#I JUST FELL TO MY KNEES GUST

[enluv]

HYUNJIN EYEBROW PIERCING

[lichilly]

cw—pwp (porn without plot) we are hopping right into it folks, reader is referred to as cute and pretty, reader has a vagina, Jill is a pussy eating fiend, one small moment of Jill speaking inside your head

wc— 1,199 words

(Forgive me if this is not up to par, I haven’t written smut in a long time so I’m still finding my footing!! I hope you guys enjoy <33)

“Jill…” Her name slipped from your lips in a desperate whisper, your voice trembling with embarrassment. Your fingers clung to her shoulders, seeking support in any way you could. She lifted your thighs higher, pressing them up towards your chest, her thumbs caressing the sensitive skin at the back of your knees. Each touch sent shivers cascading through your body. You were completely bare, all except your underwear.

Her smile brushed against your inner thighs, her lips trailing slow kisses along the tender skin. Each kiss inched closer to your core, your hips rising instinctively, seeking more.

“You’re very eager today, Sunflower,” she murmured, her breath hot against your skin. Her nose brushed teasingly against the damp fabric of your panties. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.”

She flattened her tongue against you, licking slowly up the wet patch staining the fabric of your panties. Your fingers trailed down her biceps, nails grazing her hot skin. She moaned at the faint taste of you, the sound vibrating against you. Plump lips closed around your swollen clit, sucking at the fabric with a fervent hunger that made your hips buck in short, desperate jerks.

“Jill—!” you shrieked, eyes rolling back, a fog of pleasure clouding your mind as you panted heavily.

Her lips released your clit, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against the now spit-soaked fabric. The sudden loss of contact made you whimper down at her through the haze of need.

“I’m sorry for teasing you, Sunflower… It’s just,” she trailed kisses up your clothed mound, her teeth grazing the hem of your panties, “you make such cute sounds when I do.”

Her fingers bunched the laced hem, gripping your hips as she tugged the material down your legs. A gust of cool air hit your exposed cunt, sending another shiver through your already trembling body. The curtains swayed gently in the breeze from the open window, the room dimly lit by the setting sun.

“Could you hold your legs up for me, Sweetheart?” she asked, her voice sweet, as if she was asking you for a more innocent favor.

You blinked at her, breathing heavily, before the request registered in your foggy mind. Nodding, you tucked your hands under your calves, holding your legs up to your chest once more.

“Thank you…” she murmured, a soft smile playing on her lips as she tucked her face back between your thighs, now unhindered by any flimsy cotton.

Your body tensed at the closeness, every nerve ending alight with anticipation. Her eyes were locked onto you, studying every twitch, every shiver. Your hands shook as you held your legs, body aching for more. Her hands cupped over your ass, thumbs tracing the sensitive skin where your thighs met, mere millimeters away from where you needed her most. She pulled at the skin, spreading you open wider, her gaze never leaving you.

“Gosh, Sunflower, you’re making such a mess!” she laughed sweetly, watching your face scrunch up in a bashful pout.

“Let me clean you up,” she reassured, her voice trailing off as her tongue traced up a trail of wetness.

Your mind fogged over, body relaxing as your head fell back against the pillows. Her tongue continued its slow, deliberate journey, licking at your fluttering entrance with heavy flicks. She moaned, savoring your taste, her eyes closing in focused bliss as she drank you in. Panting moans filled the room, punctuated by gasps and the repeated plea of her name. She couldn’t get enough, her hands pawing at your hips to pull you closer. A mix of drool and slick dripped down her chin, your wetness foaming against her lips.

With each flick of her tongue, she brought you closer to the edge, the hot knot inside your tummy tightening. Words became babbles, thoughts melting into incoherent sentences. All you could think of was Jill, how she had woven herself into the most intimate parts of your being.

She smiled against you, her eyes opening to meet yours. “Open your eyes, Sunflower. Let me see your pretty eyes,” she pleaded against you, the words muffled but clear. You obeyed instantly, tearful eyes meeting hers.

You tried to focus, the knot inside you burning, aching to be cut loose. She hummed in satisfaction, her eyes locked with yours as she sped up her licking. She was everywhere, her hands kneading your skin, her nose brushing against your clit as her tongue filled you.

“Jill—I’m gonna—” you pleaded, feeling the fire inside you start to consume you. All your senses were heightened, a dewy fog clouding over your eyes as your ears hummed. It felt as if your bedroom was breathing with you, the curtains brushing against the window pane with each inhale and flowing away with each exhale.

Jill’s lips wrapped around your clit once more, her eyes dripping with primal need. She sucked, the tip of her tongue flicking against the overly sensitive bundle.

Let go.

Her voice whispered within your consciousness, wrapping you in honeyed words.

Cum for me.

Your lips trembled, eyes flickering shut as you let yourself crash into pleasure. Your vision went black, ears ringing as waves of ecstasy raked over your body. You jerked, letting go of your legs and weaving them into her soft hair. You mumbled her name between gasps and pleas, not even recognizing your own voice anymore. She released your clit with a pop, her tongue finding its place against your gushing entrance, beckoning more release with each slow lick. She wrapped a heavy arm across your lower stomach, keeping your twitching hips pinned against the bed. A thumb pressed against your clit, swirling in tight circles.

Her tongue stroked lazily, licking up the last of your release before she slowly parted from you. Her breath puffed against you, strings of sticky cum connecting her lips to you before they broke off. She pressed wet, gentle kisses to your trembling thighs, bringing your mind back to the present.

Your nose scrunched at the stickiness coating your lower half, now far too aware of the mess coating your inner thighs.

“You did so good, Sunflower,” she praised, licking her lips and scooping a thumb across her chin to catch what was left. She reached up, trailing her wet thumb across your bottom lip, gently opening your slack mouth. You closed your lips around the digit, obediently sucking the essence of yourself off. She smiled warmly, her hips tucking against yours as she pulled her thumb from your mouth.

“I’m going to run us a bath, okay? Can you wait here for me?” Her voice was soft, reassuring as she cupped your hot cheek.

You nodded, blinking sleepily at her as she slipped off the bed. She flitted out of the bedroom, her energy high and unwavering, as if she hadn’t made you cum with just her mouth not even mere seconds ago.

The sound of the bath faucet turning on sent a calming shiver through your exhausted body. Your eyes fluttered closed, too worn out to stay awake. As you sank deeper into the throes of sleep, the last thing you felt was a gentle kiss on your forehead.

[transalphabf]

Corruption (2000 follower special)

You are an Angel, pure, light, and always bright. It's hard for anything to take you by surprise, for you know All that is The Will of your God.

Which was why the Demon sat across from you at the coffee shop was so... Unusual.

"Um, it is a special pleasure to make your acquantaince, Mr Demonos sir, but why have you decided to sit with me today? Do you perhaps wish for me to Save you?" You asked with a bright, if uncertain smile.

The demon smiled back at you with an inhumanly toothy smile, sharp teeth glinting in the light for a moment before seemingly becoming more human again for a moment.

"Well, angel, I've been watching you for a little while now and I wanted to finally talk to you." He explained.

You blinked, confused now.

"Watching me? Why? I shan't be corrupted by you! You won't make me Fall or tempt me to the path of dismay!" You insisted, brows furrowing.

He seemed to roll his eyes for a long moment, sclera flashing black for a brief moment as the rain rolled against the window with an especially strong gust of wind.

"I have been possessed by you, from the moment I first saw you. I can See your Halo, your wings, your very Aura, and you have transfixed me!" He hissed, almost accusatory if not for the adoring undertone.

You didn't really know what to make of that, but it stirred something deep inside of you. You hadn't come across a Demon that could See your Holy aura, he was unusual in that sense.

You could See his Unholy aura too, the long, black, curved horns that ran along his head, stopping in points just below his ears. His long, pointed ears, and the long whiplike tail that swished to and fro on the floor. To the humans around you, they just saw two men, one blond, the other dark haired, one clean shaven and pretty, the other with a beard and a little scrappy looking.

"I... Am not sure what to make of that, sir. I certainly did not mean to have some affect to you." You apologised, heat rising to your cheeks.

"Come with me to my home so I may See you in your raw glory." He asked, averting his eyes, a similar heat rising in his own cheeks, bashful about your Might. You smiled, and nodded, offering him your hand, which he took in his own warm one.

It was a quick enough journey to his home, which was opulent to almost the point of gaudiness, evidence of his avarice and pride - sins you hoped to teach him to repent of once he saw your Holiness.

You stood in the centre of his living room, and he sat on the chesterfield couch, dark oxblood red leather as he sprawled and looked up at you. You allowed your eyes to close, and your mortal shell dropped, your Holy aura shining through, modern clothing dropping to the angelic robes you were comfortable with, your dappled white and silver wings catching on the light that emanated from your creamy halo.

He fell to his knees before you, staring up adoringly. You smiled at him, and held a hand out to him.

He took it, and then pulled you forward, causing you to stumble closer to him.

And then his head was under your robes, his hands gripping your thighs as he licked over your cunt.

You gasped, the heat of a tongue over your previously untouched genitalia was searing itself to your very core.

He growled quietly, and threw you down onto his couch, his own mortal shell dropping away as his leathery batlike wings spread above you, his long tail coiling around your thigh, the tip rubbing at your clit, causing you to cry out before his lips fell onto yours, his Unholy hands defiling your virginal body.

You couldn't bring yourself to dislike it.

He was everywhere, kissing and biting at your skin, shredding your robes with his clawed hands, and then smoothed his hands over your chest, admiring the smooth skin he found, before he took hold of your thighs, dragging your hips up to his face as he began to feast on your sweet cunt, long tongue pressing deep into you, touching at something that made your toes curl and your hips rocking into his face as he greedily ate you out, his tail dipping down and pressing into your ass, toying with you. You cried out, experiencing your first ever orgasm, light filling the room as you came. He moaned for a long moment, and the horns on his head seemed to become less blackened.

He then pushed your legs up to your chest and his long, inhuman cock pulsed against your cunt and up to your abdomen, promising to fill you so deeply that you didn't know what would happen.

He pressed into you, the feeling so strange, so new, so holy that you couldn't help but moan out as inch after long, agonising inch filled you, heat in your core that you'd never felt before seemed to drag out forever - until he was so deep inside of you that your stomach bulged somewhat.

And then he was moving, one fistful of feathers holding you and your wings in place, the other holding your legs against your chest, his tail toying with your clit, his demonic cock defiling your most sacred cunt.

And it felt so good, each thrust grinding up against everything you never knew you wanted grinding on. You came and came, and he kept fucking you, the pulse of his cock making you go wild - and then his cock changed shape between strokes. Where it had been mostly human shaped, it turned into a ridged tentacle, and each thrust had it pulsing and changing thickness, dragging against your hole and then seemingly giving you reprieve before changing again into being insanely thick, stretching you out.

You screamed as you came, and his batlike wings stopped being so dark and horned, becoming smoother and more supple.

Finally, his cock settled on another shape, with a bulb at the bottom that seemed to inflate and grow as he got closer to his own orgasm - his knot.

And when he knotted you, you could feel his hot demonic cum pour into your sacred, holy womb. He was defiling the most special place with his unworthy cum, but all you could think of was how good he looked being cleansed by your holy aura - and how his defilement of you had brought you from being the holiest of the angels to being more. His cum seemed to pump for minutes into you, distending your womb a little so you already looked pregnant - pregnancy wasn't something you were certain angels could experience, but if you could, he would ensure you did.

And that had you cumming again, around his enormous cock.

[bonesxbows]

Colors of the Underdark (Astarion x Reader)

My Masterlist

A trip to the Underdark goes south and you're left with no light source. Your human eyes become useless and you start to panic. You're terrified of the dark and there's nothing but darkness around you down here. Astarion can tell and can actually see you start to panic. He tries his best to comfort you.

(WARNINGS) - Descriptions of the dark - Descriptions of fear - Anxious feelings - Descriptions of a panic attack

I'm still trying to get a sense of writing his character, this is my first attempt so pls be nice if it's bad. This was also written over the course of a couple of days so sorry if it's a bit choppy. The idea came from the fact that humans are like one of the few species that don't have dark vision. I'm also afraid of the dark so it's a tad self-indulgent lol. Hopefully, you still enjoy it, reblogs are much appreciated :)

-

A sudden gust of wind blew your burning torch to mere embers, encasing you and your party in pure and utter darkness. The only source of light anywhere around was the few glowing mushrooms miles away, but the only thing they did was remind you of the cavern system that surrounded you, threatening to suffocate you at a moment's notice.

