#but the flower market scene had me cackling

[keepthetension]

least realistic thing about ep 5 is these two having their cute little moments in the market touching and sniffing all these flowers and having none of the flower sellers come and yell at them for not buying anything

[darksiders-drabbles]

The last one was awesome and I had another idea! What if reader had a beautiful laugh, like a real loud, happy, belly laugh that's just so charming it makes you smile and laugh too. What would the horsemen think hearing that?how would they react?💖 Thanks again for your wonderful work.

Reader’s Laughter 

Hello again @bunnybones41317! This was a cute request. Thank you for your patience! I’m glad that you’ve been enjoying my writing :-)

Warnings: Violence (War’s scene. Not super graphic), Fluff

“You know,” Reader started, adjusting their bag over their shoulder. “I’m surprised that Vulgrim didn’t have what we were looking for.”

Fury

Fury strolled casually beside Reader. The pair had gotten together to forage for herbs outside of the city. A lot of the plants they had been looking for became scarce in the market. Very few people were willing to go outside of the city to try and find them. For most, it would have been far too dangerous. Reader had volunteered to find some and- with any luck- bring back some live specimens to cultivate within the city.

“Plants aren’t exactly of interest to him.” Fury replied, passing Reader a weapon that they stowed on their holster. “His specialty is rare objects. The harder to acquire, the more likely that weasel is to have it.”

“Yeah, I picked up on that. But still, would it kill him to help us out every now and then?”

Fury rolled her eyes, following beside Reader as they began walking. “The second you leave yourself an opening for that vile merchant, the sooner you are to find yourself at the bad end of a deal.” Fury wasn’t looking forward to their journey to the outskirts of the city. While she didn’t have anything better to do herself, picking flowers wasn’t something she found thrilling. But it was certainly better than going to the demon merchant. “You do not want to owe Vulgrim any favors.”

“Of course not, I just--” Reader paused their stride abruptly. They snorted, quickly placing a hand over their mouth to block any laughter.

Fury glanced at her companion with a raised brow. She followed their gaze to see what had caught their attention. Then she saw it.

An angel was flailing around, yelling and cursing, caught in some dead powerlines. He swung his weapon wildly, cutting the wrong line and rendering himself upside-down.

Fury burst out into loud, uproarious laughter. Reader joined in, giggling at first. The angel snapped his attention toward the pair with wide eyes. Quickly he resumed his squirming, only succeeding in tangling himself further. Fury’s laughter only got louder.

“Fury-” Reader said through loud cackles. “That’s so mean!”

“Don’t give me that!” She pointed an accusing finger at them, still chuckling and grinning ear-to-ear. “You laughed at him first.”

Reader leaned on her for support, wheezing with laughter. “It was an accident! I was going to stop but you started laughing too!”

For no good reason, that only made Fury laugh harder.

Unseen to the giddy pair, the angel finally pulled himself free of his restraints. His feathers were puffed out in shame and embarrassment. He quickly took to the skies, pride thoroughly wounded. He had counted on no one seeing his predicament before he could escape.

“You have no idea.” They groaned in reply. They reached up to rub their eyes with a grimace.

Strife

Reader found Strife lounging in their living room when they returned home. He glanced up at them with a wave and a quiet greeting. They sighed and slumped next to him on the couch. A headache pulsed at their temples. He caught the dark circles under their eyes and the frown tugging their lips. “Long day?”

“You wanna talk about it?” He nudged them with his shoulder. They leaned into him. He smiled at the contact.

“Not really. Today was just…” They gestured vaguely.

“A lot?”

“It felt like all of creation needed my attention today. I mean, who can’t handle sharpening a weapon in this day and age?” They asked, exasperated. “I mean really, it’s a basic necessity.”

“Probably someone pretty dull.” He replied cheekily. Reader rolled their eyes.

“That was horrible.” They groaned.

“You’re smiling.” He teased.

They pushed at his shoulder in reply with a huff. “No, I’m not.” Their grin only got wider.

“Can’t fool me. I’m sharper than I look.”

They chuckled and shook their head.

“What, you don’t agree?” He whined in mock-hurt. “You wound me!”

That earned him a laugh that they quickly tried to cover up. “Stop, these are terrible!”

“Hey, that one cut deep!” He chuckled along, poking at Reader’s side.

“Please,” Reader swatted at his hand, laughing at the ticklish assault. “Spear me from these terrible puns!”

At their squirming Strife got an idea and chuckled mischievously. “What’s that? Can’t hear you over all this piercing laughter!”

Reader wiggled desperately away from his prodding fingers when he continued his merciless assault. They pushed weakly at his arms, laughing and squealing. He quieted his own laughter to admire the sound, a fond grin crossing his features. After a moment when he thought they’d had enough, he let up his attack so they could breathe.

“You” They panted, a grin stuck on their face. “Are awful.”

He replaced his soft expression with a mocking one as they swatted his shoulder. “You should be more knife to your friends, you know.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” She hummed, sarcasm dripping from her words. “Out here all on your own?”

War

Reader backed away carefully from a demon much larger than them. She was smirking smugly, convinced she had them trapped. To be fair, she did. Reader ran as fast as they could, but in their panic found themselves in a dead-end. All they could do now was stall her.

Reader huffed, trying to catch their breath. When they didn’t reply, the demon continued her sickeningly sweet monologue.

“Did you get lost, hm?” She scanned the area mockingly. “Where are your dear Riders?”

“Oh you know,” Reader shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Around.”

She chuckled, stepping closer to invade their space. “I highly doubt that.”

Desperately, Reader looked around for a way out. Rocks and rubble stood at their back and sides, too high to climb. Forward, of course, was miss I-Might-Eat-You-For-A-Snack. Though behind the demon, they saw a familiar red cloak marching its way angrily over to the pair.

“Such a shame to leave a cute little morsel out here all on its own, isn’t it?” She hummed, seemingly unaware of War stomping furiously toward her. “Perhaps I should just take you for myself.”

She really didn’t notice him? “I’ll hang that pretty little head of yours around my belt as a prize.” She smirked when she saw their eyes widen. Reader drew their gaze upward to meet her smug, beady eyes.

And promptly burst out laughing.

The demon’s smirk sharpened into a harsh glare. “Perhaps you don’t understand the situation.” She leaned down to be closer to Reader’s level. “No one is coming to save you.”

That only made them laugh harder. She grit her teeth. “I will teach you some respect before I---!”

Chaoseater lodged itself firmly into her abdomen. She had only seconds for her eyes to widen in shock before the blade was swiftly removed. She reached a shaky hand to tentatively touch the hole in her chest in complete disbelief. War promptly removed her head with a scowl.

When the demon was reduced to ash, War drew his attention toward his human companion. He was surprised to see them grinning at him from ear-to-ear, their eyes shining with glee.

“You should have seen the look on her face!” They cackled manically, trotting up to him. “I could have sworn she heard you marching your way over here!”

He smiled down at them when their laughter filled the air. “She had no idea!”

The sound of their laughter was infectious. War laughed along with them. “Let us return home.”

“Yeah,” They chuckled. “That was enough excitement for me for today.”

Quietly, Reader exclaimed in amazement, catching Death’s attention. The sun had drifted lazily below the horizon. Deep shades of red and blue swirled together as dusk clouded the sky of the planet. Mountains cast the valley below into shadow.

Death

For not the first time, Reader followed Death to another planet. They had insisted on joining him on his new journey to a distant plane, knowing he might have been gone for quite some time. Death led Reader along the peaks of cliffs for a view of the valley below. He wanted to get his bearings before continuing forward.

“This place is beautiful.” They whispered. Death hummed in acknowledgement. As the two stood near the edge of the cliff, a content silence fell over them both. Reader kept their eyes locked on the valley long after the sun had set.

Death glanced up to the darkened sky. “Look up.” He mumbled quietly.

They looked at him in question before following his gaze. He heard them breathe in a quiet gasp. He turned his attention back to them and saw their eyes sparkle at the scene above them. Billions of stars shown in the night sky.

A distant galaxy could be seen through the clouds.

It twinkled in a stunning array of shining colors. He wondered if the sparkle in their eyes was from their admiration of the heavens above them, or if it was simply the lights in the night sky reflecting back.

Several shooting stars streaked across the sky, and Reader laughed in awe. Death himself had seen this countless times before. But somehow with Reader there with him, it felt like the first time all over again. He decided then and there that he liked the stars in their eyes more than the ones hung in the sky.

“It’s beautiful.” They stated, lips slightly parted. He allowed himself a quiet chuckle at their awestruck expression. They remained motionless. Reader did not once tear their gaze from the stars in the sky above them, as if looking away for only a second would cause them to miss out on something amazing. But what they might have considered the most amazing stood beside them, the ghost of a smile remained on his face.

[purpureumwrites]

Homelander x Reader | King of the clouds

Summary: Reader is your average supe, a childhood friend of Homelander.

Warnings: Minimal swearing.

Word count: 1k

Tagged: @capitana18girl

Your childhood hadn’t been a traditional one. Inside the walls of the Vaught laboratory you had gone from a tiny baby to a young adult. You were supposed to be an stounding, powerful supe, America’s representative, but whatever Vaught had planned to achieve that completely failed, fortunately for you. They elaborated different plans and approaches, aimed to not waste all the money spent in the project, but gave up when another kid was as impressive as they had hoped for. Homelander.

Since then, all the pressure faded away. Not just from you, but from all the professionals whose job was to raise, educate and teach you. Some of them, who had taken care of you since the moment you were born, had grown very attached  and then, no longer compelled by the boundaries of your so very carefully planned education and worn out by long hours of incessant work, they loved you almost as their own child. Later you realized, in a way, they felt bad for you and the other children raised in the facilities, orphans who would never have a normal life.

Homelander, still a kid named John, was rarely allowed to join the rest for play time. He was seriously underdeveloped socially and the caretakers only let him join the other kids mostly as a test, to study the evolution of his behaviour. He was too jealous, too clingy, too violent. Always too much or too little.

Looking back now, as an adult, you probably should have realized any kind of relationship with him would be overcomplicated. Even children could see things like that. 

You became friends quite easily, you were patient and everyone else just tried to avoid him, there wasn't much competition. As you both grew, the games you used to play became less innocent. You would touch each other too much. Steal kisses when no one looked. Slide a hand under each other clothes. He shared everything with you and that was no exception. You were as close as you could be.

That was, until the time came for Homelander to shine, to fullfill the purpose he had been so carefully fabricated for.

You were eased into your new supe position, you had time allocated for saving citizens, for the little press you needed to do, for marketing campaigns... and more than enough time just for your own enjoyment. You were the average supe: mildly powerful, decent looking, good filler.

But John... he was pushed into the storm of the media. He was announced the best supe in the world. Perfect representative of America. Leader of the Seven. He was proud and excited about his new position and it quickly drove you apart. It saddened you, the two of you had grown so close and had spent so much time together that it was painful to watch it divide you. But it felt natural and organic, life changes, relationships change. At least, until he met Madelyn.

Madelyn was an executive in Vought and manager to the Seven. She was smart, good looking and most important, manipulative and cunning. You realized the moment you saw them together for the first and last time. He had invited you, mainly to show off, to a party Vought had organized. The night didn’t end well. You dragged him to an empty balcony to warn him, trusting your own instincts and partially, out of jealousy.

“She’s just using you” 

“Well, I don’t think so. I have a very busy life now, and she helps manage all of this”, he answered raising his arms and gesturing around him. “It takes a lot to be leader of the Seven”

“That’s not what I mean, John. You may think she cares about you, but she doesn’t, you’re just Vought’s golden child”

He turned around and looked up to the sky with his hands on his hips, exasperated.

“Maybe you’re jealous”, he replied turning to look at you. 

“Excuse me?”

“You’re just a mediocre supe stuck doing the work the Seven won’t even bother with. Sucking some guys dick...”

“What are you talking ab-?”

“And I haven’t stopped doing bigger and better things since we met as children. Everyone loved you back then but now, everyone loves me!”, he cackled. 

You could feel your blood boiling. The idiot. 

“This is not a competition! Maybe you think you’re the one fucking her but she’s the one who will fuck you!”, you yelled, fuming, before making your way inside the building. You held back from running, trying not to make a scene, but some heads still turned when you darted through the crowd.

* * *

Months went by without seeing each other again. You were too proud to call and saw no point while he was with her. Homelander tried to push the thought of you to the back of his mind. He couldn’t, not completely, but while things worked with Madelyn, he was able to lie to himself. It wasn’t until Translucent’s disappearance and all the events that took place afterwards that you met again.

Homelander knocked on your door in the afternoon, after waiting for you to get home, armed with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne. 

“I wanted to surprise you”, he smiled.

“So... she’s dead”. You had seen it on the news. They attributed it to some guy called Billy Butcher, but judging by previous experiences, if someone close to Homelander was killed, most likely he was the one to blame.

Homelander’s smile almost faltered.

“She is”, he answered offering you the flowers. 

“Was it you, John?” 

 “Yes”, he replied, his arm still extended towards you.

“Come in”, you smiled, taking the flowers.

[pinkykitten]

Deception and Lies

Castlevania Yandere! Alucard Tepes x female! reader

Specifics/Warnings: gore, death, cursing, angst, romance, yandere, race neutral reader, one-shot

Words: 3,150

Requested: By anon Could you please write some yandere alucard x reader?

Authors Note: this is kinda full of terror and gore and crazy like wow i feel like the show writers lol. idk what was up w me but this is a lot but i liked writing something this dark also this is my first ever yandere writing and i hope its good. let me know what yall think!

You were laughing, chasing your friends. The meadow was full this year. Full of yellow flowers glowing in the sunshine. It smelled sweet and inviting. You partook the invitation, laying down against the soft petals and enjoying the pleasant breeze. Everything, your life, was normal. It was all plain and simple before him. 

“You write stories about lovers in the moonlight?” Your friend from the village cackled as she huffed and puffed from all the running. She twisted her hair into a bun, removing her hair from her sticky neck. “I wonder what you’re family thinks of you?”

“Give it back Lilya!” You sprinted after your friend, trying to grab your journal away from her grasp. “You must give it back!”

“I mustn't do a thing! You dropped your cheesy book and I simply glanced at it and read some parts. They are actually very good so don’t worry about that.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” You muttered under your breath.

“Hello everyone. Am I late to the party?” Your other friend trudged up the hill to where you two were at. 

“Michael! What a pleasant surprise! I didn’t think you were going to come all this way,” you smiled at your dear friend. 

Michael blushed with you and sheepishly scratched behind his head. “Well I couldn’t leave you two here stranded. Did you hear though that there is a suspicions castle lurking within the woods? People talk and they say its haunted or Dracula’s. I think its an abandoned old tower but people like to make stories.” Michael laughed. “Nobody dares to go near it though.”

“And why does this matter to me?” You picked up your basket full of flowers and other items as you were on your way to go back home. 

Michael smirked, “you think you’re so tough y/n. I dare you to check out that castle. Its not far from here.”

“Me?” You pointed to yourself. Then laughed a hearty laugh. “Are you serious? I’m not wasting my time on a stupid castle that probably belongs to mice and birds. Get your head out of your arse Michael.”

“Its cause you’re a chicken, y/n. You’re too scared!” Lilya slapped her knee and bellowed out into a fit of giggles. “You’re not so tough after all.”

The two kept making fun of you. 

