#demon of amber spoilers

[demon-road-musings]

Unpopular opinion:

SPOILERS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T READ DEMON ROAD 3

If they were going to kill off one character, Kelly should have died instead of Milo. I hated Milo initially but grew to love him, and then you kill him off? Whereas Kelly I was like “meh” and never truly loved her lol.

You hated Milo initially?? Omg I'm so interested to know why, I've never heard of anyone hating him.

I 100% agree with this opinion, although I think I've made that very clear through my constant complaining on this blog lol. The tragedy of Milo's death is that that he died right after finally finding people (or a person if you dont count his relationship with glen as a friendship) that he genuinely cared about, and he was just beginning to find meaning again in life and let go of his past properly. He was killed off right as his character arc was finishing, and I think that's what makes me never able to move on from his death even though it's just a YA fantasy book from 7 years ago, because he never truly got to a place of contentment and yet he was so close to reaching it. Also, the fact that there were so many loose ends (like his past) that were never tied up make his death feel so brutal and frustrating. Him being shot is such a quick, boring and detached death for him, and from such a minor character, that it just adds insult to injury. Throughout the series, characters were beheaded, eaten alive, ripped apart, killed by magical potions, torn apart by chainsaws, and then milo's death is just so simple and casual for such a main character that it feels even more abrupt and disturbing. He was a complex, morally grey character that made mistakes, but he was trying to make up for his past killings, and the fact that he was murdered despite all of his efforts to change just feels so unfair for that reason. I probably wouldn't be saying that if he'd killed my family though.

KELLY on the other hand is such a shallow character in comparison. Her only personality traits are cool quips, being a redhead, being fit and hot, seducing 16 year olds and having tattoos. Oh, and the constant reminders that shes one of the 'good guys'. In reality, her and amber knew each other for 3 days, and in this short time period they already showed fundamental, clashing differences in personality and views on the world (prime example is kelly slapping amber over a moral disagreement). Kelly had this naive, black and white view about good and evil and wanted to fight the good fight, while amber was a kid who had been dragged into this world and was just trying to survive. That paired with their ages and power dynamic (amber constantly idolised kelly), I just know that in reality, they would have broken up so soon after milos death, leaving amber alone with glen as her only companion. Kelly would never be able to actually replace milo as she did in AM ending scene, and I'd actually imagine it's more likely that amber would end up alone, bitter and regretful (kinda like milo at the beginning of the series).

And that concludes my ramblings on why milo's death was so bad, and why Kelly should 100% have died instead, both for reader satisfaction and for Amber's wellbeing. Also, kelly and glen would never get along, she'd definitely think she was too cool for him.

[milo-drinks-whisky]

random thought i had at 3am last night but betty and amber were friends on the forum. so they're like really *really* avid fans (aka amber is and betty just manipulated her).

how much do you wanna bet that amber wrote fanfic and sent that to betty to read? and how much do you wanna bet it was smut about balthazar or gideon???

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Leonidas and Buddha with fem!Giyuu!reader headcanons

Warning(s): RoR manga spoilers up to ch. 78, violence, KNY manga and anime spoilers, strong language from Leonidas and Sanemi, ooc.

Collab work with @deathmetalunicorn1, based on her own headcanons with fem!giyuu!reader and Leonidas. Images of Leonidas and Buddha were provided by @enryegotrip.

So with that being said guys, sit back, relax, and let’s dive into these headcanons! :)

Being a Demon Slayer did not mean to wait on a crow with orders and directions to find the flesh-eating monsters. There was also intel gathering, working closely with the kakushi so that they were not overwhelmed with the number of injured and deceased Slayers, and being pestered by your peers to take an apprentice because you are the only Hashira who doesn’t have one. That isn’t necessarily true, though. You had every intention of taking Tanjiro Kamado as a tsuguko once he was proven to be trustworthy by other Hashra and Lord Ubuyashiki. 

He, at the very least, had what it takes to become the Water Hashira. He deserved to be the Water Hashira, more so than a failure like yourself. It makes sense to take Tanjiro and his sister in your care, housing them at the Waster Hashira residence with a room and food. So why was Kocho making a fuss about it? She stayed quiet about it before, and you assumed it was because she despised people who defended demons or disapproved of your decision to make Tanjiro your apprentice. But that shouldn’t be your concern, or Rengoku’s. 

Lord Ubuyashiki has allowed these children a chance to prove themselves, and you will not grant the other Hashira an opportunity to hurt them. You’ve lost count how many times a colleague has shown up at your door, and how simply slammed the door in their face. 

You weren’t in the mood to hear their excuses then, and still aren’t. 

Tanjiro was quick to warm up to you, profusely thanking you for all you’ve done even when you really didn’t do anything. If he and Nezuko were home from a mission, they’d welcome you back with light hugs and a warm meal. You made sure to make extra portions when you were alone, in case they didn’t come back until late at night, or tried to, depending on the crow’s swiftness with a message from the Kamado siblings. Against your better judgment, they became precious to you. You would show no mercy to anyone who would harm them, demon or Demon Slayers. 

But that was enough reminiscing. You, Tanjiro, and Nexuko were being sent to investigate a few territories where demons are reported to have been spotted and causing chaos. No one has been killed, though several civilians were injured, two are currently in critical condition at the Butterfly Mansion.

You almost felt sorry for Kocho. Almost.

Leonidas had not been happy lately. Greeks in his domain were being picked off left and right and no one could tell what was going on, except movement from their corner of their eye and that is all the information his men had been able to collect. Damn it all, what else could he do? What would Gorgo do? His heart twisted painfully at the thought of his wife. Because she had not been a warrior, she was not welcomed into Valhalla by side, instead residing in Elysium with other souls. It’d been so long since their separation and he never took another woman to his bed, putting that energy into training his men to be prepared for anything…until now. 

When another night-time report came in of yet another incident, Leonidas and his men immediately left camp to investigate. What he and his soldiers hadn’t expected, though, was to stumble upon three scrawny men gorging themselves on lifeless civilians, their hands and everywhere from the waist down covered in blood. 

Leonidas led the charge, swinging his shield and sword but the maggots barely flinched when they touched them. No….when the criminals turned to them with annoyed frowns, the Spartans saw rows of glistening white fangs and slitted amber irises. 

These weren’t men. They were monsters who were evenly matched with his men, both in agility and physical strength. All seemed lost until a woman, a boy, and a girl jumped into the fray. 

The smaller ones went against two of them while their de facto leader swiftly decapitated the other monster once she had gotten close enough to strike. She was calm, too calm for someone who faced a monster and cleavage spilling out of her…uniform. Or she didn’t give a shit about modesty in a life-or-death situation as she darted towards the others, providing the boy with enough cover to swing his sword across the monster’s neck while the girl held its accomplice by the throat and burned him.

Yes, she fucking set the bastard on fire. 

When the monsters disintegrated into ashes, Leonidas all but demanded who the hell they were and what are those things they just killed. The younger ones were startled by his command, but the woman simply blinked owlishly at him, as if she had been asked this question a dozen times. 

“That was…a demon.”

“A demon?” Leonidas snarled. 

“Yes, that was a demon. It feasts on human flesh and cannot be killed unless it is exposed to sunlight.” She said, sheathing the iridescent blue blade in her hand back into the scabbard hanging from her hip. “We are able to kill them because it is our duty as Demon Slayers.”

….If shit-head gods existed, then he supposed it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for the idea that demons did exist. But Leonidas did not survive wars on sheer strength or the number of armies under his commands or ‘blessings’ from the gods alone. He was a strategist. 

And he did not stop pestering the woman, who only introduced herself as the Water Hashira, until he’d squeezed every bit of information she knew about demons and the sword used to kill them. 

But she did not give in to his demands, and would not compromise the organization by telling him about their supplier. There was too much at stake....unless he was willingly to speak to her commander. She cannot guarantee if he will answer him or not, though…it seems he has many people to protect as well. 

Leonidas didn’t like it, but if this woman is willingly to arrange a meeting with a complete stranger like himself, he could not allow this opportunity to slip past him. He agreed to the conditions, and watched her and the other Demon Slayers leave, fussing over each like a group of misfit siblings rather than comrades on the battlefield. 

The Water Hashira came to personally escort him to Lord Ubuyashiki’s estate a week later. Kneeling outside on the grass near the veranda were the other high-ranking Demon Slayers, the Hashiras. When they stood in front of them, she too kneeled, her head down. Glancing over his shoulder, Leonidas could see the pissed off expressions on everyone’s faces. Suppose in their eyes, the Water Hashira had brought in an outsider to their organization and became the mediator of a meeting that should never have happened. 

If Lord Ubuyashiki hadn’t agreed to this, the Water Hashira’s actions might have been considered treason, and she’d be stripped of her rank plus any land she owned. But she was calm, not flinching or back talking to the other soldiers until one of them, a white-haired little prick with scars on his face made a snide comment about ‘being brainwashed by a brat and his demon sister’. 

“...Choose your next words carefully, Sanemi, or there won’t be another Wind Hashira among the ranks.”

“Is that a fucking threat, Tomioka?!” 

“It will be if you or the others make another attempt to hurt Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado in my absence.” She said icily. “They are under my care and no harm will befall on them unless Nezuko succumbs to bloodlust. How can we call ourselves the pillars of this organization if we cannot trust them?”

“And how hasn’t your ass been killed yet with that thick head of yours?!” Sanemi barked. “God, you’re always like this, just doing whatever you want -”

“Oi, shithead.” The Spartan turned towards the Wind Hashira. “This woman is the reason my men are still alive. You’ll soon be in the presence of your commanding officer, so heel.” 

“THE FUCK YOU JUST SAID, GEEZER?!” 

“I said heel, you fucking mongrel.” Lenoidas’ eyes flashed dangerously, his temper about to boil over. “If that’s too hard to understand, shut up. And no talkin’ to a woman like that, got it? Gods, kids these days.”

“You son of -!”

“Sanemi, that is enough.” Tomioka said. “Be silent.”

“[First Name] -”

“Quiet, Kocho. Whatever grievances you have, I will gladly listen to them another time.” As soon as the Water Hashira hissed out those words, Lord Ubuyashiki appeared alongside his children and wife. When the Hashiras tried to voice their complaints in his presence, the scarred man all but silenced them with a finger pressed against his mouth. He then turned to him, apologizing for his children’s behavior and asked him to come inside to talk. 

The hours went by quickly, and Leonidas got the answers he wanted. Tomioka, the Water Hashira, whatever her name really was, had been assigned to escort him back to his domain. 

“Thank you…for defending me.” She murmured, her eyes looking straight head and face flushed a light shade of pink. “No one…has ever done that for me since I became a Hashira. They…do not like me. And I am…not like them.” 

Lenoidas raised an eyebrow. “Anyone in their right mind would defend a hell of a woman like yourself. Honorable, strong, and it’s pretty damned obvious that you love those kids in your unit as if they were your own children. In Sparta, there would be men lined up outside your home asking for a chance to court you with the intention of marriage. Hell, even I would have a hard time fending them all off.” 

When he saw the surprised look on her face, Leonidas gritted his teeth. It was obvious to him that her comrades did not think highly of her, and with her current mindset it had no positive impact on her self-esteem. 

Looks like they were just fellow Hashira, and nothing more. Assholes. He thought before he sighed, patting her affectionately on the head. “Wanna get a drink with me before we start heading back?” He asked, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. 

[First Name] agreed, and she followed him to a local pub. The Water Hashira hadn’t realized what he did was a pick-up line until he was on his fifth drink, and she was on her third. He didn’t expect her tolerance to be this high for a strong liquor. 

“You know this is a date right?”

Her comical reaction to his words made him roar with laughter; [Eye Color] orbs wide, face bright red, and her mouth formed into the shape of an ‘x’ with her drink still in her hand. He grinned at her from the rim of his glass. 

Shit, she’s adorable! 

Bonus Content:

The Spartans came to enjoy Tanjiro and Nezuko’s company over time, as well as their help in training them. While Tanjiro worked with the men to increase his physical strength and practice his swordsmanship, Nezuko would shrink down to her smallest size and play a nightly game of ‘tag’ with them to help the soldiers’ agility. Piggyback rides were her reward if she won. 

Buddha is someone who would rather take care of the demons who were bold enough to try and lay a hand on the humans who followed him. He is the enlightened one, and someone you really shouldn’t mess with. 

So imagine his surprise when the little bastards were actually able to keep up with his and his attacks, and without breaking a sweat. He had been minding his own business on a dreary summer morning, relaxing under a bodhi tree when one of the worshippers darted towards him, pleading for help and covered in blood that wasn’t his own. Naturally, he stood up and reassured the sobbing mortal that everything would be fine. 

Now, he was using the Six Realms staff and his eyes to parry and attack his opponents, yet these guys still kept getting up from the ground, snarling and glaring at him with bloodthirsty eyes. Huh…how long has it been since he had an opponent, no, opponents like this? Kintoki is probably the only other god he’d be more than happy to trade friendly blows, well, actually, the only one because he hated the other gods.

He was about to activate the Animal Realm: Club of Nirvana and stroke the demon in front of him when all of a sudden, a tiny girl dressed in a pink kimono with a bamboo stalk in her mouth struck the demon down with a single kick, decapitating him swiftly. 

The demon’s body collapsed onto the earth, twitching rapidly before clumps of flesh began to sprout from the neck, an enraged face beginning to morph until she stomped on it, her leg glowing a bright vermillion as the regenerating demon howled, flopping and twisting in a vain attempt to get free. In seconds, all that remained was a heap of dark ashes. The girl then looked up at him. Blinking her large pink eyes as if she didn’t do anything special. 

Buddha was about to ask the kid who she was when an ear-splitting shriek stopped him. The future flashed in front of him in an instant, and he acted quickly, switching from the Animal Realm to Asura Realm: Shield of Ahimsa to defect crescent-shaped sickles aimed at them. Naturally, the shield didn’t get a scratch and he and the little lady were all right.

“Get down!”

The enlightened one did not need to be told twice, ducking his head as a wild-haired boy in a green checkered haori exhale wisps of bright red-orangish flames before he swung his sword, slicing the demon’s neck and effectively removing its head from the main body. As the demon disintegrated into the same ashy remains as the other one, the boy turned around and looked at him worriedly. 

“Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you?”

Buddha just blinked. “No?” He said. The enlightened one watched the kid’s shoulders sag in relief before he smiled at him, the little lady running towards the boy and hugged him tightly. Ah….brother and sister maybe?

“Nezuko, did you get the demon that was trying to run away?”

Buddha looked over his shoulder, seeing a young woman decked out in a black uniform with gold buttons and a mismatched haori approached them, calm and expressionless. The little one - Nezuko, Buddha presumed, nodded happily with tiny flowers floating over her head. The boy beamed. 

“She did, and she’s gotten much better at controlling her Blood Demon Art, Tomioka-san!”

The young woman nodded. “Indeed. Tanjiro, when we return home, we’re going to work more on your Breathing techniques and footwork. You’re still moving based on instinct and waiting until your opponent strikes to make a move. I will not always be here to protect you.” She then looked at him, [Eye Color] irises calm as a lake with the slightest hint of curiosity. “Oh. You’re a god?”

Buddha met her gaze, his teeth clamping down on the lollipop in his mouth that he had forgotten was there the whole time until now.  “So what if I am? Got a problem, little lady?”

Tomioka furrowed her brow, head tilting to the side and arms crossed. “Why would I be troubled by someone I just met? As far as I am concerned…you’re not an enemy.” Her voice was cold and detached as she spoke, her stoic expression unchanging even the boy, Tanjiro, glared at him  with puffed up cheeks that reminded the enlightened one of a chipmunk. The little one, Nezuko, actually jumped up and grabbed one of his arms, swinging from it with a closed-eyed smile. 

What could he say? The kids loved him, and his candy. 

He pulled out a cola-flavored lollipop from his robes, handing it to her. Buddha watched Nezuko’s eyes brighten in joy and wonder as she extended an arm toward him, carefully cradling the lollipop in her open palm as if it were a lotus flower. She then hopped down, landing on her feet before running to Tanjiro, making happy, approved noises that were muffled by the bamboo piece in her mouth. Tanjiro chuckled, patting her head as he could see now that this god wasn’t a big bully. 

For a split second, the enlightened one saw the barest hint of a smile on the woman’s face before it was wiped away by horror…because the gray clouds in the sky were going away? 

Tomioka quickly removed her haori, shielding Nezuko from the sunlight piercing through the clouds and Tanjiro removed a large wooden box from his shoulders, urging Nezuko to get inside as soon as the door opened. Buddha watched in fascination as Nezuko shrunk to the size of a toddler and blitzed inside. Tanjiro locked it up before he shared a relieved look with his teacher. 

Buddha felt his lollipop between his lips nearly fall as he saw the flash of Tomioka’s thigh in her uniform, similar to what Tanjiro was wearing, but more form-fitting, showing off the very alluring body that she had been hiding under her haori. He did nothing to correct his gaze as he stared shamelessly at her.

Tanjiro sighed. “Thank you, Tomioka-san. Nezuko and I are both grateful that you’re looking out for us.”

She took her haori back, a small smile stretching across her lips before she stretched a hand and gently rubbed the top of his head just as he had done with his little sister earlier. She then turned her gaze to Buddha, causing the enlightened one to flinch slightly, though not before his own eyes lingered on her chest, her folded arms pushing them up just enough to tease him.

 She did not even seem to realize just how sexy she was when she spoke to him. “May I ask you some questions about the demon?”

He grinned, flashing a toothy grin at her. “Anything for the pretty lady~!”

She nodded, not reacting to the slightest at his subtle flirting. “Thank you for your cooperation with us.”

Buddha’s eyelid twitched before he glanced over at Tanjiro, who just shook his head with an exasperated smile. That was when the enlightened one realized, that the Water Hashira he’d come to know as [First Name] Tomioka, was dense as a brick wall. 

Taglist:

@myrisan-melodies

@praisethesuuun

@rukia-writes

[icysnails]

Kissing Their Forehead

Genre: Fluff, a tiny bit of angst

Pairings: Xiao, Welt, Kafka, Wanderer/Scaramouche, Kaveh, Blade x gn!reader (Seperate)

Warnings: Spoilers for both Genshin and HSR, Established relationship, Slightly Suggestive (Kafka), mentions of blood/wounds (Xiao + Blade), Kissing, some have more plot than others (╥﹏╥) - If I missed any, please let me know!

Word count: 400 - 600 words per character

Xiao

Nights like these were common for you and Xiao. The two of you meet up on the roof of Wangshu Inn every night, catching up on whatever you missed in each other’s absence during the day. This is also the time when Xiao listens to his heart, and allows you to get closer to him. Even after you’ve spent so much time together, he still isn’t used to the flurries of affection you throw at him, and tonight was no different.

When you lovingly press your lips to the diamond on Xiao’s forehead mid-conversation, his mind goes entirely blank. Surprise reflects in his amber gaze, and a wave of gut wrenching emotion surges through him. It’s a mix of joy, confusion, and grief- almost as if he’s experiencing both his terrifying past and his peaceful present at the same time. He had been alone for so long, keeping himself away from humanity unless absolutely necessary, to avoid the risk of hurting anyone should he lose control. He knows things aren't like that anymore- not with you around. He loves you and you love him in return, but he can’t help but feel guilty for being able to experience such affection. After what he had done over the course of his past, after he had stained his hands with so much blood, how could he ever deserve love? He views himself as dangerous- as a monster, and deep down, he thinks you deserve so much better than him. He had voiced this to you before, but you just cupped his face in your hands and smiled sadly at him, whispering that you wished he would think better of himself and that you wouldn’t trade him for the world.

Xiao couldn’t begin to understand why you felt this way, but at the same time, he is eternally grateful to have you with him. Your presence soothes him and illuminates the darkness of his heart- even if it feels selfish, he can’t help but melt whenever your lips meet his forehead. Xiao closes his eyes, leaning into your touch, pushing his spiral of insecurity to the side for now. When you pull away and look at him with your shining, lovestruck eyes, he can’t help but flush and move closer to you. His hand comes to rest on your cheek as his forehead comes to rest gently on your own. The world seems to stand still as you make eye contact, your lips only inches away from his. Xiao’s shoulders relax and the intolerable screams of dying demons he usually grapples with fade into serene silence. The Yaksha’s touch is careful and light, and his expression displays how deeply he longs to stay in this moment for as long as possible. However, he knows well that this desire is nothing but an empty fantasy, rendered impossible at the hands of time. Soon, danger and duty would cruelly pierce through the veil of peace, tearing you away from each other. So Xiao holds you and leans further into your warmth, cherishing the moment before it slips away once more.

Welt

Welt is a kind, tired old soul. He’s been through a lot, he’s seen a lot, and he’s lost a lot- two examples being his old friends and his home planet. He knows how quickly a once peaceful life can fade due to the dangers of the universe, and he knows how irreplaceable loved ones are. Unfortunately, he learned that the hard way. So, he wastes no time in showing you how precious you are to him. Luckily, you accept his displays of affection with excitement and return it back tenfold.

The two of you are going about your regular duties on the express when you catch Welt’s eye from across the train car. No one else is around, so you sidle over to him, trying not to be too obvious. Welt gives you a side eye as you do this, not knowing what to expect from the cheeky grin that’s making its way across your face. Only a minute later, Welt feels your presence next to him, and he swears that the smile you have plastered on is contagious. His own lips quirk up into a smile, and before he knows it, your body is pressed up against his, your arms constricting around him like there's no tomorrow. He lets out a sigh of endearment, his own arms gently moving to envelop you. Honestly, what was he going to do with you?

However, his infatuation quickly changes to confusion as you pull away slightly and rest your hands on his shoulders. You raise yourself a bit, attempting to reach his forehead, brows furrowing slightly in frustration due to his height. Soon enough, you manage to reach his forehead and your lips quickly make gentle contact with his skin. Welt chuckles softly, moving his hands to your waist, pulling you against him a second time. A massive grin breaks out on his face, and you swear you’ve never seen him happier in your life. Welt then cups your face and drowns you in a flurry of kisses, his own cheeks flushing profusely as he watches you become more and more flustered. The sounds of lovestruck giggles and playful remarks bounce off the walls of the train car, hours passing before the two of you remember your duties. Undoubtedly, the whole exchange ends with Welt fondly clinging to you with one of his hands carding through your hair, work entirely forgotten, as you wait for the rest of the crew to return.

Kafka

As expected, Kafka loves to tease. Her demeanor is alluring, drawing people to her in both hatred and love. While most disapprove of her title as a Stellaron Hunter, you seem to be an exception. In fact, it’s become very clear to her that she’s got you eternally and willingly caught in her web. She watches your every movement with immense amusement, her gaze dark yet loving as you fall apart from the products of her captivating existence. Often, she was the one initiating affection through words and subtle touches, adoring the way you choke on your words and desperately fumble for a half-decent response. More often than not, these interactions result in bolder acts of physical affection. Whether that’s innocent acts like allowing Kafka to tilt your chin up to kiss you, or you quickly embracing her as a way to hide your hopelessly heated face, or acts that are more… risque, you love every second you get to spend with her. And although Kafka wears a mask of cold, calm deceit, you know that when it comes to you, she doesn’t think twice about showing how genuine her love is.

