#The Mind: a beautiful servant‚ a dangerous master.

[talkativeobserver]

The Mind: a beautiful servant, a dangerous master. — Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho)

[yuujispinkhair]

Boxer!Sukuna headcanons

Inspired by this lovely ask. Thank you so much for sending me that and making me lose my mind over Boxer!Sukuna.

Pairing: Boxer!Sukuna x Reader (female) Genre: fluff + smut Word Count: 1.5k Warnings: 18+, modern AU, smut, squirting. Mentions of boxing injuries, biting, blood. I know that boxers usually wear a groin protector, but I chose to ignore this for this AU because I wanted to write a sexy detail lol. Sukuna + Reader are in a relationship. Minors don't interact. Divider @/benkeibear

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who always wants you by his side backstage until it's time for him to enter the arena. You are his good luck charm and the only one who is allowed to wrap the bandages around his hands before he slips into his gloves. Not that he needs any luck with the skills he has, but he loves seeing you press your sweet kisses on his boxing gloves and smile at him before you hug him tightly and tell him to please be careful.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who gets a warm feeling in his heart when he sees how worried you always are. Much more nervous before his fights than he is. But he always reassures you, wrapping his muscular tattooed arms tightly around you and hugging you to his firm body while he tells you, "Don't worry, princess. You know I never lose."

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who smiles while you help him get dressed before a fight, helping him slip into the white silk kimono he wears for his ring entrance show. He can clear his mind the best when he feels your gentle hands caressing over his broad back.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who gives you his most charming smile before he grabs your chin and asks you for a good luck kiss, not just on his boxing gloves but also on his lips.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who always tells you he loves you before he leaves the backstage area. And hearing your "I love you, too" in return gives him another surge of motivation.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, whose ring-entrance show always makes the crowd go wild. The whole arena is bathed in blood-red light. A picture of an ancient shrine in a sea of blood gets projected onto the large screens. Dramatic classical music starts playing as a huge throne of skulls emerges from the fog, with Sukuna lounging casually on it, his head resting on the back of his hand. He's wearing the snow-white kimono and a crown on his pink hair, presenting himself as The King of Curses, which is his stage name.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, whose stage name fits him perfectly. One look at him and his powerful body and that dangerous and ambitious glint in his eyes, and everyone knows this guy is truly a King in the boxing ring.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who gracefully walks towards the ring with an arrogant look on his tattooed face, only accompanied by his assistant Uraume, who walks a few steps behind him as if they are a loyal shrine servant who follows their master obediently. They take off Sukuna's kimono for him and bow respectfully while the crowd cheers loudly.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who looks intimidating but beautiful as he stands there with a posture like a God while the white silk slips off his broad shoulders and reveals all the firm muscles and the sexy tattoos on his tall, athletic body.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who drops his serious act the moment he climbs into the ring and instead smirks his most charming smirk and lifts a hand to casually wave at his fans, letting them celebrate him as if he already won.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, whose last glance before every match belongs to you, though. As much as he enjoys the attention and worship from his fans, he always loves your gaze on him the most. You are the one who grounds him before a fight, the one who gives him the strength and the right mindset to lead him to victory.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, whose maroon eyes look directly into yours while he kisses his boxing gloves, at the same spot where your lips left their kisses a few minutes ago backstage. And right before he turns around to face the referee and his opponent, he winks at you and mouths, "I'll win this fight for you, baby".

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who already mocks his opponent before the fight even starts. Smiling tauntingly at him and asking him if he is scared. "You know, you can still run, little boy."

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who looks so sexy during his fights. All of his attacks are powerful and well-planned. He moves gracefully through the ring, like a big cat on the prowl, beautiful and deadly. Everyone can see that he isn't someone who just relies on his brute strength. Sukuna is intelligent, and he uses his mind to win his fights.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who is both hated and loved by the judges. They hate how cocky he is but admire his skills and respect him for how well-prepared he is for his matches.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who wins most of his fights with a knockout, laughing triumphantly when the referee counts down the seconds.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who only loses fights when he gets disqualified for committing a foul. Sometimes, he bites his opponents, drawing blood with his sharp teeth and laughing as he licks the blood off his lips. You know that this is also part of Sukuna's strategy. He is too controlled to let himself get carried away during a fight, but he loves the reputation those bloody attacks give him, basking in the fear he sees in his opponents' eyes when he whispers to them before a fight, "Did you see the guy I bit last month? Let's see how your blood tastes on my tongue."

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who is brilliant at blocking punches but also cannot be stopped if he gets hit. You used to be worried sick when you saw him receiving blows to the head until Sukuna reassured you that he is allowing it on purpose. It's all for the show. And sometimes, because he craves the pain since, it will spur him on even more.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who laughs after every punch his opponent lands, smirking cat-like as he licks the blood off his cracked lip, and his wild maroon eyes glitter amusedly at the other guy: "Aww, was that all you can do, brat? Gimme more, come on! Punch me! Make me bleed for real, you coward!"

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who looks so sexy with his tattooed skin all sweaty, every muscle in his tall, strong body taut. His veins standing out, and his broad chest rising and sinking as he breathes deeply. The outline of his long, thick cock visible through his dark red boxing shorts, making you want him so much.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who wears a sexy smirk on his beautiful tattooed face when he gets declared winner. He looks deeply into your eyes when the referee yanks his hand into the air to signal his win. This first moment is always for you alone, mesmerizing maroon eyes silently telling you that Sukuna dedicates this win to you.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who then punches his fist into the air and does a little round in the ring to let the crowd celebrate him like the King that he is. He is a professional, giving his fans what they crave, even while he craves something very different at that moment after a match.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who expects you to wait for him in his private locker room backstage, naked and wet, with your legs spread, ready to get taken by him.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who takes you rough and hard. He needs to fuck you to come down again after being so pumped up during his fight. His tall, muscular body is still dripping with sweat, smelling so sexy, a mix of sweat and musk and his expensive cologne. His breath is loud and harsh in your ear, turning into low, hoarse groans as he pounds your cunt with his cock and his heavy balls, just like he pounded his opponent with his fists.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who rubs your swollen clit firmly and whispers dirty things in your ear, making sure you give him your everything and squirt all over him when you cum on his fat cock.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who coos at you and calls you his good girl, his love, as he chases his own orgasm, finally allowing himself to let go, fucking you with hard erratic thrusts, his face buried in your neck, moaning loudly until he captures your lips in a heated kiss when he shoots his hot cum into your cunt.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who cuddles you afterward, pressing himself tightly against you while he is still buried balls-deep inside you, resting his forehead against yours and thanking you for being his lucky charm and the one who gives him strength. He stays like that, pressing you down with his heavy body, kissing you tenderly until his breathing finally calms down and the sweat on his body begins to dry.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who picks you up and murmurs to you, "Hold on to me, princess," before he carries you to the shower, not letting go of you even for a second, needing his princess on his cock and in his arms.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who showers with you and lets you wash him, sighing when you massage shower gel into his taut muscles, caressing him, and cleaning him, easing the tension in his body.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who returns the favor and lets his large, calloused hands wander gently over your naked and soaped-up body while he kisses you nonstop. Who caresses another orgasm out of you while you stroke his long thick cock slowly, making him spill his seed all over your hand.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who isn't the famous boxer, The King of Curses, anymore, when he is here under the shower with you. Here he is just Sukuna, your fiancé, who is joking around with you, all playful again, grinning that sexy grin and kissing you so sweetly, whispering against your skin how much you mean to him, and asking you where you want to have a late dinner tonight.

++ Boxer!Sukuna, who fucks you once more, this time against the shower wall with your legs wrapped tightly around his hips and your hands in his pink hair. But this time, it is slow, sensual lovemaking. Slow, deep thrusts and tender French kisses until you both find completion at the same time and moan into each other's mouth. The perfect finish for a successful match.

HE IS SO SEXY 😭😭 I didn't know I would write so much for Boxer!Sukuna, but I enjoyed it so much to think of his dramatic ring-entrance show and the way he boxes, etc. I hope you enjoyed it too!!

Comments and reblogs would be very sweet.

[yandere-writer-momo]

Yandere Head Canons:

Denial of Desire

Yandere Vampiress x Henchman Fem Reader

TW: comphet, internalized homophobia, denial of feelings, yearning, slowly slippping into madness, yandere behavior, unhealthy relationship, murder (threatened), etc.

Ophelia often dismissed you despite your constant concern of her well being. You knew she was a vampire and a mistress of the night, but she consistently put herself in danger. You once loved Ophelia, yet you knew she was straight. It would be rude to impose your feelings on your mistress when she only held distaste for you. Especially since you were nothing more than a servant to Ophelia.

Whether it was to hunt for food or to bring some random man back to her manor, you always had to clean up the mess. It started to get on your nerves since you were still new to being a vampire yourself… yet you had no interest in drinking human blood. Not like Ophelia did.

“Your cleaning skills are subpar. Can’t you do it any better?” Ophelia nagged you as she kicked over your mop bucket with her black pinkie wickers. You sighed, hours of work now ruined in mere seconds.

“My lady, I was simply on the first round of mopping. This quite difficult to remove old blood from the walls and floor.”

“Then find a better way to do it. I need to fetch my next victim soon and I don’t want them to see this mess.” Ophelia gestured to you and the filthy floor. “If you have any complaints, you can simply leave.”

You bowed your head and frowned. No matter how kind you were to your mistress or how you did your best to meet her demands, it was never enough. You were never enough.

“Apologies, I’ll keep cleaning.” You went back to scrubbing the walls and floor. You couldn’t let her rudeness get to you… not until you found a new master at least. Ophelia would be hosting a vampire ball by the end of the week so you may have your chance to flee then?

Ophelia studied your form before she smiled. You never complained no matter how rude she was to you, it was a trait she adored about you. She wished every servant was like you. It would make her life less stressful then… except she knew you were her favorite. You always dutifully fulfilled your every command in a timely manner… Ophelia was positive you’d always stay by her side. Why would you ever leave your mistress? She made you.

Ophelia had brought yet another man home and quickly whisked him up to her room without sparing you a glance. You shook your head at her antics before you decided to explore the manor’s garden to tend to. Despite now being a creature of the night, you still retained your love for gardening. It was just a shame you could never see the flowers under the sunlight again…

Ophelia on the other hand, couldn’t even get past kissing with this man. He was just like all the others before him… no matter what she did, it felt wrong. Being with men made her feel sick to her stomach and the vampiress didn’t understand why.

All her life, her parents told her she’d find a man one day and she could turn him into a vampire to be with her… yet all of them were subpar. Their genitalia disgusted her and they were far too hairy for her. Everything about men was gross other than their blood. That’s all they seemed to be good for…

Ophelia wiped her mouth from yet another messy meal, the vampiress made her way to her balcony to study her night garden. And that’s when she spotted you. What were you doing down there?

Ophelia studied your form as you trimmed up some of the bushes and tended to the flowers. You were so soft looking compared to the men. Soft and delicate like the petals of the roses below… forever young and beautiful thanks to Ophelia. You’d never have to age or worry about sickness. In Ophelia’s mind, she saved you. Yet why did you always look so sad? Was her company not enough for you?

Ophelia rested her arms on her balcony, her red eyes scanned your sullen form in thought. She wondered if her night would be different if it was you beneath her and not the many men she’s brought to her room. If your skin was as soft as it looked… if you were sensitive and lovely- no!

Ophelia shook her head and pushed herself from the balcony in haste. The vampiress ran a pale hand through her Snow White locks in horror. Why would she think of you in such a way? You were another woman… you weren’t a man. You were soft and sweet like fruit but she couldn’t have you. She couldn’t sleep with you because you were a woman. And Ophelia wasn’t a lesbian… she couldn’t be. She had to produce a pure blood vampire, it was her destiny.

Yet her impure thoughts said otherwise. Ophelia knew the truth deep down… she loved you. It’s why she was so mean to you. It was to try to scare you away.

When the ball came around, Ophelia’s breath hitched when she spotted you in your dress. How could someone look so lovely? If she still had a beating heart, she was sure it would burst

Ophelia did her best to ignore you at the ball but her eyes often shifted to you as you danced with other vampires… how could you dance so carefree with other women? Didn’t you feel shame like she did?

It was when Ophelia hung out with a young couple of pure blood vampires that she questioned herself. This couple consisted of two women? Two female vampires could be together? It was okay to be… she had no idea she could make that choice.

Ophelia felt tears gather in her eyes as the two pure bloods reassure her that it was okay to like other women. That they were immortal creatures who could do whatever they pleased.

And that was all it took for Ophelia to go running after you. The vampiress had to confess, she had to tell you how she felt-

Ophelia nearly fell to the floor when she saw you kissing another vampiress. Her dead heart dropped to her feet in shock when you ran your fingers through the other woman’s black locks. You… you were hers. You were her servant and no one else’s!

Ophelia wanted to kill this vampire you touched! How dare she touch you when you were her property! You cannot be with anyone other than Ophelia, herself!

Ophelia rushed forward and separated you from the other vampire. Her breathing ragged and her white hair in disarray. “I am in need of your assistance this instant. You do not have time to fraternize with the other candies here.”

You can’t even protest as Ophelia dragged you away by your arm. You’re speechless when Ophelia dragged you up the stairs towards her room.

“Mistress-“ You’re suddenly thrown to her bed, unable to scramble away since Ophelia lunged at you.

“I hate you…” Ophelia cried. “I hate how you make me feel. How I can’t get you out of my mind.”

“Mistress-“ Ophelia pressed her lips against yours with fervency. Her hands hungrily grasped at your flesh. You’re absolutely gobsmacked at this transgression. What?

“I hate you so much because I love you. I love you so much, it makes me crazy.” Ophelia muttered into your lips. “And I don’t care who I have to kill or what I have to do, I won’t let anyone else have you.”

[saphirafoxgirlspost1]

(Open Rp) The Monkey King: Reborn in "The Sakutopian Fox Princess and The Monkey King"

On the Glorious Morning, The Princess Of Sakutopia, Japan Name "Princess Saphira Lorraina Fox" Who was On the Journey To meet the Oracle At the Temple In the Mighty Forest Mountains.. She Ride Her Mighty Kirin Name "Yuki" The leader and the King of the Herds on the Path to seek The Oracle, The reason Why she was Seeking the Oracle Is because She kept Rejecting alot of Suitors back In Sakutopia, Japan. One By one, Many Suitors are rejected by the princess because their hearts are nothing but greed and Dishonoring, and their Minds Are Power Obsessive and Abusive as well, Mostly they wanted the Throne and treat Saphira Like a "simple house wife, maid, servant, or Much worse of them all.. A Slave", Then her Father Decided to Send Saphira to Seek the Oracle At the Zhen Yuan Temple to tell her Whats Her Future Husband Will be soon and what Future Holds as well. When She made it to the Zhen yuans temple, the two Guardian Deities Came and saw Saphira wearing a beautiful Royal kimono and the beautiful Celestial Fox mask and She said,

Saphira:" Greetings, I am Princess Saphira Lorraina Fox Of Sakutopia and I am Here to seek the Oracle."

