#but have demon attacks happening almost all the time somewhere has to cause tension

[echo-lore]

A while back I read “The smell of plum blossom tea” by WeirdNCrazy (10/10 do recommend) and a minor part of the story was how Macaque was a medic and was teaching Mk how to be a medic

And ever since then I’ve fallen in love with the idea of Mk being a medic or wanting to study medicine

Like I imagine the scenario as to why he gets an interest in medicine is when Pigsy gets sick when he was around 8 or 9.

Like really really sick.

Could barely stand type of sick. He was vomiting everywhere and trembling and coughing. Tang had to force him to close down the restaurant because of how badly sick pigsy was

It was really weird for Mk to see his usually strong and stubborn dadsy left a puddle of misery in his bed and little Mk had been really worried that he wouldn’t get better. Of course tang reassured him that pigsy would get better, and that he would be back to his full strength in no time!

He was in fact not at his full strength in no time. If anything pigsy had gotten worst.

He was really out of it for the most part. Not fully there type beat. And that scared the shit out of both Mk and tang, who was trying really hard to keep things together for Mk but man it was rough.

But late one night, when the sickness was probably at its worst, Mk had gotten a nightmare. Nothing too significant but he still wanted the comfort of his dads. So he found himself outside his dads rooms but the door was alredy slightly open and he could hear tang ranting/crying about how it wasn’t fair that there was no medicine that would work. All the medicine he did give pigsy just made it worst and he was worried that he wouldn’t make it and how he wishes sometimes that the system wasn’t so unfair against demons

But that didn’t make sense for little old Mk. If there was medicine that was for humans why wasn’t there medicine for demons? And what it made so that pharmacies only have human medicine? Both demons and humans lived in the city, shouldn’t they sell both?

And with that, his nightmare was forgotten and he went down the rabbit hole of healthcare for demons.

Which was just a different type of nightmare.

Ignoring that medical treatments tended to cost more for demons, the whole healthcare system was garbage when it came to demons. Unlike humans, it was a lot harder to generalize the effect of certain medicine for demons. Things like type of demon and magic type affected the type of medicine demons could take which made it a lot harder for demons to get over the counter medicine. Everything needed to be approved by a doctor, even just simple headaches relief. And that was if the demon was allowed inside in the first place, many pharmacies and even major hospitals not allowing demons inside their facilities unless properly documented or not being “too dangerous”.

There was also the issue of many demons having horrible reactions to the type of drugs used in human medicine. Demons tend to be more connected with nature which means some can have really bad reactions to the shit that we kinda just made up. And while there are ways for demons to get more natural medicine in the cities, it is usually expensive and predatory towards those who need it.

At the end of all his research he basically realized that the exclusion of demons from healthcare was a silent way to exclude them from society- even if meatropilos was one of the better cities when it came to it.

And Mk thought that was utter bullshit and decided he wanted to have his own clinic- for both demons and humans using ways that work for both species.

All because he was so very terrified he would lose one of his dads when he heard what tang said that night. Sandy ended up finding a clinic that sold medicine that actually work for demons (thought farther from the city center) and pigsy got better in around a week.

[cafeinthemoon]

Brothers - Chapter I

Chapter 1/2

Wordcount +1k

Title Let's Go Home

Fandom Jujutsu Kaisen

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warnings: suggestion of flesh and blood spreading; violent death caused by a curse

Tagging ? (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A.: So after this poll, I finally started writing this little story, which concept has been around my head for a while 😭 I know I suggested an one shot, but dividing it in two chapters felt right, so here we are. In this one we will have Choso being what he was made to be: the beat big brother you could ask for ❤ Forgive me bc he'll only show up in chapter 2, but his appearance will be worthy I swear 👀

Hope you enjoy!!

Brothers

Chapter I

Let’s Go Home

You didn’t remember when the first lamps started to oscillate, but your elder brother was the first to make a comment about it. You looked around, sensing the tensions building up as more people gathered at that floor: no one was certain of the reason why staying inside the station was safer than wandering on the upper space, but the idea was silently established in everyone’s minds, and no foot dared approach the staircase to act in opposition to that.

You held your brother’s arm.

– It’s getting weird around here.

He turned to you with an assuring look.

– Yeah, I feel that too – then, pointing at the line on the metal floor, behind which people were waiting for the next train, – Somehow I think that, whatever happens here, it’ll be hard to escape with this amount of people smothering us. Let’s go to the next station.

You didn’t like the idea of leaving, but you hadn’t a better solution, so you just followed him. The train didn’t take long to arrive, and you had no difficulties entering it: most people decided to stay, and only the bravest chose to leave. You brother held your hand as you entered the wagon, and you started walking without a look to the station behind. The door, once split in two, joined its separated sheets with a metallic whisper, and the train moved.

It left fast, and you, standing in the middle of the wagon, approached your brother in discomfort: part of the tension building up at the previous station was brought to the wagon with you and the other few who entered it. Your brother, not immune to that wave of sensations, was wary, but he was better than you in keeping his composure. You looked up to him, as if seeking for answers, and he kissed the top of your head in response.

– Let’s go home – you asked in a murmur – Please.

He gave you a soft smile before speaking, the way he used to do whenever he was willing to concede his little sister a favor.

– If this is what you want, then, yes, let’s go home.

Let’ go home. Those words lingered in your ears, supplanting the heavy sounds of the train over the tracks.

***

Let’ go home.

That’s what he said to you.

Let’ go home.

That was his promise. And he always fulfilled his promises.

So… how did you end up this way?

Your feet almost failed as you ran all over the new station’s metallic floor, your ears about to explode with the thunderous steps of the monster at your back.

It was a terrifying vision: a gigantic creature, with a slick-covered skin and a gaping mouth with three lines of sharp teeth, slipping through the area so fast that it seemed to be flying, came out of somewhere once you and the few people around you left the wagon, sending everyone to all directions, screams of confusion and desperation filling the air; you were clever enough to make sure to stay with your brother, but you couldn’t do much more than running. Crushing wet noises were heard behind you and, whatever the things the creature did to the other people, you knew that, at the slightest delay, you or your brother would be the next ones.

It was a nightmare. There was no time to observe, to think, to question what was going on, only to run until you no longer felt your legs.

What is this? A demon? An alien attack? What is going on?!

With your lugs burning, you dared glance behind from time to time to catch a glimpse of your persecutor, and every time you did, it was still there, destroying and devouring everything on its way. What was that thing? Where did it come from? Why was it there? Who could tell?

But above all those questions, there was a most disturbing one.

Why not everyone saw it when it appeared?

Because yes, though some people spotted it and immediately panicked, others stood there in confusion, thinking it was a case of mass hysteria. Whatever the reason, you were sure of one thing: your decision to take the lead and drag your brother away from that place instead of waiting for his reaction was wise, for while the monster was clearly visible to you, he was unable to see it.

You found yourself running down an escalator that stopped working for no reason, and your brother was right after you. He stumbled and fell forward, colliding with you and making you both fall until you reached the next floor. You didn’t know how, but you managed to get up and help him to leave the floor and continue to run, just one second before the creature jumped on the spot you were.

That time, some words were exchanged between you.

– What the hell is that?! – you heard your brother scream – People suddenly went crazy!

– They’re not crazy – you screamed back – Neither am I! There’s something behind us!

– Something? What do you mean?!

– A monster!

The word monster was still in your mouth when a new staircase appeared before you. You jumped into it without waiting for your brother’s reply, counting on the probability that he believed your word and continued to follow you…

What you weren’t counting on was that the thing that chased you learned fast from its prey’s behavior, so that instead of just running, it jumped through the air, passing above your heads and landing in front of you, making you stop just in time. Problem was that your brother, who couldn’t see it, was a bit far from you, still in the first stairs; when you looked behind and noticed this detail, it was already too late: before you could do or say anything, the creature jumped back to its previous spot, reaching your brother and grabbing him between its monstrous claws. Its mouth opened again and a hiss was heard. Your brother, lifted from the floor by something he couldn’t figure out, screamed in horror.

The mouth closed again. There was something like an explosion of flesh, spreading blood everywhere, and your brother was silenced.

Now, it was your time to scream.

[emyluwinter]

Nanny Divus Crewel~

Au Babies & plans au (bnp/b&p au)

belongs to - @minzart

I miss this Au to be honest. ...

Me - I won't write much, I need to rest.

Also I'm after more than 7k characters in the text. - oh, no..

It seems the author was talking about the fact that teachers and College staff are now acting as babysitters?

* crunches his fingers * well... there's a job for me!

Nanny Divus Crewel

The first thing that was in Crewel's thoughts when he stayed to babysit little Yuu was.

"What. the. f*ck?!"

It was even impossible to fit all the points that tormented his intellect in such tension.

1. Does Chernobog have a child? A CHILD?!

Not even understanding what to be surprised about anymore, that Anita guessed to give HIS NUMBER to CHERNABOG HIMSELF, seeing how the dark lord does not fall asleep because of a small child. He had heard rumors that everyone in the Seven tried to stay away from the "irritated bosses". But he could not even imagine that this was the problem.

Or the fact that Chernabog himself came to his house to give him a chance to become a nanny for his only heir? Bringing naturally almost to the heart attack of poor Crewel.

He was even grateful in a sense that he was chosen, and not the same Trein, for example.

Here he would definitely have to go to the funeral if Chernabog showed up to this old man.

And the baby...

This adorable little puppy who can barely crawl.

And oh, the charm, they are so curious and mischievous like all normal children. Absolutely nothing dark or demonic?!? Neither horns nor tail, nor the presence of scales or any other traits that they could get by genetics.

The usual chubby hands that reach out to him, pink cute cheeks like marshmallows. Everything is like an ordinary NORMAL child.

What the hell...There must be a catch somewhere.

Divus has already prepared all his tools in advance to prevent the consequences of the magic of the baby.

Usually sometimes it happens to this or that child. But...

it didn't happen?

He strongly expected that the power inherited from Chernobog would definitely manifest. And it's DEFINITELY going to be a big migraine for him.

But it was a very ordinary child?

2. A child without magic?! ​

Yes, he conducted several safe and harmless tests that can show magic in babies. But Yuu had absolutely nothing of any manifestations of magic.

Oh, Lord...the kid will probably be very upset by the fact that his father has a titanic power that bypassed them..

3. HOW?!?

With all due respect, Crewel couldn't figure out how the hell Chernabog got this rosy-cheeked little charm.

Adoption?

Divus thought that the great lord of the mountain and the demons just got bored and stole someone's child or they were planted for a ritual.

Well, now this fashion guru will lie down with bones, but he will not let these kids offend.

***

Yuu didn't cause many problems. But Divus noticed that the baby starts crying as soon as he moves away and leaves the baby in the cradle for a while. Absolute silence scared the child to hysterics for two hours.

Yeah, so the kid doesn't like being left all alone and doesn't hear any noise near someone's presence.

Well, when Mickey came for them, Divus realized that most likely the noise was next to the "children room". Therefore, the child could not remain calm if he was in complete silence.

Therefore, Crewel built a children's playpen in the living room where he could calmly deal with his documents, leaving the little puppy always under his supervision.

While little Yuu is having fun playing with cubes or crawling around exploring everything around what his little hands can reach.

Crewel was very surprised every time feeding Yuu from a bottle or baby puree, the child yawned sweetly on his hands as soon as he took them.

Other children are naughty at first when they are fed or held by someone else. But apparently the child is used to it.

The more Crewel spent with this baby, the more he became attached to them. It was inevitable

There is always a place in the heart for a child with whom you spend a lot of time.

Yuu definitely didn't mind such a company.

But over time, of course, Crewel knew that children can be quite inventive.

So much so that he may not need hair dye to make him gray ahead of time.

How the hell could he lose a child in his own home?!

- Puppy please. Now is not the time to play hide and seek. If your big daddy finds out that I've lost you...

Crewel, of course, remained calm, but was already beginning to worry.

The kid was without magic, but somehow managed to get through the magic barrier of the playpen?! He just went to answer the phone in his office!

And now these little fugitives are crawling somewhere without his knowledge and supervision! Where there are a lot of dangerous objects for the child!

He definitely didn't want to think about what Chernabog would do to him if he so stupidly lost their only heir.

No one wanted to study the anger of this creature personally. Especially if the Great Seven itself is afraid of his anger, there is nothing to say about ordinary people.

- Puppy...don't make me look for you with magic.

Divus stops when he hears children's laughter and hooting. Bursting into his dressing room, he was in a slight shock.

These little obnoxious puppies!!!

Turned everything upside down!

The fabrics are scattered, the suits are crumpled and chewed somewhere.

And this suit should never be in contact with water, it will spoil!!

Shoes also fell under the victim of small curious handles.

Thanks to the prayers of the poor nanny, nothing sharp or dangerous came to the child's hand.

How could they break the locks against the children?! HOW?

Standing in the middle of the room, Crewel sternly looked at the moving box of fabrics. It looks like the little devils have found a toy and shelter.

Angrily tapping his foot on the floor, he cleared his throat, thereby attracting attention to himself.

He could afford to talk to the child knowing that no one sees him.

- Yuu...if you think that if you don't see anyone, then no one sees you, then I dare to upset you, it doesn't work that way.

Quickly lifting the box to the children's enthusiastic cry, Crewel lifts the baby in his arms from the floor and unfolds the fabrics in which the child is entangled.

- Little marauder.~ You're very lucky, puppy, that I can't punish you for your unreasonable childish curiosity.~

The man stopped when his finger was caught in a tight grip by a tiny palm.

Oh, give him strength against that cute look.

- You're a little evil. You're the charm itself, you can't scare me like that, do you understand? - patting the child's cheeks. Divus took out his pointer and, waving it, began to put things in order in his dressing room.

Yuu definitely really enjoyed watching every spell or manifestation of magic.

One day, late in the evening, Divus could not put the baby to bed in any way. Chernabog complained about the "obnoxious mouse" that knocks down the entire regime of the child.

And so, sitting comfortably on the sofa, Crewel stopped reading aloud a scientific journal on alchemy that came to him every month. With new research and discoveries.

A little trick, the children fell asleep faster from voicing all scientific terms and experiments with his comments than he read fairy tales for several hours in a row.

Although Trein always complained that as soon as he started telling something, the children fell asleep in an instant.

Lifting the magazine and looking at Yuu expectantly, Divus breathed out a sigh of relief.

Yuu was sleeping sweetly lying on his chest, pressing his fist to his nose and holding his shirt with his other hand.

