Ladon with a bow and arrow by piercing each head through the eye.”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” I assured, reaching across the center console to place a reassuring hand on her thigh. I left it there, rubbing calming circles on the skin of her leg with my thumb. “Heracles did it before…” I said, the words slowly dying as they came out. Heracles already did it. I tried to shake off the thought that I was just redoing a quest. They were so uncommon nowadays it was an honor to be chosen for one. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself to chase the doubt away. Besides, Heracles technically failed his quest, he didn’t bring them to Eurystheus. I would succeed in bringing them to the person who had requested them.

“What was the prophecy again?” she asked, still looking at the map.

I swallowed nervously. The prophecy was not optimistic for us. I couldn’t possibly imagine what we’d find out about each other on this trip that would cause us to lose our love for one another. “You shall go north to fruits, rare / Liar to liar, a father’s heir, / Loves will be lost in Ladon’s lair,” I repeated.

“‘You shall go north to fruits, rare,’” she repeated. “Obviously that means we’re going north to find the golden apples. “‘Liar to Liar, a father’s heir.’ Hermes is the god of lies. And I guess stealing makes you deceitful. Ergo, a liar… ‘Loves will be lost in Ladon’s lair,’” she repeated. I could hear the dread infiltrating her voice.

“Hey,” I interrupted her thinking with a squeeze to her thigh, “that could mean anything. Prophecies are just a guide. A starting point. It was so short and vague that we don’t even know if it’s talking about us. We’ll be fine,” I promised again.

“Yeah, of course,” came her voice. I glanced away from the road, finding a weak smile on her face.

“What kind of music does Dionysus have?” I asked, trying to change the subject. She opened the glove compartment, several things falling out of it.

She began to go through them. “Um, a concerning amount of Weird Al Yankovic.” I laughed as she continued to look through. She then gasped. “Oh my gods.” She held up something next to me that I took. I nearly slammed on the brakes as I glanced down at it.

I couldn’t stare at the CD in my hand too long so we wouldn’t crash but every time I glanced down at it I found a new horrifyingly wonderful detail on the album cover. It was Mr. D with the weirdest haircut I had ever seen. He was lying down on a cheetah print rug, his shirt was a zebra print and had the first several buttons undone so the viewer could see all of his glorious chest hair. That wasn’t even the most outrageous part. Mr. D was lying down next to a tiger with a gold chain around its neck. Hanging from the chain was presumably Mr. D’s stage name, “Dionomite” written in gold cursive and studded with diamonds. “We have to listen to this!”

“Already ahead of you,” she said, punching buttons on the dash. She took the CD from me and put it in. Once it was ready, our ears were immediately assaulted with the sound of various horn instruments being poorly played. “Did he play all the instruments himself?”

“Probably,” I answered as Mr. D’s voice came on. “Oh…” was all I could say as the squeaky singing made my eardrums bleed.

It was funny for a couple songs but then it just got annoying so we switched over to a single Beatles album.

~

We reached the Canadian border in only a couple hours. Thanks to the Mist we could drive as fast as we wanted without fear of mortal cops.

As we pulled up to the gate, the guard switched. Must have been a shift change. I thought nothing of it as I rolled down the window. “Passports?” the guard tiredly asked. His eyes were shielded by sunglasses despite the fact that he was under shade. I became wary but handed him the documents anyway. “Any plants, animals, dairy products, or drugs in the car?” he asked.

“No,” I answered.

“What’s the nature of your quest, demigods?” The customs officer removed his sunglasses, revealing a single eye. He then grew about three feet, revealing a cyclops.

“Hit the gas!” Y/N yelled beside me. I did, taking off. Now we had both a cyclops and the Canadian border police after us as I crashed through the plastic gate that went up and down. I swerved around guards and other cars, getting up on sidewalks and surely ruining the paint job.

But up ahead I could see them closing a heavy looking gate. Gods on our side or not we weren’t getting through that gate. So I swerved into the trees. “Hold on!” they were sparse enough that the car could fit in between the trees. Glancing in the mirror, I could no longer see border guards. But there was a 9 foot tall cyclops following us in the distance. Which would be fine, he’d never catch up to the car but the woods were getting thicker and now I didn’t know which way was the road.

Nature made its decision for me as I heard Y/N’s scream. “Luke look out!” But it was too late. A violent force stopped us and the car was suddenly still. There was so much force I was half afraid the cyclops had a friend but I just found a tree in the middle of the hood where the engine used to be. “Run!” I told my girlfriend, frantically unbuckling my seatbelt.

I ran to the other side, finding her struggling with the seatbelt. She threw the duffle bag at me before pulling out her knife and cutting the seatbelt away. When she hopped out, I took her hand. We ran further into the trees, the cyclops’ thunderous footsteps right behind us.

“Luke, we can’t run forever,” she breathed. She was right. We’d run out of energy before that thing did.

I thought for a moment, thinking of how we’d kill this thing. “At that big tree,” I pointed to a huge pine tree right in our path, “split up. Then we’ll circle back around and hit him from the side.” She nodded in understanding. We ran full speed at the tree until we each turned on the balls of our feet, dashing out of the cyclops’ path. The plan worked better than expected because he ran face first into the solid pine tree.

He crumpled to the ground, giving me time to retrieve my sword from the duffle bag. By the time I looked up, Y/N was already dancing around the beast, cutting him up with her knife. I jumped in, giving him the same treatment. We worked as a flawless team, striking and giving the other space as needed. Until finally, she cut the thing’s heels, forcing him to the ground. I took the opportunity to stab him in the eye, leaving behind only a pile of shimmery ichor.

When he was gone, I immediately pulled Y/N in my arms. Even at the relative safety of camp, I always needed her in my arms to calm down after battle. To assure myself that she was still there and I was still alive. The sound of her breath in my ear helped ground me. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, you?” Her face was still buried in my shoulder.

“Yeah. Sorry I crashed the car.” She chuckled, pulling away from me.

“You’re forgiven. C’mon, let’s go see what supplies we can save and start walking.”

While the car was unsalvageable, all of our stuff was fine. So we grabbed out backpacks full of winter clothes and started following the map. It wasn’t that bad now but it’d be cold by the time night fell so I forced Y/N to put on sweatpants over her shorts.

I was kind of hoping the map would take us to civilization where we could rest for the night but it just seemed to bring us deeper into the forest and we had no flashlight. As it got darker and colder I got more nervous. “We have to find some sort of shelter for tonight.”

“I know it’s dark but it’s not that-” A pack of wolves howling cut her off. “Okay, yeah,” she agreed. She began looking around. “Any chance you could climb one of these trees? I don’t really want to be on the ground.”

I shook my head. “Even if I could get up high enough I don’t think any of the branches would support us.”

She huffed. “Shelter it is, I guess.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from the wolves,” I teased. She had just killed a literal cyclops but she was afraid of some dogs.

“Hey, I don’t mess with wolves,” she said sternly. “After I saw that one movie about the kids stuck on the ski lift. You wouldn’t catch me in the woods at night yet here we are.”

“What about Capture the Flag?” I asked as we started collecting stuff to make a shelter.

“Well that’s different. There’s like 30 of us out there.”

“Do you want me to start sticking with you during the games? You know, if a wolf wanders in?” I teased.

“I’ll make my own shelter for tonight, thank you very much,” she said matter o’ factly.

“No, no, no. I’m sorry,” I apologized, tugging her back to me as she tried to storm off to get supplies. “Besides, we need each other’s body heat to keep us warm,” I whispered teasingly.

“Not a chance out here,” she scolded me.

“Worth a try,” I shrugged. “Everyone knows you can better preserve body heat if you’re not wearing clothes.” She just gave me an exasperated look before walking off again. “I’m joking!” I yelled after her.

By the time we had the shelter built up only about an hour had passed. We used pine needles to try to protect out bodies from the cold ground. And we used our winter coats as a blanket since we zipped them together. We laid down in the shelter, still shivering despite our best efforts. I held her close as she curled up against my chest, her head tucked under my chin. “Get some sleep,” I told her. “I’ll keep watch.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “Wake me in a few hours and I’ll take over.” I agreed with absolutely no intentions of waking her up. Judging by how fast her breathing evened out despite her constant shivers, she needed the sleep more than me. In the morning she’d yell at me for not waking her but it was worth it.

~

We had only been walking for a few minutes when we came across sled dogs. Ten siberian huskies all laying around patiently, harnessed to a sled. “Maybe these were the wolv-”

“Shut up,” she warned, giving me a light smack against the shoulder. I laughed as she hesitantly approached the dogs. “Hey guys, you waiting for someone?” She slowly reached her hand out to one of the dogs who calmly sniffed it before licking it eagerly. She gave him some scratches behind the ear in return. “Awe you’re such a good boy.” The dogs were now all up, wagging their tails and whining for pets.

I went up to the sled, finding a satchel tied to it. Opening it I found dog treats and a note. “All good huntresses need a pack of wolves.” Underneath it was a crescent moon. I clenched my jaw, recognizing the sender of the gift. Her aunt, Artemis. Last year, during the winter solstice, Artemis and her hunters had visited briefly. One of the hunters, Zoe, befriended Y/N. And even after she had told them she had a boyfriend, they still tried to recruit her. It never sat right with me, the way Artemis seemed so okay with breaking up a relationship.

“It’s for you,” I told Y/N, handing her the note. I handed her the note and she took it. She just sighed before stuffing it back into the satchel. “I don’t know why she’s so determined to recruit you.”

“I don’t know either,” she said, already tying our stuff to the sled. “But she’s gonna be disappointed because I’m kind of really into this one guy. I don’t know if you know him but he’s the son of Hermes. He’s gonna be a great Greek hero.” Her praise was enough for me to let go of my anger. Stooping down, I pressed a kiss to her lips.

The pack of sled dogs was perfect for the Canadian wilderness except for one problem. There was no snow. Still, they managed to pull us so smoothly it was like snow.

Soon enough, we pulled up to a garden. If it weren’t for the fact that they were literally in the middle of nowhere, this garden would be unassuming. It had a white picket fence and looked to be about an acre. Thousands of different types of plants grew, enchanting us with its smell. Off in the distance, in the middle of the garden, I could faintly see the golden fruits, the sun glinting off of them.

“The nymphs never gave Heracles a problem,” Y/N shrugged. I nodded, cautiously opening the gate, sword in hand. She held the bow up, an arrow already knocked. A quiver of them were slung over her back.

We crept in quietly, watching for signs of danger. She would watch our surroundings and made sure no nymphs attacked us while I kept an eye on the multi-headed dragon, making sure he didn’t stir.

Once we were about 20 feet away, he still wasn’t stirring. Y/N kneeled down behind some greenery, lining up her arrow. She took aim and fired. The arrow bounced harmlessly off one of the many scale covered head. The beast didn’t so much as stir. She looked back at me, as if seeking assurance. I nodded, telling her to try again. But rather than just take aim again, she crept a little closer. I almost told her to get back but I was afraid the dragon would wake up at my yelling. I held my breath, heart pounding as she tried again. This time she sunk it right through the eyelid but before either of us could react, another head moved. It snapped at her, jaws clenching around her waist. My blood turned to ice as I heard her pained scream. It was so horrifying to hear my body seemed to turn to lead.

I needed to save her. I forced my body into a run. I slashed at the neck that was currently holding my girlfriend in the air. Ladon dropped her, not without a claw slashing at me in turn. I managed to dodge it, scrambling over to Y/N. I wasn’t even comprehending whether or not she was conscious or if she was alive. I was too busy trying to tug her away. Golden fucking apples be damned.

I reached her, grabbing her by her shoulders and trying to tug her to safety. But before I could make much progress, the beast’s claw was in my face again. But I noticed it too late this time, too focused on my girlfriend’s very pale face. The claw hit me in the face, sweeping me to the side. I couldn’t feel the pain but I could see the blood seeping into my vision. I tried to wipe it away but it just kept coming. With my non-blinded eye I could see Ladon going back to his prior position as if we were nothing. Like he wasted no energy maiming us. Nonetheless, it allowed me to grab her by the shoulders, shaking her awake.

“Y/N, we need to go!” I said frantically, worried he’d come back for round two if we didn’t get out soon. “Can you walk?” I looked down at her body and knew the answer. Her shirt was covering the extent of her wounds but teeth marks, each a few inches across, tore through her shirt and there was blood. So much blood.

“With help,” she said in a strangled voice.

“Okay, good,” I nodded. Her assurance eased me slightly. I slung her arm across my shoulder before pulling her up. She screamed as I raised her off the ground but nevertheless gritted her teeth and bore it.

“No!” she cried as I tried to wrap my arm around her to support her weight. I realized that in doing so I’d be pressing into her wounds. She sobbed in pain the entire time we slowly stumbled out of the garden. It pained me to hear her cries but I had to get her out of here. If I could just get her to the sled I could give her some ambrosia and she’d be fine.

When I finally got her outside the gate, I laid her down. I’d get her onto our transportation once she wasn’t in such a critical condition. “Hold on, I’ll get you some ambrosia,” I told her, moving toward the sled. But the weakest tug held me back.

I looked down at her, finding blood, sweat, and tears covering her face. “No,” she cried. Tears were pouring down her face as sobs wracked her body. “Ambrosia won’t help.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” I held her face. Oh, her beautiful face. My heart clenched seeing it twisted in agony. “You’re gonna be fine. I promised you. I’m not a liar…” Tears were falling down my face now. She’s not fine. I realized that I’d become an unknowing liar.

Her hand reached up to my face, her thumb swiping over my blood covered cheek. “You’re not a liar. We were doomed from the start.” She took a labored breath and deep inside, I knew it was the end for her.

“Come on, no. Don’t leave. Please don’t leave,” I cried. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my lap. As if physically holding on to her would keep her from slipping through my fingers like the wind. “Just hold on until I can get you to a hospital.”

“We don’t have time.” A small smile tugged at her face and I knew she was smiling through the pain for my sake. “I love you, Luke. Promise me you’ll move on?”

“What? No. You know I won’t. You’re the love of my life,” I insisted.

“Please, at least try?” she asked. “I don’t want you following me too soon,” she tried to joke. But her laugh turned into pained sobs as the movement hurt her body.

I cried harder seeing her in so much pain. Her breathing was getting shallower and more labored. “Fine, I’ll try,” I swore. Lie. “I love you. So much.”

“I’ll see you in Elysium,” she said through a peaceful smile. It would be a welcome sight if it weren’t for the blood bubbling up out of her mouth. I turned her to the side slightly so she wouldn’t choke on it but it wasn’t enough. The blood was coming faster and her body was shutting down. “I love you,” she whispered before her eyes fluttered shut.

