#anyway on to continue trying to write!

[altruistic-meme]

not sure what i did to chase off the other guy who was up here?? his stuff is still here but he left a while ago and hasn't returned yet ?????

[chongoblog]

Writing tip: As you write your stories you might hear the voice of Jeremy CinemaSins saying something like “these two characters are talking in a cave? And yet they can see everything that they need to see for the story just fine?” When you do (and this is so so important), kill that voice with hammers

[displaykitkats]

All for one. One for all.

While Thatcher's lore is still in it's early stages I've always envisioned that Thatcher has a brother. So instead of a building a new character from scratch, I recycled (and touched up) the m!thatcher file I made for febhyurary to give her a twin brother - Flint.

Quick lore drop: Orphaned as younglings due to the Calamity, Thatcher and Flint had to fend for themselves on the streets of Ul'dah. Growing up, Thatcher admired the paladins that protected the people and the city, and so began training as a gladiator to one day become a paladin. Since they were children Thatcher was seen as the favorite child (she was the oldest twin, bright, obedient, and a kind heart) and it made Flint bitter towards his sister. Flint preferred a rich life with easy gains, and so he turned to thievery and became a feared thug of the streets. He would eventually grow a reputation which prompted him to flee to the New World, leaving his family name and sister behind.

[otaku553]

Procrastination doodles of sabo for the king sabo au :)

[insanebreadloaf]

Rip lamp. You will be missed

this is my little piece of fanart of chapter 10’s final scene from @qoldenskies’s amazing fic Clipped wings

GO READ IT. GO READ THE CANARY CONTINUITY. BEWARE: it’s REALLY GOOD BUT HEAVY. ANGST ALL THE WAY

[ratgirlexe]

It feels almost weird to me that I really struggle to compute HDG as a horror-adjacent setting like so many others do. I know that there is an inherent power imbalance in the vast majority of relationships within the setting, and that can easily lend itself to a feeling of dawning horror when the protagonist realizes that they are inherently powerless against whatever is about to happen to them, but ultimately the setting just... isn't very scary to me in the way that it seems to be for so many others.

Maybe it's because I haven't read as many of the more extreme horror-adjacent entries, or maybe its because the other settings in which I write are so much more bleak, but its just not why I come to HDG to write. Ultimately when I'm writing in HDG, there's an inherent positive slant to what I'm writing, because there's this idea that ultimately by the end of the story the characters will be in a better place than where they started. It might take forced drugging or brainwashing or any number of potentially horrific things to get them there, but at least in my estimation its ultimately going to be for their own benefit?

And again, maybe I just need to read some of the darker things folks have written, I know there's a handful of works by certain writers that are apparently much more extreme in how the dynamics between characters work, but ultimately HDG as a setting is one of wish fulfillment, both for submissives, dominants, and those in between. I can't see it as anything but hopeful, even if sometimes the big plants are quite scary.

[dawn-moths]

can’t stop rotating the idea of you being a lingerie model and nanami being the photographer who falls for you around in my brain…

the camera flashes bright, for a moment filling your entire world with an intense, sharp whiteness. but it’s there and then gone again within an instant, once more giving way to the dark wood and pastel backdrops of the photography studio you find yourself in.

“good, but try tilting your head a little more to the left on the next one,” the man behind the camera calmly instructs, adjusting the lens while you fluff your hair and adjust the sheer little babydoll dress that you’re wearing for today’s photoshoot.

of all the beautiful, whimsical, and romantic lingerie you’ve worn in your career, you think this one might be one of your favorites. the lace and silk detailing is so dainty, the garment’s quality so nice, the way the chiffon flows and drifts down the curves of your body both liquid and airy. it’s a pale, baby blue, the panties that match of the same make and color. it’s a beautiful set by one of the up-and-coming independent designers you’ve been dreaming of modeling for, soon to be available to the public, or at least the public’s high-end clientele, and you feel honored that you get to be the face of her newest collection.

