#and then i thought maybe the kings magic did something funny and we were all The Prince.

[doctorcanon]

I HAVE A NEW THEORY.

I shoulda seen it before. The last two story arcs have been all about families and particularly brothers and sisters. (Junah and Rella; Fidelio and Basilio; Eupha and Edeni) Will has said time and again that The Prince is his best friend but that doesn't mean the prince isn't his brother.

Is...is the prince our brother? Are we royalty???? Now that I think about it, the prince doesn't have horns...? ARE WE ACTUALLY THE PRINCE???????

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Floyd Leech - Platinum Jacket Vignette

"Happy 100th Anniversary"

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Floyd: Honestly, before comin' here, I was only expecting to see paintings of the Great Seven…

Floyd: But there's actually a ton of unusual and cool lookin' stuff, like paintings of all their underlings.

Floyd: What should I check out next…? AH!

Floyd: It's the eels who worked for the Sea Witch. Look at those glowing eyes and those sharp fangs… So cool～

???: Hey, hey, don't you think these two look alike? Are they brothers?

Kalim: Also, kinda feels like they're similar to you and Jade.

Floyd: Oh hey, it's Sea Otter-chan. Yeah, I guess we might have similar color scales 'n all.

Floyd: But it's not like Jade and me think we're actually similar to each other at all.

Kalim: Eh, really?

Floyd: Yeah. Sometimes people'll mess me and Jade up and can't tell us apart, but I really don't get how they can't figure it out.

Floyd: Back when I first came to the surface, there was this one time that I got some funny looks in a hair salon that I went into for a haircut.

Floyd: They cut it just the way I asked, but what they were saying just wasn't adding up. And then, when I went to pay, they said this:

Floyd: "Leech-san, your hair grows back very quickly. I only just cut it a moment ago, I'm so surprised that it grew this long already."

Floyd: Yeaah, I'd say I was the one who was more surprised. This was my first time, but they said "a moment ago." Isn't that weird?

Kalim: Eh? What does it mean? Did you lengthen your hair with magic?

Floyd: Nah, come on, think. It was my first time in the shop, but…

Kalim: Ah, no way…!?

Floyd: Did you finally figure it out, Sea Otter-chan? Yeah, basically, Jade went and got his hair cut from the same place right before I did.

Kalim: I get it. So basically, the stylists there thought you two were the same person.

Floyd: Yup. Guess they didn't realize it because we both made the reservation under the name "Leech."

Floyd: Before that, even, when I went to get my passport photo taken to come to the surface, something similar happened.

Floyd: I'm like, seriously, how do they not realize it? Everyone's so bad at details.

Kalim: Wooow. I thought it'd be fun to have a twin sibling, but I guess it's not always great.

Floyd: Not really? Just like you said, there's a ton of fun that comes out of it.

Floyd: I'm never bored when Jade's around. Also…

Floyd: If I ever randomly feel like wearing something completely different from my usual stuff, I can just borrow stuff from him, from the clothes down to the shoes.

Floyd: Me 'n Jade like different colors and styles of clothes, and even go to completely different clothing stores.

Floyd: I can swap up my style in a snap, so it's actually pretty cool.

Kalim: Ahaha, yeah, that sounds like a blast!

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Kalim: The King of Beasts here looks like he's relaxing, what a great painting～!

Floyd: Oh, there's an explanation next to it. It says, "This depicts the scene where the hornbill chamberlain is soothing the King of Beasts with a song."

Floyd: Huuuuh. So even lions relax while listening to music, huh.

Floyd: They say that this king was always strategizing, so maybe it was important for him to have his relaxation time, huh.

Floyd: Y'know, Sea Lion-senpai's the same, but aren't lions always just sleeping?

Floyd: I thought they were supposed to be ferocious, but even when I went to the zoo as a part of our land boot camp, they were all asleep… That was a major letdown.

Kalim: Hm? What do you mean by boot camp? Did you attend somewhere else other than Night Raven College?

Floyd: Yeah. Uh, so basically, the land boot camp is basically where the merfolk that're lookin' to come up to the surface go to study and practice stuff about land.

Floyd: You live there for a month, and they do a ton of different lessons, like how to walk, or how to live on land.

Kalim: Wow, that sounds really cool! So, what kind of stuff did you learn at the zoo?

Floyd: Uhhh, something about figuring the differences out between land animals? I have a super hard time telling apart animals that look similar, so.

Floyd: At first, I thought a giraffe was just a horse with a long neck, and I couldn't even tell the difference between foxes, dogs, and racoons.

Kalim: FOXES AND DOGS AND RACCOONS～!? BUT THEY'RE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!?

Floyd: Are they? They're all fuzzballs to me.

Floyd: But I could tell that an elephant was different from horses and the like, because it wasn't all fuzzy.

Floyd: Oh yeah, and the lions too. I thought all those cats I'd run into would one day grow large like them.

Kalim: EEEHH!! You'd mix up cats and lions too? I don't think I've ever seen cats with a mane…

Kalim: Ah, but… I guess I can't say anything. I used to think that when dolphins grew up, they turned into whales.

Floyd: Huuuh～? No way that'd happen. Why'd you think the name'd change like that?

Kalim: I don't really know, but I think I can get how someone who was raised in the ocean could believe that a cat would grow into a lion.

Floyd: Yeah, yeah. I bet if one of you surface dwellers came to the ocean floor, there'd be a ton of stuff you don't know, too.

Floyd: ―Oooh! That painting over there looks awesome. I'ma go check it out.

Kalim: Oh, which one? …HEY, FLOYD! WAIT FOR ME, I'M COMING TOO!

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Floyd: The color composition in this painting's super amazing. The blue sky with the golden bug is a perfect combo.

Kalim: It's a painting of the Sorcerer of the Sands and a scarab! Both his posture and expression is really cool.

Floyd: I heard that this golden bug thing was the key to finding a magical cave… Why'd they make it look like a bug?

Floyd: Wouldn't that be hard to figure out? Insects and keys look nothin' alike.

Kalim: Hmmm, well, maybe… Maybe they tried to make it hard to figure out on purpose.

Kalim: They say there was some legendary treasure inside the cave. So I guess it's because no one would ever think a little bug would be the key, right?

Floyd: I get it. So then, if this was the ocean, the key might've been in the shape of a shell, or a crab.

Floyd: I bet it took the Sorcerer of the Sands a long time to find that magic cave because of that key.

Floyd: Or maybe, he was actually enjoying the treasure hunt?

Floyd: I know I get more excited tryin' everything I can to get my hands on something. The more difficult the better.

Kalim: What, have you gone treasure hunting too, Floyd?

Floyd: Not really treasure, but a ring.

Floyd: I once found this silver ring online that looks like an eel is wrapped around your finger.

Kalim: Woah! I've never seen a ring that looks like that before! I bet it'd look good on you.

Floyd: Riiight? But the manufacturers had already discontinued it. I wouldn't be able to find it so easily.

Floyd: And when something is hard to get… doesn't it just make you want it more?

Floyd: So, after that, I went looking for it, big time.

Floyd: I went 'round to a bunch of second-hand shops that carry the brand, and even asked my pops to reach out to some of his connections who'd know about stuff like that.

Floyd: I get bored pretty easily, so I usually don't try that hard trying to find just one thing. Cool, huh?

Kalim: You must have really wanted it, then! So? Were you able to find it?

Floyd: Yup. One of pop's connections was able to find it and get it for me.

Floyd: When I put it on, it totally felt like the ring was made just for me! And I got super attached to it.

Floyd: So then, I wore it pretty much all the time after that, even when I exercised or took showers…

Floyd: It ended up getting a ton of scratches, and got all tarnished, man～

Floyd: Silver stuff tends to degrade pretty quickly if you don't take care of it, but the ring's design was a bit complicated, so it was way too annoying to clean.

Kalim: Then, what if you remake it in platinum or white gold? They don't tarnish that easily. I can introduce you to one of my family's craftsmen!

Floyd: Naaah.

Kalim: Eh, why? I thought that was a pretty good idea…

Floyd: C'mon, Sea Otter-chan. I was all happy because it was hard to get my hands on.

Floyd: If I had someone make it for me, then that's not the same thing.

Floyd: It's 'cause it took a ton of hard work and searching for it was fun that I like that specific ring.

Floyd: Maybe it's a pain to clean, but I like it. So I'll use it until it breaks.

Kalim: Searching for it was fun, huh. I guess I never thought of it like that.

Kalim: Okay then, well, let me know if you're ever in a bind again. I'll totally help you then!

Floyd: 'Kaaay. I think I'm bored of this floor. I'm gonna go somewhere else. Bye, Sea Otter-chan.

Kalim: Yeah! See you later, Floyd.

Floyd: Hmmm, what should I look at next… Ooh. I've seen this painting of the Mer-King before, back in the ocean～

Floyd: I think they said that he was a super good guy, but could be unreasonable, too… Ugh, stubborn leaders like that sound like a paaain.

Floyd: Yeaaaah... The best kinda boss's gotta be someone like the benevolent Sea Witch.

[throughtrialbyfire]

𝐖𝐈𝐏 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 ♥

hello, i hope everyones having a good wednesday!! my brain, for some unknown reason, believes it to be late fall right now. maybe i'm just craving that chill in the air AHAH

thank you to the fantastic @skyrim-forever and @umbracirrus for tagging me this week!! <33333

tagging the amazing @thequeenofthewinter @oblivions-dawn @orfeoarte @changelingsandothernonsense

@viss-and-pinegar @saltymaplesyrup @archangelsunited @dirty-bosmer @totally-not-deacon !! as always, there's no pressure, but i'd love to see what you're working on. <3333

this is a section from the very rough draft of chapter 39 of Cycle of the Serpent. the trio are becoming intrigued about varnius junius' plea, and have decided to do something about it.

Falk Firebeard, the steward to Jarl Elisif, had been here a great many years. He said so as he talked to the trio, his voice inviting, with the faintest hint of surprise that they were back. At first he must have assumed they were here to petition for the Burning of King Olaf, a sigh heaving down his lungs and his hands rubbing at his face. When Emeros explained the real reason they were here today, he visibly appeared to relax, and made a comment about the man that the Bosmer had mentioned being jumpy at the best of times. "I'll be honest with you, I was planning to let that go," he admitted in a half-hush, apparently unneeded, as the court made it clear the prior day that they did share his opinion. "If it were anything, I'm certain that Sybille's scrying would have picked up on it." The court wizard, seated near the Jarl, gave Wyndrelis a curious look, her eyes practically luminous under her dark hood. He swallowed an uncomfortable lump in his throat. He didn't enjoy the way she scrutinized him, or his friends. Her eyes, a particular shade of citrine which looked to be peering right into him and down to the veins beneath his skin, set the mild panic to rise, sensation a slow crawl up his back of something very off about the woman. "Yes, but what if there's something the scrying hasn't picked up on? I'm no stranger to magic," Wyndrelis managed out, "if there is something going on, wouldn't it be better to investigate?"

The man rubbed his face, hands fidgeting with one another idly. His glances to Elisif, her housecarl, and other figures in the court landed him with approving nods, and Falk again spoke up. "There have been reports of... weird happenings near Wolfskull Cave. Travelers disappearing, odd lights. I suspect wild animals or perhaps bandits." "Travelers disappearing?" Emeros repeated, his eyes wide as the words left him half-breathless. "And you didn't think that this was worth an investigation?" "Again, I thought it might be wild animals and bandits," Falk justified, enunciating the statement. "We all did. They've taken advantage with the war going on, all this uncertainty, no one is truly safe. But I digress, if you really think it's worth looking into, then I will make sure that you three are repaid for your work." A housecarl nearest Falk scoffed into a drink, prompting the court wizard to scowl. "Is there something funny, Erikur?" "No, no, not at all." The man rolled his eyes as he sipped from his goblet, a sort of wine from the smell of it. "I just find it a bit interesting that we're sending three strangers to investigate Haafingar's matters. This should be the work of someone from our own Hold, not these elves who had to get a military pardon when they first arrived here." Phoebe, over at her desk, winced. She looked to Erikur, a sharp, probably dangerous gaze on anyone else that merely served to make her appear like a mouse scolding a wolf. "Besides, our coffers are emptier by the day. What can we even reward three would-be bandit-slayers when they inevitably return without having spilt so much as skeever blood?"

"Erikur," the hulking figure on the other side of the throne snapped, "that's enough." Erikur shrugged, and took another long drink from his goblet. Elisif looked over the trio, her face worn into a dreary resignation. "Then what do you propose? We've already sent a detachment to Dragon Bridge, and Sybille's scrying has shown nothing, yet, I must admit that the idea of leaving this uninvestigated makes me uneasy." Erikur's focus darted around the room. "We should send a handful of our own soldiers. Perhaps discuss it with General Tullius? See if he will offer some help." The room descended into murmurs of agreement, the idea clearly tantalizing to the court. Wyndrelis frowned. He looked to Emeros and Athenath, both equally unsatisfied with this resolution. "I will send word to Captain Aldis, and ask if he's any new recruits he might test by sending them that way. Phoebe, draft a letter to the Captain, and deliver it as soon as possible," Elisif commanded, tension leaving her as she watched the pale-haired girl scratch something down into a new roll of paper. Athenath spluttered, "but what if it's something- I don't know, important?" "Then our soldiers will have it taken care of, instead of recent strangers dirtying their hands." Erikurs cavalier reply left the Altmer again struggling for words, Emeros placing a gentle palm on his shoulder. Wyndrelis shrunk back, his steps taking him to the stairs. A few mutters from the Bosmer, and Athenath was moving to the stairwell, face scrunched in a look of intense frustration with the dismissal. As the trio left the Blue Palace, the sneer never quite fell from Athenath's face, and Wyndrelis swallowed down the urge to ask of it, or to pry into why Erikurs words prodded so harshly into them as to leave their features twisted, until the Altmer ran a hand down their face and features relaxed, like he'd wiped it all away and resigned to the outcome. This wasn't ideal, but when was anything the trio had been through in the past few weeks?

[hathorneheiress]

Midnight cuddles

Avery's POV

The wind howled fiercely as the doors to my outside patio shook with each gust of wind.

Hurricane Ivy was surely making her mark in meteorology history. of that I was confident.

Living in Connecticut almost all my life, I wasn't used to the extreme weather with now living in Texas.

Pulling the oversized comforter tighter around me I tried to relax in the very comfortable king-sized bed. Jameson had disappeared. Again.

The fact that my boyfriend disappeared once almost every 2 weeks wasn't too concerning. He always came back.

But tonight was different. The wild storm playing outside the doors did nothing to calm my nerves as I tried, and failed, to calm myself that Jameson was perfectly fine. Wearever the hell he was. My boyfriend lived for danger and thrills. Risks and dares were a second language to him. And I'd have to admit, sometimes for myself.

And then, as if summoned by some unholy magic, Jameson walked in soaked from head to toe.

"Are you alright?" I asked immediately sitting up.

"Are you actually worried about me?" Jameson Hawthorne flashed me his signature smirk.

"Of course I am." I replied indignantly. "If you weren't so reckless I wouldn't have to worry so much."

"But I thought that is what you liked about me Heiress?"

"You being stupid?"

"No. My fearlessness."

"Oh you're fearless alright."

"But the question is are you fearless Heiress?" He gave a devilish smile as he advanced toward the bed.

"Very. But don't you dare get on the bed all soaked. I don't feel like getting wet.

Jameson gave a fake pout.

I giggled. "Get changed, then we'll see."

A few minutes Jameson came back with no shirt and just dark blue sweat pants. His hair was stick dripping wet, but he was longer criminally close to get everything wet.

Crawling up beside me, he snaked his lanky arm around my waist pulling me in. I allowed it.

"So, where were you?" I had to ask.

"Went for a walk."

"In the rain?"

"Sometimes I need to do that."

"You can always talk to me if you need to."

"I know." He squeezed me while kissing me on the cheek. "You smell good."

"And you smell like rain and dirt."

"So I'm guessing I don't smell good."

"Not really. But that's ok. I still love you." It was my turn to kiss him.

"And I love you too."

"Really? Even when I annoy you?"

"You never annoy me."

I gave him a look.

"Ok, maybe a little. But I mean it Heiress. I love you. And it's not just for you're looks or smart brain. I love you're determination and willingness to help others. To stand up for yourself and pure heart. And mostly for putting up with me."

He paused for a breath and I took that moment to pull him in and passionately kiss him. He returned it heartily. Running my hand through his hair we stayed there for several minutes.

So invested we were that we didn't hear the sound of a camera going off. Looking up in shock we saw Xander standing there with his phone out.

"What are you doing in here?!" Jameson was outraged. "There is something called knocking."

"I did. No one answered. And I can see why." Xander gave a smirk.

"What do you need?" I wanted smack Xander so hard.

"I was seeing Jameson was finally home. Nash was worried about him. I see he is. I have proof."

"Don't you dare." Jameson looked like he was going to murder Xander.

"Dare what?" he asked innocently. "Send this to Nash and Grayson? Opps! I did!"

Jameson was up in an instant. "Alexander Blackwood Hawthorne! You get back here right now!" He threatened as Xander ran out of the room in top speed.

As mortified as I should have been, I wasn't. I laughed falling back on the pillows.

Just another night at Hawthorne House.

This is for all the AveryJameson fans out there.

Scroll down for a funny bonus part with all the brothers.

Bonus part

Nash's phone dinged five times.

"what the heck?" He thought. It was 12 in the morning. Grayson would never text him this late and Jameson usually was with Avery. So he guessed it must have come from Xander. And he was right.

He was greeted with a very in criminating photo of Avery and Jameson passionately kissing. Underneath Xander wrote:

"Jameson is home!"

"With Avery!"

"I found them like this"

Nash shook his head. There was no privacy in Hawthorne House. Ironic, since it was a massive place.

He replied. "Xander, get out of there. That is none of you're business."

A text quickly came back.

Xander: "Help!! Jameson is going to murder me!"

He mush have sent it as a group text because a text from Grayson came through.

"Good for him. Saves me from doing it."

Xander: "NOT NICE!!!"

"Alright, you 2 stop." Even texting Nash was having to keep them from killing each other.

"Xander deserves it!" Jameson had now joined the chat.

Xander: "I do not! I promise I didn't send it to anyone else.. Stop chasing me.

Grayson: You're texting while running?

Xander: YES"

Grayson: Stop being stupid.

Jameson: Yeah Xander. Stop doing stupid things.

Grayson: I was talking to both of you."

Nash decided he needed to join in before it got any worse.

Nash: ALRIGHT! You all stop. Jameson stop chasing Xander. Xander stop taking photos of people without their permission. And Grayson.. well, stop making things worse by being yourself.

Grayson: I'm going to pretend you didn't just insult me. I'm leaving.

Jameson: Good! We didn't want you here anyways.

Nash: Jamie shut up.

Jameson was quiet, so Nash guessed he finally gave up with Xander.

Just another night at Hawthorne Hous

[shir0oos-thoughts]

Sorry not sorry to any Knox fans but i needed to rant a lil bit

Be forewarned….this is a LONG one guys😮‍💨

When him and Tess were first introduced i was like “Oh well just as long as they don’t take too much away from the main story and are likeable” (BOY was I wrong😟)

Now don’t get me wrong he was a big help at the end of the book by helping transport the scepter. Also when Tess got fairystruck, anyone else thought “huh…that was…easy?” AND I GET IT the fairies were probs influenced by the interactions of humans (especially kendra) and were flattered by her costume as well as her age may have helped but it just all felt wayyy too plot convenient..

