#and a demon pillar just to fill the space

[dewdropdinosaur]

Kinktober Day 26: Seduction

Summary: Lucifer hadn't flirted in centuries and by all senses of the word, is convinced he has lost his game. But when you look so pretty and sweet across the room, he can't help but shoot his shot. Not that you mind at all. Warnings: Seduction, oral sex, public sex, reader has a vagina. MNDI, 18+. You're responsible for your own media consumption.

Y'all only five more days of this?! Where did the time go?

The air was thick with laughter and the tantalizing scent of indulgence. Glittering lights danced around the room, casting a warm glow over the eclectic mix of demons and lost souls, champange flowed like rivers of unholy water, and n one corner, a piano played an enchanting melody, filling the space with a sense of mischief and allure.

Lucifer, the charming and devilishly handsome ruler of Hell, leaned casually against a grand marble pillar, his piercing eyes scanning the crowd. He’d seen all manner of beings throughout the ages, but tonight, one figure caught his attention: you. Charlie’s beloved mother figure, radiating warmth and kindness even amidst the chaos of the underworld. You had offered your services to the hotel not too long ago and quickly became a staple of the residents, offering a listening ear and aid wherever needed. While Lucifer had been introduced to you once before, rather awkwardly might he add, it did not deter him from admiring you from afar. You were chatting with a group of guests, your laughter like music, and Lucifer felt an unfamiliar tug at his heart—an emotion he hadn’t entertained in centuries since Lillith. As he watched you interact with Charlie’s friends, a playful smirk spread across his face. Perhaps this was a challenge he couldn’t resist. 

With a firm nod and puffing out his chest, he was ready. He hadn’t brought out any modicum of confidence in years, but why not try?  With a graceful stride, Lucifer approached, his presence commanding attention. The crowd parted as he made his way to you, his charisma lighting up the space around him. 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” he drawled, his voice smooth like velvet. Shit, was he really being that smooth right now? “A shining beacon in this abyss of despair. Tell me, what brings you to such a delightful gathering?”

You looked up, a mix of surprise and amusement dancing in your eyes. “Just keeping an eye on Charlie and her friends. They can be a bit wild.”

Lucifer chuckled, his gaze locking onto yours. “Ah, the ever-vigilant protector. How admirable. But surely, even the most dutiful guardian deserves a little fun?”

A playful glint sparkled in your eyes as you replied, “And what kind of fun do you have in mind, Mr. Morningstar?” A soft blush coated your cheeks, it was no secret to anyone but Lucifer himself that you had a huge crush on the King. That first awkward meeting, him stumbling over words and shouting wildly had you head over heels in love within seconds. Though you had never broached the subject, knowing that it might get complicated being with Charlie’s father. 

But it wasn’t a problem if he was the one that iniated the interaction, right?

“Why don’t we find out together?” He stepped closer, his gaze intense yet inviting. “I can show you a side of Hell that’s not so... overwhelming. Just you and me, away from the chaos.”

You hesitated, sensing the allure in his words but also the danger. “And what’s the catch?”

He laughed softly, a sound that wrapped around you like a warm embrace that had you letting out a dreamy sigh. “No catch. Just a chance to enjoy the night without the worries of the world. Besides, who better to share the experience with than someone who knows how to navigate this realm?”

Intrigued, you finally relented, nodding. Extending your hand for him to take, he grasped it with vigor and led you out of the room. “Alright, show me what you’ve got.”

Lucifer’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he led you away from the throng of partygoers. As you wandered deeper into the hotelm the air around you seemed to thrum with excitement. His grasp never left yours, a soft smirk playing on his lips. With each step and passing glance, the excitement turned to arousal slowing pooling in your pants. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Lucifer halted abruptly and turned to face you. Pinning you against the wall, breath fanning over yours in short pants; his eyes flicked between your lips and eyes. 

“I—um—“ Bringing his hand to cup your chin, eyes boring into yours with a darkened lust, his lips slowly came to brush against yours. As if to give you an out, a chance to say you didn’t want this as much as he does. Seeing no hesitation, he encased you between his arms as closed the distance between them in a swift motion. Both yours lips were captured in a fervent kiss. Tongue and teeth clashed, your nimble hands traveling to settle at the nape of his neck and give a soft tug; illicting a moan from the shorter man. For the sin of pride, he might as well have been lust when he was kissing you with such emotion. 

Pulling his mouth away to trail wet kises down the valley of your neck, your hands continued to tug in his hair as breathy moans spilled past your lips in silent pleas for more. Nimble fingers traced up your waist, tugging softly on the waistband of your panties beneath your skirt before snapping the hem.

“May I? Can I take you right here, darling?”

“Fuck, please, Lucifer—“

 Sinking to his knees to pull down your panties from below your dress, leaving your bare cunt exposed to the cool air. Letting out a gasp of surprise that was quickly replaced with a lewd moan, Lucifer dragged his knuckle over your dripping slit. Marveling at how your body reacted to him, each moan and buck of your hips into his hand, Lucifer was nothing short of mezmerized by your perfect figure. Working his way down, his face ended between your thighs. Diving in, his tongue lapped up all the juices that spilled from your needy cunt. Sucking softly here and there while delving as deep as his tongue would allow(he would not admit to using magic to make it longer), your let out wanton moans and hisses of pleasure. Gripping the wall behind you as your eyes remaind squeezed shut in ectasy, you felt like you were in a dream. Was this really happening? Because if this was a dream, someone better never wake you. 

“Wanna see you cum on my face, ducky. Please, please cum on my face for me?” His eyes shown with hope, voice laced so sweetly despite the filth of his words. 

Good gosh, you were in for a perfect night, seduced by the devil himself. 

[that-one-p00k1e]

— distractions | ೃ⁀➷˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚

Muichiro Tokito x gn!reader || kind of a part two of this, but can be read separately

c/w: none js fluff Ig

Made this at 3-4AM bcs brain is peak and goated at night🗣️🙏🏻🔥🦅

Muichiro has a habit of staring off into space.

He's easily distracted by trivial things and loses memory of what was previously mentioned or discussed.Despite this, he's still able to regain focus when necessary. Such as during the Hashira Meeting, for example.

Yet outside of serious situations, his mind slips off ever so gracefully into his own world; putting his whole attention to the one being that catches his interest.

The cloudy sky and windy day made perfect weather for a picnic. Settling on the checkered blanket under a cherry blossom tree, you neatly laid out all the food you prepared. As you patted the spot next to you, the young Hashira propped himself comfortably on the vacant seat. Not long after, the both of you began eating in silence; enjoying each other's company in a comfortable peace and quietness.

Well, until you filled it in.

You started off with simple questions; asking how his day went, what are his plans for the week, or if he had any upcoming missions to complete. With him giving short and simple answers, you gradually began to move out of topic and ended up telling him stories of how your day went. He didn't ask, but neither did he mind. Placing his chin on the palm of his hand, he reluctantly listened to you rambling on.

You talked with enthusiasm and excitement, pouring your heart and soul as you squealed and giggled over the littlest of things that piqued your happiness. The way your eyes lit up when you mentioned something so trivial occurred during a walk; the way a proud smile tugged at your lips as you spoke about defeating a powerful demon; all of these small details brought a fluttering sensation to the boy’s heart. After consultation with the Love Pillar and Insect Pillar, he knew what this feeling was, now. This… was love, wasn't it?

He took in your features closely, his gaze tracing down the smooth surface of your cheeks, eventually landing on your lips. His curiosity piqued; a sense of longing urging him to move forward. He was distracted yet again, and couldn't keep his eyes off of them as you kept on babbling. Your voice was a muffled melody by now; a music playing in the background. Beginning to understand what all these feelings were, he wanted to embrace it; to express it his way and cherish it with you. But would this be the right time? Would it be selfish of him to try and claim you as his? He didn't know, and he was willing to find out.

Not letting another moment slip past, he gently leaned in and closed the distance between the two of you, halting your speech as a warm sensation washes over the both of you. He let his eyes close, savoring the tender and sweet feeling of being in such a physical gesture with you for the first time. Meanwhile as you were taken aback at first, you eventually closed your eyes and let yourself melt in the moment; your heart beat pacing faster by each second.

As the lovestruck Hashira slowly pulled back, his empty eyes gazed at you deeply, a soft breath of satisfaction escaping his lips. You took a moment to regain composure, trying to comprehend what had just occurred as your face tinted with pink.

“W-what… What was that fo-”

“I love you.”

Those three simple words slid off his tongue ever so softly, like a music box that had been waiting to be played. It felt like everything was a fever dream. Were you having a dream? Or were you just having a fever that you didn't know you had? All you knew for sure, was that his feelings for you weren't unrequited.

“I… love you, too,” you finally managed to say in return, feeling your stomach twist and turn as you finally mustered up the courage to.

Hearing your reciprocation, a small smile tugged at the boy's lips. His hand gently crept up to yours, interlocking your fingers as he brought your head onto his shoulder with the other. He rests his head on top of yours, letting out a sigh of contentment at the warmth of the close proximity. Slowly, the two of you drifted off to slumber; bathing in the comfort of one another underneath the falling petals of the cherry blossoms.

[springtyme]

18+ (mdni!) the simon playlist

Simon’s intensity is both a blessing and a curse; it draws you in like a moth to a flame, irresistible and relentless. His passion radiates from his very core, touching every aspect of your relationship, and that most definitely includes your sex life. 

There is a certain enchantment to being with someone whose desires and love burn so brightly. Simon’s unyielding intensity fills the room, overwhelming your senses, making you feel like the centre of his world. His touch is electric, igniting a fire within you that cannot be easily extinguished. 

