#Where the Crow Flies

[second-wife-playbook]

@helluvaoutlaw

Cori got home early that night. She had to.

She had brought home dinner from the Copper Spur Saloon. It had been the simplest option, especially given the recently hectic schedule. But it had another reason. Her face was twisted with worry, waiting.

Waiting for Striker to come home.

He's been pushing himself to the brink, every day- She fretted, twiddling her fingers, waiting with the bag of to-go food on the table. -if he doesn't slow down, he's going to hurt himself.

[bonesandpoemsandflowers]

the crows have brought a ✨gift✨

[dickgreyson]

psychology majors r the most fucked up people out there, not johnathan crane tho. thats not why hes like that

[belleandkurtbastian]

I can’t get over a few weeks ago when my dad suggested that I get an Uber to the train station when I couldn’t get there any other way.

… I LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! WE DON’T HAVE UBER HERE!

[azure-lily24]

Can I just say, I would love to just lay underneath this pretty ass man- like Sylus just sleeping and trapping me underneath him with his weight-

~~

Visiting Sylus after being away for so long felt like breath of fresh air. It was one of the times where at the association, it was quiet and there were almost no metaflux fluctuations. During these times, you resorted to sometimes leaving the city and traveling all the way into the N109 Zone and visiting your favorite resident there.

When you arrived, Mephisto was the first to greet you. Flying over and perching on your shoulder. You smile when you see that Sylus had added a small modification to Mephisto, changing the outer metal part of his wings so now it was a gunmetal color; a light color from the usual black. “Hey Mephisto, where’s your creator at?”

The crow caws and flies away, leaving the building. You sigh and smile to yourself, knowing that Sylus was out, probably attending to business. You decide to just go and walk to his room and just wait for him to come back.

Entering and closing the door, you decide to go and freshen up. Walking into the bathroom and showering. After almost 20 minutes, you emerge from the bathroom wearing a robe. Changing into something more modest and comfortable, you then sit down on his bed and read a book to pass the time.

After what felt like 30 minutes, Mephisto appears once again. Choosing to go to his perch as door opens and a familiar tall man appears from the other side of the door. He was wearing his signature black outfit with the matching jacket as well. He looked exhausted.. very exhausted.

Sylus looked up at you with a tired gaze. Closing the book and putting it on the night stand, you say nothing and just open your arms, inviting the man into your warm embrace. Sylus closes the door behind him and you can see his guard being let down as he walks over and lays down. Situating himself in between your legs and laying his head on your stomach; wrapping his arms around your waist.

Running a hand through his hair and rubbing his back, Sylus sighs and slowly falls asleep. His back slowly rising and falling. As you play with his hair, you beckon Mephisto over to you, the crow curious of your request, flies over quietly.

“Make sure the building stays quiet for the rest of the night.�� With that request given, Mephisto flies out the room, fulfilling that request.

Now that it was just the two of you, you smile to yourself as the boss of Onichinus and probably the most dangerous and powerful man in the N109 Zone, was sleeping soundly in front of you. His guard completely let down as he breathes in and out quietly.

“Sleep well my love~”

[lusanchromchinnn]

Viago De Riva your Undiagnosed But Extremely Obvious OCD is fascinating and so so revealing of your character and motivations ohh my gosh. Like of course your obsession is poisons and being poisoned! I refuse to believe that growing up adjacent to the royal court wasn’t the driving force behind this because literally where else would someone hear so many stories of people succumbing to assassination by poison. I bet nobles were dropping like flies to the crows every day. I bet he saw his father’s food taster (we know he visited during Viago’s youth) and realised how truly possible it was to die from a bite of food. Bonus points if he actually witnessed a food taster keel over in front of him. Paranoia through the fucking roof as he researches poisons for years on end before he’s ever presented with the option of joining the crows. Maybe he only drank out of clear glasses he could hold up to the light. Maybe he insisted on preparing all of his own meals rather than let servants near his food, much to the chagrin of his mother. AND OH GOD HIS MOTHER.

We know she was an alcoholic, and that Viago hated her drinking, it scared him as a small child. But what if his mind won’t let him watch her sip a glass of wine without the image of it being her last. She could be a target as a mistress of the king, just as he is as a royal bastard. Perhaps he becomes the one who uncorks her bottles and pours her glass after glass, because he’d rather her drunk over dead. Of course, there’s the very real possibility she succumbs to alcohol poisoning, which is so ironic and so fucking sad. He pours her final glass and becomes what he fears most.

It’s a no-brainer that he joined the crows later on. Not only does it give him access to the poisons and antidotes he’s craved for years, but it gives him a sense of control. He’s making himself less of a target than his half-siblings (and it’s more socially acceptable for a crow to wear gloves constantly lmao). He’s so skinny because he refuses to eat unless he’s 100% positive his food is safe, checking and double checking even if he prepares it himself. He knows, logically, that his fears are unfounded, that he (or someone he trusts completely like Teia) made this dish, or poured this drink. But he needs to be sure, or his brain won’t stop screaming that he’s going to die! Right now! God forbid he’s proven right too, like with the adder in the wardrobe that he survived because of his doses of antivenom. I just knowww his compulsions got so much worse for a while after that, it was so cathartic and miserable for him. I understand this freak and his freak ways. What a guy, thank you Courtney Woods.

