#HarcourtHolmesII

[harcourtholmesii]

An attempt was made! I haven't really kept up with art in a while and I haven't done an awful lot of sketching for some time, but I'm pretty happy with this.

I had to edit it in Photos a little as it was a bit blurry and not quite catching details, so I'm hoping that it sill looks decent.

[writeyouin]

Lucifer (Hazbin Hotel) X Fem-Reader - Sinless Sinners - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Misery Loves Company

A/N – Okay, so for anyone who loves Stand-up comedy as much as I do, I highly recommend you watch Daniel Sloss’ tour, Dark. That’s his first tour, and it was where he coined the term Wanker-Anchor, which is used in this story.

Warnings – None.

Rating – M

TAG-LIST: @xx-all-purpose-nerd-xx @sseleniaa @randomgurl2326 @22carolina08 @astrxwitch @yu-87 @clover-1767 @lil-bexie @thesimpybitch @reverse-soe @koirb @usernameunavailable2 @lavenderkita @kannakanan @mcueveryday @amarokofficial @mbruben-stein @tyrythewolf @lasagna-501 @bizzardvark @firefirefeline @kaylanotkk @missme-07 @memontica @angelsdemonsmonsters @tj4shy @midoria-kinnie @meesachan @fusehoundshipper @velvettenoctus @crescent-z @just-trash-yeah-thats-it @rosiescannibalwife @skylerbutterfly @hamthepan @latersgaters-steven @kryptidkova @sleepyhead-number27 @cherry-4200 @harcourtholmesii @alastorandluciferspouse @holyspacething @kedelman24 @becsmarvel @vash-yuu

MALE VERSION HERE

GN VERSION HERE

“Whoa,” Charlie said upon seeing you.

She had seen your Demonic form before, but it was a rarity and it usually meant that you weren’t doing well mentally.

“Are you okay?” She asked, sucking in air through her teeth, her voice pitching high, indicating that she already knew the answer but didn’t want to point out the obvious in case it upset you further.

“I’m fine,” You answered shortly.

“Really? Because you uh, well,” Charlie twisted her hands back and forth, “You uh, you look a little- I mean, hey, I think you’re beautiful inside and out but when you’re like this it usually means- It’s normally-”

“You’re fucked up,” Vaggie finished for her, getting straight to the point.

“I’m fine,” You insisted, using the words everyone used when they were decidedly not fine. “Where’s Angel Dust?”

“In his room,” Vaggie explained.

“What happened? He was doing so well.”

Charlie’s eyes welled up with tears and she threw her arms around you, sobbing out an explanation, “It was my fault. I asked him about his contract, and he told me not to worry, but I did worry, and then I wanted to make sure he’d be okay when me and Vaggie go to visit Heaven, but he said he didn’t need a babysitter, and then I got Husk involved and Husk told me not to fuck with things I don’t understand, and then Valentino came-”

“Wait, Valentino came here?!” You pulled Charlie off you so you could look her in the eyes.

“Well, not exactly, but he sent his crew here and told Angel they had to film and I said no, and-”

You left Charlie and ran to Angel’s room. Both Charlie and Vaggie followed you as you pelted through the corridors. No wonder Angel had relapsed. That piece of shit Valentino had used Angel’s contract against him. As part of the deal they had made, Angel had to do any work Valentino demanded of him, and that fucking scumbag had dared to invade the one place where Angel felt safe.

Knowing Charlie, she would have pointed out that Valentino couldn’t use her property and would have to wait for Angel at the studio, but that wouldn’t matter. Valentino would play by the rules; it wasn’t really about filming at the Hotel, it was all a matter of proving that Angel belonged to him and that there was no safe place he could hide away.

Besides, even if Valentino hadn’t gotten his way at the Hotel, he would take it out on Angel the next time he was in the studio. It was a lose-lose situation, something that Hell was always too eager to provide.

When you got to Angel’s room, you paused to compose yourself. It wouldn’t help if you sounded too desperate or concerned; Angel didn’t respond well to that. It would make him blame himself for making you worry, and then he would spiral further.

You knocked on the door, “Hey Angel, it’s us. Can we come in please?”

“Go away,” Angel’s heavy accent came through the door, marking him more as Anthony than Angel Dust, though you didn’t say anything about that; there were very few people who knew his real name, and he didn’t like to be reminded of it.

For better or worse, he was Angel Dust; that was who he needed to be to survive.

You glanced at Charlie and Vaggie, then tilted your head, indicating that they should leave. Charlie hesitated until Vaggie placed a hand on her shoulder, then after an affirming nod from you, she let Vaggie lead her away.

“Come on Angel,” You said when they were gone. “It’s just me. Let me in.”

“Piss off.”

You sighed, then sat outside the door, and began talking. You didn’t have a grand speech planned, only what was on your mind, and if Angel wasn’t going to let you in, then it became a matter of letting him know that he wasn’t alone and that you wouldn’t abandon him, though you would respect his space.

“I get it. Valentino fucked with you. He love-bombed you, and that didn’t fucking work because you’re stronger than he is and you’re not going to fall for his shitty manipulation tactics. Now, he’s sending his goons here. It’s all just another one of his games, Angel. Don’t let him win.”

There was no response. You stayed quiet for a minute then were struck with a thought; misery loves company.

“Hey, I also kind of feel like shit today, you know? I kept thinking about Hell and… a lot of things. I told Charlie’s dad how I died. That was fucked up.”

Again, there was no response, but you thought you heard Angel shuffle closer to the door. Until that evening, nobody had heard anything about your mortal life, and now you were talking about it for the second time.

“I was murdered for a snuff film. I still have nightmares about it.”

There was a bluntness to your tone. Although it hurt to state the memory aloud again, albeit in less detail, you decided not to put too much thought into it. If your death could help someone, well, there had to be some good in bringing it up.

You stared at the peeling red wallpaper across from you, just so you had something to focus on. “I’m terrified that one day, I’m gonna walk down the street and see the guys that killed me. Like, what do you even do in that situation? Call them out? They’re in Hell, that’s punishment enough, right? Will they find it funny to see me again? Find new ways to hurt me?”

I honestly don’t know what I want in this scenario. I don’t want them to die, ‘cos then they’ll be here, but if they live, they’ll do this to other people. Kidnap them, sell them to the highest bidder, film it for the black market. I dunno… I’ve been here for a year, and I keep thinking about that.”

The door opened and you fell back, looking up at Angel’s concerned face.

“That’s the most fucked up shit I’ve ever heard.”

He lifted you up, setting you right with two arms, while the other two brushed you off.

“So… this is you?” He asked, taking in your rag-doll appearance.

You laughed and imitated his voice, your Demonic abilities kicking in to mimic him perfectly, “I can be anything you want, bay-by.”

“That’s the hottest you’ve ever sounded.”

“Yeah, yeah,” You waved him off blasély. “Just let me in, okay? I can help.”

“So, uh, with the voice, and the-” Angel gestured at your new look, moving his hands in a circular motion, “Can you uh- Be other people?”

“I don’t know,” You said slowly, looking at your hands, “Never tried.”

You concentrated for a moment, trying to transform back to your original self. Usually, it was effortless. Yet, as you stared at the stitches that bound you together, you found it difficult to do more than revert to your original skin colour. Seeing that beneath the stitches was somehow worse, so you stopped trying to change, accepting that for now, you were a ragdoll.

You shrugged your shoulders, “Fuck it. I am what I am, and that’s all that I am.”

You caught sight of Angel’s precious pet pig. Scooping him up into your arms and cuddling him, you cooed in a baby voice, “Besides, you still love me, don’t you Fat Nuggets, yeeeees, precious baby.”

Sitting down on Angel’s bed, you looked up at your friend, deciding that it was better not to let the difficult conversation wait and fester.

