#god i'm screaming at the fact that they shot these almost identical

[payidaresque]

[1-800-hellraiser]

What if Yandere David Found Escaped S/O in a bakery what would happen? how would this go down?

This is a Camp Camp request.

Ofc! I'm so sorry this took so long! School has been kicking my ass lately :,)

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Tag, You're It

Requested by: Sam Clumsy

Image credit: Mommy 🐇 on Pinterest 

Words: 1,063

Aged up: Nope

Genre: Angst

Pairing: Yan!David x Reader

Song: Tag, You're It - Melanie Martinez 

!TWs!: Yandere/obsessive behavior, kidnapping, and swearing

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

"Running through the parking lot, he chased me and he wouldn't stop. Tag you're it."

     You did it, you finally did it. You escaped him. That wretched man. God, you're still in shock even though it's been almost three weeks. You know for a fact he's still looking for you. You see the missing person reports on the news, and fliers all over the Sleepy Peak region. You can go out freely, the only downside is having to cover up your face. But we're in a pandemic, so its pretty easy to hide your identity. 

     You've been crashing at your friend's place since you escaped David. You and your friend have planned a Halloween party to make you try and forget out David for a while. You're going to have spiked punch, snacks, games, and everyone will be dressed up in a costume. You're even going to get all of your friends back together, just like old times! You hope they remember you, it's been a minute since highschool.

      "Y/n, you're gonna stop down to the bakery and grab some cupcakes for the party, right?" Your friend, Cherri, asks from another room. "Yeah, I was just about to head into town. Do you wanna come?" You ask, Cherri grunts before answering. "Nah, I'm trying to dig out my Halloween costume." "Okay, you want anything?" You ask, swinging the keys to Cherri's car around your index finger. "Uhhhh, get me a cannoli please!" She says, you nod. "Alright, I'll be back." You say as you open the front door. 

      Trying to find parking in town is a nightmare. The bakery is on the side of the street pressed up against a nail salon and a law firm. There was no parking lot due to the close proximity of all the buildings. So you just park the care on the curb like everyone else does and hope that some dipshit doesn't damage it. You enter the bakery and go up to the front counter. "Hello! What can I do for you today?" The cashier asks, you smile underneath your mask. "I'm here to pick up an order for Cherri." You say, the cashier nods and heads to the back to grab your item.

      The door behind you opens. You think nothing of it because this is a pretty popular bakery. The cashier brings you the cupcakes. "Okay, your total will be $13.93, will.you be paying with card, cash, or digital pay?" "Cash." You say, pulling a twenty out of your hoodie pocket. You hand the cashier the money and turn to leave, but instead, you run into someone. "Oh, I'm so sor-" you cut yourself off mid sentence, looking up at the "stranger". You stare in shot at David's lanky frame. How did he find you? How did be know you'd be here? 

       His hand goes down to caress your cheek, but you dodge it and practically sprint out of the shop and into Cherri's car. You shove the keys into the ignition and peel off the curb. About halfway to Cherri's house, you notice a beat up red car behind you. David's car. Your blood runs cold as you make pointless turns to try and lose him.

    Unfortunately, you didn't lose him, and now you're lost. Great. You continue to fruitlessly try to escape the vast forest. After about an hour, you manage to lose David, you think you're in the clear, but instead, he comes out of nowhere and hits you with his car. Everything happened so fast, you got hit, then you pass out. 

    You wake up in a dreaded, familiar place. The dungeon. You began to cry and scream for help. You were so close to freedom. You were finally happy. After four years, you felt happy. Not anymore. You know after this stunt, you won't be able to be left alone. Not. Ever. You hear the door bust open, you glare up at the man who ruined your life. "My dear sweet Y/n! I heard you scream is everything alright?!" David asks you in a panic.

     "No David! Everything is not okay! You fucking kidnapped me again! What the fuck is wrong with you?! All I wanted was a normal relationship, until I found out who you actually were! You are a sadistic, manipulative freak!" You finish, panting. David looks hurt, but you see a glint of rage in his eye. He takes a deep breath to calm himself down before retorting. "Y/n, you have to understand that all I'm doing is trying to protect you." David bends to you level.