[leighsartworks216]

Puppy

Sylus x gn!Reader

Inspired by the quality time work/study animation when he looks up from cleaning his gun and he just looks so soft and sweet 🥺 And also from the in-game phone call "Crow"

Warnings: swearing, pet names, biting, teasing, fluff

Word Count: 1,142

Masterlist

AO3

Tag List Form

“Where’s Sylus?”

The temperamental crow looked at you with one glowing red eye, beak turned away coyly. You have to wonder what kind of programming went into making him have so much attitude. It’d probably go right over your head, anyway.

“Wanna make a deal?” You keep an eye on Mephisto as you reach into your pocket, rooting around until cold metal touches your fingers. You lift the shiny metal nut like a prize. “Hm? A nice shiny trinket for you if you show me where Sylus is? What d’ya say?”

His metal wings fluttered at his side, feet stepping unsurely on his perch. But all crows are alike, mechanical or otherwise. He swoops down and snatches the metal from your fingers. You feel the brush of talons, barely escaping having your hand sliced up by an overeager metal chicken.

His caw sounds like a laugh as he leads you down the many halls of the mansion. When he stops to wait for you to catch up, he croons at his shiny new knickknack, pecking at it and staring at it from every angle with his red eyes. He glides through the open crack of a door.

You peek in first. It’s a study, with shelves lined with old paper books and vinyls. There’s a desk with guns neatly laid out on top. Mephisto perches on the accompanying chair. And on the couch, head tilted back and eyes closed, is Sylus.

You wonder if he’s really asleep this time. He’s tricked you before, but as you listen closely you hear the soft snores giving him away.

How cute, you think. A little midnight nap.

The door doesn’t make a sound as you push it open enough to slip inside. You don’t close it back all the way, and Mephisto’s wings nearly clip your head as he flies back outside of the room. That damn bird will always have it out for you, you’re sure of it.

You creep along the elegant carpet to your target, slowly lowering yourself to sit on the other end of the couch. As much as you love messing with Sylus, you didn’t actually want to wake him up now. So, being very careful, you lay down and rest your head in his lap.

“If you want to cuddle, you don’t need to sneak around for it.”

You smack his chest. “You’re such an asshole!” Your heart was racing from the scare, but you don’t get up from your new position. Sylus rewards you by beginning to comb his fingers through your hair. “Were you actually sleeping?”

He hums. There’s a gravel to his voice you didn’t notice before. “Yes, I was.” He finally lifts his head from the back of the couch to look down at you. “Until someone gave Mephisto a shiny new item for his collection.”

You chuckle despite the unimpressed look on his face. “He told on me again?”

“You’re all he seems to talk about these days,” he sighs. He brushes some hair away from your forehead. “At least it’s positive, this time.

“Did you need something from me?”

“Not really. I was just… lonely.”

He smiles slightly. “Well, I’m always happy to keep you company, sweetie.”

It’s easy to doze while he plays with your hair. He seems to know all the right spots, all the right techniques to ease your troubles away. In his care, your hair doesn’t tangle or get caught. It’s heaven.

-

When you wake up, you’re exactly where you were. Sylus’s lap was warm under you, and you wondered if his legs fell asleep at any point during your nap. If they did, he’d suffered through it for your sake.

His hand was nearly still in your hair now. It didn’t move in those perfect ministrations as before. Instead, it was almost completely still, moving at a snail’s pace along the crown of your head. You blink your eyes open to figure out why, maybe even pout and whine about it just to annoy him, but you can’t stop from just staring.

If he notices you’re awake or watching him, he doesn’t say anything. His thumb scrolls through his phone, probably looking at the latest underground news on shady deals or skimming over messages from desperate people wanting to deal with him. Something that drew his attention away from you, at least.

So you take your time drinking him in.

He’s pretty, there’s no arguments there, but it’s his own kind of pretty. It’s sharp and multifaceted, like a crystal. His eyes are intense, lashes so dark and thick it looks like he’s wearing makeup. You wonder if he does. He’d look even more gorgeous with dark red eyeshadow and sharp cat eyeliner. His lips are pressed into a thin line, soft pink drawing your eyes to them. You quickly turn your attention to the slope of his nose before he catches you.

With a sigh, Sylus closes his phone and sets it aside. His hand in your hair goes back to a normal speed, his fingers scratching at the nape of your neck as he finally looks down at you, And just like that, all that sharp beauty is replaced.

Instead of his usual intense gaze, his eyes are soft around the edges, just a little bit wider, relaxed. His lips quirk up slightly at the sight of you, softening his cheekbones. He tilts his head playfully, eyebrows raising as though asking if you’re enjoying the view.

“Puppy.”

He blinks, and it’s gone. His brow furrows, his lips dropping into a frown, eyes sharpened with suspicion. “What?”

You smirk. It’s rare to feel like you have the upper hand. You reach up and touch his cheek. He leans into it, though his expression remains.

