#fic continuation poll 6

[ladylynse]

Fic Continuation Poll #6

Perplexities: In Amity Park, when something doesn’t make sense, it can usually be brushed off as ‘just a ghost thing’—especially when the Fentons are involved. Still, this time the Fenton in question is Danny, and Kwan isn’t sure he likes the implications of that. (Or: The video, upon review, did not show what Kwan had been expecting. At all.) [FFN | AO3 | tumblr]

Forewarning: All Dipper knew was that there was something buried in some special thermos behind the shack; all Danny knew was that he had no idea how he'd gotten here. [FFN | AO3 | tumblr]

I will link polls in my pinned post and below the cut for ease of reference.

Fic Continuation Poll #1 - Interwoven (DP/ADJL) vs Vantage Point (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #2 - Dimensional Displacement (DP/ATLA) vs Hobson’s Choice (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #3 - Through the Wringer/One for the Money (DP/SPN) vs Convergence (DP/GF)

Fic Continuation Poll #4 - Illusory (DP/GF) vs Rotwood’s Paradox (ADJL)

Fic Continuation Poll #5 - Bewitched (DP/PSN) vs Visions (DP/SPN)

Fic Continuation Poll #6 - Perplexities (DP) vs Forewarning (DP/GF)

Fic Continuation Poll #7 - Changing Tack (DP/GF) vs Doppelgänger (DP/SPN)

Fic Continuation Poll #8 - DP/HP crossover vs The Masters Plan (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #9 - Audacity (DP/SPN) vs The Trouble with Ghosts (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #10 - Ghosts (DP/SPN) vs Helpless (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #11 - Summons (DP/ML/RC9GN/ADJL) vs Devil's Bargain (DP/Lucifer)

Fic Continuation Poll #12 - Le Fantôme (DP/ML) vs Jazz Fenton and the Arcane Awakening (DP/HP)

[adrift-in-thyme]

I’ve been rereading my whumptober fics and now I’m wondering…

[pbandnoj]

The JjK men reacting to finding out you’re infertile. This was honestly a self-indulgent fic idea but then it won on the poll I put out and honestly I was kinda surprised people were interested! Yall picked the only fic I didn’t have finished but I do now so here it is! If you’d like a part 2 let me know! +what characters!

Toji

You didn’t tell him until years into the relationship. Sure maybe that wasn’t the healthiest thing but oh well things happened and you couldn’t change the past. And it took so long for Toji to trust you… that you just didn’t want to add another thing on top of it to deal with. I mean it took him almost a year for him to introduce you to his kids. It took him that long just to feel serious about your relationship.

And it’s not like he asked either, or used a condom. Cmon, we all know his history with women and he just kinda presumed you were on the pill, or that he’d deal with the consequences after the fact. He had two kids, this wasn’t his first time around the block. And even after he got serious with you he never brought up wanting to have another. His hands were full, and besides he wasn’t very well off. I mean you guys made it work, but that was just with the 4 of you, who knows what adding another would do.

So the conversation didn’t happen until probably 5… maybe 6 years in. Where you both had pretty much decided that you were stuck with each other. That if you lost each other at this point in life there would be no reason to restart the process of finding someone new all over again. He trusted you, and god that meant a lot coming from a man like Toji, his goal was to protect his kids and now you along with them.

Laying on the couch one night, one kid off at a sleepover the other supposed to be returning home soon. You guys trusted them… maybe a lil too much. Head resting on his chest, listening to the way his heart pounded, like it wanted to leap out of his chest and make it known just how much he loved you, how much joy he found being with you. Something he thought he’d never find again after the loss of his first wife, and the second one leaving him.

Some thriller played in the background, some movie franchise Toji was secretly a big fan of. Half empty beers sitting on the coffee table, one of his hands softly scratching your back, softer than the man had ever been before. You, aimlessly fiddling with his other hand that adorned his shiny wedding ring, one that matched yours, deciding on simple ones that didn’t cost much, but meant a lot.

“Hey Toji?” You muttered out, voice weaker than you intended, his hand on your back instinctively tightened, a simple grunt in response. Your tone of voice worried him, that tone always did, meant you’d ruin the peace with something serious, as he’d always say. But really he was just always worried it’d be something so serious that he’d end up losing you.

When you didn’t continue, he grumbled, ready for you just to spit it out. This type of atmosphere either had 1 of 2 endings to whatever conversation was going to happen, either you were super upset over something really really detrimental or it was something silly you were getting all caught up on. “What is it woman? You’re ruining the movie,” his words were harsh, but you were long past the phase of wondering if he was mad at you over simply the way he normally spoke.

“Well….Did you ever… I don’t know… question why I was so excited that you had kids?” You hummed out softly, your hand that was fiddling with the ring on his finger slowly moving to hold his hand instead. Toji had once in the past let it slip that when he had tried dating before you he often got hurt cause they didn’t want to deal with his already pre-started family. He sighed knowing you were overthinking something, “Mmm, not really, was just grateful,” that was one of the first time you had actually heard him be so openly heartfelt.

“Oh…. Well it’s cause I can’t have my own,” you hummed softly. His expression didn’t change, nothing more than an eyebrow quirking up, “Is that so doll?” He mumbled, already deciding this convo was one of the silly ones, aka option 2. You took his response as him just simply brushing you off, watching his eyes reconnect with the tv screen and his hand that was intertwined with yours, now reaching for his beer bottle, “Those kids, Megumi and Tsumiki, are just as much yours now as they are mine.” Everything he had needed to say was in that one little sentence alone.

Your eyes widened, “Oh Toji,” you muttered softly, holding back tears, “Oh Jesus don’t cry,” he huffed, resuming his hand on your back, rubbing soft soothing circles. Reaching his head down to press a kiss to the top of your head but in his head he was just glad this was one of your silly overthought moments.

Nanami

You told him on your 3rd date. Nanami was a classy man, made you feel really stupid for some of the guys you had dated in the past, so you wanted to treat him right just as he treated you.

On your first date he was stiff, and awkward even, but it was endearing in a way. You both had worked together so there was no reason for him be worried but it was nice to know that someone like Nanami could be nervous. That date was a dinner date.

Your second was a bit more relaxed, a bowling alley, an idea recommended by Gojo an annoying coworker you both shared (and bonded over complaining about). It was nice cause Nanami could get a few drinks in, relax a bit, unbutton the top button of his shirt. Strike some strikes and whatever else you did in bowling. It was nice.

Your third date was a walk through the park, a bit more impromptu but you had decided this one, invited him on it too. It was after an early mission, so you two were done around the afternoon. The sun was warm, flowers blooming, walking side by side down some path. And of course the relationship wasn’t official but Nanami knew from the first time he had saw you he wanted you.

His hand was placed respectfully on your lower back, of course after making sure you were ok with it, and trees lined the pathway you were walking on. He had haphazardly stuck a flower in your hair, one he had picked along your walk.

He was warm, comforting, made you feel like you could be you, so you wanted to be honest. “Kento… are you sure I’m the one you want?” You asked gently, eyes nervously looking up at him as you bit your lip, awaiting his response.

“Of course,” he scoffed, he may be a gentleman but he sure was sassy. “Why wouldn’t I?” He hummed tilting his head down to look at you. “Well… I just think some of are goals don’t align,” you sighed and an eyebrow raise from him was all you needed to know that he was listening.

“Well I…. Look… I can’t… I can’t give you a family,” you muttered looking away, your body becoming rigid against his, “And what do you mean by that?” His voice stern, impending, but not harsh just… curious. “Well… I can’t exactly procreate and it be successful…you get it?” You mumbled under your breath as you picked at the sides of your nails.

Oh, that’s what you meant. He nodded more as a confirmation for his inner thoughts than anything you said, he brought one of his free hands to swat at yours that were picking, “That’s fine,” he shrugged looking back ahead at the path.

“What?” You half yelled definitely hearing some bird flying away from you at the disturbance, “But you.. didn’t you wanna settle down? Have a family? I’ve heard you talk about it,” you grumbled.

He rolled his eyes, “Sure I did, but none of that would mean anything without you,” he hummed, stopping to face you. Tilting your head up by your chin, tired eyes meeting yours, “I want you and you alone. If I can’t have children so be it. You’re enough for me.”

And needless to say it was definitely official after that.

Sukuna

The king of curses was already a very scary man, and honestly talking to him could be quite… difficult to say the least. So you swore off to never tell him. And he didn’t even want the little rascals anyway.

Children were too… annoying for someone who was already so irritating himself, and a little one just like him? Hell would freeze over if that happened.

But he couldn’t deny that you made him ponder. What would it be like? Having one.. or possibly two that were a mix of you both. Or better yet he’d like it more if they were exactly like you. The world would be a better place with only one version of Sukuna Ryomen in it.

Yet he didn’t think of it often. But you knew you had to come clean soon, you could feel the way he glared at your stomach as if trying to stare straight into your uterus. When really he was just trying to figure it if you could even carry a baby from a cursed spirit like him… or if he could get a mere mortal pregnant.

He started trying to, oh so so hard to get you pregnant, every single time burying himself all the way before shooting his load. Yet you never showed any signs. Maybe he was simply incapable. That made him frown.

And that was when you hit a dry spell. He had become so worried that he was shooting blanks or that it was simply impossible to have kids because he was a curse. He was a lot more grouchy, and a lot less touchy. Sukuna already found cuddling and the sorts useless but now? Oh he’d barely look at you now.

He was always easily agitated so you often had found it easier to avoid conflict but he was making it seem like you didn’t even exist. One night you burst into his chambers, a little more attitude in the way you shoved the doors open than you usual.

“Tell me,” you called out standing firmly at the edge of his bed, fuming as your first clenched. His raspy, booming laugh resounding amongst the room. “Tell you what exactly? I owe you nothing,” he hummed remaining in his relaxed position on his lavishly large bed.

“You’ve barely spoken to me or even looked at me in a week? You used to be insatiable what is the problem!” You scrambled out. He clicked his tongue as he rolled his eyes, “Tsk, it’s none of your business how I spend my time. If it bothers you then shoo.”

You groaned, you knew him better than that, he wasn’t being truthful. “Sukuna tell me or I will leave this time, I am done playing this game with you.” Narrowing his eyes he took a good long pause before speaking, pointing down to your abdomen, “You show no signs of pregnancy despite multiple times in the bedroom. I’m confused aren’t most women your age fertile?” He jested, quirking a brow.

“Oh,” you muttered straightening up as you sighed. He sensed the noticeable change, “Your soul’s wavering, you know I can feel it, spit it out,” he said, glaring at you, but his look was one more of concern, you could always tell the difference. “Well I uh…”

You walked around to sit on your side of the bed, really he’d never call it that to your face, before you he’d always just sprawled out. Now he made sure to leave that space empty. “Look I…. I can’t have em,” his brow raised, “Have what? You’re being cryptic mortal.”

You groaned, “Kids! I can’t have kids,” that was laughable. Wait you weren’t joking? Sukuna quickly realized that, “What are you deformed?” He teased but it didn’t help the way your eyes got all dewy. He grumbled, he may be practically a demon….. but he did care enough for you to be in his bed next to him.

“So you cannot produce my heir,” and all you could respond with was a shake of your head, confirming. To Sukuna this made him feel a million times better. He wasn’t shooting blanks you simply just weren’t able to be impregnated. He was joyous if not for the tone of the situation.

“Does not matter,” you shot your head over, a confused look on your face. “You wouldn’t have been able to carry my baby anyways, I’m far too powerful for a mortal to carry my heir,” he teased, and while he had his signature smirk you could see the slight tenderness through it.

This may have been one of the only times he seemed to have understood your turmoil. And also the only time for him to have been the first one to initiate physical contact, pulling you into his chest. One hand running protectively over your back, another in your hair, the other two wrapping around you. “Do not fret, calm your soul dear,” his deep voice muttered out soothingly. And that was probably the best you had ever slept.

[demonic0angel]

DPxDC Masterlist 1.0

This is the first masterlist for the unopened or unfinished DPxDC or DP AUs that I still have going on. This first post will be the AUs that I update the most/are open the longest.

I had to split it due to the amount of links I added. Any links that are labeled with "Ask #" or just numbers are asks that are copy and pasted in order of relevance and then date from oldest to earliest. I did not link everything, only what I consider relevant/interesting, so do feel free to check the tags yourself! Some posts will overlap because I occasionally combine AUs.

Relationship posts will not be linked because I tag those really well, so just search for it :3 Popular ships on my blog are: Anger Management/Hardcover, Bad Humor (Dick x Dan), Two for One (Tim x Kon x Dani), and a variety of Danny ships (not DeadonMain tho).

This list will be subject to change (very slowly) as I continue posting.

Lowkey finished AUs that won't change unless someone asks me and I accept: (Hotel AU) one-shot, reblog; (Cat demon and mage) origin, AO3 unfinished one-shot, 1, extra, log #1, log #2, log #3; (Burning AU) first, second, third; (On sight speedsters AU) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

+ Celestial Object AU:

Origin

Outfits

Art 1, Art 2

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

+ Ghost Game AU:

Origin

Art 1, Art 2

Art 3

Art 4

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8

Chapter Art

Post 0, Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, Post 5.1, Post 5.2, Post 5.3, Post 6, Post 7

Moodboard

AO3 fic

+ Assistant Jazz AU:

Origin

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Ask 1, Ask 2, Ask 3, Ask 3.5, Ask 4, Ask 5, Ask 6, Ask 7, Ask 8, Ask 9, Ask 10, Ask 11

Mention 1

Mention 2 (one-shot)

+ Gotham City spirit Danny AU:

Art 1, Art 2

Origin

One-shot

Ask 1, Ask 2,

Ask 3, Ask 4, Ask 5, Ask 6, Ask 7, Ask 8, Reblog 9

Ask 10, Ask 11, Ask 12, Ask 13

+ Twitter AU:

Origin

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3, Part 3.5

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Poll

[doumadono]

Sinful Sunday - poll #6

Hey everyone! Next week Sinful Sunday returns again ♡ Below, you'll find a poll with shortened versions of all the requests I've received for the event. Please help me decide which prompt (max 2) to write for the upcoming Sinful Sunday by voting for your favorites ♡

[enchantedchocolatebars]

A Winsome Witch And A Happy Human Chapter 6 : Deal?

Written by 💕 enchantedchocolatebars 🍫 (me, lol).

Ao3 version.

Commission cover art.

Cover art poll.

Chapter titles.

Fic playlist 🎵 💕 🎶 ✨️ <3

Cover redraw.

Enjoy!

October 31st, 1630

Dear Journal,

Caleb hasn't been fine or himself since the trial ended days ago. He tells me that he is, but I can tell that he's fibbing. My brother isn't exactly the best liar, though he thinks he is.

I have a slight suspicion about what's been bothering him and causing him so much pain and grief, but why would it? It's been troubling my mind a great deal as well, admittedly.

I just want my brother back, the old him.

The one who would always smile when we went witch hunting together and would cheerfully carve birds and other fantastic things, instead of the one that I have now who I have to make feel better almost all of the time, and who eats less, and who lies in bed all day crying, and--

Philip paused his penmanship on parchment mid-sentence as he sighed, shifting his gaze to his brother while sitting up in bed.

Caleb was lying silently in his bed, his head on his pillow while wrapped woefully in his thin covers.

Even though Caleb's face was turned away from Philip, the brunette could instinctively tell that his spirits were tremendously low.

...

The time of day was night as the front door of the Wittebane household in the woods flew open with great force.

With tightened jaws, lips, and flaring nostrils, Philip stormed inside, his mind exploding with more and more rage as he thought about the sinful happening he had just witnessed tonight.

Rushing to his room, he wasted no time going over to the head of his bed as the brunette slipped a hand under his pillow, retrieving his trusted journal.

Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, Philip began flipping through his book for a fresh page to start writing in.

Finding the desired page, he pulled out a pen from behind his back and began to pour out his emotions on parchment.

September 28th, 1630

Dear Journal,

I've completely had it with that ****** !

Caleb, wearing his vest and boots, wanders through the woods after Philip heads to school, eventually reaching the deep, dense forest while walking with his pitchfork in his hands.

He was on a determined hunt to capture and turn in the hooded figure, rumored to be a witch, who had been spotted in the woods outside of town.

Apparently, her hideout was somewhere in the forest, but Caleb was having trouble locating it.

Suddenly, in the corner of his brown eye, the blonde caught a flicker of red dart past him with lightning speed.

A cloak was worn by the fast-moving figure as they hurried away.

They seemed oddly familiar to Caleb, and without hesitation, he pursued the person.

As he chased the figure, he soon saw it run into a clearing and finally caught up with it, causing the person to pause as they turned to face him.

Caleb halted as well.

He was taken aback when the hooded figure raised her carrot-colored fluffy bangs that covered the entirety of her eyes with her hand, which were widened with surprise and shimmered, in order to get a better look at him.

She also wore a double-bitted key around her neck with a skull-shaped button on its bow.

Her eyes...

Caleb has never witnessed a color this brilliant inside someone's irises before.

The gold was shiny and... looked oddly gorgeous on her.

As Caleb continued to stare, somewhat in awe at the girl, she shined him a small, uncomfortable smile, pointing a finger at his pitchfork, silently asking him to please put it down.

Quickly obliging, Caleb placed the pitchfork on the ground and gave the girl an apologetic grin while scratching the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

The girl, seemingly amazed that this human boy had heeded her request, flashed Caleb a mischievous grin as she pushed back her hood enough to reveal her ears, which wiggled adorably.

Caleb's eyes widened with wonder as he saw the pointed tips of her ears.

His eyes followed her hands as she created a small, glowing circle from which a flame sprang to life, dancing on her palm, which spelled the name '******' before vanishing.

Caleb let out a small gasp. He couldn't believe it, his eyes shining with amazement and disbelief. This was no regular girl. This was a witch, and her name was ******.

After the shock of speaking to an actual witch faded away, the blonde finally spoke, giving ****** his name.

Suddenly, Caleb felt a sense of guilt rise in his stomach, his face growing somewhat pale.

****** didn't look anything like the witches he would help condemn at the pyre.

Did that mean...?

Caleb shook the dreadful thought away.

No, that can't be the case.

****** must be an advanced witch of some sort.

It's probable that the others were ordinary witches.

Just as Caleb was about to tell ****** that he was a witch hunter, she gave him a knowing, yet kind smile.

She already knew that he was one (his pitchfork was a dead giveaway), but something about Caleb in particular seemed different and not like the other hunters.

The children where she came from were much more scarier than him and could make one break down in tears with their words alone.

No, Caleb seemed soft.

