#and then the little goblin on my shoulder whispered ... i have an idea

[athina-blaine]

hmm what is it about that sir goldiedick that sets my brain on fire huh

[hazelfoureyes]

before i never really interacted with blogs(cuz anxiety and very toxic friends had my tumblr, who ive gotten rid of now) but now i literally interact with every post bc of you, you are god and i will worship you, your smut is poetic af and has my legs SHAKING(.literally.)

i am ON MY KNEES❗

also, alastor and his rivals(vox or lucifer) x reader smut? like i know alastor would be petty asf and have them watch as he fucks the living out of their beloved, im curious, do you have any ideas regarding that?(cuz your ideas are delicious and im hungry for that)

You’ve left me speechless which is quite the accomplishment, Darling. I am just a little goblin! Or like the tooth fairy, but instead of teeth I take praise and instead of money I leave filthy smut 🥺 I am so glad you removed the toxic friends and are interacting more. 💖 you deserve better and your interactions are a joy. Thank you for brightening my day! I am so far away and yet you’ve got me blushing like a fool.

oooh yes okay so! Here’s some ideas 👀

•───⋅⋆⁺‧₊👑₊‧⁺⋆⋅───•

Energy for me is Lucifer: Here to please. Alastor: Here to win. I imagine Luci brings you to the hotel for Charlie’s Birthday party, already having a precious casual fling once or twice before. All the guests are there, everyone is dancing and drinking and having a good time. Alastor notices how you call him Luci, how Lucifer cant keep his cool when you lean closer to him when you speak. Naturally, Alastor sees an opportunity to fuck with Lucifer so he asks for a dance. He is uncharacteristically sweet and loving, willing to do anything to get under the king of hell’s skin. He changes the music to something slow, holding you close he whispers in your ear during your dance, “How can any man maintain composure around you? I feel my manners slipping through my fingers every time you look my way.” When you leave the party to cool down, Alastor follows, finding you in an empty room trying to decompress. “Would you hate me if I kissed you? Be forewarned, once I start, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop…”

Lucifer walks in to see you absolutely melting under Alastor, lipstick smeared and face flushed. But Luci adores you, your pleasure is his pleasure and he’s compelled to stay and watch, even as Alastor makes you moan and scream his name. “Who do you belong to, sweetheart?” “Whose cock are you made for?” You’re reduced to incoherent babbling by the time Alastor is finished toying with Lucifer. Lucifer can’t take it anymore and finds himself crawling onto the bed to swallow your moans and shower you in praise.

•───⋅⋆⁺‧₊🖥️₊‧⁺⋆⋅───•

I can see Vox bringing his beloved personal assistant to an overlord meeting for note taking, and Alastor notices your glances to him. Vox adores you, and is always on his best behavior around you to impress you. Alastor waits for you outside of Vee Tower that night for a “chance run in”. “What luck! Allow me to buy you a drink, as a welcome to hell.” Charms you as any good southern boy could, and suggests you both go back to your office for privacy. Knowing full well Vox has cameras all over the office, Alastor fucks Vox’s assistant on his desk while maintaining eye contact with the massive collection of screens there. Vox catches sight of this while skimming through the feeds but can’t break away from the video. Alastor keeps your back to the displays while bouncing you on his cock, smirking at Vox the entire time as he leans back on his desk chair. Vox is seething and finally rushes to his office to find Alastor gone and you lying on your back, still out of breath and cum dripping onto the desk.

Vox keeps you, but gets rid of the desk. He can’t let Alastor have the satisfaction of making him lose his prized employee. For weeks after, while zoning out in board meetings, his screen flashes images of Alastor smirking from over your shoulder as you ride him. He’s entirely unaware that it’s happening and everyone is too scared to tell him.

[leighsartworks216]

Hii I saw ur reblog about the kiss prompts!

I choose - "if you win, i'll kiss you"

With nervous kiss and height difference! 😳🙏

I actually had a hard time trying to fit these prompts together but I think I did pretty well!

Warnings: knife throwing, height difference

Word Count: 1,327

Masterlist

AO3

Tag List Form

“What’s that make it now? 12 to…?”

“You’re such an ass.”

“Come now, dear, you’re being too harsh - my memory isn’t what it used to be, you know. How many wins do you have?”

Your glare could have burned a hole right through him, all the while Astarion looked every bit the smarmy bastard he was. He just loved teasing you. It satisfied him to no end to peer down at you as you fumed. Steam could come pouring out your ears and he’d still have that smug smirk on his stupid face.

You huffed through your nose, fighting the growing urge to throw the dagger right at his head - you’d miss anyway. This whole game started when you’d tried throwing a knife at a goblin as a last ditch effort. You missed horribly, and Astarion just couldn’t let it go. “Zero.”

He gasped dramatically and laid a hand on his chest. “Not a single one?! Well, this won’t do!” He leaned in, teeth showing as he grinned wickedly. “How about we make a little bet? Make things a bit more interesting.”

You scoffed. “So you can sweeten the deal in your favor and wipe the floor with me, again?”

“Hmm, I tell you what: in the interest of keeping things interesting, I’ll give you two throws. If you hit, you win.”

“Let me guess - you get three.”

He rolled his eyes. “Please, darling, I have some tact. I’ll get one throw. If I can hit the dummy square in the head, I win.” He accentuated the point by flipping his dagger in the air, easily catching it by the hilt by pure muscle memory alone.

You frowned, studying his face for any sign of deceit. You were getting really close to hitting… Gods, this is a terrible idea. You sigh. “Fine. What do you propose?”

A spark of mischief flickered in his eye, so quick it could have just been a trick of the light, but you knew him better than that. “If I win, you’re responsible for sewing up everyone’s clothes for a week.”

“And if I win?”

He smirked and lowered his face to be right next to yours, cold breaths tickling your ear as he whispered. “If you win, I’ll kiss you.”

Your heart raced as your face flushed. You could tell he noticed, too, when he pulled away with that self-satisfied look on his face. You cleared your throat, urging it not to shake as you grumbled, “It sounds like you’re making more out of this either way.”

“Yes, but one is certainly more desirable for you, no? Besides, what are the odds of you winning? You should have nothing to fear.”

You frowned, but he had a point. Resigned to your fate, your shoulders slump. “Fine. It’s a deal.”

“Excellent.”

You both lined up about 10 feet away from the straw dummy. It had numerous marks in its head and body, all landed by the vampire spawn beside you. But you felt good about this time. You felt you could actually hit it.

You didn’t hate the idea of kissing him, especially if it meant saving your hand the cramping of patching up your companions’ clothes, but, well… You’d never been kissed before. There was no reason why, you’d just never been close enough with someone to warrant it.

Your heart raced thinking about it. Your face was as warm as Karlach by now. But you swallowed down the feelings and focused. If you just aimed very carefully, you might be able to get it.

“You first, love.”

Gods, now was not the time for endearing pet names.

“Hush, fangs.”

He chuckled softly, but stayed quiet otherwise. You held the handle of the dagger, just as he showed you, and aimed. You took a breath, lifted it up, and with a quick swing it was flying through the air… Right over the dummy’s shoulder. You growled in frustration.

Cool hands smoothed over your shoulders, urging them to relax. “Take it easy, dear. Keep your wrist locked and keep your elbow tucked in when you lift the dagger to throw.” He slid his hand down your arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake as he showed you how to keep your wrist straight and your elbow close to your ear. Then, he backed away and watched.

Shaking off the phantom feeling of him standing so close, you readied yourself again. You aimed, pulled your arm back so your elbow stayed tucked in, and steadied your wrist. With a deep breath, you threw the knife.

Time seemed to slow down as it flipped through the air. All sound faded away. You weren’t sure you were breathing. All you could focus on, all that mattered, was this stupid dagger.

In barely a second, the knife found its mark in the straw ribcage of the dummy.

A tidal wave of excitement and joy shot through your system. You cheered and pumped your fists in the air and gave a victorious yell that put Karlach’s to shame. And then, in the next instant, another knife flew by and lodged itself right next to yours. Your breath caught in your throat. Your eyes were wide when you turned to Astarion.

He smiled, part genuine and part impish. “Congratulations, darling. It seems you’ve won.” His smile only grew more flushed you became. He crowded into your space, peering down at you like a fox staring down a rabbit. “Don’t tell me you’re going to back out of our deal now.”

You swallowed. “I…” You glanced around camp, but no one seemed to be paying attention. They were all too busy preparing for the next day. You met his eye again and lowered your voice to a whisper, meant for his ears only. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

His eyes widened, brows raising minutely. He never thought the brave, compassionate leader before him would be so… inexperienced, to put it kindly. You’d always seemed to carry this sort of confidence, he just assumed…

“We don’t have to,” he back-peddled. He’d never have suggested it if he’d known. Well… Okay he would, but that look on your face - puppy-dog eyed and uncertain. It twisted his insides. He started to step away, out of your space, but you caught his arm.

“No, I…” You took a breath to steady your shaky nerves. “I want this.”

“Are you sure?”

You nodded, but he could still feel the anxious way you fiddled with the fabric of his shirt. It was cute. And terrifying. You wanted him to be your first. It was only fair - you were his first after all.

Moving slowly to give you a chance to back out, he raised his hands to cup your jaw, fingers brushing over your pulse and tilting your head up. You were shorter than him, enough that he had to hunch a bit to meet your eyes like this. You held onto his arms, too unsure to hold him anywhere else. He leaned down, noses almost touching. He could see your eyes flickering from his eyes to his mouth; feel your heart beneath his fingers as it skipped with his proximity. In a final act of courage, you stood on your toes and met him halfway.

It was clumsy at first. You had no idea what you were doing, all you knew was his lips were soft and he tasted like wine. He gently tilted your head, smoothing out the initial uncoordinated start. His lips meshed with yours as he showed you exactly what to do. When you experimentally nipped at his lip, he almost groaned. It wasn’t perfect, but he was sick and tired of perfect. It was wonderful. He was almost reluctant to pull away. But you still needed to breathe, living thing that you were.

He chuckled as he pressed his forehead to yours, watching with rapture as you caught your breath, lips swollen so beautifully. “You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

---

Tag List:

@satelliteapotheosis @hypopxia @flsalazar @beverlybeav @angelofthorr @emiemiemiii @marina-and-the-memes @lynnlovesloki @aurasyn @furblrwurblr @cappsikle @mjmygd @thegirlsadventuresinwonderland @mheerdraws @kindadolly @httyd-chocolate @bloopthebat @pandimoostuff @chesb0red

[sierracolorstheworldofwords]

Early bird-- Jareth x reader

Dawn broke upon the labyrinth, stretching it's wide arms over the horizon and poking it's fingers through the cracks in the curtains. Jareth grinned in delight. It was morning now! Now, finally, you could be awake! 

Shifting in bed, he sat up, whispering, “Darling, you must get up.” 

You stayed asleep, contentedly snoozing. A soft sigh fell from your lips as you shifted, burrowing further into the blanket. He frowned. He poked your cheek. Still asleep.

“Dearest!” He whispered again, “Arise! It's morning! Now you must wake up!” 

You kept sleeping, and you looked peaceful there. Like a faerie resting upon a flower after a long spring day. Though, you were far prettier than any faerie. 

“Wake up!” 

You gasped, before groaning and glaring at him through slotted eyes. 

“What time is it?” You grumbled.

“Morning!” He chirped, like a princess in a fairytale, “And I've been waiting all night, watching you sleep, because you have left me terribly lonely.” 

Curse him and his strange early mornings! He was the Goblin King! He should sleep in! Why, when you first met him, he looked like the type to sleep in! But no! He didn't! Somehow, despite always going to bed late, he always managed to be up before the rays of dawn, but that made sense, he barely needed any sleep at all as one of the fair folk. 

But STILL!

Could he not let you rest in? You were human after all! And while you stayed up with him, you needed sleep! 

“Dearest,” he murmured, “you cannot stay in bed all day.” 

“I am going to beat you with your stick!” You snapped, turning away from him, before glaring at the window, where that dreaded, horrible light came in, “One day, I’m going to yank it from your pretty hands and smack you with it!” He gasps, a hand landing on his chest, “Me?” “Yes, you!” 

With that, you closed your eyes. 

“Always waking me up at the crack of dawn!”

“Well! Forgive me for wanting to see you!” 

“Forgive me for wanting to sleep in! You need to sleep in! You stay up too late and wake up too early!” 

