#Chester Rushing imagine

[more-than-tender-curiosity]

There’s nothing better than thinking of Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby’s different accents slipping out at the oddest times. Nick is new to New York so he’s prone to slipping more than Jay Gatsby but he makes a commendable effort to hide it when he moves to New York and it only slips when he’s exhausted or emotional. Jay Gatsby’s would probably only slip if he was drunk. But not tipsy, I’m talking like ‘I’m gonna forget this in the morning’ drunk.

I am of the opinion that regardless of the time period, Jay speaks with a pretty startling trans-atlantic accent that he gained partially On Purpose from Oxford and partially because he spends a lot of time with Meyer on Broadway with the actors of the shows he’s producing (as a denizen of Broadway). He thinks it makes him sound Old Money. Vaguely European. Absurd Formality. That sort of thing.

It’s not so immediately startling in canon era, but he still does it in any of my modern aus, which I imagine is jarring for anyone who meets him. Except for nick of course who’s like 🥺🥺🥺 Hes so Quirky And Misunderstood ♥️♥️♥️

It’s fucking ridiculous.

And there are times where Jay will slip up a little. Say behg instead of bag. Or ope instead of Oh Dear. And he prays nobody notices.

Except.

Nick…knows where the Off button is.

He can get Jay to not only drop the fucking façade but blurt out just about any heinous curse I’m sure was made available to him in the fishing camps or aboard the Tuolomee or in the trenches.

And that’s all I’m going to say about that. Little secret between neighbors.

As for Nick, I think his family is mostly older and he spent more time with them than he really wants to think about, so even if the younger folks don’t tend to carry such a strong accent as the earlier generations, he still sounds like a Fargo extra. And he has no idea.

Not a fucking clue. Even the New Haven cunts and his fellow troops neglected to mention it to him.

So imagine nick’s stress when he arrives in New York and people start snickering with the first “You betcha”. “Oh no yah fer sher” gets him some strange looks. He asks for a bag at the grocery store and the clerk snickers and asks “a behg?” And nicks like “yah” and the clerk’s like “that’s five cents per bag” and nick says “oh no that’s too spendy but thanks” and rushes out before he can incriminate himself as Thee Midwesterner any further. Making sure, of course, to “lemme just sneak right past ya real quick” at the person who’d been waiting behind him in line.

It’s a harrowing experience for everyone involved. And I like to picture Chester McKee teaching Nick how to New York properly. For hours and hours and hours…

[voraciousvore]

The Tiny (Chapter 12)

Chapter 1 | Previous (11) | Next (13)

Content Warning: Vore themes, violence

Word Count: 4.1k

------ Chapter 12: Confrontation ------

My stomach wakes me up, grumbling crankily for breakfast. With how exhausted we were last night, I hadn’t given any mind to dinner, and I regret that choice now. A pang of guilt stabs through me as my thoughts immediately turn to the appetizing human within easy reach on my chest. I could never do such a thing to her, after the living nightmare she endured yesterday. I’m not a monster like that other giant—at least, I hope not. 

I cup my hands around her and lift her off my chest as I sit up. She stirs and rubs her eyes, while my belly gurgles below with a vociferous protest. “Good morning,” I proclaim with an exaggerated yawn, hoping to mute the obnoxious sound. “How are you feeling?” 

She frowns as she gingerly touches her bandages. “I’m hurting a little bit. What about your head?” 

I finger the oozing lump on the back of my skull. “It’s throbbing, but I’ll be alright.” Swept up by a cascade of tender sentiments, I nuzzle Jackie with my nose and cheek. Her familiar scent is heavenly. “I’m just glad you’re alive.” 

“All thanks to you for saving me,” she replies, rubbing the bridge of my nose. My heart soars with the lightness of a songbird. She follows it up with the magic words that always put me in a good mood. “Let’s get some breakfast.” 

She knows me so well. I hop out of bed, cradling her in my hand as I go to the kitchen. I decide to make some French toast. I set her down on the counter as I start cracking eggs. I imagine her sitting inside an eggshell all cute and pretty and I can’t help but smile to myself. Then I picture her sitting on a pile of French toast, buttered up and naked with a drizzle of syrup, and my mouth begins to water. I shake those images out of my head. I can’t do that to her today. 

“Chester?” she pipes up as she watches me. 

“Hm?” I continue to make breakfast as I glance down at her. 

“What do humans taste like?” 

The question douses my good mood like a bucket of cold water. I don’t want to be reminded of the awful things I’ve done to her, but I suppose I can’t blame her for being curious. “Well... each individual human tastes a little different. Some better than others I suppose. Men tend to have more of a hearty flavor, like a very high-quality cut of meat. Women are more likely to be sweeter, like a fine dessert.” 

“What about me? What do I taste like?” 

I get flustered with the uncomfortable topic, but I answer truthfully. “You’re a perfect mix of both. Sweet and savory. Probably the best human I’ve ever tasted.” I blush hard as I eye her hungrily, recalling the sublime pleasure of her luscious body on my tongue. She blanches and subconsciously edges back a step. My instincts are primed at the small movement, making my fingers twitch ever so slightly, but my guilt pins me in place with heavy chains. I swallow a river of saliva. 

“We probably shouldn’t discuss this topic while I’m hungry,” I confess, dodging her gaze. She doesn’t answer, but her stare never leaves me as I finish cooking. I slap all the food on a massive platter, including Jackie, balancing her on the top like a cherry on a sundae. I like the aesthetic, perhaps a bit too much, as I slop drool over my chops with my eager tongue. Maybe… just a bite wouldn’t hurt… 

As soon as I set the plate down, Jackie scrambles down the slope of bread slices to the table in a rush. She’s quaking; her little chest is heaving up and down with rapid breaths. She clasps her hands together, kneading them frantically, as her soft doe eyes plea for me to have mercy. I feel bad for frightening her, but I’d by lying if I didn’t admit I was mildly disappointed. I carve out a tiny serving for her to eat, including a blueberry big enough for her to sit on like a chair, and scarf down my own portion, lamentably human-free. 

My cravings are still powerful, but I recognize that conditions have fundamentally changed for me. When I didn’t know Jackie, when she was just some random human, it was harder to hold myself back. If I ended up failing and eating her, it would be sad, but I could move on. Now, I’m emotionally invested, to the point where I’d be absolutely devastated if I hurt her, even by accident. I’d rather starve to death. 

Once we’re done with breakfast, we move over to my study so I can get some work done. I set Jackie up with one of her new magic books to keep her entertained while I type up my latest article. We sit in a peaceful hush for a few hours, with only the clicking of my keys and the soft flutter of paper as she labors to turn each page of her book. Eventually, I finish writing and stop to observe. She’s completely absorbed in her reading, not even noticing that my keyboard has fallen silent. I clear my throat to get her attention. 

“Learn anything interesting?” I ask, bending my neck to get a closer look at the text beneath her feet. 

“Absolutely!” she answers with a gleam in her eye. “Actually, I wanted to ask you about something on one of the previous pages over here.” She treks over to the edge of the cover and attempts to lift several pages at once. I smile as I witness her struggle, charmed by her determination, before helping her get to the right page. 

“Here.” She points to a list of miscellaneous materials. “Do you know what any of these are?” I read over the collection, scratching my cheek pensively. 

“Most of these I’m not familiar with,” I tell her. “However…” I point to a specific entry. “This one here. Lapis lazuli. It’s a type of stone, should be pretty easy for us to get.” 

“Great. If I obtain that stone, I could make a necklace or bracelet with it. Then I might be able to use magic,” she explains. 

