#I sprout a tail for ten days

[krshpdoinklestuf]

WIP of Adam going into labor with Eden :)

“Fuck me, is this kid gonna pop out anytime soon?” Adam could barely stand on his feet, his pregnant stomach sticking a good foot in front of him. At nearly 9 months and 4 days, he was more than ready to call it quits on being pregnant. “I feel huge.”

“You are huge.” Lucifer smirked, eyeing his husband. “Not that that’s a bad thing, you look great with the weight.” He stood at the kitchen counter, stirring him and Adam’s morning tea. “Besides, he’ll be out of you soon.” He placed a big stack of pancakes, soaked in syrup and butter, along with their teas, in front of Adam before sitting down with his own smaller plate.

“I’m sooo ready for him to be out. Do you know how much it sucks not being able to sleep on my stomach or pissing every ten minutes?” He sloppily shoved a half of a pancake into his mouth, “little bastard better be worth all the pain.”

“He will be, I’m sure.” He watched Adam in awe, mostly with how cute he seemed to be while pregnant, even though he was making a total mess of himself. He took small sips of his tea as they enjoyed their breakfast.

As Lucifer cleaned up their mess, Adam slowly took his leave towards the couch before he felt something trickle down his legs. His blood ran cold.

“Uh.” His hands flew to his stomach, “Lu?” His voice immediate with fear and confusion, “Lulu?”

Lucifer hummed to himself as the kitchen sink filled with water. He quickly pushed the few dishes and utensils in the hot soapy water and gave each a quick scrub.

“Lucifer?! Hello?! Fuck-!” A sharp contraction started to hit as he almost fell forward, barely catching himself on the loveseat in front of him.

Lucifer stopped immediately when he heard Adam’s voice shout his name. He dropped a single plate near the counter as he rushed towards him, making a mess in the process.

“Are you okay?!”

“What the fuck do you think?! My water broke!” Adam tensed up as another contraction hit, his fist coming down and hitting the cushion with a hard thud.

“Ah fuck, fuck. Okay, Adam, I- I gotta find Charlie and pack our bags! Just stay here!” He bolted up the hotel stairs towards Charlie’s bedroom, frantically banging on her door.

Groggily, Charlie opened her and Vaggie’s door, “wha..? dad? What’s going on?”

Adam began to sweat, his grip on the loveseat cushion beginning to tear deep rips into it. “Aw fuck, this hurts! Why the fuck is labor is so painful?!” As another strong contraction hit, 3 sets of red and yellow demon wings sprouted from Adam’s back, along with a pair of red and black horns from his temple. “Aw no, not right now, you little asshole!” His sclera turned blood red along with yellow irises replacing his normal golden yellow ones. Adam was not impressed, out of all times to be possessed by his unborn child, this was the worst. The pain was intensifying the longer he waited. A long yet sharp tail soon formed, frantically whipping to try to drown out his pain.

It wasn’t longer than a minute later that Charlie, Vaggie and Lucifer were immediately at his side, several bags stacked near the Hotel doorway.

“Hey, hey,” he sat beside him, gently keeping his hand on his back, “we’re here, you’re going to be okay.” Lucifer ran a hand through Adam’s sweaty locks, locking eyes with him, helping Adam keep his breath steady. “Just breathe.”

Adam only gave Lucifer a look of malice, his brow furrowed. “Get. Him. Out. Of. Me.”

[jacobsnicket]

fictober prompt 3: "i know you better" | transcendence au (gravity falls) | G

read on ao3

Mabel’s dreaming of the ocean when he finds her, gallivanting around an undersea city with a sparkly mermaid tail and a blue sweater that is somehow completely dry. She sees him and swims over. In ten years, she’s gotten good at lucid dreaming. “Dipper! Hi! You need a tail too!”

Dipper frowns. “I really don’t.”

“Well, you can’t just go swimming around in your sad little suit.”

“Ugh, fine,” he groans, because this is Mabel’s mind and she’s in control here and if he doesn’t do it she’ll just do it for him. With a snap of his fingers, his legs turn into a tail, dark and spiny like an eel’s. “How’s that?”

“Definitely not shiny enough,” Mabel says, regarding the tail with her chin resting on her hand. “But I guess it’s okay.” She swims off, towards the city, beckoning him to come.

As they swim, she tells him that this is Atlantis, and Dipper doesn’t tell her that Atlantis actually collapsed centuries ago and is now only home to tiny corals, undersea octopi, and the occasional sea serpent. He’s too busy chewing at his cheek until it bleeds. The calm ocean is more conducive to self-reflection than he’d like, and today is the worst possible day for self-reflection.

Mabel must notice his silence, because she pauses in the middle of her explanation of her dream Atlantis’s diplomatic ties to the Manatee Kingdom. “You good there, Dip-dop?”

No matter how different it may look, his blood still tastes the same in his mouth. He doesn’t know whether to be thankful for that or not.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” he mutters, trying to spit out the blood. It coalesces into a little blob in front of him, honey-gold and flickering like TV static, like he’s in zero gravity. Dipper doesn’t think that’s how liquids are supposed to behave in water. But hey. Dream logic!

“Don’t even try to tell me that, man. I know you better than that. You’ve been staring into the middle distance for the past five minutes.” Then Mabel sees the little blob in front of him. “Are you bleeding?”

“What– no!” The blob disappears with a wave of his hand. “It’s whatever.”

“Come on, bro-bro, what’s going on?” She pauses. “Oh, is it— yeah, that’s today, right? Isn’t it?”

“Yep.” Dipper sighs, and little bubbles float out of his mouth. “Today.”

They didn’t need to say it out loud. They were too familiar with the date already.

“It’s just,” he starts again, “ten years. That’s a long time to be… this.” He waves at his form, the eyes, the claws, the wings sprouting just above his stupid dream-tail. “In a few years, I’ll have been a demon longer than I wasn’t one, you know?”

Mabel smiles sympathetically. “Yeah. Time marches onward and all that.”

“What if—” His voice cracks in a way it hasn’t for years. “What if I forget what it was like to be anything else? Anything but this?”

“You’re not gonna forget, Dip,” she says, surprisingly forceful. “You’re still breathing, right? I can feel it.”

He is still breathing. He doesn’t need to, but he likes the motion of it, the way he can feel his fake lungs expand and contract inside his fake chest. “But I’m doing it wrong, I know it.”

Mabel’s hugging him before he realizes that she is, with her hair pressed under his chin and her ear at where his heart would be, if he had one. Her voice is muffled by his jacket. “I don’t know. It sounds pretty good to me.”

[happybird16]

•Chapter Ten•

Naga!Levi Ackerman/Fem!Reader

Summary: Growing up, the forest's edge always darkened the far corner of your small village. The giant, twisted branches overhead rendered the forest floor a terrifying, pitch black. You shouldn't be here. There's creatures here, dangerous ones.

Overall warnings: Past references to child abuse, blood, scars, gore, mystery, eventual sex, inhuman genitalia (Levi is a snake man), horror vibes.

Chapter warnings: NSFW!!!, Sex, inhuman genitalia, oral sex (fem!receiving), tongue-fucking, creampie, monsterfucking, tail-fucking, knotting, a lot of cum.

Chapter length: 12.5k

Ao3 Link

The most special of shoutouts to my beloved friend and beta @theferricfox!!!! Also, credit to @the-milk-anon for the snake banner!!

Note: Fun-fact I wrote this smut while listening to serial killer podcasts

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This time, the warm weather lingers. Spring bursts forth in a whirlwind of balmy temperatures, announcing its arrival with an exuberant chorus of chittering birds. The once-dormant landscape awakens with renewed energy as nature's vibrant palette comes alive, painting the world in hues of fresh green, delicate blossoms, and lively blooms. A gentle breeze carries the scent of blooming flowers, intermingling with the invigorating fragrance of earth and dew-kissed grass. With each passing day, the embrace of spring deepens.

The last of the snow melts over the course of three days, revealing a forest floor coated with half- decayed leaves and broken branches. The underbrush, once concealed beneath the snow’s frozen grasp, awakens with newfound vitality. Small bushes begin to sprout tender leaves, eager to soak in the warm sunlight. Alongside them, quickly blooming ferns unfurl their delicate fronds, adding touches of verdant green to the evolving scenery. These resilient plants find their place amidst the forest floor, spread intermittently in the few spots of light that manage to penetrate the forest’s dark canopy.

Amidst the lush forest floor, a vibrant sight catches the eye—a bright red cardinal gracefully hopping about, its movements brimming with energy and enthusiasm. With each nimble hop, it explores the underbrush, its beak pecking with eager curiosity. Standing in the narrow path of sunlight, the cardinal’s scarlet plumage stands out vividly against the backdrop of green foliage, like a flickering flame amidst the verdant tapestry of nature.

Its beady black eyes sparkle with a sense of purpose, scanning the ground for hidden treasures or delectable morsels concealed beneath fallen leaves and twigs. Its slender, pointed beak skillfully probes the earth, unearthing small insects or seeds that serve as its sustenance.

A stick snaps loudly beneath your foot, causing the bird's head to jerk in your direction. Sensing your presence, the bright red cardinal abruptly halts its delightful foraging and squawks loudly at your proximity. In a split second, the cardinal’s wings unfurl gracefully, stretching wide to catch the air. With a burst of energy, the cardinal takes flight, its wings beating with a rapid flurry. The once-hopping bird now becomes a fleeting vision, soaring through the trees in a panicked response to your nearness. Its brilliant red feathers quickly vanish into the forest's darkness.

"I didn't realize how beautiful The Maw is," you note in awe, your eyes trailing into the dark greenery ahead, attempting to catch glimpses of vibrant colors. On the forest floor, delicate purple and yellow flowers have started to bloom, their petals barely emerging from their green husks.

"You're just easily amused," the man by your side teases with a soft huff. "Stick close to the trees," Levi advises, his grip gently tugging at your elbow, guiding you forward. "Don't want you tracking mud everywhere."

You shrug nonchalantly, contemplating the practicality of his advice. "I can just take off my boots when we get back," you suggest. Nonetheless, you allow Levi to lead you closer to the side of a towering evergreen, just one of many casting a dense shadow over your surroundings. As you step closer, you become aware of the uneven ground beneath your feet, disrupted by an intricate network of enormous roots.

This early in spring, it's still a tad chilly out. It's just warm enough that you decided to leave your coat back in the cave. However, the occasional gust of wind carries a crisp bite, causing a shiver to run down your spine. Levi, on the other hand, is still sporting his odd mismatched coat of furs, wary of the lingering chill that could seep into his semi-cold-blooded form.

As you navigate a steep root-encased slope, the uneven terrain poses a challenge, causing you to wobble and struggle to maintain your balance. In contrast, Levi’s inhuman form seems effortlessly adapted to the forest’s obstacles, allowing him to move with grace and ease.

Seeing your struggle, Levi’s hand rises immediately to assist you. With a gentle touch, his hand finds the small of your back, offering support and guidance. His touch is both firm and comforting, stabilizing you as you make your way down the slope. The pressure of his hand against your back serves as a tactile reminder of his protective presence, allowing you to feel more secure in your steps.

With Levi’s guidance, your descent becomes smoother and more controlled. You can’t help but appreciate his thoughtfulness and the way he effortlessly adapts to the environment, always looking out for you.

Pausing for a moment, you turn to Levi, curiosity evident in your voice. "Why are we out here again?"

Levi responds with a mixture of amusement and mild exasperation, his voice laced with affectionate familiarity. "Your attention span has been terrible lately," he teases, his playful remark accompanied by a light chuckle.

"Oh, I wonder why that would be?" you tease in response, bumping your arm playfully into his.

He playfully raises an eyebrow, his voice infused with a touch of mischief. "I wonder…" he echoes your words, a playful glint in his eyes. Pausing, his expression shifts into one of genuine concern. His raised eyebrow lowers, and his mischievous glint gives way to a thoughtful gaze. There's a hint of vulnerability in his eyes as he directs his attention towards you, his voice carrying a softness that reflects his genuine care. "How are you feeling, by the way?" he asks sincerely, his eyes briefly flickering down to your thighs before bouncing back up.

"I told you I'm fine," you reiterate honestly, your words filled with sincerity. You understand his caring nature and how deeply he values your well-being. The memory of the passionate night you shared together brings a slight warmth to your cheeks, knowing that Levi had been concerned about any lingering discomfort you might have experienced.

A soft smile plays on your lips as you continue, wanting to put his worries to rest. "I appreciate you asking, but I'm fine, I promise," you affirm, your voice gentle yet firm. You understand that Levi's concern stems from a place of genuine care for you, but you want to assure him that the soreness has subsided and that you are healing well.

Levi's brows furrow slightly, his gaze searching yours, as if trying to gauge the veracity of your words. "Still..." he begins, his voice trailing off.

You interject, wanting to alleviate any lingering concerns. "It's been days," you assure him, your tone filled with reassurance. "The soreness faded halfway through the next day, I promise. It was mostly just my knees and thighs anyways," you explain, with a soft smirk. "I haven't exactly gotten much exercise lately."

Levi takes a moment to absorb your words, his gaze softening as he comes to terms with your explanation. Slowly, a smile tugs at the corners of his lips, indicating his relief. "Alright," he finally concedes, a hint of playfulness returning to his voice. "Just remember, if you ever need anything, I'm here for you."

You reach out, gently squeezing his hand, gratitude and affection evident in your touch. "I know, and I appreciate that more than you know," you respond sincerely.

As you continue your journey beneath the giant darkened canopy of The Maw, you observe Levi's presence beside you. Something seems subtly amiss, and your keen perception picks up on the subtle changes in his demeanor. While it may be barely noticeable to the untrained eye, you sense a distinct shift in the way he carries himself.

Levi's shoulders appear slightly tense and on edge, as if he's holding himself differently, as if he's ready to spring into action at any given moment. Moreover, he seems to have developed an unconscious gravitation towards you. Even in this moment, he leans into you, his side brushing against yours as you walk.

Your concern lingers as you observe Levi's demeanor, the tension in his shoulders and the subtle changes in his behavior prompting worry within you. Unable to contain your worries for even a moment longer, you voice your thoughts, "I- is there something dangerous out here..."

Levi's response is a mixture of reassurance and uncertainty. His tongue flicks out, a subtle gesture that reflects his heightened senses as he tastes the air, trying to detect any potential threats. "I don't sense anything," he finally responds, his voice calm but guarded. The fact that he doesn't meet your gaze adds a layer of complexity to the situation, leaving you wondering about the true nature of his unease.

As you walk side by side, the back of his hand brushes against yours in a fleeting touch before quickly retreating. Sensing his internal struggle, you can't help but smile. He wants to hold your hand.

"You're silly sometimes," you chuckle affectionately, interlacing your fingers with his. The simple act of intertwining your hands immediately sends a surge of relief through his shoulders. As your fingers meet, you feel the warmth of his hand and notice a soft pink hue spreading across his cheekbones.

Levi swallows heavily, shooting you a shy look. His fingers tighten around yours and the thumb works a firm circle into the back of your hand. “We're heading towards a meadow, not far from the river we went to before. I- we need to get new branches for the nest.”

You think of the layers of pine below the soft pelt blankets. “They have gotten sort of mushed,” you concede with a hum. Over the past week you've noticed that the cushion they provide has steadily decreased. Some of them have even become scraggly and brown, though that's mostly the outer patches closer to the entrance. “But we're only going to be here for a little longer, why bother?”

“It's my instincts,” Levi explains. “Since i’m right on the edge of a heat, they're practically screaming at me to make the nest perfect.”

As you round a colossal oak tree, its majestic presence acting as a gateway, the dense embrace of the forest reluctantly relinquishes its hold, revealing a breathtaking sight—a picturesque meadow, bathed in the golden embrace of sunlight. The once-tangled foliage gives way to a carpet of vibrant green grass, stretching out before you like a tranquil haven. The warm rays of the sun pierce through the gaps in the forest canopy, casting a radiant glow upon the meadow’s beauty.

In this idyllic scene, the melodies of nature fill the air, carried on the wings of countless birds. Their elegant flight adds a vivid touch to the tableau, their feathers a kaleidoscope of colors that dance against the azure sky. The harmony of the meadow, with its sunlit expanse and lively avian inhabitants, stirs a sense of wonder and tranquility within you.

Stepping forward, you feel the gentle caress of sunlight on your skin, its warmth serving as a comforting embrace. Lost in the beauty of your surroundings, you muse aloud, “Surprised you don’t want to clean all of the furs…” The question lingers in the air, carrying a hint of curiosity and a touch of playful banter, directed towards Levi.

He huffs, smiling softly at how well you know him. “I do, trust me,” he shakes his head. “The smell helps. It's hard to explain, but it makes me feel less on edge to have our scents mixed together everywhere.”

Your gaze shifts to the far end of the meadow, where a cluster of more reasonably sized evergreens beckons. The verdant giants stand tall, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. The two of you quickly make your way towards them.

Reaching the side of a trio of them, you note that even though they're smaller than their neighbors, they still tower high above you. You take a moment to assess the situation, realizing that all the larger branches are well beyond your reach. A note of uncertainty colors your voice as you inquire, “How do we-”

Before you can even finish your sentence, Levi springs into action. With remarkable agility, he swiftly maneuvers himself around the base of the tree, using the natural grooves and irregularities of the bark as his handholds. His tail, a sleek and powerful appendage, coils tightly around the trunk, aiding in his ascent as he deftly pulls himself from one branch to another.

As Levi effortlessly navigates the intricate network of branches, you find yourself in awe of his unexpected tree-climbing prowess. The sight of his muscles flexing and the fluidity of his movements captivate you. In a mix of surprise and admiration, you shout up towards the branches, unable to contain your astonishment, “You can climb trees?”

His voice carries down to you, infused with a touch of playful sarcasm, “No, what would make you think that?”

The lighthearted banter in his response brings a smile to your face. Playfully rolling your eyes, you reply, “You know, no one likes a smart-ass.”

Levi’s progress up the tree continues, each branch serving as a stepping stone towards an elevated vantage point. As you watch him navigate with ease, amazement fills your heart.

“That’s clearly not true,” he chimes down at you, his voice carrying a playful undertone. From this distance, his features are obscured, but you can sense the mischievous smirk in his tone. “As long as I can wrap around the base, I can get up most trees, no problem.”

Looking up at him, you suddenly feel a pang of uncertainty. Feeling useless, your hands fidget aimlessly. “What do you want me to do?” you ask, seeking direction as you yearn to be of assistance.

His voice carries down, filled with a mix of determination and trust in your abilities. “I’m going to slice down some larger branches. Make sure to keep out of their way. Can you pile them up so they’ll be easy to drag back later?”

With an eager nod, you move to stand at a safe distance away. Levi's tail coils around the base of a substantial branch, lending stability as he deftly wields his sharp claws, severing the limb with a single, precise swipe. The detached branch teeters momentarily, precariously balanced in his scaly grip.

Levi's urgent call reaches your ears, his voice laced with caution. "I'm going to drop it. Make sure you're out of the way!"

Responding without hesitation, you shout back in affirmation, reassured by the distance between you and the impending descent of the massive branch. Though Levi can clearly discern your safe position, you appreciate the consideration and warning.

With a resounding crash, the branch collides with the ground, creating a thunderous impact that echoes through the meadow. The sheer size of the fallen branch overwhelms you—the trunk of it surpasses the thickness of your leg, while its sprawling branches, adorned with pine needles, extend and dwarf your own stature. Just from looking at it you can tell its weight is substantial, but determination fuels your efforts.

Grasping onto the branch, you summon your strength and begin to move it, inch by inch, towards the center of the meadow. The task is demanding the muscles in your arms and thighs burning from physical exertion, yet you persevere, driven by the knowledge that this collective effort will prove worthwhile. The earth beneath your feet resists, but your determination prevails, and you gradually overcome the resistance, dragging the branch along with grit and determination.

Meanwhile, Levi deftly maneuvers within the tree, seamlessly transitioning from one branch to another, expertly severing more limbs with the swift motion of his claws. His actions are almost as if he anticipates your progress, ensuring a steady supply of branches for you to collect and arrange.

As you laboriously haul one branch into place, he provides a continuous stream of fresh additions, reinforcing the growing pile with each subsequent slash. Together, you create an organized collection of branches, neatly stacked and ready for future use. Somehow, Levi had assured that the first branch had been the largest, each one getting smaller and lighter than the last and the pile rises above the grass.

Beads of sweat begin forming on your brow, forcing you to instinctively wipe them away with the back of your hand. Despite the physical strain, a wide smile splits across your face. The rhythmic movements and the growing pile of branches elicit a sense of accomplishment, fueling your determination to complete the task at hand.

With the sprawling branches now surpassing the height of your waist, you pause for a moment, pondering the quantity needed to adequately line the bottom of the cave. Your curiosity prompts you to voice your thoughts, asking, “How many do we need? Shouldn’t this be more than enough?”

From the canopy above, Levi emits a thoughtful hum, his voice carrying a note of assurance. Leaning over his perch, he eyes the stack you've made so far. “Just a few more,” he replies. The words hang in the air as several more branches succumb to gravity, crashing to the ground. As you move to gather them, Levi once again exhibits remarkable agility, swiftly descending from his lofty perch. With his assistance, the last remaining handful of branches are swiftly gathered to join the pile.

Standing side by side, you survey the accumulated bounty, the amalgamation of your joint efforts. “How are we supposed to drag these back? I can't even imagine how much this weighs..”

“It shouldn't be a problem,” he assures you with a shrug. “We just need to make sure all of the branches are tucked together. It's always a bitch when one falls off midway.”

Nodding in agreement, you crouch down, determined to secure the loose outer branches and create a more manageable load. As you grasp one of the upper branches, your fingers encounter an unexpected sensation—a squirming beneath the soft pine needles. Involuntarily, you let out a startled squeal, instinctively retracting your hand and clutching it protectively against your chest.

A small, blueish-grey head emerges from the pine needles, revealing oozing empty black eyes that fix their hollow gaze upon you. The creature, with its pointed ears and tangled, matted hair, unfurls its firefly-like wings, their faint glow casting an eerie light. In a flurry of motion, it swiftly rises, hissing menacingly mere inches from your face, exposing its rows of black, needle-thin teeth. Panic seizes your heart, causing it to hammer wildly in your chest, and a scream lodges in your throat, ready to burst forth.

Moments later, another of these mysterious creatures breaks free from the branch, joining its companion in a frenzied buzz, circling in front of your face. They twitch and spasm oddly as they hover terrifyingly close, their little mouths snapping hungrily at your skin and the corners of their mouths foaming sickeningly. You manage to muster a shaky plea, your voice quivering in a quiet squeak. “L-Levi!”

In an instant, Levi’s attention is fully on you, his eyes widening in alarm as he gasps your name. With remarkable agility, he swiftly moves to your side, placing himself between you and the hissing, fluttering creatures. Baring his fangs, his expression twists into a display of fierce determination as he emits a loud, angry hiss that sends the creatures scurrying back into the depths of the dark woods at the edge of the meadow.

Turning back to you, Levi’s intense gaze studies your features, his touch gentle as he cups your elbow. Concern lines his face as he asks, “Are you alright?”

Taking a shaky breath, you nod, still feeling a bit dazed from the encounter. “Y-yeah,” you manage to reply, your voice wavering. “W-what were those creatures?”

Levi’s scowl deepens as he answers, “Pixies. Wild ones, by the looks of it.”

Pixies. The word echoes in your mind, evoking both fascination and a newfound wariness. Your next question emerges hesitantly, “W-were they going to… eat me?”

Levi’s response is blunt, his tone conveying a somber reality. “They probably wouldn’t have gotten far. One or two pixies can’t do much damage, but a dozen or more… They can pick someone’s bones clean in a matter of minutes.”

A chill runs down your spine at the realization of the danger you narrowly escaped. The forest suddenly feels more ominous, its enchantment now tinged with a hint of menace. Feeling the weight of your fear, Levi’s expression softens with regret. He releases his hold on your elbow and reaches out to gently touch your arm, seeking to provide comfort. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes sincerely, his voice filled with remorse. “They were so small that I didn’t catch their scent. I should have been more vigilant.”

With the gravity of the situation sinking in, you appreciate Levi’s apology and the understanding he expresses. You take a moment to collect yourself, allowing his touch to soothe your frazzled nerves. Despite the fear that still lingers, you find solace in his presence and the reassurance he offers.

As your pulse slows, frustration surges forth within you, leaving a sour taste in your mouth. "I shouldn't have frozen up like that," you frown, berating yourself for your inaction. The knife hanging from your hip remains untouched, dangling heavily against your thigh. They'd been easy enough to startle away. You should’ve done something other than stand there quivering in fear. The realization hits you hard – there is so much to learn about The Maw, including vital fighting and survival skills.

Levi's gaze meets yours, his expression filled with remorse but also a renewed sense of determination. "We need to be more cautious from now on," he asserts firmly, his voice tinged with resolve. "Especially as the forest comes alive."

You nod, determination replacing the initial shock as the weight of the encounter lingers. Your palm finds the hilt of your knife, a reminder of the need to grow stronger. Swallowing heavily, you cast your gaze upon the large mound of branches before you. "Are we ready to head back?" you ask, steeling yourself for the journey.