      "The world is to dangerous for my delicate flower. Clearly, from the stunt you pulled, I'm not doing a good enough job." He finishes, getting up and begining to walk away. "Wait wait wait! Where are you going?" You ask, tears filling your eyes once again. "I'm going to make dinner, I'll be back down in about an hour." He says, facing away from you. From.what you could tell, he was crying by his shaking figure. He opens the door and leaves. He leaves you to cry and wallow once again.

      Once David leaves the room, he wipes his eyes of his tears and makes his way upstairs to the kitchen. Since you were able to escape, David will have to take other approaches to get you to stay with him forever. He decided a good way is to poison you. Make you so weak that he has to care for you. He makes you your favorite type of soup, so the pill will dissolve easier. David makes sure the pill dissolves fully before he brings the bowl down to you.

     In the middle of you sobbing, David opens the door and presents you some of your favorite kind of soup. You sigh, knowing you have no other choice but to eat the soup. You eat the soup as David smiles a caring smile. But behind that smile is a sinister, evil smile. Everything is going according to plan. 

[bitch-for-a-rainbow]

So there's a blanddcheadcanons post that says that "Kara is the mortal avatar of Rao" and I really don't like it, especially in the context of SG 3x04 (The Faithful). At best, as was pointed out to me by a friend with whom I discussed this post, the House of El is likely blessed and somewhat sponsored by Rao, which probably doesn't do much but produce Krypton's greatest heroes, given what the word "El" **means** in Kryptonian. I'm interested in your thoughts on this (pls post your answer).

    I reject the headcannon solely because if it were true it would mean Coville was right and I fucking hate that bitch.

     In all seriousness, though, this is an idea I've seen a lot and I'm not a huge fan of. I don't know much about Raoism beyond what appears in the show and that which can be inferred off of the show. One thing I would point out though is that El in Kryptonian (while obviously being intended to mean God by the original comic writers) can mean Sun or Stars, and since the Kryptonians in the show are, as far as I can tell, monotheistic, and worshipped only one particular star, the El family is not necessarily named God. It would, however, signify their enormous prestige on Krypton and contribute to the famous El pride (or rather, arrogance). I’m not sure it would necessarily have to mean anything more than that-- that the Els are a respected house who have produced a variety of successful politicians, civil servants, and scientists. And (this time reaching a little bit) that they are perhaps so old and respected that their house name was once a title. 

      There is a certain allure to the theory, for sure. Kara is a paragon character. She always, always does what she thinks is right, regardless of the cost, personal or global, and regardless of what other people might think of it. She has a very direct moral compass, and there are only a handful of times when she doesn’t follow it, all of which involve saving Lena. Ship who you want, but it is notable that Kara routinely prioritzes Lena’s life over that of others given the rarity of that happening otherwise. She never even considered breaking Rick Thompson’s father out of prison when he kidnapped Alex, and all he’d committed was bank robbery. Kara has lines she does not cross (though murder is clearly not one of them). She is a character that has seen some of the worst that sentient life is capable of, has seen more death and suffering than most people could imagine, and she came out of it with an all-encompassing desire to protect others. She lives to give people hope. Plus, the humor of having Kara-- the one person most offended by the idea of being an Avatar of Rao-- turn out to be an Avatar of Rao is great.

       But, I would also say that having Kara want to do good because she is the avatar of a benevolent god is reductive and not particularly true to her character. It is true that helping and protecting people is a large part of the core of who Kara is. But there is a difference between altruism and the self-destructive, bordering of suicidal desperation to save absolutely everyone that Kara practices. And to anyone who doubts the suicidal bit, I direct you to the season 1 finale where Kara literally goes on a goodbye tour because she thinks if she goes out to fight Non she’ll die. She still goes because she has hope, but that hope is that she can at least save Earth with her life. She doesn’t fight because she is certain in the ultimate victory of good and justice. She does it because she more afraid to lose another family than she is to die. Kara doesn’t become Supergirl and risk her own life because she believes in good, she does it because she can’t stand to listen to people suffer-- because she has suffered. To use Alex’s words in 1x13 “You fight everyday to keep people from struggling like you have.” Notably also in 1x13, Kara wakes up from the Black Mercy and her first words are “Who did this to me?” and then she goes after Non in what could arguably be described as a homicidal rage-- a rage that is fueled entirely for personal reasons, not the greater good of Earth (though that comes as an added benefit), which is.... not very befitting the avatar of a benevolent god. 

