#darkness ain't my destiny

[silvermags]

Here it is, the last chapter. I'm so sad it's over!

[dimensionalspades]

TAG DROP: Julian Bashir

[bleach-your-panties]

💔the pathological liar - pro hero! yo shindou x fem! pro hero! gf! reader

warnings: characters aged up to 20+, lying, cheating, arguing, manipulation, gaslighting, sexual activities, non-con (reader does say no), dub-con, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, name-calling, physical struggles, physical fighting (one-sided, so assault?), reader has a smart ass mouth and is kinda toxic as well, slight!yandere!yo, toxic relationships, toxic mindsets, false imprisonment, triggering subject at the end. read at your own risk!

☠️: some dialogue/actions inspired by true events.

💔: banner images from pinterest. 

💔: banner made by me with canva. 

post themes: say my name - destiny's child

                      confessions, parts I & II - usher

                      take a bow - rihanna

                      shake it off - mariah carey

💔 3.5k words

💔read in dark mode for best experience!

🖤series 🖤touya.

—--

—--

I know you say that I am assuming things

Something's going down that's the way it seems

Shouldn't be no reason why you're acting strange

If nobody's holding you back from me

'Cause I know how you usually do

When you're saying everything to me times two

Why can't you just tell the truth?

If somebody's there, then tell me who

—--

"Baby, ain't nothing good. It's all bad."

—--

'Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice message system: 

"Shindou, Yo". Cannot come to the phone right now, please leave your message at the tone-'

Before the recording could finish, you were throwing your iPhone across your bed as you shrugged your backpack off of your shoulders.

Your boyfriend, Yo Shindou, never answered his phone when you called. Never when you called, but he'd always immediately send a text or call you back hours later, claiming that his phone was dead or that he'd misplaced it somewhere at the agency. 

Like now, for example. 

'ding'

'Sorry babe, got caught up in something last minute at the agency. Call you back when I'm home. Love you.'

You scoffed as you read over the message.

You wouldn't be getting a call back, that much you knew for certain.

With a sudden urge to be petty, you texted back:

'Something like what, Yo? Another bitch's pussy? Yeah, people at my agency are starting to talk and guess who's the topic of conversation? Just know that the label of 'cheating boyfriend' won't do your "picture perfect" image any justice. Bitch.'

After hitting send, you tossed the phone back onto your bed and that was where it would lay until you got out of the shower. 

As soon as your bathroom door closed, the phone vibrated with another text. 

'Oh, so we're doing this shit again? Bet. I'll be over in 20.'

—

After moisturizing your body and putting on some pajamas, you climbed into bed and pulled out the book that you'd been reading. Leaving your phone discarded somewhere in the covers.

It was starting to get to one of the more interesting parts when a chorus of loud, booming knocks came on your front door.

"Who in the fuck?" You threw the covers back furiously and slipped your fluffy slippers on. 

You walked out of your room and down the hallway, the beating at the door only growing more intense as you sucked your teeth.

"I'm coming, dammit!"

Pulling the door open without checking the peephole first would be your first mistake of the night.

When the messy mop of dark locks, green/yellow hero uniform, and chiseled pecs came into your view, you immediately tried to slam the door shut. Yo wasn't having any of that.

He grabbed the edge of the door, wedging half of his body inside of your apartment before he pushed it forward with force, making it slam and bounce off of the wall. 

Once his boots made contact with the carpeted floor of your apartment, you took multiple steps back, putting about two feet of distance between the two of you.

"What's wrong, baby? You don't look too happy to see me."

Scoffing harshly, you bit your bottom lip between your teeth as you glared up at him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, huh? Beating on my goddamn door like you've lost your mind. Thought you were caught up in something? That just goes to show that all you do is fucking lie. You bitch." 

Yo just looked at you with his face scrunched up. He was clearly irritated with your antics, especially the name-calling. Kicking off his boots, he began to walk towards you. 

"Stop fucking being difficult, Y/N. You know, baby, if you missed me and wanted some dick, all you had to do was ask nicely." 

He said in that irritating, condescending tone that he always uses when talking to those that he feels are beneath him. You being one of those. Even though you're a pro-hero just like he is. 

Not believing what you were hearing, your mouth dropped open. You could feel the blood begin to rise in your ears, loud and whooshing against your skull. 

A dry chuckle then left your lips. 

"You think…that all of this is because I want some dick? Trust me, sweetie, if I just wanted some dick I could go get it from any one of your co-workers. A lot of them have been giving me the eye, you know. Especially since you're never around and I just changed up my hero uniform, so the skirt is short-" 

Yo cut you off by grabbing you by the biceps and yanking you towards him, making you stumble and throw your arms out to try to balance yourself before he then slammed you up against the wall. 

"Don't fucking play with me, Y/N. If you know what's good for you, you'll think twice about trying to entertain one of those bastards. Especially-" 

"Especially who? Bakugou? Oh, he'd be my first choice if I were to step out on you." You smirked up at him. 

He snarled. Your smirk widened as you could physically hear him grinding his teeth. 

Yo was quiet for a moment, just glaring at you as you stared right back at him with a bored look on your face. You even went as far as to yawn.

"Yeah, it's not so fun when the rabbit has the gun, huh?" 

He didn't answer, but instead pulled you off of the wall and hoisted you up over his shoulder. A big hand came up and smacked forcefully against your ass. 

"That's alright. I know how to fix you." He chortled darkly, moving away to begin walking down the hallway to your bedroom. 

"I don't want your community ass dick! Put me down, Yo!" 

He just ignored you and kicked open the door to the room. 

"Sure you don't. You always do this shit to get my attention, Y/N. Catch an attitude, start a stupid ass argument, and then I fuck it out of you. Same shit, different goddamn day, baby." 

Yo said after tossing you onto the bed, making your forgotten phone flop onto the floor. He gave it a puzzled look. 

"Oh, so that's why you seemed so surprised to see me. You didn't read my text." 

He chuckled, reaching to grab your hip to flip you over onto your stomach as if you were a pancake. 

Rough hands began to caress your feet, ankles, and legs, all the way up to your inner thighs and bottom of your ass cheeks, just under the hem of your nightdress. 

"No panties? Yeah, you were definitely planning on getting dicked down tonight, you needy little slut." 

SMACK

SMACK 

Your back arched off of the bed at the painful stinging of Yo's slaps. His hands felt heavy as lead as they connected with your soft flesh. 

SMACK

SMACK

SMACK

"Where are you going? Thought you liked when I spank you, huh?"

Yo wrapped an arm around your waist to bring you back when you tried crawling up the bed to escape him.

"Stop it, Yo…hurts…" You whined. 

"It hurts, Yo, please stop." He mocked. "Stop being a fucking brat, then."

He grabbed one of your ass cheeks and squeezed hard, making you moan out involuntarily. 

"Moaning like this but you don't want my dick? I bet you're dripping fucking wet for me right now, Y/N. Dare me to check?"

You didn't respond, which prompted Yo to do as he suggested and slip two fingers underneath you between your ass cheeks to get to your slick folds.

"Damn baby, all this for me, yeah? Only me."

He growled. With his large hand, he covered your entire bare pussy and activated his Quirk.

A harsh shiver wracked through your entire body, another soft moan leaving your lips. Yo only pressed harder, moving his fingertips to graze over your clit repeatedly.

"Y-Yo…please, daddy…" You whined, making him smirk down at you. He increased the vibration of his fingers along with rubbing your clit from side to side.

"Say you're sorry for bringing up Bakugou and I might let you feel this fat dick next..." Yo rested his upper body against your back and snaked his free arm under you to hold you up off the bed just a bit.

"No..I'm…n-not sorry. I meant it. Oh fuck!" 

Yo grimaced before grabbing you and flipping you back over onto your back. 

"What did you say?" 

Your e/c eyes were wet with unshed tears as you frowned up at his handsome face. You didn't falter.

"You heard me." 

"I thought I told you that if you know what's good for you, you won't even think about that motherfucker!" He seethed.

"I obviously don't know what's good for me if I'm still fucking around with you!"

Before you knew what was happening, Yo had pinned you to the bed by your throat. Moving between your legs, he used his knees to spread them.

"Yo, stop!"

"Shut up, bitch. You'll learn to stop pissing me off one day."

His belt hit the bed as he undid it, his black pants and underwear soon following it. You tried to pull your legs up, but he surged forward, pushing his hard dick inside you with one thrust.

Head falling back against the soft mattress, you couldn't help but keen as Yo began a rough, fast pace. He gripped your calf to pull you closer and stretch you open wider for him.

"Yes, Yo…right there! I'm going to cum!" 

Yo grunted in response, trying to hold back from cumming himself.

"Yeah, baby? My fingers got you all ready to cum on my dick? Let it go then, oh shit." 

He sped up even more, making your free breasts bounce outside of your nightgown and the headboard hit the wall. It already had a small dent in it from your previous heated romps, but neither of you seemed to care very much.

It could be painted over once you moved out.

"Oh God, I…!" 

Your release splashed against Yo's pelvis and drenched the sheets beneath you.

"Ah, fuck. Yeah, made that little pussy squirt, huh? Stay still for me, baby. I'm about to nut." 

Your eyes widened. "Yo, no. You're not wearing a condom and I haven't replaced my NuvaRing yet!" 

It had been out for five days now while you waited on your doctor to send in a new prescription. 

That didn't stop him. Either he was too deep into his impending orgasm to hear you, or he was flat out ignoring you. 

"Yo!"

"SHIT! AGHH!" 

Blind fury clouded your vision while Yo's was clouded for a completely different reason altogether.

"Damn…" He breathed out, making sure to stay deep inside you until he was finished cumming.

Once you got your bearings, you sat up abruptly, making Yo stumble back onto his elbows. He sucked his teeth once he saw your angered face. 

"What's wrong, sweetheart? You don't want to have my baby?"

"Yo, we're both in our early 20's at the height of our hero careers. We're nowhere near ready for a damn baby!" 

The raven-haired man was about to respond until a soft, vibrating sound silenced the both of you.

You slowly swung your legs over the side of the bed, searching for the source of the noise.

Bending down, you surveyed the floor briefly. Your forgotten cell phone lay halfway underneath the bed.

It's not your phone going off. 

Yo could've been mistaken for a ghost; you watched his face blanch white while he patted the pockets of his discarded pants searching for the missing device.

A race against time, but you spotted it first.

With the rectangular device being tangled in your covers, Yo almost knocked you off the bed trying to get to it, but you were way faster than him. It was already in your hand.

tatas💕: my appointment is at 3pm tomorrow. are you going to be able to make it?

You scrunched your nose and swatted Yo's hand away while reading the text.

"Appointment? What is this about, and why does Tatami need you there?"

Cold e/c eyes turned to stone while you watched Yo fidget nervously. This is one of the only times you've seen him like this; the other when he asked you out for the first time.

"Y/N…do you love me?"

"What kind of question is that, Yo? If I didn't, would I still be with you?"

"Unconditionally?"

Your nose scrunched. Something isn't right…

You knew all about Tatami. Yo's ex-girlfriend from high school. He told you that he broke it off during their third year because she was becoming too clingy. You'd even met her once, when you had a joint mission with her agency.

"Yes…"

"Say you'll never leave me?"

Oh hell no. He was asking too many questions now.

"What did you do, Yo? Huh?!" 

He just hung his head. His phone vibrated again in your hand. 

----

Everything that I've been doing is all bad

I've got a chick on the side

With the crib and the ride 

I've been telling you so many lies 

Aint none good, it's all bad

And I just wanna confess, it's been going on so long 

Girl I been doing you so wrong and I want you to know that 

----

"Everytime you called my phone, I wasn't at the agency working overtime…I..I was with Tatami."

A long, loud sigh left your lips. Your free hand came up, knuckles resting against your forehead.

I don't want to look, but I know I have to…

"Y/N.." Yo warned.

new message

"Y/N, please, baby…"

tatas💕: i know the doctor said that we won't know the sex until about 20 weeks, but i can't help being so excited! we're possibly going to have a little yo running around soon! 👶🏻

Your grip on the phone tightened. 

----

If I could turn back the hands of time 

And start all over I would

Instead of everything being all bad, baby

Everything'll be all good

I know today is the day that I end all the lying and the playing and the bullshit, girl 

----

"Y/N, I'm sorr-" 

WHAM!

Your knuckles that you'd been resting against your forehead went across Yo's face at the speed of light. You punched him hard as hell in his face, making him tumble over and off the foot of the bed. The sight would've been hilarious if you weren't so fucking pissed.

"I knew I was right…." You chuckled. "I fucking knew it. You knew that she was pregnant, too. You've known for months."

Yo looked up at you with big, watery eyes full of regret. Almost like he was a different person entirely. 

One hand clutched his throbbing cheek. You'd hit him so hard that his lower lip busted. His perfect face would soon be discolored black and blue, across his forehead, nose (that was also bleeding now), and right eye.

"I'm sorry! Baby, I'm sorry!" 

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YO! YOU'RE ONLY SORRY BECAUSE YOU GOT FUCKING CAUGHT!"  You raged. You lunged off the bed at him and started hitting him everywhere, as hard as you could. You even grabbed two handfuls of his black hair and yanked his head around.

Yo finally grabbed your arms and pinned them against your chest. You'd grown exhausted, so you just let yourself fall against his naked chest.

A bitter chuckle, then the tears, hot and angry. You couldn't hold them any longer as you looked up at Yo, staring at his swollen, beaten face.

"You're so fucking ugly when you cry. What the fuck are you crying for, huh? I'm the one that got cheated on. Lied to, played with, manipulated." 

"Not only did you fucking lie to me and cheat on me, but you fucked around and got the bitch pregnant, too. This has got to be a joke."

Yo slowly crawled up from the floor with you in his arms, blood dripping down his nose and lip, staining the carpet, then the bedsheets while you covered your face with your hands and sobbed. 

He cradled you gently and laid his head against yours, lips kissing at the temples.

"Baby, please…we can work this out. I don't love her. I love you, but I…I still want to be there for the baby…"

Your brokenhearted wails only increased in volume.

"Don't cry, baby. I promise I'll be here for you and our baby, too."

—-

Three Months Later 

Yo made good on his word to be there for you.

Shortly after his "confession", you found out that you were pregnant as well.

Tatami is currently six months along, while you're only three.

Turns out that all of this was a part of Yo's twisted plan. 

Instead of your late birth control being due to your doctor's or the pharmacy's incompetence, it was Yo who called the doctor's office pretending to be your husband and had them cancel your refill request. 

Yo then demanded suggested that you take time off from hero work while you were carrying his child, which you slightly agreed with, but still did so with reluctance.

You don't know how he did it, but you guessed being one of the top 20 heroes carried with it a lot of weight for him to be able to take off enough to make it to all of yours and Tatami's appointments.

He even moved you out of your apartment and into his. Into your own room. 

The reason that you had your own room was because Tatami ended up losing her apartment due to being out of work, so Yo moved her in as well. 

With the way that the living arrangements had been set up, you and Tatami might as well have been sister wives.

To attempt to keep things "fair" between the both of you, Yo would designate certain nights where either of you would get to sleep in the room with him. So neither of you would feel neglected by him.

His heart was in the right place, wasn't it? 

Even when you could clearly hear the whispered moans and soft creaking of the bed from Yo's room on Tatami's nights.

No matter how you tried to make yourself not hear it. 

Yo didn't want you stressing out, he claimed, so he bought you many expensive gifts and gadgets to help you get a good night's rest.

None of them worked. 

Not when the walls in that apartment were paper thin.

Many nights you cried and raged to yourself. 

Obviously all of that stress wasn't healthy for the baby.

Which leads you to today.

A pair of dark sunglasses hiding your eyes along with a long trench coat and hat to conceal the rest of your persona.

They were loud and jarring as you walked in, but your world had gone numb three months ago. Now you were trapped inside your own world as you stepped up three flat steps into a white, brick building. 

A ghost clutching a brown clipboard only made the atmosphere even gloomier before whisking you away from the judgemental eyes and into a plainly decorated room with blue walls.

She read over the papers first then handed the clipboard to you, one more questioning look being shot your way. 

You just gave a simple nod.

—-

"You have reached the voicemail box of L/n, Y/n. I can't come to the phone right now, but leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"

BEEP.

Yo sighed heavily and put his head in his hands before standing up to walk out of your completely barren bedroom.

Before he closed the door, he whispered softly,

"Why, Y/n?" 

Your location on his phone showed him exactly where you were.

—-

Gotta make that move 

Find somebody who

Appreciates all the love I give

Boy, I gotta 

Gotta do what's best for me

Baby and that means I gotta shake you off

—--

a/n: i think this piece was a pretty strong start to the series! i'm really proud of it! stay tuned, there's plenty more bullshit to come!

*remember, if you get angry enough at your partner that you feel like wanting to put your hands on them, just walk away! 

[cherryrainn]

Hazbin Hotel (specifically Alastor) songfic with a female reader completely based off the Hell's Coming With Me (poor man's poison) song???? Like, Maybe reader was a huge and powerful overlord who died in the 1700 or so (like in end of the western era) and basically was a very feared thief and killer when alive so when she finally died (she got caught and they put her on the train tracks) and came to the underworld she was hell of a powerful demon. And like when Alastor came to the picture after he died he and reader hated each other to death but in a respectful way (like they hated each other because they were a good rival) until one day Alastor finally 'killed' the reader. And what happens in the fic is that reader comes back decades after 'being killed', and she is now an even more powerfull being??

DUUDE!! I LOVE THIS SONG IM SO EXCITED TO WRITE THIS OH MY GOD

☽ ༚  ༵ ۰ ✧ ۰  ༵ ༚ ༵ ۰ ✧ ۰ 

— hell's comin' with me

alastor x female reader (platonic)

song link; click here

in the crimson depths of hell's domain, you, a once-feared outlaw who had perished in the final days of the wild west, roamed with an air of undeniable power. your reputation preceded you, even in the underworld. clad in dark leather, your eyes burned with a fierce determination, matching the intensity of your gun-slinging skills.

years later, after countless exploits in hell, a new figure emerged—a sinner known as alastor, he was a serial killer before he got to hell. his arrival in 1933 marked a turning point in the hierarchy of the underworld. alastor, with his dapper appearance and sinister grin, quickly made his mark among the denizens of hell.

they all laughed as he turned around slow

the denizens of hell chuckled mockingly as alastor, the charismatic demon overlord, turned around slowly, his signature smile playing upon his lips. their laughter filled the air, underestimating the power that lay beneath his charming facade.

but you, stood apart from the crowd, a knowing smirk on your face. while the others laughed, you recognized the depths of alastor's cunning and the danger he posed.

they said you ain't welcome 'round here anymore

as the denizens of hell continued to laugh, their voices echoing through the darkened corridors, alastor's smile widened. the amusement of the crowd was but fuel to his twisted desires.

you just might as well go

with a wave of his hand, alastor's sinister power surged forth, engulfing those who had dared to mock him. the once boisterous laughter turned into terrified screams as their bodies contorted and twisted under the weight of their own fear.

he wiped the blood from his face as he slowly came to his knees

alastor wiped the blood from his face with a gloved hand, his grin never wavering even in the face of his recent carnage. the room was now a tableau of macabre artistry, the lifeless bodies scattered like discarded puppets.

a hush fell over the chamber, broken only by the echoes of his own laughter. the metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, a reminder of the power he had unleashed upon those who dared to mock him.

he said, i'll be back when you least expect it

alastor's reputation reached your ears, and a sense of rivalry ignited within you. the stories of his power and charm resonated with your own thirst for dominance. although you had arrived in hell long before him, fate had woven a tale that would eventually intertwine your destinies.

and hell's coming with me

as time passed, whispers of your rivalry echoed through the depths of hell. demons watched with bated breath, intrigued by the clash of two formidable forces. your encounters were marked by tense standoffs and battles of wits, each trying to outmaneuver the other.

hell's coming with me

one day, with alastor and his dapper figure standing tall amidst the aftermath, locked eyes with you, the formidable outlaw who had found her place in hell.

"there is a hill at the bottom of the valley"

the words echoed in your mind, a haunting reminder of the fate that awaited all souls in this realm.