the camera shutter clicks again in rapid succession after you readjust to his notes and he murmurs some more words of praise, snapping a few more photos with you in splendid motion before calling for a quick break so he can review some of the shots he'd captured so far.

you saunter off to rejoin your manager off to the side, change into the next look, retouch your hair and makeup, and take a few sips of water before the photographer calls you back to continue.

meanwhile, nanami looks over the first batch of photos, pulling them up onto his laptop so he can see every detail with better clarity, making mental notes of a stray fly-away or an odd shadow that he'll need to retouch in post, but, other than that, you look flawless. even for the cream of the crop top pros of the industry, you stood out.

zooming in a little more on the digital image, nanami flicked his gaze to the small green room off to the side where he could hear you, your manager, and the makeup artist you'd brought along gossiping and giggling about something before turning his full attention back to the version of you currently on his screen.

you really had it all, didn't you? gorgeous face, perfect hair, a beautiful body. and on top of it all you were incredibly photogenic. you were a natural, which made his job easy, all except for the fact that everything that made you so incredible also made you incredibly distracting to him...

he scrolled the photo of you down a little further, following the line of your pretty, diamond-adorned neck to the delicate curve of your collarbones and the plush skin of your breasts, the lingerie beneath the sheer babydoll clinging to your body like a glove. like it had been made custom just for you. he found himself enamored with every detail of you— every freckle, every scar, every little "imperfection" that he'd ultimately have no choice but to edit out before submitting it to the editorial team pulling him in more and more, unable to tear his umber gaze from your body as the image scrolled down to the soft curve of your belly, your thighs, entranced, wondering for a brief moment what your perfumed skin would feel like beneath his fingers, how the sweet, sticky center of you might taste.

he'd be gentle with you, work you up slow, savor every sound you made as he teased you, fantasizing about just how soaked those dainty little panties you were modeling for him would be before he'd even truly began with you. he'd have you shivering beneath him, shallow, panting breaths escaping from your glossy, slightly parted lips, your little whimpers and whines only spurring him on, getting him even harder than he already was. he'd ease you open, warmth and pleasure flooding through the both of you, languid and heady, and then—

"guys, stooooop!" you quietly scolded in a playful tone from the next room over, interrupting nanami's daydream as he heard yet more giggling from you and your team, your hushed conversation and banter floating further into the room as he strained a little to hear what was being said.

"...totally into you..."

"...joking?"

"hon, i've been... industry for seven... i know a... when i see one."

"no way... messing with me, aren't you?"

silence.

nanami had thought he'd done a pretty good job concealing any lingering stares or sultry expressions thus far. he'd "prepared" for your arrival accordingly that morning, hoping to avoid any more obvious giveaways for the few hours he'd have you posed before him wearing close to nothing. you'd think after being in this industry for a decade he'd be immune to the effects that impossibly beautiful women could have on him physically, but you were the exception, it seemed.

he'd photographed you a few years back, actually, at the very start of your career, and he hadn't been able to get you out of his head since. he doubted you remembered him, especially by now, when you were in front of a new photographer a few times each week. but, then again, he'd photographed hundreds of different models over his career, yet still you stood out clear as day among them, burned into his memory more permanently than any image of you in a photo could ever capture in totality.

he'd never openly flirt with you though. no, nanami was far too professional for that. he'd heard too many stories over the years of photographers who'd thought they had the right to get handsy with the models or mistaken their alluring subjects for being prostitutes once the session wrapped instead, offering them empty promises to boost their careers in exchange for a few favors. he'd always looked down on those shameless, seedy types, vowing to never become like any of them, no matter what fantasies he allowed himself to indulge in during or after the shoot concluded and he faced the hours of editing ahead.

although, perhaps if he found a way to ask you out for coffee sometime, figure out what you might have in common, maybe refer you to a few of his most trusted colleagues within the industry for something high-fashion or avant-garde— a detail he'd heard you discussing briefly with your manager when you'd first arrived— aiming to secure a place on a paris fashion week runway this year, it might be a good way to begin a more regular relationship, professional or otherwise.

if he didn't at least try, he'd surely lose you to another photographer with similar connections later down the line, wouldn't he?