Not weak per se, but soft-hearted.

Besides, if he were like the other humans, he would have either killed or captured her by now, but she was still there with him.

With a somewhat flirtatious but also still really friendly smile, ****** decided to give Caleb a wink, which caused him to blush before letting out a chuckle.

Caleb then decides to shoot ****** with some flirty finger guns and blinks both of his eyes in an attempt to wink one.

This results in the witch snorting into her hand.

Poking its head out of ******'s hood was a black bird, soon revealing itself to be a raven as it flew towards Caleb before making a landing on his shoulder.

Both Caleb and ******'s eyes twinkled in amusement at the bird, mainly ******'s.

Her Little Rascal, quite literally his name, didn't like anyone except for her.

She watched Little Rascal rub affectionately against Caleb's face as he outstretched his finger for the raven to hop onto, which he did so without the slightest bit of hesitation in his eyes.

Both boys began to stare fondly at each other, with Little Rascal letting out a cheerful croak at Caleb.

He let out a laugh.

****** found herself smiling tenderly at this adorable interaction, her bile-sac skipping a beat within her chest.

Caleb truly was different.

Wondering where ****** found such a terrific raven from Caleb learns that ******'s raven, quite like herself, wasn't ordinary.

He was her palisman, and he soon flew back into his owner's hood after she whistled for him to return.

Just as Caleb was beginning to wonder what a palisman was, it was time for ****** and Little Rascal to leave as neither wanted to be spotted by any other humans.

However, ****** saw the eager expression on the blonde's face, and with a sly smirk, she expressed for Caleb to meet her in the exact same location tomorrow night.

She planned to teach him more about palismen, as well as a few other things from her world.

With one last wink and a small wave, ****** ran further into the forest.

While waving goodbye to his new friend, Caleb felt a soft smile start to brighten his face.

Caleb's dopey grin remained on his face throughout the rest of the day as he eagerly awaited for tomorrow night while doing his daily activities, and Philip couldn't comprehend the reason for his brother's overly merry and upbeat demeanor.

The next day, as evening turned into night, Caleb anticipated Philip going to bed so that he could see her again. Ah, ******. Like a breath of fresh air in his lungs. What a wonderful name for a girl. Caleb kept repeating it over and over again in his mind.

After receiving a good night from Caleb, Philip went straight to sleep, which gave the eldest the opportunity to quietly slip out of the house and race outside in the woods, his heart pounding with excitement as he got closer to the forest.

Finally arriving at the clearing, Caleb saw ****** waiting for him.

With a sly smirk, she motioned for the human to sit beside her in the grass.

As soon as he happily did, ****** twirled her finger, and in a flash of colorful light, images started appearing over their heads.

As Caleb watched, his eyes widening in wonder, ****** showed him illusion after illusion of her life.

She showed him how witches conjured up magic and where magic came from, what palismen were and their purpose, strange plants, her favorite shops in Bonesborough, a town in the Demon Realm that she lived in, and the spot in the garden that she loved to use for naps when she was a little witchlet.

****** then showed Caleb a few images of the massive library she worked in, and then she showed him a scene of her winning some sort of magical battle with a demon who had tried to pick a fight with the wrong witch, and then some scenes of her with a small but boisterous family, and finally, she showed him her most treasured memory...

The time her father had flown her and her little sister high into the air to show them a beautiful sunset over a corpse-shaped island, the corpse of the Titan.

Caleb stared at the images, his imagination running completely wild.

Once ****** had finished telling her story, it was time for Caleb to share about his life.

He did so but only mentioned the parts he was most comfortable with.

He spoke about his and Philip's childhood but did not linger on the passing of their parents.

After learning about each other's lives, Caleb and ****** continued to gaze into each other's eyes, warm smiles making their way on their lips as they slowly reached to hold hands. They then shifted their gaze to the star-filled night sky.

Caleb, with his peaceful visage brightened under the moon and stars, asks ****** if she'd be willing to take him on a trip to the Demon Realm someday as it was a place bursting with beauty and culture that he wanted to witness and experience himself.

Turning to Caleb with lidded eyes and a soft look, ****** answers him with a nod and the two continue to view the colors of the bright night sky.

Since meeting her, she has only been a nuisance and a major inconvenience...

In a recap of chapter 5, Philip walks home after the book signing event at sunset...

He steps inside his home and hears giggling in the kitchen...

Philip freezes in shock upon seeing Caleb cooking in the kitchen with a witch girl...

The brunette goes to charge at her in an attempt to attack her, but Caleb prevents it.

This girl, who looks to be the same age as Caleb, is introduced by the blonde as ******...

... And is clearly leading my brother down a path of deceit and damnation.

Later in the evening, after ensuring that Philip was fast asleep and snoring in his room, Caleb silently joined ****** by the fire with a smile as the two shared a comfortable blanket together and sighed in unison.

As the fire slowly burned down, Caleb drifted to sleep, curled up next to a sleeping ****** as their peaceful faces were illuminated by the flickering light of the fireplace.

Meanwhile, eerie, bright blue eyes that glowed with anger slowly disappeared behind Philip's bedroom door as it silently closed.

I don't even want to go into the specifics of what I witnessed Caleb and the witch doing tonight for my own sake. It was utterly horrific.

When Philip returned home, he observed how dim the interior was, which puzzled him since he believed ****** would come over for a visit.

The fireplace was not on, nor were there any candles lit or any signs of a shared supper made for two on the table.

Philip found himself smirking in triumph as he let out a 'hmph!'.

Perhaps the witch had opted to disappear forever and never return to their (his and Caleb's) home or lives.

As Philip continued to reflect on the nice thought, he noted the dead silence of the house but assumed it was because Caleb was asleep.

He would be if ****** wasn't there, after all.

After letting his hair down, he went upstairs and opened his room door, only to discover that Caleb was not there.

A sudden rush of panic swept through Philip's mind.

He knew Caleb was drifting further and further away ever since ****** came into the picture, a lingering fear that he couldn't let go of.

He was going to lose Caleb. Caleb was going to abandon him. Or worse, the witch would take Caleb away, and he would be powerless to stop her.

An uncontrollable rage rose within Philip.

He couldn't allow that to happen.

He wouldn't.

And so, with a surge of determination and adrenaline, Philip dashed down the stairs and out the door into the woods to reach the forest.

The brunette had a hunch that Caleb and ****** would be at the clearing since he had observed them there several times before while spying on them from inside bushes and shrubs.

While running, Philip focused his enraged gaze on the floating lights in the distance between trees.

'Magic', he thought to himself.

And he knew exactly who was responsible for it.

As they stepped onto the last light glyph, Caleb and ****** lost themselves in the slow dance they were sharing under the stars at the clearing.

The world remained silent as they held each other in a moment that felt like an eternity.

Caleb, with the help of a delicate yet shaking hand, gently brushed a lock of ******'s hair behind her ear, and as if guided by a force greater than theirs in a sudden moment, their lips pressed together in a breathless and beautiful kiss as a tidal wave of teenage emotions washed over them.

The kiss was a symbol of both defiance and love.

And although the love between a winsome witch and a happy human could lead to their demise if discovered, it didn't matter at this moment.

The only thing that mattered was them and their emotions.

However, Caleb and ****** were unaware of the shadow lurking behind them.

As he stood still and horrified, Philip's eyes were filled with an unimaginable amount of hurt, concern, betrayal, and fear.

As Caleb held that witch in his arms, his sole focus was on her and only her.

He and the wench were smiling.

Caleb was... smiling …

Philip wanted badly to call out to him, to keep Caleb safe and prevent him from making, in his eyes, the biggest mistake of his life.

But it was too late.

As he watched the soon-to-be couple move their faces closer to each other, he couldn't think of a single word to say.

As their lips met, Philip felt the heavy weight of reality descend upon him, shattering his fragile heart into tiny fragments as if it were made of glass.

It had all been right there in front of him this entire time.

Why was he unable to see the most obvious signs before?

Caleb Wittebane, his beloved older brother, was in love... and not just with anyone... with a witch.

As Philip sniffled, a tear slipped down on his parchment page before more quickly followed suit.

Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Philip continued writing with a heavy heart while trying his best to control his crying, his nose now stuffy.

... I need her gone. Out of our lives. For good. I will do what I need to protect Caleb. To protect Gravesfield. I am certain that the next gathering at the pyre will be an eventful one. One that will be remembered for a considerable amount of time. All I need to do is reach out to--

Matthew Hopkins took a suave stroll down the busy town market the next day, his confidence evident in every step he took while wearing his brand new coat along with a new pair of boots and breeches.

The witchfinder figured some new clothes would turn a lot of heads in town since he was undeniably attractive, which was, of course, a factual opinion.

Other townsfolk seemed to agree with this truth as just about everyone who Hopkins quietly passed by quickly placed their focus on his fine features that were framed by the afternoon sun.

The men wanted to be like him, the single women wanted to be with him and run their hands through his hair, and most of the married women had thoughts about him while bathing, but never told their husbands.

Hopkins slipped on a smirk as he witnessed the sizeable sight of flushed admirers gazing at him as a small chuckle emerged from his throat.

He then turns his attention to the male quail that was settled on his shoulder.

Watson, Matthew's pet and feathered companion, shifted his eyes to his owner as he soon began to bob his head.

"You'll have your feed once we arrive home," Hopkins promised quietly to the quail in a reassuring voice.

"You have my word."

Hopkins never faltered in his honesty towards Watson, always keeping his word to the bird.

For a long time, the two had been together, and their bond was unbreakable.

Watson, chirping with understanding, stopped bobbing and continued to observe the marketgoers focusing on his owner.

...

'I have to save Caleb. I have to save Caleb. I must. I will. Caleb, I will save you,' were the purposeful words that Philip repeated in his head as he arrived at his destination, a small doorstep.

After knocking on the door, his blue eyes glittered with glee as the door swung open, but luckily, he was swift enough to take a step back without being hit.

Philip found himself under the "heroic" gaze of his hero.

"Mr. Hopkins!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"That's me...," Hopkins slowly replied as he raised a confused brow at the boy.

Although he appreciated the youth, he didn't usually receive knocks on his door from them.

Typically, when he answered his door, he expected to see either the town minister paying him a visit or one of the various women from town coming to sing their praises for him or gift him with bird seed for Watson.

What did this teenage boy whom he's never met before in his entire life want from him?

"Look, if you want my signed signature, can it not wait until tomorrow?" Hopkins requested, assuming that's what the boy wanted.

"I was just about to feed my pet quail, Watson."

Upon hearing his name from inside, Watson let out a chirp.

"Who's at the door?" Hopkins turned to answer him before looking back at Philip.

"Oh, just some boy from town. And he's ... clearly got an eye problem."

Those last five words were muttered out by the witchfinder, referring to the visible sparkles of elation shining in Philip's eyes.

They were far too big and bright as he squinted.

"I do apologize for the disturbance, Mr. Hopkins," Philip said, his eyes returning to their normal state as he took on a mature demeanor. "But I didn't come here for your signature. I came for a more serious matter. A witch matter."

"A witch matter?" This got Matthew's attention, his eyes flickering with interest in what the boy had to say.

"That does sound quite serious. Very well then. Come inside, young...?" Hopkins paused, not knowing the boy's name.

"Philip!" Philip quickly answered, his enthusiasm shining once more.

"Philip Wittebane! Mr. Hopkins, I'm not sure if you remember, but we've met before," the brunette politely informed.

"We have?" Hopkins tilted his head some, taking in the boy's appearance.

Did he seem familiar?

Philip nodded. "Yes, at the library! Your book signing event was held there! I approached your table!"

Hopkins proceeded to blink. Tons of people approached his table that day.

"You... sighed my book?" Philip quietly stated, hoping that would jog Mr. Hopkins' memory.

However, it didn't as the general continued to stand there with a puzzled expression.

"Oh!" In a swift motion, Philip quickly whipped out his copy of "The Ways of a Witch Hunter" from behind his back and opened the book to its title page.

He pointed to the poorly drawn horse next to Matthew's initials.

"You drew this for me!"

Hopkins studied the artwork beside his name, slowly recalling it.

"Ah, I see. Now I remember..." His memory was primarily of drawing the horse, with a brief memory of speaking to Philip. "Very well then, young Philip."

When Hopkins said his name, Philip was close to exploding, but he held it together.

"Come inside."

Philip nodded as he stepped inside Mr. Hopkins' home.

...

After Hopkins had given Watson his feed of food, as he had previously promised during their stroll, he walked over to the table where he had instructed Philip to sit at.

The general couldn't help but smirk when he saw the boy's captivated reaction to his interior walls.

"Impressive collection, isn't it?" Hopkins asked with a chuckle, taking a seat at the table.

Philip, taking his gaze off of the display of mounted 'witch' skulls on the walls, looked to Mr. Hopkins.

He nodded. "It is," Philip agreed. "Are they... real?"

Hopkins let out a boisterous laugh, a prideful smile playing on his lips.

"Of course they are! I certainly wouldn't have them if they weren't. I've preserved the skulls of every witch I've condemned as a way to show the devil that I mean business. I refuse to let him or his followers poison our great town with their treachery."

Aspiration to be just like Mr. Hopkins shined in Philip's eyes, his smile growing immensely at every word the general said.

He, too, wouldn't allow the devil or his followers to poison Gravesfield.

After chuckling inwardly at the dark thought in his mind of one of the heads on the wall being ******'s, Philip beamed out, "Mr. Hopkins, you truly are a godly man."

Hopkins chuckled outwardly at the compliment. "I have to agree," he said.

"Now, about the witch matter, if I may ask what made you decide to come to me about it? I'd assume the first person you'd want to discuss this with would be the town minister."

"Well," Philip began. "You are the greatest witch hunter in Gravesfield," he told Hopkins.

"And the greatest who ever lived," Hopkins quickly added with a conceited look on his face.

Philip gave a nod at that fact.

"Yes, and I know Mr. Town Minister has been awfully busy writing the extra copies of this week's sermon for the hard-of-hearing members of the congregation..." Bless his soul. "So I didn't wish to bother him."

"I see... So, about the witch matter?" Hopkins desired to know every juicy detail about it.

"Yes, about that...," Philip mumbled, trying to think of what to say. He knew that he had to be wary of his words to prevent getting Caleb in trouble.

The blonde would probably still face minor consequences, but Philip needed to make sure that ****** the witch was the one to face death and meet her maker, Satan, in the afterlife by the end of all of this.

"Well?" Matthew asked, crossing his arms as his raised an impatient brow. "Out with it already."

Philip took a deep breath. "Do you know about the witch who's been running around town in a hood?"

"I do," Hopkins replied.

"Well, Caleb, my brother, h--"

Hopkins' eyes broadened as he suddenly slammed both his hands down harshly on the table, startling Philip as he flinched and quickly zipped his lips.

"Is he the witch?!" Hopkins demanded to know in an aggressive tone.

"Huh?!" Philip quickly shook his head, shaking his hands sideways. "N-No, sir!" he said, quickly rejecting the idea.

"Oh...," Hopkins quietly went, settling down some. "My apologies then." He cleared his voice, motioning for Philip to continue.

"Caleb is... having relations with her," Philip confessed.

"Oh, he is, is he?"

Philip felt instantly frightened by the dangerous glare on Matthew Hopkins' face and began to defend his brother the best he could.

"He is, but please, Mr. Hopkins, it's not Caleb's fault! The witch was the one who committed immoral acts! Caleb was charmed by her! Bewitched! Bewitched by a pointy-eared temptress who--"

"Stop."

"Huh?" Philip stopped speaking after being told to do so.

"Did you just say that this witch that Cain--"

"A-Actually, it's Caleb, Mr. Hopkins," Philip gently corrected, hoping he wouldn't get scolded for it.

"Yes, Christopher. That's what I said. The witch that he's been seeing... her ears are... pointed?" Hopkins asked, wanting a confirmation.

"Yes, sir. They are," Philip confirmed.

"I see...," Hopkins said with an intrigued expression. "Witches with pointy ears are far more dangerous than ones with so-called human ears."

"They are?!" Philip questioned with a shocked expression upon learning this.

Hopkins nodded. "They are."

'I knew it!' Philip thought to himself.

His brother truly was in grave danger.

"Young Philip, how's about we make a deal?"

"A deal?"

"Yes. A court date for this pointy-eared sorceress will be set for October 25th."

'That's the end of this week,' Philip noted inwardly.

"If you're somehow able to convince your brother to bring her to court, I'll have a talk with the minister. At the very least, his punishment will involve unpleasant questioning along with public repentance in order for him to rebuild his reputation. It's also probable that he'll have to spend a night or two locked in the manure pit."

As a sight gag, the scene pauses to display a set of blackletter words on screen that state: 'Side note: the manure pit is not an actual pit but rather a very old outhouse in Gravesfield that no one in town goes near due to the horrendous stench.'

Once the gag ends, the story continues.

"As long as we can break him out of his spell, Caesar will certainly keep his life."

Philip sighed, slouching a bit in relief.

At least Caleb would get to live.

A hand then clasped Philip's shoulder.

He looked to see Matthew Hopkins now standing beside him.

Silently, he gazed at the man he looked up to like a son would his father, his eyes gleaming once more.

"You are being very brave, young Philip," Matthew told him.

Philip's chest swelled at the praise.

"R-Really?" he managed to stammer out, slight flush appearing on his features. "You really think so?"

"Oh, I know so. Now, do we have a deal?" Hopkins proceeded to hold out his hand for Philip to shake.

Philip looked at the hand for a bit, then at Mr. Hopkins. His face brightened immediately as he stood up from his seat.

"Deal!" The brunette vigorously shook Hopkins' hand.

"Wonderful. Now, before you take off, I'd like for you to have this." Matthew Hopkins reached a hand down his holder and retrieved a dagger.

The weapon's blade was unusually sharp and had a crooked appearance.

Philip gasped. "M-Mr. Hopkins! You're giving me--"

"Yes. A gift from me to you." Hopkins handed the dagger to Philip.

He had plenty of other daggers that looked exactly the same on the wall of his room.

"Protect yourself against any wild witches you might come in contact with," Hopkins spoke passionately, putting on a bit of a show as he clenched his fist.

He smiled a cocksure smile seeing Philip eat his behavior up.

Philip held the hilt of the weapon, admiring it fully.

Matthew Hopkins, the greatest witch hunter of all time, was giving him his dagger... as a gift?!

Philip could faint.

He wasn't going to, but he could have.

The brunette swiftly nodded. "I will! Oh, Mr. Hopkins, I am truly honored to have this!"

Hopkins chuckled.

This kid was something else.