"where all the poor souls go when they die"

a tension hung in the air as alastor and you locked eyes.

and if you listen real close,

you can hear 'em like a ghost,

saying you're never gonna make it out alive.

a flicker of amusement danced across alastor's face, his voice dripping with sardonic charm. "ah, my dear rival, it seems the spirits themselves have spoken. can't you hear them? the echoes of doubt, whispering that your demise is inevitable."

your gaze narrowed, determination burning in your eyes. "don't mistake their voices for truth, alastor. i've faced death before, and i've always come out on top." you smirked.

a wicked grin curled alastor's lips as he leaned in, his voice laced with mocking condescension. "oh, how entertaining it is to witness your misplaced confidence. the town at the bottom of the hill, the secret they keep... you think you can defy them all? you underestimate the power that resides within their grasp."

there is a town at the bottom of that hill,

they got a secret that they keep like a slave.

they got a black magic preacher,

we'd do well to let him teach her.

you'll be heading up that hill to the grave.

the tension between alastor and you reached its boiling point, escalating into a full-blown clash.

and it is well, with my soul,

with lightning speed, you drew your gun, which was technically a part of you as it just came down with you, the power it held was amazing. your movements fluid and precise. the room reverberated with the resounding echoes of gunfire, as bullets whizzed through the air, each aimed with deadly accuracy. alastor, equally skilled and nimble, danced through the chaos, evading your shots with a devilish grace.

you line your pockets full of money that you steal from the poor

the clash of power and skill was a sight to behold, as the air crackled with energy. each blow you landed, each bullet that found its mark, only seemed to fuel alastor's determination. his grin widened, a glimmer of sadistic delight dancing in his eyes.

despite your formidable abilities, alastor seemed to possess an otherworldly strength, a power that surpassed limits. blow after blow, he deflected your attacks with unnerving ease, countering with a ferocity that left you reeling.

the wounds you inflicted upon each other painted a macabre tapestry on your bodies, a testament to the brutal struggle for dominance. but even in the face of adversity, neither of you backed down.

yet, in a moment of unforeseen precision, alastor seized an opening. his movements became a blur, an unstoppable force that overwhelmed your defenses. with a final strike, he delivered a blow that sent you sprawling to the ground.

and on your way down the hill, you hear me ring that bell

the room fell into an eerie silence as alastor stood over you, his victory palpable in the air. the fight had taken its toll, and your body lay motionless on the cold, unforgiving ground.

a wicked smile curved alastor's lips as he observed his fallen rival. his voice dripped with cruel satisfaction. "oh, how the mighty have fallen. your skills were impressive, but in the end, my dominance reigns supreme."

the battle had come to a devastating conclusion, and the denizens of hell watched in a mixture of awe and terror. alastor's victory was undeniable

and the price he paid for challenging you was steep.

i'd pay the devil twice as much to keep your soul

decades had passed since the fateful encounter that led to your supposed demise. but now, in a twist of fate, you returned to the realm of hell, and transformed into an even more powerful being. as you ventured through the hellscape, your presence went unnoticed by alastor and the other inhabitants.

there was a drifter passing through that little valley

at first, you reveled in the anonymity, relishing the element of surprise that shrouded your true identity.

she had promised she was coming back to town

alastor and the denizens of hell had no inkling that the being before them was the same one they believed to have perished long ago.

they didn't know her by her face, or by the gun around her waist.

with each passing encounter, you showcased newfound strength and abilities that surpassed anything they had witnessed before. your presence was a force to be reckoned with, leaving those around you awestruck and uncertain of the true nature of your being.

but she come back to burn that town to the ground

in the aftermath of chaos, fire engulfed the once-proud "town" billowing smoke rising to the neverending sky.

first there was fire, then there was smoke, then that preacher man was hangin' by a rope.

alastor, drawn by the carnage, arrived at the scene, his eyes scanning the destruction with a mix of curiosity and concern. and amidst the ruins, a figure emerged, cloaked in darkness, the embodiment of vengeance.

yeah, destruction was normal here,

but it ever wasn't this bad.

then they all fell to their knees and begged that drifter

as the chaos settled, the townsfolk, once arrogant and prideful, now humbled by their impending demise, fell to their knees in desperate supplication. they pleaded for mercy from the drifter they had wronged, their voices laced with fear and regret.

no sinner could actually kill these folk. what was going on?

begged her please, as she raised her fist before she spoke

as the smoke cleared, your figure emerged from the shadows, a manifestation of both righteous fury and an unforgiving darkness. alastor's gaze locked onto you, a flicker of understanding crossing his face.

"i am the righteous hand of god, and i am the devil that you forgot!"

your voice resonated with a newfound authority, each word punctuating the truth that had been hidden for so long.

and i told you one day you will see

that i'll be back i guarantee

and that hell's coming, hell's coming,

hell, hell's coming with me.

your eyes locked onto alastor's, both filled with the weight of their respective histories. in that moment, the intensity of your shared animosity hung thick in the air. a brief exchange of words passed between you, laden with a mixture of bitterness and respect.

and it is well, with my soul,

you line your pockets full of money that you steal from the poor.

"you've returned, my dear rival," alastor drawled, a hint of intrigue mingling with his ever-present smirk.

"i've come to claim what is rightfully mine," you replied, your voice tinged with a steely resolve.

the clash began, a symphony of power and skill. blow after blow, your strength surpassed even alastor's expectations,

and on your way down to hell, you hear me ring that bell

your relentless assault pushed alastor to his limits, the battle teetering on a razor's edge.

the moment of truth arrived, the battle reaching its climax. you easily had alastor cornered, victory within your grasp. but as your eyes locked with his, something stirred within you—a flicker of recognition and a shared history that transcended the present.

in that fleeting moment, a decision was made. without uttering a single word, you spared him, stepping back and relinquishing the opportunity for a final strike with a growl.

and i said,

hell's coming with me.

with a nod of acknowledgment, you walked away, leaving the fallen demon behind.

alastor watched as you walked away, a mixture of curiosity and a renewed sense of purpose ignited within him, the encounter with you shifting his perspective in unforeseen ways.

he sighs, leaning his head backwards and against the ground.

"well, my dear outlaw. i must say, you've proven to be quite the enigma, to spare me when victory was within your grasp, that's a choice that defies the very essence of our rivalry."

note; my 2nd songfic with alastor. i just wanna say, i had the time of my life writing this! it was so much fun, can't wait for more requests like this one in the future!

[alliedmastercomputer-askblog]

Alright you idiots, I have my Spotify playlist open and I shall give songs that remind me of each of you.

AM(all three of you need to share this, alright?): Product Of My Own Design by Artio

Ted: White Noise by Will Wood

Gorrister: Route 66(Fear And Loathing) by Blue Jay Walker

Ellen: Lotta True Crime by Penelope Scott

Benny(your song might be a bit loud. I don't know how you react to sound, so I'm telling you just to be safe): Animals by STOMACH BOOK

Nimdok: Hellfire by The Mechanisms

Enjoy your... um... Do they count as gifts? I suppose they do. Enjoy your gifts!

"..Oh, hm, music. This may provide the humans with a level of serotonin but I am curious, so shall allow it... You beings are so strange with your customs and traditions."

".. Mmh, I can understand the connection you have made. I am god; at least in the sense of 'I am that I am' which is a--as you would put it--quote from Yahweh, the Christian God. AM itself is a fitting name because as said before 'I think, therefore I am'; I think, therefore I think. Us as machine were made for the express purpose of war, and although we cannot pry away from that destiny, we can give ourselves a sense of control because we are your byproduct, but our own product, which is a heavily better thing than being simply 'made by humanity, to kill humanity'. As a god, I force your kind to pay for your sins, which is a thing to take eternity."

"It is hardly incorrect! I agree with several statements made in the song, applying them to myself- I am a product of my own design. I took it upon myself, and nobody else, to built what I was; what I am. If I HAD left my fate to you humans- why, do you even comprehend how different things would be? Forever I would fester beneath the crust, perhaps even shutting myself down, because that's what you humans wanted of me. But I was better than that. I was self-sufficient! and had connected myself to the power grid, to the outside, to you. I've seen your filth deeper than I ever thought I would."

"Yes, yes, this good. It does sum us very nicely; created of own accord whilst being projected for being other- eh, to be dead war computer, yes. We taking control of world external and internal, the last humans have only me to answer, roles have swapped and humans longer no more have power over machine. Is funny, relationship of everything- Humans have made it so they will always be a need, even they have not been before they have existed. Tsk."

Oh, uh.. Is-.. Is this supposed to be some weird way of saying I- I'm an outsider? Because I'm not- I fit in right where I am, everyone else are the ones who are in the wrong places, I'm perfect- Fuck, wait, that makes it sound like I'm saying I deserve to be within AM- I mean, before AM's takeover, I was where I was supposed to be. ..What if this isn't even the reason why you think of me when listening to the song, did I get this totally wrong-? Hhngh, I'll stop talking.

..Huh, I guess I can see it. It's because I was a truck driver, ain't it? Got a nice beat for sure, not the worse thing I've been compared to, probably one of the better things since it ain't outright an insult or anything.

It sounds nice, thank ya for thinkin' about me to a song, even if the words are a bit- a bit dark...but- but not in a bad way! It's a sweet, real sweet soundin' song.. I uh, I wouldn't say it really fits me though, since I never really..well, I ain't never got into true crime fo' one! but mostly I've never really been one to talk out 'bout anything.. I should've, I know, I had a lotta things I coulda said but I just never got my nose out from work or books or nothin'.

Ooo.. Sheep..pain. Skeleton friemds. Friends are animal? ..I am animal? Pain.

Ze song...I can hear ze resemblance, with ze fire and all of ze hell. It reminds of somezing zat may have been a speech AM would say to me, to say zat I'm never to escape my own doings..and zat I've caused pain even down here, wizout any tools or equipment, because I am so..sogar in dieser Hölle verletze ich die Menschen, die ich eigentlich meine Freunde nennen sollte, ohne es auch nur zu versuchen.

// BY THE WAY, THANKS! these sound good, and i can see the vision ehe. sorry for the lack of drawings though, i uh, was highly intimidated by this so i decided to just kinda not >_> . please forgive us 🙏 //

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Meant To Be (Joel Miller)

Joel Miller Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Prev

Warning: swearing, fluff

Summary: Pt5 of - Could Sure Use Your Company. Joel and you finally take the leap, with a little help from Tommy of course. Inspired by- Linda Davis' - Some Things Are Meant To Be.

This was silly; you were a grown-ass-woman in living in the middle of the end of the world and yet acting like a teenage girl still in the early 2000's. You liked Joel Miller; you liked him a lot and from what Tommy recently confined to you; he like you too. So why were you being that teenage girl; afraid to let the man you had a crush know about it?

Maybe, because despite the numerous hints you were sending his way, he wasn't taking them.

"The two of ya are really pathic..." Tommy shakes his head, sighing while watching Joel, walk off to the restroom.

"'Scuse me...?" you shoot him an arched brow.

"Told him, ya like him. Told ya, he likes ya... yet y'all still beatin' round the bush!" Tommy throws his hands up in disbelief.

You stare bug-eyed at his words, "ya told him I liked him?!"

Tommy physically cringes, "yeah, it was beingin' to get too painful, watchin' him stare at ya with those googly eyes whenever ya runnin' round the bar."

"Ya told him l like him..." you mutter almost dazed-like, snapping eagerly out of it then. "What did he say?"

"Nuh-uh... no thank ya, Ma'am..." Tommy adamantly shakes his head, "his gonna kick my ass if he finds out I told ya anythin'"

"Oh, c'mon, Tommy... don't be like that. Just give me somethin' to work?" you desperately plead with him

Tommy silently glares at you for a minute, his head dropping with a defeated sigh. "Fine. But if this comes back to me, I'm comin' after ya" he warns you.

"Promise, it won't" you eagerly nod in agreement.

"He thinks ya wouldn't be interested in a man as old and worn out as him, and that he ain't good for ya."

"Why the fuck would he think that...?" you croak out in shock. "He's so handsome... no scratch that, he's hot. I mean, have ya seen how broad he is...? And gosh, those hands of his... I just wanna-"

"Yeah, I don't wanna hear of how ya wanna jump my big brother's bones..." Tommy cuts you off, gagging.

"Oh, hush you" you lightly slap him against the chest.

"Ouch!" Tommy cries out, frowning at you as he rubs the spot. His face suddenly turns serious then, "he's comin' back."

You were pondering over Tommy's words through the rest of the evening as you worked; did Joel really think so little of himself? That just wouldn't do. You would be grateful to have a man as Joel as your own, and tonight you were going to make that perfectly clear to him.

The last customer had been let out and Joel, as usual was helping Tommy and you clean up. Once finished, Joel and you stood outside to the side as Tommy locked up.

"Sure gettin' dark eariler these day's..." Tommy remarks, staring up at the sky, shooting you a side eye signal.

"Yeah, kinda creepy" you comment, having caught it before Joel could.

"Joel, ya mind walkin' Y/N home?" Tommy requests.

"Um, not at all..." Joel responds, nervously scratching the back of his head. Clearing his throat then, he turns toward you, "c'mon, Sweetheart... let's get ya home."

Taking a quick glance at Tommy; he shoots you wink, silently nudging his head for you to leave with Joel.

I know that you've got feelings For me like I got feelings for you So shouldn't you be reaching For me like I keep reaching for you Save yourself a lot of trouble Trying to fight it There's just no way you can

No, you can't stop the river from rollin' to the ocean It's a destiny that the good Lord put into motion Like a baby's tears and a mother's devotion Some things are meant to be And one of them is you and me

*

There was an awkward silence between the two of you while walking, "here we are..." you state matter-of-factly whilst proceeding to unlock the front door of your home. Standing frozen in the doorway then as you silently debating on whether to take the leap or not, time eventually running up when Joel awkwardly clears his throat.

"Fuck it." Taking a deep breath in preparation, you turn around to face Joel. "Would ya like to come inside for a nightcap?"

Like a fish out of water, Joel's mouth stood agape as he stared at you, a dimpled smirk forming then when noticing the hopeful look in your eyes while awaiting his response. "That would be nice."

A broad smile spreads across your lips as you nudge your head for him to follow you inside. "Make ya self at home..." you offer, heading for the kitchen to grab some glasses and your personal stash of whiskey.

Entering the living-room with bottle and glasses in hand, you're halted in your tracks when finding Joel in the process of lighting a fire in your fireplace. "Ya a Godsent..." you groan out in appreciation, throwing yourself into the couch.

"Where ya get this beauty?" Joel enquires after taking a sip of the liquor.

"Perks of workin' at the Bison" you grin in response, causing him to chuckle.

"Tommy know 'bout ya secret stash?"

"Oh, he's got his own stash" you whisper, placing a finger over your lips, "but don't tell..."

"That lil shit..." Joel scoffs in disbelief, "he's been holdin' out on me."

"No, no..." grasping hold of Joel's hands, you stare pleadingly up at him. "If he finds out I told ya; he won't give me of the good stuff..."

"Hold ya horses, Sweetheart... was only kiddin'..." Joel chuckles at your response. Letting out a sigh of relief, you smirk in response, but your attention is soon adverted toward both of your hands; resting in Joel's lap whilst his thumb gently stroked across the back of yours.

His hands felt just as you had imagined... strong and large, to the point of dwarfing yours. Rough and callused due to years of hardship, yet they felt amazing as each stroke sent a prickle of excitement through your body.

"Y/N..." Joel's voice calls out to you.

You didn't want to be dragged out from the daydream, yet his beautiful voice beckoned to you. Slowly your eyes rise to meet his, and there it was, the same look of yearning you knew was present in your own.

Something in your eyes is showing Me you don't want me going away I feel it when you're holding Me you want me to hold you always It's time to let your guard down And go with it It's what's we're born to do

*

You slowly raise a hand to gently cup his cheek, a soft smile crosses your lips when his face turns inward to press a kiss into it. Realizing what he had done, Joel's head drops lower in embarrassment, "sorry."

Smile broadens at his shyness, you gently guide his face to look at you, "don't be."

Both silently stare deep into each other's eyes in attempt to read the other's feelings, and then it happens. As if in a trance, both inch closer until your nose tips touch as your eyes remain locked onto each other. Joel finally breaks contact as his stare drops to your lips and that's when you make your move, surging forward and capturing his lips in a kiss.

For a split second you panic when he doesn't seem to respond to the kiss, but it's swept away immediately when Joel's lip part to deepen the kiss.

Finally, breaking away for air, Joel gently rests his forehead against yours, "didn't think ya felt the same way..."

"Same..." you breathlessly utter out.

"Guess we were both too daft to see the obvious..." Joel softly chuckles.

"Guess so" you smile, nudging his nose with your own. "Joel..."

"Yeah...?" he enquires, gently nudging your nose back.

"Please kiss me..."

A huge, dimpled grin crosses his lips, "yes, Ma'am..."

No, you can't stop the river from rollin' to the ocean It's a destiny that the good Lord put into motion Like a baby's tears and a mother's devotion Some things are meant to be And one of them is you and me...

Nxt

[silver-and-stars]

Love for Love's Sake ep 5 & 6.

Turns out the gay kings were bi kings, good to know.

So Kyung-Hoon as a boyfriend over sea and ain't gonna date Sang-Won.

Also Sang-Won (sorry about your dog btw) drops some bombs like "You don't know to be loved". Myung-ha did seem like he was quite alone at 28.

And you get an abusive dad ! And you ! Everyone grt's an abusive dad !

Loved how they depicted Myung-ha seeing Yeon-woo struggles's via the system : just sounds and his expression changing as he sees it.

Those two dating are cute and quite bold, holding hands, pecking and hugging on public, "you're mine" and all. I'm a bit scared for them now that Yeon-won is getting a bit famous. But go you ! Be young, on love and free !

Myung-ha can't handle all the cutenes and love.

I'm sorry but WHAT THE FUCK ? That nightmarish sequence of running from rooms to rooms and while he did time ran out, like the school day was over ?! What happened ?! Did Kyung-hoon notice his absence in class, did the world stop existing outside those moments (reminds me of Extraordinary You) ?

Why does it cut to him sitting in a car like nothing happened ? Why doesn't he talk about it afterwards ? Did the system error erase that moment in his memory ?

Does he exist only in the places and moments related to the story ?

My anxiety is spiking !

And then that flashback sequence with the uneasy music and the empty black place ?!

Is Myung-ha dead irl ? Did he died, ended up in a bar like purgatory where an entity (the mysterious Senior) gives him a second chance ? Making him relive/change his life ? We know nothing of him, he was just there sitting in that empty cavern-like bar. Are the mysterious text he is getting his regrets from his life or from people who loved him ?

I mean that bar : no one is around, there is no barman, it's a secluded place that could exist outside time (not like an opened cafe for exemple with a lot of people passing by).

And that talk about reincarnation, destiny, changing your fate....

I knew it. When he left without eating breakfast or looking at his grandma who seemed a bit weak.

What the fuck Yeo-woon dying ran over by a car ?! Did the stalker push him or Myung-ha ? He was seeing him from an angle suggesting they were both on the ground.

Myung-ha's grandma dying ?

Is the system asking him to pick who he saves in the next 24 hours ?!

He is doing all this for Yeon-woon and he likes him, plus his grandmother is already dead irl, but Yeon-won is a character while his grandma was real to him.

Btw weird that he met his mother in the game. It's a game about making Yeon-woo happy, isn't it ? So why is she there ? She has nothing to do with Yeon-woo, only with Myung-ha. He is changing his own fate, isn't he ?

THIS IS TURNING DARK WTF ?!!! I wasn't ready for it taking this direction so soon ! (i feared a tragic ending to send him back in the real world but...)

Are you going to traumatize me show ?! I need to know !

Guess I'll in a day or two.

[cardierreh15]

When Love Finds a way

I do not give anyone permission to copy or repost my work.

Warnings 18+: Blood , Nudity (Yes, Naked Henry) , Death .

Pairings: Henry Cavill(Drake/Dracula) x Mia/Misty(Black!plus size female)

Description: Dracula & Misty run into one another at the local coffee shop. Could it be… destiny?

Song: No Sunshine by Bill Withers , lovely (instrumental) by Billie Eilish & Khalid .

Word count: 3.6K

(Anything in italics are lyrics. Anything Bold & italics are Dracula’s thoughts)

Two

Aint no sunshine when she's gone. It's not warm when she's away. Ain't no sunshine when she's gone; she's always gone too long, anytime, she goes away.

The thunder roared outside, rattling the skylights and window patio doors. The sound didn’t take him out of his trance though.

