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thebiasrekkers · 4 years ago

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Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Actual smut (strip tease, heavy foreplay, fingering, hand job, body worship, pre-cum), allusion to kidnapping

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 4,315

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg,

AN: So...this is the beginning of the end. To everyone who has faithfully followed this series from the start, I thank you. I appreciate you. It’s about to be a very bumpy ride. I’m going to go ahead and apologize in advance. I’m sorry for the hurt and pain that is coming. Please stay with me until the end.

Chapter 48: Home

“We won’t talk but we’ll be comfortable. If only I have you, it’ll be my home.“

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Hwaseong – Gyeonggi Province South Korea

Eden smiled as she felt Jungkook wrap his heavier coat around her shoulders. Children raced past them, squealing in delight as they chased each other. One child barreled into her back, causing her to stumble forward a little. Jungkook cuffed the little boy on his head and Eden tugged at Jungkook’s ear to get him to stop. The little boy sniffled, apologizing, and Eden gave him a few bills so he could buy some snacks with his friends. Jungkook smirked, watching the little boy blush as he looked at her, bowed, and then scrambled off to be with his friends.

“You’re too easy on them,” he teased.

She rolled her eyes. “They’re just kids. Let them be kids.” Eden paused as they reached the corner of the street. “They should have that luxury, don’t you think?”

When she looked up at Jungkook, something flickered across his gaze. His brows furrowed and she immediately regretted saying what she had. Her intention hadn’t been to make him feel guilty, but he still did. Old memories were dredged up, something that they talked about in length once when they were up late watching Korean gangster movies while sharing a bottle of whiskey. They both never really got to be kids; the world forced them to grow up and deal with the adult world before they physically became adults.

It wasn’t a life either of them chose for themselves, but it wasn’t a life they regretted either. It made them who they were now. It was the life that led them to each other.

“I’m sorry, Jungkook-ah,” she said softly, “I shouldn’t have said that…”

He shook his head roughly from side to side, taking her arm and looping it through his. “No, you’re right. They should be able to run and play and rough around like they want while they can.”

She smiled, relieved to know that he felt the same way she did.

They continued down the path, passing various street stalls that sold food, clothes, and other trinkets. It was Spring and Summer would soon be approaching. Flowers were blooming and green returned to the once barren trees that lined the streets. The air was starting to warm up, but there was still that little bit of chill in the air that swept through and touched the marrow of bones.

Most women would have found coming to a back end province like Hwaseong deplorable – especially for a honeymoon getaway. But Eden insisted that this was the place she wanted to spend time with her husband – the place where he sealed away all his childhood memories; where his dreams first began.

The place where he called home.

Hwaseong was rural in most aspects, but there were industrial districts. She preferred the softer sides of his hometown, the places where all the rolling hills and lush forests flourished. It was peaceful, quiet, and a place where she could gather her thoughts. Jungkook pointed out the places that meant the most to him and she made mental notes of them; filing them away to be explored in depth later.

One by one, he went by all the places that his brothers called home. Some of their family members came out to greet them and Jungkook simply introduced Eden as his girlfriend. She didn’t mind, seeing as how they were both wearing their wedding bands as necklaces. But just for now. Eden agreed that it was better if they kept their marriage a secret, especially since tensions between the Jade Fangs and the former Golden Jackals had the potential to escalate. It was the safer and smarter way to go about things. Jimin was the only one who knew and they would keep it that way until everything finally settled down.

As each day passed, she was able to see the lake where he first met the others – the ones he called his brothers. They were all children back then, playing around the Han River in their underwear and throwing rocks at the lake while fishing. He took her to the orphanage that cared for him until he was old enough to get a job and go to school. As painful as it must have been, Jungkook even showed her the home he used to live in with his parents before they threw him away. A different family lived there now.

Everything was a precious memory, good and bad, and Eden tucked them away without judgment.

They returned to the hotel, deciding to order takeout and have it brought to their room. Lavish as their lodgings were, it seemed a bit silly, seeing as how Hwaseong became a bit of a tourist trap in recent years. It gave the community a chance to build something expansive and eye-catching, grabbing at the ankles of wealthy tourists to come and spend their money on pricey hotel suites and cheap souvenirs boasting ancient history in the inner square’s markets.

But it was the little things that counted.

After they finished eating, Eden began washing dishes in the sink of the suite’s kitchen. As she placed a few on the drying rack, she felt Jungkook approach her from behind. He slid his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder as she continued to work. She smiled when he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and she wiggled a little, his fringe tickling her cheek.

“Let’s go back to Seoul tomorrow,” he said suddenly, lacing his fingers together across her stomach.

She rinsed off a plate, intent on focusing on the task at hand. “Why? I thought we were staying here for a few more days?” Eden pouted, casting a sidelong glance at him. “Are we cutting the honeymoon short?”

She understood if it needed to be done. Sometimes work couldn’t be avoided. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.

Jungkook laughed, pressing his mouth to her temple. “No, we’re not.” He reached up to brush some of her hair behind her ear. “I actually have another surprise for you.”

“You and your surprises,” Eden muttered, unable to hide the tiny smirk that appeared.

“Trust me,” he whispered, “you’ll love it.”

Seoul – Itaewon; Yongsan District South Korea

“Uh, Jungkook?”

“Hm?”

“What is this?”

“What is what?”