Deity 1: "And you've come to stay For the Night as well after Seeking the Oracle?"

Saphira:" Why yes, I must Know what Future holds, you see i was sent From m-"

The Second Deity cut off,

Deity 2:" Your Father, we know. The Master Is Fully aware that your here as well, Your More welcome to Stay and we have a Feeling that Master Tang and Those 3 deity will be arriving as well."

Saphira: "Oh? and who are they?"

Deity 1: " We'll Deal with it, So don't worry about it. Please Follow us."

As Saphira Follows the two Deity as they Guided her to the Nice Luxurious Guest room and She loves it very much and then She thanked them very much as she bows ..and then the two Deity sense that they have arrived, as one of them told her that She can feel free to explore until The Oracle finally arrives in the Form of the elderly Woman, She told Saphira That She is in Terrible Danger and that She will be Cursed By a Demon King Name "Yuandi" the First demon Who will put Saphira Into an Eternal Sleep But She will be Awaken by true loves Kiss From a hero Who was Known as "The Great Sage equal to heaven", Saphira was Shocked that Her Future Husband will be the "Monkey king". Then She asked How would this be possible? But the oracle Answers that Destiny has it's ways to bring Two immortal lovers Together For the good of Saphira's Kingdom.. After the oracle left, Saphira began to Explore the temple while wearing a Lovely Fox Mask and began to Hum and Sings Softly with her beautiful Angelic Voice but little does she know that her Voice Echoes through temple and Nature itself At the center of the Temple, Pigsy Heard Her Voice and realized that there's a Princess In The temple as well along with an enchanted Fruit. Then He began to try to look For Sun wukong to Tell him But He already knows because he too heard Saphira's Voice, So He decided to See who She was and began Following Her beautiful Voice Unexpected By Shapeshift into a bug and Pigsy Turns into a caterpillar, When they Found Her In the Lovely Garden,, The Monkey King Saw the Princess Wearing a Fox Mask but he was curious about whats behind that mask of hers While Saphira Is relaxing and Humming beautifully until.. She saw a green Weird looking caterpillar with a Pig face..when she gets closer, Pigsy Spoke saying "Hiya gorgeous!" Saphira made a Small screams and runs off from the garden saying the caterpillar can talk, She stopped and glance back and pants..She could've swore That this Weird caterpillar can talk, She Spawn a beautiful fan and began to fan herself like she's going to Faint, After fanning herself and began to walk on the boardwalk until She hears the Fluttering of the beetle as she sees the weird Pig face caterpillar again and he Spoke again, trying to flirt at her.. but then saphira Smacked him with her fan and hits the wall as he change back to the original self with a Puff of smoke and she runs off fearfully, While she was running and head to the Big Garden part and She looked around making sure that Pigsy doesn't followed her, When she thought it was coast is clear But She was Followed by a weird Brown beetle but turns out it was the monkey king in the beetle form as she gasp and began to fall backward but She was caught by his arms and he said..

[mirensiart]

i heard you wish for knowledge on roolie. and for today i shall forbid my role as a ghost and become a genie. :D

SO. Hyrule's games don't really have too much of a story on their own, my guy is hcs galore here. But what is canon is that after he killed ganon, his blood became cursed, meaning if he dies ganon will be brought back from the dead to reign terror over hyrule, with no hero to stop him.

Now in Zelda 2 (the adventure of link) he successfully defeats all Ganons servants who know the ritual to bring back ganon, saving hyrule and ensuring its safety. but people saw that and went "nah" so in most hcs he can still be used to bring back the ugly blue pig.

this means that monsters and a cult called "The Eyes of Ganon" most often are constantly hunting him down to kill him and use his blood to bring back their master, meaning poor dude is always on the run and has no real area to call home. some people hc that he also stays away from towns for this reason, to not draw monsters there like the selfless hero he is

he also is often in fanfic deathly afraid of bleeding, because it draws monsters to him. in the pain-share au this might also add emotional pain onto physical pain because first he gets a wound bad enough to bleed, and then he's freaking out and panicking on top of that

onto his spells. hyrule in-game has a fire spell, a thunder spell, a life spell, a jump spell and a fairy spell. the jump spell isnt really mentioned because in most stories this guy is already capable of jumping without magic. his fire spell casts fire around him, thunder spell strikes lighting all around (which could be pretty risky for fighting in groups), life spell heals himself or others as we see with twi in the lu comic, and fairy spell turns him into a fairy. (a lot of people hc him to be a fae because of this)

he has a magic bar though, and a limited amount of magic he can use. many people hc that if he gets too low on magic it could be dangerous, but thats not canon in the game.

zelda 1's plot is pretty much just "get triangle, kill pig" and thats it. zelda 2 is that princess zelda has been cursed to fall asleep and cannot be woken up, so to save her sleeping beauty ass hyrule goes and gets the triforce. along the way he finds ganons servants in dungeons, and defeats them so ganon cannot be ressurected. he eventually finds an old man in a dungeon, and has to fight his shadow (which btw is the hardest bossfight ever like wtf) and upon defeating it, proves himself worthy of the triforce and gets it. he then cures zelda of the curse, wakes her up, and they make out. yes the last part was actually in the game.

hyrules placement in the timeline is right after legends in the downfall timeline, so they get to be the downfall duo together. also hyrule is often hc with a huge hero-worship thing going on with legend, and he's afraid to dishonor or disappoint his ancestor.

and thats about all i know at least, i may be wrong and im sure someone will correct me if i am, but i wanted to provide info anyways! im sorry for the huge ask btw ;-;

Wow, ok! First of all, thank u very much for all this, like this has been super helpful!

Like, seriously, tysm for taking ur time to explain everything to me, I really appreciate it 🥹💖

I did know some of these things so I suppose I wasn't that lost on hyrule's lore!

I do enjoy the downfall duo tbh, I did know beforehand that hyrule is the last one in the downfall timeline, since I used to own hyrule historia ages ago (it got lost during one of the many times I changed apartments 😔) I think it's cute for hyrule to have a hero worship on him and for legend to be soft to hyrule too lol

Anyway! This has been super informative, I'll make sure to keep it in mind from now on, thank you!

[gildedcageif]

Gilded Cage

Nothing but ashes remain of your home. Your loved ones have all been taken from you overnight, leaving you all alone in the world. 

Fight, flee, cry, scream, rage. Seek revenge, find forgiveness, fall in love, break hearts. Poison, lie and sleep your way to the top of the imperial harem.

The golden chains wear down heavy on your pretty little neck. And they will do so until you break them.

You were still a child when the Zephyran hounds razed hell on your homeland. Overnight, everything and everyone you knew and loved withered before your eyes, claimed by the flame and the ashes.

You were fortunate enough -or unfortunate, depending on how you see it- to survive that fateful night. Instead, heavy chains were placed around your wrists and you were sent away to whoever would pay to own you.

Some masters were kinder than others. But captivity tastes just as bitter regardless of how opulent your cage is. 

And this is the most opulent cage you will ever be locked in. The Jade Palace is where you being shipped off to this time. The capital of the grand Zephyran Empire. The very same that ripped your childhood apart.

You have been selected to join the imperial harem of Sultan Ahmad, an honor bestowed only upon the most beautiful and worthy of servants.

Regardless of how you feel regarding this great 'honor', you are every bit as powerless to fight against it as you were to defend your homeland when the Zephyrans came for you.

Don't despair yet, child of the Ancients. There are many opportunities in the Jade Palace for those who wish to seek them. 

You may find yourself pulling the strings and changing the course of history, whispering in the ears of royalty, marching bravely into battle, even escaping and claiming your own freedom once and for all, away from this mess that was inflicted upon you. If you play your cards right, you may even one day become the parent of the next Sultan.

Beware however. There are many who will stand in your path. The worst enemies are hidden not in the shadows but amongst our closest of friends.

Gilded Cage is rated 18+ for explicit language, explicit sexual themes, graphic descriptions of violence and depictions of slavery. 

FEATURES 

•Create your MC. Anything from what they look like to how they feel about their years of servitude and their arrival to the Jade Palace is for you to choose. Are you a conniving courtesan, set on claiming the crown for yourself? Do you merely wish for a life of peace after all these years of hardship? Do you have a single-minded focus on achieving your own freedom? If so, what are you willing to risk for it? 

•Define how others perceive you. You are no ordinary servant after all, you are a member of the Sultan's harem, and those around you are eager to watch your every move? The nobility, military and common folk will all form opinions based on what they hear of you, as will many important political figures like the Valide and the Grand Vizier. And of course it is better to be admired than mocked, ridiculed and despised...

•Engage in a world of intrigue and danger. The Zephyran Empire is deadly. The harem even more so. One wrong step and it will be off with your head, if the Sultan is feeling generous that day. Many plots and schemes are already in place by the time you arrive to the Palace. Some of which may or may not involve you. It is on you to uncover secrets, distinguish enemy from ally and keep yourself safe from the vipers of court. In these halls, few are truly innocent and you might be forced to get your own hands bloody.

•Climb the ranks of the imperial harem. How you achieve that is up to you! You may ally yourself to Valide Sultan, act as a mole for the Grand Vizier or even become a tutor for the young Prince! And of course, if you are willing to participate in some old fashioned seduction, the Sultan's bed -and his heart, if you are capable enough- is the road to unimaginable power and wealth, but also danger.

•Change the course of history. Raise the next Sultan, assassinate your enemies, encourage a military uprising, cause a shift in the religious establishment, become a general, an advisor, even a Haseki. If you are daring enough to bare the consequences of failure. Your actions will have farfetched consequences for the future of the Zephyran Empire and the wider world. So be wary. History has its eye on you.

Romantic Options

The Sultan of the Zephyran Empire: Ahmad

You have heard of him only in hushed whispers and screams of terror. He rules en empire stretching far across the east and west. He is the master of the hounds that raided and destroyed your home. He took everything from you and now he owns you. Still, your very survival depends on his whims.

Yet, when you come face to face with the Lion of the East, he seems less monstrous than you had expected...

The Grand Vizier: Selim

He has had an eye on you since you first entered the palace. And not for good reasons. He may very well be the second most powerful man in the empire-after the Sultan of course- and he seems to have decided you are a threat to his master.

Getting him on your side might just be the thing you need to propel yourself in the court. If you manage to do that anyway. Selim is known as a tough man to charm, but who knows what hides underneath.

The Valide Sultan: Nazli

The Sultan may rule the world, but have no doubt his mother rules the harem and she does so with an iron fist. She controls everything. Who does the chores, how much gold each maid is afforded, who gets to enter the Sultan's chambers. She has her finger on the pulse of the harem. She wants things a certain way and she will have things a certain way. This Queen Dowager is every bit as much of a lion as her son.

She is distant, but not unkind. Most importantly, she can raise you to the highest of highs or doom you to the dungeons in less than a glance. You will have to earn her respect before she accepts you into the inner circle.

The Favourite (?): Meryem

Meryem is the most beloved of the Sultan's concubines. Or rather she was. For unknown reason, it seems she has fallen out of his favour. Rumor is it has been a year since he asked for her.

Still, her position remains significant as the mother to the only son of the Sultan. Her son, Mustafa, in combination with the support she receives from the Grand Vizier has helped her hold onto her power.

But her position remains insecure while the Sultan's eyes wander. You could intergrate yourself amongst her closest companions. Or you could be the downfall she so fears.

The Artist: Emil De Angelis

Emil is a... controversial presence at court to say the least. He was raised from a starving artist to the next big sensation by the Sultan overnight. He has been involved in several projects ever since, whether that be art, poetry, singing or architecture. Known around court for his -perhaps a bit too daring- wit and charming smirk, it is hard not to notice him.

He is also the closest to a friendly face you have at court. Emil has handpicked you as his next side project of sorts. The new thing he will concern himself with to fill up his time. You will have his support in whatever you strive for.

Be warned though. Emil acts with ulterior motives as much as anyone else at court.

The Childhood Friend (shouldn't they be dead?): Helena

You thought you had lost them. They died in your arms. You held her body. You carried it. You buried it.

Now they are back. Somehow they have returned from beyond the grave.

The worst part?

They don't even remember you.

Asks: Open

Demo: https://href.li/?https://cookie-bun.itch.io/gilded-cage

[blankwashed]

The moon hung low over the enchanted forest, casting an ethereal glow on the winding path leading to the hidden mansion. Shadows danced among the ancient trees, their whispers mingling with the night breeze. You were, cloaked in darkness and resolve, approached the opulent gates of Muzan Kibutsuji’s lair. Every step was calculated, each breath a silent prayer, as you ventured into the heart of danger, driven by a purpose that burned brighter than fear. Inside, the air was thick with an otherworldly presence, a testament to the power and mystery that awaited within.

You were undercover in Muzan’s lair as one of his disposable demons. Little did he know, you were there to uncover secrets about his past and his ultimate goals. You were actually part of the Demon Slayer Corps, on a mission to finally bring Muzan’s reign to an end and keep the Blue Spider Lily safe from his reach.

In order to gain his trust, you needed to go through multiple tests and, unfortunately, kill some slayers from the Corps during the initiation stage. Your leaders from the Corps assured you that it would be fine, as they would find a way to revive them if possible. The weight of your actions bore heavily on your conscience, but the mission’s importance steeled your resolve. Each test brought you closer to Muzan, peeling back the layers of his guarded existence, and inching nearer to the secrets that could bring his reign of terror to an end.

“Very well, my new servant. You’ve miraculously passed each of my tests with flying colors,” Muzan said while sitting on his lavish throne, embellished with rhinestones and gold.

Muzan got closer to you, grasping your chin with his cold hand. “I’m still watching you, y/n.”

You gulped silently and nodded your head. “I wouldn’t dare to be in your presence if I was one of those pesky Corps knuckleheads, would I?” you lied.

He chuckled at your response, finding it amusing that you would even dare to talk back to him. As if he were a fool?

“You’re fine for now, little minx. But if you were to even think about betraying my trust for one second…” He stopped and brought out a dark maroon vial. “This is the mixture of all the blood from the people who have betrayed me.”

It was oozing, the different blood types weren’t mixing with each other. It was a horrific sight. How did he put all of their blood into the vial?

The question lingered in your mind, but you dared not voice it aloud. Muzan’s gaze bore into you, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and malice as he held the vial up to the flickering torchlight. The crimson liquid inside seemed to pulse with a sinister energy, a grim reminder of the consequences of betrayal in Muzan’s world. You swallowed hard, steeling yourself against the chilling realization that your deception must be flawless to survive in the heart of darkness that surrounded you.

Muzan placed his golden staff to the side of his chair and proceeded to walk towards you. His icy cold hands wrapped around your luscious hair. He brought your hair to his nose and took a whiff.

“Mmm…lilies,” he said, with his eyes closed.