“Sometimes you get this look on your face,” you tell him. Your thumb runs under his eye. “It makes you look soft, like a little puppy.”

He scoffs, but his lips quirk up again. “Just how long have you been waiting to use that on me?”

You hum, running your fingers down his cheekbone to his jaw. “Since I asked you to join me while I study a few days ago.” You traced the sharp cut of his jawline, tracking the movement with your eyes. “I looked up for a minute, and you were looking at me like I’d just promised to scratch you behind the ears.” To emphasize your point, you reach to do just that.

He catches your hand before you can, thumb pressed to your palm to keep your hand open. He brings your fingers to his lips, eyes watching you intently as he bites down on them, one at a time, nipping at the tips and knuckles with a smirk. “Careful, kitten,” he warns. He bites at the soft skin on the back of your hand. “This puppy bites.”

[annievrse]

headlock

roronoa zoro x reader —ᡣ𐭩 blurb c/w: suggestive a/n: lol

“my eyes are up here.”

a quick snap of his fingers has you peering up at him with warm cheeks. you smile sheepishly at him.

“sorry.”

zoro hums, arching an eyebrow. you're not sorry.

"what's so interesting down there, huh?" he already knows, he just wants to hear you say it.

shaking your head, your eyes don't dare waiver from his. "nothing as interesting as the weather outside."

he purses his lips, a scoff catching in his throat before he tightens his grip on the barbell and brings it up to his chest for another rep. when zoro's gaze drifts from you and lands on the floor beneath him, you flicker your eyes back down to where they were trained before.

his biceps bulge as he flexes them, veins prominent under his tan skin. the defined muscles are your favourite sight, and like a dog, eyes locked on a bone just out of reach, you can feel an urge building in your chest, a twitch of your muscles begging to spring forward, but you refrain.

instead, your mouth moves before you can stop yourself.

"would you put me in a headlock?"

zoro's eye darts to you, his cheeks tinted pink as he falters with the exercise. the barbell falls to the ground with a thunk, and you're surprised it doesn't fall through the wooden floor of the crow's nest.

"what?"

you smile, a challenging glint in your gaze. "you heard me."

"you're a freak."

shrugging one shoulder, you stand. "ok, and? you scared?"

"never," he scoffs, running his hand over his hair. "c'mere then."

you're shocked he'd even consider the idea, but skip over to him anyway. zoro watches you the whole time, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he saw this coming. he hasn't missed the way you stare at his arms like you want to bite them, and whether that's the reason he's been focusing on training them more than any other body part is something he'd never admit.

zoro is quick to spin you, back against his chest. the heady, musky, man smell he emits makes you dizzy and does little to deter you.

"you sure?"

you roll your eyes and crane your neck to look at him. "would i really tell you if i didn't want to?"

zoro's eyebrows jump and then he brings his elbow under your chin. he hovers around you like he's scared to go further, and you push the deep 'v' of his arm around your neck. his other hand flies to your hip to steady you, his arm sliding over your stomach to press you harder against him.

the hard plain of his abdomen on your back knocks the breath out of you, but it's nothing compared to the pulsing of his bloodstream against your ear. his skin is smooth where you trail your fingers on his bicep, and you know when zoro is comfortable when he starts flexing, an easy laugh falling from his lips.

"weirdo," he mumbles when he feels his skin growing warmer with every passing second. you giggle and turn your head to kiss his muscle.

"you love it."

zoro sighs, one of contentment and desire, and you don't miss the traces of a groan when you sink your teeth into his flesh, the pain minor but forever etched into his skin. he shifts his hips and pulls you impossibly closer.

"easy," the swordsman mutters, voice low. "we've got all night."

[gothsoyl]

Agathario x reader (reader faints for some reason and her girlfriends get overprotective

┊┊┊⁺ ⁺ DECEMBER CHALLENGE

"Don't do that again" rio vidal x reader x agatha harkness word count: 965 note: sorry it took some time (＋_＋)

“do you think she's finished yet?” you kick one of the stones under your feet to the side, absorbed in universal boredom.

“no,” rio shakes her head and gently fingering the flowers that grow near her feet. she carefully plucks one of the flowers and holds it out to you, nudging your hip lightly to draw attention to herself. you immediately lower your gaze and the corners of your lips stretch in a soft smile, “but I feel that death is already close”.

you giggle softly at her words and take the flower, holding it to your nose and inhaling a pleasant, sweet fragrance. you slowly sit down next to rio, feeling her arm around your waist. you feel the cold of her body even through thick clothes, but you don't even think about pulling away – you got used to it and even began to enjoy how goosebumps all over your body pass from just her presence.

“are you worried about her?” you throw a short glance at rio again, but she just shakes her head, and the usual sly smile appears on her lips. she gently runs her hand along your side, as if trying to calm you down.

