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stevesjockstrap · 9 months ago

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Devil in Disguise- part two (Steddie!My Bloody Valentine)

Part one here (read this first)

Rated E • read on ao3 • cw: blood, blood kink, graphic violence, smut • tags: no UD, serial killer Steve & Eddie is into it

Steve pulled open his door and a very familiar mask fell to the ground.

They both stared at the mask for a long heart-stopping moment. Eddie gathered his composure first and looked around the parking lot to make sure no one else had seen them.

He quickly bent and snatched it up, throwing it into Steve’s open door. “Watch out, Harrington, don’t you know there’s a killer on the loose? Maybe you should follow me back to mine, to be safe.”

Steve gaped at him for a long moment before giving him a curt nod and putting his bag of groceries in the front seat.

“Uh. You’re sure?” He mumbled, not looking at Eddie.

“Yeah. Positive.”

At the shop, he pulled his own car out front and waved Steve into one of the service bays after he opened the garage door. He ducked under the door and locked up.

Steve was leaning against the door of his truck, looking down fidgeting with his hands and he watched him for a moment. The perfect swoop of hair falling down over his eyes, the exact cut of his broad shoulders in his coat, even the ways his fingers moved. He tried to memorize every detail.

He walked the handful of steps towards him and wrapped his own fingers around his.

“Hi there, big boy,” he teased.

Steve gasped but then his face broke into a wide beautiful smile. “You knew?”

He gave a tiny shake of his head and Steve’s face fell.

Eddie cupped his jaw and leaned in, looking for any flicker of doubt in his eyes. “Not until now. But I wanted it to be you.”

Instead, Steve closed his eyes and pulled him closer, giving him a more gentle kiss than Eddie expected. Steve pulled back to gaze into his eyes again before walking him backwards and pushing him against the wall, meeting in a much rougher, hungrier kiss. That was more like it.

Eddie groaned as a thick thigh shoved its way between his own. He pulled at the hair at the base of Steve’s skull and reveled in the groan he received. But he didn’t want them to come in their pants again. He needed more.

“Steve,” he tried, but breaking the kiss sent a hot wet mouth down his jaw and throat and he gasped. “Please. Need you to fuck me.”

The answering moan would’ve made his knees buckle if it weren’t for the leg between his and the body pressing him to the wall.

“God you’re fucking perfect, baby. Stay right there.” Steve moved away from him, dragging his fingers down his chest as he backed away. Eddie dropped his head back against the wall and tried to suck in some breaths.

“So good for me,” he rumbled when he came back, tugging Eddie’s belt open making him look down at his big hands. He finally clued in that he should lend a hand and kicked his shoes off as Steve slid his zipper down. Together they got his jeans and underwear off, and Eddie went to turn around, but Steve stopped him. “Wanna see you. I got you.”

Eddie gasped as he was lifted up, his legs wrapping around Steve’s hips and his hard cock rubbing between them. “Oh fuck,” he breathed as Steve trapped him against his body and the wall.

Steve captured his mouth just as big wet fingers slid over his entrance. He quickly slid a finger up to the knuckle and Eddie’s thighs tensed around him, dick leaking freely now onto his shirt.

Eddie broke the kiss to look into his eyes and let out a whimper.

“I know, greedy. We’re getting there.” Steve seemed completely nonplussed by their position or anywhere near as desperate as Eddie felt. His head fell forward and he smiled against Steve’s throat when he located the mark he had left the previous night. Steve finally groaned and his hips jolted into his when Eddie bit into the mark.

Eddie panted as a second and third finger were added in quick succession, wanting his cock inside of him already.

“C’mon, want it to hurt. Fuck me down on that big cock.”

Steve hissed as he sucked a bigger mark into his neck, but continued preparing him and added more lube.

Finally he pulled his fingers out, unbuttoning and unzipping his fly to pull himself out. Eddie felt the blunt head rub against him, crying out as Steve teased him with it for an excruciatingly long moment.

“All the attitude gone already? Should I give it to you now? Or carry you upstairs first?”

Eddie’s eyes rolled back in his head and his stomach swooped at the sudden visual of Steve manhandling him up the steps to his apartment.

“Oh, he likes that, huh? Want me dragging you around wherever I want? Should I make you come on every surface in your house?”

He nodded and panted but had to fight back a little bit. “What makes you think you’d be the first one to do that? But I do like how mouthy you are without the mask.”

Steve growled and his dick twitched hard between them. “Oh, I’m mouthy? A murderer breaks into your house and you teased him and told him to leave the mask on while he fucked you.”

“It was you!” He leaned back to look into his eyes, and was met with a cheeky smile.

“Well yeah, but you didn’t know that at the time. You were just being a little whore.” Steve took that opportunity to slide into him finally, fucking away any argument Eddie had been about to make. “That’s it, huh baby? Just need someone to come shut you up with a cock. That’s all you need, right?”

“Oh, oh, oh,” Eddie chanted as he was shoved up and down on the huge intrusion. He hoped he had bruises on his hips.

“It’s okay, sweetheart, we both know it’s true. See how quiet and content you are now?” His sharp condescending tone was doing something to Eddie’s insides and he was already so close.

His head flopped back into the wall and Steve’s mouth attached itself to his throat. A twist of his hips sent his cock over Eddie’s prostate just as he scraped his teeth down his pulse point. Eddie dug his fingernails into his coat as he came hard between them.

“Fuck, baby,” Steve huffed as he fucked him through it, Eddie’s walls clenching around him.

“So fucking good, oh my god,” Eddie sighed, barely aware of where he was until the world spun around him. “Shit! Steve!” He clung onto him and moaned in spite of himself when he realized Steve had pulled away from the wall and was walking him across the garage to the steps. Steve was still hard inside of him. Fucking him with his coat and boots still on.

“I’ve got you,” he chuckled against him, even letting go of him with one hand to turn the doorknob.

He shook his head a bit wildly, but then could only whimper and pant as he was fucked silent while carried up the stairs.

“You gunna make it, honey?” Steve teased as he again opened the door while holding him, fucking him down on his cock.

Giggling deliriously, he could only shrug and bury his face into Steve’s shoulder.

“Mhm. What do you think? Bed? Or should we start checking rooms off the list?”

“You are such a- ah!” His eyes rolled back as he was pushed against the wall in the kitchen, Steve rolling his hips and mouthing down his neck.

“I’m a what, baby?”

Eddie could still only whimper as he was fucked within an inch of his life. How was Steve so unaffected by all of this?

“B-bed, please, omigod,” he panted. But then he was carried down the hall, bumping along on the huge dick still inside of him. “God, I’m keeping you,” he sighed. He held on as Steve kicked his boots off and pushed his jeans down and off.

“I’ll hold you to that, Eds.”

Steve grinned at him as he sat back against the pillows, helping Eddie get his legs on either side before shrugging out of his jacket. Eddie pulled his own shirt off with some helpful hands untangling it from his hair.

Now that they were on more equal footing, Eddie rolled his own hips down and smirked as Steve’s mouth dropped open.

“Can you come more than once, big boy?” He planted his hands on his shoulders and went up on his knees.

“Big talk from the person who literally passed out when I made him come twice.”

Eddie swatted at his chest, “Would you shut up, oh my god.” They both laughed and Eddie needed to kiss him. Maybe to shut him up or maybe just to kiss him.

Steve raked his hands through his tangled mess of hair but the handful he pulled made him moan and rock back.

He was so close again but he didn’t want this to be over. Steve wrapped a hand around his dick and he pulled back with a hiss.

As he was about to argue again, Steve flipped them and pulled his tshirt off by the collar. All thoughts of arguing left his brain as he was staring at the expanse of his broad shoulders and chest hair over him.

He scratched his nails down the center of his chest and Steve sucked in a breath.

“How are you real,” Eddie breathed.

“I was about to ask you the same.” Their mouths collided and his legs wrapped around Steve’s back again.

He cried out again and again as he was pounded into, trying to pull Steve closer and closer until they could become the same person.

A big hand snaked between them to wrap around his leaking cock.