Even if Kafka was skilled in making you flustered, you had been itching to initiate something on your own for weeks. To watch her get thrown off balance instead of you, all because of something you had said or done- it seemed like an impossible fantasy. Yet you persist in building up your courage, determined to express your love for her and pay her back for all the times she set butterflies off in your stomach. So, you carefully mapped out how you would go about your initiation, knowing that you would have to surprise your beloved in order to elicit any kind of reaction. The next day, you keep your eyes peeled for a moment when she’s idle and unaware of your presence. You manage to catch her while she’s reading, legs crossed casually as she sinks into the cushioning of her chair, eyes glinting with amusement at the book’s contents. Quietly, you enter the room, seemingly ignoring her- that is, until you reach her chair and swoop down to kiss her forehead before she can say anything. Afterward, you turn away and speed walk out of the room, internally reveling in the surprise that overtook Kafka’s features. Her eyes shot open wide, lips slightly parted, eyebrows raised. However, in your absence after the kiss, you didn’t see the fierce blush that spread over Kafka’s cheeks or hear the lovestruck giggle that involuntarily escaped her lips. And you definitely didn’t find out about Silverwolf walking in a few minutes later, only to find the woman folded over in her chair with her face in her hands, giggling like a schoolgirl and entirely refusing to look up. You had caused the most calm Stellaron Hunter to break her collected facade for once, which was incredibly hard to do. After making her feel so lovestruck, there’s no way she could just leave you alone. She would have to get back at you somehow- expect nothing less than to be smothered with her love over the next few days.

Wanderer/Scaramouche

Scaramouche had been going about his day as normal, bored out of his mind, desperately trying to find something interesting to do while vivid thoughts of you plagued his mind. Nahida had attempted to immerse him in different human activities, yet none of them seemed to take- he was either pretty bad at them, or he just gave up on them because he lost interest. Even the few battles he encountered during his day weren’t enough to take his mind off your absence. Needless to say, when you arrive home he’s all over you, trying to hide his longing for you behind a false mask of annoyance. But you can see right through him, adoration reflecting in your eyes as you quickly grab his face and press a firm kiss to his forehead. As you do so, a confused protest escapes his throat, the poor man startled by your sudden loving gesture. Afterward, you take his hand and drag him further into Sumeru to go get some food, but Scaramouche’s mind is entirely elsewhere. His pace is much slower than yours, making it slightly hard to lead him into the city, but he really can’t help it. Even now, even after the two of you have known each other for so long, you still manage to surprise him. He shields his face with one hand to hide his reddening cheeks and uses the other to tether you to him, picking up his pace so that you’re the one who’s being pulled. The giggle that this elicits from you doesn’t help either, as it only causes the butterflies in his stomach to burst even more.

After all, Scara wasn’t used to this. All his life, he’s been alone- always being left behind, always being used. He had become so accustomed to the feeling of anger and resentment that he didn’t realize how lonely he had indeed become. After he had the Electro Gnosis taken from him and his identity erased from Irminsul, his anger morphed into an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. Sure, erasing himself gave him a second chance at life, but his own loss of identity left him feeling void of any purpose or desire. That quickly changed when you were introduced to him though. As time went on, as he got to know you better, the void in his chest slowly became filled with the undying urge to protect you. The puppet didn’t understand what these emotions were or why he felt like this, but that didn’t matter to him. As long as you were safe, as long as he got to see your smile at the end of the day, he would be content. As you both reach your destination, Scara turns back to look at you, his heart immediately starting to hammer in his chest. You were beaming at him, a playful glint in your eyes- it was painfully clear that you were about to start teasing him for getting so flustered. Before you can say anything, Scaramouche gently takes your face in his hands and kisses you, gaze hopelessly soft. His gentle expression then turns into a devious smirk, amused by the way your eyes widen, entirely unsure of what to say. Now he can see the appeal of surprise kisses, and he’ll definitely be using them more often if this is the reaction he’ll get.

Kaveh

Kaveh cares for you more than anyone else. His passion for you is immense, so much so that it makes his passion for architecture pale in comparison- which is saying a lot because he loves architecture. In fact, it was practically his life until he met you, (aside from bickering with Alhaitham), and in his eyes, you're the greatest work of art to ever exist. Even the glistening walls and windows of the Palace of Alcazarzaray couldn’t match your glory. His genuine admiration for you often makes it hard for him to communicate how he feels- only one look is enough to get him red faced and stuttering. He does try though, he tries incredibly hard, but it just doesn’t work. The architect is constantly fighting with his own mind, wanting to spill out every ounce of love he’s feeling but not wanting to say the wrong thing. This internal conflict only intensifies during big projects, when all he can think of is you. He doesn’t get to see you often during these periods of time, which only makes him long for you more. So, when you pass by his desk, leaning over to see what he’s working on, you can imagine how deeply sidetracked he gets. When you ask what he’s doing, he starts explaining the details of the project, but quickly trails off as he sees the gentle smile on your face. Oh archons, you’re stunning, he thinks, fighting to find his words once more.

When he does, he quickly finishes his explanation, clearing his throat to try and cover up how deeply flustered he is. You nod and raise your eyebrows, impressed by his ambition and talent. Needing to get on with your own work, you wish him luck, brushing his bangs back and kissing him delicately on the forehead. Kaveh’s face explodes with red and suddenly he feels like the room is far too hot. He fans himself off with his hands, attempting to focus, but the feeling of your lips on his skin keeps replaying in his head. His thoughts are scattered all over the place, each stream of thought overlapping to become an insufferable cacophony of noise and feelings, to the point where he just can't take it anymore. Throwing his pencil down, Kaveh quickly gets up from his seat and somewhat aggressively hurries into the other room, where he finds you sitting on the couch, peacefully flipping through a book. He takes your hand, pulling you up toward his chest. His arms wrap around you tightly and he buries his face into your neck, your confused exclamations completely unheard by him. The architect’s resolve to continue working shatters as soon as you hug him back, his attitude clearly indicating that he doesn’t plan on letting go of you any time soon- not that you mind, of course.

Blade

Blade doesn’t understand why you like him so much. He doesn’t understand you, and how you keep going despite everything you’ve been through already. Though he doesn’t openly show his admiration for you, it's definitely there, despite the cold expression on his face. If you look just closely enough, you can see the way his gaze softens slightly whenever you enter the same room as him. You take this as permission for you to get near him and a confirmation that you aren’t being a burden by physically displaying your fondness for him. One way you show your infatuation with him is by patching him up after missions or fights, and unsurprisingly, he doesn’t understand why you do this either. He can heal himself for the most part, so why would you go through the trouble? Despite his lack of comprehension, he never fights back. The feeling of your gentle, loving hands on his skin soothes him, even if he has an abundance of painful gashes all over his body. The feeling of your lips on each of his wounds after you’ve tended to them is enough to get his heart beating faster, which is something that he thought was impossible to achieve.

Each time, just before you finish patching him up, you take his face in your hands, so carefully that you may as well be handling porcelain. From there, you guide his head slightly forward to almost meet your lips. Blade closes his eyes, his bandaged hand lifting to rest on top of one of your own, wanting to keep your warmth on his skin for as long as possible. A relaxed exhale slips past his lips as the tension in his shoulders deflates. When you finally press your lips to the soft expanse of Blade’s forehead, you can feel his hand start to shake slightly, his brows furrowing in confusion. You pull away, smiling warmly at him, washing away any confusion or sadness that lingers in his gaze. Your eyes meet and Blade’s mind becomes consumed by your touch. It’s been centuries since he’s felt this way- since he’s felt safe, since he’s felt like he has a home. Blade moves back, pulling you forward and into his lap. His hands carefully support your back, your chest pressing against him tightly while your head falls onto his shoulder. His breathing syncs up with yours as you shift to shyly return his embrace. Blade’s lips upturn into a small smile as you gently chastise him for moving so suddenly, warning that it may reopen his wounds. His chest grows tight in appreciation, his love for you growing with every breath he takes. No matter what tomorrow may bring, no matter how much pain he must endure, he knows it will all be alright as long as you’re safe.

[admiral-mason]

I'm bored, random crossover time again

Recently I have gotten into a little shooter game known as Ultrakill.

For those who don't know: Ultrakill is basically a shooter game that combines elements from Titanfall, Doom Eternal, Devil May Cry, etc. You play as V1, a literal blood-powered combat robot that descends into Hell (from Dante's Inferno) to get more blood. On the way, you fight demons, angels, and other machines.

So? With my blog basically sporadically alive, let me revive it with another nonsensical crossover!

Gender neutral reader

SPOILERS AHEAD!

How these two games crossed over:

So you own both a PC and a phone/tablet. You would mostly play Genshin Impact on your mobile device while you played Ultrakill on your PC.

You've managed to complete both games and right now you tried obtaining all the alternate 'slab' weapons in Ultrakill. You have one already, simply called the slab revolver by many. Your next weapon to obtain is the sawblade launcher, located in stage 4-4 Clair de Soleil.

So, you did so. Whiplashing the blue skull from the right room after you used the first jump pad, the door opened and you shot your railcannon into the water. However, when you did so, the game decided to crash on you.

"What the hell??" You said before grumbling a little and trying to boot the game back up to no avail. Closing out the game, you bothered to play a little Genshin. However, within a few seconds of booting up the game, you got shocked and blacked out.

How you got to Teyvat:

After waking up, you found yourself in a plains area... and then you saw an anemo slime.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake." A voice that sounded like Microsoft Sam said from behind you.

(V1's voice from this program)

Turning around, you were greeted by the blue camera head himself.

"What the frick V1 how are you here??"

"I don't fucking know, one moment I touched the sawblade launcher, and now I'm here in what appears to be Limbo but not fake with the human who basically assisted me in murdering all of hell for blood. By the way, you perform really great shotgun yeets!*"

"Uh, thanks." You awkwardly responded.

"Now where the fuck can I get some blood?"

In Mondstadt:

The two of you ended up wandering around V1 had managed to kill a few wild animals for blood with his revolver. It didn't take long for someone to hear the sounds and approach you two afterward.

"You two! Stop right there!" Amber heard the sounds of V1's revolver shots as she ran towards you two. If it weren't for you rapidly telling V1 to not shoot her, she'd likely be on the floor in a pool of her own blood.

"...Hi there." You awkwardly said before she ended up tackling you to the ground in a hug with V1 just looking at the sight.

After Amber took you two to Mondstadt, word spread quickly of the Divine One and their blue angel-looking machine. The two of you managed to receive free housing with the Knights of Favonius alongside a tour of the city.

V1 abused his superior mobility to cross the entire city from one side to the other in less than a minute. This astonished the local citizens at this strange individual's movement skills. And then he accidentally crashes into a random citizen's cart.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEE"

"V1 don't you're gonna-!"

V1 crashes into a cart full of cabbages, toppling it

"..."

Everyone's also confused at his ability to seemingly generate coins... before shooting at them with that curved thing he holds in his hands and then it kills stuff. (I presume that most Mondstatians have never seen guns, the closest they have seen is probably a bow,)

Then he somehow pulls a giant double-barreled minigun?? Then a tube that shoots rockets??

Expect Klee to be all over him.

"Well see, this rocket launcher used to be an industrial tool, until some-"

"HOW BIG OF A BOOM CAN IT MAKE?!"

"...Let me demonstrate!"

V1 activated the freeze mode on his Freezeframe Rocket Launcher and fired a few rockets at a group of wolves...

...Safe to say, those wolves and their surroundings got blown up to high hell.

When Jean found the destructive duo, V1 just took Klee into his arms and proceeded to abuse his mobility yet again.

"BOING! Catch me now, bozo!"

"Get back here you blue thing-"

"I am not a blue thing thank you- BOING!"

Looking past shenanigans, Albedo and Sucrose have taken an interest in V1's lethal arsenal that's even far superior to Fatui tech. Noelle might ask to train with the machine after some introductions.

In Liyue

After a few days of staying in Mondstadt, you kinda wanted to see Liyue so you told everyone else and asked V1 to accompany you. Upon arrival though, you found out that Liyue prepared a celebration for the two of you. Turns out news can leak out quickly to the world even if you've only interacted with a part of it.

V1 found Liyue significantly more fun to traverse and navigate around. From mountainous marvels to spacious streets, the nation provided him with no short of tricks to pull off.

Everyone interacted with V1 normally until he started using the Whiplash to grab items from various vendors merely flipping a few coins at them in return. This led to a scuffle with the Millelith and he ended up shocking everyone by knocking all of the soldiers out with a mere punch to their chest.

Thankfully you managed to calm him down.

When he saw the Jade Chamber, he made it a personal challenge to ascend without using the proper way. He unfortunately did so while Ningguang was pleasantly talking with you.

"This, your grace, is-" You could then faintly hear rocket sounds in the distance, with Ningguang following suit shortly after. You both turned in the direction of the sound to see V1 flying on a rocket with his Freezeframe Rocket Launcher yet again before he jumped off and landed right next to the two of you.

"Hi friend I'm back! Mechanic abuse is funny!"

Ningguang just blinked at the sight of the combat machine that somehow stood on a small flying object to get up here without proper authorization. "...Your grace what the heck did that thing just do??"

"I AM NOT A THING-"

Part 2?

*Shotgun yeets refer to projectile boosts.

[mo0nfairy]

Three words: yandere Luis Sera.

tw :: re4 spoilers, yandere!luis, obsessive!luis, kidnapping, guns, drugging, noncon touching, blood, wounds, parasites, insinuations of sex, being physically restrained.

⸺ yall. this man. >>>>>>>> zoo wee mama !!! this dude literally has me full-on giggling and kicking my feet while i write about him in my diary. and his voice and dialogue !!!! can't get enough of him i stg- but let me chill out cuz i could literally talk about luis for hours. with that out of the way, i must address the elephant in the room. he survives here. period. (i'm still salty about this count your fucking days capcom).

you and luis had met while he was still working for los iluminados. his task was simple: lure victims into his laboratory what the sultry attitude of his, infect them with las plagas, and give them away to the saddler. and you were just like any other victim, lost and confused over what the fuck you had gotten yourself into. but for whatever reason, you didn't seem afraid at all. you were annoyed at the inconvenience more than anything.

he meets you at the church, where you had attempted to find help in the middle of your crisis. and he'd be a liar if he said you weren't much prettier than all his other victims. the way you look at him with that harsh gaze pulls on his heartstrings like a puppeteer. your furrowed brows and that adorable pout — oh, how badly he wishes to kiss it all away. but, he has been assigned a task. and as much as he wants to abandon it right then and there for you, he must persevere.

you point your gun in his direction. "forgive my manners. my name is luis sera, encantado." luis puts his hands in the air and surrenders with that all-too irritating look on his face.

he then puts on his best facade of the unfortunate traveler who got caught up in this mess. and you don't believe him for a second. you ignore his insinuations of you teaming up, as well as his obnoxious attempts at flirting and go your own way. correction, you try and go your own way. you now just have this yapping puppy dog at your side. and god, does it piss you off how flirtatious he attempts to be during such a time like this. holding open doors for you despite there being every kind of abomination on his tail; a shitty remark like "after you, i insist" with a smirk and a wink. your sneer afterwards drives him nuts.

for the first time in the entirety of this heartthrob's life, luis is chasing after someone. the pursued is now pursuing and it is slowly but surely driving him fucking insane. your resistance to his affections isn't the only thing that allures him to you, however. it's your ambition, your drive, your depth that truly thrusts him into the deep end. admitting he is deeply in love is nothing but a pipe dream, as he knows your inevitable rejection will shatter him, but he will show this love through flirtatious, albeit desperate, acts of affection. eyes softening whenever you're in his train of vision, the ardent kiss on your hand when you help him up from a ledge, doing the whole "hey, is this guy bothering you?" when there is a literal demon chasing you. (he is also 10000% a "where my hug at?" kind of guy. i am so sorry.)

by the time you two make it to his laboratory, luis knows in his heart there is no way he can hide it now. he is hopelessly and irrevocably devoted to you. so, he meticulously has you read through his notes regarding the amber. while you are occupied, luis approaches you from behind, locks you tight in his arms and shoves a syringe into your neck. you feel him press kisses to your temple as you struggle in his embrace; incoherent words of affection reverberating in your ears. soon, everything goes quiet and finally, you can rest.

a blinding light welcomes you once you wake. in an attempt to scrutinize your surroundings, you realize you are restrained to an examination table. ragged belts loop around your legs, your arm, your waist, god, even your neck. you can't move a single muscle, despite your efforts to do such. the squeaking of a stool's wheels sliding across the ground steals your attention. luis sera now sits beside you in all his glory, taking a puff from a cigarette while his other hand grasps hold of yours. you want so badly to slap it away from you, maybe sock him square in the face while you're at it, but you're paralyzed from head-to-toe and completely inexorable to his touch.

"i love you like this." his voice has that same sultry tone you're used to, but there is something sickeningly sweet that hangs off of his every word. “i'm certainly the luckiest bastard in the world to have you beneath me.”

you don't respond, only staring at him in sheer horror while he begins to caress the top of your head. and just when you think this nightmare couldn't get any worse, luis leans down and brings you into a fervent kiss. you can almost hear how his heart pounds like a drum in his chest, as it always does when you’re around. after your attempts at thrashing against him, you use all force within you to bite down on his lip as a last resort. he endures, this is worth any and all pain, before he finally pulls away from you. “mierda!” he exclaims. your mouth tastes of copper and smoke; your teeth are now painted red.

"okay, we'll skip the foreplay." he wipes his mouth with his sleeve, that smug grin returning to his lips. "come on. where's the love, baby?"

luis runs his tongue across the scar you left with your teeth and a shiver runs down his spine. your mark on him, it makes him dizzy with euphoria. and he knows how terrified you must be, considering your current circumstances and of what he is known to be capable of. but, maybe this can be a new chapter for him — for the both of you. you can continue being your most amazing self, all with him at your side. and he'll pursue a tender heart and romancing the love of his life, a major contrast to the all-too lonely, bloodied footprints in his path.

besides, people can change. right, y/n?

disclaimer :: reader is not infected lol.

[inhuman-obey-me]

👼w/ lucifer, no mc

"I can’t seem to forget the halo that I used to see." - Lucifer

cw: alcohol, Nightbringer season 1 spoilers

The amber liquid in Lucifer's glass smells dark and sweet.

He's had it a few times before, at the demon prince's invitation, but it's still a bit strange to him, this thing called Demonus. It's not like the ambrosial sweetness of what he used to drink in the Celestial Realm, honey-bright and delicate as flower petals in the wind. That had been airy and full of light, tasting of sunbeams on the trees from which the fruits were picked to make it.

Demonus, however, is something completely different. Actually, he's surprised to find he likes it. It's rich and heady, with a spiciness that lingers on his palate long after each sip. Indulgent, sweet not like honey but like sin. A hint of noxious brimstone burns at the back of his throat as he drinks, rising like a burst of sulfurous smoke directly into his nostrils. It leaves a slow trail of fire through him as it goes down, like lava running down the side of a volcano.

Each sip is an inescapable reminder of where he is now -- of what he is now. Of what they all are, now.

It's not that Lucifer regrets the war. Regrets losing, perhaps -- of course, since no one starts a conflict like that with the intent to fail. But even losing, on its own, would have been fine. There's a sense of freedom to his new life, here in the Devildom. He can say and do whatever he likes, unbeholden to his Father. Here, the insistent, nagging doubts swirling in his mind every day have stopped, no longer screaming to be heard, no longer screaming to be spoken. He had finally spoken them. He had fought for them. And if it only involved him, he would make the same decision a thousand times over again.

But it didn't. It wasn't only him. And now, he's not the only one paying for it.

His brothers had made the choice to follow him, and for that, he is grateful. He is grateful, every single day, not to have landed here alone. But they had followed him because they'd believed in him. His rebellion failing was one thing. What he really can't stand is that he failed them.

Lucifer sighs into his glass as Raphael's declaration from earlier that day rings in his head again -- "The Celestial Gates are open to the six of you, that you may pass through once more."

He won't return; now that he's tasted this freedom, he knows he'll never be satisfied in the Celestial Realm again. But, the others...

Maybe Raphael is right. Maybe his brothers should go. Even if it means leaving him and Satan behind, maybe it's for the best. Maybe it's true -- the wings at their backs should be white. Even now, he can't seem to forget the halos that he used to see over each of their heads.

It's his fault those halos don't shine over them anymore. It's his fault they've become horns instead. It's his fault they aren't angels anymore, and he doesn't want it to be his fault that they stay that way. They won't like leaving him, but who is he to ask them to stay?

It was his war. It was his failure. It should be his punishment to bear. Alone.

[winchester-girl67]

Raven Eyes

Summary: Half-Demon and half-angel, the reader struggles to control her outbursts of anger. Until she meets someone who makes her blood boil in a whole other way. She searches for her half-sister, Claire, with the help of the Winchester brothers and finds that, maybe, being human isn't all bad.

Requested by @jesllianaquilesrolonsworld : “Hey can i request a Dean or Sam Winchester x reader where the reader is a Nephalem (half angel half demon) and super powerful because Nephalem are the most powerful hybrid and Dean or Sam fall in loved with her because she is so sweet, shy, etc and in the end they end together? With smut is you want to added"

Pairing: Dean x Nephalem!reader 

Word Count: 11,913

Rating: mature 18+ MDNI

Warnings: not canon, language, mature themes, reverse age gap (kind of), violence/blood (gun, biting, restraints - Claire is tied to a chair), smut (p in v, unprotected sex), brief mention of body insecurity, injury, nightmares, maybe some anger control issues, angst, a little pining, kissing/cuddling, reader has one defining characteristic (raven eyes), star wars trilogy spoilers? (brief mention), mention of Sam and Dean slash fiction

A/N: This really got away from me, especially the word count, lol. The reader has both sweet/shy moments and bold/sassy ones; but I thought it was a good mix of energy for an angel/demon hybrid. Enjoy!

_____

Ugh...

You kicked the empty can under your foot down the dark alleyway. It landed in a puddle with a splash and you growled and kicked the glass bottle next. It shattered against the brick wall at the dead end, scattering into a myriad of pieces that rippled the top of the same puddle. 

Finally, that felt great. 

You just needed to break something. So, you did it again, lining up the next beer bottle. This one, full and unopened. You'd brought it outside with you from the bar you were currently venting behind. 

Alcohol did little to nothing for you, you were pretty sure the only buzz you ever got off it could be chalked up to a placebo effect. 

The bottle hit the wall, popped, and fizzed as it streamed down the bricks. The amber liquid staining a trail to the pavement below. It was somewhat satisfying, but... you wanted to break more shit. 

So much more. 

It was the demon’s blood in you, the urge to create chaos and torment just for fun. Although, ninety percent of the time it lost out to the half of you that was part angel. 

You didn't want to be evil and you didn't want to be good. You were all shades of grey and that was fine because you knew exactly who you were. Sort of. 