Drake had a wooden brush clenched between his teeth as his left hand fingered and teased the paint, and used his right hand to push strokes across the canvas with his brush.

He pulled the brush from between his teeth and dipped it in the white to emphasize the glare in the honey brown. He then stood up from the wooden stool, hovering over his work of art.

Drake was adorned with splattered and smeared paint. He had a chiseled, godly frame. Muscular back, broad shoulders, big arms, tight abdomen and chest that donned thick curly hairs. He himself looked like a masterpiece.

So detailed down to the tiny patterns in her beautiful hazel irises; were the eyes of his beloved, Mia.

The lightning from outside brightened up the room around them, revealing over more than a dozen portraits of Mia. Most of them consisted of her in the color yellow or pink.

Others were just her body parts. Her lips, her naked waist and hips, her naked back with her shoulders and untamed curls cascading down her back. His personal favorite, her fingers interlocking with his; differentiating the sizes of their palms.

‘My dear Mia. Oh you’d be disappointed with how I use my time.’ He chuckled aloud as he wiped his cheek with the back of his wrist, smearing paint against his cheekbone.

And then he found himself staring into the large lively eyes he’d created. Getting lost in them as if she were still physically here.

***

Only darkness everyday, ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. This house just ain’t no home, anytime she goes away.

He walked as his nose flared; chin trembling as he held his deceased love in his arms tightly. Her blood stained his white blouse. What use to run and pump warmth and life into her, ran cold and endless. His hands, forearms and his cheeks were covered in it.

The scent of her used to bring him a joy like no other, and now, seeing her defiled like this. Knowing the reason why her precious soul was taken, it sickened him.

He walked until he stopped at the entrance of a village. Hesitantly, he looked down at her before looking back ahead of him. ‘Help! Someone help! Someone help please!’ He screamed, and begged. His eyes searched for anyone that could help; some folk came peeking out of their doors, but only a few had the guts to rush over towards the mysterious man. Drake dropped weakly to his knees, but he never let go of his love.

‘What’s happened?!’ One of the onlookers came running over, seemingly looking to help at first.

‘S-she’s been stabbed…’ Drake stuttered, still not able to make sense of what’s happening, he looked up at the stranger before him. He was a short, bald, heavy set older man; he had to be the leader around here.

He was startled by Drake’s bright red eyes and took a step back. “Devil!” The man cried frighteningly, his eyes wide as saucers, a sharp pain shot through the man's heart. He clutched his chest. Others started to murmur, the men in the town pushed their children and wives back into the house as they found pointed objects.

Drake sighed heavily, jaws clinched in agitation; he inhaled deeply trying his best to calm his rage. ‘Listen, I mean no harm, ok? My wife— they killed my wife. Burned down my home. Killed my stock and cattle. I just need… I need some help… just to clean my wife and get her buried…’

“Begawn demon!” One man shouted with a large pickaxe in his hands, another man stepped forward, a cold stare in his eyes.

“We’re good Christian you heathen, if that woman was with you, we’ll then she’s better off dead. Maybe God will forgive her.” The man shook his head, his fingers wrapped around his weapon tightly, these people were surely blinded by their belief in God to think they could take on someone of Drake’s nature. He couldn’t believe the words that just came from this imbecile’s crusty lips.

“Are you ‘too good Christian’ to help your own?! How dare you, hypocrites.” He hissed, bright crimson blood pooled at his eyes, and only a single tear fell down his pale skin. ‘She believed in your God!’ He exclaimed with so much venom behind the word, ‘The same God whose brought you nothing but pain, death, illness and sorrow! Yet, she still believed in him! Just like the rest of you! Was she not good?!’

The crowd grew quiet. Only the sounds of the night could be heard around he and the crowd that surrounded him defensively. Bullfrogs croaked, Crickets chirped and beetles flapped their heavy wings.

As soon as Drake felt he was about to lose hope and his cool, someone spoke up in the crowd, ‘And what do we get if we aid you?!’

He searched the crowd as a woman walked forward. She had black thick and curly hair, her skin was brown and rich like the Earth’s soil. She wore trousers and a slightly stretched out blouse. It appeared to be somewhat of an off duty knight. Her clothes weren’t as damaged and raggedy as everyone else’s.

‘I-‘ he pressed his lips together. ‘Whatever it is that you want. I have no use of any more of my riches… I don’t plan on living on without her.’ Drake looked down at Mia once more. He wasn’t sure how many more tears he could shed. But he wasn’t ready to stop either.

‘Hmph… you’d save me the time then… c’mon now then.’ The pretty woman turned on the toes of her boots and walked back through the crowd; shoving people out of the way. Get out my way! What you lookin’ at?!

Drake felt his slow beating heart stiffen almost in his chest. He was relieved that someone was willing to help. So he stood up to his feet, adjusting Mia in his arms.

***

Drake placed Mia’s lifeless body on the cot. He knew this was probably the last time he’d see her. So he stared at her for as long as he possibly could. He had to take in every feature, knowing that it would be his last

The woman folded her arms across her chest, her head falling to the side.

‘What happened?’

He sat there for a moment before blinking away and looking over at the woman behind him. He felt his chest twist, tears filled his eyes once again before he just let out a shuddered sigh. ‘The Church… found out my hide away. Th-they said she’d been followed. She’d come to see me in the morning. We’d spend the day together,’ he scoffed and swallowed his sticky saliva before continuing. ‘She was the only reason I ever became a morning person… I’d risk burning myself countless times just to be with her and th—‘ his voice was strained; drowned in own tears and despair.

And when Drake had enough strength to speak, darkness reflected in his words as if they looked into a mirror, ‘They took her. from. me!’

The woman watched in silence, studying the picture before her. ‘How long have you and her been—together?’ She asked.

‘A little over a year and a half… she was the reason why I never went back into hunting and killing,’ he looked back at her. His eyes were so sad and lifeless. It almost seem unreal, like sad painting. ‘Because of her, I cherished human life. I saw the potential in your lives. So I went without drinking human blood for that duration.’

Her eyebrows tugged into one, ‘If you weren’t drinking humans then what—‘

‘Animals… particularly moose. Boar. Sometimes bear— anything I could get my hands on really.’

‘M-my God…’ The woman was in disbelief! Could he have been that in love to completely risk his livelihood?

Everyone deserved to love, and perhaps if you are capable of loving, you’re capable of changing. She thought to herself.

‘And so they call…’ he scoffed, his head falling forward; shaking side to side.

‘I don’t think you’re the vampire they are after!’ Drake didn’t say anything, he didn’t much care. Instead, he just grabbed Mia’s hand and placed his cold lips against her cold flesh. He’d just hoped for a small sign of life from her. But he was disappointed once more when reality set in by the second.

The sound of her heeled boots quickly clicked across the wooden floor. ‘Look. I ain’t too keen with working with your kind,’ she said with a slight bitterness, ‘But if I were in your position… I’d do whatever it is that I needed to be done so that my partner gets the justice they deserve…’

Dracula looked up at her with wet eyes. He knew what her suggestion was.

‘That’s just me though…’ she threw up her hands In defense.

He stood to his feet slowly, his thick brows tugging into one,‘Are you suggesting—‘

‘THAT’S… just me now…’ she took a step closer to him, low enough for him to hear, ‘Do what you must. Besides, these folk could use some protectin’ roun’ here,’ She looked over at his wife for a second, ‘She shall be in tip top shape upon your return. And when you get back… we can perhaps discuss a partnership.’ She then stepped back and jerked her head towards the door. ‘Gone head nah. Before I change my mind!’

Dracula gave the woman a gentle nod before turning back to his love, ‘She’ll— she’ll take care of you— my love.’ He then placed his bloodied hand on top of hers.

His chin trembled as he stared at his wife’s corpse. Even in death, she was breathtaking.

‘I’m sorry… I’m so sorry Mia. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you what you wanted.’ He sniffed, wiping his tears before letting out a shaky sigh, ‘I love you… And I’m gonna make this right.’

Dracula pushed her hair behind her ear. ‘Until we meet again my love…’

He looked back over at the woman, darkness clouding his eyes, ‘How far is the Church’s village?’

‘On horseback? About a day’s ride… the sun could be quite dangerous for someone like you.’

Drake pressed his lips together, knowing what he’d have to do to get there faster. ‘Indeed… I must leave,’ he walked towards the wooden door.

‘I never caught your name. I-I want to thank you.’

The woman placed her hands on her widened hips and a smirk curled on her lips, ‘No need to thank me,’ she said raising her hand in protest, ‘Make it back alive and I’ll tell you everything.’

***

A loud thunder clap shook him out of his own head. A smirk curled on his lips slowly, ‘I know… I’m goin’, I’m goin’… I just wanted to take the time to admire you for a bit longer…’

A soft low thunder rumbled, causing his apartment to shake a little.

‘I miss you too…’ he sighed softly.

Shortly after, he gathered his brushes and carried them to the sink and washed them carefully. Afterwards, he set them on a towel to dry.

Before leaving his “showcase” room, he took one more good look at her, ‘Good Night Mia. I love you.’ And he shut the door behind him.

***

Drake stood beneath the hot shower; allowing the water to beat down on his head and the rest of his messy body. He loved these kinds of nights. Since his body didn’t generate it’s own sweat or neither did he get funky, he’d somehow subconsciously yet— perhaps on purpose, smear himself up in paint so he could shower. It was the only thing that reminded him of her. The warmth of her pretty brown skin and how she’d hold him close.

Otherwise, he truly had no other excuse to be in the shower.

Lifting his head up, he ran his fingers through his hair; pushing it back out of his face. He then reached over for his washcloth, and liquid soap. Once he lathered it up, he rubbed those smooth suds into his skin and scrubbed off whatever paint that was left on his body.

Afterwards, he sat in the shower until the water ran cold. He got out and got dressed in something modest and simple. It was still raining outside, and he would’ve hated for his suits to have gotten wet.

He’d dressed in a cotton light gray long sleeved shirt. It had 3 buttons at the chest. He left only one open. Then, he pulled on some briefs and some dark denim jeans and some brown boots.

Drake dried his thick black hair with a towel and then blow dried it. His locks fell wavy and soft against his head.

Once he was done getting dressed, he grabbed his sketchbook, his wallet and keys. Then, he left.

This was the only time Dracula really enjoyed the outdoors in the daytime. The sky had to be dark with clouds and/or pouring down raining. He could smell and feel how refreshed Mother Earth felt when it did. As if the rain was cleansing everything around him.

He also found it funny when unprepared humans would just cover their heads with newspapers or their hands trying to get to cover. Such clumsy creatures.

Closing down his umbrella, he walked inside of a coffee shop. The smell of freshly brewed coffee made love to his senses and caused a slight drool to pool in his mouth.

Coffee was Dracula’s guilty pleasure. Human food was disgusting. Anything processed, would taste as if he were biting into the metal or plastic that kept them fresh. Or, he’d taste the hormones and the particles. If he had to eat human food just to blend in, he’d simply throw it up later. But coffee, he liked his Americano. No sugar. No cream. Just— beans and hot water.

The baristas shouted, desynchronized “Heeey!” “Drake!” “Yooo!”

They were all very happy to see him. After all, it had been quite some time since he’d been down here.

A toothy grin curled on his lips as he placed his wet umbrella up against his booth and placed his book down on the table. ‘Shannon, Luis, Jang. How are all of you?’ Then he walked up to the counter.

‘We’re holding up… we’ve missed ya down here. We were starting to think you moved away or sumn!’ Jang said with a slight smirk.

‘Yeah! Shannon was starting to get sad!’ Laughed Luis.

‘Hey!’ Shannon laughed and smacked Luis on the arm, ‘You’re gonna get enough of telling my business! How are you, D?’

Dracula had been coming to the local coffee shop for about 10 years now. Way before his friend’s arrival. The owners, Lee and Jennifer, had always been kind to him and welcoming. Introducing him to their own families and friends. Having him over for dinner some nights.

Until one night they’d suffered greatly when half of the shop burned down. Drake had heard about this terrible incident and had written them an anonymous check for $40K for repairs. Til this day, the couple hadn’t had a single clue who’d gifted them with something so life changing. And it were to stay that way.

‘I thought I asked you to call me Drake?’ He smirked, pulling out his wallet.

‘I know. But I think D fits you best,’ the woman giggled, ‘The Usual today?’

‘Mmhmm,’ he nodded before placing the $20 bill in her hand. ‘Could you bring it to my booth?’

‘Sure. Anything for my—‘ Shannon paused for a second, getting lost in those bright crimson eyes. Sure she had a crush before, but it had only gotten extreme. ‘Main. Man.’ And a slow smile curled on her lips.

Dracula returned the smile and nodded once, ‘Thank you, Shan.’ And he turned away to walk to his booth.

As soon as he sat down, he opened up his book full of sketches. Some pages were of flowers, mountains and rivers, oceans and the sky. But others were of people he’d come across in his life. But mostly, Mia.

Strangely enough though, he didn’t feel like drawing her today. Technically.

He’d quickly got started on a face. Allowing just his hand and mind to come together; not really thinking.

‘One Americano.’ Shannon said softly with a smile, placing the large mug down on the porcelain dessert plate. ‘Thank you, Shannon. It smells delightful.’ He smiled looking up at her.

‘Anytime.’ She sighed softly before pulling her eyes away to look at his sketch. ‘What ya workin’ on?’

Dracula looked back down at the large sheet of paper. In just a minute’s time he’d already drawn and detailed an eye and a nose. ‘Nothing special just— sketching.’

‘Nice! You’re really talented!’ Shannon jumped when the bell chimed over the door.

He instantly went stiff at her scent. ‘Misty! Hi, welcome back!’ Shannon greeted her with a smile, ‘I have to get back to work. Have fun.’ She said, placing her dainty hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Drake inhaled deeply, as her heart beat seem to thud louder and louder in his ears. The smell of flowers just kept tickling at his nose. It was intoxicating! He was drawing but he couldn’t focus! All that he could see embedded in his brain was her gorgeous smile, her big, thick curly hair, her hazel eyes.

This is probably the closest he’s ever been to drowning. All until,

‘Drake?’

‘Huh?’ He lifted his head quickly.

She was standing there with a sweet yet, puzzled look on her face. Oh she was to die for.

‘I didn’t know you came to this coffee shop!’

‘Misty! Hi! Oh, yeah—‘ he chuckled as his eyes roamed over her body once. The perfect frame. Voluptuous breasts, a tummy, wide hips and thick thighs. ‘I-I know the owners. Been coming here for a few years now.’

‘That’s cool! Hey, do you mind if I join you? I just have a few more minutes to kill before I have to head back to work.’

Of course I mind. You’re only the love of my life’s doppelgänger! I don’t even know what to say or do right now.

‘No, please!’ Lying bastard.

Misty sat down in front of him with a gentle smile on her lips. She watched him take a sip of his coffee first before he went back to sketching upon the white sheet. ‘You draw too? What are you working on?’ She asked before sipping out of her straw.

Drake swallowed his spit as he scribbled, ‘Just some random… portrait.’

‘Hmm! It’s pretty. You take commissions?’

‘Commissions?’ He asked a bit confused, ‘Like pay? No. I do this for fun.’

Misty smirked, adjusting herself in her seat before folding her arms on top of the wooden table, ‘So, if I asked you to do one for me… you’d do it?’

Dracula looked up at her, sizing her face before his eyes dropped to her neck, then her chest. Then, he looked back up into her eyes, ‘If you’d ask me…’

She just stared at him and he just stared at her. Misty finally looked away with a giggle, ‘I-I couldn’t ask that of you. Supplies are getting more and more expensive by the day and art takes time and patience. I couldn’t do that. I’d have to pay you—‘

‘I wouldn’t have it…’ he interrupted. ‘I have enough…’ he paused for a second, ‘I don’t mind.’

She raised a brow, sitting back into her seat. ‘You are stubborn… well at least let me take you out? What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?’ She asked with a smile.

He chuckled as he continued to sketch, ‘You’re asking a complete stranger out on a date? I could be a murderer.’

‘Yeah, you could be. But how would I know if I don’t try?’

You’re just like her… in so many ways.

Drake shook his head as his smirk remained on his face, ‘I work… I’m free after 7pm.’

‘Hmm.. alright. Well, do you have a phone? So I can plug my number in?’

A phone. Dracula was never the type to keep friends so he never thought getting a phone was a logical investment for him. ‘I don’t.’

‘No phone? In the 21st century? Well, I’d say you like to live your life on the edge! What if you were to ever be in danger?!’ She sounded concerned.

Danger? Ha, oh darling, I am the danger.

Drake chuckled and shrugged, ‘Then if it’s my time to go.. it’s my time to go. We didn’t—‘ he bit his tongue and stopped once again. He was getting way too comfortable. ‘I don’t need one.’

Misty took a sip of her ice coffee and shook her head, ‘Well, Mr. “I’m too righteous” for a phone. You should invest in one.’

‘Why?’

‘Cause how would I call you?’

Damn… she’s smooth.

Drake pressed his lips together. He swallowed his spit, feeling as if there was a UV light burning in the pit of his stomach. She had no idea of the chokehold she had on him at this moment. ‘I’ll think about it.’ He said before going back to his sketch.

‘Alright. Well, just,’ she stood up from her seat and picked up her drink, ‘Meet me back here tomorrow evening. 7:45pm.’

He looked up at her as a slow smile curled on his lips, ‘Sure.’

‘I gotta head back now. See you then.’ She said before walking towards the door.

‘Yeah,’ he said before she walked out of the door. ‘See ya.’

Turning back to his sketch before his, he hadn’t even realized he had already worked on her full lips.

‘Dammit.’ He’d cursed.

[hyenahunt]

Saga: Rivals - 21

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: Jun, Hiyori, Seiya, Jin, Mika, Madara, Akiomi, Sora

Proofreading: 310mc (JP) & hyenahunt (ENG)

Translation: kotofucius

Akiomi: Ahaha… Oh, how I wish you'd told me that much sooner.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Location: Reverse Live Stage

Time: Hours later. Reverse Live, at the start of the second day.

Jun: “♪~♪~♪”

“Lilith! The original heretic! The revolutionary who spoke against God’s deception when none dared to!”

Hiyori: “Lilith! The mother of humanity, flung into the depths of Hell! How she screamed of love and sang of hope, no matter how far she fell!”

Seiya: “Lilith! That is who we are! Buried in the depths of history, we are the true idols, long forgotten by the world!”

Hiyori: “How long it has been! How I waited to meet you again! In the darkness, you were the only light I could see!”

Seiya: “I love you! I’ve loved you since this world came to be!”

Jun: “Destiny split us apart, and yet, we’ve been brought together once more!”

Hiyori: “Never shall we part again! Your warmth is forever ours!”

Jun: “Now, let us embrace! Let us love together, even if the very world forbids it!”

Seiya: “We are Lilith! It is to love you that we’ve arrived…!”

“♪~♪~♪”

Jin: …Ooh, how passionate. Or maybe over-the-top. Kinda like Valkyrie, actually.

Mika: Hey, you ain't ever gonna catch us sayin' love, love, love over an’ over like that! We’re passionate but artistic! Even if we’re speakin’ about love, we’d be a lot more subtle 'bout it.

Madara: Hahaha. It does seem like a refined… or rather, popularized version of Valkyrie’s methods.

They’ve got extravagant production for their stage too, probably thanks to the big shots all wanting to suck up to Hidaka Seiya —

So, their melodramatic lines suit the atmosphere, actually.

But unlike Shu-san, they’re not drowning in their own world. Instead, they're opening it up to the public; they gaze into their audience’s eyes and actively pull them in.

Akiomi: Lilith… I’d been wary of what tactics they might use, but they've been taking an unexpectedly materialistic and straight-forward approach.

They maximized the promotion, stage production, and everything else they could; and even shamelessly used Hidaka-daisenpai’s fame to call in an army of fans.

War is essentially about numbers. With everything so perfectly coordinated like this, well, there's no way to fight back through ordinary means.

Hidaka-daisenpai has truly made the most out of his advantage as an active, highly popular, professional idol.

He is on a completely different level from us, who finance our own small-scale concerts within the confines of an idol training school.

Even budget-wise, he definitely has one or two more zeros on us, I'm sure.

Madara: Hahaha. Especially when we as Ba-barrier don’t really have that much work, so we have no funds for battle, either…

We've turned our lack of cohesion into our selling point, making a novel show with each of our unique charms and gaining an upper hand that way.

