#Family and Estate Protection dogs

[all-purpose-dish-soap]

I'm really thinking about that one Ghost post you wrote about him basically making himself at home at the reader's place when she found him near dead in the woods and it still is scratching my brain all right 😭 him devoting his life to her and the fact her husband is there completely upset about this all is the perfect drama.

the thing i love most about this is that i never mentioned ghost by name in that post <3 not once <3 but you're right. it is so, so ghost-coded. ghoded, if you will.

you're the hands in which he rests, a weapon; submissive in the way (as was once said) a sheep-guarding hound is submissive to the livestock it protects. 

so mismatched is his demeanor with yours--harsh and scarred--and that it frightens the townspeople around you. and your guards.

when you do get hurt, they jump at the chance to accuse Ghost of hurting you. no matter how you insist you're fine and demand the townsfolk see reason--you witnessed the attack, for god's sake! not to mention your wound is shallow and looks much worse than it is. but the guards lock him up in the small dungeon under your family's estate.

at your direction, Simon doesn't fight his captors. you both know, for all his strength, he'll be killed if the guards see their chance to take his life. they've never trusted him.

and so he's hauled off, chained up like a dog, lying in wait for his sheep. 

when you return to see him, having pushed through those who insisted you stay away, that he's dangerous, that he hurt you--only then does Simon strain against those chains. he wants to be at your side. he's driven half out of his mind with worry that the assassin who hurt you might come back and finish the job without him there to protect you. 

he'd pull the chain bolts clean out of the rotting brick to get back to you if not for the guarantee you'd be kept from him if he did. although it's not by your choice. 

he's even willing to confess to crimes he never committed, would never commit, if it meant being in your debt, imprisoned in your home, back by your side.

you stay with him as long as you can. his arms are locked behind him and he rests on his knees, more animal than man, as he presses his face against your waist. his desperation abates once you take his face in your hands to comfort him. he's lightheaded.

you assure him you'll be back, that you'll figure this out and get him home and out of those chains soon. he strains against the chains again as you pull away.

it's not until there's a second attempt on your life that he's vindicated.

the only story anyone knows is that when you screamed, by the time your guards made it up to your bedchamber, the blood from your attacker's corpse was already soaking into your rug. one of them tried and failed to coax the bloody dagger out of your shaking hands. your palms were clean. 

you tell the guards this was the man who attacked you before. you tell them to bury him and not speak of this again; to leave your chamber for you to clean.

once they're gone, Simon emerges from the shadows, hands bloody, to disentangle your hands (white knuckled) from the dagger, to usher you into the wash basin. you see the iron cuffs on his wrists, chains snapped off, and say nothing.

nobody is ever quite sure who released him. just as nobody is sure who the assassin worked for.

strangely, your husband seems to avoid you after that.

;)

more Ghost / masterlist

[whereserpentswalk]

There was an abandoned church where the faeries used to come out, tucked away in one of those neighborhoods in the city where only residents ever go. It was a beautiful stone building, covered in vines and ivy, half broken, resting between the corner stores and brownstones. They say it's so old that nobody even remembers the name of the god they worshipped there.

And there used to be faeries there. They would come out quite frequently. Nobody maintained the place, but it was ruined enough so you could just walk in through where the door used to be. And you could see them there, the kobolds who would sing their ancient songs in languages long forgotten. And the hollow backed women who would dance in the silver moonligh, and who turned men who tried to touch them into trees. There where spirits who'd look like dragonflies one momment, and than little winged people the next. And great dire trolls at times would come out and brew strange drinks from grass and root. There were mothmen who flew in the skies above the ancient church, looking down with big yellow eyes. There where witches who'd grant strange requests for strange prices, and who'd look like women from a far, and great mantises when near. And there were even darker things, faceless men, and black eyed girls, who'd come, but they never harmed a soul on those old church grounds.

They say it became a place where people who were grateful for such things would come. Urban sorcerers, and cryptid hunters, unmarketable artists, and outcasts and members of forgotten subcultures would come to. It was mostly just a place people in the city knew about, people who knew enough about the fae, people who had respect for the fae. A few faeries would let themselves show up in dim photographs, perhaps to appear on somebody's blog, but most people who would go there knew to ask first. And they say that. In her gratefulness to the ruins, for being a place where the children of Odin and the children of Gaia had found peace, the queen of the autumn faeries had gifted them a magic sword, that shined like sunset amber, planted forever in the ruins of the church's alter.

And once there was a magical sword there, something valuable there, the city decided it had to take notice. It wasn't just some worthless stone anymore, it was something with more money behind it now. They transfered the ruins' ownership from the underfunded historical society, to a successful real-estate company, who would know how to handle it well, and perhaps bring in some tourists.

And suddenly, things began to change. See, the sword needed to be well protected of course, so there were security cameras all over the place to keep out robbers, and guards of course to stand around and yell at people, and of course perhaps to fire iron bullets at any faeries who thought about hurting humans who wanted to be free to touch them and pet them and take pictures without consequences. And there were metal detectors of course, and there needed to be a closing time because suddenly there was a staff that had to be payed.

And somehow there were less and less faeries then, and the people who had used to come so often had gone away too. But that didn't matter, they still needed to turn a profit, and they had started advertising it, so soon tourists with their fancy cameras and expectations, and families with little children on leashes and dogs in their strollers, and fourteen year old boys who giggled because faerie could mean gay, all started to come, and waited on line to see the minority of faeries who were still there. And soon the walls of the old church had signs and ads and the walls were painted a green because the company thought grey was an ugly color, and the entrance had all those little marketable t-shirts and plushes for people to buy.

And soon there were no more faeries. They didn't want to come. The sword had turned black.

They say the last faeries to leave were the toughest of them, and that they didn't like the new type of guest, trolls would put human bones in their last stews, and witches would curse anyone who took pictures of them, and the black eyed girls and faceless men finally dragged people into faeland never to return. But even they left eventually, all of them did. They say the sword healed when it was bright and amber, but when it was black it's magic was no weaker, but it killed, anyone who touched the black sword would rot away. They say other magical creatures, meaner ones, found good homes in the church when it became so filled with the company's things, blood drinking vampires, and howling ghosts, and deal making devils, found the place to be a perfect hunting spot. The faeries never came back, and the church lost its profitability, they tried to rip it down, and use the land for some pretty shot or restaurant, but they could never clear the foundation, nobody could lift the sword.

[stellar-constellations]

Hey, your work is just phenomenal I'd love to see some more headcannons. I was wondering if you could do some falling in love, or dating headcannons for these characters.

Demon Slayer

Sanemi Shinazugawa

Muzan Kibutsuji

Spy x Family

Yuri Briar (as your most popular he has to be here. <3)

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K

Kusuo Saiki

Toritsuka Reita

Kusuke Saiki

Danganronpa

Kazuchi Soda

Bungou Stray Dogs

Dazai Osamu

Assassination Classroom

Nagisa Shiota

Karma Akabane

I hope I'm not asking to much of you! Have a great day! <3

No problem! I've been waiting for a request!

Reader is female!

WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR DEMON SLAYER, SPY X FAMILY, THE DISASTROUS LIFE OF SAIKI K, DANGANRONPA, BUNGOU STRAY DOGS, AND ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM!

Sanemi Shinazugawa

If you're a Demon Slayer like him, expect to live in his estate. If you're a normal civilian, also expect to live in his estate. Even if you're a part of the Slayer Corps or not, he wants to make sure you're safe. 

I hope you like bugs because he owns a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle. He'll let you hold if it you like bugs, if not, he understands and will keep him in his cage.

You'll most likely meet Genya and get along with him well, Genya might be shy with you at first since you're a girl, but he'll want to talk to you since you've caught his older brother's eye (which really seems impossible). 

All of the corps and even the Hashira were shocked when word spread that you and Sanemi were dating. The corps most feared Hashira and the sweet girl?! Some believe it's a fake relationship to steer girls brave enough to chase after Sanemi away. When Sanemi heard the rumors he tracked down who started them and gave them the beating of their lives.

All of the corps is scared of Sanemi more than demons. If you're placed on a mission with someone other than Sanemi, they're placing your life at utmost importance. It doesn't matter if they're bleeding out, letting the demon escape, or having a whole village burn down, there is nothing too big to sacrifice other than your own life when facing Sanemi's wrath.

Sanemi likes ohagi, please make some with him. Not only is it a cute bonding experience together, but it'll make him fall more in love with you. 

You can't make him wear collared or buttoned-up shirts. It's a proven fact.

Despite popular belief, Sanemi is very kind with his partner. He does his best not to yell at you and if he does he'll immediately apologize for it. He doesn't care if he has to swallow up his pride, your relationship together is more important to him than a mere title. He doesn't want to be seen as his father.

Sanemi will always be gentle to you. He knows he has a scary appearance and while he's proud of his figure and scars, he doesn't want them to scare you, they're supposed to scare demons!

Sanemi would never say it, but he likes when you and Genya get along together. It makes him happy knowing two of his favorite people are enjoying each other's company like how he enjoys theirs.

Sanemi is a jealous man and he'll make it known to you and everyone around him immediately (especially if Giyuu is around). He's always picking a fight because he knows he can kick anyone's ass that he feels is getting a little too buddy-buddy with you. 

If you pet his hair or gently trace his scars, he'll consider marrying you. 

Muzan Kibutsuji

If you're a human, he'll have one of the Uppermoons supervising and protecting you if he's not around (it'll most likely be Kokushibo). 

If you're a demon, he'll trust that you take care of yourself. He'll give you his blood every now and then so you can grow stronger as a demon (but not strong enough to defeat him in case you'd ever try to defy him. But you wouldn't do that, right?) He cannot have a weak demon as a partner, that'd be insulting to his image.

Muzan would regularly buy you expensive kimonos and jewelry and act as if it isn't a big deal. Not only is it to flaunt you around to demons and humans, but it's an indirect way of showing his wealth and power to others.

It's canon Muzan had six wives in the past (all who committed suicide because he was verbally abusive or he just killed them) but he wouldn't treat you like that. Those wives were a cover for his human disguise so he felt no attachment to them, however with you, he'd do just about anything you tell him to (as long as it doesn't ruin his image).

Muzan still has a hard time with emotions. If you're a demon, he'll simply just read your mind to figure out what's wrong. If you're a human, he'll straight up ask you what's wrong. Either way, he's finding out so you might as well just make it easy and tell him, don't even try to beat around the bush since he's an impatient man when it comes to unpredictable things. 

When you're alone together in peace and you're reading and he's doing research to find a cure to the sun, there's always a slight smile on his face. He enjoys the tranquility of the moment. 

Muzan doesn't like physical affection, in fact he hates it because it makes him feel all weak, but if you're having a bad day he'll rub the back of your hands or give you a few head pats and threaten you to never speak of this to anyone.

You wear red lipstick the same shade as his eyes, another indirect way of saying you belong to him, just don't kiss him with it in front of others because it's not transfer-proof.

If you're a human, he'll try to convince you to be a demon with him so you can be immortal forever. If you reject, he understands and wouldn't push on about it until probably a couple years later. If you accept, he'll have a small smile on his face (don't point it out or he'll make your transformation a little more painful than necessary). 

He's thought of having a kid so there can be a heir for his bloodline, but he quickly crossed that idea out when realizing that kids not only are bothersome, but he's a demon so he'll live forever (he believes). 

Yuri Briar

You have to really be quite the person to catch his eye! 

If you're a normal civilian, Yuri probably grew feelings for you because you're a stranger that's suddenly appeared in his everyday life. Same coffee place. Same bus home. Same breakfast sandwich order. Same grocery store. Even the same apartment complex! At this point Yuri's convinced you're either an obsessed stalker or a spy so he'd be keeping a close eye on you, only to end up falling in love with your simplicity. 

If you're an agent of the SSS, you often helped Yuri with his work since he tends to overwork himself. Yuri greatly appreciates your help since you're his superior and even though you have way more work than him, you still put in the time to help him with his less complicated work. He's always got your back when it comes to raids or shootouts, can't let his favorite superior getting hurt! You treat him for his good work by getting drinks after work. One day you got drinks together and Yuri realized that this is basically like a date. Ever since then his feelings just grew for you.

If you're a spy you and Yuri really have a complex dynamic, but one things for sure is that he falls the hardest. His always chasing you on the clock and off. Yuri doesn't exactly know when he caught feelings for you. Maybe it was when he first met you when you bumped into him wearing a disguise. Or maybe it was when he saw you later that day without your disguise and recognized your voice as you beat up him and his co-workers in a desperate attempt to escape from the SSS. It doesn't matter how you guys met, just remember he fell really hard.

Yuri always knows when there's something up with you. If your sad he'll comfort you with anything you need; a hot drink, blanket, comfort movie, a eight-foot-tall teddy bear, he has it all for you.

He likes buying you little trinkets such as necklaces or little keychains. He swoons whenever he sees that you're putting his gifts to use.

He loves your cooking! You can be a terrible or great cook; any food is better than Yor's. 

Memorizes your schedule then perfectly plans a coincidental encounter between you two where you both can hang out. 

If you ever get in a fight with someone, he'll always have your back (physical fight or verbal). Even if you're in the wrong, he'll never even think of retreating. He doesn't believe you can do anything wrong once you guys get into a relationship.

Will drop down on his knees and ask to marry you when he sees you and Yor laughing together.

Saiki Kusuo

You were a new student at PK Academy, so of course everyone got riled up to meet you. The girls wanted to know if you were smart or kind and the boys wanted to know if you're prettier than Teruhashi. 

At first Kusuo tries to stay far away from you, but that never works for him as well all know. He has no choice but to accept you as Kaido and Nendo has already taken a liking to you (you were nice to Kaidou and Nendou considers everyone a buddy). 

He's not as annoyed with your company as he is with the others and after a lot of thinking and rejecting his feelings, he finally comes to terms that the almighty Saiki Kusuo has fallen in love with a mere mortal. 

Your relationship is extremely normal and low-maintenced that nobody would've known you guys were dating until they realized you were with him 24/7. It's to the point if somebody needed you, they'd go looking for pink hair in a crowd or go to Kusuo's house.

Three months into the relationship everyone in the friend group finally found out you were dating when Nendou asked if you're dating because you were always around each other. Teruhashi ended up heartbroken while all the guys were dumbfounded but supportive.

Kusuo isn't very romantic as his whole life he never had feelings for anyone and always thought love was bothersome. Now he thinks it's "meh" (that's the best you'll get from him). 

If you're able to distract Teruhashi from him then he'll smile at you, maybe even thank you. 

He wouldn't even realize how much he exactly liked you until Kusuke was in town and decided to poke fun at his brother for having a girlfriend, always third-wheeling you both and sneakily flirting with you (Kusuo almost slammed Kusuke's head into the wall for that). 

If his headpiece controllers somehow get pulled out, broken, or lost, he'll steer clear from you. He doesn't want you to get hurt from his powers because he can't control them in that state.

You guys go on coffee jelly dates regularly. 

His family loves you. His mom teaches you recipes and cried the first time you met her. His dad asked if Kusuo brainwashed you, but was very welcoming nonetheless (brainwashed or not). Kusuke, as said earlier, loves to use you to mock Kusuo and get a reaction out of him. 

The relationship you two have is very comfortable and little pressure. 

He doesn't like PDA but he'll hold your hand every once in a while if you're in a big crowd or long line (never in school though, he doesn't need that type of attention). 

Saiki Kusuke

He is as obsessed as he is towards trying to win against Kusuo. 

You're most likely dumber than him (not in a mean way), he just likes knowing the power imbalance you two have.

He's a moderate level of romantic, giving you flowers and chocolates every once in a while or for a special occasion, but he kicks it up a few notch when he's visiting his family so he can rub it into Kusuo's face that he got a girlfriend before Kusuo could. 

He's an evil genius, you might be used as a test subject.

He'll really appreciate and love if you help out with his experiments or theories, even if he's just telling you what to do. 

He asked you out by doing a survey.

"On the scale of 0-10, how much do you love me?"

"Uh, 9?"

"Close enough to 10. We're now in a romantic relationship, you cannot resist."

"Okay...?"

While his life goals and motives are questionable, he'll at least make sure that you're safe while committing his chaotic plans.

Sometimes you have to force-feed him sleeping pills so he can finally take a break from his work. Instead of being mad, he's so enamored that you would go so far as to drugging him to make him relax and care for his wellbeing. When he wakes up he'll take the day off and spend time with you.

He likes when you wear his scientist coat.

His parents also love you. His mom cried joy and hugged you when she saw you, and his dad thought that you were brainwashed from one of Kusuke's experiments (Kusuke thought of it when he first met you, but he didn't want your personality to change so he didn't go through with it). Kusuo doesn't care about you, even if Kusuke is mocking Kusuo about not having a girlfriend, all of Kusuo's anger is directed towards Kusuke. 

He'll make you a mood necklace so he knows how you're feeling (a real one, not the 1-5 dollar ones you'd find in gift shops). Of course, he can just look at your body language and listen to your tone, but the mood necklace just makes things so easier (and he wanted to make you something sweet). 

He has no shame holding your hand or kissing you in public. He'll treat you to expensive restaurants and clothes because he makes a lot of money with his job. 

Toritsuka Reita

We all know he's a pervert. The first encounter you guys had he told you your guardian spirit as well as what color panties you wore thanks to the ghosts. After doing a quick check of your panties in the bathroom, you were very impressed instead of being grossed out like the other girls were.

You guys became friends pretty quick. Toritsuka has a very likable and funny personality when he's not being a pervert.

When you guys eventually started dating after Toritsuka's 100th confession, Saiki silently betted how long the relationship would last. It's lasted longer than 24 hours, so he lost.

Toritsuka is over the moon that you agreed on being his girlfriend. You can never be alone now, he's always with you.

He tried doing a small show for you by having the ghosts use his body but the ghosts got too carried away and wouldn't give his body back. After a scolding from you and Kusuo he didn't do it again.

Surprisingly, his perverted tendencies died down with other girls but increased with you. Your reputation in school is rivaling Teruhashi's because you saved every girl from Toritsuka's harassment. 

He plans dates with you but he's really clumsy so they always fail somehow.

You thought he insulted you once but he was talking to his guardian spirit, Nendou's dad.

If you help him with his chores at his family's temple, he'll get down on his knees and do anything you want.

He convinces you to join his club, the Occult Club, solely in hopes that you'll cling onto him whenever you get scared (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't). 