“Hey. I know what will make her go.” Lilya raised her brow. “Watch this.” She threw your journal far into the forest. 

“Hey! What was that for?” You yelled, angry at your friend. 

“If you care about it that much I suppose you better go after it.”

With a huff you set off going after your book. Word gets around in your tiny village. People know you. If they found that journal who knows what they would say about you. 

With much looking and digging you were starting to lose hope and you were tired and very much hungry. The sun was setting already and you were about to call it quits when you were met with the castle Michael was talking about earlier. “Whoa.” You trudged further in. Crows were cawing as you saw the eeriness the building displayed. It was broken and did truly look abandoned. Your heart began to pound as you closed your eyes. Inhaling the green grass and soil. You were trembling. Yes, indeed you were scared. But you couldn’t let anybody know that, not even God. So with determination you repeated the phrase, “I’m not scared” over and over again. “I can totally do this.” You raised your fist in the air and knocked hard on the huge door. It echoed and sounded even more terrifying. Time passed and no one opened the door. Your shoulders slumped as you laughed. “See I told you Michael. No one lives here.” When you opened your eyes and looked to the door again the door was peeked open a little and what was only shown were two bright pastel yellow eyes peeking in the darkness. You shrieked at the scene. It was only eyes that shown and they were big and wide, staring at you. 

“What do you want?” A deep voice echoed. 

“Me? I swear I don’t want any trouble. I was dared to come here. I swear!” You were backing away. 

The man kept coming closer and closer and closer until his whole body showed. “You were dared?”

Your body fell against the rock and your face was greeted with the setting sun. In that moment the stranger couldn’t catch his breath. His heart sped at a fast pace and he had butterflies in his stomach. His eyes widened and he knew you were meant to be here. You were meant to be his. 

The sun’s rays shone within your eyes creating almost a halo around them and around you. “Yes. People think this place is haunted, sir. Or abandoned. I didn’t want to seem like a p*ssy so I knocked and then well here I am. Please don’t kill me! If you want kill my friends, they are the idiots that want to mess with you.”

The man knelt down and smiled at you. He granted you his hand and chuckled, “my dear I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Alucard, Dracula’s son. This is my castle. And I don’t mind visitors.”

You were puzzled. He was very kind. “Oh. I’m y/n l/n. Sorry for being a bit forward there. You see I’m in a bit of a hiccup. I have a very important book or journal that is mine and it was thrown in the woods. I’m trying to find it but its no where to be found. Have you seen it?”

“Sorry,” Alucard tilted his head. “Can’t say that I have. I do hope you find this precious book of yours.” Alucard was sultry and his words were whispers that sent shivers down your spine. God you wanted him! He was sexy and very handsome. You almost wanted to thank Michael and Lilya for this. You were bashful and a complete embarrassed mess. 

“Alright, well sorry for knocking and I do hope you have a good day.” You got up and were about to run for it when Alucard grabbed you by the arm. His sniffed the air trying to smell your scent and keep it in his memory forever. “Please, um will I see you again?” He looked as sad as a puppy. 

You grinned. You were single and you loved romance and Alucard was just so beautiful who could say no? “Yes, I think you will. How about-” Your foot slipped on the rock and you were about to fall but Alucard saved you. He caught you. 

“It seems as you may need protecting.” Alucard’s dashing looks made you want to kiss him as he raised his brow. “Good thing I’m here.”

“Why yes! Good thing.” You stood up and coughed. “Well as I was saying how about I come here tomorrow? We could have tea or whatever you fancy?”

“Tomorrow would be lovely.”

Alucard watched you leave and that night you laid in bed thinking about your perfect stranger and how much you liked him already. You were a fool and ignorant but you believed in love. 

Alucard smirked as he went back inside in his castle and resting on his desk was nothing other than your journal. “So this pretty little thing is yours my sweet y/n. I shall do everything it says in here for you. You write about kisses and romance in the moonlight then I shall fulfill that desire within you my dear girl. No more will you feel lonely like me. Our two souls have finally found each other. They have been searching all this time and now finally they are one.” Alucard sat and read your journal. Keeping his little secret. 

After that day you and Alucard saw each other  day. You were practically glowing. He made you feel special and like he was the missing piece to the puzzle you call life. You were head over heels for him. He always said the right things and he kissed you like he was thinking about your lips all night. He held you at night like you were his world. You two were inseparable. You even told your friends a little about him. Lilya was happy for you but Michael was angry and against it all. He thought it was odd that he never heard of this man and that he was a stranger. He was scared for you but you didn’t care. Alucard meant too much to you. 

“My friends want to meet you.” You walked hand in hand in the village market. Alucard was an amazing cook and he loved to cook you whatever you wanted. 

“Friends? You’ve never told me you had friends.” Alucard bit his lip and rolled his eyes. “Who are your friends?”

“Whoa one question at a time. I do have friends. Only two. One is Lilya she is like my sister and the other is Michael now he is-”

“Michael? As in a man named Michael? As in he is only your friend?” Alucard seemed annoyed and angry. 

“Yes? Is there something wrong? You sound a bit jealous. Trust me when I tell you there is nothing going on between me and him. We are only friends.” You peered at the oranges on display. 

“I’ve just only heard about this now. Why did you keep this from me? I thought you were lonely like me?”

You were starting to get confused as to why Alucard was being so judgmental. “Alucard whats gotten into you? Sometimes people can be lonely and still have friends. Sometimes loneliness never leaves you no matter what. But you cured my loneliness. And I’m sorry I kept it from you. I really thought I told you about my friends.”

“Have you told your friends about me?”

“Yes of course!”

“And what do they think?” Alucard leaned against the stall of beer. 

“Lilya thinks the world of you and Michael is warming up to you.”

Alucard dug his strong fingers into the wood of the stall, breaking pieces off. “So he dislikes me?”

“No, I think he just tries to act all mean and rude but I think once he gets to meet you I think the two of you will hit it off great.”

“Sure..” Alucard squeezed an apple like it was nothing and shook with anger. “I just don’t want no one to come between you and me.”

You held onto him, hugging his waist. “And no one will. However did you start this thinking?”

Alucard was quiet, he said in a low voice, “I was taken advantage of by many people. People are in my life and then they drop me and leave me. They always leave me. I have had to kill my father which was the hardest thing to do. My mother is no longer alive and my friends have all left me. I sometimes fear the thought of having nothing but then I realize that that is my reality. I have nothing and nobody loves me.”

You felt so bad and could sense Alucard was being sincere and he was opening up to you about something traumatic. You placed your hand on his arm and smiled up at him. “That’s not true. I love you.”

Alucard didn’t notice a tear trail down his pale cheek but he knew you were the one. You were his and you were the best thing in his life. “You are my life y/n. You are mine. I swear I will never let anyone hurt you. I will protect you from everyone and anything.”

You could sense that Alucard was nervous from the way his legs bounced. His eyes were darting back and forth from the entrance to the dinner table. 

You hugged Alucard and kissed his cheek, “its okay my prince. They are going to love you.” 

Alucard nodded and sipped some of his wine. 

“Hey!” Came a high pitched voice.

You and Alucard stood up and you hugged your friend Lilya. “So this is Alucard.” 

Lilya winked at you as she hugged Alucard and mouthed “he’s cute.”

Then Michael came in. Michael had a look of annoyance. You were confused as to why he seemed angry. You didn’t know this but Alucard saw this as well and his face darkened at this Michael friend. 

“Hey,” Michael said gloomy as he half hugged you. 

Alucard stuck his hand out for a handshake but Michael ignored him. 

“We brought gifts!” Lilya shouted to try to break the awkwardness. 

The dinner was slow but fun. Lilya was the one who was the most talkative. You could tell and so could Alucard. Michael was quiet and just kept giving you glances. You gushed about Alucard and how much you loved him but Alucard was quiet as well. Michael’s eyes would meet Alucard’s and it would frighten Michael. They were dark and angry. Alucard licked his lips to show off his teeth and Michael shot up quick. “Y/n, can I talk to you for a second. Privately, please.”

You raised your brow and nodded. Alucard tried to stop you but you were too fast. Alucard was getting annoyed by Michael. 

Michael paused around a corner and in a hushed voice said, “I have a bad feeling about this guy.”

“What do you mean Michael? He’s perfect! He’s sweet to me and he really likes me. Why can’t you be happy for me? You’ve had this face the whole time.”

Michael shook his head, “I’m just worried for you y/n. You mean a lot to me. I can’t stand to see you get hurt. Besides, he’s really scary. You’re my favorite person in this whole world. I think you should just leave him for someone that is going to worship you and take care of you.”

You rolled your eyes. “And who would that be?”

Michael inched closer to you and kissed you.

“What the f*ck?” Alucard was horrified. It was like his past was repeating itself again. 

“Alucard I swear nothing is going on.” You quickly separated yourself from Michael, wiping your lips. “I promise, we’re just friends.”

“I didn’t know friends kiss now,” Alucard’s voice was deep and terrifying. 

“It was me. I’m the one who kissed her. I think you don’t deserve her. She’s too good for you.” Michael pointed an accusatory finger.

“I knew you were trouble,” Alucard muttered, cracking his neck. “I and y/n deserve each other. We are meant to be. You don’t have the right or say to what y/n chooses and she chooses me!” Alucard’s temper was rising. “I swear if you touch her again, if you think about her, if you try to mess with our relationship you will wish you would have never met me.”

Lilya stumbled upon the scene and her eyes widened to the threats Alucard was making. Alucard gave you one last glance and ran away. Nobody was going to take you away from him. No friend, no man, not even God. He was surely going to make sure of that.

The night was quiet. It was windy and but quiet. 

Alucard made a decision. He didn’t care about anyone else. He only cared about you and him. 

Alucard snuck in his house. His eyes were dark and his thought was only about you. He didn’t want to hurt no one and this wasn’t really hurting you. You didn’t need them. You needed Alucard and he needed you.

Michael laid in his bed, sleeping calmly. Alucard creeped up on him. He was stealthy, almost like a lion with is prey. Alucard hated this man. He hated how he looked at you. He hated that he kissed you. He hated Michael and Michael needed to go. Alucard raised his sword high in the air and as quick as he stuck it in Michael’s chest Michael’s eyes grew wide open and once they were full of life now they were dark and empty. Alucard repeatedly stabbed Michael. A million thoughts raced in his mind. He cried because half of him knew he wasn’t raised to be like this but he laughed because half of him didn’t care and all that mattered was you. 

Just then someone knocked on the door and Alucard saw it was you and Lilya. He tried to move so you wouldn’t see him but too late you did. 

“Alucard? What the h*ll are you doing in here?” You were now concerned and were second guessing Alucard. 

“Michael!” Lilya screamed.

“Oh no,” your lips trembled when Michael didn’t answer. 

Lilya busted down the door and quickly went in search for Michael. Michael was bleeding to death on his bed. You and Lilya shrieked a high pitch shrieked of pure terror. You two cried and you knew this was Alucard. 

Quickly Lilya knew you two were in danger. “We got to go y/n. Its not safe here. Alucard is not safe.” A sword was stuck through the back of Lilya’s skull and forced through to come out of her mouth.

You fell in silence. Completely shocked and crying. This whole time you believed in Alucard and trusted him. Now he just murdered your two friends. 

“I’m sorry y/n you had to see all this but I can’t let them get in between us. They were going to separate us y/n. You don’t want that, right?” Alucard’s eyes widened and now he was getting more and more insane. His sword was soaked with Lilya and Michael’s blood.

“You’re crazy!” You screamed. Tears flooding down your face. 

“No my love. You and I are meant to be together. We are in love. Now we can live on without no one interfering. We can finally be happy and never be lonely.” Alucard grabbed you and kissed you forcefully. You grabbed a vase and grabbed a shard to stab Alucard. Alucard jerked and dropped you. You crawled back and could see the sadness in Alucard’s eyes. “Why did you do that?” He touched the wound and the blood seeping through his shirt. “I thought you loved me?” Tears fell from his face. 

“I did Alucard, but no more.” You got up and ran to the door. You were almost out but Alucard grabbed his sword and in a flash everything you saw went black. 

With tears in his eyes. Alucard set up everything in front of his castle. Again he was hurting and again he was let down. People went against him, you, the love of his life went against him and you paid the price. 

Alucard set up Lilya, Michael and you as a head post. He went to your decapitated head and lightly kissed your cold, lifeless lips, crying. “I will always love you y/n. You will always be here with me and no one will separate us.”

Tag list: @harrington-lover​​, @angelgl16​​, @perfectlybeautifulsuit​​, @hyehoney​​, @haven-prelude (wont let me tag), @leasly​​​, @totally-alexa21​​, @creamy-pasta-boi​​, @multireese​​, @fanfictionrecommendations-com​​, @prentisskelley​​, @malereaderforkpop (wont let me tag), @guardian-of-cookies, @justafangirl-97​​, @teenageshitposts (wont let me tag), @dippergravity (wont let me tag), @some-booty, @fromfoolishpeopletodeadpeople​​, @collectiveyou​​, @wtfisalltherandoms​​, @dirbel​​, @eastcoasthaven​​, @fangirl-4-life415 (wont let me tag), @melonreblogsstories​​​​ 

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[asrasleftnipple]

First Meeting

... allegedly

Asra x Lyria (oc)

*It’s kinda like the first one in that I only use my oc’s name once so feel free to self insert! I do use she/her pronouns tho..

CWs: knife mention (for herbs), sex, swearing

She was a young herbalist who met Faust and then Asra at the market

She had fallen in unrequited love with Asra (he didn’t know). She hasn’t really been herself since he had left during the red plague.

She became Julian’s apprentice and worked under him until she was appointed court magician after the count was “murdered” and Julian fled.

She had grown very close to Julian and was devastated when he got sick and even more so when he left.

She ended up travelling around the country as a wandering soothsayer, providing remedies for ailing people she comes across.

She cut her long hair into an above-the-shoulder bob for easier maintenance on the road.

She eventually returns to Vesuvia and finds work at the palace as the court magician.

Spends the majority of her time as the court magician being a friend and confidant to both Nadia and Portia, as well as entertainment at the countess’s important events.

She didn’t know Asra had returned and also suppressed her memories of him so much that she forgot about him entirely

After a long day at the palace...

(NSFW under the cut)

‘Hmmmm,’ she falls on her back amongst the plush pillows and blankets of her bed. “Deft hands…” she whispers to herself as she begins to work her hands over her breasts and down her own body, “soft hair, plush lips” as she teases along her thighs, the image of a beautiful golden-skinned figure comes into focus, leaning over her. Their hand had replaced hers in their aimless wandering along her lower torso and thighs.

The figure tilts their head, curiously surveying the scene before them. With them, they had brought the scent of smoky herbs, cardamom and vanilla along with the sharp tang of sea salt and lemongrass. She goes rigid beneath them.

“I-it can’t- is it really you?” she whispers to the figure. They stare at her with a soft smile before leaning down to press a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth.

The magician’s eyes flutter shut as she lets out a soft whimper, arching towards the figure.

“Tell me what you want”, they whisper, pressing their fingers between her thighs, biting their lip as they watch her every change in facial expression.

“Ohhh more, yes, right there…” they deftly rid her of her underwear and push two fingers inside, making the magician gasp and arch even further into their embrace.

“What do you need?” the figure rasps, obviously getting off on this.