“Okay.” I stop as I process what would be required to acquire the object in question. I’d have to leave the house, normally a simple matter. But with what transpired yesterday… 

“Do you want me to go to the market now to buy some? You probably shouldn’t come with me though…” My features twist up in torment. I don’t want to bring her along, but I don’t want to leave her alone either. Both situations are far from ideal. 

“Y-yeah, that’s fine. Definitely for the best,” she mumbles, wringing her hands. She starts to shiver violently, as if a brumal wind is cutting her to the bone. Her eyes shine with moisture as her anxiety escalates. Sensing an oncoming panic attack, I scoop her into my hands. 

“Shhhhh, it’s okay. You’re safe now. I’ll protect you,” I murmur soothingly, lifting her up to my chin. I lower my head, so I’m completely surrounding her, and engulf her with my lips in a soft kiss. Her shaking quells somewhat, and the tension loosens from her muscles. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” 

She nods with a sniffle. I press her to my chest and rock her gently to help calm her down. After a little while, the storm passes, and she returns to a more pacific state. I want to make her happy, so I open another book for her and prepare to leave. My heart cramps as I glance back at her, and she gives me a sweet smile and a wave. I reciprocate the gesture and close the door behind me. 

I only feel worse as I get into my car and drive away. I feel like I’m falling, sinking into a void of gray static. I want to believe that things will work out between us, but this latest event has only solidified the notion in my mind that we are intrinsically incompatible. How can she feel anything for someone like me? How can I keep her safe, in a world where everyone wants to dine on her flesh? Including me… 

What if she doesn’t actually like me, and is just putting on an act for her own survival? The thought had crossed my mind before, but now it really burns deep into me, scalding me in open wounds that are still sensitive. She knows I’m her only chance at staying alive in this brutal country, so she might just be playing along, using me until she has an opportunity to get away.  

The magic. 

My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach. Of course. That’s why she’s so intent on learning magic. I’m not extremely well-versed in how magic works, but every giant knows the history of our land: how humans created portals to transport us here, when our respective species could no longer coexist in the same space without widescale bloodshed. 

She wants to leave me. 

I understand, of course. I can’t blame her for wishing to return home, where she’s safe and comfortable, and she doesn’t have to live with the constant debilitating fear that her life could be snuffed out at any moment inside a giant’s belly. I know it’s the best outcome for her. Nonetheless, the realization is a crippling blow to my spirit. I’ve grown very fond of her, in the short time we’ve spent together. I could even say I’ve become reliant on her for my happiness: To have a tiny friend I can carry around in my pocket all the time, who is sweet and kind and loving and magnanimous and admirable and brave and willing to forgive all my worst flaws, has brought me the upmost joy. I will miss her dearly.  

I know it would be selfish, if not downright malicious, to keep her here. I need to put my own egocentric feelings aside and do what’s best for her. With that consideration in mind, I park my car and enter the market, stopping at a gem and jewelry shop. I’ve been here before, when buying a birthday gift for my mother. Luckily, they have the particular stone I’m looking for, so I purchase it and leave without incident. 

On my way home, I decide to get some fast food for lunch so I don’t have to cook. I’m feeling weary and sad and I’m hoping an indulgent meal will put me in a better mood. I stop at a place that sells standard fare, burgers and fries. I order two burgers, because I’m a fat hog, and an extra-large bucket of fries. 

As I exit the restaurant and walk out to my car, a sudden dread eclipses me, raising the fine hairs on my skin into gooseflesh. I feel the shadow before I properly sense it with my nose: an unpleasant, musky odor, all too familiar. 

I don’t get a chance to move, or turn around, before I’m roughly slammed into my car with a force that knocks the wind out of my lungs. I’m too stunned to resist as a heavy weight presses down on me, pinning my arms to the metal frame. I lose my grip on the paper bag full of food, dropping it to the ground. 

“What the-” I gasp, only for an elbow to grind into my spine and fingers like coiled steel to constrict my arm in a vice. I cough. 

“Where is she? Do you have her?” a deep, slimy voice slithers into my ear. Large hands harshly pick at my clothes and pockets, seeking their prey. When the man doesn’t find what he’s looking for, he curses and loads his full weight onto me, nearly crushing me against my vehicle. I hear him sniff before scoffing as my limbs skid uselessly beneath him. 

“Lucky for you, I want her more than I want to kill you,” he growls. 

“Let me go!” I protest. He sniggers, smacks my face down, and digs his angled chin into my neck. I can feel how much larger and stronger he is as he leans into me. 

“I’ll find out where you live,” he whispers gleefully, lips inches from my ear. I grimace at the reek of his hot, stale breath. “I’ll find her, and I’ll take her. And you’ll be completely helpless to stop me.” 

“I’d skin you alive long before you ever get near her!” I wheeze back with defiance. The man frowns, lessening his hold, but not enough for me to buck him off. I’m lost as to what he’s doing, even when I hear the crinkling of the paper bag full of fast food. He unwraps one of the burgers and shoves it into my face, smearing sauce across my cheek.  

“See this?” he sneers. He lowers his face into my field of vision and chomps into it with a big, sloppy bite. “That’s what I’m going to do to her. And when I’m done, I’ll pulverize you into mincemeat and eat you too.” He swallows, licks his aberrant fang with savage conviction, and crunches into the burger again. 

I’m speechless. He polishes off the burger with a final huge chomp and gulp before snagging my hair into an aggressive fistful and pulling my head up. My scalp, still sore from the blow he dealt me the day prior, screams with agony, enough to bring tears to my eyes. He drives my temple into the window of my car and I see a dizzying array of flashing stars. My rubbery legs crumble to the asphalt, and my vision dims as my face makes contact with my front tire.  

I’m not sure if I blacked out or not, for the time felt like both an instant and an eternity all rolled into one. I haul my aching body back to my feet, leaving behind a trail of saliva on the tire. I swivel my head back at forth with an unsteady loll, but the creepy man that threatened me is nowhere to be found. I groan, scrabble at the bag of food on the floor, and fumble for the door handle, missing it on my first attempt.  

My hands are shaking. My whole body is shaking as I get into my car, still reeling from shock. I’m too distraught to drive and I can only sit dumbly and stare beyond my steering wheel into an unfathomable abyss. My heart is palpitating hard enough to make me queasy. I don’t know how to process what just happened. 

I twist my key to start the motor and drive off. I run a red light and nearly plow into a pedestrian, but I barely notice. I can’t seem to get a grip. I meander all over town, nervous to go home, paranoid that I’m being followed even when the road in my rearview mirror is deserted. My reflection is dreadfully pale and clammy, my brain vacant of reasonable thought. I keep driving until night descends upon me, unfolding over the sky like the velvety wings of a bat.  

Somehow, despite my shattered nerves, I find myself in my own driveway. Another blow of terrible guilt cripples me like a cudgel to my abdomen. I’ve failed her. I’m helpless to protect her, helpless to win her affection, helpless to stop her from leaving me. She doesn’t care about me in the same way that I love her. My heart can’t take the rejection, the loss, the dismal misery. 

As much as I’d prefer to stay in my car and bawl my eyes out, I’ve left her alone for too long. I need to check on her to make sure she’s okay. I wipe the perspiration off my forehead, dust off my clothes, and comb out my messy hair with my fingers, concealing the new angry welt on the side of my head under tufts of loose hair. I grab my desecrated meal and stumble out of my car to the front door, grasping the doorknob with weak, sweaty fingers. With an exhausted sigh, I enter my domicile and pretend as if nothing is amiss. 

