#but as soon as it's about a character that i didn't create i'm terrified someone who has a different nuanced view of that character will

[tacomedli]

you ever get super into a new fandom but you're afraid to make/share any fanart/fanfiction/whatever bc

the fandom is intimidating

you don't know every single possible aspect of the lore or the gameplay or whatever, but everyone else seems to, so you don't want to make mistakes or make someone unintentionally OOC

you can't seem to make anything you don't cringe at

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[wouldntyou-liketoknow]

Cruz

To whoever is reading this: I hope whatever holiday you happen to celebrate this time of year is going fantastic for you! Best wishes, and Happy New Year!!!

I personally celebrate Christmas (and even if I didn't, gift-giving would still be my primary love language to friends and family), so I figured it would be fun to create a fanego as a present for my amazing buddy @sammys-magical-au! Just a little something to show my gratitude for all the times they've helped me brainstorm for my stories!

(I might try to do this for more of my Tumblr friends next year; I'll admit that this instance was kinda last-minute 😅)

So, since this character is for Sammy, he's obviously a LixianEgo

Cruz is basically my headcanon name for the character that Lixian voices in Late Night Mop. (I actually brought up the idea of making said character into an ego in an ask I sent to Sammy a while ago.)

When I watched the Let's Plays of LNM roll out, I grew attached to the theory that the whole last-minute cleaning job was actually just a trap/long-con to appease the demon that had been summoned.

So. . .yeah. Cruz may not be part of a cult, but he's still what most wannabe cultists like to pretend they are. As for why Cruz chose to make a hobby out of summoning horrific abominations. . .well, I'm not really sure, but I know he's not gonna explain himself anytime soon.

I won't say Cruz isn't a bit of a misanthropist, but he still knows how to interact with others. I.e., how to put on a personable facade in order to "make friends" until he's gained enough of their trust to lure them into his escapades. You can't just mingle with outer monstrosities without making a sacrifice or two, after all.

On the other side of the coin, Cruz has a shocking knack for taking mind-melting eldritch vibes in stride. Honestly, he's way more casual and collected when hanging out with atrocities against nature than he is around his fellow humans.

He's grown a decent collection of occult books/artifacts over the years. Most things in this collection have been acquired through less-than-legal means, because duh. Cruz has long-since learned to navigate the more paranormal side of the Dark Web/Black Market.

He's picked up several languages in order to translate for his projects. Some are human (such as Latin/Pig Latin). Others. . .not so much (the pronunciation is difficult for someone without multiple forked tongues, but Cruz is nothing if not a determined bastard, so he manages).

He's also musically-inclined (inspired by the fact that there's a violin hanging on the wall in LNM's master bedroom). The majority of summoning rituals don't require music, but he'll be over the moon whenever he manages to find one that does.

If LNM didn't make it obvious, Cruz isn't phased by gory stuff. Hell, the bloody mess in that game is small potatoes compared to some of the other offerings/rituals he's set up in the past (and in the future. . .😈)

That demon from LNM wasn't the first ungodly creature Cruz has summoned, and it certainly won't be the last, either. In fact, his latest schemes may or may not involve. . .ah, what's his name again? Oh yeah! The terrifying EldritchPlier himself, as well as Lunky and Co. (*cough-cough* Cruz has also probably entered a contract with my very own LeviathanPat on the side *cough-cough*)

Thanks to all the surreal shenanigans he's experienced, Cruz has developed a literal sixth sense. Though it takes concentration/mental strength, he can see/hear/feel/smell/taste all kinds of things that most people are better off not being aware of.

While Cruz operates with little regard for his own sanity or the well-being of other people, he still has enough morals to not sacrifice babies/kids.

Happy Holidays, Sammy!!! I know this isn't much, but I hope you like this guy! Please feel free to write about him whenever you want! (No pressure of course, but still!)

(Also hey @inkbedou, I know I'm super late to tag you in this, but I know you like Lixian as much as Sammy does, and you've enjoyed the stuff I make before, so. . .yeah! Just thought you might be interested to see a new fanego! Again, sorry for how late I am to mention this to you 😅)

[marjansmarwani]

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. Let’s spread the self-love❤ (—maddie/reyesstrand 💗)

Thank you, Maddie, I always appreciate the opportunity to self-promote (which is something I think we should all do more often)!

It took me a while to pick mostly because I have 130 Lone Star fics alone, but I tried to go with the ones I really, truly love. Which was hard because I loving a fic a requirement for it being posted at all. But I managed to select 5, eventually.

would've loved you for a lifetime

Prompt: Characters are secretly married and one of them is hurt at work ----- The story of how TK and Carlos came together, and how they almost missed out on their future before it even got a chance to start.

This is a favorite because I really think that some of the descriptions are closer to poetry than any actual poetry that I've ever tried to write. It was also the first time I ever worked with a non-linear narrative, which is a technique I love. The story of TK and Carlos secretly getting married was fun to piece together and reveal in pieces. When it comes to the actual language used this is still probably my favorite thing I have ever written.

I am not what you planned

Dr. Carlos Reyes can’t stand the newest paramedic at the 126. He’s cocky, impulsive, abrasive, and — while admittedly very good at his job — a thorn in his side. Paramedic TK Strand feels the same: he can’t seem to go anywhere in this damn city without someone singing the praises of the young, talented local-boy-turned-doctor. But as time passes some of the bravado fades and their true natures are revealed. Slowly they each start to realize that maybe the other isn’t as bad as they once thought and that maybe — just maybe — there is much more to them than meets the eye.  ---- aka the Dr. Reyes/Paramedic Strand Enemies to Lovers AU

Each of my AUs has a special place in my heart (especially the teacher AU, which I almost picked instead) but writing this one was such an experience, and writing the enemies part of this fic was probably some of the most fun I've ever had while writing. I don't think I'll ever be over this fic, truly.

the truth is stranger than all my dreams

Marjan likes to think that she’s confident, that she can take on anything. But things are showing her that she may not know herself as well as she thinks and that the future can be a scary thing. ----- A Marjan centric 2x04 Coda

Outside of tarlos and Owen, my favorite character to write about is Marjan. Because she is my absolute favorite, after all. But this one always sticks out to me because after the whole thing with Salim what struck me most was the unexpected uncertain future she was suddenly faced with, which I would imagine would feel both liberating and absolutely terrifying. So I wanted to explore that and I am pleased with how it came out.

why can't I hold on?

There is nothing in the world Gwyn Morgan loves more than her children. Loving them has never been hard, but having to stand aside as life took its toll? That was something else entirely—especially when it came to her oldest.  Or, 5 times Gwyn feared for her oldest son, and the one time she knew he would be okay 

My Gwyn fic, aka one of only two fics that have ever made me cry while writing. I love Gwyn so much, and I started writing this fic as soon as she was mentioned in the show. I originally paused on it to wait until we had a better feel for her as a character and ultimately didn't finish it until they killed her, which added a whole other dimension to the writing of this. I vividly remember working on this fic while sitting at my neighborhood coffee shop as Amen came on my shuffle. I had to leave because I started crying. But, regardless of the emotional devastation, I really enjoyed filling in some blanks and accidentally creating an origin story for the coma cookies. And I love her even more after writing this (I'm still not over what they did to her, btw)

the stain you can't wash out

In Owen’s experience, guilt went hand in hand with grief. — An(other) Owen character study that wouldn’t leave me alone after 3x16

The Owen grief fic (or one of them, at least). One of the reasons I like this one is the title, which came from a poem I attempted to write and failed. But mostly it's because Owen Strand is a mess and I love digging around inside his mind. I can't quite explain why I am so fascinated by writing fics by him but I think it has something to do with the fact that I see him as an actually fascinating character that they just don't use to his full potential. There could be some great stories told with the things they have already given the character, but they consistently make the stupidest choices when it comes to him. So I love this fic because I enjoyed reexamining his character in the light of learning about his dead brother and extrapolating how that effected him and informed everything he did from that point forward and how he masks his grief with his job, and how his work is what keeps him from going insane as it feels like penance that he is still paying all these years later. I enjoyed looking at all the parts of his life (and sketching out my idea for his first meeting with Gwyn) even if writing about his experience on 9/11 was intense.

Honorable mentions (because I can't help myself):

Stars Will Guide You Home - aka the carjacking fic, as affectionately named by @terramous

you can't hide from time - because I love the 252 crew as I imagined them here and would love to revisit them at some point in the future

[eternalwritess]

hi! can I get a romantic matchup from hazbin hotel? please & thank you!

I'm bi and I use she/her pronouns. I'm an INFP and a taurus. I'm also the oldest child in my family so basically I believe that I'm responsible for everyone's happiness and I tend to make sure everyone around me is comfortable even (and especially) if I'm not – I'm the mom friend and the burnt out gifted kid of my friend group. I'm pretty sensitive and empathetic so for example I can get upset simply because someone around me is in a bad mood. I overthink every single thing in my life and constantly get anxious over small things. I struggle with my self-image and low self-esteem. because I'm afraid of what people think of me I find it hard to interact with people I don't know well enough, so I often appear reserved in bigger groups of people, but when I'm with those who are close to me, I become more open and outgoing. I care about my loved ones deeply and I could literally kill for my friends and family. I'm good at comforting people so others tend to see me as someone trustworthy. My sense of humor mostly consists of sarcasm and bullying my friends lovingly but for some reason people often tell me I'm funny. I'm also a very loyal, loving and affectionate person and I mostly express my love through words and physical touch. I'm a hopeless romantic.

as for physical appearance, I'm 5'5 with hourglass figure. my body is more on a softer side, if that makes sense?? like I wouldn't call myself chubby, but I'm not exactly thin either. I have dark brown wavy hair of medium length, dark brown eyes and light skin. I wear glasses. my style is pretty feminine, I love wearing skirts and dresses, and my clothes are mostly of dark colors like blacks and dark reds. I love wearing dark make-up and hardly ever leave home without maroon lipstick on. I also love painting my nails and wearing a lot of jewelry.

my interests&hobbies include: drawing, reading (I love detective stories and romance books) and listening to music (I'm a huge swiftie). I also watch a lot of movies and shows. I like daydreaming and I spend a lot of time just thinking about my fave fandoms, creating my own AUs and characters and whatnot, and I enjoy creating fandom related content like making playlists, fanart, headcanons, etc. another thing I love a lot is learning languages.

I love your writing and I'm really curious to find out who you match me with! thanks again!

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙…

𝓥𝓪𝓰𝓰𝓲𝓮!

You were most likely a demon that she injured but didn't kill and when she fell she saw you and immediately felt horrible for it

Charlie noticed her feeling down and most likely asked her what was wrong. When she said that you were someone that she hurt (most likely added in a past life even though it wasn't true) Charlie pushed her to go over and help you out because of her whole thing of redemption

You were most likely terrified of her but she helped you out. Bandaging your arms and talking with you while she did it

"So uh... how'd you end up here?"

She was most likely awkward at first with Charlie beside you guys hyping you both up but you soon got to know her and you both ended up staying at what was at the time the Happy Hotel

As the hotel went on you both most likely started feeling somewhat responsible for the hotel and when Vaggie noticed how it might be affecting you in a bad way started forcing you to take breaks

"You need to take care of yourself... plus you can't help out drained and half dead or... deader"

Vaggie tries to control her mood for you making sure that she doesn't get too upset but every now and then she does end up slipping and when she does she feels really bad and ends up buying you a few books to read

She helps you reach out constantly trying to push you, not too far but far enough so that you're not just stuck in the hotel all alone when her and Charlie go out

Vaggie calls you pet names all the time and compliments you almost every day. Its constant hugs and kisses, she wants to make sure that you feel safe in your own skin

"You look absolutely stunning babe"

You and her have the same sarcastic humor and she loves that you get all of her jokes

She loves it when you nag at her and will always laugh at your jokes and tell you how great you are at making them she might try and get at you back every now and then though but in a loving way

"Oh come on that was a good one"

With her it is constantly cuddles and attention when she regained her wings it only increased. She would constantly sit you down just so that you could preen them

Your gentle with her wings and she loves it she constantly shakes them with excitement and will lay down on your lap afterwards snuggling up right next to you

She then will thank you with kisses peppering your face with them all over <3

[barkspawn]

maybe elliott finding out the farmer is an avid fanfic writer or something but never mentioned it due to the fact people often don't see fanfics as valid fiction.

*** This is a comment on the FIRST post asking for one-shot requests and I'm horrid and forgot ***

@shirofluff

Hi dont hate me here it is

Amelia's phone has been buzzing like mad today. She had to turn the sound off so it didn't drive her insane. She had finished her farmwork fairly quickly thanks to the sprinklers she was finally able to afford. Nothing was quite ready for harvest, but definitely would be soon. 

She sighed as she pulled her phone out to check the time, pleased to see that the hits on her story started to slow. Someone who was very well-known had shared a small bit of it and the rest of the fanbase jumped on it quickly. 

Thankfully, Elliott would be there in about an hour, giving her plenty of time to shower, or so she thought. She took longer than she intended to get ready to actually shower and once she got in, the hot water felt so good that she didn't want to get out. 

Before she knew it, she heard Elliott call out as he came into the house, “Amelia?”

She cursed under her breath before calling back, “I'm in the shower!” 

She got moving, focusing first on washing her hair. She heard Elliott walk to the door, giving the frame a gentle knock, “want me to sit with you? Or I can wait out here.”

She couldn't help but smile, humming at the feeling of the hot water washing away the shampoo, “that's up to you, love. I’d invite you to join me if we weren't pressed for time.”

He laughed softly, coming into the bathroom and leaning against the sink. 

“Don’t tempt me, my muse,” he teased. He couldn’t see through the glass, per se, but he could see a clear outline of her. It had to be one of his favorite views. 

The couple had been dating now for almost a year, growing inseparable. For Amelia, there was no question that they were meant to be together. The very moment they met, it was like she was talking to an old friend. She’d never felt so moved or invested in anything as much as his writing. But when he kissed her for the first time? She knew he was it. 

Her phone buzzed again, loud against the porcelain of the sink. She groaned as she started to rinse the soap from her body, “sorry, just social media going crazy. You can turn it off if you’d like.”

He hummed, picking up her phone and touching the power button before the notification caught his eye. 

“ New comment on The Runaway: Ch. 17: I love your writing! The way that Rayt…”

His brows pulled together in confusion, the door to the shower opening, Amelia standing there with a bright smile. His expression, however, caused her smile to fall as she reached for her towel, starting to dry her hair, “El, what’s wrong?”

He took a long moment before setting her phone down, which immediately buzzed again. His eyes met hers, and though he very much wanted to take in the beauty of the naked woman in front of him, he couldn’t seem to figure out what to feel. 

“You… write?” 

She blinked, realization taking the place of her confusion, “oh, uh, not really,” she commented, her voice small. It felt silly to be embarrassed but Elliott was a real, published author. She wrote stories about characters from her favorite comic online, “just little things about Cave Saga X.”

“Oh,” he watched her carefully as she dried herself off, “so are they reviews for them?”

She cursed her phone for buzzing again, not quite meeting Elliott’s eye, “well, no. They’re like short stories with the characters in it and one of my own that I’ve created.”

Elliott nodded slowly, understanding falling over his features, “may I read some?”

She looked over at him, an almost terrified look washing over her, “El, it’s not anything special… you don’t have—“

“Darling,” he stopped her, walking over and cupped her face, “I know what fanfiction is,” he leaned in to kiss her forehead, “why haven’t you told me?”

She toyed with his lapel, meeting his eyes as he spoke. Something in them eased her. She took a deep breath before answering honestly, “because you’re this incredible, talented, successful author and I write short stories on the internet for a character from something I didn’t write.”

He sighed as he understood, offering her a kind smile, “my love, you write. You created a whole character, gave them a story, love, and life. You put pen to paper and wrote their lives,” she bit her lower lip as her cheeks, neck, and her ears grew pink at his kindness, “Some writers think lowly of fanfiction and that’s just pretentious,” he leaned in and smiled at her brightly, “personally, I’d love to read it.”

She leaned up and pressed a small kiss to the corner of his lips, “only if you promise not to laugh…” 

“You know I wouldn’t ever laugh at your work, no matter what it may be.”

She took a deep breath, slipping her hands down into his, “I know, I’m sorry. It’s just hard to compare, you know?” She gave a small, apologetic smile, “it’s a little long, so if you’d like to read it tonight, that’d be okay.”

He chuckled and kissed her forehead, “that would be fine, though you know I am a fast reader.”

She laughed, wrapping her hair up in the towel once she was dry. 

“Although it’s very possible I would be a bit distracted,” he teased, moving his fingers gently over her hip before she slapped it away. 

“El, as much as I would like to stay home and do everything running through that beautiful mind,” she shifted to put her bra on, “we are going to be late to the festival.”

“They say being late can be fashionable, you know,” he teased, guiding her against him with his hands on her hips before bending to press a kiss to her neck. 

She let out a breathy laugh before pulling back, “love, I promise we can do literally anything you want after the fair,” she leaned up to kiss the corner of his lips, “you know I have to kick Pierre’s ass today. My display needs to be perfect.”