Sometimes he gets jealous when you're hanging out with Saiki or Kaido (Kaido took Yumehara from him). You'll have to hit him to quiet his pouting since he's being very hypocritical at the moment. 

He may be a pervert, but you love him and his energetic side. 

He's golden retriever energy. If you have black cat energy he'll be head over heels for you because of your chill and laid-back personality. He'll still be obsessed with you if you also have golden-retriever energy because you go along with his stupid plans and pranks and actually entertain his dumb questions a real thought-out answer.

Support him and his band. It may be terrible at first, but practice makes perfect. 

Kazuichi Soda

Another man who is also obsessed with you. You have to be amazing to break his infatuation from Sonia and instead have it directed it towards you. 

If you're an ultimate in the killing game, he's going to be around you 24/7 to make sure you're okay and not dead.

Insists on sleeping in the same cabin so you don't get murdered in your sleep.

He finds flowers on the island and brings them to you with heart eyes.

When someone tries to place blame on you as the killer Kazuichi will defend you tooth and nail, blood and sweat to prove that you're not the blackened. He's surprisingly backed up by mountains of evidence to prove that you were with him the whole time and that you're both not the blackened.

Will defend you against Hiyoko's relentless teasing (bullying).

He'll shield your eyes if you both discover a dead body. 

If you knew him before the killing game, he's full-on obsessed about you. He knows all of your hobbies, likes and dislikes, all of it. 

He tries to learn more about your ultimate (if you have one) with you.

If you're a normal high school student with no ultimate, he'll probably grow to loving you because of your interest in machines. You often asks him questions to the point he brings you to his shop and teaches you himself how to fix an engine or identify a problem. It's great bonding time.

You'll never have to pay for a mechanic again.

His smile is precious. Please compliment him.

He'll be shopping and end up buying at least ten things because they reminded him of you and he wants to gift them to you.

One of the most loyal men out there. He doesn't know other women exist on the world once he met you. 

He loves it when you take off his beanie and wear it, or even better, pet his hair.

Playful love bites are exchanged between the two of you in private.

Help him braid that one piece in his hair. He's in paradise being so close to you while you brush and braid his hair.

He's definitely the guy to buy matching shirts or pajamas. 

Fuyuhiko has almost punched Kazuichi multiple times by hearing Kazuichi obsess over you as his brain melts. Whenever Fuyuhiko hears your name now he panics a little inside because he's afraid Kazuichi is around and will start another obsessive rant.

Dazai Osamu

You definitely get frustrated with him a lot. Especially when he tries to kill himself.

If you don't like his suicidal tendencies, he'll tone it down a tiny bit when he's around you.

Dazai's an interesting character because of his obsession with death since he believes it'll help him discover the concept human nature. Once you understand this, distract him with ideas and hobbies that make life worth living.

Read some books to him. Dazai might complain about it at first, but at night he'll listen to the stories and fall asleep dreaming about them instead of death.

In private, he's a little more quiet and worn down. The events at the agency tuckers him out so at night he'll peacefully lay down with you and tell you about his day. Please pet his hair and tell him how much he means to you. He really needs to hear it. 

Cook him breakfast, bring him some nice breakfast in bed. Dazai would be so touched at this because you care enough to make sure he's fed that you woke up early to cook for him. 

If you're an agent in the agency, he'll always be watching your back. He might be playful and make a bunch of jokes, but he's very serious about you being injured in battle. He knows you can fend for yourself, but he'd rather himself be in bandages than you.

Dazai realized he fell for you when you both were taking a train to a town for your next case. It was dusk outside and you were starting to fall asleep on the window. He swore nothing looked more beautiful than orange on you as your reflection showed two of you, both nodding off to sleep.

Dazai is always excited when he sees you. Injured or not, he'll raise his hands and run to you for a hug, engulfs you in his chest as he goes on about how much he missed you and how mean Kunikida was to him. 

He likes PDA. He'll always been seen either holding your hand, waist, or having an arm slung around your shoulder. 

When you both have time off he'll take you around town for some window-shopping. It's just nice to be out of the house with you. 

If you're out to eat, you should go to a seafood restaurant. He loves crab. He'll order alcohol but you have to put a limit to it so he doesn't try to give himself alcohol poisoning. 

Sometimes he has nightmares about Oda, be there to comfort him. 

He knows it's hard to date him. You being able to put up with him just makes him fall even more in love with you. He'll never let you go.

"Til death do us part" is no such thing with him. Even after, you both will always be together.

Nagisa Shiota

Reframe from calling him pretty. He very much is pretty, but it brings up bad memories with him and his mom.

He'll very much enjoy it if you gently brush his hair. When he cuts his long hair after graduating from high school, he'll still allow you to brush his hair.

Help him with his notes on Korosensei. It's a fun little hobby of his so he enjoys sharing it with you (and it helps prevent the extinction of the end of the world, or at least that's what class 3-E is under the impression of).

Speaking of class 3-E, however you ended up in the End Class, Nagisa will help you improve on whatever it was that got you there in the first place whether it be grades, delinquent activity, or just sleeping too much in class.

If you dislike English, he'll help you with it since it's his favorite subject. If you're good at science, he'd really appreciate your help because it's his least favorite subject.

Every weekend you and Nagisa meet up and have a coffee date, talking about each other and how to kill Korosensei.

You both train with each other. Nagisa helps you with hand-to-hand combat and you help him with his marksmanship. 

After graduation, you and Nagisa end up moving in together. You're very supportive of his decision to become a teacher for delinquents. 

He's not very big on PDA, but he will occasionally hold your hand or hug you.

Whatever your dreams are, he's really supportive and helps you to succeeding.

You both like to people-watch and put genuine thoughts in their lives. It's a fun little thing to do and it's very entertaining.

You'll stand up to Karma's and Rio's relentless teasing about Nagisa's androgynous looks, he really appreciates it and thanks you for coming to his defense.

Your door is ways open if he needs to get away from his house and mom. You guys spend a lot of nights sleeping together in the same bed and talking about life.

Karma Akabane

You need to keep him on a leash the way he's always disappearing and starting trouble. 

If you're shorter than him, he loves to tease you about your height. If you're taller than him, he'll grab your shirt and pull you down to his height and make a teasing comment. 

He likes superhero movies and will watch them with you. You'll have movie marathons on his couch as he explains to you some backstory about the characters, their powers, and etc.

He'll try to have you ditch class with him. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes he doesn't.

Because he gets into fights often, he has quite a few enemies, so he'll always have a watchful eye on you in case they try to target you.

He invites you to his house often. You guys hang there a lot because his parents are wealthy and traveling a lot. 

He might make stupid decisions like getting himself into fights for fun, but he's smart academically and he'll help you study (with a cost, of course). 

When you train with Karma, he'll point out your weak spots. He's ruthless when you're training but he just wants you to be prepared in case you're in a sticky situation and have to end up fighting. 

He'll convince you to help him do pranks on Korosensei. 

Canonly, his most prized possession (other than you) is a collection of spices from around the world. By having this, there's a good chance he's a good cook and will cook food for the both of you (maybe even lunch if he doesn't feel like buying it from the school). 

Since he works as a bureaucrat as an adult, his schedule is tough and crowded. On his days off he'll make sure to spend every second of it with you. 

Compliment his eyes, it'll get him flustered. 

If you retort with your own teasing comment when he decides to mess with you, he'll be slightly impressed and bark back, resulting in a little friendly competition between the two of you.

Sometimes he won't pay attention in class (or ditch entirely) so give him your notes. He'll act like he doesn't need it but he's more grateful than you think. 

        Thank you for requesting! I really enjoyed making this!

        I hoped you enjoyed this fanfic and thank you for your requests and support! Feel free to ask for anything else or any other characters from my masterlist! This applies to everyone reading, follower or not!

[albywritesfiction]

After The End

Premise 

Your former fiancé and heir apparent of the Aurelian Kingdom, Prince Ædan, has married the love of his life, the fair Saintess Helene. As the nation celebrates their union, you are left alone to pick up the pieces of your broken heart... until you receive two letters. One is an invitation to the office of Prince Ædric, the crown prince's younger brother and rival for the throne. The other is a letter filled with concern from your childhood friend and secretary-in-training, Cyfrin, who is currently assisting your father at your family’s ducal estate in the countryside. Each letter contains a proposition that will change the course of your fate forever.

Which one will you choose?

Features 

Play as the male lead’s abandoned betrothed of a historical fantasy romance that has reached ‘The End.’ You will be able to customize your character’s identity and appearance with a variety of options. 

Choose between two routes for your next course of action. Will you accept the offer of an alliance with the crown prince's younger (and more capable) brother and become the monarch you were always meant to be? Or will you take a step back from the noise and hubbub of high society in the capital and return to your family's estate in the countryside, where your best friend promises to arrange such a great vacation for you that you’ll forget about your ex in no time? 

Characters

The Second Prince: Ædric Aurelius

Ædric is known throughout the kingdom as the Dark Prince, not just because of his ebony black hair, but also because of his unsociable disposition. While it is true that his deep violet eyes and usual scowl can be intimidating, he has been nothing but kind to you in all the years that you have known him. Sometimes you would catch him looking at you with a small smile on his face, but he would always deny it ever happened.

(Ædric's introduction post)

The Future Secretary: Cyfrin Galanthus

You have known Cyfrin your entire life, and your father has known him for even longer, given that he discovered your best friend on the doorstep of your home when he was just a baby. Even though he is the older one between you two, he often trails behind you like a duckling following its mother when his break times align with yours. He has often been compared to a dog: always eager to spend time with you, fiercely protective and loyal, sullen and moody whenever you are apart.

(Cyfrin's introduction post)

The Crown Prince: Ædan Aurelius

Handsome and charismatic, Ædan is the definition of a fairytale prince… just not your fairytale prince. With his golden blond hair and crystal blue eyes, he easily captured the hearts of the people upon his social debut. When he unleashes his soft smile upon a crowd, there is a very high chance that more than half of those present will swoon. You, too, were once enchanted by that smile, back when you thought your love would last until the end of time.

(Ædan's introduction post)

The Fair Saintess: Helene

If your world was the setting of a typical romance novel, there would be no doubt who the protagonist would be. People say that her beauty is a blessing from the gods, and that her silver hair and golden eyes were meant to set her apart as the Favored One. Helene may have almost the entire kingdom wrapped around her little finger, but you know that her true colors are lurking just beneath the kind and naive front she puts up.

(Helene's introduction post)

Status

Chapter 1, Part 1: releasing on January 5, 2024 9:00 PM EST

Chapter 1, Part 2: in progress, estimated release in April/May 2024

Chapter 1, Part 3: in progress

(MC's introduction post)

(Frequently Asked Questions)

Game Link

[thisgirlnamedblusy]

Reader x Donna

Reader found a dog outside the manor. She bought it back home. Donna found it adorable. They raise the dog as their own.

It's a German Shepherd. Reader train it to protect them especially Donna

Fluff

Yess!!! Thank you for your request!!! Sorry if is not as good as you want, but I've a cold rn :(!! Anyway, I hope you like it and sorry about the delay and the language mistakes!!! :)))

Dogs and family

Pairing: Donna Beneviento x Fem! Reader

Warnings: Fluff

Word count: 3,394

Summary: One night, a four legs companion is going to join your little family...

N/A: Sorry about the language mistakes!!! Requests are open!!! I'm waiting yours!!! I love you all!!! :))

“Close, close the door,” you said, with an agitated voice after running back to the old estate.

In that remote part of Romania the weather was horrible, cold, and dark, but it was no stranger to have occasional and terrible storms like the one that day. The wind picked up mercilessly on your way back and when the lady in black obeyed your request and closed the doors, you were able to sigh in relief, holding those paper bags as an undisputed triumph.

“Gods, (Y/N), I told you not to go out,” the lady in black, Donna Beneviento, protested. She was previously one of the village's Lords, currently your girlfriend, your romance, the love of your life.

Your daring and bravery had granted you the reward that long ago you believed was just a fantasy, just the dream of finding true love, the right person to care for, and who would care for you. Although it was true that one of the almost divine Lords of the place was not in your thoughts, from the moment you had her close enough, you understood that perhaps she was the one.

She was a dangerous woman, feared by everyone, loved by no one until you arrived. If Mother Miranda herself could see what happened after those meetings, it probably wouldn't have taken you too long to become a horrible Lycan.

But, apparently, and according to the less shy side of Donna, known for being her inseparable puppet, Angie, it never posed any problem with the rest of the rulers, nor with Mother Miranda herself.

Nobody gave you anything. You had to make every effort to know, to know how to enter that disturbed and sick mind. Love was the answer. Only the love you swore you felt managed to uncover that veil from her face and see for yourself how right your heart was.

“It doesn't matter, you know I can do anything,” you said, holding your breath and enduring the strong attacks of the wind on the door, which threatened to open. Your fake smile was not a secret to her, who, distrustful, came to help you with the shopping.

“You could have been blown away by the wind and...” The lady in black murmured, holding your hand tightly, betraying her own nervousness. You laughed tenderly, brushing off her always exaggerated concerns.

“Donna, it's okay, I'm here and most importantly...” You whispered, amused, in her ear, making her expression change from concern to curiosity. Well, they were quite similar. “…I have those tomatoes you wanted...”

“A few tomatoes are not enough to risk your life, tesoro,” the doll maker commented, looking at you as if she believed it was the last time she would see you.

Soon your smile spread to her face and, with Angie too busy with the shopping bags, you had the perfect occasion for one of those moments of perfect love, for one of those slow, long, wet kisses, which reaffirmed neither of you made the wrong decision.

For once, it wasn't that sinister porcelain puppet that interrupted a safe path to the bedroom, or any other place where you could give free rein to your passion. What sounded was much more terrible than a thunder, much more terrifying than the wind blowing through the mountains. It seemed as if one of the few trees on the old estate had collapsed, taking with it the glass from one of the windows.

“Mother Miranda!” You shouted, approaching startled, being stopped abruptly by the hand of the woman in black.

“Don't come close, per favore, it could be dangerous,” she told you, pulling you strongly, so hard that it even hurt you.

Fortunately, you were used to those reactions. Her mental problems didn't come out often, but when they do, they seemed uncontrollable. Instead of rolling your eyes and grumbling, you relaxed your expression, turning around and placing your hands on her shoulders to help her breathe calmly and relaxed.

“Donna, my love, we have a damn tree going through the window, something is has to be done,” you said amused, struggling with the fingers that pressed tightly against your skin.

“The gardener will take care of it,” she murmured, making Angie stop rummaging through the bags and run towards you.

“What gardener, silly Donna?” The puppet asked, with her hands placed comically on either side of her hips. “The one you made fall into the void?”

That sentence made something inside the lady in black explode, running away from the room, presumably to regret her past actions crying in some corner.

“Angie...” You sighed, knowing that in those moments, Donna would want to be alone, and they wouldn't last long.

“What?” the doll asked, as if you had said something strange.

“Aren't you supposed to be her only company?” You asked in a scolding tone, to which she turned her back on you in a comical manner, showing that obvious jealousy she had towards you.

“So?” She responded mockingly. “I think I’m not anymore, what are you doing here, you Donna stealer?”

“Oh, come on,” you sighed, tired of that irritating doll's attitude. “Anyway, I'll take a look...”

You couldn't do anything to remove that annoying tree from the window. Much to your regret, you would have to call some other Lord to help you, but it couldn't be that same day, it was too late. At that moment your real priority, as always, was Donna, just Donna.

Once the Lord was able to calm down, thanks to the hot bath you prepared for her, it was time for dinner.

“It's delicious, my love,” you said with a tender voice, enjoying the delicious food that the lady in black prepared for you every day. She raised her head and smiled gratefully with a blush on her cheeks.

“Thank you (Y/N), I have to admit that if you hadn't brought these tomatoes...” She whispered, looking askance at the tree that crossed the window.

You leaned back, resting your hands behind your head and raising your eyebrows, satisfied.

“See? I saved your dinner,” you joked, looking at the fork disinterestedly.

“Life, you have saved my life, (Y/N),” Donna commented in a sad voice, thanking you for existing, for having appeared in her life to change it completely. You smiled even wider, shaking your head.

It could be another of the hundreds of tender and romantic moments but the unpleasant noise of that tree hitting the walls served as a merciless cut to your emotional connection, making both of you turn your heads.

“Okay, what are we going to do with that?” You asked, pointing to the broken window with a cutlery. Donna shrugged for a few seconds, pouring you another glass of wine.

“I don't know...” Donna sighed, shaking his head.

“Hey, the gardener's cabin...” You mumbled, not wanting to bring up that unmentionable topic directly, something not very wise since the cutlery was colliding due to the trembling of her hands.

“What's wrong with that cabin?” She asked abruptly, frowning and changing the love that her face conveyed for a totally irrational hate.

“Nothing, just maybe there is some tool there so we can cut down that tree,” you commented after an awkward silence. Donna sighed and shook her head.

“I doubt there is anything useful in that place, (Y/N),” the lady in black whispered, as if the simple comment had offended her. You rolled your eyes. Okay, no gardeners. “I'll call my brother to help us.”

“Oh, yeah, great, the metal psychopath...” You whispered, getting up from the table. “It's okay, Donna. Anyway, I'm going to go out and take a look outside, in case anything else has happened.”

The lady in black, realizing she had become nervous again for no reason, sighed, nodding and standing with you, gently holding you by the waist.

“Hey, tesoro... Forgive me, okay?” She whispered in your ear, making a shiver run through your body and your mouth forming a smile before you turned around and kissed her tenderly.

“Donna, I have nothing to forgive you for,” you said back, whispering into her lips and giving her one last tender and understanding kiss. “Everything is fine, okay? I didn't mean to remember your past.”

“I know... I'm sorry, I'm really...” She stammered, being interrupted by one of your quick kisses, by your relaxing caresses, the only way for her to stop apologizing for her problems, ones that weren't her fault.

“Hey, okay my love,” you whispered, resting your forehead on hers. “You should calm down, okay? I'm going to take a quick look and get back to you right away.”

“Wait, I… I'm going with you,” Donna said, following you towards the exit. You rolled your eyes but nodded. Well, after all, that was her house.

With two flashlights in hand, you both left the house. The storm had stopped, but the cold cut like blades into your skin.

“Okay... that's the problem,” you said, shining light on that tree that had no other place to land than the window.