“No, wake up!” I cried, shaking her slightly. “Wake up!” Her breaths were getting shorter and I was getting more desperate. “Do something!” I yelled up at the sky. Her father. My father. Anyone! But no one came. Her wounds didn’t stitch themselves together and her eyes didn’t open. I held her tightly, sobbing into her shoulder long after she stopped breathing. Even the dogs started howling at the gods when her heart stopped beating.

~~~

“That’s why I hate the gods,” I murmured to Percy, watching the scorpion slowly creep up his leg. “They finally granted me a quest. It was all I ever wanted. But it was a joke. All my father wanted to do was piss off Hera and he was okay with using me and my girlfriend as collateral damage. And her father, Apollo,” the name came out of his mouth like venom, “the god of prophecy and healing let his daughter die. He knew she was going to die, even before the quest. And when he had the opportunity to save her, he ignored her.”

“I’m sorry she died but-”

“No!” I cut Percy off. “It would be one thing if she just died but she died over a fucking prank war. She died an agonizing death. Her aunt, Artemis, intervened in our quest but she still let her niece die a slow, painful death. They didn’t even help me bring her back to camp so she could be buried properly. I had to bury her in the woods like I had killed her and was covering up a crime.” I swiped away a tear as I noticed it slip down my face. I still couldn’t decide what was worse. Feeling her die in my arms or leaving her out there in the woods to rot. “And to make matters worse, no one seemed to care that she died. When I finally got back to camp a month later, they just pitied me. I begged Chiron to let me and some others go get her so we could give her a proper funeral but he refused. And when I tried to get others to join me to convince him, no one would go. After a couple days no one seemed to care that Y/N L/N was dead. A week later, another Apollo camper was claimed and they just gave her bunk away to him. Like she meant nothing.”

“But why Kronos? I’ve never heard of a demigod turning away from the gods. Even when horrible things happened.”

I sighed in contentment, remembering the projection he showed me. “Because he can bring her back. We’ll be immortal and without pain forever. He showed her to me. He said she’s happy in Elysium but she misses me,” I smiled softly. “But she misses camp too,” I laughed bitterly. “Annabeth, Grover, she probably would’ve missed you had you two met. But she never got the opportunity. But now, with Kronos, I’ll get to give her everything she wants.” I looked over at the kid. He seemed so deep in thought I wasn’t sure he’d heard me. “Goodbye Percy,” I said as I stood.

“I’ll tell everyone at camp about you!” he called after me.

“If you make it. Pit scorpion venom will kill you in 60 seconds. Even if you do make it, I’ll still be long gone.”

~~~

I sunk the blade into my Achilles heel, destroying Kronos’ life source inside me. I laughed as I could feel him leaving me. And continued to laugh as I fell to the ground and felt my own life draining out of me. Looking up, I found Annabeth above me, her curls hanging in my face. “I’m gonna see Y/N,” was all I said.

Tears welled in her eyes as I felt her comforting hand stroke my hair. “Yeah you are. I know how much you missed her.”

“I’ll see you there too,” I promised her, just like Y/N promised me.

~

I stood in front of the Judges of the Underworld. I knew I messed up in my life but my sacrifice had to amount to something. And I had to get to Elysium. “Luke Castellan,” Minos read my name. “You are charged with… starting a war against the gods?” he read in disbelief. “Why were you not immediately sentenced to the Fields of Punishment?” If I still had a heart it’d be in my feet right now. I couldn’t go to the Fields of Punishment. “You should have cut your losses and taken the express line to the Fields of Asphodel.”

“Keep reading,” Rhadamanthus said, not even looking up from the papers.

Minos rolled his eyes but kept going. “Oh, you sacrificed yourself, killing Kronos and saving Olympus and all of humanity. Hmm. Well, you did still start a war with the gods.”

Aeacus leaned over. “Minos, this really is more of a formality than anything. All the gods have already given him a pass.”

Minos huffed. “Fine,” he picked up a gold gavel, “Elysium!” he declared.

Before I could even thank him I was transported into what looked like the Apollo cabin. It was strange, I knew this was supposed to be the Apollo cabin but it didn’t have all the bunks. It looked like a normal house but something about it felt so familiar. I looked around, realizing I was standing in the living room. This must be Y/N’s house, it even smelled like her. Decorating the walls were pictures of her and her friends and siblings. But on the mantle and side tables were pictures of us. I picked one up, noticing the fingerprint markings all over it. She must pick it up a lot.

Looking around, I found glass French doors in the kitchen that led outside. The view was breathtaking. Mountains rose up on either side of the bluest lake I had ever seen. I went outside, intending to enjoy the view. As I stepped outside I could smell fresh air and feel a perfect breeze. “Hey stranger,” a voice came from beside me. I turned, immediately letting out a choked sob as I saw her sitting there. She stood, coming to me and I immediately snatched her into my arms. She shushed me, stroking my back as I sobbed in her shoulder. “You came way earlier than I wanted but I’m glad to see you.”

I pulled away so I could see her face. The blood, sweat, and tears were gone. It was just her beautiful, perfect face. “You’re actually here,” I said, reaching a hand up to her face. I was terrified she’d disappear again just like she did when Kronos showed her to me in my dreams.

“I’m here. And so are you,” she smiled. “We’ll be immortal and without pain forever,” she swore.

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Luke.”

~

Decades later we were opening our door to see Percy and Annabeth standing there. “Y/N!” Annabeth cried, jumping into my wife’s arms.

“Hey Annabeth!” she laughed, clutching the woman in a hug.

I looked over to Percy, finding him with smile lines and salt and pepper hair. “Hey cuz,” I smiled, extending my hand. Percy shook it and pulled me into a hug which I returned. I patted him on the back as I pulled away. “You know you can look any age you want here? You don’t have to be an old man.”

“I’m not an old man,” he insisted. “I was 80. Just anything older than 16 year old me looks old to you.”

I shrugged, he wasn’t wrong. I turned to Annabeth, giving her a hug too.

Y/N took Percy’s hand. “Percy, it’s so nice to finally meet you. Everyone from camp whose already here has said great things.”

He smiled at her. “I’ve heard the same about you,” he returned, glancing at me. “Well we brought blue cake for dessert.”

Masterlist

A/N Omg this is quite possibly the angstiest thing I've ever written. But it also has one of my favorite endings. Thanks for requesting this, I really enjoyed writing it

[stormz369]

The King of Hell and Me: Ch 4 - The Contract

Chapter Guide Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4

Summary: A witch summons Lucifer to earth to make a deal. Warnings: none I can think of? This is a generally sweet, fluffy chapter Word Count: 2.3k

Summoning the devil wasn't part of the plan. A demonic creature, yes, but the actual devil? The book didn't say anything about him. I was expecting to be dealing with an imp or some other kind of lower level Hellion. Someone with the power to do what I wanted, but not to completely fuck me over. Someone who'd take something I could spare. Not my soul.

The devil was also far less intimidating than I expected. He was a little on the short side, and far more human than I might have thought. Aside from the six glorious wings at his back, the least human things about him were his teeth and eyes; red and yellow, swirling with confusion and housing an ancient sorrow that seemed buried just below the surface. An unamused, but surprised look finally landed on me, knelt by the edge of the summoning circle. He made to move toward me, but was held in place by the ring of black salt. With a huff, he leaned back against the barrier, crossing his arms and observing me.

“... No one's summoned me to the mortal world in a long time. … You must be desperate.”

“I … I'll be honest, that wasn't supposed to happen, Sir … the book doesn't say anything about …” I fumbled through the book, rereading the spell. There was nothing to indicate who it called upon.

“Sir?” He chuckled, “well, that’s refreshing. Last time I was pulled into a summoning circle, the wretch had the nerve to call me ‘Dark Prince’ the whole time.”

I chuckled a bit awkwardly. “... Well, that's kind of a mouthful. If you don't mind, I think I'll stick with Mr. Morningstar?”

“Lucifer, please … but how did you know?”

“Aside from the snake and apple motifs you've got going on? You have six, very large, feathered wings. I might not be Christian, but I do know what angels are supposed to look like. … Sir.”

After a moment he let out a bark of a laugh, holding his sides. “Oh golly, you're entertaining! Alright, little witch. Whoever you were trying to summon, you've got me. So what deal were you trying to make?”

I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. Now or never, I guess. “My best friend is ill, and the doctors have given up hope. …”

“You want to trade your soul for your friend's life?” He smiled gently.

“... Does it have to be my soul?”

A strange look passed over his beautiful face, and he considered me for a moment. “... Maybe we can come to another arrangement. … There is something I can't get in Hell, and you did bring me here.”

I nodded slowly, curious what Lucifer himself could possibly want from earth. “Yes?”

“... Only sinners end up in hell. I … I gave Eve that apple for her own benefit. To help her, and her children. So they could be better, be more … more. Not just animals, consumed by their instincts. But I’ve never seen any good come of it …”

“Oh … well that's not at all fair …” I frowned, looking up at him. “Especially considering how much good there is …’’

He cleared his throat, nodding a bit. “Right, so … if you show me some of that good, I'll heal your friend. Do we have a deal?”

“Huh? N- no, I don't just want my friend healed. I want a cure.”

“... Same thing?”

“No, Sir,-”

“Lucifer.”

“... Lucifer, … the doctors don't know how to help her. Which means they don't know how to help anyone else with this illness either. I want my friend healed, but I also want there to be a cure for everyone else.”

A small smile slid across his lips. “... That amount of power will cost quite a bit more … but something tells me you're more than capable of paying the price.”

A crisp white scroll unfurled from his hand, gold ink scrawling across it before my eyes. I carefully took the paper in my hands, reading it carefully.

“... This says you decide when I've held up my side of the deal. How do I know you'll ever decide to pay up?”

He smirked a bit, sharp teeth glinting in the light. “You're a clever one. … Alright, as a show of good faith, I will heal your friend up front. … You earned that much at least.”

With a wave of his hand, the text changed. I reread the document and nodded. “... Thank you. Ok, where do I sign?”

A white feather quill appeared, and Lucifer took it. He tapped the end to his finger, and pulled away a trail of … liquid gold? He signed the bottom with a flourish, then offered me the quill.

“Touch it to the ring finger of your non-dominant hand, it will draw up a small amount of your blood to sign with.” He tapped the paper where I was to sign. 

I nodded, taking the quill, and placed it against my finger like he said. There was a brief, sharp, pain and when I pulled the quill away a trail of red followed. My finger appeared uninjured, but hurt like I had pricked it with a sewing needle. I signed where he indicated, and the summoning circle went up in flames, leaving no trace.

Lucifer smiled brightly, rolling up the scroll before he handed it to me. “Your contract, my lady.”

I took it, standing slowly. “... Thank you …”

He snapped his fingers, creating a crackle of energy throughout the room, and grinned. “There’s my side done, for now. So, how shall we start?”

///////////////

It took me all afternoon to think on what to start with. While I made tea and thought about it, he entertained himself by looking through my books and movies. His wings disappeared as he sat on my couch, reading the back cover of a book.

“... Is this for entertainment, or documentation?” He held the book up to show me the cover.

“That’s historical fiction, so entertainment based loosely on fact. It's about the wives of Henry the Eighth. … Do you know about them? How much do you know about human history?”

He chuckled. “I do keep apprised of the major headlines up here, but I don't typically bother with anything more. … You derive entertainment out of the suffering of those women?”

I chuckled a bit, setting a teacup in front of him, and sitting on the other side of the couch. “I think most people who read stories about horrible events do so because they don't understand how such things happen. We have a certain … morbid fascination with cruelty. … But I think it's usually also about honoring the dead. … They suffered so horribly, but we remember them. We don't let the bad things that happened to them get swept under the rug.”

He took the tea, watching me. “... I see …. Well, what good is there in that?”

“Ever heard the phrase ‘those who don't learn history are doomed to repeat it'?”

“You think remembering their pain will keep it at bay?”

“Something like that … can't avoid pain if you don't know what you're looking out for. Can't protect your loved ones unless you know what you're defending them against.”

He chuckled, sipping his tea. “I see…” He watched me, a curious look on his face. “So, any ideas yet?”

“Well, I was thinking we could start around town. You said it's been a while since you've been on earth?” He nodded, giving me a curious expression. “Then I think we ought to start with a little tour around town, so you can get acclimated. Maybe something will strike your fancy, yeah?”

“... You don't have to do that, you know.” A small frown slid across his face.

“Do what?”

“The tea, taking me on a tour … it's cute, but unnecessary.”

I set my teacup down, raising an eyebrow. “... Cute?”

“Trying to curry favor.” He frowned more.

A sharp laugh ripped out of me, and I covered my mouth. “... I'm sorry. … I'm not trying to ‘curry favor' with you, Lucifer. You're a guest in my home, you should be able to expect some basic hospitality. My grandma always said we should be hospitable to others, cause you never know when it'll make all the difference in their lives.”

He watched me for a moment and chuckled softly. “I don't think your grandmother meant you to be hospitable to the devil, little witch.”

“If my grandma were here right now, she would ask why I haven't set out any cookies. Sadly, I have none to offer you. But I was thinking we could stop for ice cream on our tour. There's a really cute local ice cream parlor, I'd say it definitely counts as something good people have done with free will.”

He blinked slowly. “... You are … not at all what I expected.”

“I could say the same thing about you.”

After a brief moment he smirked, standing up. “Where's this ice cream parlor?”

//////////////

So I showed Lucifer around my little town. I took him to a playground where he could see happy families together. To a riverbank where my coven picked up litter and people went tubing and swimming. The ice cream parlor, and some other local businesses I liked. I bought him an ice cream cone, and a duck plushie he seemed particularly drawn to. He was hesitant to accept it, but once it was in his hands he held it to his chest, periodically stroking the tuft of fur on its head.

We walked in the sunshine, past schools and libraries. We watched a guitar player in a park, and got tacos from a food truck. And all day, I told him stories of kindness and generosity, big and small. Everything I could think of, from the Christmas truce in World War 1 to my brother's boss giving me free coffees when I pick him up from work. Any act of kindness I had experienced, seen, or heard of became an example of good things that happen because people have free will. 

When it started to get late I took him to my favorite place to watch the sunset. He sat beside me, still hugging the duck plushie, and watched the sun dip lower and lower, the sky turning brilliant shades of purple and red.

“So? Any thoughts?” I watched him think for a minute.

“... They're good stories. But there's one problem.”

“What's that?”

“... Most of it wouldn't be necessary if evil weren't so prevalent in the world.”

“... Well, … you can't have good without bad.”

“What?” He frowned, turning to me.

“Without knowing about bad, you wouldn't know about good either. You'd just have … middle. In order to know you like something you have to be able to compare it to something you don't like. Otherwise it would all just be. … Plus, when everything’s going worst is when we notice good things the most. Smaller kindnesses mean more when we're hurting.”

Lucifer looked back at the sunset, thinking. “... Why did you give me the duck?”

I chuckled softly. “You seemed to like it, and I could afford to get it for you. Everyone should get a souvenir when they take a trip.”

“So you weren't trying to get in good with the boss of Hell?”

“Nope.”

“... Even though, by making a deal with me, you have condemned your soul to my realm when you die?”

“Anyone who thinks a duck plushie is going to buy them preferential treatment in hell is an idiot.” He gave me a skeptical look at that. “Lucifer, I swear, I only bought it for you because you seemed to like it.”

He thought for a minute, petting it absentmindedly again. “... You've held up your end of the bargain…”

“... But?”

“... When I finish my end, I go home. I can only be on earth for the time it takes to complete a deal. … I … I really enjoyed today.” As it got dark, his body started to glow with faint gold light. He looked up at the silver stars, and in that moment he seemed so sad, so delicate.

“... You know, I am asking for quite a lot … a cure for everyone with this disease, and all you get in return is some examples of kindness and an afternoon running around my town? … Maybe we could rework the contract.”

His eyes went wide as he turned to look at me. “... What did you have in mind?”

“... Well, you're not bad company. And I had a good day today too. We could do it again, if you wanted.”

Lucifer slowly grinned, and the contract was suddenly floating in front of me. An addendum was added to the bottom. Lucifer would send the necessary information to a doctor for the cure tonight, and once a month for the rest of my life, Lucifer would visit me wherever I was on earth. I would tell him more stories that showed what good has come of free will, and show him the good parts of life on earth.

I grinned, taking the quill that floated next to the scroll, and held it to my ring finger. A sharp pain later, I was signing at the bottom. Lucifer signed next to my name, his hand slightly shaking. “Alright … I'll see you again in one month then.”

I nodded. “I'm free on the third, if that works for you?”

He nodded. “The third. It's a date.”

With a snap of his fingers he was gone, and I knew some medical researcher somewhere was having the epiphany that would lead to the cure. In the meantime, I had a date with the devil to plan.

