#elliptic reply

[fredwkong]

"Cum to the Bathroom"

“Cum to the bathroom, bro.”

You read the text over and over, and stared at the pic below. It was totally out of character for your intellectual, anxious boyfriend to send you a text like that out of nowhere, even at the gym. And the picture he had sent with it…

You couldn’t quite put your finger on what was different, but he looked incredibly sexy. The coloured hair, the tattoos, even the way his shirt clung to his body, it was somehow different than what you expected but you still knew it was him. His eyes were just the same as always. Fuck, did he really want to get dirty right now?

Another text popped up. “Bro, my pits are fuckin rank, cum 2 the last stall”

This must be some kind of surprise roleplay. You were both into those dumb, musky jocks and fantasised about public sex, even though you'd never tried it. And you could feel yourself starting to chub up in your gym shorts, too.

Fuck it. “On my way, baby.”

“Call me dude, bro.”

A moment later, you pushed open the door to the bathroom. It felt so dirty to walk casually past the urinals, watching yourself in the mirror as if your body was moving on autopilot. Were you walking differently than normal? Could people tell? The air itself felt different, pregnant with horny anticipation.

You knocked gently on the last stall, and the latch slid open.

“Hey bro,” said your boyfriend, pulling you into the close space. Was his voice deeper, more smokey? He looked even bigger than he had in the picture, his eyes full of desperate lust.

“What’s up dude?” you replied, using the nickname like he’d told you. “How’s the lift going?”

“Oh, you know me,” he crowded you against the wall, raising one arm so all you could see was the tangled, wet hair of his armpit, “I got too fuckin’ horny and had to call my bro in to help.”

This was really happening. You had your boyfriend’s fresh, musky pits right in front of you. Five minutes ago he’d been on the elliptical, and you could still feel the heat of his exertion radiating onto you. You angled your head forward, straight into the dense, sweaty forest, and took a deep whiff.

Your boyfriend stifled your moan with his pit as he crushed you against the flimsy stall wall. “Let it in, bro,” he ordered you, his free hand reaching down to fondle your cock straight through your shorts.

As you started licking, you felt something like a finger reach down the back of your shorts and tease your ass. You gasped at the intrusion.

“Shhh,” your boyfriend told you. “Keep quiet, bro. Let it in.” One hand was behind his head, the other beginning to undo the drawstring of your shorts.

You pulled back, looked up at his face. You trusted the expression in his eyes. It felt so good to lean back in as your boyfriend started to stroke your cock and the something behind you ran a cold finger around your rim.

The sensation quickly slipped into your ass, and you barely held back a keen as it massaged your prostate. You felt so full all of the sudden, but all you could focus on was the pleasure and the sharp, musky stench overpowering all your senses.

“C’mon bro, keep going, you’re almost there,” came your boyfriend’s voice as your rock-hard cock started to fill your shorts with precum. “Fill up so good.”

Your belly felt swollen now, and so, so cold, even enveloped in the warmth of your boyfriend’s body. Suddenly, the cold clawed upwards into your chest, and you looked down in shock.

Your belly was overfilled, and your pecs were bouncing of their own volition. They were bouncing and growing, thick dark hair covering them as the areolae expanded. “What’s-“ you gasped, but then your boyfriend’s hand shot to your new muscle tits. His callused, wide, masculine hand. The pleasure of his touch shot through your brain and your voice cut off in a choked gasp.

Suddenly, you could see what had happened to your boyfriend. The tattoos, the hair, the muscles, the voice. They weren’t him, they were something else inside him. Something dumb, musky, and perverted.

“C’mon bro, you’re so close, let my bro and me play a bit,” the thing in your boyfriend rasped in your ear. Meanwhile, you felt your lats jerk wider, hair growing wild in your armpits as the intense scent of your musk began to fight with your boyfriend’s.

You looked into his eyes and realised they hadn’t changed. Your boyfriend was looking out, watching your biceps thicken and your neck widen, and he was loving it. Every motion, every touch, every hushed gasp in the public bathroom, was exactly what he had always wanted but never been able to actually do. And you wanted it too.

Your arms, out of your control, pushed your shorts down your thickening thighs, letting your massive cock flop out. One massive, thick-fingered hand pulled out your boyfriend’s hard cock and put them both end to end, stretching your foreskin over his cockhead and starting to stroke. Now it was your boyfriend’s turn to stifle his yell as you lost control of your face to the thing inside you.

“Fuck yeah, dude,” your mouth said, the voice deep and slow. “Found such a good body for your bro. He’s so fuckin’ happy in here, lettin’ me flex and bate him and givin' into the musk.”

Your boyfriend grunted and grabbed your lips in a bruising kiss. “So’s this guy, bro,” he purred. “Fuck, I can’t wait to make you smell these feet, bro.”

A moment later, your boyfriend hissed and you felt his hot cum flood your foreskin, tipping you over the edge. Foreheads pressed together, you rode out the orgasm with ragged breaths and shifting feet, flexing muscle on muscle to prolong the pleasure. When you finally released your foreskin, your boyfriend cupped his hands to get both your loads as they spilled out, and met your eyes as he tipped it into his mouth. You felt a shuddering aftershock as your boyfriend looked out past the thing possessing him, delirious with pleasure.

“Let’s crush the rest of the workout, bro,” he whispered, giving you one last cummy kiss.

“You’ll smell me from across the gym, dude,” you said, lifting one arm and sticking your tongue out.

You didn’t know how long you and your boyfriend would be passengers in your own bodies, but you were ready to settle down and enjoy it.

@idesofrevolution sent a pic of him and his boyfriend at the gym and this is my response. Your move, Frost ;) Good boys will go check out his Ko-fi.

[lipstick-and-libraries]

New Dorm, New Chance? PT. 1

𓋜 Pairing: Minho (XO, Kitty) x fem! Reader

𓋜 Series: The Roommate Exchange

𓋜 Summary: You are Kitty's new Roommate, after she decided to switch Rooms to avoid Yuri and Juliana, and it's not long until you get the opportunity to meet her first roommates.

𓋜 Notes:

Hey <3

I don't know if anyone is gonna read this at all, but I decided to get back into writing, and due to Season Two coming out, I have an unhealthy obsession with XO, Kitty. So, I sat down, saw the lack of XO, Kitty fics and created a little something, I hope you enjoy! I'd be grateful for any kind of feedback

The second semester at KISS was off to a chaotic start, as usual, but for Kitty Song Covey, things were finally starting to settle down. After pleading with the principal, she’d managed to switch dorms and move in with a close friend of hers, (Y/N). It was a decision that made perfect sense—Kitty needed a break from the awkward tension of her old room, and (Y/N)’s calming presence was exactly what she needed to focus on her whirlwind of romantic and academic entanglements.

(Y/N) had been nothing short of the perfect roommate. She was effortlessly chic, deeply intuitive, and, unlike most students at KISS, refreshingly down-to-earth. Kitty often marveled at how (Y/N) could command attention without even trying. The girl had a natural elegance that seemed to enchant everyone she met.

One Saturday afternoon, Kitty left their shared dorm to meet up with Yuri to continue the search for her family. “Dae, Minho, and Q might stop by later,” she called over her shoulder. “I told them they could hang out until I’m back.”

“Got it,” (Y/N) replied, lounging on the kitchen counter with a book in her hands.

When Minho, Dae, and Q arrived at Kitty’s new dorm, Minho was mid-rant about his latest gym mishap.

“Who even uses the elliptical when the treadmill’s free? It’s practically a crime—”

“Minho,” Q interrupted, rolling his eyes. “You’ll live. Just knock on the door.”

Minho sighed dramatically before rapping his knuckles against the door. When no one answered, he opened it cautiously.

“Kitty? We’re here—”

But it wasn’t Kitty who greeted them. Instead, they were met with the sight of (Y/N) sitting on the kitchen counter, one leg crossed over the other, a book perched casually in her hands. The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to frame her like a painting, catching the soft waves of her hair and the slight smirk on her lips.

Minho stopped mid-step, his usual self-assured demeanor faltering.

“Oh,” (Y/N) said, glancing up from her book. Her voice was smooth, effortlessly composed. “You must be Kitty’s friends.”

Dae offered a polite smile. “Yeah, I’m Dae. That’s Q, and… Minho.”

(Y/N) nodded, her eyes flickering briefly to Minho, who was still standing frozen by the door.

“Kitty mentioned you might drop by,” (Y/N) said, closing her book and hopping off the counter with a grace that made Minho’s heart stutter. “She’s out snooping with Yuri again, but you’re welcome to wait here.”

“Cool, thanks,” Q said, settling onto the couch. Dae followed suit, but Minho hesitated, still trying to gather his thoughts.

“She’s—” Minho started, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. He coughed, trying to sound casual. “She didn’t say her new roommate was…you know, you.”

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She wasn't exactly popular by any means, but she also wasn't completely unknown. She leads a couple of language and study courses, and word spread that its not only brains, but beauty too that convinced people to visit her student courses.

As the afternoon wore on, Minho found himself increasingly distracted. While Dae and Q scrolled through their phones and chatted, Minho’s attention kept drifting to (Y/N). There was something about her thsn threw him off, and not in a bad way. Where most people at KISS seemed eager to impress or compete, (Y/N) seemed content just to exist in her own world.

She didn’t try to fill the silence with small talk or flashy gestures. Instead, she moved with an easy confidence, offering the occasional witty comment that left Minho scrambling for a clever response.

At one point, she caught him staring.

“Something on your mind?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Minho flushed. “Uh, no. Just…trying to figure out what book you were reading before.”

(Y/N) held up the cover—an old, leather-bound edition of Wuthering Heights.

Minho blinked. “You’re reading…that? Isn’t it, like, super depressing?”

“It’s beautiful,” (Y/N) countered, a faint smile playing on her lips. “And complicated. Kind of like people. You should borrow it sometime”

Minho didn’t know how to respond to that, so he settled for an awkward nod.

After an hour, Q and Dae decided to head out to grab food. “You coming, Minho?” Dae asked, already halfway out the door.

“I’ll catch up,” Minho said quickly, waving them off.