“Stop scolding me like a child!” “Stop waking me up at the crack of dawn! Oh Jareth!” you cried pathetically, now laying on your back, a hand on your head, “Don’t you know I’m human? Look at me!” 

You thrust your arm towards him now, pointing at it. 

“I’m all squishy and fragile! I’ll break easily if you don’t take care of me!” He deadpanned, “If I recall correctly, dear one, you said you weren’t delicate at all.” 

“And you believed me?!”

With that, he burst into raucous laughter, which caused the corners of your mouth to turn despite yourself. 

“Oh my darling love!” he exclaimed,before cradling your cheeks,  “How could I have believed you? You are right! You are delicate, fragile, like glass!” “You’re just saying that so you’ll have an excuse to hoard me within the castle.” “Me? Hoard you?” 

“Yes, you!” you sat up, pinching his cheek, “But I'll just have to keep figuring out your little traps.”

He scowled at that, but you kept smirking, now settling upon his lap, figuring that this was the least you deserved, since he did this every morning. It was a ritual, this banter, and you adored it. Resting your head against his chest, you yawned, rubbing your eyes. 

“I’m very clever, you know.” you added. He sighed dramatically, his shoulders slacking in profound exhaustion, “Oh, I know darling, you remind me every day.”

“Just like I know that you love me because I’m clever, and that little sigh was because you’re my dramatic little thing, aren’t you?”

He cradled your face again, one thumb stroking your cheek. 

“Of course, dearest,” then he gave you that longing look, as if he didn’t already have you sitting upon his lap and cooing over him, “I love you for so many things, my clever little beastie.” 

His hand wandered to your hair, gently petting it, and you yawned, settling against him and closing your eyes, knowing that you’d do this all again tomorrow. Not that you minded. 

Though, perhaps, it would be a good idea to get a stick.

[little-mouse-gardens]

A party for the goblin king

Yan fae king future Donnie x reader

Here is a little blurb I wrote based on my yandere fae king turtles au. Just a little idea that popped up in my mind while I was was listening to *cough* crane wives song curses *cough* and I couldn’t resist the urge to let my brain-rot run wild.

Tagging @lexiechr, @souperwrites, @radicallxser and @saltydoesstuff for feeding into my brainrot for these silly fellas >:3

Note : Let me know if there’s any spelling errors (autocorrect currently hates me for some reason)

Tw : Mentions of violence, alcohol, unhealthy relationships, manipulation, kidnapping (I do not condone this behavior in real life. this is only for entertainment purposes only), slightly suggestive???

Nothing about this place felt safe to you.

Nothing at all.

The warmth of the fire pit and torches. The glow of lanterns around the courtyard filled with so many types of goblin like fae running around partying and celebrating.

The savory scents of roasted meats and vegetables or the sugary scents of pastries of all kinds wafting into the air

Sounds of joyful music, laughter and the occasional cheering or rather yelling over the games being hosted down below from where you were seated.

All of it should have made you feel warm, safe or welcome.

However it was anything but welcoming to you. Considering you were currently seated in the lap of the being who’d been tormenting your cottage and kidnapped you the second those protective seals had been broken.

The horror of getting dragged into the woods over his shoulder from the safety of your home still angers you even in this moment.

Memories of pushing against him as he whispered sweet promises of an eternity of love and laughter by his side still echoed in your mind.

Absentmindedly messing with the hem of the soft silk robes he’d clothed you in and occasionally messing with the necklace of amethyst beads he’d claimed to have hand carved and strung himself while you angrily contemplated your circumstances.

What you wouldn’t give to be away from him and this nightmare you’d fallen into by chance. Just one smack to his smug face would quell that rage burning inside you.

Speaking of your captor, Donatello seemed to pick up on this change in your mood. His eyes moving away from the party to look at his beloved resting against him. Every fiber of his been fighting the urge to just start peppering kisses all across your body.

Slowly, he shifted you around in his hold so you were sitting sideways. His hand gently coming up to cup your chin and tilt your head to face him.

“something the matter, dearest?” He asked, his tridactyl hands slowly tracing patterns and shapes across your back and shoulders. The goblet of wine he’d been sipping and the letters of congratulations from his goblin subjects to him and his new spouse settled to the side on a table, “you seem distant? Is the music not to your liking? I did made sure the musicians learned your favorite songs”

You had to fight the urge to roll your eyes at the soft shelled terrapins smug tone. Shifting around uncomfortably in his hold to try and have some semblance of space between you and him.

“No, everything’s fine” you replied as casually as possible, turning your head away so you didn’t have to lock eyes with him. though a hint of your nervousness crept through that facade you held, “I’m just a little tired is all. This party’s been going on for what? Like three hours now?”

Donnie let out a deep chuckle at your reply. Your efforts to distance yourself from him and the twinge of anxiety creeping into your voice not going unnoticed by his keen senses.

Shifting you around again in his embrace so you were facing him, he reached a hand up to mess with the flowers neatly styled into your hair.

“Now, my darling” he crooned, slowly twirling a strand of your hair in his hand. The action combined with that low purr in his voice making warmth rise to your cheeks. A thought in the back of your mind screaming to run yet your body would not move an inch.

That smug smirk of his seemed to compliment that soft loving yet possessive look in those dark eyes that. Eyes that practically stared into your soul everytime they looked at you as he gazed at you. His free hand making sure you were securely seated across his lap, giving your thigh a gentle squeeze, “try to enjoy the evening, Hmmm? After all I spent a very, very, very, that’s three verys, long time planning for this celebration of our love. Your allowed to relax you know”

Before you could even ask how on earth you were supposed to enjoy this when he kidnapped you and put you through hell, he leaned in and pressed a tender yet passionate kiss to your lips.

His beak cold against your skin as you sat there wide eyed and frozen in surprise. A soft smile gracing his face as he felt your muscles relax slightly. Feeling his hands come up and rest on the back of your head when he pulled you closer to him. Basking in the softness of your lips and the scent of flowers still clinging to your skin from the bath.

Eventually, he pulled away to let you breathe. A small yelp of surprise escaping you when he teasingly nipped at your bottom lip, eliciting a breathy chuckle from him.

Resting his elbow on the arm rest of his throne and propping his head up with his hand. A look of pure adoration in his eyes that both frightened you and made your heart flutter ever so slightly.

“I love you, my dear” he murmured, his voice soft and eyes half lidded. tracing a heart across your neck with his free hand. his guilded claws brushing against your skin that you couldn’t tell if it was meant to be affectionate or a subtle reminder that you’d belong to him.

“so, so much” he murmured, his arm coming to wrap around your waist to press your frame against his plastron. The party becoming more of a blur as you quietly rested in his embrace. Peppering kisses across your head as you fought back the urge to push against him.

Looking back on it?

Maybe you should have just cut your losses and moved when you and the chance.

Now you dance and shed your tears in the loving but possessive arms of the goblin king.

[sevenop]

Billie Eilish x Fem!reader: Little dreams

A/n: Billie hadn't had time to carve pumpkin jack-o-lanterns last Halloween, making this unclosed gestalt her little dream. So you buy her a pumpkin out of the blue. You don't know how to play any musical instrument, but a ukulele is your humble dream. So Billie teaches you.

Just one comfortable July evening spent together.

The onyx-black Dodge, dear to her heart, native and irreplaceable, sways slightly from the trunk side, like a Venetian gondola on a small canal wave, and Eilish turned back as she was supposed to, not out of concern but out of interest. In the trunk now, in addition to the paper grocery bags, there is a pumpkin, jutting out its bright orange sides. Eilish's eyes widen in surprise, almost reflecting the real size of the fruit.

"Pumpkin?" - she stares at you, her hand simultaneously fumbling for the silver door handle to open it for you with a slight nudge. She looks as if you've stuffed an Irish goblin in her trunk.

"Pumpkin." - You innocently reply with a smile, taking your passenger seat to her left.The buckle of your belt snaps. - "I remember you saying a week ago that you really regretted not having time to carve a jack-o-lantern last Halloween."

"But it's July, girl!" - Eilish laughs ringingly, eyes shooting out sheaves of merry sparks. - "July!"

"So what? I don't need this stupid calendar to please my girlfriend."

The blue seas in front of you are warm and gentle, and no beach in California can compete. Eilish unbuckles her belt, and a soft palm, calloused only at the very tips of her fingers from the strings, lands on your knee. She uses it as a kind of thrust to pull herself practically flush to your lips. The pink petals of her lips fold into a budding smirk.

"Paparazzi, Bils," - you whisper, though inside you're already trembling with anticipation, as if you're both doing this for the first time. The self-assured curve of her lips is a can of gasoline spilling around you, your desire a burning match that you cover with the palm of your hand for save, gripping the wooden stick tightly with the fingers of your other hand.

"So what? I don't need someone else's stupid opinion to please my girlfriend." - she teasingly reworks your own phrase, dropping the words, the word expensive pearls across the marble floor. Defiantly and with a slight clatter. - "Relax and don't think about them, they're my responsibility."

"I know, it's just...," her palm touches your cheek, stroking, and you feel that slight roughness of her fingertips, contrasting interestingly with the overall softness of her alabaster skin, much more vividly than before. She seems about to play you, as if you were a musical instrument. - "I just don't want to let you down, or do anything wrong, or give you a problem-"

Hot lips interrupt you brazenly, and her hand slides from your cheek to your chin, touching with dominant pressure. You obediently open your mouth, and she immediately and treacherously seizes the opportunity. Her nimble tongue leaves a few strokes on your palate, hungrily pulling a few excited gasps out of you before she contentedly pulls away. The belt clicks back into position on her body and the engine rumbles with the turn of the key, as if to echo O'Connell's mood. You stare at her and swallow your words, mutely opening your mouth to close it again. You look like a cute fish.

"I appreciate that, I really do," Eilish touches the gear knob as if it were her royal scepter - honed and easy. - "But your disturbing idea that you're doing something wrong, I don't like it. It's a pure lie, and I'm willing to prove it with words and kisses like that for as long as it takes until you realize it."

"Thank you." - Your lips tremble in a grateful smile, and you place your hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. Only for a couple seconds, but so eloquent. She has time to touch your hand in return before she puts her palm back on the steering wheel and begins to pull out of the huge, accumulated parking lot by the afternoon sun. And even though all her attention is now focused on the road, you see her glow. You slowly but surely come to a realization.

"What are we going to do with the pumpkin pulp?" - Eilish touches the white playback triangle on the screen in a familiar gesture, and another indie song's musical rhythm spreads through the cabin.

"A pumpkin pie," - you playfully cover your ears, because Eilish is screaming childishly loud and overwhelmingly happy, as if she's five again instead of twenty-two. That's why you love her.

×××

"You never told me about your little dream," Billie wiped her nose with the back of her hand, leaving a generous white smear of flour underneath. After all, as befits cooking, her nose always itches in a bad way especially when she has to roll out the dough. - "I think it's a little unfair."

You smile wistfully, rubbing the uniform puree through a sieve: Maggie had once shared her secret that it made the pumpkin pie filling incredibly tender. The image of the little black ukulele that stands in your bedroom near the nightstand (a slight negligence of Eilish, which only adds to the charm) comes to mind: many little people, showing beige outlines on the dark sapele surface, stand in rows, leaning one shoulder to the side, all of them connected by chains of even smaller squares to each other. On the smooth head of the fretboard proudly stand four metal pegs that gleam so seductively, reflecting both the morning and evening sun. The rolling pin behind you stops clattering, meeting the surface of the wooden board over and over again, rolling out the dough, and her arms close around your waist, entangling you like mythical vines. The ephemeral world of your thoughts immediately flutters into the air, soaked in the warm scent of pumpkin and cinnamon, and you twitch slightly, but immediately move closer to Eilish, keeping the sieve in your hands. A playful chuckle touches your ear.

"My little coward," - her lips touch your cheek before she happily prefers to snuggle her nose into your shoulder, inhaling the scent she loves and at the same time leaving imprints of flour on you as well. - "And yet what is your dream?"

"To be frank," - you tilt the strainer back into the sink to place your palms on top of hers. - "I've always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument."

"Piano? Guitar?" - Eilish purrs, feeling the warmth of your arms. Swaying moderately from side to side with you, it's as if she's lulling you into that feeling of comfort and security.

"Nah, you didn't guess, it's a ukulele." - you softly reply, and she immediately stops your impromptu "pendulum" by freezing in place. A moment, and you find yourself pressed against the counter when Eilish turns you around to face her and places her hands on either side of you.