[junostarot]

pick-a-pile reading

🍒 who has their eye on you in your dr?

choose an image above that you feel most drawn to, then scroll down to find the associated pile. don’t force any messages: take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. your selection will reveal who is romantically interested in you, and what your relationship would be like in your desired reality!

PILE ONE

key words & symbols … books. 444. green. nature. red string of fate / soul ties. autumn or changing of seasons.

this individual is likely an animal person, feeling very drawn to care for them and spend time with them. they may also have a dash of golden retriever energy and a more upbeat personality. with physical touch as their love language, they love giving forehead kisses with your face cradled in their hands, or interlocking your pinkies just to feel connected to you. you two may have a bit of a grumpy x sunshine dynamic at times, with your dr self being a bit more reserved or introverted. they want you to feel loved unconditionally, regardless of what you think of yourself and your past. close friends to lovers, or a friend you never expected to fall for. your love is like autumn, like the scent of apples and cinnamon or feeling a crisp breeze while wearing a warm sweater. halloween likely has a special place in both of your hearts.

“I want to stay on the back porch while the world tilts toward sleep, until what I love misses me, and calls me in.” — Dorianne Laux, from "On the Back Porch," Only As the Day Is Long: New and Selected Poems.

PILE TWO

key words & symbols … sea, ocean. stars, night sky, starlight. snow/cold. 777. wolves, canines. the letters k & a. the colors white & pink. roses. rabbits or lambs.

this is someone who wants to know more about the world around them, through exploration and introspection. they are dedicated to learning about themselves, healing, and growing on their path. this person may have been a lone wolf for a while before meeting you, but having you around is like following the north star to solace. they care deeply about protecting you and ensuring that you are safe. quality time is important to them, even if it's just sitting in silence while you watch the sky (stargazing or watching the clouds). they prefer silence and keeping their distance from most people, but you're an exception.

“Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound.” — Safe & Sound by Taylor Swift.

“I touch you, straighten the sheet, you turn over in the bed, tender / sun comes through the curtains / which of us will survive / which of us will survive the other.” — Margaret Atwood, from "There Are Better Ways of Doing This."

“She's waving hi, her other hand's in mine ... She's got my back, she'll follow me down every street, no matter what my crime.” — Amsterdam by Gregory Alan Isakov.

PILE THREE

key words & symbols … butterflies. orange. tangerine. red. yellow/gold. crown. the letter p. angels or angelic/heavenly imagery.

this person has tried hard to be as soft as they are now, especially with their past behind them; they have experienced events that would make anyone else turn to rage and hurt, but they don't want that for themself. they want to be someone loyal and trustworthy, a person you can turn to when you need it most. when other parts of their life feel uncertain or unpredictable, they know that you're a constant. they find comfort in your arms, like listening to a long-time favorite song that never fails to make your heart feel warm inside. they love french fries and trying new foods (they're likely always hungry, possibly due to superpowers of some kind and needing to fuel themselves for extra energy).

“Save me, I'm lost. Oh, Lord, I've been waiting for you. I'll pay any cost, save me from being confused. Show me what I'm looking for.” — Show Me What I'm Looking For by Carolina Liar

“Since I met you, I've felt abandoned without your nearness; your nearness is all I ever dream of, the only thing.” — Franz Kafka, The Castle.

“When you cycled by, here began all my dreams ... And you never knew how much I really liked you, because I never even told you. Oh, and I meant to Are you still there, or have you moved away?” — Back To The Old House by The Smiths

[cheesy09]

[CN] Kiro's Sound Waves Mind's Quest (Pt. 1)

🌸 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date that hasn't been released on the EN server yet! 🌸

[Note: This date was translated with the help of Google Translate :>]

Note: This date explores some very suggestive themes, so if you do not meet the game's required 17+ age rating, I'd suggest to avoid reading this date.

Highly recommended that you read Kiro's R&S: Youthhood, R&S: Stunning Young Idol as well as his New Palpitations Date before engaging with the date!

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

[PART 1]

Woooah---

The spotlight shines to the beat of the drums, and thousands of people in the audience cheer.

Under the beam, Kiro raises his hand, the silver pick hovering over the strings of the electric guitar with a slight difference. In an instant, the world seems to freeze, and all eyes are on him.

And after he turns his head and smiles at me, he sweeps it down hard with his right hand.

The sharp melody surges from the speakers, and I automatically step to the beat, playing the corresponding rhythm on the keys.

The keys of the keyboard and the strings of the guitar tacitly collide with each other, causing the audience to scream again and again.

In such a thrilling and electrifying world, all happiness and noise can be released here unscrupulously.

Under the surging sound waves, Kiro jumps along with everyone, and the fingertips flying across the strings gradually approach its climax.

His blond hair sways wildly to the music, and the smooth lines of his muscles grow tighter with the ever-accelerating rhythm.

As the amplitude of the sound waves grows louder and louder, he presses his entire back against my own, and using him as support, I hotly press up against him.

The sound of the strings and our breaths intertwine until the melody is pushed to its climax. I stop my hands in an instant and give an air shot to the person who was paying the most attention.

Bam! - the passionate tail sounds bloom loudly into the night, instantly extinguishing all the lights.

-

Panting, I return backstage, but as soon as I turn around, I'm met with a pair of deep eyes.

I take a step forward, wanting to say something, but he grabs me and kisses me in the darkness.

The sounds of the encore rise and fall, but I have no time to care about such things. I just tighten my grip on the front of his guitar strap and demand for more.

The friction between our clothing and the strings makes a fine sound, as if continuing the music in another subtle way.

Our heated and soft breaths cause me to slowly slide to the ground, and he squats down with me, pressing one of his hand against the wall and deepening the kiss.

Most of my oxygen is instantly sucked away. Everything spins, and strange light spots keep dancing in front of my eyes.

Those lights become more and more ethereal, slowly enveloping the world in a layer of white gauze, and the breeze blows through, making the scenery outside the window faintly visible.

Window...?

-

I turn my head in confusion, and see a touch of gold reflected in my eyes. That familiar face is sound asleep, the corners of his lips curled up as if was immersed in a sweet dream.

MC: ...Ah.

My consciousness gradually returns and my cheeks suddenly burn up - was everything just a dream?

While I busy myself trying to cool them down with the back of my hand, the person beside me seems to wake up and hug me.

Kiro: [sleepily] Good morning... mm, why didn't Cello come to step on the quilt today...? And Apple Box hasn't licked me either...

He pats the spot behind him in confusion, as if calling the two little ones to come over.

Seeing this man be even more confused than I was, I chuckle and caress his face.

MC: Wake up. Did you forget that we landed in Los Angeles at midnight? We're in the hotel right now.

Not long ago, Kiro's new album was nominated for the Best Pop Vocal Album by the WMAs. Considering the fact that the award ceremony was close to the Spring Festival, we arrived in Los Angeles early with the intent of taking a vacation to celebrate the New Year.

Kiro: ...Oh yeah, I was pretty sleepy. [Yawns] So, how did you sleep last night?

MC: Really well. So well that I even had a beautiful....

As soon as the words leave my mouth, the sound of our gasps suddenly comes to my mind and I quickly change my description with a blush on my face.

MC: I had a very magical dream.

MC: I dreamed that we were performing on stage together... You were the guitarist, while I was the keyboard player!

MC: The audience kept shouting for an encore. During the performance, they thought we were the most popular band in the world~

Kiro's eyes widen and he moves a little closer to me.

Kiro: Then what?

MC: And then we walked off the stage, and then, and then it was over...

While its true that dreams are usually blurry, this one is so vivid that it gradually overlaps with the person in front of me, making me feel hot all over.

Kiro: Over?

MC: Over!

Kiro: [chuckles teasingly] MC, did you know you're really bad at lying? Your eyes are wandering and your face is as red as an apple. Usually when you get like this, it means...

The hand touching his chin pauses, and Kiro comes closer to me, a wicked smile on his face.

Kiro: Did I possibly kiss you in your dream?

MC: ...!

His straightforward answer makes me want to crawl under the quilt, but he latches onto my head first and buries it into his chest, laughing.

Kiro: [with lilting laughter] Okay, I'll stop teasing you now. Can you tell me more about your dream? For example, what songs did we sing? And did you enjoy being in a band with me?

MC: Of course I enjoyed it, and I remember the song we sang was also really nice, something like hum--hum hum--

The melody on my lips slowly becomes clearer and smoother, and we both seem to realize something, each of us staring at each other with wide eyes.

Kiro: Isn't that "Wonderful Day"?

MC: Ah... Now I know why I had this dream!

I excitedly pick up my phone and unlock the screen, automatically playing the video I hadn't finished watching before going to bed--

The video shows a practice room lit up by the afterglow of the sun, and a blond boy is sitting on the ground, holding a guitar and humming a tune.

His tight-fitting pure white long sleeves shirt makes him look a little thin, and his face beneath his forehead also possesses the unique innocence of his youth.

As if he was practicing, he sang acapella without accompaniment, but his singing was filled with the sounds of friction due to the old recording equipment at the time.

Even so, the passion and purity can clearly be seen in those eyes.

This was Kiro, an 18-year-old member of a start-up band, and this scene appears in this MV in the form of a memoir.

MC: Although I've searched for various old videos of yours, this is my first time seeing you practice behind-the-scenes.

MC: So I couldn't help but watch it a few more time. I didn't expect it to end up in my dream though~

As I say this, I think of something and point at the drum set behind "him" and the electric guitar on the floor.

MC: But why are you the only one practicing? Where are your bandmates?

Kiro: ...I can't remember. Maybe they hadn't come over yet, so I was just casually practicing while I waited for them.

MC: Oh, but I remember one of your bandmates' name was Pen?

He startles, as if he didn't expect me to still remember the person he'd just mentioned in passing.

Kiro: Mm, he was the guitarist for our band.

MC: Oh~ Then tell me in secret - who was better at playing the guitar, you or him?

Catching on to my teasing, he playfully raises his eyebrows in turn.

Kiro: There's no need to ask. I was the all-rounder of the band. I was just doing my duty as the lead singer so as to not steal everyone else's limelight.

MC: Wow... how bold. Your former bandmates would be furious if they knew about this.

I grin and lean on his chest, playing with the buttons of his pajamas.

MC: But this MV just reminded me that there must be many "treasures" from the past waiting for me to discover.

I pause and selfishly confess.

MC: After all, some people say that dreams are another parallel universe. So, I'll keep digging out more "materials".

MC: That way, I'd have more stories to experience with you from that time~

There is a chuckle that comes from above my head, and he takes my fingertips and kneads them absentmindedly.

Kiro: Then this treasure hunter should work hard. Maybe she'll be able to find... a super rare treasure that even I forgot about.

MC: I'll definitely work hard, but before I can gain anything new--

MC: I plan to listen to your album a few more times. Maybe I'll be able to continue my dream tonight!

MC: You don't even know how happy I was in the dream. It was my first time performing on the same stage with you. And I performed so beautifully!

The more I talk, the more excited I become, and I feel my heart pounding again like it did in my dream.

Kiro suddenly leans over and looks at me intently.

Kiro: MC, don't wait for night to come. Let's form a band now.

MC: Huh?

Kiro: Don't let it just be confined to your dream. After all, no matter how good the dream is, it'll only be a tenth as good as reality.

Kiro: And if dreams really are a parallel time and space... then I'll be very jealous of the Kiro who got to be on the same stage with you.

He pauses, and the familiar "sly grievance" appears in his eyes.

Kiro: What he has, I want too.

As he speaks, he lifts the quilt and gets out of bed from the other side.

MC: Wait! Now??

MC: Although there are still some days left before the award ceremony, we still need to get our outfits fitted and meet with various directors and producers...

For a while, I can't seem to make sense of what I'm feeling, and just report the upcoming itinerary in a daze.

But Kiro comes to my side of the bed and squats down with a smile, looking at me with bright eyes.

Kiro: Of course we have to do all that stuff, but music is a magical existence.

Kiro: It never conflicts with anything.

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

[PART 2]

In the afternoon, we drive a rented sports car through the city.

Kiro: There used to be a very authentic American burger joint on this street, but later, the owner closed it down cause he wanted to enjoy his old age.

Kiro: And on that street, I used to feed a black stray dog, which was later on adopted by a kind-hearted grandpa.

Kiro: Yes, yes, and this is the spot where Carol failed to confess his love. Raymond was gloating about it and collapsed to the ground laughing [laughs].(LMAO I'M SO SORRY, CAROL)

The bright sun shines on every street corner and seems to allow me to peak into his past through a rearview lens.

I take pictures of the scenery one by one until I realize something and speak out of curiosity.

MC: By the way... You've been touring the world frequently since then, so wasn't it rare for you to come back here?

Kiro: Yeah, it was even rarer after I went to college. I usually went back to the Bay Area after our tours.

At that moment, Kiro parks the car and pulls me out to stand in front of an unopened shop.

Except for a few guitars displayed in the window, it was pitch dark inside. I look up again and find that it doesn't even have a store name.

MC: Hmm? Is this a music store? Or some kind of training institution? Why does it feel like its closed down...

Kiro: Well... it's considered one of the "strongholds" of our band.

Kiro: You're right in thinking that it's a music store, but it has never been open for business. You'll know when you go in and take a look.

He takes out a key, opens the door and walks in under my doubtful gaze.

-

With the sound of a switch, the room instantly lights up--

It isn't big, and everything from the floor to the cabinets is made of dark solid American retro-style wood. Various musical instruments stay in different corners as they please, but they don't look dusty and seem to be well maintained.

MC: Okay, there are a lot of musical instruments here. So many instruments, and it still isn't open for business?

Faced with my shock, Kiro bursts into laughter and reaches out his hand to brush the guitars nostalgically.

Kiro: What you see here is what we intended to use ourselves.

MC: ...Yourselves?! With so many instruments, were y'all able to use them all?

Kiro: Most of the time they'd only be used as backup or in special situations~

As if remembering the past, he vaguely lifts the corners of his lips.

Kiro: There was a time when our drummer broke his drum during a late-night rehearsal. At the time, we were in high spirits and wanted to run out immediately to find a place to repair it.

Kiro: But all the instrument stores were closed. No matter how much we wanted it, we couldn't get it fixed.

Kiro: So in order to prevent similar incidents from happening, we made a decision on the spot - we'll just simply buy a music store!

Kiro: That's how we got this "stronghold".

MC: HUH??

He smiles as he thinks about it, as if realizing now how "reckless" they were at the time.

Kiro: [chuckles] Okay, I admit that normal people wouldn't think like this.

Kiro: But we honestly thought that this idea was quite reasonable at the time, because we wouldn't have to worry about breaking stuff in the middle of night during rehearsals--

Kiro: You could just immediately grab a new one from the side and continue rehearsing seamlessly~

MC: [grinning widely] Sigh... What a bunch of music fanatics.

MC: And y'all were such "tycoons", buying music stores just because you wanted to...

As soon as I finish speaking, I realize that I seem to have touched a sore spot. The corners of his lips twitch stiffly twice.

Kiro: No, we didn't really have much income at the time, so we basically used all of my little treasury to get it.

MC: Your little treasury? What about Pen and the others?

Kiro: [pouting] Hmph... they only covered the water and electricity bills here!

MC: Hahaha, it seems like every famous individual has a past that is "unbearable to look back on"~

MC: Tell me more, tell me more!

Kiro is momentarily taken aback, and he lowers his eyes, as if caught up in a brief memory.

Kiro: Also... it feels like there's nothing special about this place. Basically, we rehearsed together, held meetings to discuss creation, or asked a nearby Chinese restaurant to deliver food for us.

Kiro: Oh, I remember there were several magazines here. A lot of our promotional pictures should be in them.

MC: Promotional pictures? No private ones?

MC: For example, when you guys went out to have fun together, didn't you secretly take "funny photos" of your friends?

Kiro stops flipping through the magazine and shrugs at me.