However, there are days where darkness engulfs Simon, shrouding his heart in pain and anguish. On those days you catch glimpses of the haunting shadows that dance in his eyes, an echo of the inner turmoil he battles with. Simon’s past is a constant companion that lingers in the background of your shared existence. He has come a long way, though. You have helped him heal in ways he never thought possible and he isn’t sure that you’ll even ever understand just how much you have done for him. You offer him a safe haven, a sanctuary where he can express his emotions without judgement.

In your embrace, Simon finds solace from the demons that haunt him. Your love and understanding create a refuge where he can confront his past and find strength to continue his journey towards healing. You become his pillar of support, offering unwavering patience and compassion.

Through his moments of darkness, you hold his hand, reminding him that he doesn’t have to face his struggles alone. You offer a listening ear, allowing him to vent his frustrations, fears, and regrets. In your presence, he discovers the power of vulnerability and realises that it is okay to release the pain he has carried for far too long.

Your love-making becomes a sanctuary of its own - a space where Simon can lose himself in the physical connection and momentarily escape the weight of his past. With every touch, caress, and kiss, the intensity between you intensifies, creating a momentary respite from his inner battles. You provide not only physical pleasure but also emotional intimacy, a safe space for him to open up and explore the depths of his desires and fantasies.

Your relationship becomes a catalyst for Simon’s growth and transformation. In your unwavering support, he discovers the strength to face his past head-on and embrace his vulnerabilities. With you by his side, Simon begins to rewrite his own narrative, shedding the pain and darkness that once consumed him. With you he can be Simon, and only Simon, there is no Ghost around you. 

Together, you create new memories that overshadow the haunting shadows of his past. Your love becomes a beacon of light, guiding him towards a brighter future. With every passing day, Simon’s intensity evolves, no longer a curse but a liberating force that fuels his passion for life and deepens his love for you.

As you continue to navigate the complexities of your relationship, you cherish the intimate moments when Simon’s intensity becomes a canvas for shared vulnerability and profound love. You remain dedicated to supporting him, knowing that your presence has the power to heal and provide him with the strength to overcome any darkness that may threaten to consume him.

Together, you and Simon have built a foundation of trust, understanding, and unconditional love. And as you face each new day, you are grateful for the opportunity to be the one who helps him realise the tremendous impact his intensity has on both himself and your shared world.

[themissinghand]

can u please make a dokja x reader... about 49/51 specifically..... (could be technically a 49 x reader x 51...?) hurt/comfort please since we all need therapy o)-(

Omniscient Reader Viewpoint You Should've Been Greedy

Summary: In which you are a constellation who has supported Kim Dokja from the very beginning, and you (desperately) want to see a happy end. 

Pairing: Kim Dokja x Constellation! F! Reader

Note: Hey Anon, I hope this kind of fits your request! Hopefully this could be a comfort to us depressed readers after finishing ORV. 

Readers Unite! We have to protect our little (ugly) squid.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE NOVEL, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

★・・・・・・★

“You didn’t do anything wrong. There’s nothing to apologize for.” 

You wish you could scream those words until the world hears you, until “Kim Dokja” believes you. 

“He” who has read, planned, fought, and “died” for the world. 

He was a reader.

You, who have watched, supported, believed, and “died” for him. 

You were a bystander. 

You were one of the many constellations that supported Kim Dokja Company until the very end. You who loved them all, and cherished them with your lifeline.   

In a world where the lines between existence and oblivion were blurred, you found yourself standing at the crossroads of two fractured souls. 

[The constellation ‘The Lady Bathing the Moon’ is watching you with sad eyes]

The 49% and the 51% Kim Dokja, each carrying their own burdens, their own regrets.

The 49% Kim Dokja, fading like the last remnants of a dying star, was a shadow of his former self. His memories, once vivid and precious, were slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. His eyes, once filled with life, were now dull and haunted.

You wanted to hug him, tell him he’s enough. 

(You sat by him and cuddled him in your bunny form, hoping he would wake up)

The 51% Kim Dokja, the last vestige of the original, bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was strong, but even the strongest had their breaking points. His facade of resilience hid a profound loneliness that gnawed at his very core.

(You want to find him)

Oh, how you want to reach out, and tell him he’s worth everything. 

And then there was you, the bystander, who saw him fracture himself into 2 halves.

You regret, and regret, until you couldn’t anymore. 

[The constellation ‘The Lady Bathing the Moon’ is praying to the constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’]

You no longer wanted to be a bystander.

You who has lost so much of your spark, reached out to Kim Dokja Company and proposed a solution. 

[Please let me borrow a bit of your power] 

“Why are you working so hard to save him? Didn’t you lose most of your power?” Han Sooyoung asks (bitterly), as she stared at your bunny stuff animal.

Your light flickers, a moment of power surge through your eyes. 

[The constellation ‘The Lady Bathing the Moon’ hesitates for an unknown reason]

[I…want to be greedy]

Your voice faded slightly, but your tone remains undoubtedly resolute. 

Your response silenced them all, until one stepped forward. 

“Here.” Yoo Joonghyuk approached your light, and shook your hand. 

“Tch, this guy.” Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes, but also went up to shake your hand. The others looked at one another, and then they smiled (their eyes were as tired as the Moon). 

[Thank you]

“Hey! We’re putting our trust in you!” 

Another bunny appeared and hopped energetically before it turned towards the sky. It flew far away, brighter than any star out there in the night sky. 

They watched, before they left to prepare for a backup plan. 

Because they loved Kim Dokja just as much as you.

To them, you were the Lady of the Moon from the Emperor Nebula, and despite everything in the past, they knew you as one of their main pillars of support. They could trust you. 

Their power allowed your bunny spirit to run, to fly across space like a comet soaring through the sky. You who searched and searched, until you saw him. 

A young teenager sitting in the middle of the train, no longer an adult or a shadow of the person he was. 

You went through the doors of the subway car, hopped towards his feet, and headbutted him, hoping to wake him. 

“Who…are you?” 

You freeze, a feeling of bitterness rises to your throat, but you hold back and smile. 

[I am a bunny who likes to fly, who are you?]

“My name is…Kim Dokja.” He says with a hint of recognition, and he slowly wrap his hands around the bunny, surprised at the rabbit’s fluffiness.

Without a word, you rub your head on his hand, offering a lifeline to the memories slipping away. Feeling the warmth, he hugged you (even without knowing why).

“Thank…you.”

(You felt the 49% Kim Dokja move his fingers, ever so slightly)

For the first time, he allowed himself to let go of some of the burdens he had carried for so long. He rested his head on your body, he let out a sigh, a silent acknowledgment.

You could feel the pain radiating from both of them, the silent cries for help that they couldn't put into words.

The subway continued to move as if nothing was wrong.

[Do you want to come with me?]

[I can’t.]

He says without moving, and gently pats your head. 

[You can go back for a moment, and I will stay here in your place. The space is my home.]

He pauses briefly at the temptation, but stays firm.

[You’re not a reader] 

[I am an observer, but also one who listens. If you go back, you can tell me your stories as if you are praying to the Moon.]

You peeked up, seeing the child’s contemplating face. 

You smiled.

[Go child, go to where you belong] 

You nudged him with your head, and he saw a bright light from your hand. 

The light you and his friends created just for him.

[Don’t hesitate now, they are waiting for you]

When he lowered his head, his eyes showed uncertainty but slight excitement and relief.

[Thank you]

You cup his cheeks with your bunny paws and smile. 

[Whenever you feel lonely, the Moon shall bless you every night]

To his surprise, he felt sleepy, comfortable as if he was in someone’s embrace. When he opened his eyes again, he saw your silhouette.

He felt like he saw you before. 

[Farewell, Kim Dokja]

Where has he seen you before?

“Kim Dokja!” 

He opened his eyes to bright light, blinding him immediately. He shielded himself and heard all sorts of noise around him, some of surprise, tearful, disbelief, relief, and excitement.

“Hyung! How are you feeling?” 

“Kim Dokja! You finally woke up. Do you know how worried we were?” 

When he finally came to, he saw everyone, and felt tears automatically roll down his cheeks. 

“Wait, we need to make sure.” Han Sooyoung walked up to him with her arms crossed.

“What is this emo bastard’s name?” Han Sooyoung pointed to the man who looked like he was going to kill her later.

With a hoarse laugh, Kim Dokja replied, despite trying to wipe away all of his tears. .

“Sunfish Bastard.” 

“Kim Dokja.” 

“No, I am Yoo Joonghyuk.” 

But his smile was so bright. 

At that moment, everyone rushed to hug him. 

Even in his happiness moment, he felt like he forgot something important?

“Hey, why are you talking to the Moon?” 

“I don’t know…I just felt like…there’s always something to say.” He concluded lamely, but he saw Han Sooyoung come to a short realization.

She sat beside him and put two hands together too. 

“Fine, I’ll do it with you too.”

(In the distance, a bunny watches as she fades away from Earth)

(At the subway station far far away, you sat in your true form as you listened to old and new stories.)

[Be happy, our dear reader]

[cherryrainn]

Hey think you could a Female human lesbian reader who dates Verosika before discovering she’s a demon and stays with her cause she loves her, overall it’s a sweet relationship. Eventually she starts sharing her with her girls which becomes a poly romantic relationship. If not that’s fine. Have a nice night.