"And you were silent for so long?!" - The childishly sincere surprise frozen in her eyes reminds you of the beautiful shells at the bottom of the blue waters, enchanting you. - "I can teach you!"

"Nonsense, I didn't want to distract you with such empty requests." - you giggle, as soon as her lips form an insult, pouting a little, and her palms invocatory located on your cheeks, moving you closer to her. Her eyebrows slid down the bridge of her nose in their seriousness.

"You are very important to me аnd music is not an empty request."

You see the pale remnants of flour under her nose, then you look again at her serious blue oceans and suddenly, even for yourself, you burst into laughter, appreciating this homely contrast. Eilish puffs loudly like a kettle, but seeing your satisfied look - immediately changes his mind to take offense, and only kisses, deliberately rubbing nose at you as often as possible. The leftover flour remains completely on you.

"I'll teach you after dinner, klutz. Deal?"

"Deal." - you throw your arms around her neck, so treacherously unwilling to pull away from her, and she gallantly wipes the remnants of flour from your face. Incredible royal mercy.

The timer on the stove dings, announcing the end of the warm-up. It seems you should continue making the pie after all.

×××

And though the pie was deliciously delicate, and the cooking together was marvelously seductive, what was happening to you now opened up some new horizons in the definition of such words as "captivating" and "matchless". Eilish hardly glares at you, waiting for you to finish with the last piece, and you deliberately mockingly bite the flour crust slowly, throwing glances at her in response. O'connell, because of the enthusiasm bubbling in her blood, ate her portion almost chewing, which makes watching her impatience even more fun. It seems that if you had put your hand under her T-shirt, you would have easily found the wick, because Eilish, from his own impatience, almost resembles a cartoon stick of dynamite. Finally, when the empty plate finds its place on the glass coffee table next to the wide white sofa, Eilish already flies up to the second floor with the speed of a bullet, stumbling on the steps in the semi-darkness, illuminated only by the cheerful face of a pumpkin carved by her. The harbingers of her return are the faint tinkling of strings and cursing.

And here you are, sitting in her arms on the floor, moving closer to the silly pumpkin face so that the picture before your eyes doesn't fade into the oblivion of darkness. Four strings catch the sparkling, warm glow of the candle, and you stare at your girlfriend's fingers as openly as you ever have before. It's getting kind of hot, and yes, you're ready to blame it on the poor pumpkin, in no case is your feeling of embarrassment from the obscenity of your own thoughts, no.

"We'll start with the easiest, I think you'll like it." - It's impossible to hold back a chuckle at her conspiratorial whisper in your ear. You can literally feel her satisfied smirk, you don't even need to turn around. Her sly intonation says it all.

"Won't you even tell me what song we're going to learn?" - you raise your eyebrows with interest, which flick upward like an askance birds.

"I want you to guess, my girl," Eilish touches your right palm gently to place it on the strings just above the resonating hole. The close bodily contact makes you shiver for some reason, as if this is new to you. Perhaps it's all the influence of the intimate semi-darkness and evening silence. "Do you know the fretboard mean yet?"

You nod confidently, recalling Finneas's long-ago explanation. Eilish smiles contentedly.

"I have a very capable apprentice. So, let's start with a rhythm, with me for now."

Eilish muffles the strings with her left hand, pressing them slightly against the fingerboard with her four fingers, her thumb resting lightly on the back of the fingerboard. And then she moves along the strings with you, leaving her palm on top of yours: twice down, twice up, once down, then up. You watch each movement mesmerized, and Billie only murmurs softly in your ear the desired rhythm, helping you memorize it. After a while, she removes her palm (which is somewhat saddening), honoring you and giving you autonomy. After a few successful attempts, she opens her fingers on the fingerboard, and a sound that is not quite slender, but definitely pleasant, spills into the room. You gasp in surprise.

"You're doing great," - you can feel her leaning closer against your, giving you a strong and support hug. Embarrassed heat spills over your entire body, growing especially hot in your heart. It feels insanely good. - "Now you and I need to learn proper finger placement and memorize a few simple chords."

And Billie shows you: she puts not the whole pad of her finger on the strings, but only the very tip, slightly bending the phalanges and gently pressing the nylon musical "threads". Having tried it, you now really understand why her fingertips are so different from the softness of her palm. It hurts a little, but it's not critical.

"Over time you'll develop a kind of 'calluses', or rather your skin will just ogoubet from rubbing against the strings and it'll be much more pleasant to play." - Billie explains softly, and you nod silently again. It's like you're a first-grader seeing a beautiful and good-natured teacher for the first time, listening with your mouth almost open. - "Now put your beautiful middle finger on the first string, third fretboard. That will be a C chord."

And you obediently put it down. Eilish runs her hand over the strings in rhythm, and the pleasant dissonance of the past sounds merges into one - slender and precise, soft. You repeat after her, with your left hand not letting go of the string, and you feel like a magician, still with your mouth ajar in surprise, like a child. Eilish notices and laughs loudly.

Next, you learn the next chords - cmaj7, F, G. Billie instructs so gently and tactfully, and you feel like a cube of sugar in warm berry tea. You don't want it to end. And even though your fingertips ache under the unfamiliar hardness of the strings, even though combining rhythm and chords transposition is hard at first, you're slowly but surely getting the hang of it. After an hour, the awkward movements of your fingers when changing chords become more confident and faster, and the melody is almost uninterrupted. You smile warmly at the realization of exactly what you are performing.

When you completely play the tune without mistakes, Eilish unlocks such cozy embrace and almost drops you on the floor, kissing you to the absolute. The pumpkin from such a trick jiggles gently, flickering with flames. A toothy grin, a triangular nose, and eyes, one of which resembles a pirate's patch - a little pumpkin pirate.

"I'm so proud of you!"

"I want to learn more from you, Eilish." - You whisper softly and a smile immediately spreads across your face. She's so close to you now, so beautiful...

"And I want to teach you more, Y/n." - blue eyes catch the glare from the candlelight for just a moment before she squints slyly, playfully mocking you. The solemn little vow between you is sealed with a leisurely kiss.

Then you play again and again until the wick sinks into the hot wax and the little candle goes out. Billie just purrs lovingly against your shoulder, rest assured, she is bursting with a disproportionate pride in you and you can literally feel it in the air. As the living room sinks into darkness, she lightly touches her lips to your fingertips - exactly where it hurts so much so far. Her blue eyes are so attentive, glistening in the July darkness, and her lips glide over your skin so slowly and smoothly, like a little boat.

She hums "8" to your playing, and you're only more convinced that playing the ukulele is truly your little dream.

[ilikebookssomuch]

Random KotLC fic WIP because why not

let me know if I should continue with this crackpot idea :D

Biana screams, her face twisting in pain as she reaches a hand out of the flames, grasping for my hand. I grab onto her and pull, sparks flying in my hair and catching my cape on fire. I shriek as the flames eat at my back, but I keep pulling. After a moment, the smoke chokes me and I let go of Biana’s hand. 

She screams, a long, wordless shriek of agony. Blisters erupt along her bare arm and the side of her neck. I nearly vomit, but there is too much smoke and ash in my throat. I blink rapidly, and when I open my eyes again I have lost sight of Biana. 

Fitz is nearby, attempting to rescue Dex from the boulder he’s caught under. His pant leg is on fire. Dex’s face is bloody and there is a gash on his shoulder, the sleeve ripped. Dex’s leg is caught under the boulder and the fire is creeping closer.

Fitz! I transmit.

He looks up, snapping his head around to meet my eyes.

Use telekinesis!! Fitz nods and turns back to Dex. My bare feet pound on the gry grass beneath me splinters embedding themselves in my toes as I run.

Tam is battling with a figure in a black cloak. Linh is trapped under a force field, and I can see her trying to draw water outside of the glowing dome. Five ogres surround Sandor and Grizel so I turn towards them, flinging goblin-throwing stars from my cape pockets. I knock down two of the ogres, and now I can see Sandor and Grizel back to back with their swords raised. They seem like they can handle it, so I keep running. The fire is at my back now, red-hot and towering over me. 

Nearby, Wylie is battling Gethen, but he seems to be losing. I pull Hope from her sheath and charge into the battle. Wylie is flashing a beam of bright purple light into Gethen’s eyes, so I take advantage of the momentary distraction and stab Gethen’s arm. I wince a little when I see the blood, but I am used to violence by now. 

It’s always there, hiding in the shadows. We’ve been at war with the Neverseen for almost two years, and this is one of our most deadly skirmishes. Fintan sparked the Everblaze while we were all assembled in the Black Swan’s newest hideout. So much for that. 

The hideout is surely burned to the ground by now, and Fintan seems to have escaped. Gethen, Vespera, Trix, Umber, Brnt, Lady Gisella, and dozens of other black-cloaked figures are fighting against the collective and a few other elves I haven’t met yet, about twenty gnomes, fifteen goblins, four trolls, and thirty dwarves are all here fighting with my friends and me. I haven’t seen Mr. Forkle yet, so I decide to look for him. 

I close my eyes, the sounds of screams and shouts and metal against metal clanging together and the fire popping and sparking in the distance. I tune all of that out, concentrating on the sounds of thoughts instead. 

This is it. That’s Tam. I keep searching. 

Where is Dex?! Juline’s panicked thoughts are so clear. Sharp and piercing my brain.

GRIZEL!! Sandor is distraught, the image of Grizle with a deep gash in her side blaring into my mind. I hold back tears, but I can’t give up. Mr. Forkle is so important, he can’t be dead. 

What about Keefe? I shove the thought back. I don’t have time to think about his betrayal right now. Finally, I catch a whisper: I wish my brother was here.

Mr. Forkle had a twin brother, but he died in the collapse of Lumenaria a few years ago. Months later, Keefe disappeared; and the only sign of him was the note I found next to Iggy’s cage. The memory of That Day resurfaces and I am thrown into the past.

* * *

I have just gotten home from a particularly awkward meeting with the Black Swan. I burned down the Neverseen’s storehouse, but basically no one was pleased with that. I shove my frustrations aside and grab a ripplefluff before heading upstairs.

When I enter my room, I tense. There are footprints on my flowery rug, and Iggy is a different color. He has stripes of teal and blue and purple and pink now, and –I rush closer to his cage– there is a note held under the corner of the cage. I read it, my worry increasing with every word. 

* * *

To the Mysterious Miss F,

Ugh, I’m already regretting saying this. But this is serious.

 I know that a lot has been happening lately, with your abilities, and my crazy mother. And I’m sorry. But I figured out a way to control myself. I hope you won’t hate me for it. 

This is for the best. 

—Keefe.

P.S. I love you, Sophie. Always have. Always will.

Goodbye.

Tears start to blur my eyes, but I still catch the words “I love you.” 

Does this mean what I think it means? Is Keefe…. I can’t think about this. He’s just getting used to his ability. He’ll come back. 

Right?

[roohuh]

His Scent

Ominis x MC

Part 3 of my Obliviate series

Summary: you muddle your way through your first day of classes unsure of how to act around Ominis having no memory for him

Warnings: m/c has a panic attack Ominis comforts

Strolling through the halls of Hogwarts you meander your way towards your fist class of the day. You had gotten up particularly early in hopes to avoid Ominis but of course he was an early riser. Mumbling excuses you slip past him and out into the rest of the castle. Breakfast seemed utterly unbearable due to the mountain of questions you were sure would come from Poppy and Imeldia. You also did not relish the idea of being near Ominis. You know his eyes can not see you but the thought of them sorrowfully turned your way like they were last night was to much to bare. You knew he could not help the way he feels about you but you were not sure how to feel about him. After reading through the letters last night you knew you had loved him but it felt like reading through the intimate moments shared by a couple you were no part of. You huff in frustration taking another bite from a stolen muffin. As you walk into the Divination classroom you scan the crowd until you spot a familiar brown mop. Next to him was an empty seat with Ominis sitting next. Stomach sinking seeing their sitting arrangement with the obvious intention being you in the middle. Swallowing hard you sit down trying to not act as strange as you felt.

“Hello,” Ominis smiled warmly.

“Missed you at breakfast.” Sebastian questioned. Holding up your half eaten muffin you answer.

“ Needed some fresh air.” Ominis looks concerned but remains silent. Natty walks up behind you hitting your shoulder.

“Where did you go last night? Your boyfriend can not hog you all of the time my friend we must catch up!” She declares with a hearty laugh. You jump up, throwing her arms around Nattys neck.

“Oh I apologize dear Natty! We had to discuss some crazy summer happenings; which I will fill you in on later of corse!”