“Your detective skills are admirable, (Y/N),” Donna joked, making you turn around with a frown.

“Oh, now it's the funny Donna time?” You asked ironically breathing calmly because the doll maker's nerves had completely dissipated.

Your soft laughter eclipsed for a moment the sinister sound of the night, but something, a different noise that didn’t fit with that curious soundtrack, made your smile fade.

“Wait, did you hear that?” You said, shining the flashlight around. Donna shook her head, pointing her flashlight at the same spot.

They were moans, pitiful moans that made the atmosphere much more sinister. It wasn't a Lycan, it wasn't some creature that was part of "Miranda's army." It sounded mundane.

“Maybe it’s a bird?” the lady in black asked, always following you closely while you diligently searched for the source of the sound. You shook your head, illuminating what looked like a broken tree ahead of the fences that delimited the mansion.

“I don't think so, no bird would make a noise like that,” you murmured, searching through the branches and finally finding the injured animal. “Oh, Gods… Donna!”

“What happen?” The lady in black said immediately, looking towards the same place. “(Y/N)…”

Under a branch, wailing in pain, there was an injured dog, probably due to the fall of that branch. It was a big dog, a German shepherd, with its paw down on that heavy branch. It seemed badly hurt, but not enough to give him up.

“We have to do something, let's help it,” you commented, walking among the fallen tree, looking for the best way to get the animal out of its improvised cage. “Stay with it, Donna, I'll see if I can get this branch out.”

The woman in black nodded, crouching down to observe the animal while you searched the branches for the cause of its pain.

When you moved one of the branches, the dog barked loudly, scaring Donna and causing her to back away in fear.

“Donna! I have already found the problem, keep it calm while I lift the branch,” you said, watching the woman at all times, who was trembling with fear.

"No, I can't, (Y/N), I, I'm afraid that it might do something to me..." Donna murmured, moving further and further away. You sighed and ran a hand over your forehead, just as an idea crossed your head.

 “Try to use your powers to see if you can relax it,” you said, giving up on your attempt to lift the branch, since the animal was suffering a lot.

Donna obeyed, extending her hands towards the animal, which immediately stopped complaining.

“Great, great...” You sighed. “Try to get it out now. Come on, one two… And three.”

With a superhuman effort, the animal managed to get out, almost unconscious due to the skill of the Lord.

The two of you brought the injured dog into the house, ready to treat it.

“What is that thing?” Angie asked, seeing you arrive with the dog in your arms.

You rolled your eyes again, not paying attention to the doll, who of course, didn’t seem happy with this new guest.

“Leave it on the table. I'll go get the first aid kit,” Donna said, once in the basement, in the small laboratory where the lady in black used to work on better ways to serve Mother  Miranda.

You nodded as you petted the animal, which was breathing easier thanks to Donna's skill.

“Hey, come on, you're a good boy, right? And very brave...” You whispered very close to it, reassuring it when the woman in black approached with an injection. “What's that?”

“A tranquilizer,” she commented, approaching cautiously.

“Hey, be careful, it's a dog, not an intruder,” you joked, stroking the animal's fur, trying to joke, as almost always, without success.

“You were an intruder,” Donna said, resentful of those words. “And I didn't do anything to you.”

“Oh, I think you did,” you said, when the needle stuck in the dog, who complained weakly. Donna looked at you with a bit of hate. “You drove me crazy.”

Disinfecting the wound, bandaging it, checking that the dog had no other problems, was a hard work, requiring a lot of time and concentration. With the animal asleep and relaxed, it was time to ask the big question, the one that could have multiple answers, but only one was valid for you.

“What are we going to do?” You asked sighing, checking the condition of the dog while Donna washed her hands. Obviously Donna wasn't stupid, she could already guess what you meant by that.

“What are you talking about?” She asked, leaning next to you on the table and looking at the animal. “You are not thinking…”

“No, I…” You responded abruptly. “I mean, it doesn't have a collar and… Well…”

“(Y/N) I... No, I'm not ready to...” Donna murmured, avoiding your pleading look, the look that said you had found a new family member by chance.

“I didn't say that we have to...” You said, avoiding getting nervous about the silent proposal that Donna caught on the fly. “Well, I haven't said it but I don't think it's a bad idea.”

“No, (Y/N), having an animal is a big responsibility and we don't...” The woman in black explained, bringing her insecurities to light.

“Aren't we responsible?” You asked, starting to feel more and more like taking care of that animal. “Come on Donna, just think about it.”

“I have nothing to think about, the dog will stay until it is cured but then...” Donna said with a more serious, severe tone, very similar to the one she used when you were just a poor lost villager, accidentally entering her grounds.

“What then? Are you going to abandon it?” You asked, with an annoying, offensive tone, wanting to appeal to her feelings, to her pleas for you not to leave, to the continuous allusion she made to her terrible loneliness.

“No, I didn't say that, I...” She defended herself, predicting an imminent argument, something that you tried to avoid whenever possible. “Io…Non…”

“Donna, listen to me,” you said, hastily stopping those nervous words, that lack of control of language that warned Donna's problems were once again an obstacle to your relationship. “Don't be nervous, my love... I'm just saying that maybe it's not so bad to have a dog, don't you think?”

“I had a dog when I was a little girl,” the lady in black explained, coordinating her breathing with yours to relax and not break out into a terrible nervous breakdown.

“Okay,” you said in a tone more like a whisper, letting your love express the reason for her refusal.

“My... My father... He cut its...” She stammered, thus making her nervousness worse.

“Okay, enough, Donna, that's the past. I'm very sorry about your dog but...” You said, putting your hands on her shoulders. “None of that is going to happen now, none of that, do you hear me?”

“How can you be so sure? You know that I have problems. You know that I have attacks and I don't know if I could... If I could...”

“Shhh, it's okay, my love...” You said, shutting her up with a kiss, leaving aside the horrible ghosts of her past. “I have told you a thousand times and I will tell you a thousand more if necessary: ​​you are not your family, you are not your past, Donna. You are my love, my beautiful Donna. You're good, I know you are.”

“You say that because you want to make me feel better,” Donna protested, while you wiped away a tear that was sliding down her cheek. You, instead of sinking, smiled.

“I'm here, right? You didn't hurt me. I know you don't want to hurt anyone, no matter what Miranda says. You're not like them, not to me, not to this poor little dog, and you know it, right?”

Donna didn't respond, just nodded slowly as she squeezed your hands tightly, looking over your shoulder at the unconscious animal.

“Look, let's do something,” you said with a firmer tone. “Let's let the dog heal and then... Well, we'll see what we do, okay?”

“It's… It's okay…”

Days passed and the animal improved a lot. It was not aggressive, it didn’t growl, it didn’t bark, rather it was grateful, making every effort it could to walk normally. You took care of it, just like you promised Donna. You fed him, gave him water, took him for short walks... Basically, it was like it was just your dog.

But one day, when it didn't seem to want to play ball with you, something changed.

“Donna,” you said, drawing the attention of the woman in black, who was reading calmly in her armchair. She looked at you and then at the dog, who was waiting patiently sitting with a small ball at its side, staring at the lady in black. “I think it wants to play with you.”

“With me?” She asked, reluctant to spend time with the animal. You laughed, bending down to pick up the ball and hand it to Donna roughly.

“What do you think? Come on, throw the ball to Rocky,” you said amused, with a bark of approval from the animal.

“Rocky? Since when does it has a name?” She asked, taking the ball with a grimace of disgust probably due to the animal's drool.

“I put it on, since I'm the only one who takes care of it,” you said proudly. Donna snorted in annoyance, but she made to throw the ball, after which the animal became excited, standing up and wagging its tail anxiously.

With the force of a summer breeze, Donna threw the ball, which ended up very close, but that was not enough reason for Rocky to not running for it, returning it effusively, jumping on the sofa and covering Donna with licks while Donna fought unsuccessfully.

“(Y/N), help me,” the lady in black protested, fighting against the animal's affection. You laughed and shook your head.

“Why? He's giving you some love,” you scoffed, watching in surprise as Rocky seemed to have an unexpected favorite human. “Come on, Rocky, down.”

The animal came down the moment it heard your voice, leaving poor Donna alone, who couldn't help but smile while she wiped away the excess of “love” the dog had left on her face.

“Thank you, (Y/N),” she said, catching her breath and looking at the animal, which began to play with the ball on its own.

“It seems like he's fond of you,” you murmured, sitting next to her so you could tease her closer. “I don't know why, honestly.”

“Me neither,” she said, amused, letting you kiss her quickly, thus showing your silent triumph. “Hey, maybe we could…”

“Yeah?” You said hastily, hoping to hear what you had already sensed for a long time.

“Maybe it's not such a bad idea to have a dog, right?” She asked in a low voice, her pride taking over every word. You raised your eyebrows, feigning indifference. “Maybe, maybe it could even... Well, protect us.”

“Protect us?” You asked, now, surprised by that curious answer.

“Well I... I was thinking about what you told me the other day and... You're right, (Y/N), I don't want to hurt anyone else,” Donna explained, with that voice that encouraged you to lean down a little and take her trembling hand.

“I know, my love, I know you don't want to hurt anyone else,” you said, holding her chin so she could look into your eyes.

“That's why I think that if... Well, if we could teach Rocky to protect the estate, maybe there's no need for me...” Donna continued, frowning thoughtfully as she followed the dog with her gaze.

“Look, that's a great idea, Donna,” you said, nodding. “Besides, I've already taught him to sit. Rocky, come here!”

“Let me go, you kind of dinosaur!” A shrill scream that made you grimace unpleasantly filled the peaceful room.

You had to try hard not to laugh out loud. The dog, with a relaxed, proud walk, carried the Angie doll in his jaws. The puppet protested, trying to hit the animal, but she had nothing to do. At that moment you really doubted whether to help the doll or let her suffer a bit more.

“Angie!” Donna shouted, standing up abruptly, but stopped by a hand on her chest.

“Help! Help!” The doll squealed, kicking as best she could while you walked towards Rocky, covering your mouth with your hand so as not to reveal the fun that this situation gave you.

“Come on, Rocky, let her go,” you said with a tone a little less severe than you should have, on purpose, of course.

The dog didn’t obey, holding the puppet in his mouth, as if he could read your thoughts.

“Rocky, let her go,” Donna said, with a firm, direct voice, which miraculously made the dog obey instantly, making you frown.

“I can't believe it,” you said, shaking your head. “Rocky, sit down.”

The dog barked, but didn’t obey, approaching Donna, looking at her respectfully, wanting her words to be the ones that ordered him to do something.

“Sit down,” Donna said, hugging a scared Angie.

As expected, the animal obeyed, making you growl in rage.

And so, knowing that for some reason, the lady in black became Rocký's only favorite, time passed. Donna quickly adapted to this strange devotion to her. A devotion that made you somewhat envious at first since, given the reluctance of the woman in black to add a member to your family, she now didn’t seem to want to separate herself from him.

During meals, Rocky was there, on walks in the forest, the dog had fun hunting and playing ball with Donna tirelessly. At bedtime, instead of the small porcelain barrier that separated your bodies so you wouldn't hug each other, there was now a furry ball that prevented you from getting close to the brunette.

His protective role was significant. Any person or animal that dared to approach the estate provoked the animal's aggressive growls. No one in their right mind would ever dare bother you.

There was already love in that house, so much love that it was unbearable, but with Rocky's new addiction to your little family, love counted for three. An inseparable companion for that strange family, a reminder that told Donna she was not her past, she was capable of loving and being loved, not only by you, but by nature itself.

[callsigns-haze]

Puppy litter

Eris x Rhysand's Sister!Reader Summary: Eris discovers that Ace, their loyal hound, has fathered a litter with a pregnant female dog. They decide to name the dog Charlie, and Y/N introduces their one-year-old son, Finna, to their new family member. Despite Finna’s adorable attempts to say Charlie’s name, Ace remains fiercely protective of his new companion, signalling the start of a new chapter for their growing family. Chapter Warnings: pregnancy, pet care

*Serves as a one-shot but can be read as memories fade or the sequel loves haze series

Eris always let Ace out in the morning, a daily routine that had become a comforting constant in their lives. Ace, their faithful hunting hound, would roam the grounds, sniffing out scents and enjoying the freedom. However, Eris had noticed something peculiar over the past few weeks: Ace had developed a habit of leaving the estate grounds and taking things with him. At first, it was small items—an old blanket, a piece of bread from the kitchen, a chew toy. But as time passed, Ace's morning excursions grew longer, and his scavenged items became more deliberate.

Curiosity got the better of Eris. One crisp morning, he decided to follow Ace and discover where his faithful companion was going. He slipped on his boots and cloak, shivering slightly in the early morning chill, and quietly trailed behind Ace as he made his way through the forest that bordered their estate.

Ace trotted confidently, a piece of cooked meat clutched in his mouth. Eris kept a safe distance, careful not to alert the dog to his presence. The hound moved with purpose, weaving through the trees with an ease born of familiarity. After what felt like an eternity, Ace finally stopped at a small clearing nestled deep within the woods.

Eris, hidden behind a thick oak, peered into the clearing. What he saw brought a lump to his throat.

There, nestled in a makeshift den formed by fallen branches and leaves, was a pregnant female dog. She looked up as Ace approached, her eyes brightening with recognition and relief. Ace gently placed the meat before her, nuzzling her affectionately. The female dog, her belly swollen with the weight of unborn puppies, eagerly accepted the food, her tail thumping weakly against the ground.

As Eris stepped forward, realization dawned on him. Ace wasn't just helping a random dog; he had impregnated her. "Oh, Ace," Eris muttered, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in his voice. "I should’ve cut your balls off with a dagger."

Ace turned, his tail wagging furiously, as if inviting Eris to join them. The female dog eyed him warily but seemed reassured by Ace's trust.

Kneeling beside the makeshift den, Eris reached out a hand, allowing the female dog to sniff him. She was thin, her ribs starkly visible beneath her fur, and she looked exhausted. "You've been helping her," Eris murmured, scratching Ace behind the ears. "Good boy."

The sight of the two dogs, one pregnant and vulnerable, the other loyal and determined to help, stirred something deep within Eris. He knew he couldn't leave them here, especially with winter approaching.

He spent the next few moments assessing the situation, formulating a plan. "We can't leave her out here, Ace," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "She needs a safe place to stay."

With great care, Eris lifted the female dog into his arms. She whined softly but didn't resist, her trust in Ace extending to him. Ace trotted beside them as Eris made his way back to the estate, cradling the pregnant dog protectively.

When they reached the estate, Eris headed straight for the stables. It was warm and sheltered, a temporary haven until he could find a more permanent solution. He settled the female dog on a bed of hay, making sure she was comfortable before turning to Ace. "Stay with her," he instructed. "I'll get some more food and water."

After ensuring the dogs were settled, Eris hurried inside, his mind racing. He needed to inform Y/N and make arrangements for the new guest. He found Y/N in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

"Eris? What is it?" Y/N asked, noticing the urgency in his expression.

He quickly explained the situation, watching as Y/N's eyes widened with concern and compassion. "We need to help her," she said, without hesitation. "I'll gather some supplies."

Together, they prepared a warm broth and brought it to the stable, along with a few blankets. The female dog eagerly drank the broth, her eyes showing gratitude. Y/N knelt beside her, gently stroking her fur. "You're safe now," she whispered. "We'll take care of you."

Eris watched his mate, his heart swelling with pride and love. They had faced many challenges together, but this unexpected act of kindness reminded him of the goodness that lay at the core of their family.

As the female dog settled down to rest, Ace curled up beside her, keeping watch. Eris and Y/N stood back, hand in hand, knowing they had done the right thing. They would help this dog, just as they had helped each other through so much. It was a small act, but in a world full of uncertainty, it was a reminder that love and compassion could make all the difference.

Eris whispered to Y/N, "Thank you for being who you are. For caring so deeply."

--

Y/N dashed into the house, her excitement and urgency propelling her forward. She knew Eris would need help with the newly discovered pregnant dog, and she was eager to lend a hand but first they needed to get little spark. She hurried to the nursery, where their one-year and three-month-old son, Finna, was just waking from his nap.

“Hey, little man,” Y/N cooed softly as she scooped Finna up from his crib. His tiny face scrunched up before breaking into a smile. “We have a new friend to meet.”

Balancing Finna on her hip, Y/N made her way outside to the stables. She could hear Eris’s soothing voice and the soft whines of the female dog as she approached. When she entered, Eris looked up, relief washing over his face at the sight of her.

“I brought Finna,” Y/N said, adjusting their son in her arms. “I thought he might want to meet our new guest.”

Eris nodded, his expression softening as he gazed at Finna. “Good idea. I think he’ll like her.”

Y/N carefully set Finna down on a blanket beside the hay bed where the female dog lay. Ace sat protectively next to her, his eyes never leaving the new arrival. Finna’s eyes widened in curiosity as he took in the scene before him, his tiny hands reaching out towards the dog.

Y/N knelt down beside Finna, keeping a protective arm around him. “What do you think, sweetheart? Should we give her a name?”

Eris crouched beside them, his hand gently stroking the female dog's fur. “I think she deserves a strong name. Something that reflects her resilience.”

Y/N thought for a moment, her eyes meeting Eris’s. “How about Charlie?”

Eris smiled, nodding in agreement. “Charlie it is. Welcome to the family, Charlie.”

As if understanding her new name, Charlie lifted her head and gave a soft bark, her eyes bright with gratitude. Ace, protective of Charlie, wagged his tail, clearly approving of the name choice.

Finna babbled happily, his tiny hands clapping in excitement. He then looked at the dog and tried to mimic what his parents had said. “Chah… Chah…”

Y/N laughed, leaning over to kiss the top of his head. “Close enough, sweetheart. You’ll get it.”

Eris reached out to gently ruffle Finna’s hair. “He’s going to grow up with the best friends. We’ll make sure of that.”

Y/N smiled, feeling a deep sense of contentment as she watched Finna interact with Ace and Charlie. Their family was growing in unexpected ways, but she knew that together, they could handle anything.

“We’re lucky to have each other,” Y/N said softly, her eyes meeting Eris’s. “And now we have Charlie too.”

Eris wrapped an arm around Y/N’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Yes, we are.”

With Finna babbling happily, Ace wagging his tail, and Charlie resting comfortably, Y/N felt a warmth in her heart. Their family was complete, and she knew that they would face whatever challenges came their way together.