You were a Nephalem; half-demon, half-angel. 

Yeah, your parents were a piece of work. Try growing up in that household. Literal definition of having an angel on one shoulder and a devil -or in this case, a demon- on the other. 

But opposites attract, right. 

You never really fit in. As a child or now as an adult. Not with your father's angelic colleagues or your mother's demonic friends. You were one of a kind. 

'Unique. Unlike any other.' Your father would tell you.

'Powerful. A force to be reckoned with.' Your mother would say.

You loved them, your parents. Even if they drove you nutty and pulled at your limbs like some savage game of tug-o-war. Castiel and Meg had good intentions but you needed to stand on your own two feet for the first time.

So, here you were hanging out in the back alley of some highway dive off to the side of some two-star motel. Popping the cork on your own internal bottle of frustrations. The blood in your veins could only be shaken so much before you lost control and that was the point of breaking shit.

To calm your nerves and it usually worked, but not tonight. Tonight was different.

Your -sort of- half-sister, Claire, called you up for some help on a case she was working on. Fucking werewolves. She needed back up but when you arrived you couldn't find her. Anywhere!

When you asked the greasy bartender if he'd seen her and showed him her picture on your phone, all he said was 'I wish I had, damn'. Then he proceeded to shake out his hand as if he'd touched something hot and made a crude face with a little wink added in your direction... you almost ripped his face off right there, but there were too many witnesses.

A waitress flirting with some guy with more hair than a barbie doll and some guys playing pool; one of them obviously hustling the others. He was kinda cute actually -had a nice smile, short dirty-blonde hair and a scruff on his jaw that was way too trimmed to be natural- but you weren't here for that.

You had to find Claire.

You fisted your hands until your fingernails dug into your palms and bleed. Then hissed and watched the skin stitch itself back together under the orange flood lights of the alleyway.

That helped a little. The pain. You did it again, satisfying the demon within and hissing out a breath at the sharp sting each nail made as they buried into your flesh. Then. You breathed in and out like your father taught you. Slow and steady.

Inhale: one, two, three... Exhale: one, two, three...

Then repeat as many times as it takes to appease the angelic grace entwined within your soul.

When your blood was at war it felt like the epic internal battle of a Jedi struggling with the force -you had forced your father, Cas, to watch the recent Star Wars trilogy with you a couple of days before you left to meet Claire and really connected to the Kylo Ren/Ben Solo character and his dilemma of whether to embrace the pull to the light or give into the dark side- but a nephalem didn't have that choice. The only solution was to embrace it all, whatever murky shade of grey that turned out to be. But there were times you still struggled with it, times you wished you had more control over your heart and mind.

Times like now with that fucking bartender. Who even has frosted tips anymore, seriously?! What a douche.

He knew something and he wasn't telling you, you could hear his heart beat just a fraction quicker when he lied.

You let out a frustrated howl and kicked at the puddle, splashing and jumping until your boots and pant legs were soaked. You growled and fisted your hair in your hands and pulled. Frustrated to no end.

"Now that's a losing battle, if I ever did see one." Said a husky voice and you spun around to nothing but shadows behind you at the mouth of the alley.

What? "Who said that?"

"Don't get me wrong, that was entertaining as hell but that puddle's always going to be a puddle." A man stepped out of the shadows with a twisted smirk. "Unless you have the right tools... Maybe a mop and bucket." Oh, he thinks he's funny. You didn't laugh, you glared and he stepped directly under the flood light near the rear door. He pumped his eyebrows once and rubbed the trimmed scruff on his chin. "Geez, tough crowd. Why you so pissy, squirt?"

"Fuck off." Your guard was up.

"Big language for such a little girl. You're trouble, aren't you?" He said with a deep laugh. He fucking laughed. And took a step closer when you didn't respond. "You kiss your momma with that mouth?"

"My mother would rip you to shreds just for sneaking up on me."

Seriously, how'd he do that? You were usually hyper aware of your surroundings... but you were also in your head, duelling it out.

He looked you up and down, his eyes lingering on your wet jeans sticking to your calves. His tongue teased his bottom lip and he met your stare again. You scowled knowing exactly what he was thinking and crossed your arms in front of your chest to obstruct his view.

"You got some fire in you, squirt."

Screw you, pretty boy.

"Call me, squirt, one more time. I. Dare. You." You said through clenched teeth and stepped out of the puddle, bringing you chest to chest with this man.

Okay, maybe chest to chin -you still had to look up at him- but you weren't as small as he made you sound, at least you didn't think so. But one thing was for sure, you were a lot older than you looked, probably older than him... but you were kind of immortal too, so there was that.

You looked near the same age though, for what it's worth, and you felt young. Out from under your parents' -hypothetical for the most part- wing for the first time. No more babysitter.

He looked amused, "Okay, little trouble. Wanna tell me what's got your feathers in a fluff?"

"The hell do you care?"

His expression turned emotionless like a poker face, "Maybe I don't." Then he smiled, "Or maybe, I do."

You knew where you'd seen him before now, playing pool inside, "How'd you do with your little side hustle?"

"Oh, I cleaned up," he smirked, he saw you watching him inside. "I'm Dean, by the way... Winchester. And you are?" He asked, keeping his arms crossed against his chest and mirroring you.

"Leaving," you said quietly and unintentionally shoving your shoulder into his as you walked for the exit of the alley.

Fucking Dean Winchester. You knew exactly who he was, you just didn't know what he looked like, until now. Your father warned you to stay away. Said he was the type to shoot first and ask questions later and if he found out you were a nephalem, that's exactly what he'd do.

"Hold up a second, squirt." He called as he jogged after you and grabbed your arm.

Dean yanked you back and you spun around, twisting out of his hold. You smacked him in the chest and he shoved back into the brick wall. Hard. You always forget how fragile humans were, you didn't spend much time with them after all.

He huffed like the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. His eyes wide and watching you. Yeah, you were strong as hell and that was only ten percent. You felt a little bad for the poor guy but he did ask for it. You clearly wanted to be left alone.

"I told you not to call me that!" You growled, pointing your finger in his face. "I don't have time for this."

"Why? Got some mailboxes to knock over?" He teased and rubbed his chest when you backed off. "Oh, please tell me you're gonna spray paint obscene doodles on the billboard across the street... I'll help. Need a lookout?"

If he was flirting, it wasn't landing and if he was teasing, it was pissing you off. You weren't some teenager tagging billboards, even if that jackass CEO, Dick Roman, deserved it. You didn't know why, you just didn't like him or his cheesy smile, but he'd get his, they usually do. 

"What do you want?" You huffed at him, glancing down at his hands just in case. 

You heard the stories of the Winchester brothers. They weren't opposed to sucker punches, especially with an angel blade. Even if an angel blade could hardly hurt you, your mother trained you to always be prepared, vigilant.

"You were asking around about a blonde girl, Claire Novak, I'm a friend of hers. Actually, more like a big brother and I haven't been able to reach her." He confessed and took a step forward, then another and another until you were the one backed up against the opposite wall of the alleyway. "What do you want with her?"

For a human, you had to admit, he was fucking intimidating. His eyes hooded, nostrils flared and you felt his hand fist the collar of your t-shirt. You could easily push him off if you wanted but the brush of his knuckles over your collarbone made your knees knock together and you practically swallowed your tongue.

The feuding blood in your veins quieted as your heart beat a little faster and sweat broke out across your skin. Your lips fell open and you just stared up at him. At a loss for words.

Was this what it was like to feel... human? Desire? Vulnerability?

But you weren't vulnerable, not physically, your power outmatched that of a nephilim. Nephilim had the inconvenience of having to be half-human where that half of you was all demon. Pure darkness and indignation.

Being a nephalem wasn't easy. Especially being the only one ever known to exist. You had to carve your own path.

You had a conscience about the bad things you did and a will to do good, but nothing was ever that simple. You'd do a good deed to appease the angel grace pumping in your veins but it would always turn out sideways. And when you did something bad -perhaps out of selfishness and greed- you'd feel bad.

Demons had it easy. Do what you want, when you want. Angels had it even better though, their good always turned out good. Despite the fact that not all angels were all that good and not all demons were all bad.

If they couldn't figure it out with one blood line, how would you?

You felt like you were constantly at battle with yourself. But, at least, you weren't human.

Compared to the man in front of you, he was like a fly. A gnat. And you'd toy with him for a bit if he could keep making you feel this way.

Calm.

The crimson waters in your veins were quiet -for the first time in sooo long- and all you had to do was look into his eyes. They were hooded in the darkness of the night but you felt it, his soul staring back at you. You often wondered if you had a soul.

Probably, everything else seemed to have one.

Perhaps, not everything about being human was terrible. It beat the hell out of the internal anguish, always fighting with yourself, always angry. And suddenly you never wanted Dean to leave. Even if your father did warn you about him.

Maybe humans were powerful after all. Maybe, it was just this one human.

You grabbed his wrist above his watch -his fist still clutching your collar- and exhaled over his lips, only an inch away from yours. His breathing turned sharp too and you smelt whiskey on his breath. Peach whiskey. You gave him a cheeky smile.

That was a chick's drink.

"Why are you looking for Claire?" He repeated, his eyes somehow darker in the shadow of the night.

"She's my friend," you lied, continuing to pretend he had you right where he wanted you.

It was really the other way around.

"You're friends?"

You nodded, "Yeah, some people have those."

You kind of wished Castiel had told Dean about you. It wouldn't come as such a surprise then. Maybe you could hide it, though, and tag along to find your sister. It could be fun to watch the brothers in action. Plus, everything was so quiet around him. Even in his intensity and you didn't want it to stop.

"Claire doesn't have friends." He stated.

"She has at least one."

He didn't need to know that you were kind of related to Claire, just that you didn't mean her any harm. Most of the time. Sometimes she pissed you off and sometimes you pissed her off.

"Wait, friend as in 'friend'?" He said as if he used air quotes but he didn't let go of your shirt collar to actually make them.

What the hell else did 'friend' mean? -Ohhhh... good for Claire. But gross, she was your sister. You had flashbacks to reading fanfics of Sam-slash-Dean online. Your father told you to stay away, but you were curious and although it may not have proven for the most serious intel on the boys, the stories were captivating. 

You scrunched up your face and stared at him. You couldn't tell him you were sisters. So, you just shook your head.

Dean laughed, "Huh, didn't know that kid could stop pissing people off for a second long enough to make a friend."

You nodded but frowned when he released your shirt collar and took away his hand. If you had wanted him to back off, you would've made him. You kept a hold of his wrist.

"Let go, little devil."

If only he knew how ironic that nickname was. You were the daughter of a demon not Lucifer but, same diff; it was close enough.

You let him go. You didn't want to, but you did.

"Do you know where she is?" You asked, both wanting to keep the conversation going and needing the answer.

"Nope. Was hoping you did."

"The bartender knows something." You mumbled.

You breathed a heavy breath, letting the anger from before defuse a little as it tried to resurface. No losing control this time. Your parents weren't here to help you this time. No cleaning up any messes. You were on your own. Like you wanted.

"Let's go talk to him, then." Dean grinned and patted your shoulder.

His hand slid down to the small of your back as he led you back around to the entrance of the bar. Every ounce of anger flushed away with his touch and you no longer felt that inch of demon blood in your veins.

_____

Dean wiped the blood from his knuckles with a rag from the trunk of a shiny black muscle car parked in the lot. You stood next to him and watched stoically as he did so. He glanced up at you and mistook your awe for fear.

"I'm sorry. I should've warned you when someone messes with my family, I get-" He started in a soft voice but cut himself off before he could finish. "Just sometimes, things get... messy."

Messy?! He beat the ever-loving hell out of that bartender when the guy hit on you again and evaded all your questions... Until he didn't.

Dean was just as fucked up as you were. He was angry and at war with himself, constantly, you could see it. You saw that look in the mirror all the time. He took the bloodiest route to being good. He was all shades of grey, just like you. And you had to admire how much he cared about the people he thought of as family.

"Don't ever let a man disrespect you like that." He locked eyes with you.

Something different in his gaze this time. Warmer and intense. Too intense, you had to look away.

You never did let guys get away with it, but you couldn't exactly go all super-girl on the bartender's ass either with Dean watching, now could you? Super-girl was a hero, though... You weren't the villain but you weren't the heroine either. Maybe an anti-hero, actually? Like Ben Solo? You could live with that.

"So, what now?" You asked, sitting on the edge of the open trunk next to him. "We go to this Haden-guy's cabin in the woods? Sounds like a trap."

The bartender said Claire had her eye on some regular guy all night but never talked to him. Though, she did leave right after he did. That was the only lead we had since this shit-hole had no working security cameras.

"Exactly, that's why we're gonna get Sammy first." He said, tossing the bloody rag into the trunk and securing the hidden hatch shut after pulling out a case of silver bullets.

Sammy, his little brother, you knew as much about the boys as every other demon or angel. You just didn't know how being around Dean would affect you.

"Where's Sam?"

Dean gave you a half smirk and a little shrug of his shoulders, then he winked at you. And what the hell did that mean?

Oh wait, you suddenly remembered seeing a walking L'oreal-ad-of-a-man, matching Sam's description, flirting with the waitress before stomping out to the back alley to have your little temper tantrum like a child. You blew off steam though without hurting anyone so you weren't embarrassed. That was a win in your book.

"I'll go get him, you wait here." Dean said, cocking his freshly loaded gun with silver bullets and tucking it into the back of his jeans. "Don't disappear on me, little devil."

You smiled, actually starting to like that nickname as you watched him walk towards the motel across the parking lot. He knocked on room number sixteen and waited a long moment before he pounded harder on it.

You stretched out your legs and pushed up from the edge of the trunk but something kept your ass in place. Like you were frozen, sort of, you could only move further into the trunk.

Something was wrong.

You glanced back quickly before Dean could notice you struggling to stand up like an ordinary human. You twisted in your seat but there was nothing unusual in the trunk, then you looked up at the lid.

Fucking hell.

There was a demon trap on the upside of the trunk lid. You glanced back at Dean who was now striding back towards you on bowed legs.

Shit. You twisted your arm above you and scratched at the edge of the trap. Glad that the front of the car was facing Dean instead of the back. 

"He'll be out in a minute," Dean said, rounding the back of the Impala just as you snapped up from your seat and slammed the lid shut. He narrowed his eyes on you, "Everything all right?"

"Yeah, peachy." You dusted off the back of your black skinny jeans ungracefully.

"O-kay," he stared at you for a moment as you shifted from heel to heel, "Get in the car."

You walked around to his side of the car, knowing Sam probably had dibs on the passenger seat and opened the rear door. You hesitated and looked inside, checking for more demon traps.

"Something wrong?" Dean asked and you noted Sam exiting the motel room, he walked towards you as he buttoned up his blue flannel and straightened his jeans. "Don't tell me you're scared?"

"Hardly," you said unconvincingly and crawled into the backseat when you didn't see any reason not to.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, Baby here is stocked up like a tank, we can take whatever's waiting for us. Trust me."

He was cocky, wasn't he, but it made you laugh. He had even more artillery than he thought, with you around.

Dean shut the door behind you and dumped himself into the driver's seat, Sam joining only moments later.

"Uh, hi?" Sam said to you, half turned in his seat.

"Hi," you waved shyly.

He was a lot bigger in person. The top of his head nearly hit the roof and his hair was gorgeous and thick. You played with the ends of your hair, wishing you had less split ends. Maybe you should cut it. Also, what kind of all powerful nephalem still gets split ends?! Talk about unfair.

"She's a friend of Claire's." Dean said, revving up the engine and peeling off down the road.

You didn't know how he knew where he was going. You didn't look at any maps with him. Maybe they'd been here longer than you and already surveyed the area? Claire probably called them too, you didn't have a cell phone and relied on her praying to you when she needed you. She didn't always trust you'd show up and she wouldn't have told them about you.

"Does 'the friend of Claire's' have a name?"

Sam asked his brother and side eyed you.

"Yeah, of course she does."

"And?" Sam inquired.

Dean hesitated and chewed his lip as he glanced at you in the rearview mirror. He never asked. "What's your name, little devil?"

Sam screwed up his face and mouthed 'little devil' dubiously to himself. You guessed it wasn't a typical nickname he gave women.

"Y/N."

You didn't give a last name. You supposed you didn't really have one. Castiel and Meg could never settle on one long enough.

"Y/N," Dean repeated in his deep voice. It felt like wings in your stomach to hear him say your name. "You don't look like a Y/N."

"Well, it's the only name I got." You snapped, a little hurt. You liked your name, it was the only thing your parents ever truly agreed on.

Dean chuckled and glanced back in the mirror again. "You’re cute when you're frustrated, Y/N."

The dork was teasing you. He either thought he was funny or flirting, you couldn't tell which. Maybe both, you didn't like it. It was new territory for you. You didn't often bother with humans, but Dean was different. He was a lot like you in many ways and he was -mostly- adorable. When he wasn't intentionally trying to be annoying. 

You blushed -first time that ever happened- and kept quiet for the rest of the drive. Dean explained to Sam what you were about to walk in on and they already seemed to know it was werewolves so you didn't bother to pipe up.

The woods were dark and the sound of wind eerily howled through the treetops. You'd have shivered if you were scared at all but you couldn't be harmed, not really. Someone would really have to get the drop on you for that to happen. And what else was there to be scared of?

You only worried about Dean. It was nice having him around. You realized now why your father liked him so much. You didn't know Sam all that well, though and he kept giving you ‘off’ glances as if he was trying to figure you out. As if he knew you were hiding something.

Barbie doll was too smart for his own good.

"Here, take this?" Dean said, shoving a silver gun in your hands after he'd parked down the road from Haden's cabin.

"Uh-" you held it between your forefinger and thumb, as if you really didn't want to hold it. You never used a gun before. You never had to and you rather not. "I'm good, thanks."

You tried to hand it back to him before it went off. As if it was that touchy. He just stared at you confused.

"You need something to defend yourself. You have done this before, right? Hunting? You're a hunter?"

"Yeah, totally!" You over sold it.

Sure, you hunted before, but you used your powers and let’s face it, nothing was ever a challenge. Even a pack of werewolves couldn't take you. You could fight and hold your own but you never needed a gun.

But how could you tell Dean that?

You stared at the gun, still holding it in the air between you and he sighed, "Here, hold it like this."

Dean stalked behind you and wrapped his arms around your shoulders. You felt his chest on your back and you leaned back into him. Looking over your shoulder at his face next to yours. He let out a single puff of air, amused, and turned your head forward again with his hand on your chin.

His scruff brushed your cheek as he lined up the gun in both of your hands in front of you. You smelt sweet peaches on his breath again and melted in his arms as much as you could without him really noticing.

"Finger off the trigger. This hand-" he grabbed your non-dominant hand and wrapped it around the other already gripping the gun, "-goes here. Keep your thumb there." He pointed to the switch next to your thumb, "Safety's on," he switched it off, revealing a red dot in its place, "Off. Line up this point with this one." He pointed out the sights of the gun. "Never point it at anyone you don't plan on shooting. Got it?" 

"Got it," you breathed. 

Dean switched the safety back on and let you get used to the feel of it in your hands. You could use this hunk of metal one time, you guessed. 

If a human could then why not? You were superior in every way. Super-powered anti-hero in human disguise to the rescue! 

It was quiet outside in the woods as you inched towards the cabin. And before you knew it, you were inside searching for signs of Claire when you heard the boys bashing around in the other room. Grunting and smashing into things. Glass breaking and shots firing.

You had split up and with no sign of Claire you made your way back to them to help out. Finding Dean pinned by three werewolves while Sam fought off one with another on his back trying desperately to bite his neck.

The pack was bigger than the boys anticipated. And brawling. 

You didn't expect aiming the gun to be so difficult and after missing the first couple shots -hitting the drywall in front of Sam and scaring the shit out of him, which he showed with a glare in your direction and a shout of 'Stop helping!'- you aimed again. At the werewolf on Sam's back and shut your eyes.

You squeezed the trigger fast three times then listened as a body fell to the floor.

Thump.

You grit your teeth together, hoping and praying and peeled open your eyes.

Sam was still standing. Thank granddad. Dean would've hated you for friendly fire. You aimed at the werewolves standing over Dean next and emptied the rest of the clip into them. 

They fell to the floor and Dean fought off the last one as Sam finished off the other. 

Then things were silent again. 

"Holy shit! Good shootin', little devil." Dean laughed and fell against the wall to catch his breath. 

Sam just clenched his jaw and glared at you. 

What was his problem? Did he know you closed your eyes? You aimed better that way anyways. 

"Where's Claire?" Sam grunted and rubbed his neck where the werewolf had tried to bite him. But his hand was covered in blood, "Dammit."

"What?" Dean asked, standing tall and glancing at Sam's hand. "You're bit?... Sammy?!" 

Dean's hands were in his hair and he spun around on his heel in disbelief. Then stalked over to his brother and pulled aside Sam's shirt collar.

"No. Fuck, no!" Dean shouted and punched the wall next to them. 

Then he threw the only lamp left standing across the room. It shattered in his fit of rage and he pulled down the bookcase for good measure. 

You set down your gun and padded over to Sam. Sam, eyeing you the whole time with zero trust in his stare. You popped up on your tiptoes and pulled him down by his shoulders to whisper in his ear. 

"Close your eyes." 

Sam furrowed his brow while Dean was busy hyperventilating in the corner. Rubbing his hands all over his face and scrolling through contacts on his phone, probably trying to find some non-existent cure.

But Sam was bit and Sam would turn if you didn't do anything.

"Trust me for one minute. What do you have to lose?" You whispered again and Sam let his eyes fall shut.

You placed your palm over the bite and channelled your energy into healing him. A blue light pulsed from your hand and Sam hissed. It probably stung like a bitch. But it beat turning into a werewolf and having to munch on cow hearts just to survive.

You wiped away the blood from his neck with your sleeve, inspecting your work. The skin was perfectly smooth like the wolf's fangs never punctured through.

You smiled, finally something went the way you planned. Doing good felt good, when it went right.

"How do you feel?" You asked just to make sure.

"Better, I guess." Sam's eyes fluttered open and met yours. His gaze of hazel softer than before, though still hesitant. "Thank you, I think."

"No biggie. Just a little spell I picked up over the years." You shrugged. You didn't think the boys noticed the lie.

Them thinking you dabbled in witchcraft was probably safer than them knowing the truth. At least for now.

Dean stood up, hanging up his phone mid-ring and walking over to Sam to check out his no longer existent wound. He glanced at you and you noticed his itchy trigger finger at his side.

"You're a witch?" Dean accused as if you kicked his puppy.

"No."

"Bullshit! That wasn't elementary magic, Y/N!" He shouted but still didn't raise his gun.

"Dean, calm down, man. She saved my life." Sam said, stepping partially in front of you. "Just this once, don't freak out how you always do."

Huh, save his life once and the big guy's already on your side. A turn of events you didn't see coming. Maybe there was more to him than just barbie doll hair and fault-finding glares. He knew you were hiding the truth but he didn't seem to care anymore.