━━ ✧ 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

─ ✩ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ; verosika + reader (female)

─ ✩ 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ; omg i love verosika so much thank you

─ ✩ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ; none

in the bustling city, you found yourself captivated by the charismatic and alluring popstar, verosika mayday. her sultry voice and magnetic stage presence had an undeniable charm that drew you in. little did you know that your life was about to take a thrilling turn.

the two of you met at one of her concerts. you were lucky enough to catch her attention in the crowd, and after the show, she invited you backstage. from that moment, your connection with verosika deepened. late-night conversations, shared laughter, and stolen glances fueled the budding romance between you.

as your relationship flourished, you couldn't help but feel a sense of completeness with verosika. she was a muse, a confidante, and, most importantly, your lover. but secrets have a way of surfacing, and hers was no exception.

it started innocently enough. verosika seemed a bit mysterious, always dodging questions about her personal life. yet, you brushed it off, thinking it was a part of her enigmatic charm. however, as the days passed, you began to notice subtle peculiarities—unexplainable occurrences that hinted at a hidden truth.

one evening, as the two of you cuddled on the couch, verosika hesitated before sharing a secret. "there's something about me you should know," she confessed, her eyes revealing a vulnerability you hadn't seen before.

as she transformed into her full form, you were momentarily taken aback. the revelation was overwhelming, and your initial fear gave way to confusion and curiosity. verosika bared her true self to you, and in that vulnerable moment, you made a choice — to embrace her for who she was.

"i'm not just a popstar; i'm a succubus," verosika explained, her voice a mix of apprehension and longing. "i get if this is too much for you."

but instead of pulling away, you leaned in and whispered, "you're still the same person i fell in love with."

your acceptance marked the beginning of a journey into the supernatural. as you delved deeper into verosika's world, you discovered her fellow succubi — coco, apple, milky, and kiki.

the transition from a monogamous relationship to a poly romantic one was gradual but filled with love and understanding. verosika's girls welcomed you with open arms, their affectionate gestures and warm smiles erasing any doubts you might have had.

dialogues flowed freely in the shared moments between you and verosika's girls.

"i never thought i'd be a part of something so nice," you admitted one night, cuddled up with verosika and her girls. the room was filled with laughter, whispered confessions, and a profound sense of connection.

verosika, once competitive and mean-spirited, transformed into a pillar of love and support. her seductive powers were reserved for the stage, and in the privacy of your shared space, she became vulnerable and tender.

the city that had once seemed overwhelming now felt like a haven — a place where your unconventional love story unfolded against the backdrop of dazzling lights and the warmth of shared affections.

as the night deepened, verosika whispered words of gratitude, her eyes reflecting the love that had blossomed in the midst of the unexpected. you held her close, surrounded by the soft hum of the city, knowing that your journey with verosika and her girls was an extraordinary chapter in the book of your life.

verosika's voice was a gentle melody as she expressed her feelings, "i never thought i'd find someone who'd accept all of me."

coco chimed in with a mischievous grin, "love has a way of doing that."

kiki, with a playful wink, concluded, "who would've thought that a bunch of succubi and a human could make such a perfect, loving concoction?"

as the night unfolded, your hearts intertwined in a symphony of love and acceptance, creating a melody that resonated through the cityscape — a testament to the beauty that emerged when souls connected beyond the ordinary.

[lysenfeu]

Devil in the Details •Part 2•

Captain John Prices makes a desperate decision and takes a huge risk to try and resolve his grief.

Rating: Mature

Eventual John Price x Reader

850k words, Slow Burn, Drabble/Short Form Writing

CW: Dark themes, Mentions of death, Grief, Supernatural events, Occultism, Demons, Corruption

(Part 1)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Price wastes no time, the moment he's home he lays the book out flat on his desk and studies the circle intently. His fingers trace over the black marks on the page, eyes poring over every splash of ink, no matter how small or smudged. Each line and symbol burning into his mind.

By the time he bothers to read the warning printed boldly beneath it, the words are meaningless. A hindrance only to someone who has something left to lose. It does nothing to quell his determination, this is no longer a choice he's making but an obligation. A duty he's been forced to accept by his own pride.

He gathers his supplies, the list is rather short but specific. Red chalk, a red candle, a small knife and a small red dish. He shoves his desk out of the way and rolls up the corner of the area rug, making room on the hardwood floor for his work.

He forces the small tremor out of his hands as he carefully marks out the symbols onto the floor with the chalk. There is no room for error in this, each stroke of the chalk must be exact. He must create the perfect replica of the sketch in the grimoire. He lights the candle and places a dab of hot, melted wax on each of the twelve star points. Careful not to disturb the chalk, he places the dish in the dead center of the circle. His nerves thrum in anticipation as he anxiously completes the last step, pricking the tip of his index finger with the knife, allowing a few drops of blood to splash down beneath him.

Finally, it's finished.

The circle crackles and hisses to life, the red outline illuminating itself as a cloud of smoke quickly rises from the centre.

He steps back, eyes wide with awe.

It worked.

~*~

It takes you a moment to recognize the tug behind your navel and the tickle at the back of your mind. It's been at least a decade or two since someone initiated your summoning ritual, you were starting to forget what it felt like. But now you can feel the magic pulling at you, beckoning to you through the newly forged connection. You let it carry you, twisting and turning your form through time and space as you have no choice but to answer the call.

Dark wisps of smoke curl out and flood the space before you as you rise from the centre of your circle. Small blue flames dance along the edges, lighting you with a flickering, dim glow as they spin and swirl in haphazard patterns.

As the haze slowly clears, you're able to take a better look at your surroundings. The room is a decent size, filled with dark wood furniture and leather accents. Small half-full bookshelves run along the wall, facing a large, well-worn leather sofa. An unusually tidy mahogany desk sits between them, shoved further back than usual based on the imprints left on the plush, wool area rug underneath. Not a single skull or a shred of velvet in the whole place.

Hm.

Not necessarily a worrisome sign, but odd nonetheless. The type who usually summon you tended to be more … overt in their interest in the occult, if not downright predictable. The kind of person who always used to break out the Ouija board at sleepovers and then grew up to spend too much time antiquing, looking for just the right candle holder. More crystals than sense, the lot of them.

You weren't especially fearsome, your abilities were far more subtle than most. You weren’t really suited for great acts of revenge or rampant bloodshed, anyone looking for an imposing or dreadful creature would be sorely disappointed with you. To be honest, you were more of a party trick. Your summoners really just wanted you to put on a show. So you would dazzle them with billowing pillars of brightly coloured smoke, making licks of fire dance before their eyes, a truly theatrical production. It was a simple routine: make a grand entrance, flash a little horn and tail, accept the offering, grant the favour, done.

Simple.

Quick.

Easy.

On the face of it at least.

Really though, that was the true fun of it.

They never suspected a thing.

With the smoke cleared, you take a moment and study the reason you're here, forcibly called to this time and place. A man stands before you, tense but still on the other side of your circle. He’s tall and broad, handsome in a rugged and weathered way. You note that he’s well-groomed in a utilitarian fashion, showing no hint of the usual flamboyance or flair you expect from your usual patrons. Interesting. Oh well.

Showtime.

“Tell me why I'm here, human.”

The man takes a deep breath before squaring his shoulders and meeting your eyes with a steady, even gaze.

“I need to make a deal.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

(Part 3)

A/N: Surpriiiise! *You're* the demon ehehe 😈

[sunsblaze]

Cont. || @gilded-sunrays

The flow of time would stop for no one, not for the virtuous, not for kings, nor those touched my the divine, time was a cruel mistress, something many tried to cling to only to rear back with blistering palms as it is ripped violently from tender hands.

A truth they had both come to learn through similar tales of not only love and loss, but betrayal. They had both been born with this curse- blessing and yet with such a gift they had still been unable to protect what truly mattered to them, they had been too late every single time. The contents of the future evaded her. Evaded them.

Her own days had been spent much the same, each day passing was filled an ebbing restlessness as her life began to stall leaving little for her to do in these day of involuntary retirement, though it wasn’t always like this, there had been a time where her days had been filled with warmth, shrouded in domestic bliss as she stood hand in hand with her husband.

They had been expecting, she spent their final days together nesting, preparing for the birth of their first child- a daughter, though as the moons leading up to labor came to pass everything she held dear would be ripped from her grasp. As her husband prepared for the morning journey he had to make to fetch a midwife, something made its move, striking the small family down, all she remembered was waking the next day, her hand clutching tightly onto her husband’s and intense pains wracking through her body.

Alone, she would give birth to a child that was destined to not breathe a single breath.

The coming days were a blur, she would not move from her husband’s side, instead she would lay there, the infant laying against her chest until a man she would soon know as Rengoku came to her, he had been in search of the creature that had snuffed her the lives of her family, he would help her back to her feet, help her put her loved ones to rest. Shortly after she made a decision, a vow to never have another suffer as she had, she would become a slayer and fight the shadows away with the burning determination of the sun itself.

For a handful of years she had kept busy, pushing forward as she fought tirelessly, following a path she had never truly wished to step foot on, but it seemed fate had other plans, this- being a demon slayer, it had been her destiny, she had found her purpose in that time and yet she seemed to lose it all the same.

Her own failure to cut down the demon lord, her allowing a demon to escape, and the betrayal of her own twin, it ended her time as a pillar and almost costed her life, many believed she should have atoned by committing sepukku, though both the young master and the flame pillar would not allow it, she would be given the mercy of exile- though was losing everything yet again really a mercy?

Nonetheless, she would take each day one at a time, hunting demons that lurked nearby, visiting the few loved ones she had left as her determination, her passions flickered and faded from a blazing inferno to a flickering candlelight. She often found herself doing the bare minimum for her survival, she would eat, drink, bathe, and tend to the repairs of her home.

That was until things would change around her…literally.

The sound of the teapot shattering was deafening in the still night and it was only accentuated by the seconds of silence that followed, the sounds of the woman’s gentle breaths filling the space between them. Though it was a rare occurrence, she was a bit shaken, she had almost killed this man, if she had been just seconds slower then his head would been sent rolling across the wooden boards beneath them.