"You should be," Matthew said, his lips curling into a smug smirk.

After waving Philip off, Hopkins went over to Watson, who had just cleaned out his small bowl of bird food.

"Did you hear that, Watson? A witch with pointed ears," Matthew stated as he took the empty bowl.

Watson chirped before flapping his wings to move up, landing on Hopkins' shoulder.

The general chuckled briefly at his companion's response, stroking beneath his neck with care.

"I know, I know," he spoke gently. "It's been forever since we've last seen one..."

A sense that one could describe as nostalgia trailed in Hopkins' voice.

...

As Philip traveled down the center of town, he was in a state of contemplation, thinking of ways to persuade Caleb to take his beloved (bleh) witch to court.

He knew his brother was far too deep in a state of bewitchment by her love spell to do it willingly. So what ways could he employ to convince him to do the right thing?

While continuing to ponder, within the bustling crowd of townsfolk moving to and fro, Philip quickly spotted a hooded figure heading forward... and she wasn't alone, nor was she with Caleb.

She was with--

A small gasp escaped Philip, his blue eyes widening slightly.

Swiftly shifting his direction to an empty stall so that his back was turned as ****** and the human boy she was holding hands with passed by, Philip slowly turned his head to watch them.

'That's Miss. Doughberry's son...,' he whispered inside his head in genuine surprise.

'What's he doing with that witch?'

Philip took note of the fluttering looks the two gave each other as they approached the storefront door of the bakery.

As the son of Miss. Doughberry gently lifted ******'s hood down, he revealed the set of human ears that she now had.

Philip narrowed his eyes at the sight of this.

'She clearly used magic to fake those ears. Those aren't really hers,' he spat out in his mind.

'Conniving witch...,' he growled, continuing to view the interaction.

With a glowing look of love in her eyes and a soft smile, ****** leaned in close to the son.

A gentle grin crept onto his lips as the two shared a short but meaningful kiss before stepping inside the bakery together.

Witnessing the display of affection caused Philip to feel a surge of unbridled anger, accompanied by a scowl of disgust on his face.

'THAT DEPLORABLE WENCH!!' his internal self literally roared out, Internal Philip's head growing and his mouth opening to expose several rows of deadly sharp teeth in a fearsome sight gag.

He was just about ready to rip ******'s head off.

With a sharp turn, Philip quickly darted in the direction of home.

'Caleb has to know about this,' he told himself in a steely tone.

...

As the evening progressed to night, Caleb gave a suave twirl, turning to face the full-body mirror in his bedroom with a smashing smile.

Holding a simple wood carving of two swans with their necks craned together like a heart, the blonde took a breath before smiling and saying with confidence, "Oh, hello, love! I didn't see you there! You're looking quite divine tonight."

Caleb proceeded to hold up his carving to the mirror. "What's this? It's a swan carving! I made it for you."

Pretending as if ****** had wordlessly complimented his carving, Caleb gave a bashful chuckle. "It's beautiful? Why, thank you! I don't think it rivals your beauty, though. Nothing in this world ever could."

After another light-hearted chuckle, Caleb rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "Um, love? I have a question. Is it alright to... kiss you?"

The blonde smiled softly, pretending to have received a silent yes from ******.

"Very well then." Slowly, Caleb leaned forward, pressing his puckered lips against the mirror's glass.

Upon pulling away, a warm sensation of true love was felt in his stomach.

"Oh, beloved, your lips are as soft as rose petals," Caleb told no one with softened eyes.

With a motivated grin on his face, he took another breath and nodded. "Alright," Caleb told himself. "I think I'm ready for my date."

"Are you?" asked a familiar voice.

"Eee!" squealed a surprised Caleb as he jumped, his swan carving nearly slipping from his grasp.

Turning swiftly, he saw his younger brother standing at the entryway of their room with an unamused expression on his face.

"Ph-Philip!" Caleb squeaked, his cheeks flushing dark red. "H-How... how much did you... see?" the blonde quietly asked.

"Oh, only all of it," Philip answered in a monotonous tone as he entered the room.

Caleb noticed the gruff and bothered expression on his brother's face, a look of concern soon crossing his own.

"You look troubled, Pip," the eldest reached out, placing a hand on Philip's shoulder before continuing. "Is something the matter?"

After remaining silent for a while, the youngest exhaled a sigh. "It's that witch...," Philip muttered out. "I saw her in town today. She's..."

The brunette paused, searching for the right words to convey the news to his brother.

"She was with Miss. Doughberry's son. They held hands and..." Philip took a breath.

"Caleb, there's no easy way to say this, but... they shared a kiss. That witch is being unfaithful."

Hearing out his brother and taking in his words, Caleb frowned.

"Philip," the eldest began, a sense of firmness in his voice. "I understand that you don't like ******, but it's not acceptable for you to fabricate tales about her."

Fabricate? That word struck a nerve within Philip. "Are you implying that I'm a liar?" Philip growled lowly, lowering his brows at his brother.

"No, but I'm certainly not calling you a truther, either," Caleb simply stated, lowering his brows as well.

Philip stomped his foot, harshly hissing out, "YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HAVING ANY RELATIONS WITH HER AT ALL!"

"Shh, Philip!" Caleb quietly and quickly hissed out sternly, placing a finger on his lips. "No shouting in the house! You'll wake up the neighbors!"

Philip stomped his foot for a second time. "WE DON'T HAVE NEIGHBORS!"

"We do, too," Caleb calmly argued, referring to Mr. Kookman and his wife.

A frustrated groan escaped Philip. "It's all that witch's fault. She's the reason why we're even having this argument. Vile snake. This is precisely why I told Mr. Hopkins about her!"

"Oh, you did?" Caleb rolled his eyes. "Wow, Philip, I'm so surprised."

Philip's face displayed a great deal of irritation at his brother's sarcastic tongue.

"I have a question, Philip. This Matthew Hopkins. You hold him in high regard, but how do you know that he isn't a witch himself? I mean, have you ever seen his ears before?"

Philip's blood started boiling. "Shut up!" the brunette shouted.

"Don't talk about him like that! He's not a witch, ****** is! You're just jealous because Mr. Hopkins is more of a man than you'll ever be!"

"You're right, Philip. I'm not a man," Caleb stated flatly. "I'm an exhausted teenage boy who's been caring for you for years and works his tail off every day to ensure we have enough food and money to live a decent life."

Philip huffed. "Don't tell me what I already know."

Caleb narrowed his eyes. "Then don't yell at me," he told Philip.

"I can yell at you if I want to!" Philip barked.

Not appreciating the tone of voice that Philip was using to speak to him, Caleb sighed and rolled his eyes once more.

"I don't have time for this," he said, deciding to walk past his brother and head downstairs to the front door.

Frowning, Philip followed after him.

Upon his arrival at the door, he opened it and witnessed his brother already heading in the direction of the forest.

Philip felt his body shake with an unfettered rage as tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

With venom in his voice, he viciously shouted, "You're a terrible brother!" before slamming the door with all his might.

Caleb halted and looked back at the house, sadness starting to fill his stomach.

He couldn't deny how hearing those words from Philip's mouth had a negative impact on his soul.

It genuinely broke his heart.

He would have to patch things up with Pip once he returned home, but right now, he had a date waiting for him in the clearing to get to, and he was already so late.

Sighing deeply, Caleb continued forward.

...

The next morning, Caleb struggled to shake off the memory of the fight he had with Philip last night, the words 'You're a terrible brother', still ringing nonstop in his head.

Was Philip's statement a result of frustration, or was he truly a bad older brother?

Did simply falling in love with a witch as kind and faithful as ****** make him a monster?

Caleb thought about it for a bit before breathing out a saddened sigh. He was unsure at this point as he got up to get ready for the day.

...

Making his way downstairs in his work attire, which consisted of a pair of brown overalls over a white top with brown boots, Caleb turned into the hallway before entering the dining room.

Upon seeing Philip, his lips curled up in a proud smile.

"Wow, Pip! You made those on your own?" Caleb asked, referring to the scrambled eggs sitting on the frying pan that Philip slid onto his plate. "They look good!"

"I only made enough for one," Philip answered coldly as he took a seat.

"Oh..." Caleb could detect the hurt that Philip was trying to mask in his voice, taking a seat as well.

The blonde smiled sadly. "That's fine! I wasn't really hungry anyways."

Silence reigned at the table between the two brothers for a bit, with neither speaking to the other.

The only sound that could be heard was Philip chewing his food.

Caleb sighed, being the first to break the silence by asking with a low-spirited smile, "So, Pip, I was wondering, after I return home from work today, would you perhaps want to play a game of witch--"

The chair that Philip sat in suddenly screeched.

"I have to go," were the only words that Philip said as he stood up and walked toward the front door.

"Oh? Leaving so soon? You hardly touched your breakfast. Where are you going, Pip?" Caleb tried his best to hide the pain in his voice as he asked this.

"Anywhere but here," Philip spat out as he left, closing the door behind him.

"O-Oh...," Caleb utterly out quietly, turning his saddened gaze to the barely eaten plate of eggs.

He sighed once more, taking the plate to finish the food himself.

...

After completing his day's work and receiving payment from the herder who he had helped herd his various dopey kids (baby goats) down a fertile grassland, Caleb expressed gratitude, said goodbye to the herder, and headed towards town.

While walking, the eldest went into a train of thought, trying to think of ways to make his brother happy with him once more and repair their relationship.

Initiating an apology would be a good start, but Philip would always breathe out a vex huff and walk away sharply before Caleb could even get one out.

Still thinking, Caleb took a downcast gaze at the small, bronze-colored pouch of coins he had in his pocket.

Although not much, it was certainly enough to buy a...

The blonde then began to notice that he was nearing the bakery before smiling, his eyes gleaming with an idea.

Philip Wittebane had the biggest sweet tooth known to man, and his brother could confirm this, which meant that not even he could say no to a sweet baked treat.

Stopping at the shop's window, Caleb began to view the various pies on display.

Apple, pumpkin, sugar cream custard, meat pies, pear pies, ah-ha!

Caleb's brown eyes spot his and Philip's favorite flavor of pie sitting prominently in the center of the display, with a label beside it that reads 'Maple Buttermilk Pie'.

A wave of nostalgia hits Caleb instantly, as he recalls with great fondness his mother always preparing maple buttermilk pie in the kitchen along with the meal for the evening.

The dessert was a family favorite in the Wittebane household, and every time Patience Wittebane presented it to her husband and two boys at the table, she would do so with a tender smile of a loving mother.

Caleb's thoughts drifted back more and more to his mother and father, his smile slowly going down as he sighed.

Their disappointment would be evident if they were to see him and Philip in the present day, given that their relationship seemed to be hanging on its last thread.

Being the caring parents that they were, Cadman and Patience would want nothing more than their boys to come together and reach a compromise, and Caleb knew this.

The blonde kept his gaze fixed on the pie while pondering.

Perhaps buying Philip a piece would help him realize that as well, even if the pie probably won't have the same maternal sweetness as their mother's.

Just before Caleb could make his way into the shop, he saw a familiar figure whom he loved dearly in the reflection of the window.

She walked past without noticing him with her hood down, her ears round and human, as she held hands with one of the boys who assisted some of the merchants and tradesmen in town.

This freckled face boy had short brown hair, along with a white top, cream-colored breeches, dark brown boots, and a big flirtatious smile dancing on his lips.

****** and the boy seemed to be leaving town as they headed towards the woods.

Now, unlike his brother, Caleb was not one to jump straight to conclusions, but he did raise a confused brow at this.

'That witch is being unfaithful,' Philip said in Caleb's mind, his words echoing in his head.

Caleb quickly dismissed the thought.

Although he didn't want to believe what his brother had previously said, it... also wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on the two.

Walking away from the bakery, Caleb secretly follows the pair out of town and into the woods, taking small steps while keeping quiet to avoid detection.

'You're not spying on them,' Caleb tried to convince himself, but guilt and worry were evident on his face as he continued.

'You're just...' He took a small breath. 'Keeping a watchful eye on them because you're curious, that's all.'

Once ****** and the boy reached the clearing together, Caleb quickly dove into the nearest, non-prickly bush, poking his head out to observe the two.

They took a seat together in the grass, the two face-to-face with their legs crossed, and the boy began to talk at length to ****** about his day as she regained her pointed ears once more with magic.

****** showed interest in the boy's story, especially when he added a sense of humor and a touch of good-hearted sarcasm to his words, as she smiled and giggled affectionately at him.

Once the boy had finished talking, ****** held out her index finger and whistled out to Little Rascal, who soon came gliding down from the sky, landing precisely on the boy's head.

This surprised both ****** and the boy, amused looks now crossing their faces as they watched Little Rascal open his curved beak before giving a light yank on a strand of the boy's hair, causing both him and ****** to laugh cordially at the raven's silly antics.

Once he felt at ease enough to do so, Little Rascal flapped down and settled himself in the small open space inside the boy's crossed legs.

The boy smiled at this as he began to give soothing rubs against the back of the black bird's neck with his hand.

Little Rascal opened and closed his beak in fondness at the soft touches, letting out light croaks.

****** viewed the tender interaction with a soft smile and decided it was the perfect opportunity to introduce the two to each other.

Upon witnessing ****** and the boy's friendly behavior towards one another, Caleb couldn't resist smiling along with them.

The sight of his beloved making friends with humans was truly a delight to see.

...

When Caleb gradually woke up from his sleep, he proceeded to let out a yawn and slowly noticed his right cheek resting against the green shrubbery of the bush he was still in.

As he turned his gaze towards the sky, he saw stars glowing against an inky, black abyss and soon realized that he had been asleep for quite some time.

Before he could step out of the bush, Caleb caught sight of a floating light passing through the leaves of a nearby tree.

With wide eyes, he quickly darted them in the direction of ****** and the boy... and the blonde's heart instantly dropped, his entire form frozen seeing... Caleb blinked twice, genuinely baffled.

His gaze laid on the sight of ****** and the boy being close. Their hands were on each other's backs as their cheeks flushed bright red. They moved slowly to the rhythm that only they could hear in their heads as they stepped on light glyphs with each spin of their dance.

The light glyphs surrounding them took on the shape of a large heart and ****** and the boy felt their smiles grow. They grew closer to each other.

"No...," Caleb whispered in pure shock, blinking back the tears that were forming inside his ducts.

Before he knew it, he witnessed the two slowly lean in towards each other before sharing a breathless kiss.

A small gasp escaped from Caleb, the blonde covering his mouth with both hands as he shook his head in disbelief, tears pouring down his cheeks.

The pain he felt was indescribable and something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

He couldn't believe it... His brother was right... ****** truly was unfaithful to him.

Caleb took a few steps back, not paying attention as he nearly tripped on a vine before taking off through the forest, silently sobbing to himself.

Both ****** and the boy's dance were interrupted as they heard the rustling of a bush along with the crunch of footsteps on the forest floor, but when they both turned around, whatever had been there was gone.

...

"Her eyes... shared the same color as copper ...," Philip narrated to himself in a gentle tone, noting that very significant detail as he began to add it to a blank parchment page in his journal using a quill with brown ink.

The brunette was sitting at the dining room table, with an oil lamp sitting on top of it, the lamp illuminating the area enough for him to see his work.

He also had an assortment of colored ink bottles on the table that were gifted to him by his brother on his birthday, but he hadn't found the time to use them until today.

Philip felt the need to provide more detail about these stunning copper eyes.

He soon said, "They were like infinite pools of beauty, and undoubtedly warm and inviting."

Recently, Philip had been dreaming about a girl whom he had developed feelings for and thought that she was the most exquisite girl in the world.

In his dreams, the girl would appear to him like an angel from heaven.

Her smile was pure and kind, and she would always offer him her hand to take, but whenever Philip reached out to take it, she suddenly dissipated, and the dream abruptly ended soon after.

Luckily, Philip was able to capture and remember enough of the angelic girl's appearance before she vanished.

He wished that he had been able to learn her name, though, so that he could properly address her.

As he continued his narration, he sketched and colored what he described as his heart skipped a beat, with his words being vivid and flowery.

"Her skin tone was sun-kissed by the sun and heavens. Her glasses were rectangular and fit her adorable, round face perfectly. Her figure..."

Philip gave thought to it for a bit, heat quickly rushing up to his entire his face as his stomach rolled.

"Full and unique." There weren't any girls his age in Gravesfield with such a pretty body shape.

"Her hair was long, dark, and had waves like those of the ocean. Her lips were full, and her smile..."

It made Philip grow a soft one of his own. "Was unforgettable."

After completing the details of the girl's wedding dress, Philip looked at his finalized work with a glow in his eyes.

If he could and was old enough, he would definitely make her his betrothed, and as her loving husband, he would always love and cherish her for the rest of their days together.

He would kiss and hug her non-stop and would always be there for her and act as a provider for both her and their lovely little family (he was already turning beet red at the thought of them having many children together).

He would also make her soothing tea on sick days and lean over and kiss her forehead and...

Philip's mind was filled with a multitude of sweet and wholesome thoughts. He's never felt such happiness before.

His parents made him very happy when they were alive, and so does Caleb... for the most part, but this happiness was on a whole other level.

It was different... and very special.

As he picked up his journal, Philip held it in front of his face, his attention still on the girl of his dreams.

Despite already knowing, he looked to his left and right to ensure he wasn't being watched.

Philip soon shut his eyes and puckered his lips, trembling slightly as he began to lean forward.

His cheeks were flushed, and his lips were merely centimeters away from touching the page.

Suddenly, a faint knock came from the front door.

Philip squeaked, dropping his journal immediately as flush covered the entirety of his face.

After taking a few breaths, calming his racing heart down, Philip soon frowned, knowing exactly who was on the other side of the door.

Walking over to the front door, he swung it open.

Philip huffed, crossing his arms together.

"I'm still not talking to y--" Philip went immediately silent as his eyes fell upon his brother standing there, his entire being seemingly consumed by an overwhelming amount of sadness and heartbreak.

The youngest also took notice of the eldest's wet eyes, which were red from a relentless amount of crying and held a great deal of pain in them.

"C-Caleb...?" Philip whispered in surprised, genuinely concerned for his brother as he tried his best not to panic, though it was evident in his visage.

In response, Caleb's lip began to quiver as he quickly rushed up to Philip, collapsing into the brunette's arms, as he began to sob violently, his entire body shaking with emotion.

"Oh, Philip," Caleb began woefully, his tone broken. "Y-You were right about her. I-I'm..." He stopped to sniffle intensely before continuing.