“Fuck…fuck!” You screamed, your heart immediately beginning to sputter and race.

“Relax darling, it's just a little darkness, nothing to worry over.” His voice was relaxed, calm, collected, and in control. Every emotion opposite of what you were feeling.

“Relax?! Are you insane? We need to get out of here, now!” Your voice was laced with panic and you were beginning to hyperventilate.

“Are they okay?” You could hear Gale ask, although the answer he was looking for was very much apparent. Astarion was starting to worry, though he didn’t let the others see. He didn't answer Gale and instead barked an order.

“Set up camp, we’ll stay here for the time being.” He told him.

“But-”

“It's not up for debate and I didn't ask for your opinion nor your advice. Go.”

Gale scoffed but did as he was told and Shadowheart followed him without any comment. You were now on your knees scratching the head of your torch on the rocky ground, desperately trying to spark it alight again. As soon as Gale and Shadowheart were out of earshot Astarion kneeled next to you and his confident exterior fell away to sadness. The sight of you being so scared and desperate broke his heart. Of course, he could see every detail around him easily, even the crease of your brow as you concentrated on your futile task. He couldn’t imagine what your perspective as a human was like; was it pure pitch black? Could you still see the outlines of your surroundings? Did you even sense him near you? Trying to put himself in your shoes reminded him of his punishment of being locked inside that mausoleum so many years ago and he hated that feeling. Most of all he hated the idea of you experiencing that same amount of fear.

“Darling? Can you look at me?” He asked you in a soft voice. You didn't reply and he could now see tears start to flood your face. His frown deepened and so he reached forward and grabbed the torch out of your hands before you started to scrape the tips of your fingers raw. Your fingernails were already suffering from the constant friction. You practically jumped out of your skin from his unexpected interference. “I'm sorry my sweet but you're starting to hurt yourself. This torch is beyond dead anyway, beating it against the ground won't do you any good.” He tossed it aside and both of you could hear the wood bounce against the stone ground with a hollow clunk. You stared right at him, whether you realized you were doing so or not, and your face tore a new hole in his undead heart; you were seriously frightened, tears stained your face, and your eyes took no hesitation in replacing them with fresh ones. You were visibly shaking and you were constantly blinking, no doubt trying to find any sense of purchase of your surroundings.

“Astarion…”

“Yes?”

“I can't see you.”

“I know darling.”

“I'm afraid of the dark.”

You spoke in whispers, he almost didn't hear your confession. For once he was glad you couldn't see him, his first reaction was shock and it showed on his face. You were so fearless in battle, nothing scared you then, and you were always so confident in your actions, nothing like the person in front of him now. How could someone like you be so afraid of something so non-threatening? You continued to stare at him, tears still streaming down your face. He could hear your heartbeat start to speed up even faster.

“Astarion…? Are you…are you still there?” Your voice was scratchy from fear. His eyes widened as he realized what he had inadvertently done; his delay in response had given you the impression that he had gotten up and left you all alone. He quickly remedied his mistake by reaching out and grasping your hands in his, again making you jump out of your skin from the sudden unexpected contact. He silently cursed himself for scaring you again, he'd get better at this one day he promised himself, but immediately your heart began to calm down slightly from his cool touch.

“I'm here my sweet, I won't leave you.” You breathed a sigh of relief and you let go of one of his hands, fumbling it around to find his shoulder. He stayed still, letting you find him through touch and letting you get a sense of your surroundings by comparing your location to his. He wanted to laugh, your hand movements were adorable, like a puppy using its nose to find food, but he held his tongue. He didn't want to make this moment any more uncomfortable for you than it already was. It took you a minute but eventually, you grasped his shoulder.

“Can I…can I come closer?” You asked. He couldn't help but smile at your timid question. You were still shaking with fear but yet you still remembered to ask before touching him in any intimate way.

“Oh, my love…how could I say no to you? Come here, I’ll help you.” As you began to scoot closer to him he moved his hands to your upper arms to guide you, pulling you in the right direction towards him. You fumbled a bit but he helped you settle in his lap, nestled in between his legs with his arms wrapped around you. You were facing away from him, but you didn't mind this time, you couldn't see his face anyway regardless in the darkness. You could sense his arms around your waist and you could feel his cold hands on your stomach even through your armor. Your surroundings were still nothing but pitch black from your perspective, but the feeling of his body pressed up against yours helped start to calm your frazzled nerves. You couldn't see him, you couldn't see anything, but you knew you were safe with him. He was being your eyes and he would protect you when you couldn't protect yourself. You leaned back into him and he tightened his arms around you, giving you a reassuring squeeze.

“You're safe with me darling. The darkness can’t hurt you.” He whispered into your ear. The trust you had built with each other was enough for you to let yourself believe him. Your body had started to return to normal, your breathing was becoming even and your heart rate was turning into a steady rhythm.

“Where are the others?” you asked. You had no sense if they were even still around, you still couldn't see anything and you couldn't hear them either, but you assumed Astarion could.

“Don't worry your sweet little head about them, they're alright.” As soon as he finished his sentence a faint orange glow lit up the nearby area. You had stayed as still as possible so far but your head whipped in the direction of the new source of light as soon as it appeared. Your hair brushed against Astarion’s face aggressively when you turned, but he was too relieved to mind. He could feel the tension melt from your body. He watched as you forcefully blinked, adjusting your eyes from the pitch darkness to the now faint light. The rest of the party had finally sparked the campfire and they were now preoccupied with trying to roast something over it. You turned back to Astarion and caught the slightest hint of a smile on his face.

“Are you alright? Better now with the light?” he asked, moving one of his hands to push a strand of your hair out of your face and tucking it behind your ear. You nodded, grateful he had stayed with you.

“Can I…um…” your words were failing you again but you glanced down at his lips and he understood. His smile grew a little wider.

“Of course my love.”

You were quick. He barely had time to react before the force of you sent you both tumbling backward. Your lips crashed into his and your hands grasped his shoulders, holding on to him like a lifeforce. Once he had balanced the two of you again he gently grabbed your face, deepening the kiss and teasingly nicking your bottom lip with his fangs. You retreated after he did so, but you were smiling. You placed your forehead against his and stared into those ruby eyes you loved. He returned the same look of admiration and love.

“Thank you,” you told him. He pecked your lips again.

“You don't always need me to protect you, but I most certainly will whenever I can. Nothing will harm you while I'm around. Not here in the Underdark, nor anywhere else. I love you too much to let anything happen to you.”

[eggonog]

Rabbit (Yandere rich! oldtimy!OC x gn! reader)

My 3rd post!

Tw: Abuse, violence, abusive parents, murder, typical yandere stuff, sad boi :( ect.

Unedited

Version 1

~~~~~~~

William was so tired of this. The children looking at him as their parents whisper in their ear and point at him. Their stupid smiles as they walked up to him, waving. Trying to earn his favor. He hated it.

He walked out of the main hall, and down a hallway. But his rhythmic steps faltered when he saw you. Sitting alone in the corner eating a biscuit. He watched as you cracked it in half to give to your stuffed bunny. He almost laughed.

"What are you doing?"

You jumped and made a little squeak.

"...me?"

You pointed to yourself.

He nodded, and you stared at him with eyes as big as his shiny silver dinner plates.

"Who else would I be talking to?"

"Uh- Mimin...?"

He smirked. You were amusing.

"Is that what you named that thing?"

He pointed at your soft, yellow bunny.

"Yes, it is. And we are eating."

He scoffed.

"It can't eat, it's just a cotton ball wrapped in fabric."

You looked at him, horrified.

"How can you say that!?" You covered Mimins ears.

"He's sensitive!"

He chuckled. Very amusing.

He boldly walked over and plopped himself down next to you.

"I want the biscuit." He held out his hand, expectantly.

"Go get your own! This one belongs to Mimin."

You held your bunny close to your chest, turning away and protecting your precious friend.

He frowned, slightly upset. His hand lowered a little.

"Well, it's my party, so it's mine."

"No! We're the gusts, and you always have to treat guests with respect!"

His frown deepened.

His hand fell to his side, and he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Don't you want to be nice to me?"

"Why would I,"

You puffed out your cheeks, tears at the corner of your eyes.

"You were mean to Mimin!"

He had a confused frown now.

"It's just a bunny..."

"And you're just a boy!"

"a- "

He looked at you for a second, a surprised noise coming out. And then he started laughing.

"I like you. Would you wish to be my acquaintance?"

You blinked.

"What?"

Your posture relaxed, and you faced him again, your precious Mimin resting in your lap.

"I want to see you again after this, rabbit."

Your head whipped directly at him.

"I am not a rabbit!"

"Would you prefer bunny?"

"No! Call me by my name!"

Your cheeks puffed out.

He smiled.

"Hmm... no, I don't think I will."

You sputtered for a few seconds, looking at him offended.

"W- well- then I'm gonna call you..."

You looked down in concentration, trying to think.

He smirked and looked at you from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah?"

"W- what's... what's your... name?"

He smiled mischievously, jumping up and striking a pose, putting one hand on his chest, and the other one out in the air, closing his eyes, and dramatically stating;

"I am the second born of the Renali family and beloved heir to my father's business- William Eric Griffin CogsWorth-Renali! Pleased to make your acquaintance."

He bowed with just as much vigor, waiting for your response.

"Well then, I'm going to call you Coggy!"

His posture grew slack for a moment, and he looked at you as if asking if you were serious.

When you gave him a determined and mischievous look.

He stood up straight, snapping into place.

"That's not fair! You should call me William! It's what's proper!"

"Hmm, no, I don't think I will!"

He was exasperated.

You really were amusing.

~~~~~~~

You were sitting below a large, thick tree reading a book on a summer afternoon facing away from your mansion, when suddenly Will was beside you, hanging upside-down by his knees on a tree branch.

"Guess what I did today?"

"AH-!" You startled, flinching and dropping your book.

"Cog? Geeze, you startled me..."

He giggled, and let himself fall to the ground, now sitting to your right.

You straightened yourself out, brushing the wrinkles from your clothing and fixing your posture.

"Anyway, what did you want to tell me?"

"I passed my test~" He folded his arms behind him, crossing his legs and stretching out.

"What? First try?" You put your book in the grass to your left.

"Yep," He popped the p. "I'm a pro-fess-ional swordsman now. Please, hold the applause-"

"No one's clapping." You said playfully, tilting your head and bringing your left knee to your chest.

"Wa- but I'm the first-ever 15-year-old to become a knight-!"

He pulled his arms from behind his head and leaned forward, looking at you like a kicked puppy.

"They said i could be a tyrant when I grow up! They said I could over throw kingdoms- that I was more talented than most adults!"

"yeah, yeah, no- good job."

He pouted.

"You're being sarcastic!"

"No I'm nottttttt"

You picked your book up from the grass and started reading.

"What, do you want me to be smart like you? I can learn everything! Be smarter than you!"

You smirked and raised an eyebrow, nose still in your book.

"I highly doubt that, Cog."

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"What will it take? How can I impress you?"

"I dunno..."

"Commonnnnnn pleaseeee????"

"What are you please-ing for?" There was a smile in your voice "I just said I don't know."

He rolled his eyes.

"I swear, I could rule the whole world and you would still rather read than humor me."

He slumped against the tree.

"What are you reading anyway?"

"Nothing- HEY DONT LOOK-!"

You threw your book behind you as he tried to snatch it.

He had you pinned to the ground, a hand on either side of you. He glared down at you, playfully.

His normally perfect hair was falling down his face slightly, the golden tastels from his overcoat barely missing brushing your chest. His red tie was slightly loose, and he was looking at you with that... awful smirk that made your heart flutter.

"It's not that dirty stuff again- is it?"

Your face flushed- less from him and more from embarrassment now.

"No! It's not!"

While you were distracted trying to come up with an excuse, he reached over you and grabbed it.

"COG!"

You lunged forward and wrapped your body around it, keeping it away from him.

"Okay, okay! What do you want?"

He looked at you, laying on your back in the grass, face hot.