“no, I'm too confident in her...”

at this moment, a strange cry is heard in the distance and the foliage on the trees begins to make noise, crows rise into the sky with deafening cawing. you jump up and and your heart sinks into your heels – what if something happened to agatha? what if her tricks didn't work and she was attacked?

thoughts immediately begin to flow through your mind like a river, but you don't even have time to make out one, as you take off, hurrying to the side of the forest where agatha found the witches. 

you never liked what she did. not because of the wrongness of her actions, but because you were afraid that something might happen to her in the end. she was the most amazing witch you knew, but what if…

“wait!” 

you hear rio screaming from behind, but you don't even think about stopping. 

at some point, your legs start to burn from the load, and your throat burns from the air that you gasp so hard with your mouth. 

the voices are getting louder, and your breathing is completely out of control. you see agatha in the distance and a couple of witches who surround her, but even so, a sly smile shines on her face, which doesn’t bode well.

more screams. splashes of color – orange, white... and most importantly purple.

you take a few more steps towards her, but then one of the clusters of light flies into you, and your body begins to burn. the last thing you feel before you lose consciousness is the cold around your waist that goes from rio's arm.

***

“you should’ve been watching her!”

“I was watching. and, as you can see, she's still alive.”

your head is buzzing so much that you think it's going to explode, and your girlfriends voices aren't helping at all. you're usually glad to hear them in the morning, when you haven't really had time to wake up, but now every word brings you only a throbbing pain in the back of your head.

“not so loud...” you literally mumble these words, unable to open your mouth properly. 

rio and agatha immediately look down at you and fall silent, you only hear agatha's quiet steps in your direction and rio's gentle fingers in your hair. it takes you a couple of seconds to fully open your eyes. you blink for a few times, trying to come to your senses, after which you finally look at agatha, noticing her worried expression. you could swear you've never seen her like this. 

“scared?” you tease her, and your lips part in a nasty smile. agatha immediately rolls her eyes, trying to hide her embarrassment and excitement, but it doesn't help. 

“she didn't leave your side one step,” rio only adds fuel to the fire with her caustic remark, in which there is nothing but playfulness and love that she felt for you and agatha. 

“calm down, both of you,” agatha waves her hand at you and rio, but doesn’t even think to leave or continue this argument. she just sits closer to you and gently reaches out to your face, stroking your cheek with her fingers, “don't do that again.”

you're silent, not taking your eyes off her. it doesn't feel so funny anymore when you try to remember everything that happened. you came to your senses a couple of times, but also quickly lost consciousness, catching only snatches of conversations between rio and agatha, but that was enough for you. the fear with which agatha spoke to rio and how rio tried to calm her down, saying that “I won't take her away.”

“I'm sorry,” you sigh softly and carefully lift yourself up. rio helps you sit up, holding you by the shoulders. you lick your lower lip and gently take agatha's hand, still feeling everything spinning around, “I was just worried about you.”

“I know, baby,” agatha smiles a little sadly, but still squeezes your hand in hers, her sharp nails slightly scratch your delicate skin, but you don't even pay attention to it. you just look at her with stupid adoration, like there's nothing around, “but I'm a strong witch. I can protect myself.”

you barely nod and look at rio, who is staring at you, as if trying to figure out if everything is okay with you. but eventually, she gives up and leaves a light kiss on your forehead.

“but don’t test how good she’s at protecting you, okay?” she whispers with a grin, and her cold breath touches the skin.

[midnightwriter21]

Until Now~ (Tanjiro x Reader Angst)

characters: Tanjiro x reader, zenitsu, inosuke

warnings: angst, unrequited love, blood, injury, character death (reader)

an: Part 3 of the Open Wound series!! Read part 1 & 2 before reading this one! This is the last part!

Open Wound (part 1)

Distant (part 2)

It takes several hours to reach the base of the mountain. It takes several more to climb to the peak. By the time you make it there, it is pitch black outside. As you walk through the snow covered forest, you strain your ears trying to figure out the location of the demon. There are no footprints to track. The snow likely covered them up.

After walking for a while, you conclude that you cannot track this demon based on sound. Because there is no sound. It is eerily quiet. The other slayers that were supposed to be on this mission haven't showed up. There are no animals. The wind is not blowing, rustling the leaves. Everything is still, except for the falling snow.

Chills crawling up your body, you whisper to yourself, "Something is wrong here. Where is everyone?" Throwing a glance at the crow sitting on your shoulder, "Where are the animals?"

Your crow cocks its head at you before launching itself into the air as you gasp, "Wait! Where are you going?"

As it flies into the distance you look around the dark, snowy forest. Finding yourself completely alone.

——————————————————————————

A few hours later, at the butterfly mansion, Tanjiro sits outside pondering over the situation.

‘Should I have told her from the beginning? I only wanted to spare her feelings… but I think I made it worse.’ He thinks to himself when suddenly his train of thought is interrupted.

“Y/N L/N!! IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE!! MOUNT KOMOTORI!!”

“That’s Y/n’s crow!” Tanjiro says out loud.

“Y/N L/N!! IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE!!” The bird repeats.

Snapping into action, Tanjiro runs to get his sword, passing a frazzled Zenitsu, who turns to follow him, also running.

“Did you hear?” Zenitsu questions, “Y/n needs help!”

Tanjiro glances at him, “Yeah… I’m heading there now.”

“So am I.” The blonde nods.

“I’m coming too!” A third voice joins in.