“Soooo…” You scratched Fat Nuggets behind the ear, “Charlie told me that you relapsed. Wanna talk about it?”

Angel sighed and flopped back onto the bed so he was lying next to you, his legs planted on the floor.

He dragged two hands over his face, the other two lay despondently over his stomach.

“I- It was just such a shitty day, and Val sent those pricks here, not that they could fill any holes. Wrong kind of pricks, you know?” He half laughed, but it died when he realised the joke wasn’t funny in such a shitty situation.

Still, you smiled at him. When Angel was sad, he didn’t always need someone to sympathise with him. He needed to see that you weren’t going to change and start treating him differently. Sometimes that meant just listening, but other times it meant making the meanest jokes you could think of and laughing at how horrible everything was.

You were his Wanker-anchor, chaining him to reality by being a dick; Husk was the best at it, but seeing as he was nowhere to be found, Angel had you instead.

“Here,” Angel held up a small sealed bag, with his stash in it. So, he hadn’t relapsed after all. He’d just come very close.

“No thanks,” You joked, “I’m full from all the crack I had at breakfast.”

Angel got up and punched your arm, “You’re such an asshole.”

“Takes one to know one,” You took his stash, tucking it away in your pocket, then you stood up, leaving Fat Nuggets on the bed, and you offered Angel your hand. “Come on.”

“What-”

“You need a distraction. So, I challenge you, Angel Dust, teach me how to dance.”

“You’re fucking kiddin’, right?”

You shook your head. “You can dance, I can’t and I’m bored. So, come on, give me some lessons. It’ll be good to get moving.”

“When you fail, can I call you a retard?”

“Fuck no. You can’t say retard anymore, what the fuck is wrong with you. You can insult the shit outta me, but keep your terms acceptable, okay?”

Honestly, Angel had thought he was up to date on what insults and trash talk were deemed acceptable, but evidently, he was wrong.

“Alright, I’ll teach you to dance, but you gotta keep me updated on all the latest slang, and what’s changed up there,” He glanced up as if he could see Earth.

“I’ve been dead a year, bud. A lot can change in that time,” You said, thinking about all the ways you were probably outdated.

Angel grabbed his phone and turned up the tunes, “Sounds like a coward’s excuse to get outta teaching.”

And so it was that you and Angel started to dance. It was nothing like his work, or when he was forced to pimp himself out in clubs as a form of ‘networking.’ Instead, it was stupid, fun, and uncoordinated with you as his partner. Christ, he had never danced with someone so terrible. You let him lead, and together, the two of you laughed at each other’s expense and forgot all about the shitty things that had happened that day.

Up in his Radio Station, Alastor grinned sinisterly. He had heard you quite clearly as he went about his business in the Hotel. You were murdered? How delightful. Victims were so easy to manipulate. Furthermore, you were a ragdoll. Oh, how wonderfully he could exploit that power.

All it would take was an invitation of friendship, a desperate situation, and an offer of assistance. When Alastor had sent Husk away on an errand earlier, he hadn’t imagined it would turn out so wonderfully.

Now, there was a new piece on the chessboard, and Alastor was determined to capture you as his pawn.

Your soul would be his.

[inkymoonbunny]

Astarion x Tav Fic Recs

These are just some of my favorites! <3 Mix of during game and AUs

Epistles of Saints & Sinners @elegantduelliste - Soulmate Marks AU during game. Astarion recognizes Tav’s soulmate mark, it matches his own, but he's not going to tell her that; he can't have a soulmate, it's just one more thing Cazador has stolen from him. Tav is just as drawn to Astarion, but her own history has left her guarded and wary of being vulnerable. Elle’s writing of the push and pull of their relationship is breathtaking and heart-wrenching. Matching a bard Tav, Elle's prose takes on a lyrical quality and her use of imagery is unparalleled. 

The House of Astarion by Throckmorton420 - Labyrinth AU post-Elderbrain. Ascended Astarion lost interest in conquering Faerun once he came across the Labyrinth, it's much more his style anyway. Stealing Tav’s violin, he offers her a deal: solve his Labyrinth and he'll return her violin and grant her a wish. Realizing this is her opportunity to reconnect to the Weave, Tav agrees. Did I mention goostarion? Because there's goostarion! This fic is filled with mischief, whimsy, and so much heart. 

Fools' Work @semper-draca - Pre-Tadpole AU. Cazador has sent his spawn after a mysterious box and luckily for Astarion, his latest target happens to have a lead. It should be easy to seduce her and steal the prize! Too bad she’s not as naive as Astarion believes. This mercenary Tav is perceptive and delightfully unhinged that makes her a great matchup for a scheming Astarion. 

When the Dawn Breaks… @harcourtholmesii - set during game. Before Astarion was turned, he ignored his family’s disapproval of a Drow lover. Two hundred years later, Lavender has found the lover she grieved and believed dead. Astarion brushes away her questions but still sweeps her off her feet. He can’t believe his luck in finding a target that presumably knows him, one easy to lure back when he so desperately needs to keep in good graces with his master. 

Until You @bloodinwine - Post-Elderbrain with modern world AU flavor. Effy thought Astarion needed a friend more than a lover, so now here they are as roommates and definitely not hopelessly in love pining after one another. Effy struggles to fight her way free of self-destructive tendencies and be the person Astarion needs her to be. This Tav is a loveable hot mess! I have never wanted to take a character by the shoulders and shake them so badly, thank you June for spinning Effy into the world. 

Lacunae @karinamay - Series set during game. Tav was once Astarion’s target, but she slipped away. Upon meeting after the Nautiloid crash, she remembers but Astarion does not. This is the one that inspired me to start writing again. It’s sweet and heartbreaking and deliciously spicy!

Pour One Out @aevallare - Modern AU/1000 years post-Elderbrain. A spinoff from the much loved and fandom favorite Kindred featuring an anxious Auri that doesn't remember her past life and a tailor Astarion that's in awe of finding his love again. This is an Astarion that's had centuries to heal from his ordeal with Cazador, one that's been able to flourish in freedom. Astarion gets his chance to be a hero for Auri this time around. Aevallare's characterization of Astarion is absolutely unmatched.

All these fics are ongoing so you must be patient, but DO give them a read and the authors some love/kudos/comments!

[ao3feed-gav900]

HankCon Bingo

https://ift.tt/dignejM by HarcourtHolmesII Words: 2809, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: M/M Characters: Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Hank Anderson Relationships: Hank Anderson/Connor, Markus/Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed Additional Tags: trigger warnings per chapter, Hankcon Bingo, Bingo board, Safe For Work, not safe for work, Check Each Chapter for Rating, please do not post to another site

[okyverlo]

@harcourtholmesii

When your genocidal warmongering colonialist imperialistic buff butch milf wolf mom wants you to join your home country’s military industrial complex but you’re too busy being artdeco steampunk fenty beauty mogul diplomat goddess with a buff latino-adjacent boytoy who has a situationship with a sad eastern European 90’s heroin-chic machine messiah Czech hunter twink boyfriend

[ao3feed-arcane]