(Y/N) lead the two boys to the door, giving them the spare key Kitty had told her to give to them, and apologizes for Kitty being this late. Once the door closed, the room fell quiet.

Minho shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.

“So…how do you know Kitty?” he asked finally, leaning against the back of the couch.

“We met at orientation,” (Y/N) replied. “She’s…unlike anyone else. In a good way.”

Minho chuckled. “That’s one way to describe her.”

(Y/N) grabs her book and puts it away on the small shelf standing in the living room and looked at him, her gaze steady but not intimidating. “And what about you? How do you know Kitty?”

“She’s…” Minho hesitated, then shrugged. “Complicated.”

(Y/N)’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “You should know a thing or two about that, based on what i've already seen from you”

For the first time, Minho felt like someone had peeled back the layers of his carefully curated persona. Most people saw him as the charming, confident playboy, but (Y/N) seemed to see through all of that.

The turning point came when (Y/N) decided to make tea.

“Want some?” she asked, holding up a kettle.

“Sure,” Minho said, joining her in the kitchen.

As they stood side by side, he found himself relaxing for the first time all day. (Y/N) handed him a mug, her fingers brushing against his. The brief contact sent a jolt through him, but he played it off, sipping his tea like nothing had happened.

“This is good,” he said, gesturing to the tea.

“Thanks,” (Y/N) replied. “It’s an old family recipe.”

“You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” she said, her smile teasing.

When Kitty returned later that evening, she found Minho still in the dorm, sitting on the couch with (Y/N). They were deep in conversation, their laughter filling the room.

“Am I interrupting something?” Kitty asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” Minho said quickly, standing up. “I was just—uh—leaving.”

As he walked past (Y/N), he hesitated for a moment. “See you around?”

“Maybe,” (Y/N) replied, her tone light but her eyes warm.

After Minho left, Kitty turned to (Y/N), a knowing grin spreading across her face. “What was that about?”

(Y/N) shrugged, but her cheeks flushed slightly. “Nothing. Just talking.”

Kitty didn’t buy it for a second. “Uh-huh. Sure.”

(Y/N) gives her a grin of her own and links her arm with Kitty's.

"While we're on the topic, how'd your little date with Yuri go?"

Kitty's eyes go wide, nudging (Y/N) playfully while laughing

"Hey! I'm the one asking Questions, not you!"

That night, as Minho lay in bed, he couldn’t stop thinking about (Y/N). The way she smiled, the way she seemed to see right through him, the way her laugh made his chest feel lighter.

For the first time in a long time, Minho felt something real—something that scared him but also excited him.

Part 2

[ryuuna]

Would you mind if I ask what coloring brush(es) you use? I've been searching for so long for a solid coloring brush on procreate 😭 (I started using procreate recently)

And if you don't wanna share I totally understand! pls just ignore me if that's the case :) thank you!!

OOP sorry for the late reply I just got back from vacation BUT here's a link to the brushes I use most!

Rugged Fill is what I use to do all my flatting with and Hard Elliptical is what I usually do all my shading with (honorary mention to soft shadows for adding my subtle gradients)

[13piscium]

Episode 2

The two of them gazed up at the beautiful, magnificent egg—enchanted, maybe even a little in awe.

"Did you say it wanted to come near that?" His Light whispered to her Darkness, turning her head back toward the broken pod. “Maybe so.” The Dark Traveler replied gently.

His Light slipped down from his arms and began picking up the broken pieces of her egg pod, placing them carefully on her skirt, one by one.

She stood, her skirt full of fragments. But when she stepped out on her tiny foot, some pieces tumbled from the edge of the little fabric.

The Dark Traveler formed a round bubble out of the darkness, and the pieces were slowly drawn into it, settling quietly inside. He attached some strings to the bubble for easy carrying, and offered it to her.

His Light looked at it with delight and gripped the offered string tightly. "Thank you..." She said with quiet joy.

"I’ll bring them near the big one. You said this husk wanted to come here—even broken— so maybe… they’ll be happy close by." The Dark Traveler smiled. "Of course they will."

The great egg sat at the center of the round, warm chamber, as if declaring this space belonged only to it. The walls rose high and narrowed toward the sky, where a hole let starlight trickle in. Tiny grains of sand danced in the air, shimmering each time they caught the light.

Along the walls, small, round hollows were lined in perfect rows. The hollows stretched all the way to the ceiling. Except for the four hollows, evenly spaced in the four directions—one likely the 'official' entrance she had come through—each of the others held something that seemed precious, placed there with quiet care:

Crystalline clusters that looked as if they had grown there naturally. Delicate things, like plants or insect bones. Layered, rigid, pie-like structures, beautiful in their folds. Soft, puffy pillows—adorable… and very, very smelly.

No two looked alike. You’d want to see every last one, all the way to the top.

“Did someone… or everyone place them here?” His Light wondered aloud, eyes drifting toward the peak. He responded slowly, walking as he looked up at the towering ceiling: “…Maybe they grow from something. Like a seed of ‘something special,’ or ‘something important,’ or a ‘favorite thing.’ Maybe even… ‘a memory.’”

Then, the Dark Traveler stumbled over something—heavy, and hard.

It was half-buried in the soft bedding below, almost hiding.

It fit just right in his palm—a smooth, elliptical black stone. Inside it, something was scattered and frozen in place, reflecting light like distant stars.

to be continued... - Episode 4

[tessa-liam]

Free Falling

All is Fair in Love and War, part 3

Two 2 Tango >>>mini-series

Book: Choices, The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir Book 2 AU

Pairing: Maxwell Beaumont x F! OC, Daniella Gandi

Summary: Maxwell is invited to take part as a tango dance partner in an upcoming tango festival in Italy by Daniela Gandi. A dance instructor that helped Liam and Riley win a competition in Auvernal 5 years previously, felt sparks fly between herself and her assigned partner, Maxwell Beaumont.

◇Mini-series inspired by the one-shot: All is Fair in Love & War ◇

Warnings: sexual innuendo

Song Inspiration:

Category: fluff, mini series

This story has not been Beta'd, please excuse all errors.

Series Rating: Adult, 18+

Word Count: ~1600

A/N: All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except for Daniella Gandi, who belongs to this alternate universe.

A/N2: submission for: @choicesmonthlychallenge Prompt- Lust

A/N3: submission for: CFWC Valentine's Day 2025 Prompt- Romance, a secret couple tries to celebrate the day without getting caught

❤️‍🔥Turin, Italy

Maxwell stood on the balcony of his hotel room, gazing out over the city below. The sky was a bright blue, and the sun was shining brightly as he slid his shades on, to block the brightness. He sipped his espresso as he felt the warm breeze on his skin.

His phone chimed, and he looked down at the screen. A smile spread quickly across his face as he saw the text from Riley.

Riley: 'Buongiorno, é San Valentino 💘'

[Good morning Max, It's Valentine's Day]

Maxwell: 'Hey, Ri🥰 Yes, I'm planning a late dinner in the piazza downtown for Daniella.'

Riley: 'Sounds romantic.' 😘

Maxwell: 'Yeah ...tks'

Riley: Thank you again for taking part in the competition

Maxwell: It is my pleasure, and I'm having so much fun dancing with Daniella.She's such an amazing woman, we are having a blast😁

Riley: You really like her, don't you?

Maxwell: I do😍.

Riley: Then, go for it, Max!

Maxwell: What?

Riley: You're crazy about her, and you should tell her how you feel.

Maxwell: No way.

Riley: Why not?

Maxwell: Well, first off, she's my partner, and we need to stay focused on winning this competition.

Second, we only just got back in touch, and I don't want to scare her off.

Third, I have no idea if she even feels the same way.

Riley: Well, you won't know unless you ask her.

Maxwell: I can't.

Riley: Why not?

Maxwell: What if I tell her and she says no?

❤️‍🔥Tango di Daniella Dance Studio

Walking into the studio, Maxwell swiftly climbed the stairs up and into the exercise room and stopped suddenly. The view from the upstairs balcony was breathtaking, with a beautiful panoramic view of the city skyline. The exercise room itself was spacious and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in natural light. A variety of exercise machines and equipment scattered around the room; including treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes.

In the corner, Daniella was effortlessly completing a series of provocative stretches, that showed off her toned legs and arms. She was wearing a pair of tight leggings and a sports bra, and her long, dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail.

As she stretched, she turned to face Maxwell, a smile playing on her lips. "Hey, Maxxie! Avanti, non essere timido!" [Come on in, don't be shy].

Maxwell nodded and stepped into the room. He took another moment to admire her figure, noting how fit and lean she was. "You look amazing, Daniella," he said, his cheeks flushed slightly.

Daniella smiled demurely and shrugged. "Grazie, Max. I try to stay in shape." [Thanks]

"It shows," Maxwell replied, unable to take his eyes off her.

Daniella chuckled softly, a hint of pink appearing on her cheeks. "Well, thank you. Shall we get started?"

Maxwell nodded, taking a deep breath. He was not sure why he was so nervous. The fact that he was about to dance with the woman he'd fallen in love with made him a little bit jittery.

Daniella straightened her body and moved into the starting position. "All right, Max, let's start with some basic steps. Just follow my lead," Daniella instructed, her tone confident and assured.

She started with a simple walk, and Maxwell tried to follow along, but his steps were a bit clumsy. Daniella gave him an encouraging smile. "It's okay, Max. Don't be afraid to be a little bit awkward. That's what makes it fun."

Maxwell took a deep breath and tried again, this time managing to keep his steps in line with Daniella's.

Daniella smiled and nodded, clearly pleased. "There you go! Now, let's try a little turn. Just follow my lead, and I'll show you the steps."

She demonstrated the move, and Maxwell followed along, albeit a little awkwardly. But he started to get the hang of it after a few tries, and Daniella was quick to praise him.

"You're a natural, Max! Keep it up, and we'll be winning this competition in no time," she commented, grinning broadly.

As the morning wore on, Maxwell felt more and more comfortable, and his steps become more fluid and confident.

"That's it, Max! You've got it," Daniella encouraged him, her eyes sparkled with pride

Daniella, in a blur of motion, her lithe body moved effortlessly through the steps, demonstrated s new routine.

Maxwell tried his best to keep up, but she is simply too fast for him.