"you know i can't..." he heard you say and, disappointed tone be damned, he felt something in him sink, despite not knowing the full context of the conversation. he began to feel guilty over eavesdropping, so he loudly cleared his throat and attempted to turn his focus back to the task at hand.

your manager stuck his head around the corner a few moments later, spiky white hair slightly tousled and his black sunglasses sliding down the narrow bridge of his nose, his sparkling blue eyes on full display. "she'll be out in a minute," he grinned, a sing-song lilt to his already mischievous tone of voice.

nanami gave him a nod and a flicker of a half-smirk before changing out the lens on his camera in preparation for the next set of photos. in the next few minutes he had while waiting, he allowed his mind to drift back to you. over the years, he's taken hundreds of beautiful photographs of drop-dead gorgeous women, yet somehow, when he tried to remember any of them in detail, all their features blurred into one indistinct, nondescript image that all at once looked like every one of them and none of them combined.

but then, amidst all that faded color and swirling chaos, there was you, coming into clear, sharp focus at the center as if you were the only subject he'd ever allowed his camera to capture. his favorite model. his perfect, pretty little muse.

"sorry for taking so long," you began as you reentered the room, now wearing a different lingerie set from the collection, this one a pale lavender and covering far less of you than the blue one did before.

nanami swallowed hard, cleared his throat again in an attempt to play off the fluster he felt creeping up into his cheeks. he assured you it was no problem at all, coming over to pull down a different backdrop that suited the color of the new lingerie better, and assisted the makeup artist in scattering some of the flower petals about the scene while you manager enthusiastically chatted away in the greenroom about another booking for you over the phone.

as you took your place before the camera, there was a moment where nanami was standing close to you, much closer than he probably ever had before, and there was a velvety electricity humming in the space between your bodies that caused both of you to make eye contact. for how long, you didn't know, but one thing you were able to place was that familiar rush of warmth flooding you from the inside out, something that wasn't quite self-consciousness, per se, but still made you extremely aware that he was looking at you.

and not just because you were a pretty girl in lingerie standing a foot away from him.

there was something in his gaze that shimmered with yearning, almost as if, if it were even possible, he didn't even care about the lingerie at all.

almost as if he were just seeing you.

you were used to being stared upon with lust. you'd learned how to navigate that and was lucky to have such a good manager who didn't put up with any inappropriate comments or behavior from some of the more unprofessional photographers you'd encountered in the past.

but this.

this was something different.

this was something whose intentions you couldn't quite read as plainly as before.

"sitting or standing...?" you finally murmured, the intensity of his dark eyes threatening to swallow you whole if you held them for too long, to haunt you long after you left.

nanami seemed to snap out of it then as well, replying, "let's start with standing," before turning back to head to his camera after one more moment to savor the sight of you this close up.

once he was back behind the camera, you began to question if what you'd felt just then was merely your own imagination or if he'd felt it too. and, if he had, what did that even mean? what did you want it to mean?

once the shoot wrapped and you'd changed back into your street clothes, you and your manager thanked nanami and nanami thanked you in return, promising with a softer kind of grin to send over some samples of the photos by the end of the week.

he watched you go, watched from his window on the third floor of the building as you and your manager walked down the street, likely headed to another photoshoot or promotional venture as the two of you talked excitedly, clearly sharing the closeness of friends on top of maintaining a professional relationship to the public, and hoped he wouldn't have to wait too long until he could see you again.

nanami might not have gotten the chance to ask you out this time around, but he had your contact info, or at least your manager's contact info. he'd find a way to get you back to his studio and ask you on a date properly, preferably when you were wearing more clothes, just to make things less awkward for the both of you. but one thing was for certain.

the next time nanami had the chance to photograph you, he wouldn't miss his chance. he just hoped, until then, that your manager was as good at warding off unwanted advances as he'd heard he was. and, who knows, maybe inviting the guy out for a drink or two to discuss some more opportunities for his star model, as well as maybe her favorite cafes and restaurants in the area, would be a good way to win him over and in turn gain easier access to you.

though, for now, he could at least look forward to spending the next several hours studying every detail of your photographs during the editing process, thinking to himself how much he enjoyed his job as he did so.