“Just you, it’s always been you” she breathed, head falling back. The figure smiles sadly and stoops to press kisses along her exposed jaw. The magician, amazed at the softness of their lips and the pressure building in her abdomen, let the sharpening pleasure take over her senses.

The figure groans softly while pressing a lovely purple bruise behind her jaw, making the magician moan wantonly as her orgasm hits her in waves. The figure drinks in the sight of the magician, working her down from her high, chest heaving, eyelids fluttering.

“You’re so…” the magician finally opens her eyes long enough to look at the figure dazedly “...beautiful”

She takes in the shirtless person still leaning over her, wearing the face of the one she loves; amethyst eyes with pupils blown wide and breaths deepened with lust, before flipping their positions.

Silently, she begins undoing their pants, focused. She looks up at the figure, who was watching her with hooded eyes, barely breathing and lips slightly parted. “May I?” she gestures towards their prominent erection.

“Please”, the figure breathes, shifting their hips so the magician can slide their pants down to their thighs.

“... You’re so hard...”

The figure looks surprised and then amused, “Don’t sound so surprised.”

The magician smiles and kisses her way down their torso and over one of their hip bones then moves to straddle the figure’s hips, “Is this alright?”

The figure begins to nod only to throw their head back with a strangled moan as she sinks down on their length, their back arching to be even just a little bit closer and go just a little bit deeper.

She rides them roughly and sensually, their mouth slightly ajar throughout. Their heavily hooded eyes follow her hands as she runs them up their chest. She presses the tips of her fingers into their skin, dragging her nails across their chest, just hard enough to leave a mark.

“Shit, I’m- hng!” the figure spills without proper warning. The magician slides off them, pleased with herself.

Once she’s properly settled into their side, the figure finally speaks. “Can I see you again?” they breathlessly ask.

“You know I would love nothing more” the magician murmurs, eyes sliding shut. Next to her the figure disappears completely.

Asra bolts up into a sitting position in his bed. ‘Gods, I-I. That was…’ he shakes his head, fighting through the fog of sleep.

Too early!

“Sorry Faust”, he was still distracted. Asra hasn’t seen her in years, yet the dream felt so real, it must’ve been linked. The smell of white rose and musk stays with him as he nestles back into sleep’s embrace.

(NSFW over)

The magician wakes the next morning in a fantastic mood. She stretches languidly, reflecting on the strange dream she had before dressing to join the countess for breakfast. She stops at the entrance of the dining room, perplexed at the commotion of servants scrambling to prepare for some sort of event. She spots the countess in the center of the whirlwind and picks her way over to her.

“Morning, Nadia. Did I miss something?”

“No, not at all, I’ve been so stressed it must’ve slipped my mind. A dear friend of mine has a birthday tomorrow, I’ve planned a garden party to celebrate.”

“Oh, how lovely. Anything I can do to help?”

“There is the matter of the bouquets. It’s too late to order all of the flowers I need, so I need you to collect and multiply them for me. Horticulture is a specialty of yours, yes?”

The magician nods, “Which flowers?”

“Hydrangeas, peonies, and belladonnas, also known as deadly nightshade. Before tomorrow, if you will.”

The magician nods and eats quickly before collecting an herb-cutting knife and basket for the flowers.

She arrives at the edge of the looming forest, feeling it push and pull her, like it’s conflicted. She warily begins her search.

She lets the voices of the forest wash over her and she takes in her surroundings. Once she’s acquainted with her atmosphere, she begins to search in ernest.

Suddenly she hears quiet mewing from behind her. She turns to see a tiny black kitten stumbling out of the underbrush. Had it been following her?

“Hi baby, where’s mama?” the kitten just opens its mouth wide in a big yawn. “Are you sleepy? Hungry?” she reaches into her utility belt and pulls out a handkerchief, wrapping it around the kitten, she picks it up gently and tucks it into her cloak, snug and warm. She continues her search.

It’s only when she finds the flowers she seeks that she feels another presence in the woods. A predatory presence that doesn’t seem to belong here. She quickly scans her surroundings and casts a barrier that would alert her to any new presence in the area.

‘Ok, calm down, chill, you’re just being paranoid,’ she begins her collection, thanking each bush for the flowers. Once she’s finished her task, she gently plucks a few berries from the nightshade bushes. She puts them in a soft leather pouch, ready to return to the palace. Then she hears it. A shrill cackling echoes through the trees, getting closer as she tries to discern where it’s coming from.

“Fuck, shit, fuck, gods, please no.”

She begins to make her way back, aware she’s being hunted all the way. Soon she begins to hear branches snap and footfalls that are not her own. She increases her pace, carefully at first but accelerating when the sounds grew even closer.

She stumbles into a clearing, tripping on the gnarled roots of the giant tree that seemed to tower over the others. As soon as she hits the ground, it’s on her, a single clawed hand closing tightly around the front of her cloak, ripping holes in the expensive fabric. The magician yelps as she comes face to face with some kind of demonic goat.

“Now now, no need to yell, I know I’m gorgeous,” the goat thing’s voice seems to echo in her ears.

She wrests herself free of her cloak, dropping ungracefully on her ass and scooting backwards until she sat with her back against the massive oak.

He scowls and lunges towards her, clawed hand swiping at her, catching her upper arm and tearing the skin easily. She lets out a piercing scream and forces a shield up between her and the malicious creature.

In a hut in the woods:

“Did you hear that?”

“Stay here, I’m going to find out what that was.”

“Asra-”

“I’ll be back soon, Muriel.”

“At least take Inanna with you.”

“What the hell are you and why are you hunting me?!”

“You’ve taken my place. My wife, my toys, my servants. You act like it’s all yours and you didn’t even work for it!”

“What?”

Just then a figure bursts from the undergrowth, snarling at the demon and protectively placing herself between the magician and monster.

“Lucio.” The count whirls around to face the white-haired magician, who was also stepping between the count and his prey.

“Ah... Asra! I was just leaving. Sorry you couldn’t join in on the fun,” and with that, he turns on his heel and lopes into the trees.

“Bastard. Hey! Hey, are you alright?” he crouches next to the magician, who was checking over a small black kitten tucked in the crook of her uninjured arm. He repeats himself, slowly placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She flinches anyway. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you…” he eyes the purple bruise peeking out from behind her jaw.

“Ah sorry, I don’t usually startle like that…” she finally looks her savior in the eyes, sucking in a deep breath. “Asra.”

Asra’s eyes widen and he lets out a labored breath, “Lyria… fuck, are you ok?” He gently examines her injured arm, waving a healing hand over the torn skin.

“Y-you didn’t have to…” fuck, why was she acting like a shy teenager?! Asra helps her to her feet, checking her over another three times. “So you’re back…”

He finally looks her in the eye. “Yeah… so are you”

She takes a shaky breath, biting her lip and looking down at their feet. “I missed you,” she whispers.

“Then perhaps we should catch up,” he holds his arm out to her with a dashing dimpled smile and leads her back to the palace.

[smutmylifeup]

Out of the office drama: What if Ota Kisaki is right?

@whatdoyouexpectthistime @smile-smile-ichthys @hifftn 

Why Rose had agreed to meet Ryosuke here was beyond her.

Although, she couldn’t deny that it was closer to their planned date at the art exhibit than her apartment, the Ice Dragon headquarters and MJS AND it made sense for Rose to meet him here since he had to come back before he could leave for their date and his sense of direction was too terrible to just meet her at the art exhibit.

But still.

Rose never wanted to step foot in Tres Spades ever again in her life, yet here she was.

If it wasn’t for her puppy of a boyfriend she’d have got Miho to burn down the whole hotel by now – hopefully with Kisaki and Ichinomiya in it.

But her boss still knew nothing about the fact Ryosuke and Mr. Oh were part of the mafia syndicate ‘The Ice Dragons’ and whatever connection he had to the richest CEO in Japan, the ‘Angelic Artist’ and the test-driver that she only knew as ‘Baba’.

Sighing heavily.

Rose fished out the penthouse key card Mr. Oh gave to Ryosuke to give to her.

She wasn’t entirely sure why she needed it. She wanted nothing to do with the creeps that lived in a pointlessly huge penthouse in a hotel with a bunch of guys – from what Rose could tell anyway. Didn’t look like it had a ladies touch… she wasn’t sure what woman would want to touch any of them.

They were slimy.

But none-the-less, she was kind of grateful – she hated standing around loitering anywhere but somehow in the lobby of Tres Spades it amped up the anxiety to fifty thousand percent. Even just walking to the elevator she got snubbed by every fancily dressed person she passed by.

She was used to it, but that didn’t mean it didn’t put her on edge.

When she stepped into the elevator she hoped to god that Ryosuke was waiting for her or just there in general.

She may end up leaving as a murderess if he wasn’t there to drag her away.

It was strange, normally Rose was a calm person. Nothing really unnerved her or made her uncomfortable. But this place or more so the people who lived in the penthouse gave off a dark aura, there was something shady about the place despite its appealing and modern aesthetic.

When she got to the pointlessly huge penthouse, she turned the door knob and realised she hadn’t knocked before entering – the last time she was here Baba was with her and obviously he didn’t need to knock, he lived there after all.

Rose shrugged, it’d be weird to knock once she’d already turned the doorknob.

So she entered.

Mr. Ichinomiya was sat in the same chair as last time, Mr. Oh was as well, there was another man puffing away on a cigarette by the large bay window that she hadn’t met before – and from a distance she was sure she didn’t want to.

But no Ryosuke.

Rose cursed him under her breath. He said he’d be here when she arrived and would let her know if he was going to be late, now she had to talk to these idiots.

“Why do you have a key to my penthouse?”

A voice said distracting her.

She looked towards said voice and Mr Ichinomiya was glaring what could only be called a ‘death stare’ at Rose so she assumed it was him that asked – or better yet demanded.

Not that it phased her, she took a step forward, not shutting the door behind her as if it was some sort of childish stand against Mr. Ichinomiya.

She took his challenge head on, she could see from his stare and her previous encounter with him that he didn’t take kindly to anyone, especially a woman challenging his dominance.

She would love see him interact with Miho, she’d put him in his place.

Rose was ready to make a snide remark but she was interrupted before her lips even parted to speak.

“I gave her one,” Rose’s head snapped towards the man who was quick to defend her. “She might be useful to have around.”

Mr. Oh smirked but didn’t look at Rose.

She wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, these men were so cryptic. Although, they had to be if they wanted to be successful in their underground shenanigans. But she had to admit, it was kinda like his fatherly approval and she appreciated that.

Or so she thought.

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder – due to the tense atmosphere she may have over-reacted by grabbing onto the hand and forearm and proceeding to flip whoever dared touch her over her shoulder like he weighed nothing more than a feather despite the assailant probably being twice Rose’s weight.

A thud and a yelp followed by a:

“Ow! It’s me, pretty lady!”

Made Rose finally look at the face of the groaning man under her, Rose immediately released the arm she still had twisted in her grasp that belonged to Baba.

Mr. Oh didn’t need to say anything. He’d obviously proved whatever point he was trying to make.

“Damn, you had that comin’ t’ya though ya perv. Don’t be touchin’ kids so freely.”

Said a voice she didn’t recognise, so she assumed it belonged to the smoking chimney in the corner.

Handing a whining Baba his hat that had fallen off in the commotion as he stood up, she whispered an almost unapologetic ‘sorry’. That was suddenly drowned out by an almighty cackle, one that sounded so sadistically evil it made her hackles go up.

“That was the best thing I have ever seen hahahaha.”

Her head turned to the voice she unfortunately remembered.

The strawberry blonde haired artist was hunched over, his arms wrapped around his middle as if he had just had the air knocked out of him.

Which Rose really wished he had. And she’d be more than happy to be the one to do it.

“Personally, I think it was funnier when she knocked you on your ass.”

Mr. Oh added, not looking up from what looked like his phone. And his comment immediately silenced Kisaki’s laughing fit.

“I was caught off guard.” Kisaki tried to casually to shrug off the comment.

Rose cracked her knuckles drawing all of the attention towards her.

“I’m ready for round two if you are?”

She said, her voice as serious as she looked – much like Mr. Ichinomiya prior to this little scene.

Boy, she would give anything to knock Ota Kisaki around a bit, although she was a little worried he’d end up enjoying it.

The artist didn’t respond but there was a slight sense of fear that spread across his face like wildfire. And Rose enjoyed it far more than she probably should have.

“While that would be entertaining, it does not explain why you are here, again.”

Mr. Ichinomiya stated and not asked.

“Inui.”

Mr. Oh, Baba and Kisaki all said in unison.

“What they said.” She confirmed whilst walking towards an empty seat far enough away from them, so she could see them all and have no more surprise attacks.

“Kids got bigger balls than the Kisaki brat.” Said the chimney.

“Kisaki has balls? I didn’t think he’d gone through puberty yet.”

Rose shrugged as she fell into the chair behind her.

Everyone else in the room let out a little chuckle except for the brooding young Artist and probably Ichinomiya but Rose didn’t care enough to look at him.

“Damn, I like this kid. What’s ya name?”

Rose eyed the man, there was something oddly sexy about him. His scruffy appearance and his accent to the way his cigarette bobbed in his mouth as he spoke. Although, the mere fact he was hanging with these assholes meant he probably had a shit personality which immediately made his appearance less attractive.

“Rose.”

She replied simply, crossing one leg over the other and resting her bag next to the chair. She held his gaze, he didn’t seem as threatening as the other men in the room – he looked too lazy for that. But Rose wouldn’t take a chance to let her guard down.

“This pretty flower has a boyfriend Mamo.”

Baba chimed from his seat next to Ota already completely recovered from the damage Rose inflicted on him. He sent a wink over at Rose and then beamed an all-knowing smile at this ‘Mamo’.

“I was just bein’ polite. She’s a damn kid, I ain’t no perv like you Lupin.”

Lupin?

Rose had only heard of the ‘Modern Day Lupin’ because of all the stuff on the news. Surely the Chimney calling him that was just an inside joke that hopefully Rose won’t stick around long enough to become a part of.

Or she’ll find out that Mr. Ichinomiya was involved in some black market auctions hosted by the mad hatter.

Yeah right, this isn’t an Otome game.

“He’d make a better puppy than a boyfriend.”

Kisaki said bitterly from his seat next to Baba.

“Jealousy isn’t cute, Ota.”

Baba patted the younger man on the shoulder but that did little to appease Kisaki’s pout.

“He isn’t cute in general.” Rose said.

It was odd. Despite the fact her hackles were up, this was almost comfortable the back and forth she had with these men. Like she’d been here before in a past life.

A shiver went up her spine, now that was a harrowing thought.

“If this woman is going to disrupt us every time she comes around, she and your lap dog aren’t allowed to step foot in my hotel again.” Mr. Ichinomiya said to Mr. Oh, swiping left on the tablet in his lap without looking at the man he was addressing.

“Fine by me.”

Rose replied for Mr. Oh, of course she’d be happy to avoid King Asshole and his entourage and she’d be even happier if Ryosuke had nothing to do with them as well.

“That goes for your parents too.” He added.

“I’m sure they give a shit.”

Rose rolled her eyes.

After the event that was held here for their debut into the fashion industry, they never came back – she remembered her Mother saying that Ichinomiya’s lilac shirt went out of style two years ago and he needed to invest in a hair brush.

Rose smirked as she lost herself to that memory. At least she knew where she got her smart mouth from.

“Better watch ya mouth, kid. Do you know who ya talkin’ to?” ‘Mamo’ asked.