“Inosuke?” Tanjiro questions.

“You didn’t think you could go on a rescue mission without King Inosuke did you?” The boar-headed child laughs, “I’m gonna get there first, save her, and make sure everyone knows how awesome I am!”

“Y/N L/N!! IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE!! HURRY!!” The crow swoops down pecking Zenitsu on the forehead.

“Alright! Zenitsu, you’re faster than us so you go ahead. We’re right behind you.” Tanjiro orders.

For once, Zenitsu is serious, “You got it.” he nods, before dashing away.

Tanjiro, looks up with a plea to whatever god is listening, “Please let Y/n be alright until we get there!”

—————————————-—————————————

Hours later, Zenitsu is the first to arrive at the peak of Mount Komotori, it is nearing midnight.

“What happened here…” he breathes.

The surrounding area is torn to shreds. Trees snapped completely in half, sharp shards of ice sticking straight up from the ground, and blood, lots of it, smeared in the snow.

Realizing he is in the middle of a fierce battlefield, Zenitsu unsheathes his sword. Shaking slightly, he takes small steps into the forest.

“This is terrifying! I need to find Y/n and get out of here!” he squeaks.

He walks aimlessly for a while before the shaking of a bush paralyzes him in place.

“Coming through!” Inosuke jumps through the bush, pouncing on top of Zenitsu.

“Inosuke wait!” Tanjiro’s voice flows through the air.

Zenitsu, screaming at Inosuke for scaring him, suddenly pauses, snapping his gaze to Tanjiro.

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what? Did you see any sign of Y/n?” Tanjiro questions.

Zenitsu pushes Inosuke off of him, straining his ears for the sound, “There! That’s it again!”

“What is it?”

“A sword!” the blonde exclaims, “I hear a sword! It has to be Y/n!”

Quickly, Zenitsu leads his friends toward the sound.

“Must be a hell of a fight…” Inosuke mumbles, observing the damage as they run through the snowy forest.

Getting closer, Tanjiro and Inosuke are finally able to hear the sound of the sword that their friend was leading them toward. Moving to a clearing to see you facing off against a demon who seems to use a blood demon art involving the manipulation of ice.

As they sprint into the clearing, you lock eyes with Tanjiro. Just as a spear of ice, launches itself into your abdomen.

“Y/N!!!” All three boys scream.

Inosuke and Zenitsu take your place against the demon, as Tanjiro runs to your side. Quickly, he pulls you a safe distance from the battle, his frenzied eyes roaming over your battered figure.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” he repeats, “Focus on your breathing and you’ll be fine.”

You’re not sure if he’s reassuring you or himself.

Choking on a breath, you whimper, “Tanjiro…”

“No. Don’t talk, just breathe. Use your breathing to stop the blood,” he coaches.

But the open wound continues to pour more and more, staining the snow underneath you in a puddle of red.

“Y/n please, you have to breathe,” he pushes down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, “Y/n you have to listen to m-“

“Tanjiro…” you interrupt, “it’s okay. I’m okay.”

You gasp for air, “It doesn’t hurt.”

At this, tears begin falling down his cheeks, as he whispers your name, pleading.

“I’m sorry.” he hiccups, “I should’ve been faster-, I shouldn’t have kept it from you-, I should’ve done-“

“It’s okay,” you interrupt once more, a whisper this time, “It’s not your fault.”

He brushes the hair from your face, and as he holds you, bloody, battered, and dying, in his arms, he sees you in a different light.

Tanjiro realizes he never quite noticed the sparkle in your eyes until now, when it’s fizzling out.

Or how soft and clear your skin is until now, when it’s covered in blood.

Or how rosy pink your lips are until now, when they’re turning blue.

“Why?” He cries, “Why is this happening?”

You lift your arm, as heavy as lead, to lay your palm on his cheek, “I’ll see you again soon, yeah?”

He runs his fingers through your blood soaked hair, sniffling, “Yeah…”

Your hand falls from his cheek, your eyes close, and you exhale one last choked breath.

[second-wife-playbook]

Out West Where the Crow Flies: Western AU

This AU was made in part by my RP with @helluvaoutlaw!

In this alternate universe, after befriending Striker at the club he performs at, Striker comes to learn of her miserable existence among the Goetia. On a path of redemption, Striker approaches her with an offer of escape...to fake her death and to turn over a new leaf in Wrath.

Given the circumstances, Coronis found no reason to turn him down.

After abandoning her old name for "Cori", the Goetia becomes Striker's pupil and is trained in all the need-to-know skills of surviving the merciless wilderness of the Wrathian desert. Her death is successfully faked when one of her gowns is found torn and bloodied in Greed, and as she develops into a new woman, she also develops a newfound affection for her teacher.

Through trials and tribulations, Striker continues his steadfast commitment to helping Cori turn over a new leaf. In time, Cori becomes as self-sufficient as her teacher. Excited by this life of adventure, and wanting to provide a service to Wrath, Cori opens her own venture....Cori's Couriers. As Wrath has many locations rich in mineral and metal deposits that are outside of radio-signal, Cori's service provides a much needed means of transporting messages and deliveries to no-signal zones.