     A major part of season 1 is Kara dealing with grief and rage. She nearly breaks a guy's arm in episode 6 because he screamed at her for damaging his car, to hell with the children he'd almost hit with it. In season 3's Midvale flashbacks we see her first put both hands through a lunch table, then attack Jake when she suspects him for Kenny's death. She gets better at controlling it as the seasons progress, but during Crisis she very nearly melts Lex. Also not particularly godly of her. 

     Then there is the fact that so much of who Kara is is shaped by fear: fear of the government, fear of humanity, fear of abandonment, and fear of herself. In her civilian life, Kara is, for the most part, unnoticeable. She's polite, soft-spoken, doesn't wear a lot of bold colors or styles, and is often a pushover. As shown by her encounter with Red Kryptonite, Kara would not dress or speak the same way to people without the pressure of hiding her identity (though much of her dialogue is purely the loss of her "don't be an asshole" filter, some of it is stuff she had every right to say before and just didn't). I have always found that episode to be very interesting purely for the fact that Kara doesn't actually seem to be seeking harm on others so much as seeking their attention. Her argument with Alex is almost entirely about how much she hates having to hide and pretend to be less than she is. Kara drops Cat off the balcony and then catches her. She attacks the police when they point weapons at her but doesn't kill or even hurt them that badly, instead of destroying the car they're using as shelter. Red-K removed her inhibitions, made her angrier, yes, but if her goal was to actually hurt people, she could have done so-- would have done so, and with great ease. She goes to a public bar and uses super strength to smash bottles by flicking peanuts. Why do that at a crowded bar? Why not just flick potato chips at the windows in her own apartment?

      This is Kara at her absolute worst-- but does she seek out the DEO agents who shot her out of the sky? Does she go after Maxwell Lord or Non? No. She tries to make people pay attention to her. Her most shameful and hideous desire is for people to give her respect. (Admittedly, respect gained through fear, but still.). Kara's a nice person-- much, much nicer than average-- but a lot of that "nice" is just her avoiding conflict to avoid attention.

      Kara is a good person. Kara inspires people. But that is because Kara gets up every day and chooses to be good and to inspire. It's one of the reasons I enjoy Non as a villain so much-- he and Astra are Kara's narrative foils. They also remember Krypton and grieve its loss. They also were trapped in the Phantom Zone. But where Kara had the Danvers to convince her that some good people existed and would risk themselves just to help others, Non and Astra had Alura sentencing them to eternal suffering rather than helping them save their planet (through the means they thought necessary) and then landed on Earth and found it headed on the same path as the planet they'd just lost. Kara had people to help her grieve. Non and Astra were surrounded by misery. They lost hope. Kara discovered it.

     Kara is the Paragon of Hope because she has been hopeless. Because she has suffered so much, seen so much, and because she chooses to believe in a better future. She didn't have hope her first time in the Phantom Zone. She didn't even have hope for a while on earth. From what we can gather, Kara's choice to start actually believing in the future was a gradual shift that occurred sometime after Kenny's death and has lasted her ever since. For Kara, hope is learned. She chose to hope and she won't let it go, and to assign that incredible victory off to her being a God is an insult to her growth and to her character. 

   Now I personally thought “The Faithful” handled this concept very well. 3x04 is one of my favorite episodes of television in general, let alone in Supergirl. Season 3 is my second favorite season, and that says a lot for its good episodes when the bad of season 3 is so, so very bad (To say nothing of the episode to episode production value, we have the waste of Argo, Mon El’s return as obviously he’s grown he has a beard Mon El, and whatever the hell was going on with Kryptonian genetic engineering eclipse causing witches). To this day I don’t know why Kara had magic dreams. The show did nothing to explain it and I can’t imagine up a reason. 

     But “The Faithful” works because it highlights the whole paragon part of who Kara is. When you realize that every person in the room of Coville’s cult is a person she has personally saved-- that hits hard. Especially since only a fraction of the people she’s saved would ever set foot inside that building with the totally not-creepy, entirely wholesome way they deliver the invitations. (“Your daughter is special. She has been chosen. As have you.”) It works because it focuses on how the average human must view Kara, the ones who don’t see her argue with her sister over potstickers and crush her phone when she gets mad. It works because of how desperately hard Kara tries to be a human. It works because the writers know that we, the audience, do not see Kara as anything but a regular person with irregular abilities: a kind and remarkably devoted person, but not a god. 