“Eisuke Ichinomiya, the head of one of Japan’s top corporations – The Ichinomiya group. Owner of Tres Spades. A King amongst men.” Rose exaggerated yet her tone was completely flat and dry.

“At least she knows a King when she sees one.” Said the smug hotel owner clearly ignoring Rose’s sarcasm or not being able to differentiate between her normal tone and her sarcastic tone because he was a robot.

“Thank you for allowing me to be in your presence, King Asshole.”

Rose half bowed in her seat as she heard a few little sniggers around the room. Ever Mr. Oh had a little grin on his face for half a second before he was back to that stone-face he was famous amongst his peers for.

“Can we keep her around all the time? This might be the most fun I’ve had in this place.” Chuckled out Mamo.

“You’re usually asleep, you miss out on all our fun little escapades!”

Well, at least Rose now knew that Baba was eccentric and dramatic with everyone he knew, not just women. Although women seemed to enjoy his theatrics a lot more. Rose remembered how Miho and Jazz had said that he was very popular amongst the female clients at MJS.

“I gotta conserve energy.” ‘Mamo’ shrugged.

“You don’t do anything to need to conserve energy, slacker.”

Mr. Oh said a little bitterly, his eyes still on the device in his hand.

“Ain’t none of ya business what I do with my energy, evil eyes.”

Rose looked between the men, there was some sort of tension. She wasn’t sure if it was sexual or not but the tension was slightly on the sinister side.

His appearance agreed with Mr. Oh’s statement about him ‘not doing anything’. It made her wonder what his connection was with these men, he didn’t look like he had heaps of money or an illegal job or a wealthy family.

But then again, neither did Rose.

“Now, now, Mamo, Sor. There is lady present!” Baba tried to sooth the tension.

“Where’s Ryo?” Rose interrupted, completely ignoring Baba’s comment.

“Running late.” Mr. Oh said.

Rose sighed, of course he was.

While she adored her boyfriend, he wasn’t good at time management as well as his bad sense of direction. She twisted the watch on her wrist and looked down at the face. The art exhibit closed in two hours.

It’d take fifteen minutes to walk there, at least an hour to look around, then an exclusive Q&A with the artist before the gallery shut.

She couldn’t miss this. The artist was one of her references for her current project. And she’d already avoided doing it for far too long.

She got out her phone and wrote out a simple text:

‘I’ve gone to the art exhibit. Let me know when you’re done with work and we’ll meet up for dinner or something. Be safe.’

She stared at the text for a moment before deleting it and putting the device back in her bag. While it would be the courteous thing to do, she knew her boyfriend would feel guilty and be distracted and end up putting himself in danger.

She was still trying to work out how to be a good girlfriend in general. But it seemed even more difficult trying to figure out how to be the girlfriend of a mobster.

But she thought she was doing okay so far.

Rose began collecting her things without so much as a word. Not that she had much to collect and she was grateful for that. It meant a quicker escape from this hell hole.

“Where are you going, Princess?” Baba asked as he watched Rose.

“Away from here.” She replied.

“Are you not going to wait for your knight in shining armour?” He pried.

“Aya Takano’s exhibit won’t stay open forever.” She shrugged.

A scoff sounded and everyone turned to the pouting little off-ginger rat sat next to Baba.  

“Aya Takano? Her exhibit is garbage.” Ota huffed.

“Funny, I thought the same thing when I was walking around your exhibit.” Rose shrugged.

‘Mamo’ let out a hearty laugh followed by a coughing fit. And Rose rolled her eyes, serves him right, in the time Rose had been there he’d had two cigarettes– one after the other.

“You don’t need to announce your departure. Just leave.” Mr. Ichinomiya growled.

Rose had several snarky comebacks on her tongue, but she thought ignoring him would piss him off more. So she went with that, even going as far to pretend she hadn’t heard him speak in the first place as she continued to collect herself in order to leave.

She then turned to the stone-faced mobster who hadn’t looked up from his phone the entire time Rose had been there, as if this were his hotel rather than Ichinomiya’s.

“Mr. Oh, I know you’re not a messenger and I hate to ask, but can you tell Ryo to call me when he’s finished with work. I fear if I text him, he’ll take even longer.”

He looked up at her, her posture slightly bowed in front of him. He seemed to contemplate what she said before nodding his head in agreement.

“Thank you.” Rose bowed. “Goodbye Mr. Oh.”

“Bye Baba, Bye Chimney.”

Rose said throwing a wave over her shoulder as she left.

“Chimney? Was she referring t’me?” Mamo asked, stubbing out his cigarette and immediately searching his jacket pocket for another one.

“That girl is irritating, other than her kicking the Auction Sponsors asses, why did you give her a key card to my penthouse?” Mr. Ichinomiya questioned Mr. Oh.

Who luckily didn’t have to answer as his phone went off and he travelled to another room to speak to whomever was on the other end.

“She’s easy on the eye though and she’s not a weak or shy little flower. She’s got thorns.” Baba said, fondly thinking back to the lap dance battle and the underwear she was wearing under her shirt.

It was funny really. Baba seemed to remember that moment better than Rose. Well who could blame him? Two young, attractive girls he’d just met giving him a lapdance. It was like a perverts dream.

Rose remembered what happened after the lap dance.

Kyobashi.

The narrator promises to get round to writing a chapter about that instead of writing ‘But that’s another chapter’ in each chapter.

“I question if she is the daughter of Hiroka-Haute Couture in those rags.” Mr. Ichinomiya stated.

Thankfully Rose wasn’t there anymore, she may have put him on his ass.

“Even in a bin bag I think she’d still make my heart skip a beat.” Baba smirked still thinking about the flashes of skin between the intricately strappy bra.  

“You’re old enough to be her Grandpa.” Ota joked.

“That didn’t seem to bother her when she was grinding half naked in my lap.” Baba muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing~”

Baba was not a man to kiss and tell, well most of the time and especially when Miho and Jazz were involved. He’d end up a castrated man.

“I am surprised you’re so calm about it though, Boss. What if Alice discovers wonderland?”

He looked to Mr. Ichinomiya quickly changing the subject before his scowling artist friend went to enquire about his muttered comment further.

“Soryu will have to deal with the repercussions of that.” He said blankly still staring at the device in his lap as if Rose’s entire existence had no meaning to him – which it didn’t, she was beneath him like everyone else in the world.

“We all know the mobster won’t kill a kid, especially a girl. Y’know his bro code n’all.” Mamo said.

“Mamo’s got a pont.” Baba pondered.

“I could keep her as my pet, she does look like my koro.” Ota grinned.

Everyone looked at the artist before letting out a snort. Bar Mr. Ichinomiya of course, who almost certainly could be a robot.

“Yeah right, brat. I think she’s more likely t’make you her pet.”

Baba nodded at Mamo’s statement.

“She will not be a problem.” Mr. Oh said as he re-entered the conversation, his phone still clutched in his grasp perhaps a little tighter than before.

“And if she is?” Mr. Ichinomiya questioned.

There was a long pause.

Mr. Oh was a man of his word. He would not harm the innocent, especially a woman. And especially a woman that his young right-hand man was infatuated with.

“She won’t.” Mr. Oh said again.

This time with more conviction. He would not allow her to come to any harm and that involved keeping her out of the penthouse antics. One of the reasons he told Inui to give Rose a penthouse key-card was purely so they could keep an eye on her when she was in Tres Spades for her own safety as well as everyone else’s.

While she was quite subdued and laid back, there was a fire in her that could erupt if someone so much as looked at her the wrong way. She wasn’t quite a haywire but she wasn’t entirely predictable. And that could draw negative attention towards the hotel and its secrets.

And if that happened, Mr Ichinomiya would hold her accountable and send her to a watery grave. And Mr. Oh wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop that from happening.

That conversation ended.

Mr. Ichinomiya clearly putting his trust in the mobster that Rose wouldn’t cause any problems.

“The shipment has arrived in the basement. I’ll go and check inventory.”

Mr. Oh said a while after.

After his departure, Mr Ichinomiya went to his office without saying a word.

Ota and Baba were talking casually on the sofa they were sat on. Well, I say talking casually - Baba was eccentrically talking about something and Ota was rolling his eyes and groaning at him and frequently telling him to ‘shut up’. And Mamo was slumped in the chair he was sat in with his eyes closed.

It wasn’t long until that quiet was disrupted.

The doors flew open and a panting Inui was stood slumped over in the doorway.

“A…hah…Akane? I’m…I’m sorry I’m late.”

His head was bowed in front of him as he was trying to catch his breath so he couldn’t see who was in the penthouse.

“Sorry puppy, but your master left.”

A bitter Kisaki said somewhat bitterly although trying his best not to be.

Inui’s head bolted up and he looked around the room as if to confirm what the artist had told him. He then looked to Baba – who gave him a little nod of his head.

His whole body visibly slumped.

“Ain’t got no-one t’blame but yaself puppy. The kid waited and put up with these shit-twits for ten minutes. Lasted longer than most.” Mamo said, searching his pockets for his cigarettes.

Inui’s eyes widened.

He felt guilty, incredibly guilty. He asked for her to meet him here and she had to endure these tyrants of teasing because he’d spent far too long arguing with Samejima about whether it was quicker to go through downtown back to Tres Spades.

“But I promised I’d take her.”

He said to himself, his body managing to succumb to the guilt and slump even further.

“Couldn’t ya still get there in time if ya ran?” Mamo asked, a stream of smoke following out past his lips.

“I don’t know where the exhibit is.” Inui sighed.

“Ota probably does, don’t you Ota?” Baba said reassuringly as he turned to the young man next to him.

He still look grumpy mind, until a little glint sparked in his eyes and he smiled his signature angelic smile towards Inui.

“I do,” He said, leaning forward in his seat a little. “But I’m not sure if I should tell you.”

“What? Why not?” Inui pried.

Naïve as always to the plots to tease the poor boy and his innocence, Inui was confused at best.

“Well,” Kisaki started, returning to his previous lounging position now he had Inui’s attention. “You know what the exhibit it about right?”

He asked, although he knew full well that Inui would have no idea.

“Um, no.” A dejected Inui replied.

Kisaki had to bite back his sadistic smile, but thankfully for him he had trained himself to do it and to do it well. He sent a side glance to Baba, who looked at him with as much interest as Inui.

Although, he was aware that the young artist was up to something mischievous and the childish side of him wanted in too.

“I’ll give you a little insight into Aya Takano. She’s became a single mother at the young age of 22. The father of her child left her when he found out she was pregnant. The exhibit is about her struggles as a single mother.”

“That’s awful, that poor woman.”

Inui stepped into the penthouse his face contorting from disgust at Aya Takano’s ex-lover to confusion to what that had to do with why he shouldn’t tell him where the exhibit is.

“Don’t worry too much about her, her exhibit is doing extremely well. She is earning good money and she is now married and her husband has legally adopted her child.”

Kisaki said, waving off Inui’s concerns.

“What you should be focused on, is why your little girlfriend chose to go to see her exhibit.”

Inui cocked his head and stared at Kisaki like a confused puppy. Which he was.

“What? Isn’t it because she likes her art?” he replied.

Kisaki sat there an almost smirk on his face, spelling out this little lie was going to be so much fun for the sadist.

“Perhaps she does, but you need to read between the lines,” He paused. “Oh wait, puppies can’t read. I guess I’ll have to explain.”

The room was silent, each man waiting with anticipation for Kisaki to elaborate.

Meanwhile, Rose had just managed to finish looking round the exhibit and slide in to the room where the Q&A was being held.

She loitered at the back of the room, the seats were all filled bar the odd couple but trying to get to them was more effort than Rose wanted to deal with at this current moment in time.

She’d glanced at her phone a couple of times while she was there, each time a little disheartened when she didn’t see a missed call or text from her boyfriend.

She’d managed to avoid going to the darkest corner of her mind and assuming something bad had happened to him – although it was hard to stay clear of given his choice in career.

Thankfully Aya Takano’s art exhibit was more interesting than Rose could have hoped for.

The way she portrayed the pain of losing the man she loved and gaining a child whom she had to be strong for was incredibly beautiful. Each intricately designed piece made a mixture of emotions creep up into Rose she didn’t know she could feel.

She leant against the wall as a man addressed the audience.

“Welcome everyone, thank you for attending. We would ask that you are respectful with your questions and refrain for asking anything that isn’t related to the pieces of art that are displayed in this exhibit, Thank you.”

A moment later Aya Takano took her place at the podium.

She introduced herself, a warm smile on her face. Happy to see that her art had touched many people. Whether it be through similar struggles or appreciation for the messages she was trying to convey in them.

After some standard questions a microphone was passed down the row of chairs to a man Rose recognised even from the back of his head.

“Does your daughter understand the meaning behind your work?”

Rose frowned as she waited for Aya Takano to answer.

“She does, she’s a very bright little girl.” She smiled fondly.

“And she knows that her Father abandoned her before she was born?”

There was silence.

Aya Takano looked physically uncomfortable and she wasn’t quite sure on how to respond. While she would have to address these kind of questions given the symbolism and titles of her work and the openness about being a single mother, that didn’t give anyone the right to put her on the spot like that.

She waved to the woman closest to her who had another microphone, who quickly tottered over to Rose while glancing at the woman in the spotlight with a concerned look.

“She didn’t abandon her. Aya played both roles herself.”

Rose said, aware of how powerful her voice sounded through the speakers.

The man who asked such a heartless questioned looked around the room searching for the voice he obviously recognised.

She stared right at him, her expression telling him exactly unpleased she was with such a disrespectful question even if it was for his job.

Minato’s eyes widened slightly before he turned back to the stage where Aya Takano continued on from what Rose had to say.

“The young lady is right. I struggled more than she did with the fact her Father did abandon her, for her it was normal to just have me. She didn’t need a male figure to represent her Father because I did both,” She regained composure. “And if there are any more questions about this matter I will end the Q&A here.”

She stood taller, her face no longer smiling.

And Rose, while being a complete stranger to her felt proud.

After that, the questions were about her upcoming ventures and the rumour of her painting a royal portrait for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – which she neither denied nor confirmed.

When it came to an end, Rose slipped out as the scuffle of feet and chairs drowned out behind her.

“Rose, wait!”

Came a voice from behind her as she pulled the door to leave the building.

She stopped although she wasn’t entirely sure why. Except for wanting to karate chop him in the throat for asking such a tasteless question.

Rose turned to look over her shoulder, glaring from the corner of her eye when he managed to manoeuvre through a small group of people towards her.

“Can I help you, asshole?”

Rose responded although she walked through the door she opened. If she was going to hit him it wasn’t going to be in a place that had cameras – a nice little tip Miho gave her.

“I know asking that question made me look like a complete asshole. But I don’t even write the art column. You think I have any idea about art? This is Yuasa’s article, he’s sick at the moment so I had to fill in for him before we send the copy to press tomorrow. Look,” Minato showed Rose a piece of paper that had a list of questions on it and sure enough that question was written there. “See?”

Rose sighed.

“Fine, but you could have skipped that one. It was unfair.”

Minato rubbed the back of his neck – a sign Rose had realised meant that he realised he was in the wrong but didn’t want to apologise because he was Minato.

Rose checked her phone, still no call or text.

This only made her even grumpier.

“Hey, I know you’re probably pissed at me but it says here I need to interview a patron of the exhibit and ask their opinion. Can I get yours?”