“I think I’ll call you Lily, to make it simple for all of us.”

You gulped, cheeks flushed. "Alright, master. I will be called Lily from now on. May I ask if it's your favorite flower?" you asked him, wanting to know more about the demon.

Muzan chuckled maniacally, "Actually, lilies are the flowers that people hate the most. They represent hatred, pride, and disdain despite being beautiful."

You shivered at his words, a strange mix of fear and excitement coursing through you. "I see," you whispered, your voice barely audible. Muzan's intense gaze never left your face, and you felt his power enveloping you, an invisible force you couldn't escape.

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "Do you know why I chose you, Lily?" he asked, his voice a low, dangerous purr.

You shook your head, your breath hitching as his hand brushed your cheek. "No, master." you replied, struggling to maintain your composure.

Muzan's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Because you possess a rare strength, a fire that intrigues me. You will serve me well, in more ways than one."

His touch trailed down your neck, sending shivers through your body. "Do you understand what I expect from you, Lily?" he murmured, his lips dangerously close to your ear.

Your heart raced, the anticipation and fear intertwining within you. "Yes, master," you managed to say, your voice trembling with a mix of submission and desire.

Muzan's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Good," he said, his tone dripping with dark promise. "You belong to me now, and I will mold you into the perfect companion. Your body, your soul, everything belongs to me now. " he said as his cold fingers caress your cheeks.

His hands moved to your shoulders, pulling you closer until your bodies were nearly touching. The heat of his proximity was intoxicating, and you felt yourself yielding to his dominance, ready to become whatever he desired.

"M-Mu-Master..." you stammered, your voice barely a whisper as his hands roamed your body, exploring with a possessive confidence.

Muzan's fingers tilted your chin up, forcing you to meet his piercing gaze. "What is it, Lily?" he asked, his tone commanding yet oddly tender.

Your mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, desire, and a desperate need to please him. "I-I want to serve you," you confessed, your cheeks burning with a mix of shame and longing.

His lips curled into a dark, approving smile. "That's exactly what I like to hear," he murmured, leaning in so close that you could feel his breath on your skin. "But words alone are not enough."

You nodded, understanding his unspoken command. "I will do whatever you ask, master," you promised, your voice steadying with resolve.

Muzan's hand slid down your arm, his touch both gentle and firm. "Show me, then," he whispered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Show me your devotion."

You took a deep breath, gathering your courage. Slowly, you let your hands trace the contours of his pale chest, feeling the powerful muscles beneath the fabric of his clothes. Muzan's breath hitched slightly, a sign that you were on the right path.

Emboldened, you continued your exploration, your fingers dancing over his body with increasing confidence. Muzan's hands gripped your waist, pulling you even closer. "Good, Lily," he praised, his voice a low growl. "Keep going."

Your heart pounded in your chest as you obeyed, every touch and caress a testament to your submission and desire. Muzan's eyes never left yours, watching your every move with a predatory intensity that made your pulse quicken.

In that moment, you knew there was no turning back. You were his, and you would do anything to prove your loyalty and devotion to your dark master.

Your hands moved with deliberate care, exploring the contours of his body, while your mind focused on your ultimate goal. Were you? It was hard for you to balance what your purpose was when he was pleasing you and giving you almost everything you've wanted.

Muzan's grip on your hair loosened as he leaned back, giving you the space to continue your actions. He had a pleased look on his face. The tension in the room was a mixture of desire and danger.

Widening your mouth and taking more of him in while gawking, Muzan was pleased. His eyes remained locked on you, watching every move you made. "Impressive, Lily, You might just earn your place by my side after all."

You forced a smile, wiping your saliva off your face. "Thank you, my Lord. I will always strive to please you."

Weeks have passed, and you have been getting close and closer to Muzan. Understanding him on a personal level at this point. Knowing his needs and wants, a lots of his dislikes, you could even write a storybook on him if you wanted to. You also became his favourite concubine.

Concubine? Yes, concubine.

It wasn't a shock when you found out that there were many send to him like you, waiting for his attention or touch. Every night, he would choose one or more to satisfy his desires and you had quickly learned how to navigate the treacherous world of jealousy and competition, even as demons. Despite the danger and constant fear of being discovered, you had managed to rise above the others, gaining Muzan's favor.

One evening, you sat beside him, Muzan's eyes flickered with a rare softness he only shows to you. "Lily, you have proven yourself time and time again. You are different from the others."

You lowered your gaze, hiding the satisfaction in your eyes. "Thank you, my Lord. I am honoured to serve you."

He gently lifted your chin, forcing you to look into his piercing eyes. "Tell me, Lily. What do you desire? You had given me so much valued companionship. What can I give you in return?"

Your heart raced. This was an opportunity, a rare moment where you could plant the seeds for your ultimate goal. "My Lord, all I desire is to be by your side, to learn from you and to be useful to you in every way possible."

Muzan's lips curled into a smile. "Very well, my lovely flower. I will grant you this. but remember, my trust is not easily earned and can be lost even more quickly. Do not disappoint me."

"I would never dream of it," you replied, your voice steady.

As weeks turned into months, your position beside Muzan grew more secure. You were his confidante, his favourite and the other concubines eyed you with a mix of envy and fear. You were starting to lose sight of your mission. The information you gathered, the trust you built were all for nothing in the end.

One night, as you lay beside Muzan giving him a massage, he spoke in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper. "My beautiful Lily, do you believe in fate?"

You were taken aback at the sudden question. "I believe that we shape our own destinies, my Lord."

He nodded, seemingly satisfied with your answer. Muzan cracks his neck while staring at you. "Lily, you've made me turn so soft for you. You know that? Can I be hard on you this time?" he said and started to massage your breasts over your clothing.

"Yes, my Lord..." you whispered, your voice betraying your original purpose of getting closer to him.

Muzan's lips twisted into a wicked smile. "Good. Stand up." he said as he gave a spank to your ass, watching it jiggle.

"You've pleased me greatly, Lily." he said, his voice low and filled with a mixture of praise and threat. "But I need to see just how far your loyalty truly goes."

He moved closer, his hand trailing down your arm, sending shivers through you. "Tonight, I want you to surrender completely to me. No reservations, no hesitation. Do you understand?" he said as he gropes your ass cheek.

"Y-Yes, Lord Muzan.." you replied, shakingly, trying to keep your voice steady.

Muzan's hand tightened around your waist, pulling you against him. "Good. Because if you fail me, there will be consequences."

You took a deep breath, steadying yourself. You knew that this was another trial, another chance too prove your loyalty. As you slowly began to unbutton his shirt, your fingers trembled slightly. Each button revealed more of his pale, muscular chest and you couldn’t help but get wet.

“Good girl…” he praised softly, his hand moving to caress your cheek. “But I need more from you. I need all of you.”

As you stripped way the layers of his clothing, Muzan’s hands roamed over your body, exploring and claiming you. Each touch, spank, squeeze, slap was a reminder of his dominance, of the power he held over you. You responded to his touches with moans, allowing him to guide you.

“That’s it, slut,” he murmured, his voice a mix of approval and desire. “You’re doing so well for your lord.”

You nodded, meeting his gaze. “Thank you, my Lord.”

With that, Muzan pulled you closer, his lips capturing yours in a passionate kiss. The intensity of it took your breath away, and you clung to him.

As the night progressed, you surrendered yourself to him, giving him everything he demanded. You pushed aside your fears and focused solely on the task at hand,

to be his precious little slut.

When it was over, Muzan lay beside you, his breath heavy. He turned to you, a satisfied smile on his lips. “You’ve proven yourself once again, Lily. You truly are my favourite.”

You were exhausted but you smiled back, your heart pounding in your chest. “Thank you, my Lord. It is an honour to serve you.”

Muzan’s pale hand moved to your hair, stroking it gently. “Rest now, my love. You’ve earned it.”

As you closed your eyes, exhaustion washed over you. You knew that your deed was done, that the reason why you came here in the first place was accomplished but now you saw that you have a different problem.

You were starting to fall in love with the King of Demons.

[f1-stuff]

my kingdom for any more you’d like to share about royal harem au ❤️

Hiii - I've said it before but the title is sort of misleading lolol. But anyway, 2k words bc why the hell not?

He gathers from the words he can understand and the few who will speak around him that he is meant to be unveiled to the prince at the banquet being thrown the following week to celebrate the war’s end. 

He’s a prize, evidently - a token of the war they’ve won. A symbol of Monaco, one of their very best servants-in-training, prepared for the Monegasque sovereign, himself, yet still untouched due to the timing of the war, and so, presented on a platter to their Spanish Prince.

He feels woefully unprepared, despite how every day, he’s taken to be washed and groomed and perfumed and overfed to get him ready for the banquet. All of the weight he’d lost from the journey is quickly restored, his hair softer than ever, his skin donning a dewy glow from the constant attention.

His body is prepared, perhaps. But his mind - his spirit - is far from equipped.

In his homeland, he’d been raised from nearly the moment of birth to one day serve his sovereign. He’d been taught in all of the Prince’s favorite pastimes and poetic verses and songs. But now, he feels like a ship lost at sea - beautiful and afloat, but also in danger of never finding land to anchor.

A large part of his discomfort is their language, which wasn’t taught to him in his studies. Languages have always been a talent of his, an area where he far exceeds his fellow servants-in-training. But he would never have been taught the language of a hostile nation, despite how it might’ve been smart to do so. Certainly, knowing what their enemy is saying would give one a significant advantage.

But there had been no reason to teach a bed servant of the Prince an enemy language. No one ever thought his fate would be as a war reparation.

Despite the setback, Charles is making headway in understanding the other women in the royal retinue, and they are mostly women - Charles notes this with curiosity. The pleasure servants in his homeland had always been a mix - beauty has no gender, after all. But it seems that in this castle, perhaps in this culture, the beauty of the feminine form is more revered.

The other women are still giving Charles and his small group a wide berth, leaving them to navigate their own way, without advice or kindness. The only times they interact with Charles are during his sessions of grooming and pampering, since the women are in charge of preparing each other for an unveiling. It’s a rotating blur of unfriendly faces, but the dark-haired woman is always amongst them, watching Charles as though he’s planning something nefarious.

From what he can surmise, she’s in charge of all the women here - all the bed servants, rather. They call her, ‘La Dama,’ as she picks and chooses who amongst them attends to the masters. It would be her duty, Charles would think, to teach and prepare him for the Crown Prince. But her obvious distrust and dislike of him means she has not uttered a word of advice to him.

At first, Charles doesn’t want to reveal his hand, listening in on conversations to piece together information that would never be said in his presence if they knew he could understand. But as the day of the banquet rapidly approaches, he has questions that need answering. He knows nothing about this prince, not even his name, as no one calls him anything besides ‘His Royal Highness.’ He knows nothing of his temperament, nor his likes and dislikes. He knows absolutely nothing of how to please him.

He feels as though he’s failing before he’s even begun.

When he finally pieces together enough words to ask a small group among the women, it’s a combination of their language and Italian words that he hopes are similar enough to be recognizable. What he hopes he’s asking is ‘How shall I aim to please the prince?’ 

Whatever comes out only receives glares and cruel laughter from the group, before they continue to completely ignore him.

Charles begins to feel a bit panicked about his fate, when he’s approached by one of the women later that evening - Valeria, he thinks she’s called.

She’s beautiful - her hair is golden and silky, long enough to be styled in intricate braids each day, or else flow in shiny waves down her back, and paired with her green eyes (which are enhanced by a color of kohl Charles has never seen - green, like the sea), she stands out amongst the other women for, primarily, her kind smile. Though she’s never spoken to Charles, he’s always suspected her to be different. She sits among the others, yet stands apart.

“Charles,” she says, and he nods, unable to hide his surprise at being addressed. Her voice is soft-spoken, matching her demeanor perfectly. “I want to help you.”

If he’d been surprised before, it’s twofold as he hears her near perfect French pronunciation.

“You speak French?” he asks, his voice low so they aren’t overheard. He realizes, in his excitement, he’d spoken too quickly, her eyes squinting at him in confusion, so he repeats it slower.

“A little,” she says, smiling. “I am called Valeria.”

“I know.” She blushes, and for some reason, Charles finds himself blushing in return.

“I am in His Royal Highness’s retinue,” she says, and Charles’ eyes widen.

“Of course, you are,” he murmurs, and she blushes again. “You are the most beautiful here.”

“Thank you,” she practically whispers, her eyes dipping humbly. She appears unaccustomed to compliments, despite how many she’s surely received. Charles can already feel a kinship building between them. “But I believe you might compete with me for that honor.”

“Surely not,” he says, shaking his head. She’s kind for saying so, but Charles can’t imagine she’d be so modest to believe the words. “What do you wish to tell me?” She moves closer to him.

“His Royal Highness - he does not prefer men. Or rather, he’s not known to lay with them,” she amends. Her expression is one of regret, which Charles doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve, but is nonetheless grateful for.

“Ah, I see.” His stomach sinks with dread. If the prince does not take a liking to him, it will be much harder for Charles to maintain a position of safety here.

“But perhaps, if I share with you what I know,” she continues, laying a gentle hand on his arm. “You can capture his notice.” Charles nods, and settles in as she begins to tell him what she knows from her four years of experience in the prince’s royal retinue.

What he concludes from her initial words is that she is the prince’s particular favorite. She doesn’t say as much, but Charles can’t imagine how else she would be so knowledgeable. She lingers on the logistics at first - what the prince likes to eat, to read and discuss, what he likes in a servant.

“He likes his bed partners with skin more touched by the sun. And he seems partial to light hair,” she says, brushing a strand of his chestnut brown hair from his forehead. “But there are things we can do to help that. Your eyes, however, are perfect - he will love them.” Charles blushes, blinking nervously.

They both share a similar eye color, but what he doesn’t tell her is that his own sometimes appear as a brownish-gold, rather than green, depending on the light. In his homeland, it was a positive trait - something that set him apart from the others. But here... He wonders if that would affect her assessment - if the prince might overlook him without eyes like the sea.

“What is he like? His Royal Highness?” Charles asks at one point, careful not to interrupt, but desperate to know more of the man who he may be in service to for life. “Is he...kind?” Valeria smiles and nods, and many of Charles’ concerns melt away instantly.

“He is, and he looks for kindness in those he surrounds himself with,” she says. “Do not mistake me, he is a prince, used to getting what he wants.” She gives a small laugh, as though telling a private joke. It makes Charles giggle too, despite not knowing the full context. “But he is far more compassionate than one could expect or hope for in a prince.”

Charles nods, enraptured. This is what he needed to know, if for no other reason than to calm his nerves. He can deal with a lot, but a cruel master...

“He can be quite amusing, at times,” Valeria says, a coy smile on her lips. “And very talented...in bed.” She whispers the last part, and the two of them dissolve into giggles. 