Elliott smiled, handing her the shirt from beside him, “I will be taking you up on that, my muse,” he hummed, leaning against the sink. He thought for a long moment before offering a smile, “perhaps I can read your work while you get set up?”

“You could start to,” she hummed, admittedly still nervous, “as I said, it’s gotten to be a bit long.”

He watched as she got dressed, his mind a blur of questions that he would wait to ask. 

“You say that like it’s turned into a novel. Is it that long?” He inquired, following behind her to offer any help he could to assist in her getting ready. 

She laughed, “well, kind of, I guess,” she started, hoisting her bag over her shoulder before slipping her hand into Elliott’s, “it’s running about 113,000 words so far, I think.”

Elliott paused in his walking for just a moment as they descended the stairs out of the house, “darling, that… is a novel and then some.”

He saw heat rise through her face, a smile creeping at his lips as he stepped to her, “you are a remarkable woman, love. You never cease to amaze me,” he bent and stole her lips in a too-brief kiss, “I also seem to have forgotten to say good morning properly.”

She laughed, shaking her head as her voice came out a little breathlessly, “you know, if I knew telling you that I write occasionally would earn more of this… sudden affection,” she teased, “I’d have told you the day I met you.”

He laughed and squeezed her hand, “there would have been chaos, darling. I was already taken by you and to know that would simply have brought me to my knees.”

“Oh, I could make that work,” she hummed, a devilish smirk playing on her lips as they passed the bus stop. 

He slipped a hand down into the back pocket of her jeans before humming just loud enough so she heard, “if I have to behave so do you.”

She shot him a look as he moved his hand back to her waist. Her smile returned as they got to the fair, “I don’t think you want to play that game with me, El.”

[thesparkwhowalks]

Just Saw Madame Web!

And you silly bastards made the mistake of following me so here come

Opinions

about what is easily the Okayest superhero movie I've seen in a while. I'm not going to bother writing around spoilers for a movie you're not going to pay American currency to watch anytime soon, so hit the jump.

OK, things I liked: - The premise of someone whose power is basically all spider-sense as a protagonist is actually really interesting and I overall liked how her powers are portrayed. - Time is spent genuinely developing the relationship between Madame Web and the girls. It feels earned when they're all super close at the end of the movie. - Dakota Johnson and Adam Scott infuse Madame Web and Ben Parker's friendship with some genuine chemistry. I'm sucker for a genuine platonic male/female best friendship, so I really appreciated it and wished there'd been more seen of it. - The film does a pretty good job portraying a murderous version of Spider-Man as terrifying. - Good foreshadowing with the fireworks warehouse. Infinitely superior to Itchy & Scratchy. - Madame Web's signature move is "crash through a wall and ram that fucker with a stolen car" and I buy that it works multiple times on Ezekiel because WHO DOES THAT?! - I liked Madame Web's disabling (imagine if I stopped the sentence here) not being portrayed as a fate worse than death or a karmic punishment or any of that rot. She's blind. She's in a wheelchair. She has a family and psychic powers and is happy. Things I didn't Not Like: - Madame Web and the Spider-Women become the Birds of Prey in the indeterminate future. It's a weird idea, but not without interesting potential. Things that annoyed me: - An ambiguously brown mercenary with spider powers. That are several characters from the comics that might fit that description (Tarantula, Black Tarantula, Devil-Spider) but not Ezekiel Sims. Always annoys me when comic book movies do that. - 11th hour ability to create psychic duplicates! Lazy. - Why must the blood/DNA/venom of creatures be the cure for genetic diseases in Sony spider-flicks? Are Madame Web and Morbius going to form a support group? - The film's "Web" mythos felt slapdash and poorly considered. Which is a little weird, because there's been plenty of weird Spider-Mysticism in the last 20 years of Spider-Man comics that makes a lot more sense than this. - The birth of the unnamed Peter Parker is totally unnecessary. - The whole Peru trip feels really unnecessary. More accurately, it is necessary for Cassandra Webb to investigate her past. It is considerably less necessary for her to do it Eat, Pray, Love style. Overall, I recommend streaming it when it comes to Netflix in like a month (or less, honestly). I am, however, a sucker for a connected-to-nothing superhero movie that clearly didn't cost $200 million (I grew up on 'em) and attractive women in belly shirts, short skirts, and low-rise jeans.

[miqolena]

6.4 Tataru's Grand Endeavor Thoughts

I'm not usually the type to share my thoughts on media so soon after consuming it because how I feel is usually just that - feelings, not thoughts - but I feel compelled to share how I felt for anyone who's curious. So I figured I'd think about it some and post what I decided here - posting on twitter before the embargo drops means jumping through annoying spoiler hoops like rot13 etc. Anyway here we go.

I'm not the kind of person who takes screenshots while I go through content for the first time. I find it distracting and cumbersome to look out for Photo Moments and capture them when my character isn't blinking or something. I'd rather focus entirely on what's going on. So I don't have many pictures to go with this, sorry!

I thought the premise of the conflict was neat enough. Like, someone stealing a giant mech? Oh boy, I wonder what's going to be the deal there. But I didn't like the Valens lookalike thing. It felt really... cheap. Like you bought a nice dress at the store but you need to buy one more thing to get a discount so you pick out something ratty and inexpensive but fine, and now you have them both, for better or worse. I was really hoping when Gaius struck him down that he had passed unilateral judgment upon him and killed him outright for the trouble. But New Gaius wouldn't do something like that, of course.

I enjoyed his characterization still. The writers didn't have him depart from his severe and even nature, his frank way of speaking. I was terrified that they would throw a curve ball at me that screamed "You've been doing it wrong for half a million words!!" but that didn't happen. I don't know why I worried. (I do know why. It's because I worry about everything.)

The painting was nice. Like a few other bits, I'll have to make adjustments to fit my canon when I write this in, since in my work Allie carries the memory core in a hip satchel made by Cid at nearly all times, which means it couldn't have been used by surprise to create the projection. I could take this opportunity to let her detach herself from it a little, though. Much to decide.

Gaius' (badly paraphrased) "words are hard sometimes, thanks a bunch" remark near the end really warmed my heart.

Overall it was okay. I didn't come out of it sobbing or overjoyed or anything but I did come out of it relieved that nothing overtly bad happened. Relief colors the whole experience; I anticipated the patch as one anticipates a blow to the body, not knowing where the strike would land. And I left 6.4 Tataru's Grand Endeavor feeling as though nothing had hit me after all.

I'm looking forward to trying to twist the story to maybe be something better than what it was, especially with my canon of tensions between Garlean refugees, Ala Mhigan Resistance soldiers, and Werlyt troops. Maybe the one who steals the mech won't be a Valens lookalike at all... maybe the nature of the theft will be dramatically different. We'll see.

As our supreme director says, please look forward to it.

PS: Gaius has a new idle after the quest is over where he is engrossed in a book, one leg folded over the other. It's adorable. Thank you for this food, devs.

[nayialovecat]

Crowns (fragment)

Now that you know Crowns and their characters, I can show you one of my favourite fragments. As a follower, Narinder persists in trying to regain power and, well… Lamb was predicted by most of them.

About Crowns: part 1 part 2

................................................

Vol. 3, chapter 1: "Crowns"

Narinder was lying on the ground, as they expected. He wasn't breathing. Lamb glanced at the Crowns, but these were motionless. Their eyes stared blindly into space as if in fact they were just sculptures. Then Lamb looked over the followers. Someone was clearly wanting vomiting when he noticed the dead body.

Lamb raised a hand to their forehead and rubbed the space between their eyes. Then they sharply looked up.

"Everyone... get out," they growled at the followers, and they obediently began to gather.

"Shall we... take the body, leader?" one of the marauders asked hesitantly.

"I don't see a body here to take somewhere," said the Lamb coldly. "I see a follower sleeping on the grass."

"But..."

A look in the Lamb's eyes told the overzealous one: that any moment - and he and the new follower would switch places. He hurried away from this place. Lamb, having made sure that they were all obediently far from there, turned an angry glare at the Crowns.

"What were you not supposed to do?!" he exclaimed mentally, and this was redirected to the Crowns as a very loud scream by Red Crown. The artifacts of power twitched. If they had lips, they probably would have grimaced.

"We were supposed to stop him from reaching for us," Yellow Crown announced almost aggressively.

"You weren't supposed to kill him!"

"We didn't kill him," she replied. After a while she added. "He died himself. After a while."

Lamb was rubbed at the bridge of their nose again. "Cause of death?" they asked to Red Crown.

“It seems like a large electric charge has burned his internal organs."

"Blue, do you know anything about large electric charges?"

"I didn't do anything!" Blue Crown defended himself almost desperately. His domain was the broadly understood arts, including magic and science.

"Yeah... because you are too much of a coward and you are afraid of Narinder, even in this flawed form," Yellow sneered contemptuously. "It's not him, Lamb."

Lamb directed their gaze to the Green Crown. Their domain was chaos and wild forces of nature. This one tried to look as innocent as possible. Lamb's eyes narrowed. "Yes?"

They was still silent. The rest of the Crowns glanced at it curiously.

"Okay! Maybe I exaggerated", Green finally grunted. "But he was already putting his dirty hands on me! I reacted instinctively... You could have hidden us," they said accusingly to Lamb. "Or at least apply a protection spell."

"No. He had to learn a lesson. Though I hadn't planned that his lesson would bring him to Limbo so soon." Lamb sighed deeply, then bent over the body. "Stupid cat... He could at least try to pretend that he is not planning this..."

"By the way, Lamb..." Yellow Crown's voice sounded sweet. "Why don't you just give him a moment... Let him sit in the world below, I'm sure the rest of the family are very happy about this unexpected visit and..."

"Narinder doesn't go to Hell for the gods..." Lamb announced coldly, focusing. "After his death, he lands in Limbo, chained, with chains I created for him out of faith and suffering of the followers of particular domains."

The Crowns were amazed. They exchanged slightly nervous and partly surprised or even terrified glances. Only Purple didn't look surprised, but only sighed heavily.

"You created... chains?" Yellow repeated.

"Yes. And Limbo inside the Limbo. You know... such a Limbo through which souls cannot pass on the way to hell..."

"Wait... you have created a place where Narinder is genuinely all alone and in addition chained with chains through which flows the suffering of all beings in all domains?"

They looked at them. They raised an eyebrow as if saying "what, am I indistinctly speaking?" For the first time, something strange appeared in Crown's eyes - something like fear, and in part even respect. If the Yellow Crown had a mouth, she would have whistled in awe. Blue seemed to be incredulous.

"It's... so cruel," he said. "I don't think even Heket would do something like this..."

"Right," said Yellow. And then she became a little worried. "But maybe..."

"Get him out of there!" Green Crown almost demanded. They seemed nervous. "If I had known I'd send him there... Even he doesn't deserve something like that! In fact, even if he touched me and picked me up, I would just refuse to cooperate. I didn't know he was landing in Limbo! Bring him back!"

"And you think what am I trying to do!" snapped Lamb. "You're distracting me! Shut up now!"

They closed their eyes, placing a hand on the dead cat's chest. Then they lifted it slightly, opening eyes. A light appeared in them, as well as between his hooves on the tips of his fingers and the dead one's chest. The light in their eyes, however, soon turned red, and blood began to trickle from them down the cheeks, dripping onto the ground, as always with stronger spells and rituals. Narinder's body shuddered and lifted slightly into the air. Then it hit the ground violently - and the cat took a sharp breath, as if he were a shipwrecked man who had just been successfully resuscitated. He jumped up with fear in his eyes.

For a moment he looked genuinely terrified. He clearly didn't know where he was, his hands clenched into fists as if they were handcuffed. After a moment he saw the Lamb, his stern expression. The light in their eyes dimmed, and the cat saw an angry glare. Narinder glanced sideways at the Crowns. He swallowed.

"Oh-oh…" he said, then dropped to the grass. "Can I ask you for one more lightning..."

"Oh no!" growled Lamb, getting up. They grabbed his robe, pulling him to his feet. Narinder was surprised - he hadn't thought Lamb was so strong before. It mean, he knew they had great power, but he didn't think that physically, without using spells, they could lift him almost effortlessly. "What was that, Nari?"

The cat shrugged. "You can't be angry I tried," he grumbled. "You told me yourself where the Crowns are. You haven't hidden them since then. I had to try. But those damn hats don't seem to like me," he growled.

"Are you surprised?" Lamb snorted. "You ordered the killing of their owners, and before that you mutilated them."

"Well... yes, but now they are no longer associated with them..."

He looked at Crowns. He had a strange feeling that they were making fun of him. Lamb, who was still hearing what the Crowns said and how they acted, narrowed their eyes.

"Yeah, you entertain them," they snorted. "And now you're coming with me."

With those words, they moved forward. The cat didn't move, standing there staring with undisguised hatred at the Crowns. Lamb waved their hand in the air and snapped their finger - and Narinder suddenly felt as if someone had kicked him. He was surprised, but after a moment's hesitation he followed the cult leader, growling curses under his breath.

................................................

Tom 3, rozdział 1: "Korony"

Na ziemi, jak się spodziewało, leżał Narinder. Nie oddychał. Jego ciemnoszare futro wyglądało na nieruszone, oczy były zamknięte, wszystkie trzy. Jagnię rzuciło spojrzenie na Korony, ale te były nieruchome. Ich oczy patrzyły ślepo w przestrzeń, jakby faktycznie były tylko rzeźbami. Potem Jagnię potoczyło wzrokiem po wyznawcach. Komuś wyraźnie zbierało się na wymioty, gdy dostrzegł martwe ciało.

Jagnię uniosło dłoń do czoła i pomasowało przestrzeń między oczami. Potem gwałtownie podniosło głowę.

- Wszyscy... wynocha - warknęło na wyznawców, a ci posłusznie zaczęli się zbierać.

- Czy... mamy uprzątnąć ciało, liderze? - zapytał niepewnie jeden z maruderów.

- Ja nie widzę tutaj ciała do uprzątnięcia - stwierdziło chłodno Jagnię. - Widzę tu wyznawcę, który śpi na trawie.

- Ale...

Spojrzenie w oczy Jagnięcia powiedziało nadgorliwcowi, że lada moment, a on i nowy wyznawca zamienią się miejscami. Pospiesznie oddalił się z tego miejsca. Jagnię natomiast, upewniwszy się, że wszyscy posłusznie znaleźli się daleko od tego miejsca, zwróciło wściekłe spojrzenie na Korony.

- Czego miałyście nie robić?! - zawołało w myślach, a to zostało przekierowane do Koron jako bardzo głośny krzyk przez Czerwoną Koronę. Artefakty mocy drgnęły. Gdyby miały usta, pewnie by się skrzywiły.

- Miałyśmy nie pozwolić mu sięgnąć po nas - oznajmiła niemal zaczepnie Żółta Korona.

- Miałyście go nie zabijać!

- Nie zabiłyśmy - odparła. Po chwili dorzuciła. - Sam umarł. Po chwili.

Jagnię znów pomasowało nasadę nosa.

- Przyczyna zgonu? - rzuciło do Czerwonej Korony.

- Zdaje się, że spory ładunek elektryczny spalił mu wewnętrzne narządy.

- Niebieski, wiesz coś może o potężnych ładunkach elektrycznych?

- Nic nie zrobiłem! - broniła się niemal rozpaczliwie Niebieska Korona. Jej domeną była szeroko pojęta sztuka, w tym magia i nauka.

- Ta... bo jesteś zbyt wielkim tchórzem i boisz się Narindera, nawet w tej ułomnej postaci - prychnęła pogardliwie Żółta. - To nie on, Jagnię.

Jagnię skierowało spojrzenie na Zieloną Koronę. Jej domeną był chaos i dzikie siły natury. Starała się teraz wyglądać możliwie najniewinniej. Zmrużyło oczy.

- Słucham?

Nadal milczała. Pozostałe Korony zerkały w jej stronę zaciekawione.

- No, dobra! Może przesadziłom - burknęła wreszcie. - Ale już kładł na mnie te swoje brudne łapy! Zareagowałom instynktownie... Mogłeś nas ukryć - rzuciła oskarżycielsko do Jagnięcia. - Albo chociaż nałożyć zaklęcie ochronne.

- Nie. Musiał dostać nauczkę. Choć nie planowałom, że tak szybko jego nauczka sprowadzi go do Limbo. - Jagnię westchnęło głęboko, a potem pochyliło się nad ciałem. - Durny kot... Mógł chociaż spróbować udawać, że tego nie planuje...

- Swoją drogą, Jagnię... - głos Żółtej Korony zabrzmiał słodyczą. - Może daj mu jeszcze chwilę... Niech sobie posiedzi na dole, jestem pewna, że pozostała część rodziny bardzo się cieszy z tej nieoczekiwanej wizyty i...

- Narinder nie trafia do piekła dla bogów... - oznajmiło chłodno Jagnię, skupiając się. - Po śmierci ląduje w Limbo, zakuty w łańcuchy, które dla niego stworzyłom z wiary i cierpienia wyznawców poszczególnych domen.

Korony zdumiały się. Wymieniły lekko nerwowe, a po części zdziwione lub nawet przerażone spojrzenia. Jedynie Fioletowa nie wyglądała na zdziwioną, a jedynie ciężko westchnęła.