Levi responds with a nod, his strength evident as he pulls the trunk of the large bottom-most branch up over his shoulder with a grunt. Despite its massive weight, his shoulders remain steady and upright, his biceps displaying minimal strain. The long length of his tail slips beneath the pile, lifting it effortlessly from the grass. "Stick close," he advises, his voice carrying a sense of caution and protection.

You nod in response, a vague sense of fear prickling along the back of your head as you eye the darkened forest edge. With Levi taking the lead, you fall in step beside him, keeping a close distance as you begin the journey back to the cave.

As you traverse through the forest, the sunlight filters through the dense canopy, casting small dappled patterns on the forest floor. The rhythmic sound of your footsteps is accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the occasional call of birds in the distance. Even with the giant load balanced on his shoulder and tail, Levi moves terrifyingly quietly. The air is filled with the earthy scent of moss and damp soil, intermingled with the sharp fragrance of pine.

Time seems to pass in a blur as you make steady progress, the distance gradually shrinking between you and the safety of the cave. Each step brings you closer to your sanctuary, where the warmth and familiarity of home await.

As you continue walking, a comfortable silence envelops you. Your gaze occasionally drifts towards Levi's swaying hips, a mix of admiration and another indescribable feeling lingering in your thoughts. You find yourself captivated by the way he moves, the easy and thoughtless sway of his hips, completely unaware of the effect he has on you. Despite his size and the sheer strength he possesses, his movements are graceful and nearly soundless. The enticing sway of his hips from side to side holds your attention, as if he were dancing, drawing you closer in some enchanting spell.

Three days. It's been three days since he'd been inside you, tongue, tail and cock. The mere memory has heat surging in your thighs, an open ache of yearning fluttering to life within your core. You believe his recent intensity is due to his approaching heat. He had mentioned that it would arrive soon, within a few days to a week, and there’s something in the way he carries himself that suggests it’s imminent.

You can't help but feel a surge of excitement. The anticipation of what lies ahead leaves you with a dry mouth. Almost involuntarily, your gaze lingers on the delicate strip of pale skin at the small of his waist, tracing the subtle sway of his hip as he gracefully moves beside you.

Shifting close, Levi catches your attention by brushing his arm against yours. Sensing the direction of your thoughts, he breaks the silence, his voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "You can still change your mind, you know. I know we already..” His frustration manifests as he runs his fingers through his dark locks. The arm raised above head to balance your haul on his shoulder flexes, the muscles of his bicep straining in a display of tension. He sounds almost resigned, “I wouldn’t blame you if you felt it was too much..”

You interrupt him gently, speaking his name softly. "Levi..." you chide, shooting him a soft, exasperated look.

He lets out a huff, his tone shifting to a more practical note. "You know how to get to the Den if it becomes too much, right? From the entrance of the nest, go straight west and follow the river north."

A small smile tugs at the corner of your lips. "Honestly, I don't even know which way is West.” The frown you get in response is almost severe, complete with a flat deadpan. “But I want you to know, I'm not going to change my mind." The determination in your voice is unmistakable.

“I think-” he starts hesitantly, “I think my heat is going to start tomorrow.” He raises his free hand, lightly pressing his nails into the skin above his heart. “I can feel it already it's- it's never been so intense before.”

“What does it feel like?” you ask, your gaze locked on his face, wanting to understand the depth of what he’s going through.

“Like lava is burning along the edges of my senses,” he explains, head tilting back as his eyes flutter closed in a shudder. Adjusting his grip on the trunk, the muscles of his back twitch in a violent shudder. “It's sort of like an itch that's just out of my reach, so I can't scratch it. One that's gradually getting more and more intense.”

The news fills you with a mix of concern and curiosity. “How long will it last?”

He shrugs, “Every time is different, but i've always been alone before. Sometimes it's lasted a week-” your shock must be evident, because Levi quickly rushes to assure you, “I don't think it'll last as long this time though. I’ve heard that having a partner and forming a bond helps.. satisfy it quicker.”

Finally, as the mouth of the cave comes into view, a sense of relief washes over you. Despite the burden of the branches weighing him down for almost an hour, Levi appears unfazed.

Levi carefully sets the branches near the entrance of the cave, and together, you roll up the pelt bedding, stowing it away in a corner at the far end. Upon closer inspection, you realize the branches are in worse condition than you initially thought. They appear old and scraggly, with most of the needles turned brown from age. Numerous branches are broken, their thin twigs snapped off into dry and messy pieces of wood.

Squinting at the sun, Levi observes its position as it slowly lowers along the middle of the horizon. "It's getting late. I'll go catch us something to eat. Could you clear out the old debris while I'm gone?" he asks.

"Of course," you reply, nodding in agreement. As Levi's tail disappears into the darkness of the woods, you begin to remove the larger branches from the cave. The floor is covered in a tangle of brown needles, and you do your best to sweep them out of the entrance. As you sweep away the brown needles and clear the entrance, your attention is drawn to the small divot in the cave, where Levi keeps his odd collection of books and bobbles. With a clearer view, you realize it's not a natural groove but rather a result of claw marks. Silver scrapes adorn the corners of the crevice, indicating the strength and power behind Levi's claws. The realization prompts questions to swirl in your mind. Just how strong is he? How dangerous can his claws be?

While contemplating these thoughts, you continue tidying up, appreciating the utility of the small brush you retrieved from Levi's collection of odds and ends. It's a versatile tool that he typically uses to clean up ashes from the fire or to remove mud from his scales. Its bristles serve you well in clearing out the debris, making the cave entrance cleaner and more inviting.

By the time you finish clearing the floor, Levi returns, his catch of the day slung over his shoulder. However, to your surprise, it's not a small game like a rabbit but a much larger animal— a brown deer.

"An entire deer?" you exclaim, astonished, as you assess the limp form draped over Levi's shoulder.

He nods, a hint of pride in his eyes. "My metabolism is revving up again, and considering the upcoming days, we might not have much time to eat.” He places the deer carcass down onto the grass near the cave’s entrance. “I'll skin it later. Let's focus on finishing the preparations for the nest before the sun sets.”

You nod in understanding, realizing that daylight is fading quickly. Shuffling the brush between your hands, you add, “I’ve just finished clearing out the loose needles.”

“Thank you,” he praises softly, his eyes scanning the area you've just cleared away. “You didn't do a terrible job.”

The half-compliment brings a sense of satisfaction to your chest, especially considering his earlier criticism at the creek. "The branches you grabbed are much larger than the ones from before," you comment, noting the massive size of the bottommost branches.

He hums in agreement, his claws effortlessly slicing free a handful of smaller branches that jut out from the main body. “We’ll use these, so there aren't any excessively thick twigs below. The pine is supposed to help protect us from the layer of cold stone, but we don't want it to be a bitch to lay on. The thicker trunks will serve as good firewood for next year."

Pulling your knife from your hip, you join him in slicing free all of the smaller branches. Following his lead, you carefully sort through the branches, ensuring that each one is no larger than the width of your finger. Together, you work diligently, and soon enough, the entire floor is covered in a thick layer of fresh green pine. The scent of pine fills the air, lending a refreshing and earthy aroma to the nest. With the branches in place, you roll the pelts back over, and it’s as if nothing has changed—except for the improved comfort and insulation provided by the fresh bedding.

Satisfied with your work, you step back into the entrance to admire the transformed nest. Behind you, Levi effortlessly stacks the empty branches into a pile, ready to be dealt with later. Using his claws with practiced precision, he swiftly skins the deer, bringing a substantial pile of pink meat to the fireside. He starts to work, swiftly impaling the pieces on sharp sticks to cook them over the fire.

"I'll take over," you wave him off, eager to contribute to the meal preparation. Smiling softly in appreciation, he curls up to sit by your side.

As you tend to the cooking, Levi's fingers deftly weave some of the leftover small branches together. Intrigued by his actions, you observe as a thick rounded edge quickly takes shape. "I..." he starts distractedly, his fingers continuing their intricate twining. "I might be different in the morning. I might wake up with my heat..."

The thought thrills you, and Levi's heated gaze confirms that he senses your excitement. "I'm fine with that," you respond, a playful glint in your eyes.

Levi nods, his expression becoming more intense. "You might want to sleep naked," he advises, his voice low and suggestive. His eyes flicker down, catching the fabric of your blouse, before bouncing back up. His shoulders hunch shyly. "I don't want to tear them."

A mischievous smile spreads across your face. "You'd just fix it again," you note, a hint of anticipation in your voice. "Probably a good idea though. Oh! I never thanked you for fixing my coat!"

He rumbles softly, his voice filled with warmth. "It was my fault it got torn in the first place."

As the fire crackles and the enticing aroma of cooked meat fills the nest, you find your attention drawn to the rhythmic shifting of Levi's lithe fingers. The small twigs are swiftly woven together, forming a flat sheet that continues to grow, revealing a glimpse of his skilled craftsmanship. Soon enough, the pine coated branches sprawl across his lap in a thick, square-ish plate.

With a determined expression, Levi lifts the woven sheet and carefully positions it in front of the scraggly entrance of the cave, effectively closing off the outside world. The interwoven branches create a natural barrier, providing some privacy and protection. In the top right corner, there is enough space for the smoke from the fire to billow free, ensuring ventilation within the nest.

He's closed you in. As you swallow heavily and gaze at the carefully braided expanse of verdant pine, you can't help but feel a mix of anticipation and excitement. Rather than feeling trapped or confined, the enclosure created by Levi's handiwork ignites a thrilling sensation that tingles at the back of your mind. The intimate space seems to foster an atmosphere of closeness and heightened emotions, fueling the excitement coursing through your veins.

By your side, the chunks of meat sizzle and gain a tempting char. You swallow, feeling your stomach growl in response to the mouthwatering smell. Gesturing vaguely at Levi's handiwork, you start unevenly, “Wh- why did you?”

Levi’s expression softens, his eyes meeting yours. “Because I care about you,” he replies sincerely. “During my heat, I want to provide for you and ensure your comfort.”

The warmth of his words fills the air, and you can’t help but feel a surge of gratitude and affection for him. As the meat continues to cook, you find yourself drawn closer to him, the anticipation of the coming days mingling with the scent of the meal, creating a sense of intimacy and shared purpose.

His voice continues as he tucks up tightly against you, his tail encircling your waist and his arm draped across your back. The intensity in his eyes returns, a deep and burgeoning heat that sends shivers of anticipation down your spine. "It also gives us some privacy," he explains, his voice laced with a mix of need and desire. "My instincts are kicking in and they want to ensure we aren't disturbed."

Nose flaring, Levi reaches across you to grab some meat, his movements driven by both hunger and urgency. “You should eat,” he urges, pressing the meat kabob in your direction, his voice low and husky. ��I don’t think we’ll be able to get more food until things have… settled.”

Concern fills your voice as you reply, “Hopefully there’s enough water in the cooking pot.” Reaching over, you grab the proffered stick, savoring the juicy, thick slices of deer as you quickly devour them.

As Levi gorges himself on the meat, tearing it apart easily with his sharp fangs, you follow suit, consuming the food with equal fervor under his watchful eye. He encourages you to eat more, emphasizing the need for energy.

By the time you both finish, the sun has almost disappeared beyond the horizon, casting a warm orange glow through the covered entrance of the cave. Levi’s worried expression becomes more pronounced as he tugs at the hem of your shirt, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the fabric. He presses soft kisses to the sleeve, a mixture of affection and concern in his voice. “We… we should sleep. You’ll need your rest before it starts.”

The weight of his words settles in, and you nod in agreement, feeling a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. The night ahead holds unknown experiences and uncharted territories, but you trust Levi to guide you through it.

As you and Levi prepare for sleep, he assists you in removing your clothes, handling them with care as he folds them and sets them aside. Then, he enfolds you in his arms, drawing your chest flush against his own and guiding your face to nestle against his neck. His tail wraps around you, providing a comforting weight akin to a cozy blanket.

With tender lips pressing against the top of your head, he whispers softly into your hair, expressing his concerns for the next day. His fingers delicately weave through your hair, offering soothing and affectionate gestures. "I'm sorry if I'm... if I'm too much tomorrow," he murmurs, his voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and care.

Nuzzling into his chest, eyes heavy with fatigue, you reassure him softly. "I'll be fine, Levi," you assure him, your words laced with understanding. "I trust you."

Guided by the gentleness of his touch and the security of his presence, you gradually surrender to a peaceful slumber. The sensation of his scales against your skin creates a cocoon of intimacy and protection, fostering a deep sense of comfort. Wrapped in Levi's embrace, you find solace and rest, ready to face whatever challenges the coming days may bring.

You wake as a loud hiss pierces the air, accompanied by the sensation of fangs pressing against your throat. Blinking to awareness, your body tenses with a surge of adrenaline. The sharp pinpricks send a jolt of pain through your senses, and a deep rumbling growl reverberates through you, jarring your awareness.

Instinct kicks in, and your mind races to assess the situation. With a surge of urgency, you realize that the dynamics have shifted, and the once-familiar embrace of Levi now feels threatening and dangerous. His heat had started. You become acutely aware of the primal instincts at play, reminding you of the unfamiliar nature of your partner. Gasping for breath, your feet kick frantically and your hands squirm at your sides, desperate to find purchase on his shoulders.

Struggling against the darkness surrounding you, your eyes slowly adjust to the dim moonlit beams that manage to penetrate the barred entryway. Trembling, your voice catches in your throat as the sharp points tighten around your windpipe. A shuddering breath escapes Levi’s lips, and the hot length of his tongue slides across your throat, leaving behind a wet heat. In a moment of urgency, your hands reach up, entangling in the dark tresses at the back of his head, tugging with urgency. “L-Levi,” you manage to squeak out.

With a deep, rumbling growl, the sharp grasp around your throat loosens. Levi hovers above you, his features twisted into a raw and primal display. Moonlight reflects off the sharp points of his glistening fangs, appearing even longer and sharper as they hang menacingly above your face.

In the dim light, his eyes emit a luminous glow, while the whites shine with an unsettling brightness. His pupils, like tiny pinpricks, are sharply defined, enclosed within a shade of deep burning charcoal grey. The air in the small cave becomes suffocatingly hot as his chest heaves, his mouth releasing a sticky, balmy heat. As he gazes down at you, his chest swells with a deep rumble, and his nails dig painfully into your back.

Lacking any of his usual care, the grasp is far from gentle. You think you feel a wet heat welling up from where the sharp points are digging into your skin, the telltale sign of blood beginning to trickle from around the tips of his claws.

Squirming, you notice a warm slickness coating your bottom half. He's leaking, practically gushing, and his cock is already out, jabbing your belly and leaving a slick warm ooze against your skin.

"Maaate," he hisses, his urgency evident as he fervently licks at the skin of your throat. In the scorching intensity of his heat, it seems as though all rational thought has vanished, replaced by a primal instinct. Levi's presence has completely vanished, replaced by a relentless beast.

His tail coils tightly around you, its scales constricting to the point where movement becomes impossible. Your arms and legs are firmly immobilized within its sinewy grasp, leaving you completely restrained. Your heart stammers, its rhythm faltering in response to the overwhelming surge of fear and anticipation coursing through your veins.

“Maaaaate,” he growls again. His hips jolt and more wetness oozes between you. There's so much of it, warm and slick dripping to coat the entirety of your stomach and thighs. You can feel the tip of him throb, leaking a thick trail of white along your abdomen. His face contorts and those dark glowing eyes delve deep into your own. It's a question, you realize. Even out of his mind with lust, Levi is confirming that you're okay with this.

“Y-yeah,” you manage to gasp, your breath catching in your throat. With an ardent nod, you express your agreement. “I’m your mate.”

He growls in response, his tail trembling with excitement as it continues to coil around you. Leaning forward, he affectionately nuzzles his nose against yours with a happy hum. Nudging your nose into his, you pull him into a shallow lip lock that quickly becomes heated. Hot breath bathing your face, it's like he's drinking the taste of you with a pleased hum. He moans, the sharp points of his teeth pressing into the supple skin of your bottom lip, inducing a slight prickle of pain and flooding your senses with the metallic taste of iron.

"Shit, Levi," you gasp, the metallic taste of your own blood lingering on your lips. Surprisingly, rather than deter you, it only serves to further ignite your desires, sending a surge of intense heat coursing through your veins at an alarming pace. Urgently pressing your thighs together, you deepen the kiss, pushing your mouth against his with an eager sigh, yearning for the sound of his pleased little moans and hums.

As your tongue brushes against the sharp row of his fangs, you can't help but notice that they are longer, their pointed tips resembling tiny blades. Running your tongue along his incisor, the taste of iron intensifies, flooding your senses once again.

In response, he releases a loud, pleasure-filled moan, his lips fervently pushing and pulling against yours in an unending display of passion. Drawing in a sharp breath, he inhales your scent deeply, releasing a hot gust of air that tickles your cheek. His hands firmly grip your hips, matching the tight and pulsating hold of the scales enveloping you. Jolting, your hips roll into his with a needy whine. Trapped between you, his cock throbs, the slick mess between you only growing.

In a flurry of motion, the coil of his tail suddenly twists you over onto your hands and knees. His claws drag down your bare back in one long sweep, the edges barely grazing your skin. The touch sends a long rolling shutter down your spine. Parts of his tail wrap around each of your thighs, firmly holding them apart under his intense, fiery gaze. Another wider section of his tail remains securely coiled around your waist, exerting a tight and twisting pressure, effectively restricting your movements.

Trapped. You feel trapped, but fear doesn't fill your heart. Instead, an amalgamation of anticipation, curiosity, and desire takes its place. The loss of control intensifies the throbbing sensation in your chest, as you surrender to the captivating and passionate experience unraveling before you. It’s a mixture of emotions that adds an exhilarating edge to the encounter, heightening your senses.

You can feel the intensity of his gaze burning between your thighs, drinking in the sight of the slick that's already leaking to the crease of your thighs. His hands shift from your waist, spreading your ass cheeks wide. “Wet,” he growls excitedly, pressing his teeth against the curve of your right cheek. The sharp edge causes a sudden jolt of sensation, making you shudder within the tight grip of his hold. “Mine,” he asserts possessively, hot breath bathing your soaked center.

Apparently he can only express himself with singular words, limited by the overwhelming sensations and desires coursing through him. Each word he utters carries a weight of raw emotion, stripped down to its core essence, conveying his primal instincts and unbridled passion in the simplest yet most intense way.

In response to his limited but powerful words, you find yourself trembling with a mixture of vulnerability and surrender. With a shudder, your toes curl into the soft bedding below. The weight of your admission, “Y-yours. All yours,” hangs in the air, expressing your deep longing and desire to belong to him completely.

As his thumbs shift down to spread open your folds, you clench helplessly beneath his gaze. Watching you flutter, the growl that leaves his chest can only be described as a whine. “Pretty,” he groans, voice thick with desire. Blood rushes to fill your face with heat, causing your face to flush with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal.

You feel so open, with him behind you looking straight inside your entrance. Part of you wishes you could see him. You long to see his face, to witness the expressions and emotions that accompany this new dynamic. It feels different from before, and amidst the excitement, you find yourself yearning for the soft, reassuring weight of his gaze.

Squirming in embarrassment, the tight grasp around you suddenly tightens severely. The section of his hold encircling your ribs constricts, nearly squeezing the air from your lungs. Simultaneously, one of his hands applies strong pressure between your shoulder blades, its force posing a risk of toppling you forward.

In a sharp, hissing tone, he commands, "Still." The urgency and authority in his voice demand your compliance, leaving little room for hesitation.

Something prods your folds, making you gasp in shock, jolting your hips forward despite his warning growl. Nails dig into your cheeks, spreading you wide, and then something wet and hot slides along the crease of your folds in one long stroke from bottom to top. It's his tongue, you realize with a shaky gasp. He's bent over behind you, claws digging into your skin as he hungrily sucks at your folds. A hot, shaky breath bathes your folds. “Mine,” he breathes hotly into your cunt.

Levi tongues urgently at your entrance, lapping mindlessly along the length of your folds. It's aimless and frantic, pleased groans buzzing along your sensitive skin with every flick of his tongue. Untouched, your clit aches. Spit soaks your core, dripping down to bathe the crease of your thighs.

“Ahh, Levi,” you moan, struggling to hold still. Every part of you seems to throb, desperate for more stimulation. Raising your hips, you try to guide him with a needy whine, “H-higher. My clit. Please!”

The only response you get is an eager huff of air from his nose, blown directly into the crease of your ass. He's preparing you, you realize, as the forked tip of his tongue presses searchingly into your hole. He's soaking your already slick entrance with his spit in preparation for you to take his cock.

He works diligently, stretching your rim with the tip of his tongue and shallowly lapping inward. As you thoughtlessly roll your rolling hips into his mouth, his nails dig into the skin of your ass, pulling you in with a heady groan. Working his way deeper and deeper, the slick appendage writhes deep into your guts. It’s like he’s transformed into a primal, untamed creature, hungry and thoughtless. Every ravenous moan emanating from him resonates deep within you, stirring a primal response that shakes you to your core. Your clit hasn't even been touched and yet your thighs are already shaking.

Eventually, he withdraws, seemingly satisfied. Aching and empty, you can't help but jolt back searchingly, eager for more of the hot slide of his tongue. You can hear his lips smack with a wet and pleased hum.

“Mate?” Levi’s voice echoes once more, a deep rumble filled with longing and uncertainty. He rises, pressing his chest firmly against your back, creating a closeness that envelops you in his presence. The sharp points of his fangs delicately graze against the sensitive skin of your neck, sending a shiver down your spine. With a deep yearning, his hips begin to sway, tracing a slow and desperate circle. Slick scales glide along the back of your thighs and the length of his cock drags teasingly along your folds with a boiling wet heat.

“Y-yeah,” you answer dazedly, mind reeling. Your hips jolt as the blunt curve of his head bumps into the ring of your entrance. It spurts, leaking a hot sticky mess along your folds.

Chest rumbling happily, he works the tip of himself just past the ring of your entrance in short little jabs. Then, he fills you with one smooth stroke, the glide slick and easy.

“Shit,” he curses, his voice carrying a rare moment of clarity amidst the overwhelming sensations. It’s the most cognizant he has sounded thus far, breaking through the primal haze that engulfs him. He holds still for several months, his fingers working soothing circles into your hip. As you both immerse in the intensity of the moment, you feel the pulsating tightness of his coiled form, vibrating with pleasure all around you. It's like the coiled length of him is throbbing, matching the beat of his cock as it pulses inside you.

"L-Levi," you strain, your voice trembling with a mixture of pleasure and need. The name escapes your lips as a fervent plea, a testament to the overwhelming sensations that consume you. Every nerve in your body feels alive. Levi hasn’t even moved yet, but just the weight of him, over and inside you, is enough to make your toes curl and your breath catch. Taking short, heavy breaths, you feel overwhelmed just by the feel of him: heavy and big and solid.

He pulls most of the way out with a filthy, slick squelch that makes your ears ring. Just the tip of him remains, throbbing tucked into the quivering ring of your entrance. His breath shudders, causing his chest to hollow against your back. A deep groan begins to build at the base of his chest, resonating with a primal intensity. The sound emerges from deep within him, a raw expression of pleasure and desire that escapes his lips. The grip around you tightens, encompassing you with a firm hold. One hand wraps tightly around your thigh, forcing your knees to widen and your back to bow. His chest fills again with a shuddered breath and his other hand pulls at your hip, urging you to meet him as he fills you with a hard, sharp thrust.

"F-fuck! Levi!" you wail unevenly, your voice filled with a mix of pleasure and surprise. Your fingers scramble against the bedding, seeking an anchor in the midst of the overwhelming sensations. The strength of his thrust propels you forward, causing you to bounce involuntarily. Instinctively, you press your forehead into the soft pelt below, seeking a momentary refuge in its comforting texture. The intensity of the experience leaves you gasping for breath, caught between ecstasy and surrender.

With that singular thrust, his short moment of sanity ends and the beast returns with a deep rumbling growl. “Mine,” he repeats in a fevered growl, fucking into you mercilessly, his hips jolting so hard and fast that you can't even begin to try to meet him. It's so much different than the last time he was inside you, so much more fevered and intense in comparison and the experience is completely out of your control. It's like you're just being used for his pleasure, a thought that sends your mind reeling. “Mine- mine- mine-”

“Ah ah ah -shit-” you cry, eyes pinching tight as your body rocks completely out of your control. The angle is excruciatingly tight and the delicious friction of his cock dragging along your walls is enough to make you drool uncontrollably into the bedding. The spongy tip of him drags against your g-spot with every forward stroke, making you whimper and throb helplessly. The wet slap of his scales against your puffy and oversensitive petals has you nearly mindless.

He penetrates you with an incredible depth that leaves you gasping for breath and squirming in response. The sensation is overwhelming, pushing you to the limits of pleasure and sending waves of sensation coursing through your body.

Overwhelmed, you shift your weight from your hands to your forearms, burying one shoulder into the bedding as you arch your back. Wrapped tightly in his scaly grasp, he continues to give you more and more, rendering you utterly helpless to resist. Hard and fast, you can't do anything but take it. The intensity grows, unrelenting and fast-paced, and you find yourself unable to do anything but surrender to it. The sensations become nearly overwhelming, teetering on the edge of painful overstimulation. “F-fuck! Levi! Slower! Slower, please!” you beg, your plea escaping your lips without thought, desperate for some respite.