"I-"

He looked over you, slightly sprawled and breathing heavily. You were beautiful.

"I want- you..."

"...yeah? What do you want me to do?"

"...huh?"

"What do you want me to do..? You never finished your sentence."

"OH. Uh- I want... you to..."

"William!"

He froze.

The two of you scrambled up, and you threw your book to the side, where he couldn't see it.

"William! Where are you!?"

You could see the fear in his eyes.

"You weren't supposed to come see me, were you?"

"I... wasn't, no. No I was not."

He was panicking, you could tell. He had only gotten caught once before, and his father didn't come to get him... so why was he here? It would make more sense to send a servant to get him.

His father came storming around the tree, quickly slapping Will across the face.

"What have you done with your mother!?"

You gasped and took a step back. He grabbed onto his son's hair, shaking him.

"You horrible child!- where is she!?"

You couldn't do anything but watch, as your best friend got berated and beaten by his father in front of you.

"I don't know! I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"She's not in the mansion! She's not with her friends! She's gone! She always loved you more than me, what did you do to her!? WHERE IS SHE!?"

He threw his son against the tree and glared down at him. William started crying, and you took a step forward, instincts wanting to comfort your friend.

This caught his father's attention.

"YOU." He pointed at you, and you flinched. "You must know, what did he do with my wife!?"

"I- I'm sorry sir I do not know."

"Useless... Both of you!"

He kicked Will, and then angrily stormed off, leaving him to whimper and sniffle, curled in on himself.

The second he was out of sight, you ran to the base of the tree, sitting in front of him.

"Will..? Are you... allright?"

He sniffed, grabbing onto his hair, and biting his lip to stop from crying.

"I'm... okay."

He was shaking.

You slowly sat next to him and hugged him. Holding his head to your chest like a child.

He let out no noise, and that made you sadder.

"Hey, Cog? What did he mean about your mother being missing?"

Your clothes were wet with tears.

"I don't know..."

You sat in silence for about 40 minutes. He had long stopped crying, but you didn't let go.

You sat there, watching the sunset, occasionally singing a song. A few stray leaves fell down on the wind, softly falling to the ground. You stayed there all night, using his coat as a blanket. He fell asleep on your chest, with your songs in his ears.

~~~~~~~

He had asked to meet with you. It had been a while, a few months. You only saw him last at your birthday banquet. He bought you a thin gold necklace, with a small, intricate gold rose. In the rose, there was an itty-bitty clock. It dumbfounded everyone at the party how it could be as small as it was. Though it was a bit garish, you found it charming.

You were both adults now, and he owned his father's business. Your childhood friend had become more stern and lost his playfulness. An adorable teen had become a charismatic and flirtatious man.

You often wished you could go back to how it was before his mother ran out on them. It felt weird to see him acting serious and cold.

He acted different around you though, he had a soft spot for you. And you knew it. The way his normally perfect smile would droop to the left of his face, the genuine lop-sided grin he would show to only you.

He asked to meet under your tree.

Alone.

So here you were, walking up to it. You took a deep breath and walked around it.

You had matured, not enough to stop calling him by his middle name, but enough to drop the nickname. At this point, it would feel unnatural to call him by his first name.

"CogsWorth?"

Your hand subconsciously touched the trunk of the tree as you walked around.

"You asked to meet me?"

He was standing, looking into the distance, presumably thinking.

"Rabbit, you're here..." His fist clenched, but he didn't turn around.

"Yeah, it's been a while."

He nodded.

"so what did you want to meet me here for?" Your hand came off the tree, and you fiddled with one of the fingers of your glove.

"Do you remember the time my father came here?"

You frowned.

"Yes, I do. I was surprised when you wanted to come back here afterward..."

He shifted slightly. Was he nervous?

"How could I not come back? I wouldn't have been able to see you otherwise... It's not like I could not see you again."

You smiled. He changed, but he was still sappy at heart.

"I wouldn't have survived without you."

A frown found its way back onto your face. You could hear the last two words, even if he didn't say them. And you knew it was true. With his Mother leaving him and his father the way he was, he likely would be dead by now without hope. By his father's hand, or his own.

"oh, Cog..." Maybe you weren't mature enough to not use nicknames. It's not like anyone would call you on it.

"I can't survive without you..."

Your heart melted at that, but there was also... something bad forming in your gut.

"Did something... happen?"

He stiffened slightly.

"I can't get anything past you, can I?"

"cog... what..."

"What did I do? What's wrong with me?"

You were confused and taken aback,

"what happened. Cogswoth, that's what I was going to say."

He turned around and looked at you, he had tears in his eyes. But you couldn't tell what expression was behind them.

"I... did something."

You reached out and put a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"Cog..?"

"It was a bad thing... but... it didn't make me feel bad."

You were oafishly worried.

You looked at him, trying to read him.

He looked back into your eyes.

It was getting more difficult to read him, as he was being conditioned to keep his expression natural. But he softened up a little around you.

Still, you couldn't tell. But you didn't think he could either.

"My father, he's dead. I'm the man of the house now."

You didn't know what to think. But you knew exactly what he did.

"You think I'm a monster don't you?"

"What? Why would I? You've gone to war... you were even a general."

He grabbed both your hands in one of his own.

"But he was my flesh and blood..."

"CogsWorth, he was horrible. You of all people should know that."

He stared at you.

You stared back.

He slowly brought his hand up to your face, stroking your cheek. You leaned into it, and put your hand on top of his own.

"He said I couldn't marry you..."

"...what?"

"That's why..."

He stroked your hair.

"I don't understand...? Why...?"

He pulled out a ring, with a small blood splatter on it. He quickly put it on your finger and whipped the blood off his thumb.

"Will you marry me, little rabbit?"

~~~~

Back story for one of my ocs! since I just started my blog I will be slowly introducing my various oc's unless someone requests a certain thing. An alphabet for Will/CogsWorth might be coming soon, probably.

[throneofsapphics]

Heyy..would you write a very angsty Rowalein x reader or Manorian x reader, where the reader takes a bullet or arrows or knife meant for Manon or Rowan and ends up severely injured?

I just read your work and the angst is sooo freaking good that my mind can't turn off of the angst train and conjures up scenarios that immediately ends up in your asks.

I would really be grateful if you decided to write even one of my asks.!!

you never could lie to me 

Rowaelin x Reader

Summary: You take an arrow meant for Rowan and Aelin. 

Warnings: blood, severe injuries, not proofread

A/N: thank you so much, I love the scenarios !! I’m a bit worried I like writing this too much  

You moved on instinct, all you knew was you couldn’t let them get hurt, your own safety felt insignificant compared to theirs. 

Your shield deflected at least three of the arrows, while a gust of magic knocked them to the ground. Two found their mark before you managed to dispatch one of the attackers, Rowan and Aelin having reacted quickly to get the others. 

“What the fuck?” You hear Aelin roar, but the pain in your left thigh and right shoulders took all of your attention as you fell to your knees. You didn’t pull them out, you knew better than that. Rowan had taken off on foot, and Aelin crouched next to you, her eyes filled with worry as a shield of flames covered the two of you. 

A stream of curses left her lips. “You’ll be fine,” she assured you, but her hands braced the area around your thigh, trying to staunch some of the blood quickly gushing from the area.

“Did you know your left temple twitches when you lie?” You managed to croak with a laugh. 

“Don’t,” she interrupted, “please.” 

“Iron,” you managed to mumble as you felt her reaching for her magic. “It’s iron.” 

She let out a shuddering breath. 

You heard footsteps, and saw a small break in the shield - just enough for Rowan to slip through. Anger and fear was streaming from him in droves. You saw his breath catch as he took in your injuries and heard the curses leaving him as well. 

If Rowan was losing his cool, that meant it actually was bad. You became slowly aware of your consciousness leaving your body. You weren’t ready to die, not now, it wasn’t … it couldn’t be time.

You didn’t mean to say the words out loud, but you must’ve, “You’re not dying.” Rowan’s voice was rough as he knelt next to you. 

“I can’t heal these here,” you heard him mutter softly to Aelin. The last thing you heard was cloth ripping as black danced in your vision, and hissed as cloth wrapped tightly around the wounds - one on your upper thigh, cutting off all circulation and blood flow. Tourniquet, you think that's the name for it. 

A light tap on your cheek, and Aelin’s voice sounded distant, “stay awake.” 

You tried, but couldn’t. Sleep took over. 

-

Rowan balanced the line between holding you carefully in his arms, and sprinting back for the castle. Aelin kept pace with him and a shield of flames surrounded them the entire way. One less thing for him to worry about. He could have healed it when you arrived, but the place the arrows hit was dangerous enough getting you to the castle healers would be safer.  Gods he was pissed at you, and would have several words for you once this was over and you were well again. You would be, you had to be, but he could feel death balancing over you - taunting you - and he prayed you stayed here, hung on as long as you could. The shallow breathing pushed him to run as fast as he ever had. The arrows would have struck both him and Aelin directly in the head if you hadn’t intervened. Pissed off and somehow grateful at the same time. But - if you died for him he’d somehow find a way to drag you back to life or hire a ghost to haunt you until he could find you in the next life.

[luv-velvet]

The icy aftermath

You fucked up.

The snow fell softly around you, a stark contrast to the terror racing through your veins. Your bare feet pounded against the frozen ground, each step a jarring reminder of how ill-prepared you were for this chase. Your breath misted in the frigid air, and every gust of wind felt like a cutting blade against your skin.

Behind you, his presence loomed, his slow, deliberate strides barely making a sound. You knew he wasn't exerting himself; his pace was a taunt, a reminder that no matter how fast you ran, you were no match for him. The snow beneath you, once a soft blanket, now felt like a treacherous obstacle, slowing your progress.

How had it come to this? It was meant to be a harmless game, a bit of mischief to see how far you could push his limits. The short skirt you wore, barely covered your ass, had been more than just a playful choice. oh,and your flirtatious tone?, clearly your actions aimed at provoking him. You hadn't expected him to take it seriously—at least, not like this.

But he had noticed everything. Every glance, every provocative movement had been cataloged by his sharp eyes. Now, the consequences of your actions were catching up with you. His amusement was palpable as he watched your frantic attempts to escape, savoring every moment of your panic.

Suddenly, your foot caught on a hidden branch, and you tumbled forward, pain shooting through your knee as it scraped against the hard ground. You tried to rise, but the sting was too much, and you found yourself collapsing into the snow. You could hear his footsteps growing nearer, the sound sending fresh waves of dread through you.

Crawling backward, your attempts to push the snow away from you were futile. Sukuna's shadow loomed over you, his presence so close you could feel the heat radiating from his body, a stark contrast to the freezing cold that had enveloped you. His gaze was intense, a mixture of cold amusement and simmering anger.

"Well, well, look at you now," Sukuna's voice was a low growl, filled with dark satisfaction. "All that arrogance, and this is where it led you."

You looked up at him, your face flushed with the cold and your eyes wide with fear. There was no escape now. The playful challenge had turned into a nightmare, and you were left to face the consequences of your reckless behavior. You should have known this was going to happen. You should have realized that Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, would not tolerate your foolish attempt to challenge him.

As he crouched down beside you, his fingers gently traced the line of your jaw. The touch was surprisingly tender, a stark contrast to the menace in his eyes. "You thought you could tease me and get away with it," he said softly, almost thoughtfully. "But now, you see that I don’t take such things lightly."

His hand gripped your chin, and though his touch was gentle, there was an undeniable force behind it. You swallowed hard, knowing that whatever came next, it would be a punishment unlike anything you had anticipated. The night, once filled with playful excitement, had transformed into a lesson you would not soon forget.

It's my first time writing something this long, and I'm a bit nervous about making mistakes. Please excuse any errors!

Ps: should I make a part 2?

Also guys please please help me find that one video where the girl is being chased by a guy, she is running and she falls down and he was walking towards her slowly and she tries throwing snow at him... It was literally my inspiration for this one shot nd it was giving haunting Adeline vibes

[love-lilly02]

The Challenge— Chapter 11

AN: i really do hope these gif’s scare you before reading. Anyways this week’s is really short because finals kicked my ass, but i hope you enjoy!!!

Being in the military, you start to see some stuff you don’t really want to see.

There’s always someone dying, a mauled or mangled corpse in a dark corner of a safe house. You get used to it, after so many years on the job. 