- Stworzyłeś... łańcuchy? - powtórzyła Żółta.

- Tak. I Limbo wewnątrz Limba. Wiecie... takie Limbo, przez które nie przechodzą dusze w drodze do piekła...

- Zaraz... stworzyłeś miejsce, w którym autentycznie Narinder jest całkiem sam i w dodatku skuty łańcuchami, przez które przepływa cierpienie wszystkich istot we wszystkich domenach?

Popatrzyło na nie. Uniosło brew, jakby mówiło "a co, niewyraźnie mówię?". Po raz pierwszy w oczach Koron pojawiło się coś dziwnego - coś jakby lęk, a po części nawet szacunek. Gdyby Żółta Korona miała usta, zagwizdałaby z podziwiem. Niebieska zdawała się niedowierzać.

- To... takie okrutne - oznajmiła. - Chyba nawet Heket nie zdobyłaby się na coś takiego...

- Prawda - zgodziła się Żółta. A potem lekko zaniepokoiła się. - To może jednak...

- Wyciągnij go stamtąd! - niemal zażądała Zielona Korona. Wydawała się nerwowa. - Gdybym wiedziało, że tam go poślę... Nawet on nie zasługuje na coś takiego! W gruncie rzeczy, nawet jakby mnie dotknął i podniósł, po prostu odmówiłobym współpracy. Nie wiedziałom, że ląduje w Limbo! Wezwij go!

- A co ja próbuję zrobić! - warknęło Jagnię. - Rozpraszacie mnie! Zamknijcie się wreszcie!

Zamknęło oczy, kładąc dłoń na piersi martwego kota. A potem uniosło ją lekko, otwierając ślepia. Pojawiło się w nich światło, podobnie jak między jego kopytkami na końcu palców a piersią zmarłego. Światło w oczach jednak zaraz zasnuło się czerwienią, a krew zaczęła ciurkać z nich po policzkach, kapiąc na ziemię, jak zawsze w przypadku silniejszych zaklęć i rytuałów. Ciało Narindera zadrżało i delikatnie uniosło się w powietrze. Potem gwałtownie uderzyło o ziemię - a kot wziął gwałtowny wdech, jakby był rozbitkiem, na którym właśnie przeprowadzono udane sztuczne oddychanie. Poderwał się ze strachem w oczach.

Przez chwilę wyglądał na autentycznie przerażonego. Wyraźnie nie wiedział, gdzie jest, unosząc zaciśnięte dłonie w pięści, jakby trzymał je skute. Po chwili dostrzegł Jagnię, jego surową minę. Światło w oczach przygasło i kot zauważył wściekłe spojrzenie. Narinder zerknął w bok na korony. Przełknął ślinę.

- O-oł... - rzucił, a potem opadł na trawę. - Poproszę jeszcze raz piorunem.

- O nie! - warknęło Jagnię, podnosząc się. Szarpnęło go za szatę, stawiając na nogi. Narinder zdumiał się - dotąd nie przypuszczał, że jest takie silne. Znaczy, wiedział, że ma wielką moc, ale nie sądził, że fizycznie, bez używania zaklęć, jest w stanie go podźwignąć niemal bez wysiłku. - Co to było, Nari?

Kot wzruszył ramionami.

- Nie możesz mieć żalu, że próbowałem - burknął. - Sam mi powiedziałeś, gdzie są Korony. Nie schowałeś ich od tamtego czasu. Musiałem spróbować. Ale te przeklęte czapki chyba mnie nie lubią - warknął.

- A dziwisz się? - prychnęło Jagnię. - Zleciłeś zabicie ich właścicieli, a wcześniej ich okaleczyłeś.

- No... niby tak, ale teraz już nie są z nimi związane...

Zerknął na Korony. Miał dziwne wrażenie, że się z niego nabijają. Jagnię, które nadal słyszało to, co mówiły i jak się zachowywały Korony, zmrużyło oczy.

- Tak, mocno je bawisz - prychnęło. - A teraz idziesz ze mną.

Po tych słowach ruszyło przed siebie. Kot nie drgnął, stojąc w miejscu i patrząc z nieskrywaną nienawiścią na Korony. Jagnię machnęło dłonią w powietrzu i pstryknęło palcami - i Narinder poczuł nagle, jakby ktoś go kopnął. Zdumiał się, ale po chwili wahania ruszył za liderem kultu, powarkując pod nosem przekleństwa.

[frozenrose105]

Whumptober Day 8

Prompt: Everything Hurts and I'm Dying

Characters: Bingiplier, Googleplier

Part two for @perse-flame

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2

======================

Bing didn't sleep. But he had woken up once before. On the day he'd been created he'd been disoriented, trying to process all of the information he was built with alongside the constant influx of data being fed to him via the internet. "Overwhelming" was a term he'd learned quickly, but he'd adapted as he was meant to do and grew to be much more.

His experience waking up for the second time was nothing so similar. He didn't have nearly enough power, and warnings flashed across his vision as soon as he opened his eyes. He began to run diagnostics as he tried to sit up- only able to catch a glimpse of his internals splayed out around him before he was pushed back down.

The hand on his forehead was firm, but the push wasn't hostile. Bing didn't try to fight it, the image of the mess made of his internals burned into his memory.

He remembered all that had happened too. He should have been dead, he /saw/ them remove his core. He felt them removing synthetic skin, and doing who knows what after that. He didn't know how long he'd been powered off, but he was starting to feel the pain once again, as well as someone moving things around his chest area.

Bing decided to focus on his rescuer instead of that- the man who was still holding him down by the forehead, in lieu of the metal restraints. Bold blue eyes and a shirt to match, marked by the glowing G of the Google logo. There was no heartbeat that Bing could detect, and the warmth in his hand wasn't natural. It was a Google android, come to rescue him- more than one, as the blue one wasn't the one working on Bing.

"...Hurts," Bing managed to say in a warbled, glitchy tone. "...I thought I was dead, I- ...What's the damage? Software- seems to be in check."

"There is minimal damage to your internal wiring and endoskeleton. However, your core was removed incorrectly and will not continue to function for long unless it is fixed or replaced. You may stop feeling pain again soon, and there is a high probability of you losing other functions before your systems fail entirely." The blue Google said all of this in a factual tone, seemingly unworried, but Bing tried once more to sit up upon hearing his words. The panic must have been evident on his face, but he was once again forced down.

"Hey, uh, shouldn't we be fixing that then?" Bing asked him, though it wasn't really a question. He was dying, why the hell weren't they moving? Not to mention the pain was becoming unbearable as it slowly returned to him, sharp and present even in places he hasn't thought were harmed.

"Fixing you here is impossible, and transporting you in this state would be difficult. We need to make partial repairs at least in order to do it safely."

"Fuck. Fuck alright, just hurry." Bing felt his hand grip the edge of the table, and he closed his eyes. He was an android, yes, but he had been built to be as close to human as possible- unlike the Google droids.

They had always looked down on Bing models like himself, as far as he was aware. They thought themselves superior, and maybe they were right. Bing didn't care, he only hoped that they would keep their word and fix him. He had come so close to death. He /had/ died, and there had been nothing. It was a terrifying fate to think about, for him. He could only hope they would stop it in time from happening again.

[pocketramblr]

I posted 21,106 times in 2022

That's 963 more posts than 2021!

2,054 posts created (10%)

19,052 posts reblogged (90%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@/amotleycrew

@/the-queen-is-off-duty

@marshmelonfluff

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@gentrychild

I tagged 4,228 of my posts in 2022

#pocket talks to people - 1,266 posts

#anon - 731 posts

#fic rec - 235 posts

#psychic nura - 189 posts

#ask game - 137 posts

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#anyone: brozawa edition - 73 posts

#my writing - 69 posts

#dracula daily - 55 posts

#princess tutu - 51 posts

Longest Tag: 118 characters

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My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Ask game: a BNHA wrist soulmate AU where you have the name of someone you will kill on one wrist and the name of the one who will kill you on the other, please. ^^

the Implications....................

1- You don't want a soulmate, here. because that means you're going to kill someone, get killed, or both. But alas, some people are not so lucky. Izuku's got a name on one of his wrists- Shigaraki Hajime, and everyone he knows is sure he's going to get killed in a quirkless hatecrime. Inko is constantly terrified. His dad vanished as soon as he saw it in the hospital. Izuku still wants to be a hero. He hopes to make his life mean something, and maybe even his death, that way.

2- Izuku later assumes The Sludge Villian is Shigaraki Hajime, until All Might saves his life. He mentions this in a daze- "oh, i guess he's not shigaraki hajime after all. I still have time."- and All Might freezes. Because he's got the same name on his write. Because Nana had that same name on her wrist. Because that's AfO's real name, and he killed Nana, and All Might killed him. This kid shouldn't even know that name, let alone reluctantly show him on his wrist when he asks.

3- Stain has just straight up been killing whatever name he sees on his wrist and assuming its because they're unworthy. the paradoxical concern for this is not something he worries about. he spares anyone not on his list, including Iida Tensei.

4- Chisaki had names on his wrists. So did Eri. Those names were removed via Overhaul before Pops could ever see them.

5- AfO didn't even have to do a lot of work to find Tenko. All it took was hearing about the child born with his parents, grandparents, and sister's name on his wrist, immediately placed in state custody. After that, finding a boy with so many "shimuras" on one wrist was easy, and he was already angry to be abandoned and mistreated in a group home. The day he met his bio family was the day he died.

438 notes - Posted February 7, 2022

#4

Red Osp 2015 vs 2022

598 notes - Posted July 29, 2022

#3

As much as I love "a letter from my friend John" we technically aren't at the point where we're reading letters by characters yet- we're reading his diary.

I am sneaking along in my good friend Jonathon's luggage but it's hard to hear anything from inside the suitcase, so I read his diary after he goes to sleep for the day. He doesn't know I'm here so I obviously can't respond or say anything to him. But I'm so glad to be out of that case in the stuffy carriage, I hope I get a chance to look around Dracula's cool castle later

627 notes - Posted May 6, 2022

#2

Why are so many ghost king Danny things so angsty? Where’s the versions where he shows up with Starbucks or something to a meeting like ‘yeah I don’t want to be here but I gotta so *slurp* eh?’ Or ‘this is infinitely more interesting and important than my homework so..’

You're asking why the Vivisection Capitol of Fandom has a tendency to make a fic trope angsty

744 notes - Posted September 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Oh huh, I wonder for what personal reasons Helsing would do anything for John- he what

817 notes - Posted September 2, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[mediaevalmusereads]

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter. By Theodora Goss. Saga Press, 2017.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Genre: (YA?) historical sci fi/fantasy/mystery

Series: The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #1

Summary: Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents’ death, is curious about the secrets of her father’s mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father’s former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture…a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes.

But her hunt leads her to Hyde’s daughter, Diana, a feral child left to be raised by nuns. With the assistance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Mary continues her search for the elusive Hyde, and soon befriends more women, all of whom have been created through terrifying experimentation: Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherin Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein.

When their investigations lead them to the discovery of a secret society of immoral and power-crazed scientists, the horrors of their past return. Now it is up to the monsters to finally triumph over the monstrous.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: madness, mention of suicide, blood, self-inflicted wounds, animal death, violence

OVERVIEW: This is another book that sat on my TBR for ages. I remember picking it up at a used bookstore solely because I liked the vibes; I'm not usually a fan of books that use characters in the public domain (it feels too close to fanfiction for me), but I thought I'd give it a chance. Overall, my opinion of this book is not glowing. I can see how some readers may like it; it's kind of fun, and a girl group that goes around investigating secret societies has appeal. However, I wasn't very impressed by the writing, and the way the narrarive progressed just wasn't great. So this book gets 2 stars.

WRITING: While I think Goss's prose is fairly clear and easy to read, there were a few features that I personally disliked.

For one, this book is heavy on the expositional dialogue. Characters will speak for whole paragraphs at a time, explaining things so that the story has context.

For two, Goss uses a lot of filter words so that I always felt a little at arm's length. Phrases like "Mary wondered" or "Mary thought" were common, and while they didn't bother me all the time, they did add up.

For three, Goss uses a lot of exclamations and prompts "suspense" with a bunch of questions, which make the book seem aimed at a younger audience. Phrases like "He had swallowed the fly!" and "how tired she was!" felt like they were inserted to spell things out, as well as questions like "but why was she killed?" - as if Goss didn't trust the reader to infer things. I guess maybe this would be ok if the audience is in fact YA (though it's hard to tell - there's nothing definitive that I can find).

And lastly, I just wanted something more out of this book regarding female monstrosity. This may seem like an unfair criticism, but Goss's author's note claims that the idea for this book stemmed from an observation that a lot of 19th century mad scientists in literature were hung up on female monsters. That observation is a good one, but ultimately, I didn't feel like this book really dwelled on the theme of female monstrosity or did anything interesting with it. The book was mostly about all these lady monsters going around and being badass, and even then, they're not really all that monsterous.

PLOT: The plot of this book follows Mary Jekyll - daughter of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Henry Jekyll - who is left penniless following the death of her mother. When Mary discovers that her mother had secretly been paying for the care of someone named Hyde - the same name as her father's associate and criminal-at-large - she figures she can turn him in and claim the reward money. However, Mary discovers that Hyde is in fact Diana Hyde - Mr. Hyde's daughter. The two find themselves tangled up in a murder mystery (being investigated by Sherlock Holmes) which leads them to the daughters of other famous scientists: Beatrice Rappiccini, Catherine Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein. Together, they seek to uncover a secret society that united their fathers while also exploring what it means to be the progeny of monsters.

There was a lot about this plot that felt fairly whimsical and joyful. I could tell that Goss was enjoying the writing process and those who have read the 19th century stories this book references will surely get a chuckle out of some things.

However, I couldn't help but feel like this book was aimed at a young audience, in part because there wasn't much about the plot itself that was clever. It often felt like Goss was hand-holding a bit too much, and though the characters tell us the girls are smart, they never really do anything exceptional. All of their insights feel obvious if you're familiar with the stories the book is referencing. As a result, this book felt like a Ready Player One but for 19th century Gothic novels - it's mainly enjoyable for the references rather than the story itself. If the audience is a YA one and truly meant to be just a fun 19th century monstrous girl gang, then I guess I can see the appeal. But since I struggled to determine the audience, I'll just have to call it like I see it.

Lastly, this book felt stuffed with unnecessary details. There were quite a few paragraphs about characters eating meals or descriptions of where they were sitting in the room. There were also a lot of explanatory phrases that let the reader know why characters were making decisions or why things were in the world, and dialogue would get long and meandering. I think a lot of these details could have been cut or inferred and the pacing of the plot as a whole would have felt much better.

CHARACTERS: This book primarily focuses on 5 girls, their housekeeper, and Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

There were moments when the characters were charming. Diana Hyde, for example, was feisty and obstinate, and Justine Frankenstein was sweet-natured and timid despite being so strong.

However, I do think the writing style tends to flatten them out, and though I didn't mind their chiding in the "interruptions," I also don't feel like I fully got to know them as people. I think the characterization would have been better if each of the girls grappled with their own identities and with their own concept of monstrosity. While there's a little of that, it's quickly brushed aside and the characters don't so much grow as they have adventurous romps together.

TL;DR: The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter tries to have fun with female monstrosities from the 19th century, but the lackluster mystery and the prose style make this book tedious to read.

[greatwyrmgold]

This looked fun, so I wanted to do one. But I decided not to calculate/post this until the year was actually over (in some time zones).

Oh, by the way, did you know you can edit these things?

I posted 2,307 times in 2022

That's 2,294 more posts than 2021!

Yeah, I basically didn't use Tumblr before May. I'm surprised I posted 13 things in 2021.

338 posts created (15%)

1,969 posts reblogged (85%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@artbyblastweave

@kiiamn

@prokopetz

@victoriadallonfan

@ewingstan

I tagged 1,998 of my posts in 2022

Only 13% of my posts had no tags! I wonder why I missed the other 309.

#random stuff - 406 posts

#random thoughts - 374 posts

#wildbow - 348 posts

#parahumans - 320 posts

#worm - 317 posts

#art - 227 posts

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#spy × family - 173 posts

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#politics - 132 posts

I apparently talk about Worm a lot. Also, I need to do better about tagging anime/manga posts with at least one of those two tags.

Longest Tag: 139 characters

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My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

One of Spy×Family's many great strengths is how it can shock you with obvious plot twists. Like, of course Anya was going to get anxious about her place in the "fake" Forger family when Twilight considered the possibility of using Yor's friendship with Donovan Desmond's wife, but I haven't seen anyone consider Anya's response to that friendship in the last two weeks.

350 notes - Posted August 7, 2022

#4

Anya being casual about the bomb strapped to her neck (because she read the terrorist's mind and knows it's a bluff) and terrifying all of her classmates (who can't read minds and assume Anya's being a reckless moron) is the funniest bomb threat joke I have ever read.

629 notes - Posted November 13, 2022

#3

Caramelldansen, the Disney Channel theme, & obfuscated authorship

Kevin Perjurer's Disney Channel's Theme: A History Mystery and jan Misali's who wrote Caramelldansen? feel like complimentary opposites.