Sometimes the baby quietly grunted or mumbled when Crewel moved or tried to get up to carry the baby to the crib.

Putting down the magazine and waving his wand, Crewel turned off the light in the room and very gently and carefully stroked the child on the head, enjoying the silence and the moment.

If he had a child himself....

Of course, he would like to spoil them terribly. But be strict within reasonable limits. Let all their potential and abilities blossom and look after them with pride.

A small dream interrupted the movement on his chest. The baby began to jerk his leg trying to lie down more comfortably.

Crewel used his palm under the small leg of the child so that they could independently take a comfortable position for them.

His heart melted slowly and irrevocably looking at that little foot in his big palm. Such a crumb.

So small and so defenseless...

[gloriousmonsters]

...goddamn, I’m still thinking about this wen ning-su she swap AU, because the question occurred ‘if you can use demonic cultivation without a core, and awakened fierce corpses seem pretty similar to humans aside from the lack of spiritual energy... could an awakened fierce corpse use demonic cultivation?’

anyway in this ‘verse WWX decided to go on a little sabbatical to the Burial Mounds to meditate or something, and then wound up staying there because the pressure for him to Stop Being Him kept growing and him and Jiang Cheng’s relationship was becoming more strained; this was still meant to be temporary but it gets complicated when rumors spread that he’s starting a sect based on demonic cultivation, and wwx is like ‘lol no I’m not?’ only to poke his head out of the cave he’s been napping in and find out that sms has returned from wherever he went to brood last and has been recruiting people that show up as disciples

screaming arguments happen where sms is like I’M SORRY FOR ATTEMPTING TO GET US MANPOWER WHEN WE’RE ABOUT TO GET ATTACKED ANY DAY NOW and wwx is like STOP TELLING PEOPLE THINGS AND SAYING I SIGNED OFF ON THEM oh wait i’ve packbonded with some of these losers you brought in now. i guess i’m a bit more ok with it

(jgy is currently hiding the whole wen fam in his basement and repeatedly hurrying his assistant, a-ning (who definitely isn’t a wen who thinks he looks like  a wen? don’t be silly) away from jin zixun before things go bad on either side)

I’m seeing wwx’s death in this ‘verse either being a modified Qiongqi Path - there’s no Hundred Holes Curse in this scenario, but look, I REALLY don’t think you need to try hard to make jin zixun want to try and take out wwx; and it would be so easy to play a scenario where wwx and sms argue about him going, causing wwx to slip off to go alone and get caught without backup--or some kind of scenario where the Jin kidnap one of the Yiling Wei’s younger disciples and use them as bait for wwx to come over and get killed. either way, he still dies around the same time, but sms--and the rest of the sorta-sect--still have demonic cultivation on their side, and they successfully defend the Burial Mounds against siege. everyone thinks about their life choices for a bit, someone yells ‘we’ll get ‘em next time, boys!’ and we cut to 13-16 years of very very uneasy peace

(in this scenario you could TOTALLY still have at least jiang yanli, and maybe even jin zixuan, alive if you wanted! just realized that.)

(in the wwx-is-dead interim, wen ning assists jgy in killing nmj quick n’ sweet with some untraceable poison or something. rip nmj. wen ning is also REALLY useful in knocking people out for ‘assassinations’ to be conducted by ‘outside forces’, etc. he also gets along great with all the kids! great guy)

i could see sms as, before wwx’s death, basically trying to pretend he hadn’t died (don’t read into the amount I cover up or the fact I never use qi in public anymore! I still carry a sword AND my robes are wrapped the right way. shut up) but after, leaning ALL the way into the oldstyle Yiling Patriarch, nightmare of the battlefield aesthetic. the Yiling Wei have almost a Ghost Valley rep--are they human? are they demons? we just don’t know, etc; and sms gets ALL the atmospheric mileage he can out of being Actually Legit Dead. god. he’d probably get some kind of White Grim Reaper moniker and encourage the fuck out of it. wwx is going to die of secondhand embarrassment when he comes back to life and sees how edgy everyone’s aesthetic is

(look I don’t know HOW this happens exactly but in this AU i need jin rusong to live also. usually I don’t really care but I just reread what i wrote above and pictured Wen Ning--possibly not able to see his family all that often because jgy got them settled somewhere safe, but rather out of the way, and he has duties in Jinlintai--bonding with jgy’s kid, and my heart is FULL i need this)

also there’s so much delicious tension in the idea of WWX coming back to a world where the Yiling Wei/Burial Mounds are an entity, and are locked in a vicious semi-cold war with Lotus Pier (sms would Absolutely capture and torture jiang disciples as retaliation for losing his demonic cultivators) meanwhile LWJ is. still just trying to do his thing, waiting to see if wwx’s spirit ever shows up, wishing he didn’t really fucking hate everyone else who used to know wwx

[shnuggletea]

Cell Mates

Idk what’s better, new post or reblog with the new chapter but the latter seems too much. Anyway here’s chapter three as promised.

Chapter Three

In any other situation, the guy would be attractive. Black hair long and slicked back was held at the nape of his neck with a hair tie. He was thin but toned, and his eyes sparkled as he looked down at her. 

Problem was, he wasn’t just looking down at her, he was looming over her with malicious intent on his face. And his eyes were literally sparkling because sparks of electricity were dancing in them. His pretty face was twisted with a smile he had to have borrowed from the devil himself. Because who else could pull off that much evil and still look beautiful?

Her lungs burned from lack of oxygen but she couldn’t make herself breathe. Every molecule was frozen in fear. And her head ached from hitting the bars and the continued pulling her strands were getting.

“What do you think, Brother? A bloody carcass left on the bed would send a nice message don’t you think?”

The one over her spoke, his voice was just as lovely as his face. If he wasn’t downright terrifying. It was hard for her to see the attractiveness of him. Ever since he had sat down next to her, all she could see was his ugly insides. How many here were like that? Beautiful but too twisted for her to feel anything but disgust? It was a curse of hers and yet she used it daily all her life. Seeing the inner soul of someone else kept you out of a lot of trouble. Didn’t mean those with pretty insides didn’t do ugly things too.

“Mmmmmm can’t we just...eat her?”

Twisting against the pain, Kagome looked through the bars. It looked like a shark and a human had a baby and it wasn’t pretty. His head was long and oblong shaped, his nose a pointed tip. But he shared the other guy’s ugly soul, electricity dancing in his eyes too.

Other than the claim the man over her made and the shared electricity, she never would have known the two were related. Keeping her eyes on the one before her, the long nails on his fingers grew longer, turning into claws with dangerously sharp tips. The one that held her hair was licking his lips so loud, it was almost comical. Except he was talking about swallowing her whole.

“No, if we eat her, Inuyasha won’t see it. He won’t know and won’t feel the loss.”

Swallowing the thick lump in her throat, she begged her words to come out of hiding. “He won’t...care...he hates me.”

The two shared a glance and a laugh. Big ugly snorted behind her. “His humanity will care.” She could feel him get closer, his breath dancing on her skull. “Pretty little girl like you will be missed by someone regardless. Poor little White couldn’t handle the hell hole she was tossed into.”

“What does...being White have to do with it?”

They laughed again. She was hilarious. Maybe if she survived, she’d do stand up? “It has everything to do with it.” The one over her paused, a sneer going up to his hairline. “Wait...you don’t know what it means, do you??”

Behind her, the strange one laughed but it sounded like Snarf from ThunderCats. “Isn’t it obvious??”

“Whatever. Doesn’t matter now, does it?” The one above her gloated.

Leaning in, the distance evaporated and she could feel the heat of his breath on the top of her head. “Come on, Brother. At least let me eat a little? Her arm? A leg?”

A squeak escaped even though she was trying like hell to contain herself. But what point was there? She was going to die a painful death and her family would never know what happened to her. If they knew where she was and what happened, they would have come for her by now. No, she was going to be an unmarked grave somewhere behind this place while her Mother, Grandfather, and brother Sota were told some tale about a plane crash. At least her body would match.

As a doctor, there were a lot of things she heard, especially when doing her rotation as a first responder. One of those things was the sound of two bodies colliding. It was like thunder though, so loud it echoed off the empty cell walls. At first, she assumed it was the Brute hitting her body and she was in shock. That’s why she felt nothing, not even the pressure on her skull.

But it wasn’t that, she’d been released. 

The man over her was standing, a foot still on either side of her hips that she was sure could crush her bones if he really desired. And he wasn’t looking at her anymore. Instead, he was looking behind her and she turned to join the staring contest. 

There, in the hall, were two demons going all out. It was a swirl of orange, black, red, and white. A snarl broke free every now and then as well the sound of flesh getting punched or torn. After a few heart-pounding and brain-numbing moments, the two stopped and she was sure she was either passed out or dead. Because no way in hell was Inuyasha holding one of the demons that threatened her up off the ground right now.

What was he doing here? He’d made it clear, he wanted nothing to do with her! But it was hard to fight with her vision at the moment. Especially with the blood that was dripping to the floor from both of them. The one that looked far from human and had wanted to eat her was bleeding a lot more though.

“Let him go you mother fucking Hanyou!!” The one over her snarled.

“Get the FUCK out of my cell!!”

Inuyasha’s eyes were scary, blood red and dangerous as he locked them on the man over her. Careful and slow, he removed himself from his vigil over her and left the cell. True to his word, Inuyasha released his Brother….by tossing him. The two collided hard, the sound of bones breaking made her cringe. The humanoid one got to his feet first, helping the other creep to as close to standing as he could get the hulking creature to, given their size difference. Even with all they had done, she still had to fight back the urge to go and tend to their wounds. It was ingrained in her and she took an oath. It also had her getting to her feet, stiff in a few places but otherwise fine and ready to go after her two attackers to offer some help.

She looked back to Inuyasha, who was there and gone in a flash. Off the floor and hanging in the air, Kagome found herself swinging off the cell floor, her feet dangling. It didn’t hurt, but Inuyasha still had claws perched over her skin as he held her up by her neck. And all other thoughts left her mind. Inuyasha’s ears were pressed back and he was demanding her attention as loudly as he could.

“Stick to the god damn schedule!!” Numbly, she nodded. “When we go to lunch, you FUCKING GO TO LUNCH!!” Not really sure, she continued to nod. Because Inuyasha’s eyes were still blood red. “What the hell were you doing in here alone anyway?!” He waited a beat for her to answer but when she opened her mouth, he stopped her by opening his instead. “You know what? I don’t care! Getting high, masturbating, do it in the damn yard during free time!”

He dropped her and she managed to keep upright. Tension rolled across his shoulders, turning and giving her his back. She could see it through the thin material of his uniform, muscles straining to be free. Kagome forced herself to remember the crazy eyes and the foul mouth he had instead of letting herself think about how freaking hot he was right now. 

“This is why…” he whispered, still not facing her, “why you and me cannot associate with each other. You can’t protect yourself and I refuse to...get you involved.”

Anger swelled in her and she knew, deep down, that it was just a bodily response to the near-death moment she just had. No way did she actually care what Inuyasha thought about her or how he’d rather her be torn apart than lift a finger for her. Even though he did far more than lift a finger for her seconds ago. Rational Kagome was long gone as she pushed him aside and left the cell. “No one asked to be associated with you anyway.”

oOo

She didn’t know how, maybe it was written on her face or the faces of the limping demons, but everyone looked at her differently. As if they knew she’d been saved by the asshole known as Inuyasha.

Which was her only explanation, walking out into the sun only to get called over to a picnic table filled with females. Well, mostly females, a few looked like males who wanted to be female. Odd that there were no women who wanted to be men here? 

They were all mixed in age and size, even a girl that didn’t look that much older than Shippo was among them. But her blank stare and pure white skin and hair had her questioning the innocence of the child. She wasn’t bubbly and friendly like Shippo.

The one that called her over, yellow donned and thick lips covered in red, held a hand out to her over the heads of a few others. It forced her to get close. As Kagome took the woman’s hand, she glanced over to Inuyasha, in his usual spot. His face flicked away as soon as her hand took the woman’s as if he’d been looking her way but didn’t want to get caught.

“Hey there White! Causing quite the stir around here, aren’ cha?” The woman beamed, releasing her hand to fiddle with her black locks again. The rest were preening as well as if there was a ball later that night. “Name’s Kagura. What’s yours?”

She paused and one of the feminine males chuckled. “Or should we just call you White?”

“I think we should call her, Inuyasha’s pet?” 

Kagome looked hard at the one who tried to call her ‘Inuyasha’s pet’. Not only because she was pissed, but also because she was confused. The woman had pure gray hair like she was in her 70’s and yet her face was flawless like a 19-year-old. It threw her off so much, she forgot to be mad and instead remained flustered.

“Ladies! Be nice! It’s been years since we’ve had such a presence. Such a pretty little White, we’ve never had someone like that here!” Kagura cooed.

Her anger returned, tired of all the run around just because of the color she was forced to wear. “My name is Kagome. And I’m not afraid of a bunch of Yellows or Blues!”

“A White should be afraid of all of us…” the pure white child spoke and it made Kagome jump a little. The only color on the child was her little blue scrubs but somehow it was as if the color around her drained away to nothing. And then she looked up at Kagome with her dead eyes. “Anyone here would kill you without a second thought.”

“The Thunder Bros already tried. And failed. She may be White but she has some seriously good luck. Or just attracted the right attention?” The male purred the last part and looked at her with hunger in his eyes.

Confused, Kagome quickly shook her head at all of them. “If you mean Inuyasha, then I’m going to stop you there.”

“Didn’t he save your ass this morning?” Kagura asked but her tone said she already knew the answer.

Not knowing how to answer, Kagome remained silent and they all, save for the white child, smirked. The male broke first, laughing loud and hard. “I take it back, she’s not lucky at all is she?”

“I know how it looks but trust me, Inuyasha doesn’t care about me. This morning was...a fluke.” She tried.

Kagura nodded at her but still smirked. “And I’m sure that’s what he wants you to believe. Or rather, what he wants everyone else to believe. His humanity is showing and it’s killing him.”

They all laughed, again except for the white child, and now the man held out his hand. “I’m Jakotsu. Please come to me with any questions or doubts. You’re too fun to let out of my sights.” Kagome glanced at the child out of habit now. “That’s Kanna. She’s a real sweetheart.”

Kagura snickered but Kagome didn’t find the humor. It was clear they already saw Kagome as ignorant. What harm would it be to ask about the colors?

“Can you guys tell me…”

“HIGURASHI! YOU GOT A VISITOR!!!”