An Oath I Would Swear Again And Again

by HarcourtHolmesII The Council of Seven converges on this Summer Solstice, and with it all the nobility and royalty from across the lands are expected to attend. Zaun, despite their tenuous relationship with their sister city, finally attends this year with their royal family, hoping to achieve a seat on the Council to gain independence. But in this city, they are not sure who they can trust. Too many Piltovans would see the royals dead at the insistence of the corrupt nobles in court, and only a few are willing to stand in the way of that. Meanwhile, something much darker stirs on the horizon; monsters that first made the Council convene to fight back against the purge are appearing in the countryside. Allegiances are made, marriages are proposed and investigations are held to try and forge greater defences against the oncoming threat. What are they to do, when the threats are already within the walls? Words: 4390, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con Categories: Multi Characters: Viktor (League of Legends), Vi (League of Legends), Jayce (League of Legends), Caitlyn (League of Legends), Jinx (League of Legends), Silco (Arcane: League of Legends), Vander (League of Legends), Mel Medarda, Ekko (League of Legends) Relationships: Jayce/Viktor (League of Legends), Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends), Elora/Mel Medarda, Ekko/Jinx (League of Legends), Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)/Vander (League of Legends) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Canon-Typical Violence, Blood and Gore, Angst, Fluff and Smut, Silco is Viktor's Parent (Arcane: League of Legends), Demons, Magic, Viktor Needs a Hug (League of Legends), Caitlyn and Vi are in Love (League of Legends), Jayce is a Sweetheart (League of Legends), trigger warnings per chapter, please do not post to another site read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/hGnQ5Wv

[ao3feed-piltovers-finest]

Inextricably Bound

by HarcourtHolmesII

When a mysterious force throws them into a land unknown, seven strangers must come together to find a way back home. A war is brewing between their kingdoms and maybe they can stop it, but they must put aside their differences and work together to return in time.

In the meanwhile, dark forces stir to disrupt them from their course. A certain dark mage and a warrior queen watch the noblewoman's every step. A figure in the past of two sisters threatens to destroy the peace between them. An insidious scientist with a heartfelt agenda seeks to restore what has been lost to him, no matter the cost.

And a certain, dark urge seeps into the heart and mind of one particular member of the group, promising him a path to peace and enlightenment in return for his humanity.

~X~

A Baldur's Gate x Arcane crossover that I randomly thought up ^^' Only very loosely based on both the game and the show, but taking elements from both to create an original story for these characters.

Words: 2227, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021), Baldur's Gate (Video Games), Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: Multi

Characters: Vi (League of Legends), Jayce (League of Legends), Viktor (League of Legends), Caitlyn (League of Legends), Ekko (League of Legends), Jinx (League of Legends), Mel Medarda

Relationships: Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends), Jayce/Viktor (League of Legends), Ekko/Jinx (League of Legends), Minor Jayce Talis/Mel Medarda (League of Legends), Lest/Mel Medarda, Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)/Vander (League of Legends)

Additional Tags: Crossover, Dungeons & Dragons References, Baldur's Gate Crossover, No Actual Baldur's Gate Characters, sorry - Freeform, Canon-Typical Violence, Blood and Gore, Explicit Sexual Content, Smut, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, trigger warnings per chapter, please do not post to another site

Read on A03. from AO3 works tagged ‘Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)’

[kokorodachidayo]

Casino Miniboss OTPs

Tipsy Troop: Rum and Whiskey each get a Blaze Brother to themselves, Martini is too busy trying to keep the Booze Bros in line to care about men

Chips Bettigan and Pirouletta may or may not be already married (domo arigatou, HarcourtHolmesII)

Stickler’s totally crushing on Mr Wheezy

Pip and Dot are apparently already canon (they’ll always be siblings to me tho 😅)

Hopus Pocus and Chauncey “Psycarrot” Chantenay are rivals who kiss sometimes

Phear Lap x T-Bone. Gay Skeletons. Enough said.

As for Mangosteen and Mr Chimes... I honestly don’t see ’em with anyone else 😅😅😅

[wheres-my-sanity]

We were just children pt.1

Summary:  What happens if you meet your childhood best friend after 15 years again? On the other end in a nightmarish fog that only seeks to kill its inhabitants. Old wounds get reopened and scars show. But there always a change of forgiveness. You just have to take it.

Pairing: Felix Richter x Élodie Rakoto

A/N: I wanted to write this since I read Élodies lore for the first time, but never had the time or motivation to do it. In this first chapter I will heavily focus on Élodies arrival. Felix will only be mentioned. The second chapter will be focused on their reunion. Also I want to thank harcourtholmesii again. I hope you enjoy my story.

„Come Felix, it’s going to be fun!” “Élodie, I really think we should turn back.” “Oh, don’t be such a coward, it’s just abandoned tunnel. See, I go first, just trust me.” “O-Ok I’m coming.” “See, as long as we are together nothing can happen.”

Élodie woke up, tears in her eyes. The moon wash shinning on her sweaty skin. She stood up from her bed and walked out on the balcony. Another nightmare. They had become more frequently than usual. She looked down at the messy streets of Paris. Why now? Her life was going ok. A few weeks ago, the doctors came to the conclusion that Élodie had fully recovered from the loss of her parents. She had found this apartment, which, granted wasn’t really big, but it was enough. Élodie didn’t want to sit in some house, no, she wanted to explore and discover. While she had told the doctors that she just loved being outside, the only thing she really wanted was to continue the search. Her parents were somewhere out there, she just knew it.

Élodie let herself fall on her couch and thought about what she had missed. She had been at every graveyard of the city, on every dark and dusty corner, but hadn’t found anything out about the whereabouts of her parents. Where had she not looked? What did she not see? The catacombs. Unlikely, but possible. Tomorrow she would inform herself about how to get into the underground. In a week she could maybe find a guide. She would find her parents, no matter the costs.

Élodie awoke with a groaning head. Of course, the catacombs were a bust, what did she expect? Élodie expected to be either in police station or the clinic. Neither of both was the case. She was at some kind of wreck yard, as the hundreds of crushed car-piles told her. She also could make out the distant shape of a giant lodge. The whole area seemed to be surrounded by a stone wall with a metal fence on it. The place seemed forsaken. Élodie stood, wondering how the hell she got here. On her left she could some kind of giant generator. The wires of the thing seemed to reach over the whole place.

“Hello, is anybody here?” No answer. As Élodie wanted to ask again, she could suddenly feel strong hands covering her mouth and a male voice say: “If you don’t shut up, he’s gonna hear us!” As Élodie turned around she could see the face of big man with a nose that looked like it has been broken more then once. Suddenly Élodies heart began to beat loud and fast. Apparently, the man seemed to feel the same. He gestured to come with him. Since Élodie had no idea where she was and the man seemed really worried, she decided to follow him. The man leaded her to a pile of tires where he hid behind. Élodie raised an eyebrow, but questioned not any further. Seconds after she hid too, a giant man, at least 2 meters high, walked by. He wore a black worker attire and long shoes, but the two most notable things on him were in his hand and on his face. A giant kitchen knife and a white emotionless mask, both covered in blood.

After a minute Élodie could feel her heart beating slower and they could see the man with the mask walk away. Just when she started to feel relieved, she could her a scream that made her flinch. The man with the broken nose cursed and then said: “Wait, here, until me or another man named Dwight return. The names David by the way.” With that he took his leave. 5 minutes later, Élodie heard another scream, this time a different one. A few seconds after she could see something huge moving on the sky. A paint breathing made her look down again. Another man approached. He had a pair of glasses and a key in his hand. And he was bleeding. A lot.

“D-Dwight?” Élodie asked nervously? The man nodded. “Where’s David?” Dwight shook his head and pointed at something behind her. Élodie turned around to see a hatch, she could have sworn wasn’t there before. The man slowly walked over to it and opened it. He waved at her, before he said: “Come.” With that he straight up jumped into it and disappeared. Before Élodie could even blink she could feel her heard beating again. She looked back only to see the man with the knife approach. Without even thinking Élodie jumped into the hatch, only to see darkness again.