Eden turned to look at Jungkook, seeing the look of pride all but explode over his face. He was practically beaming and he took a moment to meet her gaze. Eden blinked up at him, then craned her neck to look back at the large house surrounded by a thicket of private trees. There was a small stairwell that led up to the front door, a small awning perched from the siding of the slate walls. A large front deck wrapped around the house, a two-story home that boasted modern features with a hint of traditional landscaping.

She pointed to the house – her finger aimed at the large window on the second floor.

“This,” she said again, “what is this?”

“A house,” he said, amusement laced through his words, “our house.”

Whipping her head to look at him. She could see no trace of a lie or even a tease. “Excuse me, what?”

Laughing, Jungkook grabbed her by the hand and tugged her along – pulling her up the short set of steps while rustling around for a set of keys. Slipping it into the door, he twisted the key and ushered her inside. Eden was only barely able to get her shoes off as he helped her into a pair of house slippers.

“I’ll get an electronic lock installed later. I just couldn’t wait to show this to you.”

She had no words. Even if she had, Eden was positive they would have tumbled to the floor in a meaningless collection of jargon she wouldn’t have been able to understand. Everything was brand new. The floor was made of polished hardwood, the furniture sleek and modern. Only the throw pillows were unfashionable as they sported various characters from anime that Eden liked – a large Princess Mononoke throw blanket draped across the back of the large couch in the living room.

Eden took a few steps forward, her eyes darting in every direction to take everything in. The kitchen was large, sporting a marble island with stools around it. Large windows allowed for natural light to flood the rooms, showing off the view of the front and side gardens. A huge flat screen television decorated the wall near an ornate entertainment center – a fireplace nestled in the corner with freshly cut logs near the hearth to be used during the colder months.

Turning to look at Jungkook, she didn’t have time to speak before he was already scooping her into his arms and carrying her up the stairs.

“We can explore the rest of the house tonight,” he said, leaning in to press his lips along the shell of her ear, “but there’s one place I want us to go.”

Eden felt her cheeks getting warmer. She knew the look in his eyes and understood what his intentions were. So it didn’t come as a surprise to her when he pushed open a door with his shoulder to reveal a large master bedroom. Without wasting a moment more, Jungkook set her down so her feet hit the floor, his lips moving to capture hers in a heated kiss. She moaned unconsciously into his mouth, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders as he hurriedly popped the buttons of her jeans loose.

His large hands moved to all but tear the hoodie from her, pulling it up and over her head so that it landed on the floor without a second glance. She tried to say something – anything – but the words were lost as he kissed her; his tongue slipping in between her lips to brush along her canines. Eden took a step back, her calf hitting the edge of the bed and she nearly stumbled backwards. Jungkook caught her by the waist, his hands warm against her skin. His fingers pressed into her waist, curling into the waistband of her jeans and she felt her breath hitch when he knocked his hips against hers. She could feel his erection through his pants, and she squeezed her thighs together a little bit tighter – attempting to get friction where she needed it most.

Jungkook’s kiss grew a bit more feverish, a hand moving from her waist to trail up her exposed back. Eden felt her skin pepper out in goosebumps – chasing the path that his hand made along her skin. Pausing to rest at the nape of her neck, Eden can’t help the sigh that managed to escape – lost in the cavern of his mouth. She tilted her head slightly, trying to get at his mouth at a better angle. But he chose that moment to break the kiss, trailing his mouth along the column of her neck. She felt his body almost vibrate as she reached out to pull at his shirt, yanking it free from his pants.

She felt his hand moving from the back of her neck, his fingers slowly clambering up to thread through her hair. His other hand was still at her hip and she could feel him tracing small circles around her skin before dipping below the waistband of her panties. Eden gasped softly as the sound of her zipper sliding down seemed to ricochet off the walls.

Jungkook broke the kiss again, moving a step back so he could slowly sink to the floor to his knees while taking her pants with him. He urged her to step out of them completely when they were bunched around her ankles and she complied, her legs trembling when he pressed his lips along her inner thigh. A hand slid down to the crown of his head, carding through his hair. Delicate hands moved to caress along her skin, finally smoothing over the curves of her thighs and then gripping onto her panties. He dragged them down, his lips giving chase to the material as he let it fall to her ankles.

Without having to be told, Eden stepped out of them as well.

Clad in just her bra, she felt overly exposed in a way that felt a little embarrassing. It was still broad daylight and Jungkook was being shamelessly intimate. The curtains weren’t drawn over the windows and while she knew the home was nestled in their own private sanctuary, Eden felt like someone was watching her; like they were being watched. It was a weird kink that she never believed she could properly give a voice to, but Jungkook indulged her whenever he could.

Licking a trail up her body, he paused just long enough to press his lips atop the swell of her breasts. He reached behind her, unhooking her bra and she let it fall to the ground. It, too, would be forgotten until it was deemed fit to be remembered.

Eden pouted as he smiled down at her, his eyes full of dark arousal. She could tell he was holding himself back a measure and she lightly smacked him on the chest with the back of her hand. His eyes crinkled in the corners, his gaze softening as he looked back at her.

“I’m the only one naked,” she murmured, “no fair.”

Reaching out to grasp one of her hands, he moved so that it now rested along the center of his chest. She could feel the heavy thrum of his heartbeat beneath her palm and he quirked a brow at her. She wasn’t sure what he was trying to ask her.

“Then make it fair,” he replied, his voice low and raspy.