“Come with me, Eds. Oh fuck, I-“ Steve looked at him with wild eyes as they both panted through their completion. “So good for me.” Steve pressed kisses down his face before slowly pulling out.

The next morning, he was woken up by Steve pulling the hair away from his face to press kisses on his cheek and down his shoulder and back.

“Good morning sleepyhead. C’mon, food’s done.”

Eddie cracked an eye open to try to see his face. “You cooked breakfast?”

He felt his smile on his shoulder and Steve hummed affirmatively. “Well, I did the best I could with the meager supplies you had.”

“Well someone distracted me before I could get any shopping done last night. We’ll have to go today, I guess.”

It wasn’t until much later in the day before they could make it back down to the grocery store, a shower leading to an even longer distraction.

“Ooh, do you like pork chops? We could do that for dinner.” They were alone in the aisle so he didn’t think he needed to worry, but once they got to the only open register they didn’t receive a warm welcome.

Instead of one of the teenagers or Sarah who usually ran register in the evenings, it was the owner Mr. O’Neil who greeted them with a sour look on his face.

“Didn’t figure you for a queer, Munson,” he spat as they unloaded their groceries in front of them.

Eddie raised his eyebrows but didn’t feed into it. However, he could feel Steve stiffen next to him.

With a humorless laugh, Eddie forced himself to hold eye contact with Mr. O’Neil and asked, “Where’s Sarah tonight?”

As the man started scanning the items and dumping them in bags, Eddie almost asked him to watch the carton of eggs but just decided to ignore it when the man stared him down, almost begging him to crush them completely.

“She had to go home to deal with her sick kid, made up something like a 103° fever or some nonsense. I’ve been having to deal with the place all by myself all day because none of the other asswipes I hired were home or had some other excuse. I’m fixing to close up here, no one’s been in the last hour or so. Other than you two.” He looked them over again, eyes hard when they found the almost identical marks on their necks. “Shame, really. Guess I’ll have to take my truck over to Jefferson now.”

He could almost feel Steve vibrating next to him. After Eddie paid the total, Mr. O’Neil stomped back towards his office without another glance towards them.

Eddie finally looked up at Steve. He gulped when he saw the look in his eye as his gaze followed Mr. O’Neil down the aisle.

“Steve-“

Keeping his voice low and his eyes turned to the back of the store, he said, “Go to the front and lock the door. Stay hidden.”

Eddie knew better than to argue so he took their bags of groceries towards the front door, swapping the sign to closed and locking it. He ducked behind the service desk counter by the door.

A few moments later, he jumped but thankfully didn’t make any sound when all the lights suddenly turned off. The emergency lights clicked on a few seconds later.

“What the hell?” Mr. O’Neil shouted from his office and footsteps thundered into the store.

Eddie had no idea where Steve had gone, but he hoped he had a plan. He slowly peeked up over the counter in front of him, trying to stay low enough to keep out of sight but he needed to know what was happening.

A crash echoed out from the other end of the store and he watched the shadowy figure of Mr. O’Neil go to investigate, and the corresponding figure of Steve heading the opposite way on the other side of the aisles.

There was another bang towards the back of the store and he yelled out, “Who’s there? I swear-“ before an even louder slam of a door drowned him out. Steve was ping ponging around the store, keeping out of sight and making the store owner follow the eerie noises around in the darkness.

Eddie had never witnessed something so calculated and haunting. It was like watching a tiger stalk its prey, and the anticipation of the pounce was unbearable. Eddie’s heart was beating out of his chest but his dick was throbbing in his pants.

Suddenly next to his head at the counter, the telephone rang sharply and Eddie stared at it unblinkingly for a torturously long moment. Jumping into action, he scrambled to unplug the phone line from the base, but doing so brought him into view of the store. His shaking hands couldn’t get the push pull of the connection right, and he swore under his breath as he fumbled with it for a heart pounding moment.

Mr. O’Neil whipped around the end of the last aisle just as Eddie stopped the phone from ringing.

“You!” He hissed, face red and veins bulging from his neck.

He thundered towards him but Eddie could see someone quickly approaching from behind.

Mr. O’Neil took another couple steps towards the service desk while Eddie stood frozen.

“Stay away from him, motherfucker,” Steve growled, making a shiver run down Eddie’s spine as he watched the store owner quickly turn to face him and a baseball bat smash into the side of his head.

Blood shot across Steve’s intense face, and they both watched as the man’s body dropped to the floor with another skull cracking sound.

But Steve didn’t let up, raising the bat above his head, he brought it down into the man’s already mangled face, spraying blood again and again.

“Steve,” Eddie breathed. When he didn’t stop, he cleared his throat and managed in a louder voice, “Steve, baby, stop.”

As if he had only remembered he was there, Steve sucked in a breath and turned to look at him. With a final grimace down at the mess on the floor, he did a quick wrist spin move with the bat before letting it fall on top of the body. Spitting out a gruff, “See you in hell.”

Then he turned and hurried towards him. Eddie was finally able to move and went around the counter to meet him.

“You okay? Nice work with the phone.”

Eddie answered him by pulling him into a heated kiss, swallowing Steve’s gasp and deepening the kiss as he responded.

Steve pulled back sharply and took a step back, looking down at his bloody clothes and hands. “Stop, I don’t want you to get-“

“I do,” Eddie panted, stepping closer again and cupping his blood-stained jaw. “Want all of it. Please.”

Steve looked at him appraisingly for a long moment, before a smirk appeared on his face. “You like this, don’t you?”

Eddie could only nod, letting his gaze drag down Steve’s blood splattered clothes. “Please touch me.”

They both moved at the same time to shrug out of coats and kick out of shoes.

“Fuck, you’re so hot,” Eddie whispered as he watched Steve’s bloodied hands unzip his jeans. He’d gone without underwear after their shower and Eddie groaned as he caught a glimpse of his cock.

“Take your pants off and get up on the counter.” Steve’s eyes darkened as he followed his instructions, hissing as his bare ass hit the cold wood. “Stay there. Gunna give you what you want, baby.”

Eddie pulled his shirt off over his head quickly and leaned back, watching to see what Steve was about to do.

“Catch,” Steve warned, before tossing a box at him.

He snickered as he opened the package of lube he’d snatched from the store shelf.

Steve picked up the baseball bat from the floor and gathered blood from it, looking up from under his lashes at Eddie as he did it.

“You’re fucking perfect, honey. Look at you. Drooling for it, aren’t you?”

He could only lick his lips and nod at him, watching him slowly walk back over with his drenched hands. As he got closer, Eddie spread his legs unconsciously.

Steve groaned, catching the movement. “Oh yeah? That what you want, dirty boy?”

The jolt of humiliation and shame only added to his arousal, especially since Steve was staring down at him like he wanted to devour him.

“Yes,” he managed, staring at his reddened hands.

Steve spat into his hand, mixing it with the blood and smirking as Eddie watched entranced.

“Let me see, Eds,” he murmured, looking pointedly down between him.

Eddie spread his legs wider, pulling his legs back towards him to give Steve the access he needed.

“Oh fuck,” he whined as Steve rubbed the filthy concoction across his hole. “Please, please hurry.” He knew he wasn’t going to last long and he needed him inside.

Steve hummed and pushed forward with two big fingers, Eddie’s rim giving in to the pressure after being stretched earlier.

“So good for me,” he breathed, wrapping his other bloodied hand around Eddie’s hard length and making him cry out. “Come for me and then I’ll fill you up again.”

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie swore past clenched teeth as another finger shoved into him and crooked up to find his prostate, his eyes never leaving the hand smearing that asshole’s blood on his cock.

“Give me some of that slick, baby. Need something else.”

Eddie groaned as he fumbled around for the small tube next to him, still watching Steve’s hands. He managed to squirt some into both outstretched hands before dropping it next to him.

“That’s it, gunna come for me? Make an even bigger mess,” Steve smirked at him as he continued his stroking and pushed his fingers back inside of him.

As soon as the fourth finger joined the rest and Steve flicked his thumb under the head of Eddie’s cock, he was crying out, his eyes rolling back as he came hard over his hand.