He points at the paper and shoved it under Rose’s nose as she stared angrily at her phone.

She glowered up at him.

“There’s a bar round the corner. I’ll take you there, buy you a drink while you answer a few questions, deal?”

While Rose wanted nothing more than to go home right now, she also knew Minato was in a bind. He didn’t have long to write up an article before they sent it to print.

“Make it two and you’ve got a deal.”

Minato gave her his signature wolfish grin, one that once made her body little in goosebumps but now it made her miss her puppies smile.

“It’s him!” Inui exclaimed only to have his mouth covered by two sets of hands.

“If you bark like that you’ll give our cover away!” Kisaki hissed into Inui’s ear.

“Who is he?” Baba asked, casually walking out from their cover position when he was sure Rose and the man accompanying her weren’t aware of their presence.

“I don’t know his name, I’ve just seen him leave Akane’s place before and at some party.”

Ota walked up to Baba.

“This is too easy.” He whispered with an inane grin on his face.

“You realise she will slaughter you. And me too for that matter.” He replied but also shared the same grin as his friend.

“You agreed to come along old man,” He turned to Inui who was still stood behind the side of the building in cover. “Don’t you want to follow them?”

Inui bit his lip as he slowly stood up from his crouched position.

He trusted Akane, whole heartedly but ‘What If’ Ota was right?

Carefully they kept a safe distance and followed along.

After opening the door for Rose, Minato lead the way towards a little booth in the corner.

“I’ll get the drinks, you sit here. Whiskey right?”

“Na, just a lemonade please.”

While she had agreed only to answer his questions over a couple of drinks she wasn’t really feeling alcohol right now. She was still worried about Ryosuke. He’d still not contacted her and that made her hesitant to contact him. She needed her wits about her if she needed to rush off and save him.

Without any questions, Minato went to get their drinks.

And a few moments he was back.

He sat opposite Rose and got out his phone and opened the recorder app and set it on the table between them.

“I think this is the first time I’ve seen you work.”

Rose said.

“Prepare to be amazed.” He said smugly.

And Rose couldn’t help but chuckle. He was still an arrogant ass, although she never expected him to change. It was almost like he couldn’t help it.

He asked her some basic questions – nothing to be wowed by but then again he didn’t write them. Rose gave short answers, after all the questions didn’t really require anything lengthy.

“Is that it?” She asked when he pressed the record button again to stop the recording.

“Yep, told you it was only a few.” He said taking a sip from his beer.

“So you could have done this outside the exhibit?”

She arched an eyebrow.

“I guess.” He shrugged. “Also wanted to know how you were doing. Haven’t seen you since the Seasonelle party.”

So that was the real reason he asked her to come here.

“I’m fine,” she replied. “what about you?”

There was almost a coy smile before he spoke.

“I’m good, I met someone. Well, she kind of moved into my place as my step-sister and annoyed the shit out of me, then she started working at seasonelle and I couldn’t get rid of her we were basically dating anyway, so we just made it official.” He chuckled.  

Rose smiled.

The look on his face as he traced the rim of his beer glass was adorable even if his words weren’t complimentary of his new partner, there was a fondness in his voice. It was a side to him she hadn’t seen before.

“And she actually wants to date an asshole like you? That girl needs her head examined.”

Rose smirked as he looked up at her.

“Probably,” He smirked back. “She gives me a run for my money. Actually, I think you’d really like her. She’s a smartmouth pommy just like you.”

He grinned and Rose gripped her lemonade tighter at the mere mention of the petname he used to call her.

It wasn’t that it upset her, it was more that it was kind of inappropriate since he had a new ‘pommy’. And Rose had a puppy of her own. But at the same time, the way he said it was completely different so she didn’t address it.

“What? You wanna double date or something?”

Rose asked as she sipped her lemonade.

“No way! The thought of you and Mieke joining forces is some scary shit.”

Minato joked.

“Then we are definitely are having a double date. I want to meet this Mieke, she sounds like fun.” Rose smirked over the rim of her glass.

“Not happening.” Minato argued.

“If I have to come to your office and make Shusei convince you, I will.”

Rose said deadpan, spinning the cup in her fingers while staring directly at him.

“Okay, Jeez. Don’t do that, no one at the office knows about us, not yet anyway.”

That sounded about right. There were a lot of rules and regulations about work romances these days. It was never a simple case of lovers meeting at work anymore – no that was too distracting or some bollocks.

“Good, I’ll bring my puppy and you bring yours.”

After that, Rose told Minato to check plans with Mieke and then to send her a day and a time. For someone who once hated social interaction on a major scale, Rose was actually excited.

Hiding in a corner booth over the other side of the restaurant, Inui, Baba and Ota watched Minato and Rose with an interested eye.

“They get along quite well, don’t they?” Baba asked, before a pretty little brunette walked past him and caught his eye distracting him for a moment. “Isn’t he the one that wrote the article about MJS? Is that how they met?”

Inui looked to Baba before he looked back to Rose.

“I guess so, Akane did say they met through work.”

His heart was aching, he wanted to rush over there and drag her away and demand she never see him again.

But, something stopped him.

If Ota was right, he knew that he couldn’t do that. He had no right.

“She looks miserable though, don’t you think?” Ota chirped from his seat next to Inui. “Perhaps he’s listing off reasons that he can’t be around anymore sipping on his beer without a care in the world while she has to stick to soft drinks.”

Inui’s brow creased.

“But how could he do that? He’s not allowed to do that!” He yelled, only to have his mouth covered once more and his head pushed down as patrons of the bar looked towards them.

“Keep your damn voice down, if I have to I will muzzle you.” Ota growled.

“At least the puppy wants to defend his mistress’s honour. Very heroic.” Baba commended.

They kept quiet as they saw Minato and Rose rise from their seats and head towards the exit and carefully watched from the window as Minato lead Rose to a car down the street and drove her away.

A second later Inui’s phone beeped.

‘It’s getting late, so I’m heading home. I was hoping we could get dinner but I guess you’re still working. Feel free to swing by when you’re done. Hope you haven’t lost the FOB for my building. Be safe.’

Inui’s heart hurt and his head was split in two.

But he knew what he had to do.

Rose fiddled with her phone as she lay on her futon.

As soon as she got to her place, Minato practically pushed her out the car after checking his own phone - saying Mieke had ordered Pizza and put on the soccer and waffling on about ‘she was the woman of his dreams’.

She was happy for him somewhere inside herself.

But right now she couldn’t be happy for anyone. The thoughts of all the possible reasons as to why Ryosuke hadn’t responded to her were swimming around her brain to the point she’d forgotten she hadn’t eaten since the evening before.

Her stomach looked bloated from the lack of fibre and she pulled up her vest top and prodded and poked at her protruding tummy as if to deflate it.

“Are you sure you should be doing that so aggressively?!”

Came a shrill voice making Rose’s heart leap out of her chest and bolt up into defensive mode.

“Shit a brick and fuck me with it. Ryo! Oh my god.”

The adrenaline of the surprise he gave her and the relief of seeing him in front of her were at war with each other as she stood unsure on whether to hug him or slap him.

“What?”

He cocked his head, tentatively taking a step towards her.

“You scared me.”

His eyes widened and he rushed over to her.

“I’m so sorry, that won’t be good for either of you. Please sit down.”

‘Either of us?’

Rose thought watching as Ryosuke carefully escorted her back down onto the futon as if she were made of glass. Then he retreated to Rose’s kitchen to fetch a glass of water.

“What are you doing?”

She asked when he tried to make her take a sip of water and she refused.

“Taking care of you,” He placed his hand on her stomach. “Both of you. If he’s not going to, I plan to.”

Rose slapped his hand off her stomach and sat up better so she could look him in the face.

“Explain.” She demanded.

“I, I know. About you and that editor guy.”

Rose stared at him, completely confused.

“I know why you were so interested in that art exhibit. You wanted courage to raise yours and his baby on your own. But I want you to know, you won’t be on your own! I’ll be here every step of the way.”

He pressed a palm to her cheek and ran his thumb along her cheekbone.

“Um…What?”

“Shhh.” He pulled her into a hug. “It’s okay, Akane. Whatever happens I’ll be right here with you. We’ll have our own little family, even if the baby isn’t mine, I’ll raise it as if it is my own.”

She pushed him away.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What baby?”

He looked at her a little hurt, but placed a hand on her stomach pushing through his own pain knowing she must be hurting more.

“This baby.”

Rose raised an eyebrow.

“Are you calling me fat?”

“What?! No!” He responded.

“Well it sounds like it because I’m not pregnant.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Y-You-You’re not?”

Inui despite being taller and bulkier than Rose seemed to shrink.

“No.”

Ryosuke was a mixture of feelings and Rose watched on in confusion. How on earth could someone so innocent come up with something so complicated?

“What on earth made you think I was pregnant?”

She asked when he remained quiet.

“I um, Well. Mr. Kisaki told me what the art exhibit was about and he said I needed to read between the lines of why someone so young would be interested in something like that and why you didn’t wait for me to see the exhibit. And he, I and Mr. Baba went to the exhibit and saw you arguing with the Editor guy and then you went to a bar but you were only drinking soft drinks and he was all smiley and happy and you were pouty and grumpy.”

Rose’s fist clenched as soon as Kisaki was mentioned and then her teeth began to gnaw together when Baba made an appearance.

“I was so angry. I wanted to go and give him a piece of my mind, but he was the father of the baby and I didn’t think I had any right to intervene.”

Rose sighed.

She wanted to be mad, I mean he listened to those fuck-wits before talking to her but she knew how easily he could be manipulated. Especially by the likes of Kisaki and Baba and especially when all those little ‘signs’ lined up and could make legitimate reasoning.

“I was ‘pouty and grumpy’ because you hadn’t let me know you were okay. I’m guessing Mr. Oh wasn’t in the penthouse when you got there or none of this would have happened.”

Ryosuke looked at Rose and cocked his head before he shook his head no.

Boy, he makes it really hard to be mad at him. But Rose managed to bite back a smile.

“What about the chimney?”

She asked.

“Chimney?” Ryosuke furrowed his brow before he realised who Rose was talking about. “Oh, you mean Mr. Kishi. Yeah he was there.”

“And he didn’t tell you that I left a message with Mr. Oh for you?”

Rose was growing increasingly irritated by the men that resided in the penthouse of Tres Spades, if that was even possible.

“No, all he said was ‘The kid is gonna kill ya’. But I assumed that was because they told your secret.” Inui shook his head, clearly baffled by how they managed to fool him.

“He’s included on my hit list.”

Rose had begun plotting each of their demise in her head. The anger bubbling inside her was only dulled by the cuteness on how Ryosuke responded to the situation.

She looked to Ryosuke when he went silent again.

“Hey, if it makes you feel better, I’m really happy that you were willing to be here for me despite this hypothetical baby not being yours.”

He gave her a shy smile as he glanced up at her.

“Really. When we start our own family, you’re going to make the greatest dad.”

He looked up at her, almost gawking.

“Our family?”

He asked, a whole movie playing behind his eyes.

“Mm,” Rose smiled fondly at him as he stared past her and into the future. “they’ll have my sass with your innocent face. The world won’t stand a chance with our little one.”

Rose chuckled imagining the cute little demon they’d create.

Ryosuke joined Rose’s chuckle before he wrapped himself around her and pushed her down onto the futon with a bit of force.  Their first practise of many baby making sessions with protection of course. While they both very much wanted a family one day now was definitely not the time.

“Hey, sorry to call you so late, Jazz” Rose paused to check Ryosuke was still in the shower before continuing. “Yeah, I’m good but I have a question. I need some help in plotting dishes of revenge.”

“Ohhh, sounds interesting. Who are we castrating?”

Rose grinned, even if Jazz didn’t want to get involved physically she could provide Rose with some good ideas, after all Jazz’s bestfriend was Miho – she would definitely learnt some things from her over the years.

“Ota Kisaki, Baba and Mamoru Kishi.”

[avalindin]

The Free Bird

Coriolanus fic

Chapter 5: Lupercalia

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Previous Chapters: 1 2 3 4

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*A/N: Trigger warning for some blood at the end

 “Mistress?”

Raina didn’t realize she was holding her breath. The servant girl shook her again as she shook her head.

“Yes, thank you.”

The door closed as she was helped back into her dress. Raina could feel nothing. It wasn’t a bad thing but it was as she felt. Her silk shawl was wrapped around her shoulder. She stopped in the doorway and clutched at her servant’s arm tightly.

“Please don’t say anything,” she begged.

“No. Never mistress.”

She looked down to her hand reddening her servant’s skin. Raina let go, embarrassed at her expressions. She was surprised as the arms of her servant comforted her.

“This is fortuitous, Mistress.”

“I know. Come. We’ll be late.”

Raina straightened herself and hurried through the streets. She decided to take a carriage to the market and disappear so no one would know where she went. She also kept her head down, bashful to the many topless women celebrating Lupercalia. Since her years of serving, she never bothered with the holidays. Now, she prayed that no one would try to come at her with a goat pleat. Not that she would need it.

The cool air eased her as she rode back to the villa only to be led to a second that departed instantly. Her eyes looked out to the horridly blissful colors of the beginning of Spring.

It wasn’t that she hated Spring and what it brought. She was used to the raw and unkindly true cores of the other seasons. She slept for most of the ride and was greeted with a swift jerk of the carriage. Raina eyes opened in time as Caius clamored into the carriage for her.

Raina screamed with joy as she was quicker to lunge forward and launch herself onto Caius. He let out a laugh as he lifted her and carried her from the carriage. He put her down on her feet, ready to take her where she stood if Raina’s servant hadn’t gotten her attention.

“Have you changed yet?”

He groaned under his breath and led her back to their childhood home. Raina was struck with some sadness but soon enough wine would pour to dull anything that wasn’t happiness.

“I am content,” he sighed as he walked with her.

He waited until the perfect moment to pull her aside and hold her against him. Raina’s body molded to his, needing very mush to be closer. Caius slipped his tongue between her lips. She could only copy his actions and hump slowly at his leg. His fingers found her breast and played with her skin until she whined in his grip. Her teeth dug into his lip to further spur him until he pulled her off.

“Well,” he chuckled under his breath, “Perhaps I should go to war more often.”

Raina wanted to be embarrassed but her wanted him more than anything.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m going to look for the surfaces you’ve humped at in my absence and believe me when I say that our deal still stands.”

Raina smiled, excited with herself.

“Caius?”

It turned sour as Raina turned out of his reach and in the direction of the bedrooms.

“You are being hailed by that creature.”

“Caius!”

They turned at Volumnia’s voice close to turning the corner. Raina hurried away.

“Don’t wonder off, Raina!”

She flashed a smile and disappeared around the corner. He watched her, holding the image of her. She had changed since she last saw him and he wondered if she knew. He almost reached to the front of his trousers to fix himself until his mother swatted at his large arm.

“Boy did you not hear me calling for you?”

She followed his eyes and rolled her own.

“Oh… Just go and be done with it. I don’t want you fucking her with your fingers at the table.”

“Thank you for having the feast here mother.”

“Not at all, my son.”

Her expressions changed instantly as she led him back to his childhood room. He gave her the tiniest bit of interest so that she would not hurt Raina. Caius redressed and waited in the dining hall with his drink in hand. He was able to will himself down to remain bearable for the start of the feast.

Raina stopped as her throat felt strange.

“Mistress?”

She cleared her throat and picked up the dress that slid from her fingers.