Eden couldn’t keep the look of surprise and amusement from dancing over her face. She bit her lower lip, her hands moving to undo each button before shoving the material back and off his shoulders. He shrugged out of the shirt, shaking his hands so he was free of the material. Eden immediately went to his belt, pulling the leather through the loops of his jeans and then dropping it to the floor.

She could admit she wasn’t nearly as patient as her husband and he laughed, watching her popping the button of his jeans loose while frantically pulling at the zipper. His hands moved to still over hers and he lifted her easily off the floor. Eden wriggled when she felt him kissing her stomach, laughing as he tossed her onto the bed.

She cooed softly as he slid out of his jeans and boxers in one swift motion. His shaft twitched in response to him drinking her in. She could see his pupils dilating as he climbed over her like a predator about to devour his prey. His hands slid between her thighs to press along her folds, feeling the slickness that escaped from how heavy her own arousal was. Moaning at his touch, Eden tried to move away from him, but he wouldn’t give her any quarter. Instead, he lowered his head to capture an exposed nipple between his lips.

Pleasure exploded over her skin and she nearly bucked from his finger pressing against the sensitive nub between her legs. He rubbed agonizingly slow circles around it before dipping into her slit to caress at her inner walls. In the haze of her lust, she could see the milky white fluid beading at the slit of his tip. She wanted to taste it but her selfish desire was knocked clean from her mind when he slid another finger into her.

Her hips lifted, pushing his digits further inside of her. Jungkook moved his face to lavish affection to the other nipple. He pumped his fingers in and out of her, his thumb continuing to rub circles over her clit. Electric shocks exploded behind her eyes and he lifted his face to catch her mouth in an open-mouthed kiss. Sucking on her tongue, Eden closed her eyes and moaned – unsure how much longer she was going to be able to handle this assault against her entire person.

As if he’d read her mind, Jungkook removed his fingers from her folds. Eden whined, shocked at her internal outrage to being deprived of her own pleasure. She watched Jungkook using her juices to coat his erection, his hand slowly stroking over himself. He gripped the base of the shaft and she felt herself getting wetter just watching him. After a moment of this, he straddled her hips – positioning himself as he pressed the tip of his erection against her clit. Again, she hissed in pleasure, feeling her walls growing more and more slick as he teased her folds.

“My god,” Jungkook whispered, “you’re beautiful.”

“Jungkook-ah…”

“You’re my wife.” He smiled down at her. “How did I get so lucky?”

Eden felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She laughed softly, not caring that they leaked out and into her ears. Jungkook leaned down to press a kiss to her mouth, his lips moving along the curve of her jaw until he caressed the lobe of her ear.

“I love you,” he said softly, pressing the head of his erection into her entrance. She sucked in air between her teeth as he inched forward a little bit more. “I love you so much, Eden.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer. “I love you too, Jungkook.”

As if those were the words he’d been waiting for, he pushed himself forward completely – filling her insides. Her walls clamped down around him instinctively, holding him in place. As he pushed and pulled against her, the friction created was almost jarring. The pace was slow at first, but it didn’t take Jungkook long to speed things up. Eden rocked her hips against his, rising to meet his as he came down along her. There were wet, sloppy sounds of skin slapping against skin and it didn’t take long for their sweat-soaked skin to glide over each other with each hurried pulse of their movements.

And then he hit that spot; the spot that drove her half-mad. The spot that almost always left her fucked out of her head. Eden dug her nails into his skin, leaving half-moon marks along his muscles. She dragged her fingers down, red angry trails chasing after her fingernails before she clamped onto his forearms. He was practically jack-hammering into her, reaching his own favored spot, until she was seeing stars from the orgasm that began to overtake her. Her voice started off low until it soon escalated to a scream; one that she was almost positive rattled the windows. Jungkook wasn’t far behind her, her name bellowing from his lungs.

Heat filled her core, spreading over her entire body. She felt Jungkook shift his body slightly, collapsing beside her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, still buried inside of her, and pulled her close so that she was nestled perfectly against his form. He whispered words of love into her ear and Eden was barely conscious enough to hear them. But not before she was able to tell him that she loved him back.

They’d made a mess over their brand-new bed; their new bedding.

Neither of them cared.

Five Months Later

“I’m proud of you, y’know that?”

Eden smiled while rolling her eyes at the phone situated on the nightstand. Raelyn smirked back at her on the screen. They’d been Face Timing each other since Jungkook left for work in the morning. He had a few errands to run and she was leaving the shop in Minki’s hands. Eden folded a few more items on the bed, organizing them, and then placed the clothes into the small suitcase.

“I’m serious. This is pretty gutsy of you and I’m glad you’re doin’ it.”

After she threw the small plastic bag of toiletries on top of the clothes, she moved to sit on the bed. She picked up the phone and flopped back onto the bed.

“I know,” she said with a sigh, “I’m just a little nervous, I guess.”

“Don’t be. I mean, do be, but don’t let that shake you up.” She watched Raelyn’s brows furrow. “They know you’re comin’, right? You’re not just showing up unannounced?”

Again, Eden rolled her eyes. “Yes, they know I’m coming.”

Raelyn held a hand up. “Look, I’m just makin’ sure, alright?” She paused and Eden lofted a brow. “I’m a little surprised they agreed to this.”

She scoffed, clambering off the bed. “Like they have a choice. From what I was able to find out, I’m the only child my mother ever had before she died. I’m sure they’re just as curious about me as I am about them.”