[wilting-fl0wer]

The only correct form of caltam, as far as i am concerned

[sysig]

Talk yourself into it (Patreon)

[idunnowhattowriteheretbh]

HIVE short story yipeeeee :D

NOT CANON STORY BTW‼️‼️‼️

HIVE belongs to @braisedhoney, I recommend checking out Captain's acc and also @talesaboardthehive to see canon lore

This story contains some headcanons and there are also ideas from @beartitled about the HIVE (bumblebee dogs, honey pipes, etc.)

And also it is mainly from my hivesona's pov

Anyway have fun reading it :D I'm not sorry for possible grammar mistakes /silly

Late Night Walk

The HIVE was never silent.

During the day you can hear crew talking in the many halls of the ship. Conversations, jokes, laughter, arguments, cries, you name it, you hear it. Sometimes even in the vents when someone went up there, usually followed by startled yelps as they were caught by COLONY.

There are some calmer places to rest when someone is tired or needs to focus on something, you can rest in spots like the honeycomb nap rooms, or the library.

In the morning and evening it is a bit quieter, but not that much, the sound of crew waking up, finishing their duties, or preparing to go sleep can be heard. Its not that loud as it is during the day though.

In the night, most people would expect you could hear a needle fall because of how quiet it would be, but that wasn't true.

The HIVE was never silent.

Late at night you could hear the soft humming of the ship, or the buzzing of many of the mechanics on the ship, or if you pause around one of the many honey pipes you can hear bubbling. And throughout the night you can hear different sounds, like a door opening and sleepy footsteps, or rarely; the bark of one of the bumblebee puppies.

In its own way, it was interesting to listen to all of the sounds. It was calming and it was a way to keep themselves busy when Sol wasn't able to fall asleep like right now.

They listened to the humming, with a bit of imagination you could hear a rhythm in the humming. Kind of like a heartbeat, but that probably wasn't true. The ship didn't have a heart did it?

Along with the soft humming they listened to the quiet buzzing of their lamp on the table. They could've turned on their radio to listen to whatever channel would be able available, but they didn't feel like listening to a radio.

To be honest, they didn't feel like doing anything. They weren't able to fall asleep for the past 30 or so minutes and they have given up on trying to sleep.

Sigh.

They might aswell get up and go for a quick walk. That could help them fall asleep later.

Yea. They could grab something warm like milk with honey to help them sleep....or coffee with honey and work on the armours-

Either way, taking a walk won't hurt.

After a moment they stepped out of their sleeping quarters and looked around. The lights were dimmed and there wasn't anyone in the hallway. It was quiet.

With a sigh they let the door behind them close and locked the door with a keycard, then they started walking to one of the kitchens nearby.

It didn't take them as long as it usually did. Only one door which was surprising, but not like they minded. It was nice not to get lost for once.

After walking into the kitchen, Sol quickly looked through the snacks cabinets and didn't find anything they would like to munch on. Their

Hmmm.

They weren't feeling like eating anything right now.

Might aswell take a walk while they're out.

Upon hearing footsteps getting closer to the kitchen they quickly got out of the kitchen and disappeared in the nearest door. It led them into a hallway. Oo this one has green walls. That's not something you would commonly see on the honey themed ship.

The hallway changed directions few times and they had to go through multiple doors. One of them even lead to the cryo, no idea why there, but it sometimes happened.