Kiro: That's unlikely. Aside from performances and rehearsals, we hardly ever got together.

Kiro: You'll probably have to look for it, or you could dig out one or two from my cell phone album from a few years ago.

Sensing my subtle gaze, he quickly waves his hand.

Kiro: Don't think too much about it. I've been on good terms with them and have never gotten into any fights.

Kiro: At most, there were minor disputes over music discussions, but those were more about technical matters rather than personal ones.

MC: But... it doesn't seem like you guys keep in touch anymore.

Kiro: As "former colleagues", it's normal not to be in touch, right?

MC: Huh?

Seeing my stunned expression, he smiles and leans in front of the stairs.

Kiro: How should I put this... When Mr. Lawrence formed the band with me at its center, I knew it was more than just a dream.

Kiro: It was still my job and my career, I couldn't just care about my own feelings.

Kiro: Of course, they thought so too. So naturally, we focused on creation rather than each other.

His voice is very soft, but it weighs heavily on my heart.

This isn't the band story I'd imagined it to be. It was too rational and mature, so much so that it seems to have lost the passion and purity that youth should have had.

But their band was also lucky, and in the end, stood brilliantly under the bright lights.

Kiro knew very well where he needed to go and what he had to pay for it, so he made those regrets, big and small, seem too insignificant.

But... passion isn't just for the youth, is it?

Free adults could also grab a hold of it.

With that thought, I stretch out my hand towards him and smile brightly.

MC: Hello, lead singer, let's formally get to know each other.

MC: I'm the keyboardist of our band - MC. I'm going to be relying on you to guide me.

Kiro is left stunned for a moment. He then tightly holds my hand and raises a smile that was even more dazzling than my own.

Kiro: Hello, but I would like to remind this keyboardist that you're also responsible for the harmony.

MC: Huh? Will I be able to handle it..? After all, I haven't practiced the piano in a long time...

Seeing me suddenly get nervous and stiff, he gently shakes my shoulders.

Kiro: Relax-- Although a band sounds like a professional team doing many things, it is essentially a place where everyone gets together to play music.

MC: Then do you have any piano practice sheets? I want to warm up and move my fingers.

As I say this, I walk to the bookshelf nearby to rummage through. However, the person behind me laughs and pulls me back.

Kiro: Let's not do that. I need to help you relax. So why don't you say hello to them first?

Kiro pulls me to a piano and stars playing from behind me.

He plays softly and slowly, like a sleeping kitten rolling around in the sunshine, wrapping itself up with a flick of its tail.

Unknowingly... I seem to turn into that kitten, leaning peacefully into his arms.

Gradually, he removes his fingertips from the keyboard and gives me complete room on the instrument.

I can't help but raise my hand and continue the melody at will. Amidst the light and flying notes, I meet those smiling eyes.

MC: I didn't expect to meet "Teacher Flower" again after such a long time. And his teaching methods are still just as effective.

As if he hasn't heard that title for so long, Kiro chuckles, walks to my side, and leans down slightly.

Kiro: Then, Miss Chips, do you wish to give "Teacher Flower" a reward? So that I can be more-- [sharp muffled inhale].

Before he can finish saying what he wants to, I smile and kiss him.

The music stops and is gradually replaced by our hearts beating. His hands slowly tighten around my waist and he deepens the kiss.

It's slow, lingering, laced with a hint of fruit candy.

I have a hunch that our band will be the sweetest.

-

After playing with the other instrument for a while, I look at Kiro belatedly.

MC: Wait, we don't have a band name yet. That should be the first step to forming a band!

Following my words, his eyes grow distant, as if in thought, and finally land on a blackout curtain--

Seems that, due to the passing of the years, the curtains have several tears and small holes. But they still are able to let the sunlight slip in and sprinkle a little "starlight".

Kiro: How about calling it Twinkle?

MC: Huh? Is it that simple?

Seeing him nod seriously, I smile and return to the piano again, playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

MC: Then this can be used as our "theme song"~

Kiro: Yeah, but since we're going to be an awesome band, there can be a little more variety to it.

Kiro picks up the guitar at his feet and skillfully strums the strings.

Once the cheerful "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" variation ends, I tentatively blink at him.

MC: How about it?

I thought that I would get some compliments, but instead he smiles and shakes his head.

Kiro: There is indeed nothing wrong with the pitch and rhythm, but we're here to play music, not take an exam or perform at a concert.

Kiro: Can you relax a little more? Don't be music's best student, be its best friend.

MC: I...

Seeming to sense my confusion, he smiles and pinches my face.

Kiro: Don't worry, "Teacher Flower" is here. I'll definitely have a way to get you completely immersed in the world of music.

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

[PART 3]

In the span of the next few days, Kiro does not seem to have thought of a solution.

Seeing as we were in no hurry, we went along with our original plans of designing outfits and having dinner with some people in the industry who had made prior appointments with us.

In our spare time, we would go back to the "music store" to practice, and even put a mattress in the attic for us to lie on at any time.

MC: ...Why am I still getting it wrong even after practicing for so long?

Looking at the black and white keys in front of me, I pout and tap on them twice.

Kiro: You seem very depressed, Miss Chips. Would you like me to help you?

The joking inquiry comes from the attic, accompanied by the creaking sound of wooden boards. I turn around and find Kiro leaning on the armrest, a smile on his face.

MC: Very much so... I had originally intended to get an early start and relieve you of some of the pressure.

MC: But I realized that music arrangement and theory are much too difficult for me.

Kiro: I admit that they are difficult, but why do you need to master them?

The dazzling lights of a car happen to pass by the window, causing me to blink in a daze.

MC: Because... I want to make that dream a reality and have an awesome performance with you.

Kiro: [in mock despair] Oh, I've done it now. It seems that I've unknowingly infected you with my perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Although he says this, he approaches me with a smile and leans down to look at me.

Kiro: Usually you tell me to do one thing at a time, but that doesn't seem to apply to you.

MC: I...

Taking note of my stunned expression, he unconsciously caresses my cheek with his fingertips.

Kiro: It doesn't matter. I'm going to give you a doze of "strong medicine".

His left hand that he had kept hidden behind his back suddenly comes forward and sways something in front of my eyes. Upon closer inspection, I realize it is a bottle filled with wine.

MC: ...Is that wine??

MC: Is this your way of helping me relax? By getting me drunk?

Kiro: Don't worry, it won't do anything to upset your stomach. This is a wine I specially concocted to get you drunk at most.

I take a whiff and smell the sweet and fruity aroma, but finding it too strong for me, I quickly shake my head.

MC: No no no...

MC: I have no idea what I'll do once I get drunk. It would be bad if I just played things at random.

Kiro: So what if you did? Who said that music has to have a standard answer?

He walks to the table nearby and takes out two glasses, slowly pouring the wine into them.

Kiro: As a musician, I promise you - as long as you do it from the heart, your music will be given a soul the moment it appears.

Kiro: Think about it, when you happily play the notes, there'll be several little chips jumping in the air. How cute would that be?

I giggle and simply take the glass from him and drink it. The sweetness of citrus and the warmth of the liquid mixes together and slowly spreads throughout my chest.

MC: It's delicious. I never thought that the Kitchen Killer had the skills to be a bartender~

As soon as I finish speaking, Kiro slightly narrows his eyes and puts on a brighter smile.

Kiro: Right. But just now, this Kitchen Killer thought of adding another ingredient to the mix. That should make it a lot more delectable.

MC: What?

Kiro: What do you think about green apple?

As he finishes speaking, he takes a sip of the wine in his hand, then bends down and kisses me.

His breath and the wine come at the same time, and caught off guard, I subconsciously grab the lapel of his clothes.

Kiro triumphantly raises his eyebrows, then grabs a hold of my waist, and forces me to stand up and get closer to him.

Then he goes deeper and deeper, his lips and tongue intertwining with mine over and over again, along with his scorching breaths as he gently bites me.

I subconsciously raise my head to take in the air outside, but he gently latches onto the back of my neck, and forces me to look directly into those eyes.

I feel like I'm being dragged into a whirlpool by the deep sea. Helplessly, I cling to his neck and "complain" in a low voice.

MC: ...You stingy fellow, you won't even let me get in a word with you.

Kiro: [softly] Is it? Obviously, I just want to you to get a taste of the improved flavor.

MC: Lies, where is the green apple flavor?

Kiro: Well, I just finished one candy, and it was green apple flavored. You must not have been looking seriously just now. Look again carefully.

He lowers his head and takes another sip of the wine, once again taking up all of my breath.

As if he really wishes for me to taste that tangy flavor, his dexterous tongue circles around in my mouth, leaving indelible traces.

The lack of oxygen quickly causes the alcohol to diffuse into the air, leaving my body feeling hot all over as I weakly cling to his shoulders.

MC: B-But just... don't forget what we're going to do tonight...

I softly beg for mercy, but all I receive is Kiro's low laughter. He then hugs me and sits down on the piano bench.

Kiro: [chuckles] Of course I haven't forgotten tonight's plan of relaxing and enjoying everything... whether it be music or happiness.

I am unable to see his expression clearly, but from the brisk tone of his voice, I can tell he is smiling happily.

He reaches out his hand from behind me and gently touches the black and white keys.

Kiro: As long as we combine notes one after another, we can create the world.

Kiro: Such as sunshine... forests... flowers...

Kiro: Or a house... a chimney... a clothes rack...

At this instance, he pauses, raises his hand by half an inch and hovers it over the keys.

Kiro: Of course, the most important thing is-- Kiro and MC...

As soon as he finishes his sentence, the world becomes quiet and a chord blooms into my ears.

His hands jumps around the keyboard, the brisk notes converging into particles of light and shadow in my mind, like the sunlight swaying amongst the shadows of the trees.

The atmosphere becomes light and fluttery, luring people to get closer to these lights and shadows, and run with them.

So I get out from under his arms and pick up the guitar beside him, strumming the strings with a grin as he looks at me, amazed.

MC: I can create anything, right?

Kiro: Of course. You are the master of this world.

After saying that, he starts playing along with me, playing a melody as light as stepping on the clouds.

I immediately shake my head, then bend my knees and strum the guitar vigorously.

MC: No, no, I don't want clouds, I want us to roll on the lawn--

Taking note of my unhesitant request, he raises his eyebrows slightly and plays a burst of warm and playfully skipping notes, making the countless blades of grass bend down.

Kiro: Then I want the sun to rain.

As he speaks, he tilts his body to the high-pitched area, and quickly moves two keys with his fingertips. The patter of sounds fills the air.

MC: But we don't plan on taking shelter from the rain, because...

I deliberately stop strumming for a beat and wink at Kiro.

MC: We haven't had enough fun~

My body starts to dance to the increasingly cheerful melody, as if I was gleefully letting go of all my inhibitions, and I am unable to stop myself from bending down and rubbing against the tip of his nose as I pluck the strings of the guitar.

Waves of heat steam across my face, but also tempt me to indulge in this even more brazenly.

Kiro's forehead is also wet with a fine layer of sweat, and something seems to shine in his naked eyes.

Our breathing gets faster and faster as the notes flow within the melody in a simple and profound manner, making our emotions a bit explicit and leaving our mouths dry.

At some point, the intertwining sun and rain seem to stop, leaving only a lingering pattering of sounds in the air.

However, our souls still seem to be connected. I slowly put down the guitar and walk forward, following my heart's desire, and finally come to a stop in front of Kiro.

The dim yellow chandelier sways in the wind, causing the light in those blue eyes to flicker again and again.

I don't think I've ever been as exposed to him than I am in this moment. And the same can be said about him.

And just as I'm about to give in to my desire to kiss him, he lifts my chin first, and a burning hot temperature follows suit.

I drown in that deep sea all at once as I unabashedly wrap my arms around his neck to absorb the oxygen that I longed for.

But this doesn't seem to satisfy him. His scorching breath lingers on every contour of my body, and the constant numbness makes me impatiently bite his neck.

His muffled groan falls into my ears and is then followed by his palms, grasping a hold of my thighs and picking me up.

I instantly lose my center of gravity and am unable to keep myself from opening my eyes and meeting that ravenous gaze.

Kiro: There's one more thing I forgot to tell you.

Kiro: Anything that makes a sound... can be turned into a melody.

As he says this, he lays me down on the table beside me, and then kisses me hard.

He specifically picks out those sensitive spots and rubs them all over, as if wanting to amplify my senses to the limit.

The sounds of hair brushing against the wooden table, the sound of paper sticking to the skin, and the rustling sounds of a plug being pulled all fall clearly into my ears, stirring up a numbing ripple.

They sultrily and ambiguously meld together, playing a secret melody.

Kiro: [whispers sexily] Do you hear this song that can only belong to you and me?

His voice is hoarse and the corners of his narrow eyes are slightly red, obviously stained with desire.

I see myself in his eyes as though I have intertwined myself with him.

Kiro: [in a breathy voice x1] ...Why do I still feel like something's not enough?

MC: ...Even if you ask that, I still...

Our words are muffled between our lips and teeth, and the sounds mix together, making everything feel comfortable. He suddenly smiles and unconsciously moves a little closer to me.

Kiro: [x2] Then let's not stop this song.

As he speaks, he laces his fingers through the gaps between mine and presses them together on the table. Then, he leans forward and kisses me.

The lights on the ceiling intertwine with his figure, blurring my vision from time to time.

Kiro: [voice almost TREMBLING from the passion] I would also like to add more of your voice.

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

Part 2: Here

[gatoraid]

Anime recs for The Radiant Emperor enjoyers

I was watching the new Ooku anime on Netflix some weeks ago and I thought it hit that ”court drama dealing with gender roles and making me cry” spot that He Who Drowned the World has been occupying in my heart lately (even if it engages with some of these themes very differently).

Somehow that got me thinking about other anime that might align with the vibes and themes in The Radiant Emperor book series and eventually came up with this list.

Some of those themes include gender roles, queerness, disability, politics, oppression, rebellion, revenge, impossible and messy relationships and tragedy. Darker themes like war, violence, sexual assault etc are also often present. Please lmk if you agree or disagree with these choices and feel free to add more!

Dororo (2019)

Historical fantasy based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga classic from the 1960s.

An orphan who hides her gender in order to survive meets a young man who fights demons to claim back his body parts that his father traded away in a demonic pact. There’s tons of pain and tough moral questions and complicated family relationships, and the way Hyakkimaru deals with having lost and then slowly regaining parts of himself is super interesting.

24 episodes. Stream on Prime Video, Hidive

The Heike Story (2022)

Retelling of the historical epic Heike monogatari through the eyes of an orphan girl who gains the ability to see supernatural things after her father’s passing. Inevitability of fate, the impermanence of all existence, praying for your loved ones’ happiness in the next life, all of these things are beautifully woven in this visually stunning story. The story also hits different when you know that Heike monogatari was traditionally performed by blind musicians and singers.

11 episodes. Stream on Cruncyroll, Apple TV

Inu-oh (2022)

Historical fantasy. Two outcasts find each other and change the history with their music in this story that also pays respect to the Heike monogatari’s origin as a singing tradition. Focus on things like identity, disability, nonconformity, ghosts. Yes, the ghosts part is important. Also, the gender expressions and the bond between the two main characters is something I’ve seen a lot of queer/trans ppl relate to and Inu-oh is voiced by none other than the trans icon Avu-chan.

Movie. Stream on Hulu

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (2023)

Alternate history where most men in Japan have been wiped out by a mysterious disease. Very much a court drama centered in the Tokugawa shogun’s residence where men serve the woman shogun as concubines (and sometimes have relationships with each other). Also, one of the main characters is a monk who ends up giving up his vows! Based on Fumi Yoshinaga’s acclaimed manga that has also been adapted to various live action movies and drama series.