“How about lunch?” She suggests and you eagerly agree. Class begins and you quickly find your seat. Boyfriend. You sigh to yourself sneaking a glance at the defined jawline of your apparent boyfriend. You muse about what lead to the two of you being together. Desperately wracking your brain for answers which were always clouded. Listening to you through the entire class was absolute torture for Ominis knowing you well enough to sense how little sleep you got last night. Also taking note of the many exasperated sighs. As class ends you look at your list you wrote on the back of your hand to help in remembering the order of the day. Heart sinking as you read the next class on the list:magical theory. Every time you are in that room you are transported back to your fifth year to watch your most beloved professor die. Sebastian waves to you and Ominis promising to catch up with the both of you after class.

Entering Figs old classroom with eyes fixed on your feet you remind yourself you need this class to pass willing yourself through the lesson. Aware of your state, Ominis searches for a way to help without making you uncomfortable. Red swirls of ancient magic creep into the room and somewhere in the distance you hear screaming goblins. Hands over your ears you attempt to block out your surroundings feeling dizzy and weak. Feeling as if all the air has been sucked from your lungs you begin to gasp. Suddenly a strong hand is gently placed behind your head pulling you in close.

“You are safe. Hogwarts is safe. Ranrok is gone.” Ominis shushes you gently. Focusing on the rhythmic thumping of his heart you work to steady your breath. Slowly the screaming subsides and you are back in the classroom. You can feel the heat rising to your face at being so close to Ominis. With your face buried in his chest you breathe in the cologne. Then it hits you.

“I remember your scent.” You whisper into his broad chest. Fingers slowly releasing the tight grip they had on his robes you slowly pull away from Ominis.

“I’m sorry, it was just the only way I knew how to help…” softly Ominis apologizes trying to move back and give you space.

“No. Thank you. It helped.” Is your mumbled reply then you add “Your cologne. I… I remember your cologne.” Before he can respond the professor clears his throat and launches into his first lecture of the semester. Ominis can not help but smile a broad wide relieved smile. If you can remember his smell then maybe there is hope for the rest of your memories.

[dishushu]

"i’m still into you, morales."

pairing: miles morales !1610 x reader

genre: angst to fluff:)

inspo song: still into you. - paramore

warnings: cursing, blood, near death experience for reader, angry miles:(, green goblin being a creepy ass bitch, weapons.

words: 1.2k.

summary: the only way he can keep you safe is by breaking up with you for your safety, but months later you run into him and fortunately, you’re still into him.

a/n- ill be taking a small break after writing this due to my mental health literally crashing but i promise yall once im back ill post something😭 this is a small fic bc im currently focusing on other stuff at the moment AND i wanna thank @smokeywhalee for giving me the idea on the last part love ya mwahh❤❤

can't count the years on one hand that we've been, together.

miles and you have been best friends since you were small— quite frankly your whole childhood. miles was always right by your side through thick and thin, and you did too.

but when our fingers interlock, can’t deny, can’t deny you’re worth it.

and that’s when you started dating miles, you realized he fell in love with you the moment he saw you and his love grew fonder and fonder as he grew older.

you recount the night that you first, told his mother, and on the drive back to your house, he told you for the first time he loved you.

and you felt the weight of the world fall off your shoulders, and you sing along to the start of forever—

but that ended soon.

ever since miles became spiderman, his life started to become more dangerous — and you were worried sick.

everyday he would climb to your apartment, wounded and injured and you’d always patch him up, and he would always leave you worried.

so that’s when he decided to leave you for his own safety— and yours.

when he broke the news to you, it’s like your whole world stopped— you were frozen and so was time, but it was for your own good and his.

“i’m so so sorry mi corazon, it’s for your own good, i promise. please don’t cry anymore.” he whined, cupping your jawline as he wiped your tears.

you could see his glistening eyes, his tears waiting to fall as if they were impatient, you felt your heart shatter even more every minute you looked into his eyes.

you grabbed the said hand that was on your jaw, holding it tightly and savoring the last moment you both were witnessing.

he gave you one final goodbye kiss and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

you couldn’t do anything now that your love of your life was gone, you couldn’t believe it that your last moment with miles is with him leaving.

———

hours of sleepless nights, days of overthinking and sadness burying you, and weeks of crying passed since miles left you and you couldn't even tell time anymore, you were still into him but what could you do now?

it was not until everything went downhill for you.

the green goblin has been miles's archnemesis for god knows how long ever since he became spiderman— and the green goblin was determined to find you, the love of his life, and make him miserable, so he used you as bait.

as you were walking down a sketchy road to pass the convenience store to get a snack, you heard a loud clang in a sketchy alleyway and you stopped in your tracks, turning your head to look at the gloomy area— and before you knew it, the green goblin glided out and took you in, covering your mouth to prevent you from screaming and his other hand holding a knife.

he took you to a rooftop in a sketchy area, the moon and street lights being so dim you can barely see anything. the green goblins breath over your neck as the knife he was holding was now on your neck, as he glided through the surface of it and making you bleed and wince in pain.

“what do you want from me? let me fucking go please!” you screamed as tears planted your face— trying to escape from his grasp.

“now now sweetheart, i need your little boyfriend, you’re useless to me— i just need to kill you and then kill him next.”

he whispered into your ear as you cringed back— his words echoing in your mind over and over again, the realization hitting you that he’s gonna kill miles— when you heard a voice from afar, a familiar voice you’ve always known.

“let ‘em go.” the voice was demeaning, when you lifted your head up and saw.. “miles..?” you whispered as tears began streaming down your face, when the green goblin shut you up by slicing another cut with the knife as you cried out in pain.

miles webbed the knife onto the ground as he stepped closer and was ready to pounce on the green goblin, he’d do anything just to keep you alive— even it means he had to face the opposite.

“hold on now— if you’re gonna kill me you’ll be killing them now wouldn’t you?” he said, his free hand now gripping on your neck as he choked you— your struggling making your breath shorter every second.

miles put his hand down as he looked over to the green goblins glider that was on the side of the door— he grabbed it by webbing it and slid it off the rooftop, the web still holding on to it as it was dangling off the rooftop.

the green goblin gasped as he let go of your neck, leaving you to fall on the ground as you gasped for air— the sight of you making miles want to punch out the green goblins guts for doing this to you.

“it’s either, you give me them or i’ll drop your precious little glider.” miles protested, his voice was low but angry— a side of him you’ve never seen before.

the green goblin didn’t answer as he kept stepping closer to miles, and miles backing away in his every move.

the green goblin got tired of his little game and grabbed your hand and threw you over to miles, which in result making miles more furious.

“there, you have them now give me back my glider.” the green goblin protested as he walked closer to miles.

“come and catch it then.” miles let go of the web resulting the green goblin shouting a “NO!” — the glider falling down as the green goblin jumped to get it.

miles then looked over to you, bending down to your height as you sat on the floor— in pain and helpless.

“are you okay?” miles panicked, his both hands on your shoulders as he scanned for wounds other than the one on your neck.

you nodded as you swallowed the lump in your throat, causing you to tear up again and this making miles even more worried.

“i’m.. i’m still into you, morales.” you blurted out, causing miles to look at you with admiration.

“i should be over by the butterflies already but, i’m into you,”

as you sighed shakily to look up at miles, his hand reached for your jawline as he caressed it softly, wiping the blood away from your neck as he kissed you softly.

its like you’ve been waiting for this moment forever, now that the green goblin was gone (or was he..?)— he had you all to himself with no worries.

he pulled away from the kiss, chuckling softly as your forehead pressed on his, your nose brushing over his.

“god how i missed you and this moment, mi vida, i’m so sorry i left you— there want a day that passed by that i haven’t thought about you.” he grabbed you by the waist, pulling you closer to him as your head was on his shoulder.

“i missed you more, and i’m glad you’re still into me.”

© hearts4hobie, all rights reserved. do not steal, translate, and rewrite without permission. love y’all mwah♥️ 💋

[its-jaytothemee]

Until I Met You - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Whizbangs

Pairings: Halsin x Tav

Word count: 5,236

Rating: Currently M, will be Explicit in later chapters.

Read on AO3

Previous Next

Summary: Our heroes continue searching Grymforge, hoping to find the enslaved gnomes and the drow Nere. An unexpected complication keeps them from exploring the rest of the ruins. Part 16 of the slow burn fic. Tav and Halsin POVs.

Tags: Slow burn, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, fluff, eventual love confessions, eventual smut, angst, implied past rape/non-con and abuse, graphic description of injuries, brief suicidal thoughts.

A/N: Enjoy a more combat-heavy chapter! Only a few more left until the Act 1 story is completed :) I'll hopefully have another chapter ready to go by the weekend. Thanks for continuing to read, and I hope you're still enjoying the story <3

The next room they entered burned as hot as some unholy combination between Avernus and Phlegethos. Pungent aromas of sulfur and ash wafted over them as lava flowed freely on one side of the chamber.

“Soldier.” Karlach nudged Tav with the bottom of her sword. “Another scrying eye.”

The unsettling purple orb floated around the room, whispering screeches rolling off of it. Suddenly, it spun around to face them. The eerie slit in the middle narrowed into a pointed oval, like it was attempting to stare into their souls.

Gods I hope this one wasn’t connected to the goblin camp.

Angry yells mixed with pained cries pulled her attention past the scrying eye. A group of gnomes was chipping away at a large pile of rock. This had to be the cave-in they were warned about.

“Heat up some rocks. Let’s see how the little pricks do when we strap fire to their legs.” The duergar overseeing the digging gnomes spat the words out before turning to face Tav and her companions.

“Move, hoon. I don’t have time for drugnin’ outsiders.”

“Charming.” Gale pursed his lips and glared at the duergar. Upon closer inspection, Tav noticed she wasn’t wearing shoes. Rather inconvenient considering the temperature in the chamber. Her eyes flitted to Karlach’s boots, thinking that this must be the slaver Thulla stole them from.

“You better make time for a True Soul.” Tav commanded, Astarion gave an approving snort at her tone.

The parasite squirmed with anticipation in her mind, but fell still a moment later, disappointed. The duergar was not hosting a mind flayer tadpole.

“A True Soul, eh? Useless lookout could’ve told me. I’m Sergeant Thrinn.” She rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the rockslide before them. “Glad you’re here to take responsibility though. Tunnel’s collapsed with True Soul Nere stuck inside. It’s filled with poisoned geysers. We don’t get him out soon, it’s both our heads.”

“Clearing that rubble will be no easy feat. Any ideas?” Tav didn’t want to give anything away, she had a couple of satchels of smokepowder that they had picked up on their travels. Looking around the chamber, she counted at least eight duergar. If they could get them out of the way, they could deal with Nere much easier.

“Not a one – unless you count tacking aboleth fangs to my whipping cane.”

The other duergar overseers were shouting threats and obscenities at the gnomes.

“Keep crying for your sister, and I’ll personally rip off her head when you dig her out!”

“You fail to get that True Soul out and I’ll have you licking your own blood off my whipping cane!”

Tav heard the crack of a whip, followed by a pained cry from one of the gnomes. Shadowheart let out a shocked gasp at the sound. She heard Karlach snarl beside her as well as huffs from both Gale and Wyll.

“Ngh, it hurts.” Shadowheart hissed behind her.

Eight duergar against the seven of them? She liked those odds.

Tav’s face twisted into a half smile, half snarl.

“Karlach, love?” She never took her eyes off the duergar in front of her.

“Yeah, soldier?” The flames raging around Karlach’s shoulders rose with each syllable. Tav’s lips twitched up further into a smirk.

“Whizbangs.”

Karlach’s foot collided with Sergeant Thrinn’s chest not a moment later, sending her careening into the nearby lava. A fitting move considering she now wore the boots stolen off the duergar. She screamed in agony as the lava melted flesh from bone.

Seven to seven.

The other duergar stood gaping at them for a moment, stunned by the surprise attack from these “True Souls.” Tav and the others wasted no time taking advantage of their shock.

“Karlach!” Tav yelled as she drew her bow. “The scrying eye!”

“On it, soldier!” Karlach grabbed the orb and flung it into the lava next to the duergar. The orb quickly disintegrated, taking away their ability to call reinforcements. Once the scrying eye was taken care of, she turned around to take a swipe at the other duergar overseer. The other duergar at the end of the room still stood in place, shocked by the sudden treachery.

An arrow came whizzing past her shoulder, the feathered end grazed her armor. Her eyes followed its trajectory to find a duergar up on a walkway.