One thing he could never get used too is seeing his team like this. 

Listening to your explanation was already rough. He was forced to stand there and watch you struggle to explain yourself, listen as you slowly gave into your feelings. And seeing you cry was…

Well. To say the least, he had never seen you cry before, in all your years in the military. 

Your quiet sobs filled the room, muffled slightly by the material of Price’s shirt. He stayed on one knee, wrapping his arms tightly around your back and murmuring reassurances so quietly into your hair not even Simon could make them out. After what felt like forever, he lifted his head and looked directly at Johnny. 

The man snapped out of his thoughts, and crept forward towards the pair. “Take her to the barracks, got somethin to take care of.” Price said, and Johnny nodded. 

“Aye, sir. Here, lass, up ya come.” It broke his heart, seeing you like that. And he knew the others agreed, based on the looks they were giving you. Johnny helped you stand, supporting you on his shoulder when you wobbled slightly. “Steady, bonnie. I gotcha, it’s alright.” He felt the hand before he saw the person, watching as Simon wordlessly scooped you into his arms bridal style. You squeaked at the sudden movement, and the man just tucked your head into his chest. 

“Show off,” Soap grumbled, rolling his eyes at the man’s antics. Simon just shrugged. 

The two of them brought you to the barracks, but instead of going into your room, Simon brought you to the spare room in the far corner of the hall. Long ago, since before you even joined, they had turned the room into a shared space for the four of them. It contained a bed larger than most of the ones in the bedrooms, big enough to fit all four of the men at once. 

This is the bed simon set you down on, shushing you softly when you whined. Your eyes were red and puffy, and you were still sniffing. Simon gently removed your shoes, and sat on the bed next to you. 

“Here, Johnny.” The scott needed no other motivation, kicking off his shoes and climbing in the bed behind you. The two men pressed you between them, Simon holding on to your waist and Johnny holding you across your stomach. 

“We gotcha, it’s okay.” Johnny said, pulling  you closer when the quiet sobs began again. The three of you stayed like that for a while, till your breathing evened out and you fell asleep. 

It had been a good while since you had seen your sister, so long that you hardly remember her features. You’re somewhat sure she had the same eyes as you, maybe different hair?

Either way she was in front of you. And she was pissed. Her face contorted into thousands of shapes and expressions, her feelings displayed so clearly it was dizzying. One moment she was overjoyed, the next she was in despair, then she was so angry you thought she would kill you. Her voice resounded through the room, a chorus of loud, angry wails. The noise was deafening, so much so that you wanted to hold your hands over your ears, but you were rooted in place. 

“How could you do this to me?” She screamed, holding her head in her hands. “I trusted you, you wretched bitch! Selfish, all i did was protect you, I even took your beatings! How could you leave me, why would you…“ 

The words made you want to cry, but you were incapable of producing the tears. Slowly, you lifted your hand to her, trying to help in some way, like you used too. The movement was like a harsh gust of wind, and she backed away from you so fast you were sure she glitched. 

“Get the fuck away! Why would I ever trust you again?” 

You actually did cry then. You wanted to scream, to tell her that it wasn’t really your fault, how you thought you were helping her, how you were sorry. So, so fucking sorry, but the words melted alongside the scene. 

You were flying through dark space, into the next part of the dream. This time, the boys were here with you. They surrounded a chair in a small room, where one person sat with a bag over their head. It was a scene you had taken part of, on some mission years ago. 

“Right, then.” Price said, stepping forward. “You know why you’re here.” He ripped the bag off of the persons head, and you saw yourself sitting in the chair. 

Your face was covered in cuts and bruises, and your eyes were so swollen they couldn’t even open anymore. Your nose had been permanently broken out of place, and a lot of your hair was either completely cut off or uneven in the worst places. 

“It was fun playing with you, pet. Unfortunately, if there’s one thing I can’t stand—“ Here he pulled out a gun, pointing it straight at your head.”—It’s a liar. See you in hell, eh?”

The sound of the bullet startled you awake, and you gasped as your eyes flew open. Gaz backed off quickly, raising his hands in the air. 

“It’s alright, just me.” You tried your best to calm down your breathing, spinning your head on a swivel. 

“Where’s—“

“Simon and Johnny had to go help Price, sent me in to stay with you. Tried to wake you up but…”

You nodded. There were dried tear tracks on your face, and you could tell your hair was horribly tangled without even having to touch it.

“You don’t have to stay here. I’ll be okay in a bit,” You said. Gaz just shook his head. 

“Can’t let a teammate suffer alone. It’s part of the job description.” He climbed into the bed with you—you were still in the shared room— and pulled your head down to his chest. 

“I don’t remember reading it in the contract.”

“It’s a new addition.” 

That made you smile. The two of you lapsed into silence, simply enjoying each others presence. The sheets still smelled slightly of the other two men, and they were still a bit warm. 

They left recently, maybe seconds before Gaz got me up. 

“You’re thinking too much, princess.” Gaz whispered, and you shrugged lamely. 

“Got a lot to think about.” 

“Wana talk? That… It helps. Sometimes.”

You just shrugged. He nodded, and there was silence again. 

“Full moon tomorrow.” He said, and you hummed in agreement. “The sky should be fairly clear, we can go stargazing?”

You nodded against his chest, and he smiled. 

Times like this made everything feel okay. 

[ruified]

i just finished reading osamu dazai and the dark era and now my eyes are stinging with the feeling of tears attempting to crawl their way out from behind them, and they may just succeed in that endeavor so let’s see how much i can type out with tears in my eyes

i miss my wife (oda bsd)

Somebody probably should've tied him up, pried his chest open, and stuffed a vacuum cleaner inside. Then, as he screamed and cried until they needed to punch him to shut him up, they'd suck every last bit out of his chest and stamp it into the ground.

But in reality, such a vacuum didn't exist. Chests don't open up like that, and no one is capable of such feats. What we see is every-thing, and everything we see, we ignore. All we can do is stand before the deep ditch between us and others and keep silent.

the way oda talks about dazai is consistently heart wrenching, he knows that despite all of dazai’s maturity, because he was forced to grow so fast, he’s still a child

just a child protecting his fragile little heart the way an adult would, simply replicating what he’d seen others do and what he’d been taught and expanding upon it

That was when Dazai first realized: Sakunosuke Oda understood him much more than he'd ever imagined-right up to his very heart, almost to the center of his mind. Dazai didn't realize until then that someone had known him so well.

it’s as if oda never realized that he knew dazai better than anyone, that he’d successfully reached out and touched the child protecting his heart

oda mentioned regretting not getting closer to dazai

The reason why Ango and I were able to be by his side was that we understood the solitude that surrounded him, and we never stepped inside it no matter how close we stood.

But in that moment, I kind of regretted not stepping in and invading that solitude.

but in his final moments, that child in dazai reached out and asked for guidance, asked for oda to take his hand and point him in the next direction he believed was right because he trusted him

dazai thought so highly of oda because oda was always rather up front about everything, his feelings, what he was thinking, all of that. not once did oda try to use dazai, we find dazai sort of realizing this in the day i picked up dazai (which i read online not too long ago), and that’s what makes dazai like oda so much

they’re so important to me guys btw

With trembling fingers, Odasaku reached for the cigarettes in his pocket before sluggishly placing one in his mouth. By the time he pulled out a match, his fingers were too weak to hold it anymore. Dazai took the match and lit the cigarette for him.

Then Odasaku closed his eyes, smoking the cigarette as he smiled, filled to the brim with satisfaction.

The cigarette fell to the ground.

Dropping onto his knees by Odasaku's side, Dazai looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes. His tightly shut lips faintly trembled. The smoke from the cigarette rose straight up to the top.

Nobody said a word.

READING THIS SHIT HITS HARDER THAN WATCHING IT THE ANIME FR DOES NOT CARRY THAT SAME IMPACT

something else they never included in the anime was THIS?????

In the middle of a verdant mountain trail atop a hill overlooking Yokohama was a cemetery with a view of the ocean. There were many new graves lined up-among them a small white burial marker without a name.

Dazai stood before the burial marker, dressed in black mourning clothes and holding a bouquet of white flowers.

"…….”

He squinted as the strong sea breeze suddenly gusted past.

The white flowers fluttered in the wind.

"I'll leave this photo here."

He took out a picture and placed it before the burial marker.

Frozen in time were the smiles of those three men.

"I really wish you could've tried that hard tofu I made..."

Dazai closed his eyes, then stood absolutely still, rooted to the spot.

GOD I FEEL ILL I LOVE YOU SO MUCH DAZAI OSAMU

Dazai didn't say a word. That was just about the first time he'd ever been unable to articulate his feelings.

"I..."

this is like one of the first, if not the only time, we get a glimpse into what dazai is thinking and it’s honestly so important that we did it this moment

the anime doesn’t convey it as well just how emotionally driven dazai is in this moment, like, yes you can tell, but his struggle between what he knew was logically correct and what he felt is so important to know about

it also makes this part that he said to ango really ironic

"I always lose the things I don't want to lose the most. That's why I don't feel anything anymore. The moment you get your hands on something worth going after, you lose it."

"When I first saw him over in the slums, I was horrified. His talents are extraordinary, and his skill is extremely destructive. Plus, he's stubborn. If I'd left him to his own devices, he would've ended up a slave to his own powers until he destroyed himself."

Dazai didn't freely make people work under him, period; much less a boy on the verge of starvation in the slums. But Dazai seemed to have his own reasons for doing it.

the way dazai talks about akutagawa here is so interesting and you really gotta take it at face value because he has no reason to lie to oda, especially not about this

here’s dazai being oda’s number one fan

"Sakunosuke Oda... I know that guy," the subordinate with sunglasses added hesitantly. "Dazai, sir, I don't mean to be rude, but...I saw him sweeping behind the office the other day. A man of his status isn't qualified to be your friend, let alone contend with an enemy like this."

Dazai stared, flabbergasted, at his underling.

"Are you joking? Odasaku's not qualified?" Dazai asked, thoroughly surprised.

he’s so cute

now for some silly stuff

here’s oda describing things in terms of cats

Searching for a Mafia informant is on a completely different level from locating a missing pet cat (which I've actually done before, so I say this with confidence). If a cat runs away, then you can stake out a local feeding ground, but there was no way for me to even guess where Ango's "feeding ground" might be.

I had placed a foot on the staircase to the second floor, which looked as if it could come crumbling down at any moment, when I heard a sound coming from somewhere in the building. It was very faint, only about as loud as a kitten rolling on its back.

he’s such a guy

"I am André Gide. We ghosts came in search of... the one who will free our souls," the leader claimed.

…

"Well, I know this guy who works at a funeral home. I'm sure he'll give you a discount if I put in a word for you."

"Anyway, I feel for you, Odasaku. Not only did you run into the enemy's boss, but he made some serious advances toward you, too. At this rate, you guys will be married by the weekend."

"That's not what happened." At least, I hoped not. "They're just a group of weirdos who start wars for the sake of it."

"Oh? I think it's kinda cute, going to such lengths to plan another person's death. I never would've thought of doing that." There was more than a hint of amusement in his tone.

“at least, i hoped not” ODA 😭😭😭

i just love dazai in this specific moment, he’s so silly

"I found a handkerchief at the site of the explosion." Dazai grinned fiendishly. "There was a napkin from this place wrapped inside. It was completely obvious. Who would've thought spies used such dated methods, huh?"

Now that he mentioned it, I remembered lending Ango my handkerchief before I passed out. That must've been when he slipped the napkin in. I just thought I'd lost it.

BRO THOUGHT ANGO JUST LIKE GAVE HIM BACK THE NAPKIN TOO

"Man, that was hot. Why does curry have to be that hot?

Does it have something against mankind? More people would eat it if it were less spicy. This is negligence in food culture." I thought about it for a moment before answering. "If more people ate it, then nobody would eat anything else, thus completely destroying food culture as we know it."

"Makes sense." Dazai nodded, seemingly convinced.

"You hurt yourself on a block of tofu?"

He must have been in desperate need of some calcium.

"...Odasaku, that's exactly the problem right there. You're enabling Dazai. You don't speak up, and that's why he goes off the rails."