Suddenly, his hips press hard and impossibly deep into you and still, his cock lurching inside you with a heady throb. The hand on your thigh shifts, gliding through the sticky mess between you to swirl at your clit. "Oh, shit! Ah! God-" you gasp, feeling your back shudder and stretch as your muscles spasm uncontrollably.

With a grunt, he resumes his pace, thrusting harder and filling you in a way that overwhelms your senses. Your knees tremble under the intensity of the moment, barely able to support you. Between you, Levi is still oozing slickness from around the base of his cock. With every thrust, you can feel wet droplets splash to coat the backs of your thighs.

As you fall forward, your chest meets the soft pelt beneath you, sinking into its comforting embrace. The coil of his tail tightly wrapped around your belly keeps your hips elevated, keeping you up and spread for him to fill you again and again. The intense sensation of his thumb swirling and gliding over your sensitive bud has you trembling uncontrollably. Your gasps for air become loud and desperate, and your thighs begin to shake with the overwhelming pleasure coursing through your body.

Overwhelmed by the intense sensations and emotions coursing through you, tears stream down your face as sobs escape your trembling lips. Your fingers instinctively claw desperately into the bedding beneath you, seeking something to hold onto amidst the overwhelming pleasure and vulnerability. The heavy knot in your stomach tightens agonizingly, reaching its peak as pleasure courses through your body. With a shudder that ripples through you, you reach your climax, releasing a guttural scream of ecstasy that echoes through the air. The intensity of the moment consumes you completely, leaving you breathless and trembling in its wake.

You’re aware, distantly, of him cursing and pressing himself flat to your back, his face dropping to the curve of your neck, his hands holding your hips and fucking up into you faster and faster until, with one deep thrust, he stills. He spills inside you with a filthy groan, throbbing heavily.

His hips jolt in several broken thrusts as more and more warmth splashes against your walls. It's so much. He comes so much, you can feel the thick spurts that follow every heady throb. As Levi growls deeply, the low rumble reverberates through his chest, creating vibrations that resonate within both of you. The intensity of the sound sends shivers down your spine, and you can feel the vibrations spreading throughout your entire body, from head to toe. Suddenly he shifts, jolting impossibly deeper inside you as a sharp pain appears at the pulse of your throat. He's biting you, you realize, humming eagerly as his fangs dig deep into the side of your neck. Oddly enough, it doesn't really hurt. The only bit of pain is when the sharpened row of teeth initially clamp and sink through your skin. After that the only sensations you know are heat and pleasure.

As his fangs remain firmly embedded in the side of your neck, the conflicting mix of sensations confuses your senses, but you cannot deny the unusual pleasure that accompanies his bite. As you continue and throb and flutter with the tail end of your peak, something at the base of his cock swells painfully wide to form a warm and heavy bulb that stretches your rim painfully wide.

"Wh-what?" you stammer, your mind dazed and disoriented. You can feel the tremor in your voice, but it's as if the sound is muted, lost in the overwhelming haze. The sensations coursing through your body have left you in a state of confusion and sensory overload, making it difficult to fully process or comprehend what is happening around you. Nudging his hips forward, the stretch of your rim is nearly excruciating as he continues to work the knot deeper. He's plugging you up, keeping the copious amount of seed that's sloshing around inside you tucked right where he wants it. The intense mixture of pleasure and pain sends shockwaves through your body, pushing you to the edge once more.

You can't be sure, but you think that you black out for a moment. The first thing that you consciously think about as you come back to your senses is that Levi is warm above you, comforting as he boxes you in; the second is that your ears are ringing. You clench and unclench your hands a few just to try and start to get that far-away feeling out of your limbs — your thighs have already started to ache and your toes burn from being locked in a tight curl.

A feeling of fullness startles you into gasping, and you realize that Levi hasn't pulled out yet. He's still inside you as far as can be, the scales of his pelvis pressed flat to your entrance as the swollen flesh at his base continues to pulse and press eagerly into the ring of your entrance.

You feel Levi's hand tracing the curve of your hip soothingly, his touch creating gentle circles on your skin. The ringing in your ears gradually subsides, allowing you to hear him calling your name softly. "L-Levi," you groan, your eyes fluttering open.

He calls your name once more, his voice slightly rough but noticeably more coherent. The beastly presence has receded, and Levi's awareness has returned, though you remain uncertain for how long it will last.

The swell at his base finally gives, lessening just enough so he can pull free from you with a wet pop. He swiftly turns you around, his hands firmly cupping your shoulders as he searches your face with a worried expression. "Are you okay?" he asks, genuine concern evident in his eyes.

"Yeah," you wheeze, feeling dazed and trying to regain your breath. Stretching out on your back, your gulp eagerly at the sticky air. "I'm fine."

Finally, you get to look at him. Drinking him in after what seems like forever, you note that Levi’s chest is adorned with spotty flushes, his cheeks and ears cast a rosy hue that speaks volumes about his state. His disheveled appearance mirrors your own state of composure and an odd sense of gratification washes over you. His chest rises and falls rapidly, his breaths coming in gasps as he greedily inhales air to replenish his oxygen-depleted lungs. Beads of sweat glide down his forehead, tracing a path down his neck and along his chest, evidence of the intensity and exertion. His eyes, half-lidded and darker than you've ever seen them before, possess an alluring depth that draws you in. In their depths, you witness a potent blend of desire, passion, and vulnerability, reflecting the profound connection forged between you.

He still looks concerned, so you quickly assure him with a comforting pat on his shoulder. “I’m fine. I promise. Just.. dazed and a bit sore.”

In response to your assurance, he frowns momentarily, but upon searching your eyes, he accepts your words. Leaning over you, he delicately licks at the mark he left on your neck, his actions infused with a blend of tenderness and possessiveness. "You're mine," he breathes, his voice carrying a tone of awe and disbelief. The declaration reveals a profound sense of connection and a newfound realization of the bond between you.

The mark on your neck radiates a burning, intense heat, distinct from the familiar sensation of healing. Intrigued, you raise your hand to touch the wound, feeling the distinct imprints of each of his teeth—shallower where his molars had pressed and significantly deeper where his fangs had pierced your skin. Finding the deepest indent, right on the hollow between your shoulder and throat, you ask, “Why'd you bite me?” Surprisingly, there's no blood under your thumb, only warmth and an unconventional sensation of pleasure.

Levi, with a softness in his voice, explains. "It's a mating mark," he murmurs, his words resembling a gentle coo. "If the bond is accepted, it will take on the color of my scales. Everyone who sees it will know that you're mine."

The weight of the proclamation fills your throat with emotion. You can't help but inquire, "Am I supposed to give you a mark in return?"

Levi shrugs, his face retaining an unusual tenderness. "I don't think you can," he replies, pressing a quick kiss to the broken skin. "But I appreciate the offer."

He gasps, thumb trailing along the deepest part, sending a strange surge of pleasure directly to your thighs. “It's already turning black,” he breathes excitedly. The look of excited awe on his face makes your heart throb, a soft smile forming on your lips.

“Of course it is,” you reply, your smile growing as you meet his gaze. As he hovers over you, a joyful glint in his eyes, he playfully nudges his nose against yours.

As he shuffles forward over you, the movement causes the wet tip of his cock to jab into your thigh. You gasp, “Y-your cock didn't go back in?” The last time, it'd disappeared the moment he finished coming, and yet right now it's bobbing between you, heavy and full. It's so odd to see it out, the sensitive grey skin dangling free from the wet and shiny scales of his abdomen. With every vein bulging from the skin, you can practically see his blood flowing and filling the organ, making it lurch as Levi’s breath audibly catches in his throat. It's slick and shiny, the head such a dark swollen red that makes your mouth water. It throbs heavily beneath your gaze, the tip leaking a thrilling white that streaks your thigh with warmth.

"It won't go down until my heat is over," he explains through clenched teeth. His muscles visibly twitch and his shoulders tighten, revealing the struggle for control he's experiencing. The intensity of his desire is evident in his strained expression.

You ask him with concern, "Are you okay?" His chest rises and falls heavily, his breathing becoming labored. His eyes flutter, filled with desire, as his awareness starts to fade away.

As you shift, his gaze darts down between your thighs, widening at the sight. “Look at that,” he coos heatedly. The blunt tip of his finger prods your folds, spreading your labia wide so he can look hungrily at your stretched and quivering entrance. You can feel some of his hot seed ooze free to trickle along your folds.

He gasps, mouth popping open and eyes locking into the white leaking from your folds like it's the most fascinating sight in the world. Using the tips of his fingers, he glides the sticky warmth up and down your folds. The hungry look in his eyes tells you that, if not for the sharp points of his claws, he'd fuck the seed back into you.

Levi's voice is low and possessive as he declares, "Mine." In an instant, the primal beast within him resurfaces. His eyes, already dark, seem to deepen even further, conveying a predatory intensity. Surging forward so that he holds you captive between his forearms, the way he gazes at you sends a shiver down your spine, making you feel both vulnerable and desired, like prey in the presence of a predator.

Pressing his chest flats to yours, he slips inside you in one smooth stroke. This time, he fucks into from above, his grip so tight around your hips that you know it'll bruise. This time, when he pulls out, his thrust back in is somehow even harder, deeper; and any semblance of a thought you could have come up with is gone, just like that. You release a shaky gasp, and Levi responds with a primal growl, his breath hot against your ear. "Mine," he hisses possessively, sinking his teeth into the sensitive flesh of your throat, marking you once again with his claim. The mixture of pleasure and pain sends a jolt of electricity through your body, intensifying the connection between you.

Caught in a whirlwind of overwhelming sensations, you're unable to articulate coherent words, reduced to a symphony of whimpers and moans. Your legs instinctively wrap around Levi, desperate to match the rhythm of his rolling thrusts. The change in angle ignites something new within you, causing your back to arch and your entire body to convulse with pleasure. Waves of ecstasy ripple through you, leaving you trembling and breathless in the wake of the intense sensation. You come again, barely feeling the buildup before you fall over the edge.

Moaning loudly, Levi deftly maneuvers you with a swift movement of his tail, repositioning you so that you're lying on your front, your chest pressed against the soft pelt beneath you. The firm grip of his tail keeps your hips elevated, allowing for deeper penetration. His breath hot against your ear, “Again,” he hisses with an insatiable hunger, relentlessly driving into you with a powerful and unending rhythm that sends your mind spiraling into a realm of sheer ecstasy. Each thrust churns and twists, overwhelming your senses and leaving you lost in a maelstrom of pleasure.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of the sensations coursing through your body, you whimper in protest, unable to believe that you can continue. “I can't! I can't!” you scream out in a desperate plea. Yet, despite your protests, your body betrays you. Your hips instinctively meet his thrusts, your inner walls clenching around him in a desperate attempt to hold on to the pleasure that threatens to consume you. With your hips raised, Levi is able to sneak a hand under you to play with your clit. You shriek, one of your legs kicking feebly at the overstimulation, tears overflowing from your eyes, but Levi just coos at you and keeps going.

It feels good, too good; you’ve never felt like this before. Trembling and oversensitive, you feel simultaneously on the very precipice of an orgasm and too exhausted and rung out to ever come again, simultaneously certain you can’t and certain you will. Each thrust pushes you closer to the edge, the pleasure mingling with a hint of pain that amplifies the sensations coursing through your veins. The climax crashes over you like a tidal wave, a mixture of ecstasy and agony that leaves you gasping and trembling in its wake.

Time and sensation both start to bleed together after that. Your orgasm stretches on forever and it’s hard to say when or if it even really ends; it leaves you gasping for air, legs twitching, constantly trying to sink down to the bed, the coil around your waist constantly keeping you up. He murmurs things now and then to the air, your back, the nape of your neck, but you aren't coherent enough to try to understand it — you feel floaty and wonderful, so euphoric that it almost hurts, crying out for more even as you wonder if you can take more at all.

Levi fucks you and fucks you and fucks you and you come what feels like constantly, getting a few brief moments of dizzy reprieve to suck in some desperate breaths before you’re shuddering into an orgasm yet again. It never seems to end, and even as you lie there prone in a puddle, you don’t want it to end. You want all of it —

“Mine! Mine! Mine,” he growls in your ear, releasing pleased little hisses that echo nonstop in your ears. The repetitive echoes of his possessive hisses and moans reverberate through your mind, sending shivers down your spine. The intensity of his words, coupled with the overwhelming sensations coursing through your body, create a whirlwind of pleasure and surrender. It feels like your brain has become a warm liquid puddle, oozing right out from your ear as his warm breath bathes your senses.

As you gasp for breath, the only response you can manage is a breathless affirmation of your complete surrender to him. “Yours,” you repeat again and again in an endless mantra.

Time loses all meaning. For some time, all you know is the hard snap of his hips and the hot slide of his cock. The scent of sex and sweat is so thick in the air that it's almost difficult to breathe. You lose track of how many times you come and how many times he works the rounded swell of his knot past your rim. The only sounds you know are the pleasured grunts and groans alongside the rapid filthy slap of slick scales on skin.

Full. You feel so full, all of your insides filled to bursting, coated with his sticky seed. You can't tell if the filthy slick sounds are from the slick gushing between you or the copious amount of seed sloshes inside you with every thrust. Everytime his knot pops free, it leaks from you in a long constant flow to cake your inner thighs and paint the bedding with a slick mess. He mourns the loss by adding more and more in an endless cycle.

As Levi's moments of awareness eventually begin to lengthen, you start to witness the stark contrast between the beast's intense, primal strength and the tender gentleness that emerges when he regains control. In those fleeting moments, he becomes a nurturing presence, focused on soothing and caring for you.

After his release, he immediately directs his attention to your well-being. With soft, careful licks, he tends to the nicks and cuts he's left on your skin, his tongue offering a soothing touch that promotes healing. His efforts extend beyond the surface wounds, as he seeks to ease the soreness that lingers in your thighs and core, bringing you comfort and relief.

However, the intimate act of his healing touch quickly reignites the fire within him. The surge of desire and the primal instincts that drive him overwhelm his control once again, leading to another passionate encounter. It becomes a cycle of tenderness followed by unrestrained passion, each phase intertwining in a dance of intensity and intimacy.

Despite the unpredictable nature of Levi's shifts between the beast and his gentle self, you find solace in the moments of tenderness he offers, cherishing the connection and care that shines through even amidst the raw, consuming desire.

By the end of the first day, Levi’s regained enough control to focus on basic needs. He insists that both of you eat some leftover deer, heat simmering in his eyes as he watches your throat bob with every swallow. His control snaps shortly after you eagerly gulp down some fresh water. With nighttimes soft starlight filtering softly through the entrance, the final time he fucks you is much slower, though no less frantic and heated.

In the aftermath of your intense encounter, Levi embraces you in a protective huddle of his scaly body and strong muscles. His presence is a comforting shield, offering a sense of security and warmth. You observe him as he quickly succumbs to a deep slumber, his usually alert and intense demeanor replaced by a profound exhaustion. It strikes you as odd to witness him in such a vulnerable and peaceful state, completely surrendered to sleep. Normally, he struggles so much. It’s a rare sight to witness him in such a vulnerable and peaceful state, completely surrendered to sleep. The sight warms your heart.

As you observe him snoring softly, warm puffs of air escaping his lips in a steady rhythm, your thumb instinctively finds the healed mark along the side of your throat. It serves as a constant reminder of the profound connection you now share. His. You're his now. His mate, a permanent, lifelong connection. Just the same, he's yours as well, even if you can't leave behind your own mark on his throat. You find solace in the fact that you’ve shared an intense connection that has left both of you physically and emotionally spent. As you drift off to sleep, nestled within his protective embrace, you feel a deep sense of contentment and safety, alongside soreness and satisfied exhaustion.

You awake to a gust of hot breath in your ear, resulting in a long shutter dragging down your spine. He's behind you, spooning you as he works the tip of himself past your rim. You're so soaked that he must have already mouthed you in preparation.

This time, he fucks you roughly, pulling one of your legs back up and over his hip with a tight clasp. This time, his knot doesn't swell. Instead, he plugs you with the tip of his tail. The entirety of your day is spent in a sticky, wet daze of pleasure.

After two long and intense days, Levi's heat finally subsides, the overwhelming waves of desire gradually diminishing. As the heat fades, a sense of relief washes over both of you, replacing the raw intensity with a calmness and a renewed sense of connection. The exhaustion from the passionate encounters lingers, leaving you both in need of rest and recovery. With the fading of his heat, a new phase of your relationship begins. An entirely new life, one with unknown twists and turns, lies just over the horizon.

[manyothermusingsofmine]

Quick Step || Drabble

Fandom: Xmen

Warnings: None (let me know)

Wordcount: 3013

Summary: Miranda got upgraded to a new opponent and uh she's having A Time TM about it.

Cause trying not to love you, only makes me love you more

------------------------------------------

She had about ten more minutes before she actually needed to be in the danger room for the session she very much didn't want to have. Clutching onto the staff she had recently been given at Gambit's recommendation, Miranda was trying to strong will herself into not just turning the other way when a voice came from somewhere behind her

'Sugar? What are ya standing by the door for, actin' like it's gonna sprout teeth to bite ya?"

Sure, have Rogue see this, that would definitely stop this feeling of being pathetic that rang through her torso. Shooting a sideway glance at Rogue, Miranda clung onto the staff like it was her only lifeline left in the in the world.

"… Think there's still a chance for me to book it to the nearest church and beg for sanctuary? Do they still do that?"

"Thought ya weren't religious?"

"I'm not, but this might be the day that changes."

Rogue rolled her eyes at that, though it was far more out of amusement than anything else. If the girl really thought she could just vanish out of an appointment like this she was sorely mistaken. Watching as Miranda made absolutely zero progress in getting a move on, she placed her hands on her sides.

"Oh for heaven's sake, girl, just go in. Standing 'round here worrying what's waiting for ye on the other side of the door ain't helping anyone, now. Go on, or need I make ye go myself?!"

“Okay, okay, fine, damn; I get the hint!” Miranda snapped, her response fueled by her nerves.

Entering by herself instead of being dragged in by another resident of the mansion didn't mean she entered the danger room with any more confidence to her, and whatever she did had sank a little at seeing Kurt stand there. Yeah, okay. Facing a swordsman. What could possibly go wrong? Aside from just about everything.

"Och, meine Freundin, you seem even paler than usual. Are you feeling alright?"

"As alright as anyone can feel having to face someone with three swords."

"That I didn't bring."

".... Come again?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly feeling at ease in the room as he claimed his space there, tail lightly and calmly swishing around him. He looked at her with a light smile on his face; was that because he was glad she showed up when she really felt like bolting several times over before even starting?

"I'm not bringing swords to a staff fight; that doesn't seem very fair with you being a beginner."

Miranda quirked an eyebrow at that, taking one hand off the staff so she could twirl it with the other, easily making it go airborne and catching it on the way down. With a similar ease she flipped it over her shoulders, letting her wrists rest on the staff while shifting her weight to her hip.

".... Not that much of a beginner. Impressive."

"Yeah well," she huffed, "turns out Gambit's favorite variety of lies is 'by omissions,' so I guess he got us both there. If you didn't bring swords, what did you bring?"

"Myself."

She blinked twice at him, not really following where he was going with this whole thing. If this was meant to be some kind of weapon training, then him not having any didn't seem fair either. He said nothing, merely shifting to a position where he held out his hand, gesturing at her to come and attack. Okay. sure. She could do that. Could she? Did she want to?

"Well, wait, hold on a minute. Just exactly what is off limits here? Are we using our powers?"

"I'm not."

"How wonderfully vague that leaves me on my end, but fine, and you sure you don't want to run out and grab a weapon? This hardly seems reasonable if I'm supposed to attack an unarmed-"

"Miranda," how did he manage to sound both so polite and so firm at the same time- However he did it, it shut her up immediately as he continued; "you're stalling."

Okay, fine. Actually, not fine; she didn't want to do this if he was unarmed from the start. Maybe that was why her attack was so halfhearted that Kurt avoided it completely by smoothly stepping aside.

"Ach, Drifting, please, I do expect a little better from someone who I've been told 'fights like a stray street cat once cornered'. Gambit's words, not mine,” he ended as a conclusion, and though it was clearly meant to be critique on her choice the tone of his voice was calm and polite

A deep sigh left her, as she slowly turned back around to him. That had been incredibly easy to dodge, but.....

"I don't want to hurt you."

She was so soft and genuine about it that Kurt couldn't help but feel his heart flutter at it ever so slightly, but he shook it off because in reality, that made the root issue clear. What if the opponent didn't give her the luxury of that choice?

"We deal with more than just Sentinels eager to destroy us. Sometimes it's other mutants we have to fight, for a myriad of reasons. If we happen to need to restrain or help a mutant who's just discovering their mind control abilities, there's a high chance you'll end up fighting someone you don't want to face off against. I want you to feel like you can hold you own in a situation like that; for your own sake."

He had been calmly and slowly approaching her, in no rush to be anywhere as he gave her a soft, reassuring smile. As soon as he felt like he had eased her mind a little, mischief started to mix itself into the smile.

He grabbed onto the staff, pushing backwards with enough force and direction to make her spin around. Getting his hand in between her and her grip on the weapon he easily twirled her hand around until it made her let go of the staff, gently pushing her off balance and claiming the weapon for himself by grabbing hold of it with his tail. As she wobbled for a moment to regain her footing, he calmly held the staff to his shoulder like it was the lower part of an umbrella.

"Besides," he said, an airy tone to his voice in order to lighten the mood, "I sincerely hope you don't assume I got where I am just by batting my eyelashes at the right people. I appreciate that you don't want to hurt me, truly; but I've been through far worse than a danger room fight with a newcomer."

"... they just gave me that," Miranda huffed, realizing how much of a completely valid call out that was as the heat of shame burned in her cheeks, "the staff."

"I'll be honest, I don't feel much for seeing you claw and bite your way out of a fight to the death today. You don't want to hurt your friend? Disarm them instead."

She exhaled sharply, something in her attitude towards this whole thing changing. At the very least, he deserved to be treated with the same respect she had for any of the Xmen and the genuine hard work they put in- and for her to put in the effort as well.

But charging with the appropriate valor did nothing as he blocked her, redirecting her energy by twisting, turning and flowing all with the pure grace of a gymnast. He guided her along his back, half spinning her by the end to throw her off balance once again, with her desperately trying to stay on her feet. Tossing the staff into his hand, he used his tail to spin her back around his way.

"I do have to say," he started, blocking her hand as it reached towards the weapon and easily guiding her backward by moving his feet in between hers so she had no choice but to back up, "our Cajun Freund was right about one thing-"

Hooking his foot right behind one of her heels he fully tripped her up, only to easily and gently catch her with his tail so she didn't actually fall flat on the floor

"Your footwork is really poor."

For a moment she didn't respond, needing to comprehend just how easy it had been for him to change her trajectory like he had- and how all of a sudden it actually sank in just how physically capable he was- had she really never noticed before just how much power he held behind his kind nature and gentle touch? She tried to ban the thought out of her head and resummon her focus

"... Okay, first of all, he called it horrendous. Secondly, how am I supposed to overpower you when you could easily throw me across the room if you wanted to?!"

"I was trying to be nice about it; and it has nothing to do with brute strength. Here," his tail pushing her back up on her feet while he held his arm out to her, "let me show you. Put your wrist against mine. The opposing one."

She wanted to give some kind of dry remark to that, but the soft look in his golden eyes made it die down in the back of her throat and she just sighed, following his instructions. He simply and slowly showed how he rolled and hooked his hand over her wrist, giving it little choice but to go in the direction he wanted it to turn.

"Try it."

She mirrored what he did, surprised when his wrist reacted much the same way and obeyed the direction she send it in.

".... And how do I know that's not you going easy on me to give me a false victory?"

"Because I would never patronize you like that. It has nothing to do with strength and all with how to block and dodge. As for Gambit, minus the decorative ways he uses to asses you, he is right. You leave your flanks wide open, your footwork needs quite a bit of help, and for a mutant so dependent on her peripheral and perception you tend to focus so hard your mind becomes a one way track dead set on completing the task at hand. Which begs the question; how did you beat Gambit?"

"By playing dirty?"

"By taking enough time to think about your plan of attack. When put under pressure you have enough insight to whisk yourself away from the line of fire to assess what your plan of attack should be. You need to start doing the same for your defense. I truly don't care how dishonorably you get out of any given fight you're in; I just want you getting out. Alive. Because I don't want to see you hurt."

Her gaze went to the ground, a small sigh leaving her as she knew he spoke the truth with the same kindness he always possessed, and her breathing seemed to ease up a little when his feedback came caveated with compliments.

"Und so," he said as he easily stepped back, twirling the staff in his hand, "challenge still stands. Want this back? Disarm me."

Okay, he knew that was never going to happen, right? ... Eh, it was worth another try if she followed his instructions and advice.

Though knowing what she was doing and what she was up against didn't mean it was suddenly easy for her to copy him. Sure, she now managed to actually turn the tides a few times, making his limbs bend to the direction she wanted to go instead of being rag dolled around with no control over the situation, but her staff remained tantalizingly just out of her reach, constantly pulled away from her grasp as she felt like she was just about to actually reach it.

Kurt even managed to use it against her, guiding the staff along her lower back and grabbing onto the end he wasn't holding yet before pulling her in and closing what gap was left between them. He had her caught- did he?

Ignoring the way her heart had skipped a beat when they were suddenly chest to chest, she seemingly trapped herself further by pulling her arms in close and dropping them down, but it was only to twist and hook both around his hands as she gave a sharp pull upwards.