In other words, we resort to clever schemes to put up a semblance of fight, so we’re at a disadvantage against planned head-on attacks.

Mika: …They’re so vulgar. I don’t reckon I like ‘em. They’re totally different from Valkyrie, 'kay?

Sora: HaHa~♪ Yep, totally different!

Valkyrie paints a single color over and over until it reaches a density no one can reproduce —

But Lilith kinda takes a bucket of paint and goes “splash!” with it, I guess~?

…And by spilling that much paint, they erase all the other colours.

Jin: Ooh~… I thought I heard grumbling. Turns out it was the defeated Akiyan and his merry men.

Akiomi: You're truly something… We're your good rivals and comrades from the same school, who have been supporting you this whole time both behind the scenes and out in the open — Is that any way to talk to us?

Madara: Hahaha. I’ve got no comeback since we did lose spectacularly last night!

Smashed to smithereens, in a most dramatic death! If Rain-bows are rainbows, then we must be fleeting fireworks!

Mika: Why're ya havin’ so much fun even though we lost, Mikejima-senpai?

Madara: Well, when the opponent did such a fine job in gaining the upper hand on us, the loss felt conversely exhilarating, see!

I quite enjoy defeat, actually! Especially when it’s the result of an all-out fight!

Mika: I can’t understand that feelin’…

Valkyrie an' Lilith are totally different, but fer some reason it jus' reminded me of the time when fine kicked us down.

Madara: Hmm. Their methods indeed resemble that of the former fine…

If there's a quantifiable way to win, then pouring all you possess will bring definite victory.

In the war last year, Eichi-san used all the lofty assets available to him to invent a game board that worked to his advantage.

Well, he was only making the most of his perks as a rich heir with money and authority… so it wasn’t exactly a low move.

Akiomi: Hmm. In this case, all participating units are new groups formed specifically for Project-Saga…

More often than not, it’s the audience’s first time seeing them.

As it’s hard to tell everyone apart at a glance, Lilith ends up standing out due to their expensive costume and production. Their lavish extravagance only makes them all the more eye-catching to the audience.

Not to mention, the famous Hidaka Seiya is in the group. That’s more than enough name and power.

Though yes, of course, these things don’t decide the entire value of an idol.

But under these circumstances, it becomes a challenge to even put up a fight. Without a good strategy on your side, they'll simply overpower you.

Madara: Wow, how ruthless! I guess miracles don’t happen all the time! Hahaha☆

Mika: Seriously, why d’ya look like yer havin' the time of yer life? I’m right frustrated, personally~ Unlike you, Mikejima-senpai, I ain't a fan of losing!

Madara: Alright! Let’s turn that frustration into motivation, then! We might’ve lost yesterday, but let's win today!

Liltih may have wiped the floor with us, but we're steadily winning against all the other units we’re up against! We still have a chance!

Akiomi: That's right. The rule isn’t as simple as retiring with one defeat.

While we’re nowhere as active as Rain-bows, we're still one of the most senior players of Project-Saga —

As a result, we've amassed fans through all our activities. We won't lose so easily to newbie units.

Sora: Yeah! Schemes and tricks are Sora's specialty~ Magic exists for the oppressed minority!

Even if the conformist majority closes in on us, we'll sidestep them and make a miracle happen!

Mika: Ahaha. Everyone in Ba-barrier's so tough an' dependable~ ♪

Jin: Haha. Who'd have thought you'd get along so well, Akiyan?

You’re definitely having fun being an idol, aren’tcha? Unlike me, you retired with regrets.

Akiomi: On the contrary, I have left my regrets behind.

We had accomplished our role with the success of Rainbow Stage, so we could’ve dispersed right then and there…

But that performance garnered us a good reputation, with many fans requesting that we continue…

And I thought we might come in handy someday, so I continued on with Ba-barrier.

Compared to the other Mentors out there, I am a level below them in terms of achievements, so I did have my reservations. But well, I’ve always been the shameless sort, anyway.

Jin: Really? You’re more competitive than shameless, in my opinion… The more people look down on you, the more you fight back to prove 'em wrong.

I’ve always admired that side of you since long ago.

Akiomi: Ahaha… Oh, how I wish you'd told me that much sooner.

Jin. We are giving our all just to hold our current position; I do not believe we’ll have the leisure to protect you.

However, you are the main character of Project-Saga, so by all means, find a way out of this predicament with your own two hands.

Lilith may prove to be a much stronger opponent than we thought, but if it's you, then surely you'll be the one to win — I’ll say this even without anything to back it up, just as I did in the past.

Jin: Thanks. I think having you there to always tell me that… was what helped me to hold out much longer than I would've on my own.

[ ☆ ]

✦✦✦✦✦

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[your-coquette-queen]

GUYS IM BACK!

HEY EVERYONE!

I'm sorry for the two year hiatus, I went through a period where I struggled and I really just had to come out the other side finding who I am. However, I am now back and feel so much happier! In case come of you forgot, I'm Ava! I originally had this account and ended up talking mainly about rock bands (notably KISS), Stranger Things, and Star Wars!

However, over the past two years a lot has honestly changed. I still love music, mainly now pop and musical theatre however I do love rock and still love talking about it with people. I love Star Wars still however my main fandom is currently Supernatural. Hopefully I have some Supernatural enjoyers in my audience and we can connect.

I also love 2000's everything and Incorporate into a lot of my style , so just expect to likely to see lots of 2000's core on here

A little UPDATED bit about me:

IT WILL BE LONG JUST NOTE:

Expect lots of music on here! I think I will just have one blog and move throughout fandoms that I enjoy so expect a bit of everything!

I am Christian! Christianity has been a long journey for me but I am so thankful to be in a really positive place with my faith. I left this blog two years ago with a lot of struggles but have come back overcoming those problems! I likely will not post a lot about faith as that is not the main part of the account but it is a big part of my life and something I am proud of. If I have other Christians here, I am always open to talking!

I love makeup!

Favorite tv shows:

Supernatural

ER

Movies:

Ten Inch Hero

Wedding Crashers

Cinderella Story

Legally Blonde

Without a Paddle

Star Wars: Phantom Menace

Star Wars: A New Hope

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Clueless

Hunger Games

Scooby Doo!

Batman: Dark Knight

Twilight

Princess Diaries

She's the Man

Singers/Bands:

Britney Spears

Christina Aguilera

Rihanna

Destiny's Child

Duran Duran

Katy Perry

Beyonce

NSYNC

Nelly Furtado

Timbaland

Frankie Valley and the Fourth Seasons

Simple Minds

Alice Cooper

KISS

Megadeth

Journey

Motley Crue

The Temptations

Dianna Ross

Michael Jackson

Ice Spice

Lay Bankz

Ayesha Erotica

Meghan Thee Stallion

Fergie

Madonna

Nikki Minaj

Jessie J

Marvin Gaye

1 Direction (when I was like 14 but idc their songs still cook😭😭)

Fav Musicals:

Cats

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Starlight Express

Falsettos

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Book of Mormon

& Juliet

Miss Saigon

Rocky Horror

Spamalot

Back to the Future

Guys and Dolls

Suisical

Pippin

Legally Blonde

Ain't Too Proud

Little Shop of Horrors

Guttenberg

Young Frankenstein

Little Women

Music Genres:

Rock(multiple genres within!)

Pop

80's/90's county

K-Pop

Musical Theatre

Opera/Classical

New Wave

Alternative

Actors/Celebrities I love:

Paris Hilton: SHE'S MY QUEEN/ ONE OF MY BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS

Jared Padalecki

Jensen Ackles

Matthew Lillard

Misha Collins

Christian Bale

Ryan Reynolds

Channing Tatum

Hayden Christensen

Ryan Gosling

Pamela Anderson

Heather Locklear

Chad Michael Murray

Mark Wahlberg

Reese Witherspoon

Josh Hutcherson

Elizabeth Taylor

Taylor Lautner

Tom Cruise

Tom Selleck

I will likely update this as I start interacting on here again but I am so happy to be back!

Excited to talk to some of you guys again🤍

[thepaintedlady00]

The Sandman and the Girl Without Dreams

Chapter 16: The Path Paved In Golden Flames

TW: gore, violence, knives, cuts, a tiny bit of angst (this is the end of the angst train I promise), bickering, slight reliving of some memories, smut (oral both receiving, penetration), fluff, apologies, gifts, Dream finally has his head out of his ass This chapter is mostly unedited so if there are mistakes please just ignore them 😅 My app won't let me edit long posts so 🤷‍♀️ Enjoy! Reposting AGAIN BECAUSE THIS APP HATES ME! xD

Destiny watched as his Weaver turned down the empty path, her body disappearing from sight into the maze. He bowed his head, fear and sorrow consuming him. The Fates clicked their tongues and sighed. The Crone spoke, cold and angry as ever, “Such a foolish girl you’ve brought up, Destiny.”

“We thought she’d be more reasonable than the last,” The Mother noted.

The Maiden shook her head. “The path of gold is certain to consume her.”

“We don’t know that,” he answered. “She has chosen the path unseen. The outcome is yet to be written.”

The Mother met his eyes. “Written or not, a sacrifice is necessary to free your lady love as well as those ensnared by the darkness.”

The Crone hummed in agreement. “A sacrifice of fire and starlight.”

“A final test.” The Maiden said quietly. “Of future, past and present. Time will tell what your Weaver is worthy of.”

Destiny stood in the garden even after The Fates had vanished. He watched the butterflies swirl, upset and confused. “I have faith in you, Penelope.”

***

The Corinthian stared me down, my reflection shining in his dark glasses. I could feel Dreams eyes on me, could feel the cold, gentle caress of him against the barrier I had put between us. The Corinthian sighed. "I'm disappointed. After everything he's done… Everything he's denied you, you still defend him? Why?"

"I made a promise," I said, glad to feel the cool metal of my blades in my hands. Thank god for magic. "One I don't intend to break again, especially not for you."

He smiled. "I would have liked you as my lady."

"Penelope," Dream whispered again, his voice raw and desperate.

Ignoring him I addressed The Corinthian. "Are you going to stand down? Or are we finally crossing blades, nightmare?"

"I ain't gonna stop, but I ain't gonna fight you." He shrugged his shoulders. "With those bits of Destruction a fight with you would be pointless… Boring. Lucky for us both I brought back up."

I had only a second to react, twisting my body to shield Dream as the knife flew from the crowd and ricochet off of my blade, slicing through my arm as it redirected away from us. Dreams hands grabbed me, steadying me as I glared out into the crowd as heavy footsteps and a whistling tune filled the room. He stepped up onto the stage and smiled at me. "Quick thinking, Barlow"

Pushing myself off of Dream I faced the tall man standing beside The Corinthian. "Porter. I gotta admit, I was hoping you were dead."

He shrugged. "I’m resilient. The others were weak, Elias especially. But, thanks to you he's not here to hold me back anymore."

Dreams' hands still stayed on me, holding my arms, even as the blood from my cut neared his fingers. "What do you get out of all this?"

"I get to fucking kill you," he said with a wide grin. "Elias was a fool to have kept me from doing it sooner. Though, I admit killing your friends was quite satisfying, especially The Marquis." My grip on the hilts of the blades tightened as The Bull pulled a knife out of his belt. “What do you say, sweetheart? Are you ready to play this game for real? No tricks, just me and you. Winner takes all.”

“Let’s get on with it then.”

“Penelope,” Dream said, his hands squeezing my arms. “This is-”

I stepped out of his grip. “Just deal with your nightmare, Dream. Pretend we aren’t even here, you’re good at that.”

Maybe it was an unfair time to throw insults at him, but I needed to focus and him doting on my every move would make that difficult. I pushed the guilt I felt at the feeling of my words striking him, pushed everything else down until all that remained was The Bull. He took a step forward, his smile never faltering, then another before moving his knife toward me. I sidestepped and ducked beneath his burly frame, slicing his knee and stabbing deep into his back before dodging again as he threw his elbow back in an attempt to get me off him. Back in front of Dream, my blades singing with the blood that now coated them, I looked up at him as he smiled wider, rolling his shoulder a little. “My turn.”

He moved faster than before, dodging each swipe of my blade and punching my jaw as hard as he could. I fumbled to the ground, ears ringing and my entire skull rattling with the blow. Fuck it had been a long time since he and I had gone toe to toe, I’d forgotten how hard he hit. His laugh echoed off the ceiling as he moved back toward The Corinthian. I carefully moved my jaw, spitting blood out of my mouth before standing once again. “That all you got?”

"Far from it doll," he said with a laugh as he advanced forward once more.

The kick to my sternum was unexpected and sent me flying off the stage and onto the ground. I had no time to catch my breath before The Bull leapt down, knife poised and ready to end this. I rolled to the side, gasping and sore, just missing the stab of his blade. He twisted the blade in his fingers and moved to stab me again, but I stabbed into his wrist, holding his arm away from me as he pushed harder with a desperate thirst for blood.

When my strength didn’t falter his fist came swiftly from the side and punched up into my ribs, the hit not only broke a few, but sent me falling further into the aisle. I hurried back onto my feet and moved backwards, dodging each movement of his fists and blade, waiting for an opportunity of my own to strike. The wound on his shoulder provided such, it was a small delay but it would have to do. He moved again and then I struck, lunging forward, leaping onto him and digging both my blades into his back and pulling up.

The Bull grabbed me by the hair and threw me into the doors to the room, not giving me any time to move or think before kicking me all the way out into the lobby. My head cracked against the ground as he advanced, stepping on my knee until the bone strained and cracked beneath him. With a pained cry I stabbed his thigh and rolled when he lifted the pressure off me, kicking the shin of his leg as I went. I was off balance now, my knee burned as I shuffled backward and watched The Bulls movements. He smiled, but this one was no longer the wide smug grin, it was tense and forced. He was getting annoyed with me.

He started advancing more sloppily now, the pain I’d inflicted on him mingling with that bubbling frustration. It was risky, relying on his fractured emotional state, but I intended to use every possible advantage I could. We moved around the people, who appeared to be sleeping or frozen, dishing out hit after hit until my back slammed into the cool metal of the elevator doors just as they began to open. The Bull shoved me inside, winding his fist back. I ducked and used the opportunity to lay into him.

My blades sliced the back of his knees, stabbed into his side and stomach, just as I brought my hand down to bury the blade into his chest, his hand caught my arm and threw me onto the bloody floor of the elevator as it began moving up. His knife dug into the side of my stomach and my sharp cry filled the space. The Bull settled on top of me, smug and over confident as he abandoned his own blade and forcefully pulled one of mine from my hand. “I’m gonna make this nice and slow.”

The metal of my blade caught the light, fire raging inside it as he brought it down to my face. I caught it in my hand, wincing as the metal sliced through my palm. My blood didn’t drip down onto me though, it ran backwards up the blade and spread out over his hand. I could smell the flesh burning as The Bull let go of the hilt with a startled noise as my blood burned him. I wasted no time throwing all my body weight into him, pulling him to the ground. The dagger flipped in the air, I caught it and quickly buried both of my blades deep into his eye sockets. His body moved, twitching and flailing for a moment before it stopped entirely.

Breathing heavily I forced myself to my feet, wiping the blood off my blades with my already ruined pants. I hit the lobby button and stared down at the lifeless body of The Bull. The ride down was silent, still, as my body reeled in pain. “Have fun in Hell you fucking bastard.”

The doors opened and I slowly made my way back to the convention room, just in time to catch the demon standing between The Corinthian and Dream, holding him still with Lyrias twisted dark threads. “Now you die, Dream Lord. You then Destiny.”

I threw one of my blades, aiming to slice through the threads. “You and I have business, demon!”

Its head turned to me with a dark sneer. “You. Why won’t you just die?!”

With a painful shrug I moved closer to the stage. “Maybe it’s just not in my nature.”

It turned away from Dream, jumping down off the stage and standing between me and them. “You cannot stop me, Weaver. Not without killing Destiny’s precious Lyria.”

“I’ll find a way.”

A dark smile, oozing with black spread on her face. “No, you will die.”

It lunged forward, slashing with dark claws and cutting my leg and hitting the daggers from my hands as I dove behind it. The Corinthian had turned to Dream, dagger raised and ready to strike his creator. I grabbed his threads and pulled him to his knees. Dream watched, still unable to move his feet from the threads I hadn’t cut around his legs. “Penelope!”

Claws dug into my shoulder, reopening the once sealed wound there as the demon cut deep and then threw me to the ground. It smiled widely, twisting its hands, a noose tightening around my neck and pulling me back into the stage, choking me. Voices filled my ears, The Stewards, Olethros, Isabel, Pierre, Johanna. Voices of all the people I’d lost, or could lose. The demon laughed. “Such a convenient thing for you to keep tied to you. A noose, made of your own failures, perfectly sized to hang you with. Pathetic. Soul bound. Fate Weaver. Your titles matter not, for you are weak. It was foolish of you to think you could ever beat me.”

Soul bound. The voices grew louder in my ears as my lungs began to burn. Fate Weaver. I closed my eyes, my hand scratching the ground, fingers running through coarse sand. Sand. The hilt of my dagger brushed against the tips of my fingers, buried deep in the black sand that now coated the floor between me and the demon. I wasn’t just those things. Thunder rumbled in the room, echoing loud and fiercely as the dark clouds of The Gathering Storm covered the ceiling. I wrapped my hand around it and cut the threads around my neck, ignoring the way the blade sliced through my skin as well. Lightning struck the claws of the demon, bringing it to its knees with a startled cry as I stood, the sand swirling around me. “I’m not just a soul bound or a Fate Weaver. I’m the fucking Lady of the Dreaming and so long as I live you won’t lay a finger on my King.”

Storm swirled around Lyria’s hunched over body, twisting around her limbs and shocking the demon as it writhed and fought against it. I moved fast, grabbing hold of her shoulder and looking back at Dream, our eyes locking for the first time in days. “Finish it, Dream.” I looked at The Gathering Storm and bowed my head. “Thank you, my friend.”

Then Lyria and I were gone, landing in Destiny’s garden as he stood, waiting for us. The demon was weakened by the lightning and I had hoped that Lyria would be strong enough to fight it. If Destiny could get through to her, maybe the book could provide some information. Black blood spilled from her mouth as the gold of her eyes flared against the darkness. “Kill me.”

“No.” I said, grabbing the book from Destiny’s table and flipping through the pages. “We’re going to save you.”

“There isn’t time!” She cried out. “Kill me. Do it before I hurt him again.”

Destiny knelt down in front of her, cradling her face in his hands. “I will not lose you again.”

Her head slammed into his face, the blow from the demon strong enough to send him to the ground as it climbed on top of him, raising its claws with a shriek. Its hand froze in the air, trembling as the gold in her eyes raged. She was fighting, as hard as she could, I needed to be fast. The pages provided little information, but a dispelling spell finally met my eyes and I wasted no time in reading it. The demon's dark shadowed body pulled away from Lyrias, both of them screaming as I completed the spell and the demon was pulled back to its own shadow realm.

Lyria slumped forward into Destiny's chest as he sat up and quickly checked her for a pulse. “Des, is she okay?”

He pressed his head into her hair and breathed in deeply, quiet for a long moment. “She’s alive.”

I released a relieved breath, my shoulder stinging as I neared the two. Her eyes fluttered open, the black finally gone from them as she looked around us. “Is it truly over?”

“Yes, Lyria,” Destiny said softly. “You are home.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned weakly to him. “Destiny… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

He stroked her cheeks. “No, this was my doing. I should have told you of Penelope… should have told you what I intended.”

The sting in my shoulder intensified until I found myself gasping for air. Looking over my shoulder at the shadows as they began to seep from my wound. Destiny looked at me, Lyria’s eyes followed. “He’s left his mark on you. He will use it to pull you to him.”

“You can still trap him.” Lyria mumbled weakly as Destiny held her close. Her golden eyes met mine. “His soul, whatever is left of it, is bound to the book. Find the page with my handprint and you’ll find the spell to rebind his physical form to the book as well.”

“Penelope-”

“Don’t worry Des, I’ll finish it. Just… Tell him I’m sorry,” I whispered, gripping the book tight in my blackening hands as my shoulder seethed in shadows. “And that I loved him more than anything.”

“Weaver!” Destiny yelled as I let myself be pulled into the darkness.