THEN they started getting their own chapters. Okay. Now im lowkey irritated bc could you IMAGINE if we got a RONODIN pov or one of Warren, Vanessa or Tanu? And i knoww its bc they’re cousins & are important secondary characters (even though the characters i listed are just as, maybe even more important) BUT WHEN I FINISH SETH’S CHAPTER I GET ALL EXCITED FOR KENDRA’S and then it’s one of theirs… (though the only thing saving it was Newel and Doren tbh) And I have to force myself to finish it bc i don’t wanna miss important details😔

And this isn’t particularly referring to Tess mostly Knox being insufferable but the point still stands!

*ALSO when he killed Remulon (which he did do his big one with that so 👏👏👏) Shouldn’t he technically NOT have been able to use the unicorn horn since in theory it’s impossible to just pick it up bc it attacks the person with magical guilt?? If anyone has the answer to this lmk plz DID I MISS SOMETHING or is this just a plothole??😭

ALSO also when he had the AUDACITY to TRY Seth (even if he was influenced by the crown) while he was “giant king” talking all that smack as if he didn’t injure Newel after being told how DANGEROUS the unforgiving blade was. And Seth just made him eat back up his words with barely any effort I KNOW THATS RIGHTTT I absolutely loved that scene😝

…..And don’t even get me STARTED on the whole Ob“knox”ious joke….😕

Overall he was helpful and can crack good jokes, when its not corny!! Just *REALLY* annoyingly boastful at times. Tess was tolerable tho. I would add more but this is already long enough as is lol.

But Im curious on other people’s thoughts on him🤔

[ancha-aus]

Gifted Drabble - NewAgeAu - Q&A

As I said! I totally wasn't scheming :3 @spotaus

But i had to wait until you uploaded your drabble about very sneaky Cross to make sure I got more references and a better idea about his character :D

So... here we are :3 Also yes the name of the drabble is a very bad joke but i thought of it and it was too funny.

*------------------------------------------*

Cross just sits there... He is such an idiot!

Getting caught?! As quickly as he did? that must be a record on how incapable he was.

It wasn't as if Cross had an excuse. Dream and Blue warned him! Warned him that the Knights were very skilled and watchful. That he had to leave as soon as he got the information and plans. Do not linger!

That had been the mission!

Instead he was a coward and just. Took too long. He spend too much time trying to form a plan instead of just acting. And then He tried to solve mysteries himself instead of just grabbing and leaving as soon as he could!

But he just... Cross groans.

He hadn't found anything fitting the brief. He hadn't been able to find anything that spoke about hurting people or raising taxes to hurt the poor or anything!

In matter of fact.

All he found was plans to improve the infra structure. To tax the nobels more and lower the taxes on people who earned less. He found information on how the king had contact with farmers to work on more structures and installations to help farmers recover from the change in weather and to fully utilise the land without exhausting it.

Projects on testing mixed crop planting and stricts rotation schedules to make sure the soil itself wasn't exhausted from nutrients or risks infections or fungi growing which would hurt the soil and specific crops.

There was even this whole program about apprentices!! something about orphans and children and teens on the straights and a way to offer them schooling and housing and even training with the people helping them! That the crown would pay these people for helping those who don't have family to count on!

It is still in draft clearly as it had been covered with sidenotes in this very elegant and curve handwriting. notes about how to pay for it. where to start it. which people to ask for posibilities. but also notes about how to check the children. how to make sure the children and teens weren't use or abused or even worse!

And... well... not too shortly after that one of the Knights just... Sat in the chair and spoke casually... Scared the shit out of him at the time.

How was that dude so quiet?! or so strong for that matter?

How could his magic had backfired so badly?

Cross sighs as he turns to his side. He is an IDIOT. How could he have gotten so reckless?

Drema and Blue would have already been happy with him getting anything back from the king's plans... maybe he just couldnt see the danger in them clearly? Hell if he knows what the state in the country is. He knows nothing about this place.

Maybe the things he saw was a bad thing? Maybe there was some... weird way to make them look bad?

Like.

Maybe there was already little nature? Sure Cross saw a lot of it on his way here but hell if he knows? maybe there is little in the cities or soemthing?

Maybe the nobels are already being taxed a lot? maybe this will make the nobels all poor? and euh.... Cross isn't sure how taxing the poor less could be bad but maybe there is some way?

the farming thing... Well... Cross isn't sure... maybe the farmers don't want him to micro manage or soemthing? maybe the king is being too controlling about it? that works...

The children are obvious. those are vulnerable kids and teens! Who are being used and exploited!! Well... he would have to ignore all the sidenotes about the kids wellbeing... and the notes about banning child labor...

Cross groans. Why is it so hard to see the things he is doing as bad?! Dream told him that Nightmare is corrupted and the thing ruling now is evil and terrible and needs to be removed to save his twin!!

Then why are the plans good? Maybe he is faking it? But why? XGaster never bothered to fake anything... He was just rightfully the king and people should respect him.

Cross frowns as he turns on his side. Ignoring the guard standing well guard outside of his cell. He tugs on the magical blocker on his arm. Making him unable to use his magic to summon any weapon or try to take control over someone elses magic again.

Well... Not like he can try that with the guard guarding him again anyway. Seeing as it is Dust guarding him...

Cross tugs on it again and Dust speaks "Don't bother. Those things can't be removed by the wearer."

Cross freezes and looks over. He thought he had been sneaky enough. The one with the panther mask stares back.

Cross frowns as he turns back to the wall.

The Knight goes quiet again.

Cross tugs on the band one more time. Just to be spiteful. Before laying back and staring at the wall.

Fuck... He is going to die here? Isn't he?

Maybe they will just starve him...

Or maybe they will first torture him to figure out who he works for.

Cross is going to have to withstand it until he dies. He can't give up Dream and the fact he is planning a revolution.

He can't ruin another revolution that could save and help so many people.

He will have to be strong. Not give in. Not even an inch.

"I apologise I took so long Dust. Thank you for keeping watch."

Cross freezes at the new but familiar voice. Cross had heard the voice before. He had seen the owner walk around and had been getting information on him.

The king.

The fucking king.

Nightmare himself!

Why was the king here?!

Sure Cross had been spying and stealing information. But was that really such a big deal to get the king himself to interrogate him?!

Then again... Shed's tail had aparently been removed and used for cat toys...

He is so dead.

A click and the door to his cell slowly creaks open.

Cross's pulse is beating so fast.

Footsteps walking closer. before the door creaks closed. and is relocked.

He is so dead.

A few more steps and then silence for a moment as Cross tries to keep his panic at bay. He regrets staring at the wall.

"I know you are awake. Speaking will be a lot easier if we face each other."

Cross keeps laying there. What does he do?! He can't ignore him. Come on Cross. Be brave. You faced down scarier threats!

'But you had magic back then.' his mind whispers 'You had a way to defend yourself.'

Still. Cross sits up and turns around. Making sure he is glaring. He is not going to give in. "What is there to tell?" His voice holds the challange. He isn't afraid. He will not give in. He is not going to give this so-called king anything!

Nightmare tilts his skull slightly. intrigue clearly. Cross doesn't like the fact that he seems just so... unbothered by Cross. Cross is the enemy! He is sitting in the cell after Nightmare's forces found him snooping around, trying to steal information.

So why is this king staring at him with just intrigued! No rage? No disgust?!

Nightmare speaks again. Seemingly taking his time to think about his answers. trying to be actually truthful? or trying to think of an answer that Cross wants to hear? Wait... Is the king already in cross's head and mind? is Cross already being tricked?

Nightmare's voice breaks him out of his spiralled thinking "I think I disagree. there is a lot to talk about."

Cross tilts his skull upwards. stubborn energy in his soul "I won't tell you anything about who send me or why. No matter what!"

Nightmare looks slightly amused "I don't exactly care about who send you or why."

... what?

Nightmare continues, at his aparently obvious confusion, as he explains "I know there are people who wish to know what I am doing. I know people are scheming against me. It is nothing new. Even a spy as yourself is nothing new." he looks amused "The fact they even send you implies they know close to nothign about me, my land or my home. Or, that they don't care about you at all."

That.. that doesn't make any sense?!

Ngihtmare nods "I do apologise you swore your loyalty to those who know nothing of the target they send you to spy on. Otherwise they would have known that I am aware of what goes on in my castle and land." he smiles "they would have known that my Knights are everywhere and good at their jobs." he shoots Cross a look "They would know that i am aware of who is suposed to work where at which moment."

Cross feels his mind lock up as the information filters in... How... how hadn't Dream known this?

Ngihtmare waves a hand casually "You are a rather inexperienced spy. Not that it matters. As there is very little any type of skill could have done against me and those of mine. Either your employers know nothing of me which means they aren't much of a threat quite yet. Or they were willing to throw you away as some sort of test against me or you. Which just makes me unimpressed with them overall."

Cross just stares at the ground.

The Knight speaks softly "Way to ruin his worldview my king."

a moment of silence before "I apologise. I shouldn't have said those things. You did not deserve to hear those or have to worry about which case is true."

Cross snaps "Why am i not dead yet?!" He had heard about the terrible punishment this parasite of a king does. How he hurts people for jsut the hell of it... From Dream... form the guards working here... It makes no sense that Cross is still alive. Unless he wants to torture him of course...

A moment of silence.

Ngihtmare speaks a bit softer but still sure and confident "You meant no harm. You were here for a few days and no one was attacked. Neither myself, my knights, my servants or my people in the city. I do not see why i would punish you with death if you did not do a crime earning such a thing."

Cross glares up "And if i had hurt someone?" So he was just doing this own test?! this is just a test. That Cross can deal with. Cross can deal with someone trying to trick and test him!

The king chuckles and shakes his skull "It is very bold of you to assume you would have been able to hurt anyone. Just because we aren't obvious you were not walking around unnoticed or unwatched. If you had made a single move to hurt someone you would have been stopped and caught right away. I must admit however if you had tried that this conversation would be going very differently."

Cross frowns, wait... "If i moved to hurt someone? Anyone?"

Nightmare nods "Of course. The people who work for me are people who's safety i take very seriously. They are willing to work for me. in trade for their servitude i make sure they have what they need and want and more importantly. That they are safe to live their lifes." He sounds so certain and the answer is instantly.

He didn't even need to think about it.

Cross's mind is swimming as he tries to focus. This makes no sense... Why is he implying that he only punishes those who deserve it? That isn't waht others said. This... this is weird. This is the weirdest interrogation he has ever been part of. But he manages to find his voice again "What do you then even want to know?" It isn't like he knows anything.

Nightmare watches him "I am curious about the Lost Kingdom."

Cross flinches as he looks away. "It isn't called lost..." it isn't lost... it isn't! His... his brother- Nine is trying so hard to fix the mess Cross left behind. the mess Cross helped cause. It may be broken and a bit of a mess but it isn't lost. Lost implies there is nothing that can be saved from it.

A soft hum before he speaks again "I apologise. It is a name i took over from others." a moment of silence "I supose I am just curious what made the most loyal of knights of that land leave the country he was working on protecting."

Cross freezes. huh?

Nightmare waits for a moment but when Cross doens't answer he continues "It doesn't make sense to me. Your every move and motivation was from trying to protect the country you served. Yet here you are. Instead of there."

Cross looks to the side. He... he had tried to protect but he failed everyone. He always failed... He made the most terrible mistake of mistakes... How could he stay? they didn't want him to stay. He didn't deserve to stay after that.

Cross looks to the side and speaks "No one wanted the loyal dog of the tyrant to stay. so i left." there.

a moment of silence. "Seems a bit of a harsh name for someone who was loyal to the country."

Cross glares "I wasn't! I just did what the old tyrant wanted!" Like an idiot who can't think for himself. He just did whatever his father told him. Too blind and too stupid to see that XGaster was hurting others.

Nightmare continues to look at him "And you believed in him to make the right choices for the country. That is the job of a king. Make sure that what is done is done to improve the land. improve the country. improve life for the people. It is not your fault that XGaster didn't honour his rule. That he did not do what he was suposed to. What he was sworn into."

Cross can't hear this. Not form sometone who is suposed to be eveil but seems to know so much. Who seems to know what it means to be king yet who isn't suposed to care. Why is this thing who is possessing an innocent acting as it he cares? How would this thing know what makes a good king?!

Cross asks him as much. "Why do you care!?" it is more of a snap than a question.

Is it... Is it Nightmare? Influencing the thing brainwashing him and controlling him? Fighting back?

Dream would be happy to hear that.

Nightmare still thinks about the question. He looks ahead of himself with a tiny frown. Seemingly thinking.

Cross however can't help that notice how blue the cyan eye is. Clearly unnatural. Toxic even... Yet calm. There is no rage hidden that Dream warned him about. No edge of insanity or madness. Just calm and insightful thoughts. Control over his mind? but that makes no sense if he is brainwashed...

The body is not at all what Cross even expected to once see. Ngihtmare had this imposing presence. The fact his form was covered with a goop that had melted over one of his sockets didn't help. The way those tentacles on his back moved and idled. Seemingly without a single thought- wait... didn't octopusses have like... brains in each tentacle. Did that mean that Nightmare had five brains working and thinking for him?

Still... The corruption is so clearly... strange. Dream had told him that the powers given by the ritual was suposed to make a king and warrior of light. Of good. This form is proof that Nightmare wasn't suposed to gain this power. It is dark and moving and changing... But Cross can't help but think it doesn't look that bad, that the name corruption doesn't quite fit. It doesn't radiate any harm in anyway. Not like that time in the hall... Is... Nightmare able to control the presence it gives off? Why wouldn't he use it now? The slight magic he can still feel is potent and strong and unlike anything Cross ever felt before... But it isn't like other poisonous magics Cross had learned about. That he had trained to recognise. It is strange...

Cross decides to focus on the clothes he is wearing. It is clearly high quality stuff. not to forget the golden accents and actual bands around the tentacles. the clips with apple motifs. the detailing of branches like swirls in the same cyan colour as that eye, just less obvious because the fabric is slightly see through.

It makes for one intimidating image. One that the king carries with confidence and familiarity.

Nightmare speaks "I care because i wish to understand. We learn by understanding others. Even if i don't agree with someone doesn't mean i don't have to understand them. In matter of fact. the only way to truly disagree and be against something is to understand or at least know about the concept. When it is about why people do certain actions it is important to learn their motives and reasons. to understand why they did what they did before casting out judgement."

Cross can't deal with him... how is this suposed evil tyrant so understanding?

He is nothing like XGaster.

Nothing at all.

Cross can see that so clearly and so easily. This is someone who knows what he is talking about and who doesn't just say what you want to hear. Cross thought he knew what he was going into. He thought he would meet a man simular to XGaster.

Someone who manipulates. Someone who lies. Someone who turns every answer into a small insult. Someone who tells you how to think and why you are an idiot for not thinkinf like that from the start. Someone who believes himself to be perfect and not capable of fault.

Cross believed his father to be rightful in being this way and thinking that way for so long. It wasn't until after the revolution Cross finally noticed the cracks in the facade.

Cross thought... he figured he would be able to see through whatever mask Ngihtmare is wearing. Metaphorical of course. But he can't... he is failing. He can't figure this out.

Is... is cross being an idiot again? is Nightmare lying to him and is Cross still just unable to see it?

Or is there no mask to see through? no mask to spot the cracks in?

What does he do?

Nightmare waits and remains quiet until Cross actually focusses on him. When he does Nightmare speaks again "I wish to know what happened there. In your home."

His home...

"It isn't my home..." not anymore...

Nightmare nods and speaks again "Then what happened to the country that you used to serve and protect. What caused the downfall?"

Cross looks to the side "A revolution obviously..."

Ngihtmare nods and waits.

Cross glares "I was an idiot and could not pick a side. I couldn't fight my brother who lead the revolution but i could also not betray my lord. I ended up trying to help both yet messed everything up." he glares at the king "I made everything worse." all because he just couldn't pick.

Ngihtmare tilts his skull "Rather extreme. Thinking just one person can make or break a revolution."

Cross blinks.

Nightmare nods calmly "I am not saying that you couldn't have made it go better. That is always an option. However. A revolution... a rebellion. It is the same thing, and it is messy. it is dangerous. One person can not make things go perfect. that is impossible."

Dust coughs lightly into his hand. The king shoots him a look but nothing else happens.

The king turns back to him "You are not responsible for everything that happened. could you have helped? Yes. But... the choice that you made also enabled you to do the few things you could. the little bits you did to help your brother. If you had picked to defend the old tyrant. You would have had to hurt others."

Cross glares down "I know i should have helped."

Ngihtmare shakes his skull "That isn't what i am saying. the point i am trying to make is. You never know what you would have done in the other two situations. You could have joined your brother. but then you would have had to fight the very people you trained and fought beside before. The same people who know you through and through. who know how you fight and move." and he looks at him. "You helping them. either side of the conflict. would have meant you would have been at a different position at any given point. The things that happened wouldn't and couldn't have happened because your actions in this... neutral choice also had consequences and effect. It meant that XGaster stationed you as a guard. if you hadn't been available he would maybe have used two others to gain the same protection you gave him. You didn't stop the revolution when they got to you. instead there would have been two guards guarding the door." And nightmare give shim a moment to let that information sink in.

Cross stops... he... hadn't thought about... all he could think about is how he could have made things different. Thinking about how his skills could have helped specific moments... he hadn't considered that... him helping them from the start would have chanced everything...

and the moment where he could have helped... may never have even happened.

Cross shakes his skull "Things would have been better if i had picked a side."

The king considers it "Maybe it would have. Maybe it wouldn't. Maybe by not picking a side you were able to do enough damage control for both sides that enabled it to even be successful. Maybe not picking a side made it last longer. You can not know which choice would ahve been better as you never saw the options."

Cross isn't sure what is even going on anymore. He had believed... He had been sure that him not making a choice just made everythign worse. Everyone agreed. Everyone must have agreed or else they wouldn't have made sure to remind him about his mistake each moment they could...

right?

Nightmare nods before getting up. Cross only now notices that Nightmare had been using his own tentacles as a chair "But I think I have pushed you too far already with my questions. You need rest and time to process and calm down. Food will be brought to you later." he turns towards the cell door and exits.

The king nods to the guard and starts to walk away.

Wait...

Wait!

Cross jumps up and rushes to the bars "Wait!"

The king stops and turns back to him "yes?" and he waits.

Cross pants "You said... Way before... at the start... There had been others like me. other spies. Where are they now?" Dream said others had been send before right? Or maybe even other forces. That Nightmare killed them?

Nightmare tilts his skull "My knights or I myself spoke to them. Much like I am doing wiht you. Those who meant no harm and held no wish to hurt those here... They were offered a change of scenery. They mentioned they couldn't and didn't want to return a failure to their old leaders. There is always room and a need for people willing to work and help."

Cross frowns "And those who did wish to return home?"

Nightmare looks unbothered "After making sure they were no threat they were released at the border. With a warning to not return. Once is an happening after all, one people can learn from. However if it turns out they lied or wished to return to do harm after all they were punished for their crimes."

Cross looks down as his mind spins "Oh..."

Nightmare waits for a moment longer before nodding "Rest up. I will come back either tomorrow or the day after to continue our conversation." he turns and leaves.

Cross slowly lets go of the bars and goes back to the bed in the cell... He can't help but notice that it is actually rather comfortable here.

Sure there are bars and he is locked in and unable to use magic...

But there is fresh air. Some natural sunlight comes in through the barred windows. It isn't cold or wet. There are warm blankets and soft places to sit...

Even if it is a jailcell. It is comfortable at least.

Cross rolls back up on the bed and thinks.

His mind going over the past conversation and thinking about what he learned. For it having been suposed to be a way for the king to learn about Cross it was just Cross learning about Nightmare.