I find Jackie napping on the open pages of her book. She stirs and sits up, stretching her toothpick arms above her head. My chest tightens as I gaze upon that small, delicate form, beautiful yet fragile, like a snowflake that will melt into nothing on my tongue as soon as it touches my warmth. Her brows crease together when she meets my face. 

“What happened Chester? Are you okay?” 

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry,” I mumble. I pick her up, but I can’t bear to look at her. I can barely hold my head above the frothing sea of my tumultuous emotions, and I fear I will drown if I allow myself to contemplate what I have lost. Even when holding her tangibly in my hand, I can imagine her slipping through my fingers to disintegrate into a void, gone forever, never to grace my palm again. 

I throw myself onto the couch, kick up my feet on the coffee table, and turn on the TV to mute my thoughts. I’m tempted to toss Jackie onto my belly, or even into my burger, but I gingerly place her on the couch cushion alongside me instead. I bestow upon her a pinch of my burger and part of a fry before destroying the rest with my ravenous maw. I eat angrily and aggressively, pouring all my feelings into compulsive consumption. The food is cold and greasy, adding to my despair, and plunks into my stomach unpleasantly like a stone. Jackie doesn’t speak, but I can feel her concerned gaze on me the entire time. 

The weight is too much for me to stand any longer. “Jackie, why do you want to learn magic so much?” I blurt out. While I believe I know the answer, I want to confirm my suspicions: I want to hear the truth directly from her lips. 

She hesitates, as if debating how to respond. “Learning magic is the only way for me to get back to the human world where I belong,” she replies, matter-of-factly.   

“I see.” It’s all I can say. My world is smashed into a million pieces, slicing me with infinite cuts like broken glass. Having my worst fears confirmed is devastating. A rift tears open my insides and sucks my flesh into a black hole, shriveling me into naught but a hollow husk of a man. The sea of emotions that lapped at my face submerges me; I can’t breathe. 

“I need to wash this grease off my hands,” I mutter hastily, excusing myself to the kitchen. I stand up brusquely and turn away so Jackie can’t see the tears that sting my eyes. I run the sink to mask my sniffles, mechanically rinsing my hands under the water.  

I need to regain control. I can’t let her see how upset I am. She needs to do what’s best for her, not for me: I don’t wish to sway her to the wrong path with my pathetic display. Knowing her, she’ll take pity on me and then feel bad for leaving. I don’t want that. 

I take a few deep breaths, splash water on my face, and dry off with a towel. With my countenance fixed into a sullen guise, I return to the living room. I don’t feel like watching TV anymore, or talking, or doing anything really. I just want to sleep and forget my woes. I turn off the TV and pause, looking down sadly at the sweetest, most wonderful and loving lady I will ever know, who will soon be gone from my life forever. Her glistening eyes search me with confusion, but thankfully she can’t see my aggrieved expression in the darkness. 

I carefully cup my hands around her and lift her to me, carrying her into the bedroom. The moonlight flowing in from the window has an ethereal effect, making her appear as if she's glowing in my hands. We undress for bed and I clasp her to my chest, as I always do. I have to enjoy these special, intimate moments with her, for I may not get many more of them. I close my eyes and struggle to keep the rise and fall of my chest steady. 

“Chester, what’s wrong? Talk to me.” 

Though her voice is meek, she breaks the silence with a force that resounds through my bones. I can’t bear to answer right away, opting instead to hold her tighter against me. However, I realize I can no longer dodge the question. Reluctantly, I lick my lips and open my mouth to answer. “I don’t...” My tongue is thick, but I push past it. “I don’t want to lose you.”  

“What do you mean?” 

A shuddering sigh escapes me. I’m compelled to confess, to finally reveal to her the depths of my soul. “I don’t want you to leave. I’m afraid that if you go to the human realm, you won’t want to come back, and I’ll never see you again.” 

She meets my gaze with a serious look. “Chester... you know I can’t stay here forever.” 

Those words twist the knife deeper. “I know.” I wince, clinching my jaw. “I didn’t want to tell you, but I ran into that other giant at the market again. That’s why I came home so late. I had to fight him off, and take a roundabout way home so he wouldn’t find out where I live.” I’m too ashamed to admit to her that I was no match for him, and he easily overpowered me. 

A tremor runs through her. I let out another heavy sigh as I prepare to unload my emotional burden. “I know it's not safe for you in the Land of Giants. I know you have a life back at home, friends and family. I have no doubts you would be better off living with your kind. But...” I swallow down the bile rising in my throat. “You have to understand, I was so lonely, living up here by myself in the woods all this time. And then you came along, a blessing from the sky, a tiny little woman who could fit in the palm of my hand. So sweet and kind, even forgiving me when I had a lapse in judgement and swallowed you. I guess what I’m trying to say is... I think I’m in love with you.” 

I watch her intensely as I speak, to observe her reaction. I'm surprised to see her jaw drop, her shock mirroring my own in that instant. Clearly, she had not expected a confession of my love to her, despite all my obvious gestures of affection. I’m baffled, even more so when she scrambles out of my hand and hikes up my pillow to my face. What is she-  

She throws herself on my lips and embraces them, kissing me with startling passion. I blink; my cheeks blossom with roses. Were all those signals she projected to me... genuine? She wasn’t just pretending to like me so that I wouldn’t eat her? Was I just misunderstanding? I curl my hands around her, pucker my lips, and kiss her back, my stomach fluttering. I suddenly feel light as a feather, airy enough to float into the clouds, as all those dense, negative emotions weighing me down are cast aside in a flash. 

“Oh Chester... I love you too! More than anything! I didn’t believe you could feel the same way!” she expresses with starry eyes. “You need not fear, I won’t abandon you!” My heart soars. Somehow, Jackie always knows the right thing to say to relieve my sorrows. 

She clambers up my lips and sprawls out on my cheek, rubbing her face to mine lovingly. “Just because I want to see my family doesn’t mean I won’t come back. After all, if I’m able to manifest portals I should be able to go back and forth as I please.” 

She’s right, of course. I assumed once she left, she’d never want to come back, but I understand now I was in error to think in this manner. I stroke her back with my finger as I’m overwhelmed with joy that overflows my eyes with excess. She caresses my cheek and snuggles up to my face as I cover her with my hand and massage her gently. 

“Thank you... I feel so much better now,” I admit in a husky voice. We lay together, basking in the brightness of our mutual adoration, before we fall asleep together in a comforting embrace. 

Chapter 13

[milfmorrowind]

Catch me when I fall

@tes-summer-fest

Part 1: Thief

ao3 link

part two

Why did it always have to be so damp?

Really though, this was getting ridiculous. No matter how hard Mailie tried to keep the moisture off of her, there was an ever-pervasive sense of slime in the Ratway that never seemed to go away. You would think regaining the blessing of a daedric prince might come with some cleanliness-related perks, but apparently not. Although, Mailie reasoned, of all the gods, Nocturnal was probably one of the least concerned with hygiene. And anyway, Mailie would fight a hundred dragons before letting on just how offensive she found the moisture to be. Her guildmates had come to respect her, despite her relative inexperience and privileged upbringing, but she could only imagine the amount of ribbing she'd get from Vex if anyone found out why she never leaned against walls. It was bad enough with Brynjolf assigning her the lovely moniker of "Princess"(thanks, Bryn, that really helps with the rumors), the last thing she needed was another "friendly" nickname.

Speaking of Brynjolf, where the hell was he? It had been four days or so since Mailie had asked after him, only to be met with a "Dunno, said he had a job to do. Something about an 'old friend', and to not expect him back for a bit," from Delvin. Very helpful, that, thought Mailie as she gently swirled the ale in her tankard (another habit that was made fun of– "It's not one of your fine wines, Princess, just drink it and go"), the thin layer of dew collected on the handle doing nothing to improve her mood.