She spun towards the guard, half in shock. “Ooooooh, how interesting,” Jakotsu quibbled, “she even gets visitors?”

It was a stab to her heart because he meant none of them got visitors ever. She forced herself to go slow in front of the others because she didn’t want to brag but she also didn’t want to give them another reason to kill her. She was loved and they were forgotten.

Once out of sight, she hurried her way to the visitation room, the guards with her grabbed her and pulled her back a few times to keep her in step with them. Her eyes landed on her guest and her heart leaped into her throat.

“You get five minutes.” The guard growled only to step back and wait by the door.

Silent, she carefully took the seat across from the occupied one, a thick glass wall between them. Reaching over to the phone before her, she took a deep breath and forced the name out of her mouth.

“Hojo.”

oOo

The rest of the day was a blur, she wasn’t even sure she ate or said anything. People talked to her but she couldn’t even tell herself who had or what they said. She was just going through the motions for the rest of the day. Because she was busy replaying her conversation with Hojo over and over again.

“How are you? Are they hurting you?”

A tear slipped down her cheek. How long had it been since someone had shown her any concern? “I’m alright. Surviving.” He nodded, swallowing thickly and making his apple dance. “Hojo, when am I getting out of here?”

The color drained from his face and her heart dropped to her belly. She waited, even though the answer was clear. She wanted him to say it to her face. “I can’t… There’s nothing I can do. There was a report filed by the police and my father’s name is on it…”

“I’m not a demon!! You know I’m not!!!” She screamed, unable to hold it in any longer.

He held up his hands, glancing behind her as she was sure the guard tensed and threatened behind her. “I know!” He stopped to whisper the rest. “I know you’re not.”

“Then get me the hell out of here!!”

“I...I can’t. I’m sorry.”

His face fell, unable to look at her, the coward. “I’m in here because I saved your life…. I’m going to die in here Hojo.”

He shook his head but still wouldn’t look at her. “My… my hands are tied…”

“And my family?” She swallowed hard, wondering what lie was told to them to keep them from coming for her. 

“They think you’re busy with work for now… I’m not sure...what to tell them.”

Her family knew all about her. It was her Mother that explained it to her as a child and her Grandfather that taught her how to use her gifts. Although now, they were more like a curse. “You want to help me Hojo? Keep them from ever finding out. I don’t care what you tell them but I don’t want them involved.” Slapping her hands to the small table before the two of them, she finally got him to look at her again. She needed his eyes on hers. “Promise me, Hojo. I saved your life so you will save theirs. Keep them safe from now on in my place.”

He nodded quickly and dumbly. It was the least he could do and she would be thankful for it. Hojo rose, their time was over and she was sure, she would never see him again. “I love you, Kagome.”

A small smile on her face, she shook her head at him. “But not enough.”

Replacing the phone, she left him there. Her only solace was that her family would be safe. They wouldn’t come looking for her and wouldn’t be silenced by the government when they made too much noise for her release. Maybe they could get her out of here but she wasn’t willing to risk their lives on it. 

This place was her grave.

That was what her mind kept saying over and over again, even as she returned to her cell, Inuyasha already inside. She said nothing to him, what could she say? Sitting on the floor, planning on laying in her ‘bed’ and just going into a restless sleep. But her pillow was gone. 

“Take it.”

Her neck popped, looking over at Inuyasha as he now stood next to the bed, tossing a pillow to the floor to lay down. “What?”

“I said take it! Are you deaf??”

He gestured to the bed and she got to shaky legs. Under any other circumstances, the bed would have been terrible. A thin and lumpy mattress that sat on metal springs covered in rust? The frame was metal too and the chill of it bled through the mattress and sheets. That’s how thin both of them were!

But after four nights on the hard floor and the emotional wreck she was from a day that felt far too long to be physically possible, it might as well have been a memory foam mattress on a king-sized sleigh bed. So she moaned into the pillow and swore she heard Inuyasha chuckle softly at her. Whether he did or not, she couldn’t care less. Nor did she care that the entire bed smelled like him. It was like a fresh breeze, putting her nose deep into the covers and breathing in long and hard. Closing her eyes, she could almost pretend she was deep in the woods on a lovely hike. How did he smell so damn good?? It’s not like he had cologne or decent shampoo here?

As great as the bed felt and as tired as she was, she laid awake long after lights out. Staring at the ceiling, there wasn’t even moonlight from a window to watch. Because there were no windows in this place.

“Hey White… you awake?”

She sighed ruefully. “Unfortunately.”

“You hear that?”

Kagome didn’t hear anything but she wasn’t really listening. Holding her breath to be even more still, she strained her other senses to listen. It didn’t take much, what with her sight gone and shutting off her smell, it enhanced her hearing. And what she heard was more moaning.

Not too different from the night before, she felt her face get hot as she basically listened to someone else having sex. It was like watching porn with her cellmate.

“You hear it. Noticing anything weird about it?” When she was silent, he huffed and continued. “It lasts a really long time, doesn’t it?”

“I...I guess so??” Kagome didn’t want to assume what was ‘normal’ for other’s sex lives.

“That’s what happens to Koga’s women. They all service his pack. When it’s their ‘night’, they have to fuck any of the pack that wants it.”

Her stomach flipped and she struggled to keep the flavorless food she ate in her stomach. “But that’s... how? The guards…”

“The guards don’t give a shit and jump in when they please. No one cares here, White. And anyone who says they do just wants something from you.”

Turning to her side, she faced herself as much as possible away from him. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because after today… I thought you might be considering Koga’s offer…”

“Well, I’m not! I’m not stupid!” She choked, her sobs breaking into her words.

“Are you.. Are you fucking crying??!!”

She didn’t answer him, trying like hell to keep her tears in and when that failed, tried to keep them silent. The result was her body shaking and shaking the bed. It was all too much and this was her life now. How long would she even survive? At the rate things were going, it wouldn’t be for long. 

She cried even harder when a sliver of herself looked forward to death. 

No longer caring, because no way in hell he didn’t know she was crying now, she let the sobs release from her chest. It felt like they ripped from her soul, taking little pieces of her with them as they flew out into the darkness. When she was done, she would be numb and Kagome was fine with that.

That is until the bed shifted and squeaked with new weight in it. 

She didn’t even question it or pull away as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back to his chest. He muttered something that sounded like ‘god damn humanity’ and held her a little tighter. It helped somehow. Maybe it was the humanity of the action? Finally feeling some sense of human connection? It was surprising how much she missed it, just needing a drop of kindness her way to survive any longer. And Inuyasha gave her a cup full instead of just a drop.

Kagome expected him to return to the floor when her tears stopped but as she sniffled, reigning in a small semblance of control, he remained at her side. Of all the people, creatures, monsters in this place, the one that cast her to the side from the start was the one she trusted the most. So she had no fear or shame in asking.

“Inuyasha… what does White mean?”

She thought he would laugh. Maybe take a few easy shots at her for her ignorance. But instead it was almost like he was sad himself. Close to tears even for some strange reason. “It means you’re powerless. You’re not a threat to me, to the demons here, or to anyone in the outside world.” 

Her mouth opened but no words came out. 

“The only reason you’re here is because the humans are uncomfortable with you so they threw you in to erase your existence.”

NOW YOU KNOW WHAT WHITE MEANS!!! Hope you’re not disappointed.

Okay so here are the people that mentioned getting tagged next time I post. So sorry if I left you out and I sincerely hope you still see this!  @smmahamazing @itzatakahashi @cstorm86 @keichanz @redflamesofpassion @littlestuffstohide @thatpunnyperson @lavendertwilight89 @ladyayami @lemonlushff @elohiniar @lavaffair and, of course, @knowall7k finally got that bed sharing in there for ya!

[briapia95]

I read all of the arranged marriage AU and it's Chef's kiss. Because I'm a terrible person, I imagined the rest as Ultimate Bad End AU™ wherein LWJ loses his core and becomes Yiling Patriarch, dies in the Burial Mounds after LXC dies at Qiongqi way and WWX stays miserable and in cloud recesses because he thinks he ruins everything he touches and he doesn't wanna fuck things up for JC and Yanli

Omg that’s brutal and I love it xD. I imagine that the original AU while angsty, it won’t be as brutal (I think), but just for the lols let’s imagine that. I have this named in my docs as “the super bad ending lol noooope” just so you know;

[Here for the original AU]

LWJ is a powerful cultivator but there’s so much he can do anything against Wen Zhuliu (WZL?) when they’re at one of Dusk Creek Mountain’s many caves. He does not see it coming, one moment they’re trying to get away from the Xuanwu of Slaughter, Wen disciples trying and failing to climb back the way they’ve all come from and the next moment WWX is pushing himself in between Luo Qingyang and that wicked brand Wang Lingjiao (WLJ?) had used to threaten them since this excuse of a night-hunt began.

WLJ burns WWX, as in canon, but this time seeing this LWJ  furiously attacks the other Wen cultivators, WLJ realizing shit, I shouldn’t have done that, starts panicking and screaming; causing more mayhem in the midst of the current chaos that’s happening. This gives an opening for the other disciples from the different sects to fight against the Wen cultivators, using their corpses to distract the Xuanwu for a while many of them are able to climb out of the cave.

Meanwhile, WC tries to shut WLJ up, her clinging to him and making it impossible to escape, but then LWJ is coming after him too, that’s when WZL comes in between them. Too fast, too driven to protect his master for LWJ wrath. WWX somewhat near realizes, screaming “Lan Zhan!” in warning and desperation, but it’s too late now, he’s too far away, the second master of Gusu Lan has now gotten his golden core shattered.

The pain is not as terrible as the sudden cold that sinks into his bones. Making him almost lose his consciousness right there and then. He does not notice WC & company fled, WWX enraged and confused, manages to come to LWJ’s aid but because of plot reasons -don’t ask me- they still find themselves trapped inside the cave with a wild Xuanwu that while appeased, is still a threat to them. (the same happens here, JC & co. go get help now with the added bonus of not being pursued by the Wen)

WWX’s guilt starts to simmer, “if you had not come to my aid you’d still have your core intact, Lan Zhan, why would you do something like that?”, he whispers, tears streaming down his cheeks and onto LWJ’s cheeks, LWJ face pressed against WWX chest as he softly streaks his hair while his other arm keeps their bodies together.

“Is it not apparent?” LWJ asks, words strained from the effort that takes not to lose consciousness.

WWX trembles, throat thigh, tears still not stopping, “You are a stupid, stupid, man, Lan Zhan. Has nobody ever told you that? A stupid, noble, too good man” he finishes as the presses their lips together for the first time. LWJ kisses back, he has dreamed about this moment for months now and it’s everything he ever hoped for, his only regret that it has happened in the worst circumstances imaginable.

Flash forward to the rescue, they can’t really kill the Xuanwu of Slaughter but its hunger is quelled enough for it to not come when they get them out. JC is there and so is LXC and enough disciples to form a small army (Both Yunmeng Jiang and Gusu Lan sect forces intact and ready for action since the attract on Lanling Jin)

The state of LWJ’s core is kept secret since only WWX and WC & co know, everyone else too distracted fleeing the cave to notice.

Plot happens and the war starts, WWX being the former Yunmeng Jiang head disciple and married to the second young master of Gusu Lan goes to war too. (Also, hello there guilt, we love some self-sacrificing WWX that has not been able to cope much with the knowledge that his husband was defending him, therefore, in his mind, him being the reason he lost his core, even if LWJ has told him repeatedly that no it’s not his fault).

So as the war drags on, his husband not coming back and in a desperate attempt to help him and some convenient plot sprinkled in the way, LWJ finds himself at burial mounds, flash forward to three months later and ta-da! Yiling Patriarch! LWJ.

Let’s say the first supervisory office he goes to is the Yiling one, he meets WQ, and remembers how fondly WWX spoke about WN that time they met at the Qishan Wen discussion conference, so he does not kill the elders and healers, a-yuan’s mother probably in early pregnancy. But since this is a nope AU he does kill the rest of the cultivators, (probably a-yuan’s father amongst them), ordering WQ and what’s left of her people to try to leave somewhere far away or to renounce the Wen name or something. Then WC & co meet the same end as the novel canon.

So, the sunshot campaign is won thanks to LWJ, JGS is dead and JZX is sect leader, engaged once again to JYL and JGY being his right-hand man or something. LWJ is now cultivating resentful energy (probably in a more moderated way) and WWX still in love but now feeling more guilty than before, since now his husband is walking the path he used to abhor. 

There’s tension between LQR and LWJ because of the heretic path and all that, it becomes worse since LQR makes it clear that he thinks LWJ’s decision to help WWX all the way back in the cave was foolish. WWX pours himself into researching a way of cultivating a golden core again, he sneaks into the forbidden section of the Library pavilion but is found by someone (Su She?) and then heavily punished by LQR.

This leads to a big argument between LQR and LWJ, WWX intervenes, they get punished, LQR rasping out when is finished “This is your fault, know that my nephew who I have raised as my own is now walking this path because of your insolence and arrogance. His pain is your doing.” Guess what, it’s super effective, more guilt piling onto WWX. But at the same time that’s when LWJ snaps, he takes WWX and leaves for Yiling, he’ll create a home for them where nobody will reproach his method of cultivation, where the hollowness of WWX’s eyes disappears into the brightness he fell in love with.

They find WQ’s group at the bottom of the burial mounds hiding. After LWJ’s attack, the cultivation world believed all the Wen at Yiling died. Together they form a settlement at BM. And they’re happy for a while, LWJ limits the use of resentful energy, WWX researching with the input of WQ and all the nice and soft interactions between them and the Wen remnants.

That is until they’re invited to JL’s 100th-day celebration, the ambush, both JZX and LXC appear here, but something goes wrong, LWJ loses control of his powers when he tries to use the STS, and just when the people brought for the ambush are about to shoot him LXC steps in the way. The arrows were poisoned, and struck vital points, he dies bleeding out in LWJ’s arms.

It’s all a blur, next thing he knows he’s kneeling inside the demon slaughtering cave, WWX speaking softly to him, almost in a pleading way, holding him and petting his head, “come back to me” “it wasn’t your fault” “I love you” “don’t leave me,” LWJ breaks down again, the death of his brother a pain too hard to bear.