She still didn’t know why she was doing this. Part of her wanted to call the whole thing off. It wasn’t like things were going to change by doing this. Seeing her mother’s family, the people who treated her like the black sheep of their bloodline, only angered Eden. But she also knew that she couldn’t abandon them. Not until she really got to see them for who they truly were. After that, she would make her decision on whether to continue having them circulating around her life.

“Well, when you get there, you show them exactly who the hell you are and that you ain’t playin’ any games.”

Eden couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “I think you should be more worried about that little troublemaker growing inside of you, don’t you?”

“Girl, don’t get me started,” Raelyn said, the bitter tone evident in her voice, “between Anastasia’s mood swings and Taehyung being my damn shadow, I don’t have time to get into anything stupid.”

She closed the suitcase and secured the locks, picking it up and unlatching the extended handle. Eden made her way out of the bedroom and headed downstairs, the suitcase rolling behind her as she continued to hold the phone up in front of her.

“Good,” she said once she made it to the ground floor, “because I don’t need to be working my nerves while I’m on this trip. They’re frayed as it is.”

This time Raelyn scoffed. “You’ll be fine. Is Jungkook takin’ you to the train station?”

“No. He’s busy with work and I told him not to worry about it.”

“Three days, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Though depending on how the trip goes, I may come back early.”

“I heard Daegu is beautiful this time of year. Make sure you take a lot of pictures.”

“I will, I will,” Eden reassured. She opened the front door and closed it behind her, the electronic lock beeping to let her know it was secured. “I’ll call you when I get there.”

“Alright. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Hanging up the call, she pulled up her messages. She shot Jungkook a quick text to let him know she was heading to the train station. Eden knew he was busy at the recording studio and didn’t want to interrupt him while he worked.

Jungkook: Be safe. Call me as soon as you’ve arrived. I love you.

Smiling, she sent him a heart emoji. She was never a big fan of texting and he knew that about her. He never nagged her about it. Eden was a woman who believed that actions spoke louder than words. She’d always been this way. She was thankful that Jungkook understood and accepted this – always willing to meet her halfway.

He sent her two heart emojis back.

Making her way toward the front gate, Eden pushed it open and pulled her suitcase behind her. She turned to close the gate, tugging at the bars to make sure the latch caught properly. Checking her watch, she saw she had plenty of time to get to the train station.

Maybe I should call him anyway, she thought, moving to head down the long walkway leading from the house.

Eden managed to take a few steps forward before someone stepped in front of her. The heels of her sneakers scuffed along the ground as she stopped, lifting her head to see who was blocking her path. He looked a little familiar, but she wasn’t quite sure from where. Blinking a few times, she watched the other man’s small smile growing little by little.

She didn’t have time for this. Maybe she was mistaken.

“Excuse me,” she said through clenched teeth, moving so she could side-step him. He shifted to resume blocking her path. Eden shot him a glare. “Move.”

“You’re still as feisty as ever, I see,” he said. She said nothing, narrowing her eyes. “I know it’s been awhile, but I’m a little hurt you don’t remember me.”

“Should I?”

The man lifted his hand in the air, miming holding a shot glass. He made a motion to show he was tipping the glass back into his mouth. Eden scrutinized him a moment longer and he merely continued to smile.

And then it hit her.

“You,” she growled, her eyes narrowing to slits. “Yoo Kihyun.”

He snapped his fingers. “Bingo.”

Eden reached into her pocket. “What do you want?”

He shrugged. “Isn’t it obvious?” When his eyes met hers, they were dark and cold. It caused Eden to hesitate for just a moment. “It’s you.”

That moment of hesitation was her undoing. She failed to notice the look of triumph painted over his face. She’d missed the sound of movement behind her. And before she could register that she was being ambushed, Eden felt a sharp prick to the back of her neck.

It didn’t take long. If given the chance, she would have only been able to count to five.

Five seconds before the world went dark.

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a-corndog-named-schibbs · 6 years ago

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Fangs, Fur, and Phantoms - Chapter 1

Next Chapter

IT’S FINALLY READY!

Y’all, I’ve been wanting to write a multi-chapter fic of the fangs and fur au since forever. I’ve been working on this for months and I’m so excited to share it with you!

Fic contains Klance, Hidge, and (mostly) platonic Shallura. The Hidge content is in later chapters, but it is coming, I promise.

Let the spooky fun begin!

Lance was pretty sure his boyfriend was a black hole.

Keith had invited Lance over to join his family for dinner and during that dinner he had managed to consume three whole steaks and a mountain of pasta salad and still went back to the fridge to retrieve some leftover meatloaf.

Lance shook his head, taking a sip of his blood pouch, which Keith’s mom had been kind enough to procure for him so that he would have something to eat at dinner, “Where does it all go?”

Keith swallowed the bite he was working on, “Would you rather I be hungry during the pack run and try to take a chunk out of your arm?”

Lance shrugged, “It’s not like it wouldn’t grow back. Accelerated healing, remember?”

“Accelerated healing or not,” said Krolia, sitting diagonally from Lance and finishing off her own steak, “we don’t want to act too aggressive during the pack run. The more we eat now, the more in control we’ll be once the moon rises.”

“Besides,” Keith’s adopted sister, Romelle, piped up from the other end of the table, “it’s a good way to get rid of those leftovers sitting in the fridge.”