"Shut it, Sam." Dean gave his brother a sideways look. "You know how I feel about witches. Blood sacrifices, hex bags and bones everywhere. There's always a price with them."

He gestured towards you and you scowled back at him. Not only a little hurt because you just said you weren't a witch but also because... didn't he feel what was between you, too? Or was it all one sided?

Maybe you should've let Sam die. He'd still think you were human then. You could've hidden that part of you forever. Or, at least, until he started to notice you weren't aging.

But, no, Sam was cool. You were glad you saved him. Maybe you could erase Dean's memory of the past five minutes. You never tried that before but it should be possible, right?

"'M not a witch," you mumbled and watched your boots. "I'm not bad, I want to be good."

That was true. It was the most honest you'd been with a human or anyone ever and you really wanted Dean to like you. Maybe this was the way to go. With honesty.

"I could've hurt you. I could've killed you both." You glanced up and met Sam's hazel eyes then Dean's green ones. "And I wouldn't need the gun to do it."

It was a bit of a threat, but an honest one. And they both seemed to get the weight of your words when neither one of them looked away. They looked anxious like they didn't want to be caught off guard by your next move.

"I'm on your side as long as you're on mine-" you cut yourself off thinking you heard something.

There it was again. Like a banging in the distance. Did they hear it too? You furrowed your brow when you noticed Dean was speaking.

"What do you-"

"Shh," you cut him off and titled your head towards the noise to hear better.

Dean took a couple steps towards you. A glint in his eye.

"Did you just shush me, little dev-"

"Shhhhhh!" You shushed, pressing your palm over his mouth and listening intently.

Dean raised his eyebrows and you felt a smirk tug at his lips, which he clearly failed to hide and Sam huffed out a laugh at the scene.

"Do you guys hear that?" You asked but didn't remove your hand from Dean's mouth so he just shook his head.

"What is it?" Sam inquired.

Dean rolled his eyes and muttered something muffled. You flattened your hand over his mouth more and he groaned but didn't move away. He looked silently amused. Maybe, even... turned on?

"Claire," you said and the boys' eyes widened.

You walked away from them, towards the back of the house and then outside. Sam followed first, nearly tripping over your heels as you led him towards a shed at the edge of the property. Where the banging got louder to the point where you knew they could hear it too.

Dean came up from behind, all man-on-a-mission like, and pushed you both aside. He tried the door knob and when it didn't budge he proceeded to throw his body against the door. But it was sturdy as hell and he was only human.

You put your hand on his shoulder to stop him. Dean puffed hard and gave you a questioning look.

You punched out the deadbolt and twisted the knob until it gave way and the door slowly pushed open.

You smiled up at him and held out your hand as if to say, after him.

Let him go first. Let him feel useful.

He puffed out his chest and squared his shoulders. Silly, little human... but cute, silly, little human.

Dean took the opportunity and entered first, gun drawn. Sam next. Then you padded in afterwards, seeing Claire tied to a chair that was bolted to the ground.

Her wrists were bloody and raw and her nose looked busted. You scrunched up your face, hating seeing her hurt like that and waited for Dean to first untie her before you made your way over to her. 

Claire ripped the duct tape from her mouth, "About time you showed up," she snapped at you. 

"You were supposed to wait for me." You growled back, already feeling that anger bubble up within again. "Ungrateful, little-"

"Thank you." 

She must've seen the surprise on your face and started laughing. 

"It's way too easy to bust your balls, Y/N, lighten up a little, would you?" She smiled and you saw the blood dripping from her nose and staining her teeth. "I'm starving. Got anything to eat?"

Sisters are a pain in the ass. You didn't care if you were supposed to love her. She was beyond difficult and she knew it. But, you did still love her.

You touched her forehead, fingertips humming and glowing blue for a moment as you healed her. You didn't care if the boys saw, they already knew something was up.

And after everything, you wouldn't be so easily dismissed if they decided you were a threat. Dean was yours -you decided- but you wouldn't force him even if you could make his life a living hell if he didn't want to be a part of yours. You needed him to keep those parts of you quiet and he was damaged, too. He could use you, too. You could help him; help each other. You could try. But would he let you? If not, maybe you could be satisfied with just checking up on him from time to time. 

You hesitated a glance up at Dean, expecting contempt in his eyes. You should probably leave, take the memory of the way he calmed you and use that as an anchor, don't sully it with the look he'd give you now. Or when he found out what you were -who you were. But you couldn't stop your eyes from finding his. And you couldn't decipher the look.

"I need a drink," Dean started, "and a burger." He looked at Claire, "I'm phoning Jody." Then back to you, "And we're gonna talk about this. All of it."

You nodded and waited for them to lead the way back to the Impala. You hung back with Claire.

"Do they know?" Claire whispered over to you.

You shook your head, feeling what could only be described as bubbles in your stomach. You decided it must be butterflies. You never had them before now.

What was Dean doing to you?

The more he looked at you the more you felt the way humans were supposed to feel. But you didn't think you were changing at all, not on a molecular level, anyways.

"Are you gonna tell them?" She asked.

You shrugged, you didn't want to talk about it, you didn't want to think about it. Claire didn't seem to understand and continued. As sisters do.

"Do you want me to talk to him? Maybe Castiel could-"

"No." You answered flatly.

Your mess, your problem. You didn't want your father cleaning things up for you again. Although, this time things were different, cleaner. You could keep it that way. You wouldn't hurt them and you wouldn't force them.

You wouldn't use your powers against them at all; you promised yourself.

"Cass?" Dean overheard and turned around to walk backwards. "You know Cass?"

Fucking Claire.

Don't lie. Don't lie. Don't lie... -Okay, little lie. Tiny little white lie. Teeny-weeny. 

"No-"

"-Yes." Claire answered at the same time as you.

Fucking sisters, you scowled to yourself.

"A little," you corrected yourself.

That wasn't a lie, was it?

"Mmm," Dean sighed and pointed. "No more lying, little devil."

"Oh, for the love of-" Claire exhaled way harder than necessary. She had less patience than you. You would've thought she was half demon. "He's her father!"

"Claire!" You growled.

Don't kill her. Don't kill her. Do not kill her!

You glared.

Inhale. Exhale.

Dean stopped dead in his tracks, you didn't notice until you ran face first into his chest.

"Ouch," you grumbled and rubbed out the pain from your nose.

You were all powerful, sure, but you still felt pain. And your eyes watered.

"Your Cass' kid?" Dean grabbed your shoulders and really looked at you. "How?"

You didn't look much like your father. You had Y/H/C hair and raven eyes. If it weren't for the whites around your eyes you could pass as a demon even when you didn't lose control. That was the main reason everyone was always scared of you. You looked -you laughed at yourself- like a little devil.

You could act like an angel a hundred percent of the time and as soon as they found out you were part demon and nephalem, not nephilim, they'd only see that and scatter.

Bite the bullet. Come clean. But if Dean didn't like you as a witch then-

"Remember Cass had that demon girlfriend?" Claire continued, as always, not minding her own damn business.

"Meg?" Sam asked, he'd stopped too.

The fucking car was right there. Thirty feet away! So close, yet might as well be an ocean away.

"So, you're a nephalem?" Sam asked again.

Did this guy live in a monster library?! Seriously, didn't he know someone with such great hair shouldn't be a total nerd, too. Like give the less L'oreal-inclined a chance, for crying out loud.

You didn't know what to say. You couldn't deny it and you refused to defend yourself to measly humans who'd probably still judge you by your eyes despite anything you said.

So, you nodded. And you realized Dean was still clutching your shoulders, a little tighter now that you noticed.

"Cass and Meg?" Dean said aloud like he was trying to process the information but his brain wouldn't let him.

You didn't dare move a muscle, not because you were scared but because you were scared of scaring them off. So, you just kept your eyes on his green orbs. Willing him to feel anything other than contempt for the demon blood inside you. 

How did puppy dog eyes go again? Castiel taught you it in case you ever came across the Winchester brothers. He said it would come in handy as opposed to using your powers. Not everything had to be taken by force. Not everything had to be a feat of strength. 'Sometimes honey works better than vinegar', he told you.

You ran down the checklist in your mind: (1) tilt your head down, (2) soften eyebrows, (3) look through your lashes, and (4) open your eyes just a fraction more -but not too much or you look surprised, not adorable. We want adorable. Oh! And (5) -this one was optional- pout your lips. This step was always a fail for you, though... you disregarded it and followed through with the rest.

Sam was soulless once and Dean still loved him. You had a soul, you thought, would he see it in your raven eyes?

Claire broke the silence, slicing through the thick air with her loud voice, "She has a temper sometimes, but she's never hurt anyone that didn't deserve it. Can you guys say the same about yourselves?" What was she doing? You knew they couldn't, that's one reason your father wanted you to stay away. "Because I can't."

"So you're part angel, part...?" Dean asked, his hand sliding over your cheek to brush at the skin under your eye.

Puppy dog look was working! That never happened before! You were giddy inside but kept the look, letting him explore the depths of your eyes, letting him see everything.

"Part demon."

"No human?"

"Not enough to count."

There was a fraction of you that was human. The equivalent to a 0.0001 percent on an ancestry test.

When you were a child you wanted to be human, you refused to use your powers even and asked your parents if you could go to school with the other kids. But you grew faster than them so you weren't allowed.

That's partially why it's taken so long to learn your powers, why you stayed with your parents until now and you still struggled with keeping control; because you kept them caged up for so long, like a wild animal and now they raged against you with any strong emotion. Pain, pleasure, fear, anger, anything in excess was a trigger.

"So, 'little devil', huh? You must've had fun with that one." Dean chuckled and you placed your hand over his still cupping your cheek.

His skin was warm on yours but, funny thing was, you never felt cold until you felt him.

"You have no idea." You smiled sweetly.

Again, not the daughter of the devil but demon was close enough. Lucifer was kind of your grandfather by creation, or your uncle? Both? You didn’t know, those things were hard to keep track of and you weren’t on speaking terms anyways. 

"Do you eat?" Dean asked.

You shrugged, "Sometimes."

"But you don't have to, do you?"

"No." You admitted and looked away. "I do love anything with cheese, though. Cheese is the greatest thing your kind ever invented... food wise."

"Really? Not chocolate?" Claire gaped.

"Umm," you thought about it, "it's a close second."

Dean laughed with a warm smile, "Let's get you something cheesy, then."

You beamed.

You honestly didn't expect Dean to react this way. You thought it probably had a lot to do with Castiel being your father. They seemed close, in the past. Or you were getting played, big time.

Let him try something if that's what he was up to. He couldn't hurt you and chances were if he could, he wouldn't know how tonight. They'd have to research since even you didn't know your weaknesses, there wasn't much lore on the matter. 

You wanted to trust Dean and it was kind of fun to play human while you were around them so you tagged along to the restaurant. 

Claire frowned and pouted as she ate her pasta forcefully. You thought she bit her fork once but kept going. There was sauce all over her chin. 

Dean had called Jody on the ride to the diner and Jody chewed her out over not waiting for backup. She deserved it, but it was a little harsh.

Claire saved a couple of kids from that shed before she got nabbed. It wasn't just that she let her guard down. She did good.

You didn't tell her that, though. It would only enable her and if anything happened to her you knew your father would be upset. She was a small human, not incapable but there was an advantage to being either powerful, like you, or big and strong like Dean and Sam.

"Earth to Y/N." Dean waved a hand in front of your face.

You didn't realize you'd been staring at his forearms, the sleeves of his flannel rolled up just enough for you to see his muscles move as he ate his cheeseburger. Sam had a salad, what the hell? Didn't a moose need more fuel?

"How's your poutine?"

"Pure cheesy goodness." You sighed and picked out another fry, twirling the melted cheese onto the end of it and sticking it between your lips.

You hummed at the taste. When Dean asked if you'd ever tried poutine and you said 'No', he completely flipped out and demanded you order it. There were no regrets but your mind was wandering with him sitting right in front of you. There was nowhere else to look and he was a masterpiece. 

Sam had his perks, too, his shoulders were massive and you never noticed things like that on humans before but you think you liked that. Big shoulders. Dean had them, too. Must run in the family. 

You sucked the gravy from your fingers and let out a slow breath with a little sigh. It sounded like a light moan.

"Y/N," Claire hissed and elbowed you and you saw her blush. "Can't you be normal? One time?"

You pouted -not really sure what the big deal was, it wasn't that loud- and picked up another fry. It's been a while since you ate anything, since you didn't really need to eat anything and it tasted really good.

You held up the fry, sticking out your tongue and sucking the melted cheese thread from the end of it into your mouth. You circled the tip of your tongue, collecting the thread until the fry met your lips and Claire jabbed you in the side again. 

You glared at her, muttered a 'What?!' and rolled your eyes. 

"Enjoying yourself?" Dean asked, his gaze heavy and his food left abandoned on his plate as he watched you.

"Mhm. Want some?" You offered innocently and sucked the gravy from your thumb.

"No. I'm having fun watching you, little devil. Keep going." He said and wet his bottom lip.

What did he just say?! You blushed. Hard.

You absolutely loved the butterflies he made come to life in your chest and stomach. Yeah, you were keeping him.

"Here. Just use this," Claire shoved the unused fork next to your plate at you. "And stop moaning, for fuck's sake."

"Sorry," you grabbed the fork and stuck it into a couple of fries. "Happy now?" You asked sarcastically, demonstrating the use of a fork by shovelling it into your mouth like Claire had done with her pasta.

You pouted to yourself, it tasted better with your fingers. That was weird, though, right? Next time you'd get it to go and eat alone in your motel room the way you wanted. 

You'd given up on being normal a long time ago. Weird was your forte. You were Castiel's daughter, after all, and Castiel was the king of weird. He made it cool. 

Your father brought you up to love yourself and Claire was just being Claire. Sometimes you got along and other times, you didn't. You thought having the boys here kind of put her on edge, too. Like she wanted them to approve of her and by extension, you. 

You had an inkling Dean approved of your eating methods, though. Maybe not Sam, even if he was all shades of red right now, and avoiding all eye contact, and he kept shifting in his seat like he was uncomfortable. It was funny. 

_____

Dean refused to stay at the motel near the dive you met him at -the closest motel in town- and instead drove for two hours to the next one. Which didn't look a whole lot better. It could only have, like, maybe half a star more than the last place. 

You had a room all to yourself, as did Claire and the boys shared a room with the two queen beds. In the morning they were set to drive Claire back home to Jody and the others. They wanted to make sure she actually got there and didn't run off again to do something stupid, as usual.

You didn't think it would matter, she would do whatever she wanted as soon as she got the chance. So, why delay the inevitable? As long as she called when she got in a jam and kept someone up to date on where and what she was hunting, you let her do her thing.

Even if the worst were to happen, you could always bring her back. You successfully resurrected a bird last summer. Castiel tried to explain balancing the universe or something but you didn't understand letting things suffer if you could give them a second chance. 

Like the bird who was minding his own business, pecking for worms in the grass in the rain when this plump house-cat came along and snatched him up. That bird probably had a nest to feed and that cat was just bored. You gave him a second chance. How could that be a bad thing?

That being said, you weren't about to take any strolls through the cemetery to awaken the dead. Even you had your limits. But you'd break the rules for the select few you truly cared about.

You sat on the edge of the bed in your motel room, flipping aimlessly through the five channels on TV. It was late, you were bored and you didn't sleep. You should've told Dean not to bother with a room for you but you didn't want to leave them just yet and he didn't ask.

Three quick knocks came at your door and you checked the digital clock on the bedside table.

Three-O-two A.M.

You shut off the TV -not wanting to watch the weather channel anymore, it was boring and repetitive, but you liked the tune they played in the background over and over- and walked towards the door. You undid the locks and opened the door.

You understood why people in horror movies were usually scared if something like this happened, but when you're nearly invincible, nothing like that really scares you anymore. Other things scared you, though, like if Dean left without you in the morning.

Sure, you could easily find him anywhere he went, but if he didn't want you around... that would be scary. Because, you really liked him and you drew the line at actually forcing yourself on him, even in a friendship.

But there he was, standing in your doorway and looking like he'd just woken up.

"Hey," he rasped, "Can I come in?"

"'Course," you stepped aside and shut the door behind him. "Something the matter?"

"Uh," he brushed his bedhead back in an attempt to comb it and glanced around the room. His green eyes settling on your still-made-up bed. "You don't sleep?"

It was more of a statement but you answered anyway.

"Do angels or demons sleep?" You shrugged and he acknowledged with a nod. "Dean? Are you okay? You look frazzled."

He laughed at your term and hung his shoulders as if you saw right through him and he knew he couldn't hide it with you. He sighed and sat on the edge of your bed, head in his hands.

"I had a nightmare." He swallowed like he was waiting for you to laugh, but you didn't. "It's always the same fucking thing." He continued and you stayed silent, crawling into a spot next to him on the bed. He didn't look at you and exhaled again. "I'm back in that house and it's burning, but I can't find Sammy and my dad's... just -gone. I feel the heat on my skin and in my lungs and I can't breathe… and then, I wake up, and I still can't breathe.” He looked up, finally meeting your eyes. "I don't know why or how, but... I can take a breath around you." He lifted his shoulders and turned towards you. "I had to make sure you were still here."

"I am," you nodded and smiled softly, "Is that a good thing?"

He huffed out a laugh, "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yeah, I'm your inhaler."

"Damn, sweetheart, you really do take after Cass, don't you?" Dean smirked.

You were aware of how clueless your father was with pop culture references, it was something you were working on with him. You supposed you took after him a little, you always liked when people pointed out your similarities, even with your mother, too. Not all stuff demon was bad.

"Like father, like daughter." You shrugged. 

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

When Dean wasn't paying attention -lost in your raven eyes- you hit him in the face with one of your pillows. His face blanched and you giggled and spun away from him. His arms wrapping around your waist before you could hop off the bed.

"Naughty, little devil." He growled in your ear.

You barely hit him! And squirmed against his hold, I'll bet, not hard. You were pretending to be human again. It was nice for a change letting someone else be all powerful. Especially someone like Dean who felt powerless. You could see it in his eyes when he was talking about his nightmare. 

Your back pressed to his chest and you felt his heart beat fast against yours. You liked being in his arms, you never felt so calm with your blood moving as fast as it did. Usually when your heart beat fast it was because you were angry. Demon blood -almost literally- boiling. 

This feeling was so far from that. Your whole body buzzed like it was electrified and tingles curled your toes. Then Dean's palm found the hem of your shirt and snaked up underneath it, laying flat on the skin of your stomach.

Dean groaned and shifted behind you, his bowed legs wrapping around your hips and his arms pulling you with him as he leaned back against the headboard. He breathed hard into your hair and kissed your ear. 

"If Cass knew what I was thinking about his little girl right now..."

"I feel it, too." 

You threaded your fingers through his as he clutched you to him. Dean's grip easing a little as you melted into him. You turned your head to meet him with a slow, soft kiss and then he dropped his forehead to yours. 

You breathed heavy and added, "But stop mentioning my father."

Dean barked out a laugh and turned rosy, "Last time. Promise." And he kissed you again. 

"This is kind of crazy." You panted between kisses, neither of you pushing for more just yet.

"Mmm," Dean agreed, continuing to attack your lips until they felt swollen against his. "Do you wanna stop?"

"Never." You giggled. "Don't stop. Please."

You turned and straddled his lap. Dean brushed the hair from your face as he stared into your eyes. Frozen and lost in their endless depths.

"Your eyes are incredible," he breathed and you shied away. "Don't look away. Look at me."

You exhaled nervously and chewed your lip as you pressed your forehead to his and met his gaze again.

Nobody ever looked at you like that.

His hands on your back roamed up and down, squeezing anything he could get a grip on. His fingertips indenting your skin under your shirt when he held you and shifted his hips down the bed, just enough so you sat in his lap like a puzzle piece, as he leaned his mouth into yours and captured yours lips.

"It feels like you were made for me." Dean groaned and his hands fell to your ass. "We just fit so perfectly together."

He pushed your hips down and his bulge pressed between your legs making you moan softly in his ear. You were both still very clothed but it felt nice to finally fit with someone. Like you knew where you belonged all along.

"I need you." You breathed into his ear, sucking his lobe between your teeth and nibbling. You felt him catch his breath and kissed down his neck. "It feels right with you. Don't leave me, ever."

You knew you were coming on strong but he had to already know what he was getting into. Cass' daughter and a nephalem, stronger than any other being on earth including Chuck. He had to know you weren't some one night thing. He certainly looked at you like you weren't.

"I don't plan to." Dean vowed, tugging the hem of your shirt up.

You let him strip it off of you and he went for your bra next. Covering yourself when he threw the wire beast to the floor. He met your eyes lovingly.

"Don't hide from me, little devil." He murmured and pulled your arms away from your chest. "You're the most beautiful creature I've ever laid my eyes on."

"You really know how to make a girl melt, don't you?" You laughed and hugged him, pressing his cheek to your chest. "Your turn."

You leaned back from him and tugged his shirt over his head. Trailing your fingertips over his anti-possession tattoo while he watched you with lust blown green eyes.

Dean threw you onto your back and climbed over you, ravaging your neck as heat throbbed between your legs. You moaned and felt him pull at your leggings. He tugged them down to your knees and you heard the zipper of his jeans follow.

You pushed the rest of your clothes off with your heels and Dean rid himself of his, then plastered his body back to yours. Feeling every inch of his skin pressed against yours.

He settled between your legs and his green eyes met your raven ones. A smile quirked his lips and he kissed down your chest as he hooked your knee with his arm, spreading you open.

His lips teased your nipple and you whimpered and threaded your fingers through his hair. Tugging when he teased the sensitive flesh with his teeth.

Dean grunted and kissed his way back to your lips. Trailing his moist breath over your skin and sending shivers through your body, down to your toes.

Fuck, he felt good. 

Your body was humming when he nudged between your legs, lining himself up and thrusting inside of you in a single push. You cried out and held his shoulders, feeling him breath deep and his muscles move slowly as he rocked into the apex of your thighs.

Pleasure quickly filled your veins and you latched your ankles around his lower back, keeping him pressed to you. Your breasts flattened against his chest and his thrusts grew faster and stronger as you tried to keep up, moving your hips in time to meet him.

Your hips bumped into his and you felt his tummy tighten against yours as he grew more desperate for you. His hand gripped your ass as he pressed himself more into you and your fingers tangled into his hair at the sensation, pulling the short strands and making him groan.

Fuck, he felt great!

Inside of you, on top of you. You felt grounded like you belonged exactly where you were. Like this was always meant to happen. Like you couldn't contain whatever was building between you. Like you were about to burst in the most unimaginably delightful way.

He grunted in your ear and the heat between your legs blossomed, your eyes rolling behind your lids as you shut your eyes and rode out your orgasm. Holding onto him for dear life.

He was a god among men.

Dean groaned louder, feeling you clench around him as he continued to push into you again and again. Pumping a few more times as he chased his own end and he started to come. He breathed heavy and loud in your ear, burying himself inside you with one final thrust and holding your hip with his hand as you felt warmth spill inside of you.