Request are open and active!

Tagging some:

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@kmc1989

@hardballoonlove

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@hookslove1592

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@minaethrym

[flowerandblood]

The Vanity and Variability

[ Jane Austen • Aemond x Baratheon • female ]

[ warnings: angst, mention of trauma, violence ]

[ description: Despite coming from a family with royal blood, Aemond is forced because of his brother's debts to choose one of the daughters of the famously wealthy general, Borros Baratheon, as his wife to save his family from bankruptcy. When he arrives to make his choice he is distraught and discouraged, made all the more so by watching from the sidelines his youngest daughter, who seems more intrigued by his dog than her possible future husband. Slow burn, sexual tension, regency and Jane Austen prose vibe, vain, self-righteous Aemond. ]

A story which is an alternative universe of The Impossbile Choice taking place in regency times (1805-1815). The characters are all the same as in the main series, however, for obvious reasons they will behave differently and experience things differently from medieval times. You can read this without having to delve into the main series.

Aemond & Miss Baratheon & Vhagar Moodboard

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Previous and next chapters: Masterlist

_____

The Targaryen family name was one of the most famous and respected in London. His father's great-grandfather had been a duke, so royal blood flowed in them, and their family estate had been part of the kingdom for centuries.

He grew up with a sense of his own uniqueness, which his grandfather, his mother's father, Otto, constantly reminded him and his siblings of, remarking on their upbringing, their gait, the way they spoke. From an early age, everything they did was to testify to their origins and properly represent them to the world.

They were not allowed to run or shout, they were not allowed to eat with their hands, keep their elbows on the table, swear or laugh loudly. He was not allowed to play with other children, instead he was expected to keep reading and expanding his knowledge, and at the age of twelve he could already speak French and Italian as well.

And then, during one of the fencing training sessions with his nephew that his grandfather had forced him to do, he lost his left eye. Luke, enraged at his loss swung his sword as he managed to pull off his protection and the blade sliced his left cheek in half.

Having learned that he was not allowed to cry or scream, he howled and sobbed into his pillow all night, praying that his grandfather would not hear him.

Neither his position nor his wealth could change his appearance.

Although his father had a first-born son, his elder brother Aegon, everyone knew that he would have preferred the family estate to pass to his eldest daughter after his death, his only child, whom he had fathered with his first wife, who had died.

They had spent their entire lives in the shadow of his affections for her, simply existing in large palatial spaces, unsure if they were of any use to anyone at all. Knowing that he would inherit nothing, that he had only his name and his disfigured, ugly face, he hid in the world of literature, disappearing for hours in the library thus forgetting the woes of his life.

He knew that eventually he would be forced to marry a woman of similar status to himself.

When he first met the Countess Rivers, a wealthy widow much older than him, he thought she could become his wife, he even suggested it to his grandfather. He, however, laughed at his suggestion, saying that this woman had only married the Count for money and had tricked her way into his bed and then deprived him of his life for sure.

That didn't stop him, after a few grand balls in London, from locking himself away with her in seclusion and enjoying all that was female flesh and female fulfilment, feeling for the first time that he was not a repulsive child, but a man.

Life, however, made a mockery of him again when it turned out that Aegon had lost such large sums of money at cards over the years that, despite the fact that his brother was now a grown man who had a wife, Otto had beaten him before his eyes with a cane as if he were a small child again.

Aegon wailed and whimpered as he laid on the ground, writhing in pain, still drunk, and his grandfather hissed between hits that he was their ruin, their greatest misfortune.

Then his grandfather presented everyone at the evening meal with the solution to the problem they faced.

"Borros Baratheon is an extremely wealthy general with as many as five daughters ready to marry, he is known for his immense love for them, so I am confident that their dowries will be appropriate and also, if we play it right, he will give us a loan so that we can pay our immediate debts. Aemond, you will travel to Chelsfield to rest a little and choose your future spouse during this time." He said lightly, and everyone around him froze.

He heard Aegon's loud, amused laughter as he clapped his hands, the sound echoing throughout the room in the uncomfortable silence that followed.

"An excellent thought, grandfather. Right, brother? There's nothing better than to fuck a country wench." He said taking a glass of wine and raising it to his lips, their mother slammed her fist on the table, silencing him with a hiss, his wife lowered her gaze, embarrassed and ashamed.

Aemond did not listen to him or his mother. He stared at his grandfather wide-eyed, his jaw clenched, his fingers outstretched on the table rubbing against each other intensely in a nervous gesture.

"Is this supposed to be a joke?" He choked out finally, deadly serious, unable to believe what he was hearing.

His whole life, everything he'd denied himself, everything he'd learned was to serve who he was, his heritage, he hadn't been allowed to marry Alys despite her surpassing them all in stature, and now he was to choose from five simpering daughters of some village general?

His grandfather raised an eyebrow in displeasure.

"Ask your brother about that. Thanks to him we have no liquidity, we are finished. We need money, and Borros Baratheon has it. Marry one of his daughters and be happy you have plenty to choose from." He said impatiently, and Aemond got up from the table, leaving the room with a loud slam of the door against the walls.

He rushed into his room like a storm, ordering his servants not to let anyone in, and circled around his bed one way and the other, feeling like shouting, feeling like throwing something or destroying something, but he knew he couldn't do it, that it wasn't proper.

He finally knelt down in the middle of his room catching himself by his hair, burying his face in his arms and crying helplessly like a baby.

How many more humiliations did he have to endure in his life for God to decide that enough was enough?

How much more could he pray?

Why didn't God listen to him even though he went to church with his mother every Sunday, prayed in the morning and before bed with attention and focus?

Why was he not a good enough son either in the eyes of his father or God himself?

He knew there was no going back from his grandfather's decision. He knew that his mother would never defy him and his father would not take any interest in the matter even if he married a strange woman from the fair.

After a week he sat in the carriage that was to take him to Chelsfield and looked out of the window at the busy streets of London, inside sat with him Vhagar, his dog whom he had received as a gift from his mother for his tenth birthday.

She was beautiful, looking like a giant snow fox with white soft fur and a long snout. She was the only one he confided in, the only one he cried with, the only one with whom he could be weak, plaintive, whimsical, cheerful or happy.

Chelsfield was not far from London and they covered that distance in a few hours. Aemond pressed his lips together as he saw through the window a quite grand, country manor house of white brick, overgrown on all sides with ivy.

He saw a man in their army uniform step out, followed by a young boy and a whole bunch of girls in long high-waisted gowns.

He felt like throwing up at the sight of them.

When the door opened Vhagar was the first to fly out and despite him calling her she ran ahead, curious about the new smells and spaces. He felt rage when one of Lord Baratheon's daughters, who also looked to be the youngest, not yet pinning her hair into a bun, but having it partly loose, partly braided at the back of her head, ran towards her, reaching out to her.

He feared that Vhagar would bite her, unused to the sudden presence of strangers, her father thought the same, for he immediately moved towards her, rebuking her, but Vhagar only barked loudly and jumped at her, almost knocking her over.

The girl laughed out loud, catching her around the waist as if she was dancing and they both continued in such an embrace, Vhagar started sniffing her and licking her face.

He had never felt so embarrassed in his life.

Lord Baratheon greeted him with a few meaningless sentences, mentioning what an honour it was for him and that his room was ready, that he hoped he would find peace here and a bit of a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

He figured the last thing he'd find in this place was rest.

He nodded at his words, pulling his cylinder off his head and following him through the main door to his house, escorted by the curious stares of his daughters.

When he finally locked himself into the room that was to belong to him for now, he sat down on the bed and grabbed his head, feeling like he was about to pass out. He couldn't imagine spending every evening with them, forced to talk to each of his daughters in turn.

He hated talking to strangers, he didn't have the gift to converse easily and he put his thoughts together with difficulty into full sentences, and the more he stressed about it, the worse it got.

He figured they'd tire him to death here, and he'd still have to choose which one of these silly girls to take with him and, horror of horrors, marry her, share his bed and his life with her. He shook his head at the thought, sighing heavily.

He didn't leave until the evening, terrified and discouraged, unpacking in his room, which was small by his standards. He looked out of the window and saw a rather pleasant view of the park, trees and hills.

He heard barking and noticed how the same girl who had let Vhagar lick her face in his presence ran across the grass with her, acting almost as if she were a second dog, laughing loudly, throwing her a long stick again and again.

He had never seen Vhagar in such euphoria before.

What kind of house was this?

When it was time for dinner he dressed himself in proper attire, adjusted the black ribbon in which his hair was tied, made sure his eye patch was fastened tightly enough, and went down the stairs feeling as if he was going to beheading.

As he entered the room, which he understood was the dining room, he noticed a beautifully decorated long table, a large fireplace at the end of the hall, lots of portraits and landscapes on the walls , tables and chairs all around.

Everyone stood up at the sight of him and nodded at him, and he reciprocated the gesture, walking unhurriedly to his seat, which was to the left of Mr Baratheon, and which should have been occupied by his eldest son. He saw with surprise that his son was seated opposite him, and only then realised that he had not seen Mrs Baratheon anywhere.

"Let's eat." Ordered Mr Baratheon in his booming, low, throaty voice and nodded to his servants, who one by one began to put food on their plates. As he expected, Mr Baratheon immediately addressed him.

"I hope you find your room comfortable and lacking in nothing, Mr Targaryen." He said lightly, without overbearing or teasing, it was more a statement than a question. Aemond nodded without looking at him.

"Yes, thank you very much. I'm not missing anything." He replied indifferently, grabbing his spoon, wanting to immediately start eating to prevent further conversation. The girl next to him couldn't resist, after a few minutes she tried to initiate light conversation with him.

"How do you find the landscapes of Chelsfield, Mr Targaryen?" She asked softly, and he turned his cool gaze on her, thinking in his head that it was the cheesiest question he had ever heard.

She was the only one with fair hair and seemed to him to be the oldest, her breasts were large and full as were her other shapes, and she had a pretty, common face, but not enough to tempt him.

"They are pleasant." He replied coolly, putting down his spoon so that the servant knew to take his plate from him. The girl beside him fell silent, discouraged.

"The day after tomorrow we will all go to church. Will you accompany us, Mr Targaryen?" Another of his daughters sitting across the table asked him, looking at him curiously, her lips slightly parted, as if defiantly, which he found displeasing.

She was trying to coquette him, to show him physically that she was attracted to him.

"Of course." He replied just as dispassionately, immediately getting down to his second dish as soon as it was served in front of him, wanting to finish the meal as quickly as possible.

As soon as he had succeeded in doing so he stood up and calmly announced that he wished to rest after his journey and retire to his room. Mr Baratheon agreed to this without much concern, watching him closely as he bowed and left without another word.

As he locked himself in his room he felt relieved. He pulled off his tailcoat, staying in just his chemise and trousers, and sat down at the cabinet, which he opened and was relieved to find stationery, quills, inkwell and ink there.

He started to write a letter to his mother, but crossed it out quickly and crumpled the piece of paper, throwing it down with rage.

Why should he lie, reassure her that he was content, that he liked it here, when it wasn't true?

He felt like he was locked in a cage with no way out, he knew he couldn't poke his nose out of his room if he wanted peace and quiet and the thought filled him with despair.

Resigned, he reached into his trunk and pulled out the books he had brought with him to somehow sweeten this awful time, these weeks he was to spend in this feral house full of simpletons.

Only after a while did he realise that Vhagar was not in his room.

He cursed loudly, running his hand over his face, devastated at the thought that surely she was still with that girl rolling around in the grass with her.

He fought with himself wondering if he should just let them stay together since they wanted to, but he felt anger because this was his dog, his closest friend, and she was taking her away from him.

As if his life had taken too little from him.

He stood up driven by rage and opened the door, looking around with a pounding heart. He heard Vhagar growling and barking in one of the rooms and knocked on it quietly, hoping to settle the matter quickly.

He heard someone run up to the door and open it quickly, Vhagar flew out and jumped on him, which had never happened before and he rebuked her immediately.

"Vhagar! Calm down! Sit." He commanded her, trying to be quiet and don't wake anyone. She sat down, breathing heavily, her tongue dangled on the left side of her mouth bobbing from her rapid breaths, her tail scrubbing the floor with joy, euphoria in her eyes.

What was happening to her?

"I was just teaching her a new trick." He heard the whisper of a girl who preferred to greet his dog first rather than him despite the fact that he could be her future husband.

He looked at her coldly, frustrated and bitter, a smile and gentle contentment on her face, she was standing in front of him in only a nightgown and a shawl thrown over her shoulders, her hair already completely loose.

He felt ashamed, it was the first time he had seen a woman in such a negligee. Even during his close-ups with Alys, he had never undressed her, simply not having the time to do so. He looked away, tightening his lips.

"Don't come near my dog again." He hissed, whistling at Vhagar, and she moved after him, stopping once in a while, turning towards her.

He felt furious and grabbed her suddenly by the fur on her neck, wanting to drag her forcibly to his room, like a small child who wants to snatch a toy from another child, and she began to squeal in pain and pull herself out of his grasp.

"− no! − please! − wait −" She begged and he let go of her, suddenly realising that he was causing her pain and watched, panting heavily, as Vhagar ran back to her room.

The girl looked at him apologetically and went back there, he heard her whisper to Vhagar to follow her, not to be afraid.

He stared ahead dully realising that he had just hurt the only being in the world who truly loved him.

That Vhagar would now be afraid of him too.

He felt like crying.

Miss Baratheon finally came out of her room holding something in her hand, evidently a piece of meat from the roast that she must have taken to her room after dinner and using it to train her.

Vhagar came up behind her, sniffing what she had in her hand, but when she saw him she lowered her ears and stepped back, afraid he would do to her again what he had done a moment before.

The girl approached him quickly, handing him the piece of meat she was holding.

"Hand it to her and call her out, just don't get angry." She said to him quietly as if they were acquaintances, but he decided he would not think of that, too distraught that Vhagar hated him so he knelt before her, extending his hand to her, and Miss Baratheon knelt beside him.

"− come, Vhagar − I'm sorry − it's all right −" He whispered and saw his dog begin to wag his tail again, she approached him slowly, uncertainly and sniffed his fingers, then licked them and ate what he held between them.

She pressed her white head against his chest, rubbing against him, and he felt a burning sensation under his eyelids, his lower lip trembling slightly.

"− I'm so sorry −" She said softly in a voice filled with guilt.

He heard her rise and looked at Vhagar, entering his room, and she ran after her at once. He moved behind them and watched in disbelief as she sat down on his floor and Vhagar lay down right next to her, placing her paw on her thigh, letting her know that she wanted to continue playing with her.

She had never behaved like this towards him and he had no idea what he should do with a girl sitting on the floor of his room in the middle of the night.

After a moment, however, Miss Baratheon stood up and looked at him, swallowing loudly, clearly realising herself that she shouldn't be there.

"− I'm sorry for the intrusion, I just wanted her to come in here − good night −" She mumbled almost running out and closing the door behind her, Vhagar wanted to run after her but didn't make it.

He lay down on his bed, distraught, and Vhagar ran up to him, having already forgotten the unpleasant event of a few minutes before, licking him devotedly and tenderly on the face.

"Traitor." He hissed angrily and regretfully, stroking her soft fur.

For the first time in his life, he let her jump on his bed and sleep with him.

Here, there were no his grandfather or servants to report this behaviour to him, which was completely unthinkable.

He fell asleep snuggled into her soft fur, ignoring the fact that she ended up taking up most of the bedding, pushing him to the side.

He thought it was an exceptionally pleasant feeling.

When he woke up in the morning he again felt the stress overpowering him at the thought of breakfast, the fact that this girl had probably blabbed everything to her sisters, saying that he was a violent, cold and aggressive man who hurt his own dog.

However, when he came downstairs with Vhagar his dog immediately ran to her to greet her, also coming up later to her father and brother, who called out to her, eventually making the rounds around the table, getting acquainted with each in turn.

"She's beautiful." Said the second of their sisters, slightly melancholy and hearty.

At breakfast, Mr Baratheon finally introduced his daughters properly to him taking advantage of the lighter atmosphere. He nodded pretending to try to remember their names, thinking with relief only that his youngest child had apparently not mentioned to him the commotion that had taken place during the night.

"I heard loud barking yesterday in your room. Why are you taking Mr Targaryen's dog for yourself?" Asked the girl who had tried to coquette him the day before, and from what he had just learned her name was Floris.

Her younger sister gave him a quick, apologetic glance full of guilt, her gown creamy and buff, pleasantly accentuating the shape of her breasts, some of her curls pinned back, some falling over her shoulders.

"I'm not taking her away, we've just become very friendly." She mumbled, and her sister snorted at her words.

"It's not appropriate." Said another sister, Cassandra, a blonde-haired girl who tried unsuccessfully to make light conversation with him.

He watched Mr Baratheon's youngest child collapse under more and more criticism, and thought with surprise that he felt no satisfaction from it.

"That's enough." Ordered Mr Baratheon, seeing that his daughter was on the verge of crying. "My dear, apologise to Mr Targaryen for your behaviour and for taking his dog for yourself."

He saw her lift her gaze to him, her eyebrows arched in pain, her chest rising and falling in shaky breaths.

"I am deeply sorry for my behaviour and all the unpleasantness that came with it." She choked out finally and he swallowed loudly, clenching his hand into a fist knowing that only he and she understood the context of that sentence.

He thought with shame that he had reacted too impulsively and aggressively in front of her, even though her opinion didn't matter to him, he couldn't get the expression on her face out of his head, her cry full of pain when Vhagar started squealing.

"I also apologise, miss Baratheon." He said lowly, looking at his fingers moving in an uncertain gesture across the table top, wanting her to know that he regretted what had happened, what she had seen. Floris sitting next to him moved restlessly.

"Mr Targaryen, do not apologise to her. She is like an animal herself." She said with amusement, and her younger sister pressed her trembling lips together, fighting for a moment against whatever was rising in her throat, but finally gave up and got up from the table, leaving the room before the tears had time to leave the corners of her eyes.

Her older brother followed her out, saying he would check how she was feeling, and there was an uncomfortable silence broken by their father.

"That was unnecessary, Floris." He said impatiently, his daughter snorting at his words.

"She's embarrassing us all, I just gave her something to think about."

"What a pathetic thing to say." He growled, taking a sip of tea from his cup, setting it down on the saucer with a clatter of porcelain, and only after a moment did he realise that he had said aloud what he had thought.