I see. So this was what Ango meant by "enabling" him. You learn something new every day.

i love how funny oda is without meaning to be like he fr just says shit 😭

anyways that was a really good read uhh made me really sad, also better than the anime ngl, oda was so much more badass and cool

[rowanrabbit]

There was once a beautiful princess who was engaged to a prince from a faraway land. The match was arranged from their birth, and the princess’s whole young life was spent preparing for the marriage. But when she finally met the prince, only a week before their wedding, she found him intolerably arrogant and cruel.

“I would rather marry the devil,” she said to herself, and that night, a devil appeared at her bedroom window.

He swept into the room on a gust of air and stood there as tall as the ceiling, a great big beast with long sharp claws and teeth, wide leathery wings and a tail that whipped back and forth with feral excitement. He fell to his knees on the floor before her, and took her little hands in his.

“I’ve come to steal you away,” he said.

“To where?” demanded the princess.

He scooped her up in his enormous arms. “To my castle,” he said with his fangs at her ear.

He took her to the open window and launched back into the night, catching the air with his powerful wings and carrying the princess away.

They flew through the night for many miles, until they came to a beautiful palace carved from soft white stone, its spiraling towers gleaming with moonlight against the dark mountains. They went in through a tall tower window and landed in a bedroom decorated with dark wood and soft white silks. The devil laid the princess down on a soft bed, where she fell asleep.

The next morning she woke up alone in the beautiful room, and waited for the devil to come to her, which he did before long.

“How did you know that I wanted you last night?” she asked.

“The devil always comes when he is called,” he replied. “I’ve brought you here to make you my bride, lovely one. Will you accept?”

“I will accept,” said the princess, “but only if you court me according to the customs of my people.”

“Tell me what I must do,” said the devil.

“On the first night,” said the princess, “you must bring me a beautiful jewel.”

“It will be done,” said the devil, but just then, there came the sounds of a commotion outside. They went to the window and saw an army of a hundred men at the castle gates, led by the cruel and arrogant prince.

“He’s come to take you back,” said the devil.

“Don’t let him,” said the princess.

“Yes, my lady,” said the devil. He spread his wide wings and flew down from the tower window to meet the men at the gates. All day long, the princess watched through the window as they did battle. The human men were no match for the devil’s terrible claws and teeth. By sunset he had driven them all away. The princess was glad, but she saw that he’d had no time to collect any jewels for her.

“Where is my jewel?” she asked coyly, when the devil returned to her room.

“Here it is, beautiful one,” said the devil. In his hands was a perfect round orange that he’d plucked from a tree in the garden, with a dark green leaf still attached. He peeled it open in his great claws to reveal the segments of soft flesh, faceted and sparkling like gems. The princess was delighted, and she allowed the devil to feed her the soft sweet slices.

He returned to her the next morning, ready for his second task.

“What next, my lady?” he asked.

“On this second night,” said the princess, “you must serenade me with a beautiful song.”

“It will be done,” said the devil, but just then, there was another great commotion at the castle gates. They went to the window and saw that the prince had returned with an army of a thousand men.

“So many this time…” said the princess.

“I won’t let them take you,” the devil said to her. He leapt out the bedroom window and flew down to face the army of men. All day long, the princess sat at the window and watched the ferocious battle taking place. This time the devil summoned mighty winds full of dust and hale, and jets of fire that shot up out of the earth, and he cut through through shields and armor with fiery swords. By the end of the day, he had driven the army away yet again. The princess was very impressed, but she knew he’d had no time to tune his instruments or practice his songs.

“Where are your instruments?” she asked, when the devil returned to her room.

“Let me take you to them,” he said, and gathered her up in his arms. He leapt out of the window with her—a thing the princess was somehow getting used to—and they flew away from the castle, to a hidden gorge tucked between two mountains, where a little winding brook burbled through a meadow of soft grass spotted with trees.

The devil set the princess down on her feet in the grass.

“I see nothing,” she said.

“You must listen,” said the devil.

She listened, and she noticed that the chuckling babble of the brook was almost like a soft little song, and the crickets hidden in the grass all around were rubbing their legs together like bows on strings, like a tiny little orchestra. And when the wind blew, it whooshed deeply through the walls of the gorge, rustling the leaves of the trees, and every so often an owl hooted too. It was as lovely as music, and they stood together listening for most of the night, until the devil carried her back to the bedroom so she could sleep.

He returned to her the next morning. “What must I do next?” he said.

“This is the final night of our courting,” she said, "and you must prepare a grand feast.”

“It will be done,” said the devil. But they both listened for the telltale sounds of swords and marching feet, and heard them, and going to the window they saw that the prince had arrived at the gates once again, leading an army of ten thousand men.

“Let them take me back,” said the princess, looking over the vast army. "You'll be hurt."

“Don’t be afraid,” said the devil, “for I cannot be felled by mortal men.” He went out through the window and flew to meet the oncoming army. And as he flew he grew, twenty feet tall, fifty feet, one hundred, one thousand feet tall, until he landed on the battlefield with a thunderous crash, towering over the terrified army. Many men turned and fled right then. But the arrogant prince would not be dissuaded, and he led the remaining men against the beast. Their swords and arrows were practically useless, their horses were wild with terror, and their morale drained away like sand through a sieve.

The battle finally ended in the evening. The prince had limped away in secret, defeated for the final time. Many men lay dead, while those still living scattered into the mountains. The devil slowly returned to his original size, lying down in the dirt among the dead, unharmed but exhausted from his great transformation. The princess left the palace and went to him, and took his large clawed hand in hers.

“Forgive me, lovely one,” he said, “for I have prepared no feast for you.”

“No?” asked the princess, looking around. Hundreds of ravens had descended upon the battlefield, already tearing into the fresh corpses, and wolves and lions were emerging from the woods to join them. “I think the feast is already under way,” said the princess, “and the guests are enjoying it very much.”

The devil laughed wickedly at that. “I think you might be a bit of a devil yourself,” he said. They were married on the next evening, and they are still living happily to this day.

[lorei-writes]

Crimson Roses

Cyran x MC Angst/Hurt/Comfort ~1.5k words Prompts: determination, love, loyalty

My entry for Wish Upon an Aide Creation Challenge & the collaboration with none other than @wordycheeseblob ! Saki prepared the artwork -- the story is inspired by it.

To view the full artwork, visit @wordycheeseblob !

The clacking of high heels called order in the halls. The maid leaped off the sill and onto the floor, hands smoothing out any real and imaginary creases present over her uniform. Mildly embarrassed, she lowered her head. “Do you know where Cyran is?” Emma asked. “The word has it that Sir Rose has not returned.”

“Did you hear? Prince Clavis returned tonight, just before the dawn,” a maid chirped, vigorously polishing one of the tall windows lining the hallways in the residential wing of the palace. Not quite ladylike, she stuck out her tongue and stood on her very tiptoes, the cloth in her hand coming just short of reaching the upper end of the frame. She put her knee up on the windowsill.

“Truly? No, no, I wasn’t aware, no. And…?” her companion mused. “This is rather disgraceful, dear.”

“It is not like anybody is going to see.” The girl pushed herself further up, to eventually stand rather steadily, one pristine hand pressed against the wall for stability. A single stray strand sneaked out of her updo and fell over her forehead, perhaps challenging her to blow it back into place. “Besides, that’s not important.”

“That is youngster’s naivete,” the other sighed. “Well, what was it that you heard then?”

Hooks were undone and knobs were turned. The white apron billowed on the wind as a handful of rowdy gusts rushed inside, more than ready to rummage through the princely chambers and other kingly dwellings. “So you are curious!” She winked. “Apparently he was beaten all black and blue, so he won’t make any appearances for a while… And the word has it that his first knight, Sir Rose —”

The clacking of high heels called order in the halls. The maid leaped off the sill and onto the floor, hands smoothing out any real and imaginary creases present over her uniform. Mildly embarrassed, she lowered her head.

“Do you know where Cyran is?” Emma asked.

“The word has it that Sir Rose has not returned.”

***

Sir Rose has not returned, Emma was told by what felt like a hundred of mouths.

He hasn’t made it home.

He had to stay back.

They were supposed to meet up at an inn, but…

… but there was nothing following that “but”. Angered or desperate, or perhaps both, so thoroughly dissolved in each other that they ceased being either, she stood before Clavis’ room. The oaken door stared her down, old dark knots furrowing their grain-brow. A guest uninvited, Emma turned and pressed and pulled and pushed at the brass knob – and although it replied each time, be it with a bzzzt or a whoop or a snap, the door did not budge.

“Prince Clavis?” She knocked. Emma took a step back, anticipating some sort of explosion, or a contraption, concoction, trap… Something, anything, to befall her.

Nothing had.

“Prince Clavis?!”

Nothing.

“Clavis, goddammit!”

Not a thing, regardless of how hard her fist struck. Thinking it was just a cruel joke, a tactless prank, Emma let her feelings pound away at the wood, impact shaking her down to her very bone marrow. Hinges rattle-cackled, laughing only louder the longer she fought. As futile as it was, Emma did not lack in persistence. No, far from it – her will was a rock, only solidified by the gossip still churning in her mind.

It was only when the afternoon sun tinted the corridors in vibrant vermillion, so very familiar, that Emma regained some of her reason. She hid her bruised hand in her skirt, head hanging low.

“Clavis?” she called one last time, her voice rasp. To no answer, of course. Defeated and deflated, Emma turned away from the door, dreading being swallowed and digested by the ever-present silence.

***

Follow me —

Emma burst out of her room, carried forth and entrapped by the winds still lingering in the halls, little different from a gale herself. A force petrified with uncertainty, she clutched the letter to her chest. Her body did not hurt; it was the motion that found her, pulled her through the gaps between the hastily jotted down lines, made unstoppable by the sliver of hope setting her thoughts ablaze. She didn’t want to oppose it. Not when the singed paper fit in her palm so warmly, so crumbled and mistreated it could easily fall to dust. The previously dreadful corridors, overly long staircases, the dewy gravel and the shivering afternoon – it sped by her. Emma simply ran.

Follow me where red roses bloom under the cold skies.

The message was unnecessary; it had branded her mind the moment she’d first read it. A fresh burn, it sizzled and it howled, each of its whines revealing a fragment of the path. Like through a haze, Emma ran, faster than her legs could carry her. She skipped over the road leading to the town in a flash, the wicked buildings and their convoluted streets sprouting seemingly straight from the depths of the ground to entrap her. Not a single familiar path remained in place, trade signs playing the game of tag and rearranging themselves. The capital drowned in a mist conjured by the voice of a siren-heart, the cafes, restaurants, stores, all somehow bearing the familiar flickers of red hair, phantom figures moving behind the glass displays, playing out stories of days long lived through. Echoes of laughter coiled around her legs, the sweetest doubts weighing down her heart.

Emma ran.

Follow me where red roses bloom under the cold skies. I will —

He would.

So she had to meet him there.

Emma tore away old nostalgia strings. She averted her eyes from the coffee shops, forgot about the happy pair that once sat by the door and drank tea as golden as her eyes. She let go of the memory of the dark cherries, of her love’s delight, of the feeling of his hand over hers, of his lips and their timid caress. Cast away, they shattered under the heels of her shoes, the shards being swept under the hem of her skirt. She could collect them later, put them back together, smelt them anew if time allowed…

… if there was still time.

Emma ran.

Follow me where red roses bloom under the cold skies. I will meet you there after midnight strikes.

The town ceased, plains opening to greet her to then turn into hills. Completely in their domain, winds broke off the leash, trickster gusts pushing at her back while gales took her hands and pulled her onwards. Through the sea of swaying grass, past thorny blackberries, prickly thistles with their purple crowns and grooves and rivulets and other scrubs – Emma ran, out of breath despite having become the air personified. Stumbling as she did, she reached the clearing. Their clearing, although then it was already occupied, an all too familiar sword protruding from the ground. Scarlet blade stared at her, basked in the last of bloody sunlight.

Follow me where red roses bloom under the cold skies. I will meet you there after midnight strikes. I promise.

Red roses reeked of sweet decay as Emma took a shaky step. Abandoned by the strength of elements, she could all but crumble on the spot – yet even in that, she chose to crumble onwards, dragging her pained feet until she faced the dearly beloved sword properly. She set her hands on the hilt and sat on the ground. Accompanied only by the hooting of the owls, Emma closed her eyes, waves of desperation that led her thus far easing into a state of calm.