Steve pulled away, stepping back to wiggle out of his jeans. Making sure Eddie could see, he swiped up another handful of blood from the growing puddle on the floor. Finally as he walked back towards the counter he stroked his messy hands down his own hard length. Eddie’s dick twitched on his belly.

“Fuck, how are you real?” Steve groaned.

“Get over here already,” he demanded, deliriously reaching out for him.

“So mouthy,” Steve tsked at him but came closer with a shit eating grin. “Here, baby, you need something to shut you up?”

Eddie opened his mouth to continue to argue and received three large fingers covered in various bodily fluids and lube in his mouth.

“There you go. Always gunna give you what you need, greedy boy.”

The head of his big cock pushed roughly past his rim and he wrapped his legs around Steve’s back, pulling him in even closer.

Licking and sucking around the fingers in his mouth and trying to meet the hard thrusts into him, he lost himself in the back and forth for a bit. His own cock was sliding deliciously between their bodies, quickly hardening again. The zing of copper in his mouth reminding him what Steve was capable of, the adrenaline still pumping through him heightening everything.

Steve pulled his fingers out roughly and chuckled at his sad noise. “Oh you’re okay,” he cooed. “Love all of your holes filled and bloody, huh? Like you were fucking made for me. Fuck, baby. Come with me.”

Eddie saw stars as he came untouched between them, holding on desperately to Steve’s shoulders as he pounded into him. His hips stuttered against his ass as he finally came inside of him.

“Don’t fall asleep on me, we gotta get out of here.”

The bell above the door jingled as Jeff walked into the mechanic shop the next morning, a grim look on his face.

Eddie immediately put his hands in the air, widening his eyes. “I didn’t do it, Sheriff, I was just an accessory.”

Jeff huffed and shook his head, helping himself to the coffee pot in the corner. “That’s not funny, man. Sarah found Mr. O’Neil dead this morning… it was a whole mess.”

“You’re kidding,” Eddie said, hoping it came off as genuine.

“I wish. This has been a day. You’re the last on my list, I was-“

“Huh? What list?” Eddie’s heart was in his throat. He rubbed his hands on a towel and came closer as Jeff shook sugar into his cup.

“Ed, I think this was Steve Harrington. And the people in the mine. I got a call last night, I was going to go talk to him today. And now…” Jeff shook his head again, sighing. “He broke out of a mental institution. When they told him his dad died. He’s not who you think he is, man.”

Eddie gulped. “What do you mean?”

“I know you guys hung out at the bar the other day. Benny said you guys were really chumming it up. Did he say anything to you? About where he’s been? Anything weird at all?”

Eddie silently sighed in relief. Okay, this they could handle. “No, man. Reminisced about high school, just talking shit, you know. That’s wild. What are you going to do?”

He was relieved that Steve had left that morning, saying he had to pay up at the motel and run some errands. Eddie had had some paperwork and cars on the books today so they’d agreed Steve would come back to his place later. Otherwise Steve’s truck would’ve been in the garage right behind where they were standing.

“We picked him up at the motel this morning, he’s not said a word to anyone since. Staring off like we’re not there. Spooky shit. The institution people are coming to pick him up tomorrow. Keep him safe while we gather evidence.”

Eddie’s stomach hit the floor. “Oh.”

He didn’t know what to do. He’d assumed they’d have more time, but Steve was already in custody.

Thankfully Jeff read his panic as something else. He walked over to put his hand on his shoulder. “I know this is hard, Ed. We all felt like we knew him, but that’s not him. Not really. But yeah, let me know if you think of anything. See you around.” He raised the paper cup of coffee at him with a nod.

Eddie sunk down into his desk chair as he watched Jeff drive off. What the fuck was he going to do?

As he cased the parking lot of the police station, he tried to calm his pounding heart. He knew Jeff was at the diner, had passed his cruiser and two others still at the grocery store.

The sun had set a few minutes ago, leaving just one dim light above him.

He walked quickly towards the group of cars in the middle of the lot, pulling tools from his jacket.

It took everything in him to touch the wires together that would set the alarm off intentionally, going against all of his instincts. But this was for Steve.

Once the car alarm blared, lights flashing, it set off the alarms of the cars around it. Eddie quickly grabbed his stuff and darted to the side of the building, watching and counting everyone who had ran outside.

“Eddie, baby,” Steve gasped when he saw him, jumping up and reaching an arm out through the bars.

Eddie stayed back just out of his reach. “Is it true?”

Steve nodded dejectedly, dropping his arm.

“Do you want to hurt me?” Eddie asked after another long moment.

Steve’s head shot back up, his jaw dropping for a moment before he could speak. “No, never, I swear. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. I’m sorry I-“

“I really care about you, Steve.” He took a step closer, looking into Steve’s eyes.

He looked a little shocked, but then he smiled and looked a bit more hopeful. “I care about you too, so much Eds. I lo-“

“Don’t.” Eddie stopped him with a head shake, finally closing the distance and reaching through to cup his face. “Not like this. Tell me later.”

Steve laughed lowly, reaching his arm out to pull him closer and putting his other hand over Eddie’s on his face. “I don’t know if I’ll see you later,” he argued sadly.

“Oh, about that,” Eddie said, pulling back. Steve frowned at him, reaching back for him. Eddie pulled a pouch out of his back pocket. His lock pick set.

When he pulled out two thin metal pieces and eyed the lock in the door between them, Steve laughed incredulously. “Where did you come from?”

Eddie grinned at him. “Keep an eye out for me, okay?”

“Always, beautiful.”

He knelt down, throwing a filthy smirk up at Steve who could only stand there looking at the door behind him.

The lock finally clicked under his tool and Eddie turned the handle, slowly opening the door so it didn’t make a sound.

Steve met him in a ravenous kiss. “How are you so perfect?”

“You can thank me later, big boy. Let’s get out of here.”

Steve frowned at him as they got into a dark SUV that was waiting for them at a side door. “Eds, whose car is this?”

Wincing, he put the car into drive. “We’re, uh, borrowing it? We can’t run from the police in our own cars, can we?”

“Fuck, I love you,” Steve laughed.

Eddie grinned at him. “I love you too. Happy Valentine’s day.”

Tag list: @nuggies4life @cherry-bunnyyy from part one 😘 thanks for waiting like forever

Ty @cafekitsune for the dividers 💕

#steddie #my bloody valentine #mine #Steve x eddie #dark fic #cw: blood #cw: graphic violence #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things fic #stranger things smut #steddie smut #STVillainousValentines

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bonfire-beret · 2 years ago

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Top 10 blood and violence lovers

#fnv #fallout #caesar's legion #joshua graham #fallout new vegas #fonv #fo #blood cw #violence cw #blood tw #i ❤️ drawing him fucked up and bloody

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picrewdealer · 29 days ago

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Violence Services by DeadAggressiveNation

(I wasn't sure whether to categorize this as having dark skin options bc there's a lot of different skin tones but they're more like different greys instead of human skin tones)

Either way cool and scary picrew 👍

#blood tw #eye injury #body horror options #body horror tw #violence Services #DeadAggressiveNation #picqueue #themed picrews #horror picrews #eye strain #different eye colors #bloody options #bruises options #eyebags #cool background and effects options #extrahuman options #scars options #highly stylized picrews #scopo cw

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celestiall0tus · 6 months ago

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Tales of Bloody Bug and Chat Noir - Chapter 41 - Feast

Beginning || Previous || Next

Adrien sat on his sofa with a news broadcast on mute. He checked the time as he watched the minutes tick by until lights out. He glanced over at Felix, who had his nose in his phone. He sighed and turned back to the broadcast but left it on mute. He furrowed his brow when a segment with the Louvre came up that showcased a new, tiny statue with an odd symbol on it. He reached for the remote as Alim Kubdel came into the screen when there was a knock on his door.

Adrien and Felix stood and turned as Gabriel and Amelie walked in. Ameli trotted over to Felix and smothered him with affection as she wished him a good night. Gabriel approached Adrien and stood frigidly.

“Have a good night, Adrien,” Gabriel said.

“You too, Father,” Adrien mumbled.