Despite this happy lifestyle of adventure and exploration however, Cori is constantly vigilant against the figures of her past, on guard on anyone who might try to return her to the life of Goetic royal.

[windyboi101]

Some V x Reader Headcanons : Signs of Affection

Going off the idea you two have been dating for a while:

V tried to sleep holding you with her upside down, but since that doesn't work with humans, she's adjusted to the 'normal' way human's sleep

She curls her wings around you both for warmth. You've felt her close them tighter around you when you've moved away

Since V has to carry you when she flies around, she won't hesitate to do dramatic 'swoops' and flips.

V may or may not sneak a kiss in too, where nobody can see.

V's not great at gift-giving since she doesn't fully understand how humans used to do it, but she will bring you back anything she finds while hunting that she thinks you might like

Not that different from a crow (ironically) cuz she brings things that are shiny or a trinket in general

Take her on any sort of 'date' and she will be SWOONING for you.

It could be the most expensive day-long outing with multiple stops or a simple moody-lighting dinner, she adores it either way

She's not one for hugs themselves, but she is a helluva cuddler.

Her claws wrap around you but they're so so gentle in their touch.

If you compliment her outfit she's going to be a blushing mess. She's always wanted to be seen as beautiful.

[sillygoofyqueer]

Hi, I had some questions about the crowyuan au. What do the other heavenly demons think about him? Like Zhuzhi-lang and tianlang-jun, I was imagining the antics tianlang-jun would get up to in teasing sy, and how maybe Zzl would bond with sy over being part heavenly demon part animal demon. I love this au so much and I would love to add even more heavenly demons into the mix. Actually I wonder if zzl and sy would not get along, because crows and snakes kill each other in nature. Either way, ideas for thought. Thank you so much for making this au I love it so much!!

Herlo herlo there!!! Firstly, I'm so so glad that you like this AU, crowyuan anon brought it to me and I think we just spiralled from there - honestly, I've just started posting about it very recently again, but not a day went by that I wasn't thinking about it. And OH MY GOD, THIS KIND OF QUESTION IS THE ONE I LOVE. I LOVE WRITING ABOUT REACTIONS. TEEHEHEHEHEHE. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! Let's DO THIS!!!! Tianlang-Jun: This fucking guy would come back from being trapped under the mountain, hear about a 'corvid king' and just immediately go snoop around. He disappears for a couple of years and the corvids have gotten their shit together enough to have a KING now??? He meets Shen Yuan and he is violently excited the moment he spots a FELLOW heavenly demon that reads his favourite genre - even if it is just to trash it!! He gets the best recommendations off the demon, and he also gets so much entertainment from watching all of the corvid demons n yao stumble over one another to try and woo SY. If TLJ so much as mentions the courting methods of the corvids, SY goes a delightful shade of red that TLJ cannot help but find inherently amusing. Not only that, but SY is cunning and intelligent! Although he spends most of his time dallying in the human realm, TLJ was emperor of the demon realm for a reason, and finding a likeminded individual who has positively delightful tactics to deal with irritating flies is nothing but exciting in TLJ's eyes. Zhuzhi-Lang: I am psychotic over the idea that most of the time, these two are completely chill with one another, with Zhuzhi-Lang getting hit with the wifebeam and being in awe of the doting that Shen Yuan drops onto him without any expectations in return!! However. There's just a tiny, itty bitty amount of time where one of them trips up and succumbs to their more feral instincts - SY snatches up something shiny without thinking, ZZL steals a small bit of prey that SY had been gunning for - and they just fucking BRAWL. Of course, with how demons court and flirt, ZZL is like "ohmygodohmygodohmygod we're fighting!!" and TLJ is in the background like "damn, go off nephew!!! Look at you go, you slutty slutty snake" (/j). Meanwhile, SY's mindset is just "MYfuckingshinystupidsnakewhenIfuckinggetyou", even after he is reminded of the courting methods because he can't heeelp itt!!! (let me know if you want other ((non-heavenly)) demons' reactions to this little freak (((/aff))))

[penguinmaster9999]

Ca-Caw

*Astro is walking the street, going who knows where as she passes T, without noticing.*

*T, who was a crow, flies over and lands on her shoulder.*

[srbachchan]

DAY 6209

Jalsa, Mumbai Feb 15, 2025/Feb 16 Sat/Sun 4:06 am

When the hurly burly's done ; when the battle is lost and won .. then shall we three meet again in ONE ..

er.. WON ..

lost at this moment last year .. and victory this year .. determined passion and the will to be up on the stands with the emblem of VICTORY .. the CUP ..

How and why was it designed thus - the CUP of victory .. a symbol of the Winner .. a cup ?? really ..??

and then all the intricate actions proposed for them - bite it , kiss it , scream with its rising , inscribe it .. name fame game ..

Ahhh .. the human .. ever the thirst for recognition .. and position ..

I came 1st .. I won .. I beat the others .. my marks the highest .. my standing among the top the best ..

etc etc etc ...

And so filled with the glory of this , the night escapes along and the morn beckons soonest .. in a few whiles perhaps ..