He promised, she repeated to herself. He promised, so he will come.

***

Brilliant sunlight had begun to flicker over the horizon line by the time Cyran made it back to the hill. Beaten and battered, still encased in the constraint of his military garb, he dragged himself through the winding path hidden among scrubs. A broken branch there, an odd clearing here – he did not notice anything. Not until he saw the carmine hue of Emma’s skirt, a rough scrap hanging off the raspberry branch, hardly different from the ripe fruit surrounding it.

Cyran run.

Metallic thudding banished exhaustion from his limbs, thunderbolts lending him their speed. The world ceased in a blur, light tore its way into the diminishing dark – and it was only after he entered the clearing that he was robbed of his might. Cyran forced his body to oblige to his demands, the woman he longed to see sleeping while sitting upright, hands propped on the hilt of his sword.

“Emma?” he whispered, not believing his eyes. She must have been soundly locked in her dreams, however, for she did not reply. As if cocooned in the fabric of the night, Emma swayed lightly, perfectly in sync with the crimson roses blooming around. Petals fluttered, few discarded ones lifting off the ground, huddling towards her to settle in her hair. Still just as surprised, Cyran sat down behind Emma, pulled her frame into his arms. She was a feather when she fell against his chest, so very light he feared his hands may be too rough to handle her. Nevertheless, he found his courage again and swept her hair aside, his fingers brushing against her cheek in reverence as he unveiled her visage. His touch descending to her neck, his arm reached to free her from her duty at the hilt —

“Cyran?”

He kissed her nape. “I’m back.”

His forehead pressed against her shoulder, Cyran prayed to always find her safely there, enchanted where the crimson roses bloomed under the clear skies.

--

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[catslvrr]

heaven sent — 03. ice skating + arcade

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You drummed your fingers on the steering wheel, glancing at Danielle who was humming to whatever song was currently playing on the radio.

“So,” you said, shifting your attention back to the road as the light turned green. “What’s on for today?”

“Ice skating!” She declared enthusiastically, pausing Subway Surfers to see your reaction.

“Ice skating?” You repeated, baffled. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not the athletic type. That’s Minji’s job.”

“I know,” she grinned, tapping back into the game. “But there’s a first time for everything.”

You’d never felt so out of place as you entered the ice rink. On one side of the spectrum, there were kids shakily walking forward while holding their parents’ hands. On the other side, there were professional figure skaters showing off their skills. 

Danielle was part of the latter.

You scoffed as you leaned against the rails, watching her gracefully glide across the ice. “Of course you’d be good at this. God’s messenger and all.”

“I think you’re just jealous,” she smirked. She slid to a stop right in front of you, holding out her hand. “Come here. You look like a loser.”

“I’m gonna look like an even bigger loser when I slip and fall on my ass.” You clutched her hand tightly as you clumsily walked on the ice.

“You look constipated,” Danielle laughed. “Relax, I’ve got you. Just bend your knees slightly and imagine you’re drawing a V with your legs.”

You were too focused on not falling to retort back, but slowly and surely, you started to get the hang of it. She was still holding on to you, skating backward, leading the way.

You looked up from your feet, only to see her already staring at you.

“You’re doing it,” she smiled softly. You quickly averted your gaze, trying to ignore the goosebumps on your skin. It’s the air conditioning. And the ice.

“Thanks,” you murmured.

“Race you a lap around the rink?”

Out of all the parallel universes, none existed where you would win. You knew this. But it was hard to resist her eyes that were glimmering with anticipation.

You responded by pushing off your feet, rushing forward, not giving her time to react. It was barely five seconds before you felt a gust of wind brush against you, and you saw her already lightyears ahead of you.

It was a while before you caught up.

“I can already feel blisters forming,” you winced as you finally reached Danielle, who was slowly skating towards you. 

Just as she opened her mouth, you saw a kid in your peripheral vision zoom past you, slamming right into her. They both fell on the ice with a loud thud, but the kid swiftly recovered and got up, not even sparing a glance or offering an apology as they skated away.

You looked at Danielle, who was still on her ass, absolutely flabbergasted, and you couldn’t contain your laughter. You expected her to be embarrassed, or angry, but your laughter died down as she just stared at you, a satisfied smile on her face.

“Did you hit your head?” You frowned. “Why are you smiling like an idiot?”

She shook her head, her smile only widening as she stood up. “Nothing, let’s go to the arcade.”

Both of you made your way to the arcade next to the rink, and you stared at the machine that traded coins for tokens. You sent a knowing glance to Danielle.

“No,” she folded her arms, looking away. “Absolutely not.”

“Spawning in some arcade tokens won’t collapse our economy,” you said. “Just do it.”

“...Fine.” She bit her cheek anxiously as she fished out a handful of tokens out of her pocket.

“Excellent,” you grinned, dragging her to the claw machine. “We are going all out today.”

(You were eventually kicked out after winning too many prizes. You hoped the staff didn’t check the surveillance recordings. Or maybe God would somehow edit it and make it seem like the two of you were just incredibly lucky.)

The two of you struggled to enter the apartment, arms full of plushies and toys. You threw them all on the couch, but picked the puppy one back up, handing it to Danielle. You made a note to yourself to leave the bear one in Minji’s room.

“Is this a thanks for today? You shouldn’t have,” she cooed, hugging the plushie tightly. 

“As if,” you clicked your tongue to hide your smile. “It’s a consolation prize for losing to me in DDR.”

“You chose that one on purpose,” she whined. “You didn’t tell me that you had a DDR phase.”

You stuck your tongue out. “In your own words: I think you’re just jealous.”

You both chuckled lightly, before Danielle spoke again.

“How was today?”

You leaned the small of your back on the counter.

“It was more fun than expected,” you confessed begrudgingly. “I haven’t been to the arcade in a while.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, reaching out to squeeze your arm. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

You nodded. “Yeah, I’ll see you.”

Again, she spun and disappeared, leaving behind nothing but dust and an uncomfortable flutter that settled in between your ribs.

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[klausinamarink]

KLAUS ok can I request a steddie human/monster prompt for your birthday special??? 👀🤲

(the way I agonized over this choice 💗)

LEIGH i hope you were alright with the wait! got pretty busy with visiting family abroad and had brain fog these past weeks but I am finally posting the rest of these ficlets! ENJOY

There was a hole in the woods and it had a monster at the bottom.

It wasn’t a mystery or a new natural occurrence or the beginnings of the madness plague. It was rather a fact that everyone knew about the hole and the monster. It was a fantastic stirring for the children’s imaginations and nightmares. It was a warning to the wandering strangers who wish to explore the dark wood.

Most importantly, it was the perfect punishment.

Regardless, Eddie sat down next to the hole as if he were settling a picnic at a seaside spot.  

“Hello, my beloved!” He called down into the darkness. It responded with another waff of decaying lavender. Eddie inhaled it deeply and gratefully with closed eyes. Everyone said the smell was horrible and moreso during the executions, but it never bothered Eddie once even since his first visit.

”Ahh, such a pleasant afternoon. The sun is out, the harvest was a success, and Uncle Wayne sold an extra wood carving!” Eddie chirped as he tuned the strings of his lute. “I wouldn’t guarantee we would be rich overnight, but it was definitely a blessing! I wish you were there to see it.”

The hole was silent.

Eddie laughed, “My beloved, please don’t tell me you’re still upset at me. I’m sorry for missing last week, but I warned you that I would be incredibly busy!”

He tilted his head, waiting for an answer. None came, but Eddie nodded anyway. “Well, I am here now! Perhaps some melodies can put you back into a good mood.” 

Eddie plucked a few strings experimentally before he started to play. The familiar notes filled the silence, for no bird or insect dared to sing trill around the hole. Then Eddie cleared his throat and began humming his beloved’s favorite.

By the time dusk inevitably came, Eddie finished the last song with a heavy sigh and stood up to his feet. “The night separates us again, my beloved. I will see you again shortly.” 

He blew a kiss, prayed that it reached the bottom of the hole, and went away.  

His shrouded beloved wailed softly as if they were already mourning Eddie’s demise. 

-

Perhaps the mourning call was a warning. A plea for Eddie to be careful and come back safe next time. Because the next time Eddie visited the hole in the woods, he was being dragged with a rope that scraped his wrists raw. 

He was blindfolded - better to be blinded by a wrap of cloth than by hot-iron pokers - and stumbled along the path he knew by heart. Quiet murmurs and jeers followed him like a procession. Every so often, the sharp tip of a spear jabbed at Eddie’s back just to quicken his pace. 

In the past few weeks, there had been a senseless slaughtering of several livestock. At first, the farmers grumbled about the direwolves and other beasts in the woods. Then people went missing. Their bodies were found behind their homes with broken limbs and missing eyes, all disfigured beyond repair. When a young maiden named Christine fell victim, her betrothed Jason Carver had made the first accusation at Eddie. 

Eddie had swiftly denied ever laying a hand on Christine or the other victims. But then few people had spoken about seeing him frequently wander into the woods and returning late at night. 

Within minutes, the town’s opinion of Eddie had greatly soured. Except for his uncle Wayne, of course. He’d tried for Eddie’s innocence but what could a poor woodcarver do against a court?

A gust of wind blew on Eddie’s face and he caught the first scents of decaying lavender. Eddie perked up instinctively. Beloved! 

But the spear jabbed at him again, this time breaking through skin and muscle right beside Eddie’s right shoulder blade. He cried out in pain and stumbled over. The ground scraped his palms and knees unkindly. 

Even with the thick blindfold, Eddie could tell that the edge of the hole was right before his fingertips.

Something small and metal was shoved into his hands. Eddie barely had time to recognize the shape of a lantern before rough hands pushed at his back.

And then Eddie fell into the deep hole. 

-

It was said that anyone who fell in the hole would break their neck. Dead bodies was a monster’s favourite meal.

Eddie did not break his neck during his fall. The bottom of the hole was very soft and muddy but he felt his arm popped out of the socket. 

With a painful whimper, Eddie scrambled to remove the blindfold. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness even with the faint help of the lantern, which had somehow barely cracked.

It took another moment before Eddie saw he was not alone.

There was only one story about the monster in the hole: it was a terrifying sight that even the sunlight was afraid of it.

It was why everyone who faced this perfect punishment was given a lantern. Should anyone survive the fall, they would see the monster and die of fright.

So when Eddie laid his gaze on the monster for the first time, he did not die of fright. In fact, his fear died midway through his throat.

It had a wolf’s skull for a face and shadows for a body. Long claws flickered where it grappled on the moist walls. Instead of fiery red coals or sickly green smoke, its eyes were a humanly hazel. Occasionally marks of bright red rippled blindly across its body as if it had been injured.  

Newly unafraid, Eddie called to it. A question rather than a command or plea. 

“Beloved?”

It rumbled somewhere in its throat. The decaying lavender stench grew from suffocating to gentle. Then it brushed its face against Eddie’s and opened its jaws wide enough to almost swallow him whole.

Eddie tilted his head back, feeling the pants of heat from its mouth. Instead of screaming or begging for mercy, Eddie began humming. 

He had no lute or instrument with him. But Eddie knew his beloved’s song by heart.

Even as he felt the mouth close and the sharp tips of teeth poking through the skin of his exposed throat, Eddie still sang. 

After he was done, his beloved released its jaws with a teary whine. A few hot drops fell on Eddie’s face before it was followed by a sudden vomit of warm blood. 

Eddie spluttered and nearly fell backwards, saved by a massive hand caught him by the back. Then it pressed him against his beloved’s chest. To his surprise and delight, the shadowy skin felt soft and feathery. 

Eddie bubbled out a laugh, “I knew you would never hurt me.”

His beloved dropped its head on top of Eddie’s and started humming their song.

[spahhzy]

Jaune was guiding Team RWBY and C.C. through the forest back to Jaune's camp.

Jaune: Just a little while more guys and we can rest up and plan our next move.

Weiss, Blake, and Yang just nodded while Ruby just looked her head off to the side.

Jaune looked at his friend, unsure of how to bring up that topic and with his other friend trying to outright kill her. Jaune needed to think of something and quick before Neo does something too far.

Every little thing frustrated him and it was all that bitch Cinders fault!