He didn't dare raise his eyes, feeling the pounding of his heart, feeling that all gazes were directed towards him.

"With your permission." He muttered, rising from his seat, bowing and leaving the dining room, feeling like he was going to burn from embarrassment.

How could he say something like that?

He felt that he needed air and walked outside onto the dirt road, whistling at Vhagar who ran after him, deciding to take a walk to clear his head.

He walked for a long time, going through the forest paths and then strolling around the lake, amazed at the overpowering stillness that reigned all around, the birdsong, the rustling of the leaves, the freshness of the air.

In London, everything was fast, sudden, loud.

Tiring.

He sat down on the sand by the edge of the lake and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the water, to the sounds of nature, feeling Vhagar lay down beside him, sighing heavily. He continued like this for what seemed like an eternity, and decided that he could spend hours here, simply calming and soothing himself, hiding from the world.

He shuddered as he heard someone's footsteps in the distance, Vhagar instantly rising and literally darting towards the girl he would have recognised from a mile away.

He sighed heavily, turning his face towards the surface of the water, figuring he wouldn't pay any attention to her. Just as he thought, she sat down beside him on the sand, as he did, leaning her head against a long, old tree trunk.

She didn't say a word to him, however, letting Vhagar settle down between them, stroking her head, which she laid on her thighs. When he glanced at her he saw that her eyes were closed, that she was doing exactly the same thing he was doing.

She was running away.

He relaxed at the thought that she wasn't looking for a discussion or a intimacy with him and did the same as she did.

He shuddered, looking around, unsure of where he was or what was happening, running his hand over his face. He'd never fallen asleep outside before, much less in the middle of nowhere. He looked around and saw Vhagar lying on her back, sleeping soundly, embraced by Miss Baratheon, who was asleep snuggled against her fur.

He did not know what he thought of this sight, endlessly innocent and harmless. He was afraid someone had seen or would see them, but he didn't want to touch her, so he grunted loudly. She moved suddenly, blinking her eyelids rapidly, and rose to sit down, rubbing her eyes, as confused as he was.

Feeling that what had happened was uncomfortable to say the least, he stood up and whistled at Vhagar, heading back the same way he had come, leaving her alone.

She did not follow him and he felt relieved at the thought.

Halfway through, however, he stopped, feeling anxious, wondering if he should leave her alone in the forest. He fought the thought convincing himself that since she had gone there herself, she would return on her own, knowing the area better than he did, but on the other hand, he would never let Helaena venture this far, and she was still very young.

What if something happened to her?

He cursed in frustration and turned back, coming across her after a few minutes. She looked at him surprised, clearly not expecting him to come back for her.

"Did you forget something, sir?" She asked him uncertainly, and he rolled his eyes impatiently, turning his back on her.

"Come, for God's sake."

They walked side by side in silence, simply admiring the pleasant summer views of meadows and forests, not a living soul around them.

He had to admit that these views filled him with some strange sense of warmth, landscapes that he usually only saw in paintings now appeared before his eyes, even more beautiful, teeming with life and intense, strong colours.

They returned to the mansion together, which did not escape the attention of the household, he saw that Maris and Floris literally threw themselves at her as soon as he moved on, thinking he could not hear.

"What are you thinking? What have you done?"

"Nothing." She said impatient and resentful, fatigue and despair in her voice.

"Stop. I asked you a question. You forced yourself on Mr Targaryen again, didn't you?" He heard Floris's voice and stopped in mid-step, tightening his lips.

The youngest Miss Baratheon wanted to say something in her defence, devastated by the accusations, but it was he who spoke up first.

"How are you not ashamed?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at her, all three of them suddenly silent. "It's better to be silent sometimes than to confirm one's stupidity."

Floris probably didn't believe for a moment that he had said that, but when it finally dawned on her that he was deadly serious, she burst into sobs, running into the house, hitting him with her shoulder, Maris ran in after her.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and she looked at him in disbelief, not knowing herself what she thought of his cruel words. He whistled at Vhagar and walked up the stairs to the inside of their mansion, leaving her alone with her thoughts about what kind of man he actually was.

_____

Taglist 1 @its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess

[starsreminisce]

do you think elain is crafty?

It took hours for Elain to work her charm on the staff to swiftly pack their bags and leave, each with a purse of money to hasten the process. Mrs. Laurent, though the last to depart, promised to keep what she’d seen to herself.

But Elain cut us off. “If—if you and … they”—a glance at Rhys, my friends—“come with me, your Fae scents might distract the dogs.” “You’re Fae, too,” Nesta reminded her. “Glamour me,” Elain said—to Rhys. “Make me look human. Just long enough to convince him to open his gates to those seeking sanctuary. Perhaps even let you set those wards around the estate.”

Rhys leaned back, and Nesta frowned, the only one of them apparently not aware of what this meant. Rhys said to her, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t wish to. But Elain mentioned that you have particular skill on the dance floor. Skill that once won you the hand of a duke in a single waltz.”

I do. Elain had to find a way to convince the staff to leave, just as Feyre said they needed to, and she had to think of something more persuasive than simply saying, "we have fae in the house." Feyre asked this of her the same day, and Elain accomplished it.

Elain was also the one who came up with the idea to talk to Graysen about taking in humans after the wall fell. She devised a plan to be glamoured and created a reason to have an entourage to mask her own fae scent.

Additionally, it was Elain who planted the idea of how good Nesta’s dancing actually was, which Rhys took advantage of when Eris got spooked after seeing Tamlin intervene in their meeting.

Elain is still Lucien’s mate, so there are bound to be similarities between them, especially in how they approach problems and what they’ll do in certain situations. That’s really the core of "like calls to like."

Feyre, like Rhys, will do whatever it takes to protect those she considers her family.

Nesta, like Cassian, tends to follow her instincts and have a good read on people.

Elain, like Lucien, knows when to be brave and when to pull back.

Hope this was helpful! Thanks for asking!

[meret118]

Among the proposals in Project 2025 relating to racial policy include stripping workforce protections from disproportionately Black federal workers; eliminating programs like minority business loans, and abolishing federal data collection on Black employment and discrimination.

But that's just the beginning, wrote Harriot: the criminal justice policy in Project 2025 can be best summed up as "Get tough on Black crime, go easy on white cops. They plan to end EVERY CONSENT DECREE filed against corrupt police agencies, undo bail reform, bring back 'stop and frisk' & use the death penalty 'when possible' — ESPECIALLY for drug dealers; Can you hear the dog whistles?

"Additionally, he wrote, Project 2025 calls for delisting white supremacist groups as terrorist organizations for the sake of protecting "free speech," and enshrining a very specific version of Christian nationalism in law that caters to predominantly white evangelical churches on a broad range of policies, giving preference to these beliefs over the beliefs of Black churches as well as the nonreligious.

"If Project 2025 became law ... not only would it repeal FDA approval for abortion drugs & sue states that require employers to cover abortions, they would rescind federal funds from any company, contractor or healthcare institution that provides LEGAL abortions," he added.

And to top it all off, Project 2025 also calls for expanding school vouchers, which were originally devised as a tool to get around school integration mandates and to this day predominantly flow to white families; as well as eliminating programs for minority renters and homebuyers, ending oversight of racial bias in real estate appraisals, which are a key obstacle to Black families building generational wealth; defunding underperforming schools, which often underperform because of ongoing segregation; and eliminating any mention of "equity" or similar terms from federal regulations.

What makes all of this particularly frightening, Harriot concluded, is that Project 2025 "is NOT a Trump Plan; it is a CONSERVATIVE plan. Many of the Project 2025 appointees can be installed by a GOP Senate. The House controls the country's purse strings, and A GOP-majority in the House enact the program in these plans WITHOUT Trump. And because it embeds MAGA workers in the gov't, it could be GENERATIONS before" we can get rid of the "MAGA infestation of the federal government."

[jollyreginaldrancher]

The yellowjackets as cousins (for the sake of shipping let's pretend the ones that date are second cousins and Yellowjackets is set in Alabama)

• Natalie's parents drop her off before the event starts and go off to do some last minute shit. She runs up to your room and jumps on you while you are still asleep to wake you up. She's that fucking cousin that doesn't let you have a moment of peace from the moment they show up to the moment they leave. Lowkey you love them though.

• Jackie is that cool older cousin who's home from college and is constantly checking her phone. She smells good and gifts everyone those showel gel/loofa/bath salts sets (not so much the bath salts anymore, since that time Natalie tried sniffing them)

Gets teased about having a clingy bf but she's texting Shauna the whole time.

• Shauna is the broody cousin who doesn't even wanna come to this stupid thing, she's not even gonna have fun so why can't her parents let her stay home? She ends up having fun and her parents have to drag her back to the car to get home at the end of the day.

• Taissa is the one that decides to take on babysitting or help out around the kitchen or whatever and usually has to be told to let loose and have fun because she's so type A she tries to organise shit she has no authority over. The smaller cousins do stacks on Taissa. Van usually starts the dogpile.

• Van is the laid-back cousin who sets up the video games and is beloved by all the tiny cousins. She clears everyone at Mario kart and smash bros and is the only one who can get Taissa to unwind. Taissa is the only one who can clear her in smash.

• Misty is that cousin who hangs out with the adults and tries to help around the kitchen all the time until her aunt forcibly drags her to the rec room (at the rich relatives' house) where everyone is playing board games and stuff. She finds a puzzle or a deck of cards and tries to get a game of solitaire going but some younger cousins decide to mess with her and she retaliates and ends up in a prank war.

• Mari is the younger cousin who fucks with everybody. Brings gag gifts and tries that fucking stick of chewing gum prank every. Goddamn. Holiday. You know which one I mean:

On the upside she packs a fucktonne of snacks which she shares if you're chill.

Her gum prank snapped one of Jackie's fake nails off once so Shauna retaliated by popping her inflatable duck. It was a whole thing.

• Lottie is petting all the pets. She's running around the house chasing the cat. She's not gonna pull its tail, she hasn't done that since she was two, but she will feed the dog under the table to try to win him over. She's the reason you have ants.

• Laura Lee's family is the one that insists on saying a prayer before every meal. Everyone else is messing around at the kids table but she's actually paying attention, or if it's in a different room, she's the one leading it. She's that one that hangs around the back of the group and acts like a moral compass. "Yeah Mr Sharpe's may have run over your bike Natalie but I don't think it's right to paint his dog red".

• Javi is the baby of the family and everyone is super protective and he is that kid that is just chill and will sit down and colour for fun and he gives out handmade gifts like macaroni necklaces and you all have matching friendship bracelets courtesy of Javi Martinez 🥹

• Travis is that asshole who takes his shit out on everyone else and ruins the vibe. His little brother tries to hang with him but he thinks he's too cool to give him the time of day and just pushes him away, and ends up sitting alone cause no one likes that he's an asshole. Most of the cousin jokes are about how he just needs to get laid. He usually just hogs some prime real estate on the couch and heckles everyone playing video games. Won't play anymore because the few times he tried after talking shit he got his ass summarily handed to him so now he just sits there and sooks and brags about how he could beat everyone if he wanted to, he's just taking it easy on everyone because he's nice. He's the biggest asshole there.

[whorrorbellee]

Cherry Waves : two and a half

Ghostface! Danny Johnson x f!reader

Danny just had to save you. He just had to save your poor sad life. Knocking your sad frail body against fake plastic tiles. Shoving his fingers down your throat like a kid fishing for pennies. What was it you wrote in your diary? Your shiny white masked knight in a black shroud? Well how cute. Maybe it was time he kept a pet around.Just to play or course.18+ : eventual smut, themes of suicide (reader attempts), selfharm, sexual content, murder, themes of violence

ao3 prolouge masterlist

 11th August 1992

Roseville sure is something. Hot weather, Sunny skies. Rednecks. Everything I had wanted to avoid until now. Utah was great, born and raised. Left poor pa alone in the farmhouse at nineteen. Burnt to a crisp, the detective said. Goddamn alcoholic could never remember to see if the fire had gone dead before laying his head down on the pillow. Too damn bad. 

Danny Johnson would become Martin Lee the small town photographer somewhere in Arizona, and then I was Jack Mayfield, the slightly deplorable stoner writer in california. But in Pennsylvania Jed Olson was born. Kind hearted, protective. Red blooded american that wanted to uphold traditional family values. The type of guy you'd see a pretty blonde next to with six kids. Jed Olson was perfect and fucking irritating. He was the type of guy you would ask to set up shelves in your apartment. And god i fucking hated it, i still do. At first Jed was sweet, he could lend a hand. Enjoyed a cold one. Then where's your girlfriend Jed? Or maybe you're gay? I've got a daughter you could take out some time? When are you gonna settle down?

So in New York Jed Became colder. But the problem with New york. Half of my work got lost to gang violence and hate crimes, by the time i had figured out who Jed really was, Ghostface had been lost in a lineup of violent Men and petty thefts. So I moved smaller. Florida. Small baptist town wedge between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. You could hardly call it a town, in reality it was a housing estate with ten shops lined up, a couple of offices and three different churches, two within the town and the third connected to a road that led you straight out of roseville and into St.Augustine. It was perfect. Enough crazies to not get caught, drive close enough that someone out of town could come in and kill. And small enough to cause a frenzine. 

So while I was in New York, I took as many freelance photography jobs as I could. Let myself wake up with cheap instant coffee and gouged myself on instant ramen, until I had enough to buy a truck from a guy I knew and road-trip myself down to florida. 

And here I was, a man with very little to say in the matter. Even though I had a way with words. It took me less than five minutes to wedge myself into the crew at roseville gazette. Mike had welcomed me with open arms after I had fooled him with my American values. White picket, 2.5 kids and a cute dog laid out on a plate for him to stuff his face with. 

12 September 1992. 

One month has passed and I'm settled in at last. Work is fine. Writing about lost dogs and people who've found rings along the shore. Work is boring. It's not really my work, well it is.  But not the work I really want to do. In-fact , I'm craving it. I'm not sure how long I'm going to last. Sometimes I just want to take Adam's face and crush it between the wall and the door in the stairwell. And I won't! God I could never. Well I could.  Just not Adam. Adam is great. He's really perfect. He's so anxious and erratic everytime a crime is committed. When I start and I mean really start (not drive to Georgia and kill some rando) he's just going to snap. Linda is great. She keeps to herself and writes pieces about Best places to take your family this (insert month) or should your kids be having sugar?. 

There's a list in my head of who I want to take out. I haven't started watching just yet. Need to get adjusted to the town properly. I've been going on runs every night. Keep the stamina up and find out every slip road and street I can hide on. To the others I'm in a health kick. Waving past dog walkers and drunk teens. James told me he saw me running outside his house and that he'd wanted to get together for an early morning run the next sunday. And now there's a group of us at 6am. I drive to the closest diner after and order the biggest breakfast platter they have. 

Case no: 289 D75   Date: 5th July 1984

Reporting officer: DC Smith

Prepared by: PC Stein

Incident: Fire at the Johnson’s farm house on 4th July 1984 at 11pm . 

Event details: I was attending the 4th of July celebrations with my girlfriend. After the fireworks stopped at around 10:45. The family packed up and I asked if she wanted to head back to mine. We got to the farm house and the place was on fire. The house was practically black. We went to the nearest phone so I could call the emergency services. 

I thought my dad might have gone out. But when the fire was put out, they recovered his body. When I left him he was on the sofa passed out. He usually drinks whiskey. I knew it was him because of the white gold wedding ring around his neck.

30th september 1992

So Mike's niece has officially started her job. Which has ruined all plans of me developing my own photos in the office. I'm sure she couldn't help it. Nepo babied her way into a job. Fresh out college and straight into the office. Didn't even have to have a shitty barista job first. She's shy and slightly skittish. Pays no attention to where she's going. Always tripping over her own feet. The good thing is now we have software to edit photos after mike bought a one year package to see how far it gets us. 

She lives next to me. I passed her in the stairwell and walked behind her on the way home. 

She doesn't crack a smile when I do. Hardly ever reactive. Emotionless. Faked a smile on her first day before curling inward on her desk to jot something down. 

An enigma. Uncharmable .

16th October 1992

I didn't mean to do it. I was just a little rusty. I don't have time for mistakes. And I panicked. I dont panic. I never have. What little humanity I have left in me is reserved for good coffee and books. So I climbed into the wrong window that night. Mine was one over. A complete accident. Someone had swung a brick at my face and knocked me sideways. So I was a little puzzled when the bare apartment I lived in had a shitty two seater armchair and a pretty girl laid on it. And I had nearly turned away. But the pill bottle had glowed under the moonlight and headlights of late night drivers. When I had picked them up and the out of date pills rattled inside. I looked upon the pretty girl who I thought was asleep. Breathing erratic. Eyes rolling to the back of her head. Lying in a puddle of her own sweat. 

Well I just panicked. Picking up her body and rushing to the toilet. Scraped along plastic tiles. My hands held her up by her neck and I shoved two thick fingers down her throat until I had felt her gag. Barely held up by her knees. Watching her puke into the toilet. 

I should've left her there. Let the darkness swallow her up. Swelled in the bathroom. Let the police press a black body bag to her skin. Cracked tiled angel. Another lost to the hidden disease. And I gazed into her eyes, half shut. Her mouth opened as her head fell into the crook of my neck. Soft skin against the rough fabric of my shroud. I felt her heartbeat grow stronger. Poison exiting her body.

So instead I pressed her to the shower wall and washed her body, dressed her in the softest pyjamas I could find. Held her like my own. Held her like Piper wished I would. 

I won't make this mistake again.

[authorautumnbanks]

One Night (15)

"Kagome-sama is back!" The villagers shout while forming a circle around them.

Kagome glances up at Satoru and presses her fingers to his chin. He relaxes and lets her down. "I'm just visiting," she tells the villagers, who let out a cry of sadness. Kagome flashes them a small smile. "This is Koushi." They coo and clap. Koushi gnaws on his fist and looks at her with expectation. Kagome looks around and spots Sango in the crowd. She walks towards her with Satoru so hot on her heels that he may as well be a part of her outfit.

"Kagome!" Sango shouts, running to her. Or well, Sango attempts to run, but with how heavy her stomach is, it's more like a waddle. Still, Kagome's heart thumps at the sight of the demon slayer. She meets her halfway. Even with the waddling, Sango is faster than most humans. "Oh! Who is this?"