[I'm not going to include the whole thing in here—it's long]

832 notes - Posted November 21, 2022

#2

I love when series make this kind of long-term call-back. You thought it was a goofy one-off gag, but in fact it was a goofy two-off gag!

930 notes - Posted December 11, 2022

I note that, even though I post wat more about Wildbow than about Spy×Family, most of my top posts are about the latter. Granted, according to an external tool, there are a couple of Worm posts that made the top 10; it's not straightforwardly "I like to post Wildbow but people only react to my anime posts".

Looking at that external tool...the top anime posts about anime outside the fall season were a couple RWBY Ice Queendom posts tied for 31st place. I wonder what's up with that.

It could be that I started posting about anime on Tumblr more in recent months. It could be that anime Tumblrinas came across my blog around that time. I really hope it doesn't have anything to do with the elephant in the room.

My #1 post of 2022

13,443 notes - Posted October 17, 2022

This cogsci post...this f*kng zero-effort found-this-on-Twitter cogsci post, it has been clogging my inbox for two and a half months. There have only been sixteen days when this thing hasn't been the most-noted thing on my Tumblr, half of those being at the end of December (thanks to a S×F reblog which would take the #2 place if essays you wrote in response to someone else's post counted).

I hope I get to forget about this post soon, so I can stop regret treating it as something a few mutuals would see and not something seen by a small town's worth of people.

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review while it's still 2022 →

[the-letter-horror-lover]

Cheap At The Price

Roturier

Summary:

What would a traffic jam of Kuroshitsuji characters look like? With Undertaker as traffic cop?

Work Text:

Undertaker's little storefront was bursting at the seams. A string of murders had London stirred up like a dropped hornet's nest and Will Spears, Ronald Knox and Grelle Sutcliff had come to ask Undertaker about it because of some irregularities related to the death lists. Soon after, and only by coincidence, Inspector Fred Abberline, accompanied by two other officers whose beats included the sites of three of the murders, also entered the shop, followed shortly after that by the young earl of Phantomhive with his butler the customary 5 paces behind. In no time they were all wedged into the little storefront, all trying to make themselves heard, all petitioning the ex-death god for some helpful information and all of them talking at once and trying to shout the others down.

Soon Lau, Ran Mao and a couple of Lao's 'girls' also turned up, adding to the confusion and congestion. But that was only because they'd all been on their way back from the shops (where they'd bought candles, paraffin and a sack of Lau's favourite sweeties) when they spotted the crowd through Undertaker's shop window and decided to drop in and be nosy.

Since the former death god insisted he really didn't know anything helpful, but they all seemed reluctant to leave, he giggled and shouted: "You lot don't need me! What you need is a fortune teller!" And with that he grabbed a crystal ball out from under the counter, slung his grey sash over his head like a hood and then proceeded to sit with his back to the crowd, moaning and keening all the while over his 'visions' while he pretended to read the future in his cloudy sphere.

In addition to the chaos created by the retired death god's antics and the sheer number of people in the shop, Grelle was making things infinitely worse by fawning over and pawing at certain people. First, it was his superior William Spears—in fact keeping Grelle off his boss's back was part of why Knox had been brought along. Soon, though Grell left him when the moderately attractive inspector Fred Abberline stepped in the door with his two fellow officers.

The police inspector barely had time to react to being caught, cooed at, groped and then kissed by the peculiar red reaper when the Phantomhive boy and his butler showed up. Grelle promptly squealed like a tea kettle on the boil, deafening everyone, then did a strange little dance and threw himself across the two policemen in order to reach the earl's handsome butler. Michaelis, unfortunately for him, was unable to escape Grelle's assault as he would normally do with his fast footwork, due to the crush of people standing around and behind him. Even worse, the little earl, already annoyed beyond endurance at having to join this ridiculous rabble, ordered Sebastian to simply "put up with it until we're done in here." So Michaelis was stuck with writhing, red armfulls of Suttcliff enthusiastically climbing his frame.

The demon's eyes sparked fire, but he smiled that terrifying little smile of his, full of malice and sharp teeth and neither said nor did any of the violent, messy things he was thinking about.

"Knox, I'm holding you responsible for this fiasco," Spears muttered to the younger reaper who was still standing by his side despite the fact someone had just planted an elbow into one of his kidneys.

"ME?! What'd I do?!"

"Nothing, Knox; that is the point."

"...oh."

Suddenly Undertaker leaped to his feet, then to the top of the counter and, holding his glowing ball of crystal at arm's length, he intoned in a loud, creepy voice any malignant ghost would've been proud to call his own:

"GREEEELLE SUTCLIIIIIIIIFF… "

Sutcliff, hanging like ripe fruit from the neck of the still perfectly dressed butler, spared one hand to wave and cry, "Yoo hoo, over here, darling!"

"YOU WILL SUFFER A VIOLENT DEATH BEFORE THIS DAY CONCLUUUUDES!"

Grelle was barely able to blanch and cry 'whaaa?' before seven other voices, speaking in perfect-pissed-off unison, inquired darkly:

"WILL I BE ACQUITTED?"

Whereon the Undertaker, once he'd stopped howling and rolling on the floor, announced all information would hereby be free of charge to everyone present for the rest of the month.

On The Ride Home

monochromekiss

Summary:

Set in modern day. Based on the OVA episode "The Making of Kuroshitsuji II" All the characters of Kuroshitsuji are just actors playing a part. One night after filming, Sebastian invites Ciel and Alois into his car. But he plans to give them more than just a lift home.

Work Text:

It was late evening when the film crew finally finished filming the scenes they needed for that day. The actors involved in making the second season of Kuroshitsuji could finally go home.

Ciel changed out of his old-fashioned Victorian style costume and back into his regular clothes. As he walked away from the set he noticed Alois waiting for him, already dressed casually again and scrolling through social media on his smart phone.

"Check it out Ciel! We're all over Twitter right now! Everyone's so psyched for the new season!" He said happily, pushing the phone into Ciel's face. Ciel glanced at the screen, not bothering to read any of the various tweets. "Yeah, great." He mumbled.

"So, how many followers have you got? You must have more than me since you starred in season one." Ciel sighed at the ridiculous question. "None. I'm not on twitter. I don't like all that stupid social media crap." He replied simply.

Ciel let out another sigh as they reached the main road. It was already dark but Alois was so busy checking Twitter he didn't seem to notice. A large black sports car pulled up beside them, Sebastian sat in the driver's seat.

"Fancy a lift home?" He asked as he leant his head out of the window. Alois grinned and jumped into the back of the car, dragging Ciel with him. "We'd love to!" He replied, answering for both of them. Sebastian sighed a little in disappointment since he'd wanted Ciel sat in the front with him.

For a while Sebastian drove in silence, occasionally looking back at Ciel in the rear-view mirror. Alois talked incessantly while Ciel simply nodded in response, an extremely bored expression on his face. The two of them turned to look at Sebastian curiously when he stopped the car in a deserted field.

"Where are we?" Ciel asked, glancing around at their surroundings.

"Yeah, you were supposed to take us home." Alois added, a smirk on his face since he could guess where this was going. Ciel was a bit more naive.

"I just wanted to talk to you. Get to know you more." Sebastian replied, turning round in his seat with the same smirk on his lips.

"But we already know each other well..." Ciel said in response, his voice full of confusion. Alois couldn't help but giggle at Ciel's reaction.

"Well, I want to get to know you even more." Sebastian said simply. His eyes wandered over Ciel's body greedily, staring at his pale legs before moving up to his adorably confused face.

"You know... this seat moves all the way back." He said randomly, pushing the passenger seat in the front to a lying position. Ciel's cheeks flushed pink when he finally realised what the man was suggesting.

"Why don't you sit in the front with me?" Sebastian asked, patting the seat next to him which was now pushed back. There was a long awkward silence and Alois was about to steal the opportunity from Ciel. If he was too naive or scared to do anything, then Alois might as well step in. The young blonde had fantasised about these sorts of things many times, although normally his fantasies involved Claude rather than Sebastian.

"Well...I guess I might as well." Ciel stated matter-of-factly as he slid from the backseat into the front with Sebastian. Ciel lay back in the passenger seat, blushing even more as Sebastian climbed on to the seat on top of him. Sebastian pressed his lips against Ciel's softly, their hips grinding against one other.

"Don't mind me, I'll just watch if it's alright." Alois mumbled sarcastically, folding his arms.

Ciel let out a few soft moans as their erections grinded together. Sebastian broke the kiss, their noses still touching. He smirked as he could feel Ciel's erection pressing into his thigh.

"Oh? Are you already hard just from a kiss?" He whispered teasingly.

"What?" Alois asked, leaning in closer to them.

Sebastian sighed angrily, looking up at the blonde boy furiously. "I'm talking to Ciel! Be quiet!" He shouted.

"Well, I want a turn as well!" Alois replied with a pout. Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"You'll get your turn so shut up." He said, before leaning back down and pressing his lips against Ciel's once more. He ignored the sounds of Alois shuffling about in the back as he slid his tongue along Ciel's lips. Ciel opened his mouth and their tongues entwined together as Sebastian rocked his hips back and forward once more.

"Oi, can I put some music on?" Alois asked as he leant over in to the front of the car. He managed to press the play button on the car stereo, rock music suddenly blaring out. Sebastian pulled away from Ciel again, his expression furious. This time, even Ciel glared up at Alois.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sebastian shouted angrily, reaching round to turn the stereo off.

"I'm bored!" Alois shouted back loudly.

"Well, you won't be bored when I'm finished here!" Sebastian screamed in response.

"Ugh, fine!" Alois shouted back, climbing out of the car and slamming the door behind him. He couldn't stand waiting in the car so he stood outside. He pulled the thin grey jacket he wore tighter around him, shivering slightly from the cold.

Back inside the car and Sebastian was grinding his hips against Ciel once more, gently sucking his pale neck. "I'm sorry about him..." Ciel mumbled.

"It's fine, but now it's just the two of us~" Sebastian whispered into Ciel's ear. He slid his hands into Ciel's shorts and gently rubbed his fingers up and down Ciel's erection.

"Ah...Sebastian, this is my first time doing this..." He mumbled shyly, his cheeks flushing pink again.

"It's okay Ciel. I promise I'll be gentle." Sebastian whispered affectionately, pulling Ciel's shorts and pants off slowly, tossing them to one side. Ciel gazed up at him longingly and watched as he slid his black jeans and underwear off.

Sebastian licked his fingers seductively as Ciel watched him before sliding one finger slowly into Ciel's ass. Ciel moaned in response, gripping the seat tightly. It didn't hurt too much but it felt weird. Sebastian pushed his finger in and out slowly before adding a second finger, scissoring them inside him. He smirked as Ciel let out a sudden yelp when the fingers brushed against his prostate.

"Do you like it there?" Sebastian asked teasingly, adding a third finger.

"Oh, yes...ah, more!" Ciel moaned, arching his back.

Sebastian thrust his fingers in and out a few times before pulling them out completely. He lifted Ciel's legs up and lined his erection up with Ciel's hole.

"Are you ready?" He asked. Ciel simply nodded in response.

Sebastian pushed inside him slowly, trying to be as gentle as possible. Ciel bit his lip and groaned softly, his hands gripping the seat even tighter. Sebastian didn't move for a few moments and let Ciel get used to the feeling. He only started to move in and out when Ciel thrust his hips upwards.

Ciel's moans gradually became louder and louder as Sebastian thrust in and out of him, his sweet spot being hit with every thrust. Sebastian threw his head back in pleasure as his hands slid under Ciel's blue shirt and rubbed his nipples, before sliding down Ciel's pale stomach and pumping his erection.

"Ahh! Oh god, yes! Right there! Yes! Yes!" Ciel screamed out, his hands holding on to Sebastian's shoulders and his foot repeatedly hitting the dashboard. The two of them were so lost in pleasure they forgot all about Alois waiting outside and completely ignored the sound of the car horn blaring out.

"S-Sebastian...I'm cumming!" Ciel screamed as he reached his climax.

"Oh, me too, Ciel~!" Sebastian moaned loudly as he came inside him. The two of them lay there panting for a moment. Sebastian slowly slid out of Ciel and pressed his lips against his one more time, before climbing back into the driver's seat.

Alois climbed back into the car and pulled his jeans and pants down eagerly. Waiting outside in the freezing cold and listening to Ciel's loud moans had felt like an eternity for him.

"Right, my turn now?" He asked, throwing his jeans and underwear on to the back seat. Ciel let out an annoyed sighed as he pulled his shorts back on and climbed out of the passenger seat and into the back again. He looked away from Alois and Sebastian and stared out of the window into the darkness. He'd known from the very beginning that this was just a bit of fun and nothing serious. But even so, realising Sebastian really was going to have sex with Alois too hurt a lot. A small part of him had hoped there was a special bond between him and Sebastian.

Alois lay down in the passenger seat and smirked eagerly as Sebastian climbed on top of him. He angled his head upwards and puckered his lips, expecting Sebastian to kiss him. Instead Sebastian lifted his legs up in one swift movement and pushed his erection into the young boy's ass. Alois let out a loud moan as he felt Sebastian's large cock inside him. He hadn't expected him to push inside so suddenly. Sebastian only allowed him a few seconds before he began thrusting his hips in and out roughly. The two of them panted heavily as Sebastian's thrusts became harder and faster.

It wasn't long before Sebastian felt close to cumming again. He grabbed Alois' erection and pumped it in time with his thrusts, panting heavily he came inside him. Alois threw his head back against the seat as he came too, letting out a loud moan.

Sebastian pulled out and climbed back into the driver's seat, still panting softly as he grabbed his jeans and started to pull them back on. Alois stayed where he was, staring up at the ceiling of the car. The sex had felt amazing. But it had been much less affectionate than he would have thought. There was no kissing, no caressing and no foreplay. It felt like Sebastian had taken much longer with Ciel, but Alois wasn't sure whether that was really the case or whether he was just imagining it. After all, he hadn't been timing them.

"Is that all he's getting?" Ciel asked after a long awkward silence.

"I thought I was brilliant." Sebastian replied smugly. The three of them burst into hysterics at this, the car filled with the sound of their laughter. It really had been a bizarre night for all of three of them.

Butler Butler DUCK

AstraLowelle

Summary:

A parody of the 'Llama Llama Duck' song, based on the first Kuroshitsuji adventure.

Work Text:

Here's a butler

There's a butler

And another blacker butler

Funny butler

Bunny butler

Butler

Butler

DUCK.

Butler

Butler

Choc-cake butler

Teacup, silver, sugar butler

Butler, butler, demon butler

Butler

Butler

DUCK.

Ciel is the young master

And he likes eating cake

But Bard, he burnt to the thing to coal

And Finny broke the rake

Azzuro Vanel, he is dead

Without making the sale

And now listen, manga readers

To the rest of this tale.

Did you ever see a butler

Kick a butler

On the butler

Butler's butler

Tastes of blood-er

Butler

Butler

DUCK.

Butler, butler

Twice a butler

Not a butler?

Phone the butler

Butler breaks the car

Alarm the butler

Butler

DUCK.

Is it how it's drawn now?

The pie is getting old

Did you put in lemon juice

And was the silver sold?

Vanel's patience is growing thin

Now he's out of luck

Time for him to retire now-

The silver's flying-

DUCK.

His Butler, Saving The Day

Kieselschatten

Summary:

After a failed attempt on taking the young earl’s life, Ciel now can’t go anywhere without someone by his side anymore. Be it Sebastian, May-Rin or even Elizabeth. They refuse to let him leave the house or go anywhere alone. But when the Queen sends him a letter asking for his help in a case, he is forced to go outside. What he doesn’t know is that this is exactly what the man, who tried to kill him, wants…

Notes:

I don't own Kuroshitsuji.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Sebastian, May-Rin, Finnian, Baldroy, Tanaka and Elizabeth set in a room to discuss something concerning the young Earl Phantomhive.

“We can’t let him out of our sight anymore” whispered Sebastian. They didn’t want Ciel to know about their little meeting.

“I agree. But how are we going to do this? It’s not like we can follow him to every place he goes” asked Elizabeth. She was very worried about the safety of her cousin and fiancé. She wanted to keep him safe no matter what she had to do to archive that goal.

“That’s exactly what we are going to do. Or does anyone of you have a better idea of how to keep the young master safe and sound?” Sebastian looked from one person to the other. No one said anything.

“So we all agree to never leave the master’s side once in order to always have an eye on him.”

“Yes, that we are going to do, yes” said May-Rin determined. The young Earl had saved her before more than once and had given her a home to live in and work to do. Now she is eager to return the favor. Finny and Bald felt the same way.

“Ho, ho, ho!” was the only thing that came from Tanaka.

And with that they set their plan into motion.

At first Ciel felt a little awkward but he got used to it. He knew they just wanted the best for him and he appreciated it, really, he did, but it got annoying after two weeks with someone constantly at your side. But what pissed him of the most was this one time where he had tried to leave the house for some fresh air.

Ciel went straight to the door. He just wanted to sneak out and enjoy the fresh air and some freedom. But he didn’t come far. Just as he was about to open the door, Sebastian stepped before him, efficiently blocking his way out.