What had the king even wanted to learn? All Cross told him was how he thought about things and experienced it. Not even how the revolution happened or what events took place.

If Nightmare had wished to know those it would make sense. Then it would gain Nightmare insight to how the revolution managed to be successfull and what to defend against.

And yet...

and yet...

He didn't. All Nightmare wished to know was what Cross did.

It doesn't make sense.

None of it does.

It doesn't take long but eventually a maid comes along. a human and she bows in respect to the Knight before turning towards Cross with a smile "Hello there. I brought you some food. It are roasted potatoes and a salad." she puts it on the little opening to push it into his cell "Once you are done please place it back in this same area. Makes us able to clean it up which will leave your area a bit cleaner!" she smiles happily before nodding once she sees Cross paying her attention.

After that she turns away, bows to the Knight again,before leaving.

Cross makes his way to the food slowly but the Knight standing guard doesn't make a single move to take or mess with it.

Cross grabs his food and takes a seat on his bed again. He eats it slowly and feels his hand shake once he realises it is actually good.

It is taste and warm and filled with nutrients.

Why are they treating him so nicely?

Cross just... doesn't get it...

Maybe he can ask the next time Nightmare comes to him to talk?

Maybe he can get some answers after all...

*------------------------*

In case you guys don't get the title name. It is a joke. Because Cross is being interrogated but it is more a mutual Q&A...

I will leave now.

[faeriichaii]

Hi, I really liked your work and I'm so glad to be with you now...

Are the requests still open?

Oh, if so, then I'd like to read something about Keely×reader(girl)It should probably be clarified...I can't say exactly what this track of creatures is called, but I would like the reader to be something like a half-human half-bird (only wings, maybe sharp teeth)Something in the likeness of a previously unknown species of inhabitants of Middle-earth.

Some cute, maybe even funny courtship moments from Keely (the reader is still with wings).Something sweet, funny and in love.

P.S

Sorry, I hope everything was clear. I'm a little nervous because English is not my native language...🥺

Feathers ~ Kili x Harpy!Reader

A/N: I am very happy to hear that you enjoyed my stories so far :) And yes Requests are still open!! Don't worry, I understood your request just fine and I hope you will enjoy this little story with Kili and the harpy reader :)(I imagine her to be kinda like Hawks? So just a pair of wings and fangs)

⇢ ˗ˏˋ Warnings: Fluff (not proof read!!) ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Words: 1.5k ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Request: Yes (Thank you <33) ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋAmrâlimé ~ My Love ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋGaihith ~ Little Dove ࿐ྂ

Summary: Joining the company on their quest, you knew to expect possible danger on the way. What you did not expect are the feelings between you and the prince.

Flying through the air, you looked at the ground below you, in search of a certain wizard. You were on your way to Gandalf to report important matters back to him, but finding him is not quite easy. He always disappears without a trace and the only lead he left you is to watch out for dwarves. Around 13 dwarves to be precise. Spotting travellers on horses, you flew down a bit in order to take a look at these people. A smile graced your lips, as you counted exactly 13 dwarves and one hobbit. Even Gandalf was within the group. You lowered yourself onto the ground, a few feet away from them. Emerging from the trees, you waved at the wizard with a smile on your face. His face brightened up, as he watched you approach them.

“Gandalf, I have a message for you from Radagast. And they are not very good it seems.” His face fell at the news you just told him. “Thorin, I think we should set up camp around here.” Gandalf said to the king, before stepping off of his horse and approaching you. Putting a hand on your shoulder, careful to not brush against your wings, he led you a bit off of the path. “Please share the news with me (Y/N).” “Well, Radagast told me that dark magic is taking it’s place in the forest. He told me you should meet him at his wooden cabin as soon as possible.”

The wizard in front of you nodded at that, his eyes focused on the ground in thought. “Very well.” Looking up at you, he gave your shoulder a squeeze. “(Y/N) could you do me a favour and continue to travel with Thorin and the company? Just to ensure that the dark magic of the forest does not reach them.” A smile painted your lips, as you nodded enthusiastically. Gandalf has mentioned the travels of the dwarves once to you and you wished you could have joined from the start. However, you were busy at the time being, helping Radagast with other things revolving the forest.

“Of course, Gandalf! I know the nature of middle earth as well as Radagast, so this would be the perfect job for me.” The wizard gave you a nod at your acceptance of his proposal, told Thorin about the change of plan, settled back onto his horse and left you alone with the company. Carefully you walked over to them. Your wings were pressing tightly onto your back, in order to try to hide them more. Most habitants of middle earth are weary upon first meeting you. It is not common to meet or see a Harpy, even though you look almost like a human. Except for the wings and your small fangs.

“Hello, I am (Y/N). I will accompany you on your journey until Gandalf is back.” You said, gently smiling at the dwarves. They all welcomed you with their gruff voices, before continuing to set up camp. Taking a seat at one of the logs around the fire, you looked around the company once more. A sudden jolt beside you made you look at the person beside you. His warm brown eyes were glistening under the sunlight, as he brightly smiled up at you. “Your wings look so beautiful.” He suddenly said, making you blink at him dumbfoundedly. A smile of your own graced your lips, as you registered his kind words.

“Thank you.” You say, letting your wings relax further on your back, slightly expanding them. “Ah I forgot to introduce myself!” Suddenly the dwarf jumped up from his spot beside you and stood in front of you. “Kili, at your service.” He slightly bowed down in front of you. “It is very nice to meet you, Kili.” The dwarf sat down once more, this time a little closer.

“What does it feel like to fly?” You ponder a moment at his question. “It feels like freedom. Like nothing in this world could take you down or harm you in any way.” Your wings flutter against your back, urging you to take off and take a leap through the sky. “I wish I could experience it once.” He says, his eyes looking up at the darkening sky. “Maybe I can take you on a short flying session sometime during our travels?” You carefully say, not used to someone being so curious and interested about your talent. His eyes brighten up at your proposition, before taking your hands in his. They were warm, but rough to the touch. “Is this really possible? Can you really take me up into the sky?” Squeezing his hands, you brightly smile at him while nodding. “There should definitely be a way. Maybe I can’t lift you up too high, because I never carried another person through the sky, but it should be possible.” Warmth spread from your heart through your body at his enthusiasm.

You have never met someone who was so keen on getting to know you. Especially because most people tend to turn around when they spot your wings. But now you are sitting beside a dwarf, who would like to know everything about you. Who even asked, if he could fly with you through the sky. Maybe this journey holds more to it then it seems.

The weeks passed and you never in your life had so much fun before. Thorin, as well as his company really grew on you and they started to see you as a part of their family. As part of their own kin almost. But the one person who you really grew fond of was Kili. The warmth and love that emits from him makes your heart skip faster. You once even took him on a short trip into the sky, which resulted in him now constantly begging you to take him up again. But you knew your time to leave has come after Gandalf returned, telling you that Radagast has asked for your presence once more. You didn’t want to leave all of them yet, especially not Kili. But you had tasks of your own you needed to tend to.

Sitting by the fire, you picked at your wings to try and suppress the thoughts. You hadn’t even told Kili yet, but you knew he probably already figured it out on his own. A soft hand on your shoulder pulled you out of your thoughts. Kili took his place beside you, a frown on his face. “Gandalf returned, so I guess you have to leave us again?” He asked, playing with a small bead in his hand. A sigh left your lips. “Yes, I do. But believe me when I say, that I wish I could stay.” His hand moved to grab your hand gently, making you look from the fire in front of you to him.

“I would like to ask you something Gaihith.” Your heart leaped at his gentle voice. “Do you remember the time I told you about the customs we have?” A gentle blush dusted your cheeks at his question. After Kili told you all about the dwarven customs, only one really seemed to stick to your mind. “Of course, why do you ask?” “Well, I would really like to braid your hair (Y/N). Would you let me?” You were stunned. You never expected him to ask you to court him. Especially because this will be the last night you get to spend with each other. “I- yes!”

He smiled at you, before gathering a few strands of your hair. “I wanted to wait until a more… romantic moment to ask you.” He confessed, his fingers brushing against the side of your face. “But this could also be seen as a reminder now. That we will meet each other again.” He finished the braid off with the bead. Taking your face in his hand, you leaned into his warm touch. “I will miss you Amrâlimé.” “I will miss you too Kili.” Giving him a gentle kiss on his forehead, you smiled at him. “I also wanted to give you something.” You rummaged through your bag, until you found one of your feathers.

“I know it is not much, but I hope this will bring you luck and maybe ease the pain until we will reunite once more.” You gave him the soft object. His fingers gently brushed through the soft hairs of the feather. A smile graced his lips, as he looked back at you. “It is the best gift I have ever received Gaihith.” You wrapped your arms around him, as he pulled your face closer to his. His lips were softly placed upon your own in a short kiss. “We will meet again Amrâlimé. In Erebor, where we will braid each other’s hair over and over again and you take me up into the sky whenever we wish to fly.” Blushing at his words, you placed your forehead on his, basking in the warmth of your newfound love. “This is not a goodbye. This is a promise to find each other once more, after the journey has ended.”

[androgynousblackbox]

How I Met Your Father. 4 [Appleradio, Radioapple]

A03 link

Alastor woke up to a most lovely view: Lucifer with his wings out, floating above the floor as he casually examined his bookcase, his pants barely reaching the floor. He almost looked like a ghost without his feet showing. Alastor was perfectly content with keep watching when suddenly his nose turned up to a tray left on his bedside table.

"Did you go to the kitchen?" By yourself?, was the implied question.

Lucifer turned around and smiled, flying up to the bed and bringing the tray with magic to float between the two.

"I portalled home to get it. Didn't want to wake you up for that. Coffee?"

"Yes, thank you" Lucifer took the favorite mug of Alastor and hold it between his hands for a bit, warming it up with his magic. By the end it was almost boiling, exactly how he liked it in the morning. Alastor let out a sigh when the burn reached his whole chest. "Very much appreciated."

"You are most welcome" Lucifer started dumping sugar cubes into his tea. Alastor thought he was lucky to be who he was or he would have lose his teeth a long time ago. "What do you have planned for today?"

"Well, I have my broadcast and after that will go with Rosie for some meat. We are running low on that. Then I have a meeting with the overlords of the area. I don't know what Carmilla wants, but it has to be something to require all of us at once."

"Probably something to do with the extermination coming up" commented Lucifer, looking between all the things he brought until he found the apple mermelade for his toast.

"More than likely" Alastor could not imagine that going well if the idea was to present any kind of unified front. Overlords didn't come to their position by being team players, unless they had something to gain. If the gain was to keep themselves alive, they could do that on their own already.

"Do you want me to go with you? I could be a mouse on your shoulder."

Lucifer offered it up like it was no big deal, but Alastor squinted his eyes. The last time that Lucifer had seen him fight with overlords it had been… ugly to say the least, so it's not like he could be surprised by the concern. It was the part that implied he couldn't take care of himself that bothered him.

"It won't be necessary. Most of them are old school. They are above petty fighting. If Carmilla asked for a peaceful meeting they will respect that."

"Most of them is not all" Lucifer munched on his toast, pensative. "Isn't that TV guy that has a crush on you going to be there?"

Alastor didn't bother to point out that years of rivalry wasn't "a crush." Mostly because he also had no idea if that is what it was. He just found it funny poking at the bear until the bear electrocuted himself. Who wouldn't?

"I can handle Vox, darling. Why? Are you perhaps jelous?" teased lightly. He could always use a bit of an ego boost if that was the case. "You know you can just tell me."

Lucifer frowned, grabbing the pillow closest to him and hitting his side with it. It didn't hurt at all.

“Ouch. Domestic violence so early in the morning?”

"Idiot. I am serious."

"Me too, love" Alastor chuckled, going over the tray to kiss his lips. The sweet taste never seemed too bad when it was second hand like that. "Nothing bad is going to happen. It's probably going to be too boring anyway. Certain doom does bring out that on people."

Lucifer looked down his lap. For him and Charlie they were going to be fine, but Alastor was out of his deal with heaven and that weighed on him during each extermination.

"Still, just…" He sighed. "Just keep me updated."

"Of course, dear" Alastor patted the leg of the king covered by his pant, conciliatory. They continued on with their breakfast. "What is on your schedule for today? Are you maybe going to stay with Charlie on the hotel?"

"I wish. I have this stupid thing with Asmodeus to renovate the permits of distribution for his sex toys across all the rings and I am dying of boredom just thinking about it. He also wants me to authorize the creation of another of his stone thingies as requested by one of the Goetia, so that is more paperwork to go through" Lucifer groaned, rubbing his face. "Forget divine punishment. Burocracy is the true hell."

Alastor hummed softly, bringing up the king closer to him until he was sitting between his legs, his arms wrapped around the other's waist. Alastor nuzzled the top of Lucifer's head, that he still haven't brushed back so it lay messily around his head.

"My poor responsible king" said gently, kissing his crown and smiling as he lowered his voice. "You know you could also just deny them everything. Let them beg for it on their knees. Maybe ask for a good enough sacrificial prize. The Goetias have plenty of members, they can spare one for the chopping block."

"And that is why I stopped bringing you to the meetings" Lucifer lifted his head up, looking at his husband with a much less that impressed expression. The devil to the devil's shoulder, who would have consumed the entirety of hell in perpetual chaos if given the chance. Alastor smiled before coming down to kiss him again and Lucifer relaxed, turning around without separating as he wrapped his arms around the demon's neck. He scratched the nape of his husband with his claws, enjoying the sensation of the buzzed part under his bob. Soon he would have to shave it again. "It's fine. I will try to finish that thing and just stay home. Join me for lunch?"

Alastor nodded, humming appreciately at the attention, like a satisfied cat. Lucifer smiled. If only deer could purr, he would never get over causing that on his husband.

"I will cook" offered up first, kissing his nose before sitting down again.

They enjoyed the rest of their breakfast until they cleaned up the whole tray. Alastor could have eaten a lot more, he always could, but he could get something else to sink his teeth into at Rosie's place. Lucifer texted Charlie to tell her that he was going back to the palace now, while Alastor changed and dressed up for the day. Neither of them was surprised when their daughter knocked at their door minutes after. Charlie quickly closed the door behind her as soon she was given the come in.

"Are you sure you can't stay, papa?"

"I have king things to take care of, duckling. Another time."

"Extremely boring stuff. A little bit of slaughtering would have come a long way, but alas!" sighed Alastor cheery, picking up his pocket watch before going to pet the head of their daughter. "I am also retiring, my dear. Overlord matters for once."

"Oh, okay. Ah, but dad!" said Charlie, caughting the hand of the man before he went to the door. "I actually wanted to ask you a teeny tiny small little favor, if you don't mind."

Alastor's smile froze in his face. He knew that tone. It was never a small favor when Charlie had that tone.

"Anything for my little fawn."

Luckily, he could handle almost about everything.

--

"And after all of that, she just gave the eggies back to the snake man?" asked Lucifer, serving a big portion of the roasted beef he had made onto the plate of Alastor.

Alastor nodded as he extended a napkin over his lap.

"The fallen angel just changed her mind like that."

"Vaggie."

"I was just starting to get used to them too" continued on Alastor dramatically, ignoring the correction. "Once they actually learned to shut up, they were almost tolerable."

"Oh wow. That is some high praise coming from you" commented Lucifer, grinning.

"Indeed. But anyway, the meeting itself was a total bust, like I imagined it would be. The only thing I took from it is that Carmilla killed one of the exorcist and one of the Vees found it's head."

Lucifer chocked on the wine he was drinking. Alastor was hoping for a reaction for that, that is why he waited until he was drinking something to drop it.

"WHAT" coughed up Lucifer and patted his own chest until he could finally talk again. "One of the overlords took down an exorcist?! And you didn't bother to tell me that before!?"

"I am telling you now, darling."

"You should have told me right away!" Lucifer's face then through irritated to horrified as his head was slowly connecting the dots, grabbing onto his hat. "Oh. That's why those fuckers are rushing the extermination now! They think we want to kill them so they are going to kill everyone first! Why the fuck did Carmilla do that?! I thought you said they were old school?!"

"Apparently she was protecting her own children" Or at least that is what he thought the eggboy had said. "I can't say I don't understand that."

Lucifer bite his lip down, making a small strangled noise.

"Okay, fine! That still doesn't mean this isn't fucked up."

"One of the Vees was bragging about wanting a war and fighting back now that we know the exorcist can be killed."

"Which is total bullshit, obviously! They just want everyone else to go fight and die so they can take their turfs and souls!"

"It's not a bad idea" Alastor would have done the same if he had been the one to find the head. That he had to aknowledge to that Vee. Whatever her name was.

He knew already that angels could be killed. Being married to a fallen angel gave him that kind of insight that none of the overlords would have. But he was never interested in using that piece of information in that way because there was not enough garantee of any benefit for him. With a real tangible body to show for it could have been a different story, he imagined.

"It is if you are going to piss off heaven into total anhilation!" The moment Lucifer started to hiperventilate, that is when Alastor stand up from his chair and conjured up a paper bag for him to breath into, rubbing his shoulder. "This is bad, this is bad, this is so fucking bad."

"You worry too much, dear" Alastor soften up his voice, having one of his shadow to move his chair closer so he could still be at eye level with the king. "We have survived thus far just fine. Heaven tried to take you down once and they couldn't. Why it would be now any different?"

"It's not me I am worried about!" Lucifer's big eyes stared at him. The bag pressed against his face was inflating and deflating like a lung would. "What if they catch you? What if they go after Charlie next?"

"This again?" Alastor sighed, taking out his pocket watch that shined silver against the light, perfect like it had just come out the shop despite being years that Alastor got it. "I carry this with me everywhere precisely so you don't get worried about me. Charlie is hellborn. They won't touch her. I won't let them."

"They might if she goes too far" Lucifer breathed in and breathed out as he shook his head. "I knew this redemption thing of hers was a bad idea."

"What would you have prefered to instead? For her to be a doll that just did our will?"

"You know that I don't."

"Do I? Because what I hear is a lot of doubt over the path our daughter is freely choosing for herself."

"Oh, that is rich coming from you" Lucifer glared at him, finally separating the bag from his face. At least an angry Lucifer wasn't a panicking Lucifer. "You don't believe on any of that nonsense either!"

"I don't. I think our daughter is hopelessly naive and will go nowhere with this project. But she won't see the end of this dream until it crash and burn in her face. Until that day comes, as her father is my duty to be there for her. That is the only thing we can do so when she sees the truth, it won't destroy her little heart."

Lucifer squeezed the bag on his hand and then burn it, burying his head between his arms against the table. Alastor let his hand go up and down the back of the king. A few moments passed until Lucifer talked again.

"I hate it when you are right."

"I know" Alastor snickered. "What a common experience that must be for you."

Lucifer grunted as a response. Alastor let him gather himself up. After a while his husband took a deep breath and came out from his arm cacoon, eyes closed.

"Alright" Lucifer brushed his hair back. "So Heaven knows that we can kill them and that got them trigger happy. Who else knows about this?"

"Nobody outside of Carmilla's inner circle and now us" Alastor didn't bother counting Frank. Even if that thing spoke, nobody would believe him. "That Vee girl is suspicious but has no actual confirmation. If it's of any consolation, for what I could perceive none of the other overlords fell for her bait and probably will prefer to stay out of trouble too."

"That is something at least" Lucifer looked up to the ceiling, as if trying to imagine the next move of Heaven. "I assume suggesting that you and Charlie spend the extermination here is pointless, isn't it?"

"I am afraid so. She won't want to leave either her new friends or the hotel behind."

Lucifer sighed again, squeezing his hands against his eyes and rubbing them as he let his claw pinch against his white skin. When he saw the grab becoming more fierce, Alastor sighed as he stand up and took the hands off, gently closing them on his.