Charles feels the familiar flutter in his stomach that he always gets when he imagines his First Night. He will have no basis for comparison, but surely it’s a relief to know that the prince has talent in this area. Nevertheless, he must first catch the prince’s eye, and then hope that his own performance does not leave the prince wanting.

“There must be something wrong with him,” Charles says, thinking this man sounds too good to be true. “Tell me, is he hideous? Or even just plain?” Valeria gets a spark in her eye, so that she hardly need speak for him to already know her answer.

“He would be the most handsome man I’ve laid eyes upon, even if he were not a prince. He is nicknamed ‘Adonis’ among the women - for not only his looks, but also his physique.” 

Charles rolls his eyes, but with a smile on his lips, an excited buzz spreading down his spine, despite his better judgment - he can’t get his hopes up. There’s a chance he may never be bedded by the prince. And he must remind himself that this man undoubtedly killed some of Charles’ fellow countrymen. He may be kind to his own people, but it doesn’t mean Charles should expect the same treatment for himself.

“But I will warn you,” Valeria says, her tone sobering. “It will never be easy around the other women. The comfort and privilege afforded to those in the prince’s retinue is not without the envy of those who would wish to be in your place.”

“Well,” Charles says, demure. “We will yet discover if I deserve the honor.”

“You do,” she says, sounding so certain despite them having only just met. “I can already see, he will like you very much.” She thumbs over his cheek affectionately, lingering near his right dimple.

Charles smiles his thanks, but he doesn’t know how she could know this. Especially after she’d listed at least two fundamental reasons why the prince might not prefer him. But he takes the compliment and doesn’t argue.

“What is his name?” he asks finally, before they part ways. Valeria looks at him with the barest hint of a frown - he’s sure she’s been trained not to emote too much for fear of wrinkles.

“You don’t know it?”

“No one has ever said.”

She gives him a sympathetic smile. Then, says, “He is His Royal Highness Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro II, Crown Prince of Spain.”

* * *

That night, Charles goes to sleep reciting the name under his breath, his tongue lingering on each syllable, until his eyes grow heavy.

It’s funny that the prince should be named ‘Carlos’ - so close to his own name. Although, he doubts he will ever call him that. 

To Charles, he will be Your Highness or My lord or Sire. 

He practices saying those, too, in every language he knows.

----

WIP ask game

Previously shared from this AU -> (1) (2)

[cambion-companion]

I just read the imagine where Raphael is Tav’s established patron and it was perfect! I’d love if you could continue it in some way. 🌸

Hello my dear! I hope this is something akin to what you had in mind!

I wanted to write a little masquerade scene with Raphael forever. Probably will do it again in the future!

(Patron) Raphael x reader

The fabric of your gown hugged your legs as you twirled, the silken fabric brushing light along the polished floor.  Your hand was lightly gripped by yet another masked partner, a phantom in a passing pretense of intimacy, you barely registered his owl mask and the dark glint of eyes beneath before he twirled you away into the arms of another.

You felt flushed, not pleasantly so, your cheeks beneath your own delicate mask had grown hot from the exertion of dancing with a plethora of silent partners.

The sound of strings being played lilted through the air, stirring your feet to continue the carefully learned dance. You paid no heed to the hand holding yours and guiding you through the steps, nor did you look at the new mask until some familiar scent cut through the heavy atmosphere to your nostrils.

You breathed in deep, then stopped breathing. The sickly-sweet register of cherries paired with an earthy musk, sharp and demanding. Just as the man from whom it emanated.

“I am disappointed in you.”  Your patron murmured, hot breath sliding from your ear to your prickling neck. “Your presence at this masquerade is something I explicitly forbade.”

“Raphael.” You greeted; grateful your expression was covered mostly by your own mask.  You took in the rich scarlet velvet and golden embroidery of Raphael’s tunic. The way his bronze mask curled up his cheekbones, illustrating the dangerous grin of a monstrous yet beautiful creature you could not name. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”

“That is self-evident, my dear.”  His hand slid to the small of your back and rested with the weight of a clear warning. Raphael’s eyes cut away from your face to the man who now approached, intent on continuing the passing of partner to partner as the dance dictated.

One quelling glance was all it took from Raphael, the stranger adjusted his course and glided passed the two of you without incident. With a tilt to one side of his mouth, Raphael returned his severe attention to you.

You spoke before he could, knowing he appreciated your boldness even if it bordered at times upon impudence. “I have not directly countered your orders, master.” The reverential term seemed to soften him just enough for his shoulders to relax, you felt the subtle change beneath your fingers. “I am in attendance in accordance with your wishes to gain intelligence and not interfere directly.”

“You speak as though you are the one who has spent time immemorial learning the machinations of the mortal world. How to bend these lawless creatures and have them dance on your strings.”  Raphael liked to hear his own voice.  You would never admit it out loud, but you also didn’t mind hearing him speak. He leaned down slightly and punctuated his next words with a slight squeeze of your hand. “When it is I who has labored long to achieve such ends. You overstep yet again, my servant, forgetting your place as one of those little puppets who I direct to carry out my will.”

“I can help.”  You could only hope he would believe you.

“I demand obedience.”  Raphael led you in a slow dance, following the melodious music across the crowded floor. “You are currently serving only as a distraction. A hindrance.” That stung.  

Again you were thankful for the mask that covered your blush of anger and embarrassment.

“Before I mete out your punishment, there is still work to be done. Let us put your loveliness to use.”  With a sharp push and a flare of your skirts, Raphael sent you spinning away from his warm body.

You felt his eyes upon you still, even though he’d been swallowed up by the swirling crowd of perfumed partygoers.  You scanned the vivid scene for your target, finding them easily.  You squared your shoulders, put on a pleasant expression, and glided toward them. Perhaps if you were successful your patron would forgive your overreaching.

[i-guess-im-into-this-now]

The Apothecary Diaries

S1E15 First Watch

Here's where I watch The Apothecary Diaries for the first time and give my thoughts, analysis, predictions, and occasionally I stumble into a joke.

To start at the beginning:

Episode 1

My character/locations cheat sheet

Suiren - Jinshi's attendant

Lakan - mysterious officer

Lihaku - the military officer who took Maomao out of the Rear Palace

Basan - an officer who works in the palace

Xiaolan - Maomao's servant girl friend

Palace gossip! Lihaku has done a good job handling the fire investigation. But he had help from Jinshi's personal assistant! Didn't Jinshi just buy a beautiful courtesan from Verdigris House?

This shit is worth sitting up for. Master Lakan, who's peaceful nap was interrupted by gossipy military bitches, would like to hear more about Maomao. Should I be worried about this guy's interest in Maomao?

Gaoshun would like Maomao to look into an old case. If you want to close a cold case, then Maomao is certainly the one to ask.

Side note: Gaoshun just offered to take Maomao to a restaurant to eat raw pufferfish. Is Gaoshun going to get a date with Maomao before Jinshi does? Bwahahaha!

So Gaoshun was asked to investigate this case years ago. Which makes me wonder what his position is/was. I thought it was mentioned that he has been with Jinshi since the day he was born, but that can't be right either, or he would have noticed the baby swap. Unless, I mean he is not always around Jinshi, so maybe the swap happened when he was out investigating a case? Also, can people not recognize one baby from another? Or did the swap happen so quickly after the births that people really didn't know what their child looked like. Whatever, the details probably aren't that important.

So after hearing about Jinshi's new servant/concubine who can solve mysteries, Lakan approached Jinshi's man, Gaoshun, to ask for help solving a case. Uh yeah, that dude knows a thing or two about strategy and maneuvering others. Is this guy dangerous?

A similar case has arisen, a bureaucrat has fallen into a coma after eating raw pufferfish.

Maomao: Master Gaoshun. Forgive me, but is it appropriate for you to be discussing this with me? Gaoshun: It won't be an issue. Unlike certain individuals, you understand your position.

What a loaded response from Gaoshun.

He's clearly taking a dig at Jinshi. Gaoshun was frustrated when Jinshi was assigned to care for the Rear Palace, and thinks that using his appearance as a test against the concubines is beneath him. But he also has been witnessing Jinshi spiral further and further away from propriety with Maomao, and can't approve of it. I thought Gaoshun had decided to support Jinshi and Maomao when he intervened to get Jinshi to Verdigris House and rescue Maomao. But, perhaps his motives weren't to support a romantic relationship between the two, rather to bring Maomao back to the palace where she would be under their protection and within their control. The second half of his statement to Maomao, "you understand your position," is also a bit of a reminder or perhaps a warning to her. He's also saying don't try to exceed your station. Gaoshun is delusional if he thinks the situation between Maomao and Jinshi can be maintained as it is.

Gaoshun lays out two similar poisoning cases. Maomao's keen mind is already rolling through the possibilities and she asks for some more information.

Jinshi scares the living shit out of Maomao when he startles her by asking what she was talking about with Gaoshun. I find it interesting that this request came directly through Gaoshun via Lakan, and that Jinshi was not aware of it. Why not inform Jinshi? I had wondered before about Lakan, if he might be some kind of rival of Jinshi's, since he seemed to take such an interest in the gossip about him. That Gaoshun, avoided informing Jinshi about this, makes me think there is something between those two gentleman, that isn't friendly. This scene also shows us that Gaoshun does sometimes operate outside of Jinshi's domain. We saw that in the past he was an investigator, and that now he sometimes does tasks that aren't given by Jinshi. Also, Jinshi is in casual robes, with wet hair. He clearly just got out of the bath. Was Gaoshun trying to have this conversation with Maomao while Jinshi was busy. Was he trying to hide this from Jinshi?

Jinshi: You seemed to be listening quite intently to Master Gaoshun's story.

Jinshi has become a bit possessive where it comes to Maomao. We saw that when he brought her back from Verdigris House, and again when Gaoshun gave Maomao a cloak last episode. Here it is again, with her having an intense conversation with Gaoshun. I wonder what Jinshi's actual thoughts are on his possessive actions. I mean I can see that his emotions for her are making him jealous and he's not bothering to try and hide that, but in his mind, does he think he has a claim on Maomao? He may actually have a legal claim since he did buy out her contract at the brothel, but in what way does he intend to exert that claim? Does Jinshi see Maomao as something he owns? Is his jealousy connected to that? Is he frustrated that he just bought a concubine and she wants nothing to do with him romantically? Or are the feelings of jealousy that we're seeing simply from his attraction to her? Does he simply wish her to return his feelings, and want to keep other guys away from her, so they won't get a chance to pull her attention away from him?

Maomao: People tend to pay attention to stories they actually find interesting. Jinshi: Now hold on. Is that why you frequently cut me off midsentence- Maomao: Oh dear. It's getting late. I suppose I'd better take my leave.

So the ambiguity of the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi has not affected their ability banter. Maomao is still teasing Jinshi, even if the conversation may indicate that Maomao has been avoiding Jinshi. Is she afraid they may have to talk about what it means that she's had her contract purchased and is living in Jinshi's house? Is she afraid her feelings may tip over into something that is even more difficult to hide from? Is she afraid she'll have to confront Jinshi's true identity and all the repercussions that come with it? All of the above? This situation feels so untenable.

Jinshi: Come back here. I'm not done talking with you- Suiren: And I have not finished drying your hair. Hold still

Suiren really controls everything that happens in this house doesn't she? What are this lady's goals? What does she think about Jinshi and Maomao?

Jinshi watches Maomao walk away and rumbles in frustration. He's ever trying to get closer, while Maomao keeps her distance. What will it take to change this?

Gaoshun returns with the details Maomao requested.

Maomao: I knew you would deliver.

There is a real trust and comradery developing between Gaoshun and Maomao. She doesn't have the same reservations she has with Jinshi and she isn't nearly as critical of Gaoshun. Indeed, she routinely views Gaoshun with glowing praise. In many ways he's the ideal man in Maomao's eyes, even if she doesn't see him as a match for her personally. I wonder how she would accept knowing Gaoshun's true identity.

Jinshi is delighted to come upon Maomao and Gaoshun discussing the poisoning mystery. He can't resist teasing Maomao for getting stuck on this case. It's rare that she doesn't figure out the solution right away, which means she probably hasn't had all the clues presented to her yet. Not only is she very good at solving mysteries, she's very perceptive and good at recognizing clues. So far everything she's been presented are clues gathered by other people. I have no doubt she could solve this if she were able to investigate herself.

Suiren: Careful, or you'll ruin your appetite. Jinshi: I'm a grown man. Maomao: Highly debatable from what I've seen.

Okay, I'm going to side with Jinshi on this one. Like, let the man eat if he's hungry. Also, isn't this his house? Why does everyone get to have an opinion on when and what he eats? Or how he behaves. Jinshi already lives in a fishbowl with eyes on him and every action he takes. It would be nice if he could have a little slack in his own home. But that is not his fate. He's destine to be slowly driven insane by endless demands and expectations.

Finally, Maomao will be able to see the kitchen where the poisonous meal was prepared. No doubt she'll be able to solve this now.

Maomao meets up with Basen. And it took me a moment to remember where I heard that name before, but this was the officer Jinshi was sparing with (shirtless!) way back in episode 5. He was kind of a hot-headed fighter, but was humble enough after Jinshi kicked his ass. He's being a dick to Maomao here. Now I just want to see Jinshi beat his ass again. Maomao says she's never seen Basen before but that he looks a bit familiar. What the hell? Like, is he related to someone she knows? You know what, I'm already working on trying to figure out Maomao and Jinshi's parentage, I'm not going to waste thoughts for fricking Basen.

I lied. This is actually going to bother me.

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is that he has crazy hair just like Lakan, but Maomao hasn't met him, so how can he look familiar. Fuck it.

So Maomao and Basen take one step into the kitchen and a dude runs up and demands they leave. It's not at all suspicious.

Damn it Basen does look familiar doesn't he? But like who?

Maomao finds the seaweed that is out of season and steals some on her way out. Thievery is becoming a habit for Maomao. She explains that the seaweed was improperly prepared before being shipped to this region, so it was never detoxified. She implies that it may have been intentional and the others know what to do from there.

We see a humous scene of Maomao explaining that the seaweed is toxic and proceeds to eat it. Jinshi is about at horrified as he can be. To be clear, he has the appropriate reaction for when someone consumes something poisonous. Jinshi forces her to take an emetic agent and vomit it back up before she can allow her experiment to begin. Once again we see her disregard her own wellbeing to pursue her study of poisons. It's reckless behavior. I understand that she doesn't have an ethical way to run these experiments, but one doesn't risk their own life or health for the pursuit of knowledge without having a pretty messed up sense of the value of their own life. She could have done this experiment in private and tried to hide it, but instead chose to do it in front of Jinshi and Gaoshun. I wonder if she was curious to see their reactions, or if she was even hoping they would respond this way. That they prevent her from hurting herself is a sign of their care for her. Will she be able to understand that and internalize it? I'm not hopeful.