"I'm so sorry for ever doubting your words when you told me the truth that day. I'm... I'm just so sorry for being such a terrible older brother in general, Pip. W-Would you ever be willing to forgive me?" Caleb pleaded desperately, unsure if forgiveness was something he even deserved at this point.

Philip's heart shattered into pieces at the sound of his older brother's voice.

He was sad, yes, but also very scared.

While it's true that he has seen Caleb cry and be sad before, it was never to this extent.

This vulnerability of Caleb's was new to him.

As Philip, still stunned, began to wrap protective arms around his brother, he couldn't lie.

His inner self was displaying the greatest smug smile on his face.

Inner Philip urged his outer self to tell his brother that he told him so.

That he was silly and naive for even thinking that a witch of all things could ever be faithful, but Philip had to suppress that inner voice, as such words would only heighten Caleb's hurt.

Right now, what Caleb needed was strength, and Philip would provide that strength for him to the best of his ability.

"That's not even a question, Caleb," Philip expressed in a gentle murmur, holding his brother. "Of course I forgive you."

Caleb's sins were never a factor in Philip's willingness to forgive him repeatedly.

The eldest has forgiven him plenty of times before, so it was only fair for him to do the same.

After all, neither brother was perfect, and they both had a lot to work on.

"I'm sorry for calling you a terrible brother. That's not true at all. You're a wonderful brother who does his best every day." Philip wouldn't trade Caleb for anyone in the entire the world.

"Also, you are not to blame for this plight, Caleb. You were simply bewitched. Bewitched by..." Philip's brows furrowed as he scowled. "Her...," he mentioned, grumbling angrily under his breath as he thought about ******.

"I hate her...," Philip growled lowly. "I hate her so much. She needs to be taught a harsh lesson and face cruel judgment."

Philip gave his brother some intense eye contact, his cold, blue eyes burning with vengeance. "Caleb, you must turn her in."

"Turn her in?" Caleb sniffled as he looked at his brother with an uncertain gaze. "I mean, I could, but..." The blonde paused, thinking a bit before sighing. "I don't know, Philip...," he spoke, his tone tentative.

"But Caleb." Philip's lips formed a small frown.

"She betrayed and hurt you without any concern. She took your trust and discarded it for her own personal pleasure. She's vile, an unfaithful wench. The feelings she had for you were false and all a part of her hex. She never cared for you, Caleb, and never will."

This cold, hard truth hit Caleb like a hurricane, his thoughts drifting to the times that he and ****** spent together.

...

The first time they met in the clearing and formed an unlikely friendship soon after.

She never cared for you, Caleb, and never will.

Their first night together. ****** showed Caleb illusions about her life, while Caleb shared a bit about his life afterward.

They then gazed at the star-filled sky together while holding hands.

She never cared for you, Caleb, and never will.

The evening when Caleb curled up and slept next to ******'s side as the fireplace flickered with light and warmth.

She never cared for you, Caleb, and never will.

The slow dance they shared that fateful night... and the kiss they share--

She never cared for you, Caleb, and never will.

...

Caleb soon shuts his eyes, tears slipping down from them.

Those memories, while dear to him, are now in the past.

Suddenly, Caleb heard a dark chuckle escape him, and a slowly but surely malice smile played on his lips.

"Fine, I will."

"It's what she deserves, dear brother." A cold chuckle escaped Philip, the younger pleased by his older brother's decision.

Meanwhile, his inner Philip was brimming with excitement as his eyes shimmered.

He was quite literally bouncing off the walls in his mind because of how cool Outer Caleb now appeared.

Perhaps he should be thankful that ****** chose to be unfaithful since it awoke the vindictive witch hunter in his brother.

"And I know exactly how you can do so."

While whispering in Caleb's ear, Philip shared his plan for how Caleb could turn ****** in before revealing the deal he made with Mr. Hopkins.

As he listened, Caleb nodded along to what he heard, grinning darkly.

...

The next day dawned warmer and brighter for ****** the witch as she, with her hood up, spent her morning near the forest's lake, happily hunting for the sparkliest stone she could find in the water.

Rumors have been swirling in her world that human stones may contain garnets.

Suddenly, ******'s eyes were shielded from behind by warm hands.

"Hmph?" she hummed faintly in confusion, a question mark appearing above her head as a sight gag.

"Guess who?" chimed a cheery voice with a British accent that ****** was all too familiar with as she giggled.

Once the hands were taken from her eyes, ****** turned around and saw a smiling Caleb standing before her.

"Hello, my love," he greeted as an elated ****** beamed, attempting to give Caleb a kiss on the cheek, only for the blonde to take a swift step back.

"Hmph?" ****** tilted her head at her beloved's decision to back away from her.

"Uh, love," Caleb began, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

He tried his best to keep eye contact with ****** as he asked, "I have a question. Have you perhaps..."

A hand reached up to scratch the back of his head as he continued. "Oh, I don't know, met with any other humans besides my brother and I? Any at all?"

Brown eyes shifted swiftly to the right before looking back at ******.

Caleb's smile weakened when she shook her head and smiled innocently at him. "A-Are you sure?" he asked again, his tone uneasy, almost heartbroken.

After ****** gave him another shake of her head, Caleb sighed and shut his eyes, deciding to proceed with what he had planned to do. "Very well then."

****** continued to smile.

She wanted to keep the other two humans she met a surprise and have them meet Caleb later today.

After shooting ****** an unreadable look, Caleb reached behind his back, retrieving a black blindfold as he soon tied it around ******'s head to cover her eyes.

The witch hummed a second time in confusion, tilting her head once more.

"Oh, why are you blindfolded, you ask?"

Caleb chuckled calmly, almost too calmly.

"Simple, love. I wish to take you somewhere special. It's a surprise, though. You like surprises, right?"

****** gasped. A surprise? For her? Eee! She vigorously nodded.

"Splendid! Let's get going then. I'll be your eyes and lead you there safety. You have my word."

Taking ******'s hand, Caleb took lead, treading through the forest.

During their walk, they pass a tall tree that Little Rascal is perched on a branch of as the raven watches them from above.

He doesn't think much of seeing Caleb enter the woods with his owner since they are on good terms.

After a small croak comes out of him, he decides to shut his eyes and drift into a small nap, half asleep and half awake.

...

With each step she took, ****** heard the crunching of twigs and plant debris cease as she now walked down a fresh new path.

Despite being unable to see it, her feet felt the familiarity of it.

"We're getting closer, love," Caleb informed her as he led her into town, ****** letting out a quiet squeal of excitement.

A sudden roar of applause came from the various townspeople in the marketplace as Caleb walked down with, from their standpoint, the guilty temptress who's been wreaking havoc in their sacred town.

Shining an anxious smile, Caleb kindly gestured with one hand for them to bring their cheers down a bit.

After all, he wanted ****** to be unaware of the fact that he was essentially leading her towards her death.

Her death.

****** ... dead.

'Turn back,' a soft voice of reason that sounded much like his own pleaded in the back of Caleb's head. 'Turn around. Don't go through with this. Please. It's not right. This isn't you. ****** doesn't deserve it.'

Caleb bit his lip but quickly shook the voice away, trying to shift his high anxiety into something more austere.

That voice was incorrect. This was indeed him. He was a witch hunter, and he knew exactly what he was doing.

...

"... You can sit down now," Caleb instructed in an unfriendly grumble to ****** as she abided, having a seat at... wherever she was.

Where was she exactly?

A shop? A store? Inside a home?

Regardless of where she was, she knew that she and Caleb were not the only ones present, as the atmosphere was filled with the tension of others.

****** heard whispers and hushed voices coming from all angles of, she assumed, the room.

She also felt not one, not two, not even three, but several sets of eyes on her.

****** soon sensed her blindfold being untied, and when the piece of black cloth fell, she opened her squeezed eyes and blinked, taking in... they immediately widened in disbelief.

She tried to feel her hands, only to see that they were bound.

The witch's form turned frozen as she was now stuck in a state of shock at what she saw, dread and panic rushing through her veins.

She felt her upper belly grow sore and her pale face got even paler.

****** slowly stood up.

She was... in the center of... a human courtroom? Yes, a courtroom. But... why? Why would Caleb take her to here of all places? Was... was this the "surprise" location that he was talking about?

****** felt her heart break.

Her nerves were causing her bile sac to not work despite her desperate desire to disappear and escape the room.

As she slowly viewed the court, ****** observed Caleb sitting with his brother at a round table to her right.

To her left, she saw a human man with a hat and beard who had the biggest look of triumph on his face.

His ears were also tucked and hidden beneath his hair.

Mr. Town Minister, sitting on the judge's bench, began to speak, his voice loud and commanding as he asked, "Witch, state your name for the court--"

Matthew Hopkins acted quickly, wasting no time in briskly standing from his seat to intervene.

"Objection, your highness!" The general crossed his arms, frowning a childish frown. "We don't care."

The gallery was filled with whispers of agreement, with some nodding in line with Hopkins' statement.

"Hmm...," hummed the minister in thought for a second before agreeing. "He's right," he said, taking Hopkins' side as he continued. "We don't care."

Hopkins sent an antagonizing smirk towards ****** as he stuck his tongue out at her.

The witch wasn't afraid to send him a glare, fiercely furrowing her brows at him.

Mr. Town Minister turned his gaze to Caleb.

"Caleb Wittebane, please step forward."

Caleb slowly stood, walking towards the center with a pacing heart and a head filled with certainties and uncertainties.

One part of his mind argued that he had to proceed with this. The opposing side asserted that he didn't.

The townsfolk in the gallery watched as the blonde stood next to the accused.

Caleb adjusted his gaze slightly to concentrate on her and started to stare.

'Wow,' he thought to himself, his inner self flushing some.

'Even when she's likely to come face-to-face with death today, she still looks so pretty and radiant.'

Wait... why was he thinking that?!

When ****** looked at Caleb briefly, their communication was silent.

His stare turned sour meeting hers, his gaze mixed with anger and hurt, meanwhile ******'s gaze was shattered, silently questioning Caleb why he was doing this.

His look huffed, 'Don't play dumb. You know precisely why.'

Mr. Town Minister cleared his voice before speaking. "You have been summoned to speak about this witch who has been consorting with the Devil's work throughout our great town. Is it true that she not only bewitched you but is also an advanced witch?"

Caleb looked over to Philip, who smiled encouragingly while his eyes looked worried, pleading for the oldest to say the right thing.

He then looked to Matthew Hopkins, eagerly awaiting the exposure of the witch.

Finally, Caleb gave once last glance to ******.

With tears nearing her eyes, she wordlessly begged the blonde not to do this.

This isn't you, spoke her eyes under her bangs.

Caleb sighed as his gaze returned to the minister.

Despite his guilt, he stood firm, refusing to let his emotions dictate his decision.

He's not sorry.

Taking a breath, Caleb revealed, "Yes, Mr. Minister. That is true. She... did bewitch me. And..."

Caleb looked to Philip again, who gestured for him to pull ******'s hood down.

He sighed once more. "And... she is..." Caleb's hand went to yank ******'s hood off her head, exposing her pointed ears to the court. "An advanced witch."

An audible gasp escaped those in the gallery as they directed their shocked eyes at ******'s ears.

Fathers were forced to cover their children's eyes (although they tried to peek), as mothers had to soothe their crying babies.

Matthew Hopkins also gasped, in the most overdramatic way, of course, pretending to be shocked by the reveal. "And a collective gasp fills the courtroom," he narrates with a sly smirk.

The Minister's nose scrunched up immediately in disgust at the sight of the unnatural shape of the witch's ears.

"You may be seated," he told Caleb, who nodded before walking back to his seat.

Sitting down, he tried not to give any attention to the tears rolling down ******'s cheeks as regret clawed at his chest.

After a loud bang from his gavel, Mr. Town Minister said sternly, with not a hint of empathy in his voice, "Nameless witch, based on the reactions of today's trial, this court finds you..."

The minister held his words in the air for about 20 seconds, even though everyone knew what he was going to say.

"Guilty for the crimes of witchcraft and being an advanced witch, as well as causing the infants in the courtroom to cry. You are condemned to be burned at the stake. May your soul slowly decay in Heck with your creator."

The trial comes to a close as the minister hits his gavel again.

...

Present day sees Philip approach his brother's bedside, standing there with a sad, sympathetic expression on his face.

"Caleb," Philip spoke, a sense of gentle care and worry in his voice. "You must stop being sad about that witch. It's not beneficial for you."

...

Upon the last faint glow of the sun over the horizon, the entire town gathered in the square with eager anticipation of the death that was about to occur.

The crowd roared with cheers as three townsmen led the guilty ****** to the wooden platform, some shouting insults towards the teen witch.

Standing on said platform, Caleb was alongside Matthew Hopkins and other witch hunters, with the town minister coming to take a stand.

As he watched ****** being tied to the stake, the blonde made an effort to suppress any sympathy he felt.

Following the minister's proclamation and Hopkins' self-absorbed speech, Caleb was presented with a torch by the minister, who honored him with the task of sending the temptress where she belonged.

Fingers closed around the torch's handle hesitantly as Caleb turned to face ******, appearing cold and unsympathetic.

Tears streamed down the witch's face as she silently begged Caleb to show her mercy.

She did not wish for him to do this.

She loved him.

'Her tears are deceitful,' Caleb told himself. 'Just like her.'

His mind screamed at him to light the pyre and end this, but his body refused to comply.

At this point, Caleb was uncertain about what to do.

Is it better for him to listen to his head... or his heart?

"Oh, give it here!" Matthew Hopkins snatched the torch out of Caleb's hand, who was too occupied with glaring daggers at ****** to react.

He huffed. "You're taking far too long, Caius."

Hopkins lowered the torch and ignited the wood beneath ******'s feet in a matter of seconds.

Afterward, the flames roared, consuming the witch completely, and she screamed an agonizing scream from the burning fire.

As the fire rose, ****** felt herself cook in the flames.

During her last moments of life, she saw the boy who brought so much happiness and joy into her life look at her with anger and tears.

The human beside him just smirked, bidding her goodbye with a small wave of his hand.

Philip stuck out in the crowd like a sore thumb to ****** as he stared directly at her.

As her eyes slowly closed, she witnessed the brunette giving her a chilling smile, his blue eyes bright and glowing with contentment.

...

"Oh, Philip," Caleb quietly choked out, still faced away from his brother as he was unable to fight back the tears that soon poured down his eyes.

He sniffled. "You just don't understand..."

Philip furrowed his brows at Caleb's statement.

"And what is it that I don't understand, dear brother?" the brunette questioned in a smart aleck tone, sounding almost offended. "That you played a role in the witch's death? Because I do, Caleb Wittebane. Caleb bane of witches."

Caleb's anger started to rise as he swiftly rose up in bed, staring at Philip.

"You take that back right now!" Caleb growled.

Philip only smiled darkly and shook his head, refusing to take back his words.

"No," he retorted, making Caleb visibly more upset as he sighed.

"Oh, Caleb. Talking about that witch always brings out the worst in you, doesn't it?"

Caleb swiftly jumps out of bed.

"Hey! What are you...?" Philip watches Caleb rush over to his bed and swipe his journal.

"Oh, Philip, lookie what I have!" Caleb taunted with a massive grin, wiggling the book in a teasing manner.

Philip clenched his teeth. "Put my journal down now, you dumb witch lover!"

"Then take back what you said," Caleb commanded as he started flipping through pages.

"Never!" Philip shouted.

His older brother stopped at a particular page in his journal and stared at it for a bit.

It expanded his smug grin.

He showed it off to Philip. "Ooo, who's this, Pip?" he asked, referring to the drawing of his dream girl. "Your imaginary girlfriend, I assume?"

Philip's face immediately burned red with rage and embarrassment.

"At least I have one!" he spat. "Unlike you...," he mumbled with a huff.

"I'll give you one last chance to take back what you said, Philip, otherwise..."

Caleb shined a bold, playful grin. "She'll be mine."

He held the dream girl near his lips to show that he was serious with his threat.

"No. she. won't!" Philip hissed out in unbridled anger.

Caleb noticed that Philip had something in his hand and turned his attention to his left hand to see a crooked dagger that was tightly gripped.

The blonde's eyes widened as he lowered the journal and took a step back, alarm on his face.

"A dagger?" Caleb took a cautious step back, keeping a close eye on the weapon.

He gently set the journal back on Philip's bed.

"Philip, what are you doing with a dagger?"

He usually saw Philip with one of his old carving knives, but never a dagger.

Philip was taken aback when he saw the dagger in his left hand.

He hadn't even realized that he had instinctively pulled it out.

Putting it away, he mumbled out, "It was a gift."

"A gift? From who?"

"None of your business, that's who!"

Caleb shook his head with a tired and heavy sigh, pressing his fingers against his temples.

He was far too distraught about ******'s death to even contemplate the knife his brother had.

Trudging to bed, he stood near his bedside and collapsed over it.

His sadness quite literally weighed him down as his sulking began.

"******...," Caleb whispered her name regretfully, his face pressing into his bed, making him sound muffled as he continued his mourning.

Philip merely rolled his eyes at his brother's dramatics, his face dour.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." Caleb shook his head in despair, his voice trembling.

"Your infectious smile, your wonderful laughter, all gone. It's all gone... because of me. Unfaithful or not, you didn't deserve the faith that was dealt to you. I... I..."

He sobbed. "I didn't even get to see the Demon Realm with you."

"Demon... Realm?" Philip raised a confused brow at what his brother was whining about. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's where ****** lives. Well, used to live now," Caleb sadly explained with a sniffle.

"To get there, she used a special key, the one she always wore around her neck, that unlocks a magical door. Although I was never able to witness her use the key, she told me that's how it worked."

Caleb began to ponder whether or not he should have revealed that information to his brother.

Demon Realm...? Special keys...? Magical doors...?

Philip narrowed his brows at his griping brother, speaking sharply to him.

"Caleb Wittebane... this entire time, you knew of a realm filled with advanced witches existed... and yet you didn't decide to tell me?"

"Well, now you know!" Caleb cried out, his voice cracking with emotion as he tried to cease his shaking.

Philip rolled his eyes once more.

"Furthermore, what did you mean by when you said you didn't get to see the Demon Realm with her? What? Were you going to leave me here forever to go be with her?" Philip hoarsely asked.

"Leave you forever?" Caleb lifted his face from his mattress to look at Philip. "Of course not," he answered truthfully. "My sole intention was to visit for a day."

Philip did not appear to accept Caleb's claim.

"Caleb...," Philip began, his voice so gruff and serious that it made a shiver run up the eldest's spine as he listened.

Blue eyes suddenly flashed in a blaze of excitement.