He dropped the staff; and thats where she realised she had miscalculated where he would drop it. It pretty much immediately rolled under her own feet, completely tripping her up. Kurt reacted faster; grabbing onto her wrist and pulling her back the way she came- as her own feet crisscrossed each other he gave her a slight twirl and caught her in his other arm as if they had ended a dance routine in a dramatic dip.

"Don’t worry; I've got you."

Dance- it really had felt like that, and not like a slow waltz which seemed like the more logical choice for the resident German. It had felt much more like a ballet routine with a partner, or- or a tango.... When had this room become so incredibly, uncomfortably warm? She found herself suddenly, genuinely, deeply concerned that he could somehow hear her heartbeat as it raced in her chest and almost seemed to throb against her ribcage. That was just from the exercise and fear of falling at the end, right? Right?!

"Miranda?"

"Please don't drop me."

She mentally facepalmed at just how damn obvious of a request that was. Of course he wasn't going to drop her; if he didn't care about keeping her from falling on the ground he wouldn't have caught her in the first place

"I won't," he answered in a soft, warm tone, gently pulling her back up, paying it little mind that she held onto his other arm as she still felt wobbly on her feet.

'We are so close together right now; it would be so easy to kiss him,' and at that thought from somewhere in the back of her skull her entire brain just absolutely panicked.

She tapped the arm she was holding three times, handing the victory to him. Before he could see how the heat was tinting her face red, her invisibility switched on as it finally realized it had to do damage control on the situation, all while her brain was somewhere in the middle of just panic screaming and hard crashing and- She had to get out of here. Now.

 

Shoving her foot under the staff on the floor as she walked towards it, she smoothly kicking it up and grabbed it while b-lining it for the door; hitting the button to open the mechanical door with her fist.

"Miranda," she heard him call after her, "are you alright?"

God, he sounded so sweet and concerned it almost felt criminal to- would some braincell deign to formulate a damn response instead of leaving him hanging like that?!

"... Uhuh," she responded, sounding as if she was in a daze, and she hoped that later on that would help in playing the whole thing off as another bout of nausea and vertigo instead of- Her mind almost hissed at her to not repeat it, slipping out the door and finding somewhere to hide out until her heart stopped feeling like it wanted to leap out of her chest.

Kurt just stood there, gaze to the side for a moment as he thought of what happened and what made her rush out like that all of a sudden- Oh. Uhm…

As red heat mixed with blue fur, the slightest hint of purple dusted itself onto his cheeks. Maybe he had overstepped some boundary by how close this fighting style required people to be. If that was the case, he better apologize to her about it later. Or now. Sticking around here wasn't going to help much either way. He waited until the heat in his cheeks left, opening the door only to immediately run into Gambit. Wait, into who?

"... Weren't you supposed to be otherwise occupied?"

"Oui," Remy calmly responded, arms lazily draped over his chest as he stepped out of the way and leaned against a wall, "in about an hour or so- Did Gambit fail to mention that?"

"Wh- Oh, are you for real?! What was this whole set up for, then?!"

"Gambit does genuinely want your opinion on her skills, is all."

"... Well, it's as your own commentary says; flanks, footwork, one track mind. But she's a quick learner, once she's willing to listen and stops putting herself down."

"So can you help her?"

"Of course I can," Kurt answered with a small smile, as Remy barely moved from his spot while observing the blue mutant. The Cajun couldn't keep a small amused huff of air from escaping him, only slightly distracted by something rather telling.

"Well, if you're wanting to be ‘professional teacher lingo’ about this," and with his index finger, middle finger and thumb he grabbed onto Kurt's tail to stop it from wagging like it was, "you gotta stop doing that, mon ami. It's giving you away."

As it went from happy puppy wagging to cat deeply offended you dared to touch them, Gambit let go as soon as he felt the tail giving even the slightest hint that it was going to yank itself back, lest it would fling him down the corridor instead.

"Let go," Kurt said firmly while pulling his tail back to himself, "don't you have somewhere better to be?"

"Don't you?"

".... Shut up," and with that Kurt disappeared in a puff of purple smoke to get out of the conversation, leaving Gambit there laughing to himself.

"Ai, mon ami, sounds like Drifting is starting to be an influence on you. In more ways than one," he said just to himself now, before pushing himself off the wall and leaving to tend to his own business.

[covenofwives]

I wrote this up in like ten minutes. It's probably not canon but it was just a fun scene idea I had and had to get out. Featuring Dream, George and Sapnap.

Also warning for nsfw language. It's nothing graphic but Sapnap really just says it out loud with his full chest.

---

It was hard for the Dream Team to find time to spend together recently. Everything was rather busy and each had their own responsibilities but the three put in the effort. If it was not every day then it would be at least once a week that the three would have lunch together. It switched between whose house it would be in, or if they had more time they’d go out and hunt then eat together. It was a way to keep their bond strong, and be a little break from the busy days of the world.

Today was such a day. It had been a very busy week for all of them so they looked forward to some time to relax. This week the lunch was held in Dream house (which he so totally had). Dream laid out a few cuts of meat, sandwiches and sides for them to take, but only George had shown up currently.

Neither were worried as Sapnap would always be late for one reason or another. Dream sat with a plate full of food as George was just sitting down on the table. He took a drink of his water as Sapnap entered, looking more troubled that usual and he commanded attention with a sigh and his eyes firmly on George.

“Alright! I’m going to say it. Your brother wants to fuck my brother.”

The water was spat out in an almost perfectly executed spit-take. Dream just about managed to save his plate from the spray as George coughed and sputtered. “E-xcuse me?!” He demanded.

“Your brother, HD, wants to fuck my brother, 4K.” Sapnap laid out plainly.

“I know what you said, idiot!” George snapped, his voice found. His cheeks turned red under his soft mushroom blush in a mix of embarrassment and anger. “I’ve just never heard anything so stupid!”

Sapnap blinked hard, as though struck dumbfounded. “There’s no way you don’t see it.”

“See what? There’s nothing to see!”

“Really? The way HD looks at 4K?”

“Looks at him like what? He looks annoyed most of the time.”

“That’s when 4K is looking at him. But when 4K isn’t looking you don’t see how long he stares? Or how he smiles? 4K could twitch his tail just slightly and HD’s eyes are on him with that dreamy look.”

“Are you listening to this?” George demanded from Dream.

The blonde had kept quietly eating watching between the two but now his eyes went to George with a rather sheepish stare. “I mean…” He slowly shrugged. “He’s not...wrong.”

George gaped, as though Dream had just sprouted a second head. “Are serious?”

“Well, I wouldn’t word it as Sapnap did but.” Dream shrugged again. “Like… I thought you knew and just weren’t saying anything.”

“Knew what?!”

“That HD clearly likes 4K. Like… like likes him.”

[magnusmodig]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄 that had ended with feasts around a long table , sharing stories of revels long into the night over the liquid honey-gold of thousand-year-old mead. though it ailed him to admit it , thor had enough SELF-RESPECT to know better than to return the burnt hovel which was their bond when treacherous brother had damn near smoked it all out. this , thor had learned through the fires of repeated trial and err these past ten years — for immortal beings learned slowly , and held open arms to change with even less speed. still wiser was it to simply lick one's wounds in the sanctity of one's own company.

though the burden of mortal time was one born for jane's sake it was without a doubt a heavy toll upon the shoulders as days turned to weeks with a cold FRICTION left squarely between the two brothers. and still thor had made up his mind that he would not turn back. not this time.

then , the moss had shown up. small vines and leaves that coiled throughout the countryside and wound its way into the undersides of alley-streets and ancient ruins , sprouted beneath sewer systems and through canals and the many rivers that decorated arcanus isle. the ivurie adventurer's guild , that which thor had quickly affiliated with , was soon enough called out to the sites most afflicted. the plant's growth was unparalleled and rampant , and its side-effects growing worse. he had seen many a brave man and woman succumb to the clouds of pollen that had dusted the air. bewitched , they had raved about their comrades pointing knives to their backs , eyes following them into the shadows ... and others , of loves and remnants of lives they had lost long ago , leading them into the darkest pyre.

it was as though all of them had gone mad within the hour.

and so it was within days of the first outbreaks — of watching such brave souls break down into tears and sweat and raving madness — that thor found himself tucking his tail between his legs and retreating right back into the graces of his brother's foyer. ( suddenly expecting , with the gravest of convictions , the snarling and foam-mouthed maw of loki's ire. its salt-sting bite so reminiscent of the resounding THRUM of gungnir throughout palace halls ; the hallmark of just the START of a long-winded lecture of all of thor's infinite follies. )

though , for all of their bitterness ... thor's eye caught wind of the dark circles and sunken cheeks ; the downward turn of a frown upon loki's features.

❝  ... you look terrible. ❞

@mischiefmodig / act i.

[flimflamfandom]

3 Days to Deliver a Cake

A vignette about cake, Hollywood, and Love

"Train now leaving on track 5, for Anaheim, Azusa, and Cucamonga..."

Mitzi sighed as she got off the train. Mid december, 1939, and it was still warm enough without a fur on in Los Angeles. She walked towards the baggage car, holding a small box in her hands, when she heard-

"Mitzi!"

"Ivy!"

Mitzi smiled and hugged Ivy, clutching her tight. It'd been ages, after all. She looked at s shy kitten behind her - his kother's fur, his f as ther's eyes."

"And you must be..."

"Finn." The boy said, shyly, clutching Ivy's dress.

"Well, Finn, it's nice to meet you." Mitzi said. "I'm Mitzi."

"This is your...grandmother" Ivy said. She wasn't- not to Ivy's knowledge- but she may as well be. Finn stepped out and held her hand.

"You have pretty eyes, Mitzi."

"Oooohoho, I know who's in the will~" Mitzi joked. She ruffled Finn's ears and walked with her luggage to a waiting car.

-

"Is Cary Grant that handsome up close?" Mitzi asked.

"He is." Ivy said. "But, I mean, he's a bit difficult to work with sometimes. He's not the best at Deciding what his character wants."

"Hmm...seems like it would be a problem, huh?"

"Well, once he knows, he KNOWS. Can't say much more about the picture until we're further along." She said.

"...he a good kisser?" Mitzi asked.

"Mitzi!" Ivy laughed and covered Finn's ears, as they went through a turn. "Shush!" The car pulled into the driveway, and Finn walked out sheepishly, heading towards the door.

"Cary's an okay kisser. But not like Cal."

"...and...and how is Cal?" Mitzi asked.

Ivy's smile went missing, and was replaced with a look of deep concern. She nodded slowly.

"He...he's handling it." She said. "It's a little frustrating, he acts like it means nothing."

"Is he sick?"

"Getting there...slowing down." Ivy said. "He can't pick me up anymore."

Mitzi chuckled. "He used to pick you up?"

"As a gag." Ivy smiled, and looked towards the lavish house.

"Does Finn know?"

"Cal told him that someday soon he'd...he'd have to leave and not come back. That God needs him, if I remember."

"Ivy..."

"He..I mean, Calvin handles it well." She said. "I can hardly talk about it." She choked up. "And...and when they said it spread-"

Mitzi hugged Ivy, and let her Nestle in.

"Easy, love. Easy. It's too hard to carry every moment." She held her there for a while.

"...I suppose you'll wanna come in?" Ivy asked. "No use coming 3 days to stand in the driveway."

"Of course."

-

Mitzi set her things down, as well as the little box. She heard Ovy scurry off towards the living room. She heard voices, and saw letters from the life insurance company and the hospital. She looked up to see-

"Mitzi."

Calvin looked...better than she thought someone with 3 months left would look. He was well fed, but gaunt in the face. His fur's luster was gone, and his eyes were hollow. Half his tail was missing, and what was left was stiff and sickly looking.

He smiled. He always smiled that way.

"Freckle...c'mere." Mitzi hugged Calvin, and sat him down on the sofa. "How do you feel?"

"Better than I look. Honest." He said. He sat with a grunt, as Ivy walked back into the room. She leaned on him, and purred.

"So, living things up?" Mitzi asked. "Traveling the world, seeing the sights?"

"I have everything I want." Calvin said, an arm around Ivy. "I've seen everything I want to see."

"Oh, stop..." Ivy shook her head. "Can you believe it? 10 years we're married and he still talks like this!"

"Ten years!?" Mitzi groaned. "Oh, Ivy, I think I just sprouted another gray hair!"

"You look fiiiiine- Finn thinks so." Ivy winked. "He adores you, Mitzi, he's just...unique in it."

"Of course." Mitzi said. "...so, Calvin, what have you been up to lately?"

"Well, I'm finishing that short story collection...just sent it off to my agent. Should do well."

"Mhm." Mitzi sighed. "...doesn't sound...restful." she added. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I've been restless lately." Calvin replied. "I probably took a month or two off of things getting it finished." Calvin laughed. Ivy didn't.

"...Calvin, I'm worried." Mitzi said. "About Ivy, about Finn..."

Ivy gripped Calvin, and sighed. "It's serious, but I'm capable. I'm less worried about that and more worried about the idea of...you know." She said. "Just...not having you around." Ivy leaned deeper into him, and Calvin held her in both arms. "Ah, mo croi..." he shook his head. Ivy kissed him once, and heard the phone.

"...always the worst times." Ivy fanned her eyes and walked to the phone, as Calvin sat and stared at the floor.

"...I'm scared." Calvin said.

"It doesn't show." Mitzi replied. "You're laughing about it and all."

"I'm scared that I didn't do enough."

"...Freckle..." Mitzi looked around the house. "You did pretty well for yourself, I'd say." She motioned to the size and view.

Calvin chuckled. "Ivy has done incredibly well...she's never been bad at anything she tried. I feel I've been bad at everything."

"...Calvin." Mitzi stood. "I speak as a widow myself - there's nothing you can do or say that will prepare her for how..." she sniffled, "how lonely it feels." She walked towards the counter. "But what you can do is stop working, and let her have you for the last but. My biggest regret with Atlas...if it hadn't been bullets it would've been work that killed him." She walked over with the box.

She opened it, revealing a slightly stale from travel chocolate cake. Mitzi shrugged. "...no good way to transport it, it's a tad-"

"I haven't had cake since the wedding." Cal said. He looked at it, as Mitzi found her way to a fork.

"I can get a fork, Mitzi, I-"

"Shush." She walked over, "no big time novelist needs to fetch a fork while he's dying." Mitzi came over, and Calvin got some. He ate - chewing slowly and softly.

"...it's wonderful." Calvin said. "Thanks..."

Ivy hung up the phone. "I swear, rocky moving next door was SUCH a bad deci- CAKE!"

Ivy rushed over and hugged Mitzi. "Ooooh, thank you!"

"It's all I can cook," Mitzi laughed, "it was bound to happen!"

"FINN! Get down here, you need to have this!" As Finn trundled over, and as Calvin and Ivy smiled andlaughed, Mitzi looked over the three. For a moment, they were just a family - a grandmother, her child, her son in law, her grandson. The half tail and slow movements melted into a Rockwellesque softness that Mitzi hadn't felt in years.

The next two weeks would be hard - watching Calvin slowly dying, even when the end was so far off, was hard.

But this was worth the train ride.

[rallentando1011]

Risetober 2023: Day 4 - Amulet

Clink. Clink. Clink.

Sunita absentmindedly tapped her thumb against her cloaking brooch as she sat on the couch. The golden amulet and its emerald gemstone felt cool and smooth under her hand, so she often found herself fidgeting with the object.

Clink. Clink. Clink.

April sat beside her with her head propped up with her elbow. Since the girls’ last night out had ended with a whole kerfuffle with Rupert Swaggart on live TV, they had opted to stay in at April’s for this one. April, being the adrenaline junkie she was, was bored out of her mind. As much as she enjoyed watching Sunita get excited over a pig getting sauced on the barbecue channel, her mind couldn’t help but wander idly, and the tapping of Sunita’s brooch was catching her eye.

What would it be like to try it on? Would it feel weird? How would it determine the disguise it created for her? Would it even be okay to ask?

April was trying her best to keep her curiosity in the amulet subtle, but Sunita could feel April’s gaze on the brooch.

“Psst!” Sunita whispered, looking away from the show. As invested as she was in the saucing of a hog, interacting with April took precedence. “Do you want to try it on?”

“Pssh, me?” April tried to play it cool, acting like she hadn’t been staring the accessory down for the last ten minutes. “Isn’t that from your Grand-Googly? I couldn’t possibly-”

“It is, but I don’t mind as long as you’re careful with it. Here,” Sunita stood up and pulled it off of her magenta dress.

In a flash of lime green, Sunita was out of her human disguise and back in her yōkai form: a green, oozy silhouette.

Sunita placed the charm in her compatriot’s hand, who had stood up with her.

April looked down at it with curiosity and apprehensiveness and excitement and let out a deep breath.

She put on the brooch and closed her eyes.

…

She felt exactly the same.

“Hey, ‘Nita, shouldn’t I have changed already or-” April looked at her hand, except it didn’t really look like her hand. The appendage only had three clawed fingers and was covered in a thin, yellow fur. She had to flex it to convince herself it was hers.

Her attire hadn’t changed: still her signature jacket, dandelion dress and shoes, and black leggings. April, on the other hand, almost completely had.

On her collar had sprouted a boa of yellow fur, the same creamy color as her hands. The cartilage of her ears had been replaced by floppy ones instead. Her buns and bangs looked similar to their typical shape, but her hair’s color had turned into a cotton candy blue fading deliciously into red.

She spun around to take in the look, which was when she noticed the tail. It was yellow and fluffy, much like the rest of her, and had the same blue tip as Mayhem’s did. She noted that she looked almost identical to Mayhem, all the way down to the red tip of her nose and the spot on her forehead.

“So,” April checked out her talons coolly, “Whatcha think Sunita?”

“O. M. Goodness.” Sunita stared in awe at her best friend. She was certain she would be melting at this look even if she wasn’t in her googlyschmootz form.

She wouldn’t mind lending her cloaking brooch to April more often.

(@sariphantom holy truffle mac and cheese these two <3)

[tinygumdrops]

If you're taking prompts, might I request a meet-cute kagehina? In a coffee shop or convenience store? If not regardless I just want to let you know I'm big fan! Your fics pull me through whenever I'm in a dark place 🥺 Thank you and much love 💕💕💕💕💕

Gosh, hello anon!!!! I know it's been two years already and I'm not sure if you'll ever see this, but here you go!

You can also read it on ao3.

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Almost Summer

...

The store's door chimes ring at 12:15 in the morning. At the corner of his eye, Tobio spots a tuft of wild orange hair peeking out from the double-sided racks at the Hygiene section. He sets aside his textbook and gets up from his stool, waiting for the familiar stranger to show up at the counter.

In ten minutes, the man waltz towards the register and slides three packs of Salonpas with a five dollar bill. He has a nasty bruise blossoming under his left jaw, which moves like a taunt when he speaks in English, "No paper bag, please."

Tobio nods. He spares a glance at the man's shirt—a purple graphic tee with a screaming iguana in the middle—before scanning the purchases and giving him his change.

The man meets Tobio's eye before smiling widely. Under the bright fluorescent lights, his bruise appears almost as purple as his shirt. "Thanks. Have a good night!" he says and waves.

From the store windows, Tobio stares after the man's retreating figure and watches it get swallowed by the darkness of the midnight streets, before plopping back on his stool and opening his textbook again.

~O~

Tobio saw him again three more times before he realizes they live in the same neighborhood.

The first time, Tobio caught a glimpse of him locking his bike at the broken metal fences of a baptist church. Tobio had half a mind to warn the stranger that the next time he'll be seeing his bike, it's being sold for $145 in some shady ad website. But Tobio was running late for his 8 am statistics class, and the sky was ready to open up any minute—suddenly, it was too much of an effort to offer advice to someone who seemed too careless to heed them.

The second time, it was half past nine in the evening and Tobio was out for a quick jog. Somewhere in Madison street, Tobio ran past the careless, tangerine-haired oddball; the guy was crouching at the edge of the sidewalk in a yellow hoodie and denim shorts, stuffing himself with chicken tenders from Popeyes.

The third time happens today on a balmy afternoon, at the tail end of spring, at a dingy skating rink near Tobio's apartment. Tobio is waiting for his ten-year-old niece at the entrance when the man comes out of the door with a curly-haired toddler in tow. His distinctive hair bounces as he laughs at an unheard statement. Probably something the kid said.

Then, the man spots Tobio standing by the lamp post. Though his expression doesn't change, his eyes seem to cheerfully say, Oh, it's you again! The bruise under the man's jaw is almost healed, but this time around, he has a band-aid on the bridge of his nose.

Tobio fights back a flush and looks away, glaring insistently at the pavement.

~~O~

"Do you speak Japanese?" the man says the next time they meet. It's four in the morning, and they're at the convenience store again where Tobio works to make ends meet.

Tobio eyes him warily before replying "Yes" in his native tongue. He pats the mat over the counter with his palm.

The man grins. "Awesome." He places the bag of bean sprouts, bok choy and ramen on the counter. "I can speak English just fine, but I think I'm out of practice with my Japanese. I met a couple of Japanese folks the other day, but they don't speak the language very well."

Tobio doesn't know what to say to that, so he keeps silent.

The man is still smiling. His fringe is long enough to fall at the sides of his face, softening the sharpness of his cheekbones. "I'm Shouyou," he says. "Or, uhh, you can call me Hinata. Whichever you feel comfortable calling me."

Tobio nods and packs the goods in a black plastic bag. "That'll be fifteen eighty five."

The man forks out a twenty from his wallet. "Keep the change," he says, scooping the bag in his right arm. "It was nice meeting you—"

Tobio presses a handwritten note against the man's palm. "Go get a haircut, idiot."

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Summer

...

Tobio agrees to eat chilate de pollo with Hinata at the store's patio at around 3:40 am, a time he deems safest to leave the counter unattended. Outside, the humidity clings like a second skin, and the streets carry a faint scent of ammonia and rust—typical vestiges of summer rains in New York City.

Apparently, the chilate is too spicy for them to handle, but neither are willing to admit defeat and stop. Tobio fights off the heat with a small carton of milk, while Hinata arms himself with a bottle of cheap lemon juice.

"I can't believe I had to learn your name from your sister," Hinata says. He dumps a few tablespoons of rice in the remaining spicy chicken broth and mixes them together. "I like her. She was really nice."

"I guess she can be." Miwa did a good enough job with Hinata's haircut; it's less messy now and much shorter at the sides, allowing Tobio to see how much Hinata's ears have gone pink from the heat. Tobio supposes he has to thank her sometime later.

"What were you, uh—" Hinata sneezes. Tobio tosses a wad of napkins to him. "Er, sorry. What were you reading? Earlier, when I came in."

"Just a textbook. For school."

"You go to college?"

"Sometimes."

"What are you studying?"

"Math. Statistics."

Hinata mouths a 'wow'. After blowing his nose thrice, he comments, "That's pretty hardcore stuff."

Tobio shrugs. He takes classes at a community college from eight to five every Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Whenever he can, he sits in on the set theory classes after his shift during the weekends, but that's about it. Nothing fancy.

Hinata tilts his head towards the empty skies. His shirt collar shifts, revealing patches of Salonpas on the curve of his neck. "I really should start looking into college. Maybe the pay would be nicer if I get a degree or something." He scratches his ear. "You have any suggestions?"

"Why would you let other people decide for you? Why don't you think of something you're good at and choose that?"

Hinata tilts his head. "So you're good at Math?"

Tobio's parents were both professors in particle physics; he has to be. "It's my greatest strength," he declares, shoulders squared.

"Wow." Hinata grins. "Hmm. Wonder how I could start making money out of something I'm great at... I'm really short on cash lately."

Tobio gestures at the fading bruises on Hinata's face. "Getting into trouble seems to be a talent of yours."

Hinata's smile remains. "Yeah. This place takes some time to get used to. I guess I should have expected it. I'm in New York after all!" He then realizes something, "Woah. It's already four in the morning. Don't you have class later?"

"I do."

"But you're always working. Do you even sleep?"

Tobio blinks in surprise again. "I get enough."

"That's not—" Hinata frowns and shakes his head. He takes the chopsticks and empty plastic bowls and dumps them in the trash. "Sorry, don't mind me. I'll be heading out then."

Tobio licks his lips. "Okay."

"Say hi to Miwa-san for me!"

Tobio grunts.

For a brief moment, Hinata looks uncertain, but then he huffs out a chuckle and waves tinily at Tobio. Tobio nods once at Hinata retreating to the other side of the road.

After his replacement arrives at six in the morning, Tobio walks out the door when he spots a torn scrap of paper on the pavement. On instinct, Tobio picks it up.

Hinata had scribbled his phone number at the back of his receipt, perhaps at some point earlier this morning. Tobio discards it after memorizing it in one glance.

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Autumn

...

The winds bring a swathe of rotting sour gum and sassafras leaves on Tobio's doorstep, but he doesn't mind staying out an extra thirty minutes to clean them. This season, the air outside sometimes smells like burning candlewicks, and seeing the dark orange foliage in the mornings and afternoons brings him an odd sense of calm.

Autumn, overall, is an odd season for Tobio; it comprises of those unreasonably short, sublime weeks between the sheer heat of the summer and the exhausting cold of wintertime, and his defenses are down. He doesn't realize that he's been coursing through the streets distractedly all this time, searching for a face, until his shoulder collides with a man's chest.