You didn't know if you could actually get pregnant by being with a human, your body was still flesh and bone to a certain extent, but at the moment you didn't care.

Dean fell onto you, pressing you into the mattress and you held him, tracing circles along his shoulders with your nails and kissing his cheek. He sighed, hot breath in your hair and on your neck and his lips found yours again. Kissing you deep and needy until the urge for air burned your lungs.

"Y/N..." Dean started and puffed against your lips, still trying to catch his breath. "I..."

"What?"

"It's never been that good."

But he shook his head and kissed you again. His kisses soft and pliant, easing as his heart fell back into a steady rhythm.

You did it again about a half hour later. And showered together as the sun rose, barely getting any sleep. Or Dean barely got any sleep. You were sure today would be one of the lucky days that Sam actually got to drive the Impala and you planned to spend the car ride holding Dean as he slept in the backseat. 

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

After dropping Claire off with Jody -whom you got to meet and genuinely liked- you tagged along with the boys to a few other cases along their route back to Lebanon. More than one of those cases taking you way out of the way.

The detour was scenic and pleasant and you weren't in a rush for the road trip to end. You weren't entirely sure it ever ended for them. And you wanted to stick around for a while, find your sea legs and stand on your own, but with them by your side. With him.

The infatuation didn't end in that motel room and neither did the sex. But it was getting harder and harder to find time alone and you were ready for some time with just Dean, a bed and maybe some cheese -not in bed but maybe between romps in it.

The Impala -or Baby, as Dean called her- rolled into Lebanon late in the afternoon and up to a red brick building that looked like a warehouse. This must've been the bunker that your father often talked about. And when the car took the road around the back towards the secret entrance to the underground garage, there he was standing guard outside, just waiting.

Your father. He looked angry -his facial expression never actually changed, but you knew his cues after the years- and he held your eyes through the window of the Impala. Shit.

Castiel stood outside waiting for who knows how long. Trench coat blowing open in the breeze and his tie loosened a bit more than usual.

You might've sent him to voicemail more than a couple of times over the past weeks -after Dean insisted you get a phone to keep in touch- and when you listened to the messages, he wasn't all that thrilled about you hanging around with the boys, especially Dean. And especially since he knew how Dean was with women. You liked to think you were different together, though, it wasn't like you had much luck with serious relationships in the past either. So, you would figure it out together.

It wasn't your father's business but it was clear in his eyes when you stepped out of the car to meet him that he wasn't getting that.

"Cass-" Dean greeted as he climbed out of the car with you, a giant smile plastered on his face as he approached his friend.

Cass glared at him and touched his forehead. Dean instantly fell to the ground unconscious before you had a chance to catch him. Luckily it wasn't pavement so it wasn't a hard landing.

"Was that really necessary?" You snapped at your father.

Sam rushed to park the car and jumped out to check on Dean.

"Cass, what the hell?!" Sam growled, kneeling next to his brother and Cass touched his forehead next.

Sam fell over awkwardly on top of Dean and you thought maybe you should push him off but then your father spoke to you again.

"It's time for you to come home. You had your fun, Y/N." He said and stuck his hands into the pockets of his trench coat.

"I don't want to." You glowered. "You're pissed, I get it, but why are you taking it out on them?"

"Dean can't love you," Cass explained and his blue eyes flicked down to Dean's unconscious face, half hidden under Sam's arm. "He won't ever choose you over his family... over Sam. Me and your mother will choose you every time. Come home."

"I don't need him to choose me over his family, I want to be a part of their unit, I want to grow with them-"

"You can't grow with them, Y/N, you'll watch them grow old until the day they die. You could watch a million generations fly by before you even age a second."

"I don't care! I want him while I can have him! As long as he'll have me." You screamed and your chin trembled so you clenched your jaw tight.

"You'll care in ten years when he gets injured easier, twenty when he starts looking more like your father than your boyfriend-"

"Stop."

"And in thirty years, he'll probably be dead, hunters don't last long, Y/N, especially human ones." Your father vented almost like he wasn't just trying to convince you.

Cass and Dean were close, he wouldn't just let him die. He wouldn't just continue on without him. Dean would impact your father on a deep emotional level before his time came, he already did, you saw it as much as he tried to ignore it. Or not think about it.

"Please. Stop." Your voice was quiet now and Dean started to stir underneath Sam's limp body. "If he can't live forever, I want to be human, too."

You looked up at your father with tears in your eyes. You hardly ever cried and Cass steeled his jaw.

"I'll find a way," you promised yourself and wiped away a tear.

Your father's face fell, like he wasn't expecting that response and breathed out a long sigh, "Your mother isn't going to be happy about this." He shook his head and loosened his tie a little more. "But I'll help you, if you're sure. Because I love you."

Your father would do anything for you even if it broke his heart to do it. There were ways to get the best of both worlds, though. You never tried it but if an angel lost their grace, they turned human. You could siphon your grace and store it for the future, then you could grow old with him for as long as it lasted.

The only problem was the part of you that was demon. You didn't know how that would balance out if you lost your grace. But you'd find a way. 

You hugged your father when you saw his heart breaking and assured him that he wasn't losing you. And who knows, maybe you'd find a way to make Sam and Dean live forever instead, and then you wouldn't have to give up anything.

Dean groaned and pushed at Sam's arm, shifting out from under his little brother's heavy body.

"What the fuck, Cass?" He groaned as he checked on Sam and stood up. He saw you hugging and nodded like he understood, "Guess, I may have deserved that." 

"I'll be watching you," Cass said, squinting his steely blue eyes and pointing between them and Dean. A reference to a movie Dean probably made him watch. "She's my baby, Dean, treat her like she's your Baby." 

He nudged his head towards the Impala and you laughed as you skipped back over to Dean and into his arms. You held him tight around his waist and squeezed until you heard him huff in pain and curse.

You loosened your grip but didn't let him go. You have to squeeze adorable things, everyone knew that; Dean was tough, he could take it.

"Fuck. I don't want to be on either of your bad sides." He admitted and kissed your forehead. "You did good, Cass, she's beautiful... and strong as fuck. Shit, little devil, I think you just cracked my ribs."

Cass quirked an eyebrow at the endearment and you laughed at your father's face turning sour. Then Sam groaned from the ground behind you; which was a good thing, because Dean was going to need backup.

_________________________ Dean: @akshi8278 @laycblack @thoughts-and-funnies @mrsjenniferwinchester @crustycheeks @kazsrm67 @sexyvixen7 @lyarr24 @suckitands33  @eliwinchester99 @yvonneeeee @igotmajordaddyissues @djs8891 @leigh70 @globetrotter28

SPN: @hobby27

[eraofkalki]

𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓

Pairings: None

Summary: Little Diavolo (not) very intimidatingly coerces Barbatos into becoming his butler.

Warnings: None.

A/N: This is purely my take on it with the little amount of information we have. It may not be canon compliant in case I missed out on something (I'm not caught up with the story so I'm going off of spoilers) or if the devs reveal the details of it after the release of this fic.

Sometimes small things make a large impact; or at least, that is what they say.

You could wield mastery over the very fabric of time; its unnervingly merciless passage, swift and linear to others, could simply be a complex sea to you--or perhaps, a not very complex bowl of soup. Despite that, there could still be moments, emotions, beings that...elude your understanding.

Having witnessed the ebb and flow of all components of this murky concept of existence that very few were even close to somewhat comprehending, one might expect a demon like Barbatos to be unfazed at best at the sight before him. Yet...sometimes, small things could make a large impact.

The "small thing" there being a little royal demon child, barely five feet tall, holding the heavy key to the room the both of them were locked in with endearing determination, not realising how the key looked comically disproportionate in his tiny hands. His unwaveringly resolute eyes bore into Barbatos's own coolly amused ones like two pools of molten gold. Diavolo, wasn't it? Did he hope to hold him captive?

To stand his ground and ask perhaps the most powerful demon to be bound to him for eternity...

I'm not letting you out of this room until you promise to be my loyal steward. For the rest of your life.

"You are certainly...fierce." Barbatos said it with every ounce of honesty. "Unwordly, but fierce."

It was true, everything about him was; his vivid eyes, his fiery hair, his intense ambitions...what kind of strength could he possess once he grows up? Will his goals be as fierce as him, even then? How would it be if Barbatos stayed to see?

"I--" Diavolo started, attempting to keep his voice sounding steady. "I told you; if you don't do it, I won't let you out."

However domineering he believed he seemed, all Barbatos could see was an adorable, trembling, whiny child. The adult demon pondered for a moment, taking in the flickering flames of the sole fire lamp in the chambers; its orange light illuminating the little boy in front of him, making him even more radiant. Akin to a sun, Barbatos felt, even though it would be one of the strangest thoughts to have about the future ruler of the Devildom, where there is eternal moonlight.

"If I agree, what is there for me to gain?"

"Gain...?" Diavolo turned the question around in his head for a bit, and his amber eyes lit up in triumph, as if suddenly remembering something. "I have something that you'd want. I won't give it to you, though. Not unless you say yes." He slyly smiled at the look of vague confusion on the other demon's face.

"So..." He slowly started pacing around the room as if to build suspense. "Do you know about Mount Infernal?"

"Of course I do." Barbatos responded, not expecting that question. "I told you about it."

"Well, you know about any particular type of...plants there? That might interest you?"

"If you are referring to the Tartarean tea plantation, then yes. Again, I believe I was the one who mentioned it to you?"

"Yes you were." Diavolo flashed yet another smile as if his supposedly genius plan had already succeeded. "What if I told you that I have those very tea leaves with me?"

"...The Tartarean tea leaves?" Barbatos asked, his mind wiped blank of any idea as to how to react. "You're saying that you procured them, by crossing all the six levels of the Infernal forest?"

"I mean, not me, obviously. But I do have them, yes." He elaborated, "I had father request for them, as a reward for passing my Devildom History test. I had to force him alot, so if you don't agree..." When he realised that his façade of tenacity was beginning to crack, he quickly reverted back to his 'extremely intimidating' self. "O-of course you'll agree! If you don't, I won't let you out and you won't be able to ever get your hands on those tea leaves."

"That is a rather enticing proposal," Barbatos admitted.

It was something that Diavolo didn't know, but he had been wondering as to how to get his hands on the very object he was being offered. The fundamental making of a demon was that--to covet, covet, and covet; when the objects of your desire lands in front of you, you shed all reason and reach for it however you can. In such a situation, it was only expected that he would...reach for what it was he desired, however trivial it may be; then, perhaps, not care for the contract it came with.

He could justify whatever he said and did afterwards as his most primal instincts coming into play. But he knew, and only he knew, that maybe a miniscule piece of his heart did not mind fulfilling his end of the deal. Not simply because of what he gained, but because...he wanted to, almost. Maybe Barbatos wished to see this little boy grow into a force to be reckoned with. Maybe he will grow to cause destruction and chaos across Devildom and derive joy from seeing demons in their most primeval state. Or maybe he will spread resplendence and joy. Maybe he will be fair and just.

Maybe he will be none of those things, but Barbatos wished to see.

He kneeled down to meet Diavolo's eyes which held doubt thinly veiled by confidence.

"From this moment..." The fire lamp suddenly seemed to blaze for a fleeting moment, before dangerously flickering as the entire room seemed to go in and out of darkness. The lamps went out.

"Wh-wh--?" Diavolo almost cowered, sensing immense power in the air. A kind he has never felt before. His father's power felt overwhelming, pulsating, and it burned; but this felt...silent. Restrained, but chilling...cold. "What is happening?!"

"I shall be your loyal steward."

The still, olive eyes piercing into Diavolo's seemed to grow a sickly green in the dark. The temperature dropped.

"I will serve you, for as long as you wish. All I am, body and soul, shall be under your command..."

Diavolo inhaled sharply as the lamps came to life again, burning with more vigour than ever before. The formerly absent heat caught up to him, spreading across his body with overwhelming intensity.

"...Young Master."

[livingthedragonlife]

laios my beloved, i gave him a playlist

explanations for why i chose the songs under the cut because i miss 8tracks. BIG HUGE SPOILER WARNING if you haven’t read/finished the manga!!!

Monsters in the Dark by MyKey — The search for Falin, and also it has a very relaxed perspective on the titular monsters.

Into the Unknown by The Lighthouse And The Whaler —

Moving onward, moving onward I will find truth in the road

The Runaway by Tall Heights — I debated whether to include this one, since some parts REALLY fit and others REALLY don't but ultimately the first verse convinced me:

Very old and free is this voice I heard Echoed in the breeze and the buffalo herds All that I learned from the beasts and these birds is it's home to me And that's all right when they sing "Hooyip, hooyip, hoo hoo"

Woke Up New by The Mountain Goats — It's how I imagine Laios feels with Falin gone:

On the morning when I woke up without you for the first time I felt free, and I felt lonely, and I felt scared And I began to talk to myself almost immediately Not being used to being the only person there

The Darkness Has a Voice by Amber Run —

And the darkness has a voice tonight So beautiful but so unkind I'm floating in the boiling ink Terrified of how I think

Brother’s Keeper by Young the Giant — COME ONNNNNN I HAD TOOOO YOU GET IT:

Oh brother; brother's keeper I'll follow will you lead us? Oh sister; mother's daughter I wonder, will you preach? Will I learn to get better?

Monsters Calling Home by Run River North —

They beat their chests to the sounds of their broken hearts Crying wolf under sheep skins reaching out their claws Stomping their feet, never letting up the dust choking up their lungs Told to be a father, growing up into a fatherless

Vagabond by WILD —

Caught in a place that is in between Who I once was and what I wanna be Trying to find what I need that will set me free

So, tell me where do I belong? Tell me where to go from here? So, I can rewrite all my wrongs I know there's a place somewhere So, tell me where do I belong?

Heart And Mind by Winterbourne — I feel like... this is what Laios was thinking when Zon challenged him to come up with a reason why he deserved to clear the dungeon, come up with what he would do as king. And in general, his trying to find his place in the world.

Underdog by Imagine Dragons — I had to have at least one Imagine Dragons song in here, and this is the one that fit the best.

Waiting For The Snow by Of Monsters and Men —

I used to make mountains But then they grew bigger than me And I used to hunger So what can you offer me?

No Burden by Cold Weather Company —

Break me, take my body for Somebody who could use it

'Cause I’ll mislead and confuse it Oh, I’ll dismay and abuse it

And if I wander, I’m no burden But I’m still my own oppressor

Do What You Love by The Moth & The Flame —

With my future on the line Try to ease my parent's minds It's hard to see It's not for me Throw my layers to the ground Remove my mask and look around To see who I am Is not who I am

I Want To Feel Alive by The Lighthouse And The Whaler —

I came to the place that I try to find division Two sides in a storm seek control by contradiction I want to feel alive, I want to feel alive

Waking Up The Giant by Grizfolk — Well he sure helped wake up the giant winged lion demon!! Can't argue with tha!!

Ghosts by Soul Push — This one is so painfully Touden Siblings it hurts my heart

Of Plants & Promises by Book On Tape Worm —

So I'll turn my back on the world That would leave us here for dead And I'll build a new world Where I am the architect And I'll build a new world Of more than plans and promises

Little Lion Man by Mumford & Sons — COME ONN YOU KNOW I HAD TO DO IT

Human by Of Monsters and Men —

Cage me like an animal A crown with gems and gold Eat me like a cannibal Chase the neon throne

Broken Crown by Mumford & Sons —

And oh, my heart was flawed, I knew my weakness So hold my hand, consign me not to darkness

So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down I'll never wear your broken crown I took the road, and I fucked it all away Now in this twilight, how dare you speak of grace?

King And Lionheart by Of Monsters and Men — C'MONNNNN I HAD TO ADD THIS ONE COME ONNNN

100 Foxes by Cinders —

Don’t say you’re falling down again But if you do, I’ll pick you up, my friend

100 foxes on fire couldn’t bring you down One honest mistake or lie wouldn’t take your crown Dead or alive, you know you'd try to do the right thing Dead or alive, you know you'd try

[contentloadingandstuff]

Fluff Headcanons - Spooky gaming with the genshin characters!

A/N: The fluff version of the Halloween special, and a bit of a new format. I hope you enjoy!

C/W: Modern AU, swearing, game-typical violence.

Alhaitham

This year, Alhaitham wanted something less conventional. Something that would really engage his mind with interesting commentary about society and the world at large, but still retain some of that spooky vibe. 

Cruelty Squad easily caught his attention with its assaulting graphics and interesting premise. It clearly begged for attention, and he was willing to humor it. 

It was precisely what he was looking for, and what an answer it was. Alhaitham had no trouble adjusting to a more corporate mindset.

Alhaitham: The super AI emerges from an extremely pornographic ultra hyper suck and fuck…

Kaveh: Um… What? What are you talking about?

Alhaitham: You don't understand, Kaveh. Everything that surrounds us? It's Gorbino's Quest. The Gorbino's Quest... of life.

Ganyu

The poor little cinnamon roll isn't that much of a horror fan. Violence and death generally unsettles her, but Ganyu still wants to feel some of that holiday spirit. 

After a lengthy deliberation, Ganyu chose Little Nightmares. The graphics are quite pleasing to the eye, it is horror, but not so horrible and violent. At least that's what she heard.

Ganyu: Oh, look! It's a Nome, right? And it's offering me food… How nice of it! Um… Oh n-no! Why would you d-do that?!

Amber

The great outdoors with a horror theme? Count her in!

Amber made sure to avoid spoilers to have the full, unprecedented The Forest experience. The landscape is so serene and peaceful… The freedom of movement, the sounds of nature and the survival elements are so fun and relaxing!

True, there are some hostile people on the island, but they seem harmless enough.

Until the night falls…

Amber: Wait… What's that? That doesn't look human… Did it just birth out… Ew… Yikes! It's coming at me! 

Suffice to say, Amber stuck around until more or less the moment when you have to chop up bodies and make effigies out of the parts.

Beidou

Alcohol, hard rock and murdering demons with big guns is how Beidou plays on Halloween, so she'll gladly hop on Doom Eternal.

There's nothing better than impaling a snake demon's head with its own broken arm, right as the beat drops. 

Beidou: Life has enough undefeatable horrors. Let's just have some fun tonight!

Ningguang

The old ones are the good ones! Ningguang doesn't play a lot of video games, but she did like a few titles back in her younger days. 

On this special occasion, Ningguang got a box of her old possessions to dig through, and found the original Dungeon Keeper on CD. 

Everything is just as she remembered it was. 

Ningguang: Oh, these imps… They are the perfect workers, aren't they? They don't eat, sleep, need vacation, have a social life, and they work harder when you slap them. Ah, if only I had them as my subordinates…

Keqing: *narrows eyes*

Kokomi

Another fan of the retro side of games, Kokomi enjoys a good tactical challenge - developing the ability to conjure small scale plans is as important as improving the grand ones.

Her pick is Myth II: Soulblighter. It’s a brutal, unforgiving RTS with a distinctively dark atmosphere - just perfect for the season at hand.

Even when Halloween comes to a close, Kokomi will find it hard to drop the game. The insanity that is Legendary is quite addictive indeed…

Kokomi: You here… You here… And now the crescendo!

Game: “Move here move there…”

Game: “Catch!”

Game: *explosion*

Game: “Casualty.”

Kokomi: Oh. Change of plans, I guess…

Yae Miko

Upon hearing of the wonderful possibilities for tormenting the other party, Miko didn't hesitate to bring out the Mora for Dead By Daylight and all of its DLC. 

Though it was quite fun at first, the ugly nature of the game soon surfaced. As none of her friends were brave enough to delve into this swamp, she was forced to join up with random people, who frequently threw the games. 

Such a combination was enough to make even such an ancient and wise kitsune lose her absolute cool.

Ei: Why are you crouching behind that tree, Miko?

Miko: The killer has caught one of my teammates, and I will release them by ambushing them with a flashlight! 

Miko: Come on… Now! You didn't expect that, did y- What?? Lightborn?! Again?! Who even plays it nowadays?! Oh, you daft, blind motherf-

Ei: Miko!

Miko: Oh… Hm. Sorry. I got a little carried away. But that's sooo unfair, isn't it? Why would they add a perk that cancels a whole mechanic? I can't believeitthegameissokillersided…

Xiangling

Xiangling absolutely didn't look forward to Halloween, especially with Hu Tao around. She just can't take horror, at all, of any kind, ever. Especially jumpscares.

She still couldn't believe that she agreed to play a horror game, let alone one suggested by the director. The one and only Five Nights At Freddy's at that.

Much to Hu Tao's amusement, she didn't even make it past Night 1. Xiangling was thoroughly spooked, and after being jumpscared once she completely refused to keep playing. 

Seeing Xiangling so terrified made Guoba very upset, and Hu Tao quickly apologized to avoid being roasted by the angry god. 

Hu Tao: So he killed the kids, but then! Their souls escaped their robot prisons and made an old spring lock suit crush him to death! WoOoo~

Xiangling: Ah! Hu Tao! No more! 

Guoba: Nane na! Grr…

Hu Tao: Oh, don't fret little Guoba! I'm just joking!

Zhongli

Morax always had trouble catching up with the latest cultural and technological trends of the humans. Sure, he can use a computer more than well enough, but he finds third and first person video games confusing. The gameplay is most often too fast and rapidly changing for him to be up to speed with it, let alone enjoy it. 

Throughout all of his exponentially long life, nobody was as persistent in including him in the festivities as Hu Tao. She tried to convince Zhongli to play something horror-related, but he was assertive. So, the director decided to find a game that would suit his liking - an indie title. 

Her pick fell on Water Womb World - it's simple mechanically, is quite disturbing and has an interesting concept. 

Much to her surprise, Zhongli thoroughly enjoyed his fifteen minutes with the game, even if he didn't find it very scary.

Zhongli: Ah, I agree with the message of this title. The blind belief in deities can lead to fanaticism, which breeds regress rather than progress. I do think that a more healthy and critical approach to Rex Lapis' rule would be beneficial to our current day society. Especially that the age of gods draws to an end…

Hu Tao: Aiya! Do you have to turn everything into a lecture, Zhongli? You're not my grandpa, are you?

Hu Tao

An avid enjoyer of the spookfest, Hu Tao decided to pick something hitting closer to home this year - Mortuary Assistant.

The gameplay loop feels great! Just like in her line of work, just without the smell. She's having the time of her life preparing the corpse for burial. And hunting the demon. That's also quite cool!

Hu Tao: *hums while wheeling the corpse into the crematory* 

Game: "Are you sure?"

Hu Tao: Yup! I know your tricks more than well. Aiyaya, you could try something more interesting next round! Furnace time~

Game: *sounds of fire and demonic screaming*

Hu Tao: Toodle-oo~

Bennet, Noelle, Fischl, Razor

A few weeks before Halloween, Bennett mentioned a game night, since he couldn't be there in person. Noelle, diligent as ever, picked this up as a cue to start looking for something. 

Luckily for her, Phasmophobia was on a large and affordable discount, so after proposing the idea and organizing a money pool, they all got to proving the existence of ghosts.