While she awaited his answer she would just stare down at the man, her eyes the same shade of maroon as his, both like deep glasses of red wine- a finely aged vintage. For a second she had a thought that he might be a demon or that this was some kind of mirage, but it would only take her one glance to tell that not only was this real, it that he was just as human as she. Not only that, but he was her mirror image other than his more masculine features, she felt as if she were staring into a pool and on the other side laid a world so similar, yet different.

It made one wonder just how different things were on the other side.

As the man’s lips parted to speak a name- one that was all too familiar the woman would blink- she wasn’t exactly sure what to think at the moment, other than the fact that this man was her? Or was she him? It was all a bit complicated.

“…As am I.”

Her response was soft, her voice just as hushed as his own, as if this exact moment was so delicate that one word spoked too loud would shatter the world around them into a million pieces. She would make the first move, her hand. Bracing against his chest as she pushed herself to her feet before stepping to the side, a slender, yet calloused hand outstretched to him.

“I apologize for the disturbance, please, allow me to take care of the mess I have caused.”

[theworldofotps]

Let It Sleep

The Demon Dad series, following Bálor as he navigates parenthood. Description: Bálor doesn’t want to risk waking the baby.

Masterlist

Tag list:

@omg-im-such-a-masochist​ @melissahausen @new-zealand-chic @writtingrose @hotgirlgraps @madhatterbri @sjwrites22 @sassymox @mrsacklesevansmgk @xladyxfatex @adamcolesbaybay @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @demonqueen29 @itsicantbelievethis666 @lilred91 @rebellious-desires @claymorexpunisher @letsgivethisonemoreshot @ava-valerie @shortyiceheart @serpantscorpio8497 @thatpanpal @thatnerdwriter @wrestlersownmyheart @vebner37 @seeingstarks @whenimakeitshine1234 @legit9thlunaticwarrior @blaquekitty @ironshamelessyouth @unoficialy-married-to-ace-austin @ripleyswhore @moonrosekk @xbreezymeadowsx @alyyaana @elevennbloom @melblacc @alliwant456 @mcreignsera @auburnwrites​ @aews-four-pillars

If you wanna be added to the list lemme know.

________

The whole house was silent for once apart from the rain pelting against the roof. Y/n quietly made her way down the hall peeking into the dimly lit nursery. Shadows from the small plastic tea candles flickered on the walls as the gentle hum of the baby monitor filled the room. Y/N stood at the doorway, watching in awe as their baby slept peacefully on Bálor’s chest. The sight of the small infant in contrast to the demon king was interesting.

Bálor, who was in his demon form, sitting rigidly in the rocking chair, his red eyes glowing softly in the low light. Despite his fearsome appearance, his movements were very careful and precise, ensuring the baby's comfort. The baby’s tiny fingers clutched the fabric of Finn’s shirt, and a content sigh escaped her lips as shenestled closer to the warmth.

"Babe." 

Y/N whispered, taking a slow step forward trying not to make too much noise.

“I can take the baby back now, I know that you need to return soon and it’s getting late. Finn has some meetings tomorrow so he’s going to need his rest as well."

Bálor’s head snapped up, his gaze locking onto hers with a mixture of irritation and concern. He raised a clawed hand, motioning for her to stay back.

 "No.”

He hissed quietly, his voice a low growl as he tried to stay still.

 "You'll wake it."

“She can sleep through pretty much anything.”

 Y/N insisted, keeping her voice soft as she watched them. 

“The underworld won't wait for you my love and we both know that. At times they can be very demanding."

Bálor's eyes softened slightly as he glanced down at the sleeping baby. The harsh lines of his face seemed to ease, normally he wouldn’t share this with anyone. But y/n, he knew it was okay and for a brief moment showed some vulnerability to his beloved. 

"I can't stand the crying.”

He admitted in a hushed tone the colors on his skin swirling a bit as he spoke.

"It... it pierces through everything, I don’t know how you and Finn deal with it all the time day in and day out.”

Y/N nodded in understanding, she and Finn knew all too well that their daughter’s cries were more than just a sound to Bálor. They were a reminder of the one thing he couldn't control. She stepped back, giving him the space he needed. 

"Alright my king.”

She gave in watching them together, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

“Just until she wakes up."

The minutes stretched on, each one feeling like an eternity to him but Bálor remained still. His gaze fixed on the baby. He could feel the pull of the underworld, the call to return to his kingdom, but he remained. The tiny heartbeat against his chest was grounding, a large difference to the chaos he usually embraced.

Finally, the baby stirred, a small yawn escaping her mouth. She blinked up at Bálor, eyes wide with curiosity. For a moment, the Demon King and the baby stared at each other, his concern it would start crying quickly grew. Thankfully Y/N stepped forward again, this time more confidently. 

“Now then.”

 She said softly while holding her arms out.

“Let me take the baby."

Bálor carefully lifted the child, his movements slow and deliberate. He handed the baby to Y/N, who cradled her gently in her arms. The baby cooed, content and happy, another yawn falling from her mouth.

“I’ll be back when I can, tell Finn I said to take care of you both.” 

“Of course.” 

Y/n smiled watching as he closed his eyes allowing her husband to come back. Finn blinked his eyes a few times, allowing his vision to adjust, soon those familiar blue eyes met Y/n’s and he smiled.

“That went rather well I think.” 

[thedemonknownasbilly]

So sorry for sending another thing in but I have this idea For Crowley x reader hcs

Have you seen those nebula/space themed light projectors before? (If not I can send pics in)

But I was thinking- maybe reader knows that Crowley isn't able to enjoy the stars anymore (bc of his snake-eyes)- so as a surprise, they set up the bedroom to be super comfortable and bring Crowley in, telling him to close his eyes. They turn off the lights, turn on the projector, and show Crowley.

It's not the same, but hopefully it would be something.

I apologize if this doesn't make any sense. I'm typing this pretty fast.

Also, I just finished Eden and Human and. Billy. Billy you hurt me in the best ways.

-🐝

Never Shine as Bright as Your Eyes - Crowley x GN!Reader

Darlin’ you had me at galaxy projectors. I have one. I’m impossible to drag out of the planetarium. I cried when I realized Dallas didn’t have one.

I will happily write (ex)Star Maker!Crowley any day of the week.

Aziraphale was the one who told you more about Crowley and his past, how they met those millennia ago, how Crowley literally hung the stars.

It certainly made sense, you had spent countless nights at his flat, noticing how his office contained numerous books on space and how there were a few small posters, specifically of Alpha Centauri and the Pillars of Creation. You understood why your beloved demon didn’t want to talk about it, after all he was cast aside from his work, told to never touch or make a star again. It must be painful. You were left to wonder what he thought of the humans mistaking his art as destroyed, only for a few years later for them to announce their error. Did he know the Pillars still stood or was he devastated and mourning?

A question you opted to never ask, not wanting to risk bringing up painful memories, but for now, you giggled endlessly as you opened the small box on the bed, pulling out exactly what you hoped would help Crowley.

Crowley was nothing short of a wonderful partner, showering you in gifts, insisting he pay for everything, making sure you never went a day without at least five “I love you”s, and at last you could return the favor for him, at last you could give him as much happiness as he gave you, and you couldn’t help yourself when you heard the hum of the Bentley pulling into the drive, rushing out to the car and into his arms as he stood.

“This is a lovely welcome home,” he smiled, kissing you sweetly, his arm draping around your waist, he hadn’t even had time to close the car door yet.

“I have a surprise for you,” you blurted out, smile ever growing as he raised an eyebrow, his own grin never falling.

“Oh, really, Pet?” He chucked at your enthusiastic nod, “must be something really special if you’re so excited, tell me what have you done?”

“Close your eyes, please my darling?” He carefully stepped you both out of the way so he could close the car door before nodded and closing his eyes, holding your hands so you could guide him. “No peeking.” You laughed, hardly hearing his resort as you guided him into and through the flat, the plants abruptly standing tall and green as you two passed them. Carefully having him sit down on the bed, you kissed his forehead before having him let go so you could close the door and switch the projector on, the blinds already drawn in.

You couldn’t help to let out a little gasp at the bright galaxy that now filled your room. “Okay, open.” Your heart was pounding, a little scared he’d be upset, but his gasp and wide eyes said everything opposite. You watched as he carefully stood up, spinning slowly in the room as he took it all into view.

“I haven’t… oh, it’s all right, all perfect.” He murmured, walking over to a particular cluster of stars, “these were made that day I met Aziraphale, he helped me. Held the scroll for me.”

“And these were the first ones, ever. Let there be light. That was these.”

“And these…” you sat on the bed, watching as your demon smiled ever so big, rambling on happily about his different creations.

“Thank you,” he said, looking at you with tears of joy in his eyes, “you have no idea how much this all means to me… thank you.” And with that he pulled you up and pressed his lips to yours, only five thousand or so light years away, a new nebula was born.

Once the star maker, always the star maker.

[angelsmooches]

hiii ur works are so good omg i’m obsessed!! could i plz request barbatos fluff where he’s teaching mc how to bake bc there is absolutely not enough wholesome barb content out here lol—thank u!! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

★﹐black cloud cakes ．﹑

synopsis: barbatos gives MC a crash course in baking.

wc: 2,391

genre: fluff

warnings: none!

a/n: I LITERALLY LOVE BARBATOS SO MUCH OH MY GODNUIBHYGVYFC THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REQUESTING THIS o(≧▽≦)o i’m so happy that my first request is for one of my fav characters ugh barbatos doesn’t get enough love. PLUS i absolutely love baking so this was so much fun writing!!

     no matter how many times you visited it, the demon lord’s castle will always be an intimidatingly grandiose sight to see. with its countless towers, its towering walls, all shrouded in darkness, you couldn’t help the ominous feeling that spread through your veins.

that ominous feeling always dissipated as soon as you stepped inside. with how often you’ve been here, it began to feel almost like.. home. much like how the house of lamentation feels. you wandered about, passing the magnificent staircases and the shining pillars, walking down hallway after hallway until reaching the one room you were looking for in particular.

every single surface in the kitchen always shone with pride. strangely, the kitchen had become one of the rooms you were most comfortable in here at the castle. it carried many fond memories that you always smiled at the thought of. 