She grinned as she finished the routine, and Maxwell could not help but feel a bit impressed.

"Wow, Daniella, that was incredible," he said, a little breathless.

"Thanks, Max," she replied, flashing him a smile.

"I'm a little worried about adding the more risque moves though," Maxwell replied. "What if I can't keep up?"

"Don't worry, Max," Daniella reassures him. "I'll go slow, and you can take your time learning the steps. And if you're really stuck, we can always stop and work on them some more."

Maxwell took a deep breath and nodded. "All right. I'm ready."

"Okay, let's try it again," Daniella said, getting into position.

She walked him through the steps, and this time, Maxwell managed to keep up without too much difficulty.

"Perfecto!" Daniella exclaimed. "You've got it, Max!"

"This is going to be amazing," Daniella said, her eyes twinkling.

Maxwell nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "I hope so."

"Don't worry, Max, I know you'll do great," she replied, and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Now, let's practice those sexy moves," her voice dropped to a sultry purr.

She showed him how to move his hips, his body curving sensually as he does.

"Like this," she whispered, her eyes locked on his.

Maxwell's heart was racing as he followed her lead, their bodies moving in perfect sync.

"Good," she murmured, her hands trailed over his chest.

Maxwell's forbidden thoughts and desires took center stage in his mind.

"Let's take it up a notch," she said, a wicked grin on her face.

"Oh, yes," he replied, his voice low and husky.

The air was charged with electricity as they move closer, their bodies pressed together.

Daniella's lips were inches from his, and Maxwell could not resist any longer.

He closed the gap between them, his lips meeting hers in a searing kiss.

Daniella gasped, as Maxwell deepened the kiss, his tongue slid into her mouth. Her hands tangled n his hair as their bodies meld together.

The heat between them was scorching, and Maxwell knew that there's was no turning back now.

A loud cough interrupted the air.

Maxwell's body tensed at the sound as he turned his head and saw her.

"Daniella," her mother scolded. "Dovresti insegnare al tuo partner i passi di danza, non pomiciare con lui." ["You are supposed to be teaching your partner the dance moves, not making out with him."]

"MI dispiace, mamma." [I am sorry, mamma."]

Her mother shook her head, a stern look on her face.

"Tornate tutti e due al lavoto," ["Get back to work, both of you,"] she said, before leaving the room.

Maxwell and Daniella exchanged glances, a smile played on his lips.

"We'd better get back to it," Daniella said, her voice still breathless from their passionate kiss.

Maxwell nodded, trying to compose himself.

"Right," he replied, his pulse still racing.

"So, where were we?" Daniella asked, her eyes locked on his.

Maxwell grinned, his thoughts full of forbidden desires.

"Let's get back to those sexy moves," he says, his voice low and husky.

Daniella smiled demurely, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"I thought you'd never ask," she purred, her body moved seductively against his.

Maxwell can't help but feel like the luckiest man alive as Daniella's arms wrapped around him, her body pressed against his.

He knew that they had a dance competition to win, but right now, the only thing on his mind was her.

❤️‍🔥Piazza di torino [Piazza of Turin]

"You did what?" Maxwell exclaimed, his eyes widened with shock.

"I know, it was crazy," Daniella replied, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "But I had to do it."

"You didn't have to marry him, though," Maxwell pointed out, still trying to process her revelation.

"I know," Daniella admitted, her smile faded slightly. "But he's a good man, and I really like him and I think you're the one for me, too."

Maxwell remained in stunned silence, thinking to himself, 'stop looking at me like that - I can't guarantee for anything right now.'

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicescommunityevents @choicesmonthlychallenge

[raisoramizu]

Chapter 15: The Crossroad Between Worlds

Hazbin Hotel Fanfic "New Order" (Radioapple/Radiostatic/Applemedia)

Previous Chapter: Intro - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14

The images for this fanfiction are for illustrative purposes only, and all credits go to their respective artists.

The swirling, impenetrable barrier Kalfu had raised finally descended, dissolving into the ground. The Hotel reappeared in all its grandeur, towering over the decimated landscape while Husk, Charlie, and Cherri Bomb watched in awe, and Niffty bounced in delight, waving her arms excitedly. Now standing on the hilltop, the structure commanded the view, overlooking what was left of Hell—almost nothing.

Bent over Alastor's shoulders, Kalfu surveyed the reborn building under his influence... but the influence wasn't just his alone. The Hotel now felt like a fusion of Kalfu's spirit and Alastor himself. It still had its rectangular layout, with a vintage red-and-black wood exterior, but it now stood taller, more imposing. Most striking was an enormous, spherical room made of immense black glass panes, like a pulsing heart, anchored at the building's center.

The room appeared as though it had been violently embedded in stone, veined with twisting, black vines alive with movement. They snaked along the walls, coiling around the Hotel like dark serpents, each fissure glowing with an acidic green light that pulsed with Kalfu's energy. The vines descended toward the ground, anchoring themselves deep, as though feeding on Hell's very essence... and Heaven's as well.

At the very top of the structure was a never-before-seen spire, stretching upward, almost piercing the sky to reach the Golden Sphere above. The east and west wings, once belonging to Alastor and Lucifer, now fused at the spire's summit, forming black jaws around a single golden apple. Windows were curved around it, as if it were being crushed between jagged teeth, giving it an almost elliptical shape.

Charlie gaped, her gaze fixed on the entrance doors, where voodoo symbols, glowing with dark magic, appeared and disappeared on the wood, casting a sense of protection and menace alike.

"What..." she started, her voice catching as she took in the towering spire, resembling a fusion of what once had been—a radio tower, perhaps, from the antenna. The architecture struck her with a sudden dread, her stomach knotting in fear, just as a rush of wings caught everyone's attention.

Razzle, a small goat-like demon with crossed eyes, hurled himself at Charlie, landing so quickly that she tumbled backward to catch him. As she sat with a yelp, the little demon feverishly licked her face.

"Razzle, you're alive!" Charlie exclaimed, laughing, "Careful... easy... Oh, you're hurt!" She burst into a fit of joyous laughter, noting her friend's battered state as Cherri Bomb joined them, hands on her hips and grinning proudly.

Through it all, Husk couldn't take his eyes off Alastor, watching him with suspicion.

"Boss," Husk said, frowning, lips pressed into a tight line.

Alastor turned slowly, his movements perfectly synchronized with Kalfu's shadow, his face glowing with that sinister yellow grin spreading ear to ear. "Yes~?" he replied, in that familiar, syrupy voice.

Husk stiffened, swallowing hard. "What is all this... exactly?"

"Oh, don't get yourself worked up, my dear Husky~" Alastor responded with a crackle, lazily lifting a hand from his staff's handle to wave it dismissively in the air. "You're still our cherished bartender; your job is safe."

Husk grunted in frustration.

Then Alastor turned toward Charlie. "Darling, it would be best if we all went inside... your father could use a bit of... mmh," he trailed off, glancing at Lucifer still suspended by a tendril. "...a rest... And we need to talk."

"Oh, yes! Of course!" Charlie cried, jumping to her feet. Caught up in the chaos, she momentarily forgot about her mother but quickly remembered Vaggie, her gaze darting anxiously toward the spot where the Angelic Embassy had once stood.

"They'll be back soon," Alastor said, turning away as he started up the stairs leading under a precarious-looking porch where numerous deer antlers were intertwined above the Hotel's entrance.

At the doors, Kalfu's dark form liquefied, slipping through the cracks beneath. The moment he disappeared inside, the sound of a key turning in the lock was unmistakable. A shadowy key manifested on the left door, swinging it open for those outside to enter.

Inside, the lobby was transformed into a perfect blend of Alastor's melancholic elegance and the Loa's chaotic power. Chandeliers made of bone flickered with green flames, while rich velvet curtains in red and black alternated with fabrics laced with infernal symbols. The floor was a mosaic of living, rotating runes forming four crossed arrows—the crossroads of Kalfu.

Charlie, followed closely by the others, entered cautiously. Her eyes widened as she took in the new Hotel's eerie majesty. Spectral eyes on the walls seemed to follow her every move, casting sinister shadows under the acidic green glow. Amid all the strange details, she couldn't ignore the statues dedicated to Dazzle and Sir Pentious—they remained exactly as they'd been designed. Just then, she felt Keekee pulsing at her neck.

Looking down, she pulled out the black key—the eye embedded in it glowed red—from under her shirt, gripping it anxiously. "What have you done?" she whispered to Alastor, her voice barely audible.

"I simply gave this place a new soul," Kalfu replied, his twisted smile gleaming with a flicker of green in his eyes. The spirit appeared as a shadow against the wall. Though it moved and spoke freely, it remained attached to Alastor, like an extension of the demon himself.

"Don't worry, Charlie," Alastor interjected, his tone unusually smooth, "There's a room where you can feel comfortable as you adjust to what's coming." He gestured toward the bar with his cane, which was identical to the one in the previous Hotel.

The bar counter was there, with Husk's liquor shelves glinting behind it, flanked by round, pale tables in a 1920s style, and a veranda overlooking the grounds outside.

It was there that the four guests gravitated, separating from Alastor, who, dragging Lucifer along, made his way to the upper floors.

Charlie paused at the doorway to the bar, glancing apprehensively back at the Stag Demon. Her brows furrowed, and a thousand words swirled on her lips, tangled in the turmoil of emotions she couldn't shake. She pressed both hands against her chest, snug in her shirt and suspenders. "..." She parted her lips to speak, but Alastor was already heading up the stairs, leaving her to breathe in and out helplessly. At last, she turned and made her way fully into the bar.

After leaving Lucifer to rest in the room at the top of the tower—where black jaws encased a golden apple—Alastor made his way to the main bar, his usual grin plastered on his face as his crackling presence filled the air.

They were all still there: Charlie, Vaggie, and Cherri Bomb sat tensely on a couch near the old wooden stage. Husk was behind the bar, grumbling nervously as he organized the magically restored items to his liking. Joining Vaggie were Adam and Lute; Adam, seated on the edge of the stage, stared blankly at the floor, his expression still darkened by Lilith's music, black residue staining his spiked sweater and brown hair. Lute, beside him, had a rough bandage soaked in golden blood wrapped around her waist over her clothes. Her furrowed brow betrayed her nerves.