Lance finished the last of his blood pouch, “Well, it was very kind of you to invite me over tonight, Krolia. Do you need any help with the dishes?”

“No, that’s fine, Lance,” said Krolia, gathering up the plates, “You’re a guest here and you didn’t even dirty any of them. Besides, I know Keith will help me with the dishes, won’t you, Keith?” She tapped the leg of Keith’s chair with her foot and nodded toward the kitchen. Keith rolled his eyes, but got up and followed her anyway. As they exited the dining room, Lance heard Krolia whisper, “He’s such a gentleman! Where did you find him?”

Lance turned toward Romelle, “So…how does this work? Because I’m pretty fast, but I don’t think I’m, like, wolf levels of fast. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up with everybody.”

Romelle smiled, “You’ll see. If I can participate in a pack run, so can you.”

“Well, I’ll take your word for it.”

At that moment, the doorbell rang and Romelle’s pointed ears pricked up. “Mom, they’re here!” she called through the kitchen door.

“Can you get it, Romelle? My hands are full.”

Romelle grinned and tugged on Lance’s sleeve, “Come on, it’s time for you to meet everyone.”

She led Lance into the foyer and opened the front door and before Lance could blink, the small hallway seemed to be filled with dozens and dozens of werewolves, all chatting and greeting Romelle warmly and lining up to shake Lance’s hand while he desperately tried to remember all their names. The one with the sideburns was Thace and the one with the mohawk was Ulaz and the one built like a tank was Antok or was it Regris? He knew he should have gotten Keith to make him a cheat sheet.

Finally, a white-haired man stepped through the doorway, one of the largest werewolves in the room and definitely the oldest by several years. He carried himself with the authority of a general.

“Are we all here?” he asked, looking around at the others, “Remember, less than half an hour until moonrise, so if you haven’t eaten yet, do so now.” He turned and noticed Lance for the first time, “Who’s this?”

His gaze made Lance squirm, “I, uh…I’m Keith’s…um…”

“He’s my mate,” Lance felt Keith come up behind him and put an arm around his waist, instantly calming his nerves, “You’ve all introduced yourselves to Lance, right? He’s going to be joining us for the pack run tonight.”

“That’s right,” said Krolia, walking into the room and wiping her hands on a dishrag, “so I expect all of you to be on your best behavior around him.”

Kolivan raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure about this, Krolia? Pack runs can be dangerous to non-wolves.”

“He’s fine,” said Krolia, “He’s a vampire. He won’t even get a scratch.”

Murmurs rose from the group assembled, with the word “vampire” standing out most clearly. Lance winced. Historically speaking, werewolves and vampires had not always gotten along.

“That…seems fine, then,” said Kolivan, “We’ll assemble outside. If you brought any snacks, eat them now.”

“Come on,” said Keith, tugging Lance towards the kitchen where the backdoor was. As they walked away, Lance couldn’t help overhearing Kolivan whispering to Krolia.

“Next time, I wish you’d consult me before inviting a non-wolf to the pack run.”

“You’ve never objected to Romelle joining the pack run.”

“Adopting an changeling into the pack is one thing. Having a vampire as the future alpha-mate is—“

“You don’t even know if Keith wants to be the alpha someday! I might name someone else as my beta.”

“Keith is your oldest child and a strong wolf in his own right. We both know he’d be a great leader some day. You and he need to think about what’s best for the pack.”

Krolia growled, “You were just like this when I introduced Tex to the pack.”

Keith was apparently eavesdropping too, because he pulled Lance closer as they stepped into the backyard, “Don’t listen to them. Kolivan’s all hot air, he’ll warm up to you. He did to my dad.”

“Is what Kolivan said true? Are you really going to be alpha someday?”

Keith avoided eye contact, “It…would make sense. Everyone knows Krolia’s going to be alpha once Kolivan steps down, but we haven’t really…talked about it.”

Lance wanted to ask more questions, but the moon was beginning to rise and Keith and the others were beginning to transform. Keith started to remove his clothes so they wouldn’t be ripped and Lance averted his eyes for decency’s sake. While he didn’t look, he heard Keith groaning and breathing heavily as he shifted. There were medications a werewolf could take to make the transition less painful, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still uncomfortable. When Lance turned back, his boyfriend’s human form was gone and in its place was a powerful creature, indistinguishable from a normal wolf except for slightly longer and more muscular forelegs and the fact that it was much, much bigger.

“You still you, babe?” said Lance.

The wolf panted, a silly grin on its face.

“I take it you’ll be riding with Keith?” said Romelle, the only other person in the backyard who still looked humanoid.

“Riding?”

Romelle nodded and approached a wolf with thick gray fur and dark markings around her face, who Lance recognized as Krolia, and swung herself up onto the wolf’s back.

“Seriously? This is gonna be awesome!”

Lance clambered up onto Keith’s back, reveling in the feeling of his soft, black fur against Lance’s hands.

“Let me know if I pull too hard, okay?”

Keith barked once.

Across the yard, a large, white wolf howled to get the others’ attention and loped toward the back gate and out into the woods behind the house. Lance yelped as Keith and the other wolves bounded forward to follow their leader.

Soon Lance found himself flying through the forest, trees whipping past him and Keith as they rushed forward. They were on the far left of the group, which seemed to be splitting up into smaller hunting parties. Keith stayed close to Krolia and Romelle, the four of them forming their own hunting party.