"Everything will be alright" It was the only thing he could promise as he kissed his hand and then caressed his cheek, not minding the tears that were starting to drop. "I will take care of her."

"I just feel so useless."

"You can't interfere either. It was part of the deal."

"I fucking know that already" Lucifer pulled out one of his hands to whipe his face quickly, getting frustrated when he realized he couldn't stop crying now.

"It's okay" Alastor used his tentacles to lift Lucifer up from his chair into his lap, his arms grabbing to his sides as strongly he could.

Lucifer could handled it. Lucifer could handle a lot of things, including this. He just needed some time and Alastor was willing to give it to him.

He caressed the back of his head soothingly when the full blow sobbing started. From somewhere inside his own chest, he let out the static resound through his body. The white noise usually did wonders to calm him down.

"The food went cold" pointed out Lucifer when he did just that. Alastor could almost see the physical effort to not apologize for his response. Alastor didn't need it and it only made Lucifer feel worse about himself. "I will reheat it."

Lucifer didn't move from his lap as he extended his magic over the food, getting it warm and inviting on a moment. Alastor was about to reach for his fork when Lucifer's first appeared in front of him, with a piece of the meat.

"You are one huge dick for waiting so long to tell me" said Lucifer with a face that looked to be struggling to keep up his pout. Alastor had to agree. He was expecting a funny reation and he had clearly miscalculated by a lot. "But thank you. For still listening."

"Whenever you want, dear" He did accept the food offered to him, because it was his husband giving it to him.

Lucifer feed him plenty and then himself, resting comfortably against the chest of Alastor as he drank from his glass.

"Do you have anything else to do today? Can't you stay and tell me the story? The real one?"

Alastor was planning to have a stroll by the city, but he could do that any other day. If Charlie needed him she knew already how to contact him.

"Of course" Lucifer kissed his jaw, resting his cheek against his neck as if he enjoyed the warm there. "You are not going to eat anymore?" He felt a negative shake. "Can I finish?" A positive sound, like a low grumbling. The hands of Lucifer hold his back from the sides without squeezing. "Thank you."

Alastor cleaned up his plate with one hand, holding his husband with the other, until he was fully satisfied. He teleported everything back to the kitchen to take care of it later. Lucifer decided to stand up and lead him by one hand to their living room, where the chimney woke up with a warm blue fire with a gesture of Lucifer's graceful fingers.

"Come here" Alastor sat on the biggest couch as he was being instructed and Lucifer laid on it, resting his head over his lap. Now he seemed much more relaxed than before and that was a relief. "Okay, I am ready."

Alastor hummed approvingly and let his hand to rest against Lucifer's crown, gently petting with his thumb as he thought about this words carefully.

"The whole truth, love? Are you sure?"

"Mmm, yes. This is just for us, babe, so you can go all out."

"As you wish.

"Since I was very young, I learned a simple truth about the world. Either you take control of your own life or someone will take it from you. Always play your cards right, never reveal your hand unless you can gain a stronger card, cheat if you have to. All of that became even more important to never forget about when I woke up here.

In a way, it was a blessing. I wouldn't have fit in any other place. Back on earth I had a reputation to keep in order to keep doing what I loved. Here, nobody cared! A neighbor that had killed at least once was nothing else but the norm. I would never have to hide anymore. I would never have to play by anyone's else rules but my own.

I will admit it, my love. My first few years I went a little trigger happy, as you would say. I was like a starving man that was finally let inside the biggest buffet on all of creation and told that I could eat as much as I wanted to without ever getting sick or full. Gluttony became my one true religion, the only one I ever willingly bothered to follow in fact. And hell was full of so many little dishes ready for the taking.

Death didn't make people any more wise. They were all indulging themselves on their own depravity just the same as me, making it all the more easy for me to use their vices against them. I didn't even know that other people were doing something similar until someone called me by my new title. Overlord. Unknowingly I had become part of the hierarchy of power here in hell. I learned that even though the souls that I consumed made me stronger, there would always be beings above myself. Creatures who were never human and were far older than I could even imagine.

I hated that in principle, of course. I finally found the place where I belonged only to find out that I was still at risk of someone else power. The fact that these "rulers" were pretty relaxed and there was essentially no law served as little comfort. Since I couldn't go up the ladder, I found a cure for my dissapointment by eliminating all the overlords on my path I could get my hands on. My power was growing the more hands I shook and the more souls I devoured.

I had no idea that by taking those overlords, all of their contracts were directly transfered to my control. Once again, completely by chance, just doing what I pleased, was I doing exactly what I should have. It's funny how fate can work sometimes like that, isn't it? Although I can understand why that wasn't a fact that was so freely advertised. Lesser demons would feel threatened knowing that the more souls they take, the bigger the target on their back, the more desirable their heads on a platter become.

To me, that was only the more reason to advertise my victories through my beloved radio. Why would you bother to be the best if you aren't going to tell everyone that you are? After a while, I didn't had to keep looking for new dishes anymore. They just came running directly into my mouth, either thinking that they could get some form of protection or to try to prove themselves.

One night, I took a little snack. It was just a new soul that had just come to hell and was desperate to find a friend. So easy to disuade. Truth be told, I had no reason to do it. I could have get ride of him or tell him to get lost just as easily. But I felt peckish and sometimes an easy prey can be just enough. He had quite a lovely scream, the type that you call earth shattering, heartbreaking. His little heart pop up between my fingers like a delicious ripe grape. When I finished to add him to the voice of the other damned, every hair on my body stand out. I felt that foreign magic around me, I knew I couldn't do anything to fight it, before I was teleported to another place I couldn't recognize.

It what the place that later I would call my home. But back then it wasn't and I couldn't understand what I was doing there, who had brought me. It was only when I turned around that I saw what looked to me like just another demon entering through the hallway, dressed up on a comfy rub and eating a bowl of ice cream. The moment we both saw each other other I felt a tingling on my hand and I saw a perfect golden ring manifest around my finger, just as the other demon was.

Well, well, I said, thinking this definitely meant that that demon was the responsible for bringing me there. More than anything because he was the onlying living thing I could see. What do we have here? A kidnapper? Or a challenger? The demon looked horrified, but curiously enough I got the sense that it wasn't specifically because of me. The ring on my finger was all he could focus on.

And what did you say then, love?”

“By any chance, how many souls have you taken?”

“That was my first clue something was wrong here. Someone had summoned me and that was their first concern? I said a few, because I certainly wasn't keeping any score either. Why would I need to do that?

The tiny demon then raised his hand, glowing in red, and did something. I don't know what it was, but I felt suddenly exposed in a way not even now I could describe, but there was no way to cover up. It lasted merely a moment, enough for him to find out whatever it was that he wanted to see, and then I launched myself to him as I reevaluated myself. I wasn't hurt, my staff was intact, my suit was complete. But something had happened and that was enough reason for my hand to close off around that beautiful, pristine neck, squeezing tight so I could strangle some answer out of him.

My next clue that something was wrong was when the demon looked at me without surprise or fear. Just mortified, as if I had caught him on his underwear.

Okay, look, listen, he said while he stood there, not at all affected by my fist. I lifted him up in the air and put against the closest wall, but not even then he was intimidated. I was starting to get pissed off when he said I think I know what happened, but I need to call someone to confirm. Can you just wait a bit?

I asked what could he tell me right now. If he didn't speak, then I would take that as a enthusiastic permission to disembowl him all over that pretty carpet on the living room.

He… pouted. This tiny demon just pouted like I was somehow the unreasonable one and frustating him! Did he had no sense of self preservation at all? Just how stupid could he be? Since he insisted in that we could sort all of this out if I let him make a call, I took a deep breath and let him go. He wasn't even coughing, casually just saying a thank you before going to a phone on his wall, giving me his back with zero concern at all about what I could do. No doubt about it, this demon was a complete nutcase. Clinically insane surely.

I found myself fascinated by it. What followed were easily the most awkward pass of time I had to endure. By that I mean that the tiny demon irradiated pure awkwardness as he sat on his couch, twidling his thumbs and actively looking at everything before myself or his own hands. I may have also contributed to it staring at nothing else but him and waiting for him to say the first word. I can have infinite patience when it comes to anything I find interesting enough, and at that moment, that was contemplating this deranged tiny demon struggling to pretend I wasn't there. He wasn't interested on making any conversation and I didn't care to help him either.

At last, I could hear a portal opening close by and a giant blue demon came in. That was Asmodeus. I could recognize him instantly from advertisement about his products that were all over hell. So you can imagine my surprise when the embodiment of lust himself looked at me and then at the other demon. His eyes quickly found our rings. Lucifer, he asked, is that the guy?

Suddenly it all made sense. Why this tiny man was completely unaffected by my usual tactics. I was just now realizing I could never hurt him physically in any way that mattered because that was one of the creatures that were placed above me on the hierarchy. The very head of the whole pyramide in fact.

Our king whose face had confined himself to the interior of his own palace since before I landed in hell, now reveled to me. I don't know what I was expecting, but I can certainly tell you it wasn't that. He was, and still is, so tiny. You would never know the kind of power that body hold.

After some more back and forth between the two sins, I finally asked what was happening. If nobody was looking to fight me or kill me, I couldn't imagine what they could want out of me. I was never made aware of any law that I could have broken or that the sins themselves, the king on top of that, would even care if I did.

You still didn't want to talk to me, so Asmodeus took the reign and the story he told me took my head for a spin.

Apparently, many, many years ago, when hell was still young, Asmodeus tried to set up his king on another blind date so he could potentially find a worthy partner to rule hell with. The other sins had tried as well, to no avail. Lucifer didn't seem to "connect" with anyone. They were always too powerhungry, money hungry or hungry for something else that Lucifer wasn't interested on being the foundation of a whole relationship. It's not like his majesty had spend all those years in complete celibacy either, but whatever is that he was looking on a partner he couldn't find it. And he was getting so tired of trying that he decided to get drunk, as one does to try to forget what is unpleasant.

A drunk Lucifer is a blast at first, according to Asmodeus. Dancing with the sin of gluttony all night, creating elaborate musical numbers out of thin air about how good the single life was and how he didn't need a partner anyway, because he was the king of hell! He could do and say and fuck whoever he wanted whenever he wanted! Why would he ever need anything else? He declared, right there and then, that he wasn't going to keep looking anymore at all! No, instead his new partner would come to him! Write this down and make it official, he insisted, slurring over his words, insisting on it until he saw the embodiment of lust pulling up writing utensils to do so. If a sinner ever came to posses 666 souls at once, not any more or any less, just that exact amount, then that was going to be his perfect partner.

Because clearly, someone that was such a pure embodiment of evil to do that had to be only perfect for the creator of evil in humanity. Flawless logic! You see, that was the real issue. That everyone was too good for him or not evil enough for the task of being at his side. Just right there, that would make it official, write that down. No need for an actual wedding or anything trivial like asking that hypothetical sinner if they wanted to get married in the first place, nope. He was the king and so his word was law enough, and therefore nobody else would have to bother to set him up for another failure ever again.

I will let you guess what my little snack meant for my own numbers. That is what Lucifer was verifying with his own magic when I felt exposed. When he saw that 666 marked across my own soul, he knew what it meant. Ah, but that is not the best part of this lovely tale, my darling listener.

No, the best part of all was that Lucifer had completely forgotten about it. As in, it wasn't even a thought. For thousands of years, that night remained as a vague memory that never really came up again. Asmodeus, very understandingly so, assumed that Lucifer was just going to keep put and wait for that sinner. He thought that surely some part of the king had meant those words and therefore would take them to heart. The king got drunk so rarely and never to the point to completely forget about everything the next day, so no doubt this wasn’t going to be any different now. In order to respect that desire, for as bizarre as it was, he didn't try to set him up with more partners and neither did the rest of the sins. After all, if he didn't truly meant it, he was free to undo it anytime he wanted to.

Meanwhile, Lucifer spend years living his life as a single king without any worry about how this little curse he had imposed on all of hell could ever play out for him.

My dear beloved husband, my new husband, was a certified idiot. There was no rock under which I could hide from the secondhand embarrasment when I heard about it.

Similar to how you seem to be wanting to do right now, my dear, indeedy! Remember you said all of the truth, my love. Want me to continue? Yes?

Alright.

So after the two sins realized the misunderstanding that happened, the next issue was adressing me. The king immediately assured me that I didn't had to do anything, that I wasn't being forced to stay and he was so terribly sorry. He understood that was a stupid decision he made in a moment he was being particularly stupid and it was his fault, not mine or even Asmodeus's to deal with. The embodiment of lust was just trying to be a good friend. He could undo it, of course, there was no need to worry about that. The ring would naturally dissolve the moment he erased the condition and our marriage would cease to be. Once he did that, I could get back to my evil doing like nothing happened.

Asmodeus was the only one who didn't seem in any rush to do that. You know, he is not that bad looking, he said considering me. As he looked at me, I thought on the utter absurdity of a giant like that one being less powerful than the tiny man in front of me. I just couldn't get over how small he was. You could have gotten someone a lot worse, remarked Asmodeus and I felt a tinsy bit offended to be honest. I came here for being the worst already, thank you very much. But I understood he meant it in the look apartment anyway.

And he is here already so, continued on, why not give it a try?

Until he said that, maybe because of how small our king was, I hadn't fully realized what this whole ordeal meant. The fact that I was suddenly married was nothing compared with the question of who that was with. I had become the spouse of the devil, through sheer turn of events that only tangentially were my own creation. I could be the most powerful being in all of hell already, make the rules. I could get the total control I so desperately wanted and nobody, ever, would be above me. All I had to do was being at the side of this creature and play my role accordingly. How easy could that be?

My husband also considered me for a second, but he clearly was still more embarrassed by the whole situation to be swift off his feet by my charming smile. I would have to fix that.

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, I said as if it was a brilliant one. I haven't had much luck on dating either, added, without saying that was entirely because I was never interested in dating before. Why would I want to make myself vulnerable and defenseless in front of anyone else, someone who could take advantage of that? What kind of idiot does that?

But I kept going. I apologized for my earlier treatment of his Majesty. I was just confused and surely he could understand how walking on the side of caution was necesary down here. I thought that someone had brought me there wanting to cause me harm, but if it was a exploration for a union then that was a entirely different story. I didn't find the king repellent either, I said, looking at his blonde hair and his face that I now could see being part of Heaven. But also noticing the black fingers that could surely pop my own heart in my chest if I made the wrong move. I am not going to deny there was already a form of excitement attached to that notion. Here in hell I have been living so comfortably I had forgotten how entertaining can be living on the edge too. But I kept that for myself.

This was an unusual start for any relationship, sure, but all relationships have their quirks, don't they?, continued as if I had any idea. I looked at the king hoping he would see the sincerity that I could fake so well when it suit me. If your Majesty would be willing to have me, I am willing to give this a try too.”

“I knew you were full of shit” Lucifer took the hand that was resting over his chest and played with the fingers, reminiscing too. “I have seen enough charmers to recognize one. I was the original charmer. I knew you didn't give a shit.”

“Then why did you accepted to have me there instead of nulling the marriage, love?” Alastor knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it straight from the source.

Lucifer also knew it, but he let a moment pass before he spoke again.

“It was the first time in decades I was talking to someone that wasn't the other sins” confessed, curling up in Alastor’s lap, not letting go of his hand. “Even if you were a piece of shit, I thought you at least could be fun to talk to. If I nullified the marriage right there, you would have no reason to stick around.”

Alastor made a soft croon sound, brushing the hair of Lucifer with his fingers. He didn't say he was wrong. He wasn't.

“I am glad you didn't” did say because that was also true.

Lucifer nodded his head, bringing the hand of his husband against his chest. Alastor could feel the warmth of his skin through the shirt on his fingers and the soft beating of his heart.

“And so that is how we started living together. I was given my own room where I was told I could do anything I wanted to and I was free to get out to do whatever is that I wanted. The only thing that was expected from me was to not talk to anyone about my new marital status for the moment, something I had no issue at all to comply with, and to share at least one meal with his Majesty everyday. You don't have to, told me the king, not looking me in the eyes, so I knew that was the bare minimum I could do if I wanted any of this to last. I had no issue with that either. Otherwise I could roam through the palace freely the rest of the time. If I needed something that could be bought, I just had to ask.

We were just like roommates for a while. Probably better than most roommates with Lucifer being willing and able to provide for me if needed, but not more than that. My plan to get the ultimate control over hell had one glaring issue I somehow didn't realize before.

I had no idea what to do to seduce someone. I could convince someone to give me their soul by playing what I knew they wanted to hear and I knew how to come across as a friend in order to being able to do that. I had a clear objective and a way to go about it. Given my total lack of experience when it came to interpersonal relationships of this nature, I was quite literally lost as to what to do. Make the king fall in love with me so he would allow me to have his power was just as vague of a plan as it could have been. How do people even fall in love with in the first place? What combinations of words or gestures do they need for that? I had no clue.

My new husband didn't made things easier for me. Besides our meals together, he wasn't really after my presence. He wasn't avoiding me by any means, and if we end up being at the same space at the same time, we usually could spend that time fine enough. Even then, the king usually left first to his own study, door always close. He seemed satisfied with just having someone around his house to have a brief conversation with, but surely that couldn't be enough to keep a whole marriage alive?

Although what does keep a marriage going was another question I certainly did not had an answer to either. My own parents were not the best examples to pull from, to say the least. I appreciate that Lucifer wasn't demanding things from me that I wouldn't be comfortable with, that was the bare minimum he could do after all, but I had no idea how long we could keep this up before he decided to kick me out, declaring this whole experiment another failure.

Our media provided with no help. The usual means that included a tantalizing vision of my body was out of the question. I would very much like to keep my dignity through all of this if possible. On the other hand, I wasn't sure that trying to touch Lucifer and suddenly being all over his space wouldn't also mean a sudden divorce. Not to mention certain death or loss of members for me. I just had no idea of how to get a read on him to know what I could offer him.

Our conversations during meal time were light and I quickly noticed that Lucifer would prefer to talk about anything before himself. When I tried to get him to talk about his role or what he had done during the day, he kept saying it wasn't anything that interesting before turn it on me.

It was a month after our arrangement that I finally swallowed some of my pride and end up asking the only person whose insight I could respect in all of hell. Not to mention, I knew she would be discreet enough to not repeat a word of what I said to her.

To say that Rosie was shocked when she heard my predicament would be a understatement. Her mouth formed a perfect o when I told her, omitting as many details as necessary and already keeping a glove over the ring. I had just told her that there was a demon, a very powerful and fearsome one, that I wanted to get close to and form a bond with, but I didn't know how without putting myself at risk or lose all contact.

She knew this was new territory for me, so much she had assumed that I would never want to touch that kind of topic as far I existed. I couldn't really say that she was entirely wrong either. I don't think I would have ever cared if it wasn't for these special circumstances. I also kept for myself the portion about all of this being part of a plan to gain power myself. Her own moral code would have being against playing with someone's heart like that. Someone only had to ask whatever remained of her ex husband's to know that much. So I let her believe it came from my own desire to be closer to this demon and she excitedly was ready to help me out.

She told me that if this demon was so insistent on keeping up the distance between us, then I would have to be the one to close it. Show interest for his interests, find out about what made him happy and try to engage from that side.

That was when I became very curious to enter his study, the place where he spend up most of his day, supposedly working away on his royal duties. I was imagining piles and piles of papers signed with mortal blood, maybe books full with the whole knowledge of humanity contained on them, arcaics instruments and devices from civilizations long forgotten. Something incomprehensible and old and so mentally demanding that of course he would spend his hours on that alone.