Oh, that not at all suspicious younger brother was the culprit who bought the foreign seaweed? You don't say. Okay so he felt he wasn't treated well as the younger brother. Is this the same dude from the end of the last episode when someone was whining about being "worthy too?" So the mysterious guy who happened to be around the night Sir Kounen died, was also around to suggest to this murderous little brother, that he import toxic seaweed from the south. What is that serial killer up to? Does he have a larger goal? Is he part of a conspiracy?

Maomao, I think is tidying up Jinshi's bedroom, and is in a terrific mood, dreaming about how to use her caterpillar fungus. She accidentally is overly welcoming to Jinshi, and it is too much like a scene from one of his fondest dreams, so he smashes his face against the wall. These two cannot keep going on like this. Jinshi is desperate to move things forward with Maomao, even if he is holding back for now. And Maomao cannot pretend to be oblivious to his feelings forever.

Jinshi is exhausted. He has a lot of work to do, and Lakan has been making his life harder than usual.

Finally we get more information about Lakan. He's past forty, a high ranking military office, and a weirdo. I'm always looking for long lost parents, and this guy is a prime suspect. And he could work for Maomoa, Jinshi, or Basen. The fact that he's a "weirdo" makes me lean towards Maomao. Also, his strategic mind. Though I suppose that could be descriptive of Maomao or Jinshi, I think it fits Maomao better.

Jinshi says he thinks Lakan has it out for him, because he keeps causing trouble, plus the man has been in his office for the last few days. Probably ever since he heard about Maomao.

Jinshi is opening up and sharing his frustration about something going on in his life, and Maomao decides it's not her problem, so she doesn't need to care.

On the one hand I get it, she's trying to stay out of things that aren't her business. We see that consistently with how she avoids gossip. She may also feel that since she is merely a servant, that her opinions wouldn't be welcome here. But either way, Jinshi has decided to open up and share something, and she just disregards that. Frankly, it's rude.

If a friend wants to share something with you, you should make some effort to listen, it's how you build and nurture relationships. Of course that is likely the heart of the problem here. Maomao is terrified of intimacy, and this is a lot like actually being friends. She can't allow it. At least not with Jinshi.

We have seen Maomao sit and listen to Xiaolan, chatting about all kinds of different things, and I'm trying to remember specific examples but I think she would be willing to listen to the ladies of the Jade Pavilion or Verdigris House. I at least don't remember her ever straight up bailing on a conversation like this. It's really only Jinshi that gets this kind of treatment, and it's because he's the biggest threat.

She could be friends with just about anyone else, but with Jinshi, it's a slippery slope. If she allows a deeper friendship to grow, what's to stop her from continuing to tumble, until she fall completely in love?

Foreshadowing:

Maomao: Enough of that. It's not like it affects me, right?

Right.

And for as much as Maomao would love to check out of what Jinshi was saying, in truth she's bothered by it. The skies are cloudy, and Maomao's got a bad feeling about Lakan. She's worried about Jinshi. I wish Maomao had a therapist.

So we finally get a scene between Jinshi and Lakan. And what a scene it is!

Lakan arrives with fake smiles and words with hidden meanings. Jinshi is on guard from the start.

Lakan wants to talk about Verdigris House. He had a connection with a courtesan there who was a master at Go. Lakan lost his chance to buy her when her price went up during a bidding war. The courtesan he's talking about was an interesting one, who sold her skills but not herself, and wore a haughty expression. Jinshi unwillingly relates to Lakan when he describes the joy of being glared at.

Jinshi can't help himself and keeps asking questions even though he is aware that Lakan is luring him deeper into this conversation. Does Jinshi have an interest in this conversation? What Lakan's goals are here, Jinshi doesn't know, and I don't either, but Jinshi and I are both pretty sure it has to do with Maomao.

Lakan did something to the courtesan to lower her value, but doesn't want to reveal his misdeeds without a favor. Lakan asks to meet Maomao, and refers to her as Jinshi's servant rather than his concubine, which is interesting, following the conversation that preceded this ask. There is a mystery that Lakan wants to get to the bottom of, and he wants Maomao to take a look. Jinshi allows it. Maybe trying to find some peace from the endless trouble that Lakan has been causing him, or maybe he is agreeing to something, something mysterious that was being discussed in this conversation, that wasn't said aloud.

So time for a wild theory. I'm wondering if Lakan is Maomao's father and if the courtesan might be Maomao's mother. The thing he did to lower her value may be to impregnate the woman. Was he able to purchase the woman? Did he move her into the annex? Is Lakan a rotten piece of shit, and Maomao's mother faked Maomao's death and asked Luomen to help get her away from Lakan? If so, and Lakan suspects who Maomao may be, then his conversation with Jinshi may be a chance to see what Jinshi knows. Lay out some pieces of the story and see if Jinshi reacts.

And now I wonder, just how much does Jinshi know?! Does he know about Maomao's parentage? Is that why he couldn't help asking more questions? Is that why he agreed to allow Lakan to see Maomao. Is this some kind of tacit agreement, like fine you can see her, but don't tell her any of this shit?

In the final scene the rains have come. Trouble has arrived.

To start from the beginning:

Episode 1

Next Episode:

Episode 16

[streets-in-paradise]

Spoils of War - Dastan x (fem) Secret Assassin Servant!Reader

Prince of Persia Oneshot

Requested by Anon

" Hi OMD when I saw requests for prince of Persia I literally fell on my knees, literally anything for Dastan pls or enemies to lovers with a secret assassin servant reader 🤔"

Sure, anon! i love PoP and love writing for Dastan. Thanks for your request! Hope you will enjoy it as much as i loved writing it 😊

Warnings: Historical minded naturalization of slavery as concequence of war, prince x servant enemies to lovers with political intrigue happening in the middle ( nizam weaponizing the hate of the reader to attempt getting dastan killed.)

Summary:A persian attack destroys the home city of your arranged fiancé during your visit to meet him and the winners take you with them after the sacking. Doomed to become the servant of the man who killed him, your miserable and friendless existence as a slave in a foreign country couldn't get any worse.

Just as you are about to reach a breaking point the brother of the king offers you a dangerous way out that you take full of anger, hate and desperation. Switching your wedding night for a black widow job assassinating your master isn't the honorable first moment of union with a man you dreamed, but fate will keep surprising you as you start to discover the kind of man Dastan trully is.

Notes: This turned out loosely inspired in greek mythology and The Son of the Sheik (1926). I didn't plan it like that from the beggining, i realized midway into the writing but thought it would be cool to tell you.

Tags: @blackheart-beauty @axelwolf8109

The city was doomed and sooner or later your rank was going to become a curse. The man you were promised to was the leader of the last defensive attempt and his fate was falling in battle against the sons of Sharaman. Naturally, it was yours to become part of the loot gained on the sacking and being carried away to the palace. From then you could only expect the worst, you would be theirs to dispose. 

The persian who discovered you and got you out the hiding spot introduced you to some of the royals with the pride of a well accomplished task. He knew he just had found something they would like or, more precisely, fitting for the eye of the youngest prince. A proper reward for the maker of the feat, since you heard then he was the killer of your fiancee, making coincidence allied with the rules of war.  

Followed closely by the careless yet present surveillance of his uncle, Dastan of Persia came to you presenting himself as the needed comfort for a helpless and terrified woman. His eyes were trying to find yours staring back at him as he insisted over and over that he won't hurt you, but his attempt of checking a superficial wound in your cheek caused an intempestive reaction. 

You spat on his face, but that clear expression of deep hatred didn't stop the course of fate. You became his servant, one exclusively dedicated to him until you could be trusted near any other persian royals. Bis, the man handing you to his prince, was in charge of watching over you. 

Resistance was all that kept you standing, you refused to embrace the new identity coming from the reality being imposed to you. Despite being placed in degrading circumstances you were still a noble from birth and Nizam was the only one who seemed to understand that. 

The world was turned upside down, a vulgar man turned into a prince was master of a servant who was once about to be queen. Dastan irritated you above everyone, the parody of a royal he performed was an insult to your principles and he was always teasing you for staying tied to your manners. Nobody would ever be on your side because you were a stranger even among the people they had enslaved you with. To them you were just the foreigner once engaged to their deceased prince before marriage got to happen, but that wasn't enough to owe you any loyalty. You had no friends there and your family wasn't aware of anything so you couldn't count on them.

In that situation, the brother of the king and his sharp ironic whispering was the only approach you found relatable. Unlike Dastan, he had no interest in acting like a moral grounded hero who rescued you from the ruins. He felt to you like an exhausted nobleman, the only one still able to perceive the oddities of the context surrounding you. 

Your humiliation reached its peak when the prince introduced you with the restant members of the gang of savages he called friends. You were expected to serve them and although he wouldn't allow anyone to disrespect you and no one did. you had the feeling of being admired with vulgarity as if they were showing approval of the leader's new toy. The prideful horror you didn't care to hide caused more and more teasing coming from him. When he finally got sick of it, Dastan admitted to be testing your qualities. 

He said you were beautiful, but lacked humility and that needed to be fixed. 

It was unbearable, you would have done anything to get away from him. Feeling he was the only one you could trust, you later told Nizam about the aberration and then discovered you weren't alone. He shared your bitterness to an even higher extreme, directly feeding the flames of your hate towards Dastan. 

" Do you want to get rid of the rat? So do i. " He confessed to you as a conclusion of your common venting. " I have the power to fix your life here if you fix that for me. " 

" What can be granted to me that would make this any better? " You skeptically recalled. " I lost my life, the small privilege of the highest valued slave is nothing compared with what I once had." 

" I can make your living condition be re-evaluated. " He casually offered you,as if it was an easy task that meant nothing to him compared to other things he could do with the amount of power he had. " I would make one of my two nephews marry you. If you behave and serve my interests it could even be Tus so you would get the illusion of being a future queen again. The union would be strategic, you'll pay me when he will be crowned king. " 

Returning to nobility having only one secret owner seemed infinitely better than being a servant. You weren't bothered by the idea of becoming a political tool of Nizam if that would get your dignity restored.

" An offer like this must demand a higher price than just helping you keep your nephew controlled for you to rule through him, so tell me what it is. " 

" You must kill Dastan." Nizam ordered ríght away. " A chance like this one hasn't been presented in many years. Why do you think I have been following you so patiently? To offer you a friend?" 

He was mocking you but you were too lost thinking on the task itself to care about that detail.

" I knew from the beginning that you were perfect to provide me this service. " 

The absurdity of that claim allowed you to mock him back. 

" Couldn't you find a trained assassin? Or a man of the royal guard? Anyone could do it for a proper price. " 

" If anyone could do it, your prince should still be breathing. When battle calls Dastan is as fast as the lightning. No fíghter can catch him by surprise, he can't be taken down in an ambush. It's impossible to defeat him by force, but he is easier to weaken by passion. "

The implications on that last sentence alarmed you more than the command itself. 

" I think you are mistaken, ... he does nothing but annoy me for his amusement. " 

" He desires you. " Nizam insisted. " The persistence on his part indicates that he wants you more intensely than what he should. What you have to do is tame that wild beast, once he will fall asleep drunk of you he will not even notice the movement of the air as your dagger sinks in his flesh. " 

It offended you, that was an insult to the sacrifices you were making in that hostile environment in order to survive the way you wanted. 

" I'm NOT a prostitute, I still guard the only treasure that you persians haven't stolen from me. I will bleed over the bedsheet of my husband like the honorable practices command, not let Dastan have that before ending him for his blood to mix with mine. Find another way for me to murder him or I am out." 

The energic refusal angered him and he showed you a side of him even darker than what his command inferred. 

" You were simply lucky, girl. How long do you think that luck is going to last if you reject my offer? " He hissed in a threatening tone. " Very soon you will run out of things to loose. If you don't give it to him, somebody else will take it because being our slave means any man here has the ríght to go their way with your pretty body. I'm giving you a chance for revenge and a future reward for the stain consequential to your current condition, more than what you deserve. " 

The cruel vocab was harshly pointing out an actual truth. Once Dastan wouldn't be there and Bis would follow him to war you would remain in the palace alone without any guarantee of protection. Following the orders of Nizam was the only way for you to land a respectable position and you didn't lack motives to kill the prince. Trusting in the word of a man who wanted to kill his nephew was a dangerous move, but desperate times needed desperate measures.

The execution of the plan started in slow moves, with passive receptions of his provocations intending to generate neutral to positive interactions inviting the prince to trust you. A sudden change of mind would have been too suspicious, you only allowed yourself to act progressively more friendly with Bis.Having his best friend on your side was a good mechanism of approach, but given that was also the man taking responsibility for you it was strategical from all pointviews. 

Unfortunately, it all became counterproductive as the intimate proximity needed to be generated for the future success of the job increased. Dastan and Bis were showing true concern for your adaptation when you stopped being mean to them. The orphan made prince shared some particular details of his experience on the drastic change, details that his brothers would never come to completely understand, and the similarity on the feelings he described with yours got to shock you. Despite he was talking of gaining privilege while you had fallen in disgrace, you both knew what it was to feel out of place. Spending time with him was part of your day work and the secret mission, but it also made you start getting to know him at a personal level and doing so was placating your anger. 

The first time he made romantical advance on you he still managed to surprise you. Romantical undertones were hard to spot beyond the aura of attractiveness following his every act, his ways were flirty all the time. However, he put in some real work in making that act very distinguishable for you. 

Under the excuse of helping you avoid work for a while he took you to his favorite spot in the palace, or more precisely on top of it. His hiding place from childhood, where he would go back then when the pressures of change were becoming too much for the street boy expected to become a prince. You were sitting next to each other with little to no space in between, sharing stories of your past lives. Out of sudden at some point in one of his tales he interrupted himself off to apologize to you. 

" Gaining glory with your suffering was never my intention. I can't change the past, but I want to be a helpful part of your future. There is nothing wrong with being a servant if the royal family protects you and I am taking care of that.” 

He wasn’t completely satisfied with that and imagined you wouldn't be either if he would keep it that simple, so he encouraged himself to continue. 

“  I know what it's like to struggle for survival, but I am aware you will never get rid of the noble girl you used to be. Her virtues and flaws will stay with you, only time and use will show you how to deal with that. If I wanted to help you get rid of that tendency to judge others based on their origins, it is not only because I don't want you to hate me ... Do you think I didn't despise nobility before I became a prince? Adapting costed me some self hatred back when I was learning to emulate their ways, that's how I know that you will only be happy if you get rid of all sorts of prejudices. " 

Incredibly wise personal advice with a heartfelt touch, You never imagined he would be capable of such deep thinking. Until then he was to you a brute chosen for the potentiality the king found in his fast movements thinking of forming a fighter. The colorful tale presenting him as a noble hearted boy made a prince in an act of justice was to you an excuse hiding a military reason. It had to be the creation of an unstoppable elite soldier, a mighty weapon for the persian army with fierce loyalty for the king who dragged him out of the mud.

The man you were discovering justified the legend, maybe there was more in him to see than what surface looking would show. 

" Why do you tell me this?" 