“I need to get up there!” Tav pointed to the balcony where the lone archer was trying to pick them off.

“Tav!” Gale ran up to her side and slapped her on the shoulder. Suddenly, a power was coursing through her legs. She felt like she could leap over the towers of Wyrm’s Crossing. “Jump!”

An excited smile took over her face as she crouched before pushing her body off the ground. She soared through the air to land behind the archer above them.

“Hey there!” She yelled before shooting a thunder arrow at their chest, sending them soaring over the edge. The body landed with a nauseating crack.

Six to seven.

From up above, she would be able to easily help pick off the remaining duergar. Her arrows whistled through the air to find the slats in their armor. One found the husky duergar in the middle of her companions, ensnaring them in a large vine. With him restrained, Lae’zel was able to strike him down with ease.

Five to seven.

The other overseer that was with Sergeant Thrinn muttered an incantation and turned his gaze to Tav. She felt a pull on her mind, the familiar feel of someone trying to gain entry, but not using the tadpole.

Another mind master.

She closed off her mind, blocking his spell.

“Got another charmer!” Tav called on the tadpole to tell her companions as she fired an arrow in his direction, it bounced off the pauldron of his armor before clattering to the floor.

Karlach let out a growling scream as she began to rage. She picked up the mind master duergar and heaved him to the edge of the lava where Gale was recovering from being shot by one of the other archers. He spun around and unleashed a wave of booming energy, hurling the duergar into the lava alongside his ally.

Four to seven.

The remaining duergar rushed at them in a desperate attempt to overwhelm them, but they had the advantage now in both numbers and skill. The duergar made the mistake of grouping up together, making them easy targets.

Tav launched another arrow, one that shattered on impact into a mess of thorns to hit all four of the advancing enemies. Astarion followed up with a series of quick attacks, dropping one of them to the ground.

Three to seven.

Wyll called forth a swirling tornado of magical daggers right in front of them, giving them no time to react as they ran straight through the spell. The churning blades ripped through the duergars’ flesh, felling two more.

One to seven.

The last duergar emerged from Wyll’s attack ragged and barely standing, where Shadowheart was waiting. With one final wallop with her mace, their last enemy collapsed, their blood seeping into the crevices of the chamber floor.

They took a moment to look around, making sure they hadn’t missed any enemies. All Tav saw was a group of terrified gnomes, all huddled in a corner and clutching their mining tools. She clambered down the ladder to rejoin her friends and address the gnomes.

“It’s okay, you’re free now.” Tav’s breathing was heavy. “You need to get out of here.”

“Not without the others trapped in the tunnel.” A white-haired gnome stepped up to tell her.

“But what are we going to do about the drow?” The gnome with a leather hat and a nervous voice asked.

“Leave Nere to us.” Tav turned her attention to the collapsed tunnel.

“I know you.” One of the gnomes in the back walked up to greet her. “The mascot of my misfortunes.” The bald gnome stared up at her with his hands on his hips.

“…Barcus, right?” She recalled meeting him when they saved him from a group of goblins that had tied him to a windmill.

“The very same.” The other gnomes seemed to relax a little during their interaction. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, there are gnomes trapped behind these rocks and we need to free them.”

Tav pulled the pouch of smokepowder from her backpack and held it up in one hand with a smile.

“Good thing you let me take that pack of yours, huh?”

“Oh, yes that should work just fine. Very decent of you.” She set the small pouch close to the pile of collapsed rock. Even contained in the drawstring bag, its ashy, smoky scent filled her nostrils.

“Alright, everyone back.” Tav shooed them away from the tunnel entrance. “Gale? Care to do the honors?”

“It would be my pleasure.” He smiled as the fiery magic danced around his fingertips. “Ignis!”

The thin bolt of fire sailed through the air to ignite the smokepowder, causing a massive explosion and obliterating the rocky obstruction. Not a moment later, they heard coughing and the gut-churning smell of poison wafting out of the tunnel to mingle with the hot, hazy air.

“Beldron!” The gnome with the hat ran out from behind her to greet one of their liberated friends.

The three gnomes that were trapped behind the rubble scrambled out from the poisonous cloud, coughing and stumbling over their own feet. A drow came stomping out behind them, also choking and gagging on the acrid air flowing around him.

Nere.

The three slaves that had emerged cowered at the edge of the lava, nervous eyes darting between her group of adventurers and Nere.

Tav could hear Karlach’s ragged, heavy breathing beside her as she came down from her rage. Shadowheart’s familiar magic swirled around them as she muttered the healing spell under her breath, preparing them for another battle.

“Finally.” Nere hissed once he was able to catch his breath and turned his ire toward the group of trembling gnomes.

“Worthless slaves. Your incompetence has been my ruin.”

Tav took a step forward, ready to start yet another fight.

There’s no reasoning with men like this.

“Nere. Does not. Fail.” He spun around before he threw his hands out in front of him and sent a wave of thunder at one of the slaves. The other gnomes cried out in surprise.

Knocking her into the lava.

“Stop!” Tav screamed as she ran up to him. “No more innocents will die today.”

“You care for the weak? Tell me, True Soul,” he spat the words back at her, “was it you who slayed Nere’s servants? Or is there another sane explanation?”

A familiar squirm in her mind let Astarion commune with her without Nere hearing.

“Play. Along. Tav. He may know how to get us into Moonrise. You’re the one who is desperate to find a way to pass through the shadows. Don’t throw away your chance playing hero to a few slaves.” His judgmental hiss caused her to grit her teeth.

“I can’t.” She whispered the words out loud.

Karlach let out another battle cry, ready to rage once more. The flames rising out of her skin were stronger than Tav had ever seen them. Had she slipped a soul coin in when they weren’t looking?

“Mother. Fucking. WHIZBANGS!” Karlach didn’t wait for the others to join, she made a huge, arcing swipe at the drow. He backed up and avoided the worst of her attack, but she still left a deep gash on his arm.

“So be it.” Nere snarled. He started an incantation as he turned his attention to Astarion.

Lae’zel took a swing at the drow, catching the same arm Karlach had injured previously. Nere cried out in pain, but still finished the incantation.

Astarion grunted behind them as he gripped the sides of his head. A moment later, he stood up straight, his red eyes hollow and unfeeling.

Gale and Wyll started hurling spells at Nere, Eldritch Blasts and Fireballs soared through the air. Yet Nere kept his concentration fixed on their pale friend.

Meanwhile, Astarion lunged at Lae’zel while she still had her back to him.

Gods he’s fast.

Tav heard the squelching sound of his fangs biting into her neck, eliciting an angry growl from her. Lae’zel cracked Astarion over the top of his head with the pommel of her sword. She could hear the smack of the metal against his skull even from across the chamber.

“Lae’zel!” Tav screamed. “Why did you do that?!”

“He bit me!” She yelled back as Astarion staggered back from her in a daze. “I told him what would happen should I find his fangs anywhere near my throat, istik!”

“He’s charmed! Try not to kill him before we can disrupt the spell, will you?” Tav took another shot at Nere whose focus was fixed on Astarion. The arrow sunk into his shoulder, breaking his concentration, and pushing him back a few steps…right into Karlach.

She brought her sword up over her head and drove it down hard, stabbing it into the spot where Nere’s neck met his shoulder. He let out a few more gurgling gasps before collapsing to the floor. Karlach took her sword back with a grunt, the flames around her had grown even taller. Astarion stumbled a bit as he regained control of his mind.

“She hit me!” Astarion shrieked as he rubbed the small knot forming on the back of his head. “Fucking murder hungry gith…didn’t even taste good.” He started muttering under his breath.

“It’s okay, buddy. I’ll take care of it.” Tav smiled fondly as Astarion pouted at Lae’zel. No longer under Nere’s charm, he was back to his snippy self. She cast a quick healing spell to ease the headache, giving him a quick pat on the shoulder when she was done.

“That’ll have to do for now, I’m all out.” Her fingers tingled as she tried to cast another spell but produced no magic.

She was going to inspect Nere’s body when she heard a cry behind her, followed by a loud thud on the floor. When she turned around, Karlach had collapsed and was now writhing in pain.

“Karlach!” Tav yelled and ran over to where she was laying. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“Unhh…” Karlach groaned and thrashed as she grasped at her chest, her nails starting to scratch the skin raw. “Too much…”

“What’s happening?” Gale’s voice was ripe with panic.

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Tav hovered protectively over her friend as she tried to find a way to help. The gnome slaves had moved off into a corner, trying to decide whether they were safe.

“…Heat…” Karlach’s tears fell from her eyes to mix with the sweat pooling beneath her face and neck.

Tav looked around frantically, trying to find a way to help move her. Being so close to the lava must have put her engine in overdrive. But how could they help get her out? Another screaming sob from Karlach startled her out of her thoughts.

Oh, fuck it. This is gonna hurt.

Tav took a deep breath and grabbed Karlach’s arm to wrap around her neck. Even through her thick gloves, she could feel the heat pouring from her skin.

“No, Tav…you’ll burn.”

“You’re not dying here, Karlach.” She growled back. “You guys get Nere’s head; I’m getting her out of here.” Gale and Wyll nodded their understanding.

She managed to wrap one arm around her shoulders, her skin met the nape of Tav’s neck causing a grunt of pain from her. But she mustered all of her remaining strength to drag Karlach down the stairs and closer to the docks. The heat coming from her arm was unbearable.

How in the hells does she live like this?

Karlach’s arm continued searing the back of Tav’s neck, leaving the smell of burning flesh in their wake. She felt her skin split as she turned her head which sent a sharp pain down her back. The white-hot burn brought tears to her eyes, but she kept a firm hold on Karlach. Sweat dripped from her face and neck, stinging the wound and causing another cry of pain from Tav. The other hand helping to hold up her torso was starting to burn even over her clothing and through Tav’s gloves. Karlach’s other arm came up to grab Tav’s for support. Once again, the blinding heat cut through armor and clothing alike to meet her skin. Hot enough that she could feel blisters starting to form under her gloves and armor. The sensation could only be compared to being boiled in a pot of oil. Surely the Hells themselves couldn’t even be this hot.

“Almost there, Karlach.” Tav grunted as another spike of pain ripped through her neck and up into her head.

She dropped her at the bottom of the stairs where they had arrived earlier. The sudden motion tore Karlach’s arm from her neck, ripping away part of the skin that had seared to her bicep. Tav screamed as she felt blood start to trickle down her back. Dark spots clouded her vision, and she tasted bile at the back of her throat.

Despite getting away from the lava, Karlach was still spasming on the floor beside her. Deep gashes lined her chest from where she had clawed at the infernal engine below. The glow beneath her skin raged against its fleshy prison – beating and pounding against the walls of her ribcage. Blood streamed from the scratches on the surface, the trickles sizzling and popping along her scalding skin. The heat coming from her body was rising with each passing moment along with Karlach’s cries.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tav saw a bucket. She scrambled over to grab it before filling it up with the lake water. She took the entire bucket and dumped it on Karlach, a satisfying hiss of steam rose up from the flaming tiefling. Just to be sure, she filled it again, and dumped another bucket full of water on her. Afterwards, her breathing seemed to slow, and the flames calmed down to their normal level.

“Better?” Tav asked, out of breath.

“Much Better. Thanks, soldier.” Karlach gasped as she pulled herself up to one knee. Tav nodded in response, causing her to wince. She moved her hair to the side to keep it from brushing against the fresh burn.

“Oh shit…oh fuck…oh shit, Tav.” Karlach puffed. “Oh soldier, that’s a bad burn. I’m so sorry…” Tears started streaming down her face again.

“It’s alright, I’m sure Shadowheart can take care of it. I knew the risks, love.” Tav grunted as she tried to lean back.

The position of the burn made it difficult to move her head or shoulders without searing pain ripping through her upper body. Even when she didn’t move, the edge of her armor sat right over the most painful section. When she took off her gloves, she noticed that her hands were blistered as well.

“I…I need to get this armor off. It’s rubbing the burn and making it worse.” Tav sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth.

“Here, let me.” Wyll had joined them at the docks. He untied the straps holding the armor at her shoulders quickly. Lae’zel came to the other side of her to help him lift it off over her head. They made slow, gentle movements, careful not to bump the burn as they removed it.

“Okay, let me take a look.” Tav heard Shadowheart behind her and felt her small hands brush against her back. “This is bad. I can help alleviate some of the pain, but I really think we should have Halsin look at this. Unless you want some nasty scarring.”

“Do what you can for now, we need to get back across the lake anyway.” Tav took a few steadying breaths to help work through the pain.