The generation, needs the air to involve in the screams and freedom of cheer .. to let loose the strings of attached compulsion and break away to be in the free of suppressions ..

Each day a learning .. and each DAY 👆🏼 .. a leaning too .. for the days of yore and the educative times in the academic pretense .. the past years , the old associations .. and the often connect to disclose the relation with the elders .. and family ..

And this did it :

Dr Amarnath Jha .. Vice Chancellor of the Allahabad University .. the ultimate scholar of the time .. Head of the English Department .. mentor to several .. but for me , mentor to Babuji .. and the most respected in the annals of the University and many other institutions ..

A large chapter in Babuji's auto biography describes various personal incidents with Jha Saheb ..

And today his generational relative, coincidentally studying in Delhi University at the time of the time of mine , and a dear friend , brings forth this information of the forming of the NDA in Khadakwasla, nr Pune in Maharashtra ..

And describes a most uninhibited dream of hers ..

Dream experience: I Found myself in Allahabad and had a glimpse of the Kumbh mela ..sadhus and pilgrims swirling in the icy waters of the Ganga.. Then I went up to a large and dark hall high up on the banks Everyone wore white as they were waiting to cremate their loved ones I was waiting to cremate my Papa and Ma .. The room was packed Someone told me' Go to the 4 th floor Soon it will be the turn of your parents to be cremated'.. So I climbed upto the 4th floor which was an open wooden deck There was a huge cremation fire where my parents were waiting to be cremated.. Beyond the fire was the Ganga river.. I was most surprised because I had seen the Ganga far below.. This Ganga was connected to the sky..Aakash Ganga maybe.. A Voice said : The Kumbha mela on the Ganga below celebrates the cycle of Life . This Ganga touching the sky embraces death, transcends life and celebrates Eternity..

Some crows came by and Crowed The Voice said : Do you know why the crow comes when we pass ? The crow has the sharpest and finest vertical line at the centre of his tongue.. When the crow flies over the Ganga he draws a very fine gossamer thread exactly at the central line of the Ganga.. When ashes of our departed are immersed the ashes go alone into the depth of the Ganga to merge with the Gangetic soil.. But that fine centre line,like an umbilical cord , is where the soul is released , transcends tangible boundaries on its pathway to Eternity as crows and eagles show the way ..

There is more , but too personal to be put down here .. I feel ..

I sought permission to 'put it up on my Blog' .. and got it .. but then the desire from them, to visit my Blog and to disclose the link .. that scared me .. because their intellectual capacity cannot in any way lie side by side with my stupidity ..

To which there was an intellectual response :

Nothing of yours is stupid ..honestly .. life is made up of big things and very small even petty things ..the challenge is to connect the dots ..learn at each level how to be a bit objective even tho we can't help being reactive, learn the lessons and expand our consciousness.. small 'stupid' things are very important because they are like pin pricks to a balloon .. very provocative ..

My love and 😴 .. its 4:50 am of the 16th

Amitabh Bachchan

Birthday - EF - Fatima Mahomed

Sunday, 16 February .. love and care ..🌺

[authorred]

Power Struggle | Sylus x gn!reader | Love and Deepspace | Part 1

➺ Preface: Having fallen into the hands of the leader of Onychinus himself, it's obvious he enjoys watching you squirm and try to run from him. He has the power to make you yield, to make you stay. But little does he know; you have the same power; you just don't use it nearly as often. How will he react when you grow tired of being his plaything?

➺ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I NEED THIS MAN CARNALLY, RELIGIOUSLY, BIOLOGICALLY, INNATELY, INHERENTLY, GENEOLOGICALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, I NEED HIM TO DESTROY ME I NEED HIM TO RUIN MY LIFE, MY HOUSE, MY JOB, MY POSSESSIONS, MY PUS--

I'm so sorry Zayne I love you pookie pls forgive me but FUCK!

➺ Part 2 (coming soon)

Warning(s): None

Your eye twitches when you see the familiar red gleam of Mephisto’s eyes. No matter where you go in the N109 Zone, that crow is always following you. Why Sylus feels the need to keep an eye on you 24/7, you have no idea. It’s not like you’re doing anything. Perhaps it’s a security thing. To make him feel better. Either way, you’re hyperaware of the influence he has on the entire zone. Just his name alone is enough to spark conversations—good or bad.

You walk up to Mephisto and stare at him. “Are you going to follow me everywhere I go as long as it’s in the N109 Zone?” You ask.

Mephisto caws and tilts his head, his beak clacking together. Almost as if he’s saying ‘yes’. You give him a flat look before sighing. “Guess you can’t help it. You’re stuck with Sylus too, huh?”

~ When you enter Sylus’s base (or whatever it is, you never bothered to ask) Mephisto flies through the open door and past you. You assume he’s going to find his owner. You sigh and shut the door behind you, walking deeper into the foyer. It was typical of Sylus to be rather secluded—you don’t ever recall a time where he greeted you. Not that you expect it, per se.