" Because I don't want you to hate yourself seeing how everything changes around you, but you fight to stay the same. " 

He made you smile, you couldn't help it. Embarrassed as you were for that moment of weakness, you couldn't even look him in the eye. Noticing you were looking down made him follow your glance and your eyes meet in the ríght spot for something he wanted to show you. 

" See this?" He pointed at the rustic necklace he was wearing. " I keep it since those days, a reminder of the life I left behind keeping me grounded. " 

You were encouraged to inspect it and the prince secretly enjoyed some accidental caressing through your action. 

" Difficult thing for someone living in the heights, always jumping and climbing everywhere. " 

Your mock made him chuckle and the level of intimacy you were reaching encouraged him to get more personal. 

" Did you love him? Is that why being with me becomes such a heavy burden to you? The same hands bringing death to your beloved seeking to caress you... Is that what you despise and fear?" 

Dastan looked lost and regretful. It was as if he feared that any chance to get closer with you was lost forever and he would be the one to blame for that. 

" I wasn't in love with him, but I did love the idea of being a queen someday. " You admitted, wondering to yourself why you were encouraging him. " If you would have grown up in contact with more noble girls, you would understand. " 

" I can't give you a throne, but if you let me I'll make this place your new home. If I once was the one who took away all your safeties, allow me now to be your shelter. " 

The hand you still had on his chest was shaking a bit, so he took it and caressed it to calm the trembling before placing a kiss on its back.

You were absolutely speechless, no sound coming out from your parted lips as you observed him in amazement. Dastan awaited while eliminating all distance between you and once your lips were close enough he stopped fighting back the urge to kiss you. A long, mad, desperate kiss that left you gasping for air. 

You should have seen it coming, but you were momentarily swept away by his passion. Not only you didn't resist it, you enjoyed it. It was expected of you to be manipulating his passionate energy, yet you couldn't even keep the upper hand when the prince was kissing you. Heat invaded you, as if your whole body was burning of desire for your enemy. 

Those sensations were completely new to you and that overwhelmed you, keeping you far away from the calculative coldness the deal demanded. With your certainties completely shakened, you would still fool yourself thinking you were going to make it. Over and over again you informed Nizam of your excellent improvements claiming to be awaiting for his instructions, but the truth was that you were a victim of Dastan's charm falling for him without wanting to acknowledge it.

The opportunity chosen by Nizam to strike presented itself sooner than what you would have preferred. There was going to be a celebration in the palace and you would have to do more than serving food and keeping the goblets of your masters full. As the new rarity brought with the recent sacking, the local nobles could feel curious and you would have to be presented around them for their entertainment. With your beauty of past days restored and reconceptualized through suggestive dressing you were supposed to bait one of the two noble born princes to want you for themselves and lead the peasant one to his death. Your fate depended on the outcome of that night, no margin for mistakes allowed. 

While circumstances impeded your target from his gentlemanly actions taking for himself the role of your protector, Bis was still there to take his place. It wasn’t hard to see that the outstanding change in your appearance impressed him, but he admitted it in a completely harmless way. It felt as if a friend would be telling you that you looked pretty and tried to cheer you up while making you some company before the great moment. Only then you realized that you may have made your first friend among the persians and the comfort made you feel horrible. Sweet, innocent Bis thought you were nervous merely because you were going to dance for the noblemen and he did everything in his power to comfort you. His kind efforts reached unknown limits when he said he knew Dastan fancied you and he was going to convince him to marry you so wouldn’t have to go through that anymore. 

It moved you, his consideration was not what you would have once expected from the man who caused your doom. The misjudgement generated by your well justified hatred wouldn’t let you see past that and you sold yourself to the wrong master hoping the enemy of your enemies would strategically become your friend. Bis turned out to be your friend and it was most likely that Nizam wouldn’t show you any mercy. You were an easy scapegoat, he would get rid of you before you could open your mouth to accuse him. 

The crossroad you stuck yourself in didn’t have any good way out. if you would confess to Dastan the truth, he would reject you before daring to doubt his beloved uncle. However, if you would desist from obeying Nizam, he would destroy you and the prince would continue to be in danger while completely unaware of that. The only solution was evaluating what mattered the most to you and Bis gave you the answer when you felt a sparkle of excitement beneath the layers of guilt as you heard of his plan to help you. Deep down you were on board with it, Dastan awakened feelings you had never experienced during your brief meeting with your arranged fiance. There was no doubt that you despised him at first, but he kept working hard to change your mind until he eventually did it. 

Unfortunately, you realized that too late. He could only hate you if he knew of the conspiracy, Dastan would never be yours and you could only blame yourself for that. Time would come for you to face the consequences of your mistakes, but that night you were going to get your little farewell before his heart would break in front of you and yours with his. Despite you being mixed in the crowd of dancers, you were still able to make him feel like you were performing just for him. The awe in his beautiful, round eyes following your movements was slowly melting you, he was the only man that mattered to you there. Being his servant had at least one perk and that was not needing to hide for decorum, he only had to make you a sign to approach and you abandoned the group for him. 

“ Is it good like this, my lord?” You purred innocently while proceeding to sit on his lap. “ I hope you enjoyed the show. “

Dastan was fascinated, almost unable to believe what was happening knowing that it was coming from you. 

“ … I loved it, but wasn’t expecting my favorite girl to perform.” 

You chuckled and began to run your fingers through his hair. 

“ Surprise! See how well adjusted I am? I will not be a problem for you tonight.” 

He smiled foolishly, as if his mind was numbed because he was feeling you with all his senses. 

“ Well, it’s becoming difficult to focus on anything else but your ravishing looks.” He admitted, unsure of where he would wish to land his hands first but still doubting if he should do it. “ … It may be arabian perfume what I’m smelling over here?” 

Dastan reached your neck to keep playfully sniffing. Since he could be then sure you weren’t rejecting him anymore, he began to cover that sensitive spot with kisses. A shy gasp escaped from you and he chuckled against your skin, to which you were completely sure you would end up following him to his bedroom. However, your ecstatic responses ended on the way when you noticed the subtle warning look of Nizam witnessing you escape together across the room. 

It shrank your heart and you froze with fear, cursing the moment when you decided to associate with that evil man. The sweet prince was unsuspecting of anything, confusing your sorrow and regret with a fear of his touch making you doubt. Once you were behind closed doors all he did was to hold you in his arms. 

“ I value the effort that you put in for me tonight, but I will not push limits the noble girl in you wouldn’t want me to.” He was sweetly comforting you. “ Imagine this is our wedding night and I’m the husband respecting your choice of not giving yourself to me until I’ll stop being a stranger.” 

You both were laying in the bed over the sheets you changed that morning and he was trying to revive the code of conduct you were supposed to forget, bringing to you the world that didn’t belong to you anymore. Dastan thought the effects of the weight of your secret mission were signs of fear for the loss of your maidenhood to him and doing so he proved to be exactly like the husband you had always wanted. 

“ Would you do that for me?” You asked with hesitation, the tone of your voice shaking as you tried to fight tears of deep regret. “ … Even right here and now, when I am nothing to you? “ 

“ Who says you couldn’t be my wife someday? My sole existence here is a violation to many rules, don’t you think? “ He vaguely teased, also making fun of one of the many insults you proffered to him over the course of your first days at his service. “ I’m a street kid made prince, who would have the nerve to judge if I pick a slave princess?” 

Tears began to fall through your face and that time you were dragging him for a kiss, desperately trying to hush your thoughts and let him know how deeply you corresponded his affection before the inevitable would have to happen. 

“ Nizam … he will never let us be.” You attempted to explain to him right afterwards without choking on the crying. “ Dastan, I did something terrible. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you. I let him manipulate my emotions … I didn’t want you to save me if I could save myself, there was a time when I truly despise you and he took advantage of me for that.`` 

The bewilderment in his gaze was breaking your heart in advance. 

“ What are you talking about?” 

There was no easy way to say what he needed to know, but at that moment his safety mattered more than what could be of you if he wouldn’t believe you. Fortunately, you remembered you had one proof with some chances of making your story plausible. Dastan was slightly concerned when you stood up to loosen your clothes and search for the well hidden weapon that, had the order been fulfilled, you would have kept away from his sight before he would come to undress you. 

You handled it to him immediately, letting the evidence speak for you before you would have to. 

“ Do you recognize this dagger?” 

Dastan examined it carefully, but there was no doubt in his conclusion. 

“ How?” He defensively asked you. “ Who gave this to you?” 

“ I’ve got it from the hand of your uncle, he strictly commanded me to kill you in your sleep.” You informed him, much to your regret. “ He convinced me with empty promises of manipulating Tus into making me his wife so my position would be restored, back when I used to care about that … Before getting to know you and find out you are all I ever wanted."

You couldn't stand his suffering. He did believe you, but that didn't make things any better. In any case, it was a double betrayal.

" Do you loathe me so much? " He asked you, visibly hurted. " Does he loathe me this much?"

Desperate and unsure of what to do, all that occured to you was being completely honest with him.

" Dastan, i love you! I could have kept the secret and face the rage of Nizam alone, but then the truth would be gone with me and he would still be close to you planning new ways to harm you." You tried to explain him. " I don't care about what could happen to me anymore, I'm doing this for you… I can't let him hurt you."

He stood up in silence and you could tell that he was about to kick you out. Before he could get to even suggest it you threw yourself in front of him embracing his knees.

"Save yourself, my love. Please, be sensical. " You humbly pleaded. " I'm not begging you to forgive me, I know i have just lost you forever and i'm willing to accept my punishment. "

You released him and closed your eyes, still on your knees but adopting a sacrificial position. Dastan understood you were inviting him to take revenge on you if he desired so hoping that would satisfy him. Paying the price for both should stop him from recklessly confronting Nizam.

Not even at the peak of desperation when you were about to be made a war captive he had seen you like that… And you weren't even trying to save yourself, but offering him your life so he wouldn't risk his.

The prince let the dagger fall on the floor, shocked to the realization that you were trully in love with him.

" As you have spared my life, I release you from your debt. " He informed you, then gesturally invited you to rise up. " How could you possibly believe I would have the very same strenght you lacked? If love stopped your hand, so it shall stop mine. "

Inmense gratitude made you smile despite the sorrow. From that point you would accept anything he demmanded of you. Either if he needed help to expose his uncle, or if he was planning to run away so the family conflict wouldn't end in war, you would follow him.

[cilil]

౨ৎ Prompt: "Whenever I look at you..." ౨ৎ Synopsis: Melkor, Mairon and what they see in each other - a dialogue ౨ৎ Warnings: Some obsessive and possessive behavior ౨ৎ Oneshot (800 words. Yes, every segment is exactly 100 words long and I need you to know because I'm proud XD) ౨ৎ AO3

AN: A bit of a different approach this time, but I hope you enjoy what I've done with the prompt you chose for January. I recommend reading on AO3 because I formatted this in a particular way that doesn't properly display on Tumblr, so apologies for that.

Whenever I look at you, I am reminded of the Secret Fire I sought so long ago. A beautiful, precious flame, one of a kind, so full of potential. 

Your fire tempts me, your light draws me in. I wish to hold it in my hands, all of it, all of you. For you were made to be admirable, and admire you I shall, the only being in creation that I have found to be flawless and complete. 

Come to me, little flame. Let me have you, and I promise you that your fire shall burn unrestrained and never perish. 

Whenever I look at you, I see true power, the mightiest of us all, mastering all arts and elements. I sense my own element within your being, and much more still. 

Your song has spoken to me since the very beginning, and I could resist your voice only for so long. You call to me, you understand me like no one else ever could. 

The very fabric of creation bends to your will, even fate itself. You hold power that I covet, yet in my ambition I also desire to have you, all of you, and to call you mine. 

Whenever I look at you, I know that you were made to be mine. I watch you serve another, and envy consumes me, knowing in my heart that you were stolen from me. 

But fear not, little flame, for I will watch you from the shadows until we may finally see each other, until I have you all to myself. I will chase you, charm you, court you. You may curse me, you may push me away, but we both know the truth in your heart. 

At last, you will be ready to be mine, and I can be patient. 

Whenever I look at you, my spirit trembles with exhilaration. I have been warned to stay away from you, I sense the danger, yet I am unafraid. 

You hunt me, and I run from you, even though I know you will inevitably catch me. It is the thrill of the hunt that I crave – to be pursued to the ends of Arda, to be caught, to feel your hunger. I shan't let you have me easily, but I gladly play this game with you.

I will be your finest prey and proudest catch. Come for me, I await you eagerly. 

Whenever I look at you, I see love I thought could never be, love I thought I could never have. 

Time and time again it would elude me, until I found you. Time and time again I thought my father took it from me forever, until you gave it to me.

My one true passion. Never again may another touch you, hold you, cherish you, love you like I do. No other may have you, or I shall hunt them to the ends of Arda.

My hidden weakness. Yet, somehow, I don't mind. 

My precious. Complete me, make me whole. 

Whenever I look at you, I see darkness I no longer fear.

I was told to stifle my ambition, to forget my desires, to deny my nature. They want me to be teacher and servant to lesser beings. You want me to rule. And I choose your power over their petty laws. I choose you. 

One word from you, and I shall follow you into the darkness, even into the Void if I must. With you by my side, there is no fear. With you by my side, there are no limits.

Whenever I look at you, I see freedom. 

Whenever I look at you, you are the light in my darkness, a silver lining on a bleak and blackened horizon. 

I was told that I am doomed, that I am cursed, that I can only ever destroy and never create. 

And destroy I did, and hurt and maim and kill. 

But never you. Because you are precious to me. 

I promise I will never hurt you. I promise that you are the one thing I will never destroy. 

We will remake and reshape this world together, burn it down first if we must. For you, for me, for us. 

Whenever I look at you, I know that I am devoted to you forever. My one true love, my one true obsession. 

Never before has any lover made me feel like you do, possessed me like you do, held my heart like you do. Their attention was delightful and their admiration flattering, but they were expendable. 

Not you. Never you. 

You are the one I shall pledge myself to. You are the one I wish to belong to. You are the one I will swear to love, come what may; in light and in bliss, in darkness and in despair.

Thanks for reading! ♡

taglist: @angbangbaby @asianbutnotjapanese @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @bluezenzennie @edensrose @eunoiaastralwings @i-did-not-mean-to @melkors-big-tits @melkors-defense-attorney @singleteapot @stormchaser819 @wandererindreams

[ihaveneverbeengivenflowers]

The ultimate Alucard x Integra fanfic list

⚠️ Important information before you dig in: - All the works listed are mature rated due light to heavy smut and/or violence. Definitely NSFW and innapropriate for minors; - There are ongoing and some unfinished works in the list; - A few works are in different languages, but Google translator hands them fine enough; - The list is in alphabetical order and might be updated if I get to find new works in the future. In case you know about any other good ones, you're welcome to share.