The siege happens (Lead by Gusu Lan and Qinghe Nie) and LWJ, still too distraught for any clear thinking, uses the STS once more. Not without making WQ use her needles on WWX to make sure WWX and, say, A-yuan are out of harm's way. There’s a goodbye and one last kiss. He tries to hide them but he’s not fast enough and WWX catches LWJ being struck by LQR’s sword, the pain in the elder’s eyes apparent even if he’s trying to hide it in righteous fury.

JC finds them, WWX now free from the needles is holding a-yuan as if his life depends on it, he tries but he can’t help his brother. WWX married into Gusu Lan and he’s now being taken as a temporary prisoner by LQR, the older man still takes pity on A-yuan, so he brings him back promising no harm will be done to him.  

WWX heart is in shatters, everything, the downfall of his husband, the death of his brother in law, the mental breakdown that took away his Lan Zhan even before LQR did, everything was his fault. If he had not married Lan Zhan, if he hadn’t told uncle Jiang that he was more than fine with marrying LWJ, everything would’ve been fine, Lan Zhan would be alive, the Wen probably too.

Months later JC is at Cloud Recesses, demanding WWX to be brought back to LP, but he refuses, he refuses to taint something else, better to be a prisoner there than a free man endangering the lives of people he loves.

Thirteen years pass and there’s a distress flare signal shot from Mo village. There’s no second thought, WWX will be dead before something bad happens to a-yuan.

I was not able to make it a tragic tragic AU (of an AU), so here’s a hopeful ending at the last moment xD Also! Thank you so much for reading the original AU, it makes me so glad you enjoyed it c:  

[crazy-little-cool-cat]

Hand in Glove - Chapter 20 | Ben Hardy x OFC

A/N: Wow, it’s been a while! Life is just so insane. I’m so sorry. However, here’s a sweet little chapter. Get ready for some fun! I don’t know when ch21 will be out because my schedule is all kinds of wonky but just know that HiG is supposed to have 30 parts, total, so we still have a bit more to go! Be patient with me and love me! 

Word Count: ~1.8K

Warnings: Domestic bliss, implied smut, drunk Joe, Shitstorm Annie.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2,  Chapter 3,  Chapter 4,  Chapter 5,  Chapter 6,  Chapter 7,  Chapter 8,  Chapter 9,  Chapter 10,  Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14 , Chapter 15 , Chapter 16 , Chapter 17 , Chapter 18 , Chapter 19

"So they're not going to do anything about it?!"

To say Ben was livid would have been an understatement. Although he knew nothing had actually happened to Annie - thanks to Jamie's volatile temper - he at least expected the network execs to do something about the events for that one horrible night.

"He's a line producer, most of his work is pre-production related." Annie shrugged as she folded Rory's tiny clothes. "I didn't file a police report. Can't put a man in jail for being a tool, Benny."

"How are you so calm about this?"

"Ben, this is my job. It's one last, final season. I just want to get through it and move on."

"I can't just leave you here with this bloody predator skulking around -"

"Stop overreacting, please."

"If he ever so much as looks at you..." Ben's nostrils flared as he worked himself up with the mere thought of someone doing anything to Annie. He stood there, looking like an angry bull ready to fight his matador. "I'll fucking kill him."

"I know."

"Bastard," Ben muttered while Annie wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled the both of them flush up against each other, craning her neck back to look at him. "What?"

"Nothing." She shrugged and pursed her lips, pushing a bubbling giggle back down.

Ben looked down at her and felt the anger subside with every flutter of her eyelashes. All of the tension on his face had all but dissipated. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, completely engulfing her.

###

Annie looked at the suitcases, placed in the middle of the bedroom. She almost felt as if an actual demon would pop out of them and attack her. Her upper lip curled up in a small, menacing snarl. Although they still have two more months before Ben had to leave, the luggage was there as a sore reminder. Taunting her.

Rory crawled over to the middle of the bedroom. Her little hands slapped against the hardwood floor as she went, babbling and cooing. Frankie, as always, walked right next to Rory. It seemed that Frankie had taken on the role of her personal bodyguard and vacuum cleaner.

The first time Annie found Frankie gobbling up Rory's spit-up, she almost hurled. No matter how hard she tried to stop it from happening, Rory would spit-up, stealthy as a ninja, and Frankie would be right behind her, lapping it up as if it was a delicacy.

It was disgusting, truly.

Annie watched silently as Rory smacked one of the suitcases and laughed at Rory's frustration when the suitcase rolled away from her on its' wheels. When one of them almost toppled over right on top of Rory, Annie sprung into action and picked her up. She gave Rory's little belly a gentle tickle and pressed a kiss to her soft, blonde mop of hair.  

"We should hide daddy's luggage so he'll never go away!" Annie cooed at her baby, tapping the tip of her nose playfully. "Don't snitch!"

"She won't have to." Ben's voice startled Annie, causing her to jump.

"Jesus Ben, don't sneak up on me!"

"I didn't!" Ben chuckled and bit the tip of his tongue. "I will not tolerate collusion, you know."

"No?"

"Nope." Ben swaggered over to his girlfriend and his daughter and wrapped them both in a tight hug. "I'm starting to feel a bit outnumbered."

"Oh?" Annie giggled.

"Yeah." Ben's voice dropped an octave. "Think we should drop Rory off at my parents' and try to even the scores, y'know?"

Ben could see the colour drain from Annie's face. Smirking, he bent his knees and nibbled on her ear, feeling her breath hitch.

"You can't..." Annie stuttered. "You don't actually -"

"Nah, just messing with you." Ben squeezed her bum and smacked playfully. "But I won't mind a little bit of practice. For when the time comes, you know."

"You cheeky little -"

"Nuh uh uh," Ben pressed a finger to Annie's lips, "she's getting older. Mind your tongue."

Annie squinted and grinned against his finger. Opening her mouth ever so slightly, she poked her tongue out and licked Ben's fingertip.  Ben's pupils dilated when Annie's lips wrapped snugly around his finger. Looking down, Annie recognised a familiar stirring in Ben's favourite grey sweatpants.

"Everything okay?" Annie smiled slyly.

"Once this little one knocks out, Annabelle Lee," Ben's hand worked its' way down her back and to her bum, "you'll pay for this."

###

“And cut!”

Annie leaped backwards, panting. She planted her hands on her crimson bodice-clad hips, panting and looking at the floor, examining the lines in the hardwood and the hemline of her floor-length dress, flouncy, Renaissance era dress. A blush appeared on her cheeks.

“You alright?” Jamie wiped at his bottom lip with his thumb, covering up his shit-eating grin. “Seem a little out of breath.”

“If you value your life,” Annie muttered, holding a finger up, eyes still locked on the floor of the set, “you will shut your fucking gob.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

“You wish, Jamie.”

“Eh.” Jamie shrugged and let the hair and makeup crew work their magic, preparing him for the next take. “Seeing you with a baby kind of killed it for me.”

“You’re so full of it.”

“Seems like you’re not full of anything…”

“Excuse you!” Annie’s eyes snapped up and locked in on Jamie’s.

“I’m just saying, you look a bit…” Jamie winced theatrically, tilting his head to the side.

“Annoyed?”

“Flustered.” He smirked.

“Oh, fuck you!”

“Seems like you just might need to, yeah.”

Annie scoffed and turned her head, closing her eyes. Her tongue darted out to lick at her cupid’s bow, careful not to smear her lipstick around.

###

“Well, well,” Gwilym leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, “is Shitstorm Annie finally about to show herself again?”

Ben looked at Annie in absolute admiration as she knocked back yet another drink. He knew this was just her way to cope with his eminent departure, but it still astounded him.

“Having fun?” He leaned close to her ear, his gravelly voice and breath fanning on her ear sending shivers down her spine. “Need another one?”

“You tryin’ to get me drunk?” Annie giggled and placed her hand on his thigh, giving it a squeeze.

“I would never. Nor will I need to.” He toyed with a lock of her hair and pushed the empty shot glasses away. “This is all you.”

Annie looked up at her boyfriend, doe-eyed. Her hand started travelling up his thigh under the table, brushing against his jeans, squeezing sporadically. As if she tried to send him a ‘fuck me’ signal telepathically. Ben smacked his thighs shut and scratched at his temple, clearing his throat. His sudden movement focused everyone else’s attention right on him, his cheeks growing redder by the second.

“Oh, good God, Banana!” Clara’s face twisted in mock disgust before she buried it in the crook of Gwilym’s neck.

Annie turned to look at her best friend and smiled wickedly.

“Yeah, that’s Shitstorm Annie, alright.” Gwilym quipped. “Hello again, old friend.”

“Lo!” Annie tipped an imaginary hat at her cousin. “Missed me?”

“Can’t say that I have, no.” Gwil shrugged.

“Well, I sure have!” Joe pulled Annie in for a drunk, lazy hug. “I knew you were in there somewhere!”  

“What’s the plan here, Ben?” Gwilym asked.

“She just needs to get toilet-hugging drunk once,” Ben held up his finger, “right to the point that her body almost shuts down on itself.”

“Ah, the old ‘I’m-Never-Drinking-Again’ move!” Clara gestured at Ben with her drink, “clever!”

“Please keep an eye on her while I’m away?”

“What?!” Joe squealed and held a hand to his chest, pushing his chair back, making everyone stare at him in confusion. “Annabelle! No!”

“I’m just saying, it could be funny!”

“What could be funny, love?” Ben intervened.

“She wants to let Rory drink her boozed-up breast milk to see if it has any actual effect!” Joe’s volume was much too high, causing the entire pub to stare at their table in silence. “This is just… How do you even think of… Annie, what the fuck?!”

After seconds of tense silence, Annie snorted and chortled. Joe looked at his friends apprehensively, gauging their reactions. When they all started chuckling and laughing, he let out a nervous giggle and scooted his chair back closer to the table.

“Annie, you know better than taking the piss on a drunk Joe.” Gwilym scolded his cousin.

“It was just such perfect timing, though!” Annie whined between fits of laughter and cackling.

“You fucking troll!” Joe pouted.

###

“All done?” Ben spoke in a hushed voice as he walked in to his and Annie’s bedroom.

“Pumped and dumped!” Annie sneered and held her thumbs up. “Talked to your mum?”

“Yes, yes. Rory’s having a great time.” Ben pulled his shirt off over his head as he filled Annie in on the details. “She’s now sleeping like an angel.”

“Did you let Frankie out?” Annie put her breast-milk pump back in its’ box and closed the lid. “Are we all set?”

After making quick work of ridding himself of his jeans, Ben took an opportunity as it presented itself. Annie had her exposed back turned to him as she gently pushed the box away with her foot. She felt the bed dip behind her, indicating that Ben was right there. When his breath fanned over the back of her neck and her shoulders, she involuntarily leaned back into him.

His hands hands worked their way up her torso, starting from her waist. Alternating feather-light touches and rough grasps, Ben’s fingers made sure not to leave a sliver of Annie’s skin untouched. Carefully, he massaged Annie’s breasts, knowing how sensitive they were due to breastfeeding.

“You…” His warm breath washed over her ear. He rolled one of her nipples between his fingers as his other hand snaked its’ way further up, barely grasping at the column of her neck. “You are just…”

With a devilish smile, Annie turned her head and tipped it back, granting Ben easier access to her lips. Ben’s eyes darted from her lips to her eyes and back again. When Annie’s tongue darted out to lick her lips, Ben grunted and crashed his plush lips onto hers.

Nibbling and sucking at each other’s lips, moaning into each other’s mouths, Ben and Annie intertwined into each other’s arms. Turning around between kisses, Annie straddled Ben’s legs, perched on his thighs, both wearing nothing but underwear. Wrapping their arms around one another, they pulled each other impossibly tighter. They started grounding their hips to one another, desperate for friction.

“I need…” Annie started murmuring against Ben’s lips, causing him to grin and squeeze her bum.

“I know.” Ben chuckled when Annie went right for his neck, biting and sucking on the one spot she knew would drive him crazy. “But we’ve got plenty of time for that.”

“You’re such a tease.”

“Says the one who tried to give me a handy under the table down at the pub.”

###

TAGLIST: @ramibaby @xgoingdownx @qweenly @violetpond @sweeterthancheese @drummerqueenrmt @westansstuff @justgivemethekeys  @blondecarfucker @cheeseedreams47 @rogerspoison @deacy-dearest @pinkmarvel @onceuponadetectivedemigod 

[waywarddaughterwrites]

Burnished

A/N: So, here’s the smaller one-shot I mentioned earlier today. I’ve had this thought for a while and I’ve contemplated turning it into a longer fic. We will see if that comes to anything. For now, here we go! I hope you guys enjoy it. Let me know if you’d actually be interested in a longer story! It harkens waaaay back to season 8, but ultimately it takes place in the present.

Read Me on AO3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16289354

Everything Tag List:

@kissofthebadwolf @eurusholmmes @ourloveisforthelovely @pensysto

************************************

You’d never hunted a hellhound before. Sam and Dean had called you in for backup. Apparently they’d tracked one to your town. They wouldn’t tell you why they were hunting a creature of the damned, but the way they spoke about it and the determined yet somber set to their jaws when you met up with them in person said a lot. You’d hunted with them a time or two, mainly when they were in your neck of the woods, as they were now. Hunting with the brothers was both thrilling and completely exhausting. They attracted trouble like magnets and the simplest hunts were often anything but in-and-out. Things were rarely what they seemed with them and complications seemed to snowball. They were reliable, though, and incredibly skilled at their profession. The three of you had grown close over the years. They’d offered for you to come live in the bunker with them in Kansas, but you preferred your small apartment and hunting solo.

The hellhound hunt was unlike anything you’d imagined or expected it to be. Ignoring your protests they’d taken your glasses straight off of your face and—of all things—set fire to them. As Dean held them in the flames, Sam explained to you the correlation between holy fire and the ability to see ethereal creatures that were invisible to the naked human eye. You watched them burnish two pairs of glasses for themselves as well.

Sam was the one to kill the beast. It had almost come to blows between the brothers about who would be the one to do the deed. You didn’t understand why it was such an important decision, but you’d learned over the years not to question too much into what the Winchester brothers were caught up in, lest you get dragged into their world of nightmares and apocalypses. You enjoyed being a simple hunter. Werewolves and Vampires and Ghosts were your bread and butter. You would leave all of the outlandish, overwhelming demons and angels drama to the two brothers you were working with.

Speaking of, you’d gotten a hell of a shock not long after the hunt when you’d run into the boys again a year later and they’d had their angelic third wheel tagging along. Past the occasional fae flitting by, you’d forgotten over time about the special nature of your glasses and when they’d showed up on your doorstep with a man with gigantic, ash-colored wings protruding from his shoulder blades you’d nearly had a heart attack. Castiel had turned out to be a loyal friend and enjoyable to be around. You quite liked the angel.