10 episodes. Stream on Netflix

Toward the Terra (2007)

Scifi classic with two main characters who are at the opposing sides but feel inexplicably connected. There’s just so many insane relationships and emotions here, I still have not recovered from the ”I want to kill you but I will also protect you with my own life” thing…… Based on the 1970s manga by Keiko Takemiya. Not to be confused with the movie from 1980.

24 episodes. Available on DVD

Devilman Crybaby (2018)

Apocalyptic fantasy with demons and stuff. Based on the classic 1970s manga by Go Nagai.

I don’t even know how to describe the story, it’s just the tragedy, the queer yearning, the ”I killed the one I loved and then it was too late”, the ”things will get bad and then they will get worse” vibe that I think is very fitting. This one has the most extreme violent and sexual content out of the series on this list.

10 episodes. Stream on Netflix

Banana Fish (2018)

Gang wars, mystery drugs and complicated emotions set in New York. Based on the iconic 1980s manga by Akemi Yoshida. Deals heavily with trauma and CSA.

You guessed right, this one is also a tragedy. If you love Ouyang and/or Baoxiang, you’re probably going to love Lee Yut-Lung. That’s all I’m going to say.

24 episodes. Stream on Amazon Prime

[agirlwithbigdreamsforher]

FOUND YOU IN A PLACE OF CHAOS: CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

Pairing: Eric (AQPDO) x Mary (OFC)

Summary: Eric met Mary on the ferry that was taking them away from New York. What would the future holds when you are living the end of the world?

Warnings: Any mistakes are my own. Language.

A/N: Words in italics is a dream.

Disclaimer: I do not give permission for any of my works to be copied, used, translated nor reposted anywhere else but here on this blog. Do not steal what you didn’t work for. Minors and ageless blank blogs don’t interact with me or my works. Reblogs and likes are always welcome. Remember reblogs do more than likes. Thank you for reading this work of fiction.

Word count: 1941

GIF'S NOT MINE, YOU CAN FIND THE CREDITS UNDER IT.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Eric opened his eyes when the metal walls of the boat cracked. He looked around and remembered where he was, he took a deep breath and let his head fall against the wall. His sight was stuck at a point on the opposite wall, not really paying attention to his surroundings.

“What are you looking at?” A man who was sitting in the direction he was staring at spoke to him, “HEY!” Eric blinked and now really looked at the man, “What are you looking at?!”

“I…” Eric said a bit confused at the man’s tone.

The man stood and walked towards him, grabbed him by his collar and pushed him against the wall. Eric let go of Frodo and the cat ran away. “Stop Fucking staring at me!”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t…”

“Do you have a problem?” Eric could smell a hint of alcohol in his breath.

“No, please. I don’t want any trouble. I wasn’t staring, I promise.”

“You listen to me, you fucking…”

“Leave him alone!” The man who helped him get on the boat spoke, “Let him go. I won’t ask you twice.”

“Oh really? And what are you going to do about it?”

“Just leave him alone, he wasn’t doing anything. He is in shock, just like most of the people in this fucking ferry. So let him go.”

The man let go of Eric, who tripped and fall in his place, the man walked pass the black man.

“And cut it with the drinking.” He said to the man as he passed by him. “Are you ok?” Eric nodded tearfully. “Here.” He gave Eric his hand and helped him stand, “I’m Henri.”

“I’m Eric.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.”

“Come with me.”

They walked another level up and headed to a group of people surrounding boxes.

“This is my wife, Zena.” The woman smiled to Eric, “He hasn’t eaten.”

Zena nodded and open one of the boxes. When she turned she handed Eric a plastic bag with piece of bread, an apple and a bottle of water.

“Thank you, ma’am.” He rapidly opened the bag and bit the bread.

“Easy there. You’re gonna chock on yourself.” Henri saw Eric drank from his water, “You’re not from around.”

“No, sir. I’m from England.”

“Well, you are certainly far from home.”

“RUN!” The voice of her mother was filled with fear and just as she stood in the middle of the living room, her mom disappeared in the middle of a cloud of dust making Mary fell in her place.

The screams of hundreds of people on the street filled her ears, the sound of car alarms going off, sirens of ambulances and police cars, everything was loud. 

“Aunt Mary!” The voice of her niece caught her attention.

“NO!” her sister screamed and just as her mother, her sister and niece were dragged out of the hole that was now on the side of the building.

Mary watched in shock and covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming. She moved as fast as she could to get to her room and hid in her closet. She tried to calm her breaths, her family was gone and she had no idea what was going on.

Once the noise died down, she left her hiding spot, walked carefully to the living room and scream.

“Mary, wake up!” Lucy shook her, “Wake up!”

Mary opened her eyes and took a breath that made her lungs hurt.

“Easy, you’re ok. It was a nightmare.” Mary’s breaths were short and panicked. “Look at me, you are safe.” Tears were streaming down of Mary’s eyes.

“I…” She kept breathing, “They’re gone.”

“I know, darling.”

“I was about to be with them.” She cried and Lucy hold her.

“Shhhh.” She swayed her side to side. Lucy’s hand rubbed her back and soon after Mary began to breathe normal and Lucy helped her lay down.

Mary look at the ceiling. “What time is it?” she said above a whisper.

“Eight o’clock. You’d slept for 3 hours.”

Mary tried to sit down and hissed when she felt the sting in her right thigh. Lucy helped sit with her back against the wall of the boat. Mary lifted the blanket and saw the bandage.

“Where’re my pants?”

“We had to cut them.” Lucy lifted the material that was bunched next to them. “I’ll find something for you to wear I promise.”

“How bad is it?”

“It was just a bit deep but long. You’re lucky it didn’t cut in a major vein.”

“But the kid is alive.” She smiled tiredly looking at the black kid sitting among others survivor kids on the opposite side. “I should be dead.”

“Yeah, but you’re not. I was not going to leave you there. Your mom…”

“My mom is gone. All my family is gone and so it’s yours.”

“Your mom was my best friend and you are like a daughter to me, I was not going to leave you to die.”

Mary’s eyes soften and watered. “I’m so scared.”

“I know. I am too.”

Mary sniffed and clean her tears with the back of her hand.

“It’s getting cold.” Lucy said, “I’ll help you put your sweatshirt on.” She took the item and easily put it on Mary.

“Where do you plan to get me some pants?”

“I don’t know, I’ll figure something out. What kind of lady would I be if I let you walk around in your underwear?” She laughed a bit. “Besides you have a hole in your panties.”

“What?” Mary looked down, her black panties were dusty but not ripped. Lucy fulling laughed this time, “I’m glad you are having fun at my expenses.” She smiled lovingly to Lucy. Mary grabbed her tote bag and took out a bag of cookies. She opened it and offered it to Lucy. “Do you know where we going?”

“Some island, you know those things can’t swim, so.”

“When are we getting there?” she bit her vanilla cookie.

“I don’t know. They don’t tell me much. But I hope when the sun rise we will be somewhere safe.”

They kept eating quietly when a soft meow made them turned her heads around.

“Hey!” Mary said with a full smiled on her face. Lucy’s heart fluttered when she saw Mary smiling. “Who are you?” The cat got near and jumped on her lap. “Oh! Hello!” Mary scratched its ears and the cat purred. “Oh you like that, don’t you?” The cat rubbed its face against her chest, “How you get here?”

“That´s the cat from the last man that got here.”

“What?”

“There was a man that swam from a pier to the ferry.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No! We don’t know who help him to make noise to distract the creatures so he could get here. He almost got caught, I saw it. He was really lucky.”

“You actually believe everyone in this boat is lucky when most of us have lost our families and friends.” She said as she hug the cat.

“I like to be optimistic. It was not our time to died, not yet at least. We have the chance to start over.”

“And how are we starting over when is the end of the world?

“How is my favorite survivor?” They were interrupted by Henri. He had found them on their way to the ferry and stayed by their side.

“I don’t have pants on.”

“Lucy told me. We are trying to find something for you. I will be forever in your debt for saving Osahar.” He smiled lovingly to Lucy and then to her, “How you feeling?”

“Sore and tired.”

“Frodo!” Mary turned when she heard an unknown manly voice. The man stopped on his tracks when Lucy, Henri and Mary turned to see him. “Sorry.” Mary locked eyes with him. He had the biggest and softest eyes she had ever seen in a man. “That’s my cat.” He said shyly.

“Oh!” Mary said and lifted the cat, “He just got here.” She smiled as Eric got closer and took the cat in his arms. He recognized her as the girl who was sleeping when Lucy was curing his hand.

Lucy and Henri share a knowing look, and then Henri cleared his throat.

“So, Lucy; Zena was telling me if you’d like to help her with some stuff upstairs.”

“Why? Of course! Do you think you can keep an eye on her?” She said looking at Eric.

“Me?”

“Yes, you…Eric, right?”

“Yes.” He thought for a moment, “I can stay while you come back.”

“Perfect.” Lucy stood up, “We’ll come back later.”

Eric stood in silence while Mary stared at him. When he turned he saw her giving him a tight smile.

“Hi.” Mary said.

“Hi!” Eric’s voice shrieked, he cleared his throat, “Hi.”

“Eric?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Mary.” She extended her hand towards him and waited until he took it. “wanna sit?” She patted the floor next to her.

Eric looked around as if he were waiting for someone to tell him not to sit, but eventually he sat down. Mary reached for her cookies and gave him one.

“So Eric, I’m going to assume you are the last man who got in the ferry.” He nodded, “Lucy told me about you, he said you swam.” Eric nodded again, “You don’t talk much, do you?”

“Sorry, I… my friend helped me get here.”

“And where are they?” Eric remained silent and blink his tears away, “You don’t have to tell me, I understand.”

“Do you?”

“My whole family is dead. I saw when those things took them.”

“So Lucy is not your mom?” His voice was clearer and louder this time.

“No, she was my mom’s best friend. We lived in the same building.” She took a deep breath, “When the noise died down she went there to check if there was any survivors and she found me in the kitchen putting food in my bag.” She lifted her cookie. “I like your accent.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, “I like yours.”

“How about you?” She bit her cookie. “What’s your story?”

“I’m… was a law student.”

“Wow! You must be really smart then. I heard it’s difficult to get in.”

“And expensive.” Eric added, “I was in the subway and some pipes exploded. Next thing I know I was coming out of the water and finding Frodo outside the subway station. He took me to his owner, the woman who distracted the creatures so I could be here.” Just in that moment Frodo jumped from Eric grip to Mary’s lap and purred, “He likes you.” Mary turned to see him and his eyes were shining.

“What part of London are you?”

“Kent. Have you been?”

“No, I was studying to be a nurse. But you know it was in the plans after I finish. Travel the world… Now there is no place in the world where those creature aren’t.”

“Well, let’s hope that wherever we going, it’ll be free of those things.”

Both of them stayed in silence for a moment. It wasn’t awkward, it felt peaceful.

“Eric?” he hummed, “Can I do something?” He nodded.  Mary got closer and he moved backwards a bit. Her hands land on her tie. She gracefully undo his tie and another button of his shirt.

“It was a present from my mom. She gave it to me before I came to the States.”

She smiled, took the tie, folded and put it in her tote back. “It will be safe there.”

By the time Lucy came back she found Mary with her head on Eric’s shoulder, both of them sleeping peacefully.

[kayssweetdreams]

The Perfect Finale Ch41

Meanwhile, Back in Wonderworld, With the Humans...

"YIN!!! WHAT IS GOING ON?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?! WHY AM I DRESSED LIKE THIS?! WHERE ARE WE?! WHY ARE THESE PATHETIC DELINQUENTS HERE?!"

Cal regretted ever curing Prim the minute that she opened her mouth. All of the group had covered their ears when her grating voice began screeching. Yuri hid from Prim's line of sight, while Jose hid her. "How lovely to see you to Prim..." Lora Jade said sarcasticlly, rolling her eyes. This however made her narrow her eyes "YOU! YOU'RE THE ONE THAT DRUGGED ME WITH MY OWN DRUG!!!" Prim screamed.

"I thought a Proper girl doesn't scream like a maniac." Rebecca remarked. "SHUT IT!!" She screamed. She lept from her chair, as she yelled at Rebecca, only to end up shooting towards the wall. "Cal...I thought she was supposed to lose her powers..." Iben whispered. "I know...why hasn't anything happened yet?" Cal asked in confusion. Prim gave a groan of pain as she slowly rose from the wall.

"I'm...I'm gonna get you..." She grumbled. "Quickly! If Yin finds us here we're dead!" Sana said, as she ran into another hall. The humans quickly followed, just as Yin entered the room. "Prim?!" He asked in shock. "YIN! There you are!" Prim yelled, snapping out of her stupor. "WHAT IN PERFECTION'S NAME HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!?!" She screamed, stomping closer to Yin. However, the red maestro grasped her neck and began to squeeze it.

"Oh no. No more of that screaming." He growled. That's when he pulled out the container of the drug "You may have told me what to do in the real world, but here. You answer to ME. And I can't have you screaming and ranting like a mad woman." He said. Prim desperately grabbed at his hand, trying to pry it off, but as it turned out, he was a lot STRONGER than when they last left...

"Luckily for me. With the other two replacements out of the way, and the fact that you're the positive 'Masstro' I can stay in control...and I WILL stay in control." Yin said, prying open Prim's mouth, and dropping the pill into her mouth. "WAIT! WAIT! THOSE DELINQUENTS! THEY'RE HERE!" She screamed just before Yin forced the pill down her throat. Prim twitched as the effect took hold. Yin had added something called an "Everglow Lily", and a "Curiosity Chrysanthemum". As well as something called a "Despair Apple", as well as a few more...strange things.

Yin however wasn't paying attention. If those HUMANS were back. Then the replacements were there as well...and he wasn’t going to lose his power now. Snapping his fingers, he created more red Negati, all of which had obediently waited for orders from their creator.

"Find the replacements. Destroy the Humans. BRING ME THE HEART."

Mei belongs to @sundove88

Rebecca belongs to @thehyperrequiem

Trisha Jane belongs to @lovelyteng

Aria belongs to @shadowqueen402

Lora Jade belongs to @alex-frostwalker

[aardvark-123]

~Fallout 4 Companions React to a Quiche Lorraine~

Ada would be mildly interested. "Ah, a savoury pastry dish with a cheese, egg, and bacon lardon filling. Packed with energy for a hard day's scavenging. It isn't often you find something that nice out here."

Cait would stare at the quiche in a mixture of desire and trepidation. "Janey Mack..." she'd whisper. "I haven't touched a quiche since my parents tried to drown me in one! Held my face under the delicious, creamy, cheese and onion-based filling until I blacked out, so they did, to punish me for sneaking food earlier. Bastards." Whoever offered Cait the Quiche Lorraine would be so horrified by her tale, they wouldn't notice her devouring the whole pastry without leaving them so much as a slice.

Codsworth would be pleasantly surprised to see such fine cuisine two hundred years after the apocalypse. "By George, where on Earth did you manage to find that?!" he'd exclaim. "Did you bake it? Good heavens, I simply MUST have the recipe!"

Curie would be worried about the quiche at first. "Alors, you cannot be certain zis dish is safe to consume! Given zat it smells so good, it cannot contain much in ze way of preservatives..." Then she'd take a small bite, and her eyes would light up. "OH! Sacre bleu, ze quiche, it is making LOVE to my tongue! Oh, help, I fear I shall BURST from ze sheer pleasure of it! Aaaah... If zis is ze last Quiche Lorraine in ze world, I shall die..."

Paladin Danse would grab your hand halfway to the quiche. "Not so fast, soldier," he'd say sternly. "One of our rules is that a knight cannot feed themself until they've fed the Brotherhood. Luckily, as I am also in said Brotherhood, you can fulfil your obligation by cutting me a slice first..."