With the feelings of anger rising, Jaune clutched his head feeling his head pound as he closed his eyes, he stopped in his tracks trying to dull the pain.

Jaune slowly opened his eyes and to his shock he was back at the Atlas Vault where the relic of creation was...

Ruby: Come on Jaune!

Jaune quickly turned around to see Team RWBY behind him with a smiling Penny waving at him.

They all walked by him and into the vault.

Jaune made a step forward...

Cinder: Oh, what fun you had.

Jaune stopped mid step as he felt Cinder lean into his ear.

Cinder: Tell me though...was it worth it?

Jaune spun around but as he did...he was no longer in the vault rather he was in a destroyed city.

Buildings in ruin, fires everywhere and the screaming...God's the screaming.

Jaune walked forward looking at all the destruction and suffering.

Cinder: All those lives cut short...at your hand.

???:Mama! Mama! Wake up please!

Jaune turned to the sound of a crying child, desperately shaking their lifeless mother but to no avail.

Jaune ran over and was about to reach out to help.

Cinder: Is what your feeling even real?

This caused Jaune to stop.

Cinder: It's time you stopped pretending, Jaune.

Suddenly, the scene changed again and this time he was back on the bridge, just in time to see Neo, attempt to kill Ruby.

Jaune: Neo No!

Jaune tried to intervene but she phased right through him as Yang took the attack which sent her over the edge.

Jaune shook his head fighting the headache until he was suddenly infront of the now dead Penny.

Jaune could only looked in horror as his blade held a crimson hue at the tip.

Jaune: P-penny...?

Cinder: Your friend died by your hand, and the tears you shed we're all empty...why is that?

Suddenly a gust of wind pushed Jaune to look behind him, and their staring back at him with a smirk was his tormentor, Cinder.

Jaune: Cinder...

Cinder: Sorrow.

Cinder: Anger.

Cinder: Regret.

Cinder: These words...all mean nothing to you.

Cinder outstretched both her arms to Jaune, as if inviting him In to hug her.

Cinder: For you, Jaune, are but a puppet: My puppet.

Jaune grit his teeth as he pointed Crocea Mors at Cinder.

Jaune: I'll kill you!

Cinder just smirked, arms still outstretched, as Jaune just snarled before charging at Cinder, his blade pierces her chest and through her back, but all she does is wrap her arms around Jaune, locking him in her embrace.

Cinder: Good Jaune, very good, fill that rusted-hollow heart with rage...

Jaune just grabbed his blade and twisted it to the right, cleaving Cinder in half, but she just vanished as her laughter echoed in his ears.

Cinder: Let it engulf you-consume you...

Jaune panted as he fell to one knee, his sword keeping him upright as soon he was back in the forest, still the Rusted Knight.

Cinder: That you may burn your world to the ground-as I did.

Jaune looked behind him to see, Team RWBY and C.C stunned as a Jabberwocker laid dying.

Jaune stood back up, catching his breath, as no one tried to make a move, not even sure what the hell was going on, eventually though Weiss broke the ice.

Weiss: Are you okay Jaune?

Jaune: ...Yes, yes I'm...I'm fine...I-I, let's just keep going....

Everyone looked at each other but nodded and continued except for C.C who looked at the Rusted Knight with a smile as he jumped onto Jaune shoulders, and usually Jaune would have swatted him down almost instantly but Jaune looked to be far away in his own world.

This was a curious and wonderful little development...

They had finally seen the knight's will begin to crack!

[urfavstargirl1]

the darkest night - part 1 of 3

summary: 12 year old reader searches the woods for best friend!eddie who hasn't been at school in weeks. After finding him and learning the true reason for his absence, she comforts him and by nightfall, their relationship takes a new turn

cw: best friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, angst, kissing, trauma (mentions of Eddie's dad going to jail), cursing, etc.,

a/n: absolutely had a lucky strike of inspiration from the song lyric shown below. I contemplated making this all one piece or a mini series and my impatient self wanted to already post it even tho im not done so mini series it is.

word count: 3.4k

The darkest night, never felt so bright with you by my side, 5 Seconds of Summer

May 19th, 1978

With every step you took, you could feel the dense earth soften beneath your feet. Stray leaves fell from the trees with every gust of that warm, almost summer, breeze. 

When you left your house, the sun shone brightly, beating down your back as you pedaled down the streets of your hometown, Hawkins, Indiana. 

After passing through your best friend Eddie’s neighborhood and later, his uncle’s trailer at the Forest Hills Trailer Park, searching for your beloved friend, you almost cursed him for practically sending you on some scavenger hunt and a tour of Hawkin’s greatest hits when he wasn’t at either place.

But you were determined to find him. And any sense of frustration at your prior luck seemed to dissipate as the shadow of the forest beyond the Hawkins National Lab protected you from that powerful celestial being of the sun above.

“Eddie,” you called out.

You trudged between the trees, pushing your bike alongside you, scanning the surrounding area.

“Eddie, where are you?"

The bird chirped from their spot perched in the trees overhead.

"It’s me, your best friend in the whole world, Y/N. Wherever you are, please come out, Eddie,” you yelled intermittently as you followed the trail of the old abandoned train tracks.

You took out your trusty compass and followed the path just south of Lover’s Lake. It felt like your little twelve year old legs had been walking for miles. God only knows how big this midwestern haven could span.

But after a while, you started losing patience. Where was he?

“Eddie, this is the worst game of hide and seek we’ve ever played. And besides, we’re too old for that shit,” you exclaimed.

Even alone in the middle of the forest, a small alarm sounded in the back of your head. If your parents heard you say such a word, you would be in big trouble. Good thing it was just you. 

“Eddie, you little shit,” you humphed as you approached the massive boulder the town seemed to agree on calling Skull Rock.

“Eddie, I swear to god if you–” You frustratedly said under your breath as you turned to the other side of the rock, and almost tripped on a pile of… Eddie Munson and his backpack?

“Eddie,” you gasped and looked down at him. His head hung down and his gaze was cast somewhere in the nearby distance, as if the pile of leaves a few feet away were that captivating.

“Eddie,” you dropped down to your knees, “Where the hell have you been?”

You instinctively wrap your arms around his stiff body, engulfing him in the tightest hug humanly possible. You held him like that for a few moments, softening your grip as any anger at having spent the whole day looking for him dissipated.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” you whispered into his neck, feeling the pricking of buzzed hair at his scalp against your skin.

You pulled away slightly, if just for a moment, to see his face. His chin was turned down and he avoided your gaze. For a split second, he bit his lip and looked up at you, frazzled and afraid.

You didn’t say anything. You just returned to your position with your head in the crook of his neck.

As you held him, neither of you said anything. All you can hear is the deep breath he takes, inhaling the comforting scent of your hair.

He slowly slithers his arms around you and holds you back, increasing the tightness of his hold till you can feel him holding on for dear life.

If something wasn’t wrong before, you could absolutely tell it was now.  

“Eddie,” you whisper as you pull away from his grasp, wanting to look at him face to face again.

“Hmph,” he grunts under his breath as he tightens his hold on you, not letting you get away so fast.

So you sit there and hold him. The sounds of birds chirping and the two of you breathing the other in, audible in the air. You stroke his head, with hair buzzed short, or rub circles along his back.

You’ve never seen Eddie like this. If you weren’t so worried, you might even be afraid.

“Eddie,” you softly ask after minutes of silence. “What happened to you?”

You can feel him shake his head next to yours.

“Eddie, I need you to talk to me okay?”

Eddie’s lip quivers, but he doesn’t say anything.

“I just want to know what happened.”

He shakes his head again.

“Please, Eddie,” you whisper and furrow your face in the crook of his neck, feeling the slow and steady stream of hot tears beginning to flow down your cheeks.

“Why weren’t you at school all week? And why are there a bunch of reporters at your house and your uncle’s trailer?”

Eddie winces and makes a noise signaling pain. But then he begins to feel the warm wet tears on your cheek smear into the skin of his neck and pulls away slightly.

He looks at you incredulously, in shock to see you cry over him.

You take a moment to look him in the eye. His big brown eyes are red and slightly puffy. He sniffles and you smile at him painfully.

“It’s bad,” he whispers and looks away.

You grab his hand and give it a tender squeeze. You don’t expect him to say too much after that. Even though it doesn’t satisfy your curiosity, you wanted an answer and he gave you one. He doesn’t seem well enough to do much more than that.

So you nod and look at him.  

“Really bad,” he adds under his breath.

“I’m sorry,” you respond, at least hoping he might be able to tell you when he’s ready.

Eddie doesn’t say anything for a while, but you continue to gently touch him by rubbing circles along his back or squeezing his left hand which hasn’t let go of yours since you first grabbed it.

“Who do I have to fight?” You asked, finally breaking the peaceful albeit confusing silence.

“What,” Eddie grumbles into your neck. You pull away and find a small smile on his perplexed face.

“Who do I have to fight? Whoever it is that made you feel this way, tell me their address so I can go and give them a piece of my mind. No one messes with my best friend and gets away with it,” you explained triumphantly. 

“Silly girl,” Eddie chuckles as he tucks a stray strand of your hair behind your ear.

“I’m serious Eds. I’ll call backup too.”

“What? You and Raggedy Ann and Andy gonna take on the man?” Eddie asks sarcastically as he absentmindedly drags his fingers along either side of your arm.

“Eddie,” you scoffed as you lightly smacked him in the chest. You made a show of looking around, as if there was someone to hide from, “I told you that in secret.”

Eddie giggles at your reaction, always loving the way he could push your buttons like teasing you about still playing with dolls. Any other moment it would have annoyed you, but now, it puts the biggest smile on your face.

“But if it comes down to it, then yes. We’ll do whatever it takes to fight for justice.”

Eddie’s hands fell defeatedly to your thighs and for some reason it made a weird shiver go down your spine. Before you could even think about why it happened or what it meant, a hardened look fell upon Eddie’s face.

“No need, sweetheart,” Eddie said tensely. 

Even though Eddie was your best friend, he sometimes called you “sweetheart”. He almost always only used it as a joke. Like if you said something goofy or made fun of him back, he’d say something like “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say sweetheart.”

Sometimes the other kids at school would hear you two talk to each other like that. A lot of them would ask if you two were dating. You could have sworn that even some of the teachers started to think so too because they would sit you two next to each other in class.

Even though it wasn’t true, because Eddie was just your best friend, you didn’t mind the special treatment from your teachers.

Otherwise, you had never really given much thought to the name before. It was just one of Eddie’s signature quirks.

But the way he says it now feels strange. There’s more weight to it. The way he says it. The way it feels in your chest when you hear him call you that. It’s all sort of different now.

“What makes you say that?”

“I don’t think Raggedy Ann and Andy have the power to defeat the darkness that is the Hawkins Police, or worse, my dad,” Eddie says as though he’s just told a hilarious joke.

Your head jerks back slightly from his abrasive words and casual tone. Eddie’s dad? And the police? What happened?

“What? Didn’t you hear, sweetheart?” Eddie grins at you in a way that makes your insides crawl. “Daddy’s dancin’ to the jailhouse rock.”

Your eyebrows scrunched together. Eddie wasn’t making any sense. His dad? Jail? And yet the thinly veiled Elvis reference wasn’t even the most surprising part.

“Your dad’s going to jail?” You say when the pieces finally come together.

Eddie never really had any great stories to tell about his dad. They had a… different kind of father-son relationship. Eddie once told her that he’d wished his dad could have taught him how to fish or play catch instead of teaching him how to hotwire a car.

“Looks like the cats out of the bag,” Eddie says with such casual confidence.

“Eddie, I don’t understand,” you grab his shoulders and try to find some sort of understanding just from the look in his eyes.

“Looks like little Eddie Munson’s an orphan now,” Eddie shrugs, still mysteriously smiling.

“Eddie, don’t say that,” you whine as you throw yourself against him in another bear hug. You don’t understand how he’s being so calm and casual about this right now. Or how he could make jokes at a time like this.

“It’s true,” he whispers as he gently tightens his grip around you.

“What about your Uncle Wayne? You could stay with him, right?”

Eddie loved his Uncle Wayne. He’d constantly tell you about the movie marathons in his trailer or the memories of Wayne taking him and his mom to Benny's Burgers on Sundays.

“Yeah, I moved in yesterday.”