Enjoy ❤️

A master's desire Adore Again master All in good time And though you turn from me Anomaly April's fool

Beati quorum via integra est Beautiful, wicked, brazen Bedtime play Between the lines Bursting bubbles

Celebrations Cling Commands Count and countess Courting Integra

Dangerous minds Darling, I wish you were red Desires of a servant Do you want more?

Eternal sin and Embrancing sin Exemplary service Exodus

First blood Fun with whips and chains

Good night

Haunted History lesson

I'll stop Integra's spelling lesson Into the madness

Last caress Life in the gloom Lord and master Love notes

Master control Masters, lovers and equals Methods of distraction Mutual fantasies

Nibbles Not his fault

Ouroboros

Passion's epiphanies Playing with the dog

Reflection of eternity Regrets Release Restoration Rivalry Romancia II

Sarabande Satis Satisfaction Say please Sex and cigars Shadows and lace Smoke Solace Somniator Staking claim Stay with me tonight

The attic The forfeit The most dangerous foe The truth The wolf with the blood red roses There's someone else here To remember of not to remember Triumph of the will

Valentines day, the Hellsing way

Walking in shadow Wild night

You just close your eyes You or me?

[simpknight]

Hi!! Been following you for a while now so the moment you opened requests I was ready to ask uwu ✨

Could you make headcanons about how Diarmuid! lancer, Bedivere and Arjuna!archer would react when g/n master gifts them a flower they found pretty and made them remember about them? Like, a present to them because well, they deserve good things ;;;; (i know, pretty fluff😔) And if you don't mind, as a bonus, them having already a crush with the master👀

THX U FOR UR WORK! love how you write and hope u have a nice day! ✨

Thank you so much for requesting! I hope you also have a lovely day!

I know you didn't request this, but I added a small text to introduce the prompt. I hope you like it!

Relationships: Arjuna x gn!reader /Diarmuid x gn!reader/ Bedivere x gn!reader

Rating: Gen

Words: 736

Warnings: None

After fixing a minor singularity, Mash, your servant and you had to wait before Rayshifting back to Chaldea. Apparently there had been some interferences that made difficult going back.

You’d been waiting for at least half an hour with no updates on the situation, so you decided to stretch your legs and go for a walk.

Mash was worried at first; it would be dangerous for you to go alone in case a monster attacked you, but you reassured her it would be fine. You wouldn’t wander too far after all.

After a couple of minutes walking, you found a small clearing in the dense forest. There were some beautiful flowers growing in the ground and you felt like taking a closer look at them. You didn’t recognize the type of flowers they were, still you thought they were really pretty. There was something about them that made the flowers look special, so you decided to pick up one. Perhaps they would be a nice detail for the servant who accompanied you in this mission.

Diarmuid

- He was a bit worried about you. You weren’t away for a long time, but in these woods you wouldn’t know when a ferocious boar monster would appear.

- He was relieved when he saw you picking up some flowers. You seemed happy surrounded by nature, the rays of the sun gently caressing your skin.

- “Hey, Diarmuid, look.” When you noticed his presence you hurried to meet him “This flower is really pretty. It somehow reminds me of you.”

- He tried to speak but found himself unable to. He just stood there as you gently tried to put the flower on his hair.

-“See? It looks really nice on you.” You were oblivious at how tense he felt by having you so close.

- Despite his nervousness he chuckled and advised you to go back were Mash was in case Chaldea solved the communication issue.

- That day when he returned to his room, Diarmuid left the flower you gave him in a small vase (and Fionn teased him a lot for it).

Bedivere

- Mash asked him to go look for you, just in case something happened; connection was reestablished and it was time to go back home.

- He found you sitting in the grass, mesmerized with something on your hands. When he called your name you made him a sign so he would come closer.

- ”Look Bedi! I found this cute little blue flowers so I decided to make this” You showed him the flower crown that you’ve been making. He thought it was adorable.

- “I was planning on giving you just one of the flowers because they reminded me of you. In the end I thought it would be better to make you something with them instead.” You admitted laughing.

- He didn’t know what to say. He wanted to thank you when you interrupted him to put the flower crown on his head. It turned out to be smaller than you expected.

- You teased him a little, saying he looked really cute with it. Then you winked at him and that was what turned him into a blushing mess.

- Luckily for him you didn’t notice because if you did he would probably die from embarrassment.

Arjuna

- He was already following you after you announced you were leaving. It was not that he didn’t trust you, he knew you wouldn’t get into trouble, but he wanted to make sure no monsters were nearby.

- After making sure there weren’t any enemies, he approached you. You seemed to be occupied inspecting some wild flowers. Did they catch your attention because of something special?

- Sometimes he found your behavior peculiar, he couldn’t understand what was going through your mind.

- Especially he didn’t understand why you liked him to accompany you so often in your missions. He thought it was nice that you cared about him, even if he couldn’t express it out loud.

- “Master, perhaps we should get going.” Before leaving you took one of the flowers, one you were looking at with a particular interest.

- Once you went back to Chaldea you gave the flower to Arjuna, claiming it was a small token of affection. You didn’t want to give it to him earlier because you didn’t have one for Mash.

- Arjuna took the flower gently on his hands with a faint smile on his lips. He would make sure to treasure your gift.

[69misato69]

Salvation (Zhongli x Xiao) ✦ smut, 4k

archive of our own ✦ twitter ✦ masterlist

pre-canon, zhongli early archon days, master/servant dynamics, calling upon adeptus xiao accidentally during inappropriate times

it should be obvious but this is romantic zhongxiao, not familial or platonic. thank you in advance for keeping it respectful (: enjoy!

cw: blood (non-graphic), blowjobs, unprotected sex, ejaculation, overall heavy sexual themes

writer's note: explicit +18 content, please view at your own risk. thank you, have fun !

The moon sets over the hills of Liyue. An adeptus, lonely, awake as the entire nation rests, he stands at a mountaintop, gazing down as the breeze surrounds him. It runs through his hair, the moonlight illuminates his face, silence other than all that haunts him from within.

Though he never feels at peace, he feels calm. 

A voice reaches from the depths, it creeps up, grazes against his mind. 

“Xiao…”

A faint call. 

“Xiao…” 

Again. 

“Xiao…” 

And again. 

The voice is weak, coated with despair. 

He recognizes his lord, calling upon him in agony. 

A viridescent flash, and Xiao finds him in Morax’s room within the span of a second. He examines the surroundings for any sign of danger, a disturbance, an intrusion. 

Yet, there seems to be none. Nothing but his master, lying peacefully on his bed. 

He is in a state of deep rest, painting a confused look on Xiao’s face. 

How could he have mistaken someone else’s voice for him? 

It’s disgraceful, shameful, puzzling even. But just as he turns away, he hears the call again.

“Xiao…” 

Xiao turns around, noticing Morax shift on the bed with the yaksha’s name between his lips. 

Again and again, his voice grows even needier as Xiao watches in utter shock. 

Until he sighs. A long exhale vibrates in Xiao’s skull and Morax settles down again. 

He feels frozen in place. He must leave. The burden of witnessing something he shouldn’t have weighs heavy on his chest. 

It feels awfully personal, like accidentally walking in on someone changing. 

Invading one’s privacy at a moment most vulnerable. 

But Xiao is unable to move. 

Though the call is gone, it still rings in his ears. Out of all the times he has heard Morax utter his name, this one turns him so unbelievably soft, feral and curious at the same time. 

The name that Morax blessed him with, laced with his new-found freedom, a new life where he can serve someone that fights for the beauty of their world. A path of light that contrasts his thousand-year-old darkness. 

It’s always been personal. 

Everytime someone calls on Xiao, he hears it through the echo of Morax’s voice first.

A new master that has granted him a second chance.  

Xiao musters up the strength to glance at him a final time before disappearing into the shadows. 

He awaits the morning, one of the longest waits he ever had to endure. 

Though, when it comes, everything seems perfectly fine, ordinary is an overstatement. 

“Good morning, Xiao.” Morax greets him as always. 

Xiao feels blood rush to his cheeks.

“Good morning, my lord.” he bows slightly. 

Morax hums, getting back to his tea and the book in his hand. Xiao sits across from him, silent, almost as if he is transparent. He spends a considerable amount of his mornings with Morax, usually sitting idly by like a cat. 

Xiao is always extra careful not to disturb him, until Morax closes his book and directs his attention at the yaksha with a soft smile. 

“Could I be of any assistance to you, today?” Xiao looks up at him.

“Let’s see…” he takes a second to evaluate, “I have a few important visits planned, if you wouldn’t mind keeping me company?” 

Xiao nods. Though decades pass, he never gets used to how his lord voices his thoughts as requests.

Would you mind, if you would like to, if you have time to spare…

To Xiao, everything that leaves his mouth is an order, an absolute, failing to fulfill it is worse than death itself. 

But Morax always phrases it so casually. A no from Xiao one day would certainly surprise him, but most likely he would be understanding of it. 

Upon Xiao’s confirmation, he gets up from his seat, setting the course for a series of tiring visits to other abodes and into the city. Xiao tags along, running the necessary errands, guarding his lord, looking out for danger as they get through the events of the day one by one.  

As they return home, Morax looks at him with a kind gaze.

“Thank you, Xiao. You have been a great help as always.” 

Xiao bows his head, his body hurts from tensing up all day. Every time Morax turns to ask him a question he feels a bit light-headed, worried that it might be about last night. 

What if he has sensed Xiao’s presence? 

But, even at the end of the day as they are alone, he shows no signs of being aware of the happenings of the previous night. 

Xiao leaves, relieved. He spends the night doing his master’s bidding as always, clearing his mind to the best of his ability. 

But just as he settles into his corner, he hears it again.

“Xiao…” 

His heart skips a beat. 

The morning draws near as he debates his next course of action.

He can’t simply ignore his call. It’s disrespectful and out of the question.

But, on the other hand, he already knows why his name is being called out. 

The thought of witnessing more of it, Xiao worries. He doesn’t get to reciprocate Morax’s feelings. He can’t allow himself to succumb into unchaste thoughts about the being he respects the most. 

It stains his worship, breaks his resolve. 

Soon enough, Xiao no longer has to make a choice, because the voice quiets down again. He looks up at the stars fading away from the night sky. 

Xiao witnesses the same thing a handful of times in the following week, not every night like clockwork, but that only makes it worse. 

It’s unpredictable, sometimes a few quiet nights followed by his call again at a moment most unexpected. 

During the days, however, it is as if nothing has happened.  

Morax sticks to his routine, how he chats with Xiao and his fellow adepti remain the same. He works and unwinds, he calls upon Xiao with certain tasks and thanks him genuinely after they are completed. 

So normal that it drives Xiao insane. 

After the sun sets, he sits and waits patiently, and after uneventful nights, when the sun rises again, Xiao realizes that he feels a bit disappointed. 

Not that he does anything but crumble in place when it happens, but he feels dependent on it, finding a strange, familiar and satisfying joy in restraining himself. It feels like a test he is passing, even when Morax himself is unaware of holding. 

But, Xiao has limits. 

A breaking point. 

And he nears it on one of those nights as Morax calls out for him, needier than ever. A slight crack in his voice that pains Xiao as he wallows in helplessness, being the very thing that could soothe his lord at the moment, but lacking the courage to do so. 

“Xiao…”

His eyes widen, a flutter in his chest, no matter how much he denies it. 

A fire in his belly that warms up his entire body, it turns him red up to his ears. 

It’s blasphemy. 

But Xiao can’t help it as his hand travels inside the fabric. 

His fingers move lightly over himself as his lord’s moans fill his ears.

It’s lewd, but godly, heavenly, Xiao feels his soul transcend higher and higher.

He feels whole, and holy. Complete. 

He feels like a sinner, but what sinner would be blessed with such delight? 

Xiao can’t help himself, his head rolls back, mouth parted with breathy moans, until a name escapes him. 

“Morax…” 

Tears pool around his eyes.

“Xiao…” 

Xiao bites down on his bottom lip. He can’t. It’s too much. His state is dire enough as it is, and if he keeps—

“Morax…”

It’s no use. He squirms for his master, in secret. 

Though they moan for each other, it is only Xiao that knows it. He feels close as they exchange each other’s names over and over again. 

Until, he feels a shift in the voice that answers him. 

“Xiao?”

He sounds awake, conscious. It’s a question this time. 

Xiao falters, he retracts his hand immediately.

“Is something wrong?” 

Xiao shakes his head and quickly collects himself before appearing in Morax’s chambers once again. 

He seems worried.

His eyes wander around Xiao’s body, inspecting it for signs of injury and luckily spotting none. 

Xiao knows he seems thrown off, shaky as he walks over to the bed and kneels right in front of him. 

He can’t take it any longer. He wants to know, he has to. 

Morax watches him settle down, recognizing the hesitation. The few minutes Xiao always takes before speaking of an important matter. He calculates, picks his words out of a cluttered bubble and drags them down. And he always waits patiently, offering him a comfortable silence. 

“My lord…” Xiao finally looks up at him, “I listen to you, call for me. Almost every night.” 

His master looks mesmerizing even with drowsy eyes and disheveled golden-brown locks that fall upon his visage.

“I visit you, but you always seem to be… dreaming.” Xiao’s hands shake as he holds Morax’s inside his palm, “Am I deserving to know what it is that you desire?” 

Morax frees his hand to cup Xiao’s cheek. He treats it as a trivial matter, as if it hasn't been driving Xiao out of his mind. 

“Apologies for disturbing you, dear Xiao. You needn’t worry yourself with this.” 

Xiao leans into his palm, amazed at the wonders that his touch works. 

An apology is the last thing he needs when it isn’t even remotely a disturbance. Every desperate night Xiao prays to Rex Lapis to soothe his worries, only to be embraced by a warm light, to instantly feel a soft touch upon his cheek. 

The hand that reaches for him every time he drowns in despair. 

He needs no apology from Morax. 

“I swore an oath to you, my lord. I am your trusted weapon, your humble servant. It is my duty, not a disturbance.” he looks up with glossy eyes that meet the comforting amber pupils. 

“Wherever you may need me, on the battlefield or in here, I… can fulfill your every need. But I can’t bear to watch it helplessly.” 

Morax’s brows raise, Xiao is a man of few words, especially with him. Concise and precise. Yet, he goes on this time.

“What you long for, you already have. It has been your loyal subject ever since you guided its lost soul back home.” 

Morax seems moved at the confession. What Xiao makes him feel with his actions finally lingers in the air between them with his words. 

Morax’s hand trails down as his thumb brushes against the yaksha’s chin. His fingers softly move over his neck, sending a shiver down Xiao’s spine. 

He stands up, and Morax guides him to his lap.

Xiao feels uneasy, not because of the position, but because he feels like he is being evaluated. 

Morax examines him, buries his nose in Xiao’s skin to revel in his scent as his hands roam his shoulders and his waist. He fails to understand, and fights the urge to reach up and touch him. 

“Why do you hold back, Xiao?”

Xiao realizes he has been holding his breath for too long. He lets out a sharp exhale. 