Everyone looked worse for wear—scratched up, bruised, dirty with dust and blood. The atmosphere was heavy, though the room remained as Alastor had initially designed it during the Hotel's reconstruction. But now, everything was different.

The Stag Demon paused in the doorway, absorbing the tension, his smile frozen in place as his gaze sharpened, a faint radio crackle filling the room, "–~ -".

Niffty was the one who shattered the oppressive silence. Her ragged breaths and frantic footsteps drew Alastor's attention < ? > just in time to see her scampering up onto his shoulder.

"... "

"... "

They exchanged a look. Alastor raised his eyebrows, his ever-present smile unmoving, while Niffty blinked her one red eye a few times before bursting into gleeful laughter.

"Mhuahaheheh!" she cackled, throwing her head back while clinging to Alastor's antlers, before snapping her gaze back to him. "Missed you!" she squeaked with manic fervor. "And you brought in another bad boy, even worse than you. Eheheua!" Her gaze drifted to Kalfu's shadow, looming with hungry eyes and a wolfish grin from the shadows of the hallway.

The spectacle drew everyone's attention. Vaggie eyed Alastor, clutching her arms tight across her chest as if trying to still the tremor that rose within her. Every time she saw him, something inside her recoiled. It wasn't just his predatory smile or his theatrical manner. It was the constant sense that every word he spoke was part of a larger plan—something none of them could understand. What are we to him? she wondered, locking eyes with Charlie. Pawns? Or tools he'll discard?

Standing now, Vaggie's voice cut sharply through the tension.

"So? What happened to the Hotel?" she asked bluntly. Her crossed arms held her spear tight against her chest, and her disheveled appearance mirrored everyone else's. "Are you going to fill us in on your plans, or keep up this magician's act?"

Alastor moved into the room, Niffty still perched on his shoulder, tapping his cane against the floor in a steady rhythm. His smirk widened.

"Oh, Vaggie ~ always so straightforward. I admire that in you!" he remarked with theatrical emphasis, before turning his gaze to Adam, who continued to stare darkly at the floor. "And you, dear Adam, how are you feeling?" he asked with amusement.

Adam swallowed hard, feeling a surge of dread. His fists clenched, and his lips curled into a look of disgust. "Don't you dare speak to me," he hissed, struggling to keep his voice steady, though his tone betrayed his contempt.

Alastor chuckled lightly, shrugging as though Adam's words were merely an amusing distraction. "So touchy...!"

"Hey, enough already," Charlie burst out, rising abruptly. She shot a glance at Adam, then at Vaggie. "We're all shaken by what happened. We don't know where Angel is, and the Hotel, even if it's rebuilt, isn't the same... But Alastor" she raised her voice so everyone could hear, pointing toward the Stag Demon who now stood at the room's center, cane clutched tightly in his claws, "saved us. We're alive because of him. I don't think he deserves this kind of treatment, whatever happened before. Right?" She turned her gaze to Alastor, as though seeking his confirmation. The demon met her eyes with his usual yellow-toothed grin.

"... "

Charlie held her determined tone, but she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She had always tried to see the good in everyone, but with Alastor... it was different. There was something about him she just couldn't decipher. His cheerful exterior, that ever-present smile, the calm he displayed in every situation... it sent shivers down her spine. But she knew he was necessary. The real question was, how much could she trust him? Looking at him now, still with that smug grin, she wondered: Is he really on our side? Or is this just another game to him?

The Princess sighed, her shoulders dropping. "Is my father alright? And... that room... "

"He's resting," Alastor replied, gently lifting Niffty off his shoulder and setting her down. "Ah, the room... do you like it? It's ours. It'll take some time for your father to recover, but I'll handle that personally ~" he added in his usual playful tone, never clear if he was serious or not. "I promise, Charlie, he won't be in danger anymore." His gaze sharpened. Charlie looked at him, incredulous.

"Where is Roo?" Vaggie asked, emerging from behind Charlie.

"I sent him back where he belongs," Kalfu responded, appearing as a clear extension of Alastor. His voice was heavy. "But he mustn't be fed again, or even my seal may not hold him."

"Who are you?" Charlie took a step back, her eyes wide.

"I told you, little princess, I'm the Key. And this will be my Hotel," he replied with a sinister grin.

Before the conversation could continue, a golden light flooded the room, blinding them all and obscuring everything beyond the glass windows. It was a warm, yet stifling light. Everyone turned toward the source, watching as a majestic figure materialized by the bar, accompanied by a smaller presence.

God had arrived, and with him, Michael.

The form of God appeared immense, towering over Alastor and anyone else in the room—excluding Adam, who remained seated. But as the light receded, absorbed into God's figure, his presence seemed anything but threatening. A large eye snapped open on the massive white cylinder encasing his bald head, along with six other eyes—three on each side—floating around him in the air. His face held no eyes where they would normally be; instead, a wide, toothy smile stretched across his face. His attire shone as brilliantly white as his cloak, which inside appeared to reflect a night sky full of stars.

Beside him, Michael stood rigid at attention with both hands clasped behind his back, his sword of fire—unlit—sheathed at his side. He, too, shone with a radiant glow. Despite God's imposing form, Michael's presence captivated Charlie's attention. A pang struck her as she took in his features; he was almost identical to her father and, in turn, shared many of her own.

She had glimpsed him during the clash, but she hadn't had the chance to notice his unique details... like the bright red dots on his cheeks and his faint, barely-there nose, which lent his features an androgynous look. His blonde hair and shorter stature were strikingly similar to Lucifer's. The main differences were his blue eyes, his single pair of wings (unlike Lucifer's six), his hair tied back in a ponytail, and a glowing halo hovering like a crown above him.

And unlike before, Michael was fully healed. Miraculously, he bore no scratches; his pristine white outfit with silver armor plates was intact, his wing fully restored with feathers, and his arm looked as though it had never been wounded.

Charlie, barely realizing it, stared at him for a few moments, unintentionally scrutinizing every detail. She watched as he scanned the room, his brow furrowing with a hint of concern that quickly vanished. A subtle golden blush crept across his cheeks as his gaze met hers, and she felt her own cheeks burn, blushing intensely.

"Well, here we are!" God declared suddenly, clapping his hands together, startling everyone present. His voice was bright and cheerful, yet deep and resonant, seeming to come from everywhere, though his lips didn't move. He looked around, the corners of his mouth turning down. "...Oh Holy Me, but who designed this place?"

"That would be me, Lord." Kalfu's deep voice emerged from the walls, now visible again after God's blinding appearance.

His ghostly form coalesced almost physically in a swirl of green sorcery, manifesting as a figure entirely black, mirroring Alastor in outline yet towering over him. Kalfu hunched forward, his hands more like shadowy claws. Like God, Kalfu floated slightly above the ground and spoke without moving his mouth.

God turned, intrigued by the answer, blinking his six eyes out of sync. "Oh, Kalfu! Well, look at that! Where have you been hiding, my word!" He clapped his hands again with a loud crash, leaning forward to get a better look at the spirit.

"I've been sealed within Alastor for nearly a century," Kalfu replied.

"Alastor...?" God's seven eyebrows (which didn't actually exist but appeared just for the moment) arched. "Ah, yes, Alastor! It must have been tight in there; he's rather slender!" God's voice rang from everywhere at once, making the Stag Demon a playful wink.

Alastor's gaze narrowed. "...A pleasure to meet you," he replied, his expression unchanged.

"And you..." God continued, stepping forward with a heavy stride toward Charlie. His massive cloak, reflecting the starry sky, billowed as if caught by a non-existent wind.

Charlie stiffened, her fiery red eyes wide.

"You must be Charlie! Lucifer's daughter! But of course... you're the spitting image of him, my word!" God exclaimed, leaning back with a broad grin and throwing a few enthusiastic elbows at Michael, who flinched slightly, visibly embarrassed. "Eh, Michael, she looks quite a bit like you, wouldn't you say?"

Michael tried to mask his discomfort with a forced smile. "Y-yes, Lord. Spitting image, indeed!" he replied, clearly flustered.

Charlie felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, disconnecting her momentarily from reality. If Michael physically resembled her father, God mirrored him in personality. At least, before Lucifer's depression dragged him down. The same cheeky humor, the same glint in his eye that suggested nothing was to be taken seriously... just like her father. The same disarming lightness that had always made her feel small, too fragile to bear the weight of her lineage.

And now... the image of her as Lucifer's double. The comparison she had always feared, had spent her life trying to avoid, now echoed through the room with the weight of a sentence.

And me? Who am I, besides my father's shadow? she wondered, as her inner voice was muffled by the growing pressure. She fought to maintain a strained smile, to respond politely, but deep down, insecurity gnawed at her.

"A pleasure, sir," Charlie muttered with a tight-lipped smile.

The sheer absurdity of the scene left everyone stunned: Niffty blinked her single, cyclopean eye, peeking out from behind Husk's ear; Vaggie and Cherri Bomb stood motionless beside Charlie. Lute and Adam lingered at the edge of the stage, Adam perched on the edge with wide eyes, though he tried to avoid the gaze of both God and Michael.

"Grandpa, call me Grandpa!" the Lord exclaimed, extending an arm and pinching the air. "And for our first meeting, here's a gift for you, Charlie."

From the void, He summoned a small ship, painted in shades of yellow, red, and white—the colors that echoed his granddaughter's essence—and let it float gently in her direction. "I collect ships, you know? All kinds. I have whole rooms full of them!"

The Princess caught the ship in her hands, examining it. "Thank you!" she squeaked.

God shook His head. "...But Michael doesn't like them." He closed His seven eyes and reopened them on the back of His head to fix on the Archangel. At the same time, the eyes on the front reopened, locking onto everyone in the room once again. "He never comes to see my new creations!"

Michael flinched, caught off guard, then straightened, his lips turning down. "...It's only because there are so many I can't even get through the door, Father," he tried to justify himself.

God chuckled and gave Michael a hearty slap on the back, which made him lurch forward, wings flaring, eyes wide in shock. "Oh, lighten up, Michael! Always so stiff. I should've given you a greater sense of relaxation!"