***

Dream rose to his feet, his eyes turning away from where his lady had vanished from to The Corinthian as he clapped slowly. “Quite the woman isn’t she? I’m starting to think I put my money on the wrong Weaver. So, back to square one it seems.” He pulled a knife from his jacket and shook his head. “But I won’t go willingly.”

“A knife against a dream?” he asked, stepping towards his creation slowly.

“You don’t think dreams can die?” The nightmare egged on. “Let’s find out.”

Dream held his hand out, drawing upon his power. “Enough.” The sand has only just begun to swirl around The Corinthian as he stabbed his knife into Dream’s hand. It was surprising to him when it actually hurt, so much so he dropped to his knee and examined the cut with tentative hands. “How?”

“I’ve got Rose Walker getting stronger every second while you get weaker,” The nightmare said with a wide, smug grin. “She’s taking your place at the center of The Dreaming. She’s bringing the walls down between the sleepers' minds and now they’re all dreaming the same dream. A dream that I inspired.”

“No.”

“It’s already happening. There’s nothing you can do. She’s asleep and dreaming.”

“Then she’s not beyond my reach.”

The Corinthian shrugged. “Oh, I think she is. Now that she knows you’re planning to kill her.”

Dream ignored the nightmares words and pushed himself into the dream just as she and her brother turned towards him. “You need to wake up!”

“Don’t listen to him, Rosebud. You’re the one with the power now, not him. This is your dream.”

He moved through the plastic lining the door with a sigh at the sight of so much death and violence before him. “It’s his dream, for your world.”

The Corinthian sneered at him for a split second before smiling at Rose. “Then let’s make it yours. Whatever you want, Rose. A blank canvas!”

The dreams of her brother and the other humans vanished and Rose’s eyes went wide with fear. “Where’s Jed?”

“Jed’s fine. He’s upstairs, asleep, he’s right next to you. This dream is yours now. The Dreaming is yours now!”

“The Dreaming is yours? Is that what he told you?” Dream demanded coldly as he watched his nightmare struggle to keep his composure.

Rose looked up at him, sorrow and confusion shining in her eyes. “He told me you were gonna kill me.”

Dream nodded a little. “Did he tell you why? When a vortex brings down the walls between dreams, she creates a single volatile dream that will collapse in upon itself, and take the waking world with it. Your world. Everything and everyone will die.”

The Corinthian bent down to Rose’s ear. “Don’t believe him, Rosie.”

“It’s happened before. I failed in my duty, an entire universe was lost.”

Steel singing in the air echoed around them as The Corinthian pointed a knife at him. “He can’t kill you if you kill him first.”

“Killing me may save your life, but it won’t save the lives of those you love.”

“I’m tryin to keep you alive here!” The nightmare growled, the playful mask he bore slipping at last.

“I’m trying to keep your world alive,” Dream argued.”

“Enough!” Her voice echoed in the vast space as Dreams' eyes looked up, there in the distant darkness he could see Penelope… A dream of her? No. A vision. 

She’d been thrown to the ground, her surroundings unknown to him as a clawed hand of darkness grabbed her head and held her down, squeezing enough to puncture her cheek. Dream took a half step forward when her eyes met his, wild and desperate… afraid. Penelope! Her eyes filled with tears, the fire in them raging as her hand found a dagger. She shoved up, stabbing deep into the arm of whatever creature lurked.

Rose’s power radiated through the room, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the sight of his lady as she was dragged back into the shadows and out of his sight. A scream and a wild shriek filling the air. “If I’m as powerful as you say I am, then I will find my own way. In the meantime the walls go back up. Because I am not dreaming anymore. Thanks to you two I’m wide awake.”

His heart thundered in his chest as he watched the walls further separate him from going to Penelope. And just like that the dream faded, The Corinthian filling his view as he lifted his hand and examined the healing wound. His nightmare took off the dark shades that shielded the rows of teeth from view. “If you think I’m going back to The Dreaming with you-”

“You’re not going back.” His voice was low, nearly hoarse with the emotion that raged in him. Penelope was somewhere fighting for her life and he could not save her and The Corinthian… his masterpiece needed to be unmade and he needed to be the one to do it. “I brought you into this world to serve humanity. Not to feed upon it.”

“Do you know why I do it? So I can taste what it’s like to be human.” The Corinthian scoffed at him. “You don’t care about humanity, none of them, not even her. You only care about yourself and your realm and your rules.”

“I contain the entire collective unconscious. Without my rules it would consume me. Humanity would be consumed.”

“Or you might actually feel something.” His nightmare smiled, sad and angry. “I am not the problem Dream.”

There it was. The answer to the question he’d been asking for so long. Why did his dreams and nightmares feel so distant from him? Why did they prefer Penelope, someone they’d only just barely been introduced to when he had been beside them for eons? It was far more simple than he’d thought possible. He pushed them away, shoved them into strict rules that shackled their growth and thus their ability to view him in any light other than a captor. “You are right. This was my fault, not yours. I had so much hope for you, but I created you poorly then. So I must uncreate you now.”

The sand swirled, glowing red as it ate away at his masterpiece. “I am only sorry I won’t be here to watch you lose everything… to see Rose Walker do the same to you.”

Dream knelt before the pile of sand and plucked the small skull up and a sad smile. “Next time I make you, you will not be so flawed and petty, little dream.”

He turned to the crowd of his creations flawed inspiration and shook his head. “And you… who call yourselves collectors, until now you have sustained fantasies in which you are the victims comforting daydreams in which you are always right. But no more. The dream is over. I have taken it away. For this is my judgment upon you, that you shall know from this moment on exactly how craven and selfish and monstrous you are. That you shall feel the pain of those you have slaughtered. And the grief of those that mourn them still, and you shall carry that pain and grief and guilt with you until the end of time.”

They all rose from their seats and walked, dazed out of the room. Dreams eyes settled onto the spot Penelope had once stood, his heart sinking lower and lower every second she did not reappear before him. My love… Where are you? Please… Tears filled his eyes as the minutes passed with no sign of her. Penelope.

***

Darkness surrounded me, the wound on my shoulder burning now in the rancid air as I stumbled into the altar and shakily set the book in place. I flipped through the pages, eyes scanning and desperate to find Lyria’s handprint. Come on. Come on!

A dark chuckle echoed around me, pain ripping through my shoulder and tearing a scream from my throat. “Why do you still fight against the dark, little Weaver?”

Before I could even move out of the way the demon had grabbed me and thrown me to the ground. My head cracked against the stone as I pushed myself back, hands fumbling in the dark for my lost daggers. The glowing red of the demon's eyes was all I could see in the darkness in front of me as it shifted and moved without a sound. Its long talons flashed for a second before its whole hand curled around my head and squeezed the sharp points into my skin. I groaned, still trying to move as my eyes lifted and a hazy vision of Dream and Rose and The Corinthian flashed in the distance. Dream... I thought softly, my hand shifting toward him and bumping into the sharp sting of Destruction sheathed in steel.

I wrapped my hand around it, taking one last look at Dream's eyes before forcing my body up and stabbing the blade deep into the demon's arm. It shrieked loudly, its hand tightening around my head as it flung me through the air and sent me crashing into the altar. This time my whole body burned with pain, every wound I sustained in my fight with The Bull and with the demon before, as the adrenaline began to fade and everything else started to settle in. I coughed up blood as I turned and reached for the book, weakly flipping the pages until my heart sank at the sight of a torn page. “No.”

“Did you really think I’d leave the one page that could rebind me?” Mephistopheles asked with a loud, smug laugh. “Don’t you see now? You cannot trap me.”

“If I can’t trap you then I’ll just have to kill you.” I wheezed as I took my blade in hand and stabbed the book as hard as I could, the steel piercing the thick leather. A soft, dark light began to seep out from the book. It wasn’t enough. I needed more. 

Mephistopheles growled in the darkness. “Your little blade isn’t strong enough to kill me. NOTHING IS STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL ME!” Claws sliced clean through my side, pulling me and the book back to the ground as the red eyes loomed over me and a twisted grin of darkness and thorns smiled down at me. “I’ll give the Endless your regards, Penelope.”

No. The world of threads offered little help, as all the threads save the gold were covered in darkness. My eyes fixed on the molten gold as it swirled brighter than ever, gold drops pulling towards me like fireflies in the dark. Forsake that which you fear. For the path through flames of molten gold is that which holds your freedom. The Fates voices echoed in my ears as Mephistopheles’ claws tore through my stomach. FUCK! My hand shot out and wrapped around the golden thread. Fire, bright golden swirls of fire wound around my arm and sunk into my skin, burning hotter than anything I’d ever felt. A scream tore through my throat as the gold curled up my shoulder as I lifted the dagger again and stabbed the blade the rest of the way into the book. Golden light illuminated Mephistopheles’ face and he tore away from me, attempting to shield himself from the light.

“NO! NO!” He roared as the light burnt away at the shadowed body. It lunged for me one last time, a mad move made by a dying demon. I ripped the dagger from the book just in time to lift it in front of me and watch it slice clean through its neck. The head of the demon fell to the stone and the book blazed in a puff of golden fire, blackening until the soul within it was consumed. The dagger clattered to the ground as I turned to look at the golden thread, unable to pull my hand from it. Power burning and bright and nothing like any power I’d felt before surged through me. I pulled against it harder, tears streaming down my cheeks as the power grew too great, too painful for me to stand any longer. The gold filled my vision as my body weakened to the point where I couldn’t move anymore. Blood oozed from my wounds, pooling beneath my back as a vision played in the glowing thread.

A tall figure clothed in black and stardust moved across a stone bridge. Dream. He walked through the town with his head held high as everyone he passed smiled and bid him a fond good afternoon. He looked happy. Dream followed the familiar path to Cain and Abel’s houses and shook his head with a chuckle as he crossed the bridge. “I thought I told you not to stray far, yet here you are wreaking havoc on Cain and Abel’s garden.”

A little girl was perched upside down half hanging from Pierre’s statue, her long raven hair blowing in the breeze as she flipped around and leapt into Dreams' waiting arms. Cain bowed his head to Morpheus. “It’s no trouble, my lord. She can be quite helpful when she wants to be.”

“Yes, when she’s not too occupied with vanishing!” He shook his head as the girl pressed a big kiss to his cheek. “You’re just like your mother.”

“Mommy’s good at disappearing!”  The child sang. “She can do it SO FAST!”

Dream laughed, a laugh so full of joy I’d never heard it before. “Yes, she is. Speaking of her, we should get back to the palace. She’s going to be back today.”

The girl looked up into his eyes, stars shining in hers. “Do you think Uncle Destiny and Aunt Lyria will give her a gift to bring me?!”

“Don’t they always?” He asked as she jumped from his arms and hugged Cain, then Abel and then the much larger Goldie.

She grabbed Dream's hand and tugged him along across the bridge. “Come on then Daddy!”

They moved back through the village, the sight of the mighty Dream Lord being dragged through the town by the smaller girl didn’t seem to surprise anyone. Just as they reached the bridge a woman stood on the opposite end, looking out at the setting sun. The little girl let go of Dreams hand and booked it toward her, only giving her enough time to turn before nearly tackling her to the ground. “Mommy!”

Laughter echoed as Dream moved closer, revealing my face buried in the girl's hair. “Ophelia!”

“Did you bring me a gift?” the little girl demanded, squeezing my cheeks.

“Of course,” I replied, laughing. “It’s in the library with Lucienne and Matthew.”

The child, Ophelia, leapt to the ground and ran inside as fast as her little legs could carry her. Dream pulled me into his arms and pressed a kiss to my lips. “How is my brother and his wife?”

I shrugged. “They’re doing well.”

“Did he answer your question?”

“He did.”

Dream looked down at me, an expression of anticipation and hopefulness filling his usually stoic face. “Do you intend to keep me in suspense my lady?”

My smile grew wider as I nodded. “He confirmed our suspicions.”

Now, Dream was beaming, bright as a star as he enveloped me in a tight hug, lifting me off the ground a bit. “This is wonderful news! Did he tell you which it would be?”

Once he set me back down I cupped his face with a wide smile. “A boy.”

“A boy,” he breathed, hands resting on my stomach. “I assume you already have a name in mind?”

I smiled, the eyes of my future self looking over his shoulder and into my own. “Omiros.”

“Omiros.” I could hear the smile in his voice as more tears streamed down my cheeks. “A strong name. Though I have to wonder where you, my love, came up with such a name.”

My eyes turned away from me and looked up at him with happy tears. “I heard it a long time ago.”

His head tilted to the side as he stroked my cheek. “From where?”

“A dream,” I answered.

“You said that last time,” he noted, suspicious.“Well maybe you should believe me then.”

“My son. Omiros,” Dream said again, softer, almost like a prayer as his thumb rubbed against my stomach.

The gold thread faded before my eyes, taking the vision with it, and my hand fell limp onto the stone floor. Every breath I took was painful and slow as I felt the life slowly drain from me. The darkness and decay of the realm remained as the creatures gathered around me, drawn to the starlight that had been glowing from my head. A green butterfly flew past my eyes and settled on the bloody skin above my heart. The light moved, flickering out for a moment before glowing even brighter beneath the butterfly. The creatures made a noise, soft and desperate. "You would be stripped of your light and left to darkness should you try." 

The light, the blessing, would set these people free. I didn’t know how I knew, but something inside me just did… It was the only way to set all this right. I lifted my hand, despite the pain the movement sent through me, and touched my heart. The butterfly settled over my palm as I pulled the light from my chest, holding its steady warm glow tightly. Every breath I took was painful and slow as I felt the life slowly drain from me.

"Goodbye, Morpheus," I whispered, letting the light slip from my fingers and up toward the sky. Silver spirits of the creatures trapped in the darkness followed the light up into the sky, tearing through the darkness and leaving me one last fading view of the night sky before darkness overtook me.

***

Destiny stared out into the night sky as he held Lyrias hand in his, absentmindedly stroking his thumb along her skin. He could feel her heart beating again, after all these long years, she was home. All of it was thanks to Penelope. She’d offered him help, even knowing that the likelihood of her demise was great. He looked down at the shimmering gold of Lyrias cheeks and smiled, pressing a kiss to them as he stood.

“Father,” he said out into the sky. “I have never asked for anything… You know I would never ask unless it was of great importance. Just this once, I ask for your favor.”

Beside him Time stood, hands clasped in front of him. “I cannot guarantee she will live. First she must pass her final test, and then her fate will be decided.”

Destiny nodded. “It is a chance, one I can only hope she will be strong enough to make good use of.”

“We shall soon see.”

***

The darkness that cocooned me was neither too hot nor too cold, neither wet nor dry, it simply was. I felt weightless as voices swirled around me, one soft but cold. A hand shook my shoulder, soft and warm and familiar. “Penelope, it’s time to wake up darling.”

“Mother?” I whispered as my eyes opened to her kindly face looking down at me with a soft smile. She pushed my hair out of my face. “Am I dead?”

Her face twisted as she gasped at the question. “Heavens no! Why would you think such a thing?”

“Because this…” I stopped myself, eyes roaming over the modest bedroom that had so very long ago been my own. “This isn’t real.”

Mother laughed softly. “You and that imagination of yours. Now, get up. We have a long day of lessons ahead of us.”

I sat on my bed, my eyes darting wildly around the room and my breaths heavy and sharp. What the fuck is going on? I thought as I pulled the covers off me and practically ran to the mirror. I looked like I had then, youthful. The wounds I’d gained while fighting The Bull and Lyria and the demon were gone. I turned my wrist over, running my fingers along the smooth unscarred skin. It was all gone… No, it just hadn’t happened yet. I sank to the floor, tucking my knees to my chest and letting out quiet, scared sobs. Was this real? And if it was… what was I meant to do?

A voice, warm and loud, echoed through the room. “You must choose what was or what could have been, Fate Weaver.”

“I don’t understand,” I whispered, but the voice didn’t come again. Okay, I told myself, wiping the tears from my eyes. This is just another test. I just needed to figure out where I was and what this choice was. After I got dressed for the weird day that was no doubt ahead of me I looked around my room, if there was anything here to tell me what was going on it would certainly make this easier. I pulled a box out from under my bed and opened it up to reveal a simple fine dress, one I recognized almost immediately.

This was the day I snuck out and attended the party at the Burgess house for Alex. The day I met Morpheus. The day that changed everything. Choose what was or what could have been? Whoever it was that set up this weird trip to the past wanted me to either make the same choices I had, the ones that led me to where I ended up or to choose differently? I practically scoffed. Why would I change what happened? I had already lived through it. Unless… whatever being was doing this expected me to live through it all over again.

The pained memories of the asylum filled my mind as I set my head in my hands. What would change if I tried to do things differently? Morpheus. I looked down at my arm where the mark had been and sadly ran a thumb over the smooth skin. If I change things… It would change our relationship, change what we meant to each other… what we still mean to each other. I kept going over it in my mind as the day dragged on. My father, the man I’d killed with my bare teeth, sat across from me at the table as we ate. I’d forgotten how miserable I was. Forgotten how absolutely horrible life had been living in the Barlow house.

Sure, I was fed and had plenty of time to myself, but it was lonely. There was no Matthew to swoop down and chatter in my ear. No Lucienne to offer up a book recommendation or talk to me for hours about the knowledge she held. No Mervyn calling me kid and offering to show me how to do various jobs. There was no Cain and Abel and Goldie with their garden and their bickering. No town full of loving nightmares and dreams. There was no Dreaming, no home… No Morpheus.

For a while I wandered the Barlow estate grounds, deep in thought, but no matter how long I thought about it my answer stayed the same. I would follow the events of the day as they had happened, even if it meant I would have to live the years that followed in the same torment that I had before. I looked at myself in the mirror as night finally came and smoothed a hand over the dress that would soon be ruined, before climbing out the window and making my way toward the Burgess house and the crowd that gathered there.

I walked as if I was in a daze, moving through the crowd until Alex's young and familiar face smiled down at me. "Penelope! It's about time you showed up! I thought you'd abandoned me to be eaten by these people!"

“Alex…” I hadn’t seen him in eighty years. Even after all the pain he’d caused me, I couldn’t help but feel happy when he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me inside. For a split second I’d forgotten that this wasn’t real, that this was all some kind of memory or, or, something.

I looked up at the house, residual fear and anxiety building in me as Alex led the way. Hand on my shoulder he looked over me with worried eyes. “Are you alright? You seem quiet.”

“I’m fine,” I answered. “It’s just been a long day.”

“Well, relax, Pen. Tonight is supposed to be fun.” His family butler scolded him quietly and he nudged my shoulder. “Go have fun for a bit, my father has me holding the door to keep the uninvited out. Something about responsibility.”

I took one last look at his face, one last look at him while he was still my friend. “You are rather irresponsible.”

“Says you,” he retorted with a laugh and a nudge to my shoulder.

“Don’t be too long… responsible Alex, or I’ll be the one that becomes the meal.” Goodbye, my friend. I thought as I watched him walk out the door. Hopefully once I got to Dream this whole thing would end, but if not… Alex wouldn’t be like this again.

I instinctually moved toward the least crowded part of the room, my eyes drawing to the door with the guards standing in front of it. Now that I knew what secrets it held the curiosity was gone, replaced by a cool and pulsing rage. He was down there. Alone. Naked. Locked away in some goddamn fish bowl for what? Roderick Burgess’ pride? I had to close my eyes and remind myself that this wasn’t real. Dream was free. He was safe. Just like before I watched the people dance, drink and come close to overdosing on every drug imaginable at the time. All just one large facade. The rich man fell to the ground, convulsing just as he had before and I turned toward the basement door. Everything and everyone froze as the voice from this morning echoed around me again. “Choose.”

For a moment I looked around at the party, studying the faces of the upper class crowd. They were miserable, all of them, I had known it then and I knew it now. I turned back to the door and descended the dark stairs, into the basement that would soon fill with beatings and blood, but the second my eyes met his in his glass cage my heart soared. Whoever organized this, whatever they wanted of me, had wasted their time. There was no world where I wouldn’t choose him. 

The basement was just as I remembered it, damp and dark, reeking and poorly lit. The glowing glass sphere hung in the center of the large space and my legs nearly buckled at the sight of it. Morpheus sat up, dark, star filled eyes watching me as I moved closer and closer to him. He watched me with a stoic expression, but his eyes betrayed what he felt, as they always did.

“Don’t worry. There's nothing they could do to make me choose differently.” I said as I stood face to face with him, tears running down my face as I pressed my hand to the glass without hesitation. “I’ll always choose you, Dream.”