Adrien and Gabriel awkwardly stood there, glancing around while Amelie doted on Felix. She paused and scoffed.

“C’mon, Gabriel, show some love. He’s your son,” Amelie scolded.

Gabriel pursed his lips. Gabriel turned to Adrien and awkwardly moved his arms. Gabriel sighed in defeat and patted Adrien’s head. Warmth bloomed in Adrien and spread at the scrap of attention. Since Amelie and Felix decided to stay a week ago, Gabriel had been trying to be better, with Amelie’s help. It was strange to Adrien to see Gabriel like this again, but he couldn’t deny how much he missed having Gabriel actually in his life.

Adrien gave Gabriel a small smile. Gabriel’s eyes widened before his own face softened and he smiled back. Amelie finished fussing over Felix, wished Adrien a goodnight, and left with Gabriel. Adrien sighed and turned to Felix.

“Are you ready?” Adrien asked.

“As ready as I can be. Kaalki, full gallop.”

“Stompp, charge ahead.”

Adrien and Felix transformed. They snuck out the window and headed into the city. They covered their typical patrol before they patrolled the rest of the city. They had seen Death Noire and Pom Pom out on their patrol along with Hydra and Harlequin. They each shared their reports before they went their separate ways.

Relief and anxiety tore through Taureau. It was looking to be another night without a Mayura or Hawkmoth sighting. Since Mayura’s grand entrance, Hawkmoth went dead silent. No akumas or anything. Meanwhile, Mayura was slipperier. They were all convinced that the shadows they had been seeing were her, but it didn’t bring them any closer to uncovering her motives.

The closest they had all gotten was Anarka Couffaine. A week prior at the twin’s birthday party, Mayura had appeared and created a sentimonster out of Anarka’s regret. Bloody Bug had questioned Anakra afterwards and discovered Mayura had harvested the full emotion, removing it from Anarka, who described it like having a burden torn from her that left a massive hole. She couldn’t feel it or remember why she did until the fan was destroyed and it was returned.

It unnerved Taureau at the prospect that Mayura could fully steal emotions and use them to create monsters. And from what he saw last week, Mayura had been collecting others prior to Anarka. He had to wonder who else Mayura had collected from. Did she get them back? How much was she feeding into those emotions? Who was she targeting? Was Marinette really one of them? If Marinette was, who else could fall victim?

“Get down!” Llameri hissed.

Taureau grunted as Llameri pulled him down. He shook himself off and peeked over the rooftop. He gasped when he saw Mayura strolling across the oddly empty Louvre plaza up to the museum.

“Isn’t it a little odd the plaza is so empty? I know the museum is closed at this hour, but there’s usually still people around,” Taureau commented.

“Because this is a trap,” Bloody Bug whispered.

Taureau and Llameri gasped and looked up as Bloody Bug knelt with them.

“Bug! What are you… never mind. What’s the plan?” Taureau asked.

“Did you see the news?” Bloody Bug asked.

“Yeah.”

“That statue had the same as the guardians. It’s the one I use to activate my kwatagama to talk to the paradox Bloody Bug.”

“So?”

“We had a hunch that it might be of interest to our peacock friend, and here she is.”

“I don’t understand. Why would she care about that?”

“I’m not sure, but everything about her is wrong. Take what happened at the Couffaine party. She may have been alone, but she has an advantage over us. Regardless, it was too easy to beat her. Almost like she was… holding back and observing. My brother and father suggested she’s seeking knowledge. Given what you’ve told me about your encounter with her, I’d wager that’s in the ballpark.”

“That doesn’t tell us what the plan is supposed to be,” Llameri remarked.

“I’ll be going in and gauging her… and getting her attention,” Bloody Bug hissed.

“How exactly?”

Bloody Bug didn’t answer. Taureau raised a brow when she glanced at her bracelet and panja bracelet before she touched the pair of necklaces.

“Wait, you’re not going to use the Amalgamation fusion, are you? Master said to save that for when she goes primal.”

“I know what the old man said, but we need to do something. She’s evaded us at every turn and allows us to beat her. She’s hiding something and this may be a way to expose her motives. She’s here for that statue, so she must be curious about the kwamis. If I do this, it will seal my suspicions, but also hopefully get her to leave you alone.”

“You can’t. She’ll hunt you. She may come after you, Dad, and Jalil. She may hurt them too.”

“We know. We discussed the risks of this, but they agree something must be done. That’s why both Dad and Jalil are in that museum, watching Mayura on the cameras. We are doing something. We are making the decisions few can. We are going to make our stand tonight.”

“Then I’m coming with you.”

“The hell you are. You’re staying out here and away from Mayura.”

“No way! I’m not leaving you alone with her.”

“And I can’t let you get involved. I’m doing this for you to keep you safe from her. Let me do this. Let me keep you safe.”

“No! Bug, we’ve been in this together since Stoneheart. Haven’t you learned at all that things work out if we tackle it together? Haven’t we both nearly got our asses beat because we rushed in like fools? Can’t you see how foolish it is to just throw away your own safety on a gamble?”

“Just let me do this! Let me make everything right, please!”

Taureau’s eyes widened. “Make everything right? Bug, you don’t-.”

“I do. It doesn’t matter what any of you say, this is all my fault. This is all the result of my actions. Everything is fucking hell because of me. Let me make things right. Let me do this for you. For everyone.”

“Bug, wait, please!”

Bloody Bug ignored Taureau and jumped off to the Louvre. Taureau sneered and fumed.

“How could she be so reckless? I’m not defenseless, and I can help her. She’s not the only one that can do that Amalgamation fusion.”

Llameri smirked. “Then what’s stopping you from joining her?”

“I… I don’t know! I want to. I want to so bad, but I don’t have four other kwamis to perform such a fusion.”

“Well, let’s go get some. Where’s the piglet and the pompous rooster?”

“Le Grand Paris. Chloe’s room.”

“Voyage,” Llameri said.

Taureau watched a portal appear to Chloe’s room. He smiled when he saw Sabrina and Chloe relaxing on the couch as they watched a movie. He poked his head through and called out to them. They both turned and rushed over to him.

“Taureau, what’s going on? Did something happen?” Sabrina asked.

“Yes, and I need both of your miraculous.”

“What? Why?” Chloe demanded.

“I need to help Bug. She’s about to do something dangerous and needs someone to back her up,” Taureau explained.

“Why didn’t you say so? Let’s tag a-,” Chloe started.

“No. Trust us to this task. Please.”

“Taureau, what’s going on?” Sabrina pushed.

Taureau sighed. “Mayura is here at the Louvre and Bug is determined to set right a past that never existed. She intends to repair damage she believes she caused. So, she’s rushing in to draw Mayura’s eye, putting herself and our family in danger. I’m sure you all could help us, but for your own safety, trust Bug and me to this, please.”

Chloe glanced at Sabrina, who weighed their options. She sighed and handed Daizzi’s anklet to Taureau. Chloe grumbled and gave Taureau Orikko’s rings.

“Thank you. Both of you. I promise, I will return these to you after this.”

Taureau hugged Chloe, gave Sabrina a peck on the cheek, and stepped back through the portal. Llameri closed it and de-transformed, handing Taureau the horse and monkey miraculous.

“Wh- Felix! What is this? Why do you have the monkey miraculous too?”

“Why else? Since you gave me that elixir thing, I kept it on me in case we ever needed to use it for a fusion.”

Taureau grumbled but took them. He put on the miraculous and took a deep breath. He turned back to Felix as he fed Kaalki a carrot.

“Find someplace to hide until we’re done, please. I don’t want Mayura to find you and think you are me.”

“Get me down from here and I’ll do as you ask.”

Taureau helped Felix to the ground before he ran into the Louvre. He ran about the museum until he heard a struggle. Fear tore through him as he rushed to the source. He peeked into the room to see Mayura toying with Bloody Bug in a one-sided fight. He took several breaths before he ran in and punched Mayura’s side. Mayura staggered and turned back to him. His unease and fear grew as he saw a twisted smirk spread on her lips.

“My, what fear you carry. It’s almost as potent as the little red bug’s guilt. Tell me, what is it you fear, little calf,” Mayura cooed.