You bought a new pair of glasses, though.

A pair of glasses that apparently had grown legs and wandered off somewhere. You were turning your apartment inside-out trying to find the glasses you’d managed to successfully lose. The boys would be here soon and you couldn’t afford not to see properly. Where the hell were they? While digging through the drawer in your nightstand, you happened across the case holding the old pair you’d replaced. It had been a few years since the hellhound hunt. Does holy fire wear off? Probably not.

bzzz

Looking at your phone, you read:

Dean W.: ETA in 30. U ready?

You glanced at the case in your hands before typing out a message back to him.

Just about. Any angels with u?

Dean’s reply was almost instant. Sam must be the one driving.

Dean W.: 2 actually. Y?

You sighed, resigning yourself to your fate.

Can’t find my good glasses. Only got the burnished ones from the hellhound thing a few years ago. Just wanna know what to prepare for.

You pocketed your phone before shoving the last couple of items in your duffle. You used the last few minutes before their arrival to put your apartment back into some semblance of order, hoping desperately that the act would somehow turn up the glasses you’d missed while tearing the room apart. No such luck, and soon the boys were knocking on your front door. You sucked in a breath, preparing yourself for a weekend with not one but two angels. Castiel’s wings were a beautiful thing to behold once you’d gotten used to their presence, but that was years ago and you knew you’d have to adjust to seeing them again. Not to mention the new angel’s wings you’d be subjected to.

You followed Sam out of your building and toward the familiar Impala sitting in the lot. Dean and his two companions started to exit the car to greet you as you approached. You ran straight to Dean and threw your arms around him the same as you’d just done to Sam. Those two had found a special place in your heart over the years. You heard two more car doors open and you steeled yourself before turning around to greet Castiel and the other angel, whom Sam had informed you was named Gabriel.

The sight before you knocked the breath out of your lungs. Castiel had explained all of those years ago why seeing his wings affected you so much: they weren’t meant for human sight beyond special circumstances. They could be a bit overwhelming. Angels on earth kept their wings tucked into a separate plane of existence, invisible and intangible to humanity. His wings had an almost holographic quality to them. You could see them with your glasses, but if you reached out to brush the feathers, your fingers went right through them. You supposed it made sense. Being invisible wasn’t much help if they were still bumping into things and getting in the way on this plane. They were as beautiful as you remembered and you let out a shakey breath as you took them in. Dean must have forewarned him of your predicament, because your friend was giving you an apologetic smile as he watched you. When you’d gotten your breathing under control, he held his arms out to you. You grinned at him and hugged him tightly. There was a comforting quality about the trench coat-clad man that you’d missed. Your eyes kept darting back to his wings over his shoulder. You didn’t know how Dean did it, seeing them every day.

“You get used to it” he had said the first time you’d seen them. He told you of the first time he’d seen them, in the barn with the lights going haywire as Castiel made his grand-dramatic entrance into the man’s life. “They’ve never been intimidating to me. They’re grandiose but they’re an extension of Cas and they’re more comforting than awe-inspiring or threatening, I guess.” You supposed it made sense. It wouldn’t do much good for an angel’s soul-mate to be constantly terrified of them.

You felt a hand on your shoulder. You started to turn, but the owner held you in place with surprising strength. A voice you didn’t recognize, but sounded like warm honey, started speaking. You could tell the other angel was feeling awkward with the situation.

“Uh, So. Before you turn around, I should warn you. Cassie here is a regular old angel, so his wings are kinda normal.” Gabriel ignored his younger brother’s indignant huff at his words. You saw his feathers ruffle as if to prove they’re anything but average. Gabriel continued on, “I’m actually an archangel. So, uh...my wings...aren’t. Normal, that is. They’re a bit...more?” You couldn’t turn around but you could practically see him scratching the back of his neck in discomfort. “I just...I...don’t be scared of me, please. I don’t think a human has ever seen my wings before.”

You nodded your assent and you felt the grip on your shoulder release. You took in a breath and slowly turned to see the other man, taller than you but shorter than Castiel, golden hair and eyes like sunshine through whiskey. You were right about his hand on his neck, and he regarded you cautiously, waiting for your reaction. You let your eyes drift upward to his—

“Holy shit.”

Six. There were six. And they were massive. He was trying to tuck them into himself, obviously shy. It didn’t do much to decrease their presence, though. They looked like spun gold. They glittered as though made of metal and the sun reflecting off of each feather gave them the illusion of emitting light themselves. The closer you looked, you saw hints of amber and tawny and a couple of colors you didn’t have words for. They were...warm. Each wing had to be at least ten feet long and six feet tall. They radiated heat. You knew you were gaping like a fish and you concentrated to bring yourself back into focus. You realized with embarrassment that you’d started unconsciously reaching your hand upward toward them, as if to touch them. Gabriel was watching your face and your hand cautiously, obviously relieved that you weren’t running screaming for the hills. Interestingly, you weren’t frightened of his wings at all, even with them being so much more than Castiel’s.

You brought your eyes down to meet his. His eyebrows raised in silent question and you beamed at him. You saw some of the tension lift from his shoulders as you smiled.

“Gabriel, your wings are incredible. I apologize for causing you discomfort, but I am truly honored to be able to see them, because...wow,” you finished rather lamely. Gabriel blushed and grinned at your praise. You couldn’t stop the thought of how endearing the blush made him look, more like a schoolboy than an almighty, ancient being.

“Well let me borrow those glasses I wanna see these ‘incredible’ wings!” Dean blurted out to your left, reaching toward you.

“Dean, don’t!” Sam protested.

“Dean-o you might want to rethink that—“

“Aw, come on, I see Castiel’s all the time, I can handle your wings.” Dean stopped beside you, hand held out expectantly. You looked toward Gabriel. It was his decision. Gabriel rolled his eyes in exasperation before nodding at you. He winked and it made your heart stutter a bit. Wings or not, he was an attractive man and charming to boot.

Sighing, you took off your glasses and handed them to Dean, who was grinning triumphantly. You watched him put on the glasses and suddenly the color ran out of his face as he blanched.

“Dean? Dean, breathe!” Castiel reprimanded his mate, reaching forward and putting his hands on his shoulders. Dean took in a shuddering breath and struggled to regain his composure, reaching up with a shaking hand and pulling the glasses off of his face.

“Y-yeah. Those are...real nice, Gabriel. Nice-good. Good wings.”

You were perplexed as you watched Dean. He started to hand the glasses back to you, but Sam’s hand intercepted them. He looked questioningly at Gabriel, obviously seeking permission to sate his own curiosity. You heard him sigh dramatically.

“Oh, go ahead Samsquatch.” He mumbled something about monkeys at a zoo before Sam put on the glasses, too. To his credit, having not seen angel wings at all before, he held his composure rather well. He was seeing not only Gabriel’s, but Castiel’s wings for the first time and you could see the muscle twitching in his now-pale face as he clenched his jaw, attempting to take them both in. Like his brother, he seemed to have stopped breathing for a moment.

“Wow,” He squeaked out in a much-too-high voice. “You both...yeah. Wings. Nice.”

What on earth? Sure, your first time seeing wings ever had been overwhelming, but it was like they both were having trouble even looking at Gabriel’s wings. You couldn’t stop admiring them, yourself. They were mammoth, but easily the most gorgeous things you’d ever seen. You glanced at Gabriel’s face. His arm had found the back of his neck again, but he looked more amused than uncomfortable. You noticed he kept sneaking glances at you and when he caught your eye he winked again and rolled his eyes in the direction of the boys. You noticed he wasn’t bothering to try and pull his wings inward anymore, either. He had them stretching out above him as if showing them off. If you didn’t know better, you’d think he’d done that just to mess with the boys. Your eyes swept from one end of his wingspan to the other end before landing back on his face. You met his eyes, which were transfixed on you, an unreadable expression on his face. His mouth had dropped open slightly and his eyes seemed to be burning into you, their look was so intense. You cinched your brow at him, confused at this sudden change in him. You felt a hand tap your shoulder and you turned away to take what Sam was offering out to you.

Your glasses.

Oh My Chuck.

Your head snapped back to the angel in front of you as you slowly put your glasses back on, his intense expression coming into clearer focus.

You suddenly became aware of the silence as your three other companions watched you and Gabriel.

“Uh...everything okay?” Dean asked, concerned at the silent exchange happening between you and the archangel. You floundered for a moment, your mouth opening and closing, trying to find words, but you were having trouble making sound. You and Gabriel hadn’t broken eye contact and the corner of Gabriel’s mouth twitched upward as he responded for you.

“Boys...things just got a lot more interesting.”

[vacanpaathy]

PREFACE : Here’s the first of 2 info posts about Brooke this is the How it works / about / changes one. Fair warning I just batted this out over 2 nights and I haven’t proof read so like..... rip yall. the next will be a more classic bio sheet

Brooke started as just a thought experiment about twin slayers while marathoning the show, I know that there’s a twin sitch in the comics since I read it with my own two eyes but 1) the comics are… Woof at times and 2) that was fraternal male-female twins, while Buffy and Brooke are identical twin sisters which in this context can mean a world of difference. Also I just went for “what’s the most narratively interesting / what’s the most fun”. HOW IT WORKS : In her main verse Brooke was called as the Slayer at the same time as Buffy. The logic here being that generally, twins and especially identical ones, are mystically seen as linked and possibly extremely similar but ultimately separate beings. In the case of Slayerness ( and likely some other mystical things tbh ) their status as identical twins confuses it and they’re considered 1 whole slayer and were both called. They both have the standard power set, their slayerness didn’t get split between the two like in the comics.  However they are still intimately linked, for example when Buffy lost all her slayer powers on halloween thanks to her costume, Brooke who wasn’t allowed to go trick or treating was still a Slayer but was only at 50% without Buffy. Even more critically when one dies the other dies as well, instantly regardless of their own status. If Buffy’s at lunch and Brooke gets shot and dies, Buffy would drop dead at the table.  I also work in my base info for her main verse to not overshadow, take away from or anything like that Buffy’s accomplishments as possible without just being like “and Brooke was there”. For example, While I tweak to have Brooke to be the one to drown in the puddle post getting drained by the Master ( Buffy is still there they just both… fuck up and Buffy just got lucky on how she fell after ) Buffy is still the one who jumps in Season 5. Brooke is there for the fight but the most she contributes to that decision is like… confirmation she’s Fine with dying since once Buffy jumps Brooke’s fate is also sealed. The one place things get truly off the rails on that front is season 4.  This info is a basic framework for her main verse, focusing mainly on the things I find kind of a big deal in both understanding her and the changes she makes to events. Some of it is malleable, some not so much generally that’ll depend on plotting and such.  Cutting here bc as you can see...... this is a Long Post.

Trigger warning : addiction and self-harm L.A. 

( I use the movie as a template for how L.A. went down along with a few short stories from the comics. )

Buffy is called at 15 and in finding and beginning to train her it’s discovered that Brooke is also the Slayer which is some wild shit. Neither take it well but Buffy is the one to become institutionalized which prompts Brooke to shut down and become more isolated. To cope with the stressful school-slayer balance she leans on substances first just coffee, then caffeine tablets and later cocaine. Brooke is there for the death of Merrick their first watcher and the attack on the gym. While Buffy is expelled almost immediately afterward Brooke is suspended but after Buffy runs away with Pike for a while to Vegas ala the comics Brooke is expelled for lack of attendance as she’s now crumbling under the weight of everything that’s happened, having no one to talk to and trying to keep up with slaying. While she’s spiraling she also is dumped by her first girlfriend, Samantha from the soccer team. Her addiction is in full swing and she meets Syd, a 19yo Australian warlock at a “party” and they quickly become “friends” and her main supply of drugs. The two of them become a duo for a time and end up with a complex and questionable relationship. She has a few very bad episodes, one full blown drug induced psychosis and would likely be dead if not for slayer constitution. Eventually everything comes to head Buffy is home, the divorce is finalized and her drug addiction comes to light. Part of coming to Sunnydale specifically is because of her rehab. SEASON 1. Brooke is out of the way for most of season 1, either living at her rehab center for the start or basically under house arrest under their mother’s watchful eye later on. She basically can only manage to help with slaying on occasion and is largely regulated to the emergency backup and a researcher. Generally the only way she can be out of the house when not at rehab or therapy is if there’s an adult with her which means she can’t really help much unless they can make up a reason she’s somewhere with Giles. It works somewhat to their advantage as between her not being around much and them being identical, it means no one in the demon community is really aware there’s currently two slayers. She, however, has her own intrigue going on as she begins to figure out that some of her fellow patients are demons ( I mean ofc it’s Sunnydale ) and upon more investigation they learn that half  the staff is also demons and it’s not an evil scheme or something to prey on the patients it’s just a rehab clinic that’s also for demons. She meets her best friend Nicholas, a fear demon, here in a group therapy session. When she finally does start at Sunnydale high she struggles to get along with Willow and Xander who are by then firmly Buffy’s friends. Brooke gravitates to Cordelia but ultimately ends up just spending most of her time with Giles after failing to make her own connections and realizing she can’t possibly try out for the soccer team. ever. Which crushes her more than she likes to admit. Like Xander, from the start she she doesn’t like Angel because of his interest in Buffy and her own interactions with older men while in L.A. but unlike Xander she held her tongue and didn’t try to stop the relationship or get in the way, wanting her sister to be happy and to live her life. She also couldn’t really get complain since it’d be hypocritical of her to chide her for being with an older guy or being cozy with a demon given her own relationship with Syd and her all her friends from rehab being… demons... By the end when they learn their death is prophesied she reacts poorly as well to the revelation, but like Buffy pulls herself together and goes to meet the Master. Both girls end up failing and are drained, by chance, Brooke is the one who lands face down in the puddle and dies taking Buffy down with her.When Brooke is revived Buffy comes back as well and they kill the Master.