She hoped for Brynjolf's sake that whatever he was doing was important. Delvin made it sound as if he'd left in a rush, which suggested it was at least somewhat urgent, but that's really no excuse for not telling anyone where he was going. If Delvin hadn't caught him as he was halfway up the ladder, no one would have known he had left at all. And sure, maybe she was being a bit unreasonable, free agents and all that, but it didn't change the fact that putting yourself in harm's way with no backup plan and no one to help you out if there's trouble was careless, and Brynjolf was not what Mailie would call a careless man.

Her musings were interrupted by the door from the Ratway swinging open. Mailie quickly pulled her hood back up to cover her face, shifting as she did to make sure Dawnbreaker was covered by her cloak. Her affiliation with the Thieves' Guild wasn't exactly Skyrim's best kept secret, to be sure, but it still wouldn't do for the Dragonborn to be seen publicly wearing a symbol of the guild's leadership. The more influence the guild gained, it seemed, the more they had to fear being recognized, especially as Mailie oh-so-carefully cut ties with the Black-Briars. Protection be damned, she couldn't wait to rid herself of their parasitic influence. Like pulling a leech from a leg, there would be blood, and it might sting a little, but it was better than being bled dry.

Thankfully, the hands pushing open the door belonged to Kjeld, one of the children the guild had recently recruited as a messenger. His parents had died in a dragon attack a few months prior, and his relatives had summarily kicked him out, claiming he was too expensive to feed, despite the farm they inherited from the boy's dead parents. Sapphire had found him sleeping by the road on his way to Honorhall, and offered him a job, which he was more than happy to take. He had proven a valuable asset, eager to learn and strong for a boy of twelve, likely due to his years of farm work. Less thankfully, he looked rather harried now, cheeks flushed as he ran along the narrow pathway towards the bar.

"Thane Chester - Master Mallory, sir– I need to– I mean I have something–" he stopped, hands on his knees as he struggled to speak through gasping breaths.

Delvin Mallory, stationed as ever at his table with a notebook and a flagon of mead, calmly reached out and put a hand on the youth's shoulder. "Slow down there, catch your breath."

Kjeld nodded, taking a few deep breaths and steadying himself. "I have news about Master Brynjolf, sir."

"Brynjolf?" Suddenly, every eye and ear in the Flagon was trained on the boy, and even Galathil looked up from her book for a moment. Mailie slipped out of her chair and headed over to where Delvin was sitting, adding her hand to Kjeld's other shoulder and kneeling down to his level.

"What kind of news?" she asked gently. "Did he send you with a message?'

He shook his head. "No ma'am, I haven't spoken to him myself. You see, I ran into Elte at Heartwood, and she said she'd heard from Alan at Ivarstead that he heard from Sedyni that-"

"Cut to it, kid," said Vex impatiently from the next table over. "What'd you hear?"

Kjeld swallowed. "Someone saw Brynjolf get arrested in Solitude. Right by the fort too, said there were elves and everything."

"Elves? Were they Altmer? With dark robes?" asked Mailie urgently. Stendarr's sake, if the Thalmor have him…

The boy furrowed his brow. "Those them tall ones, right? That's why they call them High Elves?"

Before Mailie could give a full explanation (and launch into a sociopolitical history of the Summerset Isles), Delvin cut her off with a nod. "Yes, lad, the tall ones. Were they there?"

"Sounds like it, sir. And Elte said that Alan said that Sedyni said that Brynjolf was awfully surprised to see them. He might have been badly hurt, too, there was something about a crossbow. I didn't wait to hear the whole story, sirs, I figured you'd want to know straight away."

"You did the right thing, son," Mailie said, patting him on the back. Calling over to one of the closer tables to the bar, she added, "Thrynn, could you make sure he gets a meal and some sleep, please?" The former bandit grumbled, but put his mead down and led the boy into the cistern.

Mailie pulled herself up and fell back into the nearest chair. Fuck. "I don't suppose any of you have friends in the Legion."

Vex barked out a laugh and crossed her arms. "Believe me, if I did, we wouldn't have heard about this through a messenger boy. Besides, you know the rules, Chester, we don't break people out."

Mailie scowled. Vex was right, technically-- it was Guild policy that anyone who got caught was on their own, but that hadn't stopped any of them from marking escape routes or bribing the occasional guard on a guildmate's behalf. Vex was no exception. She played up the apathy to keep anyone from getting too cuddly, but she cared about Brynjolf. She cared about everyone in the guild, actually, but but accusing her of it was a surefire way to end up with a black eye, so no one dared mention it. But Mailie knew. She'd known from the moment she saw the relief in Vex's eyes when Karliah's innocence was proven, the way she showed Mailie how to treat her dragonfire burns, the way her expression softened whenever Sapphire walked into the room.

Mailie was about to shoot her a withering glance and a cutting remark on the topic when she realized that Vex was staring her down. Ah. Vex had fallen into the habit lately of trying to test her-- to see what decisions she would make under pressure, to see how she would enforce rules, to see what rules she was willing to break. In short, Vex was testing her ability to lead.

Mailie shook her head. "Bryn's too good to get caught like that. If the Thalmor are involved then there's something bigger going on here. And hang the rules, I'm not letting someone rot in prison without at least knowing what happened. Especially if they're injured."

The ghost of a smile made its way on to Vex's lips. She'd passed. "Fair enough. I'll go get him, then. Been a while since I did a jailbreak, I could use the practice."

Again Mailie shook her head. "No. I'll go."

Vex raised an eyebrow. "You sure?  You don't exactly have a lot of experience with this. Have you ever even been arrested?"

Mailie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm sure. I-- We-- can't risk this being a trap. I have some influence in Solitude, if everything goes south I might be able to talk myself out of trouble," She hesitated for a moment. "And if Elisif's favor can't help us, my... associates have some sway in Imperial politics. Me being thrown in prison wouldn't exactly be good for their image, they might be willing to pull some strings and help me out. No one else here has that kind of leverage, and I'm not letting you throw yourself in front of blade without knowing who's holding it."

Delvin leaned across the table. "You're willing to bring your parents into this, Mailie?" he said. Clever bastard. Of course he knew.

She shrugged. "It's a last resort. There's a good chance they've disowned me by now, anyway. We haven't exactly kept in touch. It's a gamble I'm willing to make, though."

Vex uncrossed her legs and stood. "Well, if you're determined to go, I think we've got some old maps you could look at. No sense in sending you in blind."

[enchantedchocolatebars]

Here's a scene I imagined of Nicktoons Unite.

Timmy is at Bikinni Atoll Island, he's been quiet for 2 weeks now. Spongebob asks Mindy for help, since Sandy is at Texas, Squidward is a busy (in reality he's just playing his clarinet badly), Mr. Krabs is counting his money, and Patrick is sleeping. Cosmo and Wanda are at Fairy World, enjoying their day off.

Mindy sat down beside, she gave him his space. Timmy, are you alright, SpongeBob and Gary, told me you've been here for at least 2 weeks now, is something bothering you?

Timmy shakes his head but Mindy knows he's lying.

Timmy what happened at the game is not your fault, Wanda said the Baseball game was hard but everyone was rushing rather then practicing. It's not fair they pinned the blame on you, it's not your fault-

Timmy interrupts her, his voice is breaking down as tears can be seen. IT IS MY FAULT! It's my fault Mom and Dad would be rich and better parents with a daughter instead of having me. Vicky wouldn't have been an Evil Babysitter, she would've been a cheerful assistant to Dr. Bender. Francis would've been a star jockey instead of a mean bully. Chester would've had Cosmo and Wanda, and had a perfect set of teeth. Mr. Crocker wouldn't have become a crazed fairy hunter. AJ would've went straight to college with a full head of hair. Elmer wouldn't have had a boil!!!