“Where do you think you’re going, my Lord?”

“Sebastian! Let me through!” the young Earl demanded.

“No, it is too dangerous for you to go outside. And I will not put you in harm’s way so forget it” said the Butler.

“You are going to step aside right now, that is an order!” shouted Ciel. He was getting angrier and angrier. He couldn’t believe it! Sebastian just denied a direct order! And with such disrespect.

“You are going to let me through right now, or…”

“Or what?” asked Sebastian with a slight smirk on his lips.

“Or…” He didn’t know.

“I thought so. Now, why don’t you go to the dining room? It is near lunch time after all. I will bring you your food ASAP” said Sebastian and accompanied him to said room to make sure he wouldn’t try to leave the house, again.

After that Ciel really didn’t try to leave the house again. He had learned his lesson. You won’t get past Sebastian. He already knew that, but he thought that he could at least give it a try. But he failed miserably.

The plan, the Servants and Elizabeth came up with, went well till that one day.

Ciel was currently sitting in his work room, when he heard someone knocking on the door.

“Come in” he said not bothering to look up to see who it was.

“I have a letter from the Queen for you. Do you wanna read it on your own or do you want me to read it out loud for you?” he asked.

“I wanna read it on my own, please” replied Ciel, holding out his hand for Sebastian to give him the letter.

“As you wish, my Lord.”

Ciel opened the letter and began to read it. His eyes widened more with every line he read. After he finished it he said: “The Queen has an assignment for me. She needs help in a case the Scotland Yard couldn’t solve yet. According to the letter a young man was found dead in an alley way. There was a knife sticking out of his chest and he was half naked. There were no fingerprints or any evidence leading to the culprit. In other words they have nothing. And now they found another body. This time a woman in her late thirties. She was strangled to death and had on all her clothes. But she was found in an alley way, too. That’s all these two murders had in common. That’s the reason why the Queen sent me this letter. She hopes that I can solve this mysterious case and find the culprit.”

“Do you think this is a good idea, young master? The men, who tried to kill you, are still on the loose” asked Sebastian, mild concern in his voice. In spite of what many people said, demons indeed can have emotions. But the most tried to control and hide them. They think that emotions make you weak. Sebastian also thought that a long time ago. But that changed when he had first met his young master. He immediately felt the strong bond between them. This bond became stronger each day and now it is unbreakable. For the first time Sebastian truly cared for someone. And this someone was Earl Ciel Phantomhive.

“Yes, I know that, but I can’t just ignore the order of the Queen. And I am certain you will be there to protect me if you need to. Am I right?” Ciel looked to Sebastian, already knowing the answer.

“Yes, my Lord. You are absolutely right.”

When the others (Bald, Finny, Tanaka and Lizzy) heard about the case and the young Master’s plans, they all refused to let him go alone with the excuse that they will not be able to forgive themselves if something happened to him without them there to prevent it. Even though Ciel tried to assure them he would be fine with just Sebastian by his side they still wanted to go. But secretly. Only Sebastian would know about it. So the five waited till Ciel and Sebastian were out of sight and then followed them trying not to be noticed by the Earl. And it worked.

When they reached their destiny, the place of the second murder, Ciel was already confronted by Mr. Randall: “What are you little brat doing here?! Are you going to make us look like complete idiots, again?”

“You don’t need my help with that” muttered Ciel under his breath.

“What was that?” asked Randall.

“Nothing” replied Ciel. “What have you found yet?”

“Not much. Just that she was strangled to death.”

“I didn’t expect anything else. That is exactly why I am here now” smirked the young Earl. Then everything happened at once. There was a gunshot and then you could only hear screams. Ciel felt pain explode in his right arm. When he looked down he could see why. There was blood flowing freely down his arm from a bullet wound. What he also just noticed now was that Sebastian had a tight hold on him.

“Young master, are you ok?”

“Yes, I am. And I think that is because of you. So thank you.” Sebastian was stunned. That was the first time the young master had thanked him. He liked it. And he was happy about it. But that wasn’t important right now, because he could now see the one who had shot his little lord.

“Give me the Earl Phantomhive now and no one will get hurt!” shouted one of them. I can’t let that happen, thought Sebastian to himself.

“First you have to get through me!” he shouted stepping bravely in front of Ciel.

“And through us!” shouted the other Servants of the Phantomhive manor and Elizabeth also stepping in front of the Earl, effectively stopping the bastards from getting to Ciel.

What came next surprised Ciel. More and more people followed their lead and stepped in front of him as well. Even Abberline and Randall were two of them.

Ciel was touched. He had no idea how many people actually cared about him. He always thought that he had no one but his five Servants and Lizzy. But apparently he was wrong. He couldn’t say how happy that made him.

“Why are you all defending him?! He is nothing but a spoiled brat that ruined the life of many people including ourselves!”

“Because he is still a child! Okay, maybe he had made some mistakes in the past, but that doesn’t give you the right to kill this kid at all! We all make mistakes! No one is perfect! We are all just humans after all!” said Abberline. Again, Ciel was touched by these kind and honest words.

“I don’t care what you all think. This child has to die!” With that the madman pointed his gun at Ciel.

“Not when I can prevent it!” shouted Sebastian and tackled the guy to the ground. After a short struggle the man gave up and Sebastian grabbed the gun from him.

“He is yours now” said Sebastian to Randall, who quickly led the man away.

Now that all was over, Ciel could feel the pain in his right arm again. “Ah!”

“Young Master!” was all he heard before his world went black.

When Ciel woke up again he was in his room lying in his bed. He noticed that his arm was wrapped in white bandages. The next thing he noticed was that he wasn’t alone in his room.

“Ciel! You are awake!” shouted Elizabeth and gave him a hug.

“Can’t… breath!” he choked out.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Ciel. I am just glad that you’re ok.”

“We all are, yes we are” said May-Rin and the others nodded their heads yes.

“What happened to the man that tried to kill me?”

“He is in prison now, don’t worry” said Sebastian. Ciel yawned. He was so tired.

“Why don’t you go back to sleep?” suggested Sebastian and Ciel nodded. He snuggled under his blankets and was asleep mere seconds later. Sebastian and the others quietly left his room.

Notes:

I hope you liked this little One Shot! If so, don't hesistate to leave kudos and a comment :). Also I am actually from Germany so please don' t be too mean.

I noticed that I accidentally randomly changed the point of view from a third person narrater to first person narrator. Ups?

Another World

SasstrianPrissess

Summary:

I'm just like everyone else whose obsessed with anime, this time with Kuroshitsuji, but I write from dreams and technically...I'm in the world of Kuroshitsuji...the only problem is that things...are not what they seem...(Under re-construction due to grammar errors. Will re-upload fixed chapters.....eventually. ^__^''' )

Notes:

Please note as with ALL stories posted on , I did not write "Kuroshitsuji" That honor belongs to Yana Toboso. Also, as with most stories written in chapter form, the first chapter for my fanfic story may NOT be interesting, but please read for the MUCH BETTER second chapter. Oh! and please enjoy. By the way, all reviews are welcome with an open mind!

Chapter 1: Real and Obsessed

Chapter Text

How far does one have to be obsessed only to realize that it's far more real than anything? Right now, I'm so enthralled by "Kuroshitsuji" that I think I've begun to lose it. My mind, my will, my entire being, my soul even…is starting to dissolve into nothingness. I've never before been touched by anime such as this one. Now that I've read it, I must see it. This obsession, it's eating me alive! I'd endure the wrath of the demon rather than face this gluttonous lust.

It hurts.

On the other hand, I got a job. I work as a stewardess for a high ranking family. Of course, I had never submitted any job applications nor did I ever try looking for a job such as this.

The letter just came to me.

I had nothing to do with it. As it is, I don't even believe in fate, just the possibility. Even so, there were two different traveling tickets enclosed; one for a train and one for a ship's passage: both were first class tickets. It never really struck me as odd that there was no return address; however the wax seal seemed vaguely familiar. I never knew that my obsession would eventually push me off the deep end…

…literally.

But…I guess this is what drowning feels like…

Chapter 2: I Dimension Travelled and all I got was this LOUSY awakening

Chapter Text

"Is she conscious yet?"

"Not yet, my lord."

"Ooh, she has such pretty hair…she does."

"Don't touch her and go see to your duties."

"…y-yes, s-sir…"

"Hmm, she wears such strange attire…"

"Shall I ring for Nina?"

"Later, for now dress her in something of Meirin's"

"I don't think Meirin's dress top will fit over that…"

"So? The last thing she needs to catch is hypothermia."

"As you wish, young master."

"Oh, and Sebastian…"

"Yes?"

"Quit touching her cat ears! Just because you're a demon that happens to have a liking for cats, doesn't mean you have any right to touch others for you own personal amusement! We don't even know of her powers yet…if she even has any!"

"As you wish…"

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

I think I fell asleep for a long time after that, because when I woke up it was super dark. After pinching my-self to see if I was awake (more like alive for that matter), I felt along my arms at the feathery soft, yet heavy shift sleeves. The nightdress clung gently to my chest, billowing out softly towards my knees. My feet were bare (I knew this because I could feel the luxurious carpet then the cold marble as I felt around for a door). As I opened it, I peered out to see if anyone was walking along the scary, pitch dark hallway. No one was, but luckily for me, no one came running towards me with my accidental slamming of the door.

I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

After debating which way to go, I decided to go left (I don't know why, it just felt like it was less ominous than the right side). For some unknown reason, I began to run. I can't explain why (and no the dark was NOT getting to me and neither was my overactive imagination), I just felt that there was something malevolent moving somewhere behind me. In my childish bout of fear, I ran into something (more like someone) that felt warm and carved out of steel at the same time.

"Are you all right, Miss? Is there something wrong?"

"N-no, I just…I-I-I-!"

"There is no need to fear the dark, Miss. Come, I'll guide you back to your-"

My fear then took the opportunity to show itself instead of a reasonable answer.

"S-…Stay away from me, demon!"

"I don't know what you're-"

"Don't touch me!"

I turned and ran. Just as I was sure that I had put some distance between me and him, I tripped during a misstep, but didn't fall (all because a certain someone had managed to catch to me).

"My-my-my! You certainly are feisty like a cat, too bad you're not really as fast as one."

I could only struggle fruitlessly in his iron grip, completely ignoring his taunting comment. I'd have given back a stinging remark if he didn't have a hand clamped over my mouth. We stayed like that for another minute, until I decided to just relax to see if he'd also relax his hold upon me. Slowly, I felt his arms drop from around me.

"Are you done with your nighttime tour of the manor? If you are, I'll now guide you back to your room so that you can get your proper rest."

"Just who are you?"

"I am Sebastian Michaelis, head butler to the Earl Ciel Phantomhive."

"N-no…impossible!"

"Impossible? I certainly don't think so, but then again I never lie either."

Gently, 'Sebastian' guided me by the arm to 'my' room. I had let him for two reasons: 1) I was in shock over his name and the information I had just learned, and 2) I didn't even know where my room was. Eventually we stopped and he opened a door that appeared to be invisible in the darkness. After leading me to the bed, I sat down heavily as he opened the drapes, on the opposite side of the room, to let in a little light from the starry skies.

"Now, no more unguided nighttime excursions," Sebastian chided softly," you must get your rest, for you and the young master have a busy day tomorrow."

Already he had crossed the room towards the door as I was mulling over whether or not to believe him.

"S-…Sebastian?"

"Yes?"

"I…uh, mn…never mind, goodnight."

I think he smiled, but I couldn't really tell since his face was only half visible in the soft darkness.

"Goodnight."

Chapter 3: Earls, and Demons, and A New Stewardess…oh my!

Chapter Text

Okay, now I know I DEFINITELY fell asleep after that, because when I awoke dawn was already beginning to turn the sky a faint pink.

"Ah, so you're awake on your own. That's good because it won't do if you sleep in on your busy day."

"Sebastian?"

"Yes?"

"Sebastian Michaelis?"

"Yes, is something wrong?"

"Oh! My! God!"

Then it hit me. I was awake (pinching myself hard with my nails told me so), not dreaming and 'Kuroshitsuji's' Black Butler, Sebastian Michaelis (and NO I did not intentionally repeat the manga title twice!) was really real. And he was pulling back the curtains even farther to let in more light!

"You sound shocked to hear my name, why is that?" He asked amusedly.

I stared at him incredulously, sitting up in the bed, "Because you're real!"

"Well, of course."

"NO, I mean really real!"

"I don't quite understand what you're getting at, but if it's necessary…pinch yourself."

"Ha! Beat you to that myself, several times." I scoffed, getting out of the comfortable bed to fix the blankets.

Sebastian then moved to help me fix the other side, straightening the coverlet so that not a single wrinkle was visible, "Maybe you're doing it wrong. Want me to try?" he asked, reaching for my hand with a mocking smirk upon his lips.

I pulled back in mock horror, "No, that won't be necessary…"

"Well then, I drew you a hot bath and found more suitable clothes for you to wear. So when you're ready, I'll send in Meirin to help you with the bath."

=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=X=

I was led to an ornate bath chamber, complete with a giant, porcelain, claw-foot bathtub. Meirin (as I immediately recognized) stood next to the tub holding a washcloth and a small piece of scented soap. A towel and a small bucket were on the floor, standing ready for use.

"Alright, I'll leave you to your bath, excuse me as I go to wake the master." Sebastian stated, closing the door behind him.

"Oh uh, hello…Meirin?"

"Yes," She smiled, "Come, let's hurry and get that night dress off you. By the time we're finished, the master will be expecting you...yes, he will," She stepped forward as if to assist me.

"W-wait!"

"What's wrong?" She asked, jumping back at my sudden outburst.

"I, uh…" I tried to stall," what clothes will I wear after this?"

"Oh," Meirin gasped, smiling," I was going to let you borrow this dress of mine until we ring for Nina."

"Oh…" I sighed, "Who is Nina?" I asked despite already knowing.

"Nina," Meirin began, "Is a well known tailor and dress maker of the fashion industry. She makes and designs all the clothing we servants and the master and his fiancée wear. She is the best there is!"

I smiled back in the most understanding smile I could (not willing to admit that I already knew at least that much about her from what I've read).

"Hold up your arms."

Now I gave her an inquisitive look, "Why?" doing as she told me to.

"BANZAI!" She grinned, whipping the night dress up over my head.

My hands immediately shot down to cover my nudity. I glared at her as she folded the night dress somewhat neatly and placed it next to another pile of similarly folded clothing.

"Do, uh, you have a special way of washing your hair?" Meirin asked, turning to face me.

"Not really. Why?" I asked, still futile trying to cover myself.

"Wh-…I was just asking b-because of your…" She turned to face the tub.

"My…what? Oh!" I realized, reaching up to my hair to unclip the cat ears I had been wearing, "Oh, you must mean my cat ears. Alright, I took them off."

Meirin looked at me in shock, horror echoing from her shriek, "You did what?!"

I laughed, "Silly, these are hair decorations. Did you actually think they were real?"

"W-wait, what?" She stammered.

"Look," I held them out for her to examine, "They're hair clips."

"Oh, you scared me very badly, you did," She replied shaken as she examined the clips, "I see. Well, okay then, time for your bath." She smiled timidly.

Chapter 4: Breakfast at...Ciel's

Chapter Text

After the bath, Meirin helped me put on the borrowed dress. As I had overheard yesterday (at least I think it was yesterday), the dress top was tight, but I could still breathe. I also wore a pair of shoes (also borrowed from Meirin) that resembled calf length combat boots. She even went so much as to brush my hair, styling in the style I was wearing earlier (and yes, when we finished tying my hair, I did clip the ears back on.) Afterwards, Meirin led me to a spacious dining area, already Ciel had walked in, through a different door, with Sebastian escorting him.

"Good morning, master." Meirin called, bowing slightly, "Nnng…Good morning, S-Sebastian~"

"Good morning, Meirin." Ciel answered, nodding to dismiss her.

I bowed as well, "Good morning, Ciel Phantomhive. Good morning Sebastian."

"Yes, good morning," Ciel replied, he then motioned towards the table (which was set for two). "Care to join me?" he asked as Sebastian seated him.

I guess I must have hesitated a bit too long, because Sebastian guided me (much like he did last night) towards the table, and seated me on Ciel's right. I sat with my hands in my lap, admiring the mirror-like sheen of the eating utensils and decorative platter (not really willing to touch them in fear of leaving behind far too many fingerprints upon the well polished silver), doing what I could to avoid starting a conversation.

"So," Ciel started, breaking the silence, "What matter of demon are you? Since you have the ears of a cat, I assume that you're unable to fully hide what you are…"

"I-…What?" I stared up at him, meeting his gaze, "Oh! No! I'm not part cat, nor am I a demon."

"That's not what those ears say." Ciel countered, concentrating upon my face as if looking at a difficult chess move.

I laughed, "Ciel, please," I reached up to unclip one, "These are decorative hair clips, meant for decorative use."

I handed him the ear I unclipped, after he examined it and handed it back, I clipped it back on just as Sebastian wheeled in a tea cart complete with a tri-tier tray containing an impressive array of delicate pastries. My mouth opened in silent astonishment, never have I seen such talent pastry decoration (and yes, just so you know, I do have some skill in baking and pastry decorating.)