Footsteps echoed through the hallways as it took them some time walking in the dark hallways, where the light source came from the dimmed lights and the honey pipes, before they got to the spot they wanted to go to.

One of the big windows that let in the soft light of the stars was on the wall to their right and they walked to it to gaze out into the space. The protective barrier that was around the ship was visible a bit behind the window along with the stars.

They loved to look into the space through the big windows that were around the HIVE.

One would think that windows and space isn't a great mix but the sight out of them is amazing. You just have to make sure the windows are strong enough.

Stars, planets, galaxies, meteorites, supernovas, whole planet systems and more were a sight to die for though.

Sol especially loved to see how colourful the space could be despite how they sometimes got existential crisis over how the space was big and empty.

They liked to space out (pun intended heh) while gazing out of the windows in the living room like places on the ship, not listening to what was going on around them and focusing only on the beauty of the space outside.

It was interesting and amazing to see what could be found there.

When something interesting like a new planet was found, then for the next few weeks it was the main topic in conversations, and the more curious and adventurous crew members even went down onto the planet to do some things to help Leander gather more information. Sol was apart of those expeditions few times and it was always fun.

Most of it was done by drones though to ensure safety. As far as Sol remembered there weren't many accidents on strange planets but it didn't hurt to be safe.

It didn't take away the excitement from how the space could be amazing, in fact, for them it made the unknown even more interesting.

Sol's workplace where they worked on their projects, like the weapons and now also armours, always has few posters with something about space and they even have some in their quarters.

They couldn't remember from where they got it and how long, but one of the posters were about stars and constellations that can be seen from the Earth and they sometimes try to find some of the stars. Sometimes they were successful and sometimes they weren't able to locate some of the stars.

They sighed and put their hand on the window.

(Open the image for better view)

The stars shimmered with soft glow and they stayed there, staring at something that kind of reminded them of the milky way.

It was a pretty sight and they would never get tired of it, it was always beautiful.

The company of the silent stars was welcome after one of the more busy days on the HIVE. The soft humming could be heard along with the bubbling of the honey pipes and they stood there, enjoying how calm and quiet everything was.

The HIVE was never silent.

They took a deep breath and smiled. There was a nice warm feeling in their chest as they continued to watch the space.

Even when they sometimes missed their time on Earth they wouldn't leave the HIVE. They have gotten used to the chaos on the ship and they loved to be here. They love the space and the HIVE with all the occupants. Maybe it was a little foolish to be this loyal, but they had truly found a home here.

The HIVE was their home and they would risk their live to protect it along with others on the ship.

[ghostinacardboardbox]

CC is one of my new favourite things ever but ill respect your dislike of it far more than i ever will going "I'm not saying you cant criticise the musical but" then express discomfort with people calling out the antisemitism

CC is my least favorite Starkid show ever but I'll respect your appreciation of it far more than I ever will people who go "there's nuance here" in a post that is fully just using polite language to shut down criticism. I genuinely don't know what's so hard about this.

Anyway it's been a Rough Time to be in the Starkid fandom and actually want to complain about things I disliked in a show I was incredibly excited for. Somehow having literally any issues with the show at all means I must be someone who is only here for Hatchetfield and is just trying to bully Starkid back into doing Hatchetfield stuff. Piss on the poor website.

[save-the-spiral]

Revenant

(Part Two) (Part Three)

Content warning for: Major Character Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Torture, Human Trafficking (mentioned), alcohol (no described drinking/drunk characters), dehumanization (it/its pronouns & animal comparisons)

(Ao3 Link)

2.5K words. Vampire Whumpee(s), Human Whumper

Beau had always been a good servant. Silent, obedient, efficient. Able to work ahead, as if he knew his master's wishes before they were spoken, but was in fact reading behaviors and routines that even his master did not know he was exhibiting.

He had always known his master was an angry man. One with much responsibility and authority, and no outlet besides violence.