With Sylus doing God knows what, and you not having to do anything, you decide to entertain yourself. Trotting off, you head to Sylus’ boxing ring. The last time you went there, your ‘lesson’ with Sylus happened, and though informative (you supposed) it wasn’t anything you didn’t know. Sometimes you graced him with the ability to feed his superiority complex. You walk over to a locker and open it, grabbing some red hand wraps. Having done this so many times before, you quickly wrap the cloth around and between your knuckles and fingers. When they're secure and you get everything else ready, you step into the ring and start lightly jogging in place to get your blood up. You hop over to the punching bag and wait a moment before beginning to lay out into it.

Your punches connect cleanly, the impacts crisp and strong. The punching bag swings from where it's hung from the ceiling via chain. You can feel the burn in your muscles begin to grow after several minutes of punching, and you take intermittent breaks to work out until failure. About twenty minutes into your workout, you pause your actions when you sense an intense, heavy gaze on you.

"Well?" You call out, sliding your gaze to him. "Are you impressed?" Your tone is slightly sardonic. It's not like Sylus to just give compliments with no backhanded comment to boot.

"You applied what I taught you," he replies in his usual baritone, melodious voice. "It seems you're not the little kitty I think of you as."

You roll your eyes and take a few steps away from the punching back, turning your body to face him. Sylus is leaning on the doorway of the gym, his arms crossed. He's wearing his usual black and red shirt with black pants, and his red-tipped dress shoes. As per, he looks like a posh asshole. "Are you interested in sparring this 'little kitty', or are you busy committing crimes?"

You can see something close to amusement flash across his face at the comment. "You're worn out," he replies. "You're soaked in sweat, and your breathing is heavy. It would be unfair to spar you in this condition."

"You scared?"

A beat of silence passes.

And then, Sylus lets out a sigh--and if you listen closely, it almost sounds amused. "It seems the more you're worn out, the cockier you become." He steps closer to the ring, hands reaching for some wraps. "Very well."

You watch as he wraps his hands and steps into the ring with you. "Try to go easy on me, sweetie," he says, gazing at you.

"Yeah, 'cause you'd definitely return the favor," you mutter to yourself, getting in a relaxed stance, shifting your weight back and forth between your feet. Sylus remains in a steady stand, weight distributed evenly between his feet.

Sylus' jab is quick, and you barely manage to dodge it. Ah, shit, I forgot how good at boxing he was. Goddammit. For the first several seconds, you remain on the defense to his swift and agile hooks and jabs.

"You will never win on the defense alone," his rough, baritone voice rings out. "I thought I taught you this. Seize your opportunities!"

He sends a nasty left hook, clipping your jaw a little. If you didn't snake out of the way, that would've surely sent you to the floor. "It seems you've gotten tired, Kitten," he says, and you're not sure if he says that as a consolation or a way of mocking you.

You let out a small huff. "Just shut up and keep going."

A soft scoff leaves his lips, "As you wish, Sweetie."

You two continue to box for a few minutes, with you on the defense and him on the offense most of the time. In between each jab and hook, he makes side comments--and you're still not sure if he's mocking you, or if he's attempting to spite you into completely dominating him. Either way, he's irking you.

After a particularly hard hook to your jaw, you stumble back onto your knees, holding yourself up with your hands. You let out a soft grunt and shake your head, attempting to pull yourself together from the small impact your brain just suffered from.

"I think you've had enough," Sylus says, relaxing from his stance. "It's clear your stamina is at its limit. I would rather you not suffer lasting effects due to your stubbornness." He walks up to you and offers a hand.

Seize your opportunities. With a low grunt, you take his hand and pull yourself up a smidge before quickly pulling his unassuming form forward. With deft movements and lower-body strength you have no right of possessing, you roll onto your back and pull him with you. You raise your legs, wrapping them around his neck in a triangle choke.

Sylus grunts and grips your thigh in an attempt to pry your legs from around him, but you squeeze tightly, keeping his arm hugged against your torso. It doesn't take long for his face to turn a concerning red, and he struggles to get onto his feet for a hint of respite. His body weight presses into you the longer you hold him there, his eyes growing distant and hazy. You don't wait out the time it would take for him to pass out. You quickly release him from your legs and push him back before hopping back up to your feet.

He stays on the ground for a few seconds, taking in the needed oxygen. His complexion slowly goes back to normal as his blood flow is restored. He's silent, and for a moment you believe he's going to retaliate, but instead, a low chuckle leaves his lips. "A submission hold," he says, more to himself than anything. "It seems this kitten has sharper claws than I thought."

You squint at him. No way he was just going to take it and let it slide without retaliation. Nah, this was Sylus. He'll get his get back. You slowly stand and back up, knowing his reach was longer than yours, and his legs are even longer. If he wanted to, he could easily sweep you off your feet with a single flurry of his leg.

Slowly, Sylus stands up, brushing dust off of his shoulders and arms. "Impressive. It seems your knowledge of combat extends further than I originally thought," he praises. For some reason, you feel wary whenever he compliments you--like he's planning something.

"Yeah," you reply slowly, "I'm a 'kitten' around you because I choose to be." You watch as he turns to look at you, his ruby red eyes set ablaze with. . . arousal?

"So, it seems," he replies lowly. "Things will be getting much more interesting, Sweetie."