SEASON 2. Over the summer with their father Brooke struggles being back in L.A. as it reminds her too much of her addiction and spends much of that time on the phone with Nic talking through everything that’s happened. While there she also runs into Syd again because, of course, who has also sobered up ( motorcycles cost money and if you ride them while high you can total it ) and gets his contact info whether she wants it or not. Cursed Knowledge. Spike’s attack on the school is the first time it’s made explicitly clear there’s two of them since he’s the first one to well, live after seeing both of them and the cat’s officially out of the bag. On Halloween Brooke wasn’t allowed to go out and was at home, costumeless, when things go south. When the gang comes to the house she leaps into action and ends up chasing after Buffy when she flees the house. She comes to the defense of her sister against Spike but quickly realizes without Buffy’s half of the slayer mojo she’s only half as strong as usual but persists against him until the spell is broken. Brooke does meet Kendra and thinks she’s pretty dang neat. When Angel loses his soul Brooke actively steps up on the slaying end, trying to protect her sister from the worst of it though how successful that it is up in the air as despite her efforts she fails to stop his actions or keep Buffy from seeing or learning about what he’s done. Brooke’s involvement comes to a head when she’s kidnapped by Angelus when out on patrol and is held captive and tortured mainly by being introduced to cocaine not too long after Giles is also kidnapped but she’s so out of it she doesn’t realize. Finally her attempts at escape actually work and she bolts out of the mansion in a haze and is only found later in a vacant lot by Nic. She ends up in the hospital and only later finds out Buffy has run away again. SEASON 3. By now Brooke and Nic have made their pact, which means that the two are tied mystically. She can summon him and he can find her. This is not something she makes anyone aware of. When Buffy comes back Brooke is extremely upset feeling that she’s been abandoned twice when she needed Buffy’s support but ultimately also empathizes with Buffy and her heartbreak. When Faith comes to town Brooke finally feels like she’s met someone she can really get along with which causes even more tension. When homecoming comes along Brooke supports Buffy aggressively and ends up being involved in the Slayerfest debacle thanks to it.  When it’s discovered Angel is back Brooke is livid that Buffy never told her but mainly focuses her aggression at Angel himself, finally making it clear she never liked or trusted him and will do what she can to keep them apart.  Skyrocketing the mounting issues between the sisters and pushing her to spend less time with the scoobies and more time with her own demon friends and Faith. As things go on Brooke feels increasingly pulled between her sister and her friendship with Faith. When Faith accidentally kills deputy mayor Brooke helps her cover it up / sides with her, reliving her own fears from her time in L.A. and having a more generally grey view of things. She also attempts to talk to Faith and get her to open up to her but ultimately fails. Brooke talks it over with her mother and decides to not go to college mainly because she doesn’t have any idea what she’d study and only now is finally letting herself mourn the death of her dream of playing pro soccer. She decides to get a job instead and begins the hunt for one with a schedule that works with slayage. Buffy’s attempt to kill Faith in retaliation for poisoning Angel sets Brooke off completely and she almost completely abandons them and leaves for L.A. until her mother and later Giles and the gang talk her out of it and she stays to help stop the mayor (and graduate). As part of the plan for the battle against the Mayor, Brooke gets in contact again with Syd and asks for his help. He arrives and decides business ( read : blood and guts kinda hardcore magic ) will be a lot better on a hellmouth and decides to stay. No one is happy about it. SEASON 4. Sadly the only job she could get was with Nic and some of their friends in their band as a singer since that’s… literally the only thing she wasn’t trash at to her chagrin. She spent much of her time in the summer at the “Hell House” the communal sober living house Nic, his wife Maria, an insanity demon, and all her friends live in to avoid Buffy and to keep herself from falling into the bad habits she really would like to fall into, still deeply upset over Faith. Over the next few months as Buffy struggles to get used to college Brooke begins to reach out again and be there for her, trying to get back to the better relationship they used to have. Occasionally she goes to L.A. with her band for gigs and naturally runs into the L.A. squad because of course that’s how the world works. With their break up pretty permanent and some therapy under her belt her attitude towards Angel is much better she’s still unpleasant but at least funnier about it. Brooke kinda has the beginnings of an alcohol problem but is aware enough to try and fend that off with some help and moral support. When Spike comes to the Scoobies for help Brooke IMMEDIATELY sides with Spike and agrees to help, scared of what happened to him and what it would mean for her friends and potentially her and Buffy. She convinces them to let him live at Hell House instead of trapped with Giles or Xander. As more comes about the Initiative she stops talking the Scoobies when Riley is around or about anything that would be mission critical and they might accidentally tell him or act on. She, her demon friends and Syd decide to attack the Initiative HQ. They kidnap Walsh then Syd uses magic to make Brooke look like her and once she’s in, they use her pact with Nic to guide him as he and Syd use Nic’s ability to travel through shadows to get the whole horde of demons they’d put together for the assault in and then shit just goes wild. In the fray Adam wakes up and escapes before the horde can get to the top secret section. Buffy and the Scoobies find out and Brooke and Buffy are back to being on the outs but work together to defeat Adam. SEASON 5. Brooke takes finding out Dawn is the Key well and basically just continues on as normal. When Joyce becomes sick Brooke spends extensive time with her trying to figure out what she wants her / them to do in the worst case scenario as Brooke knows if she doesn’t have that list she’s going to fall off the deep end if it does happen. Brooke once again tries to take on too much and take some of the stress that’s clearly effecting Buffy off her by trying to do the lion’s share of caring for dawn, their mom and slaying which puts her back in danger of dependency until they finally have a moment and figure out a balance that works for them both and plays to their strengths. Buffy is the one who finds their mother Brooke learns via Phone call. Giles calls Hell House, gets Nic who finds her and tells her. She goes with Buffy to get Dawn. Buffy is the one who jumps to save dawn / the world and Brooke falls dead when she dies.  [ Kinda was running out of willpower here so this section might get added on to ] 

SEASON 6. Brooke is not in Heaven as Brooke actually did crimes and shit and didn’t get a big heroic death to help balance that out. She is in purgatory, specifically a purgatory where the Army of the Repentant Dead fight an endless battle to hold back the endless hordes of demons trying to break through into the mortal realm. Civilizations rising to glory and falling into obscurity around them in what feels like the space of a single breath kinda thing. During the ritual to bring them back Willow works off the fact that they’re linked to try and bring them both back in one go with the spell we see in the show. Buffy, the primary target comes back fine but Brooke as the metaphysical baggage…. Not so much…. She comes back very living dead kinda exactly how you’d think something like this would go if it went bad and Syd has to come in and fix the damage done by Willow as best he can. He can put flesh on her, her heart beating and her mind more here and less "a thousand eons have passed”-y but he cannot do anything about how she reads as Dead magically. Her soul is still technically tied to the Army of the Repentant Dead and her slayer duties and such are basically counting towards that on a cosmic level. Brooke basically spends all her time trying to keep the family together as the one with access to work via the band she hates being in and her connections into the demon community. She works to the bone taking on whatever work she can squeeze in and tries to be there for Buffy and work with her through her depression and well as Willow and her addiction. She falls back on her time as a unkillable dead soldier to power through at the cost of her personality / mental state and at times her health. She asks Xander to teach her more about carpentry / construction so she can have something healthy and productive to do. Too focused on everything else she didn’t consider the nerd squad to be a real threat and shit Goes Down like it did. [ or you know…. We can say that they totally did take care of them or whatever and everything’s Chill bc….. Tara Deserves Better sooooooooooo ya know... ] SEASON 7. Brooke as successfully managed to not become an alcoholic but that’s because she’s fallen into self-harm. Not cutting or similar but hitting herself or walls / objects or just fighting. She and other finally realize this and she actively works to stop the behavior and does a LOT of home improvement until finally the shit gets real and she can focus on the war against the First. During the first fight with Caleb they realize the full repercussions of the Ritual from s6 and learn that she kinda can’t die. Caleb should have killed her and by extension Buffy but she doesn’t die. Brooke, while yes sure everything work like it should for a living person was still not brought back correctly and this is the repercussions of that. If Buffy dies though they both die and Brooke is still able to feel pain and shit so like…. being unable to die is kind of terrible. Syd is able to patch her up but needs fresh human meat to do it so that’s a new grim exciting facet of her life. Brooke once again leans on her Dead Army experience to train the potentials and help with battle plans but generally defers to Buffy as Brooke feels Buffy’s a better leader and Brooke herself a better second in command. Shit pm does down as it does from here. She’s glad to see Faith again but naturally she bounces when they kick Buffy out though not before speaking out against it.   COMICS. OH GOD I DON’T WANNA THINK ABOUT THIS RN. SHE’S DOING SOMETHING.

[badlydrawnyullen]

Who’s the Most Desperate in the Land?

Series Summary:  A series of drabbles where Alma lives, and Kanda, Alma, and Allen are in a happy poly relationship. Cue fluff with a smidge of angst. Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5,  Part 6

Story Summary: Kanda returns, tensions are high, and Alma and Kanda are the greatest lovers ever.

Rating: T

Warnings: language,  dissociation, panic attacks

(AO3 Version) || (FF Version)

     Sitting on the comfortable couch that was in Komui’s office, Allen felt as if he was going to be ill. Violently ill. He felt cold, slightly clammy, and he was positive that the cramping stomach and faint tremors running through his hands had nothing to do with a caught sickness. He clenched his hands as a means to deter the tremors, but frowned when they would not stop. So inwardly focused was he that he startled when he felt a warm hand encase one of his shaking ones. Adjacent to him, Alma was giving him on of their beautiful, deep smiles, the one that made him feel safe and secure.

     A pity that he had not been feeling a modicum of safety over the past month with nigh everyone looking at him like a freak and a monster. Oh yes, and he mustn’t forget scum, murderer, traitor, demon, and myriad of other choice names. While he never acted on the negativity that they all projected on him, he was not an ignorant fool.

      You may not be ignorant, but you’re still a fool, the voice in his mind commented in a tone that was a bewildering mix of condescending yet fond.

      Shut up, Allen hissed back mentally, I don’t need your opinion right now.

      He, Komui, Link, and Alma were waiting in Komui’s office for Kanda to show and give his mission report. He and Alma were sitting thigh to thigh on the couch while saving a space for Kanda to sit, Link had positioned himself at the door, and Komui was sitting at his desk, fingers steepled in front of his mouth. When the two exorcists had come to the Supervisor, explaining the need to have somewhere to hold an important discussion without roaming eyes and nosy ears, he agreed without question. He had offered his office as a place of refuge for them to wait for Kanda and to talk. To prying outsiders such as the Central guards, it would only appear as a simple mission debrief with an input of fellow exorcists.  

      Allen would have said that Komui was a godsend, but God no longer seemed to smile upon anyone in the Order. How could he, when they were sent like lambs to the slaughter every day? How could he, when the two loves of his life were created as weapons solely to be used and experimented on? How could he, when the prospect of leaving humanity behind to join his very enemies that treated him with more kindness than the majority of the Order seemed more and more appealing? Despite that, Allen was loath to admit that he still prayed every night to the God that abandoned them all like a good little Catholic boy should. Memorized passages, words of desperation, and pleas to the kingdom of saints and the Holy Virgin Mary painted his lips as often as the blood he coughed up from his injuries. They were pleas of safe passage to his friends travelling across country borders, pleas of protection to his comrades fighting nearly every day, and pleas of pathetic desperation that his loves would live to see another day, to be healthy and together and with one another. ‘Don’t separate them again. Not in yet another life,’ was his personal favorite. They could survive with one another…If something ever happened to him, they would have each other.

      Even if he did survive the absolute mess that was his life now, there was no way he was going to live past the age of thirty with his parasitic Innocence…

       Across the room, he noticed Link stiffen and lean his head closer to the door as if to better hear something. After a beat, he turned to them and said, “Kanda will be here shortly.”

      With that, the sickening unease returned to Allen, and he swallowed hard. He knew this conversation needed to happen, needed to be brought to light, but that did not mean it was going to be any easier.

      God have mercy on your souls, was Neah’s mocking chuckle.

       Without any preamble, as was his usual fashion, Kanda barged into the office with a frown on his face. To anyone other than Allen and Alma, that scowl would announce a terrible mood, but to them it was a signal of the raven-haired man’s tiredness. There was dust at the bottom of his gold-lined coat, and Allen could already see that next to him, Alma had a need to clean it. The Second liked to keep things clean (at least their clothes, anyway).

      Kanda stopped and narrowed his eyes, taking in all the people in the room. After flicking his attention to Komui and Link, he met gazes with his two lovers. A slight tilt of the head and twitch of the fingers belied his suspicion, and Alma met it with a mouthed explanation of ‘Don’t worry.’ He rested his gaze on the two of them a moment longer before turning to Komui and tossing the mission folder on the heavy oak desk.

      “…I thought this was a mission briefing,” he knit his eyebrows together. “What are Allen, Alma, and the lapdog doing here?” Even after returning to the Order together, the two men still had not rectified their differences. On any normal occasion, Allen would have chided Kanda for his sour attitude towards Link, but now was not the time.

      Komui sighed as he brushed the folder to the side of his desk, along with the mountain of other paperwork that everyone knew that he had yet to read. “I can read your report in due time. However, it seems that we have a rather urgent matter on our hands. It needs to be discussed with everyone present, though we cannot have…certain individuals overhearing.” There was no need to clarify who the people in question were. The tall scientist nodded his head in Allen’s direction, rubbing a calloused thumb over his knuckle in a worried fashion. “Allen will take it from here as he is the one who called for this meeting in the first place.”

      All eyes were on him and he forced himself to stay (somewhat) calm as he stood from his spot; it was now or never. He locked eyes, mercury to crimson, with Link across the room and received an encouraging nod in return. Clearing his throat, he began, “Thank you, Komui. I…I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, especially after we came back to the Order. This Holy War,” he could not keep the sneer out of his voice or off his face, “has been going on for far too long. Even I can tell, despite being here for almost two years. The Noah and the Earl have been getting bolder and bolder, and I hate to say this, but we have not been making the best progress.” He began to pace, trying to gather his thoughts.

      With visible reluctance, Kanda took a seat on the couch, eyes never leaving the white-haired exorcist. “We all know that, Moyashi. What’s your point?”

      A non-heated glare was sent his way. “My point, Bakanda, is…is, well—I know that none of you are going to like it. But Link has known since we’ve come back to the Order, and Alma partially found out yesterday.” Allen took a breath, trying to stave away the queasiness that was coming back with a vengeance. This is not going to end well. “I’m sorry for not telling you, but I’ve been actively communicating with the Fourteenth.”

      Their reactions were all of what he expected: Komui’s surprise was shown through his widened eyes behind his glasses and his tensed posture, while Kanda’s shock and subsequent anger were more prominent. Despite having sat for only a moment, he shot up from his seat, hands clenched and slanted eyes wide. “What the hell, Moyashi?! I fucking thought you were purposely ignoring that ass-hat.” To anyone that did not know Kanda as well as he or Alma did, the Japanese exorcist would have sounded furious; however, to Allen’s ears, his rough tone masked his deep concern and worry.