When Élodie could see anything again, she could make out Dwight next to her. Magically he seemed to have stopped bleeding. They were in some kind of forest it appeared. All of the sudden Dwight rose up and began walking in a direction. Élodie sprinted after him. She chose the most obvious question first: “Who the hell was that?” Dwight seemed to be exhausted but still answered: “His name is Michael Myers, but we just call him the shape. Could you please wait with any other question until we reach the campfire?” While Élodie wanted to know where she was and how she got here, she decided to be quiet. Since this man saved her life the least, she could do was to leave him alone for a bit. After 10 minutes of walking, they reached a clearing. In the middle was, what she guessed to be the campfire that Dwight had mentioned. Around it sat around 25 people. “Hey Guys we have a new one again.” Élodie looked up to see the semi-interested looks of all of the people. “May I present to you Meg, Claudette, Jake, Nea, Laurie, Ace, Bill, Feng, Quentin, David, Kate, Adam, Jeff, Ash, Nancy, Steve, Yui, Zarina, Cheryl and… “FELIX?” Élodie shouted. “Élodie?”.

[harcourtholmesii]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Baldur's Gate (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Astarion (Baldur's Gate)/Original Female Character(s), Astarion/Tav (Baldur's Gate), Karlach/Tav (Baldur's Gate), Halsin/Tav (Baldur's Gate), Lae'zel/Shadowheart (Baldur's Gate) Characters: Original Female Character(s), Tav (Baldur's Gate), Astarion (Baldur's Gate), Karlach (Baldur's Gate), Gale (Baldur's Gate), Lae'zel (Baldur's Gate), Shadowheart (Baldur's Gate), Wyll (Baldur's Gate), Halsin (Baldur's Gate) Additional Tags: There Are Two Tavs (Technically), Canon-Typical Violence, Betrayal, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Blood and Gore, Fluff and Smut, Physical Abuse, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Torture, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Trauma, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Just... Warnings For Astarion's Questline In Particular Summary:

The day that the Nautiloid invades Baldur's Gate, Astarion is abducted by the alien vessel and infected with a parasite that will transform him into a monster. Aboard the ship, he watches, trapped, as he is abandoned with the other poor, captured souls. When the ship lurches and dragon fire shakes his prison, a prisoner beside him, one he had the grace to meet before his abduction, is freed when the flames destroy the locks to her pod.

Dark eyes meet his, as furious and betrayed as they were when last he saw them, on the grounds of his master's mansion of Baldur's Gate. They know him, but he does not know them. He watches her hand hover above the console that could set him free, and notes how her lips pull taut in a frustrated sneer. Tears begin to peak at the corners of her eyes.

He did not have the heart to care, but he did have the talent to play it like he did.

[writeyouin]

Lucifer (Hazbin Hotel) X Fem-Reader - Sinless Sinners - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Lu-Lu Land

A/N - Alright bitches, guess who's back. I'm still not posting regularly, but I'm trying to get back into my creative pursuits. My family is financially fucked, but there's some stuff in the air and while they thanked me for trying to help, they didn't want to bother others with the Gofundme, so that's why that was down. I lost 2 nannas in a month so double funerals which was a reverse-bop, but fuck it, I'm going to be happy damn it! Anyway, the reason this is continuing is cos I got a comment on this story that was hella supportive and like a few hundred words at least. What do we keep telling you? Compliment our asses, reblog and comment and we authors ar like labradors. I'm a praise whore!

All this to say, thank you for the emotional support, you've all been amazing and very patient and kind. All right, let's fucking do this!

Warnings - None

Rating - T

MALE VERSION HERE

GN / NON-BINARY VERSION HERE

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Lucifer paced back and forth, his eyes wandering to the clock on the mantle, over to the open veranda doors, then upwards to the very Heavens and back. You watched him feeling fidgety by extension. By now Charlie and Vaggie were in Heaven and would be till the next night and you could tell that Lucifer was worried. Heaven had disavowed him. He didn’t want the same to happen to his daughter.

You glanced at the clock. If the portal had been on time then Vaggie and Charlie would have been in Heaven for less than ten minutes but Lucifer’s pacing made it feel like an eternity. There was no way you could take this all day.

You approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked at you affronted, and then his expression softened though the worry never left his eyes. Ever since your night away and the tale of your death, he had been a lot softer to you, some part of him worrying that you might leave and not come back.

“It’s going to be okay, Lucifer,” You told him assuredly. “We have to believe in Charlie.”

Lucifer glanced at your wrists. Your stitches showed atop human skin, part of your true ragdoll form. You were worried too then.

You followed his gaze and made a conscious effort to go back to being human. The stitches faded away. Lucifer wanted to say that you didn’t have to hide them for him, but he was still thinking about his baby girl up in heaven… with those- those angels!

“Hey,” You said softly, re-capturing his attention. “Not every Angel is bad, okay?”

“I know,” He admitted. “but what if-”

“Don’t think about what ifs. You’ll only spiral.”

Spiral? Ha, that was a joke. Lucifer had been spiralling for seven years, trapped in a nightmare pit of his worries and concerns. This was just the latest curveball to ruin his life.

You could see Lucifer was over-thinking, so you got up and retrieved his coat which had been left folded over an armchair the previous night.

You threw it to him, “Come on, we’re going out.”

Lucifer stared at the coat in his hands, “What? I don’t want-”

“Tough. I’m not watching you pace all day. A distraction will do you good, and you don’t leave the house nearly enough. Come on, let’s go,” You opened the door and looked at him expectantly. He stared up at Heaven once more, weighing up his options.

“Look, if you don’t trust in me, at least believe in Charlie. She wouldn’t want you waiting and worrying like this. So, what’ll it be, stay here and torture yourself, or at least try to make the best of things out there?” Lucifer balled up his fists, crushing the fabric in his hands. “Okay,” He said after a minute. “I’m coming.”

Lucifer’s face crinkled, his mouth hanging open in confusion as he stared up at the open gates of the rip-off theme park Lu-Lu Land.

You beamed next to him, bouncing on the balls of your feet.

“Ready to go in?” You asked him, grabbing his hand and tugging his sleeve excitedly.

“Why are we here?” Lucifer asked, thinking of Mammon and how this was exactly the kind of lazy, underhanded tactic he would use to fleece money out of sinners who mistook Lu-Lu Land for Lucifer’s own Lu-Lu World.

“Look, I know it’s your theme park and you might find it boring, but I’ve never been here before, so can you at least pretend to be happy?”

Lucifer’s gaze travelled to one of the giant posters that lined the entrance. It showed an unsettling copy of his theme park’s apple mascot, the writing beneath which read, ‘MEET AMAZING CHARACTERS, SURE TO MAKE MEMORIES.’

Far underneath in tiny writing that almost faded into the mascot’s white shoes was a caveat, barely readable, ‘* In no way to be mistaken with our competitors at Lu-Lu World.’

Glancing back at you, Lucifer couldn’t help smiling and holding back a laugh simultaneously. Sometimes, it was easy to forget you hadn’t been in Hell long. Clearly, nobody had explained the difference to you about the two parks that existed. Well, why not go into the dilapidated park that couldn’t hold a candle to Lucifer’s own. It would be entertaining at least to see what shortcomings it had.

With that, Lucifer followed you into the park, keeping a steady pace while you rushed between the game stalls. Shoot the Targets, Hook an Imp, Balloon Splash; it was all common carnival stuff, and all clearly rigged.

You didn’t seem to care as you slammed some money down on a table, throwing balls at cans that had obviously been glued down. The vendor laughed at your misfortune, trying to goad you into spending more money with practised insults that didn’t bother you much. Still, you put down more money, trying again just for the fun of it.

“C’mon Lucifer, you’ve gotta try this!” You waved him over, offering him a ball.

At the sight of Hell’s ruler, the carnie running the stall paled. Lucifer was never supposed to come to the dingy little park. He never went anywhere!

The imp smiled nervously and hurriedly held out a prize, from the top shelf to the two of you.