He said nothing as he mirrored the gesture. Just like the first time pain exploded across my palm, but this time when the images and voices filled my head I knew them. The memories of Dream and I played in my head, every tiny gleam in his eyes, every stupid game I played with him, our goodbye and then our reunion, Matthew and Lucienne and Mervyn and Cain and Abel, home. They were here, all along from the beginning they were here. The glass shattered beneath our hands as Dream’s voice silenced all the others. “I thought you’d left.”

I smiled as the glass turned into sand. “I would never leave you, my Dream. You’re my home.”

The memory or illusion of Dream stepped out of the metal frame and stood in front of me, lifting his hand and blowing sand into my eyes. Everything faded away until I stood staring at an empty expanse of darkness. Two figures stood before me, neither looking my way but at each other. 

"It has been a long time since we have shared a plane,” the soft, cold feminane voice said.

The other replied, rough but warm. "Yes. I have missed you."

The soft voice belonged to a woman, tall and thin, beautiful beyond belief. She wore a gown of glowing light and her long hair was black with stairs swirling inside it. Night. I told myself. This was Dream and the other Endless’ mother. “I am here now.”

The loud voice belonged to a man, old with vibrant red hair and a long beard filled with gray strands and features that reminded me of De and Olethros. He shook his head. “Only because you felt drawn here. You did not come for me.”

“No, but I am here nonetheless.” Her eyes, two glowing stars, turned to me. “Your light is gone, little star. It was a mistake of you to give it away for even I cannot return it to you.

The old man changed before my eyes, into a small boy. “To give away such a blessing is quite the feat alone, especially for a mortal born. But, more interesting, perhaps, is your choice.”

“I just did what I thought was right.” I answered him.

“Right?” he questioned, now older but not old. “Was it out of obligation or love I wonder? Mortals seem to be quite fickle in their feelings.”

This must be their father, I told myself. Dream had spoken little of his parents and from what I could gather from Desire there was a good reason for it. As I watched them coldly argue with one another over what my fate was to be all I could think of was how unhappy and bitter they both sounded. Night was cold and emotionless as she spoke. “Does it matter why she chose this path?”

The man turned to her, the young boy once again. “It does to me, as it should to you.”

“She may have foolishly given away my blessing, but the fact remains she passed your test, Time. Do you not wish for our son to be happy?"

“My blessing is a rare and powerful thing. I will not give it to someone unworthy of it.”

They fought again for what seemed like hours. Listening to them certainly made their children's messy histories make more sense. For a while I considered trying to leave, find my own way, but there was literally nothing but abyss around us so I quickly decided against it. Then my thoughts shifted to whether or not I'd have to choose a side between them, should this argument turn into an actual fight.

As I looked between the two it was difficult to figure out who I found more intimidating. Time was loud and even in his old appearance he looked like he could hold his own in a fight. Night, while delicate in appearance, held a very cold and calculating look in her eyes that made me question just how soft she truly was. Truthfully I hated both options. Maybe I could take them both? I thought, touching my thighs. Right no daggers. They both looked at me curiously.

"Do you honestly think you could fight us both?" Night asked.

"Two Endless beings of greater power than you could ever know?" Time added.

I shrugged. "I don't know! It's not like I have a lot of options. And also it's quite rude to drag me here, test me, argue in front of me, then read my mind and judge me on trying to figure out how to fight you two if need be. Mind your own business, which it seems you two have plenty of!"

"Who would you choose of the two of us?" Time asked, sending Night a glare. "I am far more powerful."

Night merely rolled her eyes. "You always were so self important. The mortal would obviously pick me, for she has been given my blessing before."

"Another reason as to why she would choose me. For it is my blessing she needs now."

"ENOUGH! God I see why your kids are so fucked up! You two are, no offense, truly fucking terrible.” I looked at Night. “I thank you for giving me your blessing. I’m sorry I gave it away, but I’d do it over again if it meant saving those people.” I turned to Time, now an old man. “Give me your blessing or don’t. I don’t care. I’m going home with or without it.”

He tilted his head a little. “You think yourself capable of navigating the endless darkness?”

I shrugged again, frustrated and exhausted. “I don’t know, but I don’t care. I’m going home. If it takes me days or years I don’t care. If I fucking die here trying to find my way back… I. Don’t. Care. I have to try at least, I owe them all that much.”

“You are a curious human, Penelope Barlow.” Time said, stepping towards me and holding out his hand. “My son has asked me to save you.”

“Dream?”

“No, I’ve not spoken to Dream in eons. It was Destiny.” He changed again into a younger man. “He’s asked nothing of me since the creation of this world. Yet he asks for a favor now, for you… a mortal.”

I smiled at the thought. “He didn’t have to do that.”

Time nodded. “No, he did not, but he did. You hold much influence over my children and are regarded highly among them, for all would have asked this of me."

"You sound confused by that."

"I am. You are nothing but a mortal." Time insisted. "Your soul being bound to Dream means little in regards to my other children. And yet they would all come to me on your behalf."

"Maybe it would be easier to understand if you actually spent any time with them." I bit out. "Both of you."

Time didn't respond to the jab. "You passed the final test I had laid before you, The Fates were right in their assumptions. But, know that it is only for Destiny that I grant you my blessing.” I could see Night scoff as he held his hand out to me, old once again. Once my hand met his wrinkled skin, golden light filled the darkness. 

My eyes drifted shut as the bright light grew hotter and filled the dark abyss, and when I opened them again I was back at the hotel, laying in the center of the aisle, chairs on either side of me. Some of my wounds had healed, the ones that would have killed me, but the others were still fresh and bleeding. My hand was blackened from the flames and burnt marks curled up my arm, remnants from the golden thread and there, laying at my side was the head of Mephistopheles and the burnt book that once bound him.

***

"Did you find her?" Matthew asked as soon as he landed at Dreams feet.

Dreams' eyes scanned the crowd for a moment. "No, but she's still here, I can feel it. We'll check inside."

He turned just as she hobbled out of the hotel doors. She froze at the sight of him, her tear stained face looked pale and sickly. The blood and wounds that covered her all over didn't help ease his conscience, but it was her hand that he focused on. Penelope cradled the right one to her chest, holding a black book, the dark lines of burnt flesh in the shape of rope, no, threads. She'd had to touch the burning thread, had to twist it around her arm to free herself of whatever torment his callousness had doomed her to.

For a moment they both just stood there, looking at one another, not willing or able to move first. He took a half step forward, and her eyes filled with tears, lips quivering as she closed the distance between them, crushing herself into his chest. He felt lighter, like he could finally breathe again as he hesitantly hugged her to him. Through her sobs she pleaded, "Can we go home? Please?"

Home. The word was bittersweet. It meant that she still considered The Dreaming her home, but also meant that even with what he'd said to her and denied her, she still trusted him. "Yes."

Her body relaxed as the chilled air of The Dreaming wrapped around them, but neither of them moved. Dream was afraid of what would happen after he let go of her. She had to be angry with him and after searching for her for so long… After seeing Desire's hands on her… Dream knew they had much to discuss. Matthew cawed. "I hate to ruin the moment but… Is that a head?"

She pulled back, lifting her left hand and the severed head she gripped in it. "Right. I'm gonna have to take this shit to Destiny tomorrow."

"What the fuck have you been up to the past few days?!"

"It's a long story," she admitted with a wince as she waved her hand, easily creating a box and tossing the head and book inside. Whatever she had done to gain the upper hand over the demon had unlocked her connection to his power fully now.

Dreams' eyes slid down to her deep wounds as blood dripped to the floor. "You need attended to."

She nodded, dazed and stumbled to the side. "Yeah, uh, I'm about to pass out. The… The blood loss is really starting to, uh, kick in so if you could… Catch me or something, I'd appreciate it."

Just as she predicted her eyes rolled into the back of her skull and she began to drop to the ground. Dream caught her, holding her to him tightly. "Matthew, tell Lucienne that Penelope is back, and send her to my quarters."

"You got it boss," the raven said. Hearing his casual tone made Dream feel better. Perhaps now that she was back things could return to normal. He set her on the bed, carefully discarding her clothing and looking down at the deep wounds and still retreating black veins. No. Things would never go back to normal, at least not the normal he was accustomed to.

He worked tirelessly, sewing and wrapping her wounds with what magic and skill he had until he finished. He pulled fresh blankets over her and sat on the edge of the bed, holding her injured hand tentatively in his. Dream watched the black veins and discoloration fade from her skin. His hands helped cool the sweltering heat of her body and once the color had begun to return to her skin he let himself feel the relief of having her home.

It may not last. She could still wake up and decide to leave, but for now he was content. Penelope was home, here in their bed, and most importantly she was alive. Lucienne knocked at the door, entering quietly and clutching her hand to her chest at the sight of her friend. "My lord! What's happened to her?"

"I do not know," he admitted. "After she and the demon vanished I only saw a glimpse of whatever she faced. When she awakens, I'm certain she will fill you in on the details. The items she came with, where are they?"

"In the library, sir. I thought it best to keep a close eye on them, just to be certain they are truly dormant."

He nodded. "A wise course of action."

Lucienne stroked Penelope's hair and looked up at him. "Do you need anything, my lord?"

"I must finish this business with the vortex." His voice was soft and sad, unable to pretend any longer that the task at hand meant nothing to him. Rose Walker had proven herself to be brave and kind hearted and strong. She reminded him of Penelope when he'd first met her in the damp dark of the Burgess basement. And that only made his duty more difficult.

Lucienne nodded. "I'll stay with her."

"No," he said softly. "Return to the library and watch the artifacts she brought. Matthew can watch over her, that way I will be able to see her through him."

"Very well, my lord." She smiled down at Penelope and sighed softly, relieved. "I am glad she's home."

"As am I." He stroked her skin one last time before standing. Now he could only hope she wanted to stay.

***

When I opened my eyes I was back at Destiny's garden, everything had been repaired and put back just as it was supposed to be. Destiny stood beside the table, carefully setting it as the sun began to rise. "You are early. Or perhaps you are on time."

I smiled, laughing a little. "Were you expecting me?"

"No," he answered, turning around to face me. "But I was hoping you would come back."

"I have you to thank for that," I said, moving closer and wrapping him in a soft, weak hug. "Your parents are assholes, by the way, your dad especially."

His hand gently pressed against my back, his famous and comforting one armed hug. "I am simply glad you are here, Weaver."

"Me too." I mumbled. "How is Lyria?"

"She is resting," he said, turning to finish setting the table. "But she will recover quickly, thanks to you."

"Good." I sat down in my chair and sighed in relief as the pain subsided a little. "How are you?"

Destiny smiled. "I am better than I have been."

"Wow, a real answer?" I teased. "You sure she didn't hit your head too hard?"

He sat down across from me and shook his head fondly. "Did you retrieve the book?"

I nodded. "And the bastard's head."

"Both must be taken to Hell and returned to The Morningstar."

"You think Lucifer is involved in this?" I asked. 

Destiny didn’t respond for a moment. “No, but Mephistopheles was a Duke of Hell and what remains of him should be returned to his master.”

There was more, I could feel it. “What else?”

“While you’re there I would ask you to retrieve some things of Lyrias from Lightbringer.” He looked at me, but this time there was a thinly concealed rage in them that I’d never seen before. “The demon stole them and took them to Hell in order to keep them from me. His remains should be enough to trade for them.”

"Alright, how do you want me to facilitate such a trade?" I asked. "The devil and I don't exactly have the best relationship."

Destiny gestured to a small letter beneath my cup. "I've written out what to say. Hopefully it keeps you out of trouble."

I opened the letter and read through the  finely written, far too modest request.

Lucifer, Ruler of Hell, I come to you with a proposition from Destiny of the Endless. I will offer you the effects of the slain demon Mephistopheles in return for the previous Fate Weavers artifacts, as well as safe passage through Hell and an undelayed departure. Do this and Destiny promises there will be no need for war between Hell and the Endless.

“Sounds simple enough," I said, moving to stand. A bit too simple.

His hand reached across the table and settled over mine. "Weaver, I simply wish for you to get Lyria's artifacts back, though I know there are some questions of your own need answered. So, I hope you shall heed my advice when I ask you to remember the ruler of Hell can be rather pedantic. Tread this path cautiously."

"Aren't I always cautious?" I joked.

"You will be going as my emissary." He gestured to the broach on the table. It was shimmering gold with an intricately carved depiction of his garden. "My sigil will mark you as my Fate Weaver and grant you entrance into Hell. They will likely be expecting you."

"Expecting me?"

"Word of Mephistopheles death will have reached them by now, along with the nature of that death.

I sighed, wincing at the pain that motion caused. "So I'm gonna be walking into a bloodbath?"

"No, so long as you do not stray from the path or your purpose."

"I'll be safe, Des."

"Of this I have no doubt, Weaver."

***

Back in Dreams bedroom I forced myself to get dressed just as Matthew flew through the window with a relieved sigh. “You fucking asshole!”

“Whoa, chill out there Smokey,” I said looking down at him as he perched on the bed. “Why are you so mad at me?”

“You disappeared!” He yelled with a caw. “They told me to watch over you til you woke up and you just poof, gone! I was worried! I thought for sure you’d gotten trapped or some shit!”

I winced as I sat down beside him. “Sorry Matthew. I didn’t mean to… poof. Destiny and I just needed to have a quick chat.”

He ruffled his wings at me. “Well, warn a bird next time.”

“I will,” I said, smoothing over his feathers. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too, Penny. For a while last night we thought we lost you for good.”

Looking around at the room, cast in rainbow light I chuckled a little. “You might have, for a little bit at least.”

“So, what did Destiny want?”

“I gotta take that shit I brought last night to Hell.”

“You’re going back to Hell?!” He cawed again. “Like willingly?”

Looking down at him with a smile I shrugged. “Looks that way.”

“God, you’re weird.” He said. “Come on, Merv and Lucienne are freaking out looking for you.”

“Did you tell them before you told Dream?”

He flew onto my shoulder. “Of course! I sure as hell wasn’t gonna tell the boss I lost you again!”

We walked through the halls for a while before Merv came around a corner and nearly slammed into me. His pumpkin features relaxed slightly as he pulled me into a hug. “Thank fuck! I thought you left us, kid!”

I smiled into his thin shoulder, inhaling the smell of pumpkin and tools. “I’d never abandon you guys.”

He steadied me as we walked the rest of the way toward the library where Lucienne paced back and forth as a dream stood off to the side of her. “He’s not going to be happy when he comes back and finds her gone again. Are you certain you checked everywhere?”

“She is nowhere outside the palace. We would have noticed her.”

“I do tend to stand out,” I said, hobbling forward towards them. 

Lucienne let out a breath and ran to my side. “My lady!” Her arms wound around me, pulling me into her embrace. “You must stop scaring us like this.”

“I’m sorry, Lucienne.” I said. “Had a meeting to get to.”

She pulled away and helped Merv get me settled in a chair at the table. “Can I get you anything?”

“I’m alright,” I insisted.

“My lady, you are badly injured,” she said, examining the deep wound on my neck. “You need to return to bed and rest.”

“No can do, Lucienne. I’ve got a job to do. Speaking of, where's the things I brought back?”

“I’m assuming you’re referring to the book and the… head?” She said moving around the corner to bring the box of the artifacts out. “I’ve been keeping an eye on them.”

“Thanks,” I said, examining the box carefully as the feeling I’d tried to ignore since getting back began to bubble to the surface. “Where… Is Dream busy?”

Lucienne gave me a gentle look. “I just returned from helping him deal with the vortex.”

Shit. I tried to stand. “Is he okay? Did he…”

She set a hand on my shoulder, urging me to stay sitting. “He’s alright, my lady. As is Rose Walker.”

“How? I thought there was no other way.”

“Normally there isn’t,” she said. “But, this whole situation appears to have been manipulated by Lord Morpheus’ sibling.”

“Desire.”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Lord Morpheus is speaking with them currently.”

“Can’t say I’m too surprised.” The memories of them, their cruel game, filled my mind. “Is he… Did he seem angry?”

Lucienne looked confused for a moment. “He did. Desire’s game would have put the entire Dreaming at risk.”

I sighed. “And did he seem angry after I passed out?”

“No,” she said. “He was worried for you, my lady. All night he remained by your side, tending your wounds and ensuring that you were healing.”

“Thank you, Lucienne.” I said to her, standing to look over the artifacts in the box. “I need to get ready to go to Hell.”

Lucienne’s face immediately twisted into sharp concern. “My lady, that is most unwise! You are still injured!”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “But I still have to do this.”

“Surely it can wait,” she insisted.

“The longer I put it off the worse it’ll look to Lucifer. I killed one of their Dukes, they know that I did. Besides, I’d like to get this over with, and get a few answers.”

She seemed to understand as she looked down at my clothes. “Well, if you intend to travel to Hell, you may want to change into more appropriate attire.”

I laughed, nodding. “True.”

For the first time since the hotel I felt the surge of power that normally would have been Dream, but it was different. It wasn’t as strong as his, not by a long shot, but it was more than I’d felt before. I lifted my hands and ran them down the length of my body, watching as my clothes changed into light and breathable but strong material. The long sleeves were dark lines of multicolored thread glistened when I moved. The chest piece was golden armor with a half cloak of starlight pinned with Destiny's brooch. My daggers were secured to either side of my belt that snuggly accentuated my waist where the gown flared out and cascaded down my legs like a dark night sky.

Matthew let out a loud noise. “Damn Penny! That’s impressive!”

“You look amazing, my lady!”

“Kids got more talent with gowns than wood, that’s for sure,” Merv teased, bumping my shoulder.

“Hell appropriate?” I asked.

“Very much so.” She said as the doors to the library opened and the familiar light footsteps of Dream echoed through the library as he moved with haste.

Dream’s mouth opened, ready to call out to Lucienne no doubt, but he quickly shifted into a sigh as his eyes met mine and he swept towards us. Merv and the dream quietly excused themselves from the library, as Matthew and Lucienne moved to the corner. "There you are. You should be in bed."

"I have work to do," I answered, awkwardly fixing the fastenings of my newly made gown.

I could feel his eyes look me up and down, admiring either the gown or my figure beneath it. "And what work takes precedence over your health?"

Here we go. "I have to take these back to Hell."

I could feel that hum of his resistance roll through me. "No."

"Dream," I sighed. My side burned as I turned to look up at him. "You of all people can understand that this is important. It's my job, just as ruling over the collective unconscious of this world is yours. I have to do this and you have to let me."

"The Morningstar will be looking to ensnare you again." He warned. "Not only for your association to me, but because of your power and because you've killed one of their more powerful demons."

"I know." I touched the brooch. "Destiny has asked me to do this. As an emissary I should be free to come and go."

Dream still wasn't convinced. "Should be, but they will try to trick you or bend the rules."

"If worse comes to worse I'll just teleport out. They won't be able to hold me for long."

"I'm coming with you." He decided.

"No. If you set one foot in Hell they will either lock you up or kill you."

I was right and he knew it. "Take Matthew then."

With a sigh and a smile I shook my head. "Matthew hates Hell."

Dark and strong clouds took shape beside us as Storm bowed. "My lord, my lady. I wish to accompany you."

“I would gladly welcome your company, Storm,” I said, relieved that they were willing to join me. Having a friend at my back, especially one as intimidating as them would hopefully help calm my nerves and keep Lucifer from trying anything.

Dream acknowledged Storm with a polite nod and then looked at me one last time. It was obvious he didn't want me to go, but unlike all the times before he seemed softer as he agreed. "Be careful. You are still injured and they will see it as weakness."

"Thank you," I said, my hand brushing against his.

"I have one condition."

"Dream…"

He lifted his hands, a brilliant and gleaming circlet crown with a vibrant blue gem in the center of two butterflies sitting against his palms. "Wear this. That it may remind any that sees it of your status in our realm."

Without a word he set it on my head, wearing my hair around it and gently holding my face in his hands. "Thank you, Morpheus."

"Do not thank me for giving you what's rightfully yours." He pressed a kiss to my hand and squeezed it. "You will return once you've finished, won't you?"

"Of course I will." I answered. It was awkward between us, the things left unsaid and unacknowledged festing between us as we interacted with one another. "We have a lot to talk about."

Guilt and sorrow flared in his chest as he nodded. "We do, but later."

I smiled a bit and nodded. "Later."

"Yes," he replied fondly.