Lisa lent Razor her personal computer for the night, on condition that she could take a little peek every now and then at their session without interrupting - and what an amusement it was, as none of them are especially acquainted with horror.

Noelle: "The ghost responds only to people who are alone." Somebody has to go in to talk to it… 

Razor: Razor won't go! Ghost scary!

Bennett: I would go, but with my luck, the ghost will eat me right away…

Fischl: Hmph! Although yes, I, Fischl, The Prinzessin Der Verurteilung and the founder of The Immernatchreich possess the courage to face demons and spawns of darkness alike, I…

Everyone: So you'll go then?

Amy: Um… N-no! You m-misunderstood!

Furina

The Great-And-Grand Archon of Fontaine played and saw every horror game and movie, and never once got scared. Or that's what she claims, at least.

That's why Focalors decided to prove her excellence with a true, dark challenge she could easily overcome, thus proving her gaming capabilities for all to see!

In hindsight, Darkest Dungeon wasn't the best of choices she could have made… It did amuse Monsieur Neuvilette, however. 

Neuvillette: I think you should retreat. Your heroes are close to dying. 

Furina: I appreciate your advice, my dear Iudex, but your worries are misplaced! My Crusader will deal a critical hit, thus ending the pig-man's miserable opposition, and granting us treasure galore! Watch and marvel at my skill!

Game: "A singular strike!"

Furina: Ahaha, see? I told you it would be fine~ Wait… It's not dead yet…?

Game: "Mortality - clarified in a single strike!"

Furina: Um…

Game: "There can be no hope in this hell, no hope at all…"

Game: "And now the true test - hold fast, or expire."

Game: "Those who cover injury find it in no short supply."

Game: "As life ebbs, terrible vistas of emptiness reveal themselves."

Furina: Ret- T-tactical withdrawal! 

Game: "Cornered, trapped, forced to fight on!"

Game: "This is no place for the weak, or the foolhardy."

Game: "More blood soaks the soil, feeding the evil therein."

Game: "Perched at the very precipice of oblivion."

Game: "More dust, more ashes, more disappointment."

Game: "Another life wasted in the pursuit of glory and gold."

Game: "Wounds to be tended. Lessons to be learned."

Neuvillette: Lady Furina, if only you had-

Furina: Silence.

Shenhe

Shenhe never gets scared. The most terrible of monsters or existential terrors are no match for her training and resolve, no matter how unexpected they might be. She might not get scared, but she can get startled, right?

Who else would pose that question but Hu Tao, the mistress of horrors herself? It was always her objective to get some sort of reaction out of the adepti disciple, no matter how insignificant and small it might be. Many things were attempted - scary movies, troubling situations, body horror, cosmic horror, existential horror… But none of them ever worked. Shenhe remained stalwart.

Out of desperation, Hu Tao was forced to reach for the ultimate weapon. The bane of those unprepared. The myth. The legend. The game.

The Scary Maze Game. 

After plugging in an old spare monitor, she invited Shenhe to “test her precision”, and stepped a few safe meters back. 

The monitor ended up skewered with her polearm, but Shenhe did yelp - much to her delight. 

Not all was fun and games though, as Hu Tao got the mother of all lectures from Cloud Retainer. Something about Shenhe’s red ropes breaking, but the director didn’t pay much attention, and just nodded along.

Hu Tao: Heya, Shenhe… You don’t mind the little scare I gave you back on Halloween night, do you…?

Shenhe: Oh? Well, as much as I was upset during the moment, I must admit it was quite… cathartic. I never experienced anything like that. I do not hold any grudge towards you. Actually… Thank you for that, director Hu Tao.

Hu Tao: Phew! And I was here thinking I’ll share the fate of that display!

🎃Happy Halloween!🎃

[demon-road-musings]

I'd be really interested in reading a summery of the last book if you could <:

Hi! Here is my chapter by chapter summary of the book! Sorry it took so long, and that it is so long, I just really wanted to do a detailed one, also for my own reference.

I will post a couple paragraph long one later for people who don't wanna read all that garbage and just wanna get the gist of the main plot points lol, but I really wanted a version that covers all the sideplots as well, so this version is more for people who wanted to read the book but cant for whatever reason. Feel free to send in asks if you want any extracts of specific scenes, or if you want something explained more in depth. Spoilers, obviously!!!

Chapter 1 - 3. We meet Amber in a department store, on a mission to collect an offering for the Shining Demon from a man named Paul Axton (as she is now the Shining Demon's representative, following the last book). Axton has dozens of creatures called Bogles as pets, and they tie Amber up and lay eggs on her (leading to the quote in my blog's title). Axton refuses to give his offering. Amber escapes, leads the Bogles to the alcohol section and gets them drunk as they cant resist alcohol, then goes to find Milo, who is tied to a display table.

Chapter 4. Amber brings Axton to Astaroth (the Shining Demon) and asks Astaroth when she will be able to pursue her parents, as Astaroth wants her to hunt them down for him, but he keeps giving her other jobs before she can get close. Astaroth tells her to be patient. She raises her concerns about hallucinations she's been experiencing since consuming the vials of Astaroth's blood that she received from him in Book 2. She drinks the vials for strength and has 2 remaining. Astaroth tells her the blood will drive her crazy, but that it does not bother him as long as she is useful to him. Amber leaves Hell.

Chapter 5. Amber joins Milo in the Charger, he asks her about the conversation with Astaroth and Amber lies and says that Astaroth said the vials are safe. They discuss plans to hunt down Amber's parents and backstab Astaroth. Amber snaps at Milo because she thinks he's lecturing her about being Astaroth's representative and reminds him that she wouldn't be a representative if Milo hadn't gotten himself kidnapped by the Hound in Desolation. Milo asks if Amber regrets saving him, if she thinks he deserves to be in Hell, and Amber softens and tells him no.

They book into a motel, and while they are in the lobby, a young girl comes in and steals Amber's bag.

Chapter 6. Amber chases after the girl and reclaims her bag. The girl's name is Clarissa and she's homeless. She has a very bold, lighthearted personality and manages to somehow convince Amber to buy her a meal. Amber and Clarissa eat together and Clarissa opens up about how she ran away from abusive step parents. While Clarissa is in the bathroom, Amber hallucinates her demon self telling her that Glen's death is her fault. They finish their meal and Clarissa is about to leave when Amber offers to pay for her to have a room for the night.

Chapter 7. In her room, Amber sees vampire Glen on the roof of the motel. She goes onto the roof and tries to reason with him and get him to stop following her, but he doesn't respond to her and eventually steps off the roof and disappears. Amber goes onto her In The Dark Places forum and finds that her friend, Balthazar's Arm Candy, is not online, so she sleeps. She has a nightmare about her dead brother, James, trying to save his girlfriend Molly from Amber's parents. She then dreams about a funeral home named after a man called 'Stromquist' before waking in the motel room. She gets up and searches the room, feeling paranoid, and finds that the mirror is a two way mirror. She throws an ashtray and smashes the mirror to reveal a passageway behind, and then discovers large blood stains on her mattress

Chapter 8. Amber goes through the passageway, finding it connects to every motel room. She finds herself looking into Clarissa's room, and sees Clarissa is awake on her bed. She manages to open the two way mirror and go inside, and explains the situation to Clarissa. She smashes Clarissa's mirror to reveal the passageway and the motel manager is standing in the passageway watching them. He runs off and Clarissa and Amber follow, but Amber gets her leg caught in a bear trap that is laid out in the passageway and is in agony. She hallucinates her demon self telling her that she is going to die. Then, while Clarissa isn't looking, Amber shifts and wrenches the bear trap apart. Her and Clarissa continue and encounter the manager again, this time armed with a chainsaw. Amber punches the manager, he loses control of the chainsaw and slits his own throat with it.

Chapter 9. Amber meets Milo in the diner for breakfast. Clarissa left the motel earlier that morning. Amber tells Milo about the previous night and about her new friendship with Clarissa and they start driving towards Amber's parents. They stop at a restaurant and Amber has a cheesecake slice to celebrate her 17th birthday. Amber falls asleep while driving and dreams about a vampire undertaker. James tells her that he grew claws yesterday, and Amber's demon self tells her that Astaroth's blood is causing her to dream about memories of James from 1914.

Chapter 10. After a few days, they are very close to Amber's parents when Amber gets a gut feeling that she needs to turn around and collect an offering. She tries to resist and begins to feel intense pain.

They go to collect the offering, which happens to be from Elias Mauk, Milo's pre-amnesia friend. Amber uses Elias' own hammers to break his knees and nose as revenge for breaking her fingers and collects his offering. 

Chapter 11. While back on track to catch up to Amber's parents, they stop to get some lunch from a convenience store. Amber hears two FBI agents, Sutton and Byrd, asking the store owner if he has seen a man and a young girl driving a 1970 Dodge Charger and leaves the store quickly. Milo theorises it is due to the dead people they tend to leave in their wake. 

Chapter 12. In the Charger, Amber hallucinates her demon self, who questions why she hasn't confided in Milo about her recent hallucinations. Milo comments on the Peterbilt truck behind them that is tailgating the Charger. The truck turns on its headlights to reveal red beams, just like the Charger's, indicating the truck belongs to a Demoriel demon. The truck rams the Charger and it spins into the fields next to the road. Milo waits to check the truck is gone and returns to the road, concluding that the Hound bringing him to Hell in Desolation allowed Demoriel to access Milo's location again. 

They continue towards Amber's parents, going off of Amber's gut instincts from Astaroth, and eventually arrive at Stromquist's funeral home. They try to enter, but a blood barrier has been put on the door, meaning only Amber can enter. She goes in and meets Stromquist, the undertaker vampire, who informs her that the blood barrier was not to get her alone, but to get Milo alone. She runs outside to find Bill, Betty and Milo pointing guns into each other's backs.

Chapter 13. Amber's parents offer her the chance to work together to defeat Astaroth and get her out of her representative contract, allowing the three of them to be family again. Amber laughs. Milo suddenly shoots Betty and Bill lunges at him. Milo knees him in the face and is shot twice by Betty. Then, dozens of people begin emerging from the trees, firing arrows. Bill and Betty take off. Both Amber and Milo are shot by arrows and they split up and run into the forest to escape the hunters. It turns out Amber's parents have partnered with a cannibal family that live in the forest, and were relying on them to kill Amber if she refused their offer.

Chapter 14 + 15. Amber is caught and tied up by the cannibal family, the Gundersons. The mother explains to her that they intend to use her to replenish their gene pool. One of the Gundersons drinks a vial of Astaroth's blood that Amber dropped and dies. The mother is overcome by grief and attacks Amber, who breaks free and kills her and another son. Amber runs to the Charger, where Milo soon joins her, being chased by the final son. He is about to shoot them with his arrows, when the FBI agents suddenly arrive on the scene and shoot him. As they continue to fight with him, Amber and Milo take off in the Charger.

Chapter 16. Amber has a dream about James and his girlfriend, Molly, running from Bill and Betty. He is caught and eaten. She wakes in a hotel and meets Milo outside by the Charger. He discusses the best course of action with her, and she gets annoyed with him for suggesting that she shouldn't completely shut down the offer to team up with her parents. They talk about what would happen to their friendship if they manage to backstab Astaroth and her parents, and Milo suggests that they might be able to live normal lives and be 'friends' rather than 'a team', which makes Amber extremely happy. They drive all day and Amber collects an offering in the evening.

Chapter 17. Amber suggests to Milo that they stop at the In the Dark Places convention in Montana, as her parents are going by there. Milo suspects it might be a trap, or that it will waste time, and is extremely reluctant but agrees. Amber gets Milo to stop the Charger so that she can pee in a field. She's walking back to the Charger, listening to a tractor get closer, when a pair of red headlights open up behind her – the Peterbilt. Amber runs through the corn until the Charger up in front of her and she scrambles in. Milo turns off the engine, the Charger hidden by the corn, until the Peterbilt drives away, and then follows after it. They drive behind the Peterbilt, a while back, and Amber watches in horror as the demon driver stops the truck to let a hitchhiker on: Clarissa.

Chapter 18. They stop at a motel. Amber hallucinates her demon self blaming her for Clarissa being in danger. The next day, Amber and Milo begin to close in on Amber's parents and Amber realises they are in the In The Dark Places (ITDP) convention building. Milo and Amber split up to search different areas of the con. 

In the convention, Amber bumps into Warrick, who tells them that Kelly, Ronnie, Linda, Two and him are at the convention to investigate reports of a ghost of a ITDP fan called Brewer, who is killing off fanfic writers that have written fics supporting a ship that she doesn't like. She travels through the internet and possesses people, and they are worried that Brewer is going to attack the author of ITDP next. Ronnie and Linda join Warrick and greet Amber, and Linda announces to Warrick that she is leaving their group to lead a more relaxed life. Ronnie tells Amber that Austin and Officer Lucy Thornton from Desolation Hill are doing well.

Chapter 19 - 21. Amber leaves the group and goes to find her parents. She bumps into Kelly, who greets her somewhat coldly, and they discuss Brewer. Kelly thinks Brewer can possess someone if they touch someone who is already possessed. Kelly insults Amber, calling her the 'Devil's lapdog' and they go to the ITDP author's dressing room to stand guard. Amber sneaks into the dressing room as Kelly distracts the guard. She talks with the ITDP author and tells her that she may be in danger. The author becomes extremely agitated and misinterprets this as a threat. Kelly enters the dressing room and, now possessed by Brewer, attacks the author with a pair of scissors. Amber holds her back and the author runs. Brewer starts rambling angrily and gets onto the topic of body image. She mentions how she was fat when she was alive, and shames Kelly for being so thin, and Amber tries to reason with her, relating to her by discussing her own body image problems. Brewer confides in Amber the importance of the ITDP characters to her, how they helped her through loneliness. Then she lets Kelly's body go and goes to the afterlife.

Chapter 22+23. Amber compliments their teamwork and Kelly yet again criticises Amber for being a representative. Amber explains to her again what little choice she had in the decision and her intentions to backstab Astaroth, and Kelly goes silent and then apologises and goes to get the others. Amber logs on to the ITDP forum and Balthazar's Arm Candy tells her that he is at the convention and to come to Corridor 12A.

Amber excitedly goes to Corridor 12A, only to find Betty standing over the corpses of Warrick, Ronnie, Linda and Two the dog.

 Betty reveals that she has been Balthazar's Arm Candy all along, and explains she killed Kelly's friends to show Amber the stakes. She tells Amber that they have kidnapped Kelly, and that they will give her back if she delivers Astaroth to them so they can eat him and gain his powers. Amber has 6 days.

Chapter 24. Amber and Milo are in the Charger. Milo tells Amber that she is not at fault for the deaths. Amber questions if Milo should even help her to kidnap Astaroth or if he should just run, as everyone close to her seems to die or be put in danger. Milo dismisses her concerns. Milo calls Buxton, who advises them to go and see Abigail at the Dark Stair, and get her to set them up with custom chains that could restrain Astaroth. Milo starts driving and Amber has a nightmare about her dead sister, Carolyn, who tells her that Kelly will be dead soon. Molly bursts in and drags Carolyn away to escape Bill and Betty, leaving Amber alone in her dream.

Chapter 25-28. They stop at a motel. Amber is in her room, shifted into her demon form. Milo raises the possibility that Amber is using her demon form to allow her to suppress her emotions about the day, Amber gets extremely defensive, basically calls him a smartass, and storms out of the room without reverting. She goes to a nightclub pretending to be in fancy dress, beats up a couple of guys, and is arrested while still in demon form. 

She breaks out of her cell, knocks a cop out, and is about to leave when one of the prisoners yells at her, calling her a bitch. She almost murders him and then the cop, all while hallucinating her human self watching her. Then, just as she is about to kill the cop, she decides against it and just leaves. She returns to the motel, reverting to human, and apologises to Milo, who tells her to not let her emotions consume her, but to use them as learning tools. Amber decides she wants to abstain from shifting for a while.

Chapter 29-33. The next day, Abigail says she will be able to get the chains to them if they go to a town and defeat a serial killer ghost clown that has been terrorising the townspeople for years. They agree, and go to the town, with Milo mentioning to Amber that he has always had a phobia of clowns. They witness the ghost, Buddy, murder a kid, and eventually manage to trace the reason for his preoccupation with the town to an old lady in a comatose state that they find in the walls of one of the houses. Milo theorizes Abigail is using the old lady to sustain her life force, and that the old lady is attracting Buddy to the town. As they are still in the house, Buddy arrives and attacks them. Milo and Amber are struggling to fend him off, and are quickly losing the fight, when vampire Glen appears and takes on Buddy, saving them. They take the old lady with them back to the Dark Stair.

 Chapter 34. Abigail admits she never even tried to uphold her end of the deal, so does not have the chains. Amber threatens to kill the old lady, which would kill Abigail in the process, and Abigail becomes agitated, but tells Amber there is no way to make the chains within their 6-day time limit. They give up and begin to leave. Abigail, bitter about the power Amber now has over her, tells her that Glen is burning in hell, as all vampires go to hell.

In the Charger, Milo suggests just stealing Kelly back rather than bothering with Astaroth’s kidnapping. Amber, preoccupied by Abigail’s mention of Glen, asks Milo if there is a way to get Glen back from Hell. They discuss the possible existence of Heaven and God. Amber thinks again about all the people she has hurt, specifically Clarissa.

In a motel, Amber prepares to go to Hell. She shares her worries about shifting with Milo, and he reassures her that her demon self is still her.

Chapter 35 + 36. Amber goes to the Blood Dimmed King’s palace, getting directions from BigMouth (Fool’s assistant, previously Edgar Spurrier). In the Blood Dimmed King’s palace, she meets a priest who leads her to the Damned souls. She finds Glen’s soul and leads him out of the palace. On her way out, she sees Kirsty, Grant and Imelda’s souls in a cell. Kirsty begs to be freed and Imelda tells Amber she is proud of her, and does not want to be freed because she wants to pay for her sins. 

Chapter 37. Amber and Glen are captured by creatures of Hell and brought to Astaroth. Astaroth is extremely angry at her disrespect to the Blood Dimmed King, and is about to order Amber and Glen to be put in Hell, when Amber blurts out her parents' plan. Astaroth is very amused and tells Amber that he and her will play along, with Amber delivering him to Betty in chains, and then he will break free of the normal chains and kill Bill and Betty. Amber brings Glen’s soul back with her, and when she arrives in the motel room again, he has vanished. Milo thinks Glen’s soul will have gone to heaven.

Chapter 38-40. In the Charger, Amber and Milo discuss the plan, and how to kill both Astaroth and her parents. Milo notes that if Amber goes along with Astaroth’s plan, she will still be a representative by the end. An unknown number requests to FaceTime Milo’s phone, and it is Bill and Betty. They show Amber Kelly, alive, and Amber hangs up when Bill asks for an update on Astaroth.

Amber has a nightmare about Carolyn being eaten. She wakes in a motel room and goes to a Subway to cure her insomnia. Clarissa walks in and Amber takes her to her motel room hurriedly. Clarissa seems disoriented, in a trance-like state, and is muttering about the Peterbilt truck. Amber questions her repeatedly, and she mumbles something about still being in the truck before stabbing Amber, saying that this is the only way for her to get out. They fight, and Clarissa confirms that the trucker is primarily after Milo. 

Amber knocks her out and goes to Milo’s room to find he has been taken. She jumps into the Charger and finds the Peterbilt, following it to a field. The trucker summons Demoriel, the Demon that Milo cheated, and Amber tries to reason with Demoriel (Milo is knocked out). The trucker attacks Amber, and Glen descends from the sky and kills him, delivering a very edgy speech about his vampiric powers. Ambers tells Demoriel that if he lets Milo go and releases Milo from his demonic contract then Amber will backstab Astaroth, who Demoriel hates. Demoriel agrees, and removes Milo from his contract, taking away Milo’s debt to him, but also his powers and connection to the Charger. 

Chapter 41. Amber takes unconscious Milo back to the motel. Clarissa has vanished and Glen is very excited to be back on Earth, saying he can’t remember much about his afterlife. He vows to only drink blood from bad people, and tells Amber he’d like to stick around and help them, as much as he can being nocturnal.

Amber finds Milo awake in his room and explains to him that his contract has ended. Milo doesn’t talk for a while, but then tells Amber that she has given him his life back, as he doesn’t have to run anymore and can finally grow old. Then, he tells Amber that he has a plan to backstab both Astaroth and the Lamonts.

Chapter 42-43. They make their way back to Orlando, to Amber’s house. Amber hallucinates her demon self while in a gas station bathroom, who mocks her and asks if she thinks she’s going to go insane once she drinks Astaroth’s last vial of blood. Coming out of the gas station, Amber runs into Byrd and Sutton, the FBI agents, again. They talk to her, telling her they’re part of a foundation set up by James’ girlfriend, Molly, to stop monsters like Amber’s parents, and want to help her. Sutton reveals that James is his great grandfather, making them related. Amber tells them she has a plan, and they leave. Milo and Amber go to get Astaroth and then continue the drive to Amber’s house.

Chapter 45. Astaroth is in the Charger’s trunk, chained up. Night falls and Glen climbs into the car. Him and Milo briefly greet each other for the first time and Glen rambles about the weather in Ireland before abruptly bringing up Milo’s loss of powers, noting the irony of Milo now being the only powerless one, while Glen was originally the normal one – Milo does not appreciate this. Glen asks if he will have to use his ‘vampire powers’ on Amber’s parents and Milo tells him to shut up. 

They arrive at Amber’s house to find another blood barrier on the door, allowing only Amber to go in, with Astaroth. Amber reflects on her childhood in this house, and Betty’s lack of maternal actions towards her. 

Chapter 46. Amber finds Bill, Betty and Kelly in the living room. They ask how she captured Astaroth, and she tells them that he agreed to be chained up, thinking the chains were normal chains and intending to trick Bill and Betty. Betty finds this very amusing, but Amber reminds her that she could be lying. Betty dismisses it, and they release Kelly to Amber. Bill and Betty descend on Astaroth and eat him, and Amber goes outside to find Stromquist stopping them from leaving. Amber beats him up and is just about to kill them when Bill and Betty come out of the house, strengthened by Astaroth’s blood, and kill him for her. Amber’s parents demand Amber take over Hell with them. Amber begs them to leave her alone, but they have her travel to the Shining Demon’s palace with them. 

Betty is in the middle of planning out her throne as Duchess of Hell when Astaroth comes storming into the palace. It is revealed that Bill and Betty actually ate Naberius, Astaroth’s estranged brother, not Astaroth. Bill attacks him and, to the surprise of Amber, Astaroth and even Bill, manages to severely injure him. Astaroth reaches up and rips Bill’s head off. Betty is grief-stricken. Then, the priest that helped Amber save Glen enters, revealing himself to be the Blood Dimmed King. Astaroth bows to him. The King sees Astaroth’s injuries and kills him, then tells Amber to leave Hell. Amber does, and Kelly runs into her arms.