Deacon would wear the Quiche Lorraine as a hat, after which he'd be too busy laughing to eat much of it.

Dogmeat would sniff the quiche. His ears would prick up in delight, and he'd give you a pleading look, as if asking for permission to tuck in. If you gave him the go-ahead, he'd spend five minutes chowing down on the quiche, as quite possibly the happiest dog in the world.

"Heheheh... Now, there's a tasty dish!" Porter Gage would laugh. "Reminds me of all my favourite things, like torturing innocent victims, and selling children into slavery. Good times!"

Glory hasn't had much contact with baked goods before, and at first she'd be confused by the Quiche Lorraine. She'd get the picture after a few mouthfuls. "Man! Now, THERE'S a pie that can look a girl's tongue right in the eye!" she'd exclaim upon finishing the quiche. "Just needs some chips, coleslaw and a side salad, and maybe some mustard... Wait, how the Hell do I know what those things are? Weird."

Hancock would complain that the quiche was too salty and needed a side of apple juice.

MacCready would be ever so excited to have a delicious Quiche Lorraine, but he'd freeze with his fork half-way to his mouth. "Is this- is this paid for?" he'd stammer. "I don't have to pay for the quiche, do I? Just checking. I mean, it's probably worth a few caps, but I don't want any nasty surprises in the financial department. So are we all square? Right, good. Just making sure."

"Well, I'll be damned," Nick would chuckle, seeing the Quiche Lorraine just sitting there. "Genuine pastry and egg, just like old Mrs Calkowski used to make in that little place down on Mass Avenue. Times like this make a man miss having a stomach. No, don't feel bad, partner; you get some of that down you. It's cold out there, and you're gonna need your strength."

Old Longfellow would probably also eat the quiche.

Piper would cheerfully tuck in as soon as she was offered some quiche. She'd eat every crumb of the quiche, lick the plate (if there was in fact a plate involved), and immediately ask for an interview about where you found the quiche. "If there's still food like this out in the ruins, the public have a right to know! I want names, places, anything to do with the source of the quiche! This... is going to be big."

Preston would fetch some paper plates and start dividing up the quiche for everyone nearby, or everyone who needed it most.

Strong would dig out a rusty machete and hack the Quiche Lorraine in half. "Human! Eat pizza so you can grow big!" he'd bark, handing you half of the quiche. "Strong also eat pizza, so he can stay big," he'd chuckle, tucking into the other half.

X6-88 would be unimpressed. "Such a primitive pastry construction," he'd remark of the quiche. "This dish demonstrates poor nutritional balance, with excessive salt and fat. Eating too much of it may cause minor health problems. I recommend that both of us take a small slice, and we hand the rest over for molecular analysis. The Institute's scientists will surely be able to generate a better, healthier quiche."

If you've never heard of Quiche Lorraine before, it's a type of egg and ham quiche originating in Lorraine, which is in France. It's a tasty dish.

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

SPOILERS ALERT! (Obviously!)

I haven't actually finished. Just one more chapter left. But its fine. I'm done with the major plot anyways. Let's start!

How do I feel about Elbert's route?

All in all, it was kinda....meh. I wasn't entirely bad nor it was good. It's just...I'm so dissatisfied.

How was the story?

It was half boring and half good. I chose the Madness route and let me just say, for how dark Elbert's story is, the ending is just so disappointing. Now this is just the Madness route, maybe in the Blind route is much better (I hope it is).

El's story mainly contains two stories - 1. Main story that reveals El's past and his curse and 2. Bernard&Co. I'll be honest... I don't care about Bernard and his company! Nor do I care about Gabriel and his kinky stuff nor Daisy and her blue poppies. It really has nothing to do with El's past. It's just boring side story that just keeps getting in the way of the main storyline and it cannot be avoided. I honestly didn't pay any attention to Bernard&Co story because I was bored and I'm more interested in getting to know El.

On the other hand, I was quite interested in El's past. Yes! It's one of the most tragic ones I've heard. I love how dark it is and the writers did a good job in making me actually hate EVERYONE related to El. I also loved how they showed the scene where Al tells Kate about El's past in a library where they first met and at the same time, El was having a dream where he sees his whole childhood. It's a nice transition. They keep switching between Kate's pov to El's pov from time to time. Good job! I liked that.

The writers did keep me interested in the story because to be honest, I was really looking forward on how El finally comes out from his tragic past and faces his true nemesis. But they went and ruined it in the end so much so that it WASN'T WORTH SPENDING 1500 DIAMONDS and 25 story tickets!!! Yes! I did use my diamonds, which I've been saving for Jude, on story tickets.....because I was so hooked! I couldn't wait 10 days and I couldn't sleep until I found out what's going to be Jeffery's ending.

What happens to Jeffery?

By this time, you must know that, Jeffery is the true main villain in El's route. Not Gabriel Bernard. If you don't know, Jeffery was the chief butler of the Greetia house. He and the other servants SA-ed El everyday since he was 9-year-old. Not only this, let me list out all the crimes he has committed:

SA-ed a minor everyday.

Brainwashed and manipulated that same child.

Bribed a guy to kidnapped Kate and also told him to sell her, because you know, she was preventing him from SA-ing El.

Tried to kill Kate.

And also being completely delusional in thinking that the reason why El was trying to kill him because Kate brainwashed him and not because...all of the above.

Yeah. So you'd think, a monster like that would get painful death, right? But no. El just shows up, says hi and stabs him with his sword. That's it.

I was really disappointed, because I thought, El was going to make him suffer for what he has done and killing him as painfully as possible, because he deserves it. For some reason, the writers just made it anticlimactic. If I compare this ending with William and Harrison, their ending is much more exciting. Especially William's...I'll translate that as soon as my exam is over...so please be patient, it's on Sep 8th. Okay?

But yeah, that's it. I don't how El kills him in the other ending. Someone told me that El poisons him. Poison apple I guess. I'll see that when I play the other ending, but not anytime soon.

What is El's tragic ending?

El's tragic ending according to Victor is to die while being unsatisfied. We see El trying to collect the most beautiful thing in the world, but El's tragic end is, he will die without getting that most beautiful thing.

What about Al?

I still don't understand why Al kissed Kate. It still confuses me and Yes! Kate does tell El that Al kissed her and El was like--

Kate: "Well....Mr. Alphonse.....kissed me on the lip--"

El kisses her before she could finish her sentence.

El: "Tell me Kate, who is your daddy?"

Kate: *blushes* "It's Lord Elbert...."

El: *smiling* "Good."

El: "If it's Al, I don't mind..."

Kate: "You're....n-not going to kill him, right?"

El: "If it was someone else, I would have.......I'd rather you not, but if you want to kiss someone else besides me, it should be only Al."

Kate: *jealous* "I don't want to kiss someone else. I only want to kiss you..."

Yeah, that's El's reaction. He was surprisingly calm about it. Al on the other hand is starting to grow on me. He's like the Mitsuhide of this game, so mysterious that you can't tell if he's on good side or bad side. El seems to trust Al very much. Yes, he is jealous about Kate spending time with another man, but he also trusts Al and knows that no matter what, Al will keep her safe. Al on the other hand dislikes the fact that both Kate and El trusts him so much. I don't know if Al even likes El as friend. Sometimes he acts like friend and sometimes he doesn't. It's so confusing, so I'm really looking forward for his route.

Kate and El

Honestly, these two are made for each other. Both are jealous possessive types that keeps asking each other if they were thinking about each other while they were apart. There are only some cute moments here and there, like El staring at Kate so he could get into her heart and also making sure that she only looks at him and only thinks about him and also grabs her face and makes it turn to look at him and also asking to look only at him lol. It's a funny scene I liked it. But most of his route is full of sadness and sadness and .....lots of sadness. You get my point.

Final thoughts

This post is really short but there is not much to talk about because I already spoiled you guys about El's past which is the major part of the story.

I wish the story was bit more exciting, at least the writers could have improved the ending of Jeffery after making me hate him so much. All in all it was a pretty meh experience. I still think Harry's route is the best one so far.

[sevi007]

Part 2 of Sevi's inconsistent rambling / playthrough of Tales of Abyss

Cue the complete confusion, lads:

A what induced what now? A Fon-what? Game please I'm just as clueless as Luke here and there is a lot of big words being dumped on me right now! XD Have mercy! Though one thing I understand:

Agree to disagree! Protection would, imo, include informing Luke about stuff like this, and if he is a - fonist? - to train him in this. Instead, this is ONCE AGAIN something he was kept in the dark over. This is no protection in my eyes, this is blatantly keeping this boy a secret.

So from what it looks like, thanks to Tear and that resonance thingy (which hopefully will get explained later) Luke and I went from training with a training dummy to being casted into the middle of nowhere.

Huzzah! We are so dead! XD

Funny thing is, now that I have a party member, especially a pragmatic and collected one like Tear, I get hit hard in the face how... childish Luke's character is. I mean this not in a bad way. I mean this "good god that kid was sheltered (TM)" kind of way. Not only does he nearly freak out when they fight their first enemy - something which at first surprised me since I expected him to jump in headlong and brag about his battle prowess - but also does he know absolutely nothing about history, the current state of the kingdom / world, nor other things which seem to be daily business for anyone else. (I'm jumping ahead a bit but - Heck, he did not even realize he has to pay the grocer if he eats an apple )

I pondered this for a bit and it does make sense, though. Given he has no memory of his entire childhood, and has been kept so in the dark from everything after that, this boy is like a blank page. Nothing there concerning any knowledge about ANYTHING. (This is not me calling Luke dumb. This is another "how sheltered IS this boy?!" )

I will probably be grousing about this a fair bit XD Anyway, on we go:

... I need that "I'm in danger!" gif, like, right now. We got teleported into enemy territory? The same people who kidnapped Luke? Ah yes. This is fast-paced, alright.

@magicmetslogic

[ephemerasnape]

A Five Hundred Galleon Whore 🔞

"Don’t fight me, sweetheart,” he warned, gently easing her head back by the hair. “You can cooperate,” he continued, beginning to kiss down the exposed skin of her neck, “or I can let every man in my ranks take his fill of you.”

► Victor Rookwood x F!OC

An epilogue for Paying the Piper...

This contains significant spoilers for Paying the Piper so please read that first if you haven't already. It's a quick read.

SMUT - 3,200 words - NONCON / Extremely Dubious Consent

► Read on ao3 or below.

In Oddments & Oddities, the newest shop in Hogsmeade, dim candlelight illuminated two figures of very recent acquaintance – a witch and a wizard. But, most importantly, a man and a woman.

He was taller and she was smaller. She was clad in only her nightclothes, while he was fully dressed. He was armed, whereas she had left her wand at her bedside.

In other words, she was in the best kind of trouble.

The shopkeeper stood barefoot by her till, toe-to-toe with a handsome dark wizard.

“The apple doesn’t fall from the tree, after all,” he’d said - Rookwood.

Elisabeth furrowed her brow in confusion. Apple? Does this mean...?

This man is... Oswald’s father?

Trapped between the crime lord and the counter, Elisabeth barely dared breathe.

“Please, sir,” she squeaked only to be hushed and pulled closer to him by the waist. She let out an “eep” as her body collided with the man’s larger form, separated only by a thin bit of linen.

Elisabeth could smell the unmistakable scent of firewhisky on his breath as he leaned in and began to whisper directly into her ear.

"Don’t fight me, sweetheart,” he warned, gently easing her head back by the hair. “You can cooperate,” he continued, beginning to kiss down the exposed skin of her neck, “or I can let every man in my ranks take his fill of you.”

The shopkeeper shivered and let out a low moan in response to the horrific threat, causing the gang leader to chuckle in response. As he continued to lathe, suck on, and kiss the delicate skin just underneath her ear, Lissie became utterly weak in the knees. But worse - against her wishes, the heat between her legs grew – pulsed.

I want… I need... No!

She felt his thick rod press against her stomach in kind and gasped. Despite having emptied himself in one of his whores earlier, Victor’s cock stood rock hard. But while the man was raring to go, Lissie was torn. Frightened and, she hated to admit, extremely aroused.

“I love you.”

The words rang through Elisabeth’s head as if to say "stop - don’t do this!"

Oswald.. Such a sweet boy.. Elisabeth knew how hurt Oswald would be if he ever found out about this happening. If she allowed it to happen. To continue. And yet, the dark wizard’s firm grip, his masculine scent, the dominance that radiated off of him…

To say she was conflicted in that moment would be a severe understatement. She knew that most witches would give their eyeteeth to be bedded by this wizard. He was handsome, confident, well-dressed, wealthy, and powerful. His voice alone sent shivers down her spine.

But sense had fled Elisabeth Lancaster, and she felt physically unable to resist the dark wizard’s advances.

“Please,” was all the woman could manage – her ardent, unconscious wish to have the burden of this moment lifted from her shoulders.

And so it was.

Rookwood took hold of her hand suddenly, his other arm wrapped tightly around her waist and, without warning, Elisabeth felt herself pulled through the vortex of apparition.

Coming out the other side, the wizard then eased her, disoriented and slightly nauseated, to her knees onto a Persian rug. The room was bright - causing Elisabeth to squint as her eyes adjusted to the light. 

The world spinning around her, Elisabeth nonetheless looked up at the handsome wizard and took in his appearance properly for the first time. He was just as handsome, as striking as before – but now she could appreciate the fine embroidery on his coat, the subtle purple ribbon on his hat, the lines etched into his face.

She also realized that her own features must have been revealed to him as well, and as she crossed her arms over her bosom in an attempt at modesty, his face twisted into an expression that was both scornful and lustful at the same time.

Just when Lissie had started to get to her feet, the dark wizard placed a hand on top of her head.

“Ah, ah” he admonished, reaching for the fastenings on his trousers. “You’ll stay right there. My Scout tells me you have quite a taste for cock, and skill to match,” he explained as he revealed himself.

The shopkeeper felt sick to her stomach. Oswald was not only this man’s son, but he’d apparently told him the intimate details of their coupling.

Lissie shook her head, trying to scatter the negative thoughts racing through it. Surely, he was coerced – maybe even compelled. Imperio, maybe. Yes, that has to be it.

Rookwood’s erection appearing right in front of her face drew the witch’s attention back to the current moment. Struggling to hold back tears, Elisabeth reached forward and grasped the thick, fleshy organ – warm and engorged with blood. Slowly, she eased back the foreskin to reveal the head.

For a second she stared at it, then, looking up at the wizard it belonged to, partly in defiance and partly in submission, she leaned forward and began to lick and suck all around the sensitive crown, causing him to groan deeply.

“That’s it...”

She worked him just as she would Oswald – starting off by teasing and stimulating the head, licking up and down the shaft, cradling his balls.. Working him until he started to whine with frustration and wanted to spill down her throat more than anything. Elisabeth was pleased to notice the man’s hands clench into tight fists as she swallowed him down for the first time.

“Merlin,” he hissed, thankfully allowing her to please him unassisted. The Rookwood Gang leader just watched, pupils blown wide as the pretty witch coaxed more and more pleasure out of his manhood, feeling the pressure behind his balls growing with each passing moment.

Nearing completion, Victor grabbed hold of Elisabeth’s head, tangling his fingers in her deep black hair as he began to maneuver her mouth up and down the length of his cock.

Startled at first, the shopkeeper relaxed into the rough treatment.

“Suck me," he growled, thrusting himself down her throat, howling in pleasure as he shot his seed far past her gag reflex.

"Take it, whore."

Elisabeth scrambled to free herself for some seconds, struggling to breathe around the cock lodged down her throat. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Rookwood released her and watched intently as she pulled back - surveying her red face, streaked with tears as she wretched and gagged.

“Crying already, Miss Lancaster?” he taunted, tucking himself away. “You made your bed and now you’re lying in it.”

This is what I made myself good for...