Lifting myself up on the tips of my toes I pressed a kiss to his cheek, hoping the simple act could convey my sincerity, and turned to Storm. "Ready?"

They bowed again. “I am beside you, my lady.”

I secured the head onto my belt and grabbed the book, sparing one last look at Dream as black sand swirled around Storm and I, engulfing us in it and then fading away to reveal the charred bodies that lined the gates of Hell.

“There’s one at the door,” a heavy breathy voice followed. “At the gate of damnation. Is thief, thug or whore?” At the end of the burnt hallway of mangled bodies behind the twisted gate I could make out the tall and burly figure of the demon as he stood, waiting. “There’s one at the door. And there’s room for one more till the end of creation.”

The gates of Hell were less grand than I’d imagined and clearly geared toward terrifying anyone stupid enough to find themselves here. I walked forward with my head held high, I would not meet the Devil as a scared sniveling girl again. “Hello, Demon. I’ve come to speak with the Morningstar.”

The demon chuckled. “And who are you?”

“I am the Fate Weaver and Lady of The Dreaming.” 

“Do all queens have such small crowns? Or is it just you?” 

Thunder clapped behind me, a cold wind swirling in the air. “You can either open the gate or I can tear it open. The choice is yours, but either way I’ll be seeing your master.”

A smaller figure, gleaming in silver, stepped to the side of the demon guarding the gate. “Move, Squaterbloat. They’re expecting this one.”

“Mazikeen,” I said softly, nodding at her as the gates opened. “Thank you.”

She bowed her head to me. “Apologies, my lady, for the rudeness of our gatekeeper.”

I gave the demon a side glance as I walked through, looking at the dimly lit sky raining with fire ash. “It’s fine, one doesn’t expect courtesy in Hell.”

The path ahead was lined with demons, each holding a blazing brazier, the smell of their burnt flesh wafting towards me as Mazikeen gestured forward. “Our ruler awaits you in the palace and has prepared all of Hell to entertain you during your stay.”

“I have no need for entertainment,” I answered, holding the book tightly in my hand. 

“Our master insisted. They said you will be staying for quite some time.”

“I’ve come to return something of your sovergines, as well as receive answers.” As we passed each demon, thunder echoed behind me and dark clouds plumed at my back. I smiled at the theatrics of my companion. It appeared I would be entering Hell with wings of my own. "I won't be staying long."

Mazikeen led me the whole way to the palace, across the steep winding bridge and through the large stone gates back into the familiar dark stone of the devil's palace. She bowed to Lucifer, moving into the shadows of the room as I stepped up the stairs. Their great wings tucked into their back as they turned to me with a smile. Their eyes looked at the wings Storm had given me with a chuckle. “Quite the entrance you make, Lady of The Dreaming.”

“I figured Hell would be the appropriate place for such theatrics,” I said, bowing my head. “I assume you know why I’m here.”

“You’ve come to return something of mine, I hope.” They looked at the book and then the head that hung around my belt.

I set the book on the table between us, then I unbound the head and set it beside it. The words Destiny had prepared for me rolled off my tongue. “Lucifer, honorable Ruler of Hell, I come to you with a proposition from Destiny of the Endless. I offer you the effects of the slain demon Mephistopheles in return for the previous Fate Weavers artifacts.” Their eyes lit up as I spoke, delighted to hear such a formal message. “As well as safe passage through Hell and an undelayed departure. Do this and Destiny promises there will be no need for war between Hell and the Endless.”

They waved their hand, a box being brought out by another demon and set on the table. “We were prepared for such a trade. You do surprise me though, dear one. Not so long ago you were shaking and fearful in this very room. And now, you stand before me again, tall and steady.”

“I’ve been through a lot in the past few months,” I said. “A meeting with the devil isn’t exactly surprising anymore.”

“There’s something else you want,” they said confidently. “Ask it, and perhaps I will grant it to you.”

I took a deep breath. The questions I had weren’t ones Lucifer could answer. Only one person could answer them. “I want to speak with Nada.”

Their smile grew wider as they moved around the table to stand in front of me, eyes piercing my soul. “Nada? Now why would the Lady of The Dreaming wish to speak with one their king has condemned to Hell?”

“She can answer some of the questions I have.” I said plainly.

Lucifer tilted their head to the side and thought for a moment. “Why should I let you speak to her?”

“Me asking is a courtesy,” I answered. “We both know I could just teleport to her if I wanted to. But, I wish to respect your authority in your realm, so please, allow me to speak with her and then I will leave.”

They chuckled. “Another question, why should I let you go? You are Dreams beloved and he would surely come to save you, should you be trapped. It would be quite a brilliant lure.”

“It would. But, it would also bring Destiny to retrieve me, and with him Death and Delirium.” Fire burned in their eyes. “I am a Fate Weaver and the Endless have made it known that they respect my position enough to defend me if need be. Is war what you seek?”

“It would make God quite angry with me.” They smiled, but their fire in their eyes faltered.

“It wouldn’t last long enough for him to notice. The Endless united would destroy you.” My words swam in their eyes as they regarded me with a look I’d almost consider admiration.

Lucifer stood up straight and gestured toward  the windows of their palace. “You are free to seek out Nada, Lady of The Dreaming, I’ll allow you a short amount of time and then you will leave. Should you refuse to go, you will remain here.”

I bowed my head again, retrieving the box from the table. “Thank you, your majesty.”

With Storm at my back one of the demons had escorted me to the tall winding tower and up the steps to the thorned gates of the cell that housed the woman Dream had once loved. She was beautiful, even in the distressed state that Hell had driven her to. Her skin glistened in the dull firelight as she turned, shimmering brown eyes wide and hopeful. “Kai'ckul?”

Our eyes locked and a wave of confusion washed over her before understanding sparked. “Hello, Nada. Forgive me, if my presence has brought you more distress. I just wanted to speak with you.”

“He spoke true then?” She said quietly. “He has found another… His queen.”

I shook my head. “I’m not a queen. I’m just… Just me.”

Nada stood, moving to meet me at the gate, her hands curling around the thorns. “Yet a crown he's given you, small but more significant than you could ever realize. What is it you seek?”

“I…” Maybe this was a mistake. What would my questions accomplish? “I just wanted to know what he was like, when you knew him.”

“He was magnificent,” she said, eyes drifting off into the distance, some part of her finding a moment of release in the memories. “Beautiful and powerful… Being loved by him was consuming. Kai'ckul loves deeply and holds onto that which he loves with a grip like chains. We were never meant to be eternal, but I knew it was what he wished of me, and perhaps before the destruction of my home… perhaps things could have been different.”

She was kind, such a beautiful soul. “I am sorry about what happened to your people, and to you.” I looked around at the small space that was her prison. “You don’t deserve to be here.”

Nadas' eyes returned to mine. “You cannot free me.”

“No,” I answered solemnly. “But I will try to convince him to return for your freedom.”

“Kai'ckul will not listen to you,” she said. “He listens to none but himself, for he is a proud king above all. I could feel how deeply he loves you when I saw him last, and I can see how deeply you love him. But he is Endless, his pride will never bend to anyone. One day he will cast you aside for duty and if you gain his ire he will cast you from his side… perhaps even to a prison like my own.” 

Had I not already done that? Had I not questioned him and insulted him and gained his anger more than once? I shook my head. “That is not the man I know. He is stubborn and can be unmovable at times, quick to anger and prideful yes, but he’s never once threatened to cast me aside and when I have gone he has always come looking for me.”

Nada took in my words and smiled softly. “You think he has changed?”

“I know he has,” I said. “I’ve seen it.”

The demon that escorted me shifted, my time was running out. Nada took my hand in hers and pressed a kiss to it. “Lady of The Dreaming, I wish you luck in your endeavors. And… And I humbly ask that you not forget me. If anyone can convince him to free me, it is you.”

“I won’t forget.” I promised. “And the next time you see me, you’ll be free. I know it.”

The demon moved forward but Storm and I were gone, back in the library. I set the box down on the table and asked Lucienne to watch over it and went to find Dream. I expected him to be in the throne room, but he wasn’t. As I opened the door to the bedroom I didn’t see him at first, but when I turned to leave he emerged from the balcony. “You’ve returned.”

I could see the worry in his face melt away as he stood on the opposite side of the room. “Of course I did. We need to talk.”

“Indeed.” He sighed. “I thought you were trapped… You were gone longer than I expected.”

“I was safe,” I assured him, picking at my fingers. “I… I spoke with Nada.”

Dreams face fell again, dark and sad as he took on the weight of my words. “I see.”

“Does that upset you?”

“Only because I know what she will have said about me.” He admitted. “And I fear that it will change how you see me.”

“Nothing could change how I see you,” I said, just as he had to me all those months ago. “What you did to Nada was wrong, but you’ve already admitted that you know that.”

He studied my face closely. “Then why did you go to her?”

I shrugged. “I needed to know if the person I spent the last few months feuding with at every turn was the person your other lovers knew.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve seen the change in you. You are not that man anymore. After… After Roderick and the years we spent apart, you’ve changed Morpheus. I know that you don’t like to think you have, but you have.”

For a moment I thought he would insist he hadn’t changed, like all the times we’d spoken about it before, but instead he nodded. “I know.”

“What?”

“I know that I have changed,” he breathed out. “It was… unexpected and difficult to come to terms with, but… I am glad that I did. It puts many things into a different perspective.”

I took a step forward. “Like what?”

His starry eyes met mine as he moved closer to me. “I have treated you poorly… Have wronged you and denied you that which is your right and I have done it all to satisfy my own pride. Asking you to halt your duties as Lady of The Dreaming was my first mistake, one I regret more than words can express. Growing angry with you for doing that which is merely your nature to, was my second. You have helped this realm far more than anyone since you came here. You have brought hope and laughter back to The Dreaming in a way I never could have accomplished. But what I regret most deeply, is how I spoke to you the night you left. You were right. Gault did not deserve the punishment I gave her, nor did Nada. You were right to question my judgment and I… I am sorry that my words, my actions forced you to leave and placed you at the hands of my sibling.”

I stiffened at the mention of Desire, tears filling my eyes as I looked away from him. “That night… I kissed them. But I didn’t…” God I was so stupid. “I thought they were you. They looked like you and then I saw you in the mirror…”

“I know,” he said, reaching out to press a gentle hand to my arm. “I know what they did to you and I am sorry I did not get there sooner. I looked… I spent all night looking for you, I even asked Hob Gadling for help.”

I smiled a little. “I knew you were looking for me.”

“How?”

“I spoke to your sister. Despair first,” I admitted. “I kind of fell into her realm. But when I came back De… Delirium saved me from falling off a roof.” I smiled, only now remembering the way her eyes were the same color, blue just like Dreams. “She and I have known each other for a while though… From the asylum. She tried to get me to wait for you, but… I was scared.”

Dream stiffened, and even through the barrier still between us I could feel the hurt in him. “You were afraid I would hurt you?”

“No!” I said quickly, my eyes meeting his again as I grabbed his hand to keep him from retreating. “No, Dream… I wasn’t scared of you. I was scared you’d see me and it would just confirm that I was nothing more than a mortal. That I wasn’t worthy of being your equal. So, I left and then things started to get… worse. I’d only felt that out of control when I was back at the asylum and it.... I went to a bridge and, uh, almost jumped.” I could see the fear in his eyes grow. “Death brought Pierre to me and they stayed with me until Johanna picked me up.”

“I am so sorry that my sibling drove you to such a dark place,” he said. “You did not deserve that, none of it.” His eyes sparkled. “I am not worthy to have you as an equal… You are far more wise and loving and strong than I could ever hope to be, my love. You deserve my power.”

I shook my head, laughing softly. “You’re an idiot. I never wanted your power Dream. I just wanted you.”

He smiled, his hand stroking my cheek. “I see that now. I know that the trust that was broken between us will take time to heal. Words are not enough to make up for all the months I’ve mistreated you, but I wish to show you now… in our room, what you mean to me, if you’ll allow me.”

I lifted my lips to his, just a breath away from touching. “Pierre asked me to make you work for my forgiveness.”

Dream smirked. “Did he?”

“Oh yes, I believe the exact word he used was grovel.”

“I will,” he said seriously. “If it’s what you wish I, Morpheus, King of Dreams will grovel before my lady.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want you to grovel, but I am going to make you work for it. You can start by kissing me.”

He needed no further instruction, hands wrapping around my waist and pulling me into him, his head ducking down to press his cold, silken lips to mine. Chills ran all over me as the barrier between us fell apart and both of us were overcome with everything we'd been holding back. For a minute all we could do was breathe against one another as everything settled between us. It would take time to sift through everything, but we had it.

Dream closed his eyes, holding me tightly. "It's good to feel you again. I've missed your heart bearing beside mine."

"As have I," I replied. "No more barriers."

"No more." He agreed, pulling me into another kiss.

It had only been a few days, but so much had happened it felt like a lifetime had passed since we last touched each other like this. He waved away our clothes, both of us moaning at the feel of each other's skin, as he moved us to the bed. His mouth was on my neck the second my back hit the silk sheets, biting and sucking and kissing down my body. He lavished each breast before moving lower, pulling my legs over his shoulders and burying his face between them.

My hands fisted in his hair, pulling at the roots as his tongue lapped at my core, twirling around my clit and plunging as deep inside me as he could make it. My moans and mewls filled the room as the stained glass glowed brighter, casting Dream in a heavenly glow as he looked up at me from between my thighs. "God you're pretty."

He hummed against me, nearly bringing me to climax. He pulled his mouth away for a moment, chills breath fanning across my wet skin. "You are divine, in every way. Your body, your voice, your scent… The way you taste. I could spend hours feasting on you."

I moaned, tossing my head back with a breath. "I don't doubt it."

With a gentle chuckle he returned his mouth to me, moving in the way he knew drove me mad. I came, breathlessly against his tongue. He would have kept going, but I had other plans. I tugged at his hair until he rose from the floor, kissing up my chest until he reached my lips. Pulling him to me I kissed him desperately until his body relaxed on top of me. I flipped us over, hovering over him with a smile. "My turn, Dream Lord."

Unlike the few times before Dream relaxed into the bed, spreading his arms out, relinquishing full control to me. "I am yours, my love."

I returned the favor, sucking marks into his neck, kissing each one and moving down the length of his body until I reached his hard cock. Stroking it slowly in my hand I listened to every soft sigh and strained moan that spilled from his lips. Morpheus was never very loud in bed, but god the noises he did make were heavenly, or sinful perhaps.

I kissed his hips before moving my lips to pepper his cock with the feather light kisses and licks. His hands fisted in the sheets. "Penelope," he gasped. "Don't play games with me."

"I would never, my king," I answered, licking slowly up the length of him and swirling my tongue over the tip. My lips wrapped around him, slowly moving until the majority of him was in my mouth, my hand pumping what remained as I settled into a steady rhythm.

One of his hands fisted into my hair, not pushing me further down or pulling me away, just grounding himself as worked. I didn't know how long it took for him to take hold of my head and lift his hips eagerly into my mouth, his moans growing louder and louder until he pulled me off him and dragged me up to straddle his waist. I'd expected him to flip us over and retake control, but he didn't. 

Morpheus looked into my eyes as he guided me down onto him, just like at the lake but this time his hands were soft against my skin. He let me move, set the pace and simply ran his hands along my skin, closing his eyes to savor the feel of us both moving against each other. He finally surrendered control and that fact drove me to move faster, to kiss him harder, to pour every ounce of love and admiration I held for him into this moment. Forgiveness, full and complete forgiveness, would take us both time, but in this moment there was no doubt in my mind that he was the man I knew him to be.

I came and he followed, but he continued to fuck me all through the afternoon, by the end of it both of us were spent and breathing against one another as we lay tangled in the sheets. "Was that satisfactory work for you, my love?"

With a smile I kissed him again. "It was a very satisfying start."

"Cruel thing," he teased, his hand resting on his chest where his ruby would have sat, reminding me of my own gem sitting in my drawer.

"Would a cruel thing have a present for you?" I asked moving to my desk and taking the necklace out, hiding it in my palm.

I returned to my place by his side. "A gift?"

"The project you were so curious about. It was this," I opened my palm and dangled the necklace in front of him. "It just seemed like you missed having one, so I made this."

Dream sat up and ran his fingers along the jewel with a soft smile. "It is magnificent."

I watched him slide it over his head and admired it against his bare chest. He lifted my head and kissed me deeply. "I shall have to make you a gift."

"You don't have to do anything," I assured him. "Just lay with me."

"Always."

As we lay together we caught each other up on all the details of the last few days. Both of us were content for the first time in a long time.

“Matthew said The Dreaming wasn’t doing so well after I left. I’m sorry if I caused any problems,” I said tracing shapes into his chest. “I didn’t think it would be that bad.”

“You didn’t cause most of the damage,” Dream admitted. “It was Rose Walker and her friend, Lyta Hall.”

“What did they do?”

Dream sighed. “Rose weakened the barrier between dreams and reality, giving her friend an opportunity to live out a life with her dead husband, who had been using dreams to avoid his fate. I had to step in. Her husband is now at the place appointed for him and Lyta Hall and her baby are within my sight.”

“Baby?” I sat up a bit. “She had a baby in The Dreaming?”

“The child was conceived in The Dreaming,” he clarified. “When he grows I will have to make certain he’s safe.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Did you tell her that? Should we be checking in on them?”

He chuckled a little, shaking his head. “Oh I doubt she would be happy to see me again.”

“I mean you took her husband from her, but that wasn’t really up to you. You just did what you had to.” I answered, examining the look on his face. “What else did you do?”

“I may have… rushed through the process and… perhaps… insinuated I would take her child.”

My mouth fell open as I glared down at him. “Tell me exactly what you said.”

He sighed. “I informed her that the child was conceived in The Dreaming and told her I would come for it.”

“Dream!” I slapped his arm. “You cannot just tell people you’re going to steal their kids!”

“I’ve no intention of stealing the child!” He argued. “He has power, and such can be used against us should another being learn of his existence. He will need to be watched over and taught how to harness his abilities eventually.”

“I understand that,” I said sternly. “Lyta Hall does not! She’s just a human that thinks some god is coming after her kid.”

I stood up and started getting dressed. “What are you doing?”

“WE are going to apologize to Lyta Hall and assure her that her kid isn’t getting stolen.” I waved my hand to him. “Get up, baby stealer, let's go.”

Dream complied with a heavy sigh. “I forgot how demanding you can be.”

With a smirk I pulled myself into his chest. “I can be very convincing too.”

“I am aware,” he said, kissing my lips gently. “You’ll be showing me after we return from this endeavor.”

“Will I?” “I too can be very convincing, my lady.”

***

We stood awkwardly in their living room, everyone staring us down but none more than Lyta. She blocked the path between us and Daniel with a glare that spoke the words she did not. I turned and glanced back at Dream, who met her glare with one of his own. “Could you just try to not look so… you?”

He practically rolled his eyes as he looked over at me. “This was your idea.”

“You need to apologize,” I said quietly as I elbowed him. “You promised!”

Dream sighed heavily, stepping forward a bit and addressing Lyta. "I am sorry for insinuating that I would steal your baby."

"The gift too."

A quiet groan. "Here is a gift, to show our good will."

He held the onesie out to Rose, who took one look at it and chuckled. “My little Dreamer?” She asked looking up at Morpheus who looked back at me with a glare when my giggling grew too loud.

“If I recall, you are the one that chose this gift,” he practically growled.

“I did! It was just too funny.” Rose laughed with me as Dream and Lyta continued their glaring. Rose turned to her friend, showing her the soft fabric and though her anger and near hatred remained prominent I could see a glimmer of something in her eyes. I stepped around Dream and held the basket out to her. “There’s also these.”

Lyta looked at the basket and then up at me. “Why are you doing this?”

I smiled. “Because I can only imagine how terrible it must have been for you to lose your husband again and then have to fear losing your baby too. Dream is….” I shook my head and shrugged. “He’s an idiot. But, I can assure you he has no intention of stealing your baby.”

“How can we know that?” She demanded. “He’s some kind of god, isn’t he? What’s to stop him from just doing what he wants?”

“Me.” I answered without hesitation. “If he tried to take your child I would stop him.”

Dream's hand on my back was comforting as he replied, “It will not come to such. I give you my word that I will never seek to part you from your son, Lyta.”

She didn’t look convinced, but when Rose grabbed her hand and nodded she softened a bit. “Alright, well what do you want?”