Mindy is shocked and heartbroken, to see Timmy this sad, she didn't know that in his universe he's the scapegoat to everyone flaws. She knew he didn't have the happiest life, but she didn't think he'll be the punching bag to everyones misfortunes.

SpongeBob and Gary, overheard the whole thing. Gary is shocked, while Spongebob tries to hold his tears. Timmy continues crying after his verbal breakdown, Mindy is also crying bad she doesn't let them stop her.

She quietly hugs Timmy, Timmy is still crying but he hugs her back, knowing he needed a hug. Oh, Timmy I'm so so so sorry. I didn't know you were going through this, you should've told Spongebob or me sooner, than bottling them up.

Soon, Spongebob and Gary joined the hug, Timmy felt his heart beating, he was always the scapegoat to everyones flaws and misfortunes, he received no appreciation for his good deeds. While he can be a jerk, he had every right to be upset with no one appreciating his work, especially since many of the complaints he got (particularly from AJ and Bickles) were completely petty. He always felted so hurt and humiliated, he become a selfish jerk because he stopped caring about the consequences of his actions. After all, the world is better off without him.

But after meeting Spongebob and Mindy, he felted a warm feeling inside. Spongebob always says thanks to him, and he appreciates his help. Mindy showed Timmy compassion and that it's okay to not be the best at everything. Timmy the pain your going through isn't your fault, your still a child, it isn't fair that people use you as there scapegoat, Mindy said to Timmy, as she comforts him.

Timmy is still sad, but he smiles happily, Thanks for being there for me you guys.

The End :)

The Mindy in this is the Mindy from the SpongeBob movie, right?

If so, this is really sweet and well written, anon.🥹 💕

[dimdiamond]

Exactly! Like I HC that Chester is a “work smarter not harder” kind of person who knows the tricks to his job very well.

And Haddock is just a chaotic powerhouse, rushing from one end of the ship to the other doing whatever needs to be done in any kind of weather.

(Idk why this needed to be an ask but I didn’t want to add to that very not Tintin themed post. 😅)

YES EXACTLY! Love these headcanons!

Haddock in comics has shown to know well all parts of ship and all the jobs- in Red Sea Shark he managed to save the ship and take control of it by giving the exactly right orders in complete calmness AND being down in the ship machines! He is practically a genius and I can totally imagine him hopping from one ship section to the other in his thirst for learning more and more about them and how they work. So he's a great captain because his experience from working in all sections gives him the advantage of knowing exactly how a ship works and what it needs. However he is, as I said in the tag, a jack of all trades and, as you said, a chaotic powerhouse and he thrives in emergencies and chaos.

Chester gives the vibe of "work smarter not harder" indeed but he probably doesn't realise it himself. I headcanon Chester that he worked only on deck but exactly because he knows how important is hierarchy and autonomy of each section he shows trust and demands of every sailor to do their responsibility for the overall sake. That's what makes him a great captain and probably easy to work with.

Basically I see Haddock as this super talented star player of the team that can bring the win with the support of all the team and Chester as the player who will stay at his position and lead team's teamwork for the win.

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Really apprehensive about The Flash series finale.....

Despite my issues with Eric Wallace and all the various dumb decisions he has made this season, I have enjoyed this final arc so far. But I am very apprehensive about the finale. For one thing, it literally feels that we have just reached the tipping point of the final arc. It feels that there is still 2-3 episodes worth of story to come, now actually going up against Cobalt Blue and the other villains. Instead, all of it is stuffed into one episode. I can only imagine it will feel ridiculously rushed. Carlos mentioning that he wasn't able to make it for the final episode breaks my heart. He's such an essential part of the show that it just feel like an injustice. I don't know how they could not make the schedule work when they knew the show was ending a year in advance. Then we also know that Grant got covid with 6 days left to shoot and they shot around it. I don't know how that would work with your main lead not there. I'm sure it will make for some awkward blocking shots. Apparently we were robbed of a Savitar and Zoom faceoff as a result. So that leaves me with a lot of apprehension going into the finale. I don't expect it to be great, but I hope it can at least be good and not focused on Cecile, Khione, Chester, Mark, and Allegra. I found it deeply frustrating that Barry only appeared midway through the penultimate episode. Again goes back to wondering what Eric Wallace was thinking when making this final season.

[briamichellewrites]

10

Bria and Joe discussed the altercation with Ian with Mike and Brad. They were all well-rested and could think clearly. Joe fully accepted responsibility for leaving her alone. He should have realised that he could take advantage of the situation. For some reason, he failed to consider the consequences. They all told him that, while he should not have done that, they forgive him. Yes, he should not have left her alone. At the same time, how could he have predicted what would happen?

Before she could scream, Mike and Rob rushed over. They expected to be able to pull him off of her. They never imagined she would attack him in self-defence. She screamed because he scared her by approaching her from behind. Then she switched to fight or flight mode. She remembered everything she had learnt from her father.

If Brad had not yanked her off of him, she would have continued because she was high on adrenaline.

She learnt that Ian's injuries were minor. He was not going to press charges against her because he started the incident. They asked her again if she planned to file charges against him. No, she did not think she had a case. Mike enquired as to whether he lived in Los Angeles. Brad confirmed that he lived in Wales. If they ever crossed paths, say at an award show, they would hire a bodyguard for her.

He informed their security detail about the situation. They did not believe it would be a problem. No, she did not intend to file charges against him. They informed her of the benefits of filing charges. If he did it to her, he can do it to anyone else. He may have done the same or worse to other girls. She had the ability to help stop him.

"How about this? When we return to Los Angeles, we discuss what happened with the police. It will be us, Mike and Rob. We simply go talk to them and find out what options you have. You can then decide whether you want to press charges against him. Until then, we can concentrate on Thanksgiving and will not discuss it further."

They waited for her to respond to his proposal. She nodded and said, "Okay." That was fair. They thanked her before leaving to find Chester and Rob. Brad had Mike hang out with her and Joe while he spoke with Rob about what they had discussed. He would do that. They discovered the boys playing video games. Rob was losing to Chester, so he was glad to hand over the controller to Joe when his turn was up.

She had no interest in video games, but she watched them play regardless. Chester joked about beating him. Mike replied by reminding him that Joe was the video game expert. Joe chuckled and sat down. He did not just play; he immersed himself in the experience. They were returning home the following day for Thanksgiving. She would spend the holiday with Joe's family because her parents were working. George and Max would be at their estate on Lake Como in Italy.

Normally, Michelle would patrol a specific area to ensure that everything was fine. She did have to assist in a traffic stop or another emergency. There was never a dull moment in Los Angeles due to its vast size. At the very least, she never complained about being bored at work. She worked full-time hours five days per week. She did, however, have to work extra hours on occasion due to a last-minute call.

It was very different than working on a military base. It was similar work, but with different language and procedures. Rather than protecting the military, she was defending Los Angeles residents. George wished she could join them, but he knew how important her job was. She had the option of requesting time off. Because she was new to the police department, she wanted to be as accessible as possible. It would appear favourable to her superiors.

She did not work on Christmas Day. Bria did not know where she and Joe would be. It was dependent on Henry's schedule and what Joe's family had planned. She simply requested that she let her know. Bria promised to do so.