      Alma rose from their seat and stood next to Kanda, putting their hands on his shoulders. “Yuu.”

      “Allen, what have…” Komui spoke with a touch of unease underlining his voice, “what have you and the Fourteenth been discussing?”

      The drained, cursed teenager dropped his gaze to the messy, paper-covered floor. “I am tired, Komui. I am very, very tired. I’m tired of watching people die senselessly, I’m tired of having to fight for my body, and I am tired and done with running.” Frown stretching his lips, he steeled his gaze back to all of them before announcing, “I made a deal with Neah to join the third side of the war. Link and I are going to leave the Order.”

      Now, if what he had said before had caused some unrest, this statement brought forth a surging wave of chaos.

      Alma turned sharply at him, panic alight in their russet-brown eyes. “Allen, no!” Please don’t think I’m abandoning you, love.

      Komui finally stood from his seat behind his desk, walking around the piece of furniture closer to Allen. “You can’t be serious, Allen…Why? You were just reinstated!”

      “You must be out of your goddamn mind,” growled Kanda, eyes blazing. “You think we’re just going to let you walk away after all that work we did—that you did—in order to come back?!”

       It’s not like he wanted to go and leave all his precious people behind, but he had to do this. “There’s no other way,” Allen sighed as he stopped pacing. “Look, I can’t stay here, not with Neah in my body, not with the Earl getting increasingly adamant on capturing me. On top of that, I can’t in good faith work at the Order anymore, not with the knowledge of what they’ve done to all the people I care about.” Saying that, he gave pointed looks to Alma and Kanda. “Please understand,” he begged.

      “Fuck that!” Kanda slashed a hand in front of himself. “I am not letting you go, dammit! You think being here is bad? Think about what the Earl is going to do to you when you’re out there all alone. What then, Moyashi?”

      Alma reached a hand to clutch at Allen’s shirt sleeve. “You’re going to be an easier target for the Akuma and Noah, Al. Even if you came to an agreement with Neah like you said you have, it’s not going to end well at all!”

      “I won’t be able to keep Central off your tail, Allen,” Komui spoke, but what Allen heard behind the words was ‘I can’t keep you safe if you’re not here.’ Bless this man. Komui’s heart was too big for his own good: too caring, too passionate.

      Link, ever present near the door, finally offered his two cents. “Allen and I have been discussing this plan for a long while now. We’ve concluded that this is the best decision. Please respect it.”

      “No!” came the harmonious shut-down from Alma and Kanda.

      “I cannot, in good conscious, condone this, Allen,” Komui fiddled with his glasses, severe frown on his face.

      I knew this was not going to end well, but I need them to understand. I can’t keep putting them in danger. It’s my fault they keep getting hurt, shite. “I know none of you approve, but I have to do this!” He growled through gritted teeth. Tears stung his eyes, and he was quick to blink them away, trying to keep some sort of composure together. “I…” he took a shaky breath, “I just…Let me protect you, please.”

      The atmosphere in the room was tense, and Allen was sure that was not the reason he was having some trouble breathing. Alma and Kanda moved to engulf him in an embrace, but he stepped away not wanting the contact right now. The fabric of his clothing—What was I wearing again? —rubbed against his skin in a way that set his teeth on edge, despite being the clothing that was most comfortable in his very small wardrobe. He could not help but scratch his arms, the feeling of biting insects crawling underneath his skin.  There was a distinct buzzing in his ears that was beginning to drown out most of what the others were saying. Don’t leave, Allen. Stay in the moment, stay in the moment, he chanted, trying to anchor himself and not drift. Stay here, stay here, stayhere, stayherestayherestaySTAYSTAY—

      “Leaving isn’t protecting us, baka. You should—”

      “—don’t think that’s wise, since—”

      Too many words, too many voices. What were they saying? Shut up, shut up, shut up, why don’t you lot understand??! Why wouldn’t the ringing go away?

      “…not possible…the Order—”

      “Going on the run again…we’ve already—”

      You should have just left in silence, fool. This would have been much easier without anyone knowing of your departure.

      Please stop, be quiet, be quiet, bequietbequietbequietbequietBEQUIET! You don’t understand, you need me to do this. If not you’ll—

      “…Allen are you alright?”

      “Al?”

      “Moyashi…? Allen!”

      “YOU’LL ALL DIE!” The scream that ripped from his throat was shrill and near animalistic; he had trouble recognizing that was indeed his own voice. He heaved, gulping large breaths of air as he tried to calm himself down. His head felt like it was about to split, his heart raced in his chest, and he was fairly certain the human body was not supposed to shake this much. After a solid minute of silence, once he became somewhat more coherent, he realized that he had (at some point) dropped to the ground in a ball, hands clutching his white hair and tears streaming down his flushed cheeks.

      The only sound permeating the air was his unsteady breathing. Everything hurt, everything was tense, and Jesus Christ why was this happening? “Y-You’ll all die if…if I don’t leave. Central wants my head and the Earl and Noah, my blood.” He took another gulping breath. “They’ll come after you…and you’ll die.” And I’ll lose everyone I’ve ever loved for good.

      I’ll be all alone again.

       “Allen…”

      “Oh, Allen—”

      He didn’t realize how long he had been stuck in his head; however, it must have been a good few minutes as he jolted when he felt someone touch his shoulder. He raised his head to see Kanda and Alma kneeling next to him, faces morose yet loving. Kanda was careful not to jostle him as he scooped him up in his lap and pressed his head against his chest. The steady beat of his core-heart was grounding, a song that only he and one other were allowed to hear whenever they needed. “…We are not going to die, Allen,” he said in a low voice. His lover petted his white hair while Alma grabbed his shaking, mismatched hands in theirs. “Fuck the other people. Fuck Central, fuck the Ear and the Noah, and fuck everyone else. We are not going to die, do you understand?”

      Don’t make promises you can’t keep, he wanted to say aloud, yet the words died in his throat. Mana promised to stay with me, and…he died. He died and came back through a fate worse than death…left me all alone. All alone, all alone alone ALONEALONEALONE. Did he love me? Did he really love me? Do they—”

      “Allen.”

      He blinked, and it took a moment to realize that he had become lost in his mind for a bit there. He locked eyes with Alma’s worried russet-brown, then tilted his head to see Kanda’s equally concerned cobalt. As if sensing his distress, the swordsman kissed him and drew him closer. He felt Alma wrap their arms around the both of them, and Allen was comforted by their elevated body temperatures. If they had to look on the bright side, at least being a Second meant not being cold easily.

      “We love you, Al,” Alma said as they kissed the crown of his head, “and we love you enough to stay by your side. We won’t leave you, ever.”

      Kanda grunted, and Allen was familiar enough with his caveman-esque sounds to understand that one meant agreement. “Listen to the sap, Allen. If you think we’re gonna let you waltz out of here by yourself and the lapdog, then you have another thing coming.”

      Allen looked helplessly at his lovers, then to Komui and Link. He was a selfish person her hated to admit, hoarding his loved one like a dragon would their valuables. If they died…I wouldn’t know what to do. “I can’t stay,” he croaked, throat sore from the screaming and crying.

      Kanda shifted against Alma and Allen. “Well, then the answer is easy.”

      Allen felt his eyebrow crease in confusion, slight frown on his face. “How so?”

      In the agitated atmosphere, Alma’s light and warm demeanor was a balm to Allen’s unease. “If you can’t go, we’ll just have to go with you! Pretty simple, if you ask me.”

      Without meaning to do so, Allen and Komui spluttered at the same time, thrown off balance. “W-Wait, what?! No way, I can’t let you two do that!” Allen protested.

      “You can’t be serious,” Komui gaped. “I’m not comfortable with Allen leaving, but for all three of you to go, including Link? There is no possible way that Central wouldn’t be on your tails, what with that many combatants gone rogue!”

      Alma and Kanda pulled Allen to his feet, and he was thankful for their steadying hands as he was still a little disoriented. This wasn’t the first time he’s needed help after an…episode; he had long since swallowed his pride. “Fuck Central,” Kanda said in his natural brusque fashion. “Think about it. It’d actually be safer if Allen had us along with him. The CROW over there is just one person. Moyashi is gonna need more backup if things go south.”

      At his position by the door, Link practically bristled. Allen knew that Link bad kept silent for the most part out of respect for him, Alma, and Kanda. However, he also knew from personal experience that Link was very prideful in his abilities and did not take any insult against them lightly, direct or indirect. “I am more than capable of defending both Allen and myself, Kanda Yuu.” Link’s voice was leaning towards a mix of a growl and a hiss. “It would behoove you not to underestimate me.”

      Their raven-haired lover stepped towards Link, squaring his shoulders and baring gritted teeth. “You trying to start something, lapdog?”

      “I assure you, you must be deluding yourself, hot head,” Link shot back, also taking a step toward Kanda.

      Jesus Christ, Allen did not need a pissing match right now.

      Just as Allen and Alma were going to say something, Komui stepped in before things could get ugly; he startled everyone when he slapped a hand on his desk, but it did its job at getting everyone’s attention. “Link, Kanda, control yourselves.” The two men harrumphed, well chided. The Supervisor took a breath to visibly collect himself. “Now, Allen, I have to reiterate that I cannot condone you all leaving, especially after returning so soon. But…I can turn a blind eye towards it.” Komui moved to stand in front of Allen—Alma and Kanda had moved aside when they had seen the man nearing—and put his hands on his shoulders. “I’ll give you three an open-ended mission under the guise of searching for several pieces of Innocence. That will keep Central and Leverrier off your backs for some time. But, Allen…” The exorcist was surprised when Komui hugged him tightly, continuing to speak in a tone akin to a mourner’s eulogy, “I’m afraid I cannot do any more than that to help you. I’m sorry.”

      Bleeding hell, Komui is such a good person, Allen though as he gripped the back of the taller man’s white jacket just a little bit tighter. He doesn’t deserve all the shit that he’s put through in this hell hole. “Thank you, and there’s nothing to apologize for,” he said, just above a whisper. “You do more for us than anybody else.” He chose not to comment on the watery sniffle he heard from Komui.

      The scientist turned to address the exorcists and the Inspector. “I can give you all a week to get ready for your…mission. Anything more and Central will get suspicious why you are taking so long to prepare. Use your time wisely, you all.” The ‘be careful’ was left unsaid.

      “We’ll try our best, Komui,” Alma replied, smile more on the grim side, “but you know us. Can’t promise anything.”

      “I know, and that’s what worries me. Oh, and I still need that mission report, Kanda.”

      Alma laughed while Kanda huffed. “Can’t get rid of us that easily, Moyashi.”

      “It’s Allen, Bakanda.”

      Do as the scientist said, Allen. You have one week to do everything that you need to get done: say your goodbyes, tie up any lose ends and such…because once the week is up, you better not have any regrets when we leave.

      One week, one week to go.

Written: 2/3/17 ; Posted: 4/4/17

[ironemblem]

GURPS Encounters: Domum Inretio, Shrine to Mechanics

A sorta steampunky inspired trapped temple at its simplest, full of very little in combat (at least at first) but quite a few nasty tricks. This is also the first GURPS post where I kind of use some Thaumatology (just got the book a few days ago)! So take a step, a very careful step into....

Domum Inretio, Shrine to Mechanics Description

General Layout: Unless otherwise stated assume that the ceiling height of the complex is seven feet, the walls being made of impeccably crafted white cobblestone (perhaps some kind of magic), with the ceiling and floor being of smooth marble. The only universal distinctive feature throughout the structure would be the presence of exposed machinery, chunks of wall missing revealing large turning gears, and many moving chains (see Animate Chain for more info). Doors are assumed to be made of thin sheets of bronze (1 in. thick) standing about 2 yards and 1 yard wide.  

Room 1 (Entrance): Essentially a room of warning, long and thing, the walls are covered in a warning, etched hundreds of times over in different languages (preferably at least one in a tongue that a pc can understand). “Only the clever may walk these halls, each pull calls you further, the dullard need not look.” Pretty straight forward, but shows that the creators meant business and sets a definite ‘challenged’ tone.

Hallway 1-5: This section has not one, but two traps in it (see Traps and Machinations for more info)! The important part connects room 1 and 5, but all rooms are linked by this main hall.

Room 2 (Roaring Archway): Where the first lever lock can be found, a small prayer area, with many wax coated candle ledges about. The lever is past a trapped archway into a former storage area (some treasure can be found at GM discretion, possible around 2d$ worth of some religious items).  

Room 3 (Rest): Where the second lever lock can be found, once something akin to a breakroom. The remains of rotted chairs is scattered about, this room’s door has a bar, so perhaps a last ditch safe room too!

Room 4 (Shocking Vault): The most dangerous of the lever locks, the entire room is trapped, from floor to ceiling, to get past this one will require some serious smarts, or quick feet! Many silver rods stick out of the wall and ceiling, each about two yards long.  

Room 5 (Fountains): This room has what appears to be an incredible fountain of pristine water, tapped from far below. The walls of the fountain are covered in scenes of people choking after drinking from a river however, seemingly warnings against itself! It really is just a plain old water fountain though, drawing on a pretty well-made pump system.

Room 6 (The Altars): The final room, where the rewards await the “oh so clever” adventurers. First all of the lever locks must be pulled, as a thick stone wall (at least four feet thick) depicting three such devices stand in the way! And since magic is much crueler here this might be quite the challenge.

 Unfortunately the treasure is rigged as well! Each of the three surviving items should be quite worth the trip (see below for some suggestions on these). Grand altars hold the relics, stone covered in only slightly tarnished bronze. The western altar is decorated with a screaming horned demon’s maw. The center shows strange scenes of gear like flowers, connected by vines of chains. The eastern takes up a great portion of wall, tall tablets of stone covered in seeming gibberish, but quite pretty gibberish perhaps worth some money to art collectors! Alternatively some secret spells/ritual/whatever could be hidden within it, either way transport of four hundred pound tablets is almost a quest in and of itself.  

Traps and Machinations

Mana Level: If your campaign doesn’t use something akin to mana levels (or doesn’t access those variants in Thaumatology) feel free to ignore! Otherwise the entire structure is under the effects of Twisted Mana, with standard campaign amount. This is the most devious of the shrine’s defenses, a space of permanently scarred and corrupted magic. 