“But we didn’t win…” You said confusedly.

“Didn’t win?” The imp repeated as if he didn’t understand your question. You and Lucifer were together, so obviously you had to win. The King of Hell could not lose, nor could his date. If Mammon heard Lucifer was there and didn’t win the rigged games, all the employees would be in for it.

The carnie slammed his elbow backwards forcing the cans to tip from the pedestal, still in a perfectly-glued pyramid as they fell. “Looks like a winner to me, here’s your prize!”

He shoved the teddy at Lucifer who stared at it bemusedly. It was almost an exact copy of his cuddly apple mascot, but decidedly creepier, and much cheaper. Lucifer held it out to you, not caring for it.

You beamed and hugged it, “Aww, it’s so cute! I’m going to call him Aloisios P. McCoy, Apple Esquire of the Fruit Kingdom, but for short, Ally.”

Lucifer smiled at your eccentrics. You truly didn’t care that the games were rigged, that the carnie was bribing you to keep you happy, or that the pathetic excuse for a carnival was just a big hideous money trap; you just wanted to let loose and have some fun. Lucifer found that he had to admire that.

As you ran from ride to ride, dragging Lucifer into the non-existent queues and only waiting for the rides to hurriedly be fixed, his mind travelled back a few hundred years before when he first opened his theme park.

It had been a gift for Lilith. He thought that it would impress her to see all the work he had put into making something fun and pure that everyone could enjoy, and he had run around as eagerly as you were now, showing his wife all the fun attractions. Lilith praised him demurely, but as usual, she was so regal and poised; above such childish things as carnivals.

Yet, Lucifer continued to improve the passion project, expanding it for his growing family. There was a gorgeous duck ride that he had made especially for Charlie and he took her on it repeatedly, holding her proudly on his knees as they went through the tunnels full of bright animals that practically came to life when the boat got near them.

“Oh, look at that! Can we go on it?” You asked, dragging Lucifer back to the present as you pointed to a very similar boat ride to the one he was thinking of. Above the ride was a broken neon sign that was supposed to say “Tunnel of Wonders” but instead read T__el of ___der_.

“Okay,” Lucifer agreed as enthusiastically as he could manage. Part of his mind was still on Charlie but he allowed himself to be semi-distracted, even if this rip-off of a ride was bound to remind him of his baby girl.

The two of you got on the ride and you shook with excitement as the boat slowly started down the water track, the two of you sitting in a giant goose, much more menacing than the original soft-yellow ducky boats in Lu-Lu World.

Mammon’s voice came over the speaker as a recording to endorse his ride, “Thank you, faithful customers, for paying for this ride, and if you didn’t pay for it, fuck off, you stupid cunts!”

Mammon coughed and got back to his spiel, presumably trying to sound calm, though his rough nature only served to make him sound crass and cheap as the boat entered a dark tunnel.

“Welcome to the Tunnel of Wonders. Here, you can enjoy all sorts of good shit, and if you go to the gift shop, you can spend your hard-earned dollary-doos on a plush of me, your host Mammon, or invest in one of our Robo-Fizzarollies, lots of fun for the whole family, or for you sick freaks that want Fizzi’s private attention.”

“Anyway, to the Tunnel of Wonders, and what is more wonderous then, I dunno, love or some shit? Yeah, turn up the romance and fuck in the boats or whatever, Mammon out!”

The tunnel lights flipped on, turning it from black to pink and you looked around to find that you were surrounded by hearts and tiny cupids made in the likeness of Asmodeus, the patron Sin of Lust.

When you first met Lucifer, such a mistake might have made you embarrassed, but as you looked around the love boat ride, with its overly camp music and gaudy imagery of romance, you laughed instead. Lucifer laughed with you, enjoying the error for what it was.

“This- This is terrible,” Lucifer chuckled.

“Right?” You agreed, bumping into his shoulder. “Who made this?”

“Not me,” Lucifer held up his hands in mock surrender. “This isn’t even my park.”

“What? Yes, it is. I saw it on TV.”

“Nope, sorry, my park is Lu-Lu World.”

Realisation dawned on your face. Like many theme parks in the human realm which were laughable copies of bigger enterprises, this too was a cheap knockoff that you had mistaken.

“That explains a few things.”

“Yeah, like that creepy doll,” Lucifer pointed at the evil apple plush by your side.

You picked it up, hugging it defensively, “Hey, Aloisios P. McCoy, Apple Esquire of the Fruit Kingdom is offended by your insult. Apologise to him.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes but did as you asked, “I’m so sorry to have offended you, good apple, Sir.”

“Now shake his hand and makeup,” You demanded, holding the apple’s hand in the air.

Lucifer chortled and brought his hand up to shake the plushie’s. His fingertips brushed against yours and he felt a spark of connection. Sometimes, you reminded him of Charlie, eager to please and befriend others and so full of life and kindness that he hadn’t imagined capable of any Sinner. Yet, there was more to you than that. A fiery passion and a stubborn streak that was hard to rival.

He looked at you for a long time and you smiled awkwardly, holding the teddy in your lap and wondering what he was thinking, though his look wasn’t uncomfortable.

“Thank you,” Lucifer said sincerely.

You didn’t have to ask him what he meant. He was grateful for the distraction from his worries, and also for a friend if you had to speculate further.

“You’re welcome.”

The ride juddered to a halt and Mammon’s voice stuttered to life over the speaker, “The ride has broken down, sit tight while my guys deal with it, and don’t try to fucking sue us! You won’t fucking win, you ungrateful shits. Mammon out!”

“Well, I guess we’re stuck here for a while,” Lucifer stated, wondering how long he could handle the overly chipper music and tacky decorations.

“Yep,” You agreed, “But it’s not so bad.” You placed your hand over his and Lucifer glanced down somewhat surprised. He looked up at you, finding that your attention was solely on your surroundings and he relaxed a bit. It wasn’t anything sinister, you were simply holding his hand. A friend when he desperately needed one.

It was late when the two of you returned to the manner, having just watched the fireworks display which was the one thing that actually worked in the theme park. Though, the fireworks had been made to spell out not-so-subtle messages, like ‘Spend money, cunts!’ or images of dollar signs, and sponsors from V-Tech.

“Care for a drink?” Lucifer asked, throwing his jacket over the back of the armchair in the usual parlour as you slumped on the sofa opposite.

“Sure, a drink would be nice.”

Lucifer headed to the drinks cart, pouring a bourbon for himself and a wine for you. His hands stilled as he held your glass. He hadn’t meant to but he had filled Lilith’s goblet instead of one of the guest glasses and he had paired it with her favourite drink, something which he had never offered to anyone else. His hands shook and he spilled the drink onto the tray.

“Oh,” You noticed his mistake and got up, “Would you like help cleaning that up?”

Lucifer schooled his expression into a forced smile even though he wasn’t facing you and took on the tone that you knew to be fake happiness, “No, nope! Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it all under control!”

“Hey,” You approached him, placing your hand on his shoulder, “It’s okay to be upset. I know you have some things to work through and-”

“Dad…” Charlie’s voice came from the doorway.

“Charlie!” Lucifer cried out excitedly, turning to his daughter, then freezing when he saw her expression and the tears in her eyes. She was home early, and upset! “What did they do to you?” He growled, hating Heaven more than ever.

Charlie broke down into tears and ran to hug her father. While you also wanted to know what had happened, you felt like an intruder watching such a tender moment. Charlie needed her dad, and when she was ready, she would tell you what happened. You excused yourself from the room, leaving the Manor so the pair could talk privately and made your way to the Hazbin Hotel so that you might at least get some answers from Vaggie.