"Son of a bitch," the stranger lashes out. "Watch where the fuck you're going."

Tobio nods, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry." He adjusts the straps of his bag and opts to take a shortcut in an alleyway at St. Felix, where he will harm less people with his absent-mindedness.

...

For this afternoon, only three out of the fifteen who signed up for the discrete structures class turned up; Tobio prefers sitting at the desk in the front row nearest the windows, but there's too many empty seats that he felt like he needed to sit at the center to make up for the sheer amount of space. He's about to leave the classroom when Mrs. Cunningham calls his name.

"You still haven't turned in your application, honey," Mrs. Cunningham says after he approached her desk. "I thought you said you were interested."

Tobio's eyes widen. "Oh, I didn't... I thought you were just letting me know they accepted transfers from out of state."

Mrs. Cunningham looks at him sternly. "It ain't just an announcement, Mr. Kageyama. It was an offer." She hands him a manila envelope. "Fill them up as soon as you can and I'll have Jimmy mail them ASAP."

Tobio slots the envelope under his armpit. He's about to take out his wallet when Mrs. Cunningham's sudden laugh stops him.

"Christ on a cherry, you don't have to spend a single cent on the processing fee. It's on the school's tab," Mrs. Cunningham says.

Tobio is too stunned to reply a proper thank you. He bows minutely and mutters, "See you on Thursday, Mrs. Cunningham."

"Yes, yes." Mrs. Cunningham adjusts her wire-rimmed glasses and ties her curly black hair. "And I sure hope I won't see you here again next fall."

~O~

Hinata, once again, turns up when Tobio least expects it. He's at the door of Tobio's department, holding out Tobio's take-out of poorly done Japanese food. He's wearing a loose, plain white shirt, jeans and a beanie, very un-Japanese like and very unfit for autumn weather.

"I guess I know where you live now," Hinata says. "Scared?"

"Like hell I am." Tobio takes the paper bag and narrows his eyes at it. "This better taste good."

"Wish I can hi-jack their kitchen when they aren't looking. Why add a bar of butter in curry?" He shudders as he pockets Tobio's payment. "It's really gross, I'm telling you."

Hinata's tendency to make off the cuff remarks will get him fired one of these days. "Thanks for that," Tobio says.

Hinata's eyes crinkle at the ends. "See you around, Kageyama."

Before he can walk away, Tobio calls out, "Hey, wait."

"Hmm?"

"When does your shift end?"

"My shift? Uhh, until nine, I think. Why?"

"Meet me at the park in Kingston. I'll wait there."

"Demanding, huh." Hinata shrugs. "Sure, I guess. But how—"

"I'll text you when I'm there."

Hinata's friendly expression turns slightly annoyed. "Text me when you're leaving so I can expect you, and I'll text you when I'm done."

"Alright."

Hinata shrugs again and, without another word, heads for the stairs. Tobio closes the door and immediately puts his long-delayed plan in action.

...

Tobio has done his research. There are around eighteen stores that sold Mexican food in Central Brooklyn, and three of them are close to Fulton and Nordstram. The past month, Tobio ordered chilate de pollo from stores that are within walking distance from Tobio's workplace, and judged the one at Brooklyn and Atlantic Avenue to be the most similar-tasting from the braised chicken Hinata bought for him last summer.

Tobio's plan is to take him there and make sure Hinata finishes a bowl of it. Tobio owes him for last time, and mathematically, this evens it out.

They're walking down Atlantic avenue when Tobio tells him this, and Hinata responds, "Huh. I guess that makes sense. Equivalent exchange, right? Like in that manga."

"What manga?"

"Oh. I guess you're not that type of guy." Hinata crosses his arms and wonders aloud, "Maybe I should have bought you a whopper or something. I'm kinda craving a burger right now."

Tobio purses his lips. "We'll go to Burger King if you're still hungry. You can buy me a whopper next time."

Hinata must think it's a good plan too for he agrees instantly.

The area has a good view of the autumn trees, and they take advantage of it by eating the bowl of chilate on the hood of an abandoned car at a gasoline station a block away.

Hinata's still hungry, so they head for the nearest Burger King. Tobio gets the questionable salad without the dressing, while Hinata orders a Whopper Cheese set with a large Fanta orange. Tobio pays for it all.

They eat without speaking for ten minutes until Hinata slides eight pamphlets across the table. "Uhh, hey. So you're a local, obviously. Do you have any suggestions?"

Tobio glances down. They're all enrolment brochures from community colleges in New York City. "This one's good, but the commute... you'll need to take the B train to Manhattan Beach." He points to another one. "This one's good, much closer. But it's expensive."

Hinata chews thoughtfully on his onion ring. "I'll go look for another side-gig then."

"It's not that easy to get a job around here, dumbass."

"Duh. I know that of course."

Tobio crosses his arms. "So?"

"What?"

"What are you planning to take?"

Hinata smirks. "Physical therapy, or maybe sports science." He flexes both of his arms proudly. "I actually have great upper body strength!"

Tobio can tell. "And what are you planning to do after?"

"Uhh, help a lot of people exercise, I guess...?"

"You should figure that out too."

Hinata grins and does a salute. "Gotcha."

Not knowing what else to say, Tobio opts to look at the large store windows instead, where he sees a cluster of teenagers in training gear dawdling outside, a pair of boxing gloves strewn over their shoulders. Hinata just laughs and continues munching on his burger.

They walk back to St. Andrew's park where Hinata left his bike. Most of the court lights are turned off, making it hard to see anything in the entryway shadowed by linden trees. But Hinata finds his bike easily enough and unravels the lock around the tire.

They pause at the stoplight in Fulton, and Hinata mounts his bike.

"You know, you should always ask first if people have plans before asking them out on dates. It's rude not to," Hinata says. "And I hate it when people tell me what to do. Boss me around again and you're in for a fight of a lifetime."

Tobio frowns. Logic dictates that Hinata is better off spending time with him than getting into scuffles with some random, but he'll consider that next time. "You owe me," he says gruffly.

Hinata scoffs, and once again, he gets swallowed by the shadows of the buildings as he pedals away. There's a twinge in Tobio's chest, and he takes the quiet sting with him for the rest of the night.

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Winter

...

Tobio gets fired from his job at the convenience store, but a retail outlet selling dodgy body jewelry and luxury brand ripoffs hires him a week later. His new workplace is a lot closer to his apartment so Tobio takes it as a blessing in disguise.

His co-workers are kind of nice, too. They're very friendly, especially Mrs. Rasmussen, who's a retired claims adjuster from Philadelphia, but they leave him alone when they see him arming himself with his laptop and his math textbook during lunch breaks. Dwayne and Chase, the younger guys in the group, can get a bit excessive with the dick jokes, but they clamp their mouths shut whenever Mrs. Rasmussen is in the room.

"Yo, Tobes." Dwayne lets out a stream of cackles from the adjacent register. "D'you see that?"

Tobio looks up from his phone. "Huh? What?"

Dwayne points at the convex security mirror. At the far end of the store, there's an old man in sweatpants trying to sneak a packet of hair gel in his hoodie before his eyes meet Tobio's. He then tries to awkwardly maneuver himself out of the store, his face flushing.

Dwayne laughs even harder. "Is that guy for real? Even I can cough up fifty cents for that shit."

Tobio stands up from his stool to stop the guy from leaving the store, but Dwayne waves a hand. "Nah, nah, lemme handle that loser," he says. "Gotta make this boring shift interesting at least."

As Dwayne heads out to confront the shoplifter, another customer carrying a paper bag from Burger King comes in. The man grins cheekily at Tobio while he approaches the counter, his red-orange hair almost bouncing in his delight.

"Hi there," Hinata greets. He jiggles the paper bag in front of Tobio's face, almost like a taunt.

Tobio narrows his eyes as he grabs the paper bag with a furious swipe. "Are you stalking me?" he demands.

Hinata rubs his nose. "I owe you, don't I?"

That is true, Tobio supposes, but he can't help but feel a little discomfited. His tongue feels gigantic and heavy in his mouth, and his throat is dry.

They face each other without saying anything for an awkward amount of time until Dwayne comes back. He takes stock of them for roughly five seconds before asking, "Jesus. You two gonna stand here all day or what?"

"Sorry, I'll head out now," Hinata says in English. "Nice seeing you again, Kageyama."

"What? No." Dwayne glares at Tobio and jerks his thumb up. "You too, good sir. Scram. Shimmy the fuck outta here."

"Our shift's not over yet."

"Yours is. I'm making it so." At Tobio's dumbfounded expression, Dwayne rolls his eyes. "Who the fuck's gonna come here for sequined underwear and cat piss candles at three in the afternoon? Charlie Sheen?" He grabs Tobio's backpack and pushes Tobio out of the counter. "Come on. Get your dick soaking wet for once."

Hinata chuckles softly at that, but his ears are distinctly red at the tips, which offers Tobio some relief. At least he's not the only one spectacularly mortified by this situation.

They stand at the storefront awkwardly for a few seconds until Hinata nudges his shoulder.

"What?" Tobio says rather sharply.

Hinata stares at him. "Anything you want to do?" he asks after a momentary pause.

Tobio tries to compose himself; he clenches and unclenches his fists. "Errands," he mutters. "I have shit to do."

"I don't," Hinata replies. "Can I tag along?"

Tobio shrugs.

...

Tobio runs through his list for the second time: cabbages, tofu, mushrooms, boneless chicken breasts, ground beef, olive oil, paprika, mirin, and toilet rolls. He also managed to pick up a gallon of fabric conditioner, which he only remembered he needed when he saw Hinata lurking at the household goods aisle. He ambles towards the cash register near the garments section when he spots a clearance rack full of neckties for $3 a piece.

"Are you looking for a suit?" Hinata suddenly says from behind him.

"N-no," Tobio mumbles, his cheeks warming. He coughs twice and stands straighter. "I don't need it right now."

"Yeah, maybe, but you will." Hinata crosses his arms and gestures at himself quite proudly. "I happen to know a thrift shop that sells a few nice sets, at a good price too!"

"Is that the place where you bought all your ridiculous shirts?"

"What did you say?"

Tobio eyes him. "I'll think about getting myself one, but only if you buy yourself a proper coat for once," he says, scoffing at Hinata's thin windbreaker and scruffy red scarf. "I get cold just looking at you."

"Whatever you say, gramps."

After they've finished putting the groceries back in Tobio's place, they walk to DeKalb and Bedford. The thrift store isn't as huge and varied as the ones in Downtown, but it's relatively inexpensive than the usual clothing shops Tobio frequents. It's a little disorganized with all the garish, rich people attire clogging up the entrance, but the second floor has a quality selection of well-pressed suits and evening dresses.

"Told you," Hinata says smugly when Tobio gets paralyzed by the immense number of choices in front of him. "Want me to help you choose?"

Not completely out of reluctance, Tobio begins perusing the clothes in the rotating hanger stand. "You dress like a ten-year-old on a field trip. I don't need your opinion."

"You're so rude, jeez. How have you survived being such a jerk for so long?" Hinata purses his lips. "I guess this city really is made for people like you."

"It is." Tobio flips through a series of ties. "And you're an asshole too," he adds, remembering how Hinata can disappear without a word for months on end.

Hinata pretends not to hear him. "Anyway, this place is awesome, right? My landlady told me about this. Her husband plays jazz music on weekends—he plays the sax, I think. Pretty cool, right? We can watch his band together if you aren't busy. They also have comedy night on Fridays if you're more into that. Also, my landlady says—wait a sec." Hinata picks out a dark blue tie with tiny, morning glory flowers. "Try this one, Kageyama."

Tobio nods and drapes it over his shoulder. He heads for the dressing room as Hinata prattles on about his landlady's sourdough donuts and how they're the best he's tasted.

There's an empty stall at the far end of the room. Tobio hangs the jacket and the pants before closing the door. It's rather cheap for a secondhand, tailor-fitted suit—Tobio always looks at the prices first before checking out the product—with just small, discreet stains at the hem of the pants. Nothing a bit of soda water can't fix.

Tobio doesn't bother looking at the mirror; he'll take this one since it isn't tight around his backside. He's about to undress when Hinata knocks on his stall.

"You should change," Hinata comments after one look at Tobio. "You look ugly and shabby in that."

"What? Why?"

"The blazer's too loose."

Tobio makes a face. "How would you know?"

"I have a sister." Hinata hands Tobio another suit made out of charcoal wool.

"I have a sister too, dumbass," Tobio grumbles. He starts taking off the coat and trousers, shivering almost instantly. It's cold in here.

Hinata helps him with the coat and tie, grinning widely when he steps back to inspect his handiwork. "Well, what do you know? It pains me to say, but you look amazing." He hums. "Wow. You have awesome thighs. Strong. I'm jealous. I wish I look like that."

"Shut up." Tobio allows himself a glance at the mirror. He has to admit, he doesn't look as bad as he expected. He feels a bit warm as he wiggles out of the suit and into his usual street clothes. "Alright. Your turn."

Hinata brandishes a long coat from a basket behind him, an audacious peacock blue with many pockets inside. "Tada! Already got myself one!" He laughs. "You take so long to change, old man."

Tobio's cheeks burn hotter as he marches down the stairs. Hinata trails behind him; this time, he's talking about his younger sister and her latest e-mails about wakeboarding in Florida. Tobio decides to give him the slightest indulgence by listening semi-attentively.

...

"You're not from here, aren't you?"

Hinata licks his lips before sipping on his smoothie. After burping loudly, he remarks, "Wow. How'd you figure that out?"

"Stop mocking me and answer the fucking question." Tobio takes a gigantic swig from his Peach Perfection. He hates peaches, and he hates Jamba Juice, and he hates how he can't tell what kind of situation he is in. Hinata is the most transparent-opaque person Tobio's ever met.

And the guy must find it fun irritating Tobio, for he takes his time chewing on his fake protein bar before replying. "I'm from Burlington, Vermont."

"Where's that?"

"I dunno. Somewhere above New York, maybe?"

Like Canada? That explains the relatively light clothing Hinata dons. "So why are you here?"

Hinata shrugs. "Seems like a good city to be in," he says. "No offense to my nana's place, but it's kinda dreary up there. There's hardly any sun. You really have to climb the mountains to get yourself some sunshine. All the way to the top, you know? It's super awesome—the view is just amazing! But sometimes you just gotta get out there and climb other places. See new things in a new place! You know? And I've always liked the idea of living in New York."

"And you chose Brooklyn?"

"I hopped along my friend who's driving to Montauk to see his online girlfriend, and his car broke down somewhere in Flushing. So I went out and asked around for any cheap single rooms but they didn't have any. They told me to move here, so I did."

This guy's a total lunatic. This shouldn't be a surprise, but the extent of Hinata Shouyou's insanity leaves Tobio feeling uneasy. "You—you didn't run away from home, did you?"

"I told them I wanted to live somewhere else, and they were cool with it. I guess Grandpops got a little mad though." Hinata cackles. "Ahh, he's so stingy, that old man! But I can tell he's happy to get postcards every month—he's a vet and I'm sure he misses writing to someone from time to time, even if he doesn't say it." Hinata starts stretching like a cat over the table. "I can't help but notice when we went back to your apartment... you don't live with your sister?"

Tobio takes the redirection in stride and answers promptly, "She wants to start her own business and a family. She can't do that while I'm there."

"Why not?"

Tobio shrugs. He knows his sister doesn't hate him, nor does he hold any animosity towards her. He can't explain it, but Tobio just finds it weird having her around in his place, even for just a brief moment. Miwa must feel the same.

"Any parents?"

"Both dead."

"Mine too." Hinata leans back against the plastic chair. "What are you planning to do after you finish school?"

Tobio tries to take a sip from his smoothie however there's nothing left but air. "Nothing yet."

"Really?"

The skin under Tobio's left eye twitches. "What?"

"No, uh. I just figured you already have something in mind."

"I'm keeping my options open," Tobio answers gruffly. There aren't a lot, if Tobio's being honest, but he's thinking about doing something about it. It's a bit hard to decide when Tobio feels he's still personally lacking.

"Right," Hinata says, slightly abashed. "I just thought—you seem like you know what you're doing most of the time. You know?"

"That's because I'm from here, you dimwit," Tobio points out. "If you were born here too you'd know your shit. All I have over you is experience. I'm not better than you. "

Hinata's eyes turn round and contemplative. "Huh," he mumbles.

"What?"

"Oh, uh. Nothing, nothing."

Hinata walks him home after the smoothie shop closes. Once again, Hinata fills in the silence as easily as rainwater in the street cracks—he talks about wanting to learn how to play an electric guitar, he talks about his friends at work, at the community college, at his home away from home. He mentions this guy named "Kenma" a lot. Childhood friend, it seems like.

When they arrive at Tobio's doorstep, a bitter, frosty wind blows, the chill seeping through Tobio's winter jacket. Snow is about to fall. Hinata has to get home soon.

Hinata inquires when Tobio brings out his house keys, "You have my number. Right?"

"Yeah." Tobio has all seven digits seared into his brain.

Hinata scratches his nape. "Thanks for your time. I feel bad for ambushing you earlier, so." He stuffs his hands in his pocket. "Text me if you... if you want to hang out or something."

"Okay."

Hinata smiles. "See you, Kageyema."

"Okay." Tobio waits for Hinata to slink back to the streets before closing the door.

~O~

They meet up almost every day after that. Tobio texts, and Hinata comes whenever he's free. They do whatever it is they think of at that moment: they eat out, pick up their clothes at a coin laundromat, skate at a local rink to see who's faster, serve noodle soup at a food bank where Hinata volunteers. A few times, they study together in Tobio's apartment. Hinata is absolutely horrendous at even basic math. Tobio wonders how he managed to graduate from high school.

Though Hinata is right about one thing: if there's anything he can be truly proud of, it's the complete control he has over his body. Tobio absolutely detests when they're at a playground and there aren't any kids around. It's December and there's a snowstorm coming according to the latest forecast, but Hinata will always do hurdles and cartwheels in nothing but a pair of cargo pants and a sweater. Tobio has no choice but to watch how Hinata's jaw and arm muscles will tighten before clamping himself at the high bars, at how he sneers at Tobio because Tobio can't do a handstand in this brutal weather, at how he easily climbs up a tall oak tree in record speed, his skin glistening in exertion.

The way he mumbles to himself whenever he thinks of something, his lips red and raw-looking. The way he laughs out loud because hanging upside down on a tree branch is fun.

Anyway.

Tobio doesn't know what's gotten into him. He must be bored out of his mind.

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Spring

...

He gets another e-mail from Mrs. Cunningham about university applications. Master's degrees. RA openings. Listings for jobs Tobio has never heard of. Scrolling down the list of attachments leaves him feeling out of breath.

Remember your fall term project last year? Mrs. Cunningham wrote. I noticed you've been keeping it up to date, which is excellent. I sent it to one of the professors I know in UMass.

"What in the..." Did she mean his blog? One of his classes with Mrs. Cunningham required them to keep an online journal on a topic of their choosing, and Tobio chose sports. He ran numbers on the Mets, Yankees, Rangers, Knicks—basically any team he can get his hands on their data.

Surprisingly, he has had some engagement even from his first posts—there were a lot of fans arguing in the comments section that Tobio had to disable it at some point as it was such a headache to skim through. Tobio doesn't deal with intangibles. He makes charts and runs simulations with hard data, and as far as Tobio is considered, numbers can only speak the truth.

Do you remember Prof. O'Neill? I've also attached their university's electronic application form. Forward it to me after you've finished, would you? I promise to look over it this weekend before we send it to their admissions office.

Tobio blanks for a moment, before scrambling to open his WordPress account.

1,722 profile visits? He frowns. His most popular post—J.R. Smith's 2013 playoff numbers in comparison with Carmelo Anthony's, which was riddled with passionate analyses and thinly-veiled racist verbiage in the comments section—has a new notification. With trepidation, Tobio opens it.

Hi, this is Sarina O'Neill. I believe we've met before in one of your classes; I was the guest lecturer invited by your professor, Genevieve. Please do e-mail me when you get the chance.

P.S. - You have a talent for wading through confusing data and stitching them together to prove your point, and your writing can be very unforgiving but nevertheless excellent. Have you considered a career in sports analytics?

Tobio closes his laptop slowly. "Shit," he mutters.

~O~

One day, Hinata basically coerces Tobio to buy a mirror in his apartment. Tobio knows he doesn't need one, and he personally dislikes inessential objects that break easily, but Hinata insists on having even a small one for "hygiene purposes". Which is a load of horseshit. He can tell if he has gunk stuck in his teeth just fine.

Right now they're at a shopping center, still arguing about the merits of getting one.

"I already know how my face looks like," Tobio gripes as he pays for the stupid thing.

"No, you absolutely don't," Hinata says irritably. He grabs the wall mirror wrapped in manila paper and gingerly presses it against his chest. "At least have something to guilt trip you into making yourself look nice. Jeez. I don't know if you're purposely making yourself appear less attractive or not."

"I don't give a fuck," Tobio says. One of the storekeepers is giving them the stink eye; he and Hinata are crowding the doorway. He takes Hinata's wrist and wrenches him out of the store.

They reach Fulton Park when Tobio is reminded of an encounter. He pulls them to a stop at one end of the bike path. "Is this about that girl in the diner?" he asks flatly.

Hinata chews on his inner cheek. "She was flirting with you."

Last Sunday, after Hinata got out of work, Tobio went out to meet him. They ate at Waffle House, and there was a girl who served them pecan waffles and hash browns. She had soft, curly black hair tied in complicated braids. She gave Tobio her number even though Tobio refused, and she smelled like peppermint. Tobio can recall clearly how Hinata had been distracted for the rest of the evening. "So?"

Hinata's eyes flash. "'So'?" he mocks.

"I am going to fucking murder you. Spit it out. I don't have the entire day."

Hinata inhales deeply. "I wasn't expecting that to happen," he admits. "The flirting thing."

"What the hell are you trying to say?"

"What I'm saying is it's strange. That I wasn't expecting it. I should have, obviously."

Tobio gapes at Hinata in bewilderment. "What?" he shouts. "Are you fucking serious?"

"I'm surprised it was just one time!" Hinata explains. "And it should've happened, like, way before. I mean, we've been going out a lot recently, and I thought... people propositioning you—it should have been more than once already. It's weird that it was just one girl we met so far. There should've already been tens. Hundreds!"

"You want more girls flirting with me?"

"Yeah."

The stab of hurt that comes afterward is intense, crippling, and completely unexpected. Tobio feels poleaxed. "What in the—what the fuck did you just say?"

"Girls find you attractive," Hinata says plainly. "And they should. Guys too, obviously—"

"No, shut up! Stop talking about—"

"—but I think they do already. There was that dude at the gas station... It's weird if they don't think you're good-looking—"

Tobio marches forward to close the distance between them. He grabs Hinata by the shoulders and pins him against the tall metal fences. "You think that's weird?" Tobio says. "What's fucking weird is you want total strangers to hit on me all the time, you sack of shit. Are you a pervert?"

"Can you stop putting words into my mouth for a second?" Hinata fires back. "Do you remember what I told you? About what I hate the most?"

"People telling you to do shit."

This must be the first time Tobio sees Hinata like this, his face devoid of cheer and good humor. Hinata places a palm over Tobio's wrist. It's angry and searing, like a brand. "I don't like holding myself back." He shakes of Tobio's grasp. "And I'd prefer it if people by my side would do the same."

"I don't know what the fuck you're getting at," Tobio says. "Say it plainly, Hinata."

"You're smart. You're tall. You're good-looking. You can be kind when you feel like it," Hinata says angrily. "All of that—I want more people to know that about you."

Tobio's fingers curl up. He badly wants to smash Hinata's teeth in. The inane shit that comes out of his stupid mouth...

"You're out of your goddamn mind," Tobio declares, before grabbing the front of Hinata's jacket and kissing him.

As far as first kisses go, Tobio thinks it's pretty non-standard—Hinata still carries that faint scent of athletic gear in his clothes and his lips are as dry as leather, and underneath his hoodie Tobio is also sweating buckets. But it's very telling that Tobio enjoyed it all the same; they have now traded blows, a declaration of war of some sorts.

If Hinata does the disappearing act again, Tobio now has an excuse to go after him, even if he has to turn over the entire city of New York.

"Stop talking about me with other people," Tobio says. "It's irritating."

"You don't get to tell me what to do." Hinata's mouth shivers into almost a grin, and Tobio has to kiss him again to stop it from coming back in full force.

...

(Tobio's parents had died in a manner a cop once described as "a scene from a bootlegged version of The Batman". It involved an unlit street in East Village, a couple held at gunpoint, and an obscene amount of blood.

Except Mr. and Mrs. Kageyama weren't as filthy rich as the Waynes and the Kanes were. Tobio had to sit down and calculate how much he could live off from the trust fund his parents had set up for him, and at sixteen, Tobio quite knew how the numbers weren't in his favor.

A day before the funeral, Miwa flew in from where she wasy staying in Wisconsin. She had her two-year-old daughter, Yuriko, by her side, who was staring at Tobio with wide interest ever since she met him.

"I'm sorry," Miwa said tearfully. The apology could've meant a lot of things, but at that time Tobio understood it as, I'm sorry, I can't take care of you all by myself right now.

Tobio shook his head. "You don't have to be," he replied. "I'll be fine."