When I finally asked if I could come and my king hesitantly told me yes, though, there was none of that at all. It was surprising, just as surprising as finding piles and piles of rubber duckies could be.

I didn't ask is this it? Is this all you do all day? Just being stuck with these yellow squeaky things? I could tell he wasn't proud of it either, waiting for my reaction. Instead I took a look around, noticing thankfully there was more than duckies as handmade wooden puppets hanging from the wall, an area full with painting supplies and sculpting tools. Some, if not all, of these duckies must have come from his own hands. An odd expression of creativity, but an expression nonetheless.

After a while letting the silence fill the air, I just needed to know why duckies. Just why. I could understand wolves, lions, maybe even cats if I had to guess, not duckies. I wasn't prepared at all for my husband suddenly going on a long tangent about how duckies were the best already, dumping on me a bunch of facts about them that I had no idea about, about their character, their feathers of which every liquid slide without leaving them wet, their beaks that had especial filters for when they ate on the water, about how their babies imprinted on anything they saw and not just on their own species. Everything said with the same enthusiasm as if they were the most impressive creatures in all of the universe. It was like a dam had just exploded in front of me. I could only imagine how many years he had been waiting for someone to ask that question.”

“Too long” aported Lucifer with a low giggle, blushing.

“I believe you” Alastor smiled indulgently. “I still had no idea what to do with that information. If it had been any of the things I was expecting, I could make a conversation out of that. But Lucifer had all of the words anyone could ever say about duckies and letting them fall on me like a whole avalanche. This was the most animated I had ever see him since I came to know him. Finally, as if suddenly realizing it had been ten minutes and I haven't said anything, mostly because he wasn't giving me an entry, my husband asked if he was boring me.

No, I said because I wasn't bored. The topic itself wasn't interesting to me, but the response that it brought from him was fascinating. I asked if he did those duckies himself and he started presenting them to me, with their own names, backstories, pointing out the details that made them unique and especial. It was in the middle of that I noticed a bookcase with duckies separate from the rest and I recognize one of them as representing Asmodeus. The other ones I could only imagine were about the other sins.

Do you want me to make one for you, suddenly offered my king, seeing what I was looking. I didn't know if I wanted one, I had no idea what I would do with it if anything, but refusing a gift was out of the question for my plan to work. So I said yes, of course.

Your face light up like even more that while talking about your beloved duckies, my dear. I had been given gifts before, of course, but I don't believe anyone was as excited about it as you were. You immediately took me to your drawing station and told me to sit as you started sketching, looking out to see what details to capture. For the first time he had no issue looking in my direction and it was for the sake of making a rubber duckie to my liking.

Nobody ever could say that my king wasn't full of surprises.

Do you do that for everyone, I asked.

Do what.

What you are you doing right now.

Only for friends.

Are we friends, Majesty? I asked before I realize what a stupid mistake was that. I blamed the whole being outside of my element to me not realizing that if that is what Lucifer already thought of our relationship, then that was all the more convenient for me.

You stopped sketching. I was already thinking some way to salvage the situation, insist that I was hoping in fact we could be more than that, when I noticed how smaller than usual you were as you moved on your own chair.

That bothered me more than I was willing to let on. You are a king. You are the sin of pride on solid form. You can't lose on a fight. You are the strongest being I have ever met. You could kill me. Why do you ever let yourself become like this?

I mean, kinda?, you said, fidgeting with the pencil. You don't think so?

I thought we were married, I said showing my hand with a bit of a playful teasing.

You blushed a soft gold. It was the first time I saw it and I was suddenly struck with the idea that your blood probably looked like apple juice. Fiting for the one who used an apple to condemn all of humanity. It would taste like it?

Right. Sure. But you know… it has been nice having you around. I am sorry if I am not around much, but still. It was nice. That is why I thought…

I didn't say I didn't want it still. As I said that, I stand out to look at what you have done. First there was a general sketch of me. I was honestly impressed with how quickly you had captures my features so, even though it wasn't too polished, there was no way to miss that was my face. Even my smile was on brand, my eyes giving nothing away. Then there was the drawing of a couple of possible duckies that I had interrupted.

You forgot my monocle, I said.

Oh, right. Sorry.

You should have my staff too. It could come out from the wing.

You smiled and added it in with a quick motion of the pencil, a confident one from a veteran artist as you looked over at my staff and it's design. You don't doubt when you create, you just do. I thought that was a much better look for you.

When the sketching process was done, with a duckie that we were both satisfied with, my husband closed the sketchbook and declared we should be going to get dinner. It just occurred to me that he had been the one cooking in all my time there. So I offered up to make dinner for tomorrow. When you started saying I didn't have to, you didn't mind, as I was expecting already, I insisted that it was a date and took off before you could argue any longer.

I wasn't about to present to you the wonder of cannibal meat just yet on our very first date. I knew enough about social etiquette to know that had to be a gradual entrance. That was a surprise for the third date at least. Just because our marriage was unexpected and quick, didn't mean that everything else had to be too. Veal it was then. I thought there was something especial about offering something that never reached full maturity in a plate, where all of it's infinite possibilities were finalized bite by bite. As if by eating something that had been cut far too quickly, we could regain the time it was stolen from it. But I kept my poetic explanation for myself. As long the flavor was appreciated that would be enough.

From that one interaction, something was already different between us. Lucifer was clearly more comfortable and engaged in conversation with a more light disposition. That is how I started getting an inkling that the job of a king was truly so much more boring than I ever expected. When Lucifer wasn't dedicating time to his hobby, eating with me or existing on my vecinity, he was drowning in paperwork or going to meetings with the royal member of hellish society with the hope of keep some semblance of order in hell. None of which I had seen because my husband had correctly assumed that I wouldn't be too interested on that side of his life. But I could still ask him about it and let him vent about it when he felt like it. That is what marriage is, isn't it?

During the dessert of our first date, my king gave me the duckie finalized. That could also do a little dance when you pressed its head, because Lucifer thought that would be fun. The tiny version of my staff made a full spin on the wing as the duckie turned around. It was no doubt the most unpractical and weird present I have been ever gifted to. When the dance stopped, I took it on my hand to see the detail. The markings of my shoes were under the flippers too, for my surprise. When did Lucifer ever noticed that? Something about that just struck me in a way I did not expect.

I knew that you were waiting for my response, but I frankly didn't know what to say. Instead of saying anything, I kissed the top of the head of duckie and saved it on my front pocket where it would poke out, little staff and all. Even my monocle was a perfect shade of glass red. I asked how do I look now with my new accesory, realizing you were blushing again. I didn't intend that to happen. Was that the start of you falling in love with me?”

“You looked so cute though, I couldn't help it” commented Lucifer, smiling. “Hey, now that I think about it, I haven't seen that duckie in a while. What happened to it?”

“Oh, I have it on my safe box. Charlie found it when she was little and played with it until the staff bended, so I thought I would keep it on a place where it would be fine.”

“I can just repair it if you want. Good as new.”

“Don't you dare” Alastor ruffled the blonde hair a bit to emphazise the warning. “I like it old. You of all people should know that already.”

“Is that supposed to poke at my age now?”

“Maybe” Alastor chuckled when Lucifer pouted. He also looked cute like that and he too couldn't help it. “May I continue?”

“Before I die of old age you mean? You may.”

“Thank you.

Lucifer being more comfortable to talk to me was undoubtly a good thing. It also meant that he was more comfortable arguing with me. If needed to I could be a very agreeable person…”

“Ha! Good one.”

“Shush. It turned out that living with another person who actually spend time with you brought it's own set of struggles. Little things that are just part of how you do things that they are annoying for them. Little say that they do that are just the wrong way that makes you want to tear your own hair out. We were very different people on so many different ways, and yet, we both could be just as stubborn.

One day, I was on my last strand of patience. A young overlord that was making their name known in the streets had managed to get under my skin by bragging about how nobody even had a radio now, so I was clearly an obsolete demon that soon was going to be out of commission. Movies, they insisted, movies were the real future of hell. It shouldn't have bothered me at all that the people were congregating outside of his new cinema with color and audio. And yet it did.

I don't remember what was the argument about, something trivial and stupid that it wasn't worth it. Did I mix my clothing with his on the laundry? Did I left the chimney turn on when it should be off? Did I forgot to clean my shoes before walking over the carpet? Who knows. It doesn't matter. You said something along the line "you are impossible to live with" and something in me exploded.

Oh? And you think you are a joy to live with? Stuck everyday in the same place, obssessing over the same useless stupid things? Who would want to spend their days around a king that can't get outside his own palace or walk through his own kingdom without losing his marbles like a pathetic weak little imp? I might be impossible, but by the god you betrayed, at least I am not an embarassment for both heaven and hell.

I should haven't said that. For more reasons than one. But above all else, for the way you looked at me. All the anger that took for me to spit those words out were erased in the air the moment you said I should go.

Just that. Not anger of your own, not even sadness. Just this vast empty dissapointment that stung so much worse than any insult ever could. That only made me angry again. How dare you to be dissapointed in me? Honestly, how stupid were you in the first place to ever believe in me? How is my fault that you missed the memo of what kind of man you married to? Who are you to judge me in the first place?

I left the palace grabbing whatever I could quickly. I don't know where Lucifer had dissapeared to, I assumed his study with his duckies, but I was out of the door. It didn't sink in just how much I had messed up until I reach my old apartment and it felt small and cramped compared with the palace.

A week passed in which I kept waiting to see the ring on my hand dissapear, but it didn't. It became a habit to look down and check. While I was walking, my finger would keep brushing against it over my glove and pressed it as if to test if it wasn't going to dissolve. It never did. Two weeks. Three. Rosie asked me how things had turned out with the big powerful demon and I had to shrugg, saying it didn't work out. It wasn't meant to be. She was so sorry for me, sincerely so. I tried to tell her that she didn't had to, that I didn't really care anyway.

She turned her head to the side and said, as gently as a cannibal overlord is capable of, that she didn't believe a word of that. Something was off about me, according to her. Last night, when we raided that meeting of a overlord that had pissed her off, apparently I had killed people way too quickly. I didn't enjoy any of their screams or chase them down when they started running. I just got done with devouring them like it was a job rather than the joy ride it was meant to be. She had only ever brought me along because she thought it could distract me from whatever I had in mind on the last few days. She was saying all of that while looking at the glove on my hand and for some reason, no matter how impossible it was, somehow I thought she could see through the fabric and the ring. I almost wanted her to. Someone else to really confirm that it was there still and it wasn't just my own delusion.

She was right, of course. She knew me far too well. What actually happened, she asked and I just spilled all over the tea overflowing my cup, as youngsters definitely do not say. As much as I could without actually saying too much, at least. When I was done, she looked at me like the answer had been obvious all along. And maybe it was, but I still didn't like it when she said that I owe you an apology, even if you still want me out. Closure was the word she used. I don't know about that.

I just wanted to see and ask why I still had the ring.

When I came home… the palace, I did not find Lucifer anywhere. Not on the livingroom, the kitchen, the garden or even his study, where his door was open. The piles of duckies have been turned into mountains. You couldn't enter without stomping into one of them. But no Lucifer anywhere. I was passing through the entry when I saw you at the door, holding a bunch of groceries in a bag. Seeing the king casually coming from outside stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to ask how was that possible. The last time I saw you trying to walk to the next block you teleported back, saying that was a bad idea and to never try it again.

You seemed… a lot less shocked to see me there though."

"You had forgotten your bowtie" said Lucifer, shrugging, as it should have been obvious. "I figured you would come back for it sooner or later. And if you did, maybe we could talk. It also didn't help that you didn't had a phone and you never told me where you used to live before, so I couldn't send it to you. I was… waiting for you to come pick it up."

"You told me you went to the store alone" Alastor waited for Lucifer to elaborate further or comment, but the fallen angel just remained silent, squeezing his hand. "You said you had been practicing for a while now to come out. You did teleported a big portion of the way and had to come back home three times, but you made it through the whole task completely on your own.

I should have tell you that was amazing for you, because it was. Instead I was just so confused as to why you weren't angry at me. I was prepared for you to shout at me or throw stuff at my head, not for you to keep walking to the kitchen without turning back. Somehow it reminded me to my first day there, when I thought you had to be a nutcase to give me your back so easily after I threatened you.

The bowtie thing was a lie, wasn't it? I did left it, but I could replace it easily. It wasn't that precious."

Lucifer didn't respond, but he didn't have to with the way his hand squeezed his. Alastor returned the gesture and sighed, coming down to kiss his temple.

"When I followed you behind, you were accomodating the groceries. I stood there, not understanding at all why you weren't more angry, why you weren't telling me to get out of the palace now. But instead of asking, because that wasn't what I came for, I struggled to get out the words out of my mouth."

"You looked in actual pain. It was a little bit funny in retrospective."

"I was. I never had to offer a sincere… apology to anyone for any reason. I was usually smarter than to need to do it. To admit I was wrong was to admit I had commited a easily avoidable mistake.

But it was a mistake all the same. I had no right to say any of that. I only remember those words at all even now because I so wish I could erase them entirely and smack my past self for even uttering them in the first place.

You asked if I still thought the same, so I said no. I thought you could be sometimes pathetic, annoying, clumsy, very frustrating and maybe a bit too obsessed with ducks, but it wasn't hell to live with you by any means. You sometimes could also make it so much easier than you had to for a complete stranger that literally just appeared on your living room. And maybe you were a dissapointment for heaven, but honestly that was only a plus on my own book so what did I care? Hell is a dissapointment already for anyone who know their action wouldn't catch up for them, so it was only fitting that it's king was just as unconventional. I only said that because you cared, because I wanted to poke where it hurt, not because I cared. That wasn't right of me.

You turned around and blinked with those big eyes of yours that told me nothing, but it wasn't out of indifference, but out of you don't wanting to let me see nothing yet. That was only fair, but it bother me all the same. You asked if I wanted to stay for dinner and I said yes.

You told me that you had gotten the papers ready for the nullification, but never got around to sign them. They laid on your desk all of those weeks while you kept making more and more duckies. They were comforting, while the papers were not, so you naturally avoided them. Haven't even realized the amount of days that have passed, concentrated instead on the amount of distance that you could put between yourself and the entrance, the amount of time you could tolerate outside before you had to come back.

You were proud of telling me it had been a full hour and a half, as you should. I much prefered the look on your face when I told you that it was amazing. I thought about taking your hand that night so much, but I wasn't sure how that was going to be taken. Instead kept watching your own ring. Something was different in the air that I couldn't quite place.

You told a stupid joke about gooses and laughed so hard you wheezed, like it was the funniest thing that anyone ever said. I think I started falling for you that night.

A week after I moved in, I asked if we could share the same bedroom."

"Oh boy."

Alastor arched an eyebrow at the blushing face of Lucifer.

"Oh? What is that, your Majesty? You don't want to hear too about the first time that you ravished me? Jumped on my bones? Fulfill your husbandly duties? Consumate our marriage? Attempted to create an heir with me by the traditional means? Multiples times, might I add?"

"Oh for me, can you shut up?" Lucifer laughed, straightened up to kiss his lips, wrapping his arms around his neck. Alastor's hand instinctively went to his waist as the king made a new throne out of his lap. "I was there for that one, I remember."

"You were there for everything and still asked me to tell you how it happened" Alastor grinned wider. "Which is the verdict by the way? Did it sound any better than our usual story?"

He had to know, of course. His pride as a locutor that relied on his eloquence was on the line. Lucifer's finger started twirling around the hair on his nape.

"You did make it sound more funny than awful, I will give you that."

"Thank you."

"Even so, I don't want Charlie to hear it" declared Lucifer, pulling a side of his mouth downward. Alastor kissed the gesture, turning it into a smile instantly. "She can keep the guard story. That one is nice enough."

"As you wish" Alastor kept kissing his cheek and down his neck. He lapped at the skin over pulsating vein with his tongue and pressed his mouth there just as Lucifer was pulling his head back, giving him more space to nibble. The lie of vulnerability was almost as enticing as the truth of danger. Knowing that he was the only being on all of hell that his king would show himself like this was no small part of his charm.

"The first days you did nothing" commented Lucifer suddenly and Alastor looked up, momentarily confused until his husband continued. "When we shared a bedroom for the first time. Did you thought I would smite you for trying to touch me or you just didn't know how to breach the gap?"

"Both" admitted Alastor, accommodating Lucifer on his arms as he pulled himself up with his tentacles. He started walking through the hallway to their room. "You seemed content enough with having me there and I was only more confused by that. You weren't like me, you liked that kind of stuff by themselves. One time you even asked me to return to my old room for the night so you could pleasure yourself. I would have helped you if you had asked, but I figured you would have offered if you wanted that. I don't know how useful my input would have been, though."

"We didn't kiss once at that time" Lucifer gave a short, throaty laugh as if he couldn't believe how stupid they were. "What kind of a mess is that? We both were agreeing to stay married, but couldn't decide to touch. For all I knew, you still had your own evil agenda and were biding your time."

"It could have been both." Alastor nuzzled his forehead. "My evil agenda on one side and take you to bed on the other."

"But more than anything else" said Lucifer, lifting a finger up to boop the nose of Alastor, "I didn't want you to do anything that you didn't want to do. If you never wanted to go further than sharing space, I was prepared to accept that. Being married to my friend is not the worst kind of fate I could have ended with."

"Agreed" He reached the door to their bedroom and opened up, laying Lucifer down on the bed to hold his chin up and trace the contorn of his lip with a red thumb. "But I didn't want to be friends either. It was driving me insane because I didn't know what you wanted or I wanted out of this. Did I want to reach because that is what people do and you would expect that or because I wanted to? You weren't giving me anything to work with."

"If only you simply had asked” The tone of Lucifer was slightly mocking as he bit softly on the thumb of Alastor. “I would have told you I was open for that as well.”

Alastor groaned. And risk coming off as insecure, as if he didn't have the most clear idea of everything that was happening at all times? Never.

Lucifer giggled, bringing him down to the bed by the front of his vest. The radio demon followed through the lead of his king.

**

In another place, Charlie was staring up to the ceiling of her room. After who knew les of how long trying to let the sleep come to her, without success, she slipped under a sleeping Vaggie to stand up. She made sure that her girlfriend still had a pillow as replacement before going to get dressed. If she wasn't going to get any sleep done, then all the more reason for her to start working on their current issue.

They were merely one month away from another extermination.

[inairbinad]

I Don't Think It's Contagious

5.3k words, also on ao3

Just some Pre-Season 2 Platonic (obviously) Stobin-centric fluff because they deserved to be friends sooner. With Steddie and Buckingham pining sprinkled in. All part of my magical fairy dust AU where Barb lives. Never Quite as it Seems helps to set this up, but it's not necessary to read first.

Life had gotten weird for Robin in the tail end of her sophomore year at Hawkins High. Weird because not only had she and Barb revived their friendship, but eventually Barb also confided in Robin that she was a lesbian, and dating Nancy Wheeler. It was the first inkling that Robin had ever gotten that she might not be terribly alone in this godforsaken town, which was nice, if not wildly surprising. Then, to top that particularly stunning revelation off and to really make Robin feel like maybe she’d lost her mind, she ended up friends with Steve Harrington, of all people. 

The revelation that Steve was capable of caring about people other than himself had come one dragging afternoon in the spring of '84. One minute things were normal; Robin was minding her own business and trying to get her shit from her locker and get out of there as quickly as possible. The mundanity got tossed like a salad, however, when Tommy H and Carol decided they wanted to cause a scene and harass Steve for deigning to talk to Barb. It seemed less about Barb, and more like she was just unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire of the ongoing chill between Steve and his former minions. No one really knew why the three of them were on the outs these days, beyond the fact that back in November, Steve had abruptly started hanging out more with Jonathan Byers than he ever did Tommy H. anymore.