Ko-fi.com/writeyouin

[ao3feed-arcane]

A Desire For More Unheeded

by HarcourtHolmesII Jayce returns from days away from the lab. His want to throw himself back into his work is halted by Viktor's sleeping form. It is one of Jayce's cherished memories. Words: 2342, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: M/M Characters: Jayce (League of Legends), Viktor (League of Legends) Relationships: Jayce/Viktor (League of Legends) Additional Tags: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Social Anxiety, Not Actually Unrequited Love, References to Drugs, References to Manipulation, References to Classism, Jayce is in love with Viktor (League of Legends), Jayce is Trying His Best (League of Legends), Jayce Needs a Hug (League of Legends), please do not post to another site read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/xrB1CjY

[okyverlo]

Hi ho, hi ho my dears and darlings, it’s off to rants we go.

Iron Man 3.

Interesting little tidbit to start you all off; I had always put Iron Man 3 after Thor the dark World in my mental timeline, probably because that’s the order I first watched them in, and when I was first told that Iron Man 3 was the first part of phase two I was a very confused Oky.

Now on to the rant.

My small peeve is the indecisiveness about Tony’s capability.

We see the man single-handedly overrun a secure mansion filled with properly armed guards with finagled supplies from a Walmart, including a very gun-reminiscent taser.

Later, with Rhodey, Tony doesn’t appear to know how to use a gun at all, even though he was a weapons designer and knows the ins and outs of them.

We have that deleted scene from the first Iron Man that shows Tony grab up a gun and try to fire it only it’s been jammed; Tony knows his weapons, and he knows how to use them.

I get that it was for comedy’s sake, but come on, show some consistency.

My big peeve with this movie is the way Tony is just left alone.

I’ll start with the bigguns; where the hell was S.H.I.E.L.D.? 

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a global peace-keeping spy organisation.

Fury has spent two movies trying to get Tony onside, starting at the end of the first Iron Man.

Tony was very visibly part of the group that ended the battle of New York.

And yet, Fury and his flunkies never show up.

There are supposed bombing going about throughout the U.S. with a man being called the Mandarin claiming responsibility.

And yet, Fury and his flunkies never show up.

The fictional President Ellis ends up being kidnapped, strung up on display, by a mad man who can literally breathe fire.

And yet, Fury and his flunkies never show up.

Tony blows up all his suits at the end.

And yet, Fury and his flunkies never show up.

It genuinely baffles me how S.H.I.E.L.D. dropped the ball so hard that not only were cracks left in the ground, there is in fact a large hole.

And what of the other Avengers?

Okay, Thor is not on world- I completely forgive that; he physically cannot help.

Clint is possibly in recovery from Loki’s brainwashing? I’m willing to forgive that absence, though I would love to have confirmation or denial of that on screen.

But that still leaves Bruce, Natasha and Steve.

Natasha is possibly off on a mission trying to find the head base of the Mandarin or something else that S.H.I.E.L.D. needs her to do, I grant you that, but much like Clint’s maybe recovery, we don’t get anything saying one way or the other.

Natasha never show up.

Tony is left alone.

Given that we see Steve driving off alone on his motorcycle at the end of Avengers, most of us chose to believe he went on that road trip Fury suggested, but before he started driving, we saw him and Tony amicably shake hands, a symbolic mending of bridges from words spoken in anger and sadness.

Are you really telling me that Steve wouldn’t at least try to contact Tony after the genius gives out his address on TV?

Are you telling me that Steve wasn’t staying in hotels with TV’s on his trip so he never caught the news?

Are you telling me that Steve never once heard a couple passersby talking about what Tony had done?

Steve never shows up.

Tony is left alone.

And Bruce.

Bruce.

Bruce not showing up at any point during the mess with A.I.M. has led to a number of fan theories about him going back to Calcutta, or other places to resume his self-imposed work of being a doctor.

I can forgive that, Bruce striving to balance the damage he and Hulk have caused, and to find a sense of peace within himself, I get that, I understand that, I respect that.

But once again, we have no information on that in the movie, but still forgivable.

What I can’t get over though?

Tony Stark, a man who we see genuinely struggle throughout the whole of this movie with the things he has seen, the nightmares he can’t control, and the fears he cannot disperse, opens up to a someone he sees as a friend, someone who he thinks will listen, someone who he thinks will care.

And that someone, Bruce, is sleeping.

Had fallen asleep near the very start.

It’s once again played off for comedy, to make the ending a little more lighthearted, a little less scarily real.

But it once more leaves Tony alone.

It reinforces the idea that people don’t care about what actually happens to Tony.

It reinforces the idea that therapy -talking to someone- isn’t worth the effort, because in the end they won’t listen.

It reinforces the idea that Tony can only rely on himself to push through his demons and dreads that crawl through his mind.

Is it any wonder that the man is breaking?

[neomineom]

Hey! Just wanted to say that I a a huge fan of your MasterGrinder artworks, and I've probably said it before but I am saying it again, they are all so lovely! They have inspired me to write several different stories, and I've just published the first chapter to one story tonight! This is the link, but only if you want to read it, of course! https://archiveofourown.org/works/55174846/chapters/139924744 I know that it is not a scene depicted by your works, and if you would rather not be associated with a darker story, that is perfectly fine! But I was hoping to credit you for the inspiration you have provided me with those beautiful pieces of art! If you do not want me to credit you, just let me know! Anyways, I hope you're having a lovely day, week and year so far and I just want to say again, I love your art! Your Sokol is so cute and Dallas is so handsome! I love them both! :)

Ahhh! Thank you so much! Yes! Of course, I remember your kind replies! having mutuals in the same ship is a huge motivation to keep making fanart of them♡

I really enjoyed your fic and want to read more! And sorry, I am terrible at describing my thoughts but note: your fic made me rob a few banks recently.

And thanks for the willingness to credit me but since the causes in the fic aren't originally mine, I don't bother how you depict them! there's just happy Neom, reading a new fav ship's fic.

Talk about the originality of headcanon, who would say that Dallas isn't the first member that a newcomer will meet? especially since Sokol meets the Butcher before arriving in America, possibly he smuggled some parts of BFD and needs a ride to the safehouse privately. and In Crime.Net, we can hear Bain's description of Sokol that he reminds him of younger Dallas AND he might be the one who leads the Payday gang in the future. it's a clear clue that Dallas is the person that Sokol would look up to! (this made me ship them a bit too much because turning admiration into affection is one of my favorite dynamics heehee<3)

I hope you have a nice day and week and year too, as you made mine u_u

+I'm sorry for all who don't receive my answers…. actually, I drew things to answer but it always turned out not in a good condition than my usual posts. also I deleted scribbles for this ask because it looked ugly ;_;

[harcourtholmesii]

Summary:

Down by the river was where it had really started. The moment that really set something off that had been no intention of Hyzenthlay's. Before that point, their relationship had been one of guarded dependence, sought out only for their own survival. But after that moment, down by the river, many more followed that changed something significant between the two of them. Hyzenthlay wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, but it was new. Exciting perhaps, and terrifying... She couldn't help that she found it curious and perhaps even a little nice. And all it took was another empty promise.

[writeyouin]

Lucifer (Hazbin Hotel) X Fem-Reader - Sinless Sinners - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - Sinners and Winners

A/N – Hey guys, hope all is good, enjoy another chapter on me.

Warnings – Some descriptions of GBH. Choking, branding, stabbing.