But it was hard to keep promises when you're poor and an orphaned sixyeen-year-old. The police and social services were useless, as usual, and for Tobio, surviving alone in a city as cold as a jail cell had robbed him of any innocence he had left. As they all say in Flatbush—"petty crimes maketh man". And because life has a certain way of doing math, eventually Tobio got arrested a day before he turned eighteen.

Community service, rehab, and eight months of therapy. Sometimes, when Tobio was forced to ponder his situtation, he thought about how it didn't add up. How his parents were dead, and how their killers stayed alive somewhere. And why was Tobio alive with them, when all this time he had secretly hoped he'd run into them, in the dark alley with no witnesses, and let vengance rear its ugly head? It didn't make sense.

He told his therapist this on their last meeting, when he felt he owed it to her to be completely honest, and she replied, "It's funny, how we equate the life of one person to another. Is it because it's simpler to think that way?" She smiled. "Your parents' lives aren't equal to those who murdered them, the same way your life isn't equal to theirs. You're smart, Tobio. You know math doesn't work that way."

"I don't know anything anymore," Tobio replied honestly.

She handed him a pamphlet of a public high school in Bushwick. "Then why don't you try learning again?"

It was a first time in a while Tobio felt like he had a choice. Slowly, he took the lifeline, and imagined his parents chastising him for trying to hold out on his own for so long. His smile was wobbly as he held back his tears.)

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Spring

...

Hinata never seems to have any problems asking Tobio about personal things point-blank, except for those years he spent living in Manhattan. Hinata doesn't seem interested, anway. In turn, Tobio doesn't ask anything about Hinata's parents, or why he has a lot of bruises on his knees and elbows, or why he seems to know every single rock climbing gym in Brooklyn. It's a fair exchange.

And maybe that's enough for him.

"You should stay here," Tobio says after a long night of debating with Hinata about the pros and cons of moving to another state. Who knew Hinata had strong opinions about 'following one's dreams'?

Hinata, still royally pissed at him, replies with a curt, "I agreed to stay the night."

"No," Tobio says. "I meant permanently this time."

A long silence follows. Then, Hinata wrinkles his nose. "What? Like live with you?"

"You have a problem with that?"

"Obviously no," Hinata says. "Just thought you're the kind who needs space."

"I do," Tobio says. "But we can split the rent. 50-50. Or 60-40. Whatever we agree on."

"You, agreeing with me?" Hinata is looking at him completely now, clear brown eyes on cagey blue ones. "Kageyama, do you want to argue about rent with me?" he asks. "Even until late at night?"

Once again, someone is handing him a lifeline. Tobio sighs. "And about other stuff too," he admits, almost in a whisper.

"And about other stuff, huh," Hinata murmurs. He stares up at the ceiling contemplatively before slowly brightening. "Well, I do like your sofa. And your microwave. It has a lot of buttons."

"Miwa-san bought that for me."

"Ahh, of course it was Miwa-san...." Hinata smiles. "Can we have a cat in here?"

Tobio shrugs. "I don't like cats so you take care of it," he says. "If it pisses on our bed I'll throw it out."

"That's what they all say at the start!" Hinata sing-songs.

~O~

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Winter

...

Dwayne has been hovering around Tobio since their shift began, so he isn't surprised when Dwayne finally manages to blurt it out once they are all alone in the store. "I don't think I'm misreading nothing, so... are you, y'know, like." He stops. "You and that other Japanese guy... Do you...?"

Tobio gets what Dwayne's hinting at. A little grateful, Tobio tries to talk using his language, "Yes. I like dicks."

Dwayne gawks at him before laughing incredulously. "Jesus Christ, okay. Okay, okay. The fuck, I was worked up for nothing..." His shoulders sag in obvious relief. "Just dicks? Exclusively?"

"I'm not sure." Tobio's never had anyone's attractiveness hit him like a sack of bricks, until he saw Hinata for the first time in the convenience store, a pack of seaweed flakes tucked under his arm.

Dwayne flops his legs on the counter. "Well, I hafta say I know where you're coming from."

"You do?"

"Hey, man, fuck you," Dwayne says. "Look, I can appreciate people. My girl's a ten, but your guy seems tight as fuck too. Objectively speaking. Way better than that bald ass bitch my brother is seeing."

Tobio nods minutely. He kind of understands, somewhat.

Dwayne then regales him about the time his older brother got epically dumped a day after Valentines Day, and Dwayne and his pals in the theater club took him to a dive bar at Tompkins so he could drink and puke his brains out in a gutter. But after thirty minutes of talking, Dwayne stops shortly and then curses.

"Motherfuck, hold on. I'm going about this all wrong." Dwayne wipes his face with his palm. "I ain't saying I'm wishing you heartbreak, Tobio, but yeah. Whatever or whenever, I got you."

Tobio scratches his nape. "Um, thank you very much."

Before their shift ends, Dwayne hands him a box of Trojan condoms, and that's when Tobio realizes Dwayne knows it's Tobio's birthday today.

~O~

"He's cute," Miwa says in lieu of a proper start of a converstation, and Tobio knows exactly who she's talking about.

Tobio reddens, and is horrified to find the kind of face he's making in his reflection. He fights off the urge to fidget on his stool. "Thought he was your type," Tobio mutters unwillingly.

"Well, we have the same type, my baby brother. I guess it's in the family," Miwa clarifies. She takes the end of Tobio's overgrown fringe and snips it off cleanly. "As soon as I realized Hinata-san was asking about you, I just knew. 'Ahh, my brother is getting whisked away. Game over'. I do appreciate that you tried to set us up—he and Yuriko-chan would've gotten along."

Tobio grimaces. "You're awful."

Miwa places a hand on her hips, scissors dangling precariously on her fingers. "And this is the thanks I get, hmm? For not scaring him off and telling him how much of an ass you can be?" She tuts. "He seems to have a lot on his mind, though, when he first came here. Is he okay?"

Tobio licks his lips. He doesn't know the answer to that, but what he can say is this: "I'll... I'll make him better."

Miwa laughs in surprise. "Hmm. Interesting," she says. "Sure haven't heard you talk like that for a long time, Tobio."

"Like what?"

"Like a smug bastard." Miwa tilts Tobio's jaw with a delicate finger. "Hold your chin up a little higher, okay?"

Tobio sniffs but does as he's told.

~O~

Koreatown, Manhattan Autumn

...

Smoke coming from the gas-flame grill of samgyupsal places around 32nd street almost covers the night sky. It's hard to choose where to eat in the stacks of restaurants on top of other restaurants, and Tobio and Hinata have to fight amongst the crowd so as not to lose sight of each other. They seem to have come at a wrong time; Koreans are celebrating their own Thanksgiving, and everyone is scrambling for either a fine-dining spot or a homey place that serves classic braised pork and pan-fried perilla leaves.

"Let's just go somewhere else," Hinata says after another half-hour. His defiant expression from earlier has already deflated from hunger.

Tobio sighs. "If only you just listened to me—"

"Yeah, yeah..." Hinata grabs Tobio's wrist and pulls him out of one of the restaurant lines.

They settle with eating dinner at a nearby rice cake stand, a far cry from what Hinata envisioned the evening would go. "I just wanted us to eat somewhere nice for once," Hinata grumbles, wiping red sauce from his lips with the back of his hand. "Was that so much to ask?"

"There are a lot of nice places in Brooklyn."

"Sure, but it's the view, Kageyama! The view!" He waves at the full moon and the city skyline. The Empire State Building seems close enough to touch, if Tobio squints the right way. "Can't get any more 'New York' than that!"

Tobio snorts but doesn't argue.

It's nine in the evening on a Friday; it's still a bit early. Tobio and Hinata explore the lively neighborhood watching the people around them and secretly each other. The road is slightly cold and damp from the afternoon rain, and the smell of chili pepper and garlic wafting from the opposite street reminds Tobio of his mother, and the beef stew she makes during his birthday.

Abruptly, Tobio remembers that it's been an entire month since Hinata's birthday has passed. They weren't able to celebrate it together, not with Tobio staying in Masachussets for university and Hinata working full-time as a professional fitness trainer.

"I'll cook dinner tomorrow," Tobio offers. He's twenty-five now. He can afford to make a promise or two.

Hinata bounces on his heels. "I'll hold you to that, Kageyama," he says, much enthused.

They're at a crossing between 5th and 30th street when Hinata sees his shoelaces are untied. He stoops down to tie them back while Tobio forges ahead.

When Tobio notices that he's far along the lane by himself, he jerkily looks back and finds that Hinata hasn't moved an inch. "What the hell are you doing?" Tobio shouts.

Hinata is grinning from ear to ear. Under the streetlights, it's an unnerving expression to see. Almost scary. "I'm going to conquer this city!" he says. "Someday! Just wait for it, okay?"

Tobio doesn't know the reason behind that sudden declaration, but something in Hinata's face makes Tobio feel compelled to believe him. "Hurry up, then!" Tobio says.

Hinata laughs before jogging along the pedestrian lane.

~O~

~O~

Amherst, Massachusetts Spring

...

Back in his apartment, Tobio is flipping through TV channels when a headline about New York City catches his eye. Next Level Crazy: Man Climbs Empire State Building Without Any Ropes.

What in the world? Tobio wonders, munching on a breadstick. Someone has to be a special brand of idiot to attempt that.

A blond man in a beanie is being interviewed, and he seems to agree with Tobio, "Yeah, I've spoken to him. Trained with him too on weekends. To anyone, he might seem like just a normal guy, but there's gotta be a few loose screws up there... for someone to attempt to scale a massive building like that—"

Without thinking, Tobio is on his feet, his plate of spaghetti spilling all over his feet, on the carpet. On his screen is a live video feed of a frighteningly familiar figure with fiery, red-orange hair, climbing the Empire State Building with his bare hands.

Tobio drops his breadstick. "That dumbass—"

~Fin~

[ciceroartwork]

Marie and her Snakes

depending on whether or not you seem interested in them, she may introduce them to you as her dogs.

Has a ball python pumpkin morph snake named Jackie Lantern (was previously Jack-Lantern) who is the sweetest, goodest girl. Very calm and chill and well behaved.

Lantern (who she didn't know was female) ended up hooking up with one of her friend's snakes cause she went out on a trip to go visit one of the Delivery locations for when Heartsick ate two people and Lantern suddenly laid a really big clutch. All of the eggs were fine. All but one of the babies went to good homes (she kept one)

How did this happen? Well, Jackie and the friend's snake got out and found eachother under the desk and the friend didn't exactly realize. The room was snake proofed cuz that was the snake room and the friend put a towel under the door and went to go check other places first, they didn't go far. Also, Marie was only gone for a couple days. They were only lost for a couple minutes.

Candy Corn is the name of Jackie Lantern’s baby. Idk what they look like yet (cuz i havent decided what the dad looks like)

No, they don't get out often, very very very rarely, but all have escaped at least once. Only once was it Marie's fault but that's cause she was feeding Candy Corn and they decided to throw themselves out of their feeding bin (which was on the floor.) when Marie’s back was turned to get the pinky and quickly slipped away. Candy Corn was returned and fed.

Has a little green snake named Brussel Sprout. “Sprouty”. It is one of those really judgemental vine snakes and it likes trying to hide inside of SD Baby's chest cavity because it's warm. Nowhere else, if it gets out, Marie knows exactly where they are.

She also has a very pretty black snake named Blackout that can't seem to stop trying to have babies (comically, this one was also with the friend's snake at one point in a different situation, and did not have babies. still laid eggs, but they were all slugs. And she lays eggs anyways.) Some sort of rainbow boa

She has to shake the food to entice Blackout

She also has a little hognose named Sandstorm. He has a little kink in his tail. He is very feisty. He also has little scars on him from the last owner who attempted to feed a snake that didn't even know how to eat live mice, a live mouse, and left it unattended assuming that it wouldn't hurt him. Oh yeah, the owner was also a drug dealer that got drug busted like ten minutes later so the snake was not fine but wasn't gonna die.

He has trust issues and doesn't like new people

There's a little foam stopper at the bottom of the snake room door in case they get out. There aren't a lot of places for them to hide in there, except under the desk or the small cooler she has in there for snake food.

She will yap at you about them for hours

Yes, she sometimes introduces them as her dogs.

If you say something about how they should be released she will gesture to them, and mention that none of them know how to properly hunt. Blackout strikes the right place once in like, seven to ten tries.

Note that only non-rescue is Brussel Sprout and Candy Corn

All of the other snakes have a little thing about them, Jackie has only her left eye (born without the other) and a little cleft lip, Blackout has something neurological, Sandstorm of course has the scars.

She doesn't feed them live because A. It makes her uncomfortable and B. It's easier to get frozen from Petsmart and just thaw them.

[extravagantwolf]

A small and abandoned wip about Sunshaper and his apprentice, Dreampaw.

Normality for the nomadic is viewing the breathtaking and unseemly. The calluses on their paws are a pride no other breed can understand. Yet the ache of his paws and the sight unfolding before his eyes is one that still ceases on stealing the air from his lungs. Climbing tall into the sky of his roaming ancestors, their jagged and snow-capped peaks beckon his eyes.

No matter how close he pads, the towering mountains never appear closer. Even if he sprouted wings like the condors, he doubts he would truly ascend their greatness.

Chatter follows his pawsteps, endlessly flowing from the maw of his apprentice, and any other cat would have drawn his ire. However, she was designated by the stars to be a lovely thing of his own.

Dreampaw. A fittingly beautiful name for the tortoiseshell. Her arrival was a dream of its own. Found beneath a holly bush on a leaf-fall morning after the first snow of the year, she was as small as a sparrow yet as strong as the blue spruce.

Now, no longer does crisp snow lie on the ground. The seasons flow like rivers, and newleaf already begun.

“Father said he would allow you to take your assessment early, Dreampaw,” he cuts into her ramble. She quiets instantly, her ears perking curiously.

A smile curls onto his maw and he gently pats her shoulder with his tail. “Good, you’ve learned well.” The praise makes her head diligently dip as an eager grin splits across her face. A few weeks ago, her haunches would have waggled, but she dutifully reins herself in.

“Returning to what Father said…” He briskly walks ahead, sitting on the lush new grass. It took no time for the environment to adapt to the change of seasons, and he can only ask the stars to ensure Dreampaw does the same.

A graduation at ten moons old is nothing small to scoff at, even if he managed it himself. There is much to ensure to create an optimal warrior. “The leader personally judges a cat’s worth to ensure the assessment is valid. You must impress him with not simply your skills, but your etiquette.”

Dreampaw whines softly as she sits in front of him. Words of uncertainty hang on her tongue, but she swallows them well. “Yes, Sunshaper,” she answers quietly. Nerves bristle around the young apprentice, her eyes round like the sun rising on the horizon.

Lucky, she is, to have him by her side. When he was her age, he could only fervently pray to StarClan in a dank cave without a lick of starlight. Now…

“Do you really think I have what it takes?” she asks with her ears flat against her skull.

Slowly, he nods. “Every decision the leader makes is guided by the stars themselves, Dreampaw,” he assures with a purr. Of course, he won’t tell her how the stars must be displeased that Moonstar, a cat with a name tied so closely to the stars, is the way he is. He deviates so far from his fated path as leader. Acting up as a heretic rather than a cat.

“This may be a recital, Dreampaw, but one day it’ll be your truth,” he meows as he outstretches a paw and cups her muzzle in it. “Show me the ceremonial greeting to a leader and do not let a step waver. Act as if I am your leader.”

[arjaandsimoni]

Call Me Al

Nelen gazed out at the city of London, standing on the precipice over the flowing waters below. All it’d take is one step. One step to write the final sentence of a mess that had begun when he was foolish enough to carve Merihim’s sigil into his hands that fateful night in Cincinnati.

Just… one little step…

He sighed, his mind going back to that day, ignoring Merihim’s protests.

London England, seven years ago, minus a month or three

He and Dawn stumbled off the ship that they’d stowed away on to sneak out of New York City. Dawn could get them food easily, the kitten able to turn invisible and teleport things. It took a bit out of her to move stuff with her they’d found, but she managed enough that they could eat okay on the long voyage from America to England.

They’d teleported onto land when the ship docked, the warlock and his cat walking through the city.

“So… why are we here?” she asked.

“There’s somewhere I might be able to find a way to muzzle this thing. I can’t undo my pact without dying, but I can at least… I dunno… leash him somehow. Make him less likely to take me over again.” he nodded.

Dawn tilted her head, “Where are we anyways?” she asked.

“London. But keep it down, there’s mundanes around and I don’t want anyone staring at us.” he nodded as they made their way through the city.

He took several turns, trying to remember what he’d heard from the relatives in his childhood, and eventually they arrived at a brick wall. “Okay, I think this is it… there should be…” he looked around, then nodded and picked up a stick of magnetic chalk laying next to an ancient pay phone. “Okay… and…” he held it up, writing on the wall of the alley the following:

‘Daigon Alley is for Pussies.’

As he added the period the wall suddenly cracked open and revealed a long tunnel into darkness. Dawn clung to his shoulder, her eyes huge and her tail floofing out.

“Bingo… if I can’t get a way to leash him here I’m screwed.” he nodded, walking through the tunnel.

They walked along the tunnel, the kitten’s eyes darting left and right as she swore she saw movement or heard voices, and then finally they emerged into a busy city street straight out of a mad mirror of reality.

All along the street walked supernatural beings openly. Werewolves and vampires and hobgoblins oh my! Next to the street a goat-legged man in the top half of an Amani business suit checked his watch while he waited for a cab and nearby a gigantic stitched together man and an ancient Egyptian mummy argued over what sounded like the last Chelsea VS Arsenal football match (British football, not that wussy American stuff.)

To their left was a record shop selling a new release by Nirvana from a timeline when Curt Kobain, now Catrina Kobain, never shot himself (or rather HERself.) To their right was a drug store, in that it actually openly sold drugs of all sorts. More mundane things like weed, coke, heroin, and the like but also things like basilisk blood, powdered unicorn horn, faerie dust, and gods only knew what else.

Cars thundered up and down the road in a manner more akin to natural selection rather than commuting. A thought only added to when an intoxicated pedestrian stumbled too close to the street and one of the cars suddenly sprouted razor-sharp teeth and snapped him up into its jaws, devouring him before he even had a chance to scream.

Down the side street were nightclubs galore, offering the kind of thrills that most could only dream of. A fetish club called ‘Such Sights’ with a cenobite trying to flag passerby in for some real thrills.

Across the road was a bar for androids called ‘01000001 01110011 01101001 01101101 01101111 01110110 00100111 01110011.’ Bit of a mouthful for people with brains made of carbon instead of silicone, but it seemed to have good business.

Above them the moon hung in the sky, a massive disc ten times larger than Dawn had ever seen it! A shadow flew over it after a moment… it wasn’t an airplane.

The kitten’s tail was a massive floof of fur as she darted this way and that on Nelen’s shoulder, her tiny claws digging into him through his teeshirt as she tried to take it all in. “Wha… WHAT IS ALL THIS HUMAN?!” she squeaked loudly.

“The Nightside.” he smirked, walking along the path, “The Dark Heart of London apparently, where all the stuff that can’t exist openly in the mundane world goes to. Well, one of the places, this one is tied directly to London though.” he nodded, heading down a couple alleyways, “Anyways, if I can’t find someone here who knows how to leash this thing, I’m as good as dead anyways.” he grunted.

After a bit they arrived at their destination, a small hole in the wall door down some stairs with a single sign above it: “Strangefellows.”

He walked down and opened the door, walking into the kind of bar that most people would have simply turned around and left, going up to the counter and taking a seat between a main in full Victorian dress and a zombie in a leather bustier and skirt, looking at the bartender.

“Wow, and I thought I was a miserable fuck.” he grunted.

The bartender snorted back at him. He wore all black, with black glasses and a black beret, and was wiping a dirty glass with a dirtier rag. “Fuck you too newbie. Name’s Alex Morissey, this is my bar for my sins. Make any trouble and those two will throw you out of my bar and through the wall of the next building over. Got it?” he nodded to the door. From one angle it looked like a pair of women, from another it looked like two sets of brick shithouses stapled to each other. “Now, wut’litbemac?” he asked.

Nelen looked over the menu, then picked the only thing he could recognize. “Coke.” he nodded, “And some milk for the cat.” he added, “And… know anyone who can do something to help with this?” he asked, holding out his hand, palm up.

The bartender looked at the sigil carved into his skin, then snorted, “You literally bound a demon to your flesh? Yeah I got someone who can help. Head to the Street of Gods and find The Gun Shop, Church of Saint Smith and Saint Wesson. They’ll give you something that you can blow your brains out with quick and get it over with.” he replied.

He frowned as Alex set out a bottle of coke for him and a saucer of… what was presumably milk. Dawn jumped onto the counter and sniffed at it, then made a face as her fur puffed out.

“Hmm… may I?” asked the man next to him.

Nelen looked over, then shrugged, “Sure, I’ll take any help I can get at this point.” he replied, holding out his palm.

A pair of hands in white silk gloves took his, looking it over. “… ah, Merihim of Pestilence and the Infernal Storm if I’m not mistaken.” he nodded. “Yes yes I know just the thing, but I’m afraid I can’t simply give it away…” he murmured.

Nelen winced, “Shit, look I don’t got any money man, I…” he started, but his fellow patron held up a gloved hand.

“Now now, I’m willing to make other arrangements. I run a shop a few streets over, Alphonse’s Fine Sorceries and Alchemical Shoppe. I’ve been wanting to look into an assistant, perhaps even an apprentice. I could teach you how to help contain your little friend and more… but you would have to stay in the Nightside and work for me for the foreseeable future. Interested?” he asked.

Nelen sagged in relief. He was actually violating another taboo of Clan Fullmoon’s being here. The Clan, by rule, stayed OUT of the Nightside. This was possibly one of the only places on Earth (or at least Earth-Adjacent) that he’d be safe from the rest of Clan Fullmoon.

“Hell I needed a place to hide out anyways. Alright, I’m in!” he grinned, “Um, Alphonse was it?” he asked.

“Oh please please!” chuckled the man, looking up at Nelen, smiling widely. He wore a tophat and had a pair of thick jet black smoked glasses covering his eyes. “… call me Al.” he replied.

Nelen began his apprenticeship shortly afterwards and, true to his word, the first thing he taught Nelen was how to inscribe a binding upon a pair of gauze pads, which could then be tied to his palms. It wouldn’t stop Merihim from possessing him, but it would restrict his powers. One tendril or blood blast at a time at most, and while Merihim could control him he couldn’t tear the bandages off himself. Only Nelen could do this. As Merihim was the Lord of Pestilence, he was bound using the Seal of St. Damian, Patron Saint of Medicine. Nelen wasn’t Catholic, but it seemed to work.

He had to sign a long Apprentice/Master contract to get started, but the words seemed to twist around on him every time he tried and finally he just scrawled his name at the bottom out of sheer exhasperation.

About six months into his apprenticeship…

“STUDENT!” came Al’s voice, “Your bloody cat got into my reagents cabinet again!” he shouted.

Nelen stumbled in, wearing a black button-down shirt and slacks. Al had insisted he make himself presentable to work in his shop. The store was basically a potion shop like something out of an old medieval village, but bigger and with electric lighting. “Sorry Al! Dawn, c’mon, seriously…” he grumbled.

“Hey! I’m just bored!” she hissed. “I can’t leave the store, I can’t do anything, I can’t even watch TV!” she yowled angrily up at him.

Nelen sighed, “Yeah yeah I know… not exactly like I can just give you a squeaky mouse.” he muttered, “I guess its rough having intelligence but, yanno… an animal body…” he muttered.

Al however raised his eyebrow, “You know… I could assist there.” he said, pursing his lips and tapping his index fingers to them, looking down at the kitten. “I know of a recipe that gives non-human magical creatures the power to shapeshift. Your feline friend could learn how to make herself human-shaped.” he said.

Nelen looked up, “Really?” he asked, “Huh… that would be damn useful… I mean if nothing else she could use a TV remote then.” he nodded.

Al grinned, “Hmm… tell you what, I’ll even do this one gratis. Its not a particularly complex potion even, most of the reagents are simple enough. Why, you could even pull it off yourself if you wanted. Come now student!” he chuckled, waving a gloved finger, and guiding him to the backroom.

Nelen and Dawn watched as Al mixed several reagents in a large mortar, mixing in a cup of water. “Its really not even that hard, its more the magic than the potion, which just helps shape it honestly. A few flower seeds, some crushed butterfly cocoons, crossroads dirt, you can freestyle this one really… just five symbols of transitions minimum.” he nodded, making what looked like the world’s least appetizing smoothie.

“There we are… and now…” he touched his gloved hands to the mortar and focused and with a whoomph the bubble began glowing and bubbling, turning a bright green. “Now, the kitten must drink this dry…” he instructed, pouring it into a saucer and setting it on the floor. “And yes, ALL of it Dawn. It will taste EXACTLY how you think it will.” he nodded meaningfully.

Dawn teleported down to the floor and padded over, licking it up with her tiny pink tongue, then making a face as her fur floofed out all over, “BLECH! ITS GROSS!” she yowled.

Nelen sighed, “Yeah, I know, but if this works Dawn…” he nodded.

Dawn hissed, “I know I knooooooow…” she whined, then kept on going. She lapped it up as Al got out a small egg timer, setting it for half an hour once the bowl was finally empty and Dawn got done spitting. “Uuuughhnnn… tastes worse than when I lick after I use my box.”