"We have to go find that key! We simply must! Imagine if we did!? We'd look for that magical door next and open it. Once we're in the Demon Realm, we would go on a witch massacre, obliterating every witch in sight. I even say we should wipe the realm in its entirety. Once we do, we'd return home and show everyone in town our accomplishment! We'll be heroes, Caleb! Heroes!" Philip cheered.

The brunette swiftly rushed over to the closet door, opening it as he grabbed his most favorite jacket.

"I'm certain ****** still has that silly key around her neck."

Philip continued.

"She was probably tossed and buried in some unmarked grave in the town burial ground."

A twisted chuckle left Philip at the thought, slipping his jacket on.

The very thought made Caleb's stomach drop.

Philip soon began tying up his hair before suggesting determinedly, "Let's go dig her up and rip that key right off her neck! It'll be fun, Caleb, and it might even make you feel better."

Caleb highly doubted that would fix his heartache as he sighed. "Philip," the blonde began as he stood up, walking over to the closed window curtains.

"You know what happens every October 31st in Gravesfield," Caleb informed with gentle sternness, opening the curtains while still looking at Philip, not reacting to the two pale-ish green specters that used to be humans, accused of witchcraft, shambling by.

Their eyes glowed red, their skin was ashen and blotchy, and a deep bruise radiated out from their throats.

A sight gag commences, the scene pausing to display a set of blackletter words being written on screen in ink that reads:

'Every October 31st, during the night, the Puritans who were accused of witchcraft and hanged for their 'crimes' come back from the dead to seek revenge on the living. This is a curse that has a negative impact on the town of Gravesfield. Everyone is told to stay indoors until the next morning during the invasion, as that's when it ends.'

"It's too dangerous to go out there," Caleb frowned.

Philip simply chuckled in overconfidence, his brave face being genuine.

"The undead don't frighten me, Caleb. And besides, I have this!" Philip whipped out his dagger before dashing out of the room.

His footsteps were heard as he ran downstairs.

"Hey!" Caleb exclaimed, rushing to the closet to grab his jacket as he attempted to put it on while chasing after Philip.

"Don't leave the house without me!"

...

Philip and Caleb cautiously walked through the town burial ground, carrying shovels in their hands and keeping their distance from the undead that staggered around.

Caleb experienced a feeling of numbness as he inhaled the cold air before exhaling with a sigh.

Was this a horrible idea?

Of course it was, Caleb acknowledged in his head, yet the oldest Wittebane would continue onward with his brother.

"We've already dug up four unmarked graves so far, but ******'s body wasn't in any of them," Philip whispered to Caleb in slight frustration.

"Where could that witch be?" he wondered aloud.

Caleb sighed once more, his brown eyes surveying the area for more headstones without names.

Suddenly, gazing forward, he spotted a familiar black bird clinging to a stone that had no name on it.

The raven's posture was drooping, and it seemed to be mourning for the person who was below the ground.

Little Rascal...

"She's there." Caleb pointed to the bird and tombstone.

"What?" Philip glanced in that direction before returning his gaze to his brother. "Caleb, how do you know?"

"I...," Caleb paused before sighing. "I just have a gut feeling she's there," he explained before grinning mischievously.

"Let's take a look." He made an effort to show enthusiasm and interest for his brother.

Grinning back at Caleb, Philip nodded and followed his brother to the tombstone.

Little Rascal, taking note of the two human boys who were approaching, adjusted his posture and took a defensive position as he produced a harsh sound at them.

He was aware that both of these wicked witch hunters were responsible for his owner's demise as he witnessed her last moments from the sky, and he would not permit either of them to come near her.

The aggressiveness of Little Rascal's trill brought Caleb to a halt, as he felt horrible, guilt written all over face while ******'s death replayed in his mind.

Her pain-filled eyes, her excruciating screams, the sight of her burning away...

"Shoo, shoo!" Philip swung his shovel wildly at Little Rascal but missed several times as the bird managed to evade his attempts to harm him.

As he continued to miss, Philip produced irritated grunts. He once again raised his shovel over his shoulder. "Stand still so I can kill you already, you stupid bird!" Philip screamed.

Bringing his shovel down, Philip managed to strike Little Rascal with the back of the blade, knocking him down.

Caleb let out a small gasp, covering his mouth with his hand as he watched in shock the raven slowly taking in air, a green essence leaking from the small crack in his body.

When their eyes met, a pang of pain throbbed in Caleb's heart as Little Rascal gazed sadly and weakly at the blonde, disappointed in the human.

Rising slowly to his feet, wincing slightly at the pain, the raven gently spread his wings, flapping them as if he were a fledgling, as he took flight into the night sky.

"Caleb!" Caleb took his guilt-ridden gaze off of Little Rascal to look at Philip.

"I can't do this alone. Help me dig!" Philip was casually smiling as if he hadn't just injured an innocent animal.

"Oh! ... R-Right," Caleb replied with a weak smile as he began to help his brother shovel out the soil of ******'s grave.

Following the removal of all the dirt, the brothers saw ****** sleeping eternally in the hole that was made for her.

Philip grimaced at her appearance, pinching his nose with his index and thumb, while Caleb gazed softly at her with a melancholic expression on his face.

Her pale skin was now a sickly, blotchy green color, with scars and blisters from her burns covering her from head to toe.

'Even in death, ******...,' Caleb spoke softly to himself, words of genuine love and deep regret spilling out in his tone.

His hands slowly reached towards ******'s neck. 'You still look like an angel...,' Caleb said, removing her key necklace from off of her.

Slipping it into his pocket, he smiled a faint yet gentle smile down at the corpse.

Wherever ****** was, be it Heaven, Heck, or in-between, Caleb hoped that she was at peace and the happiest she's ever been.

Happy...

If only he could--

Whack!

The blonde jolted at the impact sound, turning to look at Philip.

His brother had just delivered a sharp blow to ******'s face with the back of his shovel.

Caleb's eyes narrowed at the youngest. "Philip!" he angrily hissed.

"What?" Philip chuckled with an innocent smile, shrugging his shoulders. "She's already dead," he tried to justify.

Caleb huffed as he gave a roll of his eyes, shaking his head as annoyance started to consume him.

With his shovel, Caleb removed some dirt from the pile that he and Philip had created and deposited it back into ******'s grave, ultimately returning all of it.

She was completely concealed as Caleb sighed out a little white cloud.

"Alright, Pip. Let's go h--"

"Uhhhhggghhh..."

Caleb swiftly turned his gaze to Philip, shooting him the stink eye. "Philip, that's not funny," he sternly stated.

"Uh, C-Caleb...," Philip stuttered in fear, pointing a trembling finger behind his brother.

"Th-Th-That wasn't me!"

"Huh?"

"Uhhhhggghhh..."

"Uhhhhggghhh...!"

"UHHHGGGHHHH!!!"

Caleb froze. He didn't dare look behind him, but when he slowly did, he saw...

His pupils dilated.

"AAAAAA!!!" screamed both Caleb and Philip in unison, waves of cold adrenaline flushing their bodies as they clinged to each other for dear life.

Now surrounding the Brothers Wittebane were a horde of the undead, the rotting beings releasing horrible hisses from their throats, craving human flesh.

The zombie in front of and closest to the boys opened his mouth, his yellow and decaying teeth on full display.

"AAAAA!!!" cried the boys once more, their grip tightening as they shut their eyes.

The zombie mob stumbled ahead, eager to savor their prey.

The nearest zombie leaned forward towards Philip and Caleb, opening his mouth wider as blood dripped down his non-existent lips, ready to take a significant bite out of the siblings.

That is until...

(Oh) I am the Candyman

(Oh) Comin' from Bountyland

(Oh) I am the Candyman

(Oh) Comin' from Bountyland

The unexpected, bubblegum dance-pop song ["Lollipop (Candyman)"] playing so suddenly and without warning in the background as a random gag acts as head shots to the zombies, with them moaning and groaning in pain, covering their ears.

Some even fall to their knees.

Sensing the absence of zombie bites on their bodies, Philip and Caleb slowly opened their eyes to see the zombies being physically enfeebled by... the strange music playing out of the blue?

I wish that you were my lollipop

Sweet things, I will never get enough

If you show me to the sugar tree

Will you give me a soda pop for free

Hearing it, they were equally confused as they slowly turned to look at each other.

However, they noticed that the song impeded the zombies from attacking them, and a knowing grin soon crept onto their faces.

Instinct kicked in as they formed a wordless plan and nodded in agreement to it.

Come with me, honey

I'm your sweet sugar Candyman

Run like the wind

Fly with me to Bountyland

Bite me, I'm yours

If you're hungry, please understand

This is the end of

The sweet sugar candyman

Both brothers proceeded at the same time, with Caleb moving to handle the zombies on the right and Philip moving to take care of the undead on the left.

One zombie was met with the back of Caleb's shovel to the face, his head being knocked clear off of his body as a colorful and dazzling explosion of hearts, rainbows, glitter, and blood shoots out the top of the zombie's headless neck.

Philip's shovel came crushing down on a zombie's head, and the same colorful and bloody essence came forth from her as she fell.

Oh, my love, I know you are my Candyman

And oh, my love, your word is my command

Oh, my love, I know you are my Candyman

And oh, my love, let us fly to Bountyland

Caleb and Philip's shovels remained effective in striking and bashing the undead, their strikes timing with the beat.

Caleb turned his gaze as he spotted a feral grin on Philip's face.

His clothes were stained with blood and rainbow glitter, blood splatter smeared across his cheeks.

Caleb, noting that his clothes and cheeks were in a similar state, smiled broadly at his brother, who smiled back at him.

Philip's glee was impossibly contagious, Caleb thought.

It's been a while since the two of them had such genuine fun like this.

...

The light of early morning was brought into the sky by dawn as it rose.

The undead, similar to the night, began to die down, resulting in the moving corpses becoming motionless once again.

One zombie, quite literally hoping around on its last leg as it faltered, was swiftly brought to an end with one powerful down strike to the head by both boys' shovels, with the song ending.

Caleb, looking to Philip, who shared the same smile and mischievous gleam in his eyes as him, gave his brother a playful ruffle to his hair.

Philip absorbs the affection, his aura brimming with confidence.

After a freeze frame captures the two brothers, the show transitions to an art nouveau style and displays Caleb and Philip's list of hobbies alongside them in blackletter.

At the end of their list of hobbies, another hobby is added with an invisible pen, this hobby being 'dismembering the undead'.

...

As they were walking home, Caleb and Philip reminisced and joked about the zombie battle, sharing their favorite parts with each other.

Upon reaching the front door, Caleb opened it, and both him and Philip stepped inside before freezing.

They were taken aback, even though they shouldn't be at this point, by the person they saw in their sitting room.

"Oh, hello!" Mr. Kookman turned to greet the boys with his usual smile, waving a hand at them that held a bar of soap.

His attire and some of his face were covered with the same blood and glitter that came from the zombies.

Henrietta let out a cluck, giving her feathers a gentle flap as she fluttered in the barrel bucket filled with soapy water.

"I hope you boys don't mind me giving my Henrietta a bath in here. She doesn't enjoy receiving baths during the invasion," Mr. Kookman told them.

Henrietta proceeded to cluck again.

That was Mr. Kookman's cue to lather her feathers. He turned back around to do so, even adding salt to the bathwater.

"Uh...," Caleb blinked twice. "N-Not at all," he answered politely, attempting not to sound befuddled as he motioned for Philip to follow him upstairs. "Just make sure to close the door on your way out."

The two were terribly tired after last night and needed some shut-eye.

They would clean themselves off after a long nap.

...

A boisterous family of witches hurry into their cottage, making it just in time before the boiling rain starts pouring down.

All of them sigh with relief, but sad looks soon appear on their faces.

One of the members of their close family has gone missing, and they've been looking all over the Boiling Isles for her for months.

She was a good daughter, a sweet sister, a fantastic student, and a wonderful witchlet.

She was ******.

[authorhjk1]

December special voting guide

Hello, everyone! We've now reached the end of the first phase, where you were able to request fics for the December special. Now we move onto the voting. This is how it's gonna work:

First Round (Five Polls):

1. There will be five polls, each containing 10 options (numbers representing each request). The last poll will have 9 options since there are 49 requests in total.

2. You guys can vote in each poll, choosing your favorite option from each group.

3. The first and second place from each poll (10 in total) will move on to the second round.

Second Round (Five Polls with 10 Options):

1. The 10 remaining requests (those that placed first or second in the initial polls) will be included in five new polls.

2. Each poll will include all 10 options, and you can vote five times (one vote per poll) since we need to choose five fics.

3. The top five requests with the most votes across these polls will be the ones chosen for December.

The following list contains all 49 requests. Each request has it's own number.

1.

A continuation of last year. You, Irene and the new coworker Seulgi work for a media company, who produces music videos for entertainment companies. Around this time of the year, two female soloists are about to have their comebacks. Im Yoona and Karina. They both have similar music, similar concepts and the same target audience, which makes them natural rivals. A good music video always has a big impact of a song's popularity and success. Which of the two can convince your team to invest more time and attention into her music video?

2:

IU mentioned how she wants to be the center of attention, how she sometimes wishes she was in a girl group, so she could fool around with her members and have their hands all over her.

A continuation of IU's journey from the "Take what you can" storyline.

You decide to invite her to your place, without her knowing that you invited all five members of Itzy. The six of you make IU's wildest fantasies come true.

3:

Being a demon has its up and downs. But there is one thing you will never get tired off. People who summon you. Either for fun, or because they are convinced that there aren't any supernatural beings. Or, In this case, three gorgous women, who want to experience more than just meaningless sex with strangers. Joy, Seulgi and Yeri have only one thing in mind, while they summon you.

4:

You know that Seulgi loves to tease you. Especially during concerts, acting slutty and wearing revealing clothes, so the audience can appreciate her tight body.

You eventually decide to not put up with this any longer. You need to punish her. Seulgi sometimes mentions how much she would love to get fucked by a couple of men. So you invite two of your friends. The three of you make Seulgi forget all about her fans, making sure she only thinks about you at the end of the night.

5:

When Minnie walks in on one of Miyeon's sexual encounters, she feels the need to challenge her. Minnie sometimes feels like she is standing in Miyeon's shadow during performances or photoshoots. So she decides that this is her time to shine. And why not get a little something out of it for herself as well?

The two of them invite their respective sponsors for a little meeting, which is nothing else but a competitive gangbang. Whoever wins gets to do what ever they want with each other. No limits.

6:

Ryujin and Yujin have one thing in common apart from the fact that they're pretty. Both girls are in love with you. And the best way for the two of them to show this to you is sex. The two of them always fight for your attention. But when Yujin decides to go shopping for some additional toys and equipment online, it all blows up in one huge competition. Will you be able to handle both of them for hours without a break? Who will win the title of being your favorite pet?

7:

After endless promotions and a overly filled schedule, Jisun can finally take some time off at the end of the year. She knows her boyfriend missed being with her as much as she missed being with him. So when the two of you go on vacation together, she hands you a free use coupon. 24 hours of whatever you want to do with her. Nothing off limits. Anywhere. Anytime.

8:

It seemed like a good idea to Nayeon, when she signed up for this in July. A voluntary event from her company, where they hand out flyers and collect donations. And it also seemed fun to wear this big snowman costume.

But as it turns out, it's boring, cold and hard. And Nayeon can't even spend a lot if time with you during this beautiful time. So you decide on visiting her at the company. The dressing room becomes the first crime scene of a long day filled with pleasure.

9:

Mina and you have been friends for a long time. And the two of you have always been competitive. Especially when it comes to games. That's why it's no surprise when the two of you go way too far while playing truth or dare. Who will eventually win the game? And what are the consequences that follow?

10:

Today is the day of yours and Yoona's one year anniversary of your relationship. Of course you have to celebrate. And Yoona wants to reward you for being the best boyfriend she's ever been with. So she decides on something special. Something the two of you haven't tried before. Something that she herself has never tried before. Yoona, knowing how big you are, needs to prepare herself for a couple of days beforehand, to make sure that everything goes as planned. Because you will finish this meaningful day by giving Yoona's ass a creampie.

11:

Another continuation. You and Yoona are already in an established relationship, which turns more and more into lovers and less sugar mommy and sugar baby. Her friend and bandmate Tiffany can't visit her family in the states during the holidays, due to her busy schedule. She knows all about Yoona's new boy toy and due to her own stress and ever growing responsibilities, she asks Yoona to share you, while she stays over.

12:

Due to your father's job, your family has to move to another city. Just like before, you become the high school's quarterback. Which definitely has its good side. But also bad ones. Eventually, you get noticed by a group of popular girls, who call themselves Viviz.

13:

On your way to Paris, your plane crashes and you end up on an island. When you wake up, you realize you've been captured by a group of women, who seem to have some disgusting human sacrifice in mind. You try to talk your way out of the situation. Turns out, this was only a scam to make you do whatever they want.

14:

Another continuation for IU. One night, IU asks you to help her out. Of course you want to help her, thinking it's just sex like usual. But she asks you to do something different. Bring some of your friends. Because IU's loneliness doesn't seem to go away. Even while you fuck her. Maybe more people will do the trick.

15:

Seulgi always loved teasing people, who could do nothing about it. She knows she is hot, so she used that. Even in class. Being a teacher means, she can show the boys in her class what they're missing out on, without them ever being able to do anything about it. Around Christmas time, they eventually plan on turning things around. One of them gets in trouble on purpose, so he will be sitting in detention with Seulgi after classes on the last day of school. What do the boys have planned for their naughty teacher?

16:

This year, Winter includes a special event. A water bomb festival in December. But at least it's indoors, so it's bearable for the wet idols. Your girlfriend Saerom and her group get choosen for this special event. Afterwards, the two of you enjoy yourselves backstage, where you make Saerom even wetter than she already is.

17:

After introducing you to her sisters Han Sohee and Kim Jieun, your girlfriend Ryujin leaves to buy groceries for dinner. The two sisters test your loyalty to your girlfriend. Will you pass or fail? And what is the punishment/reward?

18:

You and Soyeon are happy that you can spend the hollidays together, despite your girlfriend's busy schedule. But your plans threaten to get disrupted, when Soyeon's bandmate Yuqi and her girlfriend break up. Soyeon asks you, if it's okay if Yuqi spends the holidays with the two of you. Maybe you're lucky and Soyeon rewards you for being selfless.

19:

Karina complaines and tries to fight it, but in the end, she knows she has to do it. She's supposed to entertain one of the company's investors during a dinner. She heard from Irene how the experiences can vary from investor to investor, so she isn't completely surprised when the older man asks her for a sexual favor. Karina hesitates, but knows that this could influence her career. For good or bad. Hoping this will be over, she starts to take off his pants, but soon, she is pleasantly surprised.