Rating - T

MALE VERSION

GN VERSION

Tag List: @xx-all-purpose-nerd-xx @sseleniaa @randomgurl2326 @22carolina08 @astrxwitch @yu-87 @clover-1767 @lil-bexie @thesimpybitch @reverse-soe @koirb @usernameunavailable2 @lavenderkita @kannakanan @mcueveryday @amarokofficial @mbruben-stein @tyrythewolf @lasagna-501 @bizzardvark @firefirefeline @kaylanotkk @missme-07 @memontica @angelsdemonsmonsters @tj4shy @midoria-kinnie @meesachan @fusehoundshipper @velvettenoctus @crescent-z @just-trash-yeah-thats-it @rosiescannibalwife @skylerbutterfly @hamthepan @latersgaters-steven @kryptidkova @sleepyhead-number27 @cherry-4200 @harcourtholmesii @alastorandluciferspouse @holyspacething @kedelman24 @becsmarvel @vash-yuu @k-n0-x @radio-leigh @tamaki-simp @wolfdaddyalphasworld @http-dilflvr @cosmic-lavender @scribbly-squid @big-denki-energy

“Vaggie!” You exclaimed upon finding her in the Hotel Lobby, “Why are you and Charlie back early?”

Vaggie looked disappointed. When she heard the Hotel door open, she had hoped it would be Charlie, but instead, it was you, seeking answers.

“You know where Charlie is? Is she okay?!” Vaggie asked, staring past you as if hoping the door would open again to reveal the person she wanted to see most in the world.

“I don’t know. She’s with her dad, talking things over, I guess. What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Vaggie huffed, grabbing her spear and heading to the door.

You stood in front of it, annoyed at being ignored. “It sure as shit does matter, unless you’re admitting this hotel is a sham and you don’t believe in anyone in it, or Charlie.”

“Get out of my way.”

“Tell me what happened!”

Vaggie clutched her spear tightly, the whites of her knuckles showing. She could fight you, and it wouldn’t be hard for her to force you out of the way, but she relented after a moment as you had known she would.

She sighed and motioned for you to follow her, where you wouldn’t be disturbed. In her and Charlie’s room, she told you everything about the trip to Heaven, her past as an exorcist, and the way they had been cast out of the angelic realm. Afterwards, she clutched at her skirt, her eyes downcast as she waited for the insults she knew she deserved.

You took a long breath, thinking about what to say. Of course, the Angels would reject Hell. They were self-righteous bastards who never listened to anyone and pompously claimed to be perfect all the time. You had a lot to say regarding them and their ways, but you knew that had to wait. In this instance, Vaggie needed a friend. You had never been particularly close to her, seeing as she tended to push people away, but you still trusted her. Besides, if Heaven was coming for a fight, the Hotel needed every ally it could get.

You took a breath, stuck on what to do. For most people it would be time to get ass-deep in meth and call it a shitty end to a shitty afterlife, but if you had learned anything since dying, it was that Hell was awful, but it had still managed to become a home thanks to the right people. You briefly thought of Lucifer and what it felt like to go home to him. The feeling warmed you.

Collecting your thoughts, you sat next to Vaggie on the bed, putting your hand over hers, “I’m sorry all of that happened to you.”

“What?!” Vaggie stared at you. “You’re not mad?”

“Oh, I’m fucking furious, but not at you. I get why you didn’t want to tell us… Things that big get harder to tell the longer you keep them to yourself.”

You should know. You had some secrets that felt so heavy you worried the weight might break you. Yet, while Vaggie was still overwhelmed with her problems, you didn’t want to add yours to the list, or rather, that’s what you told yourself so you could hide away a part of your life in cowardice.

“Look,” You said sombrely, “we don’t have time to waste. We’ve got to get everyone together, tell them what happened and get things ready to protect the Hotel. I know it’s going to be hard to tell everyone what happened, but I know you can do it, and if you want, I’ll be right there with you.”

Vaggie sighed and got up, grabbing her spear and standing resolutely, “Okay, let’s do this then.”

“That’s the spirit, and hey,” You smiled comfortingly, “Charlie will come around, you’ll see.”

“I hope so.”

“She will,” You reassured Vaggie, letting your human façade drop to reveal the rag-doll beneath. “She accepts everyone for who they are. Good or bad.”

“I don’t think you’re bad at all, Demon,” Vaggie quipped.

“Nor you, Angel.” With that, the two of you headed back to the lobby, texting everyone to call an emergency meeting. You hoped the others would accept Vaggie, and, more importantly, that they would help defend the Hotel; it was one of the few places in Hell that any Demon could call a home.

Charlie was the first to get back to the Hotel. She looked like she had been crying and was palming away tears as she rushed to the stairs. Vaggie tried to talk to her, but Charlie brushed her off, stating that she needed time to come up with a plan.

Under normal circumstances, you might have tried talking to her, but seeing how she had just returned from her father and wouldn’t even let Vaggie see her, you opted to give her some space. Besides, as the Hotel’s denizens trickled back one at a time, you knew that you had to be there for them and Vaggie.

As Vaggie explained what had happened, Hell broke loose. Husk was pissed that the princesses’ plan had put Heaven’s spotlight on them again, Angel Dust wasn’t taking anything seriously as usual, Nifty was in a world of her own, Sir Pentious looked concerned for himself and his Egg Bois, and Alastor… was nowhere to be seen. You wondered if he’d gone for further intel on the situation, but were far too distracted to care. At least, you were until the ceiling cracked with glimmering green sigils, revealing that a deal had been made with the overlord.

“Shit,” You cursed as Vaggie ran to Charlie’s aid.

“Well, we’re completely fucked,” Angel deadpanned, grabbing a drink from behind the bar.

“No. We’re not-” You tried.

“Are you fucking kiddin’ me?” Husk countered, angry as ever. “Our fearless leader just made a deal with tall, dark, and creepy, and you think we ain’t fucked?! If he has the Princess of Hell on his leash, that’s worse than whatever Heaven’s gonna bring down on us.”

“Don’t say that! We don’t know what deal they made. Charlie wouldn’t sell her soul.”

“You think so?” Husk sneered. “People do all sorts of crazy shit when they’re desperate.”

You were about to argue more when Charlie and Alastor rushed past, leaving the hotel as if it were about to collapse on them. You held your breath. If they were running, there really was no hope.

Vaggie followed, “Did Charlie-”

Angel Dust rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice as he explained that they had practically run from the hotel. You breathed a sigh of relief as Vaggie explained that they had a plan to do with Carmine, but the feeling was short-lived as she told everyone that she could no longer protect them and that if anyone wanted to leave, she understood. It sounded all too much like a final goodbye.

“So… what now?” Husk asked, devoid of hope.

You suspected that he didn’t want to know the answer since it wouldn’t help him. No matter what happened, his soul belonged to Alastor, and he wouldn’t be able to run from the Hotel even if he wanted to.

Angel Dust stepped forward, pounding his fist determinedly, “Now, we fight for our home.”

You smiled at him. It wasn’t long ago that he thought of the Hotel as a way to save precious drug money. Now, it was his ‘home.’

“Yes!” Sir Pentious agreed enthusiastically. “Nifty, get the tools, dear. Egg Bois, the emergency supplies. We have to fortify the Hotel against invasion!”

“Oooohhhhh,” Nifty laughed darkly, “Time to fight the bad boys.”

“Uh, Nifty dear, the only boy attacking will be Adam. His army are all women.”

Nifty threw back her head and cried, “No. I want bad boys.”

“Sorry sister,” Angel lamented, “But an Army of Adams wouldn’t be pussy enough to take us on. Now let’s get moving, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Despite the scene of solidarity, you wondered whether there was more you could do than help fortify the Hotel. Granted, the camaraderie was a grand sight to behold, and you were proud of your found family, but the threat of an Exorcist army against a handful of your friends was too great, even with Charlie’s supposed plan.

It was time for you to make a house call and hope to Hell that it paid off; you couldn’t watch your family die.

“I’ll be back soon,” You told everybody.

Angel grabbed your arm before you could go, “Whoa, (Y/N), you’re not running out on us, are you?”