Involuntary tears streaked her cheeks as Shadowheart slowly gathered her thin tunic and pulled it over her head, once again taking care to not brush it against the burn. Her healing spell took some of the sting out of the wound, but she could still feel the heat radiating from her neck.

“Where are the gnomes?” Tav asked.

“They’re on their way down. They’ll be heading across the lake as well. A couple of them wanted to speak with you before we part ways.” Gale explained.

“Very well.” Tav breathed the words out. “Can you see if they’ll meet with us at our camp?” Gale nodded before dashing back up the stairs.

“Okay, that’s as far as I dare heal this for now.” Shadowheart stood up and brushed herself off. “We need to get her to Halsin.”

***

Halsin did his best to wait patiently in camp for the others. He took the time to meditate and prepare more potions and elixirs for everyone. Not to mention bond with the small trail of new animal friends he had gained. Today, that included Lunari as Tav had opted to leave her in camp since they were unsure of what dangers the ruins held.

Despite his best efforts, he remained distracted for most of the day. He was anxious to find out if his instincts were right. Hopefully when they returned today, he would know if they had their path to Moonrise Towers.

The familiar shuffle of the group’s footsteps whisked his attention away from the herbs he was grinding. They definitely seemed exhausted. He noticed Karlach was keeping her distance from the others, not walking close by, but keeping a solid four or five paces between her and the nearest person. Her face was stricken with grief, and her chest lined with claw marks caked with dried blood. Tav was leaning on Wyll as they walked, her eyes looked glazed over and her face pale. Half of her armor had been removed so she was currently shirtless. The delicate undergarment she wore was soaked through with blood and sweat. And was that…a gnome with them?

Oak Father preserve me, what happened?

“Welcome back,” Halsin walked up to Tav, “where am I needed?” He offered his arm out to her to give Wyll a break. She winced as she shifted her weight to him, and he caught a glimpse of blackened skin on her neck.

“Tav’s burn is severe enough that I wasn’t comfortable healing it fully.” Shadowheart spoke up, then looked over at Karlach.

“Karlach, those gashes don’t look good.” Halsin could see how her burning skin had already irritated the cuts.

“Me? I…I’m fine. Just take care of Tav, yeah?” Karlach wiped some tears from her face as she turned to walk away.

“Karlach…” Tav reached out toward her and Halsin saw that the palm of her hand was burnt as well, though not nearly as bad as her neck. Additional burns lined her forearms, small white domes dotted along her pink skin. She flinched at the movement. “Please let him take care of you too. It wasn’t your fault, love.”

She stopped and sniffled a few times before she turned back around. Based on the short interaction, Halsin guessed the burns on Tav’s body came from Karlach.

“Please.” Tav pleaded. Karlach nodded and followed them over by the fire where Halsin already had some potions set aside.

“Okay, first let’s get you two cleaned up.” He guided Tav down to the ground so she could sit comfortably. Karlach sat across from them, head hung low.

He grabbed some cloth from his bag and some carafes of water from their supplies.

“I’m sorry, Karlach. You’ll have to do this part yourself.” He felt guilty making her clean the wounds on her own, they looked painful. But seeing the burns her skin inflicted on Tav, he knew it would be safer this way.

“It’s okay. Thanks.” She took the damp cloth from him and slowly cleaned the excess blood from her chest. When had he ever heard Karlach’s voice sound so small? While she worked on her wounds, he turned his attention back to Tav. Lunari had wandered over and curled up next to her.

“Alright Tav, this will sting a bit.” He placed one hand on her shoulder as he pressed another cool cloth to the burn on her neck. The small cry that escaped her lips was like a dagger in his heart. One of her blistered hands shot up to grip his hand on her shoulder, causing another gasp from the pain as she yanked it back down to her lap.

He heard another couple of sniffles from Karlach.

“Here, let me see those hands.” Halsin left the cloth on her neck as he moved around to kneel in front of her. He held them gingerly in both of his, muttering the simple incantation to heal the burns. As he watched the blisters fade, he thought back to that first morning in camp when he did the same. The pull in his chest threatened to come back and overwhelm him, but he couldn’t think about that right now. He needed to focus on their wounds.

He was careful to concentrate on the palms for now, he would worry about the burn on her neck once she could use her hands more comfortably.

“Thanks, that helps.” Tav relaxed a little as he started on her neck again.

Once he removed the cloth, he was able to inspect the mess of blackened skin just below her hairline. As his hands moved across her back and shoulders, he remembered their first time in the Underdark, and how embarrassed she was by her lack of clothing.

“Tav, did you want me to find you a blanket or shirt to cover up with?” He asked.

“No, that’s okay. I’m still burning up from our time at the fortress.” Her drenched skin confirmed that.

“Very well, let me know if you change your mind.” He finished cleaning the wound before going to check on Karlach. The gashes in her chest looked a little better now that the blood had been wiped away. He looked over the wounds, careful not to touch her.

“Now that these are cleaned up, I think a simple potion will be sufficient.” He grabbed one of the fresh potions he brewed this morning to hand her.

“I’m fine.” Karlach sniffled again as she snatched the potion from him. “Just…just help Tav. Please…”

“She’ll be fine, Karlach.” A poorly timed sharp breath from Tav undercut his assurance. “I’ll get her patched up in no time.” She nodded and stood up to go to her tent.

“Karlach!” Tav called out but then hissed again.

“Easy…” Halsin jumped back over to her. “Try not to move much, Tav. It’ll split the skin further. Don’t worry, this shouldn’t take too long.” She let out a resigned sigh.

He examined the area one more time before starting any spells. Her shoulders and back were streaked with blood and pus from the wound splitting and blisters bursting. He grabbed another cloth to clean her up some more. With every pass, her skin seemed to cool. She stopped sweating profusely and seemed to relax a bit. For a burn this severe, Karlach’s skin must have been in prolonged contact with hers.

“Okay, Tav. Take a deep breath…” Halsin brought his hands closer to the worst of the burns at her neck. He felt her take a long inhale as he started the spell. She pushed the air back out of her mouth with a forceful exhale. For some reason, healing burns always seemed to be a more painful process. The skin beneath his hands started to slowly lighten from a black color to a deep red.

“Good lass, that’s the first one finished. Another deep breath…” He squeezed her shoulder, but her breath caught this time. “Are you alright?”

“Yesyesi’mdefinitelyfine.” The words shot out of her mouth and ran together, he could barely make them out. Once she finished talking though, she was able to get another deep breath in. He noticed the faintest flush flowing across her chest.

They repeated those steps two more times before Tav was able to relax, her breaths no longer a sharp gasp as the wound healed further. The skin was now a light shade of pink, and most of her blisters were gone.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” He asked as the familiar hum of magic flowed from his hands into Tav for another pass.

“There was a lot of lava around the fortress.” Tav started with a sigh. “Coupled with the fighting, the heat must have been too much for her engine…” She trailed off as she looked back at Karlach’s tent.

“And the burns?” He prompted.

“She was in too much pain to move on her own. I had to drag her away.” Tav shuddered. “I really thought she was going to die, Halsin.” She tried to hide a quiet sniffle with a cough.

“Tav, that’s…” He sighed as tears stung his eyes, her boundless loyalty to her friends still caught him off guard. No wonder Karlach felt so guilty. “That was an incredibly brave and selfless decision.”

“It was nothing.” She rubbed her eyes. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“Yes…yes, I’m sure you would.” He said softly. She had proven time and time again her willingness to put herself in danger to help others. Who else did he know that would burn their skin almost beyond repair to drag a new friend to safety?

They sat in silence for a while as he finished mending the burn. Tav’s breathing was relaxed and her skin unburnt after a couple more spells.

“There we are my friend. How does it feel?” Halsin asked.

“Much better. Thank you.” She reached back to rub her neck.

“Anytime.” He took a seat next to her.

“We definitely found the stronghold you were looking for.” Tav smiled lightly as he whipped around to face her.

“Truly?!” He couldn’t hide his eagerness as he grabbed one of her hands. She squeezed his back in response.

“Yes…it’s a huge Sharran fortress.” She turned to look at him, a pained look on her face. “Grymforge.”

Grymforge…

“You mean it was real?” He asked. “I remember hearing stories, but I never made the connection that it would be the hidden stronghold we sought.”

“Neither did I.”

“Does that mean…” Halsin swallowed hard before continuing. “Does that mean we’ll be leaving for Moonrise tomorrow?”

“Not yet, we still need to explore the ruins a bit. We still don’t know how the cult has managed to pass through the shadows. Plus, the others really want to go look for this adamantine forge.” Her attention was pulled back to Karlach’s tent.

“Go ahead, Tav.” He nodded toward the tent. “You can always catch me up later, I think Karlach needs you right now.” A relieved smile spread over her face.

“Thanks, Halsin.” She stood up and her hand slipped from his as that endearing blush came back over her face. “I guess I should probably put some other clothes on…”

He had almost forgotten she was shirtless. Now he strained himself to keep his eyes from wandering as she walked away from him.

Yesyesi’mdefinitelyfine.

What in the hells was that all about?

[daltheznadofart]

The Second Taste

Summary:

A little 'talk' about avoiding.

Pairing: Astarion/Teresta [my drow pc]

[ao3 link]

Teresta watches the fire. The burning embers that wisp upwards with the night's chill breeze. It hurts his eyes, though less than the days he'd slowly been forced to be getting accustomed to. Leaning back with his hands behind him on his bedroll, he lets his eyes slide shut.

These last days as they'd been dealing with goblins and looking for answers on a trail that lead to only dead ends were tiring. Now there was only forward, but before that was waiting a few days for others to settle things in the Grove. There was plenty to continue searching in the day among the hamlets and nearby caves. It left little for the nights however.

The night should be when Teresta rested. Should being the key word. Yet he could not. The air was too… clear above ground. The shadows not deep enough. Most of all that kept him from sleep however was the eyes he could feel tracing him. 

Astarion had done that since he'd tasted the Drow's blood. Teresta remembered it vividly. The way his thin pale fingers gripped him, hard and harder as he drank. The feel of his ice teeth. Most of all, the way his own breath caught. His own heart hammered. The same way he could feel so now.

Teresta opens his eyes. He couldn't be more glad for his back being to Astarion. His face felt hot and it certainly wasn't the fire. 

"What to do," Teresta murmurs to himself, to whatever beings might be listening. So caught in his own thoughts, he hadn't expected it to be the man of them.

"I could think of a few things." Astarion's words run like silk, soft and feathery in their whisper near his ear. "But I'm sure you have your own ideas."

Teresta suppresses the gasp that wants to come out, exhaling heavily instead, and leaning away from the sudden invasion. Not wholly unwelcome as it may be. He swallows. Pale eyes follow Astarion's languid movements where he settles beside him. Legs are crossed with his knee pressing against Teresta's thigh. It makes the skin beneath his trouser buzz.

"Nothing to say? You're oh so talkative with the rest of our little band," Astarion leans into Teresta's space, so close the breath ghosts across his face. "Those words leave your pretty little lips the moment it's just me. Now, I wonder why. Hm?"

Teresta can feel his face darkening. The rest of the camp had retired for the night leaving them alone by the fire. There was no one for him to retreat to. No tent for him to retreat to. Especially not when he made the habit of sleeping by the fireside. And it wasn't like he avoided Astarion… As long as others were around. It…

Clearing his throat, Teresta leans slightly back from Astarion. "You're seeing things in your own little delusions. …I speak with you just fine when we're alone."

Pale fingers run across his knee. He shivers.

"Then perhaps now can be the ' maybe later '," Astarion leans into the small amount of space Teresta had put between them. The smirk on his lips turns into a grin the moment he hears breath catch. 

It had been a passing query. Seemed more like a jest than serious, asking if he'd want 'another nibble'. Of course, he wasn't against the idea. But the principle of just letting it happen was… Teresta lets out a hard breath. He can feel the thrum of his heart in his throat. Too fast for nothing happening, yet. 

"You assume much of me." 

"And you assume I can't read those looks of yours, Darling," Astarion is so close now. It would be so easy to kiss him from this distance.

"You're maddening."

Whatever Astarion had been about to say is abruptly cut off. Lips press together, a hand reaches his shoulder to pull and Teresta is leaning forward. His lips are warmer than expected, moist perhaps from a recent kill. It doesn't really matter.

What matters is the way Astarion's moving into his lap. The way his hands are running up his shoulders. Cold thumbs brushing the sides of his neck. The drow grips the vampire's shirt. The softness of the leather runs against his fingertips where he pulls the man closer. 