He has to hold back, because it’s sacrilege.

Profane and irreverent to let himself take pleasure in this. It’s an act of service, a token of his undying devotion and it shall serve as nothing but that. 

“Because this is an offering, correct?” 

“Yes, my lord.”

“Do you think you are not allowed to enjoy it?” 

Xiao stays silent as a kiss is pressed onto his neck. 

He catches on fire even from a gentle peck, his vision blurs as more kisses follow. 

“I see. That won’t do, unfortunately.” 

The lips leave his skin abruptly. 

“I—I don’t follow, my lord?” Xiao searches his expression for a reason. 

“If it is an offering you aim for, you must be willing to give it all.” 

“I am.”

“No, my dear Xiao, you aren’t.” Morax’s hands roam his thighs, “You fight for control.” 

He gives them a light squeeze, “I can sense your restraints, what you don’t allow yourself to do.” 

The softness has yielded its place to Xiao’s contracted, rock hard muscles.

“It’s… artificial, you see? So much tension. It’s certainly not how you were touching yourself minutes ago.” 

He holds back a gasp.

“I am not interested in fulfilling meaningless desires with you, Xiao. You are different, truly special to me.” 

With every word, Xiao wants to touch him more. He yearns for the lips that slid over his neck a minute ago.

“You deserve so much more than what this offering entails.” Morax holds his face, “Therefore, I must reject it, until you need me like I need you.” 

Xiao gulps as their faces draw closer.

Morax whispers over his mouth before leaving his first and last kiss over Xiao’s lips, at least for this night—

“Should the day ever come that you beg me to have you, then, and only then, I would.” 

Xiao breaths in, wide-eyed and dazed. 

“I—understand, my lord.” he stutters, failing to help himself as his fingers reach up to his lips, right where Morax just brushed against. 

“Good. You are welcome to rest here.” he smiles. A bittersweet feeling takes over his heart, now more than ever, he sees how insignificant Xiao sees himself. 

Nothing but a vessel, a mere tool, a weapon as he has phrased it. 

Morax promises himself that when Xiao is ready to see it, he will show the yaksha his worth. 

“Thank you, but I shall depart. I wish you a good night.” 

Xiao prepares to leave. He seems lost in thought, mind preoccupied with Morax’s words. 

“To you as well, Xiao.”  

Xiao spends the next few days reflecting upon that night, trying to decipher what his master told him. It’s hard to relive the events without his thighs trembling and his heart racing loud enough to ache his ribs. 

He sits on the same mountaintop, rubbing his temples. 

Why does it still feel so wrong? Still so forbidden even after his master has explicitly advised him to unpack his desires. 

You deserve so much more. 

Does he? 

He doesn’t mind fulfilling the desires that Morax deems beneath him. He doesn’t mind restraining himself, being a selfless servant. 

Except it’s not selfless. It’s an act as selfish as the mortals pretending to live an honest life for Rex Lapis even though they are ridden with filth. Denying it doesn’t make them any less selfish. 

Xiao trying to maintain his integrity by denying both of them something holy, is it any different? 

He begins to understand. 

Morax didn’t free him only for him to be placed within the confines of his own mind. 

A new, different prison, regardless, a prison still. 

Xiao squirms, feeling a blissful corruption penetrate his body and mind from every angle. 

He mourns the loss of Morax’s touch, a ghost of him still has fingers lingering around his waist and on his neck. 

Xiao finally understands what he meant that night. 

Until you need me like I need you. 

He frees himself of the shackles binding his mind. The more he yanks them loose, he grows weaker and weaker. 

A soldier’s resolve transforms into a retainer’s loyalty. 

Without realizing, he finds himself at a familiar spot, knelt by Morax’s bed. 

Only this time, tears stream down his face. Xiao fails to understand why, but his master pulls him into a tight embrace. He kisses away the salty tears until Xiao’s damp cheeks dry up. 

Comfort and warmth.

Morax gives him strength, yet turns him into such a weak creature. 

“Please, my lord…” he whispers as their foreheads meet, “Take me.” 

Xiao sinks deeper on his lap, “I promise to prove my worth to you, and myself, as long as I live and breathe.” 

Soothing rubs are left all over his back until Xiao finds the courage to look up into his master’s eyes. 

“I finally see the folly in what I offered. But now… Now I know what you meant. I long for you… the way you long for me. You must—feel it. Please… tell me, I beg.” 

Xiao’s voice cracks, he feels found, almost. The balance still feels so sensitive, like it could fall apart at any moment. 

The heat that emits from his body, the sincerity of his words and the rawness of his tone. 

Of course Morax feels it. It’s a delight, seeing Xiao so genuine. Even though it can’t be labeled as ‘demanding’ by definition, it is the most demanding Xiao has ever been with his master. 

Morax holds the hand that rests on his shoulder, silent. He presses his lips in Xiao’s inner wrist, peppering kisses all along, inside his palm, on the tips of his fingers. 

Xiao sighs in relief, it’s a confirmation. 

“My dear Xiao,” Morax gently rids him of his clothes, “I have had the pleasure of knowing you for centuries, yet you continue to amaze me every single day.” 

Xiao looks down on his bare chest, seeing slender fingers move along it, fingertips that tease his nipples. The sight alone is enough to make him hiss. 

He looks up again, finding Morax examining the marks and scars sprinkled over his skin. 

He remembers how each one was formed, he remembers tending to Xiao and bandaging the deep slits of gush and blood after each battle. 

And now, he watches him carry them like the true warrior that he is. 

Xiao’s back arches as he leans forward.

Morax doesn’t make him wait any longer. His lips claim the yaksha’s into a heated kiss. 

Though it takes him a while to respond, Xiao soon wraps his arms around Morax’s neck, leaning into his lips, licking into his mouth curiously. 

He doesn’t notice how he lightly grinds against his crotch as strong hands roam his upper body. They travel down to his thighs, palming his erection over the final piece of fabric that keeps them apart. 

Morax finally slides the robe off his shoulders and the underwear off of Xiao’s legs. 

He settles back down, gasping at how the tip of his cock brushes against his master’s stomach.

It is a divine feeling to sit skin-to-skin with him, to feel his arms envelope him and push him down. Xiao can’t seem to catch his breath as Morax drinks up his moans. 

He feels his back meet the mattress with two hands parting his legs. 

Xiao’s eyes widen. Kisses trail from his mouth, down to his chest and over to his groin. 

“My lord—you—don’t have to… Hah…” Xiao feels a lightning bolt creep up his spine as Morax’s tongue laps over his tip. 

Being above him, holding him between his legs, Xiao doesn’t know what to feel about it. After a few licks, he feels his body weigh heavier and heavier, he unintentionally spreads his legs wider, accommodating his master’s movements. 

Morax’s lips wrap around him fully, working their way down to the base. 

Xiao gives in, he was the one that asked Morax to take him, after all. 

He throws his head back, gently petting his master’s hair as he holds onto Xiao’s thighs. Muffled, seraphic moans escape him every time he takes Xiao all the way back into his throat. 

A yaksha writhing under his god.

Morax takes his time, exploring every inch and abusing every sweet spot with his tongue to reel out sweet noises from Xiao’s lips. 

As his tip stabs the back of his throat, squeezed within the tight space, Xiao can’t help but yank on the strands of hair within his grasp with a deep groan. 

He retracts his hands, stuttering an apology, soaked in embarrassment, but Morax guides his hands back into his hair without an interruption. 

His movements become harsher, eager to draw pleasure from Xiao while he pulls on the soft, silky locks. He twirls them around his fingers, allowing lust to overtake his senses as everything else around them phases out of existence. 

Nothing left but the warm, inviting lips that engulf him and the final twitches before he spills down Morax’s throat. 

Xiao’s chest heaves, tears pool around his eyes as Morax swallows in delight and cleans him up thoroughly. He moves to hover over Xiao’s body, trembling with pleasure. 

He takes his time calming Xiao down with gentle pets along his cheek, pressing a loving kiss on his forehead as his hand circles around his hole. 

Xiao whimpers, there’s a lot that he wants to say, to compliment the being that looks down at him affectionately. Xiao wants to tell him how beautiful he is. Ethereal, mesmerizing to the extent that even a single glance from him is enough to make his heart race. 

Unfortunately, words elude him. 

He reaches up to shakily cup Morax’s cheek, eliciting a light chuckle. Xiao appreciates how it lightens the atmosphere and pulls his heart back into his chest. 

A finger slides inside him, so gentle, as if Morax is handling something so fragile and delicate and not the Conqueror of Demons. 

It’s enough to make him swoon, his insides squirm as a second finger joins, thrusting in and out of him, now more accelerated. 

Xiao huffs short breaths, expectant for more, yet enjoying it too much to move on. 

He involuntarily whines when Morax retracts his fingers, earning a chuckle once again.

“Patience, my beloved Xiao.” he lines up with the yaksha’s entrance, “Keep this up for me, okay? You’re perfect.” 

“Yes, my lord. Thank you.” Xiao averts his gaze.

Perfect? He feels far from it. All he feels is deeply flawed. 

The voices he had suppressed all his life, if he had made the fatal mistake of letting them speak up, they would eat him alive. 

But, perfect, in the eyes of his master. 

It’s enough to silence everything else, and Morax certainly notices the reaction he attempts to hide. 

“Take a deep breath.” he coos, and he pushes in as Xiao fills his lungs to the brim. 

He holds the yaksha close, moving inside him carefully until he reaches the base. He falls static, looking down to feast on how well Xiao takes him, walls tightly sucking him up and limbs completely relaxed. 

Certainly a lot different than the first time he attempted it. 

“Beautiful.” Morax turns his gaze to the blissful look on Xiao’s face again. 

The moonlight surfaces the blushing of his cheeks. 

Morax has a general idea of how Xiao sees himself, and whenever he gets a taste of his inner hatred, he can’t help but disagree. 

Because to him, Xiao is magnificent. 

Still pure as a cold stream that flows to meet the sea, adopting the impurities of the dirt he carries along as his own. 

It is simply untrue, now as Xiao lays in his arms, free of the filth that he has been cursed with, even for a short while, he is light itself. 

Cannot be replaced or replicated, he shines so bright, so effortlessly as the sun itself, and as mysteriously as the moon. 

A ray that strikes Morax’s soul, it has him melting away just as Xiao does under him. 

They crumble together while Morax pushes him into the mattress and pulls away with wet noises mixed in with desperate moans. 

Xiao feels his claws penetrate the sheets, knuckles turning white from the strain.

“Hold onto me instead.”

I wouldn’t dare sever you, my lord, Xiao wants to say, you mustn’t bleed by my hands. 

But “Claws…” is all that leaves his mouth. Short and simple, all that he is capable of at the moment. 

Zhongli digs his own into Xiao’s hips, “Marks laid by you, I would cherish them until my very last breath.” 

Xiao feels light-headed in the best way possible. He holds onto Morax’s shoulders, digging his sharp claws into his skin that now shines with golden markings. 

Morax growls and slams into him even harder, creating a vicious cycle of deeper stabs and stronger thrusts. 

A cycle that leaves both of them grunting between passionate, sloppy kisses. 

Blood seeps from the cracks Xiao creates as a hand wraps around his cock swiftly. 

Xiao notices the thrown-off rhythm, patiently awaiting Morax's release. 

He looks up peacefully as an indelible warmth settles deep inside him.

"Morax..."

[terriblyrenderedenigma]

Fuck it. Woe, Darth Maul be upon ye-

Rant about loving maul hours, taken from a sexy man tourney between friends. I got a little deep with it but the man deserves so much, he's seen so much shit bro. Anyways. Eat up fellow maul stans. Part 1 of 2 (I wrote a lot) Warnings: None. (I think)

''I find you as transfixing as the stars and as alluring as a song and oh how sad it is that I cannot bring myself to feel worthy of ever being in such a presence that is so perfectly yours. I'm not worthy of it, not worthy of you. Not worthy of your gaze. Not worthy of your time, or heart, or to exist near you. You are too perfect for someone like me. Too perfect for my pathetic breath to be wasted upon you and yet I cannot help but mourn what could be. What could be if I was yours. If I were good enough, if I could please you. It's all I want, but I know I'm not enough. I never would be, never will. But still I think about your grin, in all its malicious intent and all meanings between. I can only hope on day you will smile at me, endearingly as if I've spoken something amusing, or done something that entertains you. I think about the touch of your palm within mine and dream of its warmth and the chance to trace the beautiful darkened lines that adorn your flesh. I imagine the chance of you loving me. And as soon as I catch myself I reel. There's no way you would take someone like me to be at your side. So insignificant and imperfect. I watch you from afar and daydream guiltily. How foolish of someone like me to admire someone like you so strongly...'' -Part of a love letter to Maul I have been unexpectedly caught in a snare. Fallen into a trap so intricately woven that even the most genius of men and hunters elite would never have seen coming. Love. Love, my enemy. Love, my friend. I cannot tell between the two which this may be. Perhaps both. Darth Maul is a dangerous man. A slave to the darkness, a servant to a faithless master. He could tear my heart from my chest without a second thought and yet I feel like deep in his own being he would feel regret for it. Survival in the universe is harsh. The dark and the light fight for dominance, for victory, every second among the stars. He has lived and breathed hatred. Survived on rage alone for years and years. It's the only thing he knows It's the only thing he has been allowed to know. The universe has not been kind to him, and every step of progress he takes is eventually uprooted. For every one of his wins, he faces a loss far more extreme. Truly, I feel like he is a man with a hidden gentleness that must be nurtured back to life. What family he did have, he loved until they were ripped away from him by the cruelty of fate. Though he is harsh and such a thing seems foreign or trivial to him, his affections manifest through loyalty and trust. He is careful to guard himself, so maybe he just needs someone to break down his walls, help his heart heal from the transgressions of fate against him, show him that there's more to life than the darkness he drowns himself in. He needs someone he knows won't turn their back to him, someone he can trust with his life. I don't want to change him, I just want to be someone he can be vulnerable with because goddamn does he deserve it. There's no way you can be strong and hardened for your entire life without needing some kind of a break. Regardless of all that, Maul Is a man who's loyal. Cunning, almost genius. Yeah. He's mean, rough around the edges, but he's capable and gets things done. When he has a vision he sticks to it and takes charge. He never ever lets his anger take ahold of him, he doesn't let it ruin his plans. He will execute every step of his life with deadly precision, and quickly deals with anything in his supervision that may be running astray. He's snarky and speaks his mind with no fear of consequence. Even then, every move he makes is calculated perfection. He has a respect for women even if they're an enemy to him. Anyways, say we get this man a little therapy, say we do get him to be gentle and vulnerable around a close friend, or at the very most, a lover...What next? To Be Continued... -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Damn you tumblr text limit.

Part two will be shorter, a short description of the kind of lover maul is, at least romantically. If spice is demanded, I shall produce results.

See yall in like ten minutes with the last little bit.

Ciao~ -Enigma