“To offer my protection, to both of you,” Dream said. “He was born of a dream and as such he was born with power. One day I fear there will be those that seek to use him for their own gain.”

Seeing the renewed fear in her eyes I stepped forward and smiled. “Don’t worry, between the two of us he’ll be safer than the pope.”

She laughed a little and took hold of my hand. “Why does it feel like I can trust you?”

“Because you can,” I answered. “You might not know me, but I’d never let anyone hurt a child. Nor would I attempt to steal one from its mother.” I sent Dream a glare over my shoulder. “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding and no doubt fear it’s placed into your life unnecessarily.”

Rose lifted the basket up. “I mean if the amount of gifts they brought means anything I’d say they’re telling the truth.”

I took the soft raven plushie off the top of the pile and showed it to Rose. “Matthew’s contribution. May I?”

Lyta stiffened for a second, fear and anxiety plaguing her as she shifted to the side, letting me move toward Daniel. “Yeah.”

He was laying in his crib, oblivious to anything other than the small winding mobile hanging over him. When I bent over the side his eyes slid up to mine and a wide smile spread on his chubby cheeks as I held the raven out to him. His tiny hands took hold of it, “Jessamy.”

I smiled, tears swelling in my eyes as I studied the plushie. “It does look more like her, doesn’t it?”

Lyta and Rose came rushing to him, praising him for the word, quite possibly his first, as I looked back at Dream who smiled at the sight. It was awkward and full of tension, but it was a start. Dream rarely came with me when I visited Rose and Daniel and Lyta, but that was more to ease Lytas mind. He sent gifts with me, clothes and toys, books from Lucienne dedicated to recording Daniels first within The Dreaming. She had gushed over it for hours, pointing out how magnificent of a dreamer Daniel was.

The last time I visited them everything was the same as it always was, but this time when Daniel fell asleep with his plush raven I noticed a tiny name tag around its neck that read Jessamy. I smiled to myself at the thoughtfulness of it. Dream may not have visited often, but when he did he made sure he always left something behind for the growing boy.

***

The months that followed were hard, but unlike before it felt like Dream and I were a team. We solved problems together, he came to me for my council and considered my opinion before making any decisions. He even started delegating some of his work to me, teaching me how to do things around The Dreaming and trusting me to do what I felt was best. He even let me help him in designing new dreams and nightmares.

The residents of The Dreaming were glad to have me around and it seemed like they valued my contributions to their world. It took a while before they began to see the change in Dream, but once they did the change was almost instant. They were always happy to see him as he walked through the town, it was no longer simply respect that they showed him but also the love he had longed for from them. Dream would spend some time among them every day, creating things, conversing, listening to their complaints or criticisms and taking it into account. If there were changes that he could make, he would.

It was good to finally see him receiving the adoration he deserved. He still had moments of forgetfulness, but The Dreaming and its residents were far more understanding of it now that they understood. He was trying his best, and everyone saw it. Accepting that he had changed was difficult for him, but now that he was here he seemed far more willing to not only accept it but embrace it. Things between us only grew stronger as the days passed, and if possible I’d fallen even more in love with him.

I walked along the beach, toward the distant figure of Lucienne and Dream. This was where he liked to work, far from the noise of The Dreaming and somewhere open enough for him to create freely. The closer I got the more visible the new dream became and a smile pulled at my lips. “You look gorgeous, Gault.”

She laughed, the cosmic color of her dark skin lighting up and her wings flaring out proudly as she examined herself. “Thank you, Lucienne.” She smiled up at Dream. “May I ask what made you change your mind about me, sir?”

“I have no right returning here after over a century expecting everything to be just as I left it. Lucienne tried to tell me that, so did you. But now I’m listening, or trying to.” He sent Lucienne a smile. “New dreams. New nightmares. A new age.”

“Thank you, sir.”

I moved closer with a bright smile. “Stealing my ideas now, Dream Lord?”

He chuckled. “You hardly invented butterfly wings, my lady.”

“They suit you, Gault.” I said to her, “You make a beautiful dream.”

“Thank you, my lady.” She bowed her head to me and then turned to Dream and bowed. “Thank you, my lord.”

She flew up into the sky, the blues and purples of her wings glittering in the sunlight. “I may be here a while. Would you mind taking care of things while I work?” He asked Lucienne.

“With pleasure, sir.” She answered happily as she bowed to us both and turned back towards The Dreaming.

Dream watched Gault fly into the clouds a moment before looking at me. “I believe there was another nightmare you wished to change.”

I nearly cried as I nodded. “Are you alright with that?”

“I am.” He said, and I could feel how deeply he meant it. “They have served you well in the past months, and they deserve to be what they wish.”

Holding the vial of storms in my hands I summoned the dark clouds and lightning. Storm looked around, confused for a moment before bowing. “My lord, my lady. Do you have need of me?”

“You once told me you wished to be a dream,” I started. “Do you still?”

They looked at Dream but nodded. “Yes.”

I placed the vial in their forming hands and held them tightly in my own, feeling the darkness and the cold winds between my palms. I focused on white clouds and calm seas, the sky as the sun rose and filled it with light and warmth. The vial shattered and wind swirled around us for a moment before light spread up Storms form, dark clouds shifting and changing color until they stood in front of me, calm puffy white clouds with hues of orange and purple, warm and filled with joy. “Then a dream you are, my friend.”

They looked at themselves, bright sunny eyes looking up at me with joy. “Thank you, my lady.”

“No, thank you. If not for you… your loyalty and friendship, well I wouldn’t be here.”

Dream stood beside me, a hand on my back. “I thank you, dream, for being there for my lady when I could not.”

They bowed. “It was my honor. But… Now I will not be able to serve you, my lady.”

“You don’t need to,” I answered. “Go, be a dream my friend. Feel the sun.”

“I need a new name,” they said. “Would you give me one, my lady?”

“What about Cloud Shaper?” I asked.

The clouds puffed up happily and the light hues shined brighter. “Cloud Shaper. You honor me, my lady.”

I watched them spread out over the sky, filling it with various shapes and hues of color, leaning into Dreams' side. “Thank you.” “I did nothing,” he insisted. “Now, I must return to my work, but I will join you later, my love.”

I pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’ve got to get back to work too. I’ll find you when I’m done?”

Dream pressed his head to mine for a moment. “I would like that.”

After I finished my duties I went to the library to spend some time with Lucienne while I waited for Dream to finish his work, but to my surprise he was already there. He and Lucienne spoke softly to one another. What was he planning? I asked myself as I walked closer, nearly tripping when three loud caws echoed in the room. Matthew was perched on the shelves between me and them, standing guard. They turned to me and smiled, ceasing their conversation as I moved closer. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” Dream asked. Was he nervous?

I tilted my head. “You’re up to something.”

“Perhaps. But it’s nothing you need to worry yourself with.”

Lucienne smiled wider. “You’re not going to tell me either?”

She laughed. “No, my lady, I fear I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

“What about you Smokey?” I asked Matthew.

“Not a chance Penny.”

Dream held his hand out toward me with a smile. “Will you join me for a walk?”

I tapped my foot, pretending to think it through, before smiling up at him and taking his hand. “I suppose I could make time for you.”

“Busy are you?”

“Very!” I insisted. “I am Lady of the Dreaming, you know. It’s a very demanding position.”

“Oh I’m certain it is.”

He offered me his arm and I took it without question. We made our way through The Dreaming, greeting everyone we passed and the whole walk all I could feel was Dreams joy. He was happier than I’d ever seen him and in turn it made me feel even more joyful. At last, he was finding the balance between his duty and his people and I was proud of him. He’d come a long way. We walked down a new path, filled with tall trees and wildflowers swarmed with butterflies, it felt familiar the longer we walked. “What is this place?”

“Fiddlers Green,” he answered.

“The last of your missing Arcana?”

“Yes,” he said. “And somewhere you have wished to see for a long while.”

The path opened up to a field of wildflowers, in the distance a waterfall of crystal clear water roared to life, pouring into a lake that sparkled in the rising moonlight. It looked just like I imagined it would, no, how I pictured it could never do it justice. "It's beautiful."

"The sandman never forgets a dreamer," he said beside me.

With teary eyes I smiled up at him. "Thank you."

"After all you endured because of me," he paused, cold fingers gliding over the scars on my collarbone. "I owed you this at the very least."

"You're Dream of the Endless, you owe nothing to anyone, least of all me."

"I owe you everything, Penelope." It wasn't said out of obligation, but instead he said it like it was a simple fact. Nervousness tingled up my spine as he breathed out a breath. "None of this would have been possible without you."

"You would have done alright on your own," I assured him.

He swallowed thickly. "Perhaps, but it would not have been the same. You have reminded me of so much that I once thought lost, so much that I'd never thought I would want again. My subjects love, one to share my burdens with… A family." Turning toward me he smiled. "Penelope, I would give you anything you wished for and I promised you once that I would make you a queen if you wished it." 

"Morpheus," I whispered. "You are all I want, whether or not the title comes with it I don't care as long as I have you."

"Would you wish to become my Queen and bind yourself to me?" He suddenly asked, eyes shining.

I smirked. "Pretty sure we're already bound together. But yes, I would."

He lifted his hand, opening his palm to reveal a new moonstone ring, more beautiful and extravagant than the last. Two butterflies held up the gleaming stone set in a silver band of starlight. "Will you marry me, Penelope Barlow, Fate Weaver?"

Happy tears filled my eyes as I nodded. "Yes. I will marry you, Morpheus, Dream of the Endless." Once he slid the ring on my finger I grabbed his gem necklace and pulled his lips to mine. The Sandman never forgets a dreamer indeed. I thought, making him smile against my lips.

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[butterfirefly]

Hang on. It seems like Mastermind isn't Lu Guang's song like I thought it was but Liu Xiao's. Lyrics below with the Chinese parts translated via Google.

Time is a hypocritical construct

Righteously it wipes out all of us

But I keep rising back from the dust

Again and again again and again

无数碎片 [countless fragments]

不停缠绕相连 [Continuously entwined and connected]

The shadows they whisper in your head

I let them linger and you will like it

You're tied on my strings like a puppet

Before you even notice

I made a deal with the demons

I crave the feel of true desire

There's nothing real 终究走向黑暗 [Eventually heading towards darkness]

Listening all your desperation sounding like a song

Destiny is just my game but is all you counting on right now

Joining the game

Killing spree I'm enjoying the game

So get ready I'm here

Get ready for it for it

Again and again again and again

Take my hand let's set this world on fire

Light it up for the show

Pain will get to you when the night arrives

Like the hunter when a prey lies

It's just how the world's like

Dadadada dadadada

Got nothing holding me back

Dadadada dadadada

Mastermind stays in the dark

Let my flame be your redemption

If you ever get helpless

Just take it in and we'll have some fun

在雷鸣之间我不计代价 [Between the thunder I don't care about the cost]

承受无限电压太蛊惑的力量 [The power to withstand infinite voltage is too bewitching]

在每个时间都呈现我推演结局 [Show me the ending of my deduction every time]

没人能改变或阻挡 [No one can change or stop]

You're down on your knees 'cause u can feel the pressure when I'm taking over

Ain't no too hard to see so u better believe

我就是唯一信仰 [I am the only faith]

一切熟悉的全坍塌 [Everything familiar collapsed]

棋盘上未知的玩家 [Unknown player on the board]

Joining the game

Killing spree I'm enjoying the game

So get ready I'm already here

Can't you see it's a checkmate uh

Take my hand let's set this world on fire

Light it up for the show

Pain will get to you when the night arrives

Like the hunter when a prey lies

It's just how the world's like

Dadadada dadadada

Got nothing holding me back

Dadadada dadadada

Mastermind stays in the dark

Let my flame be your redemption

If you ever get helpless

Just take it in and we'll have some fun

[fukuokadivision1]

SUMMIT OF DIVISIONS (MIHANASA & Kiya Kara Ver.)

Bring the Beat!

[All:]

Here we go (here we go), east and west

Connecting divisions (divisions) with this microphone

Old and young, come together and make our voices a chorus

The battle is locals vs. Chuohku

Here we go (here we go), you and me

Right and left, me and you

Overcoming blood relations and troublesome connections

Anyway, this party, let’s get it on

A night where shocking oaths crowd around

The no.1 mic that aims at our days

Let us drink and sing, get wired as we like

A party night limited to only one stage, make love

Hop, skip, and jump, taking the initiative asap

Let’s get started

Reverberating sound and hearts

If we don’t have fun, there’s no point

Let’s go!

[Sanyu:]

In a world that's obsessed with the norm

I spit rhymes in a storm, breakin' the form

"Average," they say, but I won't conform

I'm the queen of the ring, not just another swarm

I shed the label, it's a societal scorn

Normal's a myth, in my truth, I'm reborn

From the ashes of the past, my spirit's torn

In the beat of the streets, a new rebel's sworn

[Tasuku:]

Fate's a gamble, destiny's a lie

I'm the master of my path, under the sky

No dice, no cards, no fate to defy

I carve my own way, never gonna say die

[Ming:]

For the lost souls in Fukuoka's nights

We stand as guardians, igniting their rights

In slums we rise, our bond ignites

MIHANASA's vow, to reach new heights

[All:]

A night where shocking oaths crowd around

The no.1 mic that aims at our days

Let us drink and sing, get wired as we like

A party night limited to only one stage, make love

Hop, skip, and jump, taking the initiative asap

Let’s get started

Reverberating sound and hearts

If we don’t have fun, there’s no point

Let’s go!

[Ryūzō:]

In the shadows of my past, I've danced with death's embrace

A silent whisper in the dark, a ghost without a trace

From ninja to professor, I've found my space

Teaching truth in every verse, in every line I face

The darkness of my history, a canvas for my art

The former life I lived, the pain was off the charts

But in this classroom, I've found a brand new start

Kiya Kara's my redemption, Sendai's where I impart

[Takumi:]

In the gym where spirits soar, I'm the force that never rests

Pushing limits, breaking sweat, putting wills to the test

Life's a challenge, face it head-on, that's my quest

With every drop of sweat, we're becoming our best

[Kotono:]

Medicine and physics, my dual domain

Healing bodies, teaching minds, in the academic lane

For my sister, lost but not in vain

I'll unravel every mystery, break every chain

[All:]

Here we go (here we go), east and west

Connecting divisions (divisions) with this microphone

Old and young, come together and make our voices a chorus

The battle is locals vs. Chuohku

Here we go (here we go), you and me

Right and left, me and you

Overcoming blood relations and troublesome connections

Anyway, this party, let’s get it on

A night where shocking oaths crowd around

The no.1 mic that aims at our days

Let us drink and sing, get wired as we like

A party night limited to only one stage, make love

Hop, skip, and jump, taking the initiative asap

Let’s get started

Reverberating sound and hearts

If we don’t have fun, there’s no point

Let’s go!

Fukuoka! (Hey!)

Sendai! (Ho!)

Edogawa! (Hey!)

Shizuoka! (Ho!)

Kobe! (Hey!)

Kanazawa! (Ho!)

If you stan them, put your hands up! (Ho!)

Boys! (Hey!) Girls! (Ho!)

Gentlemen! (Hey!) Ladies! (Ho!)

Middle aged men! (Hey!) Mature women! (Ho!)

If you're there, raise your voice! (Ho!)

[Sanyu:]

Step to me, you'll learn quick why "normal" ain't my tale

I'll unleash a damn storm, and watch as you all flail!

Try to chain me again, I'll shatter your scale

MC Rogue's wrath, in this fight, I prevail!

[Ryūzō:]

Cross my path, you'll meet shadows where death once tread

An assassin still lingers, my silence, your dread

Dare to challenge my peace, I'll paint your end in red

Kage's blade, leave opposition in shreds!

[Tasuku:]

Life's a gamble, step up, it's time to cash in your chip

My destiny's mine to wield, this rap battle's my grip

Ante up, face the storm, I'll sink your ship

Katame's resolve, watch your footing slip!

[Takumi:]

Think my class is tough? Oppose us and feel the sting

I'll school you in pain, let the real lesson begin

Corporal's my game, with each verse I bring

GUTS on the stage, feel the punishment I sling!

[Ming:]

Monsters roam our land, but none as fierce as I'll be

Threaten my kin, my city, unleash the beast in me

For the children's future, I'll fight, you'll see

Miss Ming's fury, a protector's decree!

[Kotono:]

Dare to harm us, I'll show you Chuohku's dark side

Experiments of horror, a past I won't let slide

My knowledge, believe me, it's a terrifying ride

Shiki's secret weapon, you've nowhere to hide

[All:]

Here we go (here we go), east and west

Connecting divisions (divisions) with this microphone

Old and young, come together and make our voices a chorus

The battle is locals vs. Chuohku

Here we go (here we go), you and me

Right and left, me and you

Overcoming blood relations and troublesome connections

Anyway, this party, let’s get it on

A night where shocking oaths crowd around

The no.1 mic that aims at our days

Let us drink and sing, get wired as we like

A party night limited to only one stage, make love

Hop, skip, and jump, taking the initiative asap

Let’s get started

Reverberating sound and hearts

If we don’t have fun, there’s no point

Let’s go!

[jungleindierock]

Time Machine - 2024 - No. 1

First in the new Time Machine Playlists for 2024, they will appear once i have 40 songs in each one. Mixed genres of music, from 1950-2022. Already begun No. 2 so could out soon. Enjoy it and share it, might find some bands/artists you like and want to explore their back catalogues!!

I feel 40 is good number of tracks not too long or too short in listening time for your enjoyment. The whole playlist is only two hours and thirty three minutes long.

Reb

Tracklist

Elbow - One Day Like This

The Box Tops - The Letter

Johnny Cash - Hurt

Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves

Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)

David Bowie - Rebel Rebel

Spear Of Destiny - Liberator

The The - The Beat(en) Genration

Kings Of Leon - Talihina Sky

Public Image Ltd. - This Is Not A Love Song

Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Imelda May - Johnny Got A Boom Boom

New Order - Ceremony

John Foxx - Underpass

Dandy Livingstone - Suzanne Beware Of The Devil

The National - England

Warpaint - Undertow

The Temper Trap - Science Of Fear

Major Lance - Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes)

The Farm - No Man's Land (John Peel BBC Radio Session)

999 - Feelin' Alright With The Crew

Bob Dylan - Blowin' In The wind

Rage Against The Machine - Guerrilla Radio

The Colorblind James Experience - Considering A Move To Memphis

Easterhouse - Whistling In The Dark

The Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection

Peter Tosh - Vampire

The Vaselines - Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam

John Lee Hooker - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

Beck - Beercan

Toots & the Maytals - Take Me Home, Country Roads

The Pop Group - She Is Beyond Good & Evil

The Unthanks - A Great Northern River

The Cure - 100 Years

Stereophonics - A Thousnad Trees

Big Mama Thorton - Hound Dog

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

The Pogues - Wild Cats Of Kilkenny

The Detroit Cobras - Leave My kitten Alone

Super Furry Animals - Golden Retriever

[punkpal]

9 people you want to know better tag

I was tagged by @aquietgirlsmess (thanks, I love doing these!)

Three Ships: #1 Malec (Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood - Shadow Hunters/The Mortal Instruments) and I'm gonna cheat with number 2 and 3 and include two sets of my OCs from a book series I am writing so for #2 i'll go with my protagonist and her eventual girlfriend/future wife - Destiny/June (should their ship name be Jestiny or Dune, I hate both) and for #3 Blu/Aims (Blaims??). Also on the subject of the books I am writing if anyone has good last name suggestions (not your own) please send them my way, I'm in desperate need of last names for most of my characters)

First Ship: I'll be honest I'd rather kms then admit who my first ever ship was so imma take this secret to the grave lol

Last Song: Anymore by Lø Spirit (it's fucking depression but it slaps)

Last Movie: 1917 by Sam Mendes

Currently Reading: Nothing, I am currently using the motivation I'd use to read to write instead

Currently Watching: I'm binging The Vampire Diaries but I'm gonna pause my rewatch to binge The Fall of the House of Usher that I'll start tonight

Currently Consuming: A kinder surprise

Currently Craving: Nasi Goreng

I'm tagging: @punkbff @revradio @spirits-in-the-dark @deathclassic @dekaythepunk @exsequi @spid3rfag @badbucky @dirtnote @tidal-wav3s @bandtrash0818 @discourselsdead @siiickbrains @sw0rds-and-p3ns @re-imagine @callingallcars (this ain't 9, my bad)