She planned to meet with Mike and Brad before Christmas to discuss joining them on their international tour. Given how well she was doing, they were seriously considering it. Brad received the DVD of her performance from Mark Fiore, their videographer. He gave it to her so she could share it with her family. She watched it on Joe's laptop during the flight home.

She listened to the crowd scream and sing alongside her. Oh, my God! Because of her in ear monitors and her back up band, she didn’t initially hear them. The stage lighting also made it difficult for her to see the audience. Brad gave a laugh. She made a name for herself on stage. She exuded professionalism and stage presence that only experienced performers like Bruce Springsteen could match. It was as if she had captured the audience's attention and would not let go.

"What do you think?" he asked her.

“That was so fucking cool! Oh my God!"

"You should practise your head banging," he joked.

"Oh, my God. Chester can show me how to scream."

He laughed. Joe asked Chester, who was sitting nearby, if he could teach her how to scream. Fuck yeah! Brad laughed again. They would need to work on it for her next album. During the nearly seventeen-hour flight, she napped while listening to noise-cancelling earbuds. The boys discovered her with her legs against her chest and her head resting on Joe's shoulder. She appeared adorable and innocent, almost childlike. They photographed her without disturbing her sleep.

"If you took photos of me while I was sleeping, I will fucking kill you!"

That was the threat she issued when she awoke two hours later. Mike laughed, explaining that they could not help themselves. She was just so cute! How did she sleep? She slept like a baby. They were about to serve dinner, so she awoke just in time. Mike was looking forward to getting home to Anna. They were having Thanksgiving with their two families.

They invited their parents and their younger brother, Jason, over for dinner. Jason was preparing to move to Cambridge for graduate school. He applied and was admitted to Harvard Graduate School of Design. His aspiration was to become a landscape architect. Mike was extremely proud of his younger brother and what he was accomplishing. He could not wait to see him and learn more about his activities. He and Anna were both eager for his family to meet Bria. They expected to fall in love with her as much as they did.

He often wondered what would have happened if he had not seen her that afternoon. She seemed visibly upset. Perhaps she would have gone to the hotel as planned. That moment provided them with an opportunity to learn more about her. She was trying to keep her emotions under control.

What if he would kept driving without picking her up? What if he convinced himself that it was none of his business? He would have come to regret his decision. As her world crumbled around her, she sought assistance. It was difficult being a teenager. She was also in a foreign country and did not know anyone. Perhaps she would have been fine without his intervention. Taking her in was a decision he would never regret because it resulted in a friendship.

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @alina-dixon

[sakuraswordly]

Continue from these

#damn...can you imagine wearing all that weight of the world on your shoulders...

#that's hurt and sad when come thinking about this again....the one who carried everything even gladly to be evil for the right thing

This is what makes him being corrupted so much more painful.

This isn't just about saving his friends anymore. It's so they can live their dreams. Having their freedom, even if it costs Sonic his own.😢

That's why Gilgamesh is the most tragic character because he carries everything by himself and does it alone to not let one avoid, like both Sonic and Punch, who gladly become villain for the sake of doing the right thing and helping as much as they can even cost their life.

The moment Sonic finally succumbs to it is equal parts horrifying and tragic. He tries with all the might that he can muster to keep going, but when he finally succeeds, the corruption reaches its limit and he just keels over, clearly in immense agony but holding himself back from screaming in defeat out of pride. After a brief struggle, his entire body just goes limp, his face frozen in pain. Source: tvtropes

You did see something very similar between Sonic and Gilgamesh right?

Punch: God, my a**s! You're just giving yourself an out and manipulating other people! I've had enough of it! I won't let you or everyone change me or use me again! Exterminate the world?! Rewrite the universe?! Who the hell wants to do that @#$%&*?! I'm starting to hate humanity! I hate everything about this world!! I hate everything around me!! I'll get wiped this universe if I can! I'm humanity's biggest enemy! Got it?! I'm the worst girl who ever lived! I may be the enemy of the whole universe. I had no place to call home where I belong. But I'm your friend, Chester. You did destroy my life, yes and I can't be a good girl. And I don't want to be a god. But when I saw someone cry say no one needs them. I want to tell them it's not true!! Source

That's why Punch became like this for the right thing the same as King Gilgamesh as well.

That's how all three quotes come from their own heart and their decisions.

That's why there is no such thing as meaningless.

[loveforpreserumsteve]

Love Grows (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

13

HODGE REMAINED HYPER all through Sunday. Moving from task to task as though he wouldn't be able to do them any other day. Building shelves, organizing shoe racks, going through the clothes he hadn't worn in years and probably never would again. Steve tried to avoid his flittering from one spot to another, but it didn't help that every time Hodge passed him, he would make it a point to kiss the top of Steve's head and mark along the length of his shoulders.

He wasn't just hyper though. He was jittery and jumpy. Rushing to his charging phone at the first ring every single time that it rang. It was maddening to witness. Steve had never seen Hodge like this. Not even when he was expecting a call from his agent to find out if he had gotten a role.

Shrugging it off, Steve tried to keep himself busy with his art. He still wasn't feeling inspired, but he was trying to make himself a muse by drawing and painting anything that he could. The bay window. The indent of the sofa from where Steve had been sitting. The TV over the fireplace. The den that Steve longed to decorate as a nursery.

"...the driver swerved out of control, hitting Flag Smasher actor, Jonathan F. Walker," the news reporter said.

Immediately, Steve returned to the living room. A headshot of the alpha actor was on screen before switching to stills from the play Hodge had auditioned for, but didn't get. And seeing the man's face on screen sent a shiver down his spine and put lead in his belly. He couldn't imagine what the alpha's partner was feeling right now.

"Walker was taken to Metro-General Hospital and is in critical condition."

Numb, Steve sat on the edge of the sofa. All he could think about was how young Jonathan F. Walker was. How much he still had to offer. Sure, Steve had only briefly met him a few times, but he didn't seem like a bad person. In fact, Steve thought that if John and Hodge hadn't been in competition, they would've gotten along quite well.

Idly, Steve was aware that Hodge was speaking, "Oh God, no. Oh, the poor guy."

Standing, Steve left the living room, the news station switching to another story. Hodge was still talking, "Yes, I am... Yes, I would... I'd hate to get it this way, but I –"

Finding his husband sitting next to the open window, smoking, Steve leaned against the doorway. The beta gave Steve an apologetic look about the smoking, but Steve couldn't be sore at him. In fact, he felt as though he could use a smoke right now himself. Or a bottle of wine. They all had their vices.

After listening to the person on the other line, Hodge continued, "Well, you'd have to speak to Chester about it."

Of course, Steve knew just as much as Hodge that his agent, Chester Phillips, would agree to whatever was being talked about now. Especially if it was Hodge getting a role. Getting the role, Steve knew.

"But I'm sure there won't be any problem, Ms. de Fontaine, not as far as we're concerned."

Steve held his breath. His stomach roiled. Sure, he wanted his husband to get more roles. Get The Something Big that he deserved. But not like this. Not because another actor could be dying that very minute.

"Thank you, Ms. de Fontaine," Hodge said. "And will you let me know if there's any news? Thanks."

Hanging up, Hodge took another inhale from the cigarette before stubbing it out on the sill. For a moment, he sat motionless, his hand holding his phone to his chest. He was pale and a little clammy, and Steve knew that Hodge didn't want this opportunity to only come his way because of another's demise.

"Hodge?"

He opened his eyes and looked over at Steve.

"I got the part," Hodge said.

Steve chewed on the inside of his lower lip and held himself. "Because of John's accident?"

"Yeah. Hell of a way to get it, y'know?"

Nodding, Steve gestured over his shoulder in the direction of the living room where the TV could still be heard. "They were talking about what happened. It was brutal."