"Koushi," Kagome says, beaming. "He's hungry. Could we go to your house?"

"Of course…." Sango's eyes snap away from Koushi to Satoru.

"This is Satoru," Kagome introduces. "And this is Sango. She's a demon slayer."

Satoru places a hand on her back. "A demon slayer, and yet there is a demon in this village?"

"Several demons, actually," Sango corrects. "But we all make it work."

"Is Shippo here?" Kagome asks, shifting Koushi in her arms as they follow Sango to her house, which is the biggest hut in the village, so it sits on the outskirts.

Sango shakes her head. "He will be back, though. Everyone went out to hunt. Even Sesshomaru-sama went to help. The village is growing and there are more mouths to feed. Though he's really just doing it because Rin is here. Her and Kohaku will be married soon." Sango glances over her shoulder and then looks forward. "InuYasha stayed behind to protect the village while everyone else is out."

Satoru snorts.

"Kagome-sama?"

Sango huffs, but stops walking. Kagome plasters a smile on her face. "Hi Hana," she greets. The brown-haired woman fidgets and places a hand in front of her white-haired son with brown eyes. Inumaru doesn't have dog ears like InuYasha, but his nails look as sharp as claws. Kagome waits for a moment, but Hana stares at her…. no, she's staring at Satoru. Kagome's smile drops and she turns slightly to grab Satoru's hand.

So much for being polite. She does not blame Hana for InuYasha's indiscretions, but that doesn't mean she's going to stand here while Hana stares at Satoru like he's someone she wants. Hana can't have him. Satoru is hers.

"That was her?" Satoru murmurs after they are a good distance away.

"Yeah." Kagome bites her tongue. How dare she look at Satoru like that when she has InuYasha. Even if Hana and InuYasha aren't together, she should have some tact. Kagome tries to stuff her ire down. This is not a long visit. She wants to get Shippo and convince him to go back with her to the modern world.

"I'm sorry she brought up memories."

Kagome motions for Sango to go on inside. Sango nods and disappears into the house that is slowly becoming an estate. Miroku must be adding on with every addition to their family. Kagome shifts Koushi again, rocking him gently. "I'm not upset because of what happened."

Satoru inhales and brushes his knuckles down her cheek. "It's okay—"

"She wanted to sleep with you," Kagome bites out, eyebrows furrowing. "That ticked me off." Ticked is a mild word to describe the fury roaring in her gut. "I could see it in the way she stared at you."

Satoru chuckles and then kisses her. "If we didn't have Koushi, I'd lie you down in a field."

Kagome's cheeks warm. Satoru is insatiable. "Are you always…" She presses her lips together, not wanting to finish her sentence in front of Koushi. He pops his fist out of his mouth and pats her. "Sorry, Koushi. We'll go inside now."

Satoru slides the door open and waits for her and Koushi to go in first.

"I'm in here!" Sango yells.

Kagome follows the sound of Sango's voice. Satoru's palm is hot on her back. He's always touching her. Kagome flushes, happy Satoru can't see her face at the moment, or he would surely tease her. His hand slides down and palms her ass. Kagome's mouth pops open and when she looks back at him, Satoru, oh so conveniently, turns his head. Kagome rolls her eyes and then looks at what has Satoru so distracted.

"Kirara," Kagome coos. The nekomata mews and transforms into her much larger form. Kagome smiles and holds out a hand to pet her. Koushi whips his head around and stretches his hands out.

"Kagome…"

"She's a nekomata. Kirara is…she's not harmless, but she's friendly to us." Kagome brushes her fingers through Kiara's fur. "She's a full demon, but she doesn't have a human-like form." She drops her hand and motions for them to head down the hall to where Sango is waiting for them. "We're waiting on Shippo to get back from hunting." Kagome stops and turns to look at Satoru. Kirara brushes past and takes a seat next to Sango. "I want to take Shippo back with us."

Satoru rubs the back of his head. "Now, who is Shippo? You aren't bringing back a dragon demon, right?" He motions to Kiara.

"Oh, Shippo is a demon. A fox, but he isn't like Kiara. He's a…" She twists her lips. Should she just come out and say it? "I took him in when his father was killed, so he's like a son to me."

Satoru blinks. "Oh? You didn't have to ask then." He shrugs. "Though if I had known, we could have found a bigger house."

Kagome blinks. "Satoru, that house is huge."

"Are you remarried, Kagome?" Sango asks.

Kagome winces. She's being a bad friend. Satoru has this presence that overwhelms everything.

"Not yet," Satoru answers, urging Kagome to sit in his lap. "The ring isn't ready, and I want to do that part right."

Sango smiles. "Oh! That's wonderful."

"I brought gifts," Kagome says, as she nurses Koushi. "Everything in the bag is for you."

Satoru reaches over and opens the yellow book bag. He arranges the items on the low table. "This is the past, right?" He asks as he pulls out the various medical kits.

"Yep, not a different world."

Satoru hums. "This is the past and you are bringing modern items back here?"

Kagome frowns. "You're going to turn me in, are you?"

Satoru laughs. "For my silence, you have to get lunch with me all month."

Kagome puffs her cheeks. She was going to get lunch with him, anyway. Sango giggles.

"I've never seen you so happy," Sango explains. Her admission hits Kagome like a wrecking ball. Kiara perks up, her tails swishing back and forth. "Oh, I think everyone is back."

"MAMA!" Shippo runs into the room and skids to a stop. His tail puffs up and his green eyes turn to slits before widening. "I have a brother?" Shippo walks over this time, his tail shrinks down to its natural size, and he peeks at Satoru here and there. He leans over and sniffs Kagome.

"This is Koushi," Kagome says. "And this is Satoru."

"So, this is Shippo," Satoru comments.

Shippo stares at Satoru for a beat and then turns his attention back to Kagome. He sniffs again. "You smell funny."

"How so?" Kagome fixes her shirt and rubs Koushi's back. Shippo sniffs again and then circles around them.

"I'm not sure," he admits. "But you smell different."

"The priestess is pregnant," Sesshomaru says, strolling into the room. He drops a boar on the floor and looms over them. InuYasha and Miroku follow behind. Satoru stiffens.

"…What? There's no way…isn't that a bit soon?"

Sesshomaru gives her that same old blank expression, but she swears there's a ghost of a smile on his face. "You doubt me?"

Kagome sighs and leans back. "No," she says, pouting. "You do a lot of things, but you don't lie."

"This Sesshomaru is surprised the village is still intact. You came here with him still coating your thighs."

"Sesshomaru!"

Sango bites her lip, but a giggle slips through. InuYasha growls, but makes no movement towards them. Miroku shakes his head and hits InuYasha over the head with his staff. Kagome huffs and tilts her head back. Satoru hasn't said anything since Sesshomaru's commentary. He looks down at her and smirks.

"Oh, don't start—"

"My super sperm," he says with a crackle.

"So fucking what!" InuYasha yells, crossing his arms.

Satoru's face hardens, and the moment is ruined. Kagome exhales and motions for Shippo to come closer. "Do you want to go back with us?"

"To live?"

She nods. "I came back for you."

"We're be moving into a bigger house soon," Satoru adds on. "You can't have the master bedroom, but you can have dibs on the others." He wraps his arms around her. "How do we hide his tail, though? There aren't any demons in our time."

"I can change my appearance," Shippo answers. "I am a fox."

Koushi babbles and shifts, so Kagome holds him out closer to Shippo. Koushi reaches out and grabs Shippo's finger.

"Okay, okay," Shippo sighs. "But I'm keeping my eye color at least." He transforms, changing his hair color to white and smoothing out his ears and nails to resemble that of a human's. Koushi squeals and Shippo winces. "Mama, why is he so strong?"

"He gets that from his dad," Kagome says.

"This is fucking bullshit," InuYasha gripes. "You show up just to take the runt back with you? Are you forgetting your responsibilities?

"InuYasha, perhaps you should be silent," Miroku says. "Or check on your current wife?"

"Fuck off Miroku. I'm talking to that bitch right there."

Miroku sighs. "You know humans don't care for that word, even if it is a term of endearment for you."

Satoru unwraps his arms around her and moves her off his lap. He stands and faces InuYasha. "Did he get one of those energy massages too?"

Kagome nods, even though Satoru isn't looking at her. "Yes, but what does that have to—" She blinks. Where did they go? Sesshomaru stares at where InuYasha was and snorts.

"Let us go, monk," Sesshomaru says, flicking his hair back. "Priestess, do not allow the mongrel to stop you from showing your face." Sesshomaru walks out with Miroku trailing behind him.

Kagome rubs her forehead. She should have known that Satoru and InuYasha would get into yet another fight, but she didn't think Satoru would whisk InuYasha away to kick his ass. "Is there anything you need, Sango?" Kagome smiles as the children pile into the room, followed by Kohaku and Rin.

"I don't need anything, but…" Sango pauses and asses her children. "If it isn't too much, some warmer clothes."

"Oh, that's no problem." Kagome stands to her feet and holds out a hand for Shippo, who bounces up her arm and hangs on to her back like old times. "I'm sorry to cut this short. We're supposed to be having lunch now. It should be ready by now." Kagome shakes her head when Sango tries to get up. "I'll get you some pregnancy stuff, too."

Sango smiles and pulls the twins in for a hug. They stare at Koushi in wonder. It has been a while since they've seen Kagome, so the stares did not surprise her. "We look forward to your next visit."

Kagome nods and bends slightly to grab the yellow bag. It's much lighter now, thankfully. Her hands are a bit full as it is with Koushi and Shippo, but she makes it work. "Can you scent where they went?"

Shippo nods and directs Kagome down the path and towards the forest. She stops and sucks her teeth. Should she get any closer? InuYasha was reckless earlier. She settles for flaring her energy instead as a marker for Satoru to come find her. He flashes in front of her in an instant. Kagome gasps and takes a step back. Her stomach flip flops. There's a crazed gleam in his eyes, but it fades away when he looks at her.

"Ready to go?"

Kagome pokes the inside of her cheek with her tongue as she looks at his knuckles. He has blood on him again. "Is he dead?"

Satoru huffs. "I thought about it, but I didn't want to leave the kid without a dad." He frowns, as though not taking a life is the worst thing ever. "Who were those other two guys?" Satoru plucks Shippo from her back and carries him in his arm. He takes the bag from her as well.

"Miroku is the human, and that was Sango's husband. Sesshomaru is InuYasha's older brother, but he's a full demon."

"Huh? I half expected them to jump in, but they didn't."

"Sesshomaru was pissed that InuYasha ran Mama away," Shippo says. "And Miroku wasn't too happy either about Inumaru and Hana. Miroku is a pervert, but I guess even he has standards."

Kagome shakes her head and enjoys the tranquility of being in the past as they make their way back to the well.

"When you say Miroku is a pervert…" Satoru angles his head towards Shippo. Kagome pushes her bottom lip out and huffs. She gets that Shippo wanted a human appearance and all, but he couldn't have chosen her hair color?

"He used to grope Mama's butt all the time, and he once asked her to have his children."

Kagome coughs.

Satoru stops and looks back at the village.

"Satoru," Kagome calls, drawing his attention back to her. "Let's go home." When he doesn't seem too keen on it, Kagome sighs and says the one thing she knows will get him to act. "Your super sperm is tired and hangy."

The grin is instantaneous, and he cuddles her to his chest so quickly her head spins. The familiar interior of the well house greets her before she can let out a squeak. Shippo dry retches and covers his nose with his hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry Shippo. I didn't warn you about all the smells."

"What's the plan?" Satoru jumps out of the well onto the floor. "We say surprise, we actually have an older son, or?"

"I didn't think that far…" Kagome blows out a breath. The girls are going to freak out. "My friends will have questions about timelines." She looks at Shippo. "But that's fine. Shippo is my son too."

"Ah, so then we were secret lovers for years and the only reason we became public was because of Koushi's teleporting."

"Won't they have questions for you as well? You don't have to drag your name through the mud."

Satoru uses his foot to slide the door open because, for some reason, he is reluctant to let Kagome down. She doesn't get it, but being in his arms is nice. "The others don't know me as well as they think they do. It won't be that big of a deal. But we could tell the geezer and Ryu…. and Megumi is also here." Satoru sighs. "Shippo, can you exorcise a curse?"

Shippo tilts his head. "I've never had to since there aren't many of them around."

"This time is crawling with them. I'll need to give you a crash course in jujutsu." Satoru stops at the front door and frowns.

"You can put us down," Kagome says with a laugh. "And I don't want Shippo doing any hard missions. He's still a kid."

"But…" Satoru pouts as he sets her down. "Can I at least make the announcement?"

Kagome worries her bottom lip between her teeth. "Not regarding Sesshomaru's comment…I'd like to wait a bit and see."

"Sesshomaru's nose is never…." Shippo shrinks under Kagome's glare. "Wrong."

"It's far too early," Kagome argues. She readjusts Koushi in her arms. "You can announce Shippo."

Satoru beams. They enter the house and head to the kitchen, where everyone is gathered. The only one not shocked is her mother, though Kagome gave her a heads-up before they set out to the past that she wanted to bring Shippo back.

"SURPRISE!" Satoru yells, making a grand show of pointing to Shippo. He sticks his right leg high in the air as he poses. Shippo plants his hands on his hips and mimics Satoru. "KAGOME AND I HAVE ANOTHER SON!"

Ryu drops the knives he was juggling. One of them nicks his palm. Syouma stands and Megumi, oh poor Megumi, faints. Her mom claps her hands together in a round of applause while Gramps scratches his head.

Not the announcement she was expecting, but Kagome shrugs and rolls with it.

***

A/N: You don't see this update either.

"Are Ryu and Syouma going to know about InuYasha, demons, and time traveling?" - Well, they will know about demons now.

"Can the cat shikigami talk?" - Not right now, but as it gets older and stronger.

"Is Gakuganji crushing on Kagome?" - Nah, he really wanted more information but didn't take the time to stop and think about what he was asking lol.

"How much money is Mei Mei making selling info about Satoru and Kagome's sexcapades?"- Naoya especially is pissed, but for the others? It just gave them that extra push to find other women like Kagome to try and recreate what her and Satoru have done.

Prayers for Ijichi. Now he'll have Koushi and Shippo to deal with it. Next chapter will get more into Satoru's head about all these changes. He's pretty good at keeping a level head in the moment, though Kagome picked up that he was itching to test out how strong Shippo is with that mission comment.

Take care! And I will see you on Saturday for real this time. Don't forget to take your vitamins either!

[yoki-doki-then]

FFXIV Write 2024 - H O R I Z O N

Gentle rain should prelude timid times. Melancholy, mirth, mischief, nothing so severe as a storm or as nothing as a clear day. The world itself makes declaration for your mind to wander and be free.

Anything else is a violation of the natural order.

Thus do two sisters do what they do every time they meet one another. They turn the sky black. There's no moon, no stars, no cracks of lightning to break the void. Just black.

Lili had been trying to enjoy her time at her Noscean villa. One of the small perks to marrying Zazamato was having access to his wide array of estates, and this one had become her small heaven. It was an ideal place to wait out the madness striking the rest of the known world, transforming the bereaved into beasts that would devour kin as quickly as claws can take.

Best not to think about such things. Best to just find safety and serenity. The Lalafell would seek joy in the little chores around the home, peppered with long ventures out in the sun, sea breeze blowing her long pale locks. Her husband once described her shining eyes as brilliant as the sea. Water reflects the sky, though, and her sister's surprise visit had brought out the most bleak, vile look she could muster.

"It's worthwhile," her sister says after endless prior platitudes, pacing along behind Lili, "to consider that if my child is ill-content with going to your family's estate, then they should be placed under my protection."

"Your child?" Lili spins on the spot. The identical twins meet eye-to-eye, the mirror broken by the intruder's need for a cane. "Did you raise her? Did you hold her when she cried? Laughed as she did? Did you hold her hand for her first steps? What motherly -- no -- what parental act have you ever committed for her? What makes you think she'd even want to share your company?"

"They are mine by blood, and yours only by Zaza's bizarre want to keep you around after you betrayed him." Her sister drew closer. Lili can't help but notice now her twin's accompaniment in the distance, a pair of linen-clad strongmen. They're far, but she knows from their look how they'd stink. Brine and grog. Dogs were better kept. "You bore his firstborn, true enough. You spurned him for some misbegotten cat from the woods for your second runt. Thus, he picked someone loyal and true to bear his-"

"Shut it," Lili says, jabbing an index. "This marriage was broken by the time I found love elsewhere. I'm not going to shoulder our entire failure just because I'm the one who made a statement."

"The blame has to fall somewhere."

"Twelve, you're tailor-made for him."

"I know. That's why we-."

"What did you come here for, except to antagonize me?"

Her sister takes a slow breath. Ten fingers rap a merry jig on her cane's head, tip pushing hard into the soft earth below. "Well," she starts. "Reminding a shorelocked sea cow how useless she is? I could come here just for that. But no, there's important business. You know the transformations happening elsewhere? The… emotional affliction?"

"Grim way to put it, but yes."

"Then I'll continue the trend. They don't leave bodies, whether their own or their victims. I've seen it. Your husband put out a call to the entire family -- me included, important to his heart as I am -- to retreat to his family's island manor. Pure isolation. Pure… opportunity."

Lili stares into her sister's eyes. Sometimes Lili tries to think back on when they were simple La Noscean children together, and they did smile and play. Adulthood robs people of those skills. The emotions become catalogued, filed away as facts bereft of feeling. She doesn't find humanity in her sibling's eyes. And she could dig as deep as she wants through the annals of her mind to find something to love, but the hate in her hands would shred everything she touched.

"You're serious."

"We're pirate-born, Lili. Not the costumed tarts of the Admiral. We take. You took from Zazamato when you married him." She looks around, smiling ever so slightly. "You're still taking from him now. Or did you pay for this with your shares from twenty-so years ago?"

"It was a call to the whole family. Zaza's a bastard, but I loved him once. My children could be there. The woman you claim your daughter-"

"Child."

"Twelve willing, you will call her by her truth if you're going to talk about my girl."

"I know what I bore."

Lili raises her hand, palm open, fingers splayed so hard the whole arm shakes. Her sister smirks as she realizes the reason for hesitation, her two men drawing closer at the sign of uncoming violence. She opens her mouth, pulling the tiniest breath of victory through barely pursed lips. "I'm gla-"

Lili strikes true anyway.