Then, His attention turned to the others, His mouth remaining in that long, unsettling smile, like something that could even make Alastor jealous. "Sooo... Kalfu." He summoned the spirit. "Michael's kept me informed. Not that I didn't already know—come on, I am God, after all!" He chuckled, tugging proudly at the collar of His white jacket. "...Kalfu, my Key. I thought I'd lost you... along with a few other less-than-important things."

"Oh yes!" Kalfu's voice boomed through the room. "...It happened that Friday night when you were in such a hurry to rest you forgot to give Lilith a soul. Remember? That moment when everything started to fall apart!" His eyes and jaws glowed a sickly, acid green. "Some indigenous tribes found me, started worshipping me as a spirit. But I had to wait until the early 1900s, when, thanks to Alastor's thirst for power, I was summoned..." He trailed off, smirking. "We made a pact: I let him draw on part of my power in exchange for passage to the Beyond. Who could've guessed he'd take the plunge so soon, right, Alastor?" he added, winking at the Sinner.

Alastor cast him a sharp, sideways glance, still frozen with both hands resting on the shell of his cane. "I can assure you that wasn't in my plans," he said, his voice echoing with a familiar radio static.

"So you didn't know anything, Alastor?" Vaggie interjected suddenly, drawing God's curious gaze upon herself. Those seven heavy eyes made her take a step back, lowering her head in guilty shame. God would surely recognize her as an angel. She should've kept quiet; she cursed herself inwardly.

"All I knew was that he was a Loa spirit. But who could have imagined there was a whole pantheon of complications involved? Not exactly my line of business," Alastor replied.

Kalfu resumed: "The pact Alastor made with Lilith trapped me; he sold her his soul, and I could no longer communicate or escape. When Lilith weakened her power by destroying the staff—the catalyst of our bond—I tried to slip through the cracks, into her mind, to warn him..." He hissed, irritated. "But then the Demon of Media thought it clever to hypnotize him. I could do little beyond what I did to alert both him and Lucifer..." "...And now, here I am..." He spread his ghostly arms. "Lilith is dead, the soul has returned to Alastor, and I am free to fulfill the purpose I was created for... just before it all ends. A perfect coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

But Kalfu barely finished when Charlie let out a scream. The little ship crashed to the ground.

Cherri Bomb and Husk jumped, terrified. Adam and Lute turned, alarmed.

"It can't be true... it can't be..." the princess began muttering. She stared into the void, trembling harder by the second. "How..." The voice in her head grew increasingly distorted, distant, as her thoughts clashed and scattered, chaotic and incomprehensible. She swallowed hard, a weight wedging in her throat. "HOW, WHAT?!" she screamed again, clutching her head. "My mother..."

Her breath caught; everything inside her froze, heart included.

"Are you kidding?!" she shouted, suddenly ablaze; her hair melted into flames, and her horns curled as she took on her demonic form, then, facing the astonished onlookers, extinguished like a candle's flame.

"Charlie!" Vaggie caught her just before she hit the ground.

Even Alastor froze. Seeing Charlie collapse, he had an instinct to help her, but he stiffened, remaining still, eyes wide and that frozen smile plastered on his face. He should have told her about Lilith's death. He knew it. Every fiber of his being had screamed it to him, but there was no time. All the time they'd had was now gone.

Lilith... Lilith deserved to die. Lilith was a mistake, an irritation to be eradicated. He'd hated her with every part of himself for eight long years, and now that she was gone, her shadow no longer controlled him. But for Charlie... for Charlie... the thought of how she would react paralyzed him.

For the first time, he felt uncertain about what to do. He was exposed in front of too many people. She had to grow up, confront the harsh reality of Hell and who she truly was. Yet Alastor found that a part of him didn't want to see her crumble like this. It was an odd feeling. A very odd one.

"What's wrong with you now?!" Lute burst out suddenly from the back of the room.

The First Man had risen, shoving her aside to make room for an escape.

"Adam..." But God's voice stopped him.

The Sinner felt God's gaze bearing down on his soul, and guilt surged over him. He'd always wanted Lilith dead, ever since she'd left Eden, betraying him with that fool Lucifer and condemning Eve to a slow corruption. But now... now it was bitter. Too bitter, even for him.

"Stay here," God ordered as Vaggie and Cherri Bomb laid an unconscious Charlie on a small couch.

Adam grunted, tense, his head sinking between his shoulders as he took a few steps back. He sat down as before, under Lute's stunned gaze.

"Quite the tough day, huh?" God quipped, looking to Michael for a laugh, but found only the angel's sad, frightened eyes.

"...Oh, well," He sighed, gesturing for Kalfu to continue.

"Yes, she's just like her father," the spirit remarked, with a hint of irony, also looking to Alastor for some reaction, but found only the Sinner's back as he stared, worried, toward Charlie. Seeing him like this, Kalfu muttered something in an unknown tongue, then concluded: "...Here, in this Hotel, is where I will establish Purgatory."

At those words, Michael jolted, overtaken by a heavy realization. He unlocked his hands, which he had clasped behind his back.

"So... Father... you didn't create Purgatory because you lost the Key?" ... "It wasn't a choice, just an oversight? Like an 'oh, where did I put those keys' kind of thing?" he asked, gazing up at God with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Ohh, making a new one would have been exhausting!" the Lord replied. "I spent six whole days creating everything, and look at the mess they made while I was resting!" He leaned forward, gesturing animatedly, though His mouth didn't move. "...One bolts from Eden because she won't submit under Adam, no!" He gestured toward Adam, whose face was flushed with anger and discomfort. "...And the other one goes for the one fruit I told her not to touch, and creates Hell!" He pointed at the floor, where Roo had once again been relegated. God gestured wildly, both agitated and exasperated, as though He truly believed His own words.

" ...But this moment has come, Lord" Kalfu resumed, making his voice heard. " Better late than never. I can keep Roo asleep and manage Hell's overpopulation through redemption. And Hell... will be ruled more effectively! With ideas brimming with hope! " He paused for a moment, his luminous, spectral eyes fixed on Charlie's unconscious figure.

Vaggie and Cherri Bomb, kneeling beside the couch, turned towards him.

"It will be Charlie Morningstar who shall rule over it. "

[iboatedhere]

💔 for firstprince please!!

“Hope you guys had a great workout and before you go, don’t forget to take one of these. Friends and family deal—twenty percent off when they sign up and two free months for you. The offer is good until the end of the month. Make sure you tell all your friends.”

Henry stops in the hall between the exit and the locker room and watches as Alex, in leggings and a dark blue polo that shows off every curve of his upper body, hands a stack of coupons to an older couple on their way out. 

He’s done his best to avoid moments just like this since the day they met, nearly four months ago. Alex was giving him a tour before Henry signed up—showing him the machines and asking about his goals. Henry didn’t have any. He was only there because his therapist suggested he get out of the apartment a few nights a week and as much as Henry hated to admit it, he was turning into a bit of a recluse. 

Alex was friendly and informative and beautiful and Henry was so distracted he tripped right over an errant set of barbells and landed ass up on the padded floor. To make matters worse, while he was down there, a Grindr notification pinged. Loudly. 

Henry should have ran away with his tail tucked between his legs. Instead he picked himself up and followed Alex to the front counter where he signed a contract to pay one dollar down then fifteen dollars a month after that. 

Henry has done his best to avoid him. Tries not to make eye contact, doesn’t engage in small talk, never asks him the proper way to use a machine. When he saw Alex post up at the front door with his stack of coupons, Henry stayed on the elliptical for an extra thirty minutes, hoping that Alex would move on. After that was the treadmill and then the stair climber then every weight machine that was available. When that wasn’t enough he retreated into the locker room to take a shower that lasted so long he was interrupted by a banging on the door and a threat to tell the front desk to send someone to force him out. 

Now he is standing on wobbly legs with wet hair and no way out but through. 

Alex, bless him, smiles like Henry didn’t embarrass himself to within an inch of his life when they first met and holds out a coupon. 

“Friends and family discount,” he says brightly. 

“I don’t have any family,” Henry says and Alex’s smile falls. “I mean, I do,” he adds quickly. “It’s just that they all live in England and my sister is really the only one that would be mildly interested.”

“Friends then,” Alex tries. 

“Don’t really have any of those,” Henry replies and Alex winces. “My roommate!” Henry exclaims, “he’s my friend—although I don’t believe you’d ever catch him dead in a gym. He’s more a fan of other recreational activities. I’m not as pathetic as I seem,” Henry continues, because once he starts he apparently cannot stop. “I’ve only been living here for about six months and it’s hard to meet people…or at least it’s hard for me to meet people. I am trying though, that’s part of the reason why I downloaded Grindr but I’ve deleted that—.” He deflates with a heavy sigh. “I should go and quite possibly never come back.”

With a nod he steps around Alex but Alex darts in front of him and pulls a pen from the breast pocket of his polo. 

“Here,” Alex says, scribbling something on the top of the coupon and handing it over. “That’s my number. You should use it sometime.”

Henry stares down at it and Alex shakes the coupon, trying to get him to take it. 

“Why are you giving me this?”

“Because you said it’s hard to meet people. I’d like to meet you.”

“You’ve met me,” Henry says slowly.

“Well, I wanna meet you more,” Alex tells him. “Text me. We’ll get coffee sometime.” He stops and looks him over then bats a set of ridiculously long lashes. “Or maybe something more.”

Henry nods and takes a coupon, knees weak for an entirely new reason.

[melishade]

Damn it. Number 1?

This ask game

Autobot Anthology. Autobots make an ice skating rink for the winter.

Halloween Movies

Emblem

Lobbing

"Primus, I hate the winter," Arcee groaned, feeling her body jolt in a shiver from the chill of the snowy winds. The Survey Corps and the Autobots were currently residing at the neutral ship. They were trying to conserve energon for the larger ship, but that meant the inside of the ship had to be cold.

"We all do! It sucks!" Sasha yelled as Connie threw some snow in her face.

"We just need to get some extra stuff and we can go back to the walls," Hanji insisted.

"I call riding with Optimus!" Jean raised his hand.

"Bullshit!" Connie and Eren yelled at him.