"Listen," he stood, crossing the room. "I've gotta get out and walk around. Get outside and... absorb this."

"Okay, yeah, I get it," Steve stepped out of the doorway. "Take your time."

Kissing Steve's forehead, Hodge moved down the hallway on autopilot. The beta was shaken up, and Steve could empathize with that because so was he. What if it had been Hodge that had been hit? Shaking his head, he didn't want to think of that.

Returning to the living room, he changed the channel. Not wanting to hear any other bad news, but also not wanting to be left in silence. He wanted to get his mind off of the tragedy that had happened so close to home.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but a teeth-whitening commercial that Hodge had been in had been played twice by the time that the man came home. He seemed just as amped up as he had been before the news, which made Steve watch him, concerned, as he paced.

"Okay," Hodge started, facing Steve. Kneeling down in front of him as he sat on the couch, Hodge took Steve's hands in his, "I've been thinking, and I think we should have a baby."

Surely, Steve didn't hear that right. Hodge? A baby? He wanted one? Before his career had really taken off?

"Y'know, goo goo, diapers, waa waa?"

His heart was racing and the tears building in his eyes started blurring his vision, "'You mean it?"

"Sure, I mean it," he said, grinning.

"But what about –"

"Life's too short," Hodge argued. "Today is proof of that. And I don't want to wait around. So, let's have a baby."

Sliding off the sofa and right into Hodge's lap, Steve tackled his husband to the floor. A baby! They were going to have a baby! How did Steve get so lucky?

[hecticromantic]

a playful, put on gasp escapes from nate's lips, before a surprised but equally amused laugh bubbles out of him. "i'd never. unless you like bein' called a whore, that is," nate amends, weighted gaze scanning chester's face once again for any recognizable discomfort or disagreement as his lips curve up into a teasing smirk. he's not trying to impose any of his own kinks onto chester, merely tentatively treading the water until nate knows for sure what he likes. nate is an overachiever, the school's golden boy, but even if he didn't meet his own expectations, he'd be more disappointed not meeting chester's.

he grins when chester agrees, but it's hard to seem so smug and self-confident when the view in front of him is breathtaking, prompting nate to exhale shakily as he gently runs his fingertips through the sparse spattering of hair on chester's belly. the sight alone has blood rushing south, filling up his cock and already imagining filthy scenarios -- more specific than not, like coming all over that happy trail. he licks his lips, the simple act of chester teasingly running his finger along the waistband of his jeans being enough to make his hair stand on end, head nodding along obediently to his words.

"please," he urges, in lieu of any verbose encouragement as he unzips the fly of his jeans and nudges his jeans down halfway. nate was embarrassed as he was eager, a heated flush settling in over his cheekbones. he didn't know what the gameplan was, or if this exploration was going to lead to more fondling and so he didn't know how to prepare himself -- chest rising and falling steadily to keep the butterflies at bay.

"calling me an attention whore, then?" there's an exchange of lightheartedness and playful recognition slotted in between rounds of thick seduction. and it's that exact pattern that makes chester all the more wary of his feelings. nate doesn't stop being nate even when his fingers glide like welcome distractions. exposed, well toned abs don't come without a pretty face, and an even prettier swell of charisma. and chester's heart is racing. "well... since you're asking so nicely -- and offering me the same," he adds, gesturing graciously at the statuesque figure before him, "yes." as exhilarating as it is to gaze up at nate, to catch wandering eye with wandering eye -- chester pushes to prop himself up onto an elbow. his colorful cardigan slips off easy, and the silky jersey underneath follows suit with little effort. he shoves the bunch back towards the car door, essentially building an unintentional pillow for his head, before tilting his chin, and staring curiously in nate's direction. chester lifts a grounding palm to the other's broad shoulder, and traces an appreciative line down a shapely chest, skimming a pert nipple, and rippling muscles like sunkissed hills. he's careful and slow, venturing south with enough pause to allow nate time to process. it's just as he rotates his wrist to finger the band of his jeans -- that chester whispers again, brown pupils blown in meeting. "i think you're really, really, hot. and -- i'm gonna touch you." slender digits follow in tandem, each then curling to squeeze nate's cock through his denim. "-- and you should tell me if you like it."

[metalheadcowboy]

Every now and again Chester Rushing will pop up on my tik tok and I’ll be like “Why does he look so familiar?” And then about a second later it hits me, “Holy shit, I’m an idiot, that’s Chester” 😭

[cigarettesandharringrove]

head canon:

Tommy H has a little sister

Because Sophia Lillis is literally the perfect fit for it

I don’t make the rules

[voraciousvore]

The Half-Blood Giant (6/51)

***Contains soft, safe, willing vore***

Chapter 6: Growing Up

They knew they couldn’t keep the inquisitive child in the dark forever, but they held off the inevitable for as long as possible. They worried about his future. A social life with friends was impossible for him, since he couldn’t pass for a giant or a human. Jackie, if she needed time with people her size, could always return to the human realm for a while. If Hunter came with her, he was restricted to the remote rural property of his human grandparents, where he couldn’t be seen by others. Even then, he had grown to the point where he was taller than the house. Jackie had to worry about him running off, especially since he didn’t always listen to her. 

As the years passed, he continued to grow, his height becoming loftier by the day. Despite how restrictive his life was, he was a happy child in his ignorance. Chester was extremely strict about keeping him in the house, so Hunter didn’t try to leave. With supervision, Chester would sometimes allow him to play in the immediate vicinity outside, as long as he didn’t smell any strangers nearby. His parents would drive him to his grandparents’ estate or to Uncle Jasper’s house if he started to get too antsy. Jasper adored his little nephew and was always willing to make time for him when he wasn’t at work. 

While stuck at home, Hunter liked to read. As he went through the books in his father’s study, he discovered Jackie’s magic books. He read through them with fascination and naturally wanted to try using magic for himself. To his astonishment, he was able to cast simple spells with minimal effort. He rushed over to his parents with excitement to show them. Although Jackie had been hesitant to teach him magic, she was impressed how quickly he picked up on harder techniques that took her forever to learn, how much easier and effortless it was for him. She was proud of her son’s innate talent, and since the secret was out, she sought to guide him, teaching him useful defensive spells. Like his mother, he was able to use blood and lightning magic, but he found the lightning much harder to conjure. 

Hunter pored over the spells in the books, since he wanted to learn more. There was a spell for growing or shrinking that Hunter thought would be useful, considering his unfortunate “in-between” size, but he could only make his size change for a few seconds when he first attempted it. He discerned he needed more practice. Some of the spells he considered very odd. One was a protective spell that would allow a human to survive inside a giant’s belly. Hunter couldn’t imagine why anyone would find that desirable. Additionally, there was a spell to produce human meat. Out of curiosity, Hunter tried it out and found himself holding a bloody sack of meat. Again, he wondered why this would be a spell anybody would want to learn. He sniffed it and realized he had manifested a piece of his own flesh. Grossed out, he threw it away.  

He kept reading. There was a section in the back of very powerful forbidden spells that were difficult to cast and could go wrong very easily. The book cautioned against using them, since they came with devastating consequences, either for the caster or their unfortunate victim. There was a spell to permanently shrink a giant to human size, but the spell could disfigure the victim, and the person casting the spell could lose their magic forever. Similarly, a spell existed to create a new dimension of existence that also resulted in permanent magic depletion. Spells existed that could summon souls back from the dead or transfer a soul from one body into a new vessel, but the soul in question could be transformed or tainted in the process. Hunter was disturbed by this knowledge and moved on to a different book. 