Traps Note: Unless otherwise mentioned assume standard skill levels apply, possibly consider giving bonuses to those with any high mechanics skill as well (maybe +1 or +2 effective skill).

First Trap (Darts o’ Annoyance/Hall 1-5):  Found in the first few yards in Hall 1-5, this trap is meant mostly to irritate would be dungeon delvers. Triggered by a very obvious pressure plate (+4 effective skill to find/disarm). The highlighted area is filled with tiny flying darts, all passing through (or staying within) are subjected to a skill-10 attack every second, dealing 1 point of small piercing damage.  

Second Trap (Roaring Archway): Much more carefully crafted than the first trap, this trick can also be lethal! A set of tiny nodules (normal skill to find/disarm) is set in the steps just on the other end of the archway, which causes exposed pipes around the arch to let loose a blast of flame in the other room. In effect it slays the intruder’s friends! All in the highlighted area are subjected to a skill-14 attack, dealing 2d burn damage and most likely igniting flammable materials (the attack itself isn’t innately ‘sticky’).

Third Trap (Shocking Vault): Two traps in total, but the first activates the second! The entire floor is a massive series of pressure plates (almost impossible to disarm, maybe -10 effective to skill on any such attempts if allowed at all, failures triggering the trap by bumping another plate). When triggered the door behind them slams shut (not locked) and the room fills with static! Every second those in the room must make a HT roll or suffer 1d burn damage as the lightning courses through them, those in armor have a -5 effective HT for this (or if particularly cruel no roll is allowed at all), this penalty applies to those attempting to open the door as well! The effect itself lasts 3d seconds.  

Fourth Trap (Crushing Points/Hall 1-5): This trap is a bit different in trigger, whereas the rest had pressure plates or other floor based mechanism this one is a bit more eccentric. A curtain of chainmail hangs from the ceiling, if walked through, one step past is pinched by six spears (three on each side of the highlighted area) essentially RoF 6. Attacking with a skill of 14, each hit deals 2d-1 imp. Located just outside the fountain.

Fifth Trap (The Altars): Despite the various designs the altars all have similar traps, yet another layer of trickery and pressure tech. If the particular treasure is taken off its pedestal something very simple happens, a ringing bell, somewhere deep in the structure. This activates the Animate Chains throughout the Shrine (see The Guardians). Further activation does little more, becoming louder each time, if only to increase tension.  

The Guardians, Rattling Chains: The custodians of the temple, and guardians if the altars are so disturbed, these lengths of chain reset traps and slay! Many of the busts are the active work of the chains, who use them to outflank intruders and of course quick travel about.  If the fifth trap is triggered place an appropriate amount of Animate Chains about the temple, for some randomness make it 1dx1/2 pcs.

Animate Chain

A length of chain of some unknown silvery material, about three yards long, that moves of its own accord through some strange magic. They attempt to use constriction attacks to kill their prey, and when not in combat stealthy reset traps and the like (or at least try to).  

ST 14; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 10

Will 4; Per 4; Speed 3.00; Dodge 6

         Move 3 (Clinging)

SM +1; 50 lbs.

Traits: Automaton, Body of Metal, Clinging, Constriction Attack, DR 5, Noisy 3, Vermiform

Skills: Brawling-15; Mechanics (Domum Inretio)-14; Stealth-12

The Treasure of the Temple; the Clockwork Heart

A most macabre item, separated into three pieces, and placed within this temple. When fully assembled (with a DX-3 check or default Mechanics; as the device almost whispers its instructions) it seems to be a small bronze orb. With many gears and tubes! If the device is used to replace a creature’s they are granted many a boon, the only downside? The possibility of dying with its installation. Every point of the Clockwork Heart advantage is essentially “earned” through the Surgical Modification rules, which in most pseudo medieval settings might be hard to get done.

Clockwork Heart 45 Points

The Heart at its most basic increases the ‘hardiness’ of the benefactor, and even will save them from death. Character points earned after installation can be put to further abilities of the Heart (without surgery), such as more Extra Lives, ST/HT, and even things like Extended Lifespan. This may take certain events, or an inward journey at GM discretion.  

Advantages: Extra Life 1 [25], Immunity to Heart Attacks [5], Very Fit [15]

[lionhart-w]

The Demon in the Bottle

Desmond woke up to a metallic rattling. He looked over and realized that Morgan was growing more and more frustrated because he couldn’t reach the formerly sleeping man. 

Ezekiel was nowhere to be seen. Desmond stood up and Morgan dropped down and bared his teeth to show anger. He filled a glass of water and drank it in one go. The cabin had gotten hot while Desmond was sleeping, though no ray of sunshine was to be seen. 

He found Ezekiel outside, splitting some logs with a hatchet.

“Hiya.”, said Ezekiel straightening his posture as Desmond approached. “Any nightmares?”

“No. I think locking Morgan up did the trick. Has… um…” He tried to remember for a moment. “Hester! Has Hester already been here?”

“No, not yet. She should be here by nightfall, though.”, Ezekiel split another log.

“What’s the wood for? It’s hardly parky.”

“It’s not for a fireplace. It’s for protection.”

“From what?”

“A Djinn.”

“Why would a Djinn attack us?”

“It won’t. You probably saw all the jars in the bedroom earlier. Well, I have one bound in a flagon and I need a Djinn’s liver for summonings. They are incredibly flammable so it won’t risk crossing the border of fire I will lay out.”

Desmond processed those words for a second. “Summon what?”

“Nothing specific… yet. Djinn livers are like salt for cooking - you need them for almost everything. I just need to stock up a bit.”

“How do we kill it?”

“We?”

“Sure.”

“Well, if you insist. You need an ax or”, he held up his hatchet. “something like that.”

—————————————-

It was late afternoon when Hester arrived. Desmond was sitting on a half-rotten bench outside, when he spotted her, emerging from the dense forest around them. She had chin-length, naturally blonde hair and couldn’t have been older than 21.

“Hiya! I’m Desmond.”

“Nice to meet you outside a kidnapping, Desmond. I’m Hester. Where’s Ezekiel?”

“Inside, I think.”

She went inside; Desmond followed her.

“About time, girlie.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I forgot. What’s new?”

“Someone vanished on Fonrica and people claim to have heard screams. Maybe some unknown demon?”

Ezekiel shrugged. She continued. “The Island Guard is still investigating the homicide at the store and the disappearance of Desmond Gardner. But good news: they think you’re a victim and not the killer.”

“Aren’t I?”

Hester gave Ezekiel a questioning look. He shrugged as if to say Well… yeah.

He wasn’t the killer and he had been abducted.

“What’s for dinner?”, asked Ezekiel, breaking an awkward silence that was growing between them.

“Roasted fish and Achini tubers.”

“Achi- what?”

“Achini tubers. A local specialty.”

“I’ve had some before.”, said Desmond. “Kinda taste like corn but in potato form.”

“Alright then. Do you guys want to set a table or just sit somewhere?”

“I don’t want to work right now”, said Hester.

“It’s alright. I can do it alone. So table?”

“Sure. The food’s already cold, so a few more minutes won’t do it much harm.”

Desmond helped Ezekiel retrieve a small wooden table from a tiny shed next to the big one. They set it up outside. There were some knives and forks in the kitchen.

“What’s the deal with Hester, by the way?”, Desmond asked.

“What do you mean?”, Ezekiel seemed a bit defensive.

“Well… how do you know her?”

“She is a local and I happen to know her from another visit here.”, he said tightly.

“I see.”, Desmond could sense information being withheld from him but didn’t ask farther.

The fish didn’t have much spice on it but the Achini tubers were good; soft and buttery.

Ezekiel retrieved an unmarked bottle from inside. “Gin?”

“No thanks. I’m trying to stay away from alcohol for a while now. Lost an entire evening a few days ago.”

Hester declined the offer as well.

“When will you deaden the Djinn?”, she asked.

“Maybe later tonight. Djinn are, according to 101 Evil Spirits and how to slay them, a bit fluorescent and I’d like to test that.”

“Will you need help?”

“I don’t think so. Desmond, here, said he’d help. Stick around, though, if you want.”

“Sure.”, she said. “Any plans for that incubus?”

“His name is Morgan, and no. None.”

Hester sighed. “Why would you give it a name? You’ll get attached.”

“I do not need to justify my actions to you.” Ezekiel sulked a little.

“Don’t you need an ax drenched in Demon blood to kill a Djinn? Why don’t you stick that hatchet of yours into the incubus?”

“First of all, I will not take out Morgan, second, this hatchet has seen enough demon blood to kill a dozen Djinns, and Djinns don’t require demon’s blood per se. It’s just an insurance if you miss the heart. The blood slowly kills ‘em - and that’s not good is it?” 

“When did you kill a demon with that?”

Ezekiel sniffed and seemed even sulkier than before. “Morgan had a brother. He jumped me when I entered the cottage last week for the first time.” He pointed at the small bulge in the soil next to the door.

Hester patted him on the shoulder. “Where is that thing, anyway?”

“We locked him up. Wouldn’t stop causing nightmares.”

“You didn’t lock him up when you slept? That was foolish. He could have sucked your soul out.”

“Don’t be stupid. Alps don’t damage the soul - they just nibble a little.”

“You’re a numskull, Rave.”

They sat a little and when it was so dark they barely could make out each other's faces they lit a campfire.

After a while, Ezekiel said: “You wanna kill that Djinn?”

He led them to a stream nearby and they laid out a circle of wood on a little island in the middle. (“To prevent a forest fire.”) He and Hester carried a large metal flagon to the circle while Desmond lit it on fire. He left an opening for Ezekiel and Hester to leave.

They placed it in the middle of the ring and Desmond closed the circle. 

“How do we release it?”, asked Desmond.

Ezekiel gave him a short smile, picked up a rock and chucked it at the container. It clanged and fell over. For a few seconds nothing happened but then something shot out of the bottle. An arm. It was somewhere between violet and dark blue. The flagon clanged again and flew up a few meters. Another arm emerged and then a bulgy Something the arms were attached to. Then the head appeared. It looked like a flaming ball of dark violet blaze with scorched and crooked horns. Its eyes were the darkest black Desmond had ever seen. As if a void was staring at them. It didn’t seem to have physical legs but it didn’t float. Looking at the place where usually legs would have been made Desmond feel dizzy; he turned his gaze elsewhere. It was double the size of him. It was only now Desmond realized he had somehow tuned out anything else. Ezekiel was shouting something.“Shit-Shit-Shit-Shit!!”

He pulled himself together and turned around. 

“Desmond! Get away from there!!”, Hester shouted as she quickly waded through the water towards the trees.

Desmond backed off but tripped. The monster passed through the flames and slowly moved in their direction. Desmond hastily got up and ran towards the trees where Ezekiel and Hester took cover.

“That’s not a Djinn, Ezekiel!”, Hester shouted.

“Yeah, I got that, thanks.” He unscrewed something at his hatchet. The lower part of the handle came off revealing what looked like a small spear and a thin rope attached to it - it resembled a small harpoon. 

“What is that thing?”, asked Desmond nervously.

“No idea, mate.” Ezekiel turned the ax blade 180 degrees and it clicked.

He jumped out from behind the tree where they had taken cover. He aimed the harpoon-like a gun and shot.

The point dug itself into the chest of the devil. Desmond noticed it hadn’t made a sound, which was kind of eerie - it simply stopped dead and stared at Ezekiel.

Ezekiel shouted something in a language Desmond didn’t understand and the devil made a sound that sounded like it was sighing through a scorched throat. He cut off the harpoon-rope with a knife and turned the ax blade around again. It started walking towards him. He flung the hatchet at its head where it stuck. It slowed down and went to its knees. It lifted one arm and swung at Ezekiel. It caught him in by his stomach, he flew across the clearing and smashed into a tree. 

“Ezekiel!”, Hester screamed.

The creature seemed fainter now. The purple flames faded revealing a black-dark brown skeleton. It collapsed entirely and the plants around it caught purple fire. He and Hester sprinted over to where Ezekiel had landed. To Desmond’s relieve, he was sitting upright but was pressing his hands against the place where the thing had touched him. 

“Let me see.” Hester kneeled down beside him. 

He revealed a mix between deep red blood and dark grey seared skin. 

“I’ll be fine.”, he said. “Let’s get back to the lodge.”

They both supported him by his pits as they walked back to the cabin.

The moment they entered Ezekiel stormed towards the bedroom. He came back out with a mountain of books and started going through them on the couch.

“What was that?”, asked Hester.

“Best guess? A Djinn mixed with something else. Maybe a Blazing Devil. Although that would be unlikely. The important question is why was that thing bound in the bottle and not a Djinn?”

“Can you even bind something else than a Djinn in a bottle?”

“That’s the thing. No. No, you cannot.”

“I better go now.”, said Hester. “I’ll come again tomorrow morning and bring bandages.”

After she’d left they silently sat on the couch - there was an awkward tension between them. Ezekiel combed through a heap of books (some of them in a language Desmond couldn’t read.) and Desmond poured himself a glass of liquor. Since he was a little agitated and couldn’t sleep he decided to throw his whole ‘no more alcohol’-thing overboard. The liquor loosened his tongue so he broke the silence. “That looks nasty.”, he said, frowning as he touched the sticky bloody burn wounds on Ezekiel’s flank. The latter breathed in sharply and seized his hand.

“Yeah. No touchy.”

“Does it hurt?”, Desmond said as he drew his hand back.

“Yes, it hurts. What do you think it feels like?”

Desmond remained silent and looked at his feet.

“Are you okay, Desmond? You weren’t that witless earlier.”

“I’m just tired.”

“Huh…”, Ezekiel took the empty glass out of his hand and smelled it but seemed revolted.

“Did you drink this?”

“Maybe. Why?”

“That’s meant to knock out small tier demons, pal. You should be in a coma by now.”

Desmond looked him directly in the eyes. “Yeah? Well, I can take a little more than your average Billy Joe.”

“What? You better lie down in the bed, dude. This is unnatural.”

He carefully brought Desmond to his feet and gently pushed him towards the bedroom door.

“Don’t you touch me, Demon-Boy! I am fine. That stuff’s really good. You should try some.”, he darted towards the bottle. Ezekiel stopped him. 

“Desmond, you should reall-“, he couldn’t finish his sentence because Desmond had knocked him out.

“No touchy…”

He took the bottle labeled as Daimocit (It had the words ‘Nighty night, nightmare’ scribbled in pencil underneath) and drank it in one go. Then everything went gray, then blue and then black… He was back at the table.