“I-I am fine.”

“Should I just tell them you are not well?”

“No. I don’t want to ruin the celebration and if they ask, I’ll have t…”

The feeling came back tenfold as the servant reached forward and held an empty bowl to her mistress’ mouth. Raina didn’t get sick all the way but it was enough to smell. She washed out her mouth with some wine and finished dressing without a word.

“I will be fine once I have eaten.”

Raina made her way down to the dining hall as many guests and servants filled the musty atrium. The unwanted smell of flowers were uncomfortably easing to her nose as she stopped and looked to the few people she’d come to know and tolerate since her marriage to Caius. She laughed and voiced her opinions as other joined and waited as the smell of food struck her nose.

Her mouth watered dangerously as she turned her head to the set celebration for them.

“Shall we?”

She turned at Caius’ voice. He was dressed in a fresh tunic as there were a few more scars and blemishes added to his skin.

“We shall.”

He took her hand and led her toward the magnificent spread before them. Caius sat between Volumnia and Raina, mostly for the benefit to not ruin the celebration. Things were smooth and content as the midday turned to evening. His belly was filled with food and his cup never emptied of wine. He was caught off guard as Raina spit out a bit of chicken that he found delightful. She brushed off the disgusting taste and continued as if nothing happened.

“So, Master Martius, the Gods surely shine upon you in battle. That is a bit of flesh missing from your arm, is it not?”

“Indeed but it is only a flesh wound. A bit of hot iron and fresh bandages kept me going. To Rome!”

“To Rome!!”

The table lifted their goblets to Caius, leaving Raina filled with pride in her husband. She took his hand and kissed his skin. Her eyes drifted to his other arm, darkened but healing. Yes, she was proud indeed. Her hand squeezed his. Her mind twisted for a quick moment, wanting to show her gratitude underneath the table as all else was distracted with merriment and wine. Something, perhaps a sign from the Gods, told her to stop as her eyes drifted up to meet Volumnia’s.

She stopped in time and let her hand return to her side. Caius took a pause of his wine to fill with more bread. He guessed about another hour of food and wine before he slipped away with his wife to retire for the night. Gods knew he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back once he had her alone.

“Raina!”

She turned her head up to the matured wife of a Senator.

“This is indeed a time for celebration. The whole meaning of the festival in the city and here it is at our own table. When are you expecting?”

“When I get a moment with her. I promised her a family,” cheered Caius.

Her face blushed, surely that he meant it as a hope.

“No, I meant…”

Silence stung her ears as voices in the room vanished with the sound of goblets and cutlery were heard. Eyes had stuck her as she tried to open her mouth.

“I-I only just found out.”

“Please excuse me. I didn’t mean to spoil it. My mother and sisters were midwives.”

The clutch at her hand turned her to Caius as a shocked expression filled his face.

“You’re…”

“Impossible!”

Volumnia cackled and overexaggerated herself as the eyes turned to her.

“No, mother. It is not.”

“Please, you were gone for five months. She barely showing! I told you. She’s just like Virgilia…”

“Stop it.”

“I’m sure it was with a servant too. I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Caius slammed his fist down in fury to the table, making dishes jump from the surface. The dead could have filled the silence as Volumnia was the only one to remain unmoved by Caius.

“I said enough. I returned once for weaponry and stayed the night with my wife before departing. Why much you be like this?”

Raina kept her eyes on the full goblet ahead of her. Caius was about to deal with his mother. She wanted why her mouth opened.

“Perhaps she finally failed at holding her drink. I’m sure if you pierce her skin, a century’s worth of fermented wine would burst from the seams along with the essence of Pluto.”

There was a few stifled laughs around the table. The servants didn’t dare take a breath.

“My son could have had his pick and he chose the low of the low. Again.”

“Mad that your father, Cerberus, couldn’t join us?”

“I know what I bleed will be pure. Such a day and age that a servant can fuck her master and be allowed to marry him.”

“Mother! Ra…”

Caius turned for his wife only to see her chair pushed out and her not in it. The table turned to Raina as she jerked Volumnia’s head back by her hair and dosed her face in red wine. Raina let go and left the scene behind her as she hurled her metal goblet into the nearest wall. Too much was happening so fast as Volumnia was next to leave, then a wave of guests and finally him. Caius hurried to get to Raina before his shrieking mother did.

Raina walked off in tears as she tried to control the air in her lungs.

She looked over her shoulder to Volumnia charging like a wild animal. Her aged hair tangled into Raina’s and pulled her back with a wrath to match Mars. Raina couldn’t see it as she took ahold of Volumnia’s wrist and twisted her arm behind her back. With a mighty equal shove, both women pushed each other away and glared to one other.

“You whore!”

“I’m going to send you back to Hell, you old hag!”

Caius dove for them, pulling Raina away as she was more difficult to remove in her anger. Caius lifted her over his shoulder, moving quickly from the guests and carefully from Raina’s thrashing. He turned to clear room and placed Raina on her feet.

“Let me go!”

“Raina! Stop this now!”

Raina was frozen in place but her veins pumped wildly in rage.

“Why?! Can’t you be on my side for once?”

“I am on your side!”

“Then why do you have to defend her?”

“Because she is my mother.”

“Horseshit!”

“Lower you tone!”

“You fucking make me!”

Caius reached out for her. Raina reached back for the first thing her hand could find and swung it at him. He wasn’t ready for the clay pot that smashed into pieces against his head. Raina didn’t flinch as Caius regained himself and lunged for her. His fingers wrapped around her neck and held her to the edge of the table.

He fury rose in bumps across his skin.

“You are going to stop this now,” he hissed.

“No!”

Raina raked her nails in a strong swipe across Caius’ cheek, scratching painfully at him. He cried out, returning to Raina.

“Perhaps you need some encouragement,” he chuckled.

His free hand pulled her stola to her waist and shot between her legs. Raina’s expression changed quickly as she tried to stop Caius’ hand but it was no use. His fingers pressed firmly to her clit, which was sensitive on a daily habit. Her fury dissolved but her arms tried to push him away. The hand at her neck moved to her jaw as her mouth open with a moan. Caius thrusted his tongue between her lips and claimed her as his hunger swallowed her moans.

She was able to bite his lip, failing to make him stop as his own teeth sank into her neck. His finger moved from her clit to her core, thrilling him as his fingers slipped into her.

“I wonder how long it will take my free bird to calm once I have her tied down.”

He shifted between her legs, filling her to sweet perfection. Her free mouth open and echoed what she found was the study. The desk belonging to Caius father dug into her back with each of his son’s thrusts. Caius kept Raina in place with his cock as her core began to drive him mad. He could never have imagined such a change in an expectant wife but he could remember comforting a widow to one of his fellow fallen brethren.

Raina was and needing as she held onto the creaking wood and planted herself down the best she could. Caius jerked her dress down from her chest and lavished at her breasts. Raina moaned louder, feeling her body starving for more force. The roughness of his body and the profoundness of her own were enough make scream. Her hand shot to the back of Caius’ head. Her nails dug into his head, cradling him as his lips suckled hungrily from breast to breast.

He forced himself away and held her down by her neck. His hips slammed into her, not wanting to slow down for her benefit. Her walls came once, twice, paining his cock deliciously. Caius turned her jaw up so she could see him. When she refused to meet his eye, he slapped her for her attention. His brow pressed to hers as her moaning, gasping breath nearly filled his lungs.

“I told you never to accept her word but know one thing. If you are a whore, you will be my whore.”

Raina could feel Caius slow and remembered from the hunch in his body. She shifted her hips and felt him slip out of her as his seed shot to the desk. Caius groaned, clutching his cock as Raina watched. She kept herself upright as she gasped for breath. Her screaming emotions flooded and mixed with her bliss. Waves of changing emotion washed over her instantly as she looked down to the dripping seed on the outside of her dress.

Caius pushed himself up from the table as he pushed his toga down. He was alerted as Raina turned from the room and was stopped. Raina opened the door to the guests and servants all with their ears pressed to the door. Tears fell in river from her eyes as she pushed her way through. She needed to be free of the laughter and torment she knew was in her own head. Caius tried to follow close behind her as he trailed the angry footsteps and the sound of tearing fabric.

“Raina?”

She turned faster than she expected as she thrusted the bit of torn fabric with his seed into his face. Caius backed away, wiping his face in disgust as he reached for her again and as before she was faster. He stopped to see the hurt in his wife’s face and her knife pressed firmly to his throat.

“What is the purpose of being your wife is you won’t stand by my side?!”

Her voice cracked as Caius tried to remain calm.

“Please.”

“No or else she would not have said the things she said. I am beneath no one! Not even you! You are not Mars and you never will be! You are a bastard and a coward. Your mother was write about one thing; if you wanted a whore, you should have stayed with Virgilia.”

Raina turned and ran once she was out of sight. Caius felt some shame in his treatment towards her. She ran until she was outside well past the stables and the pens of the property. Her sandals stuck in the mud with the bottom of her dress. She gave up and… it felt like the right thing to do. Her emotions poured from her in screams, jerking the attention of the men waking from their slumber. They quickly mounted their horses and waited until she moved closer to the trees.

Caius marched from the house and knew his anger could help him catch up to Raina before she made the trees. He watched her stopped for air as she tucked her knife away into her dress pocket. At least with no weaponry in the mix, he could get her home and properly talk with her. Raina looked up to Caius break into a run again. He saw her shake her head with tears in her eyes. She saw his face turn from worry to alert.

She could not hear Caius screaming her name over the horses that charged towards her. A group of three men on horses charged from the tree line as the first started to pull her up by her long hair. The other two horsemen drew bows and arrow to stop Caius. Raina turned and sunk her teeth deep into the man’s arm as she tasted his blood. He screamed in pain as he almost let go. He close his other hand into a fist and knocked her out.

“No!”

An arrow pierced the edge of his skin, barely stopping him. The captors pull an unconscious Raina up and rode off at the sight of guards riding from the estates. They disappeared into the forest, east directly towards the city as Caius sprinted after them. When his horse was pulled alongside of him, he mounted and rode the roads towards the lit city. Caius looked to every road, every alley, every face as they neared the city.

He fought his tears to make sure he didn’t miss a clue to finding Raina. If they made it through the city with her, there was a chance she would not be seen again. He tried to ride as far into the city as he could go. Caius left the horse where he dismounted and was almost run over by a hay cart leaving the city behind him. His eyes darted in each direction to the light colors of the festivities.

He stopped and looked to fresh blooded bandage at a random man’s arm. Curious that the red quickly formed two crescents as he and another young man next to him tried to keep it hidden. Caius’ reddened face separated the crowd as he reached for the men in no time. He flung the injured man into the nearest wall only to injure him further.

With a yank, Caius ripped off the bandage to see the sure bitten flesh Raina caused by her teeth. His second hand showed a single blooded knuckle. In his attempt to save Raina, he had forgotten that the force of the blow forced a small bleeding cut to the beautiful skin on her face.

“Where is she?”

“Please sir…”

His eyes filled with blood. The blood from his arm, the blood from her cheek and the blood from the man’s arm. He stepped back and saw the white togas covering the men which did make them easy to blend in with the crowd. Another step back and he saw the bits of straw snagged on the hems of their togas.

“Take them both! They’re taking her out of the city!”

Caius turned away from the sure enough begging slavers as he battle a streets worth of crowding bodies to reach his horse. He hurried to the edge of town where men ahead of him were checking carriages leaving the city. He rode past them all into the dark night until he ended at a fork in the rode where the carriage was stopped.

His soldiers had pulled an old man from the cart that tried to plead with Caius.

“Sir, plea…”

Caius drew his dagger and stabbed the man in his leg as his shriek filled the night sky. Travelers moved along with caution. He pulled his dagger out and pointed toward the cart.

“Tear it apart now!”

“Sir?”

Three handfuls of loose hay was all it took as Caius rounded the cart and looked to the drying mud and smears of blood and Raina’s knife that was left behind. He sheathed his dagger and flipped hers between his fingers.

“I want men in each direction. Find her now!”

Rows of mounted men rode in either way. Caius pulled the old man to his feet and held him up by his throat. The small man’s feet touched the ground by his toes. Caius wanted more than anything to squeeze the life from him but found his hidden bloodlust begin to surface. The slaver’s act had long since dropped as he sneered to Caius.

“Tell me where she is and I will kill you quickly.”

“We don’t know she was yours. Weaker girls travel easy.”

“Oh, she was not weak. You took the wife of Coriolanus, the wife of a War God, my wife and you are going to pay.”

The man’s face filled with horror and a single drop of defiance.

“Then her worth will make someone rich.”

He snatched the blade from Caius’ hand and slit his own throat from side to side. Caius hurled him into the ground and was unsure of what to do. North and south, slavers were across the country side to buy and sell slaves to the city but Raina would be moved further away.

Caius left the man behind and climbed his horse.

“Send a guard back to the estates and spread word that anyone who pays the wife of Coriolanus will be slain where they stand!”

Caius picked a road and rode off into the night, not caring if his warning was loud enough for his men and departing travelers to hear.

@808-anon @angelus80 @angryschnauser @atinyfangirl @audasia25 @cerys1212 @clairelovexo @damageditem @echantedbytwh @eve1978 @hallotom @itsjustelen @jennphoenix @justahopeless-dreamer @lokilockedcougar @lovehiddles4everme @marvelousmissfit @mazda098 @missdibley @mrshiddelston @mypreciousmind1 @nicole-stewart-loves-cookies @osb1anon @ourladybinxthings @peskipixi @prplprincez @quoting-shakespeare-to-ducks  @ririsutty @roamingbadger @sarabeth72 @servent-alerika @sevanya @shamvictoria11 @siyoteodiara @sketchbookthingz @starrynight35 @startingtoenjoylife @the-lady-mischief @tinaferraldo @Tomkubrikston @vdcster @wolfsmom1        

[putaloadintrucks]

From hell to paradise

“You’re no son of mine”

Shayne winced softly. It hadn’t been a good week so far for him. After being fired from his last job farther up state, he had been pulled over in V8 Valley for speeding. Lucky for him, the cop there had given a very different and…pleasurable… way to avoid the ticket. The cop had even given him the address to the station afterwards when he had told him about his job situation. It had been.. nice of him to do so and Shayne had really appreciated that he been thoughtful enough of a stranger to do so (Of course, just the thought of the cop made Shayne’s engine flutter, but that was something else entirely) Afterwards he had rushed to make it home, tired from everything that had happened and just wanting a chance to relax before plunging back into the job markets. Of course, it had even gone further down hill from there, as his mom had not been pleased to see him. Not that she was ever pleased to see him it seemed, but she had been really not happy at all when he had come home. It never ended well for him when she was really pissed.

“But mom” he started to say, earning a hard smack on his hood from the older mustang, an angry glare in her eyes as she growled at the Mustang

“Don’t mom me, you disgusting piece of shit” threatened his mom, the sound of a tire hitting a fender sounded again, a whimper escaping from Shayne as he eyes his caved in Fender. That was gonna suck later to get out, if his mom didn’t kill him right here and now. “You have failed me as a child. Not only getting yourself fired, but I have been hearing certain things from around town. About how a certain fox body has been getting awfully close to the men of this town. You have anything to say, faggot?” she growled, pushing Shayne up against the wall, a whimper escaping from him as his moms blue eyes narrowed at him.

“Mom I swear, I didn’t-“he tried to say, push a rough shove and the sound of a mirror snapping of his body quickly shut him up.