Taureau gulped as he saw Mayura reach up her hand with his parents’ wedding bands on it. He sucked in a breath as her nails grazed his skin. Shivers ran up and down him as she grinned. She opened her mouth when Bloody Bug roared.

“Get away from him! Tikki, Roarr, Sass, Trixx, Mullo, unify!”

Mayura’s attention immediately shifted to Bloody Bug. Taureau watched Bloody Bug transform into a white full bodysuit with a long mouse and snake tail and silver stripes, white ladybug wings, long black gloves and boots, and a rainbow snake underbelly. Her fiery red hair bloomed into a prismatic mane that flowed and shifted constantly with a set of fennec fox ears lost in the mane. Her sclarea turned black, her irises faded to white, and two additional sets of eyes opened.

Taureau glanced at Mayura, whose eyes shone with curiosity and delight. He took a deep breath, tore off the wedding bands, and slipped them on. Her attention shifted back to him. She reached out to grab him, but he jumped back.

“Stompp, Orikko, Daizzi, Kaalki, Xuppu, unify!”

Mayura’s eyes lit up as Taureau transformed. His clothes changed to a white full bodysuit with silver spots, black gloves, and boots. His hair erupted into a prismatic mane with a long flowy tail to match. A set of platinum bull horns, white horse ears, and white monkey tail lost in the prismatic mane and tail. His sclarea turned black, his irises faded to white, and two additional sets of eyes opened.

Mayura looked between the pair of Amalgamation fusions and grinned. “Two? Two of you? Amazing! Absolutely astounding! Obviously, the mini bug is to be expected, but the ox boy… you must be the original cat. What happened pussy cat? What’d you do to have your miraculous taken away? Or rather, what happened that your precious Guardian needed to keep it safe?”

Adrien sneered and lunged forward in tandem with Alix. Mayura’s grin widened as she ducked and weaved between their flurry of blows. Alix roared as she summoned Tikki’s yo-yo and ensnared Mayura. Adrien combined Xuppu’s staff and Stompp’s mallet into a warhammer. He hit Mayura in her gut as Alix used Roarr’s Clout. They launched Mayura through several stone walls and the glass wall outside the Louvre.

Adrien and Alix jumped outside, but Mayura was gone. They frantically looked around when a shadow dashed by in the corner of their eyes. They turned as Mayura punched Adrien’s jaw and sent him flying. Alix reared back her arm as Mayura delivered a swift kick to Alix’s gut. A second passed before a shockwave emitted from the impact and sent Alix backwards through countless buildings. Adrien rushed back and smacked Mayura with the warhammer. Mayura tumbled but caught herself.

“Impressive. You Amalgamations are strong. I would love to continue this, but I have business first. Feast, you are released.”

Mayura snapped her fingers. Adrien flinched and felt a shift in the air. He turned his back on her and ran back to the Louvre. He glanced inside and saw the tiny statue was gone with only a tiny white feather left in its place. Fear held him in place while Mayura dashed forward. She pulled back her leg to strike when Alix ensnared Mayura in Roarr’s bolas.

Adrien turned around as Alix tackled Mayura and they tumbled. He moved to help when a sharp, metallic odor filled the air. He looked down in shock to see Mayura’s heel dug deep in Alix’s stomach. Adrien rushed in, used Gift on Mayura, and pulled Alix out. He used Orikko’s Sublimation to heal Alix’s wound.

“Together we can do this. Let’s go!” Adrien urged.

Adrien summoned the fused warhammer while Alix used Sass’s Second Chance and fused Mullo’s jump rope and Tikki’s yo-yo into a whip. They rushed Mayura together when Mayura unfolded her fan. An eye opened as an orb shot out. Alix reset back to their charge. Adrien rushed forward while she used her whip to snag Mayura’s fan. She pulled on the whip, but Mayura pulled back.

Alix yelped as she was pulled off her feet into Mayura’s face. Mayura grinned as she swung her leg up and slashed Alix’s face, gouging the left side of it. Alix staggered back as Mayura caught Adrien’s weapon and flung him across the Seine. Alix reached for Sass’s bracelet to reset when Mayura opened her fan and the blades turned to metal. Mayura cut deep into Alix’s shoulders, severed the tendons, and disabled Alix’s arms. Bile rose up to Alix’s throat as the sharp odor of her blood filled her nose and fear tore through her.

“Lovely power, isn’t it? The snake’s. A potent tool, but that feeling of déjà vu I would rather do without,” Mayura cooed.

“How did you know?” Alix hissed.

“Bits and pieces left behind. Your precious Order you serve attempted to wipe all remaining records but couldn’t get rid of everything.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, right. You don’t know, but you will soon. That little creature you were defending held a great secret. Would you like to know?”

“You won’t tell me anyway, so no.”

“On contrary, my dear. That creature was responsible for every miraculous at your Order’s temple and the temple itself’s disappearance. But with it gone, the temple will have been restored.”

“What difference does that even make?”

Mayura clicked her tongue as she held her fan at Alix’s throat. “It means I can right two ancient wrongs. Sound familiar, little bug?”

“I don’t know what-.”

Mayura pressed the metallic blades against Alix. “Now, now, no need to lie to me. Not when you reek of such immense guilt. It reminds me of another that wishes to right an ancient wrong.”

“Fine. Whatever. That doesn’t explain all this. What could you have to gain by doing all this? How could you ever right whatever wrongs this way? Won’t you just make things worse?”

Mayura laughed as she moved her fan away. “And here I thought you’d understand, but I see you’re a child in both body and mind. My bad for expecting more of the little girl that is the city’s personal therapist.”

Alix glared at Mayura when colors caught her eyes. She looked past Mayura as Adrien charged back in. Mayura turned away from Alix and faced Adrien. Alix took several breaths, bared her sharp, predator fangs, shot to her feet, and sunk her teeth into Mayura’s left arm. Mayura howled in pain as she grabbed Alix’s mane to tear her out, but Adrien slammed the warhammer into Mayura’s side. Mayura took a sharp breath as Alix tore her fangs out, ripping a massive hole in Mayura’s arm. Mayura’s eyes darkened as she was sent flying out of the plaza.

Adrien knelt beside Alix, who sat with her mouth agape and blood dripping from it. The chunk of flesh and muscle that Alix tore out sat on the ground. He took deep breaths through his mouth as he moved closer to heal Alix. He placed a hand on her shoulder as Mayura returned and pinned him down. He struggled against Mayura, but she held him fast. He glanced up at her and saw the torn flesh, muscle, and tendon in her left bicep.

Adrien gulped down the bile and opened his mouth to use Daizzi’s Gift. Mayura caught him, slammed her foot on Adrien’s jaw, and shattered it. He howled in pain as he curled up into a tight ball. Mayura reached down for the rings when Alix used Trixx and Tikki’s combined power to cast a hallucination on Mayura.

Mayura staggered back as her vision filled with shapes and colors like a kaleidoscope. She fought to ground herself when Death Noire’s yowl pierced the air. Alix watched as Death Noire used Cataclysm, struck Mayura’s left shoulder, and racked her claws across Mayura’s back. Mayura screamed, grabbed Death Noire, and slammed her into the ground. Death Noire snarled and clawed at Mayura. Mayura opened her fan when Pom Pom’s ball hit it. Mayura glanced up as it disappeared from her hand.

“No!” Mayura roared.

Mayura moved as clouds obscured her vision. Pom Pom snapped the fan in half and released the emotions trapped within. Mayura sneered as she jumped out of the fog and held up a single, white feather. It turned blue as she placed it into a nearby bench. A massive lanky creature tall as a building spawned. It had no eyes, an open jaw with rows of serrated teeth, distorted bladed arms, and legs. It let out a horrific, agonizing howl.

“Death Noire… my panja bracelet. Take it,” Alix wheezed.

Death Noire grabbed the panja bracelet and put it on as Alix reverted to Bloody Bug. “Plagg, Roarr, unify!”

Death Noire’s outfit shifted to a panther theme. She roared and rushed the monster. She ducked away from the monster’s swing as she approached the bench.