“good afternoon, barbatos!” the butler turned towards the sound of your voice, smiling in greeting.

“good afternoon, MC. i’m glad you could join me today. come, i’ve just finished laying out the ingredients we are to use.” barbatos gestured towards the numerous bags and containers in front of him, then pushed a recipe book towards your direction. “this is what we are to be making. please read over it.”

you skimmed over the page before looking back up at him dubiously. “we? as in you and me? i’m not so sure about that, barbs. i’ve never really baked before, i’ve only watched.”

“precisely, you’ve watched,” he said. “you’ve watched me countless of times baking assortments of desserts. surely you’ve retained some information, yes?”

he had a point. everything that was in the book were things that you already knew just from observing barbatos in his element.

“i mean, yeah, but... what if i burn down the castle?” 

barbatos chuckled at your pessimism. “i highly doubt that. have confidence in yourself, MC.” he entrusted the whisk he was currently holding over to you. “would you mix the chocolate and the butter together while i beat the egg whites? thank you.”

hesitantly, you took the whisk from barbatos’s gloved hand. he offered an encouraging smile before turning back towards the pile of goey clearness that you assumed were the egg whites. 

“may i ask why we’re making this dessert in particular?” you asked, the whisk gliding through the dark mixture. “if i remember correctly, these cakes are massive. why would you want to bake one if you didn’t really need to?”

“the young lord has invited quite a number of people over today, and he requested that i create something special for them,” barbatos replied.

you turned this information over in your mind, adding the cocoa powder into the mixture. “and another thing, why not ask luke to help you instead? even if luke refused, i’m pretty sure you could do this without anyone’s help.”

barbatos was quiet for a moment, his cheeks tinged a subtle shade of pink. “i desired your company. baking with you is always an enjoyable experience.”

“thanks, barbs,” a smile blossomed across your face. “i really enjoy baking with you, too.”

a comfortable silence overtook the room, the sounds of whisks scraping against bowls filling the empty space. your bowl had been thoroughly whisked within a couple of minutes. barbatos, on the other hand, was still occupied with getting the egg whites to form soft peaks. not wanting to break his concentration, you simply decided to examine your surroundings, your eyes naturally drifting towards the demon in front of you.

it was obvious that barbatos took his title as pastry chef very seriously. every single pastry that he baked was the result of meticulous work, and this pastry would be no different. he would carefully add a small amount of sugar, whisk the eggs, then add more. his brows were furrowed ever so slightly, as if he were counting every single grain of sugar that entered the bowl. you found it endearing.

“may i ask why you’re staring at me?” barbatos’s question popped your little bubble, grounding you back into reality. his cheeks were once again that warm shade of pink.

“ah, sorry,” you awkwardly looked away, the mental image of barbatos’s baking face making you inadvertently smile. “it’s just.. you put a lot of time and effort into everything you bake. i admire you for it.”

 the normally calm and composed butler seemed caught off-guard by your response. it’s true, he’s heard this from many other appreciators of his pastries, but hearing it come from you was entirely different. “you have no idea how happy that makes me. thank you, MC.” with one last test, barbatos lifted his bowl and brought it next to yours. “excellent job. i couldn’t have done it better myself. would you please whisk the egg yolks and the hell poison honey while i mix these two?”

you did as told, bringing over your bowl back over to barbatos, who took it with a ‘thank you’ and poured it into the main bowl. he methodically folded it over and over, taking great care not to move too fast.

“barbs? i have another question.” he hummed in response. “why don’t you just mixed the whole thing? it would be a lot faster.”

“are you getting bored of me already, MC?” he mused.

“n-no! it’s just—”

“i’m only teasing,” a playful smile overtook his features. “but to answer your question, i’m taking my time to prevent the mixture from deflating. it wouldn’t be a black cloud cake if it didn’t have a cloudy texture, now would it?” barbatos poured a little bit more of the egg whites into the main bowl, repeating the methodical folding process. you hoisted yourself onto the counter, idly kicking your legs.

“talk to me, barbs. it’s too quiet in here,” you complained, folding your knees into your chest. “c’mon, quiz me!”

“if you insist,” barbatos decided to give you an easy one. “what temperature should we preheat the oven for a black cloud cake?”

your mind blanked. “oh, crap... uh.. 350 degrees?”

“fahrenheit or celsius?” barbatos’s teasing smile showed itself again.

“fahrenheit.” you replied, biting back the urge to add an ‘obviously’ at the end of your sentence.

“excellent. if you wouldn’t mind, could you please preheat the oven now? i’m just about done with this bowl.” barbatos folded it a few more times as you turned the knob on the oven, making sure there were no unmixed pieces hiding in the abyss-like mixture. you lifted yourself back up onto the counter, the two of you waiting patiently for the little ding! that the oven would make. 

you hummed a tuneless song while barbatos folded the mixture a couple more times just to be safe, the ding! of the oven echoing through the shiny room. without hesitation, barbatos opened the oven door, slid the cake inside, and closed it back up again. the first time he had done this in front of you, your jaw dropped from the shock. barbatos rarely wore oven mitts, but then again, he didn’t really need them.

“is something the matter?” the butler always seemed to notice every little change in expression that gave away your thoughts.

“no, no, it’s nothing,” you shrugged off the unease. “could you just wear mitts every once in a while? i’m scared you’re gonna burn yourself one of these days.”

barbatos laughed at this, leaning against the oven. “it would take quite the oven to burn me.”

“what if i gave you oven mitts?” you suggested. “would you wear them?”

the hypothetical made barbatos strangely happy. “i would gladly wear anything you gift me.”

barbatos could certainly be a teasing nag at times, but he could be a sweetheart when he really wanted to be. though you haven’t put it together yet, barbatos only shared these moments with you. the more you two spent time together, the more barbatos found himself feeling more drawn towards you. he had no idea when or how a human became so important to him.

the sound of your sigh broke off barbatos’s thoughts. “what should we do with all of the excess ingredients? we still have a whole bunch of that liquid chocolate, we didn’t even use the flour, and there’s still some sugar and eggs. do you think we should bake something els— oh!” the feeling of something slimy slid down your hair and onto your back, causing a shiver to wrack through your body. 

“i have a vague idea of what i would like to do with the excess,” barbatos replied, smiling cheekily. a broken eggshell was in his hand.

“barbatos! what the hell was that for?” despite wanting to sound upset, you couldn’t hold back the bubbly laughter that came out with it. you quickly took another egg from its container, aiming for his head. the demon was far too fast for you, instantly catching your wrist before your egg could come into contact with him. “cheater.”

barbatos only gave you that same mischievous smile, his arm easily overpowering yours, using your own hand to crack the egg onto your head instead of his. you used your other hand to reach in back of you, grabbing a fistful of flour and ruffling it into his hair, barbatos releasing your wrist in surprise.

“ha! karma!” you grinned. barbatos’s smile only grew wider, adding a more sinister tone to it. aw, crap.. you had unintentionally started a food fight. barbatos would more than likely finish what you had begun.

 you squirmed past the butler, careful to maintain your distance as the two of you began throwing all sorts of things at each other. clumps of butter, streaks of melted chocolate, handfuls of sugar and flour, pretty much whatever you two could get your hands on. you ran all around the kitchen, using the island as a sort of barrier between you and barbatos, who looked nothing like he usually did. his neat hair was disheveled and white from the powder, his apron was stained with chocolate and butter, and he was absolutely enjoying himself. this was, by far, the most fun he’s ever had with baking, and to be sharing this experience with you only added to it.

in one swift motion, barbatos slid across the island and grabbed hold of your wrists in one hand, the other hand menacingly holding a handful of dripping chocolate.

“wait! wait!” you cried out. “truce! please! i give up!”

barbatos smiled triumphantly. “what was that? i’m not quite sure i heard you.” his hand drew closer and closer to your hair.

“truce! i give up!” you yelled, hanging your head in defeat. “i’m no match for you, barbs..”

barbatos withdrew his hand, although he did not let go of your wrists. his eyes scanned your face, your clothes, before glancing around the room. “oh, dear. it appears that we’ve made quite a mess,” he looked down at his own clothes, smiling almost chastisingly. “what am i going to do with you? it’s hard to be upset when you look so adorably funny.”

you two couldn’t help but erupt in a fit of giggles, barbatos’s hand traveling from your wrists to your shoulders. “look at you, you’ve even got chocolate in your hair.”

“and whose fault would that be?” you retorted, barbatos reaching up to gently pull at the strands of hair covered in chocolate, tucking the strands away neatly. 

“i’d have no idea whose fault that would be” he replied innocently, his fingers combing through your hair before settling on either side of your cheek. your giggling fell silent, the intensity of barbatos’s gaze sending a painless jolt through your body. barbatos couldn’t bring himself to look away from your face, drinking in every single feature. drips of egg yolk on your forehead, a smudge of chocolate on your cheek...