“You are not allowed to speak; I’ve had it up to here with your antics. You are a lazy fucker who can’t seem to hold a job to save your pathetic life, BUT now it seems you are a faggot as well. Do you enjoy sucking their cocks huh? I bet you are selling yourself on the streets at this point” she uttered, earning a whimper from Shayne as he felt his fenders slowly push in on themselves, the force against the wall causing his body to softly creak under the pressure. He wanted it to stop, all of it. His mom had never been this angry before, and now he was generally worried he might die here.

“Mo-om, please, You-u’re hurting me” whined Shayne, tears forming in his eyes as his mom gave another shunt, the dry wall behind him cracking as a result.

“You don’t get to call me that, I want you out of this house” she said angrily, pushing the fox body towards the door with a hard shunt, his grill bending inwards from the impact as he whimpered.

“But But” he whined, the glare being given off from his mom just making him whimper as he slowly rolled backwards to the door

“OUT!” She screamed chucking a lamp at Shayne, the lamp bouncing off his hood with a loud clang as tears flowed from his eyes. He barreled himself through the door as his mother continued to throw things at him, screaming and yelling coming from the home as he barreled down the road. His motor rumbled widely as he drove down the road, tears freely flowing from his eyes at this point as tried to get as far away from his house as possible. His dented and abused body rattling softly as panels loosed in the abuse rattled in the fast wind speeds.

He just wanted to get as far as away as possible.

After a certain period, He pulled to the side off the road, away from the eyes of passing motorists as he whimpered. It just wasn’t fair, it had never been fair to the little car for as long as he could remember. Job from job, boyfriend to boyfriend, nothing had ever managed to stick with him. No matter what he tried, it seemed like giving his all just led to more and more failure. He was tired, oh so very tired of all of it, from the abuse to the failings, and he did not know how much more he could do with it anymore it seemed.

His tires softly unfolded the paper the cop had given him, a crudely written address starring back at him. Maybe a change of scenery was best in order, somewhere with fewer cars to judge him and his attitude. Plus the cop had been cute. His engine rumbled softly at the thought of him, his oil fuel pump pumping as he thought more of him.

Yes, Maybe a Scenery change was exactly in order.

---

“Dodger, tell me the truth, how many this time?”

“Well, I mean Vic, there wasn’t- Okay stop glaring at me, It was like three. They wanted a good time, I gave it to them”

The Inline Fuel stop and Café was busy during this type of day, the season in full gear for tourists as they came all over the country to see the beautiful peaks and trees of the surrounding lands. Trees and flowers where flourishing in the beautiful landscape and many a vehicle where taking pictures or camping along the hiking trails that crisscrossed the land scape. The sky made the valley even more perfect at the time, No a cloud in sight and the rich clear blue of the sky settled the scenery nicely. Over all it was a beautiful day, and many vehicles, from the tiniest beetle to the largest Helicopter where buzzing around, taking full advantage of the gorgeous opportunity.

With the increase of vehicles, came an increased workload for the limited stations around the valley, and two cops from a nearby station where currently on break, after having to deal with a rather large accident earlier.

“God damnit Dodger, How is this station gonna make money if you keep fucking and letting go the speeders” grumbled a larger vehicle, a Suburban to be more precise. The white, blue, and red of his body framed him nicely, with the words Sheriff painted clearly on his hood and sides near his police stripes.

“Hey now Vic, I don’t fuck all of them.. Just a lot of them. ”mused the other cop known as Dodger. His smaller form, that of a Caprice, was decked out in the colors of a deputy, the black and white color scheme softly shining in the sunlight.

“You fuck enough of them that I am getting worried, sometimes I wonder why I hired you” grumbled Vic, nursing a cold can of Grape oil as Dodger cackled.

“Cause you hired my brother, and when you hire one, you get the other” stated Dodger, grinning as his sipped his warm can of Cherry oil, all the while cheekily grinning up at his boss.

“Don’t remind me” Vic mused, mumbling softly about deviant behavior as Dodger blew a Raspberry at him. The sat in silence for a few minutes, nursing their drinks as the traffic coming in and out of the café grew larger, the afternoon crowd coming in for the day.

“Any luck on finding a dispatcher? I know ya have been having issues finding one since the last one quit” asked Dodger, earning a grumble from Vic as he pushed away his drink.

“No , No one’s applied since that thieving bitch left. I swear, it’s like cars are avoiding applying here like the plague or something “growled Vic as he stomped down on his empty can, the metal crushing easily under his weight.

“Maybe our luck will change? I mean the city is thinking of sending a officer up here during the season to help with all the bullshit, maybe will get a dispatcher as well?” mused Dodger as Vic shook his hood.

“Honestly, I doubt we will see that officer. Apparently the head honcho down at their police department is being a prick about it” he said, sighing softly as a waitress removed the can, sliding a new one towards Vic before moving onto other customers.

“Eh you never know, someone could come right now from that road and ask for the dispatcher job” said Dodger, giggling softly as Vic gave a sigh and went to his new drink. Both went back to their drinks, not noticing Shayne slowly pulling into the café, spotting the two cops as he did so. He slowly drove towards them, his mind racing as he pulled up to them. Vic was the first one to notice, eyeing the fresh dents and broken grill, raising an eye ridge in the process.

“You look like shit kid” he muttered as Dodger looked over the Fox Body, his eyes lighting up in recognition as Shayne gave a soft smile towards Dodger.

“ Nice too see ya back, you know when you are not speeding through here like a Plymouth outta hell” stated Dodger, earning a soft giggle from the Mustang as Vic looked at Dodger with a puzzled look.

“Th-hanks, I gu-uess?” Shayne said, stuttering softly as he pulled out the piece of paper. “ Im, uh, here about the j-job you told me about?” he said softly, earning a cackle as Dodger nudged Vic.

“Told ya” he said simply, earning a sigh from Vic as he softly rubbed at his eyes.

“God damnit Dodger” muttered Vic as he looked over the Mustang, Shayne wiggling softly under the much larger Vehicles gaze as he sank himself towards the ground, nervous as all hell as the Suburban looked him over. “You applying to be a dispatcher?” he asked, earning a quick Nod from the Mustang

“ Ye-es Sir!” he stated, giving the Suburban a quick salute with his antenna, earning himself a giggle from Dodger and an eye roll from Vic.

“Fuck, Guess beggars can’t be chooser I suppose. You’re hired kid, head down to the station so we can start the bullshit that is paperwork” grumbled Vic as he crushed the second can flat and drove away from the two, leaving Dodger and Shayne at the café.

“Welcome to hell kid” grinned Dodger, giving Shayne’s grill a lick as the Stang sputtered. “Get yourself patched up, than I can show you the ropes~” he said with a smirk and a wink, Shayne’s hood turning an even deeper red from the blush that was quickly engulfing it. Dodger cackled, reversing away and back onto the road, leaving the Mustang to sit there, a wild blush on his body as the cars around him chuckled at the scene. All the while, He had the biggest and goofiest grin on his bumper. That had been surprisingly easier than he thought and he couldn’t wait till start as soon as possible. An added bonus was that he was gonna be close to the Caprice, which made his fuel plump flutter at the thought.

It was gonna be good here, and he know it deep down in his engine that he was gonna enjoy himself in this beautiful valley.

[someguyranting1]

Why Do So Many People Love SAO? The Art of Mass Appeal

Hey! It’s okay! You are allowed to like Sword Art Online. I feel like I needed to explain that before somebody gets the wrong idea and thinks this is just me saying, “I don’t understand how somebody likes an anime that I don’t like!”

I just want to put this on the record: You’re not a bad person for liking SAO. You don’t have shit taste, and you’re not stupid. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to like this show, and, for this review, we’re going to be exploring what those reasons are because any show that can reach over a million people has to be doing something right.

No, this isn’t going to boil down to an insulting and reductive conclusion, like, “Thirsty weebs need wish fulfillment,” although I do think that is part of it for some people. This is a serious, analytical look at the series. The mechanics of mass appeal have always fascinated me, and SAO’s lacking qualities in other departments make it easier to isolate those mechanics than it would be looking at something like FMA.

You really can’t understate the impact that SAO has had on popular culture. It takes a lot of brand recognition for an American product to get a shot on network television, let alone a Japanese one. Much as critics like to downplay popularity as a measure of quality, success like that doesn’t just come down to random luck.

That said, luck is a major factor. SAO is often lauded for its great premise, but that’s only half the story. The most obvious factor in SAO’s whirlwind success is that it hit on the right premise, at the right time. When SAO came out in 2012, eSports and Free-to-Play games were becoming huge in the public eye. League of Legends had overtaken WoW as the most-played PC game of the year, and WoW’s death grip on the MMO market had loosened enough so that the landscape of online worlds was becoming more expansive and varied than it had ever been before. It was the perfect time to release any story about hardcore gaming, hardcore MMO gaming in particular, and with the Hunger Games phenomenon just starting to “catch fire” thanks to the first movie’s release, the market was hot for death game stories in particular. Add to that the exploding popularity of the then-new Game of Thrones and Walking Dead, and any series with a similar sense of lethality was bound to do well. Just look at how many articles at the time compare Attack on Titan and SAO to those two shows.

On top of that, anime was about to blow up in a big way in the West. Crunchyroll came to my attention in Fall of 2011, when they acquired the rights to Fate/Zero. I was hooked enough on the series from watching it on their ad-supported site to bite the bullet on a subscription just to get one episode ahead, and I don’t think I’m the only one. From 2011 to 2012, Crunchyroll began offering a serious value proposition by doubling their seasonal anime library, and becoming the go-to place for basically everything coming out of Japan by the Summer of 2012. It might not have been Fate/Zero specifically, but between huge series like HunterxHunter and quality niche stuff like Space Brothers and Kids on the Slope, the streaming service finally had enough content to pull in and sustain a hundred thousand subscribers by September of 2012, and two hundred thousand by March of 2013. Crunchyroll had become the service of choice for the then-niche community. SAO hit right in the middle of the surge in anime’s Western popularity, right at the point when Crunchyroll had enough content to be worth a subscription, but before it became totally unreasonable to watch everything on the service.

As one of the biggest fish in a rapidly-expanding pond, SAO both benefited from and helped spur on the service’s growth. Since it was one of the most popular shows on the service, Crunchyroll naturally put it at the forefront of their marketing push, which only increased its brand caché among anime fans and casuals alike. At this point, SAO was huge in Japan, and within the niche of Western anime fandom. It had proved its market viability enough to become a flagship title for the recently revived and redesigned Toonami block on Cartoon Network in Spring of 2013, and it was both relevant and popular enough to be added to Netflix in 2014, right in time to hype up the second season.

Anime had become a massive wave, washing over popular culture. Like 2013’s Attack on Titan, SAO had the good fortune to start riding that wave while it was still small, and go all the way to the top. The two series’ similar tone, and similar lethality, meant that fans of one were likely the fans of the other, and the cross-pollination only helped them both.

However, if good timing and an enticing premise were all it took for a show to embed itself in the popular culture, we’d be staring down Season 3 of The Unlimited Hyoubu Kyousuke right now. As much as it pains me to admit it, SAO does do some things very right when it comes to its execution that primed it for its whirlwind success. One of the biggest factors in this regard is the look of the show. A1 Pictures has faced a lot of criticisms from anime YouTubers and critics in general for the uniform look of its productions, and indeed, it can get pretty tiring to see the same faces, in nearly identical art styles, over and over again. However, that’s not going to be a problem for the casual anime fan, whose only seen a few dozen series. Their shows might look pretty similar, but they all look polished and professional, assuming they’re given enough time in production. They might not look or feel as nice as something from Ufotable, Kyoto Animation, or Bones, but they can get most of the way there in less time with a smaller budget, and that’s impressive. People like things that feel polished and professional.

If you haven’t seen a million shows like it before, SAO looks really clean and cohesive. It looks like what you expect a good anime to look like. The lineart is sharp and crisp, the characters blend with the environments well (at least, when the characters aren’t moving), and you can freeze on almost any frame and use it as a pretty decent wallpaper, which is all that many casual anime fans look for in a show’s visuals.

A1’s visual style is also very versatile. Its characters look cool, but they’re still very expressive. The girls can be moe cute, the heroes can look badass and youthful, and the adults can look old and hardened, and they all exist within the same world. Despite its “same-face syndrome” problem when put next to other A1 anime, SAO’s main cast has impressively diverse and easily recognizable character designs.

On the subject of design, while I do think that SAO would be a crappy game in real life, I will credit it for looking very visually appealing. The environments are super varied and interesting, from the flower dungeon, to the ice peak where they fight the dragon, to the trippy cave system where they find the Gleam Eyes. As VR spectacles go, this world would be a hell of a draw. The show’s visuals can really pop with vibrant colors, without looking too silly, and those can be muted down for more serious scenes without it looking incongruous with the rest of the show. SAO manages to sell moe, horror, action, and even Looney Tunes-esque cartoon comedy at times, and it all feels like roughly part of the same series.

That highlights one of the show’s other big strengths: plot variety. Because of the longtime scale of its storyline and the way that its setting creates a sort of blank slate for adventure, it can dabble in lots of different plot concepts, and even genres. One episode might be a short tragedy about Kirito watching all of his friends die, while the next is a cute story about saving a little girl’s pet and beating up some cackling Team Rocket villains, and that can be followed with a two-parter murder mystery, and after that, why not, let’s go on a side quest for crafting materials that blossoms into a short unrequited love story.

None of these individual stories have to be particularly great, hell, they don’t even have to make much logical sense because each one is so different from the last that it’s kind of fun to watch just for the surprise of finding out what they’re going to do next. Even if you really hate one storyline, you can rest assured that something new is on the horizon within an episode or two, and there’s a good chance that at least one of the many things the show tries will work for you.

Because Kirito’s character arc is about learning to open up to other people, all of those different plots feel like they’re moving the central plot forward, or at least a little, even if they’re really just filler. That results in a show that feels like it’s moving forward at a good pace. Emphasis on “feels” because if you look at the actual storytelling and logical structure of events, it’s an absolute mess. Just look at the final fight between Kirito and Kayaba Akihiko, it just comes out of nowhere on Floor 75 and it doesn’t work at all. However, if you’re just sitting down for entertainment, how a show feels to watch is paramount, and what sense it makes doesn’t matter so much.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying that it’s dumb to enjoy a show on that level. There’s value in sitting down, turning your brain off, and simply being entertained for the sake of relaxation. Analyzing anime can feel like work. For some, it is work. In SAO, it feels like at least one really important thing happens every single episode, and there’s usually a really cool-feeling action scene every two or three episodes to keep the excitement up. As a result, the show has momentum. Once you start watching, it’s very easy to keep watching without getting bored or confused. The show is consumable, like popcorn or other A1 Pictures shows like Gate.

The show suffers, a lot, when it loses this forward momentum, which I think is a big part of why even fans of the series acknowledge that the Fairy Dance arc kinda sucks. Kirito has a clear goal there, with an obvious solution in trying to rescue Asuna, which means that any diversion from that goal, like going off to fight a random guy in PvP, feels like a true waste of time. Furthermore, Kirito’s character is entirely static during that storyline. He doesn’t grow or change at all. Neither does Asuna, nor anyone aside from Suguha, and even then, only kind of. Therefore, even when the story is moving forward, it feels kind of flat.