“Obliterate!”

Death Noire slammed her fist into the bench. It shattered into a million pieces that turned to dust along with the feather. The monster screeched as it vanished. She looked around for Mayura, but Mayura was gone.

Bloody Bug watched through blurry eyes as Death Noire hissed and raged. Pom Pom and Hydra rushed to calm Death Noire. Bloody Bug felt a rush of dizziness hit her as she fell back but was caught by Harlequin. His mouth moved, but his words were drowned out by the deafening ringing. She fought to keep her eyes open, but they grew too heavy. She let out a breath and passed out.

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0l-unreliable · 7 months ago

Note

me and my friend are having fun with puzzles thanks for the aweosme art. we are normal about it.

oh fuck, what the hell. This is like the best compliment I could get, especially from two people who are normal. I didn't think that many people would like that piece but I'm glad to be wrong

#ask response #homestuck #i wanted to draw another one of these for a hat-trick but I seem to be alone in the bloody Jake fan club so it's still in the vault #tw:blood #cw: blood #tw violence #cw violence #i love the shit outta puzzles #not technically cannibalism but #tw cannibalism #cw cannibalism

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a-painful-ordeal · 1 year ago

Text

6. Impatient They Start, Fearful They End

CW: Flogging, fear of flogging, verbal abuse, attempts at compliance training, stress positions, fears of injury, references to beatings, begging.

The night is one of the longest Evan has ever experienced. Each minute passes at a painful crawl. Evan shifts his weight from one foot to the other, trying desperately to get his arms to feel comfortable as the blood drains from them. His feet ache. They feel like he’s spent the evening running across a kingdom. His calves ache from standing only on the balls of his feet. It takes a few more hours for his legs to begin to give out, as his entire body weight moves onto his, now very numb wrists.

Sleep makes endless attempts to claim him, only for the boy to be jarred awake by the sudden and sharp pull on his wrists and shoulders. The adrenaline fades and all he is left with is the sickly aroma of fear at what the morning might bring.

The night breaks, as it always does. The light shines through the curtains. It douses the room in a warm, orange light. A few more hours pass, before the Lord begins to stir.

Slowly, very slowly sleep manages to claim him. The boy’s eyes drift shut, just for a few moments as his body goes limp.

***

Cold water soaks his body, leaving Evan gasps and scrambling to stand properly. In front of him stands Lord Maynard. The man has a far too pleased expression on his face. Maynard holds an empty jug of water as it drips onto the floor. “Good morning.” He bids the boy cheerfully.

Evan quivers slightly after the unwelcome wake-up call. He stares back, unsure what to say, as his mind catches up with him.

“I said. Good. Morning.” Maynard repeats, his tone far harsher than before, as he moves to yank Evan’s head painfully to one side with the boy’s hair, waiting for an answer.

Evan gasps “G-good morning…” he quickly spits out, desperately praying for the man to fuck off and leave him alone.

Maynard smiles, releasing the boy’s hair “Good. You are learning.” He pats the boy’s cheek faux-lovingly, before walking to put the jug down on the table. “Now what do you say to me?”

Evan blinks. The fuck does he say?? Wait no. What would he want to hear? “Thank you… for teaching me about...” Fuck. He blanks. “Kneeling and being… polite?” He responds, trying to make it sound like he isn’t saying this through gritted teeth.

Maynard wanders back over with a smile and a pocketknife, as he cuts the cord, that suspended Evan from the bed, down.

Immediately Evan’s legs give. There’s a thud and a sharp intake of breath as his knees painfully hit the stone floor.

“Much better. I see you now know your place. Good boy.” Maynard praises, in a sickly, greasy manner, that leaves Evan feeling unclean. “Right. You are going to stay exactly there until I come back. And then you can face the consequences of your decisions yesterday. Understood?”

Evan’s stomach turns as he is reminded of the flogging. He speaks anyway, pushing through the fear. “Yes...My…Lord…”

Maynard nods, clearly pleased before turning on heel and leaving the room.

Evan kneels there. The exhaustion makes him more scared and the hunger for not eating since the night before burrows into him. The hunger makes his body tremble, and the nausea worse. He needs to eat something… before… they take him out and…

Evan quickly shifts his focus to the nearby fruit bowl on the table. He holds his breathing to make sure he can’t hear the bastard lord anymore. He then looks at the ground, making a mental note of where he’s knelt. The second tile, which is parallel to the cupboard. He shifts from his knees to his feet, stumbling slightly before dashing to the fruit bowl on the nearby table.

He grabs an apple, quickly sinking his teeth into it. It doesn’t take long for the boy to devour it, core, and all. He lets out a small sign as the hunger pangs begin to fade. He grabs a pear from the opposite side of the bowl and eats that too. It’s not quite enough to fill him but fuck it. And! Two things balance out the bowl as well. The apple’s absence is less noticeable. Maybe if he rearranges that bottom apple to there, the missing fruit is unnoticeable? Perfect!

Evan maneuvers the bottom apple to where the original was, making the pile look just as tall as it did before.

Evan takes a quick step back, focusing on his handiwork rather than on what is to come. He hears footsteps. That same methodical marching.

He moves back as fast as his legs will let him. It was the…. Second tile. Parallel to the cupboard that he was on before. The boy drops to his knees and catches his breath just as the door swings open again. He holds his breath and slowly exhales. His lungs demand more air, but Evan forces himself to hold it and breathe like normal. Smooth out his breathing. Good. Like that.

Wait. Shit. Evan’s brain catches up to his body, as the realization that he’s on the third tile, not the second hits. Shit.

Maynard looks at Evan for a moment, assessing whether the boy has moved.

He then shrugs and continues to move around his chambers.

Evan releases the breath and his body sinks in relief as the realization that ‘he got away with it’ hits. He kneels there. It’s okay. He’s fine. He pulled through… which means he can get away with more… right?

***

Midday moves to meet them, faster than Evan would like. He spends most of the hours in one position on his knees. Only moving to relieve himself, after asking his ‘master’ oh so nicely.

Finally, there’s a knock before the doors to the chambers open. Two guards stand there looking at their lord. “All the preparations are ready Sir.”

A ball of panic moves into Evan’s throat. He fights to keep his breathing normal and level. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He takes a deep breath, trying desperately to swallow that dread. It’s not going away.

The Lord stands from his paperwork at the table. “Excellent.” He clasps his hands together. “Take him to the square. I’ll be right with you.”

The two guards walk over and grab Evan by his shoulders. One seems a little rougher than the other. As it slowly dawns on Evan that this is the same guard that had beaten him the night before, he begins to struggle harder.

Evan is dragged to his feet by a vice-like grip and is marched through the manor until they reach a courtyard. The courtyard itself is lightly cobbled with a well to one side of it. There seem to be a few entrances to other parts of the house that Evan has yet to explore. Opposite the well is a set of wooden stocks and not too far away from there is an old wooden post with rusted metal manacles dangling from it.

Fresh terror begins to kick in.

Evan digs his heels into the cobblestone as best he can. But the strength of the guards is greater than him as he is forced forwards.

“Please… fuck. Please no… I’ll… I’ll do anything…!”

The guard from the night before, the bastard with the belt snorts “Should have thought about that before trying to run.”

Evan’s eyes are wide as he struggles to keep himself away from the restraints. His hands are shoved into the metal handholds. There’s a screech as the clasps are tightened. The pressure relinquishes from his shoulders.

Evan tries to look around to see what’s happening, but he only hears shuffling around him and chatter. The people are too far out of sight. He feels his breathing speed up.

His breath hitches as he feels a sharp point at the base of his neck. A sharp knife pokes into his flesh for a moment, holding just long enough for tears of panic and terror to form. The knife begins to cut slowly through the fabric of his shirt. The tearing of fibers against metal is the only sound he can focus on. The open fabric is then less than gently pulled to one side, exposing the flesh on the boy’s back.

Evan squirms to try and see what’s happening to no avail.

Someone calls something out and there’s chatter behind him as if a group of friends were just leaving a bar.