20:

After refreshing your Korean language skills with the help of your teacher IU, you leave for Korea. Your agency has another high priority mission for you yet again. There are rumors about corruption and planned associations, which you need to uncover. Along the way, you meet a rich Korean woman, who goes by the name Irene. And is Mina really an agent of the Japanese intelligence service like she says she is?

21:

You melt into the couch, right there in the recording room. Irene's compliments and obvious love for your cock is one thing. But the way she kneels before you, using her mouth and throat in every way possible to worship your cock. It all makes you brain slowly melt away.

That's why you only notice that Karina is there, once the door of the recording room is open. The look in Irene's face says it all. She'll make sure Karina appreciates your cock as much as she does, by the end of the day.

22:

The usual happy holidays seem dark and lonely to you this year. After breaking up with your ex, because she cheated on you, the rest of the month seems just like a joke to you. But when you get coffee one morning, you find yourself sitting at a table with three gorgeous women. Yoona, Krystal and Irene listen to your story and eventually decide that you shouldn't be sad and lonely during this beautiful time.

23:

At first you felt a little odd, being a sales clerk in a female underwear store. But you actually seem to do pretty well. Which catches the attention of your boss Magenta, your manager Habin and your senior Johyun. As Christmas comes closer, all three decide on giving you something special for the end of the year. You are the one who is bringing in all the money after all. But none of them know what the others are up to. Which means that your time around the holidays is way busier than you expected. Will you be able to keep the three women seperated? Or will you get caught?

24:

Chaewon couldn't stop talking about getting invited to a camping trip by Sana and Miyeon. Your girlfriend was in a good mood for weeks, until the trip finally began. You were surprised when the three of them offered you to tag along, but you happily expected. Along the way, the three of you grow closer. The highlight of the trip includes a game of truth or dare. Which eventually ends in the best foursome of your life.

25:

You were unbelievably happy, when you finally got a seat to a talk show, where Yoona and Taeyeon introduce their new winter album. And your luck seems to be on your side, when you are the person who wins a signed album. You get to go backstage to meet the two of them. Little do you know that Yoona and Taeyeon have something special in mind as well. You should've known while you listened to one of their songs.

26:

While being Minju's boyfriend, you're also a fan and fellow SM artist of Yoona. You only met each other a couple of times, but that all changes when your father and Yoona's mother decide to get married. The four of you move in together and you can't help but notice how hot and sexy your idol and stepsister is. When your parents are off on their honeymoon, you know it's your chance to finally make your dreams come true. When Minju sees you and your stepsister together, you invite her to join you. The three of you become closer than ever.

27:

Since last years adventure with Seulgi, IU has grown even more in popularity. More and more sponsors and investors seem to come in. And it becomes clear that it isn't uncommon for them to ask for something special from time to time. Which is actually perfect for IU, since her and Seulgi still haven't determined an ultimate championof their own little competition. So what happens next? Will the two of them repeat their adventures from last year? Or will they come up with something even better?

28:

After an accident, you wake up at an hospital. Your attending nurse Yoona explains to you that you won't be able to walk for a while, due to your injuries. Which also means, you won't be able to see your family during the holidays. But Yoona promises you to keep you company during this difficult time. As the two of you grow closer, your urge for release becomes greater. Who can blame you? With a nurse like her? Eventually, you muster enough courage to speak your mind. What does Yoona do next, after hearing your proposal?

29:

Jessica and Krystal both have a secret. No one knows it, except those two. But when they're parents decide that one of them has to get married to ensure their company's future, they're relationship threatens to end. Will you, the future husband, be able to take care of your future wife? What exactly is the secret between her and her sister?

30:

You're not surprised seeing Seulgi at the gym. Being an SM artist yourself, you've seen her in the company's own gym a couple of times already. But you're surprised when Seulgi declares that she is a fan of yours. Things soon escalate. And throughout your new routine, you notice that the two of you aren't the only ones who use the gym.

31:

After seeing how stressed out Miyeon and Minnie are, Soyeon decides to help them out. She knows a place where idols like them can properly unwind. The two girls are unaware of what kind of establishment Soyeon sent them to, until they meet you.

32:

Yuna always wanted to do two things. Cosplay and a proper gangbang. She never got the chance, because of her busy schedule. But in December, it seems like she has enough free time. Her favorite cosplay is Sailor Mars, so that's what the men find her in as they walk into Itzy's practice room.

33:

On the night before Christmas, you are visited, in succession, by the Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Present and Future, who each try to convince you that you should be with them in real life. Past is your ex SuA, Present is your current girlfriend Jiu and Future is your secret crush Yoohyeon. After waking up, you finally realize with whom you want to spend the rest of your life with. Who is it gonna be?

34:

After her divorce, Jiyeon gets comforted by IU and her friend Yoo Inna. The two of them help her forget about her ex husband. They come up with a plan. Give Jiyeon so much pleasure, she won't even remember his name.

35:

Your rich father was always afraid to marry again, after your mother died. He never wanted to share his money or his company with anyone. That's why he only had three concubines Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. Because your mother did when you were young, the three of them took care of you since then. When your father dies in a plane crash, you inherit everything. Which also includes some of his paranoia. Will you let the three of them stay with you, or are you too afraid that they will steal your money?

36:

Ningning, Yuna and Yeri are often jealous of their leaders. Especially when it comes to dating, since the three of them have to maintain that youthful, innocent maknae image. But when one of their leaders is rumored to be in a relationship with you, they can't hold back anymore. As one of Korea's most famous actors, you become the target of the three maknaes, who want show that they are way better at anything than their leaders.

37:

Jessi becomes more and more envious of all those younger idols as she becomes older. She knows that she never really fit the Korean beauty standard, but her jealousy keeps on growing. To her surprise, two famous idols ask her for advice. Both Kazuha and Karina are having trouble. They're both convinced that most fans only like them for their looks and not their hard work and music. As the three of them become more comfortable and vulnerable with each other, Jessi sees an opportunity to let go of her pent up jealousy.

38:

During their intense schedules, Ningning and Yeri become fed up with their leader's antics. The two of them aren't children anymore. When they hear about you, they hire you to get back at Karina and Irene. The three of you dominate the two leaders, using them as you like.

39:

The four members finally had enough of Miyeon's behavior. This expensive princess act... They are finally sick of it. When she leasts expect it, the four girls trap Miyeon and fuck this princess syndrome out of her.

40:

Irene, Karina, Yujin and Yeji all noticed that IU has gained a lot of popularity throughout the whole year. They see her as too old to still be acting out like this. Wanting to have more for themselves, they decide to convince her manager to drop her off at an hotel. The four of them punish IU for stealing their spotlight. Will IU survive the night?

41:

Yujin always behaves like a bratty little slut. You eventually have enough of her and decide to degrade her as much as possible. The mall's bathroom becomes Yujin's home for a day as hundreds of men walk in and out.

42:

Seohyun and Irene have the same name. The three or you have always been friends. You wish you were more than that, but you don't want to ruin your relationship with them. One day, you teasingly ask, who the better Joohyun is, triggering their competitive sides. They start with studying and fitness and eventually reach a more sexual level. Eventually, you are the one who has to decide, which of the two is the better Joohyun.

43:

In a galaxy far far away....

Yujin and Chaeyoung are send on a diplomatic mission by the republic Senate. When they reach your planet, you and your people have a slightly different idea of how peace looks like.

44:

G!p Ryujin brought back a surprise from Itzy's tour. A tied up Yeji in your bedroom. You make her watch you fucking Ryujin, before the two of you use Yeji however you want.

45:

After Sana's fashion event, you, her manager, catch her changing on accident. Later one, you take a shower, the image of Sana still ingrained in your mind. You're surprised when someone suddenly joins you underneath the hot water.

46:

After Karina's redicioulus No Nut November challenge, you find yourself in the middle of another one. Your girlfriend and Seulgi asked you to help them with their first album together. The title song "Hot and cold" has a deeper meaning, which their fans will barely able to catch, even after listening to it a couple of times. But it is the foundation for Karina's newest way to torture you. Her and Seulgi use your own lyrics against you.

47:

Being Itzy's manager isn't the only thing that is crazy in your life. Somehow, you managed to make Irene your loving girlfriend. Due to pure coincidence, her apartment and Itzy's new dorm are in the same apartment complex on the same floor. Irene lets you know that she has planned something special. When you get there late at night, you almost bump into Ryujin's boyfriend. Because it's dark, the two of you confuse the two apartments. Bot of you find a tied up and blindfolded woman on a bed, just as each of you were promised. But are you in your girlfriend's apartment? And is he in Itzy's dorm?

48:

After the last game of the year, you run into some of the cheerleaders of your team. The five girls Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy and Yeri, have something special for you, after you've brought home another win.

49:

Irene and Yeri go to Japan to promote their first single as a duo. Unfortunately, none of the two knew what kind of show invited them to come on. Things quickly turn into a very sexual directions as the the two women try to navigate their way through the show. In the end, you are the lucky winner and the prize is obvious.

[five-rivers]

My Kingdom of Fish poll fic! Continued from here.

(Also for Dannymay Day 6: Immortal AU, because KoF is one!)

.

But Danny had already started to reach for the badge with the lantern symbol, entranced by its curlicues and the graceful curve of the glass.  The librarian took this as him pointing, and swept all the other badges off the table.  

“So, um,” said Danny, rubbing the back of his neck, “what kind of an alteration are we talking about, here?”  He could practically feel his parents glaring at him, for all that he was a whole dimension away.  

“The lantern is the symbol of light,” said the librarian.  “That’s what it gives you.  Extra light.”

A pretty minor transformation, then, compared to other places he’d been.  “Anything else I should know about?  Side effects?  Library rules?”

“Your Library of Tongues card says you’re a minor.”

“I mean, when I got it, but that was years ago.  I’m over eighteen.”

The librarian looked at him skeptically.  “Chronologically, perhaps.  Board policy restricts minors from accessing age-inappropriate topics.  These topics include, but are not limited to, certain sexual and reproductive material, details of portal mechanics and construction, duplication, decomposition of human bodies, summoning rituals, except for instructions on how to prevent oneself from being summoned, metaphysical or core bonding, except for prevention methods, coming of age rituals, customs, and rites, and any similar rituals restricted to adults.  Do you accept these restrictions?”

“I’m not sure how I’m going to tell if something includes one of those things without looking at it,” said Danny, rocking back slightly.  “Why are portals restricted, anyway?” he asked, echoing a question from his Dad.

“Because they are exceedingly dangerous and liable to end people.  But you won’t need to figure out what is disallowed yourself.”  She held up a roll of stickers.  Most of them were generic circles, but the one on the end was a cute little cluster of stars.  In the center of the largest star, the word ‘MINOR’ was written.  “We add these to minors’ badges.  They’re linked to an effect that will prevent you from entering the relevant areas.”

“Oh, that’s alright, then,” said Danny.  It grated, a little, but he had more or less accepted that ghosts, much like his parents, were never going to see him as a full adult.  

Partially, unfortunately, because he never would be.  

The librarian stuck the sticker on the badge.  “As for other rules,” she began, “common courtesy applies.  No fights.  Capturing pests like dire bookworms is fine.  No damage to the library.  Food items should not leave marked areas.  Do not attempt to remove books from the library.”  She tapped the visitor’s badge against the counter and began to make another note on her pad of paper.  “And be quiet, or the lost ones might take you, I suppose.”

Danny’s eyebrows went up.  “Lost ones?”

“A legend,” said the librarian.  “Every so often, a story circulates about people becoming permanently lost in the lower levels of the library.  I’ve never seen evidence of anything of the sort happening.  We do send out search parties for those guests who fail to leave when their time is up.  Speaking of which, if you manage to get lost, you will be required to take two aids on your next visit.”

The librarian finished writing her note and inserted it into a slot on her desk.  “The copyists’ room has been informed that you will be arriving and your preferences regarding the translation.  They will give you the book you will be translating.”  She held the visitor’s badge out to Danny.  “Clip this to the front of your clothes and try not to lose it.  It’s much more tedious to undo the alterations when you leave if you don’t have it.”

“They don’t just disappear when you leave?” asked Danny.  That was unusual.  Most transformations like this were location-dependent.  

“They do, eventually, but since they aren’t entirely natural, they tend to stick a little more.  So.  Don’t lose the badge.”  She wiggled the badge a little.  

Danny took it and briefly searched for a part of himself that wasn’t covered with equipment and would fit the badge.  It was harder than he’d thought it would be, but he managed.  

The transformation hit almost immediately.  

Most of the glow a ghost produced wasn’t in their skin, but their aura, hovering less than an inch above it.  Danny’s aura flared and billowed out, going from moon-like to a luminous nimbus Danny could probably read by.  

Actually, Danny reflected as his aura stretched out even further, pulling gently but firmly on his core, someone twenty or thirty feet away could read comfortably in this much light.  

His parents exclaimed over the change in brightness and ecto-energy readings, the light no doubt whiting out their video.  

He swayed slightly, and blinked hard as some mechanism in his eyes and perception shifted to accommodate the light.  He reached out to the counter to steady himself, and was surprised when his hand hit not the counter, but the wall.  Somehow, the equipment he had so carefully put on felt loose, precarious, as if he was going to–

At the last minute, he managed to catch the complex camera rig and lower it to the ground.  Then, he decided that sitting down would be good for him, too.  He put his head between his knees as best he could, stripping off a few more pieces of recording equipment to do so, and waited for the waves of dizziness to pass.  

Finally, he looked up.  He could see down the long reception room as easily as before, but it was much better illuminated now.  He held his hand up in front of himself.  The first thing he noticed was how light seemed to trail after it, a sort of neon afterimage, almost like something in a video game.  

Then, he noticed how small it was.  

He jumped to his feet, then off them, so he could properly grasp at the counter.  He only vaguely noticed that his usual jumpsuit had been replaced with loose pants and a smock that fell to his knees.  His hands left glowing prints on the wood.  

“You didn’t tell me I was going to shrink!”  he hissed.  

The librarian held up her hands.  “Usually, it’s not quite so severe.”  Her eyes practically twinkled.  “But you must admit, that it is much easier to tell who is a minor at a glance, this way.”

Danny huffed, drew his eyes down over himself again, then deliberately flew in front of the cameras, light trailing behind him, lingering in the air like ink in water.  “How old do I look right now?” he asked his parents.  

“Oh, dear,” said Maddie.  

“I was never good with ages,” said Jack.  

“Five, I think.  You looked like this when you started school.  Danny, maybe you should come home.”

“I already made the deal to translate, backing out would be bad form.”  He looked around at the equipment he’d shed during his transformation.  “I’m probably not going to be able to bring most of this, though…  It won’t fit, and my arms just aren’t big enough to grab on to everything.”  Although, he could probably drag it around with telekinesis.  That required an awful lot of concentration, though, and he wasn’t sure he could manage it.

“You can leave what you can’t take in here,” said the librarian.  “We have a coat room for just such a purpose.”

Well, that was one problem solved.  Now he just had to decide what he could take.  The Fenton Phones, of course, since they still fit alright in his ears, but what else?

[nonbinairyboi]

Nothing Left: Chapter 6

Fic Summary: You hadn’t spoken in years. Technically, you had the ability to, though as the years wore on, you weren’t so sure. You’d settled in Jackson over a year ago and now it was fall again. You are drawn towards Ellie and her ‘not-dad’, but you had always assumed any relationships deeper than surface level were beyond you at this point.

Chapter Summary: Eugene comes over to help with pain relief.

Pairing: Joel Miller x nonbinary!Reader/OC (afab, short hair, tall, dimples, has multiple nicknames but none are their name)

Word Count: ~2.3k

A/N: The poll on whether I should do a masterlist or chapter by chapter of ASL signs or a combo was mixed, so I think I'll do a combo! I am hoping to work on that this week and also going back and editing some small mistakes in previous chapters as well. I really appreciate the comments and interactions I have been getting. It really motivates me, so that you!

Series Warnings: This is my first fanfic and I plan to go into some dark stuff including some in-depth discussion of SA that was done to the main character (not by Joel) and the mental impact it has. I am unsure if I will be writing smut as I never have before but I will update the warnings if that changes. There definitely will be allusions to smut if nothing else, so MINORS DNI!

MAIN MASTERLIST

Read on AO3

Chapter Warnings: Talk of injuries. Concussion recovery. Weed… does that need a warning?

Chapter 6

When you woke up next you were alone. You could hear someone moving around the kitchen, pots clanging in that way that you were sure only happens when someone is trying to be quiet and the cutlery refuses.

The sunlight streaming through the window was slightly dimmer than before. Sitting up, you grabbed onto the furniture as you made your way to the window. Clouds that foretold rain soon hung in the sky, partially obscuring the sun. You gave up trying to estimate what time of day it was and began the walk out of the room. 

As if the creaking of your door was as loud as a car alarm, startled steps quickly made their way to you. Maria rounded the corner and looked about to scold you for being up without help. You quickly raised your hands in surrender, pointed toward the bathroom and signed ‘bathroom’ for good measure. Maria didn’t speak despite looking like she wanted to, and nodded for you to continue, retreating again around the corner. 

You resisted the urge this time to look in the mirror as you washed your hands. Your vision felt a little blurrier than normal and you knew that if you looked now, your brain would fill in the blanks of your eyes with more gruesome images than were truly there. Opening the door, you jumped a bit at Maria’s figure outside of the door. You hadn’t heard her come back.

”You aren’t getting off that easily. You need to let us help you.” Maria said disapprovingly. “Ask next time.”

You raised your eyebrows in a light challenge and signed ‘how?’ with a deadpan look.

Maria let out a puff of laughter and said “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll find you a cowbell to hang around your neck.”

Laughing in surprise, you let Maria help you towards the kitchen. 

“I was just heating up a little of the soup I made the other day,” Maria explained. “Could I get you to eat a little? I could make you some more tea as well.”

You nodded in reply as you were helped into your seat. You could hear babbling coming from the living room and Maria excused herself, coming back with Oliver on her hip. 

You spent the next twenty minutes slowly taking spoonfuls of soup in between sips of tea and trying to keep it down as you smiled at the baby who was slowly becoming ‘milk drunk’. Maria took the baby to put him down for a nap and you cupped your hands around the new cup of tea that Maria had given you, warming your hands by curling them around the mug. 

You wondered how different life would have been if you had somehow been able to have been pregnant in Jackson now instead of Illinois back then. Would the birth have been easier? Would people have searched for and made you supplies as they had for Maria? Would Grace have liked it here?