The anger only came out at home, where it was private. No good servant betrayed their master's secrets, after all.

Beau had been trained by his mother in the kitchens of the large estate. The rest of the staff was his family, as he had no other parent or siblings. All throughout his youth, it was impressed upon him the importance of silence, of obedience. Able to act as if one isn't there, to be as unnoticed and inconsequential as a piece of furniture.

He had attended school, but had little in the way of friends. Graduating high school was where he ended his academic career anyway, as his job in the estate's kitchens was more sure than any attempt at getting into a college or university. He wasn't smart enough to get a scholarship anyway.

Beau was good at his work. A natural, the chef would say as she ruffled his hair. Quiet as a church mouse, his mom would praise.

He had once attributed it all to his looks. Black hair and brown eyes, average in every way. On his mother, those features looked pretty, at least to him. On Beau, it was plain to the point of invisibility.

One of the maids he had grown up alongside, Eun-Yeong, insisted it was all skill, though Beau took that with a grain of salt considering her clumsiness.

Whenever Beau denied it, she tried to whack him with whatever rag or feather duster she had on hand and declared that she wished he could be as invisible to her as he was to the master and his guests. Supposedly being humble didn't suit him.

Whatever the case, it was because of Beau's skills as a servant that he had been enlisted as one of the servants that took care of the thing his master kept in the basement.

Ever since he was a child, Beau's mother told him to never pay any heed to the screaming that came from the basement of the estate. To never ask about it, to never peek down there, and to never, ever venture down those stairs without permission.

A good servant did not pry into their master's affairs, after all. It was no business of theirs what happened down there, only to clean up the aftermath and do what they were told.

It hadn't been until the most recent of his master's victims had arrived that Beau was assigned down there. It was only to bring meals to the master- the thing his master vented his anger onto had no need to eat.

There was an air of hope regarding the thing in the basement. Rumors among servants said that it had no need to eat, to sleep, to breathe. That it healed from any wound, even those that would be lethal on a normal person. It would be around for a long time, they said. So none of the estate's staff would face their master's untimely wrath with it around.

And for a while it seemed true. Their master was less irritable. In the kitchens they knew it because he was not as particular about his food or drink, only sending a single dish back every week.

People wondered at what the thing in the basement was. It certainly didn't have any elven blood, the head butler affirmed, as despite its pointed ears. The more worldly of the maids was able to deny any rumors of it being beastkin. Even with its regeneration, it had none of the strength or build of an orc or troll.

The strongest rumor was that it was some sort of ghoul or zombie, not even alive, not truly able to feel. The kind of thing that existed only in horror movies. Some kind of botched soul magic had been attempted, only to resort in what screamed and pretended to be a person down there in the basement.

It could scream, could cry, could bleed like a person. But note the near black color of its blood. Note how it didn't need to breathe or eat. How it hissed like a feral animal at the sight of silver. How its fangs tore at its own lips like a rabid beast.

Never pity those in the basement, Beau's mother had told him long ago. That was when the master's victims had been people, homeless vagrants, those trafficked from foreign countries that used the few words of English they knew to beg.

It wasn't a kind world out there. Beau and his mother were only human. All they could do was work for their shelter and food. They had security here, knowing what was expected of them. Outside of the estate was an unknown element to Beau, who had only attended school and done little else, spending what few days he had off from work resting in the servants' quarters instead of exploring the outside world.

Beau's world was the estate. He had never known life without the occasional desperate screams emanating from the basement once every few months, lasting for a few days or a week at most until it was blissfully silent again.

This time it lasted longer, a week turning into months. The master had invested in remodeling part of the basement, making it soundproof, so he could have guests over despite having a 'guest' in the basement as well.

Something about the silence made everything more eerie. Beau had long since been inured to the screams, not startling at the sudden noises. He had always been grateful the servant's quarters were outside of the main building, so their sleep wasn't disturbed.