However, out of the corner of his eye, Evan notices the movement of green skin and hears nervous footsteps. Trygve. The orc moves quickly over to him, maybe on someone’s orders? Evan feels an attempt of a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder.

“I don’t have long…” the man squats next to him, with a mirrored look of empathetic fear. “Okay. Look at me.” He moves his hand as discreetly as possible to Evan’s forearm. “You are going to need breath, okay? Deep breaths. And here.” He pulls out a small chunk of leather.

Evan moves his head away, trying to smooth over the terror with disgust.

“Hey… hey. It’s… to bite down on… better this than… your tongue. I promise.”

“I-” Evan’s words are interrupted by someone shouting for Trygve. Evan nods quickly “Please…”

Trygve gives the boy a nod, leaning over and helping the leather bit into Evan’s mouth. The half-orc man gives Evan’s arm another light squeeze before dashing back to his master’s side.

Evan uses his tongue to maneuver the leather, grimacing at the taste, before clenching his jaw. He breathes slowly through his nose. Resisting the temptation to panic as he hears the commotion behind him, quietens to a hush like a crowd before the start of the theater performance. He swallows, as saliva pools into his mouth around the bit.

The silence is excruciating. There are footsteps, but Evan doesn’t dare turn his head around. Potentially losing an eye would make this so much worse…

The steps stop. Evan strains to hear what comes next. The sound of leather being flicked.

Fuck…

The leather whip is flicked and jostled a couple of times.

A sudden and horrific crack echoes next to Evan’s ear. He flinches, dropping his head, expecting pain… nothing. The laughter behind confirms that that was a purposeful miss.

Evan stares at the train of the post. Breathe. Maybe he can be one of those brave men he’s seen in the streets, who don’t make a sound? Yeah. That he’s not going to scream or give them the satisfaction of knowing they hur-

The next crack rings through the boy’s core as a stinging line is ripped through his flesh. All breath is knocked from him. His jaw muscles clench as he bites into the leather. 1.

He isn’t given time to catch his breath or reset as the leather torture implement rives its way through the skin on his back. His body arches and tries to move away from the burning, ripping sensation, but his hands are held firmly in place. The metal digs into his wrists as he tries desperately to wrench himself free. Rubbing against the already abused skin of his wrists. 2.

The next strike cleaves its way, sideways through the other welts. He cries out, dropping the bit from his mouth. Stop! Make it stop! 3.

Each new strike tears through his body. The rhythmic cracking draws screams from the boy until his throat is raw and his cheeks are sodden from tears. Any energy is drained from him by the sleepless night. His body slumps, only to twitch each time a strike rips its way through him. It doesn’t take long for him to lose count. The pain is the only thing he’s aware of.

He's finally grateful as a wave of unconsciousness takes him under, around his 15th lash.

-------

AN: Hey folks! Hope you enjoyed! I've been organizing my plans for this. Turns out that song lyrics give great whump inspiration! Who'd have thunk!?!

Anyway! If you wanna be notified do shout! I'll add you to the taglist!

Masterlist Next

Taglist:

@sunshiline-writes @kixngiggles @pumpkin-spice-whump @ivycloak

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unglomeral · 6 months ago

Text

● Blood Orange

• I - Withered Sanctity

From towering arched windows, weighted gold beams were cast onto the floor, fingers of radiant shadows that stretched to caress the wall before them.

Disrupted, they were torn, made to become vague cross-like shapes that rippled over her shoulders as she moved down a hall.

Each step from her boots fell with a dull thud, echoed by the footsteps of two armed guards that followed.

She walked with purpose but stared forward unblinkingly, her eyes glazed over.

A blue cloak as azure as the deepest valleys of her irises billowed beneath hair gold as the sun and of the light that it reflected, bouncing free and frantic.

Their journey, along a path nearing its end, had been met with nothing but scorn and dutiful resistance muttered through the frustrated whispers of the guards.

A large door drew close, a heavy slab of dark wood boasting the weight of a hefty arched lintel and engraved with the image of paired helms, one mirrored beneath the other and reversed to face the opposite way.

Gold accents were weaved throughout cracks in the wood's grain, creeping vines that grew to wrap around crude brass handles.

The guards moved to either side of the door, clanking into position with bulky armor that left no skin to be seen.

They unsheathed their iron broadswords and gripped the hilt with both hands, placing the tips into worn grooves on the floor.

Like granite statues, they stood still, not a trace of a breath under their breastplates to be seen and not a beat of their hearts to be heard in the silence.

She placed her hands on the handle of the slab and pushed the door open.

A waft of stale air and damp wood greeted her nose.

Drawing from a reserve of strength, she forced her legs to move, and they carried her into the room.

It was not until the door had shut, and she had slid the deadbolt into place that she allowed the exhaustion to creep into her face and limbs.

She blindly felt for the wooden bench that lined the wall beside her before exhaling down onto it, resting her elbows on her legs and cradling her head.

She shut her eyes and watched the pulsating flow of black and white pin pricks dance about the dizzying space in her head.

In flashes that felt like an eternity but were in reality, only a sliver of a moment in time, vivid scenes projected themselves onto her mind; A cacophony of sounds, whispers of words that held resentment of having never fallen on listening ears, sickening squelches, and the sounds of cracking followed by tormented screams and unholy cries.

The inability to breathe, either by the feeling of the murky dark preventing air from entering her lungs or by the dread that any indication of the presence of an untainted soul might mean committing a sin that could not be atoned for.

Liquid flames burrowed through lightless space and lapped at the walls, seeped through stones that kissed with naught but a hairs thickness between them.

It withered, and it crumbled, absorbed, and then destroyed in the purest sense.

She released the thoughts without opening her eyes, relieved to return from one dark to another, but her heart was indifferent, pounding as though it was threatened and in danger.

Her mind wondered to many places, far corners and close ones alike. She plucked thoughts from each, examined them, turned them around in imagined hands, and fiddled with dials and gears in an attempt to understand them, yet when she opened her eyes, she was no closer to satiating her mind's sleep deprived wonderings than before.

"Lady Esandolyn?"

A loud bang on the door startled her, ripping her from a stupor fixed to a decrepit spider web nestled between the rafters.

"Y-yes, I'm almost done."

She stood and unclipped the cloak from around her neck, a sapphire jewel that split in two at either corner of the sheet itself bluer.

She brought each corner to its opposite end, running her fingers along a folded seam until the cloak had been reduced to half the length.

It wrapped around her waist, where she fastened it to a plate below her segmented faulds.

The armory, in which she stood, was reserved only for those of which the twelve sets of armor within belonged, placed against two walls, with six on either side.

Each stand stood atop a stone base, numbered from the first closest to her, to the twelfth, at the far back beside a barred window.

Not all of them carried their iron armor flesh. Some were completely empty, frail skeletons of a Knight's protection, though the ones that harbored the most weight within her chest where the ones that rested with all their pieces, for they belonged to those who could no longer bear their weight.

One, three, four, and eleven, all proclamations of their owners, made to taste in matters of size, color, shape, and design, now stood solitary, webbed, and layered in dust.

She walked over to a stand marked with a seven, the one that contained the pieces of her armor set that she wasn't already wearing, which consisted of her helmet and her sword, thought she would not need it this time.

Her visor, only ever meant for a gaze to emanate out from within, settled on her own eyes, their vision falling on themselves.

It took some effort to break away from herself, and it took even more to keep from caving into a desire to bathe in her own disgusted leer.

To her sword, her hand drifted out of habit and in reach of comfort, not supplied by its dead hilt.

She removed it from the sheath with a rattle. The blade caught the light from the window and reflected it over the ceiling in angled silver patches that illuminated the recesses of a high cinched roof.

It was heavier than she remembered, heaving its full weight into the air.

bringing it to eye level, she inspected its blade. The steel was polished enough to become a mirror of her surroundings, but speckled blemishes had begun to form that distorted the view.

The jewel at the hilt had lost its luster. Now, it was an object painted by an amateur artist.

"Lady Esandolyn!"

Hurriedly, she shoved the sword back into the sheath and took her helmet under her arm.

She crouched down and rummaged in a satchel tucked away behind the base of her stand and grabbed an item bound in cloth and twine, shoving it beneath her breastplate.