Elisabeth began weeping openly then. It was true – she had offered her body to Oswald in place of galleons. She had prostituted herself to the Rookwood Gang.

She was a 500 galleon whore. And now she was being treated like one.

Appearing to take pity on the younger witch, Rookwood placed a hand on her heaving shoulders.

“It isn’t so bad, darling,” he said softly, helping her get to her feet. As she stood sobbing quietly, the dark wizard pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the tears from her face.

“There, there,” he said, and the witch couldn’t be certain whether he was trying to comfort or mock her. “I’m sure you’re a wonderful witch outside of the bedroom as well.”

Elisabeth sniffed, turning her face away from him when she answered. “Thank you, sir.”

“But that’s not the deal we have, now, is it?” he asked, looking at the pale witch meaningfully.

“No, sir.”

“Good girl,” he answered, beginning to run his hands over her body through her flimsy nightdress, “because we’re not done yet."

Lissie gasped as the man slipped a finger between her folds, finding her quite wet.

“Ah, yes,” he grinned, circling her clit gently, “As I suspected..”

The witch froze, feeling very ashamed of her body’s reaction to the handsome wizard in front of her – she’d been turned on ever since he’d set foot in her shop, to be honest, but sucking cock almost always had this effect on her.

Her body wanted to be fucked, filled by him -- and she suspected that Mister Rookwood would do just that, whether or not her conscious mind agreed to it.

Confirming her suspicions, Rookwood pushed more than lead Elisabeth towards his bed, instructing her to remove her nightgown. Face reddened with humiliation, the shopkeeper complied, pulling the garment over her head to reveal her round breasts and pale skin to his hungry gaze.

“Perfect,” he whispered, stepping forward to take hold of Elisabeth’s right breast in a rough palm, his other hand cupping the back of her head – holding it still as he leaned in to kiss her.

The woman’s hazel eyes went wide, then softened as she relaxed into the kiss, and into his hand kneading her breast. Unlike Oswald’s clean-shaven face, Victor’s scruffy stubble and mustache irritated the skin around her mouth, but his kiss, his touch caused desire to grow even stronger in her belly.

Releasing her head, the dark wizard guided Elisabeth gently onto the bed and began to disrobe – removing his hat, which took a good foot off his height, and coat, hanging them up carefully, then letting the rest of his clothing fall unceremoniously to the floor.

Lying still on his bed, Lissie felt her heart racing as he slowly approached her, ice blue eyes boring into her own, and his erection bobbing ominously with each step. The shopkeeper wet her lips with nervous anticipation as she considered her current situation.

Her pussy was still sore from Oswald earlier. She hadn’t taken anything for it because, well, she kind of liked the feeling. It had been so long since she’d been fucked that she hadn’t been used to it.

Now she’d be fucking two men in a single day. Not just any two men either – but father and son, for Merlin's sake!

Still, Elisabeth lay quietly, part of her wanting this to happen. Needing it to happen.

Rookwood dimmed the lights before settling on top of her, gently prying her knees apart. The witch looked away in embarrassment but didn’t protest as her most private area was exposed to him.

She whined as he exposed her even further by manually separating her outer lips to reveal the glistening folds in between, muttering something that sounded like approval as he took himself in hand, guiding the head of his cock towards her opening.

Elisabeth braced for discomfort, but instead of pushing in, the dark wizard began to slide the head of his cock up and down her wet slit – being sure to traverse its entire length each time.

The witch groaned, and Victor’s eyes were drawn to her dark hair spread out on the pillow behind her, her hands resting palm-up on each side of her head in surrender as he continued to tease her.

He grinned as he noticed the witch underneath him shift her legs apart slightly – urging him on in the gentlest of fashions - but he wanted more than a subtle gesture.

He wanted her full and unrestrained submission.

“Tell me what you want, love,” he said softly, continuing to tease her opening and her clit with the broad head of his cock.

Elisabeth whimpered and moaned quietly despite flushing deeply in humiliation. “Please.. Don’t make me.”

“Oh, you’ll beg for it,” Victor explained, teasing the first millimeter or two of his length into her opening. “You want this, don’t you?”

The shopkeeper sighed, spreading her legs even further. “Yes,” she admitted in the tiniest of voices.

“Yes, what?” Rookwood demanded, thrusting in and out of her wet entrance just the tiniest bit.

“Yes, please, I want it,” Elisabeth hissed, reaching to take hold of the wizard’s hips.

Victor grinned. Close. She’s almost where I want her.

“Am I still forcing you?” he asked and Lissie shook her head.

“Uh-un.”

“Tell me what’s happening.”

Elisabeth growled in frustration. Unable to stand further teasing, the witch attempted to pull his hips towards her, trying to get his cock in deeper.

“Please.. I can’t..” she began, before finally throwing her head back in frustration. “You’re going to fuck me,” she wailed. “We’re going to fuck. Please! Please – I need you to fuck me!”

Satisfied, the dark wizard, slowly and deliberately, began to push forward. “That’s all I wanted to hear, sweetheart,” he groaned as her sheath enveloped every inch of his penis.

“Merlin, you’re tight…”

Fingernails digging into Victor’s hips, Lissie wrapped her legs around his waist. “Please, fuck me!” she cried, and Rookwood obliged, beginning to thrust his pelvis forward at a steady pace – ensuring full contact between their bodies with each thrust.

It didn’t hurt. She could tell she was a little raw but it just added to the intensity of the sensation of this handsome wizard’s girth stretching her.

They both groaned as he began to fuck her in earnest, the room filled with the sound of skin slapping – the wet sound of their bodies connecting where it mattered most.

Leaning forward so that his mouth was right beside her ear, Victor spoke in a low, husky voice: “That’s my little slut, opening her legs nice and wide for me like a good girl..”

Lissie moaned desperately as he continued. Something about the way he fucked – how his body ground against hers in just the right place – it was more pleasurable than any other time she’d been fucked before.

Or maybe she was just that turned on.

“Tell me you love this cock, whore,” he demanded with more malice in his voice than she would like. Still, she played along.

“Yes! I love your cock!”

“And whose cock is it that you need?”

If she hadn’t been so consumed by lust, Lissie would have rolled her eyes at the sheer ego involved in this exchange.

“Gods, please... Mister Rookwood. I need your cock!”

He took hold of her wrists then, pinning them down as he began to pound into her.

“This is what you wanted,” he groaned, and Elisabeth couldn’t be sure whether he was talking to her or himself. “All this time,” he ground out in between grunts. “Messing around with a boy.”

“I’m.. I’m sorry!” Elisabeth cried, secretly relishing being held down and ravished just as he was doing.

“This pussy belongs to me… that little whore mouth..”

The witch nodded, “Yes, yes! A real wizard! A real man! Like you!”

“Mmm,” Rookwood growled, feeling his heavy balls begin to tighten. “You want my cum in you, don’t you, slut?”

Elisabeth’s eyes went wide again as she realized he was planning on finishing inside her. “Yes, sir! Come in me… Please!”

“You want me to come in you?” he reiterated, pounding into her desperately, his movements determined as he approached his release. His voice lowered to a sinful near-whisper: “come right in you…” “Gods, yes, Mister Rookwood. Please!”

Mind addled by pleasure, the dark wizard continued to groan dirty things in the witch’s ear as he pistoned his cock in and out of her cunt as deep and hard as he could go.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Elisabeth noticed a marked increase in the tension between her thighs. “Oh gods,” she whined, widening her legs as far apart as she could for more contact and reaching – reaching for something.

“I’m going to..!” she exclaimed, and Rookwood pulled back just enough to reach between their bodies and rub her clit firmly.

“Come for me, slut,” he ordered. Straining into the contact, his cock deep inside of her, a wave of intense pleasure washed over the shopkeeper, her cunt spasming wildly as her entire body shook.

"That’s it..” he hissed with satisfaction as he felt the witch clench around him, watched her eyes roll back into her head, her cries filling in the room as she came – experiencing her first ever orgasm during coitus.

But the dark wizard on top of her didn’t give her a second to recover, continuing to thrust just as hard if not even harder into her grasping cunt, causing her to gasp as her sensitive sex was crushed between them over and over again.

The witch whimpered, knowing that asking him to stop would be futile, she hoped and prayed he would finish soon as each snap of his hips sent an intense jolt through her body.

On his part, Rookwood was enjoying her swollen pussy immensely, angling his cock just so her increased tightness would stimulate the organ in all the right places.

“Come in me, Victor,” Elisabeth pleaded, “Please – come in m—.” Her words were stifled as he captured her lips in a searing kiss. She wrapped her arms around the dark wizard, kissing him back as his hips slammed against hers feverishly.

Sensing his approaching orgasm, Elisabeth squeezed her inner muscles around him through his last few, erratic thrusts -- his whole body stilling as he emptied himself inside her.

The witch swore she could almost feel him pulsing his release against the entrance to her womb.

Breathless, Rookwood collapsed on top of the petite witch, his softening cock still lodged deep inside her as she lay in a state of near-shock, her pussy, still shuddering in the wake of their deed, began to drip with his seed.

Elisabeth didn’t know what to do, say, or think. She’d just been fucked by the most notorious and powerful dark wizard in the Highlands. A "real" man, but also...

The father of her lover.

The man in question, sticky with sweat, pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I accept your terms.”

Elisabeth raised an eyebrow. “Terms?”

Rookwood grinned. “You offered yourself to my Scout instead of paying me tribute, did you not?”

“Well, yes, but…”

The dark wizard rolled off of her then, turning his head to look at her meaningfully.

“So I’m cutting out the middle man, so to speak. You’re now to pay me. Directly.”

The witch nodded, stifling tears. How the tables have turned.

“And Oswald?”

“He’s free to do as he pleases,” the wizard said with a dismissive flick of his wrist.

The shopkeeper sobbed with relief. So there might be hope for her and Oswald after all. But would he still want her after he learned, well.. Did he need to learn that she was fucking his father?

“Will you tell him?” she asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

Elisabeth watched the dark wizard’s face as he considered the question carefully.

“If you behave yourself, I won’t tell him. He’ll be told I’ve sent one of my girls to collect your tribute instead.”

Lissie nodded. She wasn’t sure she liked being dishonest about something so important, hiding what was happening from Oswald, but she hadn’t been given a choice concerning this arrangement. At least now she’d have time to think about how and whether she wanted to tell him.

Then another thought occurred to the witch. Hadn’t Oswald mentioned never having known his father?

“Does he know that you’re his father?”

Rookwood frowned. “He does not. And I’d vastly prefer to keep it that way.”

Victor got up out of bed and pulled on a house robe. Going about his business, he glanced over at his new plaything as if confused to see her still in his bed.

“You’re dismissed,” he said casually, pouring himself a glass of Ogden’s Best as she slipped out of bed, allowing her a few moments to begin dressing, her back to him.

He turned then, focusing on the specific portion of her memory concerning his relationship with Oswald outside that of employer and employee.

“Obliviate.”

[thatorigamiguy]

Toothbrush

Jaune was quietly working away at some notes in his hands, researching better ways to refine his fighting style when he felt a sudden weight on his left shoulder. A smile formed on his face as he looked up to see Neo sitting on his shoulder with her usual smug smile on her face.

Jaune: “Oh hey your back! You get all of your errands done that you needed to do for Roman?

She nodded her head in response, though she put her hand to her head before leaning back in feigned exasperation before letting out long suffering sigh.

Jaune: “All boring work huh? Well at least your done for the day, so that's something right?”

Neo shook her head side to side in a “fair enough” gesture, before giving Jaune an actual sincere smile as she leaned down to pecked a quick kiss on the top of his head. Jaune's smile widened at the gesture, before he went to ask her one last question.

Jaune: “Oh, did you get the thing I asked for?”

Neo rolled her eyes, as if to say “Of course I did, who do you take me for?” before hopping down from his shoulder and presenting his requested item with a flourish: two double packets of toothbrushes.

Neo: (Signing) Grabbed them on the way home. You know babe, I'm not usually one to do anything for free, but I'll make an exception just this once.

Jaune ignored her remark, she always said the same thing every time he asked for a favor and he typically paid in back with ice cream, before grabbing the packets out of her hand.

Jaune: “Perfect! Thanks Neo, you're the absolute best!”

Neo: Of course I'm the best, no need to state the obvious Jaune.

Jaune rolled his eyes at her response, before planting his own kiss on her forehead. She giggled in response to his affection, a feeling of warmth bubbling through her as her eyes rapidly shifted colors.

Jaune: “Well, I definitely owe you for going out of your way to buy toothbrushes for me. Give me a few minutes and we'll got get a bowl from downtown, how does that sound.”

Neo was already nodding in agreement, before she paused with a confused look on her face.

Neo: ...Buy? What do you mean buy?

Jaune shot her his own confused look.

Jaune: “You know, buying these toothbrushes for me?”

Neo looked at him blankly, her eyes slowly shifting colors as she tried to comprehend what he was saying as the two stared each other down.

Jaune: “...Neo. Did you steal toothbrushes?”

Neo: Uuuuh... yeah?

Jaune gaped for a moment, before giving her a very unimpressed look.

Jaune: “Seriously Neo? Toothbrushes?”

Neo: What? You thought I was going to actually pay for them? Come one Jaune, I'm a thief by trade, of course I was going to steal them!

Jaune: “You used a highly developed set of skills to steal, of all the things in the world, 'toothbrushes'? Look, I get that you and Roman are criminal masterminds and that I'm not exactly innocent either, but toothbrushes?”

Neo: (Glaring) Hey, get off my ass about it! So what if I stole some toothbrushes, big fucking deal! And why are you complaining about what I steal? I stole us a couple PlayStation Fives last week and you weren't complaining then!

Jaune: “That's because one is a 500 Lien console that's nearly next to impossible to get without sacrificing a newborn child, and the other a couple packets of toothbrushes that cost two lien a pop, at best! Neo, that is literally comparing apples to oranges, and besides, stealing petty shit like toothbrushes? That's small time stuff Neo! That's what amateurs and two-bit crooks do to get by, not professional thieves! You're better than that!”

Neo gaped at Jaune, before flushing as she really thought about it. Okay, maybe stealing toothbrushes was an absolute waste of her talents, and she really can't flex on people when there's nothing to be recognized. Finally, she threw her hands up in a huff, before shooting Jaune with another glare.

Neo: Okay fine! So stealing them was below me, what do you want me to do about it?

Jaune quirked a brow at her question, before crossing his arms as he gave her a very stern look.

Jaune: “Simple: You're going to return them, and then buy them.”

Jaune was met with another blank stare, before Neo's eyes shifted into an angry looking red.

Neo: THE FUCK I AM!

But Jaune stood his ground, his stern expression not wavering as he stared down the angry shortstack in front of him.

Jaune: “Oh Yes, you are.”

Neo: Oh no, I'm not!

Jaune: “Oh Yes, you are!”

Neo: OH NO, I'M NOT!

Jaune: “OH YES, YOU ARE!”

Neo: OH NO I'M-!”

                                               =============

Cashier: (Smiling) “And your total with come out to four lien and twenty-five cents! Will that be in Lien or Card?”

Jaune returned the cashiers smile with his own, before gently nudging a scowling Neo into handing over the five lien in bill in her hand. The glare she shot his way could have melted steel, but Jaune merely gave her an expectant look in response. Their brief stare down lasted only a second, before Neo looked away in a huff as she all but shoved the bill into the cashiers hand. The Cashier didn't even falter once at her abrasive attitude, quickly opening and opening the register as she produced change for the odd couple.

Cashier: “and here's is your change sir, and I hope the two of you have a great day!”

Jaune: “Thanks, you too!”

Neo: You fucking suck, you know that right?

Jaune: “Keep up the attitude, and I'll skip out on buying us ice cream altogether.”