“Me? Never.” You answered, trying to sound more confident than you felt. “I’ve just gotta check on something, but I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

“I know that look,” Husk tutted. “You’re about to gamble on something. Better hope it pays off, ragdoll. Now isn’t the time to lose it all on a longshot.”

You stared at him, fear gnawing your insides. Husk relented and softened up.

“Take care of yourself out there, Doll. We got enough to worry about without adding you to our list.”

You nodded, your promise silent and serious.

Angel let you go and ruffled your hair, “Come back soon.”

“I will,” You whispered, hurrying away before you could lose your nerve.

You hated everything about your surroundings in the Heaven Embassy. It was unnervingly quiet and unwelcoming. The waiting room was pristine, magically protected against vandals. It practically screamed that it was better than all of Hell.

There was a time that you wondered if you would ever come here, but you had always turned your back on the Embassy, despising Heaven for letting you and so many others down in life, yet claiming to be ever so perfect in the Afterlife. Now, you hated it even more since learning how it had hurt Lucifer and Charlie, and how the Angels were so hypocritical in their values, never willing to admit that people could change. You ought to know, you had changed more than all the Sinners in Hell, and if you, once a Winner, could turn to a Sinner, then you saw no reason why a Sinner couldn’t redeem themselves into a Winner.

Biting the inside of your cotton cheek, you pressed the bell. A scroll appeared, asking you to sign in, and you did so, writing your full name and date of Death in the hopes that it would help them recognise you.

The doors opened wide, and you entered a conference room where Adam himself was waiting. You recognised him immediately from Charlie’s description. He was smiling wickedly, and you might have bolted if he were actually there, but you knew that he would never come to a place like this.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Heaven’s little reject bitch,” Adam sneered. Your eyes travelled to Lute, who glowered at you, standing behind Adam like a well-trained guard dog.

“Adam-” You started.

“No, no, I’m not done. I wanna know what makes you think that you get to walk in here, like you fucking own the place. Seriously, what kind of dumb fuck do you have to be to come to the one place that you will never be fucking welcome? How is Hell, by the way? Fucking gross as shit? What am I saying? Of course it is! And that’s where scum like you belongs.”

“Please, let me-”

“You’ll listen when Adam speaks,” Lute demanded.

You glared at the pair of them, your hands balling into fists. You hadn’t met them before this, but you weren’t surprised that they knew who you were. You were willing to bet that everyone working for Heaven knew of the Winner turned Sinner. Still, you couldn’t let your temper get the better of you. Adam was egotistical, and you hoped that you could use that to your advantage.

He was still talking, throwing a slew of insults your way, but you managed to stop him, throwing yourself to his feet in a bow, worshipping him like he was God himself.

“Oh, I fucking love this, Lute check this out!” Adam lorded himself over you. “Damn right, you’re fucking bowing. Though I gotta say, I thought you were gonna sit here and beg not to be exterminated. I guess you’re just here to beg to get out of this shit-hole instead. I mean, a dirt-bag like you doesn’t deserve Heaven, but maybe if you can see how fucking awesome I am, you might have some redeeming qualities.”

You held yourself firm so you wouldn’t shake. Once again, you were glad that he wasn’t really there so that he couldn’t make an indecent proposal and force you to whore yourself out to him or something like that.

You shuddered as you felt your skin shimmer and change, making yourself as human as possible to appeal to his Demon-Hating nature. Yet, as many times as you had changed from rag-doll to human, you had never changed your appearance to something that you had never been. But now, you could feel that you were someone else, someone beautiful, like a model. You had to be gorgeous, so that Adam saw a person and not a thing; it would be just like him to associate looks with worthiness.

“I’m so sorry,” You chimed, your voice dripping with adoration towards Adam. “Truly, I’m not worthy of you.”

“Yes! Say more shit like that.”

“I know I’ve been very, very naughty, but I just thought that if I came to the great and wonderful Adam, maybe he could help me work something out.”

“Uh, huh, right.”

“You see, Adam, I didn’t come here on purpose. It was those nasty Sinners and that evil Lucifer. They did some evil magic and brought me down here.”

“Oh, please,” Lute rolled her eyes, but you kept your focus on Adam, who lapped up the praise and attention and was all too willing to believe that the man who had cuckolded him might be the reason you were here.

“Adam, smart, amazing, sensuous Adam… You know that a Sinner can’t be a Winner, right?”

“Duh, obviously,” Adam scoffed.

“Well then, it’s got to work both ways, right? So there’s no way, a Winner like me could ever become a Sinner.”

Adam pondered this for a moment, then stepped away from you and slumped in his chair at the head of the table. “I’m listening.”

“Well, all I’m saying is that until this curse on me is broken, I’m in danger here, and that danger increases when an attack is launched on Hell, because your exorcists will only see me as a Sinner, right?”

“Makes sense. With you so far.”

“So why don’t we call off the attack? Keep things safe and nice? Besides, you don’t really want to do all that work, do you?” You pouted like you had seen Angel do and got up to perch on the edge of the table.

“I fucking hate work,” Adam nodded. Then he grinned evilly, “Fortunately, killing you cunts is all play.”

He grabbed your hand, and you baulked as searing angelic light branded your flesh.

“What? You’re- ARGH!” You writhed, crying out in pain as the heat intensified.

“Here bitch? Fucking right I am after that little cunt showed up and reported me to my fucking boss. When the request came to Heaven, you think I’d waste a chance to destroy one of that Princess bitch’s toys?”

He punched you hard in the gut, and you buckled over, crying. You tried with all your might to turn back into a doll to lessen the pain, but it was impossible to focus.

“I fucking love this part of the job, and hey, it isn’t work if you love doing it, right, Lute?”

Lute stepped forward, brandishing her spear, “Sir, allow me.”

“No, no, I want to have fun with this,” Adam insisted.

He summoned a dagger, stabbing and slicing at you. You screamed, begging for mercy, crying harder as you were slammed with memories of the day you died. Part of you wished that he was using an angelic weapon so you would die the Final death, but he was intent on torturing you, using a weapon made to maim and hurt, not kill.

“YOU THINK YOU CAN COME HERE AND TRICK ME, BITCH! I’M FUCKING ADAM! THE ORIGINAL DICK MASTER, AND YOU? YOU’RE NOTHING BUT SINNER FUCKING WASTE!”

He dropped the dagger, pressing against you and choking you. You felt the air leave your lungs, suffering more since you couldn’t die.

“TELL THAT CUNT THAT WE’RE COMING FOR HER AND THAT DUMB FUCKING HOTEL OF HERS! Oh, and don’t forget,” He held out his hand to Lute who handed him a branding iron, “I fucking own you.”

He pressed the iron into your neck. You wheezed out what would have been a roar of pain had you not been choked seconds prior. This kind of treatment was exactly why you had rejected Heaven. You were the only human on record who had chosen to burn in Hell, and even though there had been plenty of moments since that you had regretted it, you knew you had made the right choice if this was the kind of person in power.

As Adam let you go, branded with the mark of Heaven’s crucifix, you scrambled up, surprised that you could do so. Fuelled by adrenaline and fear, you stumbled away. The Hotel was too far, Lucifer was also too far, and as you fell to the ground in an alley, you were sure that some Sinner was going to come along and take advantage of your injuries.

Instead, you became blearily aware of a small rubber duck that appeared by your side. You barely questioned that it was the one from your bedside table in Lucifer’s manor. Instead, you let your hand close around the small hell-hound duck. In an instant, you were transported back to the manor, collapsing against a table and bringing the tea seat atop it crashing down.

“What the-” Lucifer turned around from his workbench. “(Y/N!)”

He rushed to your side and lifted your head into his lap, all the while wondering what in Hell you had got yourself into.