“you seem to be quite the messy eater, MC,” he teased, his thumb softly caressing your cheek. your eyes narrowed at that, earning another laugh from the demon. “you have a chocolate stain on your cheek. allow me to clean it for you. stay still, please.” you locked your joints into place, afraid that if you moved even a fraction of an inch you might scare away barbatos or something. slowly, carefully, barbatos leaned in, pressing his lips to the smeared chocolate. the feeling of his tongue gliding against your skin made you shudder.

he pulled back to look into your face, blinking once, twice, then smiling apologetically. “please pardon me. i don’t know what has gotten into me as of late. i hope i didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“no, no,” you replied hastily, your hand moving to lay atop his. “it’s fine... thank you.” another comfortable silence blanketed over the room, except this time, it felt more.. intense. as if the entire room was filled with electricity. your cheeks stung without pain where barbatos held them.

“i’m not the only one with stuff on their face,” you grinned, cupping barbatos’s cheek and turning his head slightly. “you have chocolate right... there.” your thumb brushed against the corner of his lips, the demon’s eyes fluttering shut at the sensation. “please, allow me to clean it for you.”

barbatos fully turned his face towards you, a tender smile curving his lips. his thumb brushed against your cheek once more as the two of you slowly began leaning into each other, the warmth of barbatos’s chest seeping into your own. 

gradually, barbatos’s face drew closer and closer to yours, your lips only centimeters apart.

his sweet breath fanned across your face..

ding!

the sound of the oven made you both jump, your cheeks becoming overwhelmingly warm underneath barbatos’s touch. barbatos didn’t take his eyes off of you.

“it appears that the cake is done baking,” he said simply.

“...yeah..” was all you could say. “you’d better.. go get it before it burns.”

“that would be the wise thing to do.” he still didn’t move an inch, his eyes piercing into yours.

barbatos's loving touch made your brain feel fuzzy. your grip on his sleeves grew tighter. “i’m sure diavolo’s guests wouldn’t mind a little crispiness to their cake, right?”

“i believe it is called black cloud cake for a reason.” he agreed

barbatos pressed his lips onto yours without a second's delay. he found that you tasted sweeter than any pastry he's ever created.

©2023 please do not repost, modify, or claim as your work.

[omgkatherine01]

Dream Girl: Chapter 4 - The Way Of the People

Series Masterlist

Chapter 3, Chapter 5

Pairing: Neytiri x female reader

Please comment, like and share

The Na'vis pushing you begin to slow their pace when you all reached to their village.

The Hometree

It seemed just like as Grace told you. It seemed like 250 meters tall, with a trunk four times the diameter of the largest Sequoia, and a base of massive mangrove-pillars.

"Wow," you breathed out softly.

Walking past the natives, there were all kinds of yips and shouts as they move out of the way, making a clear path for their warriors. The stares were harsh as they spot you, the demons as they shouted in their language, and the Na'vies hiss at the sight of you.

You turned your gaze from them to the Hometree as you were led in. By the light of the cook-fires you can see up into a vast cylindrical gallery a living cathedral.

Clear membranes sturmbeest bladders filled with fluttering bio-luminescent insects, acting as area lighting. The central space was dominated by the skull of some enormous creature, mounted with much embellishment on a totem. Standing in front of this, awaiting their approach, was someone you suspected was the Clan Leader.

The girl you met turned to the Na'vies that were holding you, and hissed at them, "Pot lonu, pot lonu!" Release her, release her!

They did as told, and let go of your arms and hair. She then wrapped her hand around your arm and led you to the Clan Leader. She spoke to him, "Ma sempul, oel ngati kameie." Father, I see you.

You looked between them in surprise, Father? The leader is her father?!

Her father walked around her, studying you before turning to his daughter, "Fìswiräti, ngal pelun molunge fìtseng?" he asked. This creature, why did you bring her here?

"Oel pot tspìmìyang, tsakrr za'u aungia ta Eywa," she said and you frowned. "I was going to kill her, but there was a sign from Eywa."

Her father didn't seem to care for her words, "Poltxe oe, san zene kea uniltìranyu, ke ziva'u fìtseng. Ketepeu fahew akewong." I have said no dreamwalker will come here. Her alien smell fills my nose.

You looked away from him in annoyance while there were some laughs on his last words. "So, I take it I am not welcomed here," you said in a sarcastic tone.

"My father is deciding whether to kill you," the daughter said, looking over at you slightly.

You nodded a little, "Great," you muttered.

You heard a strong voice calling out and you all looked to the side to see a woman Na'vi walking down from the second level. "That is Mother," the daughter explained to you, "She is Tsahik. The one who interprets the will of Eywa."

"Eywa?" you asked softly and her mother circled around you, examining the end of your queue and your tail.

"What are you called?" she asked you in English.

"Y/N Sully," you answered before the Tsahik poked you with a sharp object that had previously been attached to her necklace, before tasting the blood on it.

"Why did you come to us?" she asked.

"I came to learn," you answered.

The Tsahik put her sharp object back to her necklace, "We have tried to teach other Sky People. It is hard to fill a cup which is already full."

"Well, my cup is only half full," you said, "I'm not a scientist."

"No, you're not," the Tsahik agreed, "Y/n Sully. I've heard about you, from Dr. Augustine. A kind heart yet blood of strong warrior."

You frowned of that statement. It seemed that only her daughter, the father and Tsu'tey knew what she was saying in English. Tsu'tey was the only one who seemed annoyed and stepped forward, "Tsamsiyu pak? Pot tsun oe tspivang nìftue." A warrior? I could kill her easily!

The Clan Leader stopped him, "Kehe!" No! He looked at you. "Fìpo lu 'awvea, uniltìranyu-tsamsiyu, a tsole'a ayoengìl. Pori awngaru lu tìkin, a nume nì'ul." This is the first warrior dreamwalker we have seen. We need to learn more about her.

The Tsahik looked at her daughter, "Ma 'ite, awngeyä fya'ori zene nga sänume sivi poru..." My daughter, you will teach her our way. Her daughter looked annoyed as she continued, "...fte tsivun pivlltxe sì tivìran na ayoeng." To speak and walk as we do.

I guess I could use more practice, you thought. "Oeru pelun? Ke lu muiä," she said. Why me? That's not fair.

Her mother held her hand to silent her, "Fkol pole'un fì'ut." It is decided.

She looked away in annoyance, hissing, "Wiya!" Dammit!

The Tsahik looked at you and stepped back closer, "It is decided. My daughter will teach you our ways. Learn well, y/n sully. Then we will see if your insanity can be cured."

You nodded a little, and she walked away with the leader. Her daughter stepped toward you and grabbed your arm, leading you away. "So it’s all good, right?" you asked.

"Do not speak," she said.

Around you, the Na’vies slowly returned to whatever they had been doing before your arrival. There was still a tenseness in the air, though, and you felt dozens of pairs of eyes on your back. You felt like a bug under a microscope, your every move was observed closely.

You let out a soft sigh, "So, can you tell me now your name, or...?"

She led you up the staircase, further into Hometree before turning to you. "Neytiri," she finally answered. Then she turned and continued on before you could say anything.

On the third floor, Neytiri stormed over to a cubby carved into the wall, rifling through what looked like stacks of cloth. She walked back to me with a cloth and a few jewelry. The cloth didn’t look nearly concealing enough to make you comfortable, but you didn’t protest when she shoved it at you.

"Change into these," Neytiri ordered, gesturing to the items she had just handed you. "Soon we will gather for dinner. Until then, I will show you around."

She stood there, arms crossed, expectantly, and it became obvious almost immediately that she expected you to change in front of her.

"Um, is there anywhere I could get some privacy?" you asked.

"Privacy for what?" Neytiri asked, looking now a little confused.

"To change," I replied, holding up the clothes.

"Why must you hide your body?" she asked, "Is there something wrong with it?"

You frowned, blinking, "No..." You glanced down at yourself.

You were pretty sure you looked the same as the other Na’vies and her under your clothes, but you really couldn’t be sure.

You examined the articles of cloth in your hands. There was a loincloth with two pieces of fabric draped over the front and back. You looked back at Neytiri and now realized that the jewelry she gave you was to cover your top.

"So... this is what we, the women, supposed to wear to cover the upper body?" you asked, holding up the odd looking jewelry.

"Yes," she answered simply, and nodded lightly.

You nodded lightly and looked from it to the cloth you were given. You then looked at her, "Can I keep my clothes on?"

"No," she answered simply. "You are to learn our way, you must be dressed like us."

Can I take it back? you wanted to asked but held your tongue.

You really didn’t want to change in front of Neytiri--a stranger. But you reminded yourself that this really wasn’t your body--it had been artificially created.

Plenty of people had seen this body naked: the scientists who created it, the technicians who kept it alive on Earth and on the spaceship, the other trainees in the laboratory where all the Avatars slept in tanks of fluid, unclothed and quiet.

Oh well...

After changing, Neytiri bandaged your arm which you didn't realized had a deep cut on until she pointed it out as you changed. She then led you to the rest of the people.

The entire clan was squatting at dinner in a huge circle. They stopped talking and turned to gaze at you as you walked closer with Neytiri.

Neytiri crossed the circle to the cook pit and returned with several large leaves heaped with food. She kneeled next to you, placing the food in front of you and placed some for herself.

After dinner, on the sleeping areas, families nesting in groups on woven hammocks the size of trampolines. The hunters slept along spokes joining the inner trunk to the tree's outer shell.

Neytiri led you to a hammock near hers, and you were laying awake, listening to people rustling in the darkness around you. By the side of your hammock, Neytiri curled up.

She stared at you for a moment, seemed conflicted for a moment. "Rest now," she said softly so only you could hear. You looked at her and she continued, "Your training with me will start early."

You let out a soft sigh and turned back forward. Neytiri closed her eyes to sleep and you watched the glowing bugs fluttering inside a night light, a pulse of life energy. A strange peace spreaded through you.

You let out a breath quietly and closed your eyes.

You felt a slap on your cheek, and blinked your eyes open. Your vision was blurry for a few seconds until you finally saw Grace, Norm and Max in front of you.