"What?! He has a heating system! I don't want to get sick!" Jean retorted.

"We have a rotating system!" Eren reminded.

"Well, we need to make sure Optimus is feeling well rested before we return to the walls," Hanji reminded, "If he gets sick, we can't treat him, and we don't want him pushing himself!"

Hanji hollered that last part down the hall, and Optimus finally revealed himself to the others holding an empty energon cube.

"I will properly refuel." The Prime sounded a little annoyed.

"Thank you!" Hanji called out in a faux innocent manner.

Wheeljack exited the deck of the ship, holding some wires in his servos. "Isn't wintertime super popular on Earth?"

"Freezing your ass off is popular thing on Earth?" Levi deadpanned.

"Well no," Arcee explained, "Earth has this famous end of the year celebration called Christmas. Very festive. After that, there's a bunch of other winter sports. Skating was fun. We turned the base into an ice-skating rink."

"Well, that sounds more like a luxury," Mikasa declared, "We just want to survive the winter. The closest thing to fun is just playing in the snow. But nothing festive."

"Huh, maybe that's why you hate winter so much," Wheeljack proclaimed, "You guys aren't making it fun."

"Let's just go back to the Walls," Armin sighed.

"I can take some of you guys back. I have a heating system too," Wheeljack informed.

"Yes!" Connie screamed.

"Please do!" Sasha begged.

Arcee grabbed Wheeljack's arm before the Wrecker left to put the wires in the Jackhammer.

"What's up?" Wheeljack asked her.

"Do you know how to make an ice-skating rink?" Arcee asked.

"No," Wheeljack answered.

"Want to make one?" Arcee asked.

"A little bit nice for you," Wheeljack remarked.

"Honestly, they really need a break," Arcee confessed.

"Fair enough," Wheeljack shrugged, "When do you want to get started?"

==

A few days later

The Survey Corps were stunned at what they were looking at. Optimus had approached them all, proclaiming that Arcee and Wheeljack had requested their presence. When Hanji pressed the Prime on the matter, he looked rather perplexed. He had no clue what Arcee and Wheeljack had planned. They had followed the Prime through the snow, thankfully, no storm was to be had. The sky was as clear as day. When they arrived at the location, they were stunned to see a large elliptical platform of ice surrounded by a wooden railing. The ice was so smooth that they could see their reflection in it.

"Whoa!" the 104th exclaimed in excitement.

"You made it," Arcee spoke up as she walked onto the rink. The Survey Corps watched as she slid towards them with grace before slowly to a stop, almost getting some ice residue on them.

"What is all this?!" Hanji asked with giddy.

"Ice skating rink," Arcee answered, "Humans on Earth use it for fun, and the humans we knew turned the base into a rink one time. I...thought you guys could use the fun, so..."

The two-wheeler gestured to the rink before her. "Surprise."

"That is quite considerate of you," Optimus praised.

"Yep," Arcee replied curtly.

"Is it...safe?" Levi couldn't help but ask as he tapped his foot on the edge of the ice.

"Oh, Wheeljack's been testing it for the past hour," Arcee answered with a shrug.

"YEAH!" Wheeljack screamed as he slid across the ice right behind Arcee. The Survey Corps were surprised to see him, but the two-wheeler didn't bat an optic.

"Should be fine," Arcee finished, "Ice skates are over there."

Arcee pointed to a row of shoes with blades attached to the bottom of them.

"And this is going to be your first time, so the railing will be super important," Arcee proclaimed as she skated backwards to provide more space, "Ready to try it?"

"Yep!" Hanji raced towards the skates and took of their shoes as quickly as possible.

"C'mon!" Armin beckoned Mikasa and Eren to follow him, and the two obliged.

"Let's have a race!" Sasha told the others as she ran to the skates.

"I'll kick your ass!" Jean swore as he and Connie followed.

As the rest of the Survey Corps went to put on the skates, Optimus noticed that Levi was remaining put in his spot.

"Do you not wish to join them?" Optimus asked him.

"Someone needs to make sure to get them to a hospital if they get hurt," Levi answered, the Prime could tell that Levi looked a little tense.

As they finished putting on the skates, the humans stared at the ice rink with apprehension. However, it was Armin who managed to muster up the courage to be on the ice. When Armin stepped on the ice, he yelped as he slipped forward and landed on his butt.

"Ow!" Armin yelled.

"Armin, are you okay?!" Eren called out as he tried to help him up, but he ended up slipping forward and hitting the ice face first.

"HAH!" Jean cackled.

"That's what the railings are for," Arcee spoke as she kneeled down and helped both teens to their feet, "The key to this is balance, similar to the 3D gear. Balance on your heels. Back straight."

Arcee helped the two of them straighten their backs before letting them go. Armin and Eren were relieved to be standing, but...

"How do we move?" Armin asked.

"Keep your balance, and one foot in front of the other," Arcee instructed, "Small steps first. Treat it like you're walking."

Both teens followed Arcee's instructions, taking slow wobbly steps forward. Mikasa was afraid both were going to fall again and rushed onto the ice, but the Ackerman suddenly found herself gliding past the both of them and across the ice.

"How do I stop?!" Mikasa called out with worry.

"Twist your feet to the side! Opposite of the direction you're going!" Arcee called out.

Mikasa did as she was told, turning her feet perpendicular to the direction she was heading, but she still ended up losing her balance and falling onto her side.

"Mikasa!" Eren called out while Sasha was laughing.

"Okay." Hanji placed a hand under their chin before stepping onto the ice, "Balance!" Hanji yelped as they waved their arms around before holding them out to keep their balance. They then started taking small steps while keeping their arms out.

"I'm doing it!" Hanji squealed as they were slowly gliding across the ice.

"I'm just gonna stick to the railing," Connie proclaimed as he grabbed onto the wood before getting on the ice. Connie yelled as his feet kicked erratically before he was able to find his balance. He took small steps, using the railing as a way to get around the rink.

"You mastered the 3D gear. You can do this," Jean psyched himself up before stepping onto the ice. Jean let out of yell as he struggled to find his balance. He ended up bending his knees together and holding his hands out before sliding along the ice, "This is fine."

Sasha scoffed. "Amateurs." The huntress cracked her neck before getting into a sprinting position. She then started running across the ice like it was nothing before skidding to a stop next to Mikasa.

"Hi!" she greeted to the Ackerman still on the floor.

"HOW?!" Eren yelled.

"I lived next to a river I had to walk across when it was frozen to get some game when food was in short supply!" Sasha answered.

"I mean...she's technically doing it right," Arcee admitted, but was still baffled.

"There's no way," Jean deadpanned.

"She's doing it like a hockey player," Arcee explained.

"What the hell is hockey?!" Connie called out.

"Human sport!" Wheeljack called out as he slid across the ice once more.

"Where is he coming from?" Armin asked in confusion.

"I'm more than willing to provide help," Arcee offered.

"Yes, please!" Jean pleaded.

As time passed, Mikasa managed to quickly pick up on skating, gliding across the ice with practical ease. Sasha still took to running across the ice, racing Jean who was just barely managing to glide. Eren and Armin held onto each other for support, refusing to let each other go. Hanji was laughing with delight before they fell once more. Even so they struggled to get back up on their feet to try again. Connie had finally gotten off of the railing and was now getting help from Arcee on how to properly balance himself.

"See, you're getting the hang of it," Arcee complimented Connie as she let go of him and allowed him to balance on his own.

Hanji yelled as they slammed into the wooden railing, but they didn't let the pain bother them as they found themselves face to face with Levi and Optimus. "Levi, come join us on the ice!"

"No thanks." Levi turned it down.

"C'mon! It's fun!" Hanji pleaded.

"Majority of you are falling on your asses," Levi retorted, "I'm surprised no one broke anything yet."

"Does bruising count?" Hanji asked him.

"I'm not doing it," Levi declared, earning a raspberry from Hanji before they pushed themselves backwards on the ice.

"Do you really wish to miss out on this experience?" Optimus asked him.

"I don't see you on the ice," Levi shot back.

"I suppose you are right," Optimus didn't deny that. He still managed to catch glimpses of Wheeljack gliding across the ice in bursts, "Wheeljack."

The Wrecker stopped when he heard the Prime call for him.

"How much weight is the ice able to sustain?" Optimus asked him.

"Enough," Wheeljack answered, "I was able to put the Jackhammer on this thing."

"Very well." Wheeljack was surprised when Optimus stepped over the railing, being mindful of the humans, before standing on the ice.

"YAY!" Hanji cheered as they glided over to Optimus and hugged his pede.

Levi sighed in frustration. "Fuck you, Prime."

"One leg!" Wheeljack shouted as he balanced on one leg across the ice, but he ended up tripping and falling over the edge of the rink and into the snow. Optimus glided over to Wheeljack to assist the Wrecker out of the snow as Levi walked over to the last pair of skates. He forced the pair on before walking over to the ice. He stopped right along the edge and stared at his reflection before stepping onto the surface. Levi kept his hands in his pockets, but he refused to take another step and skate.

"Not even five minutes on the ice, and Mikasa's already mastered it," Jean spoke, both annoyed and amazed at the sight of Mikasa and Sasha racing one another. While Mikasa skated with grace, Sasha skated with more aggression.

"There are a few tricks I could teach you," Arcee offered.

"Like what?" Armin asked.

Arcee didn't reply and merely started to skate around the rink. Arcee started to crisscross her legs as she extended her arms out, skating backwards in a circle. In the next moment, she kicked her legs upward and tucked her arms into her chest, twirling in the air three times before landing on one pede, extending the other one out.

"Okay, we can't do that!" Jean exclaimed as everyone else was clapping at the display.

"I want to do that!" Sasha raised her hand eagerly.

"We'll do the legs first. That's the easier one," Arcee decided.

Levi watched as Arcee was beginning to teach the Survey Corps are few tricks, the humans quickly falling down trying to learn it as a result. Levi grunted when Hanji hugged him from behind before taking his hands and pulling him along the ice. Hanji noticed just how tense the Captain looked, holding onto Hanji as tight as he could.

"You're okay, Captain," Hanji reassured, "I got you."