Once the silence filled the mansion, Beau had been assigned to bring the master meals, to ensure the man did not go hungry during the long hours spent torturing and tormenting the thing in the basement. Simple things, snacks the master could eat with one hand, the other dripping with that dark, unsettling blood.

The thing in the basement haunted Beau's nightmares ever since he began bringing the master food. It was rake thin, truly as ghoulish as the rumors said. It had unkempt hair so matted with gore that Beau had no clue what the original color had been. It had piercing red eyes, ones that gleamed even in the dim light of the basement. It had fangs, its canine teeth elongated and razor sharp.

Most of the time Beau saw it slumped on the floor. It was so corpselike that he was always surprised to see it move from where it lay in a pool of its own blood.

Beau had never thought he would grow to pity such a wretched thing. Not when he held no pity for the past victims. But he had never seen the past victims of his master, only heard their cries and screams. He had never been haunted by the sight of them, the taste of rotting blood in the air, the look in its eyes. Not even begging, but resigned. Like an old sick dog wasting away on the side of the road, knowing there would be no rescue or premature end to its suffering.

Every once in a while he was sent to leave snacks preemptively, as the master would in all likelihood visit the basement that evening after a stressful day at work.

Those moments down in the basement, leaving a charcuterie board or platter of fruit with only the thing down there to keep him company, they were the most harrowing.

Sometimes Beau was able to live up to his reputation, silent enough to leave the food at a side table and escape without waking the thing as it rested between its tortures. Most of the time he did not. The thing would be awake, eyes gleaming even in near darkness, its unnerving gaze following Beau.

It never spoke to him. Beau didn't know if it was smart enough to speak, to be honest.

This time was seemingly the same as always. The thing lay in a pool of its own dark blood, limp like a marionette with its strings cut. It wore little in the way of clothes, covered in healing wounds and its own blood as it was, there was no modesty to preserve, Beau supposed.

Beau placed the polished silver platter onto the table, opening the bottle of wine so it could breathe in anticipation of his master's arrival. The dry, almost sour smell of the white wine made Beau's nose wrinkle as he poured a careful amount into the glass, careful as he left the cork on the tray and pocketed the metal wrapping to throw away.

Thinly sliced meats and cheeses were arranged artistically, no flaws to be seen. Beau turned to leave the basement, his job done for now.

Then he caught sight of the thing. It was kneeling, closer than ever before. The chain connecting it to the wall was taut, and Beau was surprised it could withstand the strain with its emaciated body.

Its matted hair covered its face as it swayed on its knees.

Beau couldn't help but worry, not in the way of a servant fretting over a potentially broken possession of his master's, but how a person felt concern and compassion over someone obviously hurt.

He shouldn't let himself worry. He should turn and walk back up the staircase, to the kitchens where he would continue the tasks assigned to him. This was just another task, one already done, he couldn't-

The thing began to keen like a wounded animal. It slowly raised its head up to look at Beau, glimpses of scarlet between dirty locks of hair.

"I can't help you." Beau found himself saying before he could think better of it.

The keening died off and it slumped back, the chain finally lowering as it was given more slack.

"…" Beau looked between the pitiful creature and the platter of food. "…I can feed you? Just a piece of deli meat, would that help?"

Truthfully he didn't even know if the thing could eat, only that it didn't need to. It raised its head, eyes glimmering and looking so human, like it understood everything Beau had said.

Then it nodded.

"Okay." Beau spoke softly. He slipped a thin cut of capocollo off the platter, the marbled ham somehow looking more grisly in the lighting, with blood splattered on the floor.

He held it with pinched fingers, slowly crouching down and reaching out towards the thing. He could've thrown it, but that felt too demeaning when he was just trying to help.

"Here you go." Beau murmured.

The thing stirred again, straightening up, but already at the end of its chain. Beau felt bad for forcing it to exert itself so much, and leaned closer.