Neo winced, before looking up at Jaune with a pout.

Neo: Jerkface.

Jaune merely rolled his eyes in response, before he picked Neo up and perched her on his shoulder.

Jaune: “I love you too Neo.”

                                            ==============

Jaune wasn't disappointed in the fact that Neo stole, it's that she stole way below her expectations and that she should be focused on stealing bigger and better things. So I guess he kind of has his priorities straight, but I'd honestly expect less from the man who stole a fucking military airship. The idea for this entered into my head because the thought of Jaune and Neo arguing over stealing insignificant shit sounded like something that would be completely normal for them argue and banter over and it amused me.

[neo-zone]

Alright, I finally got my hands on this full ... presscon? cast reaction? Whatever.

I already shared some screenshots from this before (by some people on Twitter) and after finally watching the full version, I fell like I need to share the rest of the season 2 world building and character lores mentioned and discussed to you guys in here (and also major spoilers for season 3)

P.S. I could be wrong on some of the points here (either misinterpreting or not paying enough attention), so please correct me if I do in the reply section

Season 2

I'm still confused af on this line : "he killed his original body as well as his personality, eventually turning into the twisted monster that he is now". Like so, does it refer to Sang-won killing his original body in season 2 or is it about monster Sang-won killing the real Sang-won?

I still don't get this line too, so interpret it however you want : "The child covered in black?" "This is where what's remaining of Sang-won disappears, uncovering the child."

Chan-young was a baseball player. Ye-seul was one of the cheerleaders

Oh, apparently monsterization does still happened inside the stadium. That's why there's a regular daily checking. Anyone showing symptoms will be out in the isolation place (yeah that place where they put the sick mom in). Some lived, some died inside the isolation => might be why Chief Ji keeping her monster son secluded somewhere deep inside the stadium

Hyun-su cut Yi-kyung's daughter hair the same style as him, hence how they're being similar appearance wise

The live action crew is adapting Shotgun Boy into Netflix Sweet Home

Yi-kyung blames herself for how her child turned out to be with her monster-turning power

Yi-kyung's inability to give affection or even touched her child stems from the fact that monsters are created from human desires, so she didn't want her child to have desire (awfully familiar with a particular old man *side glance*)

Yep, you guessed it. These three (Hyun-su, Eun-yu, and Chan-young) are dense as fuck about their own feelings to each other (minus Hyun-su to Chan-young and vice versa ofc)

Yi-kyung's daughter views Hyun-su as her own family even more than her biological mother. Because they're similar and he's the only person she could hold hands with without her power reacting

Hyun-su uses red ribbons to mark the safe area for Eun-yu because color red stands out among the greenery of Seoul post time skip

The monster cocoons are shaped like a heart because monsterization manifests from human desires

The "real Jung Wui-myeong" is one of the scientists. Sang-won (or monster Sang-won depending how you interpret the earlier points) took his identity and used it as his own, probably to separate himself from his old human self

Lmao, not them calling Sang-won's family as family of evil and there's no good apple in it. That's so fucking foul

Sang-wook is still there somewhere (I already shared this one before)

Sang-won's original abilities include the Medusa touch he did to Hyun-su in episode 3

Oh wait, Yi-kyung survived?! I thought she died after her fight with Hyun-su (uh oh *nervous glance to every instance of me mentioning "her death" in replies*)

Monster Hyun-su act according to what Hyun-su thinks and desires (I had shared this one before)

Monster Hyun-su is more proactive and extrovert (is the extrovert part really necessary?")

Season 3 rough summary

Family drama : Nam Sang-won starts a bunch of trouble (this bitch) in order to create a world he dreams of. There are family reunions and conflicts between spouses. He also meets his child (uh oh). They fight for her custody. This custody case didn't need a court (fuck, oh come on 😂). Yi-kyung wouldn't just talk it out. She'd fight until one is dead

Sibling drama : Eun-yu will meet Eun-hyeok again, but I'm not sure it'll make her happy

Second male lead struggle : Chan-yeong faces even more hardships as the story progresses. But even then, he gives up a lot just to protect Eun-yu. He starts to understand the monsters more. There's a lot on his mind as the story goes on.

More monster Hyun-su : Hyun-su lets go of himself and lets out the monster. But the monster doesn't just do its thing. He reads Hyun-su's mind and acts as he wants.

Another Hyun-su and Yi-kyung interaction : And later on, he interacts with Yi-kyung as well. The emotion it brings also felt huge. In the narration, he tells Eun-yu how much pain Yi-kyung is in and that he has to stop it all himself. So I'm sure Hyun-su sparked a change in Yi-kyung's heart. That'll continue in Season 3.

[darkenamour]

Aplha!Yandere!Birch (Harry Potter) x Severus Snape

I just wanted to write something awful and nasty.

Warnings: Violence, Murder, Omegaverse, NonCon

Summary: Harry, as a baby, is left wondering the streets. Is found by a female assassin who takes him to America and raises him. Dumbledore and others find a lead, several years later, and travel to America.

Snape is sent out to make first contact. Things go downhill from there.

Birch was busying himself by cleaning up the mess from the party last night. He celebrated his 18th birthday and 60th successful hit in one day. His friends and colleagues were scattered around, dead to the world. One had even stolen his top to makeshift it into sleepwear.

As he was emptying the full trashcan in the kitchen, the front door of his mother's manor was opened. He looked over and spotted a man he had never seen before.

He was tall, unnaturally thin, and piercing dark eyes. His skin looked sickly olive, his long black hair seemed to slicked with oil, and his nose was curved. Everything about him seemed completely unattractive but, his scent, though dull, was simply divine.

Birch smiled and waved at the man. "Hey there, stranger." He slowly leaned on the kitchen counter, near the knives. Although he wanted to sink his teeth into the man in front of him, he still kept his caution.

The man looked at him, his mouth almost started to turn downward, until he saw his bare torso.

Birch knew he wasn't best the looking, with scars littering almost every inch of him. He couldn't help but flex, trying to show the physic he was proud of. His mouth started to water when the man kept observing him.

Their head shook and he looked at him with an almost glare. "Are you Birch Cross?" He finally asked.

A knife rested in Birch's hand, he took it while the man was distracted. "I am." He confirmed. It wasn't the first time someone stupidly bold came to him in person.

"My employer wishes to speak with you."

"Oh?" Birch slowly walked up to the man, knife behind his back. "And who is your employer?"

"A very powerful man." Was all the man said.

Birch swiftly brought the knife to the man's slender neck. "A name would much appreciated."

The man's eyes widen, full of surprise. There was no fear and his Adam apple grazed the blade as he spoke. "Albus Dumbledore."

◇◇◇◇

Birch didn't know what to expect when he followed the man, Severus, after he got dressed.

He wasn't surprised by him being a wizard. Severus was wearing wizarding clothes and Birch himself was a wizard.

What he was surprised about was that Dumbledore, a well known wizard, was asking for him. Birch didn't even think that such a light wizard would seek an assassin. He didn't even fathom that the old man could know about his profession.

Birch was brought to a warehouse, with a notice-me-not charm casted on it. He was meet with 5 people looking at him in awe.

He wasted no time. "What's the job?"

Everyone gave him a confused look.

"I'm quite sorry, my boy, but I don't believe Severus here has explained. Has he?" Dumbledore, the old man, asked.

Severus snorted. "I did not wish to be left with a such a task."

"Oh, come now, Severus. The boy deserved to know before we ambushed him with a serious task." A plump older man gently scowled.

"I can't believe my eyes." An elderly woman looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I thought I would never see you again."

Birch was completely confused. "What's going on here?"

"What's going on is that you're Harry Potter and you're coming with us to defeat Voldemort." A portly man with a magic eye slammed his cane down.

It wasn't a secret that Birch's mother took him in from the streets. He knew where he was from originally. Though he never imagined that he would be the fabled boy-who-lived. But, that was the past and he was taught to only care about the future.

"What's the price you're willing to pay?" Birch was a man of business, not a charity.

The portly man took out his wand. "There's no payment, either come with us willingly or by force, boy."

Dumbledore help up his hand in front of that man. "Let's not be hasty, Moody." He turned to Birch. "Now, Harry, I know this must be all too much to comprehend. Though I assure you we speak the truth."

"I could care less who you think I am. But, know this, I do not work for free." Birch crossed his arms, angling his hands to rest on his hidden pistols.

"This is about avenging your parents, there shouldn't be a price to speak of." Moody shouted.

"What do you mean you don't work for free?" The elderly woman asked. "What exactly is that you do, Harry?"

"I prefer being called Cross." Birch told her. "You came to me, shouldn't you know what I do?"

She shook her head.

"All we know is the name you were raised under and that you just graduated Ilvermorny." A young woman with pink hair, that was standing by, spoke.

Birch chuckled. "You should have learned more than that." He turned to leave. "Unless you can offer payment, I have nothing to say."

Before he could leave, Moody sent a stunning hex at him. Birch dodged and shot the man between the eyes. The eldest woman screamed, while the four others drew their wands. He kept one pistol on Dumbledore and the other on Severus.

"Bloody hell," the youngest cursed, "who are you?"

"Birch Cross, assassin for hire." Birch grinned.

"How did this happen?" The older woman sobbed.

Birch was losing his patience. "Now, I'm going to lower my weapons and leave. Is that understood?"

Dumbledore nodded and motioned for the others to follow suit. As Birch was about to leave the warehouse, he caught a reflection that showed Dumbledore raising his wand again.

His bullets didn't need words to fire. The old man laid prone on the floor. Dead.

His remaining companions looked in horror.

Birch felt the need for compensation for all the trouble and wasted bullets. He took out his own wand and stunned the remaining survivors. Their shock gave him the upper hand to leave with his prize.

Severus Snape, unconscious, was held securely in his arms.

♤♤♤♤

Severus woke disoriented, his head spinning while the surface he was on was moving.

He should have stayed behind in England but, the need to know where Lily's son was too powerful. Convincing the Dark Lord to let him go was not difficult. The man also wanted to know where the boy-who-lived was.

The mission was simple enough, find Potter, tell him about Voldemort, and take him back. It wasn't in the plans to have Dumbledore and Moody die at Potter's hand. Whoever took the boy truly created a monster.

As Severus started to to regain focus he noticed it wasn't the surface moving. He himself was moving.

He was stripped of clothing, his groin was dripping wet, something was slamming into him, and a body was above him.

Panicking, Severus tried to buck whoever it was off. His heart was hammering in his chest as the severity of the situation hit. 28 years of hiding, 28 years of taking surrprents, all thrown down the drain because of Potter's son.

He knew what Potter, no Cross, was thinking. How could someone so hideous be an omega? No one would want him unless they were absolutely smashed. Cross must of thrown him to the first completely pissed alpha for a cruel laugh.

The alpa above him gave a long lick to his mating glands. Severus tossed his body back to buck them off. It caused the cock inside him to dive deeper.

"What a good mate," Severus froze at the voice, "taking your alpha in so deep. Just wanting to be breed." It was Cross.

"Cease this nonsense at once." He snarled. How dare the Cross do such a heinous act. He wasn't like Potter, he was worse.

Cross scented his neck. "Going to give you my knot, my mark, and my pup." His hips slammed harder.

Severus was losing his mind, he kept trying throw off Cross with no luck. He was starting to see stars, starting to lose his mind, starting to feel pleasure. Tears started to run down his face. He was powerless.

The last thing he felt was Cross' knot and his scent gland being pierced by teeth.

◇◇◇◇

Birch looked down in his arms and spotted Severus, still sound asleep. His neck was caked in blood from his mating bite. The contrast of his skin and the bedding made the deep red seem darker.

Birch spent his time admiring his new mate. He didn't know what took over him, but his scent drove him wild. He inspected every inch and only frowned at the cursed mark on his arm. He would need to have that removed.

He lowered himself to the slit hidden between his legs. The scent was strongest there, whatever surpresents he was using could not hide his natural scent. Birch lapped at the opening, not caring that his own spent was mixed in. He felt like a starved man finally given food.

His tongue reached as far as it could, licking the walls of his mate. Pleasure ran through his body at the reminder that this was his mate.

Mating was quite rare, most were driven off by scent. Any strong smell had the opposite effect of attracting a mate. Very few find a scent appealing and they tend to be very compatible in producing offspring. Birch was looking forward to seeing how many offspring they could conceive.

As he continued servicing his mate, Severus started to moan. His hands reached down and scraped Birch's scalp with his nails. He grinded down on his face, trying to get more pleasure. Birch was more than willing.

Severus arched his back in completion. Drowning Birch in his juices. When he regained composure, he scrambled back.

"What did you do to me?" He looked at him with fear. "What did you do?" He shouted at him.

Birch licked his lips. He grabbed Severus by the ankles and dragged him back flat on the bed. He threw his legs over his shoulders and didn't waste time to sink back in.

Severus tried to attack him, but he trapped his arms above his head. He was completely helpless underneath him, open to be breed properly.

"Poor omega." Birch whispered in his ear. "All these years without a good mate, that you can't tell you're being bred." He threw his weight at every thrust, making sure his mate could feel him.

Severus screamed and spat every insult he knew. "Get off me, this isn't a game."

Birch frowned. How could he think mating was a game?

Grabbing Severus by the face, he forced him to look at him. "You're mine, my mate, I will never let you leave my side." He swallowed his lips in a deep kiss before pulling the man upright.

Severus, with free arms, pushed and clawed at Birch as if his life depended on it. "Stop it, you've proven your point. Let me go, Potter!"

Birch stopped mid thrust, gently laying his mate down. Unhooking his legs from his shoulders, placing them on his his hips, he looked at Severus with a frown.

Severus looked up at him in confusion. Birch lowered his head and kissed his chest. "My name is Birch Cross." Bewteen each kiss and lick he would repeat his name. Trying to make his mate associate the pleasure to himself.

Severus kept trying to escape, using all his freed limbs the hit and punch the man above him. When Birch sucked on a sensitive spot, between his ribs, he gasped. Birch gave an onslaught of nips and kisses to his side. It left him breathless. The only voice heard was of Birch, who was still repeating his own name.

"Birch!" Severus was finally able to shout.

Birch ceased his actions with a smile. "Now, that wasn't too hard." He kissed the breathless man beneath him. "Let me hear you say it again."

Severus was lost in pleasure and the lack of oxygen. As soon as Birch slammed into him, he shouted his name.

With every thrust and kiss, Birch's name fell from his mate's mouth. He lost himself at the tightness of his mate. The way he sucked him back in, not letting his cock go. How freshly pink his slit was every time he pulled back. Even his small useless penis and testicles bouncing were memorizing. Everything about his mate was simply divine.

Feeling his knot swell, Birch started to thrust harder, finding an angle that had his mate howling. The spraying of his mate's release made his knot slip inside without resistance.

Birch hummed in happiness as held his mate and laid them on their side. Severus was breathing heavily as Birch peppered his face with kisses.

As the high of pleasure calmed down, Severus tried pulling back. But, the knot had them tied together for at least a few more minutes. Both hissed at the pull and Birch dragged his mate back in his arms.

"What exactly are you getting out of this, Cross?" Severus asked with a snarl.

"A mate." Birch nuzzled the side of his face.

Severus shoved his face away. "And how was I the perfect candidate? Or, do wish to humiliate me even further?"

"You scent," Birch took a breath of said scent, "it drives me insane."

"My scent?" The word was spat out like vemon. "Don't be ridiculous, I've had surpresents nullifying my scent for years."

Birch rocked his knot inside his mate. "Surpresents hide gender, not scent." A fact forgotten by many. Always confusing scent being tied to the second gender rather than the person.

"Stop moving, Cross." Severus' face was laced with fear and disgust. "We're already tied together, what more do you want?"

"To be tied forever."

A spike of dread plunged through Severus.