Lance turned toward Romelle, “I feel like Princess Mononoke!”

“Nice, isn’t it?” Romelle yelled back.

Lance would have answered in agreement, when an unpleasant smell hit his nose. Blood, stagnant blood that had been spilled hours ago and some other scent too, something he couldn’t place, yet made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

“Smell that, babe?” he said into Keith’s ear.

Keith huffed and changed course, following the new scent with Krolia close at his heels.

They didn’t see the dead body until they had nearly tripped over it.

***

Temptation, despite the name, was considered one of the classiest bars in the city. Shiro almost felt bad about causing a scene there.

But not bad enough to reconsider it.

That evening, he and his partner, Allura, stepped out of the black sedan their organization had issued them and walked toward the entrance of the club. The car, chosen to appear average and nondescript, now looked dingy and plain next to the sports cars and classic vehicles belonging to the bar’s other patrons.

Typical PBI, Shiro thought, Couldn’t they have sprung for a nicer car just this once?

“Think this is the right place?” Allura asked.

Shiro looked up at the purple neon sign, the word “Temptation” written in cursive and accompanied by the neon outline of a woman with devil horns.

“I’m pretty sure.”

The two agents approached the entrance, where an exceptionally buff woman with short hair was waiting with a metal detector. As expected, the detector went off within two seconds of being waved near Shiro.

“What is this?” the woman said, pointing to Shiro’s arm.

“It’s a prosthetic.” said Shiro.

“You’ll need to leave it here.”

“Are you serious?”

“You could be concealing a weapon in there.”

“Listen—“

But Shiro was interrupted by another woman approaching them, clad in a black cocktail dress, her dark hair pulled away from her face.

“It’s all right, Zethrid,” she said, placing a hand on the buff woman’s shoulder “I can vouch for these two. If you’ll follow me, please…”

Shiro and Allura followed her into the bar. The place was tastefully decorated in black, silver, and various shades of purple. A stage dominated the back wall, where a woman in a high ponytail and a red evening dress crooned seductively into her microphone. The woman in the cocktail dress led the two of them to a booth in the corner.

“Anything I can get you two to start out?” the woman asked.

“Whiskey on the rocks,” said Allura.

“A ginger ale,” said Shiro.

The woman raised an eyebrow.

“I’m our ride home.”

“This is a lovely establishment you have here,” Allura added quickly.

“Yes, Lotor takes great pride in his business.”

“I don’t suppose he’s in tonight?” said Shiro, “We’d love to meet him.”

“I’ll see if he’s around,” the woman said, “And I’ll have those drinks to you right away.”

As she walked away, Allura leaned in, “Ginger ale? Really? There goes our air of mystery.”

“Drunk driving’s illegal, Allura. I’m not taking any chances.”

“You’re really leaning into the straight-laced agent persona, huh?” said Allura. She leaned back, “Think our server is Acxa?”

“I certainly hope so, or this is going to be a real short visit.”

A few minutes later, the woman returned with two drinks and a man in a well-tailored suit and long platinum-blond hair.

“I was told you wished to speak with me, Mr…?”

“Shirogane.” said Shiro, “And this is Miss Prince. I take it you’re Lotor.”

“The one and only,” said Lotor, sliding into the booth, “How can I help you two?”

“We think we might have a mutual friend with you,” said Allura, reaching into her clutch purse and pulling out her phone. She pulled up a photograph on it, “Do you recognize this woman?”

Lotor looked at the phone and frowned, “Can’t say I’ve ever seen her.”

“Strange. Well…” Allura slid to the next picture, “What about this woman?”

“Don’t recognize her.”

“Or this man?”

“Never met him.”

“That’s funny. They all seem to have met you.”

Lotor raised an eyebrow, “And where do they say they know me from?”

“Well, they all seem to be under the impression that you forced them to hand over a large sum of money,” said Shiro.

“Did they? And how do they say I managed to do that?”

“By seducing and hypnotizing them into complying with your demands.”

“Hypnotizing?” Lotor scoffed, “Next you’re going to accuse me of putting a magic spell on them. Be reasonable, Mr. Shirogane, we’re all adults here. How could I possibly hypnotize someone into giving me money? It’s not humanly possible.”

“You’re right, it’s not possible. For a human.”

Lotor rolled his eyes, “I assure you, Mr. Shirogane, I am entirely human.”

“Then this shouldn’t hurt at all.”

Shiro reached into his waistband and pulled out a small green water pistol, spraying Lotor full in the face. Lotor leaned back abruptly, screaming in pain, steam rising from his face where some nasty boils were beginning to form.

“He’s the real deal,” said Shiro, “Call them in.”

It took Allura only a few taps on her phone before the doors of the bar burst open and three men in black suits barged in, immediately spotting Shiro and Allura at their booth with Lotor. Two of the men grabbed Lotor by the arms and handcuffed him while the third trained a Super Soaker at him.

As the men were carting Lotor away, the woman in the cocktail dress approached their booth.

“I thought he’d go down with more of a fight. I’m Acxa, by the way.”

“Agents Shirogane and Prince,” said Allura, “It’s the holy water. Works like a charm. You’re the woman who called in the tip, aren’t you? How did you know that man was an incubus?”

Acxa shrugged, “I went to his office to ask for a raise. I left the office under the impression that the last thing in the world I wanted was a raise. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized I had no memory of the actual conversation.”