Your nose burned as you tried to keep back the tears that threatened to show themselves in the gloomy afternoon.  If Grace was here, if the baby was here, you would have chosen a different home. A bigger one. And in your daydream, the vastness didn’t scare you. A different timeline. A different universe. Quantum Mechanics and string theory and all that jazz.

You inhaled through your nose in surprise as a knocking sounded at the door.

You heard a muffled, sing-song ”Don’t you dare get it! I am on my way!” from Maria and laughed to yourself, pulling yourself back to the current place and timeline you resided in. 

The door creaked open and you heard Maria say “Eugene! …What a lovely smell… Follow me.”

Chuckling, you turned in your chair so you were facing the entrance, smiling as wide as you could without hurting yourself as Eugene came into view.

Maria stood between the two of you with her hands on her hips.

”I’m not going to say anything,” She began. “But please only outside. And be discreet if you could. I have no problems with what you do, but I don’t want it getting around to the teenagers. I have enough on my hands when the parents complain about contraband liquor as it is.”

”Yes ma’am.” Eugene said, saluting her and making her crack a smile. 

“And if Tommy comes home, don’t let him have too much. I need help around here.” Maria comments. 

You smirked as Maria helped you up and into your coat before handing you over to Eugene.

“I gotcha, never fear old grasshopper.” Eugene mumbled to you as you went out back, causing you to smack him across the chest with the back of your arm. “I know, I know, I’m older, but for once I feel like the younger one with how wobbly you are. Oof-” You smacked him again as he helped you onto the bench on the back deck. 

Once settled, you closed your eyes and took a breath in to try to keep on top of the pain coursing through you. You heard the clink of metal and glass and looked over to see Eugene packing a bowl next to you. 

“Still don’t look like you’re feeling great.” Eugene commented. “I was hoping you’d be in better shape after you rested, but no offense, you look worse now.”

You scoffed in reply, focusing your eyes to the backyard. Playfully, you signed ‘same’ back at him. 

“Touché.” Eugene said, holding up the now packed bowl to you. You took it and inhaled as he lit a match and lit the bowl for you. Taking a few deep inhales, you passed it back to him and, after a moment, exhaled. 

It was silent for a few minutes as you passed it back and forth. You were grateful at how content Eugene was in silence, despite his talkative nature. He never made you feel pressured to communicate, but he had also tried harder than anyone else to learn as many signs as possible. Because of this, he knew more about you personally than you had communicated with any other person since you stopped talking, though he only shared it with your permission. He had built it naturally, asking how to do basic signs that would be helpful on patrol and around town before moving to more personal signs about family and locations. At this point, he could hold conversations with you, but he never pressured you to hold up your end. He seemed to understand that communication in general was vulnerable, even though it was helpful. 

“They might pair me with Joel while you heal. Won’t be the same on patrol.” Eugene noted. “I’ll have to see how easily he can be persuaded to stop by my garden on the way so I can check up on my babies. Otherwise, we might find ourselves in a situation with this” Eugene indicated the weed that he was grinding for a second bowl. “Maybe if I mention that it would be helpful to you he would give in easier” Eugene said, wiggling his eyebrows.

You were puzzled by his meaning and tapped him, asking ‘what?’. 

“Could be nothing. Never you mind” Eugene muttered, focused on his task. As he packed the second bowl, you leaned on his shoulder, needing support for a moment. Eugene was kind enough not to draw attention to it and simply kept going with his work. “I brought some brownies too so you can have them when I’m not here. They taste like shit but they’ll do the job.”

You were both startled by the creaking of a door behind you and whipped your heads around, with some pain on your part, to see a surly-looking Joel step outside. 

After glancing between the two of you for a moment, he asked “Mind if I join you?”

“Be my guest.” Eugene expressed at the same time as you signed ‘of course.’

Joel pulled up a deck chair a little closer to where the two of you were huddled.

”We were just talking about you actually. But now that you are joining, I feel more confident that you’ll let me take care of my flowers out on patrol while Charlie heals.” Eugene said.

Joel glanced your way before he said “As long as it don’t take too long. I don’t like being late back since I’ve got Ellie.”

”I wouldn’t dream of putting you behind schedule,” Eugene said, winking and lighting the bowl and inhaling before passing it to Joel.

Joel was silent as he smoked before meeting your eyes purposefully and handing you the bowl. You nodded in thanks and savored the burn on your inhale.You continued passing it around in relative silence. 

“How’s the headache?” Joel asked.

You signed ‘a little better now’ and pointed to the weed. Eugene interpreted what you had said to Joel.

“How did you learn that?” Joel inquired a few moments later.

“They were close with their cousin growing up, who was Deaf.” Eugene replied for you, having learned a while ago.

Joel nodded in acknowledgment and turned to Eugene. “How’d you learn?”

“Patience, time, and lots of questions.” Eugene replied. 

You let out an involuntary giggle, thinking about how awkward it had been at first at times. Both men turned their eyes to you.

“Looks like the meds may be working, Doctor.” Joel drawled, causing both you and Eugene to start laughing. 

Eugene stared at Joel for a moment after everyone got themselves under control.

“I didn’t take you for a smoker.” Eugene said.

“You don’t know me very well.” A more relaxed Joel replied. 

“Guess that’s true.”

“So, can you teach me some basics?” Joel asked.

You nodded your head a little more enthusiastically than you had intended and ended up clutching your head in regret.

“Easy, tiger!” Eugene exclaimed as you waved him off. “Why don’t we start with ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to prevent further injury?”

You turned to Joel slowly and demonstrated ‘yes’ and ‘no’ a few times, urging him to mimic you as he said the words aloud. You realized that you were a little higher than you would have liked for this endeavor when Eugene asked “What next?” and you signed ‘weed’ in reply, making even Joel chuckle, the meaning being obvious. 

You spent the next 15 minutes laughing as you tried to think of more useful signs to teach Joel, with Eugene chiming in with a few phrases and words he felt were important, notably ‘bar’ ‘beer’ and ‘whiskey’. Joel couldn’t quite get ‘whiskey’ as you generally finger spelled it and it was clear the alphabet would take him a while. 

The fall chill had started to set in and when a few drops started to fall from the sky, you all moved inside, Eugene grabbing your arm and moving you inside to the couch, where you continued to try to teach the alphabet to Joel despite how high you were. Joel sat on the chair to your left and Eugene sat on the couch facing yours. Forgetting your normal boundaries when it came to touch, you reached out and grabbed Joel’s hand, helping him form ‘g’ and then ‘h’. Realizing what you had done, you glanced up and met Joel’s eyes, scared that you had overstepped. He looked surprised, but not angry or annoyed. You slowly smiled at him while retracting your hands, glancing at Eugene for support, who looked like he was holding back a laugh. 

You drew your brows together in question, but before Eugene could reply or Joel could turn to see what you were looking at, the sound of the front door opening drew all of your attention. You turned to see a slightly soggy Ellie slamming the door shut, at which Joel exclaimed “Hey! Don’t slam the door. The baby could have been sleeping!”

Ellie paused for dramatic affect and looked around before replying “Doesn’t sound like I woke him up. Also, why are you here?”

Eugene chuckled and patted Joel’s back. “Hand’s full with that one, huh?”

Joel grunted his assent as Ellie plopped down beside you and then sniffed you.

“You smell weird.” She said, wrinkling her nose. 

Joel coughed. “Ellie, it ain’t kind to comment on how people smell.”

Ellie raised her eyebrows and all three adults in the room tried in vain to hold back smiles. Ellie looked confused and said “Adults are so weird.”

Joel went back to staring at his hands, trying to go through signs he remembered.

“Hey! Did you get to start learning without me? No fair!” Ellie exclaimed once she noticed Joel’s movements.

Eugene chuckled. “I’m sure they’ll teach you both. They usually start with a spiel about how they don’t know everything and their grammar isn’t perfect, but I’ll save you guys the time and tell you now.” Eugene then turned to you. “How’d I do?”

You playfully glared at him before signing ‘fine’ with a smile.

Joel and Eugene went through some of the basics with Ellie that they had been over already, skipping over ‘bar’ and ‘weed’ for now, before turning to you for the alphabet.

You were starting to get tired again by the time everyone was getting to the letter ‘f’. 

‘I’m tired, I’m sorry’ you signed and Eugene interpreted. You noticed both Joel and Ellie slowly copying those signs as well.

“Of course. We’ll get out of your hair.” Joel replied, standing up.

“Wait!” Ellie said “Do you have pictures anywhere? I don’t know how I’m going to remember all of these without you.”

‘I have a book.’ You signed ‘Only 1.’

Once Eugene had loosely translated what you had signed, Ellie perked up.

“I like drawing.” She said timidly. “Maybe you could help me and I could draw some from the book too? I could make some extra copies in case anyone else wants to learn.”

Ellie’s words touched you deeply and you felt your eyes well up. You took a moment to breathe to stop yourself from openly crying, especially since Ellie seemed to be turning red already in embarrassment.

‘Yes’ you signed. ‘I’d like that.’

Taglist:

@powellssaturn

@silas-aeiou

[hyperions-light]

hello welcome to blog

If u r here for dragon age good news the unhinged posting will continue until morale improves

Next Rook Intro Hour (M + F Weekly): 2/3

Next WIP Wednesday Thursday (Weekly): 2/6

Next Bio(ware)feedback (Bi-Weekly): 2/8

Fill out the Taash Week Prompt Survey !

Stuff I Make:

Veilguard Meta

The Rook Intro Hour + Root Posts

Info + Writing About my Rook, Lethanavir de Riva

Bio(ware)feedback

Make fic banners, put CTAs in your fics

The Rook Story Time ask game + Thorne, de Riva, Mercar

My fanfiction on AO3

Play ask games with me!

PSA: I block liberally.

Tags under the cut

TAGS

For spoilers: veilguard spoilers, datv spoilers, dragon age: the veilguard spoilers (I use the first one most, I'll do this for like... 6 mos?)

Dragon Age: dragon age, drgn ag (for shitposts), veilguard, DAI, DA2, DAO, DAA, the rook introduction hour (for ppls rook posts), [full character name], [ship portmanteau], Lethanavir de Riva (my rook)

One Piece: (I will attempt to remember to do this) One Piece, [full character name], [ship portmanteau]

I also have #text, which is me talking, #polls, #Lark is annoyed, and #reblogs (stuff I made I am reblogging again)

I don't tag most other stuff, bc this blog is VERY random, but if something is getting through your content filters and you'd like me to tag, send an ask!

[smolstarthief]

I was reading a post on here and I can't help but wonder (and it's something I think about often): What do you all think of Sumi's career choice?

Like people go on and on about Makoto's (to the point of, excuse my french, almost concerning hate boner levels) and even Ann's to a lesser extent (rare but I've seen on occasion). Sumi's was brought up too but not as much. But anyhow, I do have alternative ideas as the more I think about it, the more mixed I feel. Continuing gymnastics to honor her sister ain't a bad idea by any means and it's even sweet and inspiring but at the same time it can definitely come off as the opposite effect once I look back at how she got into it in the first place which can warrant an eyebrow raise at best, huge concern at worst (basically following and copying everything Kasumi does when she was little as she stated in her rank 6). So yeah I can see the issues. Her SL was still solid, just rough around the edges (especially with the potential implications about her dependency and identity issues).

Ramble done! Poll time b/c I am curious! The ideas I have right now are the following:

+Fencer- I brought up this idea at least once and I'm still obsessed with it (especially since her melee weapons are rapiers)! Like maybe she was crazy good at it when she and Kasumi tried it. Like almost scary good at it, but she never continued with it in favor of following Kasumi to gymnastics since she didn't want to outshine her (ironic b/c Kasumi would've been her biggest cheerleader regardless of what she chose). Plus Fencing is an Olympic sport so she can still go national in Kasumi's honor.

+Doctor- I've seen a fic or two where she takes up medicine which is interesting but not a bad idea. Idk if she would be a little triggered initially due to Kasumi's death but I can somewhat see it?

+Therapist/Mental Health Professional- Idk, I just think it'd be sweet if she followed in Dr. Maruki's footsteps... Just without the eldritch horror bs! XD She would probably specialize in traumatic experiences as well as be just as gentle with patients. Who knows?

[ladylynse]

Fic Continuation Poll #10

Ghosts: Sam and Dean had heard of Amity Park, but no one seemed to take it seriously. When they decide to swing by and check it out, they get a bit more than they bargained for. [FFN | AO3]

Helpless: Star hates feeling helpless, but without weapons, she can’t do anything in a ghost attack. Strangely, Danny Fenton doesn’t seem to feel the same way. [FFN | AO3]

I will link polls in my pinned post and below the cut for ease of reference.

Fic Continuation Poll #1 - Interwoven (DP/ADJL) vs Vantage Point (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #2 - Dimensional Displacement (DP/ATLA) vs Hobson’s Choice (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #3 - Through the Wringer/One for the Money (DP/SPN) vs Convergence (DP/GF)

Fic Continuation Poll #4 - Illusory (DP/GF) vs Rotwood’s Paradox (ADJL)

Fic Continuation Poll #5 - Bewitched (DP/PSN) vs Visions (DP/SPN)

Fic Continuation Poll #6 - Perplexities (DP) vs Forewarning (DP/GF)

Fic Continuation Poll #7 - Changing Tack (DP/GF) vs Doppelgänger (DP/SPN)

Fic Continuation Poll #8 - DP/HP crossover vs The Masters Plan (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #9 - Audacity (DP/SPN) vs The Trouble with Ghosts (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #10 - Ghosts (DP/SPN) vs Helpless (DP)

Fic Continuation Poll #11 - Summons (DP/ML/RC9GN/ADJL) vs Devil’s Bargain (DP/Lucifer)

Fic Continuation Poll #12 - Le Fantôme (DP/ML) vs Jazz Fenton and the Arcane Awakening (DP/HP)

[rookiesbookies]

My CoD AUs:

Please send in requests if yall want me to continue them so I have so much to say about them but I dont know what pieces yall want me to continue😭 i am taking requests for all even if they’re crossed out (it just means I havent gotten around to it on my own time)

Also: if you ever want to write for one of my aus or any of the ideas I have on here I haven’t gotten to, please tag! I’d love to know if someone is inspired and I love to see what y’all come up with!

Also “All boys” means all the boys I was writing for at that time, if someone is missing tell me and I will write them, im not just limited to who is actively listed on my main or in these fics.

Greek Gods (check the reblogs bc I added some boys after)

General HC + All boys pt 1

General HC + All boys pt 2

Price and his girl

Price and his girl pt 2

God Simon and his girl

Empress

The initial post

General HC for all boys Part 2

Assistants

Konig Assistant part 1

Konig Assistant Part 2

Konig Assistant Christmas Fic

‘09 Meets 20s

Johnny meets his future self and his future wife

Smut smut smut

‘09 Simon’s Widow meets 2022 Simon by @shotmrmiller

Demon AU

Girls meeting (and promising to marry) Konig + Price

Demon!Ghost x Fem!Reader

(My reminder to add doors (I’ll know what this means hopefully))

What if Johnny Survives?

Recovery (Part 1)

Masks (part 1)

Monsters

HC and General about the AU

Smexy with Alex Keller

The difference between Konig and Krueger and how they handle their darlings

Sex Doll AU

How they work

Johnny and his Sweet loser. (A Doll and his loser)

Simon and his sweet loser. (A doll and his loser 2)

Price and his sweet loser. (A doll and his loser 3)

Konig and his sweet loser. (pt 4 and the winner of the poll

Price and his sweet loser (pt 6, a bit short but I hope yall enjoy!)

Gaz and his sweet loser (mild valentine’s theme, pt 5)

Let me know if you want me to write for any of the other dolls and their own losers.

Savannah Banana Au?

HC/how it all begins

Nude Maid Au?

Soap as my nude maid brain rot

Intro to the AU

Krueger with his nude maid

Maid!Gaz x reader

Sports Therapist

Being a sports therapist on the base like

Robo Boys AU

See this post for the initial idea

Cowboy Au??

Coming soon?? Inspired by this blog i recommend just looking through it

Spy AU?

Hmmmm inspired by this post

Incubus AU?

Royalty AU?

Winx AU?

[tennessoui]

kit’s democratic fic masterlist

Premise: Set in the galaxy far, far away, young Sith apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi is tasked with the mission of seducing powerful Force user and Senator Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side. His master, Tyranus, warns him it won’t be easy. Darth Sidious, an enemy Sith, already has his claws deep into Skywalker, and Obi-Wan will need to convince Skywalker to switch his loyalties from his friend and mentor the Chancellor to a man half his age. But Obi-Wan loves a challenge...especially when the challenge looks as handsome as Senator Skywalker. And looks at him the way Senator Skywalker does.....

List of Ficlets: Ficlet #1 - First Meeting (3k) Ficlet #2 - First Date (ft. interloper) (5k) Ficlet #3 - Trouble In the Lower Levels (2.5k) Ficlet #4 - Trouble In The Lower Levels Continued (2.5k)

List of Polls: Poll #1: Choose the Premise Poll #2: Is Padmé... ....Run-Off Poll: Okay, this time for real. Is Padmé.... Poll #3: Where should they go on their date? Poll #4: Does Senator Skywalker escort Obi-Wan? Poll #5: Does Anakin take the clearly traumatized Obi-Wan....  Poll #6: Oh Fuck! Consequences!

Link to ao3 fic: i pray the same, but my gods have changed

[beefrobeefcal]

I have a Thot to contribute for the Beefro Repentance Tiddie Fic, in case it is helpful or shall I say... titillating? 😂 (I'm sorry)

Since it didn't specify who gets milked, maybe we go back to late-stage pregnant Mouse? A little lactation play where Frankie drinks from her after dinner until he tops off his big full belly? (Big enough to rival her bump 🥵)

Or since it sounds like nonnie wants some male breast play too...add Frankie and Mouse playing with each other's delectable chests first?

Anyway just some ideas! I wasn't expecting your poll to turn out how it did, not gonna lie 😄 But hey, I'll enjoy wherever you take us with this!

You're a lifesaver, Reby!

fucking RIGHTS we need to expose Frankie's Breeding, Pregnancy & Lactation Kinks!

Smuttiest regards,

Beefro 👌🥩💜

--------<3---------

Beefro Proudly Presents:

a Chubby!Frankie one shot

The Catfish & The Mouse: Mouse's Relief

Pairing: Frankie Morales x Pregnant Fem!Reader

Summary: Frankie helps Mouse find relief.