"I'm done with you," Lili says, her sister still taking in the sting, learning that a properly received slap is a whole-body experience. "I'm done with him too. You're right. I'm done with this house. I'm done with this entire family drama. I will not be his scapegoat. I won't be your… your accomplice to murder. There isn't enough gil in the world for me to put up with this anymore." With footfalls strong enough to crack stone, she marches sidelong enough to point at her sister's accomplices. "You come closer, I swear I'll be a saint of Halone when I'm done with you."

Her attention shifts back to her sibling. "This is ending. If there's anything to be gained from a divorce, I'll give you whatever it takes to get you out of my life. Out of Yoki's life. Do you understand?" The air in her chest is hot enough a dragon would be put to shame. Those breaths come in shakes and rumbles. There's no quivering to be done here.

Lili's twin, rubbing her cheek after retrieving her cane, slowly retreats to her guards once she sees her opportunity. She nods. "Of course," she starts. She spits the pain out between the pair of sisters. "Do as you will." The two lock eyes for long enough that the guards start to shift, unsure if they should be looking at their employer or elsewhere. "I wish you luck."

When the two finally split, the true daughter of the sea between them looks up to the clouds above, and she smiles. "Fifty percent of a divorce? Lili. You really are shore-brained." A breath. "Pirates don't loot half a ship and leave the rest. No."

She giggles. "They take all they can and sink whatever's left."

[nnobodoodles]

Just posting some fancy 1920s characters I made to mess around with ☕✨

(aka things that happen when I read Wodehouse, Lackadaisy and binge Downton Abbey)

From left to right: Priya, Freddie, Matthew, Arthur & Marion

1928

Lord Dalham's son has succumbed to illness and the next heir to his title, his nephew Frederick Barlow, a solicitor, is to return to England after spending the last two years in India.

"Freddie", isn't quite the reserved, serious man that everyone remembered upon return; because they are in fact, Frederick's unruly twin that was travelling by his side to be engaged to an English officer.

After their brother's unexpected death, Freddie assumed his identity, recruiting the help of Frederick's former valet, one Matthew Halkett.

Through gentlemen's clubs, fancy country houses, speakeasies and gambling pits, dog shows and county fairs, Freddie discovers alarming and conflicting information regarding their twin, as well as people who seem to have curious ties to him.

Freddie Barlow (28)

Despite being born in the upper classes and having the privileges that come with this, Freddie never quite found their calling in life, nor were they considered a particularly graceful aristocrat; not being the one for sports like tennis, or the arts, desperately failing at music and painting.

They would have liked to pursue acting, but that option was of course, off the table. They were supposed to be a socialite like their mother, and their acting skills were required to put on a mask and pull on strings. That seemed to keep everyone pleased until in an effort to protect their best friend from a predatory suitor, Freddie allowed scandal to soil their name and was sent to India to get married, accompanied by their twin, Frederick.

After Frederick's death in a railroad "accident", Freddie discovers a plot against their family, and assumes his identity upon arriving in England, after a 2-year absence. Their alter ego is assumed to still be in India and married to an English officer.

Freddie is constantly discovering alarming and conflicting information regarding their twin and bears guilt, doubt, and identity issues over their actions.

(Freddie is afab & non-binary/genderfluid by today's standards, all pronouns apply but in the context of the story, Freddie leans towards masculine terms)

Matthew Halkett (30)

Matthew Halkett was Frederick's former valet, who was let go before the twins' trip to India.

Halkett grew up into poverty and was a thief and an underground boxer as a youth, before turning his life around in his teens. He dedicated his life to service, when his uncle, butler at Lord Dalham's big estate, helped him get into service as a footman. He soon found he has a particularly keen eye for detail, and a strong work ethic that made him shine amongst staff. He also served in the Great War before his employment at the Barlow household.

Upon receiving news of his potential title as heir to his uncle, Frederick required a valet, and when the two met at Lord Dalham's estate the offer was made.

As Frederick's valet Halkett knew most of the secrets of the household, including Freddie's. Due to an unjustly blamed incident of theft, Frederick fired him with no reference which left him in a rather unsatisfactory position, under the employment of an old bubbling arrogant Colonel.

His previous position also makes him a target of Frederick's enemies after his death. He is the first ally Freddie seeks out upon returning to England, and is offered, once again, the position of the valet on their side instead.

Priya Curtis (21)

The youngest daughter of middle class merchants, Priya Curtis is an sweet and elegant young lady of British-Indian heritage who seems to have followed Freddie all the way on his trip back to England. Or more like, she seems to think she's following Frederick.

The reason? Why, revenge, of course.

If they get past that misunderstanding, Priya and Freddie might discover they are connected by something of a familial nature.

Arthur Pennington (28)

Arthur Pennington is the son of an English earl & an American heiress, and Frederick's friend from their university days in Oxford. Despite his wealth, he also studied law but remains rather unworldly and naive due to a rather sheltered lifestyle. He makes up with his infectious energy, friendliness, and unending loyalty, and he's eager to recount old stories to Freddie, initially not realizing he's not talking to their twin.

Marion Ellis (36)

A Renaissance lady; writer, poet, and predominantly a journalist, she spent many good years in Paris and Montmartre, where her fiancé, John, awaits her return. An extremely romantic soul with a love for the arts and a social butterfly, Marion is well aware of the ins and outs of high society and has written under a nickname for ladies' magazines. She is an acquaintance of Freddie's lord-uncle, and apparently, had some mysterious ties to Frederick.

[cryoculus]

— guard dog 07 ⟢

pairing: thoma x assassin!reader

summary: thoma is quite the interesting character, but your time in the estate made you forget a quintessential truth: this man is anything but your friend.

word count: 4.2k words

notable characters: thoma, kamisato ayaka

tags: found family, enemies to lovers, slow burn, angst, eventual smut

warnings: allusions to past trauma, nightmares

header art cr: cykedelia on twt

masterlist

Your eyes were heavy the moment you opened them, staring up at the ceiling. Beads of sweat slid across the sides of your face as you forcibly tamed the thundering in your heart. 

Not real, you reminded yourself. They’re not real. 

You let out a shuddering sigh, tossing the covers off you before sitting upright. The attendants’ quarters was still dark, and the rest of your roommates were sound asleep. Even Ayame, who was considerably a light sleeper, laid quietly in the futon beside yours. It’s a miracle how she’s yet to complain about these bouts of insomnia that have been plaguing you for the past few days. You liked to think that’s her way of showing discretion—even if only a little.

The walk to the kitchen was quiet as always. None of the guards on the graveyard shift entered the mansion—never leaving their posts, as they should. But that meant you had no one to distract yourself with in a conversation either. Which was completely fine, though.

You didn’t really know how to explain why you’d always sob on the kitchen floor at this hour.

The polished wood underneath you was cold against your legs, but you paid it no mind as you buried your face into your palms. Your eyes stung. Your lungs burned. You couldn’t breathe. But even if there was a glass of water sitting on the counter; even if you knew one sip could make you feel more at ease, you let yourself choke on your sobs just a bit longer.

You lowered your hands, fingers trembling as you pictured each digit coated in blood. 

The first night this happened, you scrubbed them down in the kitchen sink until your skin felt raw to the touch. But no matter how much you tried to wash the non-existent blood off your hands, the specters of your sins remained. Like a ball and chain you’re forced to carry for the rest of your days. 

What happened to you?

You were one of Inazuma’s greatest mercenaries. A swordswoman who didn’t forge deeper connections with other people, because connections entail vulnerability, and vulnerability was what got people killed.  

Yet here you were, a pathetic mess on the cold, cold floor in the house of the woman you should’ve taken out a month ago. 

You let yourself get caught. Let them domesticate you into someone you’re not. They treated a cold-blooded murderer like one of their own as if you were above biting the hand that feeds you. As if you couldn’t massacre every single person in this estate if you so wished.

…But that wasn’t entirely true, was it?

Even without guards hovering around her, Ayaka could protect herself from any sort of danger. And it was evident in how long you’ve been stalling this assignment that your own conviction to see through the Tenryou Commission’s request was beginning to dwindle. You started thinking about the aftermath. About how the Yashiro Commission would take the loss of their Lady. About how you’ll never forgive yourself if someone like Ayaka had to die by your hand.

And then there was your chance meeting with Kujou Sara. 

No amount of money is worth the lives of thousands.

Those weren’t the words of someone who would exhaust all means to win a war. But even so… 

You’d already taken the job. Even if she hadn’t been the one to issue your orders, like you were first led to believe, you were going to do it. It was just as you’ve told Thoma that day in Konda Village. You never backed out of jobs out of guilt. 

Being a mercenary was all you’ve ever known. It made you who you are. If you couldn’t even stand by your own identity, then you were as good as dead either way.

“Hm? What are you doing here?”

The sound of a familiar voice piercing through the silence of the night had you scrambling back to your feet—wiping the salty tears off your face with the base of your palms.

You cleared your throat as you faced the newcomer. “I was just getting myself a drink.”

Thoma crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway with an unconvinced look. Tonight, he’d forgone his usual armor and jacket—donned with nothing but a loose black kimono. You startled even more when you realized the chief retainer wasn’t wearing his headband either. He’d even let his blond hair—that’s always tied loosely at his nape—cascade freely across his shoulders. You swallowed the lump in your throat a bit begrudgingly. 

 So this was what he looked like after hours.

“You don’t seem to have touched your water yet though,” Thoma pointed out, eyes flickering to the glass on the counter. “Something on your mind?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” you mumbled, grabbing your drink before gulping it all down. The tight coil in your chest seemed to loosen even just a bit, but the chief retainer’s stern gaze wasn’t exactly letting you relax just yet. “What about you? What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I woke up at random and decided to make the trip here.”

“What, so fate just happened to lead you here at the same time I’m getting a glass of water?”

“You’d be surprised with how things like fate operate in the sidelines, Miss Kira.” The chief retainer smiled before turning back. “Wait here. I have something for you.”

The next moment, you heard his footsteps receding out in the halls, leaving you at a loss as to what he was up to. You knew better than to linger here longer than you should, but Thoma had already walked in on you at your weakest. There’s simply no way that you could go any lower than that, so you might as well stick around and see things unfold.

When he returned, you couldn’t help but gawk at the familiar plush toy in his grasp.

“Here,” Thoma said, dropping Mister Danuki into your hands. “The late Lady Kamisato taught us that things you find comfort in can keep the night terrors at bay.”

How did he…?

You shook your head, attempting to give it back, but the firm look on his face made you think that he won’t budge as easily as you’d like him to. “I’m not even attached to this thing. What makes you think the dreams are just going to vanish if I sleep next to it?”

“It’s ‘Mister Danuki’, not ‘this thing’,” Thoma chided. “And he’s going to be guarding you from all those nasty nightmares from here on out.”

“But he’s yours.”

“Then think of it as a loan. When you’re comfortable enough again, you can give Mister Danuki back so you don’t have to act like you’re receiving a gift you don’t even want.” A gentle smile grazed the chief retainer’s face—one that incited a wave of warmth rippling in your chest. 

You shot him a perplexed stare as you fit your fingers around Mister Danuki’s waist. His perpetually stitched smile was all sorts of unnerving. You wondered why kids liked toys like this so much. 

But when you climbed back into your futon that night, you laid the plush right next to your head. When you closed your eyes, you couldn’t see Mister Danuki’s strange, cartoonish features. Instead, the scent of fresh aralia trees layered with a hint of musk filled your senses. It lulled you into a dream not about the blood you could never wash off your fingers.

But of a green-eyed man with a smile that’s brighter than the sun. 

The next morning, you waited until the last of the attendants had come out of the room before getting up. You rolled your futon, tucked it against the wall, before heading to your locker with Mister Danuki cradled safely in your arms. 

It was beginning to gain more and more clutter as the weeks passed. Ayaka had given you another set of kimonos, and you’d placed them atop the others she’d gifted previously. Giving retainers a few gifts wasn’t rare for her, it seemed. But apart from the proof of her generosity, the fox mask Thoma had bought you in the festival laid undisturbed next to them. You hadn’t really found an opportunity to wear it again, so it’s been stashed away here all this time. 

You sighed, fighting the smile that’s forcing its way onto your face as you placed Mister Danuki inside your locker of trinkets—silently hoping you’ll get to fill it with even more clutter soon enough.

Something was amiss the moment you’d joined the others for chores.

All around you, you could have sworn the attendants were glaring daggers your way. It’s a feeling you’re quite familiar with, given your line of work. But having to endure the weight of hostile stares from the Yashiro Commission’s retainers was something that you wouldn’t dare admit unnerved you.

Hina and her friends didn’t bother greeting you good morning like usual when you passed by them in the gardens. They’d been in the middle of a casual conversation, but the moment you graced them with your presence, they huddled away—voices hushed as they threw you patronizing glances every few seconds across the courtyard. 

You planned to accept their invitation for drinks, but… 

The guards weren’t as friendly as you remembered either. Each time you got close to the entrance of the estate, Hirano barked about ‘knowing your boundaries’ when you were simply shaping the topiaries like Madarame had assigned earlier. 

But you didn’t have it in you to ask him why he was suddenly acting so stingy.

Lunch was even more terrible. When they’d invited the attendants to eat ahead of the guards, instead of the regular servings of today’s dish, you were given a plateful of last night’s leftover scraps. You scowled as the day’s server walked away like she hadn’t literally given you a bunch of chicken bones and rotting vegetables. But despite the obvious animosity in the gesture, no one even batted an eyelash your way.

You stood up from your seat, marching away from the pavilion with the intention of heading straight outside.

Of course, Hirano wasn’t going to make that easy for you. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“For a walk,” you replied with the same passive-aggressive undertone. “From what I know, I’m free to go anywhere I want to go now.”

“That’s only if you’re working under direct orders from Master Thoma or the Commissioner,” Hirano scoffed. “I don’t suppose someone like you has been saddled with an important assignment as of late?”

“Actually, I did give her orders to meet me at Chinju Forest earlier.”

Ever your savior, Thoma slung an arm around Hirano’s shoulder as the guard sputtered with his words. “M-Master Thoma! My apologies. I didn’t think—”

“No need to explain yourself.” The chief retainer grinned, but there was no mirth to be seen on his face. “Come on, Miss Kira. We’re burning daylight, yes?” 

You had no earthly clue as to where Thoma even came from. Madarame informed that Ayaka and Thoma left for Ritou with the Commissioner to discuss border control restrictions with the Kanjou Commission. What was he even doing here?

Thoma was quiet the entire stroll into the forest, letting you lead the way as he tailed you from a set distance. Unlike the previous night, he was back in his old uniform again—looking like an unassuming retainer as always. Nothing but the sound of a distant waterfall filled the silence, and you figured that asking him why he wasn’t with Ayaka was going to end up being fruitless in the end.

“What are you looking for exactly?”

You glanced at him wearily, surprised that he’d even spoken. “How’d you know I was looking for something?”

“You look like you’re itching to get your hands on that something,” he pointed out. “And you seem a bit worse for wear yourself. Did Mister Danuki fail to keep the nightmares at bay, hm?”

…You didn’t want to tell him that sleeping with the stupid toy actually worked. You had more pride than that. But you also weren’t keen on informing Thoma about the way the rest of the Kamisato retainers started treating you. You never belonged in that estate anyways, and they must have thought that you’ve long overstayed your welcome. 

(It’s not like you were deluded enough to think you could play house any longer…)

You elected not to answer altogether, focusing on mapping your way around the winding paths until you’ve come across a dilapidated shrine at the edge of the woods.

“Do you have a shovel with you?” you mumbled.

Thoma frowned. “Why would I have a shovel with me?” 

…He had a point. 

Sighing, you sank to your knees as you began digging through the soft earth with your bare hands. The soil wormed its way into your fingernails, and you might have cut yourself on a couple of sharp stones in the process. But you didn’t pay that much heed. 

Thoma was right. You were itching to get your hands on something. That something being the sword that kept you alive in more ways than one all these years. 

You didn’t bother opening your bag once you’d made a deep enough hole to reach what little belongings you had. You weren’t even cautious of the fact that you’d just revealed your little hiding place to Thoma, of all people. All you could think about was the surge of calm that flooded your veins as you gripped the hilt of your sword. You unsheathed it without a second thought, and the blade gleamed despite the scarce light. 

Thoma whistled. “That’s a beautiful sword you got there.”

You nodded silently, fingers gliding over the flat of the blade as you marveled at the sight of it. 

Then, you pointed the impossibly sharp tip in Thoma’s direction. 

“Spar with me,” you proposed. “If you want me to stop looking ‘worse for wear’, you’ll spar with me.”

You expected him to look at you the same way Hina and the others did in the gardens earlier—eyes almost burning with hatred. But…Thoma never did.

Instead, his lips cracked into an expectant smile—thrusting out his hand as a Kitain spear materialized out of thin air and into his grasp. These damn Vision-wielders… 

“Alright,” he humored you, twirling his weapon around with practiced ease. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you though.”

You couldn’t help but mirror his expression.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

With all the back-to-back nightmares you’d suffered through the entire week, you completely forgot about the plans you made with Thoma a few days prior.

After your impromptu duel (which you would always argue ended in a draw even if Thoma managed to disarm you), the chief retainer decided to make good on his promise to treat you to three pints of beer. He knew a place in Ritou Harbor that sold only the best brews, and was wholly intent on letting you in on the experience.

“Aren’t milady and the Commissioner at the Hiiragi estate though?” you wondered, settling down in one of the tables as Thoma sat in front of you. “Won’t you get into deep shit if they discover you horsing around at an izakaya?”

He laughed, going over the wooden menu with a casual air to his gaze. Like he’d already surveyed its contents a handful of times in the past. “You forget that I’m also a well-established fixer here. Humoring clients in a place as comfortable as this is in my job description.”

“So I’m a client now.”

“Of course not.” Thoma winked. “You’re here as…an esteemed guest. Kind of.”

“...For some reason, I’m not liking the sound of that.”

“You will once you finally get a taste of their prized drinks and dishes,” he chuckled before calling one of the servers to your table.

It was nearing dusk by the time you and Thoma had called it quits at Chinju Forest. So when the two of you were served with two bowls of donburi, you couldn’t help but wolf it down in one fell swoop. You’d already skipped out on lunch for obvious reasons, so you weren’t sure if the food here was as good as he said they were or you were just too starved to be particular about what you ate. 