Gun Gale fixes this problem in a kind of artificial way of giving Kirito sudden onset PTSD to get over, but it does help the story feel more substantial, and fans reacted positively to that. When it does work, even if it doesn’t actually have any idea where it’s going, SAO’s story moves forward with a bold sense of confidence and purpose.

Speaking of boldness, SAO also excels at setting a strong tone for whatever is happening in its story at any given time, particularly early on. Not necessarily the most appropriate tone, but a tone that is powerful and striking nonetheless. The monsters feel scary and intimidating, the comedy feels fun and lighthearted, the romance feels heartwarming and intimate, and deaths feel tragic and poignant. If you’re not invested in the story and characters, a lot of this can feel cloying and emotionally manipulative, but until something happens to take you out of that (like Yui’s death did for me), watching SAO is an emotional rollercoaster.

A big part of that is Tomohiko Ito’s direction. He is really good at placing the camera and cutting in a way that draws out the maximum possible emotion from any given scene. He needs to work with great source material, like Erased or Gin no Saji to really shine, but even working with Reki Kawahara’s leavings, he does a good job. The use of reflections in windows while Kirito listens to Sachi’s last message to him is legitimately incredible filmmaking.

The emotional impact of the series is further enhanced by the work of Yuki Kajiura, Tomohiko Ito’s most favorite composer, who also crafted the amazing soundtrack of Erased, as well as Tsubasa, Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Kara no Kyoukai, and some of the Xenosaga video games. Yuki Kajiura is one the most singularly talented composers working in the anime industry today, and it’s hard to understate just how much of an impact I think she’s had on the perceived quality of SAO. Her compositions for the show give it an air of cinematic quality, but they also feel distinctly, and very appropriately, video game-y. In particular, I’d argue that she is the primary reason that people say SAO has good action scenes. Her compositions make fights that are actually pretty stilted and janky, outside of a few sakuga cuts, feel incredibly bombastic and slick. When SAO’s music kicks up, it gets your pulse pounding, and it’s hard to resist getting caught up in it or even humming along to that memorable hook. Watch these fights without the music, and they kinda suck.

Kajiura’s abilities don’t just improve the action scenes, though. Her work is an integral part of that emotional roller coaster effect, heightening the emotion of each scene and connecting the emotional beats so that the shifts in tone feel less jarring than they might otherwise feel. She makes the scary scenes feel scary, the sad scenes feel much, much sadder, and the romantic scenes feel powerful and moving. That brings us to the big reason that I think people love SAO.

Most of the things I’ve talked about so far aren’t totally unique to SAO, and though they are important factors in getting people interested and keeping them invested in what’s going on, they’re not enough on their own to make people care so much that they’ll tell me to kill myself when I badmouth it. To evoke that kind of emotional response, a show really needs to get its audience to say, “Fuck yeah!”

The thing that makes a lot of people say that, myself included when I first watched SAO, is the fact that Kirito and Asuna get together in Episode 10, after several episodes of buildup where other characters notice they have a thing for each other, and it’s just really cute. That’s just not a thing that happens in anime. Even in shows with a clear OTP relationship, nine times out of ten the romance will be drawn out to its breaking point, and the characters will only hook up right at the end of the story, which isn’t just a lazy way to create an emotional arc, it’s tedious to watch.

The “will they, won’t they” is a story we’ve seen a million times, while the equally interesting story about what happens after, the trials and tribulations of actually dating and being in love, is almost never touched upon. You can justify that in a romance anime where the story is about characters sorting out their feelings and finally getting together (Toradora does that and it’s just about perfect), but even there, after a while you start to crave shows that buck that trend, like Ore Monogatari, My Little Monster, and Golden Time.

Also, with shows that have other things driving the plot, there’s really no excuse. There are few things that could really improve on Fullmetal Alchemist, but Winry and Ed hooking up earlier in the story would probably be one of them. Look at how many people loved Mikasa’s confession to Eren at the end of Attack on Titan Season 2. That was beautiful!

It’s a very pleasant surprise to see two main characters of a show like SAO commit to a monogamous relationship this early in the plot, and I think that most people who love the series do so because, in this respect, it doesn’t waste their time. This plot turn changes a lot of story dynamics, too, since Kirito and Asuna can be explicitly motivated by their love for one another, and that love can be made much deeper than the obvious mutual crushes that drive shows less willing to pull that trigger. For a story so driven by its emotional content, that one change makes SAO feel very different from just about everything else a casual fan is likely to have seen, and from what you would probably expect going into the show.

Now if you’re like me, and you think a lot about story structure and plot logic, that effect of that change doesn’t really last. Reki Kawahara is totally unwilling to abandon his harem anime nonsense, so every arc sees Kirito introduced to a new hot girl who wants to jump his bones. In terms of narrative structure, that really undercuts the importance of his commitment to Asuna.

However, if you’re just watching the show to enjoy a show, then it feels very substantial, to the point that fans get very mad at me when I call this harem anime a harem anime, in the same way that all of the deaths early on make the show feel very lethal and dangerous, so long as you don’t realize that all of the key characters have plot armor. If you do buy into it, the scenes of Kirito and Asuna being a couple and enjoying each other’s company are extremely emotionally satisfying. By the same token, if Yui doesn’t bug you the same way she bugs me, her relationship with Kirito and Asuna is adorable. Hell, Asuna and Kirito’s romance is the only part of the movie that I think really works. To get more cynical for a moment, for the segment of the audience that does use this show as pure escapist wish fulfillment, the fact that Kirito can have an emotionally fulfilling relationship with his wife, while still being chased by hotties all because he’s so dang good at video games that he’s basically invincible, those aspects only improve the show for you.

However, I don’t think that most people who love SAO love it for those reasons. I think they love it because it managed to get them deeply invested in its main characters through one very bold plot turn, and once you care about those characters, seeing Kirito be an unstoppable badass stops being eye-rolling, and starts being cool and fun. I think they love SAO because the world that it creates seems like a very appealing place on the surface to spend time in, and you can imagine yourself being one of the NPCs going off and doing something that’s not vital to Kirito’s plotline, like that guy who’s fishing, for some reason. I think they love SAO because it came at the right time in their lives, right when they were getting into anime. If you’ve seen hundreds of anime, then yeah, parts of it are going to feel played out, but if you’ve seen just a handful, SAO is going to feel fresh, and new, and exciting.

Considering that it’s at the forefront of the anime fandom, even today, I think it will be among many people’s first anime for many years to come, and I think that ties into why so many of us so passionately hate this show as well. Because when we discovered it, it had all of this promise and potential, but at one point or another, be it a poorly-executed death or a very, very poorly-executed rape scene, it let us down profoundly, and we were left unable to enjoy this thing that, at one point, seemed like it could be so great, that was, at one point, so enjoyable for us. That disappointment is a lot more cutting than the overt and unsurprising terribleness of something like The Asterisk War or Akashic Record.

But not everyone was disappointed in it in the same way. While I do think it’s fundamentally poorly made, SAO does some things right that are going to be more important for some people than the things it does wrong are for me.

[ki6-7-l8r]

Errata.........

Don't recall when I was thrown into the world, does anyone? My first memory was in some kind of mansion where the sun filtered through a round stained glass window. A big man with a messy beard, wisping out like excremental cotton candy from his face stood over me. I saw a couple of fools, my parents looking up at me as I floated into the air. I was levitating, but the big fat Doktor just looked straight ahead, so ends this little wash of recall. I was around three years old in the house. I was at a neighbours house when a toy gun clipped my fingers and the metal took a chunk of skin out. I did not cry. The old neighbours; man and wife, laughed about how tough I was, and then giggled when I began to black out. For some reason I hated these people, I hurled a rock at their car when they were driving to go see a parade, put a big dent in the door. My mom spanked me so hard I saw my feet fly in the air. Sometimes I would walk around the neighbourhood and not remember leaving the house, ringing doorbells and running away. My Mom got tired of this and put me in preschool, sometimes sick, where I would barf until one of the teachers covered it up with sand. There was one teacher who was an evil looking woman with eyes like the demoness Lilith, Adam's first devil-wife. She and another woman gave me a ride home, but I don't remember ever getting home actually, I don't remember where I ended up on that ride. One day I was wandering around the neighborhood again, and I peeked through a mail-slot in a door and I saw a room with velvet red drapes. I saw an altar with an inverted pentagram, with candles which were not lit. The Chalice, The Bell, The Sword, I knew what these were but I had no words for them, I had somehow been in that house but I did not recall ever going there. Weird things happen when your only three, in some ways you are already old. I saw too the vast room filled with hooded figures! A giant Jackal-Headed statue black as night around 200 feet tall, was flanked by braziers wafting clouds of incense. Beneath the vast altar was a huge pit with low burning fires. The small sacrifices were hurled like soccer-balls; soaring through the air into the flaming pit. Pitiful cries and screams of torment were heard. In this way the forgotten ones of the maternity wards were given a manifest destiny. I was scared, but a priest told me that I "need not fear in that my hourglass had red sand." After my parents split up I ended up in a big house, bigger than the one before. I found crucifixes made out of wood and for some reason I liked to turn them upside-down and break them into peace signs, but the sides would not hold and would fall on the ground. I then found my sisters old barbies and scraped the boobs off of them against the wall so they would be flat chested. I was around 8 years old when this happened. When I was nine I developed a craving for wanting to drink human blood. My friends would cut themselves and let me drink their blood. Their parents found out about this and called my folks, and my folks were alarmed by this disturbed behavior. They took me back to the Doktor with the wispy beard that looked like cotton candy made out of shit. The Doktor told my parents that their was nothing wrong with me, just going through a weird phase. This Doktor pretended to talk with a German accent, but I knew he was faking!! He knew that I knew, and gave me a mean look. He had dead eyes. I was a teenager and an occult shop opened up where I lived. It was run by a real fortunate son, he seemed very fortunate which was strange in that the shop was not doing that well. I started doing a lot of acid in those days, and would practice black magick rites in the makeshift temple in the back. Once I did a ceremony to summon the 7 Crown Princes of Hell. Only Belial showed up, he materialized in the incense outside of the magic circle. He gave me two visions: The first one was of a witch cackling and stirring a giant cauldron, on a very dark night. The second was of a naked man taking in a giant beam of celestial fire; drinking it into his face, with his arms outstretched and his legs parted in a standing embrace. I still don't know what this signified. At the occult shop one day I also met a company man. I was 26 and it was a very bad year. Too much debauchery had caught up with me, as well as other things. I spent some time in nuthouse, but a nice shrink helped me recover. He gave me Dilantin and Centrax at the same time, it kept me in a mellow mood. After I got outta stir I moved in with a very weird madlady who indeed was legion. She was a lot of people in one person, and I did not like any of them and they did not like me. Except for two exceptions: I liked the little kid that came out as her sometimes, and the old medicine woman. The little girl told me all about the company, and how they like to turn one person into a whole bunch of people; and tell them to do things with the same body. Its a hobby of theirs, a game, maybe even a joke, but its a killing joke. I thought the story she told me was about as daft as a flying doughnut. After awhile I believed it but she was such a bitch I could not stand her and moved out. I did not care about all the spy stories, or politics at all. I was an occultist! She said she knew more about the Occult than I did. She was lying. The last thing she said was this: "Your just like all the bad people, because you think that life is meaningless!" Whatever. I was 31, and I met up again with the fortunate son in VEGAZ; another cult scene, but not too hairy. He was a big dip-waffle who tried to use me and did. But he needed me, as he was in the market for a MAGUZ. No modesty is not one of my traits. I cannot afford to let it be, due to the fact that I am a collossal failure. I learned to put myself in really great trance states and bring down demons into my body. I could still maintain control though, and could kick them out at any time. We called down voodoo loa, devils and demons as cute as the conqueror worm. We hurled astral shit through the vortex; flinging it at the enemies of the fortunate son. One of his enemies succumbed to the sorcery; a woman had an asthma attack and died. The enemy coven thought that our magick did this, and the girl's mother called the fortunate one and cursed him on the phone. The fortunate one got freaked out and sent flowers to her funeral, thus denying that he cursed her and denying the devils that slew a-one in his name. Like Peter denying the Savior the curse rebounded on Fortuno's head and his life turned into shit. I got sick of him using me, so I cursed him as well. I would drink bottles of rum and evoke the Petro Loa and dance around the altar, flinging hateful laughter and raging curses upon his worthless ass. It seemed to make things worse for him which delighted me. At this time too I met this guy who was a big fat liar who said his uncle invented Ritz crackers. He said he was related to a big-band leader with a big beat. He told me that he was levitated high up over the ocean and floated into a cave on a summit of the Na Pali Coast in Kwaii. When he got floated into the cave he met a Kahuna Shaman who instructed him in the delicacies of Sumerian Sorcery. This guy's mind was as fried-out as a toasted jaybird in a torched forest. And damn it, he made friends with another one of those people who was a bunch of people in one body! A girl who was a martial arts and weapons expert, on top of everything else! She knew about the fat liar's uncle and his big beat band: "Booker M.K. & The Ultras." One day she was flipping out and Fatso panicked and brought me down there. I told her that a mandala was one image, yet it had many facets, many in one, and one in many was still one. Finally she mellowed out. I was really scared, because she had a black belt in Karate and was a weapons expert, I on the other hand was a wuss who had only shot a B.B. gun at age 12. She was real nice to me and said that she would protect me from enemies, but Fatso got between us and kept her away. At that time I was just getting through day by day, and did not care. Although I did once bring down spirits that came through my body and cracked the inside of a crystal that I held in my hands. So goes it. Amused and bemused; this story is a tragedy in a laugh, and a laugh with a crying face. I found out later that Doktor Shit-Beard ate some Uranium 235 and bought the farm; ded of cancer. That's the funny part, so you can laugh now!! But you know, when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and routed the Second Temple in Palestine, they killed a lot of Hebrews and impaled babies on their swords. But the thing is, is that this has never stopped. There are many walking wounded amongst you, who are locked in gulags with invisible walls, tormented by translucent tech. hands, mocked by unseen voices. There are mindless masses and complicit Doktors who will just call all this madness. Perhaps this is why I thanked God, when I had that dream about the world being destroyed by nuclear weapons. I got out my last praise indeed; right at the moment where I lost all my atoms.

http://www.my-journal.com/jrn/md__1/jrn__24539/dt__1473750000

Welcome us nearly, inside soft floors of music. Through dope-heads dark recovered, through isles of the twisted.

Within Theatres of Perdition, we will sojourn after, to greet the dancing incubus, admire strange relations.

Unearth the Corpse of Incest Death, so we can have a festival. Weep silent pagan forests, and blaspheme all the saviours.

Let us dance around the Mayfires, and ride the maddened vine, climb secret goddess mountains, and drink the horn’ed wine.

Let’s dig up all the graveyards, reclaim relics of the doomed, assemble laughing, sacred skeletons, build temples to the Moon.

Let us know nocturnal days, lost transparent hours, sleep magic silver waves, encompass nights of flowers.

Let us weep the winsome madness, of those beyond the realms, of Space’s indifferent irony, that Time’s chalice overwhelms.

To pour primeval vision, upon partakers of the strange, who consume the droughts of clarity, the gods have doth deranged.

Let’s speak of the unspeakable, say wild atrocious things, let’s talk of God’s own truth, and the falsehood that it brings.

A Creator that’s a Liar? The Whole that is a sham? We’ll leave the dead to sleeping, the living remain Damned!