"Come on back, kiddo," Grace said and let out a breath when she saw you responding. "That's it."

You blinked in confusion, realizing you were now back in your human body, laying in your link pod. You frowned and Norm helped you to sit up. Jake was near the link pod, rolling his chair closer when he saw you sitting up.

"Hey," he said, his expression was shown relief by seen you were now back and you were okay. "You're okay."

"I'm okay," you said, nodding, taking a held of his hand.

"Damn, you were dug in like a tick," Grace said, making you look at her and she used her flashlight to check your eyes, "You sure you feeling fine?"

"Yeah," you answered, and she moved the item away.

"Is the avatar safe?" she asked next.

You nodded, "Yeah." You scoffed, smiling with disbelief, "Grace, you are not gonna believe where I am."

Taglist:

@ara-a-bird, @imthefunniestpersonalive, @mistyyyy, @lovelyspecs, @octavias-next-meat-bite, @redwitchredspeedster, @fanboyluvr, @simp-erformarvelwomen, @maxinej, @smol-book-nerd, @philiasoul, @lisajeongyeon, @stupendousbananajudgeshark

[silverynight]

What if the Hashira (going to see their favorite sunshine) overhear Tanjirou talking about a group of people?

"He's so loud and has no concept of personal space! His hair is stupid to look at as well."

"He actually has the NERVE to call himself GOD! What a pretentious prick! Wish I could shut that narcissist up! Aren't ninjas supposed to be quiet?"

"The fact that she walks around dressed like that is shameful! She'd be better off in the red light district!"

"He's like a wild animal! So feral and has a horrible personality! No one wants such a rotten guy like him around."

"He's so gloomy and depressing. Would it kill him to smile??"

"It's creepy how he hangs around that pink haired skank. And what is with the mask and snake? What is he hiding?? His bad breath?"

"He's always crying and praying, JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!"

"If it wasn't for her medicines and healing estate, she wouldn't be needed. A Hashira who can't decapitate a demon? That's about as useful a sword made of paper Mache."

"That kid can't focus ON ANYTHING. Does he have a brain in that head of his? No, it's probably filled with the rocks he constantly throws around that he should choke on."

The Hashira are horrified! They didn't think Tanjirou could say such hurtful things about them like that! Is that REALLY what he feels about them? It can't be true!

Little did they know, Tanjirou was actually furiously ranting and mocking what he heard some slayers say about the Pillars. He tore into them before stomping away.

Fortunately, they all stick around long enough to hear the rest: "Can you believe them, Zenitsu? Saying those awful things about the hashira? How dare they!" He puffs his cheeks out, looking really pissed. However, after a couple of seconds he starts tearing up: "After all they do to protect us? The Pillars are great and precious and deserve nothing but the best–"

Zenitsu moves out of the way just in time for a group of very happy and besotted hashira rush towards Tanjirou and start hugging him and kissing him all over the face.

[beer-anon]

Color-changing sword

A prologue of sorts for my future reader inserts in the Demon Slayer universe. This just reflects the inner workings of self-perception of the reader and is in no way a guide to how reader will act but it will shed some light on what I have in mind.

My first reader insert in KNY so yeah idk

@linpunny​ thanks for encouraging me, this is it *yeets it like a trash and runs*

✿ ✿ ✿

The sight kept haunting you, burned into your eyelids. You see it every time you close your eyes. Worse yet, the sounds were not leaving you in your waking nor sleeping hours either. Wet squelching, screams, and oh god the whimpers-

That mission was life changing for you. It made you re-evaluate your profession. It filled you with determination to preserve, to eradicate every demon who stepped in front of you. It was thanks to this mission you survived the other one.

What followed weeks after that was probably even worse - another life changing mission. However, this one made guilt creep up your spine whenever you saw your fellow demon slayers.

For a mortal, you have considerable skill… But where you lack is in awareness.

A slow drone of male voice spoke to you in moments of lost focus. It sharpened you into a trigger-happy blade the past few days. 

You will not last long in this world as you are… Yet, you must endure. You understand this. I know you do.

You endured through it. Perhaps it meant not looking your allies in the eyes ever again, but you would last. You wanted to walk out victorious. Perhaps he knew your intention as well. To squeeze every last bit of what he had to offer, and use it to turn the tides. Perhaps that was the way to gain redemption for your betrayal.

Compared to the standard human, you display a great power… unlike many young slayers I have encountered.

He terrified you. It had been your first encounter with such a strong demon. 

You had lost your Breath in his presence. Your sword used to be dark green - a pine forest in the mist - yet you walked out of the fight with a blank sword. It perplexed you, terrified you. It made your heart drop down to your stomach in a sudden lurch when you realized what had happened. It was like a mirage in a desert. Your survival hanged on your sword, as it hanged on water. 

Sit with me.

The faith in your abilities and strength had been shaken. Suddenly a newborn lamb, downgraded from a feared predator. Nevertheless, when in the presence of him, you cease to be any kind of predator. You were just prey. 

Your loss would be a… shame.

Life didn’t stop just because your mind crumbled like a house of cards. All you could do was pick up the pieces and put it back together as best you could. 

The need to re-focus brought you to the wildest and most punishing Hashira of them all. Shinazugawa gave you the beating, and training, of your life. Again and again, you stood up and dragged your jagged edges through his paces and spars with tunnel vision. 

Yet, your sword remained blank.

Possessing a rare type of blood offered you privileges in this life… It is why I offered to turn you in the first place… You are aware of your standing now… of the price that must be paid.

Your Marechi blood was a curse and a blessing. It was a quality you shared with the Wind Pillar. The revelation didn’t do you any good when faced with him again - this time, the meeting happened in your home, in your safe space. It suddenly didn’t feel so safe anymore.

What I demand is for you to listen… What you are owed is a proper chance to succeed… to survive as you are now… even as a human… No, specifically as a human.

Your spirit and confidence had been broken to be rebuilt again and again in a vicious cycle. He offered no days off. 

You stopped coming to Shinazugawa and your natural rhythm became that of a nocturnal being.

One day, you may be able to challenge me on equal footing… I will make sure of it… No, not for your sake… but for mine. An infinite life brings boredom… I will not be denied, not by you. 

Your closest friend died on a mission. 

He allowed no days off.

You felt a rage rise from the ashes of your heart. 

Strength is not given. It is earned. Allow me to nurture it then. So one day you may face me properly… 

Your teacher told you to train on your own from that point on. He had given you the necessary guidance, the recipe for perfection. It was now up to you to hone it into a fine point, sharp enough to stab one of his many eyes out.

With wrath fueling you and that newfound strength supporting you, you devoured missions like a starved being. Your demonic killing spree didn’t go unnoticed. In just a few short days, your rank in the Corps rose dangerously quickly. 

Excelling in your humanity is only the start, not the destination. You will one day face me as a powerful demon. 

The skill he gifted you tasted best when killing his kind. Training it however tasted sour. 

Shinazugawa cornered you into a spar with him once. Despite using bokken, you managed to land quite a few punishing hits on him. His lip bled, and the unconsciousness that swallowed you right after smelled like victory. Though he bested you, you came close, very close.

Shine bright like a cruel sun… that is an order.

That night, your blade finally changed color. A purple katana-shaped lie. It was the first time you cried yourself to sleep in a long time. You longed for your pine-colored Nichirin sword. You longed for the nightmares of that night to stop. You longed to have your friend back. You- 

You broke down at sunset, and picked up the pieces by dawn.

Become a being that strikes awe in me. Consider this the price of my mercy.

Using your purple sword felt like abandoning your humanity. Despite the many lives you saved, you didn’t forget just who taught you. He always lingered on your mind. 

“Allow me to introduce you to our newest Pillar, [Last Name][Name], the Moon Hashira.”

You carefully shuffled forward, not once meeting any of their eyes. Shinazugawa was the only one who even knew of you. He was probably glaring at you at the moment. You deserved it.

You bowed, and said: “It is nice to meet you. I’m in your care from this day onward.” 

No one damned you with their words, but your own somehow felt like an eulogy.

✿ ✿ ✿

Dedicated to / Inspired by Anigomi VA group on youtube (direct inspiration / voice lines from Koku: https://youtu.be/fxZALJzBpOc ) Will be cross-posted to AO3 later

[art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament]

SET FOURTEEN - ROUND ONE - MATCH FOUR

"Pintura Mural de Alarcón" (1994-2002 - Jesús Mateo) / Sagrada Família stained-glass windows (?)

PINTURA MURAL DE ALARCÓN: I'm not even religious, but this piece is still so powerful. It's such an emotion evoking place because it's in an old church. These murals, to me, are reminiscent of cave paintings or demonic creatures from hell. A church is associated to God and God to creation. Cave paintings are from the start of humanity, and being in this room you feel like you're surrounded by the energy of creation. It makes me feel in awe and calm. But also, I get the opposite feeling: I feel uneasy and anxious, claustrophobic in this dark room filled with paintings of demonic looking creatures, which is such a cool contrast to the holy nature of a church. The movement in these murals is amazing, everything feels so alive. To me, it truly feels like a depiction of creation, both the good and the bad. (@thegirlsinthecity)

SAGRADA FAMÍLIA STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS: it's partly about the windows themselves but much more it's about what they do to the entire space. it's an enormous cathedral and the whole thing is just bathed in this gorgeous multicolored light, it paints you and the architecture and the ceiling and everyone and everything, it's like you're breathing gold and blue and orange and green - and they're so bright, the thing about abstract designs rather than images of specific people or stories is that it means the whole window can be pure color. the pictures I chose to demonstrate what I mean are of the ceiling and pillars lit up orange from those windows as much as they're of the windows themselves because that's what it feels like, like everything the light touches is part of the window and part of the space now. (@regicidal-optimism)

(The "Pintura Mural de Alarcón" was painted in the San Juan Bautista church in Alarcón, Spain by artist Jesús Mateo. A virtual tour is available online.