Rating: Explicit 18+ (MDNI)

Word Count: 2,382

Content Warning: pregnancy talk, main character pregnant, lactation kink, pregnancy kink, breeding kink, 5-knuckle shuffle (male), lactation, breast feeding, breast milk, cumming in pants, weight talk, eating, sore breasts

Author's Notes: Thank you @rebel-held for the assistance you provided in your THOT. Thank you to @thehalflifeofloveisforever, @theywhowriteandknowthings & @neverwheremoonchild for their input, eyes and THOTs.

--------<3---------

It had been a day. You were now on maternity leave, supposedly to be giving yourself some down time before your baby arrived, but you’d been anything but relaxed today.  

Your baby had been kicking the same rib over and over for the last three days, not allowing you to have any restful sleep; your big belly weighed heavily on you, making movements hard; and to top it all off, your milk had come in, making your breasts extremely sore and heavy.  

Pregnancy was so uncomfortable.  

Thankfully, it was a Friday and that meant you had Frankie all to yourself from the moment he got home to Monday morning at 6:00 am. He’s been so patient and caring with you, rubbing your feet and back, switching sides of the bed with you so you could be closer to the bathroom, and giving you your space when you needed to just be left alone because of the raging hormones in your body, then running back the moment you needed to be held.  

Despite being so uncomfortable, you decided to do something special for him to dinner and make his favourite – lasagna.  

**** 

Frankie arrived home, opening up the back door to the smell of his absolute favourite. He smiled and walked into the kitchen, seeing you leaning against the counter, your hands holding your phone and resting on your big belly, while you scrolled through whatever app you were hooked on today. He couldn’t help but notice how much more pronounced your chest was, and his cock twitched in his jeans. But before he could do anything, he knew he needed to test the waters first.  

“Hey mama…”, he said softly with a smile, coming up beside you and splaying his hand over your middle. He pressed a kiss on your temple and moved his hand over your sore side. “How’s the rib?” 

You sighed with a tired smile. “Sore… but okay. How was work?” 

He didn’t want to talk about work. Not when that sigh heaved your swollen tits, making his cock twitch harder.  

“Baby…”, he cooed as he kissed your neck, continuing to test whether you’d let him go further, and he reached up and gently palmed your tit.  

You hissed in pain, and he jumped back. “What? What happened?” 

“They hurt… so much… I’m sorry, Frankie. Please don’t touch my boobs.” 

“What- why are they so sore, Mouse?”, he asked, sounding concerned with a slight hint of annoyance.  

“Milk’s coming in, and they’re swollen and-“ 

“I can see that.”, he stated, his eyes glued to your ample cleavage.  

“Frankie.” Your tone was indicative of your own irritation and a warning that your hormonal temper was rearing its head.  

He looked up to your face and offered a sheepish grin.  

“Okay… no touching the tiddies.” 

You sighed again, not wanting your weekend to start with your mood. “It’s okay, baby. Dinner will be ready soon so you should have your shower. “ 

He nodded with a smile and kissed you quickly before heading to the bedroom.  

As Frankie stood in the shower, he tried to ignore his semi hard-on but his mind kept slipping back to the sight of you, round and heavy, tits swollen and all because of him. He gripped his now fully hard cock and pumped himself, thinking about how good you feel and smell and look, and…  

He came fast, his come hitting the shower wall then washing away under the spray of the shower. As he calmed down, he thought about how quickly he hit his release by his own hand when his mind was filled with you being pregnant. He grinned to himself as he finished his shower, making a mental note to take some more pictures of you like this for his personal spank bank, especially if you decided one kid was enough. He dried off and got dressed, heading back out into the kitchen with you.  

***** 

The lasagna was gone, and Frankie’s belly was the only evidence that it had ever existed. You couldn’t stomach it, so he had eaten your portion as well, so you had some fruit and soup instead.  

“Fuck me, Mouse… we both look like we’re about to pop.”, he chuckled, trying to pull down his T-shirt, the same one that fit just fine a few weeks ago.  

“Head to the couch, I’ll clean up.”, you said, standing up and wincing.  

“Abso-fuckin’-lutely not, mama.”, he grunted as he stood up. “I’ll clean up later. You need to relax.” 

After some coaxing, Frankie had convinced you to have a bath and he would be ready for you when you were done.  

As you soaked, Frankie sat on the couch, full belly sitting heavily on his lap, and he searched online for how to help you with your sore breasts. He read about warm compresses and massaging, then his heart almost jumped into his throat and his cock came to standing attention at once when he read that he could express the milk by sucking it out. He groaned and palmed at his hard on through his sweatpants. Yup. He was going to be so helpful.  

You got out of the bath, feeling more relaxed, minus your breasts, and got into your lounge clothes, then made your way out to the living room. You stopped in the doorway and watched as Frankie grunted looking at his phone with a feral intensity and his hand palming his crotch.  

“Am I interrupting anything?” Your tone was teasing and the grin on your face told him to not stop on your account.  

“I think I can help you… with your tiddy problem.”, he grunted, tossing his phone to the couch and standing up. He walked towards you, his eyes fixed on your chest, and he licked his lips.  

“Frankie! I said they’re sore!” 

“I know… and I wanna help.”, he groaned as he pulled you into his arms and kissed your neck. If it wasn’t for the fact you both had pronounced bellies, you know you’d feel his cock pressing into you.  

His hand came up and slipped under your shirt and he gently caressed your breast through your flimsy bralette. Your breath hitches and he hushed you and kissed your neck again.  

“Don’t think you understand what you do to me, looking like this, mama… your fucking body is just…”  

He grunted as his cock tried to find friction when he bucked his hips, and he softly twisted your nipple. You gasped and let out a pained whine, but he held you firmly where you were.  

“Lemma help, mama… please.”, he pleaded against your neck, breathing heavily. “Lemme make it better.” 

You winced again at his hands, as gentle and wonderful as they felt, and seriously considered telling him off. But the desperation in his voice plus the warmth of his hand on your swollen breast gave you pause.  

He stood up, nudging his nose against yours, his eyelids heavy and he whispered please again. You nodded and he led you to the couch.  

Once you were seated, he went to the bathroom and grabbed a few towels, and put them beside you. He leaned down, holding himself above you with his hand on the back of the couch. He kissed you, and you could tell he was holding himself back as he did. He released your lips and pressed his forehead against yours.  

“Fuck, Mouse, you look so good like this…”, he panted as he stood up. “I’m gonna help…” 

He dropped to his knees between yours and pushed your shirt up over tour belly, kissing and mouthing his way up. You watched him with wide eyes, and it dawned on you what he was planning.   

“Frankie? What are you gonna-“ 

“Gonna make it better, mama… gonna help you.”, he grunted again, pushing your shirt your breasts and pulling it over your head.  

He sat back on his heels and looked you over with a ravenous ferocity in his eyes.  

“Fuck... yes, mama... look so good...”, he groaned, his hands going to your swollen middle. “No idea what it does to me to see you stretching out your shirts because you're so full of my baby... tits looking amazing....” 

He dove his face forward, kissing your belly again, moving up to mouth your nipple through the jersey knit fabric of your bralette. It felt amazing, but also completely confusing and overwhelming. The only time Frankie had expressed this much admiration for your swollen body was when he was drunk; he would get handsy and needy and would whine and beg you to ride him or let him fuck you in front of a mirror so he could see you. He was never this demanding and gropey and domineering. This was new and you were not mad at it. 

“Frankie...”, you whined as you panted when he nipped just a bit too hard at your breast. “Please! They’re so sore... please be gentle!” 

“I know... I know, mama... I’m gonna help.”, he cooed, sucking your nipple lightly through your bralette. 

You sucked in your breath and your hand went to his head, gripping his hair, and you winced as he added pressure with his hand to your other breast, causing it to leak a bit. When he felt the warmth of your milk saturate your bralette, he sat back and stared. His pupils were so blown out, you could no longer differentiate where his irises were, and his eyes were fixed on your clothed, leaking breast. 

“Frankie... are you gonna...?”, you asked quietly through heavy breathing. 

His eyes didn’t move as he nodded slowly and licked his lips. His hands came up and pulled your bralette off, releasing your heavy breasts, and his mouth immediately grasped one of your nipples and sucked. You let out a breathy whine and once again gripped his hair, this time with both hands. The pinch and pull of him sucking to get your milk moving was almost too much until you felt a release.  You sighed at the relief that washed over you and Frankie groaned as milk spurted into his mouth.  

He swallowed mouthful after mouthful of milk, grunting as he suckled, despite his belly already being full from his big dinner. He didn’t care about the ever-tightening feeling in his middle; his mind had a singular focus and that was what he had in his mouth.  

When he felt like he couldn’t get more from that breast, he released your nipple and licked it, looking up at you with dark eyes and panting. He moved over to your other breast, now leaking even more, and nudged it with his nose and his tongue darted out, licking up the escaped milk.  

“Jesus... Mouse... you taste so fucking good...”, he grunted as he lapped up the warm liquid. His voice sounded deep and primal, like your weeping tits had unlocked some deep seeded need Frankie hadn’t tapped into yet. 

You locked eyes with him again and he made a low growl as he pulled your nipple into his mouth and began sucking on it greedily.  

You leaned forward a bit and one of your hands slid down, looking for his hard cock, but his belly was in the way. You knew he was full before, but now his belly would rival yours. It felt tight and as your fingers rubbed and prodded him, and you felt his body move as he rutted his hips.  

“Poor baby... bet your dick is just aching... but you’re too big for me to get it... I can feel how full you are, Frankie baby... belly’s getting big... but you like this, don’t you... getting fat because you put a baby in me... that’s it... good boy...”, you cooed, stroking his hair. 

A low moan emanated from Frankie and his grip on your thighs tightened and he panted through gulps. When he finally drained the second breast, he sat back, and you released his hair. He looked like he was in another realm of existence, with milk dripping down his chin and his eyes blown out. He was panting and fell back and laid on the floor, his extremely full belly prominently jutting out above him and groaned. 

It took some work, but you got up off the couch, pulled on your sweater, and stood above Frankie, gently rocking back and forth, rubbing your belly. 

“Baby... your belly’s bigger than mine right now.”, you smiled, nudging his lovehandle gently with your foot and noted the wet patch on the crotch of his sweatpants. You grinned, knowing exactly what that was. 

He lifted his head and looked at his swollen middle and dropped it back down again.  “Fuck, I’m full.”, he groaned and closed his eyes. 

“I’d get on the floor and give you a belly rub, but...”, you grinned, motioning to your baby bump. “We both don’t need to be stuck on the down there.” 

Frankie huffed a laugh, his eyes opening as he looked up at you. “How are your boobs?” 

“Much better, thank you.”, you chuckle, as he struggles to lug himself upright. 

Once he stands up, you can see his back arching to accommodate the weight in his belly. You reach forward and rub his tummy and smile.  

“Kinda over did it, huh?”, you asked, giving him a pat and leaning towards him to press a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.”, he murmured as smiled and splayed his hand on your belly, feeling your little one moving around.  

“So, you came in your pants, huh?”, you said pointedly with an eyebrow raised. 

He huffed a laugh, wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, and pulled you to his side. “Yeah... I came in my fucking pants.” 

“Sucking on my tits was so good that you came in your pants? You kinky bastard...” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah... ”, he grinned, nudging you towards the bedroom and swatting at your backside.  

You stopped and grinned, biting your lower lip, as you felt his belly press into your back, and he wrapped his arms around your middle.  

“Watch your mouth... carrying my baby can only save you from so much, Mama.”, he growled into your ear as he guided you down the hallway and int your bedroom. 

--------<3---------

@theywhowriteandknowthings @harryleatherfit @toxicanonymity @harriedandharassed @neverwheremoonchild @rebel-held @beee-haw @nevergoingbacknowshine @idolatrybarbie @v4vayha @lalocitos @xdaddysprincessxx @deathsholywaterr @heareball @lyssramscal @wintrwinchestr @blackfemalenerd  @southernbe @starkeydaviss @noxturnalpascal

[meowmeowriley]

Changes: a Poll-Fic

Chapter 7: Side With Ghost: End

The Fic on Ao3

Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4 Ch. 5 Ch. 6

Ghost must know something he didn't, and Gaz had never tried to interfere. Soap decided to side with Ghost, give him a moment to explain himself.

Aheh… hahah… ahahahaaa….

"Cap, let's hear him out."

Price looked equal parts surprised and concerned. At first continuing to hold the canister away from Ghost, before finally narrowing his gaze and slowly proffering it back towards the man he'd swiped it from. "Talk first." He demanded.

"It's an antidote." Gaz cut in before Ghost could speak. "Of sorts..." he added hesitantly.

Heheh… mmhmhhmhm…

"I just wanna fix what they did to my mouth." Ghost said quietly, voice barely registering over the roar of the engine and the sounds of the truck bouncing along the uneven dirt road. "We don't have enough to fix everythin'. Just let me fix this."

…Monstrous…

Hah… ahaha… ahahahahahahuhhhhh…

Price seemed to be shocked into silence. Or at least he had been, but he quickly rounded on Soap, and snapped at him. "Would you stop fucking laughing, Sergeant, this isn't the bloody time!"

What? "Ah'm no-"

Heheh… huhhhh… ahah…

"Dammit, Soap-"

"I don't think he can help it, Price." Once again, Gaz seemed to know more than the rest of them. "Doesn't seem to know he's been doing it. Must've been exposed."

"Exposed?" Soap asked dumbly.

Oh, so he didn't know… I'm sorry, Johnny…

"Gas born... something, that gets into you not through your lungs, but through an injury." Gaz gestured towards his arm with his head, where he had his free hand clamped hard over the wound. "Like a bullet wound or," he gestured towards Ghost. "His... everythin'."

"Your hand?" Price asked with a gentleness that he hadn't had since he'd picked the three of them up.

"He was laughing before they lopped off his fingers though." Ghost pointed out.

And that tracked. Soap had been hearing, no, apparently he had been producing the laugh since he'd entered that cursed spiral hall in the basement. Since he'd picked the locks... since he'd-

"I rubbed my eyes?" That couldn't have been it, could it?

"Before or after being exposed to the gas?" Ghost prodded.

"When was I exposed?" Soap hadn't noticed a gas, it must've been odorless, invisible.

Gaz confirmed that, then continued. "There were symbols painted on the door to where they were keeping Ghost, painted in this stuff." He kicked the backpack at his feet, full of canisters or the mystery substance. "The gas was the bio weapon we were sent to investigate. They've been testing it for a while. You would've been exposed to it when you broke the seals, and after, it spread throughout the entire facility."

"The laughing started after I opened that door, yeah. I didn't know it was me." Ghost put his left hand on Soap's shoulder, and Soap was grateful for the contact. He leaned his head on the other man's hand.

Mmmmmhmhm… hmhmhuhh…

Price seemed to make up his mind suddenly, as he grabbed his radio. "Laswell, you are clear for your airstrike."

"You all are danger close, John." She cautioned, her voice crackling through comms.

"Don't care, bring it all down." He sighed heavily. Then, "The research. What'd you find?"

Gaz looked at Ghost, then looked down at his feet. "They had a ton of test subjects. Every one of them developed some sort of insect-like features after exposure. Depending on the wound and the person, it could be more or less disturbing." He winced a bit, probably realizing how his words could hurt Ghost.  "Some of the changes caused by a lengthy exposure seem to be irreversible, even with the yellow stuff." He continued avoiding eye contact with the Lieutenant.

Ghost leaned back and let his head knock off the side of the truck. "Fuuuuuuck." He closed his eye. He let his arm fall from Soap's shoulder.

Gaz continued. "It's suspected that there's a short window of effectiveness for this stuff. There was one guy, poor bastard, who was basically made of roaches. They'd cut him open and the bugs would pour out. Don't know how long they kept playing with the poor guy, but eventually they dropped his entire body into a huge vat of the stuff, and all that came out was a swarm of thousands of 'em. It didn't fix him." He took a shaky breath.

It occurred to Soap then that Gaz must've read about, or worse, watched, what had happened to the countless men who'd been tested on. What's more, he'd swiped the research data, so they had with them whatever he'd seen. Soap wasn't sure if he wanted to see it himself.

"I'm sorry, Ghost-" Gaz started, shakily, but Ghost cut him off.

"Pour it on your arm, Sergeant." He ordered.

"What?"

"Were there timestamps on those videos?" Ghost asked.

"I, erm... I had it on double speed, and wasn't really lookin'-"

"I was there. I saw what they did to him. It's too late for me." Ghost looked so dejected.

Aa Gaz did as he was instructed, Soap reached for Ghost. He brought up his right hand, the injured one, to place on Ghost's shoulder in support, to return the gesture, and it was then that he noticed it. His ring and pinky finger on that hand seemed to have been replaced.

Heheh…

He hadn't felt it happen, but something tore through the bandaging and was filling the fingers of his gloves. Slowly, Soap pulled the glove off. What appeared to be the pincers of a stag beetle were jutting out of the nubs where his fingers had been. He flexed his hand, and the pincers went up and down with his fingers. Tentatively, Soap tried and succeeded in opening and closing them as well.

Gaz started speaking again. "There was one scientist who theorized that it wasn't time based, but instead had to do with whether the person had all of their body parts back, as to whether or not they could be fixed. They took a lot out of that roach guy- oh shit." Soap looked up to see the others all watching him play with his new appendages.

Silently, Ghost handed him a canister.

"I don't have the fingers..." Soap whispered sadly.

"All we can do is hope you don't need 'em. Pour it on." When Soap took the canister and did as he was told, Ghost smiled. It was half hearted, but full of affection. "There's a good lad."

The odd not-quite-liquid, not-quite-gas flowed slowly over Soap's arthropodic digits. It chilled his entire hand, and sent electric tingles through his blood stream.

"Your eyes too, Soap." Price instructed. "Just to be safe."

Ghost took hold of the canister in his left hand, and cradled Soap's chin with his right. "Lean back." He instructed gently.

Heh…

Soap brought up his hand, making sure to cover Ghost's replaced digits with his own. "If it doesn't work, we'll be okay, yeah?"

Simon smiled at him. "Yeah, Johnny. We'll be alright, love."

Huhmmmmmm…

Behind them, Soap could see the fireball as the base was struck by the rockets.

***

Somewhere, deep within the jungle, a stag beetle with human fingers where it should have pincers followed closely a centipede with an eyeball for a head.

The pair made their way out of the burned rubble of a base that had come crumbling down on top of them. They made their way into the undergrowth, homing in on where they were meant to be, an entire world away.

The two were succeeded by a veritable army of roaches, dozens of them carrying teeth, and one a tongue.