Bloodstained and cold hands grabbed at Beau's wrist. Every knuckle and bone seemed to be trying to escape its body, skin stretched over its skeleton like a horrific Halloween prop. Its nails were ragged and uncut, split and chipped with its own blood stuck under them.

Beau's pulse raced, and he pulled back, dropping the meat with a soft splat into one of the puddles of blood. One of the thing's nails sliced into his soft, pale skin.

Beau's blood welled up, glittering garnet under the light, the same shade as the thing's eyes.

And then it was truly over.

The thing pulled with strength Beau hadn't known it had, and Beau was swept off his feet, falling forward. His white dress shirt and black slacks soaked with blood as he sprawled onto the floor, breathless.

It still had a hold on his wrist, hunched over his hand, uncaring for the food now soiled on the ground.

"Let go-!" Beau gasped out, already trying to struggle and failing.

Then the creature bit down into his wrist, razor sharp fangs like knives through his flesh, scraping at his bones.

Beau screamed as a hot, searing pain zipped up from his wrist to his shoulder. He struggled again, feeling the fangs rip at muscles and nerves with every vain attempt to free himself, still screaming, hoping anyone could hear him, save him.

But the basement was soundproofed. Even if it weren't, all of the house's servants had long since learned to ignore the screams coming from the basement.

Beau grew faint with bloodloss and shock, held up only by his arm. He couldn't keep his head up, unable to even gather the air to scream again despite the agony. He could taste the blood pooled on the floor, foul on his tongue, yet his body had no strength to retch.

He couldn't resist as a hand sank into his hair, pulling his head up and baring his neck. His pulse was thready in his ears, the room darkening.

A agony bloomed from his neck, and Beaumont Mallory died, his throat ripped out by a vampire.

Soon enough, the master of the estate would make his way down the basement, leisurely as he anticipated a nice evening of wine and torture to destress from the day. He would find the his most recent and favorite plaything- a vampire he had been gifted by a business partner, a rare find in their circles with how isolated and secretive those enclaves could be- sobbing over a corpse.

He didn't remember the poor boy's name, or even his face, but it must've been one of his servants considering the clothes.

With a shout, the master would grab the stake from its place on one of the tables, a constant threat he had no intentions of using before now. He had enjoyed his toy that wouldn't break, a punching bag after his long days of work. But a dog that bit once would do so again.

The vampire didn't resist, still crying as its heart was staked, as it finally died the true death it had been wanting for months.

The master spat on the vampire's corpse, disgusted. He glanced to the corpse of the poor servant boy, only to watch the shredded skin of a pale throat began to knit back together.

Just like his now dead plaything.

Yet this one was once his servant and would be far more obedient.

He grinned, elation he hadn't felt since he was a young man washing through him.

Transferring the collar took just a moment, the silver chain enough to hold the beast. He went to his chair and sat, grabbing the wine glass. He delicately sniffed the white wine and tasted it.

It had been aired out perfectly, a great companion as he waited for his new toy to wake.

(Part Two) (Part Three)

[playing-pauls-mel0dy]

y'know. at least a couple of times now, i've seen the theory that, potentially, Rainer was another victim of Marvin's (whether that be of rebirthing or just abuse in general). and my brain has decided to latch onto it for some reason.

so uh. There's That.

[demonbarberofbeepbeep]

morning toddheads

[ajthemagpie]

Fanfic authors, please, I implore you, from one writer to another, DO NOT DELETE YOUR WORKS. Change the account ownership, make a different pseud to put it under, anonymise or orphan them, it doesn't matter, just please, please, PLEASE, do not delete them. Please. Even if you think they're badly written, or out of character, or a decade old, or 'cringe', or whatever, there will be some poor schmuck out there who loves what you've written and will cry over its deletion because they forgot to download it. - Sincerely, some poor schmuck who loves what someone wrote and has spent the last ten hours trying to track it down because he forgot to download it.

[hondacivic]

youll never guess what movie i watched

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