The "Sagrada Família" is an incomplete church located in Barcelona. It was designed by architect Antoni Gaudí. The windows are made of leaded glass and using different techniques at different levels of the building to bring about different effects (ex. bringing in colored light, or refracting light into multiple colors.) Some information about the windows can be found on this blog.)

[the-world-annealing]

Twelve classes to remix and replace the current ones (you know what system I'm talking about)

The Occultist is the most scholarly of the classes; your typical delver into Things Not Meant To Be Known. The mechanical heart of the class is knowledge gathering (this is the guy with all the lore skills) and divinations (with some necromancy and conjuration on the list); combat strategies range from raising legions of undead, to crafting a big golem bodyguard, to summoning fiends: much like 5e's cleric this class derives a lot of its identity from the subclass you pick.

The Conduit is your basic charisma-based arcane blaster, but with constitution elevated to a secondary stat. Energy spells, telekinetic thrusts, light, darkness, your odd bit of summoning or planar travel. Subclasses don't denote origin, but specialization: a trio of conduits whose power derives from an efreet, a devil, and a red dragon might all choose to specialize in pyromancy (giving actual fire-themed utility abilities, as opposed to 'uh spells of this type do more damage') and get their origin represented as a lower-key low-level feature more like the warlock's pact boon.

The Witch specializes in enchantment and nature-flavored magic, with a side order of potion brewing, protective charms, and of course a familiar. All very subtle, with that feel enhanced further by mechanics to suppress verbal and somatic components while casting spells. Intelligence-based, with wisdom secondary. With traditional druid and ranger gone, this is actually the place where all the animal-befriending stuff goes too.

And on the flip side, The Harlequin is all about big, flashy effects. Illusions are this class's bread and butter, but so are shields of force, teleportation, levitation; basically stage magicians as a class, with 'visible, external magic' as their hat. They get all the social skills on their list, as well as some performance-based features (merely casting a visible spell can already count as a 'performance'), and are charisma-primary, but don't get the bard's plethora of enchantments: their skills with people is based in mundane showmanship.

The Priest is the default divine caster with status removal and holy blasting and such, given some more identity via a 'ceremony' mechanic where appropriately god-honoring deeds and rituals get rewarded with minor mechanical boons (with a focus on increasing exploration-pillar utility). The nature domain is fine now that it's not competing as heavily with our druid-replacement, but 'war clerics' were a silly idea eating into conceptual space that paladins filled just fine. Medium armor, maces, crossbows, the deity's favored weapon as part of an effort to make deity choice matter more.

The Vessel is a dexterity-primary wisdom-secondary class that incorporates all those parts of the monk, rogue, barbarian and cleric that no longer have a home class. Lightly armored or even unarmored, reckless damage-focused combat style, limited casting, can grant partial control of their body to a possessing celestial/demon/devil/etc to increase combat prowess. Transformation is largely limited to surface-level features (and glowing eyes, of course) but unlocks a lot of new mental and spiritual abilities as well as heightened pain tolerance (represented as temporary HP). That last thing is good because possessors tend to drive your body as if it's stolen (which, y'know).

The Shifter is the druid except focused on the shapeshifting that makes druids unique, starting with humanoids or animals and eventually escalating to big monsters and strange chimeras. Minimal divine casting, maybe some heals or buffs, but none of this 'master of many forms AND friend to beast and plant AND capable of dropping a tsunami on you' that leaves druids way too broad to properly balance. Explicitly tie the fluff to the natural shapeshifting abilities of things like fey and werewolves, rather than ambiguous 'nature spirits' that no setting ever dares to commit to. Constitution-primary (lack of armor balances out the high HP), wisdom-secondary.

The Sworn is your typical holy warrior type: heavy armor, big god-powered weapon, defender of the weak etc etc I'm not even gonna pretend this is more than a paladin with minor touchups. Vows are more mechanically relevant; I don't want to bring back 3.5's ever-present threat of falling and losing everything, but the binder class from that same edition might be a good place to look for inspiration; small restrictions with small penalties for violating them, but lots of flavor.

The Scoundrel is the rogue, except it no longer needs to accommodate every single martial concept that involves being useful out of combat. Things like lockpicking, browbeating, and sneaking still go here, but if you want to play a detective or manipulative nobleman then this is no longer your best bet. In return, the class gets a more varied array of combat tricks than 'backstab, backstab, cunning action to gain advantage and uhh backstab again'.

The Expert, to make the pitch in a single sentence, is the class that tries to make skills and tools useful inside of combat. Strong intelligence focus, perhaps with the ability to use it for attacks/damage/AC, lots of little skill-related tricks to pull inside and out of combat. Ideally, gets unique uses for skills that other classes can't simply imitate by maxing out their modifier. This is also where characters who are first and foremost defined by their skill at alchemy/crafting/cooking find a place. The closest approximation in an actual edition might be 3.5's classic factotum/exemplar builds?

The Warlord is a solid warrior who also gets attack-granting, clever little positioning-based benefits, and yes, nonmagical inspiration-based healing. Intelligence is a secondary stat alongside charisma, and this class has unique abilities catered to situational analysis (where would I hide a secret entrance to this dungeon? when will that dragon return to its roost? what patron does the barkeep seem most afraid of?). Also some social skills and mounted combat stuff here.

Finally, The Weaponmaster is the game finally admitting you should be allowed to do cool things with a sword. Lots of weapon-specific paths with unique abilities: if you've ever had the thought "I wish I could make a viable whip fighter" or "I wonder if anyone made handaxes work", the weaponmaster presumably has something to offer. Incorporates some of the monk's enlightenment/transcendence seeking, and gets to pull anime nonsense at least on the level of 3.5's warblade and crusader. Gets features that are actually relevant during the social/exploration pillars, but still flavored as weapon mastery.

[deng-yi-deng]

a quick note on my feelings about the ending of Till the End of the Moon. A counterpoint to those who were unhappy with it (which it seems like many were) - under the cut for the spoilers

Was it a sad ending? Yes it was. Did I cry? Yes I did. I do not usually cry for dramas, but I'm still tearing up over six hours later. Also, I won't be comparing anything with the original novel since I didn't finish and consider them to be totally different beasts.

Some of the critiques of the ending that I'm seeing are along the lines of 'TTJ deserved a HE because he suffered so much' another is 'we don't watch fantasy/xianxia to have to see the terrible suffering we know is happening in the world'.

Those are also things I said going into this drama - and that it sets a bad precedent to always have BE to be 'memorable' or 'profound' and that we could all use a HE these days. But I changed my mind, and therefore was satisfied (broadly) with the ending. (Yes, I have quibbles with some of the editing, but I have for many of the episodes.)

The reason I'm ok with the ending is twofold - one, though it is sad, I don't think it qualifies as a Bad Ending because the hero(es) achieved their aims. Li Susu did change Tantai Jin's heart, and she killed the Devil God. And Tantai Jin had an end to his suffering, and found love - not just from Susu but also from a father figure in Immortal Zhaoyou and from his sect brothers. TTJ's happiness was very short-lived and yeah, that really sucks. But he had the most amazing character arc ever.

His life was filled with cruelty and misery, and he had every reason and opportunity to choose to reflect that back into the world, but he didn't. His love for Susu led him to also love the world. Every good thing he did was a reflection of her, and to try to impress her. He managed to outsmart the Devil God, thanks in part to Ming Ye, and he died knowing that he had won! He had not totally fulfilled Devil God's prophecy, he had taken as much control of his life as he could, and he turned it around - he destroyed the All-in-Distress-Way instead of unleashing it on the world. He also died knowing that Susu understood what he had sacrificed, that he loved her and she loved him and even though she wanted to die with him he was also able to save her!

The other reason I feel this isn't a BE is that unlike some xianxias which are mostly romance focused, TTEOTM was at its heart not a romance. That played an important part, but the main story was about the struggle to save the world from certain destruction. This changes the nature of what qualifies as a BE vs HE. In the Bo're dream arc, we see the 12 gods sacrifice their lives to stop the Devil God. In the end it was Susu and TTJ trying to save the world, together. Their love is an important element, but it's not the story. TTEOTM is high stakes, it's gods vs. demons good vs. evil - and good wins, the world is saved. One individual's life is important, but they are just part of something greater. To focus on a typical married+kid HE for one character seems out of balance.

The drama articulates this point when Susu the goddess and TTJ are on the Celestial Pillar looking out on the world. Everything looks small, mountains are like peas. Only the gods get that view, and even the gods are finite. They are both part of something larger, something infinite. TTJ dies with a peaceful look on his face, knowing he's chosen this end, and that Susu and the rest of the world will go on without him.

The message is also part of the particular aesthetic that TTEOTM cultivates. With the Dunhuang look, they've also introduced Buddhist moral and philosophical concepts into what is normally the Taoist space of xianxia. Suffering is everywhere, the result of karma. The only way to break out of this cycle of suffering is to see and understand the nature of the cycle- at which point you can choose to leave it or stay to save others. (I am condensing an entire religious system into one sentence very badly don't at me). TTJ tricks Susu into following the Heartless Path again and become a god so that she can kill him and end the All-in-distress Way. He chooses to save others by destroying himself. His suffering is ended, along with the future suffering of the people. And it won't happen again. This is huge! 500 years later, the world is peaceful.

I'll agree there are other ways they might have done the end, but I'm personally satisfied with it. And since a little of TTJ's consciousness is in the scale, he could eventually come back. I guess in one version of the script he does, and so some are rightfully upset that was cut.