The first kiss turns into many. Heated and rough running into slow and languid motions. A pull apart leaves Teresta gasping. His lungs burn pleasantly. How long had it been since he'd kissed someone… Years. He'd missed this. Short lived as this was sure to be, he would enjoy this while he could.

"Am I to assume this as a yes?" Astarion's playful little smirk sits on his pretty little mouth. The tips of his fangs peek out between them.

Teresta swallows the hummingbird heart down. It would be hard to deny that he enjoyed it were he to allow such a thing. And it wasn't that he didn't want it again. No, not at all. The trepidation came from how much he did want it. Wanted it so badly, wanted this man so badly, that it made him feel the fool.

Instead of responding, Teresta moves his own hand. He grabs one of Astarion's hands. Fingers light, he guides it to the back of his neck, forces the fingers closed into his hair. His cheeks darken again. Eyes averted. His head tilts back to show the vulnerable throat, offering it to this predator.

The sharp inhale is the only warning. Those fingers tighten painfully in his hair, pulling his head taut. Ice digs into his throat. A cold pinch that forces a shiver down his spine. Astarion moans into his neck. His arm wraps around his back, pulling him close, chest to chest.

Teresta takes a ragged breath. He grabs Astarion where he can reach. A hand on his arm, gripping his sleeve, the other at his hip where it just rests there. A numbness floats with the pounding of blood. The shared beating, a heart -his own-, that rushes between them. It shouldn't be so invigorating.

Perhaps he'd just been without touch for so long that this felt so divine. What he did know is that he liked the way Astarion felt against him. The way their chests pressed. Liked the way Astarion gripped him as though his life depended on it. Hands so tight it hurt. Teresta bites his lip, refusing to make a sound. Refuses to acknowledge the way his thighs rub together. 

Astarion is able to pull himself off this time with just a little coaxing. "Delicious." Panting, he licks his teeth. Blood is running down the side of his mouth. Teresta can only care to imagine what his throat looks like.

Grabbing Astarion's head, Teresta pulls him close again. His own head swims. Licking his own blood up the side of the vampire's mouth is met with a gentle growl. He can feel the rumble against his chest. The hand in his hair tightens again, Astarion's other grabs his throat and jaw. 

His mouth is claimed in the next moment. Aggressively met with tongue and teeth. Iron invades his senses already so overwhelmed by this elf. This vampire. This… Teresta lets his head go blank. He's another panting mess when Astarion pulls away.

"Is this enough… to say I am not avoiding you," Teresta watches those red eyes. The bright preternatural shine behind them. The pleased expression he can feel in all of Astarion.

Astarion tilts Teresta's head, and he allows it with his head pulled back once more. Lips brushing over the wounds, his wet tongue runs across the blood running down the drow's flesh. A shiver. He brushes his nose along his ear. His words are low, a whisper, a hint of a promise, "Maybe I'll consider it so. But another bite would really prove it."

Teresta clears his throat and looks awry. His hands find the ground to support himself again. "I'll… consider it."

Astarion leans back on his heels, looking rather pleased with himself. Teresta can't help glancing at him. The weight against his thighs is pleasant. Then it's gone. 

"Get some sleep, oh illustrious leader. We've a long day ahead tomorrow." Back to the teasing as usual.

Teresta watches Astarion stalk off to the forest. The trees take away his form before the shadows do. It leaves him with nothing to watch, so he falls into his bedroll. His body is thrumming, excited, despite the bloodloss. He should be more careful lest he becomes the prey.

It is hard to deny that it is a tantalizing prospect nonetheless.

[rebelrebelwrites]

Fic authors self-rec! ✨ When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers ❤️

Thanks for the tags @bad-surprise and @wyrd-syster

Mine are all from other fandoms, but just in case any Reylos still follow me or your sexual awakening was also Jareth the Goblin King 😂, I'll share my 5 favorite fics that I’ve written w/ all the old shit I made for them:

1. when the moon met the sun in the sky [reylo fantasy au | E | 71k | 20/20] — To date my proudest work, just because it was fun to try and attempt to evoke a Miyazaki-style fantasy world, and the world-building was so much fun.

"Who?" Rey asked.

She knew who. But she didn't know what else to say.

The man called Kylo Ren — Ben, her mind whispered — rolled his shoulders, a tick she'd seen before, a thousand times at least; an echo of a boy she used to know.

He seemed to notice. He took a tentative step toward her. When she flinched in response, he froze.

"Don't do that," he said, soft as a psalm. His dark eyes darted over every inch of her.

"Do what?" she asked.

"Lie."

2. Boon [reylogan heist au | E | 39k | 12/20] — This is such a niche fic in the first place because it’s a crossover between SW and Logan Lucky, but man, it was so fun and Rey/Clyde are so soft. I’d never attempted to write a heist and I obviously didn’t finish but I still have a fondness for this (permanently? IDK) on hiatus little fic.

“Your jar looks like it’s full of stars,” Sadie said, gaping at it.

“It does,” Clyde agreed. He raised his own. “Time to set them free?”

Sadie nodded, skipping into the night to release hers. As Rey turned to follow, Clyde snaked his good hand around her wrist.

“Follow me.”

He led her around the house, where the night felt denser, darker, somehow warmer. Underfoot, wild daisies swayed in the dying summer breeze.

“Here,” he murmured. She smiled at him, then twisted the top of her jar off. He followed suit. Together, they shook the little bugs free — to fly away, blinking little lights in the darkness; hazy yellow stars they might touch.

3. Crown Glass [reylo fantasy au | M | 4k | 1/1] — I love this one because it just sort of came into being; a prompt/gift one-shot that took on a mind of its own, but I got to play more with present tense and some high-fantasy elements bouncing around in my brain.

She shouldn’t be able to find it. But she does.

It stands tall, tucked away in the back of the cellar; she weaves through abandoned armor, crusted cauldrons, and shelves and shelves of spellbooks to reach it. It’s old, ancient even; she can feel that, even if she’d never set eyes on it, full-length and ringed in circles of crown glass that shimmer in the gloom.

She reaches out a hand, skimming the surface–

And then a world appears on the other side.

A room, awash in milky moonlight. A desk, buried by books. A bed…

And a man.

She draws her hand back, heart thumping as loud as the magic in her ears.

The world flickers and fades back into blackness.

4. This is the Sign You've Been Looking For [reylo modern au | E | 29k | 10/10] — My first real Reylo fic and what got me back into writing after years away, so I have to give it credit! Also my first ever AU, and Virgin artist Ben Solo and sign maker Rey were so sweet and sad but with a nice HEA.

"I'm sorry," Rey murmured, drawing close. She could only seem to look at her feet.

He pressed a large palm to her face, tilting her head up to look at him. The music filtering in from the living room was noticeably softer; vaguely, Rey recognized Elton's "Your Song" playing in the background and decided it was a good idea to rest her hands on Ben's hips.

He glanced down at her touch, swallowing hard.

"Don't be," he hummed.

5. Muse [Labyrinth canonverse fic | E | 82k | 20/20] — I have a lot of Feelings about this fic, but I have to include it even though a part of me wants to edit it into oblivion, haha. I feel like I’ve come so far as a writer since finishing this in my early twenties, but I’ll always appreciate this for how it helped me improve, for how it gave me an avenue to do more with fantasy world-building, and for the nice response it got in a small little fandom.

"Why did you give me the peach?"

He stared at her, his expression unfathomable.

"Are you going to answer me?" asked Sarah quietly.

"You know why I gave it to you," replied Jareth, "To make you forget."

"No," continued Sarah, "I know. That wasn't what I meant. Why did you give me the peach, knowing that I would never be able to leave after taking a bite?"

Tagging: @demonscantgothere @scriberated @myrsinemezzo @thrillofhope and @formerlyir

[callsign-mimic]

Meet Mimic!

(My CoD OC, not me lol)

Lieutenant Renee "Mimic" Foster

(Edit because I forgot to tag @charliemwrites so that Captain Castle Alistair has some idea as to why this creature is so skittish around him. And also so Charlie can squee about her more.)

Name: Renee "Mimic" Foster

Rank: Lieutenant

Aliases: Mimic, Bunny, Maus, Fawn, The Bard, The human equivalent of a Capybara

Official Callsign: Mimic

Age: 34

Gender/Pronouns/Sexuality: AFAB Agender, she/he/they (predominately uses she/her because it's easier and she doesn't actually give a fuck), Pansexual, Panromantic (Gender is meaningless to a mimic).

Marital Status: Officially Single, Unofficially has enough partners to start several sports teams.

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 250lbs of combined fat and muscle. Don't let her plush exterior fool you, she can and will throw down if she has to. She has plenty of thigh, tit, tum, and ass to be the perfect pillow as well. Built for cuddles, but can and will kick your ass.

Hair: Dark brown bordering on black, length ends just between shoulder blades, soft natural waves

Eyes: Pale blue, almost grey in color. Needs corrective lenses to see. Whether she uses contacts or glasses depends on mission requirements.

Personality/Quirks:

AuDHD. Inattentive and hella quiet. Loud, boisterous, and super expressive when hyper.

Wears a choke chain collar outside of missions. Is it a kink thing? No. She likes the weight of it and the sounds it makes when she moves. Can it be a kink thing? Absolutely.

Uncannily laid back and unbothered by most things. It takes a lot to make her angry. Rusty started comparing her to a capybara and often affectionately refers to her as "Capy".

Was in drama, choir, and band. Could definitely have gotten a considerably safer job as that voice actor that surprises you by being the voice of multiple completely different sounding characters.

Terrifyingly perceptive. Her peripheral vision is good enough that she can be sitting right next to a mark and not have to turn to look at them to give updates on their movements.

Practically a shape-shifter. Specializes in infiltration and espionage because she has the energy of an NPC and can integrate herself into most settings so well it just seems natural for her to be there. Need her to be sweet and bubbly? Done. Need an aggressive, short king with a Russian accent? She's got you. Surprisingly androgynous for someone with almost hyper-feminine features.

Fluent in English (native language), German, Russian, and Spanish. Teaching herself Japanese because she is an easily bored millennial weeb.

Sub leaning switch who can dish it out until her targets are puddles, but gets sheepish and flustered the minute she's given a genuine compliment (Stripper likes to make her a squirming mess by whispering praises into her ear while he has a tight hold around her waist. When she can't form proper words anymore is when the kisses start).

A ruthless, efficient killer on missions. Total prey animal off duty.

Sweet as. Will give you the shirt off her back if you need it. Always down to provide cuddles for comfort, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to vent to.

Mom friend. Somehow ends up being the unofficial den mother of every team she works with (except her own, because Big Papa has the parenting handled for the three little goblins ❤️). She has zero issues with this.

The type of person who thinks being low maintenance is a good thing. Very rarely asks for help or support. Big Papa is the only person she (currently) trusts enough to let him take care of her. If you try to take care of her, she will make up some lame excuse to get away, or try to redirect your attention to something else.

Has all of the hobbies of a grandmother. Can knit, crochet, cross-stitch, embroider, sew, cook, and bake. Also does woodworking, works on cars, and makes weapons (yes, doing the forging and smithing herself). As previously stated, she gets bored easily.

Already has arthritis in her hands because she uses them pretty much nonstop.

[irisandtheveilkeepers]

Chapter 5: A Myth-free day?

The morning sunlight filtered through my curtains, filling the room with a soft, warm glow. For a moment, I felt disoriented, the events of the previous night lingering like fragmented remnants of an enigmatic dream. Then, Lua meowed from the end of my bed, stretching leisurely as she trotted over to rub her head against my shoulder.

"Alright, alright," I murmured, ruffling her fur as I sat up.

Selene was still asleep beside me, her presence surprisingly reassuring. She lay curled on her side, a faint smile softening her features. In the morning light, her face looked gentler, and I found myself studying her—the delicate curve of her cheek, the way her dark lashes contrasted starkly against her pale skin. There was an ethereal quality to her appearance, as if she were only partly tethered to this world. She looked... serene, as though she had finally released the tension she typically carried.

Lua nudged my arm again, her reminder that she was hungry pulling me back to reality. I slipped out of bed, moving carefully so as not to disturb Selene, and made my way to the kitchen. The simple act of feeding Lua and hearing her impatient meows provided a small sense of normalcy. As I filled her bowl, I tried to suppress the memories of goblins and magic, focusing instead on the comforting rhythm of a mundane morning.