"I see you went all out on today's breakfast, Sebastian," Ciel stated in a near-bored, selecting one to eat.

"They're so beautiful," I sighed, selecting one as well, "I don't know whether to frame it or eat it."

"If I were you," Ciel said, sipping a burgundy tea sweetened with honey, "I'd eat it. Trust me, for you'll find no other taste like it."

"But then the artwork will be ruined," I exasperated.

"Please do," Sebastian smiled, also giving me a cup of tea, "if not I'll feel insulted."

"Ha," I scoffed, "playing the 'guilt' card…that is SOOO like a man. Fine then, I will."

I lifted the pastry to my mouth, expecting a run-of-the-mill taste, only to have heaven burst inside. My eyes closed as a scene of an opened field covered in wild winter roses danced within view. Just savoring the taste of the individual, yet distinctive flavors allowed enough sensory details to my vision for me to want to reach out and touch one of the roses near me. It all faded when I swallowed what I had bitten.

"Oh, Sebastian," I whispered," How did you do that? How? I-…oh, my god…"

Ciel chuckled, "well, what did I tell you. Wasn't it good?"

I glanced up imploringly at Sebastian, who was standing next to Ciel, "I must know what you did to make me taste the freedom and beauty of nature."

Sebastian placed a finger on his lips, smiling, "Like any good magician worth his salt, a good chef never gives out his recipe's secret ingredient."

"I'm a chef too," I commented, "but I've never made nor tasted anything as heavenly as this!"

"I thank you for the compliment," Sebastian bowed.

"So you're a chef too?" Ciel asked, licking powdered sugar from his fingers, "what can you make?"

I stared at Ciel, "Oh no, compared to this level of intensity, you'll not want anything I can make." I gazed morosely at the pastry before finishing it, "Sebastian, you put anything and everything I've ever made to shame." I smiled sadly before sipping my tea and reaching for another, "The tea is perfect too…"

"Hey," Ciel reprimanded, "if you thought THAT was good, you should have been here two and a half years ago when Sebastian was my only employee. Back then his cooking was so bad, not even a beggar would eat it. Everything he made was either too spicy or too salty."

Sebastian sighed, "Need you poke fun at my pre-culinary skills, master?"

"If it'll make her feel better," Ciel sighed," then yes. Besides, you're a man; you can take a little insult now and then."

Sebastian smiled ruefully, "Then I take it you've asked for her name already?"

Ciel froze, grimacing, "No, I was just getting to that! Must you under-mind every moment of my life?"

"Master," Sebastian answered," I hope you'll find this piece of information useful…"

"Oh," Ciel raised a brow, "and what might that be?"

"Know the name of a human and demon's offspring and control the rest of their-"

"She's no demon's child." Ciel interrupted.

"Really?" Sebastian asked, partially shocked, "and just how are you so sure? After all, trickery is a demon's most noted trait."

"Speak for your-self," I muttered, sipping my refilled cup. I sighed and took off the cat ears, "See, I'm no more a demon then Ciel is a women."

Sebastian stared open-mouthed at me, "You…you just…wait! I'm confused…" He replied, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"She was wearing hair adornments." Ciel sighed as if bored with the conversation. "I suppose those are all the rage in America, I'll need to invest in that-"

"Um, actually," I muttered, "I, uh, created this myself…" I replied to hide the fact that I had bought them from a different world, "I did this because I like cats but cannot have one due to my allergies."

"That makes two of us then." Ciel commented disdainfully, glaring at once at Sebastian (who appeared to be strangely pleased with him-self).

"Well, if you won't ask me my name," I mused, finishing the second cup. "Then I'll just tell you."

"No," Sebastian interjected, "The young master will ask like a proper gentleman, won't you?"

"If only to shut you up, Sebastian," Ciel stated, also draining his cup. "What is your name?"

I smiled, "My name is…"

Chapter 5: My name is e-i-e-i-nick-a-na-nick-a-na…

Chapter Text

"…Nekohime, but that's because my mom was SUPER obsessed with learning Japanese and she loved cats as much as I do…but because of my allergies…"

Understandable," Ciel comforted, "but what does that mean in the English language?"

"It means-"I started before being interrupted by Sebastian.

"Princess Cat," Sebastian smiled, "Am I correct?"

I frowned, "Yes, it DOES translate to such….but sometimes its SOOO embarrassing to say it in English."

"Is there a preference that you'd like us to call you?" Ciel asked kindly, (almost as if wanting to keep it as something to hold over my head later).

"Normally I go by Neko or Hime," I answered, "but truthfully, I'm no 'princess', but you can call me Neko or Cat….I'll answer to both…" I sighed, "I'll even answer to Nekohime or Hime if you insist."

"Alright," Ciel smiled, "Neko it is. However, I should warn you, Sebastian here, will probably getting a kick out of it as we speak."

Now I raised a brow, "Why do you say that?"

"No particular reason," Ciel began, glaring at Sebastian, "except that he is SUPER obsessed with cats himself."

"Figures," I swore softly.

Sebastian only smiled.

Chapter 6: Melting Mr. Cool

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Later, after breakfast Ciel gave me the low-down of what I was supposed to do as a stewardess. I was to follow the directions of whatever Sebastian (this I saw elicited an evil grin from him) assigned for me to do, whatever Ciel asked me to do (which wouldn't be much…or so he said), help whoever needed help (probably no one since they were all so good at what they did…then again…), and enjoy my spare time (like Mr. Tanaka XD). I was also to do one more thing, and THAT was to accompany (the 'young master' Sebastian insisted I call Ciel) on every far away outing. This I knew would require some extensive training in martial arts (at least I'd had some practice there growing up, along with capoeira, tai chi, and other 'jutsu' training), so I had asked Sebastian to help me continue my training by being my sparring partner whenever we had some free time together (his smile though when he answered me almost looked like it wanted to tell me otherwise, but I won't have ANY of THAT).

Afterwards, (and that is, before Ciel dismissed me) I was permitted to take the day off to get to know my way around the manor and its inhabitants. As I wandered around aimlessly, opening doors (and closing them), looking through windows to the outside world, and EVERY once in a while running into either: Sebastian, Mey-Rin, or the master; I decided to go down this hallway that I almost didn't see. Almost immediately, I stumbled (quite literally) into the kitchen…and again into Sebastian, except this time he was preparing an afternoon treat to go with Ciel's lunch.

"Hello, Nekohime," Sebastian greeted, never once looking up from his masterpiece.

"Hi," I answered, looking at his culinary skills with awe. "What's up?"

"…um…," He answered with a flourish (I guess he noticed me studying how he decorated the cake because he began to show off). "I'm just preparing the master's afternoon snack….and what exactly do you mean by 'what's up'? I know it's not a proper use of the English language."

"Oh," I was kind of disappointed that I would have to refrain from using my American shorthand slang-lang. "Um, it's just a vulgar American way for saying 'what are you doing' or 'how are you at the moment'. That's all I meant by it."

"Hmm," Sebastian murmured. "Hime, you might want to start speaking proper English. As soon as I can, I will teach you, but it will have to be after the lessons with the master."

"Aww!" I pouted, slowly an evil smile crept onto my lips. "What lessons, Sebas-chan? Why do I come after the master? Haven't you ever heard of ladies first?"

Sebastian sighed heavily, "You sound just like Grell…"

"NO! WAY!" I gasped, faking shock. "Just like Sutcliff-kun?" I thought for a moment, "Okay now, Sebas-chan, now you're just being mean!"

"WHO did you just say sounded JUST like me?"

Sebastian groaned, smacking his forehead, "GREEEEAAAAT!"

Immediately, (and since I recognize everyone I will for typing sake (and laziness) not describe them except when needed) Grell burst in through the kitchen door with his chain saw, swinging it maniacally. I could only laugh at the site, and that was only after Grell noticed where he was at and who was standing in the room with him and stopped swinging his chain saw long enough to do both. At first he seemed SUPER pissed but then his eyes lit up when he gazed at Sebastian without his tailcoat on.

"Oh, Sebas-chan," He cooed, hugging Sebastian from the back, "you shouldn't have made me such a wonderfully delicious looking cake. Since your cooking is SSOOOOOOO decadent, I might end up eating it all and getting a stomachache."

"Lucky for you then," Sebastian growled, shrugging off Grell's embrace, "This is not for you it's for the young master."

"But WHY?" Grell complained, hugging him again…only tighter this time. "I've been a good girl and I think I deserve SOMETHING!"

"Tch," Sebastian started, irritated, "The only thing you deserve is a good hell-bent destruction to your face."

"Face it Grell," I smirked, "All he cares for is Ciel, who's soul he'll devour in one swallow, and one-night stands with himself."

"That's 'master' to you, Hime," Sebastian reprimanded.

"Who are you?" Grell asked, finally realizing that he was NOT alone with Sebastian.

"I'm Nekohime," I replied, smiling, "and Sebas-chan here doesn't appreciate us women, so don't worry I'm on your side….well, that is for most things."

"That's no woman," Sebastian stated, clearly annoyed now, "THAT is a transsexual who happens to be a GUY and GAY. Besides the ONLY reason I'm tolerating this right now is because I MUST get this done on time." As he spoke, his voice got louder and louder.

"Sebas-chan…" Grell whispered, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

"Sebastian…" I sighed, "Look, I was only kidding about the 'Sebas-chan'. I didn't mean to make you angry…"

The sound of clapping sounded at the kitchen entrance.

"Bravo, bravo,"

Sebastian and I turned to face the sound and bowed. Sebastian though, still had an irritated glare on his face. Ciel walked in, still clapping.

"B-r-a-v-o!" Ciel laughed, stopping when he was within a few feet of us. "That was quite a show, I want an encore now. Nekohime, great job at trying to keep your cool. Grell, didn't expect you to show up so soon. And Sebastian…" at this he burst out laughing, "…never thought Mr. Cool, calm, and collected would freak out as you did from a little teasing."

"I assure you master," Sebastian replied, slightly hissing. "I was caught slightly unawares as I was preparing your lunch."

"It matters not," Ciel continued, frowning slightly, "but just so you know, you're five minutes late. Oh, and Grell…"

"Yes….what do YOU want Phantomhive boy?" Grell asked, clearly annoyed that his game was interrupted (strangely enough, I noticed that he was no longer trying to appear like he was crying).

"My manor, my rules," Ciel commanded, "1) there will be no lewd pick-up lines directed towards my butler or anyone else that works here. 2) You, of all people, must have some sort of business with me in order to even step foot onto the manor grounds. And 3) If you want to start a fight with Sebastian, it must be when he has free time and when I want violent entertainment. Now, leave."

In a huff, Grell stormed off. Ciel walked back to wherever he came from, and I decided to stop pestering Sebastian and go exploring some more…but this time I went outside.

Chapter 7: Taste the air with your tongue, why don'tcha?

Chapter Text

I walked to the greenhouse, determined to find someone else to talk to since Sebastian was being rude and not wanting to play with my 'innocent' jokes. I had already known that since Grell had shown up at the manor…then Snake was probably there as well. Little did I know how right I was, because just as I walked into the greenhouse this GIANT KILLER MONSTER CAME OUT OF NO WHERE! Of course, being the 'innocent newcomer' that I was…I screamed and flinched…ready for the bite that I knew wouldn't come.

"Bronte, STOP!"

As fast as the attack happened, it quickly ended. I looked around, finding Snake kneeling in the foliage of the greenhouse garden, petting the snake that tried to bite me. I should have been irritated, but strangely enough…I wasn't.

"'Sorry about that' says Bronte," Snake translated for the slithering one. He looked up, addressing me with his next comment, "What are you doing here on the Phantomhive property unannounced?"

"I work here," I answered, looking cautiously around for any more of his precious pets that could be within striking distance. "I'm the new stewardess that Ciel sent for, my name is Nekohime. So you're Snake, correct?"

"I am…" Snake replied, "'As are we' says Emily."

I laughed, the snake actually made a joke! Snake smiled, finally realizing the joke. We shared our moment a little longer before resuming our conversation.

"So why did the master send for you?" Snake asked, glancing at my tight maid's dress after a momentary hiss from a serpent that encircled his upper arm, "'Why do you wear clothing that doesn't fit you?' asks Oscar."

"Cheeky serpent," I teased before answering. "Well, to answer your question first Snake, I honestly have no idea why, and Oscar, the only reason why I'm wearing this is because this particular dress was borrowed from Mey-Rin, whom I do realize is not the same size as me."

Cautiously, I edged closer to Snake, "Snake, you have such darling friends!" I gushed, admiring the glittering scales of (and I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it was…) Oscar.

"They all say 'thank you'," Snake translated, slightly blushing at the second translation, "and the males say 'you're just as precious'…" He turned and gasped at another snake that slithered out from the undergrowth, "Wilde I am NOT going to translate that!"

I giggled, "What did he say?"

"If you want her to know," Snake hissed, "Then you tell her yourself!...oh, yeah, I forgot…"

I arched a brow inquisitively, "Neh?"

Snake offered me a wry grin, "I'm the one who is stuck translating for them."

I laughed again, "Oh!...do you hate it sometimes?"

"Nah, not really," He mused, turning to who I assumed was Wilde, "except when the ones I'm translating for want me to get in trouble with any girl I talk to that happens to be as old as I am."

"And how many would that be?" I asked, completely amused.

"Including you…" He thought for a moment, "that would be about 3…"

"So, who are the other two?"

"Well, there was this girl I used to know. Her name was Beast, we used to work together in a circus called 'Noah's Ark'. She was the big cat tamer…."

"How cool!" I smiled.

"Yeah, and the other is the maid here." Snake finished.

"What was it like to be in a circus?" I asked, faintly curious.

"It was a blast!" he answered, smiling sadly after that, "But it didn't last long. But since I now work for the young master, I'm much happier. Way before I was rescued by Joker…he was the leader of us all, I was in a freak show…..I was there against my will. Everyday I was beaten for being different, starved, and put in a cage for everyone-else's amusement, and it was usually in that order. After the circus, I had wanted revenge against the master for ruining my family, but he told me that my family had already been ruined by father, a man who had sent Joker to save me, and that I was lucky to escape without knowing father's true horror. Since then, I've worked hard here to thank the master for saving me….again."

"Snake," I whispered, reaching to squeeze his hand, "That is so sad, I'm sorry that you grew up through all that."

"Yeah," Snake sighed, smiling knowingly, "but I'm much happier now than I've ever been. I'm finally free. I don't have to put on a show, nor do I have to suffer any injury. I owe the master so much that I'd willingly trade my life for his."

"Really?" I laughed, squeezing his hand once more, "Let's hope that it doesn't come to that."

Snake only smiled happily in response.

"Um, I don't mean to intrude," I asked, curiously, "but are you…..like part snake or something?"

"Sorta, but I don't have much knowledge of why, so I don't question it," Snake replied, locking eyes with me, "I feel that if I try to look for an answer then I'll never be satisfied, I'm content enough."

"That's good." I smiled. I let go of his hand, "Well, I'm going to go and find other people to introduce myself to,…..um, I guess this is goodbye for now…"

Snake's mouth twitched slightly, "Hime…will you come back?"

I smiled, "So far Snake, You're my favorite person to talk to." I began to walk out, "Oh, and by the way, Snake,….you have beautiful eyes."

I left Snake staring at me with an inquisitive and admiring look on his face.

Chapter 8: Meet me where the flowers never stop blooming

Chapter Text

I walked out, glad that I made at least one friend. Of course, that didn't stop me from grinning and walking towards the next person I hoped to meet. As if on cue, the Phantomhive gardener, Finnian, waved in my direction. I smiled and waved back.

"Wow!" he grinned, walking towards me, "are you the new girl Mey-Rin was talking about?"

"Yup," I answered, "My name is Nekohime, but you can call me any variation of that name."

"That's quite a long name…can I just call you Neko?"

"Sure"

I turned to admire all the towering trees that lined the courtyard. Slowly, Finnian edged towards me, almost as if hesitant to be near me. I merely laughed, and took the remaining steps to stand beside him.

"What's wrong?" I smiled, "are you nervous just standing next to me? Don't worry, I won't bite…much."

"It's not that," he muttered, now looking down at his boots.

"Then what is it?" I asked, now trying to stand dangerously close to him.

"I…." he struggled to find the appropriate words, "I…I think you're pretty!"

When he admitted this, his face turned red and he turned to run. I was in shock, no one to this very day as ever called me pretty. Only after I couldn't see him anymore did I realize that he had run away.

Uselessly, I called after him, "Finny!"

I stayed in the courtyard for a few seconds longer. With a grim sigh and a wry smile, I continued my stroll around the manor. In my mind, I knew that I only had two…if not three more people left to meet. Out of who remained, I only dreaded meeting one of them….and THAT person I'd hoped to meet WAAAAAAAY later.

Chapter 9: In the fire and the flames…BOOOOOOOM!

later.

Chapter 9: In the fire and the flames…BOOOOOOOM!