The door burst open as soon as she slid the lock away.

The guards rushed into the room and inspected every nook in search of anything out of the ordinary.

"What took so long?" The right guard asked, stepping out of the way to allow her to pass through.

"I couldn't find my helmet."

She stared into his visor, hoping it was directly into his eyes and not the middle of his forehead.

"Are you ready now?" He asked with no emotion, reaching to take her helmet from her.

She nodded, and the left guard took her by the arm and turned her to face the wall.

He clasped her wrists at the front of her waist and tightly fastened rusty handcuffs to them, causing her to wince.

He motioned her to walk ahead, and she took the lead once more, this time bound at the wrists.

A chilly mid-winter day stung her flushed cheeks, and an icy breeze sent a shiver down her spine.

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

The sky had darkled from its original blue, a storm of ominous clouds threatening to attack from far ahead.

She paused to breathe, but the guards kept her moving. The floor dissappeared beneath her feet as she descended step by step down a small staircase.

They waited in the open, in front of a collection of stone buildings with wooden rooves, a small village isolated and without residents.

To the side of them, a dramatic castle loomed, coned pillars and spiraling towers attached to various windowed squares and rectangles.

She had only a few moments to stare at the sun's rays, bleeding out from behind the castle's rough edges before the guard holding her whistled loudly, signaling a horse-drawn coach over where they stood.

"What're you doing all the way here!? We were supposed to meet at the entrance!"

The coachman was visibly irritated, sputtering his words through his oversized mustache, "These paths are long, and you Guard bunch aren't helpful in the slightest!

The guard shrugged, exasperated, his armor rubbing against itself with a metallic scraping. "She requested a visit to the armory to change her plackart."

"Looks the same to me." The left guard mumbled.

"Well, come on now, we're going to be late." His horse huffed in agreement.

She was ushered inside and seated on the cushioned chair beside her helmet.

The guards pulled the curtains on every window closed and slammed the door shut behind them.

The coach dropped and swayed as one of the guards took a seat in the driver's box, and with a lurch, they began moving.

She shut her eyes and fell back into the seat, letting the vibration of wooden wheels over a gravel path and the idle chatter of the guard and coachman take her into a state of a light, almost sleep.

"Hey! Stop! Stop the coach!"

For a second, she remained, but once she realized who the voice belonged to, she tried to peer through the thick curtains, but she was only able to see muffled silhouettes.

"Sir Cossick!" The guard yelled, bringing the horse to a jostled halt.

"Yes, hello!" He said breathlessly.

"Is there something wrong?"

He paused to fill his chest with air. "Indeed there is," and exhaled it out, "you see, the Queen made a special request that I accompany her to the courtroom as a guide."

"When did this happen?"

"Well, it was before she left for Landol."

"I didn't hear of this, sir Cossick, I am meant to accompany her to the court."

"The Queen wanted as much security as possible since the public is in an outrage. Do you mean to defy her wishes?"

"No, of course not," He sounded hesitant, "let me get the door for you."

"Oh no, that's alright, I've got it, thank you."

The door creaked open, and a tall, dark-haired man entered, lowering his head to make it under the frame.

"Good morning, Lady Esandolyn!"

"No, don't call me that."

He chuckled, taking a seat across from her, placing a leather satchel at his side. He was clad in full armor as well, an emerald green trim carved into the seams of the steel joins with a cloak and eyes to match.

"The Queen never requested that I have a guide." She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Didn't she...?" He asked, scratching his furrowed brow, "... could've sworn she did."

"Well!" He slapped his hands on his knees, "What does it matter now? I'm here anyway!" He offered a grin, and she replied with a small smile, though her expression wasn't fully present.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a meeting today?"

He waved her questions away, "Not for a few hours, Goefritte hasn't returned yet."

"Oh yes, I forgot."

"Isolde." His voice had dropped to a serious tone so unexpectedly that her head whipped around to stare at him.

"I haven't seen you in a while. What's been going on with you lately?"

She nodded, now understanding why he snuck onto her coach. "There's nothing going on."

She tried her best to sound genuine, but her words fell flat and died on the floor.

"We never see you anymore. In fact, I think you're avoiding us entirely. You've been absent from the past three meetings, you don't attend training, and I haven't seen you for breakfast in weeks." He listed them off on his fingers.

She looked into his eyes, trying to formulate a string of words to no avail.

"And then," he continued, to which she dropped her gaze to her lap, knowing what he would say. "You murdered someone Isolde, a high priest no less, and then you burned down his church."

"I didn't do it." She whispered weakly, a feeling of hopelessness welling up inside her. "I didn't do it."

"Yeah, no shit."

"Wha-?"

"Obviously, you didn't do it, but for whatever reason, they think you did, and they don't care about whether or not this is a fair trial. They want to see you pay, and in all honesty, the evidence is not in your favor."

"There was no one there - "

"Shhhh." He cut her off with a whisper and threw a glance in the direction of the drivers box behind him, where the guard and coachman had fallen silent.

He leaned forward and said to her softly, "I heard... from a source... that Balic is overseeing the trial, along with the members of his church who weren't lost to the fire."

Her heart dropped into her stomach, and it was visible from how much color had drained from her skin.

"Yep," his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth, "You know, these people are a bunch of pigs whenever the Queen is away."

"How do you know about Balic, who told you?"

"It's not important right now. What matters is that Balic's son is dead, and he thinks it was you."

"What can I do then? He's going to disregard everything I say."

"There is no outcome where you walk out of that courtroom a free person," he said simply, "but we have the advantage of this being a private trial and the fact that he"s not judging helps too. As much as I hate to admit it, the other officials there aren't all idiots."

The coach hit a rough bump in the road, and they swayed violently. Cossick reached a hand out to steady Esandolyn before she smashed into the wall.

"A source told me he's considering either life in prison, torture included, or execution as the punishment."

He mimed a scale motion with his hands, "Both are bad, but one is better."

"Wait, if he isn't judging, why does he decide the punishment?"

"Technicalities... relations... like i said, they're pigs."

She nodded slowly, "So, I need to avoid saying anything that will tip his choice in favor of an execution."

"Exactly. If it's life in prison, at least I can break you out."

"That's illegal, you know."

"Whatever it takes." He smiled.

"I don't know what happened that night or why you were there, and I won't ask. I know you didn't do it, but," He continued, "you were there, and that is undeniable. I want to help you, this is about all I can do. They won't let anyone with even the smallest of connections to you inside."

They stopped speaking shortly after, agreeing to stay silent for the remainder of the trip. With no voices filling the space, she could hear the sounds of a bustling life outside the cart slowly grow.

They had left the premises of the castle and were amidst the public that stood to the sides of cobblestone roads and rough dirt paths in their varying wood built homes and stone masoned buildings.

Shadows whisked past the curtains, and she counted how many times irregularly shaped human figures blocked out the light.

Laughter filled the silence between the yells of children and the many voices that blended together into an undistinguishable drone.

She could smell alcohol and various foods being sold by street vendors, the scents wafting in through the cracks of the walls.

Her stomach protested at not having eaten for a few days.

She looked at Cossick again. He had nodded off, his head resting against the window.

The dark bags under his eyes, the stubble on his face, and his disheveled hair that she hadn't noticed before made themselves present in that moment.

She wondered about how little he had been sleeping and the fact that it might be her fault, too.

Does the source he spoke of really exist, or did he gather the information himself?

From her breastplate, she fished out the item from the armory and stared at it, tracing that pattern on the cloth.

She reached forward, careful not to rattle the chains and tucked it into his satchel, clipping it closed again.

"Almost there!" The coachman yelled, startling Cossick awake, who furiously wiped at the drool leaking from the corner of his mouth.

He smiled at her once more, and although she was unable to reciprocate it to the fullest of her abilities, Cossick seemed satisfied and placed his hand on hers.

"Good luck, Isolde."

#Knight #knights #adventure #fantasy #high fantasy #original work #original writing #original character #holy #knights of the round table #mature #violent #violence #bloody #cw: gore #blood orange #first post

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