But before you could remove some grains of rice on your face, you noticed that Thoma hadn’t touched his food, and was instead resting his chin on top of his palm as he watched you intently. 

“Quit staring at me,” you grumbled self-consciously as you flicked off the grains. “It’s weird. Even for you.”

To his credit, Thoma did pick up his chopsticks and started eating his food like a normal person. But he absolutely, positively did not stop staring. It was only when the famous beer he wouldn’t shut up about arrived that you could finally take off the edge.

“Ugh, you weren’t kidding,” you sighed, wiping off the froth bubbles on your lip with a napkin. “This is some good stuff.”

“You want to know their secret ingredient?” Thoma asked, retrieving his own mug from the tray as he lightly bumped it with yours. “Though you might find the information a bit unsettling.”

You shrugged, taking another swig. “I’ve consumed worse.”

“Dendrobiums.” 

A pause. You stared at the drink in your hand, noting that the beer inside had a more vibrant tinge than what you’re used to. “...You mean the flowers we give to the dead?” 

Thoma nodded. “They’re said to bloom in a battlefield that has seen much bloodshed. With that in mind, don’t you think it’s a little grotesque that the shop serves dendrobium beer?” 

“A lot of people think it’s grotesque for one to kill people for a living, but no one’s pestering me about it so…” 

Thoma nodded slowly, gloved fingers tracing the rim of his mug. “So that’s your answer…”

“Was I supposed to respond in another way, Master Thoma?” 

“Not at all,” he insisted with a smile. “Now since we’re here tonight as drinking buddies, why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

You scowled at him. “You’re not serious.”

“I am. And I’m already treating you tonight, so the least you could do is humor me a little.” He pouted. “Come on, let’s start with something simple. What’s your favorite color?” 

Green. That’s the first word that flickered in your mind when you met his eyes. You gulped down a mouthful of dendrobium beer to wash out those strange thoughts.

“All colors are beautiful,” you rasped. “What’s your favorite plant?” 

“Plant not flower?” Thoma laughed.

“Yeah. Got a problem with that?”

“Nope.” He shook his head, finishing the rest of his drink. You shot him another grimace as you stared at your own mug. You weren’t even halfway through yours… “I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but there’s something called a fluorescent fungus that only grows in Tsurumi Island.”

You blinked. “So you like mushrooms?” 

“They’re fascinating, okay? Especially when they start to glow at night,” Thoma reasoned. “What’s your favorite food?” 

“I’m not one to be picky.”

“You already avoided my first question, come on.”

“Alright, alright!” You sighed, reaching out to munch on the lotus crisps the servers had left. “I guess your katsu wasn’t too bad…”

Before he could take advantage of any leeways to tease, you added, “Why are we even asking about favorites?”

“Alright,” he said, obviously playing along. “What chore do you hate the most?”

“Laundry. How old were you when you were adopted by the Kamisatos?”

“Fifteen. How old were you when you first killed a man?”

“...Fifteen. Where are you originally from?”

“Mondstadt. Why are you so hell-bent on murdering milady?”

“I already answered that earlier. I was paid for the job. Why are you so hell-bent on trying to convince me to give it up?”

“Because I know you deserve better.”

White noise rang in your ears as your rapid back-and-forth came to a screeching halt. All that's left of your beer were the froth bubbles at the bottom of the mug, and you wondered if you heard him right.

Thoma sighed, lacing his fingers together on the table. “When we were sparring earlier, I felt it. You swung your sword with the intent to defeat me, yes. But every time we exchanged blows, I couldn’t help but notice how tired you were.”

“You think?” you laughed humorlessly. “With all the nightmares I’ve—”

“But those nightmares aren’t the only thing that’s bothering you, am I right?” He raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his broad chest. “You’re confused. You don’t really know if you want to see your assignment until the end or if you should just ditch your employer and live with us for good.”

“Thoma,” you warned. “Drop it.”

The chief retainer shook his head. “Miss Kira, I have another question. If you would be so kind as to answer.”

“Why did you kill Doctor Suzuki Naoko?”

All it took were those few, exact words to light the fuse.

You remembered how the doctor bled out on the floor of his home after he’d asked you to slay him with the same sword you used to spar with Thoma. Remembered the glassy look in his eyes as blood streamed from his sockets. You couldn’t do it yourself. You couldn’t kill the man who’d taught you the value of a single human life. 

…But you didn’t help him either. 

You knew he brewed more batches of that supplement of his. The one that made the nightmares go away, and stopped the nosebleeds before they could even begin. You also knew that it was potent enough to save a patient on the brink of death. All you had to do was directly inject it into their bloodstream. 

But instead of scrambling for one of his syringes, you could only watch in silent terror—frozen in place as the curse of the Tatarigami took another person dear to your heart. 

“I didn’t kill him…”

You hated how your voice cracked. Hated how the endless void in your chest had seemingly grown twice in size—intent on devouring you whole. Your vision was blurry, tears welling at your lashes until they landed in fat drops on the low table before you.

“I didn’t kill him, but I might as well have…”

Thoma had an unreadable look on his face. “Let me take a wild guess. I’m assuming that for some godforsaken reason, Doctor Suzuki became infected by the Tatarigami. And you watched him die right in front of you.”

“Shut up…”

“You grieved. You mourned. But you didn’t know how to come to terms with your own inaction,” the blond sighed, gazing at you almost pitifully. “That’s why you took your sword and decided to carry out what the doctor wanted you to do in his last moments. Killing others as a way to cope with loss is a madman’s logic, but you were young and traumatized. No one would blame you.”

“Thoma, shut up. Please…” 

“But what would he think if he saw you now?” He shook his head, reaching out for a lotus chip as he stared at it in fascination. “The young apprentice he’d adopted. The one to whom he passed some of his medicinal arts—having a blatant disregard for the very same lives you used to preserve—”

The table rattled as you pounded your fists on the surface, startling Thoma out of his seemingly practiced spiel. He gazed at you with wide eyes as you felt the hot tears racing down your cheeks. 

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” you screamed, uncaring that the other patrons will definitely hear you. “You don’t get to talk like you know what I feel. You’ve had it easy all this time. You have Ayaka and everyone else in the Yashiro Commission. Me? I have no one, Thoma. Fucking no one!”

Your throat felt like it was closing up, mouth seemingly filled with cotton. A dry sob tore its way out of your lips as you dug your nails into your hair. You couldn’t breathe again. The darkness was closing in on every direction again.

You were alone again.

“Thoma, I think that’s enough.”

You felt her presence before you could even process her words. 

Like sakura petals drifting onto the soft white snow—that’s how Ayaka always seemed to you whenever she was kind enough to grace you with her presence. You didn’t know how long she’d been there; if she’d heard everything you and Thoma had talked about. But when the princess knelt to your side and encouraged you to lie down, to rest your head on her lap, you didn’t have the heart to protest. 

The tears continued to flow even if Ayaka smoothed her gentle hands across your hair, humming an old lullaby your mother used to sing you to sleep with. That seemingly endless void was still there—lurking in the depths of your heart. But somehow, Ayaka’s voice, Ayaka’s presence, Ayaka herself was bright enough to make it retreat back into the shadows. 

You could breathe. The darkness was gone.

You weren’t alone.

(And how desperately you wished that time stood still—sealing yourself in that moment for eternity.)

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[astarab1aze]

➥ Caedis Die L'Carrus

⸻Technical Information. // Face, Voice, etc.

01. Faceclaim. Sylus Qin   [ Love & Deepspace ] 04. Voice Claim. Ray Chase (?)

⸻Profile Information. // Name, Age, etc.

01. Name. Keres Corvo Karnus Morteatum, III 02. Alias. Kay, Caedis Die L’Carrus 03. Sex. Male 04. Gender. Male 05. Age. Unknown 06. Birth Date. October 28th   [ Scorpio ] 07. Blood Type. Sub-type VA- 08. Race. Vampire, American by nationality ; French-English by ethnicity. 09. Marital Status. Single   [ Multiship ] 10. Orientation. Demisexual   [ Biromantic / no preference ] 11. Residence. Luxury penthouse in Miami, far and away from the Morteatum Estate in Belle Valley - he has no desire to even run the chance of seeing his family members, but was looking for Vayn when he went ‘missing’.

⸻Physical Information. // Body, Equipment, Family, etc.

17. Physical Description. Keres has short, silvery hair that sits feathered, or otherwise ‘elegantly disheveled’. It has a dull lilac hue to it in certain lights and is well maintained, styled using lightweight products. His eyes, narrow and hooded, are pinkish red, or magenta, framed by short, dark silver eyelashes and he sees right through you. He stands at a tall 6'4" and has a seemingly stiff posture, with broad shoulders and firm musculature, angular dorito man (and a little bony). His skin is somewhat warm for ghostly pale, belying the truth of his vampiric pedigree, and while it appears otherwise unblemished, there are a number of lasting silver burns on his arms and back - all received when the heir of night was captured at war, for he was captured too. Pale red-violet in color, ashen scars all. He tends to wear modern elegant clothing, his wardrobe entirely custom, in shades of black, red, and gray, and in a way that makes him seem…almost human.

13. Equipment. He doesn’t keep much on him but his credit card, cellphone, and catalyst - a wand carved from ancient dragon glass, obsidian black with rivers of blood and gold winding around its surface, glowing faintly when used. 14. Occupation. He has two: Acts as director of Morteatum International Private Security, which puts him in charge of security for all Red Hand vampires ; But, he also works in tandem with Cedric Montgomery in his rebellion against the very same Red Hand, using information gleaned from ever-constant surveillance to organize hits on specific targets at just the right time, allow room for non-Sanguinarian parties to gain power, and ultimately eliminate the Red Hard altogether (big ask). 15. Job Performance. Highly valued, impossible to replace, in both positions. 16. Parents. Keres Morteatum II and Carmilla Morningstar - one of which was heretical in her belief in vampire supremacy, where the other remains neutral overall, bound only by his loyalty to the family. He has a tense relationship with both and cares for neither. 17. Siblings. Keres II’s progeny Caelus (29M), Carmilla’s Elizabeth (542F) & Antonetta Devilliers (30F) - and many more, none that he considers siblings.

⸻Personality Information. // Likes, Strengths, etc.

18. Likes. Luxury, marble, gold, black mirrors, Cedric, backbone, autonomy, whisky, night flights, snakes, birds of prey, investing, philosophy, freedom, well-implemented justice, secrets, shadows, people who can think for themselves, history, theatrics (in certain circumstances), classical music, etc. 19. Dislikes. Incompetence, most aspects of vampire culture, the Red Hand, enthrallment, gritting his teeth and bearing it, unnecessary violence, having to drink blood, kids, mortal foods, bloody delights, the gruesome process of turning, debt, how society works as a whole, dogs, werewolves, the Catch & Release Principle (doesn’t mean what it sounds like it means), all loyal to the Red Hand, all faithful to Sanguinach, frivolity, lack of spine, fire users, and plenty more.

20. Positive Traits. Loyal. Thoughtful. Observant. Serious. Merciful. Talented. Intelligent. Calm. Collected. Protective. Focused. Reciprocal. 21. Negative Traits. Cold. Aloof. Bitter. Unapologetic. Miniscule sense of humor. Punishing. Manipulative. Unforgiving. Obstinate. Arrogant. Hypocritical. Taunting. 22. Goals. To dismantle the Red Hand and put an end to the Sanguinarian chokehold on vampires as a whole, and to coronate Cedric Montgomery, the true Heir of Night, as the new Nightfather and king of all vampires; To usher in an age of mutualism, merit, and prosperity for all, and to unveil the existence of nightfolk to humans in an effort to create a more unified world, under Cedric’s rule. 23. Desires. To blow the Morteatums and the Morningstars all to the hells. 24. Alignment. Chaotic Neutral (Good?)

25. Personality. There is nothing this man wouldn’t do to collapse the Red Hand and put an end to it forever, divesting himself of his emotions and compassion in an effort to bring his plans to fruition. He is uniquely motivated, spiteful and cruel in his deliverance, dishing out every bit of what he’s given - unafraid of getting his hands dirty, of doing his own dirty work, entirely resolved to serve Cedric as the sword he uses to strike down evil at its rotten core. Dramatic, quite, but true nonetheless, another victim of self-abandonment due to express purpose and deeply held desires for change, for personal revenge. He is cool and calculating, always has a plan and utmost faith that it’ll work if he stays his course, slinking through shadows, manipulating other vampires, blackmailing them and utterly ruining their lives if not outright killing them. He can be harsh and unfriendly, sarcastic and aloof, even occasionally self-righteous. He knows he’s a villain, even if he’s on the ‘good side’ - but there are no good men in war, only varying degrees of bad men and death. Bitter and angry about what the Red Hand have done to him, to Vayn, Cedric, Claire, and other vampires, itching to at last deal retribution. He has survived much and continues to, conquering deceit, lust, power, and all else vampires covet, to use as a bludgeon against them all. Focused, determined, capable of seeing it all through to the end, accepting the loneliness of his position and purpose in undeath.

⸻Sorcery Information. // Affinity, Talent, etc.

26. Affinity. Ice, Necrotic, and Earth - exceptional manipulation and natural sourcing. 27. Shapeshifting. Innate Raven - naturally capable of shifting into the form of a silvery leucistic raven in accordance with his vampire blood ; natural-born vampires are capable of shifting into one of three animals, commonly discovered within three years of birth. 28. Utility. Silence, alteration, healing, hypnosis, leeching, waterwalking, waterbreathing, hexes, curses, herbalism, alchemy, Growth, and plenty more. 29. Specialization. Shadow, Water, and Thorn - he is one of the only few who have managed to keep shadow magic alive, like Crovita, using his vampirism as a means of strengthening it, evolving it into Abyssal magic. 30. Graduate School. Night’s Cathedral - one of the eleven nightfolk schools in North America, focused on the education of vampires only and specifically ; This school is well-respected among vampires as an institution, the arbiter of vampiric education, but is simultaneously a churner of extremely dangerous Red Hand agents 31. Classification. High Vampire, Master of Security ; High vampires are a class of noble vampire bearing incredible strength and mastery over not only themselves, but their appetites and magical inclinations as well, posing as, ironically, even more of a threat than the standard vampire or even ghoul - him especially, since he maintains his position as the head of the intelligence & security arm of the Morteatum family.

⸻Background Information. // Past to Present.

    Keres was born around the same time as the Heir to the Throne of Night, Cedric Montgomery, and so the pair - whose families were closely allied - were raised alongside each other as nobles, as friends. Hand-picked aised, under a miles-long list of expectations and the rigid Principles of vampire society, and chosen to follow in his father's footsteps. Plucked from his mother's unholy womb, and groomed for a royally militant life - a knight without the title, but a believer in in Sanguinach all the same.

But it was in his fledgling age that he saw the reason in the Red Hand's - namely, the Morteatums' - philosophy, understanding the inherent need to protect their own from other nightfolk, from humans. Safety in an ivory tower, on Night's Sacred Ground, when all the world around them loathed and misunderstood them. Often were they hunted, not only by humans but by werewolves, and so - naturally, vampires, Sanguinarian or not, had to find a way to survive. They banded together and unified under the Nightfather's banner, and changed, vying for power and control by any means necessary in an effort to prop themselves up with tools, magical affinities, and livestock.

Trouble was, Keres didn't know just how far the Red Hand was willing to go, nor the breadth of the depravity of the families in its ranks, including his own. He believed his parents, at first, after the raiding parties, when so many of them would return in shrouds. Seeing enslavement as righteous consequence to opposing the Red Hand, war and death as holy, indoctrinated from the moment he was born. He didn't see the truth, even as it flew before his very eyes, fighting these wars as a boy, accustomed to the battlefield when he first learned to properly feed. He was trained explicitly to kill, and any who opposed the Red Hand.

When he came of age, he was treated to a royal orgy and sent once mor into battle alonside Cedric, but it was in this petty war between the Myerscoughs and the Montgomerys over who retained the right to the Feywild, that the pair had been captured - caught sleeping in shallow graves when dawn came, and tortured for weeks on end with silver, exposure to sunlight, isolation, and starvation, paraded around in half-shaded gibbets as Myerscough thralls did their masters' dirty work. He had only Cedric's screams to keep him company, and there were none who would come to save them.

It was during this conflict that Keres devised a plan to escape and rescue Cedric. Weakened by his ordeal, yet still he pushed himself, scrambled for even the smallest hint of malleable energy with which to trade faces with one of his torturers and sow just enough doubt. A pinch of hypnotism, a hint of convincing alteration, acting, and he was quickly released, the one replacing him in silver chains. If it worked once...surely it would work twice, and it did, against the thralls. Once he located and freed Cedric, there was something different about him. Not vengeful, but hollow, yet in the end, when they'd recovered just enough of their energy, feeding on the corpses of dead thralls, they slaughtered half the Myerscough clan and broke their house, proving the Montgomerys the victors - thus rightful owners of the Feywild they sought to conquer. Cedric's twin, Claire, took care of the rest, and carried her brother home.

In the aftermath, Cedric was treated like a defective tool, propped up only as Godwin Montgomery's heir as planned and his truest disappointment simultaneously. What happened to Cedric was swept under the rug and hidden away so as to maintain the King's image, and such had inflamed his disillusionment with the Red Hand, his loyalty to his friend outweighing all else. Bitterness and disgust were born within him, for he could not suffer the callousness and disregard of a lord he once respected, the ignored realities of vampiric depravity. And he carefully considered then the far-reaching consequences of the actions of immortal men, a Feywild village invaded and its people slaughtered or taken to be indignified as livestock. And he knew, he knew what was done to them, for it had been done to him, to Cedric. Only, they wouldn't have the opportunity to escape.

Soon after the confrontation with Godwin, Cedric, despite his injuries, paid a visit to Keres. Sickened by the cruelty of vampires, Cedric unloaded his concerns and frustrations, but insodoing revealed a plan - one that would require patience, secrecy, and strength of will. Over the course of the next few centuries, they were to lie. Publically align themselves in perfect harmony with the Red Hand's desire for supreme leadership over nightfolk, fey, and humans - all the while secretly organizing a rebel force to rival the Red Hand's military force, and the Sanguinarian clerics, positioning themselves strategically until the time was right. This meant that, on occasion, killings would be necessary and vital to maintain their mounting rebellion, and that using the petty hatred of the remnants of the Myerscoughs to their advantage would be, too. Keres agreed.