"...yeah," Levi muttered quietly as he followed Hanji on the ice. Little by little, he let Hanji's hands go before being able to skate on his own. He almost fell a few times, but quickly caught himself before he continued skating. He noticed the way that everyone was having fun and couldn't help but feel...wonder. For the first time trying something like this, it was actually kind of nice.

(Okay. I have to work on #3. Someone asked for #49. Everything else is free game.)

[nso-csi]

230715 oneday cafe event FA

The cafe event place was very small and packed with fans at opening Taemin greeted fans and asked "is it ok? no you can't be~ (then turning a small fan on the table toward the fans) to cool down~"  cr.

fans saying Taemin didn't take the seat prepared by the host but chose to stand throughout the cafe event so even those in the back can see him, made eye contact with each, talked and listened to them without sitting, when asked if it's not hard he said it's ok.  cr.

No birthday party since a place couldn’t be rented but Taemin will do a live on his birthday!  cr.

Mentioning the photo the composers took with Taemin a fan asked if she can anticipate Taemin's solo album coming out this year Taemin smiled and nodded. cr.

Taemin saying he'd come in his own clothes tomorrow many fans asked why he didn't come in the clothes he wore on bubble selfie "someone replied on bubble it looked like mom's..ah although mom's clothes are pretty..6~6" (a fan: it's pretty) "thanks 6v6"   cr.

• Taemin has already received his birthday gifts from his members but he didn't say what he received • Taemin went back to his parents home & his mom wished him a happy birthday already. he asked 'you are already thinking that i am not coming home on my birthday?' • Minho went to the gym with Taemin yesterday after two of them spent 2 hours signing 400 signs and Taemin said Minho was disgusting for that but Minho told him that even so they still need to do it. • the members took ballet lessons before when they were trainees and at every lesson they would jokingly go 'ah teacher, what is this ~~~~!' and the lesson got removed after the 2nd lesson. The members said that the teacher escaped.   cr.

- said he ate chicken breast sandwich for lunch - did oishkunare moe moe kyun - a fan congrats Taem’s birthday using “saenghin” (highly respectful term for birthday) Taemin said it’s 1st time he ever heard that word for him so everyone laughed - asked what 3 wishes he has: 1)b healthy 2)b happy 3)not get old - he makes sure to do aerobic exercise once a day elliptical is good for burning calories “I seek the best efficiency so try it~” - ate lamb skewers last night as reward so exercise today as punishment - to a fan who asked if she can call him oppa taemin: ? I think i am oppa 6v6 - Taemin thinks lilac is his symbolic color - Taemin went to bed at 3 am last night - asked what happened to his rosary ring he said he lost it and doesn’t know when cr.

[ofdusk]

✧ ⁺ - @laruarva asked:

[ Lucky Charms ] "Ah, yes, you two! The pair of siblings!" The pair of what. If the merchant had not been peering so uncomfortably intense into their eyes, Arval would have simply moved on with their evening without the slightest thought. Except the attention was quite evidently on them. Reds scanned the space around them till the source of the confusion made itself evidence, an individual with inhumanity in her elliptical pupils and the points of her ears, crimson as unsettling as their own. Upon a flicker of their gaze, one could argue their outfits bore resemblances, with the corsets and the billowed sleeves. What a coincidence. What a coincidence that would be such a shame to go to waste. Arval was not a wasteful person. "Is there something you are in need of?" All nonchalance was their question, a subtle confirmation of the false assumption. "These charms would just be a lovely set for two siblings. The colour of the crystals even matches your eyes!" A sale, then. When Arval turned to their dear sister, it was with an impish gleam in their eyes and lips curled catlike. To an outsider, it could almost appear as the playful nature of a younger sibling, to the two of them it was blatant amusement found in the misunderstanding. The ruse was left in her hands, now, whether she wished to stutter out clarifications or slink into the role presented to her.

She expects entirely to turn and be greeted by a giggling Elise, a simpering Camilla.

She sees neither, met instead by the gaze of a stranger, but she understands the resemblance rather quickly. Lips part, take shape to begin a hurried explanation for the poor, confused merchant, but she does not speak.

They are smiling at her, this stranger, and she feels her own creep unbidden across her cheeks. A little game-- a dishonest one, but hardly harmful-- Corrin decides she doesn't mind playing.

"How kind of you to notice!" Comes her chirp of a reply, glittering eyes returning to the offered charms as though they are the most interesting thing she has ever seen. They are quite pretty-- dainty things, likely handcrafted, with crimson centers that shine in the room's candlelight.

"I suppose it is too perfect a chance to pass," she says finally, nodding as a handful of coins is retrieved from her pocket. The exchange is quick, charms deposited into her hastily emptied palms, and the merchant tips their hat before disappearing in pursuit of their next sale.

With a giggle, Corrin extends one of the pair to her newly acquired sibling.

"It would be a shame to forget such a meeting, hm? What better a way to remember it by!" Her own charm, once the other has been taken, is fastened to the linen of her collar. "There. Oh! And you may call me Corrin."

[scorchedthesnake]

December 7, 2011

This is when Chapter 2 begins. Gossip Girl had aired; the Halloween parties and the Vanity Fair shoot had let the world know this was a scene. Neil Patrick Harris had raved on Regis and Kelly. The run was no longer extending in short fits and spurts. And original cast began to move on and new residents arrived. Some had trickled in: William Popp and Tony Bordonaro had come in in the late summer and fall. But tonight, I would learn, was the debut of many, many new faces.

As it happened, I was celebrating my 32nd birthday (my original blog said 31st, but come on, do the math). Friends gathered at Manderley with elaborate and themed gifts; a bottle of absinthe I wouldn’t finish until 2022; a journal crafted from my show notes. Banquo had been my first infatuation in the show, but I had pretty quickly moved on the Malcolm, and the journal told the tale of that new fascination.

But the new cast that night included a triumvirate of extraordinary women: Lily Ockwell (Sexy Witch), Haylee Nichele (Lady Macduff), and Chelsea Bonosky (Agnes). 

As I wrote at the time… Chelsea immediately took my breath away. And somehow I didn’t put together that when she picked me for the 1:1, it was her first one ever. We would revisit this moment numerous times over the years. Once, she pulled me in and said: people are being awful tonight, can we just sit for a minute? And most poignantly on her final night as a regular resident, when she would insist on an elliptical structure for our journey together in the building. 

Other highlights of the night: Haylee’s Lady Macduff, whose 1:1 I saw on her final pick. I had been with her at the start of the show and watched as her very first pick *declined her hand,* and she later told me the audience member she picked after that had to be ejected. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to learn these scenes, harbor the confidence to pick someone, and have two mishaps like that one after the other. 

Ben Thys as Malcolm. It was a golden age of handsome Malcolms with Ben and Will sharing the role. Many years later I’d have the good fortune to see Ben’s final Malcolm loop and be part of an audience that all choked up when he chose Will for his last 1:1. 

Tony Bordonaro as Banquo! It was not his premiere night, but it was my first time seeing him. In the very small universe we inhabit, I’d been told to look forward to this performance. Matt, in his final acting gig ever, had managed to land a small role on One Life to Live as a high schooler going to the prom (he was 30 already I think?) - and the other two boys in the posse were So You Think You Can Dance’s Neil Haskell (a fellow Western New Yorker)… and Tony.

Later, in Manderley, came John’s component of my birthday gift: an introduction to Maxine Doyle. He indicated I’d seen the show a fair few times, and she said, so what do you think of the new cast? I replied they were all wonderful and brilliant! And then she said, don’t patronize me, tell me what you really thought. So I tried my best to give some even notes on things that had felt off (but truly, the people I had followed closely, were in fact wonderful and brilliant!). I was moderately terrified but also in awe of her seriousness.

This was the final normal show of 2011 for me. The New Year’s Eve that followed was a massive, massive party and full of dramatic hijinks to kick off 2012, the year we all lost our minds. (sorry, work blew up and I am behind, I had hoped to reach Remixed 1 by today in honor of Remixed 2 but it will not happen. Enjoy Remixed 2!)

[givereadersahug]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💙

I'm going to cheat and answer the asks but with a different theme for each one, since I can't choose and self-love, baby! 🤭

Theme: SK8 the Infinity fics ~ over 3k

Weekends Away at the Beach | Matchablossom | G | 3.5k

"We have no projects, and you have no calligraphy lessons. I'm taking you to the beach. You can complain all you want, but you are going." Kaoru leveled his eyes at Kojiro, mulling over the proposed getaway. "You're paying for food." "Don't I always?" asked Kojiro, winking. For the MatchaBlossom Reverse Bang 2023.

Cherry Blossoms | Matchablossom | G | 3.4k

"Cherry blossoms are pink and white." Kojiro had made his way back and took the purple kimono from Kaoru's hands. "You mean pink." "They start out as white and then they blossom to a gorgeous pink," Kojiro had said, his breath minty fresh. His arms wrapped around Kaoru's waist, and he buried his head into Kaoru's floral scented hair. "I love how you flush red every time I pull you in for a kiss. Your pale skin turns into a gorgeous shade of pink. My own personal cherry blossom." For the Matchablossom Flash Reverse Bang.

Leave the Light on for Me | Loveblossom | E | 4.2k

"Boring," said Ainosuke, gliding over to Langa. He tilted Langa's chin up so their gaze could meet. "Skating is about winning, taking your opponents in your hands and crushing them." Langa's eyebrows furrowed. "Who will meet you at the finish line?" There was only one person who ever met Ainosuke at the finish line, but he hadn't seen him in years. Young Ainosuke Shindo meets a strange man one evening after his mother died. Kitsune AU. For the Cherry Blossom Reverse Bang.

Devotion & Intricacies | Matchablossom

I consider them sister fics. One is a remix of the other.

Devotion's summary

Kojiro wants to know Kaoru's stance on them adopting kids. It's time for a long overdue conversation.

Intricacies's summary

Kojiro thinks he know everything about Kaoru, him learning the ins and outs of all things Kaoru since he was five. However, Kaoru continues to surprise him.

And the seven drabbles I written for Kaoru Week 2023.