Robin watched the whole exchange while half-hiding behind her locker door, flinching at Carol tossing the d-word around, and then nearly having a stroke as Steve stood up for Barb. Even though Carol had just loudly declared for everyone to hear that she thought Barb had stolen Steve’s girlfriend. Steve shrugged it off, and said he’d rather be friends with Barb than the pair of goons that had followed him around like puppies for as long as Robin could remember.

That night, Robin tried to call Barb for the first time in years just to check on her. Whether what Carol had said was true or not didn’t really matter, and at the time Robin had no idea either way. Regardless, she felt the keen sting of being called out like that in front of a huge crowd of people, feeling the blow hit a little too close to home. Barb hadn’t answered her call, but Robin couldn’t exactly blame her there, either. 

Then Steve and Barb had showed up the next morning, blasting We Are Family through the windows of Steve’s fancy car, and the former King had cemented his new reputation. No longer was he known as royalty, or The Hair. No, now he was Steve “Dyke Defender” Harrington, and he apparently wore that badge proudly. 

It was enough to make Robin wonder if maybe there was something more to Bagel Crumb Boy. 

Eventually, Barb got back to Robin, and they started talking again like no time had passed at all. Not only because eventually Barb admitted to Robin that the rumors about her hadn’t exactly been wrong, but also because Robin hadn’t realized how much she’d missed having Barb to talk to. Even though she hadn’t been brave enough to come out herself, yet, she knew Barb would be in her corner regardless, and that gave Robin a sense of peace she’d never really known before.

————

Now that it was the fall and she was starting her junior year, most mornings Robin woke up trying to make sense of how her life had changed so drastically. After a summer of hanging around each other thanks to the persuasive powers of Barb, somehow Robin had reached the point where she could consider herself Steve Harrington’s friend. That was surprising enough on its own, but she also liked him. He was funny, and they had startlingly similar senses of humor, and he really seemed to give a shit about Robin and her feelings, which was new. 

Somehow, by complete accident, she’d ended up in a group of friends that felt like kindred spirits.

Before Robin knew it, she was in a world where she sat next to Steve Harrington at lunch every day, laughing at his corny jokes and watching him try to flirt with whatever girls still liked him, post-dethroning. There were still a lot more of them than Robin thought were strictly warranted, but that might have been her old friend jealousy perking up to say hello. 

Today was different, though. 

Today Steve was hung up on a boy. Or several, rather.

“Did you and Jonathan have a fight, or something?” Barb asked, following Steve’s gaze to where Jonathan Byers stood in the lunch line. Robin assumed that, like most days, he was only briefly stopping by to grab his food before taking it somewhere he wouldn’t have to interact with people much. 

Sometimes Jonathan sat with them, too. But usually he used their lunch break to decompress and go take photos of something before he got thrust back under the fluorescent lights and rigidly dull boredom of a classroom.

It was one of the reasons Robin found Jonathan wildly relatable. 

Robin still wasn't sure how exactly the little foursome of Steve, Jonathan, Nancy, and Barb had ended up being the best of friends, seemingly overnight, but she was pretty sure she'd get the whole story eventually.

“What?” Steve asked, startling at the sound of Barb’s voice alone, even though she was nearly talking at a whisper.

“You’re staring,” Barb pointed out. “And looking kind of miserable about it.”

“Oh. Well,” Steve chewed his lip, then quickly glanced around to see if anyone was paying the four of them any attention. They weren’t, because they were largely irrelevant, as far as social circles went. “We didn’t have a fight. I’ve just been having some…thoughts.”

“Dangerous,” Robin quipped, and Steve shot her a half-hearted glare. She took a little bit of pride in watching how the corner of his mouth twitched into a tiny smile all the same. 

“What kind of thoughts?” Nancy asked, though she had that look on her face that she got when she already knew the answer.

“The kind that make me wonder if I’ve been hanging around you two too much,” Steve muttered. Robin snorted, knowing exactly where this was going. 

“I don’t think it’s contagious, dingus,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. Although, even though Robin wasn’t out to any of the others yet, she did wonder if maybe their collective queerness drew them together like a magnet.

“What is?” Barb asked, not yet up to speed.

That was another thing about Steve—he and Robin seemed to ride the same wavelength at all times. Whenever the two of them thought something was obvious, it usually took an extra explainer for the others. 

“I just think he’s cute, is all,” Steve sighed, and Barb’s eyes went wide. Not because they hadn’t talked about Steve’s realization that he was also attracted to boys already. They’d actually spent a good chunk of the summer on that revelation, particularly on rather scorching days spent lounging at the pool while Steve stared agog at most people who walked by. He’d ask Robin, ironically enough, if he was crazy when he found a particular guy attractive. She’d done her best to pretend to have taste in boys, in the name of being supportive while staying safely ensconced in her own closet. Nancy's way of showing support, by contrast, was doing enough research to convince Steve that being bisexual was, indeed, a thing.

Today, Barb merely seemed surprised to hear Jonathan’s name mentioned in the context of Steve's thoroughly examined sexuality crisis.

Nancy started easily nodding along, taking in Jonathan’s profile from afar. Eventually she said, “I can see that."

“You can?” Barb asked her girlfriend, her surprise growing bigger still. 

“Yeah,” Nancy shrugged. 

Barb stared between Steve, who was absently picking the crust off his sandwich and trying not to make eye contact with anyone, and Nancy, who was obviously trying not to laugh at Barb’s reaction. Finally, Barb landed back on Steve.

“You want to date Jonathan?” she whispered so low that Robin could barely even hear her, despite the fact that they all had their heads bowed together across the width of the lunch table. 

“I didn’t say that!” Steve countered quickly. “I just…am noticing more, now, who I think is cute around here. Or letting myself notice, I guess.”

“Who else are we talking?” Robin asked with her eyebrows raised. She was honestly still flabbergasted that this was even something Steve talked with her about at all, given that she wasn’t out to him yet, either. But apparently all of her gay friends seemed to trust Robin to keep their secrets. It was enough to make her wonder if they had some idea about her, anyway.

“I mean, that new guy is hot,” Steve admitted as he leaned back in his chair. “He seems kind of like an asshole, though.”

“Definitely is one,” Barb muttered. “He’s already got Tommy and those guys hanging off him.” 

“Right, see?” Steve huffed. “That's why I’m very much in a look but don’t touch mode right now.”

“Really? There’s no one at all you’d want to shove into a locker and make out with?” Barb asked. She had a glint in her eye that let Robin know Barb already had a candidate in mind, and she just wanted Steve to own up to it. The way Steve glared at her before determinedly starting at his sandwich again told Robin that he knew that, too.

“Okay, fine. Maybe this guy in my English class.” Steve mumbled it so thoroughly that it all came out as one syllable, though. Barb and Nancy immediately turned to Robin for her to translate.

“This guy in his English class,” Robin obliged, enunciating to the best of her ability. 

“Say it a little louder, Rob,” Steve grumbled at her. 

“Okay, dingus. THIS GUY—” she started at an absurd volume, but Steve clapped a hand over her mouth with a truly tortured sounding sigh. It perked Robin up innumerably. 

“You should talk to him,” Nancy suggested, cheerfully redirecting them with practiced skill. 

Steve was already shaking his head, though. “I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Barb asked. 

Because even if he did, he runs the risk of getting shoved into a locker himself, but in the bad way. And probably much worse, if he’s too obvious about it, Robin thought cynically. She kept her mouth shut, though.

“Because he probably hates me,” Steve said. 

Robin rather sourly admitted to herself that this was likely true, too. At least, it probably was if this guy hadn’t already been one of King Steve’s worshipers. And if he was one of those, that likely meant he didn’t deserve the actual Steve that Robin had come to know.

Weird, Robin told herself. She still couldn’t adjust to liking this guy enough to think he deserved the best a boyfriend or girlfriend could give him. But she did. 

“Why would he hate you?” Nancy asked.

“Because most smart people around here do,” Steve said glumly. “And he’s really smart.”

“Um,” Barb cleared her throat, then leveled Steve with a stern look. “You’re sitting with possibly three of the smartest people you’ll ever meet, Steve. None of us hate you.”

“But you all used to,” Steve pointed out flatly.

“And now we know you,” Barb argued. “And that changes things. Right, Robin?”

Barb kicked her under the table, and Robin jolted up out of her slouch.

“Right!” Robin agreed. Even though she wasn’t entirely aware of how to deal with this new version of Steve Harrington, she had begrudgingly admitted that she actually liked him a lot quite a while ago. “You’re much less of an asshole than I thought.”

“Thank you,” Steve deadpanned. 

“You’re welcome,” Robin said in as chipper a tone she could muster. “They’re right, though.”

“About?”

“The mystery man,” Robin clarified, even though she couldn’t believe she was doing it. This felt like playing with fire, but the funny thing about that was that it still warmed her heart. “If you talk to him, get to know him, he won’t hate you. Maybe he already doesn’t.”

————

After school, Robin was having particular trouble wrestling her bike lock open. She really needed a new one, but she also couldn’t afford it. She was about thirty seconds from giving up and walking when Steve crouched down beside her.

“Need some help?” He asked, flashing that annoyingly charming smile of his at her before he got to work unsticking the lock. He didn’t wait for Robin’s reply, she noticed. She didn’t argue, though, instead choosing to watch the way some of his stupid hair flopped over his forehead while he freed her bike from its prison. The lock finally popped open with a click. “There.” 

“Thanks,” Robin said, taking Steve’s offered hand as she dragged herself up off the ground. He held on to her for just a fraction too long, probably aware that Robin took at least an extra two-to-three seconds to get her bearings compared to everyone else. 

“No problem,” Steve smiled again, then leaned against the brick wall of the school. Robin tensed. She only ever saw Steve lean against things when he was flirting. “You want a ride? We can go get some ice cream, or something?”

“Um,” She stalled, now seeing his helping hand and the gentle grip on her waist in an entirely different light. Especially when he kept smiling at her like that. “What happened to the guy from English class?”

“What?” Steve asked, pinching his eyebrows together in confusion.

Robin didn’t quite feel like waiting for whatever telepathic thing they had going on to kick in, so she just said it outright.

“Just because I don’t think you’re a douchebag anymore doesn’t mean I think we should date, is all,” Robin managed to get out. 

“Um,” Steve scratched his neck and let out a small squeak of a laugh. He looked almost apologetic, and Robin realized she’d probably taken a wayward turn, somewhere. “I wasn’t asking you out. Just thought we could…hang out. Like friends do? Like we do?”

“Oh,” Robin said, feeling like an idiot all of a sudden. She’d gone and had a minor freak out just because Steve leaned against something. She thought maybe the only way to stop the mad awkwardness spreading like a virus through her mind was to tell him the truth, and soon. It was starting to make Robin paranoid, letting people think she was straight. Which was ironic, because it used to be the other way around. 

“Yeah,” Steve nodded with a small smile. “Oh.”

Robin shuffled her feet uncomfortably, feeling like maybe she owed him an apology now, but Steve saved her the trouble. 

“So. Ice cream?” he asked again, still wanting to hang around her for some reason.

“Sure! Right. But, um,” Robin chewed her bottom lip. “What about my bike?”

“It’ll fit in the trunk,” Steve shrugged, then nodded in the direction of his car, inviting Robin to follow.

“How come I’m the only one you let eat in here?” Robin asked around a mouthful of mint chip, twenty minutes later. They were sitting in Steve’s car in the parking lot of the local ice cream shop, since Steve insisted their cookie dough was better than anything Dairy Queen could come up with. “I’m the clumsiest person you know, waving the messiest thing you can eat around your leather interior.”

“Buffalo wings are the messiest thing you can eat,” Steve corrected her with a grin. “Or maybe crab legs. Not ice cream in a cup.”

“Okay, rich boy,” Robin groaned. “Answer the question.”

Steve rolled his eyes at her and shoved another spoonful of ice cream in his face before he bothered to reply.

“You might be the clumsiest person I know,” he admitted without fanfare, “but I also happen to like you the best.”

“What?” Robin asked, nearly choking. “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Steve scoffed like that should have been obvious to Robin. It totally wasn’t, though, especially since he wasn’t trying to hit on her.

“Why?” she blurted.

“You’re cool,” Steve started, but had to pause in light of how loudly Robin snorted. He didn’t argue with her disbelief, though. He just kept going. “You’re funny, you’re crazy smart, you’re always honest, and you don’t fuck around with people’s feelings. I’m always laughing with you, even when no one else gets our jokes. You’re kind of my best friend, Robin.”

Robin really didn’t know what to make of that, except for the fact that she was surprised to find she felt the same way. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t give him some shit for it, though.

“Oh, am I?” She asked, tone teasing. 

“Yes,” Steve grumbled. “Am I not yours?”

“Pft,” Robin blew out a puff of air. “Not even close.”

“No?” Steve gasped, putting on a pout now.

“Nope,” Robin said simply.

“Not even top five?”

“Eeeeh,” Robin wobbled her hand midair, like maybe Steve could tip the scales if he tried harder. 

“You’re meaner than I thought,” he said flatly, but couldn’t hold a grin off his face for too long. Neither could Robin.

“You’re nicer than I thought,” she countered. Steve chuckled to start, a soft appreciative little laugh. But then they made eye-contact and lost control of themselves. They tumbled into silly, senseless laughter, just spurring each other deeper into whatever they both found so hilarious in that moment. Robin wasn’t even sure that she knew, beyond maybe being on a sugar high. She only knew Steve’s laughter was contagious.

It always made her feel lighter, to be around him like this. So by the time they both calmed down, she decided to be upfront with him.

“I haven’t really had a best friend,” Robin admitted. “Not for a long time, anyway. Maybe not since Barb, the first time around.”

“The last best friend I had was a dickhead, so,” Steve lifted one shoulder in a shrug, “maybe they're overrated.”

“They’re not,” Robin disagreed, hiding a smile by staring down at the spoon in her hand. Eventually she was brave enough to look back up at Steve, to find he looked both confused and hopeful all at once. It was pretty cute, in an overwhelmingly platonic sort of way. “You’re mine, too, dingus.”

Steve’s smile was all-encompassing, taking over his whole face in an instant. Robin still didn’t know how to handle the little bubble of warmth in her chest that it gave her, so she gave him an affectionate punch on the arm, and changed the subject.

“Speaking of which. Do you have notes from Click’s class?” Robin asked of the only class they shared together. For the second year in a row, the powers that be at Hawkins High decided that Steve and Robin were on the same skill level for learning history. Robin wasn’t sure what that said about either of them.

“Um, no?” Steve answered, surprised like it was the first time someone had ever asked him for notes. “No one’s ever asked for my notes, before.”

Robin bit down on a laugh, not wanting him to misconstrue it as her thinking he was stupid when it was really just his voicing her exact thoughts again. They’d only declared each other to be best friends all of a minute ago, but Robin knew Steve was sensitive about that. In fact, she was kind of surprised he didn’t have notes.

“How is that possible?” she asked. “You’re constantly writing in that class!” 

“Doodling, mostly,” Steve laughed. “Why don’t you have notes, smarty pants?”

“Oh, I haven’t been paying attention in there all semester,” Robin answered a little too quickly. Now she’d have to come up with a reason for that, because Steve was absolutely pursing his lips to ask.

“Why not?”

“No reason…” Robin hedged. Just because they were best friends didn’t mean she was quite sure how to admit that she liked girls, and that Tammy Thompson so thoroughly distracted Robin that she turned into a bumbling buffoon at every turn. For two semesters running.  

Steve could have pressed it, Robin even expected him to, but he took his time finishing his cookie dough before saying another word. Then he surprised her.

“Want to know a secret?” he asked, smiling at Robin conspiratorially.

“Obviously,” Robin said. 

“The guy from English? He’s in history with us, too,” Steve admitted, and Robin felt her eyebrows shoot off her forehead and into orbit. She barely had time to squeak before Steve continued with a worried look on his face. “Don’t tell Barb or Nance, though. Barb already suspects who it is and if she finds out for real she’s gonna make me talk to him. Like that would ever go anywhere.”

That was a lot to process, but Robin didn’t really feel the need to make it clear she understood the concept of a secret. Of course she wasn’t going to tell anyone else. Instead, she asked, “Why are you so hellbent on thinking this guy hates you?”

For some reason, Steve’s mouth pinched right after Robin said hellbent, and she thought there might be a clue to suss out there. She started sorting through her mental Rolodex of everyone else that was in that class with them. The problem was she rarely paid attention to anyone but Tammy in those hours, let alone any guys. Usually Robin’s lens of focus was limited to the chain of her staring at Tammy staring at Steve. Apparently she’d have to extend that to see who Steve was staring at, too.

Robin picked at the last dredges of her ice cream and wondered if maybe anyone would ever stare at her. 

“It’s not just that,” Steve sighed. “I mean. Even if he doesn’t hate me, and we end up friends? It’s not like I can actually shove him against a locker and make out with him.”

“Well, maybe not with anyone around,” Robin amended. 

“What are the odds of him being into dudes, too?” Steve let out a bitter laugh. “I mean, really. This is Hawkins.”

“I wouldn’t make too many assumptions there, Steve,” Robin all but whispered. Even knowing she was about to tell Steve the truth, all of it, and knowing she was safe to, Robin still felt her throat closing up around the words. 

“Why not?” Steve asked softly, not missing how her demeanor had changed for a second. 

Robin took a deep breath, then let it out in a rush.

“Because apparently there are more of us around than I realized,” Robin said, turning to give Steve a tight smile. She managed to keep her tears from spilling over, which she counted as a win. Robin sat there, holding her breath and waiting, as Steve paused to absorb what she was saying. At first Robin thought she hadn’t been clear enough, but Steve mouthed the word ‘us’ to himself, and his eyes widened as he put the pieces together.

“Oh,” he breathed, before breaking out in another little smile. “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Robin nodded. She felt like her whole body was full of pins and needles.

“That’s cool,” Steve mirrored her nod, smiling at Robin like she really was his favorite person. It finally made her relax again. 

“Thanks,” Robin chuckled. "I know you're a staunch defender of us lesbians."

"That's me," Steve deadpanned, but offered Robin a wry smile. She reached across the center console to ruffle his hair, relishing the relief of having finally said it aloud to someone flooding through her. Steve made an affronted noise, quickly turning to fix his hair in the mirror, and Robin just laughed at him harder. 

“Is there anyone that you want to shove up against a locker?” Steve parried once he felt he had his pride and joy back under control. When Robin’s only response was a groan, his eyes lit up again. “Ooooh! Who!”

“Nope,” Robin rejected this idea on principle, shaking her head furiously as she did.

“Oh, come on,” Steve whined, really pouting now. “I’ll tell you mine!”

“I already know yours,” Robin scoffed, bluffing. To compensate, she rolled down her window and threw her empty ice cream cup into the trash can they were parked next to. Then she folded her arms across her chest and tried to give Steve a stern look. 

“Nah,” Steve shook his head after narrowing his eyes at her for a beat. “You don’t know.”

He was right, of course, but Robin was sure she could figure it out if only she gave it enough thought. So she stared Steve down, thinking about the kind of people she already knew he found attractive. Nancy, for one, but that wasn’t entirely helpful considering he tended to like any pretty girl. He did tend to skew towards brunettes, though. Then of course there was the Jonathan revelation, which was interesting. Robin would have assumed Steve liked more polished types, like him. But the new guy, Billy something or other, wasn’t exactly preppy, either. His whole vibe screamed badass, even if it wasn’t necessarily in a good way. There were better options for pretty but with leather in Hawkins, even Robin had to admit.