Chapter 50 + 51. Just as Amber begins to think everything is over, Betty bursts from a circle of flames and attacks her, screaming. She screams at Amber about how ungrateful she is and smashes Amber into the wall, chasing her up to her childhood bedroom. She breaks Amber’s ribs and jaw and takes her by the horns in an attempt to twist her head off. Instead, one of Amber’s horns break off. Betty is about to kill her when Sutton steps into the room, having passed through the blood barrier due to being Amber’s relative, and empties his gun into Betty. Betty falls but then staggers towards him to kill him. Amber lunges at Betty and drives her severed horn into Betty’s neck, killing her.

Chapter 52. Amber holds Betty’s body and cries. Then, she leaves the house, and Kelly rushes to comfort her. Milo tells her that he never had any doubt that she could do it. Byrd walks up to them with Sutton and they begin to talk about their foundation. Byrd explains that she joined the foundation because her mother and brother were murdered when she was young and she has been searching for the killer since. Then, she shoots Milo in the chest 3 times. Amber drops to her knees beside Milo screaming, and starts frantically telling him that he’s going to be okay, that they’ll get him into the Charger to heal. Glen reminds her that Milo’s contract has ended. Byrd rambles about how Milo ran her family off the road and Amber leans closer to Milo and tells him that he is a good man, and that he has changed. She then sharply orders him to stand up. Glen tells Amber that Milo is dead, but Amber insists on getting him to the Charger. They put him in there and Amber sits outside and cries. In the morning, they open the Charger and Amber begins to sob again. 

Chapter 53. One year later. Amber and Kelly are now travelling America together with the Charger and the help of Glen, tracking down killers.

[jessamine-rose]

✿ Sweeter than Honey ✿

I am still not sane after reading Barbatos’s new UR. Honey’s Sweet Allure was rlly good so I wrote a spicier continuation. Enjoy this sweet treat of our favorite butler (๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑)

Devilgram spoilers ahead!! Story context:: Barbatos wants to promote common varieties of honey in the Devildom. His plan is to make several honey desserts then share the pics and recipes on Devilgram with help from Mc.

♡ 0.7k words under the cut ♡

“...and that is the final dessert.”

In Barbatos’s Devilgram post, the honey yogurt parfait couldn’t look more delectable. The video shows the demon butler mixing plain yogurt with richly-colored honey. A spritz of lemon juice causes the color to fade from bold amber to pale yellow. The finished dish is a glass cup filled with colorful layers of honey yogurt, berries, and granola.

You glance at the real dessert on the kitchen countertop. The parfait is half-eaten, too scrumptious for only one bite. Asmodeus will be thrilled with the leftovers, judging by his comments.

“Once again, thank you for your assistance.” Barbatos puts down his DDD and turns to face you. His poised smile is tinged with satisfaction. “Thanks to our efforts, the Devildom will gain a better appreciation for our ordinary varieties of honey.”

“No problem!” you reply. “Thank you again for letting me taste-test your sweets. Everything was absolutely delicious!”

“I am pleased to hear that. To that end, I would like to ask an important question: Which dessert was your favorite?”

“Hmm, that’s a difficult question. And a subjective one at that. Why are you asking me?”

There is a faint twinkle in his viridian eyes. “I’d like to know your personal favorite so that I may recreate it for you in the future.”

“Aw, thank you.” Looking away, you reexamine the assorted desserts on the countertop.

The roll cake. In addition to a light honey cream filling, the cake features an intricate pattern of honeycomb and flowers.

The patterned hard candy. It doesn’t have the magic trick of the candy sticks you shared at the park, but the swirly design is far prettier.

The honey shortcake with extra honey. After the initial excitement of having a cake all to yourself, you settled for two slices to make room for the other desserts.

Your gaze returns to Barbatos. He is sampling the souffle pancakes drizzled with floral honey. A spot of honey glistens on the back of his bare hand.

You blush, recalling your previous accident. Barbatos had been so unfazed as he wiped the honey splatters off your hand and commented on your flustered reaction.

“Oh? You seem to be blushing,” he observed, a knowing smile on his face. “Were you hoping for something else, perhaps? How adorable.”

“You!”

“I beg your pardon?” Barbatos puts down his fork, eyes widening by just a fraction.

You flash him a bright smile. “My favorite dessert is you, of course! Don’t you get it, honey?”

A short pause. “Are you referring to the use of ‘honey’ as a term of endearment?”

“Exactly!”

What a cheesy line. Nonetheless, your smile doesn’t waver.

There is a drop of honey on his lips. Barbatos must’ve missed it when he heard your sorry excuse for a pickup line. The sophisticated butler is totally oblivious to that imperfection.

Was your poor flirting attempt that effective? This day keeps getting better and better!

The corners of his mouth tilt upward. “You certainly have a unique way of picking favorites. However, it would be rather inappropriate of me to promote myself to the Devildom masses.”

“In that case, does that mean only I can indulge in you?”

His only response is an enigmatic smile. You help yourself to another slice of honey shortcake, savoring the heavenly sweetness

Barbatos taps the corner of his lips. “There is some honey on your lips, ______.”

“Oh, really?” you ask innocently. “Could you please clean it up for me, then?”

He picks up a napkin. “Certainly.”

You shake your head. “No, not with that. With your lips!”

“Oh? That method sounds rather ineffective and improper,” he shoots back.

Now he is just teasing you. Already, Barbatos is caressing your cheek and looking at you with half-lidded eyes. His tongue darts out to slowly lick the honey off his own lips. An immodest, purposeful gesture.

“As you wish. Be careful what you wish for with an attitude like that.”

♡

I enjoyed all of the Devilgram stories for the Beware the Bees?! URs but Barbatos rlly takes the cake for leaving me wanting more. How dare he make me crave honey and romance....

A big thank you to @diodellet for peer-reviewing this and witnessing my brainrot. I hope I was able to satisfy everyone's cravings for Barbatos (っ˘ڡ˘ς)

Tag a Barbatos enjoyer!! @haru-kichi @whoretaglia @paradisoperdita @luyo-mi

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Rudra headcanons with Tanjiro!fem!reader

warnings: anime/manga spoilers, ooc, violence

Here it is guys, my collaboration work @deathmetalunicorn1.  Definitely go check out their blog, they are an incredible writer and deserve lots of love! @praisethesuuun I really hope you will like this piece as I know how much you adore this big guy :) With that being said, sit back, relax, and enjoy! :)

You rested your hand against a tree, panting softly as you wiped a small bead of sweat from your brow, having been hiking in these mountains for almost two hours, the blue-hazy skies darkening to nighttime. If it weren’t for the full moon tonight, traveling through here would be a lot more difficult. Thankfully Nezuko was sleeping soundly in her box that was strapped on your back, not stirring by your uneven steps as you resumed the ascension to a high peak in the Hindu pantheon.

Although you had done your best to persuade the Hashira and Lord Ubuyashiki in the trial that Nezuko would not attack humans, Lord Hades was not convinced. He will, however, grant you an opportunity to prove yourself as an unofficial member of the Demon Slayer Corps. This is the mission you and Nezuko were currently undertaking: investigate reported sightings of demons, and if able, eradicate them. They were supposedly hiding within this very mountain range, targeting the gods in the Hindu pantheon to test their strength and devour their opponent’s divine flesh. 

Hades left the decision up in the air if you think you could handle the demon, which did make you feel a little hopeful. He was starting to trust you a bit more after you completed your last few missions. That’s good, right? It had to be. If that wasn’t the case, you’d still be at the Butterfly Mansion, anxiously waiting for your next assignment. 

You reached a clearing near some rocks when a cacophony of sounds reached your ears; the sound of bones breaking, blows being landed, and yelling. Your eyes widened in horror before quickening your pace, breaking into a sprint as the noise got louder in the northwest direction. You zigzagged through the juniper trees, narrowly dodging the branches, never slowing down till you saw a four-armed, tattooed deity exchanging fists with a drooling, pale demon. The other two were sneaking in the shadows, ready to pounce for a sneak attack. 

If it wasn’t the sight of a god trying to take on three demons did not shock you, it was the sight that they, and you, were standing in a field of bright red spider lilies. Blue ones bloomed right in the center, where the fighting was taking place. Some of the petals were missing, other flowers were uprooted entirely, meaning  that these demons must have eaten the blue spider lilies to gain an energy boost and an immunity to the sunlight. 

They had to be destroyed, now. 

You quickly drew your sword. “Get down!!” Inhaling sharply through your teeth and catapulting into the air, the tip of the flaming nichirin blade slicing through the surrounding trees, the invisible threat, and finally, decapitating the lurking demons. You landed in front of the deity, who looked quite shocked at seeing someone rescuing him. 

Perhaps gods aren’t used to being helped when they’ve done all the helping. 

The third demon snarled as his amber orbs glared darkly at you. “Do not interfere, Demon Slayer!”

You shifted your feet, ready to attack when suddenly the weight on your back shifted, causing you to jostle more to the right as you felt Nezuko’s foot slam the box open…just to see your adorable little sister leap out and attack a fourth demon that you hadn’t seen nor sensed. They must be getting smarter at concealing their scent! 

While Nezuko handled that one, you dealt with the other demon, attacking it first with the Hinogami Kagura. You could trust Nezuko to fight against a demon…she’s proven to you time and time again that she isn’t weak; she’s strong, stronger than anyone you’ve ever known. Because of that strength, that will, she didn’t give into the hunger nor succumb to Muzan’s control. 

Once both demons were dispatched, your tense shoulders relaxed as you carefully sheathed the black blade back into its scabbard. You swiveled your gaze to the deity, seeing that he was siting against one of the trees and clutching his side.  Unknotting the dark purple pouch from your belt on the left side, you raced over to him and began pulling out gauze, medicinal oils, and a few other things Shinobu gave to you before leaving the Butterfly Mansion for this mission. 

“Are you all right? Are you in any pain? Do you feel dizzy, nauseous? Did any of the demons scratch you?” You fired question after question as your hands opened the jar of oil for bruising and pain relief,  praying that he had not been poisoned. He didn’t seem to be showing any symptoms, but should you have Nezuko use her Blood Demon Art to purify the toxins that might still be in his system?

He was silent for a moment before he quickly answered. “No, they just tried to overwhelm me with a barrage of punches, though one of them did get close to scratching me. No dizziness, don’t feel sick either. Would…something happen if they did scratch me?”

You nodded, carefully spreading the peppermint-scented oil into his skin, muttering an apology as he flinched. “You would have been poisoned, and there would be purple spots all over your skin by now, followed by difficulty breathing and heart beating rapidly,” You looked up at him and smiled. “I’m so glad I made it in time before things got worse!”

Nezuko hummed in agreement, extending a clawed hand and giving him a pat on the head. The deity blinked before he gave you a grin. “Thank you, both of you. I had no idea those…demons would be all the way up here. One moment I was training, then the next, I was going toe-to-toe with them!”

“Did any of them eat those blue flowers over there?” You asked.

“Uh, yeah. Two, maybe all four? Sorry, everything happened so fast-”

“No need to apologize!” You quickly reassured him. “I just need to document what happened here and send it back with my lord’s crow to headquarters. Would you mind giving a statement?”

“No, of course not. Whatever you need.” 

You beamed. “Thank you!” Now that the oil was rubbed thoroughly into his skin, you made quick work with wrapping the gauze around his stomach and the bruised areas. Once it was secure but not too tight, Hades’ majestic and very large crow landed by your feet, cawing. Around its neck was a scroll. 

 Pulling out an ink stone and brush from a compartment on the top part inside Nezuko’s box, you poured some of the water from your leather canteen (another gift from Shinobu, she’s so thoughtful! And it’s from a foreign country too!) into the ink stone. 

Carefully rubbing the ink stick up and down, a small puddle of obsidian ink appeared in the center of the stone. Grabbing the pen and carefully removing the scroll from the crow’s neck, you wrote in great detail what had happened here, including Rudra’s account of the events and the discovery of the blue spider lilies. Lord Hades valued reports that were detailed but not too long or unrelated to the mission. 

At least your calligraphy was getting better!

Once you were satisfied with the report, you placed the rolled up scroll back around the crow’s neck and watched it flight, disappearing into the night skies. Turning your attention to Rudra, you almost laughed at seeing Nezuko sitting in his lap, curiously playing with his hands. 

“I don’t want to be rude, but why would a bunch of flowers like these…blue spider lilies, be so important to demons? As I recalled, they gain their strength by eating human flesh.”

You nodded, collecting the medical supplies and putting them back in the pouch. “And you’re absolutely correct, Lord Rudra. Human flesh does increase their abilities, including physical strength. But when a blue spider lily is consumed by a demon, it grants them the ability to withstand the sunlight. They’re…nocturnal? That’s what Aoi and Kanao told me.” You thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes, that’s it. They’re active at night, but if they can’t find shade once the sun comes up…they’re as good as dead. They burn up, catch on fire.” 

Rudra released a low whistle. “No wonder they were pissed when they saw me near them. They must’ve thought I’d try to take them or something. So…you’re a Demon Slayer. I’ve heard about you guys…but does this sort of thing…happen all of the time?” He asked, gesturing his hands to the area around the three of you. 

Smiling sheepishly, you scratched the back of your head. 

“Not always. Most of my missions are reconnaissance and information gathering, like this one should have been, but there’s no predictable pattern when it  comes to a demon’s behavior. Still, at least I know for certain that the blue spider lily does exist…whether it will make Nezuko a human again or speed up her demonic transformation is another question.” You frowned sadly, looking down at the blue flower in your hand. “I’m beginning to think it’s more of the latter, unfortunately. Those demons were definitely stronger than ones I’ve encountered so far, and I think it’s because of this plant. Shinobu might know more when I show her some samples. I’ll collect some more to bring back. I hate to ask, but may you make sure she stays with you and not go near me as I collect them, just in case?”

Rudra nodded. He didn’t see much of a problem with entertaining the little one while you did your task. She was adorable, and seemed to love swinging off his biceps. You quickly plucked several of them, carefully storing them in a pouch and tied it to your hip, securing the string near your sword. Nezuko took a little persuasion to get inside her box, pouting as she did not want to stop playing with Rudra yet. 

Now that the mission was completed and the report received by Lord Hades, it was time to rest at a village before making the journey back to the headquarters. Rudra immediately offered to escort the two of you to the nearest one; he knew this mountain range like the back of his hands, so it would be much faster to find shelter before it grew dark. You beamed at him, profusely thanking him as you adjusted the box’s straps on your shoulders. 

The three of you walked through the rocky, uneven terrain, carefully steadying your feet and minding your balance when it got too steep. Rudra helped you along the way, his hands gentle on your exhausted body as the adrenaline finished pumping through your blood after the fight. The three of you eventually took shelter in a cave. You insisted that the two of you switch shifts in case an animal or another demon came by. This way you could keep patching up his wounds with the herbs you brought with you, at Shinobu’s insistence. Rudra tried to resist, saying as a god he’ll heal by dawn, but you had yet to see a deity recover from a demon’s attack. 

For tonight, at least let you take care of him. That was when Rudra gave in but you did not know why his face was slightly red. It didn’t feel hot in the cave at all. You shrugged it off and changed the bandages, pressing the herbs into the mouth of the wound before settling in a corner of the cave with Nezuko’s box by your side. Rudra offered to take the first watch. You gladly complied with his insistence to sleep first. 

Thankfully, not a single creature came to the cave even between the four hour shifts between you and Rudra. By dawn, you roasted some wild berries and fish that Rudra found, and resumed the journey.  Five days later, just when the sun had gone down, you had reached the foot of the mountain where the village was located. Hopefully, there would be a gate that you could pass through instead of taking an airship. 

The supreme gods were the only ones allowed to pass through the fractured Bifrost gate while the other pantheon deities would use the normal gates that can teleport them wherever they needed to go. Mortal souls, however, had to use mechanical airships. 

Demon Slayers were allowed to pass through the gates that the other gods used with an authorized Wisteria Pass. The Hashira and their successors would use the Iridescent Pass when traveling between Valhalla and Helheim to patrol the Bifrost. In your case, however, you were given a temporary Butterfly Pass since you were an ‘unofficial’ member of the organization. You’d get the Wisteria Pass once you proved to Lord Hades that Nezuko would never harm a human. 

Mechanical airships wouldn’t have bothered you so much if it weren’t for the steep price or how the scent of the smoke and oily gears made you nauseous. It was better to take your chances with the Butterfly Pass and travel on foot. 

You were a bit sad to part ways with Rudra, as he had been nothing but kind to you and Nezuko. He had healed properly as he said he would, so he wouldn’t run into any more trouble with demons any time soon. But your work is finished here. Time to go somewhere new. 

You bowed to the god, and Nezuko gave him a big hug before rushing towards the gate. He smiled, waving good-bye and watching as the two of you disappeared behind the gate in a swirl of blue light. 

What you didn’t realize is that Rudra felt the same. He didn’t want you to leave as he wanted to get to know you a bit more, though he understood that everything you were doing was for Nezuko. You wanted your little sister to become human again, and if working for the Demon Slayer Corps could provide any information on a cure, you’d take it in a heartbeat. Shaking his head, Rudra departed the village. Since he was in the area, might as well visit Shiva. It had been a while since the two of them had talked. 

But that bastard was laughing his ass off by the time he finished his story about what happened in the mountains. Rudra frowned, crossing his arms as he sat across from his old friend. “Really?”

“Uh, yeah! Not only were ya saved by a mortal woman workin’ under Hades from some demons, ya even got a little crush on her? C’mon, it’s almost cute!” Shiva exclaimed, leaning back against his large pillow. His wives, all three of them, giggled in agreement with knowing eyes as they sat around the god of creation and destruction. 

“And you’re not even bothered by the fact these flowers that can increase a demon’s strength is growing here -“

“Rudra, if it were really a problem as ya make it out to be, I would have handled it a while ago with or without Hades’ consent.” Shiva interrupted. “ ‘Sides, you and your Demon Slayer know where they are, right?  That organization will do its job. All I can do is watch, then I’ll intervene if things get too dicey or Hades doesn’t do his job.”

…Dammit, Shiva got him there. Shaking his head, Rudra chatted with everyone for a little longer before he turned in for the night. Shiva insisted since he’d been long overdue for a visit that included alcohol and a good brawl with the other gods. 

The more things changed, the more things stayed the same. By morning, the tempest god was wandering again yet his thoughts kept straying to the image of a swordswoman and her little sister, vanquishing demons and saving lives wherever they went. 

For their sake, he hoped that Nezuko would become a human again. 

Several months later, Rudra was traveling through the jurisdiction under Indra’s protection when he stepped into a derelict village. Wooden buildings possessed large, gaping holes in them or laid on the ground, their foundations utterly destroyed. Men, women, and children wept over small stone mounds as others were scurrying out of the village with their belongings strapped to their backs. He was shocked. He’s known some belligerent deities in the Svarga, but none were stupid enough to launch an attack like this ever since Shiva ascended as pantheon leader! 

Who was responsible? What happened here?

In between helping the grateful villagers with moving some of the larger structures and cheering up the children, he asked around. All he got was the same story:

“Believe me, if Lord Indra were here, none of this would have happened. But because he had been in a battle recently, he is still recovering at the temple. It had been like any other evening, quiet and uneventful when an old man with a large lump on top of his head came here, seeking to know the location of a ‘blue spider lily’. He was crying…and shaking too, as if he didn’t even want to be here!” A woman snapped, her blue orbs narrowed and face bright red with tear streaks. “We said we didn’t know anything about it, and then all of a sudden his body morphed…no, he split up his body into four, five individuals! Each of them were powerful, sadistic, and showed no mercy when we told him the truth about that flower!”

“Yeah, he couldn’t have been a god, and not a mortal like us!” The little boy by her side exclaimed, clutching a wooden toy sword in his hand. “But when the winged one with yellow eyes tried to use another attack from his mouth, he got kicked by a girl with a muzzle in her mouth! She was super strong, and my age too! There were two others with her, pretty ladies! One with dark red hair, and the other had braids, her hair was pink and green. Pink and green!” He emphasized. “Oh, and a rude guy too!” 

Rudra’s eyes instantly widened. He knew exactly who the mother and son were talking about, and his heart began to pound against his rib cage. “What happened to them?”

Another older woman spoke up, her gaze low and gravelly voice wavering. “The young lass with dark red hair and the boy did their best to protect us, trying to evacuate us before things got worse. They fought against those monsters, all of them…yet even though they defeated them…they did not leave the battle unscathed. The lass and the little girl were taken by the young maiden with green and pink hair and the boy to a place called the Butterfly Mansion. Last I heard, their condition was not good.” 

Rudra thanked them profusely for the information and took off, promising to inform the other gods what happened and to send help as soon as possible. 

Shiva was understandably furious about the whole situation, and yes, he had been made aware of it before Rudra stepped foot in the Little Palace. He’d already spoken to Lord Hades of the Greek Pantheon; suppliers, builders, and the Demon Slayer’s kakushi were en route to provide relief and support to the village. 

He was going to tease the shit out of Rudra when his friend asked him about the Butterfly Mansion but wisely kept his mouth shut under Paravati’s infamous, withering ‘look’. The one that clearly says don’t even think about being snarky with him, this is not the time nor the place. So being the good husband and friend that he is, Shiva complied and told Rudra everything he needed to know.

Durga might the feisty one, but Paravati was not one to piss off if he wanted to get laid tonight. 

As per the namesake, the Butterfly Mansion was a modest Japanese estate affiliated with the Demon Slayer Corps as a recovery base for the soldiers. Its master, Lady Kocho, was both a beautiful and intimidating human woman even in Rudra’s perspective. 

Dark purple hair pulled back and held together with a butterfly-shaped barrette, a butterfly-winged haori draped over the standard Demon Slayer uniform. She smiled politely, welcoming him to the estate as they walked down the hallway to the medical wing. If it weren’t for her eyes being closed or her back facing him, the deity was pretty sure that his hostess would rather throw him out than allow any guests to visit critically injured patients. 

But Lord Ubuyashiki, whom Rudra presumed is Lady Kocho’s superior, granted him permission so long as he did not bother the child. 

Nezuko was the one who greeted him first as soon as Lady Kocho slid the door open, leaping into his arms with a big smile. Rudra was quick to catch the little one, his lower arms gently holding her while his upper left hand patted the top of her head. Nezuko seemed all right…but what about [First Name]? 

Rudra felt someone staring at him, and saw that it was Lady Kocho. She seemed…very surprised that Nezuko greeted him so warmly, before her smile softened. 

“You may stay here until as long as you like, but please do not touch [First Name]. I don’t want any of her wounds opening up again.” The threat in her voice was subtle, and Rudra understood very clearly what would happen if he didn’t obey her. He thanked her again, stepping inside the medical wing with Nezuko. Lady Kocho closed the door behind them with a soft ‘chink’. 

The tattooed deity froze upon seeing you tucked under the sheets of the third cot on the right side, fast sleep. Your long dark red hair was splayed out against the pillow, your right leg in a cast and your right arm was hooked up to an IV. Bandages covered your jaw, left hand, and forehead. 

You looked like shit, but you were alive.