Day #1 - Not Having to Ask | Matchablossom | G | 937 Day #2 - Elliptical Orbit | Matchablossom | T | 1.1k Day #3 - Indulgence | Matchablossom | T | 986 Day #4 - Throwback | Loveblossom | T | 770 Day #5 - Affections | Matchablossom | G | 475 Day #6 - Seaside Vacation | Matchablossom | G | 537 Day #7 - Spring | Matchablossom | G | 1.2k

The other asks: Drabbles featuring Severus Snape (Non-Snarry) Series

[spiced-wine-fic]

Thursbitch

Thursbitch is a novel by Alan Garner, and also a real place on the moors that he visited when he was young. This visit put down the roots of the novel. There is a marker there to one John Turner

HERE JOHN TURNER WAS CAST AWAY IN A HEAVY SNOW STORM IN THE NIGHT IN OR ABOUT THE YEAR 1755”. And on the other side “THE PRINT OF A WOMANS SHOE WAS FOUND BY HIS SIDE WERE [sic] HE LAY DEAD. Alan Garner:

‘John Turner lived at Saltersford Hall, where his father was a tenant farmer. He was born in 1706 and became a packman, or jagger, with a train of four horses.

On Christmas Eve, 1735, (that is, when John was twenty-nine), he was on his way back from Northwich. It was snowing. But packmen were used to being on the road in all weathers and at all hours. They knew the hills better than anyone. They took no risks. Jaggers were looked on as boundary-striders, as Grendel is described in Beowulf, wild men, wodwose, as in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. They belonged more to the hills than to the valleys. Yet on that Christmas Eve, John Turner did not reach home. The next morning he was found dead, though his team of horses survived, covered by drifts. And by him, on the white, wind-smoothed land, was the single print of a woman's shoe in the snow.’

The elements are Old English þyrs and bæch: “demon”; “valley”. “Thursbitch” is first recorded in 1384, a time when names were descriptive only. This was no Romantic conceit. For the people of those hills in the fourteenth century that valley was frequented by a þyrs: a demon.’

Alan Garner: Mr. X is my most sensitive, yet most elliptical, informant. A straight question never brings a straight reply. His replies are clues for me to follow; and only when I come back with an answer will he deliver another. I've been tested by an examiner who hopes that I'll discover what has been lost; and I'm not at all sure that his behaviour is conscious. As he stepped into the yard, he said over his shoulder, “What's wrong with this valley, Alan? What's wrong?” And closed the door. On another of my visits to the house, Mr. X opened the door to go. He paused, and said, “They never should have buried that baby in Thursbitch.” The Silk Museum at Macclesfield invited me to give a lecture of my own choosing. Afterwards, there were questions, then the audience departed. I noticed that a man was hanging back. When no one else was left, he approached. He was late middle-aged, neatly dressed and groomed; indeed, without deprecation, dapper. He said he'd been relieved by what I'd said about John Turner. He revealed that, from his qualifying as a GP in 1948 until his recent retirement, his practice had been the hill country to the northeast of Macclesfield. He'd never been happy with Saltersford, and always dreaded (his word) a night call there. 

In 1999, I telephoned the vicar. Despite the twenty-six year gap, he remembered me. I told him that I now had a clearer picture of Saltersford and that there were some questions I'd like to have his opinion on. I asked him for his thoughts on Thursbitch; and I am now speaking from my notes made during the conversation. He said that he had no personal experience of the place, because he'd never been there. He said that, at his induction in 1972, his Church Wardens had told him that it would not be safe for “a man of the cloth” to enter the valley. One of them had said that he himself never went there, because it was “not a healthy part”. The vicar followed the advice because he respected the men who had given it. He also said that the people of Saltersford think of it as “no good place”, “not right”, “not safe’;. He explained that this attitude was spiritual, and said, “I wouldn't like to go up myself. I think the valley needs feeding.”

I wanted to put the phone down, but the vicar reported another incident. The people had told him that, in 1985, Thursbitch was filled with what they termed and he did not question “a lot of electrical magic”. I went to see Mr. Y, a farmer born and reared at Saltersford Hall, the home of John Turner. I needed permission to drive along the western ridge of Thursbitch. He said that he wanted me down by dusk and he wanted me to let him know that I was down. I thought that Mr. Y had no high opinion of my ability to drive a Land Rover. But he continued. “You see.” Pause. “There isn't a farmer in all these hills around.” Pause. “As will open his door after dark.” Pause. “Not even to cross the yard.” Pause. “Without he's got his gun.” “Not that it would be of any use.” “But it makes you feel better.” “Somehow.”

[hazelenergy]

✖

Memory Meme Past experiences help shape who we are currently, how we see the world. Send in a symbol and I’ll write a drabble of one of my muse’s memories. 

~A repressed memory

Mary was meticulous. Hazel watched as her newly adoptive sire was assembling some sort of apparatus. Occasionally Mary barked orders to bring her things, and her Childer would obediently or absentmindedly go get them. Well, almost all of them. Solomon didn't make it back from Elysium after staring down the Prince. Hazel didn't know if he was alive. She barely knew the man, but, the thought that the three of them didn't all get out of that vampire hors d'oeuvres party sickened her stomach.

"Hazel, get me that --" she said pointing at a book on a nearby table. Hazel's mind goes blank and robotically moved her body towards the table. Consciousness returns and she confusedly turns to Mary, wondering when the book got into her hands.

"Bring it here."

Again, the mind quiets, and when the lights come back on, Hazel is standing next to Mary, holding open the book to a page with a diagram of whatever Mary was assembling.

Hazel's focus turns towards the strange apparatus. The entire thing was a series thin, glass lenses layered on top of one another. At the top, the lenses were large, elliptical disks. Towards the bottom, they were teeny, concave circles. Each disk has a silvery lining on its edge, with red symbols etched every few centimeters.

Hazel was admiring the unrecognizable red symbols when the first bout of drowsiness hit her. The sun was coming up again. Breaths were getting shallow and harsh. She hasn't learned that the morning would steal her effortless life yet, she'd have to make an effort if she wanted to stay awake.

Mary didn't look tired. She looked paler. Purplish blue veins could be seen just below her skin, with cold vitae frozen in place. The morning made sure that any facade of life was gone.

"Sit."

Hazel placed herself on a stool, with her back towards the lenses.

"Do not move."

Mary flicked her wrists and the red runes on the silver rings began to glow hot like red coals. The rings turned and focused the lenses into a beam of concentrated dawn's first light. Noticing the perfect circle, Mary muttered curses under her breath as she gingerly adjusted the final lens. She was careful to not let any of the rays touch her skin. There, now the light was cut off, into a half circle.

"Are we done yet?" Hazel choked out. Her heart was slowly beating slower and slower and could feel the warmth snapping from her fingers. Her body was rigid and didn't want to move. It was like cement. This was awful, she thought to herself, how on earth did Tommy and Solomon deal with this the past few nights?

Mary cleared her throat before replying, "Not quite. Do you remember the first thing we discussed?"

"Don't tell people about vampires--"

"Do not break the masquerade. That includes being seen while feeding, failure to conceal your strengths and abilities, and openly telling others what you are."

She paused as if for a breath, but there was none. Her voice had always been stern, but now it was like ice.

"Do you know what the punishment is for violating the masquerade?"

Hazel swallowed hard, a reflex that revealed how dry her throat was.

"They'll kill us?"

"Then you understand that what is about to happen is considered a mercy, by our kind," she added. "But, the masquerade was not the first rule we discussed."

She walked over to face Hazel, with hands now stained red. Blood oozed from beneath her fingernails and dripped down her palms. Each trail of vitae formed a perfect equidistant curve from the next trail, and wrapped down her forearms.

"The first thing we discussed was: I am responsible for your messes. Your fuck ups are my fuck ups. And I do not tolerate fuck ups."

The next thing Hazel can parse together is her skin bubbling and bursting under the beam of light and the smell of burnt flesh. She couldn't move. Her mind could not tell her body to slide even an inch out of the burning sunlight. Screams were choked down with cups of watered down vitae, oh so generously supplied by her new sire.

For the longest time, Hazel could only recall Mary gently cradling her face as her thinned vitae worked to repair and cover the charring on her back. She was told she did a beautiful job and that it was remarkable how fast the thinblooded vitae worked to heal.

It was almost a full year after receiving her brand that she was able to see through the manipulative facade of the Tremere witch. And even then, there are many details still missing.

[sweaterkittensahoy]

I can't remember if it was Charlie or Idris who said it was like being on an elliptical for 12 hours at a time, but I DO know it was Charlie who saw Rinko looking serene and content during one of many grueling days and thought, "My god, I have to know how she's so calm."

So, he leaned over and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

To which Rinko replied, "Chocolate and teddy bears."

Actual sets were constructed for the cockpits of the Jaegers. They, along with the rig that controlled them were four stories tall and could drop fifteen feet. Guillermo del Toro described them as “a torture machine.”

Pacific Rim (2013)

[the-golden-oath]

PROX UPDATE [04.01.25]

Good news for anyone who has followed me for prox! I am back to working on it! There are a lot of things I wanted add/change concerning the posted chapters, which is why I stopped posting them. I did manage to get some incredible work done on it during November of last year (2024) and it jumpstarted me on the rest of it, which is an indescribable feeling for anyone who doesn't write.

I'll admit, got a bit lost with the direction of things the first time around because I'd treated plotting like some sort of persistent mold. However, thanks to my shiny new meticulous plot-doccing and bouts of obsession, I now know what everybody's doing and where everybody's going and how it's all going to come together in the end.

It's been a long time coming and it's been a long several years during which my inspiration for the story waxed and waned like an erratically elliptical moon. I am beyond excited to get to the editing stage so I can begin posting the version of this story I saw in my head all along!

I hope everyone who enjoyed the first version of prox will love this one even more. I am so much more proud of it than I am of the one that's up right now.

I have made the decision to delete the current work once I begin uploading the new, improved version. It doesn't make sense to me to keep up an unfinished work that I'm not too proud of, especially when the new version has all of the original material in it, just done better. I hope my readers can understand my reasoning. I'm keeping copies of everyone's lovely comments and I'll make sure the original stays up for a bit of overlap so old readers might find the new one if they want.

If anyone has any questions, I'm eyeing the replies ^^