Then Robin remembered how Steve’s mouth pinched when she’d said hellbent. Almost like he thought she might say hellfire. She broke out in a victorious grin, already knowing she had Steve figured out.

“Eddie Munson?!” she half-shrieked. Even if Robin hadn’t already been sure, the way the tips of Steve’s ears turned pink would have convinced her.

“How did you…?” He didn’t even bother to finish the sentence, opting instead to stare at Robin, mouth agape. 

A whole litany of examples of proof came flooding into Robin’s mind at that point, like that bit of information clicking had opened a door to all the shit she must have subconsciously picked up on and filed away when she was wondering what Tammy Thompson’s lip gloss tasted like.

She was happy to list them for Steve’s benefit.

“You stare, for one,” Robin said, ticking off fingers. “You laugh at his obnoxious jokes, even when no one else does. I’ve seen him make you blush, more than once, come to think of it. And you kind of have a type.”

Steve just kept staring at her, without objection. Robin thought maybe she could stun him out of his silence, since that was how she’d put him in it in the first place.

“For what it’s worth? I think you have a shot,” she said. Robin didn’t know much about picking queer men out from a crowd, obviously, but Munson spent a whole lot of his time paying attention to Steve, too. 

That only seemed to stun Steve further, though. He grunted, sort of, though it sounded a little bit like a whimper. Then he turned the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. It didn’t seem like they were headed anywhere in particular, but Robin didn’t mind.

After a few more minutes of silence, Robin was starting to worry that she’d broken his brain when Steve finally spoke again.

“You don’t have to tell me who you like,” Steve said simply, rescinding his earlier demands. It seemed like he was actually starting to drive in the direction of her house, now. “But I am glad that you told me about you.”

“Me too, dingus,” Robin said. It was possible she’d never meant anything more sincerely. 

By the time Steve pulled up beside the curb outside her house, Robin threw caution to the wind. 

“Tammy Thompson,” she admitted aloud, for the first time ever. Somehow it was more nerve-wracking than telling Steve she was gay at all.

“What?” he half-yelled, twisting around in the driver’s seat to face her. “How? Why?”

“She’s pretty!” Robin defended her taste as much as Tammy. She kind of thought that would have been enough for Steve, but he was still eyeing her skeptically. So she added, “And she can sing.”

“She sounds like a muppet, but okay,” Steve drawled. 

“She does not!” Robin exclaimed. Despite her indignation, she couldn’t quite keep the laugh out of her voice. Steve caught it, and laughed with her.

“She totally does,” he chuckled, then tilted his head at her. “I totally thought you were gonna say someone like…I don’t know. Chrissy Cunningham.”

“Chrissy Cunningham doesn’t even know I exist,” Robin said scornfully. “Talk about playing above my league.”

Steve was wildly shaking his head back and forth, though.

“Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope,” he said. “No talk like that in my car. You’re very much worthy of a Chrissy Cunningham. Plus, even if she doesn’t know you now, I bet she’d want to. She likes everybody, as long as you’re not a complete asshole.”

“So does that mean she hates you, then?” Robin opted for the joke instead of continuing to debate the merits of her switching to crushing on everyone’s favorite cheerleader. 

“Asshole!” Steve volleyed back at her with a laugh.

“And me too, apparently,” Robin grinned.

————

Robin still didn’t have any notes for Mrs. Click’s class, so she was really trying to focus on anything but Tammy, and Steve, and now Eddie, so she could actually take in some of this crap she had to memorize long enough to repeat it back on a test. 

It wasn’t going great, because now she was invested in the Steve and Eddie story line. Particularly since they were passing notes back and forth at the moment. Every time Steve bit his lip or tinted slightly pink, Robin was dying to know what they were saying to each other. But every time she kicked the back of Steve’s chair to try and get his attention, he shooed her off and went back to scribbling out a reply to Eddie.

Eddie, for his part, seemed equally affected by Steve, as he frequently slouched even lower in his chair or hid a smile behind his ever-growing hair whenever he read one of Steve’s replies.

They were almost sickeningly cute. She was happy they were getting along, at the very least, but it seemed like flirting from where she was sitting.

“Oh, you’re asking for it, big boy,” Eddie said then, looking up from whatever Steve had written last with a little bit of astonishment in his eyes. 

Robin rolled hers. Definitely flirting. 

Even though she was happy for Steve, it still sent a pang of jealousy coursing through her. She wondered if Steve was just abnormally lucky, or if she wasn’t looking in the right places for a crush that might acknowledge her. When she realized she was drifting away from the point of this class again—history, not finding a girlfriend—she gripped her pencil so hard it snapped the tip off. 

Groaning aloud over it, Robin leaned over to try and find another one in her bag. Before she got it fully unzipped, though, someone tapped her on the shoulder. 

Robin looked up to find none other than Chrissy Cunningham smiling down at her over the edge of her desk. Robin stared up at her for half a beat too long, noticing how Chrissy's signature ponytail dangled over her shoulder and gave Robin a lungful of the citrusy smell of her shampoo.

“Here,” she said, offering Robin a spare pencil. Hesitantly—probably too hesitantly—Robin reached up and accepted it. She was pretty sure she was gaping at Chrissy’s having acknowledged her, though, because Chrissy laughed a little nervously.

“Sorry, I was staring a little,” she whispered. Then she paused, eyes widening, and course corrected. “At your bracelet, I mean! It’s really pretty, by the way. Um. So I noticed the—” Chrissy stopped to mime snapping a pencil in half, adding a little cracking noise along with it.

It was adorable enough to be a whole new kind of distracting.

“Right,” Robin managed a smile that she hoped was friendly and not completely creepy. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” Chrissy smiled again. 

This time, Steve had to kick Robin’s desk to get her to even remember what world she was living in. 

[eri-pl]

Silm reread interlude: I read Lay of Leithian (1)

First: the title: a lot of times in the text something is freed and released and we get the text focusing on it, because of course that's why I gave it this title, look it's perfectly normal: of course Sauron's prisoners, but also Luthien from her imprisonment, Beren (and iirc others) many times from emotional paralysis + (in alternate text said clearly) the poor Silmaril from the crown of hatered and yet our Oath-bound blorbos are not maybe because their two brothers decided to be creeps.

Also putting something as your title and than mentioning it in relation to many things is totally normal and not funny and not because I am doing it myself sometimes.

OK, anyway, let's start.

TWs…. hmm. Suicidality, a lot of Morgoth and he is evil but in a cool way, wonky metaphysics of the early Silm.

Canto 1

Thinglo has a silver crown. And his armors are scale mail.

Again, Luthien with Elrond's poetic coloring. But in alternate version she had gold hair and blue eyes, Earendil-style.

Canto 2

Morgoth is called king! And the text respects him way more than in the Silm. Sure, he's evil. But also "stronger than the stone the world is built of, than the fire that burns within it more fierce and dire" – come one tell me that does not sound cool. Also "thoughts profound were in his heart". huh? Unless "profound" means something like "gloomy" here, not like "deep and wise".

Also he's evil and terrible and his army stinks.

And he is often referred to as "King Morgoth". With capital "K". He would like that.

Gorlim is much more intentional in his betrayal. And talks with Morgoth himself, not with Sauron.

Another line about Morgoth: "that cruel heart wherein no truth had ever part". So the profound thoughts are profound but untrue I guess.

And it's so dark: "Thus Gorlim died a bitter death, and cursed himself with dying breath[...] and all good deeds were made in vain". Who wrote that, Daeron?

Also, the hidout of Beren and his father and their band is referred to as "secret tryst". Tolkien, as often, uses words as he pleases.

Beren curses the name of Morgoth, thrice. In this story, we will see a lot of people cursing various things and people.

The orcs want to steal the ring of Barahir, ie not report it to Morgoth, just keep it.

Beren is suicidal: "he longed for knofe, or shaft, or sword, to end his pain[...] Danger he sought and death pursued" — huh. Very un-Silm-like. In the Silm only tragic characters are like this.

He befriends animals, and stone spirits(!), I prefer this early version where we have lesser Maiar(?)/spirits/whatever.

Big Dipper as named Burnng Briar, but still it's basicall a "Morgoth, we'll get you" sign from Varda.

Canto 3

Melian didn't go to Beleriand on a mission or purpose: "She had wayward wandered on a time from gardens of the Gods".

Also, the text is written as if Valinor did make its inhabitants immortal: "where earth and sky together flow, and none shall die". I guess Ar-Pharazon read this version. ;) (minus the parts that make Sauron look stupid)

Melian and Thingol. For him the years of looking in her eyes seem like an hour, which makes sense.

Aaand we get first (unless I missed something) title reference! And it's the oddest one possible: "when Morgoth first, fleeing the Gods, their bondage burst, and on the mortal lands set feet".

Also, all Men are his thralls (sans Bere&co obviously), no mention of the Edain.

It seems like elves are not immortal??? "Thingol and deathless Melian" + some more lines like that. maybe it's about her not being possible to kill (dfw would disagree).

"Dairon the dark" so I guess Daeron has black hair. Or face. Or both. Again, he is mightier as a minstrel than Maglor (whose voice is like the sea, and the sea is not a tenor) but they have a third contestant, Tinfang, later deleted.

B&L meet, her magic dazes him and whatnot, I'm not a fan, anyway we get one of my favorite lines:

And now his heart was healed and slain with a new life and with new pain

This point-on describes one very particular emotional experience that does not have a name, but sometimes occur when an emotional (or spiritual) issue is resolved an a sudden and rather surprising moment of insight.

[That's one of the best feelings and I wish you all to have it often enough. <3 ]

…Let's end this on this good note and not on my feelings about the romance part of the canto.

[strqyr]

Here are some dots for you to connect: 1) Raven guards the Relic of Knowledge, but her Amity Arena bio puts emphasis on Choice 2) Ozpin says he took extra precautions when hiding the Relic of Choice (there is a fan theory that it is not at Beacon) 3) the Relics attract Grimm 4) when Yang went looking for Raven with Ruby, she found an abandoned house full of Grimm 5) in the Fairy Tale of the Indecisive King, the Relic of Choice drives the King insane with knowledge of the future

okay, so. i have many thoughts on this so apologizes beforehand if i start rambling a lot and this all goes all over the place.

anyway, starting with the vaults: i'm assuming the vaults were made by the god of light to keep the relics safe until ozma found them, and thus originally ozma was the key to all of them via the four blessings he has, and by giving one blessing to one maiden each (the wizard summoned as much of his magic as he could, and bestowed it upon four maidens), the maidens became the key to their respective blessing (winter for creation, summer for destruction, etc.)

if this is the case, then i doubt that ozpin managed to do anything to the beacon vault that would necessarily alter the vault itself, bc it's not in the realm of his magical abilities; that is to say, if it's currently not at beacon, i'm doubtful it has ever been there in the first place—unless this can be filed under "who knows what else ozpin has hid from us over the eyes" in which case, well. what i just said goes out the window lol. anyway, thanks to the haven vault, we also have some level of understanding of what "more challenging" might mean: the haven vault had a secret elevator revealed by a pocket watch inserted into a slot meant for it in a statue. so whatever ozpins means by "more challenging", it needs to go beyond additional object as a key to reveal the entrance to the area were the vault resides.

so, let's talk about choice for a moment. every chance they get, choice is, to an extent, categorized as change. humanity was given choice, the ability to use the knowledge they had gathered and to choose between the paths of light and darkness. the shallow sea is a story about humans having the choice to join the god of animals on their island, to jump into the waters below and turn into what would become faunus. ascension is about change, but the tree doesn't force anyone to ascend; afterans can ignore the call, or in some other cases they can be stopped from ascending by someone else, and whatever they become afterwards is their choice to make, by using information they gathered in their previous life.

(perhaps it's interesting then, that no matter how much knowledge the cat has, no matter how much they learn, they don't have the choice to ascend.)

ozpin gave the branwen twins a choice to accept the gift he offered in form of shapeshifting. they accepted, just like the maidens did before them. the maidens became keys to the vaults... if an object as an additional security to a vault is out of question, what's the step above that? is it another person? perhaps.... two?

it doesn't surprise me that choice pops up so much with raven; she is the maiden of knowledge, and choice is to knowledge as creation is to destruction: they're two sides of the same coin. you really can't have one without the other. but it's the weight behind it—and how the crown in the story gives a glimpse of future and how sure raven was the ozpin would fail and beacon would fall—that gives it the air of "maybe there's something more to this", and based on what we do know, the safest bet currently is that the shapeshifting came with something extra that raven and qrow probably didn't agree to (and that maybe, raven found out.)

(it would also be funny if by "more challenging" ozpin really meant "good luck getting raven to cooperate lol")

as for the location of the beacon vault... i've discussed this to much detail and i've gone between "ozpin said the tower couldn't fall and all those (now destroyed) gears could probably do something fancy if the long memory with its gears can store kinetic energy" and "tai is sus for being so vague about his reasons for not going after ruby—"i've got to... look after some things."—and staying solidly on patch no matter what" and at this... in universe it's been over a year since the fall of beacon and whoever coughsummercough is looking for the vault at beacon is not succeeding at it even after all this time, so that does maaaaaybe give more credence to the possibility that is has never been there in the first place? but if it's on patch, then it probably wasn't a secret all of team strq was aware of—and i think it's interesting how qrow says "summer secret" so... casually? like, the summer rose who never lies? which makes it sound like keeping oz-related secrets from each other was the norm for team strq and this was understood across the board and trying to fish for more information was a no-go from the start—so it being a secret tai had to keep would make sense. and if that's the case, then the old abandoned building that was probably tai and raven's old home since yang thought she could find raven there would be the prime suspect.

but really, i have no idea where the vault actually could be located at. i'm more certain that raven and qrow are extra keys to its exact location, but the vault itself could be anywhere: could be at beacon, could be on patch, or forever fall, or somewhere in the ruins of emerald forest where new students choose a relic that puts them onto teams... could be mountain glenn.

honestly, if change is central to choice, then who knows, maybe it moves around between few select locations. could be all of the above. let the vault be free to choose lmao

[this-acuteneurosis]

I kind of want to get you started on mind tricks. cause like weak minded to strong minded dynamic and the blur away, but also the sith back in the day were for SURE a Caste system of force sensitive rulers and non force sensitives, and the jedi were their ENEMY off and on for thousands of years, cultural bleed through and dynamics of their own power systems but Ben we are not the droids you are looking for go away so I dont have to kill you, versus Qui hey I want this thing trade it for me.

Alright, Oct anon, it's been a while, but I have not forgotten you definitely forgot this ask in my drafts for who even knows how many months but it's found again, whoo!

It's taken me a while to get this together partly to try and arrange my thoughts in a logical order but also...

Guys, I really, really care about the use of agency in stories. Like, I've ranted about it in relation to droids, I've explained some of my problems with it in the context of the thematic changes between the OT and the PT, I stew over it constantly in my brain, it's a central theme of many of my own stories (including DLB).

I really don't like mind control, and not just in Star Wars.

Now, just because I don't like a thing doesn't mean it doesn't have a place in story telling. As a device, mind control/manipulation can be useful or important to a plot. To a theme. Overcoming it can be powerful or cool (Ella Enchanted-I prefer the novel personally, Tanjiro in Demon Slayer: Mugen Train), watching someone succumb to it can be agonizing (Frodo in Return of the King, anyone? Princess Euphemia in Code Geass?).

So, what is the point of Mind Tricks (and that naming choice, "trick," making it sound almost...harmless) in the Star Wars story, and maybe in the universe?

I feel like in its initial reveal, the mind trick was supposed to a) convey how "magical" Jedi were and b) get the plot from point A to B. Obi-Wan waves his hand, someone believes something hideously untrue, move along move along, don't think about it too hard.

Like, literally, audience, please. Don't.

Luke uses it in RotJ for pretty much the same reason. To convery a) Luke is well on his way to being a "magical" Jedi now (oh but wait, there's more character growth he needs!), and b) Luke needs to get into Jabba's palace and why would they let him in? Because he says so, so we will take him to Jabba now. Move along, move along.

I don't like the implications of this power existing, and as an adult who has been in situation where I have to report to higher powers, the disregard of the consequences of these things are a bit darker if I look too closely, but like...move along, I guess. It's fine as long as we're only using these powers on space nazis and slavers. Right?

Except then we get more movies. And cartoons. It's fine if Obi-Wan mind controls a person into not smoking, right? Smoking is Bad and Obi-Wan is Good.

Only.

Only...

Who taught Obi-Wan to use mind tricks?

Ah yes, my old nemesis.

To all you Qui-Gon fans out there, you may wanna leave. This analysis is probably not for you.

So like, Qui-Gon Jinn. Qui-Gon "I'm friends with the current Chancellor and thus an obvious, notable representative of the Jedi Order but I don't get along with my higher ups" Jinn. The thing you have to understand about my opinion of him is that, as a young, first time watcher of TPM, I liked him. He was funny, irreverent, direct. He was wise, or at least seemed to know things no one else did. He was a maverick, ready to go against all orders and advice for what he knew was right. And everyone around him was just stuffy and uninformed.

And to be fair, he wasn't wrong about everything. He's set up to be sympathetic. He's trying to treat with the gungans and they won't listen? Well he and Obi-Wan are right, the Trade Federation does go for the gungans. The Order says there are no Sith? Oops, wrong on that one. The Council makes the ambiguous assertion Anakin is "too old" to train. We've seen the OT. We know "too old" is nonsense.

But like, what does Qui-Gon do when he's thwarted?

He takes away people's agency.

Oh, you don't want to help us, Boss Nass, political leader? Cool, well I'm gonna undermine you in front of your entire court and you're gonna give us a whole ship (that we won't return) to help us defend a people you've been in an active war with for centuries. Oh, my currency doesn't work on this planet? I think it will mister small time junk dealer with a gambling problem (jokes on you for that one, sir).

This to me is a huge red flag in a story that is about literal slaves. I know people will defend the above examples. It was necessary. There were lives at stake.

You wanna know who would have suffered if Qui-Gon had been able to con Watto out of that part?

Anakin and Shmi.

Worthless (or event mostly worthless) currency on a planet where you have to buy water is literal death under the right circumstances. And who do you think Watto's going to reduce rations on. He's got cash flow problems? What's the quickest way for him to make back what he just lost? I'll give you a hint, he gambles on them later in the exact same movie.

So like, well before we get to "weak minded" or anything dubious like that, there's this awkward question of, "Why are the good guys always using powers to make people do things? And not worried about the consequences?"

And like, if we go back to simple story narratives, and trying to move things from point A to point B, that's fine I guess. I enjoy the OT. I'll move along.

But if you ask me to stop and think about it.

Well...

[sweetescapeartist]

MY THOUGHTS ON DRAGON BALL DAIMA

(Wasn't going to post this old draft, but decided to post it anyway since @/puyohero was curious about my thoughts)

Awesome! Love that Toriyama is heavily involved! Love the art & animation and the idea is interesting too.

SIMILARITY TO DRAGON BALL GT

Yes, GT did something similar. However GT sidelined most of the cast. Even Pan & Trunks kinda got sidelined when they were part of the main cast of GT. In this, it seems the other characters will play some sort of role too. Or I assume so. And they will be traveling to another realm/world. So maybe the others will go with Goku.

DB DAIMA seems to be referencing a lot of DB properties & not only GT. As pointed out here...

CAST AS CHILDREN COULD MEAN...

I had hoped it would turn the entire cast into children and glad it happened. Now I hope we get more info about it. Because what I want is for the other cast members to get involved. Gohan & Piccolo are on a similar level to Goku & Vegeta, so then being excluded to only focus on Goku & Vegeta would be stupid. And since it is stated that this series won't be transformation heavy... what if Goku cannot transform into forms he didn't have as a child?? Or it's very taxing on the body if they can. Now everyone can get involved in the battles! Krillin has already returned to martial arts, but we can get my boy Yamcha fighting again! We might even get to see kid Ox King fight alongside kid Roshi. That would be neat!