He dug into Chester’s collection of history books next. He read about the human realm and the creation of the Land of Giants. At first, he almost believed the tales to be a work of fiction. His father was a giant and his mother was a human, after all. They couldn’t possibly be natural enemies. They loved each other. And his father wouldn’t eat his mother… would he? Of course not. Hunter dismissed the stories as fantasy, but they gnawed at the back of his mind. 

Finally, he decided to ask his parents about it. He strolled into the living room to find his dad sitting on the couch, stroking his belly in that distinctive way of his that he did sometimes. Hunter climbed up on the couch next to him, lugging the giant book in his arms. It was big and heavy, but manageable with how much he had grown. His head reached midway up Chester’s thigh now. 

“Where’s Mom?” Hunter asked. 

“Oh… she’s sleeping. Don’t bother her, she’s got a headache again,” Chester replied. His hand stopped moving and rested on his belly. “What do you have there, son?” 

“A book.” Hunter examined his father’s face intensely. “Dad, are the things in this book true?” 

Chester looked over to see what his son was referring to. “Oh… yeah. That.” He chose his words carefully, but he knew his son needed to learn the truth eventually. “That’s a history book. It’s all true.” Jackie kicked his stomach from the inside, signaling her disapproval, but Chester didn’t want to lie to the child any longer. 

“So...” Hunter had so many questions swirling in his mind, he couldn’t enunciate them clearly. “Are humans and giants enemies then?” 

“Well... that stuff happened a long time ago. Older giants like your grandpa were alive then, but most giants living now weren’t around for those events,” Chester explained. 

“So they’re friends now?” 

“Not... quite,” Chester said. “Your mother and I are something of an exception. Um... giants usually eat humans.” He grimaced as this bitter truth crossed his tongue and left a bad taste in his mouth. 

Hunter processed this information. “Am I a human? Or a giant?” 

“You’re both, of course,” Chester answered smoothly. 

“No giants have tried to eat me though. Not you, or Uncle Jasper, or Grandma and Grandpa. Does that mean I should be eating humans?” 

“Heavens, no!” Chester gave him a stern look, full of concern. “You haven’t had any urges to eat humans, have you? Like your mother?” 

“Ew, no!” Hunter protested. The thought of eating his own mother was abhorrent to him. He hadn’t considered eating humans, but then again he hadn’t run into any humans besides his mother, so the thought hadn’t really crossed his mind. 

“Good.” Chester sighed. “That’s enough questions now. Daddy’s tired. Go run along and play.” Chester felt the need to shut the conversation down, especially since Jackie was clearly displeased with him as she gave him another sharp prod from inside. 

Hunter left his giant father alone, his head spinning. He needed time to step back and think. He figured he might find more answers in his dad’s books, but for now he was overwhelmed. He had more questions than ever about the outside world, a world he had been cut off from for his entire life. He was confused why. His parents always shut down his questions or deflected by changing the subject. He finally had some answers, but he was left with more questions. He was frustrated. 

He didn’t feel like a human or a giant. He didn’t know his role in the world. When he visited the human realm, he was obviously out of place. He couldn’t even fit in a human house anymore, and Jackie was emphatic that he stay close. He understood now that his size would frighten small humans, if they feared being eaten. Realistically, he couldn’t be around humans anymore. 

Yet, he wasn’t a giant either. The giants in his life didn’t want to eat him like a human, but he was so small when compared to everyone else. He thought back to how his grandpa looked down on him, with such cold condescension, and he began to understand. He was a disappointment because the human blood in him made him small and inferior. He clenched his fists with bitterness. He had tried to make his grandpa like him, and did everything in his power to please him and win his approval, but the old man’s attitude was unwavering. Now, it all made sense. 

His dad had told him not to bother his mother, but Hunter was still bursting with questions. Maybe if his dad didn’t answer them, his mom would. If she was currently suffering with a headache, perhaps he could heal her with his blood magic. Jackie had taught him a healing spell that he thought might work. He made his way over to the master bedroom. The door was shut, as it usually was when his mom was resting, so he quietly opened the door and tiptoed inside.  

The room was dark, with the shades drawn. Hunter peered over the side of the titanic bed, searching for his mother. He didn’t see her, but then again she was very small and easy to miss. She could be wrapped up in the sheets somewhere. When he failed to locate her with his eyes, he gingerly smoothed over any lumps or folds with his fingers and peeled back the sheets. He even picked up the pillows to see if she was hidden underneath. No sign of her. 

“Mom?” he whispered. He knew he was doing something wrong, disobeying his father as he was, but he was becoming increasingly baffled as he failed to locate his miniature mother. “Mom?” he called again, slightly louder this time. He searched the rest of the room, watching where he stepped in case she was on the floor somewhere. Jackie was usually pretty conscientious about making noise so she wouldn’t be stepped on, so Hunter was confident she wasn’t in the room. 

“What the heck? Where is she?” he mumbled to himself. He replaced the sheets and pillows and left, closing the door quietly behind him so his father wouldn’t know he was snooping. He considered what to do. Should he tell Dad that Mom was missing? He walked down the hallway and peeked around the corner into the living room, but paused. 

His giant dad was still sitting on the couch, rubbing his belly with steady strokes in that distinctive and odd way of his. Hunter observed that he wasn’t watching TV, reading, writing, or doing anything really. Just sitting there with a dreamy, glazed, satisfied look on his face, like he was enjoying something immensely. His father occasionally had that look on his face after eating a big satisfying meal, such as during a holiday or feast day. He certainly did look like he had just eaten a filling repast, with how he was stroking his stomach. 

Hunter found this behavior exceedingly strange, though. Come to think of it, his father always did this when his mother retired to the bedroom to rest during the day. Hunter had always assumed that she had a weak constitution, with how fragile and tiny she was, and since his dad was always scolding him to handle her with less roughness. But if she wasn’t in the bedroom, where was she? 

Hunter thought about everything he read. About how giants and humans had been at war, because the giants couldn’t stop themselves from eating humans. How giants still craved human meat, even when they didn’t live with humans any longer. His dad, despite being married to a human, was still physiologically a giant in every way. So, logically, wouldn’t he want to eat his mother? Why wouldn’t he? Hunter’s eyes drifted down to his dad’s belly, which he was patting with his hand. Lovingly. With the same tenderness he showed Jackie. 

Hunter was filled with horror and revulsion when the truth finally dawned on him. His dad ate his mom, and had done so on multiple occasions. The protective spell that allowed a human to survive a giant’s digestive fluids suddenly made sense. Jackie could survive inside a giant’s stomach. Hunter fled to his bedroom in disgust. He didn’t know what to think. Yet again, he was overwhelmed with forbidden knowledge. 

He lay on his bed listlessly, still in shock. His parents had kept him in the dark for so long, his entire life, and they were still keeping secrets from him. Gross, weird secrets. He gripped the bedsheets in his fists. He couldn’t trust them anymore, couldn’t trust anyone. He would find out everything he needed to know. He was determined. 

Chapter 7

Chapter 1

[laurelsfreckles]

but why we don’t talk more about shirtless tommy h in the basketball scene?

[ju1ian]

bruh im glad the stranger things con was super postponed cause i probably would have started a fight and gotten myself arrested while i was there.

[8-bit-britt]

The skin deep episode from bunnicula except the ghost scares, bunnicula, Chester, and Harold into pieces. While rushing to pull themselves , they got the wrong body parts! How would it effect the story?

Man it's been awhile since I've seen that episode. I imagine it would probably be similar to what they faced in the Chestaroldicula episode. Having parts not of their own, it would be really disorienting for them and would probably take them a minute to figure out how to move haha.