“Good instincts,” said Shiro, just as his phone began to ring, “Excuse me one moment.”

He checked the ID on his phone.

“Iverson?” asked Allura.

“Must be important if he’s calling us on a job,” said Shiro. He accepted the call, “Yes, sir?”

“Wrapped up the incubus case yet, agent?”

“Just about. We still need to debrief, but otherwise we’re done.”

“Well, you and Agent Prince had better come in as soon as possible. We just got a new case. You’re really going to want to see this.”

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victortortor · 6 years ago

Text

princess mononoke au

I. The Demon God

II. Journey to the West

Slowly, the land began to change.

The dense, rolling woodland became arching and steep mountains, with treacherous waters and little creeks and streams. A great plain lay between two cliffs, then more peaks beyond. Then as Lan Wangji crossed them, he began to see signs of human civilization. At the foothills of the great mountains, rice paddies filled the land, and thin wafts of gray smoke signaled a village nearby.

Yet… it looked so very different from Gusu.

The first settlement was ramshackle and half-alive, half-dead. There seemed to be an outbreak of some sorts, and Lan Wangji saw local soldiers blocking the roads leading down into the valley. A quarantine? It would be no good to enter then.

He was running low on food. He could forage, but it would be easier to simply buy things from local settlements. Besides, with so many rice paddies, it would be impossible for them to not have cheap rice.

Even so, he and Bichen wandered onto the next one. It was best not to risk it here, and he would rather not grow ill, along with caring for his cursed arm.

Between the first and second village, Lan Wangji encountered a scuffle of sorts.

A woman’s scream was suddenly heard, then abruptly cut off. Sounds of commotion prompted him to quickly pull of the road, toward the farmland that stretched to the north of it. What he saw made him draw a quick breath.

There were many soldiers stationed in the area, likely serving the local lord. Lan Wangji wasn’t particularly surprised by this, but he had never expected that they would be attacking the villagers.

It couldn’t be because they were a menace, and it was doubtful they were doing it for the sake of looting, either. For someone who served the local landlord directly, it would be easy to simply… take.

So this was not harassment. It was simply killing was sport. Without hesitating, Lan Wangji held up his bow.

He aimed, intending to disarm a soldier on horseback, and all of a sudden, his arm spasmed just as he let the arrow fly.

For the first time in a long time, Lan Wangji missed his target. The arrow flew hit the soldier’s neck with such force that his head was thrown off in an impossible manner. The empty stump spurted blood, and the rest of body slowly fell of the horse.

For a moment, he could not understand what had quite happened, until someone shouted, “There’s someone else!”

“Look, a warrior!”

“Get him!”

Arrows flew his way, and two more men on horseback approached.

Lan Wangji quickly recovered from his shock. “Bichen, go!” He had no wish to fight them all, and to flee would be the best option. It was wrong of him to have gotten involved in the first place— someone died because of him.

But showing one’s back to the enemy proved to be a bad choice. More arrows were aimed at him. Thankfully, they all missed his steed.

One of the soldiers got close enough to attack him with a sword, and Lan Wangji’s arm jerked once more. Acting on its own, it jerked up, and to both the soldier and Lan Wangji’s own shock, blocked the sword with nothing but skin.

The impact of the blow caused the sword to spin out of the soldier’s hand, and a stray arrow suddenly pierced his palm. He screamed in pain, and Lan Wangji shouted, “Let me pass!”

He urged Bichen to run faster, as fast as he could. No one followed him.

However, by the time he was sure he was alone, the traces of the demon god that he had been following were gone— and he did not dare to backtrack.

Lan Wangji took a moment to pull up his sleeve, exposing the skin of his right arm to the air.

The cursed area was larger than before. It throbbed, as if reminding Lan Wangji that it was the curse that had made him kill that man.

The second village was in better shape than what Lan Wangji had seen of the first. There were people out and about, but their expressions were grim and their clothing brown and dirty. It did not take long for Lan Wangji to realize that the white cloth of Gusu marked him as a stranger and outsider.

He could hardly tell where were the cheapest places were in the marketplace, and he simply chose an arbitrary seller. The woman at the stand looked at him warily, then at his clothing that was far too clean.

“A bag of rice,” he said quietly, and held out a bit of gold. When leaving Gusu, he had only taken some of that with him, unsure of what sort of currency, if any at all, the people of the west would use. Surely, however, they would always take gold.

Yet, it seemed it wasn’t the case. The woman snatched the gold bit out of his hand, but upon squinting at it she snorted and said, “What’s this supposed to be?! A bit of rock won’t get you anything here, you know!”

There was nothing he could do about that. If gold meant nothing here, then Lan Wangji would simply not buy anything. He could feel eyes that had been on him the whole while quickly look away, likely disappointed that he was not as rich as his clothing made it seem.

“Excuse me,” a mellow voice spoke just as Lan Wangji was about to take his leave, “May I see that bit of rock?”

Before the lady could respond, a man quickly took it out her fingers. He took it and examined the nugget carefully, and said, “If this esteemed lady does not want it, I would gladly take it. Name your price, young master, for this bit of gold is worth far more than that bag of rice you wished to have.”

“‘Gold?’” The woman demanded, as if the word was foreign to her. Nevertheless, she quickly snatched it back. “It’s mine! He gave it to me first! Here, have your rice!”