Now what would be funny is to see a kid version of Buu. Would it be a short chubby Buu or Kid Buu/Pure Buu? Or maybe the magic won't affect him much since he can change his appearance at will. 🤔

Also, I bet there is a joke about Krillin not getting much smaller when turned into a kid again like how there was a joke in OG Dragon Ball that Krillin didn't get much taller & Krillin is upset about the statement.

Also, the chibi reminds me of the Dragon Ball SD manga.

TITLE POSSIBLY ELUDING TO...

Another interesting thing was the placeholder name "Magic" and the current name "DAIMA." Seems like Toriyama is possibly hinting at the Makaioshin. Evil beings with magical power, the Demon Realm being a place where magic rules over science, and the fact that THIS guy looks like a Kaioshin.

So the little guy could be a God of the Demon Realm. Or maybe a God of Destruction of the Demon Realm. Who knows? We'll have to wait and see.

JOURNEY TO THE WEST REFERENCES

I see some Journey To The West/Saiyuki influence in here too which is good cause this is Dragon Ball after all. Goku with a Sun Wukong role, East Kaioshin (Shin) with the monk role. And maybe other characters who are inspired by Saiyuki will play roles similar to their inspirations.

Vegeta having a Sun Wukong role while Bulma has the Tripitaka role

Piccolo having a Tripitaka/Wukong role while Gohan also has the Tripitaka/Wukong role

Krillin with a Tripitaka role (maybe some Wukong role too since he also takes some Wukong inspiration) & maybe 18 takes on the role of Tripitaka in certain aspects?

Yamcha with a role referencing Sha Wujing role

Tenshinhan with a role referencing Erlang Shen

And if the Demon Realm is involved then there is more Saiyuki references. Journey to a dangerous land and fighting demons. This could be pretty cool to see.

GOKU'S DESIGN

And another thing... Goku's gi in Daima. It's becoming closer and closer to his End of Z gi.

The untucked style of Goku's gi in Daima is similar to EoZ, but the colors are still like his iconic orange and blue gi.

MY THEORY FOR THE STORY

In the Demon Realm, the Makaioshin & some Demon God examine Goku & his friends. They speak about Babidi and how he recruited the King of the Demon Realm, Dabura, and still failed. As well as Bibidi summoning & Babidi reawakening the evil beings Majin Buu, then Buu becoming an ally of Goku. Where a sorcerer failed, a Demon God plans to succeed. The Demon God & Makaioshin notice that Goku & company are always victorious due to their strength, transformations, and friendship that encourages each other. So somehow, they are all turned into children to make them doubt their chances of victory. And their power is nerfed too. The Saiyans might have to struggle just to turn SSJ again. I believe it will be through a spell just to be different from GT and not use a wish granting Dragon. The part that shows that a wish was made to Shenron wish was likely after they were turned into kids and they needed help in some way, or they tried to reverse the spell and it was beyond the power of Shenron.

So they venture into this new realm to fix things. Perhaps splitting into groups. Goku & Kaioshin, Vegeta & Bulma, Gohan & Piccolo, Krillin & 18, ect. Some teaming up with other groups too. Get to see stuff like Goku & Tien team up. They learn about the depths of magic & Bulma is surprised because her technology she relies so much upon doesn't matter much in the Demon Realm where magic is their technology.

At some point, they find a way to return to their actual ages and adult bodies. In the end, they confront the Demon God & Makaioshin. Of course Goku would face the main bad guy (along with Vegeta & maybe with Gohan & Piccolo). Godly power vs godly magic. Or something like that.

Now let's wait & see how wrong I am 😂

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for snitching on my brother?

Listen, my 19 brothers (all 200M) and I (200M) don't have the best relationship. After my Dad (over 50000M) and his buddy (3000M) created us in their lab, our mum stole us and passed us off to various adoptive parents on different planets, so we didn't even grow up together. As a consequence, some of us had it easier than others. Me, I had a great adoptive father. He put me through college and encouraged me until I became the actual second best wizard ever. By 18, I was pretty much the philosopher-king of our planet. I even had a relationship with my bio Dad longer than the rest of my brothers did because we found each other through magic and then used it to hang out. (He's the first best wizard. No biggie.)

Anyway, things were going great for me. Eventually, our bio Dad hosted a big family reunion and I got to meet my brothers. I was ready to make friends, but man, some of them were assholes. Well, that was fine. I stayed friends with the brothers I liked. I had a lot on my hands anyway, since Dad had taken the liberty of making 1000 sons for me, and none of them were freaking potty trained.

Did I use magic to potty train them? Yes. Did I maybe get the potty-training magic from a strange voice in my head? Well... Okay, yes, but consider that 1000 sons = a lot of potty training if you take the traditional route. I think it was a reasonable choice at the time.

Anyway, my sons were doing great, and the brothers I got on with and I began to set up this big magical training program so we could all teach our sons to be better and safer wizards. Sounds great, right?

Well, the asshole contingent of my brothers decided to haul us in front of Dad and point their fingers at us. "Wizards are bad and dangerous" they claimed, while one of them stood around surrounded by his own freaking wizards. ("They're not wizards, they're enchanters," my ass.)

I thought our bio Dad would side with us, him being the greatest wizard of all time and his buddy (I swear those two have something going on) being the third greatest after me. But no! He told us we needed to stop doing magic. Literally the one thing I'm good at. The one thing he made me good at. I'm the second best wizard in the galaxy, and he wanted me to sit on my ass.

Well, I tried. I mostly stopped. But come on, those assholes were definitely up to something. I started using my wizardry to surveil my brothers, and oh boy. The shit I found out. At first, I just sat back and ate popcorn, watching them pratfall their way through life. It was funny, what can I say? And I still stuck by the bros who had my back.

But then one of my bros, L, (unfortunately one of the ones I got on with) had the worst thing possible happen to him: He decided he had found God. By which I mean, he decided our bio Dad was literally God.

Seriously, our Dad. Sure, Dad is like 20 feet tall and glows with golden light, but when the glowing giant immortal wizard tells you he's not a god, you believe him. Unless you're L.

Dad's attempts to re educate him were... Misguided. As I said, he's not a god. But he went so hard that L flipped right the other way around and started to believe that our dad wasn't God. He was Satan, apparently.

And so, L went to our other brother H, who had a mad case of "first-child, I carry the whole family" syndrome, and started trying to convince him that our dad was Satan.

I tried to warn H that L was crazy. H just went "Lol okay" and went back to chugging L's koolaid.

H and L were definitely going to do something stupid, like murderously stupid. I needed to warn Dad, and it was urgent. I started calling, but Dad wouldn't pick up.

So I called him the way we used to talk, using magic. And what do you know, he had basically put up some sort of magical barrier which meant I couldn't call him that way either. I was pretty pissed off to see he had blocked me on so many levels.

And this is where I may be the AH.

See, that voice in my head that helped me work out how to potty-train the kids using magic? Yeah, it spoke up again. It suggested I break through the barrier. I figured Dad built it for a good reason, but I *was* strong enough and I was trying to save his life. So I broke in.

And then the voice's magical demons flowed into Dad's lab, ruining the amazing magical teleporter which he and his buddy had been building in secret. Turns out, the voice in my head was an ACTUAL god, the Lord of Change... And Dad had known all along. It was why he told my brothers and I that we had to stop doing magic. But he never thought to actually explain that to ME, so how the hell was I supposed to know I had a god in my head? He told us gods didn't exist!

Anyway, gods are real, but I still maintain that my Dad isn't Satan. He's just a really bad father.

He was understandably furious that I broke his experiment and let demons into his lab, but he yelled at me like he thought I did it on purpose. Plus, H was so mad that I snitched, he actually sent another brother (Mr. "They're not wizards") to burn down my planet. Like hell I was sticking around after that. After one last attempt to reach out to Dad, (which ended with my most gullible brother gaslighting me and then hitting me with a hammer) I went NC with pretty much my whole bio family.

I'm doing okay now. I actually ended up moving in with the Lord of Change for a while because at least he helped me potty train my kids and let me do wizardry in his spare room. Now I have my own planet and a sick wizard tower. It would be great if it weren't so dusty in here.

I still wonder if I was the asshole though. Don't get me wrong, I think the biggest assholes are my Dad, H, L, some other brothers I didn't mention, Mr. "They're not wizards", my oldest son who apparently can't keep the place clean, and a lot of my other sons who just kinda vanished one day. But maybe I could've done something else, like sending Dad a letter or warning my nicer brothers about H and L instead going straight to the top. So. AITA?

[tiriansrambles]

Letters. Pt 1/???

Edwin & The Cat King

ft Charles.

spoilers mentioned. please don’t read if you have not seen dead boy detectives!!!

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩

┊ ┊ ┊ ✫

┊ ┊ ✩

┊ ⊹ ✯

✯

Edwin isn’t entirely sure when this all began. the letters. the feeling of joy when he’d receive one from dead mail. he never thought something so small would give him so much to look forward to. even though he should be focused on cases, his mind always wondered when he’d get another letter. considering he doesn’t … have a telephone. this was the best bet for any communication.

Edwin had begun to receive letters from the cat king. he shouldn’t be as surprised as he is. but he is. He was pleasantly surprised about how nice of a feeling this was. when he first got a letter from Cat King, he figured he would forget about Edwin the moment he returned to London, even after their small goodbye. He still has the Lilly, preserved and put away for safekeeping. Mostly, he doesn’t want Charles to know he kept it.

The first letter received was him asking if he was okay. It had been some time since Niko. And to be frank, he wasn’t okay. At all. Even though he knows she’s moved on now. he misses her. every day. She became a dear friend and one of the only good things that happened in Port Townsend. He missed her. Despite her bravery, she didn’t deserve to die. He wanted her here. badly. Who else could he tell about the letters? Who else could understand? But he knows, for sure, that her afterlife is pure magic. Peace. Perhaps she had reunited with her father. He hopes she’s happy, at peace. The Cat King even allowed Edwin to talk about Niko for a long while through their letters, it was nice to let it out. He still missed her though, tremendously.

Since then, they haven’t stopped writing to each other. They’ve been writing every single day for weeks on end. Between cases, he’d make the time to write something to complete the letter and send it off. He appreciates Cat King’s effort. Truly. Considering there were probably easier ways of communicating. Like a telephone, or whatever it is that the kids use nowadays. Texting and Snapchat and whatever else. He can barely register the internet. And snap chat has a ghost emoticon for its logo. offensive. what do pictures have to do with the dead?

As the letters go on, of course, there is always a flirtatious tone to them. So much so he could even read the words in his voice. Imagining him in front of him, the way he would move about. Edwin didn’t want to admit this, but he almost … /missed/ the Cat King. After taking the time to understand him, the way he behaves. they are not so different. Two lonely souls. Perhaps he found comfort in that. In him.

Edwin’s gaze follows the stroke of each letter on the page, a soft hum escaping his lips. And soon enough, he’s smiling again.

Edwin,

How are you today, handsome? I found myself bored and decided to visit the library. I know, crazy, right? What would a sexy, and powerful being like me be doing in the PortTownsend public library? Well, I remembered you talking about how reading was a good pass time. So, I figured, why not? Take a page out of Edwin Payne’s book, amirite? I don’t know how you feel about modern books as of late. But I found something rather intriguing. I think you might like this one. The Song of Achilles. Madeline Miller. Did you know they have audiobooks now, where things are read to you? But I figured you’d hate that. Too lazy for you, isn’t it?

I was thinking, as much as I love writing to you…I thought maybe we could read this together. I’m sending you the book. Let me know what you think. And maybe, just maybe you could mirror to Port Townsend. We could read and talk about it. No funny business, I promise. Cat’s honor. But yes, this is me asking you out on a date. Whether it’s friendly or romantic is up to you, you’re painfully aware of what I prefer. I’d come to you, of course, but I’m sure it would cause unnecessary drama with your bestie. Although, I love the drama. I’ll spare you the drama until you inevitably fall in love with me.

You should be receiving it soon. Let me know. Don’t keep me waiting. <3

Love,

The Cat King.

If Edwin could blush, his face would be as red as a tomato. He reads the letter, once, twice, three times. A DATE?! A date… of reading a book. Together. That was intimate. Especially to Edwin, he loved to read. To research. He has not read anything modern, though. The only other ‘person’ he shared books with was Monty. Monty… he still couldn’t believe that. He had seemed to lose interest in making any more friends or sharing things with anyone. But The Cat King is the one who reached out. As he re-reads the letter for what felt like the millionth time, he jumps at the sudden shouting.

“MAIL!!!!” Called out the delivery man. Edwin is on his feet, quietly shushing him, but thanking him nonetheless. He hands him a package. it was the book, of course. but it was wrapped neatly with a bow. the wrapping paper was an interesting shade of green with a gold bow. It seemed to be the only thing to come. , It had been such a long time since he’s received a gift. especially like this. he almost didn’t want to open it, but of course he does. and despite being quick with it, he is cautious to save the wrapping paper. He stares down at the book, a finger tracing the cover. Interesting… a modern retelling of the Trojan War? From the perspective of Patroclus? The Cat King was correct. This certainly caught his eye…

“Wait!” Edwin calls out to the delivery man before he can leave, stopping him in his tracks.

The delivery man shoots him a look, and Edwin smiles, sheepishly. “I apologize, could you just wait one moment?”

Edwin is quick to get back to his desk, setting the book down and quickly getting out parchment to respond to the Cat King.

Cat King,

I have received the book… I must say, my interest has peaked.

I would very much like to read this book with you…

Edwin hesitates, a nervous breath escaping him.

I would … enjoy this to be a date. I don’t know in what way just yet. I would like to see you. I will find time to come see you. For now, we could read and write letters back until I can mirror over. Cases always take priority, of course.

Thank you… for thinking of me. It means a lot to me.

I am looking forward to this.

Edwin.

He can tell the delivery man is getting impatient, but he gets the letter ready in the nick of time, handing it over.

“I apologize. Could you please send this…and um, perhaps when you have letters addressed to this person, could you not announce it? ”

The delivery man blinks a moment, before rolling his eyes. Perhaps he could even sense the shame Edwin felt. He was keeping this from Charles. How could he explain this to him anyhow? He would just be angry…

“Very well,” the delivery man spoke, phasing through the wall.

Edwin sighs, leaning against the desk as if the wind was knocked out of him. This was already hard enough to hide from Charles, how was he going to do this? After the confession…things were? Well, awkward wasn’t necessarily the word. They just didn’t talk about it again. Charles said they had forever to figure it out. He was right…but it was obvious. He did not feel the same. He knows he would prefer Crystal as well… if his affections are for her, then how could he keep that from him? He loved him. He just wanted him to be happy. More than anything in the world. His dearest friend. His best friend. Perhaps that is what they are destined to be. He wouldn’t have it any other way…

Even if the Cat King is still really confusing for him, he can’t lie to himself. He has grown fond. Why shouldn’t he pursue it?

Yeah. That’s exactly what he will do. If reading this book together goes well, and he truly enjoys his company? Why not.

He nods to himself, turning to look at the book on his desk. Just as he was going to reach for it, Charles’ voice snapped him to attention.

“You all right, mate? You look frazzled.” Charles asks a brow quirked in confusion.

Edwin nearly jumps out of his skin, soon taking a moment to collect himself.

“Yes. Yes, perfectly fine.” He clears his throat, soon moving his position to hide the book on his desk. As discreetly as possible, of course. He felt guilty, hiding this from Charles. But he had no way to explain this. He just knows he will be angry with him.

Another quirked brow and a chuckle escaped Charles. “You sure, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He grins.

Edwin rolls his eyes, fondly. “Ha ha. You’re hilarious, Charles Rowland.”

“Arent I just?’ Charles grins, “really, though, you good?”

Edwin nods, “im fine, yes. just lost in thought.”

That wasn’t a total lie, of course.

“Well, Crystal and i were going to watch a movie. Care to join?” Charles asked, although he already knew the answer.

“Oh… um…” god, why was he so nervous.

“I think I’ll skip this one,” Edwin chuckles, “i uh— i would like to read tonight. You two have fun, though?” He offers, a nervous grin on his lips.

Charles brow is quirked again. The way he answered was not what he expected. A rather nice answer rather than saying something silly like it was a waste of time. There was something on his mind, but he doesn’t question. For now anyway.

“Alright then, mate. you know where we’ll be. enjoy your book.” He chuckles, offering a wave as he exits the room.

Edwin’s demeanor changed when he left, turning his attention to the book.

“Yes… i think i will enjoy it.”

[boypussydilf]

various rambling and working out a vague picture of the timeline bc sabertoothwalrus has me thinking about The Fucking Thing With The Empress again

in the past i’ve assumed vampires didn’t really start coming out (of hiding i guess?? where were they?? what were they doing in all those centuries before the war when people did not believe magic was real so it’s not like they were aware vampires existed and were still around but . maybe they hibernated who knows whatever it doesn’t matter it’s just funny)

ANYWAY i kind of had assumed vampires didn’t really Come Back Out Into The World until marcy’s teen years/10-ish years after the mushroom bomb but vampworld VK finding marceline when she was like 6-7 indicates they were Out And Walkin’ Around pretty much right after the apocalypse hit

i guess as far as i remember there’s never any indication whether or not simon & marcy ran into any Vampire Problems while they were still together. i’ve assumed not but there’s no actual evidence for that. we basically know like 2 things that happened to them we don’t have a lot to go off of for what they Did or Did Not run into together

but for now i’m assuming not. it seems like vampires prefer to be Where Groups Of Humans Are, for obvious reasons, and it seems like simon & marceline never ran into any humans together (or at least not any friendly ones.) simon’s notes from i remember you indicate he thought they might have been the only people still alive & let’s be real if they ever found other people who were Not Hostile and had resources to survive simon would’ve immediately gone Oh boy!!! Someone who can take care of marcy and not fuck up!!!! and made her go with them while he fucked off into the woods to be sad and alone or whatever the hell he did after leaving her aside from getting hypnotized by a vampire.

i just got distracted bc its so funny Why did the empress choose this guy ??????????? like . insert “a thousand years later and you still can’t get anything right” girl if he’s always sucked at this why is he your Emotional Support Thrall. how did he not get killed

anyway i don’t think we have any indication whether he ever ran into any vampires while he was still with marceline but one way or another he sure does remember when there were vampires around and has a dedicated set of Vampire Survival Skills. skills is maybe the wrong word. he tries so fucking hard but he can’t stake a completely nonmoving target. did he always suck at this too

we know from the empress’s dialogue that simon had still not lost his mind all the way by the time she decided to make him her Favorite Little Human Servant - still remembered his name, still sane enough to Get Hypnotized, her surrounding dialogue when she calls ice king “this pathetic clown character” implies she remembers him acting More Like Simon and Less Like Ice King which is really fucking impressive, actually, he’s extremely Not Holding It Together when he leaves marceline and he still managed to hold on to his identity and some of his usual behavior for 5+ years after that without her jesus christ man

simon in the star talks about marceline becoming A Great Vampire Hunter kind of like it’s something he saw. she could’ve just told him about that part of her life sometime after CAWM, but,

the way marceline talks to the empress in empress eyes sounds kind of like she saw simon interacting with the empress. (“that’s the last time you toy with his heart”)

did they see each other again there? while marceline was hunting vampires? while simon still remembered who Simon Petrikov was?

who left who?

In conclusion fucked up right. Like huh. The entire situation raises so many questions. Why did they never bring this up again