By the time I returned to the bedroom, Selene was beginning to wake. Her eyes blinked open, and she offered me a sleepy smile. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice still thick with drowsiness.

"Morning," I replied, smiling back. "Sleep well?"

She stretched, her arms reaching above her head. "Better than I have in a while," she admitted, her gaze meeting mine. There was a warmth there that made my chest tighten slightly. "Thanks for letting me stay."

"Of course," I said softly. "I didn’t want to be alone either."

We lingered in that moment a little longer, but then the demands of the day began to intrude. "We should get ready," Selene said, sitting up and running a hand through her hair. "You have classes today, right?"

I nodded, feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement. After everything that had transpired, the idea of going to university, sitting in a lecture hall, and studying mythology felt almost surreal. But I needed it—a return to something familiar, something grounded.

We got dressed, and Selene borrowed one of my spare hoodies. It was a bit oversized for her, but it suited her effortlessly. As we walked to campus, the crisp morning air helped clear my thoughts, and the city gradually came to life around us. The streets were filled with people rushing to work. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafted from nearby cafes. I tried to focus on these small, grounding details—the chatter of people, the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

When we reached the lecture hall, I felt a surge of nervous anticipation. Selene gave me a reassuring smile, and we walked inside together, finding seats in the middle of the room. The lecture hall was buzzing with the noise of students settling in—the shuffling of papers, soft conversations, the hum of everyday life. Selene leaned back in her chair, her eyes scanning the room as if she were perpetually ready for something to go awry. It reminded me of someone who had been through far too much—always vigilant, always wary.

The professor entered and greeted the class before launching into the tale of Persephone and Hades. I watched as he spoke, his gestures sweeping dramatically to illustrate the Underworld and the pomegranate seeds. Selene seemed intent on his words, her eyes narrowing at certain points, her lips curling into a subtle, amused smile.

"This isn't quite accurate," Selene whispered. "The truth is that Hades formally asked Zeus for Persephone's hand, and Zeus gave his blessing. But when Demeter found out, she was incensed. She caused such an uproar that it nearly ignited a war."

I glanced at her, intrigued. "Really?"

Selene nodded slightly, her eyes still fixed on the professor. "The old myths are far more intricate than people realize. There are always layers beneath the surface, hidden truths that remain obscured. For instance, many pacts and agreements between the gods were left out of the popular narratives—details that would change everything if people only knew."

After the lecture ended, Selene and I spent the rest of the day together. We grabbed lunch at a small café, the chatter of customers and clinking of dishes providing a comforting background as we talked about everything but the Veilkeepers. For a while, it felt like we could almost be normal—two friends enjoying a quiet day in Paris. But as the sun began to set, the magic and responsibilities we had pushed aside all day began to creep back in.

Selene glanced at her watch, then looked at me. "It's time," she said, her voice softer, as if not wanting to break the spell of our ordinary day. I could see a hint of reluctance in her eyes, like she wished we could hold onto this fleeting moment of normalcy just a little longer. For a second, I felt the weight of everything we had to return to, and I knew she did too. But her resolve was steady, and I drew strength from it.

I nodded, the knot of anxiety returning to my stomach. "Where are we headed?"

"I'll take you to the nearest Veilkeeper portal. It’s not far," she replied, her expression growing serious.

We walked through the winding streets until we reached a small, tucked-away park. The few lampposts scattered around were just beginning to light up, casting a warm glow over the benches and flowerbeds. Selene led me to a secluded corner, where a worn, ivy-covered archway stood, almost blending into the surrounding foliage.

She pressed her hand against a stone at the base of the arch, murmuring something under her breath. The air shimmered slightly, and I could feel the magic humming around us. A portal opened within the arch, revealing a swirling expanse of silvery light.

"Ready?" Selene asked, her hand brushing against mine.

I swallowed hard, then nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

We stepped through the portal, and the world around us shifted, the park disappearing in a blur of light. We emerged into a familiar room—the transportation chamber from the Veilkeepers' headquarters, the mirror in its center now reflecting our own images.

Selene squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Welcome back."

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[pixxiepink]

Pixxie Prompt - 3

Another prompt! I went in an interesting direction this time and wrote a little short story about some young adventures discussing their plans for getting some extra credit in class (you can read it below the cut!)! Hope you enjoy the read and have some great creative ideas!

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked from behind me.

"You know any other ways to sneak in?"

Mayrin, the half-elf witch in training flinches back at my stare, meek as a kitten despite her legendary talent in explosive arcane magic. The only reason she was here was because our teacher made her be. Paired up with the rest of us losers, because we all go to a bargain adventuring school and party tactics are part of our passing grade, otherwise, Mayrin would already have passed with flying colors just by blasting the door open.

I will admit I had considered going in spells blasting with her help, but even a genius witch like her couldn't take on a whole camp of goblins by herself and the rest of us were nowhere near her level. "Well?" I ask again, in case she dose have some brilliant plan she's been withholding from us, but she just makes a noise like a frightened mouse and shakes her head vigorously no.

"Then we do this."

The thief from the other class whose name I didn't remember leaned over my shoulder to count the guards in front of us, expression dark, "I'm blaming you when you get us all expelled."

Justice, because it is always Justice, rich and good-looking Justice who was a bigger pessimist than a rat with the plague and about as useful as one without his money to toss at problems, snorts in annoyance at the plan, crossing his arms. He glares at me but the effect is ruined by the dirty tarp we threw over his head earlier to hide his glittering halo from altering everything in a 100 feet to our presence with his divine glow, "getting expelled would be the least of our worries, cause we're all going to die with this stupid hair-brained plan of yours."

"As I said," I remind them all, "if you have a better idea then let's hear it."

Silence echoes across our little group.

"That's what I thought," I mutter just loud enough for them to hear, Jsutice snarls, or does his best bet at a snarl with his perfectly normal white teeth, while the rough grumbles and Mayrn whispers a prayer under her breath, hands tightening on her staff.

"Look," I say taking mild pity on my team, none of us wanted to be here, each of us had fallen behind in class for one reason or another and we needed the extra credit a high-level training quest like this would give us, "worse come to worse, we break one of the emergency orbs and the teachers will come running. It's going to be fine."

Shockingly, most of all to myself, it did work out alright. But the full story is better saved for another time.

... Like what you read? Then check out my free-to-read webnovels!

[wellfell]

 there shouldn't be any vacancy in this heart of hers for anyone else , it should be a narrow , dark hall of muscles that only allows one man to walk among them . what akina realized as the years passed by her was that she has a big heart . not because she stopped to fix the ragdoll for a crying little girl in the village when they were trying to hide from the goblins , not because she brought a soldier's wife back to him after he said he can't find her in the ruins of their house with this broken leg of his . she can love more than one person , she can squeeze as many idiots as she wants in those halls and astarion was one of them ; karlach , gale , wyll even shadowheart herself despite her mean ways of dealing with akina's spoiled attitude . she realized that despite everyone that hurt her , she was still a deer with glinting eyes , doomed to be a roadkill . and who can you really blame in a roadkill ? not the deer , not the killer . astarion isn't like her , he follows through some guides because he thinks it'll help him reach his own destination . what he feels isn't as deep as akina's feelings , maybe because he's too old to be an oblivious deer .

 a small frown lingers between her brows , letting her hands rest on her lap as astarion nuzzles her temple like a whining dog looking for attention . maybe not a dog — he's not bearing any undying loyalty and belief for anyone after they betray him once . doesn't keep coming back , he's a cat at best . a proud little feline on top of a silky pillow , that trusts you after you give him your heart and stops , once he hears you hiss when he scratches you . to put it lightly , akina is almost sure that astarion doesn't want to open up anymore , and she has no idea what's going in his mind after he hears it and doesn't react accordingly to being betrayed . akina thinks he can take him in a fight , thinks if she pays attention closely she could turn around in time before he can stab her on the back , if she carries around enough blades – ❛ i'm not yours . ❜  that's instinct , the same set of words she whispers to every man who dares to call her theirs . astarion doesn't have enough faith in her to loosen his grip around her , and that's irritating . grounding in a way , makes it easier to stray as far as she wants and come back to him because she's owned . but still , irritating . isn't that better ? she's hers , and she's willingly letting him have her .

 when his little speech ends , akina is between his arms . looking at the ground like a kid forced to be hugged , eventually , her arms curl and her palms rest on his back . the marks curled around a circle on his back looked close to an ancient language she's once seen in the dusty books of their library in their marble palace , before akina left it . she's not asked anything but made a mental note to look for the same brand of book in every library on their way . ❛ . . . actually . i think i am . ❜  her eyes close with a small wince , her head finally lolling on his shoulder . mouth pressed on where shoulder meets neck , eyes close , muscles relax under the cage of his arms . narcissist people hate themselves the most ; how could she tell herself astarion's dreams and life didn't matter , that they could be traded for jito’s ? it isn't even hers to begin with . his shoulders dampens with her tears , it'll probably annoy him because his new coat is quite classy . but she's selfish . a better woman would ask him to walk away , a better woman wouldn't even ask him to kill with her ; she'd wipe the blood off his hands , not wrap it around her throat . ❛ let's go back . i think i heard someone say my name . ❜  pulling away from his cold body , keeping her gaze low as she gets on her feet . bent forward to dust her boots off before holding both her hands out for him . ❛ what did you want to show me in your tent ? ❜

he listens to her call him an elf without regurgitating the fact that he’s also tainted.  listens to her speak of wanting a better life.  of all the times she was denied autonomy.  of the pain she couldn't escape, would not let go of, saw no path to even begin.  until him.  the missing ingredient to her nefarious plans.  perhaps them coming together was like recognising like.  it’s unsettling how familiar she sounds.  looks.  his body holds memory of a similar pose, only he was divested of his clothing, mumbling, head fuzzy from the beating it took, brow slick with blood.  what of his plans?  his scars?  she’s seen his back.  astarion thought her wise never to pry, but it was really that she’d already written him off.  a pointless tale.  she's seen him all along, hasn’t she?  how superfluous he is.  hands quick, skilled with blades and locks and disarming traps, but not good for much else.  nothing akina wasn't good at too, and what she didn't know she could pick up from watching him.  such grave errors he’s made...  thinking he found protection, security, only because a parasite let him stand in sun and bend a few minds.

keep your secrets, he begged.  why not listen?  why do this?  why dub him solution and problem?  now that he knows she lost a lover, astarion is not thinking that she deserves comfort.  he's thinking good, glad he’s dead, fuck him, fuck you for thinking you could use me, i hope that when you die you’ve ended up in separate afterlives so you can never meet again.  she’s known her number of terrible men.  astarion hasn’t done those things to her, but he’s envisioned worse for pettier offences.  not giving him attention, gazing too long in the direction of other men at taverns.  sometimes he thought it was deliberate, because she wanted under his skin.  so he satisfied himself to the image of his dagger under hers.   “... i’m sorry.”   he's crawling to her like a sad, almost-abandoned puppy in the grass, on his knees despite telling himself long ago never again, not for anyone.   but he is really so gracious, he must have her know, that she wants to keep him, not kick his stomach, even though it feels like she already has.   “what do we do?”   wistful lover.  the kind of man to want to hold a hand.  that’s who he’s channeling, just for her.  his temple finds her shoulder, deadened stare finds her tree.  he remembers the most fake smile from up high.  that was like seeing himself too.  his cracked little mirror...

it’s not like he’s going to open up in return.  and he’s not giving her that gift later either.  the river can have it.  what will he do, then?  he supposes he’ll sigh, like he holds no resentment at all.   “it is no crime to have been in love.  i’m glad there’s more to you than being some mere heartless freak with a fucked-up gaze.  leave that to me.  but you...  you’ve an entire life ahead.  don’t fret over details, it’ll sort itself out.”   he doesn’t know why, but he expects her to protest, so he pulls her up into him, arms enveloping her thin body.  has she eaten today?  was it enough?  his lips press her round ear, eyes fluttering closed.  voice deep and tender as a lullaby.   “let’s stay together.  let me pretend you’re mine just a while longer.  i’m not entirely stupid.  i know there is no vacancy for me within that darling heart of yours.  don’t deny.  don’t downplay.  would it not make him sad to hear you say that?  to know the things we’ve done?  what if he's been watching us?  it's all right...  you’ve strived so hard for so long.  i’m sure he’s already forgiven you.  you deserve everything you want.  i’ll support you as much as i can from the shadows.  just... help me out of this mess, then we can begin a new journey together.  would you like that, akina...?”