She threw bag at Lan Wangji, who swiftly caught it. It seemed that it was worth far less than what he paid for, but he did not mind. More importantly, it was best to leave now, for it seemed that he had attracted far more attention than he had expected.

In the future, perhaps it would still be best to avoid such settlements, then.

When he reached the edge of the town, a voice once again called out to him.

“Excuse me!”

Lan Wangji did not turn back, and Bichen did not falter.

“Young master,” the man called again, and he recognized it as the one that belonged to the man from the marketplace. “Young Master Lan!”

Lan Wangji jolted to a stop.

“Ah, I didn’t mean to surprise you,” even though he most certainly did. Bichen began to trot, and the man jogged lightly to keep up. “I am just here for a bit of fair warning. There are quite a few men behind you right now, intent on following you and killing you in your sleep— then taking your gold.”

Lan Wangji did not look at him, and stared straight ahead.

“I am called Meng Yao,” he said. “I am but a simple traveling monk, but I have met another one of your people before, the Lan people, yes? No one else wears such pure white clothing, with an elk instead of a horse, and walks with such regality. You are far from home.”

“...”

“I rather suspect you would like to run away now,” Meng Yao said kindly. “It would be best to avoid the bandits tailing you. May I follow you? I promise I mean no harm. I hope my assistance in town can prove that.”

Lan Wangji was quiet, then allowed Bichen to begin to gallop. “Keep up,” he said.

They camped in a cave, the fire burning while the night raged on in fury— rain pelted the entrance, and wind howled.

As soon as the rice was finished cooking, Meng Yao quickly filled both their bowls and handed one to Lan Wangji. “For you, Young Master Lan.”

He took the bowl, but said, “Don’t call me that.” He had already forsaken his name and his family, so it would be no good if someone called him that.

Meng Yao eyed him carefully, then finally nodded in agreement. They ate in silence for a while, until he finally said, “The truth is, I saw you during that skirmish with the local soldiers. I have to thank you; I was caught in the middle, and you gave me the opportunity to escape.”

Lan Wangji continued to eat. Guilt gnawed at his stomach.

“You possess great strength,” Meng Yao said, “But you are one of few words, aren’t you?”

“...”

“If I can confess more,” he continued, “I first mistook you for someone else.”

Lan Wangji could piece it together from there. “You have met my brother.”

“I must assume so, for he was your spitting image.” Meng Yao set down his chopsticks and bowl, having finished. “I traveled far, far away. I had not eaten in weeks, and your brother found me and gave me food and supplies and nursed me back to health. During that time I grew fond of him, and he grew fond of me.

“I inquired if he could possibly travel back with me once I regained my strength, and he told me that he would never go west. His people never did.”

The unspoken question lingered in the air. Lan Wangji considered Meng Yao’s words. His brother had never told him of an encounter with a foreign man, but it was not as if Lan Xichen had always told him everything. He judged MengYao honest in his words, and he had no reason to doubt his goodwill. Still, he was reluctant to speak on the matter of the boar and his cursed arm to him.

Instead, he pulled out the iron ball that had been found in the demon god, and he gave it to Meng Yao. “Do you know where this is from?”

Meng Yao took it, examining it carefully. He held it closer to the fire. “... Where did you find this from?”

Lan Wangji was not willing to say more.

“Very well, no need to tell me.” Meng Yao tossed the ball back to him. “Tell me, young master, did you there used to be a village right here?”

“No.”

“There was, about a decade ago,” he said. “However, natural disaster after natural disaster struck the area— lightning, fires, floods, earthquakes, and all of them at once. They were all natural, you see, but unnatural. The gods really were angry at this place, and many people died. That’s how it always is, when it comes to the gods. People die when they are angry, and you can’t do anything but swallow your tears, and move on. No one lives here now, just angry ghosts and maybe the remnant of an angry god.

“When you shot that soldier today, you did out of kindness, didn’t you? And you aren’t very happy that you killed him. Perhaps you’ve never killed a human before.” Surprise must have flickered in his expression, for Meng Yao said, “Don’t worry about it. People say I’m very good at understanding people.”

He said, “Most people are not like you, young master. People die every day, from all sorts of things. You must have seen it in the village today— people are always dying. Even if they aren’t dead, they’re dying. They only care that they are dying, because no one else will care for them but themselves. If you kill someone, so be it. They were already dying.”

“...”

“Your face says you disagree,” Meng Yao said. “And I don’t intend to argue with you, but your expression simply reminds me of someone else who also disagreed.”

Lan Wangji said, “Who?”

Meng Yao said, “Far to the west from here, there is a town that goes by the name of Yiling. It is a town that specializes in ironworking, and beside it is a massive forest, known as the Forest of Gods. There, the beasts are impossibly large, and gods roam among the trees. But the man who built Yiling up from nothing, Wei Wuxian… I feel as if you and him would get along very well.”

The Forest of the Gods… and Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji finished eating quickly, then set his bowl down as well. “Thank you for the information.” In the end, even though he had not said thing, he felt as if Meng Yao had figured out all of it anyway.

Meng Yao smiled politely and looked to Lan Wangji’s things discreetly. His strange stone arrowheads, his elk, his clothing… and he put those things aside. “I am simply repaying a favor,” he said. “If your brother did not need anything, it only makes sense to help you. Come, let us retire for the night.”

They did so, and Meng Yao woke, Lan Wangji was already gone.

III. The Land of the Impure

#mo dao zu shi #my writing

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