His heart like it had shattered into tiny fragments and reassembled all at once, stomach doing acrobats and his hands trembling even as Nezuko led him to one side of the bed. She then climbed into his lap, being careful not to jostle the mattress too much.

Seeing you in a fragile state cruelly reminded Rudra that you were not invincible, despite the power you possessed. You were a mortal, and he was a god. Injuries that would take a mere week to heal was a three to five month period for you. How could he have been so foolish to think otherwise? He should’ve been here, protecting you and Nezuko. 

But that was then…this is now. There is nothing he could do except make sure Nezuko did not get into too much mischief and no one disturbed your rest. He had been planning on leaving again once he was sure you were all right…but it wouldn’t be so bad to stay here until you woke up, would it?

He had something he wanted to ask you. Something very important. But he was a patient man; if he could put up with Shiva’s chaotic antics for thousands of years, he could wait until his precious Demon Slayer was conscious again. 

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[helly-watermelonsmellinfellon]

NEW GENSHIN THEORY~ *POTENIAL PAIMON SPOILERS???*

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So, all this time in Genshin and NO ONE knows what Paimon is. We've encountered creatures, beings, and people of various walks of life and various ages, all along our journey as of 4.1's update. None of them seem to know what she is.

Amber called Paimon a 'mascot'.

Xiangling and many NPCs ask of she's 'some kind of food'.

Albedo asked if Paimon is an 'external organ' of the Traveler's.

Overworld NPCs have called her a 'white-haired talking fairy'. Some quest-locked Fatui NPCs have called her a 'seelie'. But we've encountered older beings who have seen real seelies, and even told us about them, and they never made mention of how this is knowledge Paimon should already know, nor did they say Paimon is a seelie. Meaning, she can't be a seelie. And finally, even elemental beings as old as the dragon sovereigns HAVE NO IDEA WHAT PAIMON IS.

What is she then?

She has a 'demon name' like all the gods(and Fischl) tend to have. Barbatos, Morax, Beelzebul, Baal, Buer, Focalor, Astaroth(Istaroth), Orobas(Orobaxi), Naberius, Marchosias, Decarabia, Amy(Fischl, I know)etc... They come from the Ars Goetia, and if we take that into account, then Paimon's namesake could be a hint of sorts. Focalor was known to drown people on ships and Buer dealt with philosophy and logic and loved using plants. It's not too farfetched of an idea at least.

Paimon is a direct servant to Lucifer, the Morningstar. Paimon is knowledgeable and is often depicted sharing vast knowledge and teaching others. Supposedly, he 'knows all the affairs of the world' and must answer truthfully when asked questions. Paimon's role in Genshin is to be a Guide for the Traveler(who travels the cosmos as a Star), and she is the one who taught them Teyvat's common language. In under 2 months. She's taught them much according to their joint character voice lines.

It seems to be a common theory that the Traveler is actually from Teyvat and is just returning after a VERY long time away. Ashikai, the fandom's best lore enthusiast and theorist, suggested them to be an old user logging into their account after a very LONG TIME AWAY. That would explain how they have no Constellation or alignment prior to touching a Statue of the Seven, but the moment they do, it stutters to life with a heartbeat and suddenly gifts them a Constellation.

Statues of the Seven are connected to the Ley Lines, which are connected to Irminsul, which holds all the knowledge and memories of Teyvat. So, the moment the Traveler 'signed in' the knowledge receptacle of Teyvat recognized them to an extent. We know the sibling is considered to be from Teyvat somehow, so it's likely that the Traveler is also from Teyvat, but their account's data has been lost or wiped.

This theory is pretty solid, and I like the idea a lot. So, I build off of it for this.

The Traveler awakens after losing their sibling to the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles and has no idea what is going on. They don't know what's been happening this entire time, and it's when they meet Paimon that they finally get information. That they finally find a way to even get to information.

So, my idea is that Paimon isn't actually a real being by herself. She's not the Primordial One with stripped memories. She's not the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles in disguise. She isn't a seelie who fell from heaven and forgot her origins. She isn't the remaining Moon Sister who forgot her origins.

I think she's just a manifestation of the Traveler's desperation. The Traveler can wield the Elements of this foreign world they've apparently never been to, and even knew exactly how to do so from the very beginning. Even has a line telling Paimon that they know why and how that is possible, but never explains it for the player. And Paimon just accepts that answer and moves on.

This entire time playing, Paimon's being has come up many times, and we always end up saying/hearing, 'Paimon is Paimon'. As if that's a good enough answer, but between the duo it apparently is. No explanation needed. And we know that the Traveler has A LOT of info they keep to themselves and don't bother sharing. Such as their knowledge of Khaenri'ah and actually being around when it got destroyed. This could just be another thing they keep inside.

I think Albedo was the closest out of all who question Paimon's existence. She isn't exactly an external organ of the Traveler's, but I think she's like... a Tulpa. I think the Traveler manifested Paimon through sheer desperation of not knowing what to do and where to go, and the Ley Lines responded by gathering all the necessary memories and knowledge they could as quickly as possible and gave it a form that the Traveler would instinctively trust. The Traveler is great with kids after all.

Paimon has never said anything about where she came from prior to meeting the Traveler. Even during deeply personal moments. At most, we know she was suddenly drowning and then the Traveler fished her out. But how was she drowning right where the Traveler was fishing, and the Traveler never saw her approach?

We do know that The Withering barely affected Paimon at all, much like the Traveler. When the Traveler gained the ability to manipulate Dendro they got additional abilities, and Paimon somehow also gained the heightened sensitivity to the Dendro Element. Enough for the 168-Day Samsara to finally wear off enough for not just the Traveler, but Paimon as well, to awaken from the cycle and break free of it. Nahida personally notes both of them were given the Blessing of Dendro. Finally, when the Traveler gained the ability to manipulate the Hydro Element, Paimon also gained the ability to breathe/speak underwater and swim infinitely in Fontaine despite how she supposedly cannot swim.

Both the Traveler and Paimon were easily knocked out by that odd pulse thing Dottore used. And it supposedly cannot be used on gods like Nahida, so Paimon and the Traveler aren't gods or beings with experience on how to protect themselves from such an attack. (This does not rule out the Traveler being some other kind of immortal being though.)

This makes it clear that Paimon benefits directly when the Traveler's powers improve/increase/strengthen. She gets a 'special sensitive constitution' simply because the Traveler does. The Traveler touched the Dendro Statue of the Seven, but somehow Paimon also received a Blessing? The same with the Hydro Statue of the Seven?

And many times over the course of the story, the Traveler and Paimon have had entirely silent conversations with each other in completely voice quests. Where they step back and simply stare at each other. Thoughts are written in (parenthesis) in Genshin, and many times have they communicated full sentences this way while others around them talk out loud. Maybe it's just a joke to show how well they know each other that they can have silent conversations with ease, but we simply cannot rule out the possibility that they might be mentally linked in some way. When they want to be.

Let's not forget how Paimon is often the voice of everything. And she is rarely in opposition to what the Traveler wants, believes, or thinks. In fact, Lyney at the end of Fontaine's AQ Act 2 might be the first time in the game where Paimon and the Traveler had drastically different opinions. Paimon wanted to stay and talk with Lyney and Lynette and the Traveler just walked off without looking back because they were angry. And even Paimon was shocked by that response.

It's just so weird how they gave the Traveler such an in-depth character but hide it all in their character voice lines(WITH Paimon btw). What would be the point of keeping the Traveler silent most of the time? Unless there is a reason Paimon HAS to be the voice. Cuz the Traveler is no Self Insert. With how this fandom whines about their reactions to things and responses, no one here is putting themselves in the Traveler's shoes.

So, Paimon is very closely connected to the Traveler, and panics when they separate for too long. She's been traumatized several times now by separation. She needs to speak for the Traveler. She exists to be the Guide for the Traveler. She can't imagine her life being any other way. It feels more like the Ley Lines just responded to the Traveler's intense emotions upon waking up and sent something along to answer those emotions. Like an imaginary friend, but more concrete in existence. And that needed their protection to make up for their loneliness.

Mind you, it's JUST A THEORY.

A GAME THEORY!!!

XD

EDIT, added November 3rd 2023, as of the 4.2 Live Stream: TULPAS EXIST IN GENSHIN!

So, this gives my theory a lot more ground to stand on, just saying! :D

[sablegear0]

Finished TotK Finally

As in, finished the story. End numbers after buying the last boss pictures and completing the Compendium were 87.72% complete. I may go back and do koroks and minigames sporadically when I want to wander around in the world again.

So I suppose people might expect my thoughts or a review. Idk if I have anything unique to say but I may as well so: Plot and BIG ending spoilers under the cut. Also extremely long detailed opinions. Like this one got REALLY long. TL;DR at the very bottom.

The End Bits The Light Dragon In a previous blog I applauded Nintendo for letting their women characters turn into incomprehensible beasties lately (TotK, Dread). For the record, I posted that shortly before being spoiled on the fact that Zelda changes back at the end. Needless to say I was re-disappointed. I get WHY they did it. Permanently removing the title character from the game via 10,000 years of ego death doesn't really seem like a great reward for the player seeking out the plot; BotW/TotK Link and Zelda have gone through more than most of their incarnations to get where they are, so it's nice to give them a happy ending, etc. It just... kinda sucks because that was a really cool move otherwise. But Nintendo will not tell us an intentionally tragic (or even bittersweet) story so we got our girl back.

Also she was fine, by the way. She just woke up fully able to move and speak like she'd just had a bit of a rough nap. She also canonically does not remember her millennia spent as a dragon in any fashion. I know the fan writers are probably having a field day with injury/trauma recovery fics for her and I don't blame them. 10k years of ego death and a monstrous transformation should come with some consequences, shouldn't it?

To be honest the nature of the deus ex machina in question bugs me more than the fact that it happened. "Idk Sonia and Rauru did something" is the actual explanation we get (thanks Mineru, you're a real one tho) and it feels... hollow. Like, if the two dragons had clashed and injured one another, and "dying" knocked Zelda out of the transformation the same way destroying the Secret Stone that Ganondorf had taken destroyed his dragon form, that would make more sense, right? You still get your dramatic ending that's a cinematic reflection of Skyward Sword and a symbolic close (presumably) to Ganon's cycle of reincarnation. The arbitrary "power of love" (and not even the Hero's love, come on) ending just doesn't sit right.

Ganondorf Neither did the actual fight with Ganondorf, to be honest. I prepped some pretty high-value weapons, assuming that like BotW I'd have to break a few swords on him before the fight was over. But they just, again, deus ex machina'd that the Master Sword was indestructible for that fight and at no other time. My big scary weapons did see some good use in the wave fight beforehand, which was kind of neat but also kind of underwhelming. I guess that's the point where the game checks if you can handle that many enemies (ie. did you bring enough friends), similar to how doing the Divine Beasts halves Calamity Ganon's HP in BotW.

The duel-style fight for the first two phases was kind of cool. Made a bit annoying by TotK's tighter timing on parries and dodges. And the fact that the legitimate pressure of having your HP outright destroyed (cool, stressful) was removed by the third phase (annoying, no consequences for doing poorly in that part of the fight).

Third phase was neat. It was cinematic, but with no actual danger. I don't think I took any damage that wasn't just gloom-ticks from standing on the demon dragon to attack it. Didn't even get to use my cool bows in the aerial battle. Additionally I didn't have any need for the cool armour I had worked so hard to upgrade. I spent quite a lot of time and effort upgrading the Ancient Hero's Aspect and a second high-defense set (Champion's Leathers, Soldier's Greaves, Amber Earrings). The latter I did use in the demon dragon phase because it looked cool. The former I completely forgot that I had (despite having had to kill an ungodly amount of King Gleeoks to complete it). I used the Depths set for the first two-thirds of the fight because of the Gloom resistance it offered.

The Mechanics Devices All that said, what TotK set out to do it did decently well. It expanded on the physics-heavy improvisational gameplay of BotW with the addition of the Ultrahand fusion mechanic and Zonai Devices, improving on their base engine to create a system that I have heard other devs consider basically magic. Devices and weapon fusion, however, were clearly balanced with the early-to-mid-game in mind. The devices were tools, not weapons, even the ones that were nominally weapons. They simply did not put out enough raw damage to be used offensively, and were better as deterrents or distractions for enemies.

Weapon Fusion I know people weren't crazy about weapon degradation in BotW and I think TotK managed to make it slightly worse. In BotW, all you had to do was find where a desirable weapon spawned and make note of it so you could come back to pick it up after the Bloodmoon respawned everything. In TotK, you have to do that AND fight a monster with a good fuseable part to improve it. You have to do twice as much farming for about the same amount of gain. And that's not even accounting for the weapons you'd break fighting something big like a Lynel - sure they drop good parts, but you might break 2 or 3 weapons taking one down, even with help from your sages. You're operating at a net loss.

Granted the fused part of a weapon does the bulk of the work, but TotK did the interesting thing of making each flavour of weapon ("Soldier's", "Zonaite", "Gerudo", etc) have its own unique properties. This is very cool, until you find a type you like and struggle to find enough of them. Again, you have to trek around to find them and also hope you have the materials for a good fusion. It has its moments, like sticking a Silver Lynel horn on a Gerudo weapon to get a damage value over 100 (which is absurd, most "good" weapons cap out around 50 on average, barring any extra effects), but again, you're usually operating at a slight loss with respect to weapons.

Armour Upgrades To be frank: It's bad. It's bloated and way too resource-intensive. In BotW there were a limited number of sets you'd actually want to upgrade, as each had its own unique thing and that's it, there's one of each. Even doing all of them for completion's sake was achievable. In TotK they have those basic sets, plus a few more unique sets, plus a few redundant sets, and a frankly absurd number of generic aesthetic sets (which flavour of Link would you like? Ocarina of Time? Twilight Princess? Link's Awakenng Remake?) And in all of this they never thought to rebalance the amount of materials required for upgrading.

And on top of THAT, I think they messed with the item drop-rates too! Most enemies can drop 2 kinds of resources, some potentially have more, some only drop 1. in BotW I don't think (thought I may have to check) each type was a guaranteed drop, but you saw every type fairly frequently. In TotK each enemy now has distinct rare drops. And they can be RARE. And the worst part is you need a LOT of them for some armour upgrades. For example; Lizalfos tails are the Lizalfos rare drop, and the armour sets that need them can need up to 15 of the stupid things from a particular species of Lizalfos. Have fun grinding, because now you're playing Monster Hunter instead of Zelda.

Vehicles and Horses The vehicles both did and didn't trivialize crossing the map; a significant amount of grinding is needed before you have enough batteries to cover any distance, Wings (the bird-shaped gliders) have a limited lifespan to keep you from just flying everywhere, and the overworld is generally complicated enough that any fast wheeled vehicle will not be useful for long, and any all-terrain vehicle moves only at a modest speed. Ironically, just use horses where available. They're faster, more versatile, and can be called to you if they're within earshot. Also horses can spawn with overall higher stats than in BotW, and can be upgraded, though with significant resource investment. (It is worth noting that the "best" horse in base BotW, the royal white horse, is only middling to above-average stat-wise when compared to a good wild-caught horse in TotK. They power-crept the horses!)

The most interesting vehicles/movement devices, to me, were the rockets and hot-air balloons. Both add a lot instant verticality in a game that is all about traversal. Fusing a rocket to a shield gets you a huge boost for little resource expenditure (rockets are a bit rare until you can purchase devices). And once you find the Autobuild schematic for a hot air balloon base, all you need to add is a flame-emitter and you can ascend as far as your batteries allow.

Shrines In my humble opinion, TotK knocked it out of the park with its shrines. The ones that have actual puzzles, anyway. There is an unfortunately large proportion of "blessing" shrines that have no puzzle in them, and not all of them even need to be worked for that hard. The ones that do have puzzles are excellent. There are quite a few that highlight different uses for devices, and a good handful that take the Eventide Island/Master Trials-style challenge of stripping you of all your gear and put some twist on it. (Notably these are most interesting in the mid-game, when you have enough hearts to survive but not to trivialize the no-armour combat difficulty.)

They also did the very classy thing of not locking outfit parts behind hidden chests in Shrines. All the hidden chests were perfectly optional bonus chests that required no frustrating re-visits after finding out where that last piece of armour was hiding. Also the slight variations on the music theme was a nice touch that kept the shrines feeling fresh. No shade to the Sheikah Shrine theme, but the strong synths could get a bit grating at times. TotK's gentle, plinky shrine theme variations were an improvement.

The Map The Overworld Probably(?) the most common complaint about TotK and one I share. It's too damn big. In addition to mostly recycling the map from BotW (which bothered some people more than it bothered me, I think), they added an equivalent-sized map for the Depths. Now, BotW's overworld already felt a bit sparse, but it fit the tone of a literal post-apocalyptic world and encouraged you to poke around looking for koroks and investigating enemy camps. TotK's surface overworld is dotted with far more enemy camps and significantly fewer koroks, so it is about as dense but more dangerous/annoying (depending on your hp and gear) to traverse.

There are some major changes to the surface, beyond adding ruins to some spots; most of Death mountain is now safe to travel on foot (probably to encourage use of vehicles) and is no longer superheated, and there are a few spots where the road network is broken, dividing the map into 2 halves that cannot be crossed between on horseback. (In BotW, by comparison, all the roads were connected and you could auto-pilot a horse from one end of the map to the other, provided you took roads marked on the map.)

The Sky The Sky islands were relatively few, for all the hype they got in the promotional material. However I think their self-contained structure and handful of unique features (the "death star" islands, the dive challenges) helped them not overstay their welcome. Besides, the islands themselves are technically also ruins, 10,000 years old and finally visible to the naked eye from the surface, It's a wonder there's as much left and it's as functional as it is. They are beautiful, though. I did enjoy just loitering around in the sky to take in the view and the relaxed atmosphere, as there are fewer enemies up there.

The Depths The Depths... I think I share the majority gripe with the Depths. They're too big. The Depths are another whole open world that is more hostile with even less in it. It exists to grind for resources and pad the playtime. The challenge of the depths is in initially traversing it, having to light your way through impenetrable darkness and navigate dense enemy encampments and find Light Roots to fill out the map. After that, provided you have enough battery power, it can generally be ignored by flying over it. Which is unfortunate. If I were to fix the Depths, I would make it more akin to the Sky Islands; more self-contained, make it a series of winding, interconnected discrete caves, like one big dungeon crawl, rather than a second open world to ignore. Still have the Light Roots be important to vision and mapping, but have the general landscape be more contained. Maybe even have a few more areas that are inaccessible at first except by dropping into the correct chasms, like they did with the Eventide Island and Tingle Island Chain areas of the Depths.

Everything Else Side Quests and Koroks Honestly I enjoyed the variety of sidequests in TotK, and also enjoyed that some of them were quite involved. TotK had two "Tarrey Town"-equivalent long-form side-quest lines; one being visiting all the stables with Penn (I am counting this as one quest because you get drip-fed armour pieces from a unique set throughout it), and the other being the Mayoral Election / Local Cuisine questline in Hateno Village. There were also side-quests to optionally construct the Champions' weapons, which was neat, and to build a house with crazy Ultrahand powers, which was totally frivolous but fun to do. The one thing that bugged me a bit about the side-quests was running into NPCs that reasonably should have remembered Link but didn't. It felt odd, especially poking around Tarrey Town initially.

The Korok puzzles had some new variety to them, which was nice. The block puzzles were given the extra interest of being able to rotate things with Ultrahand, and the vehicle/towing mechanics were given a chance to shine with the "help me reach my friend" puzzles. Having Hestu appear in some less-than-ideal places to begin with (and the whole Lost Woods thing omg what a pain) kind of sucked, but getting those sweet sweet inventory upgrades is always worth it.

The Characters I love all the Sages, I'm going to say it right now. It was really cool to see some familiar faces from BotW (that actually recognized me) and learn what they'd been up to in the ambiguous time-gap. Teba being the slight exception but honestly - meeting Tulin and realizing this sweet bean bird boy looks just like both his parents hit me right in the heart. Mineru was also very cool and I'm glad we got to hang out with her (and bid her a tearful goodbye... my lovely lanky lady...). I also appreciated that doing the Ancient Writings quest teases Mineru's introduction. That was a nice touch.

Penn and Purah are fun, and the Lucky Clover Gazette and Monster Control Crew quests add some depth and background progression to BotW's Hyrule. You get to see how ordinary people are faring and how things are advancing post-Calamity. Seeing the various peoples of Hyrule gather at Lookout Landing after clearing a regional temple was neat, even if it was really only for show.

I know some people have beef with Rauru and that's maybe a blog for another time, but I don't think I have a strong enough opinion to bother. I didn't mind him, I think his arc was clear enough, I think I would have liked to see more of him and Sonia interacting with Zelda in a more everyday fashion - it seemed like she had a lot of fun in the distant past and something more than just a text log of that and a couple cutscenes might have been nice. Honestly I think I would have liked to see more of Sonia especially, she seems like an interesting lady (again, something more than Chaucerian text as proof would have been nice).

I'm honestly kind of mid on Matt Mercer's Ganondorf? I get that he's a big name and people were excited to hear him in the role but idk if the voice was entirely a good fit. They rocked the hell out of his visual design, though. Very good updated look, borrowing elements from some of his previous incarnations. Again I would have liked to see more elaboration on him though; what was the Gerudo tribe like under his rule? Were there dissenters? Give me more worldbuilding or I'll be forced to do it myself.

Music Mostly the same, actually. Overworld themes were recycled. Shrine themes were different and an upgrade imo. Combat themes were slightly different but I probably wouldn't be able to tell them apart at a listen. The Temple music though, oh boy. I loved these themes; they took the ramping instruments from the Divine Beasts control panel gimmick and mixed the Divine Beast Approach themes with each Sage's unique motif to create some really cool but pleasantly unobtrusive tracks. The Depths ambience was appropriately spooky, and the dynamic theme that kicks in when you high-dive was a nice touch, especially since there are distinct versions for diving to the surface and diving to the Depths.

But the standout tracks for me? First, the intro sequence where you descend with Zelda into the foundations of Hyrule Castle and hear the ever-layering Zonai chanting with the spooky reversed voice clips? MMM. 👌 So spooky, so tasty. Genuinely had me on edge even though I knew nothing would happen because it was the intro. The return sequence by the endgame has it build even more intensely as you descend even further and it's fantastic. Second is the Gloom's Approach / Gloom's Source battle theme. The distinctly electronic drone and beat associated with the Depths/gloom-related stuff gets room to shine when this tense bass-heavy track kicks in.

The Little Things I am actually going to stop this one here because I think this part deserves its own blog. There are a ton of little details in TotK that I absolutely adored and I want to gush about them with proper space allotted.

TL;DR TotK is alright. I know I'll catch flak for saying it's "good", so I won't. Settle down. It's alright. Some things it does extremely well, some things could have been edited for time, and some things remained just kinda mid from the original.

If I have to give it a number, it's a solid 6.5-7/10 . Competently constructed, technically impressive, mostly cut-and-pasted, mildly bloated, narratively kind of boring with no sense of stakes and an ending that undoes some otherwise interesting choices.