“Lovely mental image there Dawn.” grunted Nelen as Al smirked.

“Right, now we wait… It’ll take approximately a half hour for the potion to begin to affect her morphological field.” he explained.

As the timer reached the five minutes to go mark Dawn stumbled, shaking her head, “Uhhnn… I feel weird…” she whined, and Nelen stared. Her fur was normally black with red patches and a white patch on her chest with an odd purple sheen whenever the light hit it the right way... but suddenly he was staring at an orange tabby kitten, then the dark glossy grey of a Russian Blue, then suddenly the rich browns of a Siamese, then a Calico.

“Uhhh…” he glanced at Al, gesturing to his feline companion.

He just smiled, “This means its working. Her morphological field is becoming malleable and open to change… and…” he raised a finger, “Three… two… one…” and then the timer dinged.

“Right, now then Dawn. Listen carefully. Close your eyes, picture how you are now… and then imagine yourself changing your body into a human’s. Don’t just immediately go from one to the other, imagine your forelegs turning into arms, your legs extending and becoming human shaped, your muzzle becoming a face... and..." he grinned widely, "There we are..." he chuckled.

Nelen stared as Dawn’s body seemed to elongate, her paws spreading and becoming hands and feet, her fur receeding into just a thin layer of body hair as the red parts of her fur raced together and elongated atop her head, forming a massive mane of bright red… and…

Al tilted his head, “Hm… that… should not have happened.” he muttered.

Dawn sat there, a little six-year-old girl now… except… one with huge yellow eyes, and cat-like ears peeking out of her hair, and a long feline tail thumping the floor behind her. “Uh… did it work?” she asked.

“Yes… and no…” frowned Al, “That SHOULD have let you become fully human, but… you’re not! Even a mundane would be able to tell you're not human!” he growled, stalking back to his spell tome and reading over it, “I know I brewed it right!”

Behind him Dawn looked down at herself, then yowled in surprise and fell onto her back. “ACK! I… what… huh?! I…” she looked at her hands, “I have thumbs!” she exclaimed, wiggling them.

Nelen looked her over, “Uh, I mean. Decent pair of sunglasses, tuck the tail into her pants, wear a hat… she could probably pass?” he tried.

“I… have thumbs…” she whispered, examining her new hands… They had tiny slits near the tips of her fingers and, sure enough, she could still make her claws pop out of them with effort.

“That’s NOT the POINT!” growled Al. “She shouldn’t have those parts at all after she transforms! Bloody hellfire and thunder I know I made it right! Oh blast it all…” he frowned, turning to face her, “Well, the spell has set. That’s her…” he made finger quotes, “Human… form now.”

Dawn held her hands up and stared up at them, “THUMBS!” she squealed, grinning hugely... far wider than a human SHOULD be able to grin. Seems one specifically Cheshire trait remained too.

Nelen and Al looked down at her.

Finally Nelen said, “… I need to buy her pants.” he nodded.

Al nodded, “Indeed, quick shopping trip to the Mammon Emporium, I think. I have a shopping list for you anyway. She can wear one of your teeshirts to get there, they’ll be a dress on her.” he agreed. “Hop to it apprentice.” he added, turning to his desk to clean up the mess.

“Thuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumbs…” whispered Dawn, staring at them again as she flexed them back and forth.

“She should get used to it soon, they always react that way.” nodded Al.

The Nightside, Five years ago

Nelen walked back to the shop with Dawn in tow, the young Cheshire skipping along next to him in her human form. “We got done early huh?” she grinned. She wore a purple teeshirt under a pair of overalls with a hole for her tail and a pair of sneakers with light up heels. Non-humans were common in the Nightside so they just went with it.

Nelen nodded, a messenger bag hanging at his side. Al had taught him how to enlarge the inside to the equivalent of a large commercial SUV and he found it invaluable. “Yeah, wonder if Al is still busy. He said something about a meeting…” he said, unlocking the door to the shop and walking in. “Huh… seems okay… but… jeez what smells like bad eggs?” he grumbled, walking to the backroom. “Dawn you didn’t knock a jar over again did you?”

“No!” she huffed up at him, “I’ve been watching those old Reading Rainbow shows because you want me to know how to read!”

“Its useful, don’t discount it.” he replied, walking around the counter. “Al?” he tried, opening the backroom, then freezing as soon as the door was open far enough to see, waving for Dawn to stay back.

Al was there alright, his back to him, but infront of him was a circle, his potion table moved out of the way, and inside the circle was what looked like a massive lion’s head with five goat-legs sticking out in all directions, the head balanced on one.

“And what does Lord Lucifer have to say about our orders today Buer?” asked Al.

“He is in talks with the Host, Agaliarept.” replied the monster, “Yahweh is weakening badly and the Angels are getting desperate. He believes within the next decade we can make our move and has taken your suggestion into consideration. I believe he seems intrigued.” he replied.

Nelen felt his blood run cold. Agaliarept?! That was how Al knew how to bind Merihim! He was a demon himself, and not just any demon. A powerful one.

Agaliarept. Keeper of Mysteries, and a general of Hell.

Dawn whined softly and she and Nelen slowly stepped back away from the door. “Shit shit shit…” whispered Nelen, taking the Cheshire’s hand and leading her quickly upstairs, then sitting on the bed he and Dawn shared. There was only room for one so she’d just change back into a cat to sleep. “Right, right… we’ve been in the Nightside long enough. Tonight we’re telling Al that we need to head back out to the real world. Remember that thing Alex told us about? The Wulfshead?” he said to her, Dawn nodding with her eyes wide and her ears folded back, “Yeah, I say we give that a try. I’ve learned enough from Al. We’ll wait for his meeting to be over, then run like hell.” he nodded, his hands shaking.

He looked down, “… dammit did you know?” he muttered.

"… oh now you suddenly care who sells you information on me." responded Merihim in a sulky voice.

“Merihim don’t fuck around, did you KNOW?!” he hissed.

"Yeah, of course I did! You think I wouldn’t recognize someone like HIM?! I couldn’t tell you! Demons are ensorcelled to keep the identities of those above us secret when we're on Earth… and so are you dipshit! You signed his contract, both you and the cat can’t say his name!" the demon growled in an annoyed tone.

“Wait, I can’t say Ag… augh…” he clutched at his throat, his eyes wide, but when he tried to say the name his vocal chords seemed to seize up, “Aga… agali…”

"STOP TRYING YOU MORON! YOU’LL STRANGLE YOURSELF!" shouted the demon in his mind.

He coughed, rubbing his throat, “Ugh… ow… fuck…” he gasped, “We need to get out of here…”

Three hours later…

Nelen stomped down the stairs in his street clothes, walking with Dawn’s hand in his. “Al, hey, glad I caught you…” he said nervously, “Look, something’s come up on the outside. I’m afraid I gotta turn in my resignation man. Its been great working here, really you taught me a ton, but we gotta leave the Nightside.”

Al looked up from the records on his countertop, raising an eyebrow. “Oh?” he asked, then smirked. “Are you sure Fullmoon? Pity, you were a good apprentice. Nice to see not all the men in your clan are walking slabs of beef with muscles for brains…” he chuckled. “May I ask why?”

“Oh, its… something personal…” he nodded. “Sorry, family matter. I gotta get back home to America.”

“Really, and it wouldn’t have to do with my meeting with Buer having an audience earlier?” he sneered, raising his eyebrow, then reaching up and taking off his glasses. As he did Nelen realized he somehow never thought about why he always wore them. It just… never occurred to him.

Al’s eyes were crimson, with goat-like slits. “Really now apprentice…” he chuckled, his voice taking on a strange cadence. “You think I honestly can’t tell when someone is spying on me?” he chuckled.

Nelen took a step back, Dawn’s tail poofing out as they backed slowly towards the exit.

“HOWEVER! You did an excellent job while you were here… so I am open to you taking a… 'leave of absence,' but the matter of payment for Merihim’s sealing technique still isn’t settled.” grinned the demon.

Nelen froze, “Wait… what?! I was your apprentice for two years!” he said, feeling a chill go down his spine. It couldn't be his soul, only one demon could ever have a claim on a soul at a time... but if it wasn't that, what was it?

“And a fine apprentice you were my boy… but that wasn’t the payment.” he smirked, reaching into thin air and pulling out a long sheaf of papers with a flourish, putting a pair of reading glasses on his face.

“Ahem… ‘I, the undersigned, accept lessons of the sealing technique for one Merihim, Lord of Pestilince and the Infernal Storm etc, from Agaliarept Keeper of Mysteries and Great General of Hell’s legions, in exchange for one (1) firstborn child, male or female or intersex acceptable, to be delivered upon their birth to Agaliarept Keeper of Mysteries and Great General of Hell’s legions for immediate surrender unto Hell.’” he turned to him with a smirk at Nelen’s thunderstruck expression, “You really should have read the fine print…”

“I PROMISED YOU MY FUCKING FIRSTBORN?!” he shouted, his eyes wide with shock. He felt as if the floor was going to fall out from under him!

Al pursed his lips, shaking his head, “Language apprentice!” he frowned, “Tut tut, you kiss your mother with that mouth?” he smirked, “But yes, you and your feline friend are free to go out into the great wide world again. Seek adventure, thrills, excitement, perhaps even love? Just remember… should you impregnate anyone… that child is mine…” he sneered.

Nelen backed away to the door, his stomach clenching as the weight of what he’d done hit him, and then he wrenched it open and he and Dawn fled out into the Nightside with Al’s laughter ringing in their ears.

“Farewell apprentice! We shall meet again! You’re under contract after all!” he called to their retreating backs.

London England, present day

Nelen looked down at the Thames. “I’m damned, my sister is terrified of me, and if I ever have a kid they’re going to Hell the minute they’re born…” he sighed. “Everything I touch turns to shit…”

"Fullmoon, listen to me. You don’t want to go to Hell, not yet at least! Come on! Do you know how hard it is to find a host with some damn durability?!" pleaded the demon, trying anything he could think of to stop him! He couldn't possess Nelen unless he was angry, and this wasn't anger!

“I don’t care anymore Merihim…” he muttered, his leg slowly lifting…

And then a blast of wind knocked him sideways onto the bridge.

Stephanie Fullmoon stomped towards him, her face bright red as the door to the Wulfshead faded behind her, Dawn leaning on the wall.

“NELEN YOU IDIOT!” she shrieked, kicking him in the ribs. “Dawn told me you were going to kill yourself!”

Nelen looked up at her in surprise, “Steffi, but… how…” he stammered.

“She brought me here through the Wulfshead. Now shut up, sit up, and listen stupid!” she huffed, folding her arms over her chest, “You think I’m afraid of you or something? You’re my damn brother!” she frowned, “I’m afraid of that thing living inside you, sure! I’d have to be insane not to be, but I saw the seal and I know you know how to control it! You had to let it out to drive Isolde back to Arcadia and you did it to save me and Steve!”

He looked up at her, his eyes wide, the warlock left totally speechless by her sudden appearance and outburst.

“Mom told me what you did to those boys Nelen, but she also told me why you did it! You think if someone did something like that to my friends, I’d just let it go? I’d conjure a tornado and blow them to Oz if that happened! I get it! You did something dumb because they did something horrible, but that doesn’t mean you’re evil! Just… stupid.” she huffed, and he realized her eyes were red as she flopped down infront of him, “Stupid… stupid… STUPID brother!” she punched him in the chest, he barely felt it, she was only a kid after all, but it hurt in a different way.

He looked at her, “Steffi, I… I can’t… I’m dangerous, I…” he stammered.

“NO YOU’RE NOT!” she yelled, “That demon is, but YOU’RE not! You’re doing everything you can to keep him under control so that everyone else is safe!”

Dawn appeared behind him, smacking him upside the head, “Listen to your sister Snape.” she hissed, “I’ve been living with you for years now and I’m okay, right?! Spent every damn day of my life with you since your lunatic granddad slaughtered my family and I’m still alive, he hasn’t killed me yet!”

Nelen looked down, then back out across the water, then looked at Stephanie again, “You don’t see me as a monster?” he asked.

She frowned, “You’re not a monster.” she huffed, wiping her eyes, “Just an idiot.”

A small hotel in Downtown London, several hours later.

“Yeah, yeah she’s with me. In London. Yeah I know, I’ll bring her back to Kentucky tomorrow. Just… yeah, I know… I KNOW… she’s called me that at least thirty times now and yeah… I get it…” he sighed into the phone, “Love you too Mom.” he chuckled, hanging up.

Stephanie was sleeping next to Dawn, the two girls looking remarkably alike in bed together. If nothing else the hair was a close match.

“Jeez…” he sighed, flopping back onto his bed in just a teeshirt and shorts.

"… you know, you really are an idiot." grumbled Merihim. "I want to raise Hell sure, I’m a demon, but I also want to stay out of Hell too. I’m in no hurry to go back."

Nelen cocked his head, “How so?” he whispered.

"Its fucking Hell. Its Hell for everyone, us included. I can still remember a time when I wasn’t stuck down there." the demon replied.

“… wait, you weren’t always a demon?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He heard a snorting sound in his mind, "HAH! No I wasn’t! I was a godsdamn GOD once! Hell, my altar was about fifty miles north of here! Then the Romans came and it all went to shit… I wanted revenge, I got an offer from their ‘Adversary’ and… well… you saw me…"

Nelen blinked slowly, “Wait… so… you wanted revenge, and made a pact with Hell to get it? Son of a bitch… you’re in the same boat I am…” he smirked, his shoulder shaking a bit as he tried to stifle the laughter so he wouldn’t wake the two girls up.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up Fullmoon… point is, I’ve got a vested interest in your health because I want to stay the fuck out of the Pit. We all do! Hell is Hell for everyone involved! Why do you think Reshephia came up here to party instead of dragging them downstairs? We all want out, most of us were tricked into this same as you. Its all a big celestial con game. Always has been." explained Merihim.

“Huh…” he muttered, “Ain’t that the damndest thing…”

"Always is the ‘Damndest’ thing. That’s the whole idea." laughed Merihim in a sarcastic tone.

Nelen looked out the window at the London skyline, the wheels turning in his head. So Merihim hadn’t always been a demon… he was a God who’d fallen into infernal ways for vengeance against a bigger, nastier God.

… he wondered, idly, if that was the end of that road… or if there might be another path yet.

Perhaps, in time, he’d know. Does anyone have to stay in Hell forever?

Next Story

Previous Story

[undead-merman]

thoughts on a yandere aqrabuamelu lucifer? I got the idea and can’t stop thinking about it. they were made to wage war on the gods and can become possessive over travelers they warn of danger. also keep it up i love your work!!

A kiss from me to you. Thank you.

Yandere aqrabuamelu Lucifer with GN-Reader

Appearance

Like most of his kind Lucifer is large hulking made of muscle and dark chitin. Standing as tall as he can reach, he is about ten feet tall, though he keeps his legs low to the ground so he’s normally about eight and a half.

From his pelvis down are flat mesosoma segments that lead into a long six-legged scorpion body. The legs are lengthy and hold himself low to the ground. The limbs themself are bulky, though agile. They have to be with him being born to fight. 

Below his pelvis is a pair or rounded claws capable of crushing even elephant bones. They are smooth right at the pinchers but become thorny and pointed almost artfully jagged in a way. Like chaotic and intimidating armor. 

His tail is as long as he is tall, seated higher on his body it does seem much longer than it actually is. The stinger is long and is tipped with a hot and burning-looking red. 

His human skin is tanned and kissed from the sun though littered with scars, old scars have chitin growths around them like quartz sprouting from the earth. His arms were the most assaulted and had growths more like gauntlets than anything else. His humanoid arms end with long claws similar to his stingers. 

His hair is silvered, the tips like a grayed arctic fox while he has streaks of inflamed red. 

War Against The Gods

He was there when Lilith was struck down and the first to rise against the gods who so brutally killed those they did not agree to. Their whims are far too dangerous to be left alone, so he and his brothers resist their tyranny and slay them just as they have slayed their loved ones. 

Every battle he gained a new scar that eventually turned into more armor-like growths on his body, each a reminder of each mistake, each victory. It’s gotten to the point where he cannot remember them anymore. They’ve become countless. 

He hardly sleeps anymore, he has to be extra vigilant for his brothers. He refuses to allow them to be hurt more than they already have. Over the years his eyes have gained a heaviness that can never be removed as well as dark eyebags that have started to try and crystalize with chitin just like the rest of his body. 

He’s absolutely ruthless to not only the gods but those he’s close to. In his mind, they cannot falter. Faltering will only hurt them more, but at the same time, he wants to keep them safe. A horrid cycle that’s not only destructive to the relationships around him but self-destructive. 

He wants to be over with this conflict but he worries that even after the war, nothing will be the same. So he revels in it. Prolongs it when it comes to him and only him. He’s not sure how he’ll cope when the battles are over. He’s scared of a social conflict compared to a bloody one. So he fears and craves the day it’s finally over.      

Finding You

You were a simple merchant that was caught in the middle. You stumbled across the youngest, Belphegor, he was horribly injured and bleeding out and you stuck your neck and made yourself an enemy of the all-powerful oppressor that claim the heavens. 

You even dragged his impressive form back to their home on your cart, knocking over all kinds of products and even damaging the cart from his pained thrashing. Lucifer couldn’t thank you enough for what you did and worried for your life after this. He offered his home to you at least for a few days. 

Their home was beautiful and the brothers were warm and even playful with you as they splashed you in the crystal clear oasis or chased you through the sands and over the rocky caves. Beelzebub even shared his food with you, something he hardly ever did even for his most beloved brother.  

He watched as they got quickly attached to you, and the same with you. Like bees to honey. It was heartwarming, if not terrifying. A soft and weak human like you. Not only would it damage them but himself as well. He grew as attached as them and with the gods surely focusing their attention on you. He knew what he had to do.     

Dark Tendencies

The day you were to leave he held you and refused to let you go. He would never use chains, whips, or even cages. He tried to use words. Something foreign to him, and ended up coming out as a threat. Well, if it works it works. 

He watches over you like a vulture hovering over sick cattle in an arid desert. Keeping tabs on your every move, acting like you are here because you want to be. Holding your face with a painful iron grip whenever you hint you want to go. 

He’s placed wards on you so when he’s out to battle you’re unable to leave, you can’t step out of their home unless he’s there so he can go on ‘walks’ with you. 

You want to be here, it’s safer this way and you don’t want to hurt his brothers do you? Not only that but you’ll end up causing too many problems if you just go. Just stay here, it's not that hard. You can do that, can’t you? And stop crying. He’s helping you, he cares, so just be good and stay put.

[helliontherapscallion]

sibling hybrid!creeper reader headcannons/one-shot for SBI ( + ranboo? 🧍‍♀️ ) hurt/comfort. like maybe the reader struggles with emotions and doesn't know how to deal w/ them healthily, so they end up bottling them up and kinda explode at times.

sorry if this is too specific, i just really like your writing :) congrats on 1k!! <3

and one last thing,.. can i be 🫂 anon?

(A/N): I had a lot of fun with this one, and thank you : ) I hope you don’t mind that I added Tubbo. Also one more thing, I imagine the explosion is kinda like a Bakugou situation but uncontrollable

Warnings: anti-hybrid rhetoric/slurs (speciesism???), swearing, blood (not much, just mentions of a nose bleed)

It was completely an accident this time, it all just came so fast. You were standing in front of a store window when you felt something rub against your leg. When you looked down, panic engulfed your entire being when you saw an orange cat rubbing and nuzzling against your leg, letting out deep purrs. You had no clue why this cat wasn’t chasing you like all other cats usually did, but you didn’t want to ponder. You felt the familiar pressure building up inside of you as a startled hiss left your mouth and you jumped away from the creature. Your skin was sparking and popping as your freckles lit up in a glowing green light. 

Finally, explosions left your skin as the glass shattered next to you and gravel was turned up and thrown about. You fell to your knees and rubbed at your burning eyes and wiped the blood from your nose. Exploding like that had always taken a lot out of you and made your nose bleed. You suspected that it was because of the sudden build up and release of pressure and energy. 

The back of your shirt was grabbed and you were yanked off from the ground. There staring at you was the owner of the shop that you accidentally blew up. His green eyes were ablaze as he gritted his teeth and looked into your eyes.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?! You blew up my window!”

Small hisses left your mouth, “I-I’m sorry sir I swear I didn’t mean t-”

“Like hell you didn’t! Your kind always destroys everything!”

You stopped struggling and narrowed your eyes at him, “my kind?”

“Yes, hybrids! Filthy mutts, all you do is destroy! You’re a bunch of freaks.”

You could feel another explosion coming about and this time you did not even attempt to hold this one back. You stared him dead in the eyes with the harshest glare you could muster. As soon as the hisses started to leave your mouth and the freckles once again glowed green, the man’s eyes widened before he threw you into the street away from the building. Another explosion left you and disassembled the neat cobblestone of the road. A single stone flew and shattered what was left of the store window. Another flew and hit the store owner in the head knocking him out. 

And here you were now; hisses left your mouth as you ran down the beaten path of the village towards the exit. The iron golem following you was hot on your tail, it’s booming footsteps picking up dust clouds from the gravel. Villagers around you scattered and started to whisper fearfully amongst themselves. You could feel their fearful and angry stares burning holes through you. After you got out of the village and the iron golem was still chasing you, you ducked into the forest where you knew it wouldn’t follow you. You climbed up a tree and watched as the golem angrily smacked the foliage out of the way before it gave up and hobbled back into the village. 

You dragged your feet tiredly back home, wanting nothing more than to collapse in your bed. Your senses were on overdrive as you were hyper aware of everything around you. You’ve never exploded twice within the span of ten minutes before, and it wore you out. Small exhausted hisses left your mouth as you trudged along the path. 

After getting home you walked past a confused and concerned Wilbur, dodging his hands that were trying to grab you so he could get a better look at you. You walked up the stairs ignoring his questions and walked past Tommy.

“Hey sparky, what’s got you lookin like shit?” He asked you before he started to laugh to himself at the nickname he knew you hated. You winced at the volume of his voice before you hissed angrily and stomped off into your room before you passed out immediately in your bed the second you threw yourself onto it. 

You didn’t wake up until a hand shook you awake firmly. You peeled open your eyes to see Tommy hovering over you looking slightly scared. When you fully opened your eyes, he sighed in relief.

“Oh my fucking Ender, I thought you died for a second.”

You only groaned and covered your head with the covers trying to block out the morning light streaming into your room and Tommy’s voice. He shook you more, your entire bed shaking with it. “Get up. Dad wants you downstairs for breakfast cuz you skipped lunch and dinner.”

You said nothing as he ripped the covers off from you eventually and pulled you out of your bed. You landed on the floor with a thump and hissed a little in frustration. You stood up and pushed him out of your room and slammed the door behind him. The locked door handle jimmied before it stopped and everything was silent. You prayed that he went away, but alas he didn’t. You rubbed your forehead when he started to knock at your door in multiples of two.

Knock knock, “(y/n)?” Knock knock, “(y/n)?” Knock knock, “(y/n)?” Knock kno-

“I’ll be down in a minute fuckface. I’m gonna get dressed.”

“If you aren’t down in five minutes I’m getting Techno. He’ll carry your ass down.”

Downstairs, you shambled into the kitchen past the table and poured yourself a cup of coffee. Your family silently watched you before the conversation started back up again. You plopped down next to Wilbur and sipped at your coffee deliriously. He eyed you in concern, “you okay?” You hummed and poked at your eggs. You didn’t feel hungry at all. “You su-”

“Yes, I’m sure Wilbur.” You glanced at him from the corner of your eye and returned to your coffee. After your fourth cup of coffee you were cut off by a concerned Philza. Even after four cups of coffee, you still felt slightly physically drained and it showed in your sluggish movements. Your day went by with you holding in your frustration and anger from everybody constantly asking if you were okay. Days of holding in explosions passed with them finally leaving you alone. However, that did nothing to alleviate your bottled up frustrations.

Techno was sitting on the couch reading a book while Wilbur was sitting in the chair across the room trying to find the lyrics of his next song. Philza was in the kitchen doing who knows what. You were currently walking up to Tommy’s room to say hi to your old friends Tubbo and Ranboo after getting home from a trip to another village. 

That trip was rough for you but not as rough as the one a few days prior; you could only stand so much fear filled and hateful staring after all. Your creeper features consisting of pitch black irises and dark gray sclera, a mop of dark green hair, and green freckles sprayed randomly across your skin was definitely an attention grabber for anyone. A few of the kids even threw rotten tomatoes and stones at you, it was so hard holding in explosions by the time you left that you just felt very overwhelmed. Hanging out around the self proclaimed ‘bench trio’ always enough to calm you down from a rough day. Mellohi’s muffled relaxed beat makes the corners of your lips twitch into a small smile. 

However just as you opened the door to Tommy’s room, you could hear their conversation end. “Hey guys, how’re-”

A yelp left your throat as something very cold drenched your body. An iron bucket came tumbling down and hit your head before falling to the floor with a clank. The pressure that has been building up in your chest increased tenfold, but you closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to walk to your room for a change of clothes. Behind you, you heard Tommy laughing hysterically while Tubbo tried to apologize between his own laughter. You didn’t even have to look at Ranboo to know that he was guiltily fiddling with his sleeves as his tail flicked back and forth sharply. 