You pull away and look into his puffy eyes. The brown of his irises a pool of pain and longing. Too much for any twelve year old boy to handle.

But that explains why Eddie’s been gone. 

Your parents watched the 6:00 news at dinner every night. They started talking about some high profile criminal case but with not many details able to be released just yet. You were sure Eddie and his family would make breaking news tonight.

“What do you say we just run away?” You asked.

Eddie scoffs, “Yeah? And go where?”

“I don’t know,” You shrugged. “Anywhere.”

Eddie took a moment to think about it before saying, “Let’s go to London.”

“London? Why London?”

“It’s far enough away from here,” Eddie sneers.

“It wouldn’t be because it’s home to all your favorite bands, is it?” You ask teasingly.

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to be in the home of the greatest rockstars to ever live,” Eddie says giddily.

You giggle and extend your pinky finger out, “Okay, pinky promise?”

Eddie smiles at you warmly. For the first time all day, he looks happy. He hooks his pinky finger around yours and says, “Pinky promise”.

You and Eddie continue to hang around his favorite hiding spot, Skull Rock, for a little while longer before heading back to his uncle’s trailer and your home before dark. 

When you get home, your parents engulf you in a hug and wail about your absence. 

“Where have you been?”

“We’ve been worried sick?”

“Don’t you ever leave without telling us where you’re going again!”

“We heard about what happened with that Munson boy?”

“It’s not safe for you to be out with him!”

But after a while it all just turned to noise.

You made it home safe and sound. No one got hurt. What were they so worked up about?

And you didn’t understand why they would say things like that. They had known Eddie for years now. He’s the same boy he always was. Eddie wasn’t the one who did the crime, so why was he getting punished?

The thought of all that happened that day kept you well up into the night. As you stared up at your ceiling, you couldn’t help but wonder about Eddie.

What was he doing? Was he sad that his dad was going to jail? Was he relieved to at least be with his Uncle Wayne? You bet he misses his mom now more than ever.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

You turn your head toward the window and climb out of bed, your cotton night dress swooshing as you walk over to it.

You draw the curtains and look out the window to find Eddie down on the front lawn. He mouths something, but it’s too dark and he’s too far away to really see.

But you know what it is. This isn’t the first time Eddie’s done this. 

You see him climbing along the side of your house and up to the second story. You open the window when you see his figure come closer.

“Eddie, it’s one o’clock in the morning,” you whisper as he climbs through the window. He enters the room and stands before you. The streetlights outside illuminating his pale skin, white t-shirt, and plaid pajama pants.

“I know, I couldn’t sleep,” Eddie smiles at you, replying in a voice much louder than a whisper.

“Eddie shh!” You shush him and turn over your shoulder, worried the noise might wake your parents.

Eddie’s smile drops and you frown. 

“I know, I’m tired but I couldn’t sleep either,” you say as you wrap your arms around him. His muscles relax and he returns the gesture. 

“What’s keeping you up?” Eddie asked. Obviously the weight of the week’s events were heavy on his mind, but what could be on yours?

“I’ve been thinking about you. Worrying and hoping you’re okay,” you replied earnestly. There was nothing you had to hide. Not from him.

Eddie pulled away and looked at you incredulously. Stunned to think anyone could care enough to lose sleep over him. 

“C’mon,” you sleepily jerked your head to the side in the direction of your full size bed. It was about the same size as the bed in Wayne’s trailer. It’s funny how he had never really made that connection till now.

You don’t say a word as you pull back the covers and climb into the warm bed with soft pillows. You even make a show of scooting your Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls over for him. 

“Can you put those away,” Eddie cautiously asks as he hesitantly walks over to the other side of the bed, “I feel like they’re watching me.”

You roll your eyes and get up to put them in your closet. For a boy who loves scary movies, he sure does have a weird fear of dolls. Not that you would ever understand since you were too afraid to watch said movies with him.

You make your way back to the bed and see Eddie kicking off his shoes and moving to lie down with you. You get under the cover and he does the same. You face each other and in your borderline sleepy state, you smile at him, feeling much more at ease with him here.

“Does Wayne know you’re here?” You asked.

The few times Eddie’s gone to your house like this was usually when his dad was on one and Wayne was out at work.

“No, he’s got the night shift.”

“Oh,” you reply. You wonder if Eddie felt scared being in that home all alone. If it was still hard to sleep even though his dad was gone now.

Even though you secretly liked when Eddie snuck into your room at night, you always worried that you might get caught or Eddie would hurt himself on the way down or something.

But tonight, you’re glad he’s here without pretense of worry.

You snuggle closer to Eddie and rest your cheek against the cotton fabric barricading you from the skin of his chest. You can hear his heartbeat. The rapid rhythm like music to your ears.

Eddie wraps an arm around you and leans down to press a kiss against the top of your head. 

Eddie’s never done that before. But the act makes you feel warm and like your insides have turned to goo. You tilt your head up to look at him. His soft smile and sleepy eyes visible in the pale moonlight. 

For a brief moment, you smile back. 

There’s so many things you wish you could say but don’t know how. Eddie already knows that he’s your best friend. It’s obvious to anyone that you love and care about him. You don’t want to seem like you pity him, but you worry about how he’s doing with all the changes that are going on in his life. You want him to know that no matter what happens, you’ll be by his side. But how?

The only way you know how, the only way you can possibly sum up all of those feelings is to grab a hold of his shoulder, and reach up to bring your lips to the side of his face, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Not too soft but not too firm. One that lets him know you’re there. Warm and alive and together.

Your hand on his shoulder slides back down to his chest, where you can feel the vibration of his heart beating even faster than it did before. 

Eddie looks down at you and you look back up at him but you can’t quite read his face. His eyes are a little wide, but the rest of his expression is neutral. Not sure if your action was received the way you intended, you start to worry. Did he not like it? Was it a mistake? You think you should probably apologize…

But then Eddie cups your cheek and leans forward and before you can even do or say anything, Eddie’s lips are brushed against yours. His chapped lips press a soft kiss to your smooth ones. His lips linger as he applies pressure to yours. And somehow your body knows just how to respond. Your lips return the same pressure as you kiss him back, feeling him smile against you.

You didn’t even realize your eyes were closed till he pulls away and they flutter open. He smiles at you shyly and you gleam back at him. 

Eddie just gave you your first kiss. The first girl Eddie’s ever kissed is now you. 

Your mind is racing with thoughts. You can’t believe Eddie just kissed you! On the lips! It was weird and unexpected, but you kind of liked it, maybe even enough to want more.

For a moment, you contemplate kissing him again. Like a fool, rushing back in for seconds. But before you can, Eddie uses the hand along your cheek to pull you close to him, letting your head rest against his chest again. 

You’re lying breathless pressed against Eddie’s warm body. Perhaps it should be a relief that after an amazing yet unexpected first kiss, you don’t have to worry about what comes next. You could just enjoy it for what it was: a beautiful moment with the boy you love most.

But that’s just it. The boy you love isn’t the same boy anymore. He’s gone through some hard things. He’s changing right in front of your very eyes. And the love you once had for him isn’t the same kind of love you’re starting to have for him now. 

As summer begins to near, you realize it’ll be the first summer you spend together as something different. Because you aren’t kids anymore. You’ll never be those innocent kids again.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Well, this was to be expected, hehe! Good morning, Clanmom! ^^

So, remember me and another anon's requests about Forneus with a Kitten!Reader? Well, this time I had an idea... What would happen when Aym and Baal reunite with their mother - and find out they have a younger kit as a sibling now? Would it be a sweet ending for all four of them, as a big family?

If headcannons are easier, then go ahead! I just found this to be a perfect opportunity for a "sort of ending" to the small Kitten!Reader storyline with Forneus! ^^

-👻🐝 admits he cried, fr fr

Aw yeah this was indeed expected!! Imma give them the best ending <333

.....

"Mama! The Sacred Lamb is here again!!"

"'tis alright, dear. Allow them a moment of rest. See if they're interested in any of our wares." You heard Forneus' voice call out from inside the caravan.

While she was busy putting together more trinkets to sell, you sat outside the little shop, having learned the ways of business thanks to her. You ensured the stack of gold nuggets were in a neat pile, and the gift box's red bow was perfectly placed.

Everything had to look perfect for your customers!

Today, you wondered what the Lamb was going to pick, as they were only permitted to choose one item for free.

However, when you saw them emerge from the clearing, your eyes wandered to the two floating brown-furred demons flanking either side of them. They were surrounded in a white glow, their yellow gazes sharp and piercing.

You were a bit familiar with many of the lesser demons they brought on their crusades. They took many forms: bows, hearts, blades, bombs...

But never the heads of felines.

Curious, you stood up and approached them respectfully. "B-Blessed Lamb...what demons are those?" You meekly asked, hands clasped together. "What do they do?"

The bearer of the Red Crown was about to respond to your inquiry, but then they saw Forneus emerge from the caravan and stopped. Instead, they whispered to you that they were "gifts" that your mother so dearly yearned for.

Although a little confused, you stepped aside so she could see them. You noted the demons' harsh stares softened significantly upon locking eyes with her--

And became a bit startled when she suddenly fell to her knees, as though knocked over by a strong gust of wind.

But there was not a breeze to be felt.

"A heart remembers..a mother shan't forget.." She muttered in astonishment, trails of tears already staining her face. Yet her smile was brighter than the sun. "O, generous fortune! Should I be dreaming, never allow me to wake!" She cried, holding her paws out. "Kit, fraction of my beating heart!"

One of the demons floated over to her, and in a puff of smoke it turned into a black cat adorned in white clothing. He wore a camelia flower upon his breast, and the warmest of smiles on his face.

'That...must be Baal..' You realized, watching as he hugged his mom, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

"Ah, Lamb! Praised Lamb! Blessed Lamb! My son returned, soul almost whole!" Forneus beamed in joy, looking to the other demon that remained beside Lamb, beckoning it over to her side.

And it did exactly that, turning into another black cat who wore red and black. He had some nicks in his ear, a scar running across one eye. Yet despite his scary appearance, he completely crumbled in the loving embrace of his mother, crying several tears of joy.

'And that's Aym.' You smiled sweetly, seeing that both of her biological sons have been returned to her.

This was a happy day, indeed. You had hoped to meet them sometime in your life..and here they were now.

After Forneus thanked Lamb by bestowing them with new relics to use on their journeys, they went on their way, wishing all of you the best. Although they never explained how exactly he managed to bring them back, it didn't matter.

She offered Aym a cookie to cheer him up, but just as he was about to take a bite...he noticed you standing there and blinked. "Mother, who is this?"

"Yes, who are they? Are they a kit you've taken in?" Baal questioned.

The air suddenly felt very heavy and tense as you just stared back at them, offering a nervous smile. Yet your heart was beating even faster than before.

Up until this very moment, you didn't even consider the fact that you were a complete stranger to them.

What did they think of you?

Did they see you as some random cat who tried taking their place in their mother's life?

If so, what was going to happen now?

"Fear not, my darling kits." Forneus soothed, hugging her sons close. "This is [y/n], whom I have fostered when I found them all alone in these harsh lands. My heart forever bled for you two when you hadn't returned...but they mended much of those wounds, keeping me company."

"...it's true." You spoke up, relieved that she defended you as you wrung your paws together anxiously. "She told me a lot about you guys. I know it seems strange, but please understand...I-I never tried to replace-"

"We understand." The brothers spoke in unison, smiling as they detached themselves from their mom and approached you.

"That blasted--erm...sacred Lamb.." Aym corrected himself. "..they brought us back, reminding us of many good virtues in the short time we've been in their cult. Understanding..forgiveness...charity...such foreign ideals I used to scorn. Yet here I feel...I can embrace them wholly again."

"I feel it, too." Baal chimed in, his smile never fading as he offered his paw to you. "How could we resent the one who helped our dear mother in our absence? We'd love to get to know you better....um.."

"[Y/n]." You felt your shoulders relax as you shook hands with him and Aym, grateful at their kindness.

Then, out of nowhere, Forneus swept all three of you into a loving embrace, squishing you against each other and her.

"What a blessed day this is! Such a blessed day! May we never part in this life nor the next!!" She cooed, with Aym groaning in embarrassment, Baal smiling bashfully, and you simply taking in this precious moment with your newfound brothers.

At last, this once severed family was made whole again.