Chapter Text

I eventually ran into Bard, the Phantomhive 'chef'. As for our conversation, it was nothing short of overused pick-up lines. I could only hope that I wouldn't burst out laughing at his poor attempt to 'pick me up'.

"Hey, doll," He smirked, hooking an arm around my shoulders. "How about you and me make some sparks to set the world afire with passionate flames of love?"

"How about you," I emphasized, removing his arm from my shoulders…only to have it drop to my waist, "make like a bee and buzz off?"

"Oh, honey," He continued as if my remark didn't faze him. "like the birds and the bees, we can have a harmonic relationship of ecstasy."

"How about not and say we did." I managed to escape his grip and take a few steps away from him.

"Aww, don't be like that," Bard whined, stepping towards me, "I was only kidding around…..I'm Bard by the way…and you are?"

"Nekohime," I answered, stepping back to keep the same distance between us.

"I'm really a nice guy," He continued, holding out a hand uselessly towards me, "…honest."

"Hmm," I thought aloud, my voice singing with sarcasm, "…really, well if you were then you'd…..restart that pathetic excuse of an introduction like a PROPER gentleman."

"Alright," Bard sighed, straightening up, "My name is Bard and I work as the Chef of the Noble Phantomhive Earl. (he extended a hand in a courting gesture) May I ask you for your name, my lady?"

I smiled, pleased, "My name is Nekohime and I am the newly hired Phantomhive Stewardess." I extended my hand in a formal style.

After a few seconds of awkwardness, I quickly took back my hand and laughed nervously, "There, now was that so hard?"

"Not really," he replied, returning the grin.

We stood there for a moment longer.

"Well," I began, breaking the silence, "It was nice meeting you, but I have others to meet and a master to appease. So, I guess I'll be seeing you later…"

"Nah," Bard answered with a wry grin, again looping an arm around me. "Tell you what I'm in a good mood…so I think I'll give you the grand tour."

"Aww too bad," I sighed, slipping from his grip, "but the young master gave me free reign to explore the grounds without the help of someone else, so I think I'll just stick to that while you get back to whatever you were working on"

"Neko, you're no fun," Bard complained, trying to look downhearted.

"I'm not falling for THAT," I retorted, walking away, waving back, "See you later Bard!"

Either he didn't hear me or he was mad, because he didn't reply. I continued walking on, glad to be finally away from his playful teasing….although after what Finny said, it wasn't THAT bad. I made it my final goal to meet Tanaka before anyone or anything else today.

Chapter 10: Retirement is NOT for the elderly

Chapter Text

Just as I was about to give up on ever meeting Tanaka, I finally found him sitting beneath a very shady tree drinking tea. He waved me over (thankfully he was not in his chibi form…if not all I would have gotten was his standard response), as I neared I smiled and waved back."

"I suppose you're the new young miss that the Earl hired, correct?" Tanaka asked, gesturing for me to sit next to him beneath the tree.

"I am," I answered politely, "My name is Nekohime, I am the new stewardess to the Phantomhive Earl."

"So young," he sighed, "what was the Earl thinking when he gave you a matching position?"

Wait, so what you're saying is that you are the steward for the master?"

"I am, but don't get me wrong I'm not judging your proficiency at actually performing this particular job…well, I suppose I also shouldn't judge what the Earl does for the household as long it is for the good of the household."

"Well," I sighed, relieved that he readily accepted me, "I'm a good person, so in other words I'd never betray the Earl or any of the staff. So, do you have any tips as to be a good stewardess since you've been here for so long?"

Tanaka smiled, sipping his tea, "Actually, yes. Here are a few: 1) Listen and listen well, 2) Do specifically and EXACTLY as you are told, 3) Protect the Phantomhive master, name, staff, and manor, and 4) Enjoy yourself while doing whatever the young master has asked you to do."

I raised a brow, "Hmm, looks like I'll have my work cut out for me."

"It may seem that way," He laughed, "but always remember that there are two types of people in the world, the ones you can consider family and everyone else. We're your family and we are your friends. Besides, whatever the young master will order you to do at any whim of his won't be too difficult…he only allows the most dangerous orders for Sebastian."

"I could tell that from a distance," I muttered, enjoying the feel of the warm sun rays.

"Speak of the devil," Tanaka said to me, "There is Sebastian right now, my guess would be that either he or the young master has something that they want you to do."

"Aww man," I whined softly, getting up. "and just when I was enjoying my conversation with you too."

"Nekohime," Sebastian called as he approached where we were, "The master has requested your presence."

"Yes, Sebastian," I answered, my voice barely tinged with annoyance. I turned to Tanaka and curtsied, "it was nice meeting you, Mr. Tanaka. Oh, by the way, thank you for your words of encouragement and advice."

"It was my pleasure," Tanaka smiled, "It was fun while it lasted. Go now before you get a scolding from Sebastian and try the patience of the master."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later then." I replied with a final wave as I followed Sebastian back to the manor.

With my meetings with the Phantomhive staff officially over, I calmly walked slightly behind Sebastian, with determined steps (I was determined to keep up with Sebastian's long stride…it just SOOOOO did not help that he was far taller than I was. Men and their height, SOOOOOOOOOO NOT FAIR!). Still, I walked with confidence…especially since I already knew every character like the back of my hand (no doubt that my obsession with the anime helped A LOT). At that moment, I could take on the world if I wanted to.

Chapter 11: Mission Improbably impossible….maybe…

Chapter Text

I was lead to a rather impressive looking study, and (as I per thought) there was a beautifully carved lacquer wood desk with Ciel sitting behind it. While Sebastian and I were still some distance away from the desk (and Sebastian even further since he walked back out and then back in…this time pushing a tae tray), I waited calmly where I stood, watching Sebastian pour Ciel a cup of strong, but sweet smelling tea.

"Neko, there's no need to be shy," Ciel stated, noting how far away I was standing. "Trust me, I won't bite because that'd be too vulgar and Sebastian won't either unless I order him to."

"Oh, I feel SOOO safe!" I teased, walking to the desks' edge.

"With me around, you'd better feel that way." Sebastian rebuked, sounding as if he WAS trying to bite me with his words.

"Is that a challenge?" I countered, glaring up at his impervious grin.

"Only at my bidding," Ciel interrupted icily, first sharply glancing at me then giving Sebastian a lingering glare. "Back to the pressing matter at hand, Neko, the reason why I called you is because I have a very important 2 part mission that I know you can handle."

I thought for a moment, "Does it involve maiming or evenly possibly death? A malevolent form of torture?"

"Unless you count your ears being raped by high pitched squeals torture," Sebastian sighed, "the yes."

My soul flooded with dread, 'on the other hand,' I thought, 'this could be interesting.'

"It involves you going shopping for a weeks' worth of shoes and dresses, lying, and entertaining my fiancé tomorrow." Ciel concluded, giving me the gist of the 'mission'.

"I'm a little lost," I answered, disappointed that I wouldn't be in some sort of epic battle, "but what do you mean by lying? What would I have to lie about?"

"You'll have to lie about who you truly are. "Ciel continued, locking his fingers and leaning forward. "Lets try lying now."

"Okay, um…" I gave it a split second thought before answering, "My name is Nekohime and I'm secretly a man."

Ciel made a slight 'ick' face, while my 'lie' never even fazed Sebastian.

"I think the young master meant for you to lie about your name and background. Try again." Sebastian replied.

"Hmm," I thought, scratching my cheek with a finger. "My name is Amaria Phantomhive, daughter of the Earl Claudius Phantomhive. I come from America to spend at least a week with my dear cousin, the gracious Earl Ciel Phantomhive in England."

Both Ciel and Sebastian were floored by how I naturally flowed with practiced my fib. Ciel's mouth hung open in surprised interest, Sebastian's eyes merely grew wide in response.

"Wow," they breathed in awe.

I bowed, proud of my lie.

"That's perfect…you filled out the basic details." Ciel stated, recovering slightly, "I didn't think it would be so easy for you to lie so quickly and efficiently, even I almost believed it."

"Well," I replied, basking in my victory, "before I became your employee, I DID have a life you know. I could lie, cheat, and steal with the best of them, I STILL can." After looking at their shocked and questioning faces, I burst out laughing, "I'm just kidding, that was also a lie. Geez, I never lying could be so easy!"

"Well, alright…so long as you are truthful when you speak to me." Ciel stated, completely recovered. "I'll allow you to choose someone…that is, if you don't want Sebastian…to be your escort to the boutiques of London…and don't worry EVERYONE knows their way around."

"What are my benefits if I choose Sebastian?"

"A thoroughly 'spoon-fed' tour of the highlights including the dark streets." Ciel commented, glancing once at Sebastian. "and the best protection from anything bad happening to you."

"Someone else?"

"Whatever protection they can provide, and a straight forward tour…however it will be more like to the shopping districts."

"I don't really want a tour." I whined softly

"Then I take it you have someone in mind?" Sebastian asked, looking slightly amused.

"Not really…"

"Since you don't have someone in mind and time is of the essence," Ciel concluded, "then Sebastian will take you shopping and give you a 'bare bones' version of his tour." A small, but genuine smirk of evil lifted his lips, "and I'll hear no complaints about it. Remove your apron, wrist cuffs, and maid frills…and before you say anything, yes, each piece that I named is detachable, after all I did have Nina design that dress for efficiency and easy conversion."

With little effort I managed to detach the named items, giving me a solid, but less maid looking dress.

"Sebastian, give her one of my hats that will match the dress. If anything, she will look a bit childish but it will serve to keep her in her role." After dismissing Sebastian, Ciel turned to me, "Nekohime….well, for now, Amaria, please try to act like the American Aristocrat you are lying to be. It will make you seem more natural when you meet my fiancé tomorrow."

"Alright," I replied, donning the top hat and slightly crooking it to my left. "Butler of the English Earl, lead on to London."

Ciel nodded to Sebastian's inquiring glance. With a sigh, Sebastian bowed like the way he always did for Ciel when given an order.

"Yes, my lady."

Chapter 12: To any girl it's a sweet dream but Sebastian's nightmare…

Chapter Text

The thrill that filled me after stepping out of the carriage that Ciel, my now pretend 'cousin', graciously ordered to take me and Sebastian ('my' butler…Ciel had also mentioned that since I was to be his 'cousin' then what's his is mine and so forth (like a VERY gracious host)) could not be measured. Now, I'm not much of a big clothing shopper…but O.M.G! 18th century London could DEFINITELY change that in ANY girl. Since I had always been interested in the Victorian/ Edwardian fashion, this WAS definitely a dream come true.

"Come along, my lady, as your cousin will be waiting." Sebastian sighed, practically dragging me away from just looking through the windows to actually shop in the store, "and since this is your first time here, I'd suggest you'd best be quick with your shopping as the young master is NOT a patient man."

"You suck!" I pouted, reluctantly following his lead. "When a daughter of an American Earl first comes to London, she EXPECTS to be treated with the UTMOST respect that YOUR master has ordered you to do. I'm quite sure my dear cousin, Ciel, would reprimand you for your rude behavior in public."

"How about this lovely pink dress?" he asked, turning to face me with the frilliest dress that looked like a pink crayon puked all over it.

"How about that…?" I asked, pointing at a modest, but less frilly midnight blue dress.

"Yes, that's nice, but," Sebastian continued, STILL holding the pink mess in his hands, "I don't think the young master's fiancée would agree with the color or the small amount of lace."

"Um, H-E-L-L-O!" I retorted, "Ciel asked ME to choose the dresses, not you! You're a man! What the HELL do you know about shopping for GIRLS?"

"Plenty enough."

"Obviously NOT!"

"AWW, my poor darling Sebas-chan!"

[rengoku-loves-you]

I love your writing! I think you write kyojuro so in character and often refer to your posts for ideas on his characterization. Could you do your take on a meet-cute (or, more likely, meet-but-not-very-cute) with Kyojuro and a demon reader that doesn't kill people?

(aww, thank you so much, dear! that's extremely kind of you to say! characterization has always been one of my few strengths, i'm glad you sweethearts enjoy it! :) and goodness, i absolutely love that idea! i do so hope that i don't disappoint! thank you for your request, love!)

rengoku x reader (in which reader is a demon that doesn't kill humans)

warnings: mild gore/violence, minor self-harm, minor suicidal thoughts/actions 

you thought you were doing well at hiding yourself from the hunters you somehow, subconsciously, know about. you hadn't hurt anyone, not as far as you knew, and you stayed as far away from the humans as possible so the insistent ache of hunger didn't tempt you (too much). you tried to stay on the move, never lingering for too long lest the hunters find you.

the emphasis being on tried. you slipped up and got seen by someone you shouldn’t have, and now there's a flaming man on your tail with the most terrifying intensity you've ever seen in your afterlife.

he’s obviously not a normal human, and even if he hadn’t been keeping up with your supernatural speed with ease and spitting fire from his sword, you would have known this. his hair is gold and red, as wild as the fire he wields, and his haori flutters in his wake like a trail of flames. even his eyes seem to spark, wide and bright and ever so focused on you.

you’ve been running from him for the better part of an hour, and honestly, you have no idea how you’ve survived for so long. you know he’s powerful. his blade has cut through you a dozen times already, and though the wounds have healed, the feeling of burning from the inside out isn’t something you’ll forget soon. it’s like hes toying with you, but somehow, you know that isn’t the case. despite his determination to destroy you, he doesn’t strike you as particularly cruel.

then again, you think as the business end of his sword leaves a scorching trail from one shoulder to the other, you’re not in a state where you can make proper deductions. you cry out and fall to your knees at the blow, flames licking at your skin even as it knits back together, your nicked spine cracking grossly as it struggles to reform.

“your healing rate is slow,” a voice behind you says. you make a strangled sound, only distantly aware of your hands rising, fingers lacing together at the back of your neck to protect it. it’s an instinctual movement, one you aren’t sure of the reason for. you feel the heat of his blade as it hovers near your face. “you still react to pain as well. that means you must be a new demon, and a weak one at that. how long ago were you created?” he waits as you struggle to take in air, the pain ebbing away to about the severeness of a really bad sunburn. once you’re sure you can speak, you turn to peer at him over your shoulder, taking him in properly now that he isn’t leaping after you at the speed of light.

despite yourself, you can’t help but think he smells absolutely decadent even with his sword next to your throat. his face is blank, but his curious eyes give him away, flickering over you. he never meets your gaze.

“two months,” you say hoarsely, swallowing back drool that starts to pool in your mouth. “please. i haven’t hurt anyone.” at that, he finally looks you in the eye. you have to resist shrinking away, looking back with as much sincerity as you can muster and probably coming off as desperate. his curiosity intensifies. the sword moves a scant few inches away from your neck, but not far enough for you to risk running.

“an interesting claim,” he says. “with how weak you are, i can almost believe it!” which, ow. you haven’t managed to measure your strength against any other demons, but you didn’t think you were that weak, especially with your seemingly endless stamina and tree-uprooting strength. then again, this man gives off the impression of having faced countless other demons before you, so he more than likely knows better.

“tell me, demon,” he begins, the flat side of the blade tapping your shoulder, and you flinch away with a hiss as your skin smolders, “did you think i’d fall for it?”

“w-what?”

“do you believe,” he continues, perfectly even without a hint of malice, “that i am a fool?” you stare at him, eyes wide. “many have claimed the same thing. do you know how many were telling the truth?” he quiets, seeming expectant. waiting for a response, you realize, and you clear your throat anxiously.

“how many?”

“not a single one.” you grimace. with how horribly the hunger gnaws at you, picking and tearing at your insides and screaming for you to turn around and bite, to peel the flesh away from this hunter’s bones and gorge yourself, you can’t say you’re entirely surprised. his head tilts, regarding you like one would a cornered animal. “i will at least give you this. you’re the first one to claim such a thing without the evidence all over your person.” it doesn’t make you feel any better.

“so?” you croak out, swallowing again when saliva flows past your lips. you should be panicking, you think. crying, screaming, begging for your life, something. but all you feel is a bone-deep weariness. the weight of resignation slowly settles on your shoulders. “you’re still going to kill me, aren’t you? just get it over with.” you unclasp your hands from your throat, leaving it bare as you wipe the drool from your chin. you’ve been trembling, but now you fall still, closing your eyes.

if you hadn’t done that, you might have seen the flicker of surprise on the hunter’s face as you tilt your head, exposing yourself more to him. it could be a trap, he knows. he’d fallen for one before, and he paid the price for it. but back then, he’d been new, fresh and dumb where the demon had been experienced. it’s the opposite situation, now. 

but something tells him if he swings his sword, you won’t dodge.

he hums to himself, coming to a decision. he raises his sword. you visibly tense, but don’t move to cover yourself. and even if you had, you wouldn’t be fast enough.

nothing happens except for a faint snick. you sit, still and confused, until the scent hits you. your body goes rigid, eyes snapping wide open as you swivel your head towards him. your nostrils flare, and this time you don’t try to stop yourself from salivating.

blood wells up from the shallow cut he’s made on his palm, redness beading up until it lazily oozes down the side of his hand, dripping from his knuckles. it’s the first time you’ve experienced human blood since you’ve transformed, and it’s overwhelming. your hunger spikes, and your stomach and your throat growl in tandem as you give your full attention to the wonderfully fragrant crimson liquid. your legs tense, about to leap.

but.

you don’t.

it could be the fact that you know if you dare try to attack him, you’ll die. it could be your body shutting down, embracing death before it strikes. it could be humanity, reminding you how wrong it is to want to eat someone, someone just as alive as you. (even more so, if you want to get technical.)

whatever the case is, you stay where you are. and after a few moments pass, with a great deal of effort, you squeeze your eyes shut and turn away. it doesn’t help. not really. but it makes you feel more in control.

it’s silent for a long time. 