After you went into your room, you grabbed your pillow and screamed as loud as you could into it to blow off some steam. After that didn’t work, you tried punching the pillow relentlessly but that didn’t work. You could still feel pressure and energy inside your chest lingering and threatening to burst. 

You sighed and made your way downstairs walking past Tommy’s door. You could now hear Ranboo laughing with them, and that just made you even more angry than you were before. 

Everything around you was pissing you off. Philza’s wings fluttering behind him subconsciously, Technoblade’s little ‘heh’’s as he read something that caught him off guard in his book, Wilbur’s humming and mumbling to himself as he composed his next song, Tommy’s, Ranboo’s, and Tubbo’s loud laughter echoing from Tommy’s room. Every little sound was enough to send you over the edge. Just as you were about to leave the house to calm down again, a knock sounded at the door.

Philza gently pushed you behind him with furrowed brows and a hand on the sword hung around his hip. Techno’s book snapped shut as he stood up to grab his axe while Wilbur walked over to you and put a protective hand on your shoulder. You understood why they were cautious; you didn’t normally get visitors and the last time the house did, it was someone that decided to try and attack Technoblade on sight when he opened the door screaming about how hybrids aren’t natural. Keyword: tried. Techno absolutely would’ve killed him if it wasn’t for Philza holding him back. 

You felt anxiety creep up inside you as you fought against the small hisses trying to escape your mouth. The door opened slowly to reveal the store owner from a few days ago. His eyes hardened when he saw the wings sprouting from Philza’s back before his eyes flicked to you. He did not look happy to see you behind your dad’s massive wings. Without another word, you turned and ran up to your room when you felt the pressure become almost unbearable. 

You ran past Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo who were leaving Tommy’s room with hesitance. You didn’t respond when they tried to stop you. Slamming your door closed, you sat on your bed with your head clutched in your hands desperately trying to fight against the pressure building up. Small pops sounded on your skin as you grit your teeth in concentration. You could hear knocking at your door, thank god you locked it behind you. You had no idea how long you were sitting there trying to hold it back.

When the pressure became too much and you felt yourself losing grip on your control, you knew you needed to get out of the house as soon as possible. This was going to be a huge explosion, probably the biggest one you were going to do. The loud continuous hiss that left your throat was something you weren’t actively doing, another telltale sign that you were about to explode. You ripped open the door, pulled yourself from Tommy’s grasp, and ran as fast as you could downstairs. Philza followed you with a furious expression when he saw you, the store owner seemingly having left. 

“(Y/n), what in the hell did you do?” He grabbed your arm and pulled you to the living room. You tried your hardest to pull out of his grasp, but he was holding on too tight. The hissing had gotten slightly louder, but you moved a hand up to your mouth to try and muffle it. He sat you down on the couch and started pacing in front of you, his feathers puffed up angrily. Wilbur and Techno were eyeing you warily from across the room. 

“What were you thinking, blowing up his store like that? Were you even thinking? Cuz that was stupid (y/n). Hybrids get enough bad rap, and you go and pull this?!”

“Dad-”

“Not now Wilbur. As I was saying, you could’ve killed someone! What would you do then-”

“Dad,” Techno’s assertive tone stopped Philza in his tracks as he ran a hand down his face. “What could you possibly want right now, boys?”

“(Y/n)’s gonna explode soon.” Wilbur hurried over to you and helped you up. You could hear the three younger boys’ steps thundering down the stairs. By now, you were visibly shaking and sweating with the effort of holding explosions back. You could see the glowing of your freckles through the reflection of Wilbur’s glasses. 

“Shit,” Philza sounded panicked in that moment as Wilbur ushered you out of the house and into the forest. You pushed him away and stumbled your way deeper into the forest. You heard them attempting to follow you, but you gestured for them to get back. You had no idea how big this one was going to be, but it was definitely going to be large. 

You ran deeper into the forest until you couldn’t hold it back anymore. Leaning against a tree, you finally let yourself explode. This one was painful; your skin burned with every pop that emanated from your freckles, the burning making your free nerve endings scream at you. The last thing you saw was a wave of dirt splashing up before you blacked out. 

You were in and out of consciousness for the next week or so. Whenever you would wake up slightly, it would only be for a couple moments before you would pass out again. It was in those moments that the pain and the lack of energy hit you at full force. You supposed being unconscious was better than the mental and physical fog and the pain. 

By the time you fully woke up, your senses were slightly hyperactive, but nowhere near how you felt when you blew up that store. You reached up with a heavy hand to wipe at your crusty eyes before you heard rustling next to you. You looked over to see Philza standing at the door with a glass of water in his hand. When he saw that you were awake, he rushed to your side and helped you sit up. You took the water gratefully and drank it, the liquid refreshed your dry throat. 

“How’re you feeling?” 

“Tired and a little sore. How long was I out for?”

“About a week, you really worried us. That was a really big one. Do you know why it was so big?”

You nodded and looked down at the water in your hands, swirling it around the glass. You didn’t want to tell him about feeling angry and overwhelmed at every little thing around you the past few days. You felt guilty at that, they were just trying to live their lives while you were cursing them for merely existing. A finger under your chin made you look up at Philza. His eyes were full of gentleness and empathy, “c’mon, you can tell me. I want to help you.”

“I don’t know where to start.”

“Start wherever you feel comfortable. Take as much time as you need.” He sat on the edge of your bed and looked around your room while he waited. You took a second to gather your thoughts before you took a deep breath. Philza perked up and diverted his full attention to you. 

“It started when I first blew up that guy’s store. I swear it was an accident that time, a cat snuck up on me and rubbed on me,” you shuddered, small hisses leaving your mouth. “The guy came out and picked me up by my shirt. He called us some names so I kinda got mad and blew up on purpose.”

“‘Us’?”

You nodded, “hybrids. He said that ‘our kind’ destroys everything.” You glared at the glass in your hands, hissing in contempt and watching the freckles dully glow green. “He called us ‘filthy mutts’ and freaks, Dad.” Philza looked slightly peeved at the name calling, “still, you shouldn’t’ve blown up on him. You could’ve killed him, (y/n).”

“So you’re saying that it’s okay for him to call us slurs? Should we just let people slander us?” You narrowed your eyes at him. He shook his head, his medium length blond hair swaying with the movement. “Hell no, I’m not saying that at all. You should never let someone call you things, but violence is never the answer.”

You huffed, crossing your arms, “frankly, he deserved what was coming to him. I just wish he didn’t throw me before I could blow up.” 

“Hold on, he fucking threw you?” You nodded and watched his eyes darken and anger flash across his face, “violence is sometimes the answer then. Did he hurt you?” 

“No, but I just felt so… so drained. But so overwhelmed at the same time. I’ve never exploded twice in the same day before.”

He hummed in realization, “so that’s why you slept through most of the day. Sorry, go on.”

“After Tommy woke me up everything just felt worse. It was like everything around me was amplified. It was hell, the last few days I was just hyper aware of everything and it was pissing me off. Every little thing drove me crazy, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to exploding but I held it back until I couldn’t anymore.” 

“(Y/n), you know that’s not healthy… I talked to Sam, you remember right?” You shook your head, “well, he was an old friend of Wilbur’s. He used to come here all the time before he had to move away. He’s a creeper hybrid like you,” he chuckled when you perked up, “he gave me some advice on your anatomy when you were growing up. Anyways, he told me that sensory overload is common when you explode. He said that it’s normal to feel drained afterwards and to definitely get plenty of sleep. The sensory issues apparently get worse if your rest is interrupted, so that was probably why you felt overwhelmed in the past few days… He also told me that it really isn’t healthy to explode more than once a day or to hold it in for longer than necessary. Please just come to me if you’re feeling overwhelmed again or if you need to rest after exploding. I can even build you an obsidian building where you could go and not blow up anything.”

“...I’d like that. What- what else did he tell you?” Philza chuckled and started to tell you more about what Sam told him about his anatomy. He even gave you Sam’s comms contact so you could contact him if you had any questions or wanted some advice. He was a nice man when you talked to him, always having an answer for your questions. You even found old pictures of you as a baby following him around. Apparently you could tell that he was part creeper; wherever he was in the house, you were bound to be near him.

The rest of the day, you hung out with the rest of your family and the bench trio. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Techno wasn’t one for open affection, being the type to give you little trinkets and giving you suggestions on what to read next. Every time you woke up, you would find small objects ranging from gold to emeralds and books on your nightstand. He would vehemently deny being the one that gave you the items, but you and the rest of the family knew better. Sometimes, he would drop into your room to ask you what you thought of the book and have a thorough discussion about it with you while you were recovering. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You leaned against Wilbur’s side with his arm wrapped around you. The hand that was around you was rubbing circles into your shoulder. After he scolded you for bottling up your emotions, he climbed into your bed and pulled you to his side. Small hums left his throat. 

“(Y/n)?” You hummed, your eyes half lidded and almost about to fall asleep. “Would you mind if I wrote a song about you? It would fit with the next album’s theme.” 

“Knock yourself out.” Your words were slightly slurred as you nuzzled closer to him. He laughed a bit, the sound being muffled and reverberating his chest. “Get some sleep. I’ll brainstorm some ideas to run by you before you wake up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanging out with the self proclaimed ‘bench trio’ was always fun, even if you were on strict orders to stay in bed by Dadza. Nobody argues with a concerned Dadza, but they found other ways to hang out with you. Tommy had moved his jukebox into your room and was playing cat, the music soothing you immensely and putting an end to your worries. However, what didn’t soothe you was the card game in front of you. 

You were watching in horror as everybody put down a plus two card stacking the amount the victim would have to draw. So far, the plus two streak had already gone around the circle once and is now going around once more. It was nearing your turn and it was with great horror that you realized you didn’t have a color changing card or a plus two card. The two cards in your hand felt heavy as you watched Ranboo pull out another card.

“Please Ranboo, I’ll do anything. Don’t put that card down.” You watched as his ears twitched before he smiled innocently at you, putting the card down and laughing at you when you started the long process of drawing fourteen cards and sorting them. 

“Sorry, my hand slipped.”

“Get fucked (y/n)!” Tommy cackled at you. You flipped him off before you went back to sorting the cards. Tubbo put down a plus four color changing card and smiled at Tommy. 

“Sorry Tommy, but uno and the color is now red!”

“Goddamnit Tubbo! That’s the one color I don’t have,” he grumbled and drew four cards. Ranboo smiled triumphantly and put down his last card before showing you his empty hands. “What?! You didn’t even say uno!” You eyed his smug smile with disbelief. 

“You guys didn’t call me on it though.”

“That’s not the rules, Ranboo! You have to say uno!” Tommy argued. Long story short, the rules had to be looked up and the family had to be consulted before your group came to the conclusion that you in fact do not have to call out uno and the other players could call them out on it. Eventually after a few tense games, the three were sitting on your bed. Ranboo had some difficulty with it due to his height, but he managed with his legs crossed. 

“(Y/n) do you reckon you could become charged if you were hit by lightning?”

“Tubbo, you’re a genius,” Tommy breathed out, “let’s go see!” 

“No, you will not go see. Sit back down.” Wilbur called out as he passed your room. The group slumped slightly. “We’ll see when I get better. Mark my words, the next thunderstorm that happens I will see if I can be charged.” You whispered to them, your eyes glinting with mischief. 

“I don’t really think that’s a good idea.”

“Of course it is, Ranboo. It probably won’t kill them.”

“Probably?” Ranboo raised an eyebrow at Tommy’s nonchalant answer. “Yes, probably.”

“I still have three lives left. If I die, I die.” You wove a hand in the air as you spoke and watched as Tubbo nodded in agreement. “Do it for science, (y/n).”

“Oh I will. For science!” You raised your water glass in the air and Tommy and Tubbo followed suit with wide smiles. “For science!”

You three turned to stare at a deadpanning Ranboo. He sighed before he raised his glass of milk and let out a monotone “for science.” You, Tommy, and Tubbo cheered as you clanked your glasses together. You could see a hint of a fond smile on Ranboo’s face as he watched you three chug your waters before he downed his milk in one swallow. 

You smirked at them and leaned close, talking lowly so that anyone passing by wouldn’t overhear you. “So, what’s our plan?”

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[korstudying]

Week 1 vocabulary

안녕하세요~ If you have been following my blog, you’ll know that I am currently studying in South Korea. I decided to share the vocabulary I have to learn every week. So if you want to study in Korea, this might be a fun little challenge for you to try and keep up! This is the actual pace, so a great way to get into the Korean study vibes~~ 

All the vocabulary can be found on memrise. 

2 - 이

5 - 오

Cucumber - 오이

Baby - 아이

Duck - 오리

Head - 머리 

Mother - 어머니

Tree - 나무

Lion - 사자

Baseball - 야구

Yoga - 요가

Fox - 여우

Milk - 우유

Doctor - 의사

Next - 다음

Week - 주

Crab - 게 

Stamp - 우표

Autumn, fall - 가을

Wind - 바람

Train - 기차

Brain - 뇌

Cooking - 요리

Here - 여기

Father - 아버지

Ball - 공

summer - 여름

Gift - 선물

Carrot - 당근

Handkerchief - 손수건

Hangul - 한글

Forehead - 이마

Country - 나라

dress shoes - 구두

Hat - 모자

Pants - 바지

Leg - 다리

Furniture - 가구

Rain - 비

Ruler - 자

Excuse me - 저기요

Sea - 바다

There - 거기

Ball - 구기

Secretary - 비서

Consumption - 소비

Tofu - 두부

Injection - 주사

Lion - 사자

often, frequently - 자주

soju - 소주

master - 고수

Savior - 구주

horseman - 기수

dispute - 시비

hydrogen - 수소

Small head - 소두

to see - 보다

wharf - 부두

Wealthy - 부자

secret - 비보

Majority - 다수

prayer - 기도

CD  - 시디

Earth - 지구

Department - 부서

Oneself - 자기

Chickenpox - 수두

accident - 사고

article - 기사

keynote - 기조

circulation - 부수

assistant - 조수

door - 문

eye - 눈

hand - 손

water - 물

tears - 눈물

alcohol - 술

fire - 불

night - 밤

moon - 달

star - 별

Foot - 발

bear - 곰

ring - 반지

winter - 겨울

basketball - 농구

bedding - 이불

glasses - 안경

face - 얼굴

cat - 고양이

chick - 병아리

puppy - 강아지

man - 남자

then - 그럼

Wedding - 웨딩

airplane - 비행기

television - 텔레비전

bean - 콩

grass - 풀

blackboard - 칠판

window - 창문

Car - 자동차

Computer - 컴퓨터

love - 사랑

shoes - 신발

sky - 하늘

pocket - 주머니

river - 강

river water - 강물

card - 카드

very, too - 너무

person, people - 사람

bean sprouts - 콩나물

tide - 파도

vacation - 휴가

story - 이야기

sing - 노래

pillow - 베개

camera - 카메라

Skate - 스케이트

Tennis - 테니스

Jeju Island - 제주도

key - 열쇠

company - 회사

church - ��회

pig - 돼지

medicine - 의교

waiter - 웨이터

subway - 지하철

police - 경찰

Spain - 스페인

Singapore - 싱가포르

Pakistan - 파키스탄

School - 학교

restaurant - 식당

spoon - 숟가락

cup - 컵

steamed rice - 밥

clothes - 옷

chopsticks - 젓가락

day - 낮

preview - 예습

clock, watch - 시계

location - 위치

ear - 귀

behind - 뒤

mouse, rat - 쥐

rest - 쉬세요

easy - 쉬워요

to get drunk - 취하다

office worker - 회사원

help me - 도와요

look - 봐요

Wine - 와인

restroom - 화장실

it's cold - 추워요

difficult - 어려워요

give - 줘요

child - 꼬마

tail - 꼬리

magpie - 까치

shoulder - 어깨

black - 까만색

sweat - 땀

strawberry - 딸기

fat - 뚱뚱해요

run away - 뛰어가요

thick - 두꺼워요

Pretty - 예뻐요

Dad - 아빠

Quickly - 빨리

Horns - 뿔

To be cheap - 싸다

expensive - 비싸요

really - 진짜

stew - 찌개

watermelon - 수박

kitchen - 부엌

outside - 밖

money - 돈

mountain - 산

to listen - 듣다

flower - 꽃

below - 밑

to exist - 있다

horse - 말

road - 길

mum - 엄마

kimchi - 김치

name - 이름

kimbap - 김밥

in front - 앞

beside - 옆

bag - 가방

younger sibling - 동생

korean - 한국어

music - 음악

wipe - 닦아요

ten thousand won - 만원

wear - 입어요

in the kitchen - 부엌에

take - 받아요

out - 바깥으로

wet - 젖어요

leaf - 잎

like  - 좋아요

many - 많이

if you don't like it - 싫으면

put - 넣어요

lose - 잃어버리다

let go - 놓으세요

it's ok - 괜찮아요

sit - 앉아요

chicken - 닭

boiled - 삶은

life - 삶이

thin - 얇은

lick - 핥아서

recited - 읊어요

to not exist - 없다

read - 읽어요

young - 젊은

wide - 넓어요

clear - 맑은

soil - 흙을

value - 값이

thursday - 목요일

in the forest - 숲에서

please sit - 앉으세요

good - 좋은

in the mountain - 산에

light - 빛이

day - 일

the baby sleeps - 아기가 자요.

the mother sings - 어머니가 노래하세요

buy a comfortable chair - 편한 의자를 사요

tomorrow I meet my friend - 내일 친구를 만나요

I read the newspaper in the morning - 아침에 신문을 읽어요

I listen to music - 음악을 들으세요

This is an umbrella - 이것은 우산이에요

The bag is under the desk - 가방이 책상 밑에 있어요

My dictionary is 1000 won - 저 사과는 천 원이에요

The rose bloomed prettily - 장미꽃이 예쁘게 피었어요

Rabbits have red eyes - 토끼는 눈이 빨개요

Don't talk because it's noisy - 시끄러우니까 떠들지 마세요

Yesterday the weather was chilly - 어제는 날씨가 쌀쌀했어요

Our house pig is fat - 우리 집 돼지는 뚱뚱해요

Uncle runs to the company - 아저씨가 회사에 뛰어가요

I ate dinner at my friends house - 친구 집에서 저녁밥을 먹었어요

The leaves have fallen - 잎이 떨어졌어요

I parked the car in front of the house - 차를 집 앞에 세웠어요

The apartment is high - 아파트가 높아요

The baby sees someone and cries - 아기가 사람을 보고 울어요

I planted an apple tree in the field - 밭에 사과나무를 심었어요

At what time is the Korean class - 한국어 수업 시간이 몇 시예요

What are you doing in the kitchen? - 부엌에서 뭘 하세요

Let's go play by the mountains - 산으로 놀러 가자

Shall we buy bread and apples? - 빵과 과일을 살까요

Let's meet on the 1st day of January - 일월 일일에 만나요

The wind is blowing softly - 바람이 솔솔 불어요

I am studying Korean - 한국어를 공부해요

I don't know how - 방법을 몰라요

It's really fun - 정말 재미있어요

Roses are pretty - 장미가 예뻐요

Open the window - 창문을 여세요

There is a lot of river water - 강물이 많아졌어요

Hello teacher - 선생님 안녕하세요

Grandpa is in the room - 할아버지는 방에 계세요

You said you're moving to Busan - 부산으로 이사한다고 했어요

Put it in the back - 상자에 넣으세요

I think the scenery is very beautiful - 경치가 참 아름다운 것 같아요

I didn't bring my notebook - 공책을 안 가지고 왔어요

I like lettuce - 저는 상추를 좋아해요

I sold squid - 오징어를 팔았어요

Where did you find it? - 어디에서 찾았어요?

There are a lot of people at the department store - 백화점에 사람이 많이 있어요

I like boiled eggs - 삶은 계란을 좋아해요

I can because I have plenty of time - 시간이 많으니까 할 수 있어요

The moonlight is bright - 달빛이 밝아요

You cannot lose this thing - 이 물건은 잃어버리면 안 돼요

Clear water flows - 맑은 물이 흘러요

Auntie is selling flowers in front of the house - 아주머니가 집 앞에서 꽃을 팔고 있어요

I put it in my bag - 가방 속에 넣어 두었어요

Self study - 독학

to find - 찾다

to walk - 걷다

Moscow - 모스크바

Airconditioning - 에이컨

Excuse me - 실례하다

please help me - 도와 주세요

cosmetics - 화장품

makeup - 화장

hot - 뜨거워요

look please - 부세요

listen please - 들으세요

write please - 쓰세요

read please - 읽으세요

repeat please - 따라하세요

question - 질문

I have a question - 질문이 있습니다

drink it please - 농우세요

I forgot - 잊이버렸어요

it's the same - 같아요

Saliva - 침

Woof woof - 멍멍

Staff - 직원

fist - 주먹

bird - 새

dog - 개

ship - 배

yes - 네

coffee - 커피

cocoa - 코코아

Tomato - 토마토

Cake - 케이크

ski - 스키

Paris - 파리

skirt - 치마

Turkey - 터키

Peru - 페루

Sofa - 소파

America - 아메리카

Africa - 아프리카

Trash can - 휴지통

mask - 탈

Pizza - 피자

long sentence - 장문

total - 총

Table - 식탁

toothpaste - 치약

curtain - 커튼

fridge - 냉장고

taxi - 택시

internet - 인터넷

CD player - 카세트

olympic - 올림픽

Korea - 한국

United Kingdom - 영국

China - 중국

Europe - 유럽

Italy - 이탈리아

Thailand - 태국

Indonesia - 인도네시아

Egypt - 이집트

Mexico - 멕시코

Germany - 독일

Russia - 러시아

Mongolia - 몽골

Malaysia - 말레이시아

Vietnam - 베트남

Saudi Arabia - 사우디아라비아

Japan - 일본

India - 인도

Indonesia - 인도네시아

Cambodia - 캄보디아

Tanzania - 탄자니아

Philippines - 필리핌

Australia - 호주

[ultravioletwinters]

!! for the oc ask game :000

omg thank u! sorry this took so long to post lol

Delight is an OC i’ve never really talked about here so :D left is original, right is pokemon AU…

They’re around 24-25 years old, 5’5, they/them in general and they/she pronouns in Pokemon. They love a good snack, like to play with light and flames, and their favorite color is green! They often ramble or talk in a stream-of-consciousness style, and are earnest about making friends.

I think this is gonna need a readmore for backstory 😂

They were an interesting ward, often taken care of by the local clergy in Kamordah, due to their perceived uselessness at making wine. Their perplexing obsession with Pelor, despite their anything-but-diurnal nature, confused the priests that attempted to educate the child and guide them towards a more fitting form of worship. Despite the guidance, Delight found their way into the scriptures of Pelor at night, learning to conjure a spectral hand to hold their candle to read by: they were completely determined to become his disciple. One night, after they had read every word written about Pelor in town, they awoke. They found themself at the temple, greeting it with the dawn (for once), and as the sunlight hit their face, they felt something change. The sun shaped amulet they always wore around their neck glowed hot, the roots of their hair became shock-white, and they knew that Pelor was watching them. They set out then on their journey, to discover how others interact with Pelor’s light, even if it means stumbling into the dark…

They were an interesting ward, often taken care of by the local clergy in Kamordah, due to their perceived uselessness at making wine. Their perplexing obsession with Pelor, despite their anything-but-diurnal nature, confused the priests that attempted to educate the child and guide them towards a more fitting form of worship. Despite the guidance, Delight found their way into the scriptures of Pelor at night, learning to conjure a spectral hand to hold their candle to read by: they were completely determined to become his disciple. One night, after they had read every word written about Pelor in town, they awoke. They found themself at the temple, greeting it with the dawn (for once), and as the sunlight hit their face, they felt something change. The sun shaped amulet they always wore around their neck glowed hot, the roots of their hair became shock-white, and they knew that Pelor was watching them. They set out then on their journey, to discover how others interact with Pelor’s light, even if it means stumbling into the dark…

this campaign didn’t last long but i think it was a very neat intro and one day i hope i can play this version of Delight again!

❤️‍🔥 Pokemon AU!!!

Delight is a Houndoom gijinka! She started off a normal child, but ten years ago, when the Plasma Event occurred, breaking the society of the Unova they knew, they changed. At age 14, they woke up with a throbbing pain in their spine, a small tail, nubby horns, and sharp teeth. Their transformation into a houndour gijinka was not not particularly welcome in the pokemon-fearing resort town of Undella, so their artifact-obsessed parents sent them to the Abundant Shrine to Landorus they’d previously done archeological work at.

At the shrine, Delight was trained by its resident Ninetales (Delight became her little meowmeow) and pseudo-parented by the Chimecho gijinka shrine maiden, and given a partner Audino named Didi (who really likes berries and not much else). She painfully evolved into a Houndoom after an emotional battle and split with a former friend, after a rough training set. Bony growths sprouted from her upper spine and occipital skull, extra metal braces materialized around their wrists and ankles, and their hair began to grow shock-white at the roots. Their horns curled and sharpened to points. They threw themselves into their training and their study of Landorus, further shunned from the town.

One winter, an anomaly began to grow and the winter slated to last a month lasted the whole year: Ninetales sacrificed a great deal to protect the crop-dependent shrine town, and retreated into the mountains to slumber. Delight’s faith in Landorus was strong, but this shifted her respect to her mentor: where was the guardian of the land, why was their mentor, a non-legendary pokemon, protecting it instead?