“okay!” you don’t dare look. there’s the sound of rustling, and then the scent of blood fades slightly. your head clears minutely, your breathing coming easier. you only crack an eye open when you hear an unexpected sound. the sound of a sword being sheathed.

the hunter beams at you, brilliant and true as he ties off the cloth he’s wrapped around his hand, then holds it out to you. you gape.

“my name is rengoku kyoujurou! we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but i believe we can come to an understanding!” the moonlight reflects off his golden hair, his earnest eyes, making him almost glow before you. together with the grin and the fact that he’s no longer flooding with killing intent, you come to a horrible, horrible realization in the form of your thoughts coming to a screeching stop.

your type is people with sunshiny smiles who want to kill you, apparently.

stupidly, you accept his hand.

[secretbangtnn]

Best Of Me | One

Pairings : →ot7 x reader, poly!BTS x reader

Genre : → vampireau, yandere!au, age gap, gore, obsessive behavior, ddlg/caregiver, poly, fantasy, supernaturals

summary : It’s quite unusual to find a little baby on your doorstep, especially that their area was not of the poorest - you could say that a vampire town was efficient with money and snobby creatures. However over time the first idea of just giving back the little girl seems more and more radical and those moody vampires slowly start perceiving deeper feelings to human they even wanted to kill.

notes ~

So im not really as happy as i wanted to be with this chapter, but its the first one that i needed to translate. Suprisingly Its easier for me to write the whole thing myslef than translating it from my native language. + Remember to leave something and im happy to say that we can start an ask game with the characters from my books

next

Surprisingly this day was awfully ugly for such a beautiful season. Heavy rain was falling on the ground creating the big sheets of wall with those millions droplets that practically covered the whole view outside of the freshly cleaned window.

Tired sigh pierced the quiet, as for the household members, house only causing the weird tension to increase that was there from the early morning. Dark hair of the boy moved with him, now facing the cold, wet window.

Hyung…” Groaned the boy crashing on the couch closing the eyes in the process a little frustrated. Walking just next to him, a little taller man with bright yellow hair, looked at the dark haired one with a tired stare.

“I don’t have time Jungkook, go torture Yoongi or something.” A snort came out of the older one after the not so innocent proposition, as he kept carrying the big basket full of clothes.

And again he was alone. The youngest of the brothers, being the one who never knew what to do with his free time, wandering in the halls and every couch he could spot in their cosy house. His dark chocolate hair falling on his face, a little too long for his liking, but he was too lazy to actually do something with them.

Again that not happy groan left his lips, and wriggling similar to a child that did not get a toy he wanted, in the end forcing him to sit on the couch with a big pout. It was not normal in this household, the whole quiet and calm act, especially considering the residents he shared the home with.

They are more similar to animals than gentelems that appreciate a quiet time. So the weird atmosphere was definitely an unsettling thing for the youngest.

Again looking at the dark view outside the window, he tried to see the cause of all of this. Completely as if something was meant to happen, like the quiet before the storm.

And let me tell you, Jungkooks 6th sense never fails. Just as he thought that maybe just maybe this time he was wrong, a ring echoed in the whole household.

“Someone is gonna open it?!” He shouted being too irritated to even do it himself, despite being the closest to the doors.

Of course, nobody answered. So angry he was at this moment he got up from a nice cozy couch and with heavy steps he came to the big chunk of the wood.

He opened the door not that gently, mumbling an annoyed “what?”

So how irritated he got when he saw nothing, a void, the same doorstep and gate that stood there everyday, now with a big wall of rain to spice up the view. He looked around, now a little confused, while thinking that maybe someone was in the mood for jokes. But how stupid the idea of that was when he remebered, that for his hundreds years of living in this world the first time that actually someone managed to make fun of him was today.

And oh god he started to get so pissed.

So imagine how shocked he was when just before he closed the door he heard a really unusual sound coming from his feets. Unhappy sobs rang in the quiet afternoon immediately attracting his attention.

The young vampire was more than shocked, looking at the child in the pille of pastel colored blankets. Small sobs now increased in a big crocodile's tears with disturbing sounds of the kids crying.

“”No, no, no, please be quiet, we don’t want to wake up the old, ugly, moody grandpa. do we?” He panicked, whispering the words to the child that now laid in his arms. He just prayed that the actual old vampire really didn't take up because of the cries.

As the kid started to calm down, he stared at it with an unreadable emotion. It was a weird feeling, holding the delicate creature in his arm, knowing that just one wrong move, and the child would never cry again.

So what was that feeling that stirred down his stomach as the little creature grabbed his finger with a big open mouth. The sick emotion only made him panic even more, while looking back inside the house.

He decidied,. Sneaking was nothing new for his ninja move, and he strongly believed in his skills of not getting caught with a surprise in his arms. In the end the spiderman socks were a good choice, as their soft material made nearly no sound on the floor.

His stress level went higher with each step that brought him closer to the room that he knew he could not miss. The sound of a knife and cutting rung in his ears is similar to the music in horror music he likes to watch, now making him understand a feeling of pure fear.

Eyes closed while praying that the blonde man won’t turn around catching him in his act. But how wrong he was to believe in such a miracle. Nothing and absolutely gets past Kim Seokjin.

“Jeon Jungkook…” He died, completely freezing in place. Not opening his eyes he waited thinking that maybe it was just his head messing with him, and the blonde boy never actually turned to him. “What have you done again. If I need to clean the mess once again from the ketchup, I'm not going to…”

And as Jungkook thought that nothing can go worse, the little chil laughed a happy giggle while making the grabby hands for his bracelet.

“Jungkook?...What exactly are you holding?” The question like a knife cutted the heavy atmosphere in half. The silence just after that louder than everything he has heard before. He was even sure that he felt his nonexisting heart stopping. “Did you fucking steall a child?! I can’t be…”

“No! It’s not like that I swear I found it on our doorstep.”

“Do you really think think I am that stupid? How even the child could just appear there hm? Rolled there or better flyed on its plush unicorn?”

“Hyung, please you are going to wake up others.” He didn’t even hesitate to beg, looking at the blonde with such terrified eyes. The child in his arms happily munching on his bracelet completely unaware of the tension.

“Why would I care about others! You brought a child Jungkook, how can i be calm!?”

Dark haired unconsciously looked around with gritted teeth, now just waiting for the rest to appear. And he did not need to wait long, as just after he looked back at the blonde, someone came from the other side of the kitchen door.

Tall man with peachy hair and raspy voice, trying to get rid of the rest of his sleep, now scratching his head with confused expressions. Who wouldn’t be confused in this place, seeing a literal child in a house full of old vampires.

“What is this mess all about? You know what hour it is?” Said the tallest one. Blondie one only snorted as if offended while crossing his arms. “What?”

“Nothing.” Oldest mumbled irritated. The tallest only raised his brow, and repeated the question once again. Jungkook being now forgotten with the child trying to catch his attention with little sounds. “You dare to remind me of the hour?! Do you know how many nights I didn’t sleep because of you! If I just could silence you for good, you would have long ago ended like the voldemort, yes i'm talking about that nose of yours”

The taller one immediately touched his nose gasping not believing in what he just heard, now trying to silently disappear from the harash stare of his older brother.

As the peach hired one hid behind a counter, the attention now came back to the snaking Jungkook. More pairs of footsteps rang in the quietness of the home, slowly showing other people.

“Jin-hyung is angry again? What happened I want to see.” Announced the newcomer, sliding on his perfectly white socks.

“Who is angry here?! You want to see how angry I can be you...you…”

“You silly goose?”

“No that's to lame.”

“Dipshit?”

“You dipshit! Thank you Namjoon.” He finished with a red face. The newcomer only rolled his eyes, while making the shortest of the brothers that came with him laugh.

“Since everyone is here…” The tallest started.

“Wait, where is Yoongi.” Asked the red haired one, while leaning on the counter with a mysteriously made coffee.

“Here.” All of them shouted, hearing the sudden voice, and seeing the new person that appeared with a lightning of thunder. “So what’s this mess about?”

Everyone in the room simultaneously looked at the dark haired boy that immediately stopped in his tracks hoping for some power that could help him disappear. All the eyes slowly drifted down his arms, now staring at a bundle of blankets that started to move as if it knew of the attention.

“What is that?” Asked the tallest looking straight at the irritated blonde.

“Don’t ask me, I’m not the one that gives such a stupid example, making those idiots steal children.”

The kitchen is now again quiet, all the eyes on the little creature in the arms of the youngest. Only sound now being the child starting to sob again, making everyone tense.

“Shut it up you morons.” Said second oldest, annoyed at the loud cries. The blonde didn’t waste time, knowing how bad noise is for the black haired. Small body now shuddering because of the sobbing making the oldest coo at the little child.

His arms soon hold the bundle of blanket, trying to calm the kid down with his baby voice. It wasn’t hard to get lost in its eyes, them being mysterious and full of innocence, drawing up the blonde one. His big hand now on its red cheek, trying to feel the texture of the soft skin under his fingers.

And as the cries never happened, the child started giggling again trying to grab Seokjin hands with such a beautiful smile. It was a really soft sight to see making them all calm and giddy inside. But as the child opened its mouth Seokjin's smiles disappeared.

“What the matter?” Asked Namjoon a little bit taken aback by the change of his hyungs mood. The oldest only looked back at the rest of them with a terrified expression.

“It's a human.”

[bi-bard]

Picture Perfect - Winchester Brothers Imagine (Supernatural)

Title: Picture Perfect

Pairing: Winchester Brothers X Child!Reader

Requested: by @isatkj

Word Count: 1,356 words

Warning(s): mentions of death, potential violence.

Summary: (Around Season 8 or 9-ish) The perfect town... that wasn't supposed to exist. Now, Sam and Dean have to figure out what caused this city to suddenly pop up on the map.

Author's Note: I took so much inspiration from season 14, episode 15 because of the general vibe of the whole episode.

Hey! I did a rewrite of the ending of Supernatural. It took a really long time to complete, so it would mean a lot to me if you check it out. Here’s a link! (it’s on my personal account)

-----------------------------------

--Third P.O.V--

Dean pulled the impala up to an open gas pump. While his brother got the gas, Sam opened the passenger door so he could go over the facts.

"So, there have been strange occurrences around a small town about three hours outside of Seattle, Washington," Sam relayed. "Insiders rarely come out and the outsiders that go in don't usually get back out."

"No one's making a huge deal about this," Dean asked.

"Well, it's supposed to be an old ghost town," Sam explained. "But it's not. Functioning stores and living families."

"So, something has got this town up and running but the people in it are... what performing sacrifices," Dean asked.

"I don't know," Sam shrugged.

"How far out are we," Dean asked.

"A few more hours," Sam replied.

"Hold on boys," the brothers looked over to see Death standing in front of the car. "I have some information you need about this little town."

"And that is...," Sam asked after Death had trailed off.

"You shouldn't go in," the being replied. "The person running that town is incredibly dangerous. You'll be dead in moments. The residents won't let you get close enough to harm the child."

"The child," Dean noted.

"The child is raising the dead," Death continued. "This upsets the natural balance of things. The source must be removed."

"'The source' is a child," Sam argued. "You can't just kill a child."

"I can, and I will," Death just seemed to shrug.

"Do you know why this kid wants to bring people back," Dean asked. "Before you become an asshole and murder someone who hasn't even gotten to middle school?"

"Almost a year ago, the child lost both of their parents," Death explained. "That's when their powers first spiraled. It started with only their parents. It then spread, like a virus. Soon, a whole town was standing in a spot where there should be rubble."

"You're going to kill a kid that lost their family," Sam asked.

The brothers stared at Death in shock. Death seemed annoyingly unaffected. To him, this was the only way to put things back in order. To the boys, this was a clearly scared kid that went through the same pain that they did.

"You can't do this," Dean shook his head. "We won't let you."

"You don't have a choice-"

"Give us a chance," Sam snapped. "It's a kid. A scared kid. Give us a chance to talk to them. Just a chance."

"No."

"Come on!"

"I'll give you one chance," Death replied. "If you fail, I will finish the job."

As the word "job" was spoken, Death vanished from the boys' sight.

Sam and Dean jumped back into the impala and took off. What was supposed to be another three-hour drive was done in a little over two. Neither brother knew how they didn't get pulled over but they didn't care.

Dean pulled the car over to the curb.

"Woah," Dean mumbled as they got out.

It was the picture-perfect town. There was a small dinner, a library that was actually being used, cookie-cutter houses. Sam and Dean looked at each other.

Locals were looking at them as the brothers walked by.

"So, where do we find this kid," Dean asked.

"Well, look at the signs," Sam pointed at the businesses. Most of them had (Y/l/n) on their signs. "It's the most common name. If we can find that house, we can find the kid."

Everyone's house had little signs. It was very clear this town was designed by a child.

"Well, hello," a man walked up to the brothers.

"Hi," Dean said awkwardly.

"Can I ask why you boys have decided to visit our little town," the man asked.

The boys looked at each other for a moment.

"We were admiring the lovely houses," Sam lied. "We have been considering moving for a while and this town seems lovely."

"Well, there aren't any vacancies," the man replied.

"Oh, that's a shame," Sam shrugged. "Is there someone else we can talk to? A mayor or something? I don't want to insult you but maybe you missed something."

The man's smile dropped, "You can't go near them."

"Why," Dean asked.

"You'll hurt them," the man glared.

It was like that was a signal. All of the people on the street stopped, turning to stare at the brothers. The brothers looked all around them.

"We're not going to hurt them," Sam tried to explain. "We're trying to help."

"No," the man snapped. "You're trying to take us away."

When the man stepped forward, the brothers knew it was time to run. They sprinted down the street as almost a whole town chased them.

"Sam," Dean yelled, pointing at a house. "There, look at the sign!"

"(Y/l/n)'s house!" was written on the sign.

The brothers ran through the front door, locking it. No one banged on the door.

"They don't want to hurt (Y/n)," Sam said. "We should be safe here."

"Hello there," a man and woman walked out to see the brothers.

"The parents," Sam mumbled.

They looked up to the stairs when the floor creaked. There was a young kid standing up there.

"Hi, (Y/n)," Sam said softly, trying to keep from scaring the kid. "I'm Sam, this is my brother, Dean. We're here to help."

"Why," the kid asked. "I'm happy here. Everything was fixed."

"Do you know why," Sam asked. The child seemed confused at the idea that something caused this. "You brought them back, remember?"

"Don't," the dad said in anger. "You don't get to hurt (Y/n)."

"Sam," Dean mumbled.

One more shared look and the two took off. They ran up the stairs, the undead parents on their tails.

"I'm sorry," Sam mumbled, leading (Y/n) back into their room. Dean slammed the door, locking it and being ready to hold it shut.

"What are you doing," (Y/n) went to fight Sam, but obviously didn't get far.

"(Y/n)," Sam knelt down and grabbed (Y/n)'s shoulders. "You created this town. Your parents died and your powers went out of control. No one here is supposed to be alive."

"You're... You're lying," the child yelled, shaking her head. Dean leaned into the door when (Y/n)'s parents started banging on it.

"I know it's hard," Sam continued. "It's terrifying but you aren't going to be completely alone. Right now, you're putting yourself in danger. That's not good, is it?"

(Y/n) shook their head.

"I lost both my parents too," Sam said. "It's scary but you have to let these people go. They have to move on. I promise, they'll be much happier."

"I don't wanna be alone," the kid mumbled, tears falling down their face.

"You won't be," Sam promised. "Dean and I will make sure of that."

The banging stopped. Dean stood up straight again.

The cookie-cutter house faded. Instead of falling from the second floor like they should have, they were just on the ground by an old building, already crumbled and destroyed.

Sam pulled (Y/n) into a tight hug as the kid sobbed. Dean walked over to them. He and Sam shared a sad look. Sam slowly stood up, letting the kid hold his hand as they walked to the impala.

Death was waiting for them.

The brothers froze, Sam pushing (Y/n) behind him.

"Good job boys," Death complimented. "However, there's still a problem. The child doesn't have control over their powers."

"We can teach them," Dean argued. "We have enough experience with powers that we can help."

Death took a step forward.

Both the boys moved to be more in his way.

"Fine," Death stared at (Y/n), who was still hiding behind Sam. "I'll have my eye on you."

With that, Death disappeared again. (Y/n) stepped out from behind Sam.

"He's not very nice," the kid mumbled. The brothers couldn't help but chuckle. Understatement of the century.

"Come on, kid," Dean nodded toward the car. "Let's make sure we have a comfortable place for you to sleep for the night."

The boys didn't expect to leave the town with a kid but it definitely wasn't the weirdest hunt they had been on.

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