[the-mad-starker]

VenStarker Fic: Wires Crossed

For the Venom-X-Change-2020 event on AO3. This fic was written for @zsparz​ 💗

Length: 7292

Summary: Peter was hopelessly in love with a Tony Stark who kept him at arm's length. The reasons why are not what he expected at all.

Notes: canon divergence (venom symbiote bonded with Tony), tentacles, love confessions, idiots in love, first time, rimming, anal sex, size kink, lots and lots of tentacles

AO3 LINK

💗💗💗

There was always something different about Tony Stark. Peter knew it. The rest of the world knew it. It was his genius, his cleverness… a million and one qualities that just set him apart from the rest.

It was a fact that was harmless enough but to Peter, it took a whole other meaning when they met. The shortness of his breath rivaled the sheer excitement he felt upon seeing the older man sitting there, that familiar but foreign smirk on his face.

"Mr. Stark–" One step forward and Peter's spidey senses shot through his body in a flood of dangerdangerdanger. His knees went weak but one sticky hand on the wall kept him from buckling.

"You okay, Mr. Parker?" Mr. Stark accessed him, eyes roaming, while May's eyebrows shot up.

"Yeah, I'm– I'm alright," Peter stuttered as he fought to get his screaming senses to calm down. "Just really… Hungry. I haven't eaten since breakfast. Skipped lunch cause– you know."

It was a weak excuse but they were strangers so he didn't expect Stark to really question it. 

Mr. Stark didn't buy it and something flickered in his eyes… Concern? The older man stood and May followed, worried.

He needed to get himself under control. He was still relatively new to his superpowers so– what the fuck.

Suddenly, Peter could breathe again. As suddenly as it had come, his spidey senses went silent as though nothing was wrong. Was it a fluke? He still wasn't used to all the weird things his body was going through. Doubt and uncertainty was a familiar feeling as he filed away the anomaly for another time.

A gentle but firm hand landed on his shoulder and his heart jumped, startling him back to his meeting with his favorite hero. 

Their eyes met and the telltale signs of Peter's silly crush became evident. Heart pounding, breath shallow, and warmth infused in his cheeks. Looking into those sharp brown eyes, Peter felt… dazed?

"How about we talk in your room, Mr. Parker?" Mr. Stark suggested.

"I'll get dinner started," May offered, "If you want to join us, Mr. Stark?"

The older man gave a warm smile but shook his head. "I don't want to intrude and I'm sure you guys will have a lot to talk about after I leave."

May looked relieved but Peter knew it was only because she felt pressured to cook a decent dinner if Mr. Stark was staying.

"Mr. Parker," Mr. Stark encouraged him with a squeeze of his fingers, "if you'll lead the way."

"Congratulations on the internship, Pete," May added as he and Mr. Stark walked to his room.

Internship?

Peter didn't say a thing and he didn't need to because as soon as the door closed, Mr. Stark spoke.

"So, Spider-Man, what happened out there?"

Peter looked at him, wide-eyed and ready to deny it. It was futile, of course. Tony got him to confess his identity as Spider-man but as he watched the older man drive off, he didn't think it went too badly.

--

What Peter hoped to happen and what actually happened are two different things.

Maybe it was his silly crush on the older man, but when Tony Stark personally came to recruit him, he thought they'd actually spend time together. Not that they didn't spend time together but it was so much less than he wanted.

Not to mention that there was this thing that Tony did. It was a thing Peter hated and wanted so desperately to break through but he just didn't know how.

Tony kept him at arm's length. They spent a god-awful amount of time in the lab together and yeah, there were moments where he felt like they really connected but then Tony would reset the next day.

Peter was just his official intern. Kept at a distance. Tony wasn't so formal that he didn't joke or put on any airs but there was this barrier that meant their friendship could only go so far. He was polite in a Tony kind of way but he never took that next step that would deepen whatever it was between them.

At first, Peter was so sure that it was because his crush on the older man was that embarrassingly obvious. Why else would Tony act the way he did? And the thought plagued the younger man because he tried to be professional while being friendly but things just seemed so tangled and impossible.

Maybe, he just needed a chance, he had thought to himself. So he tried and his fumbled attempts at flirting seemed to make the other man smile. But then that thing happened and it was back to square one.

Maybe after some thought… Maybe Tony was uncomfortable with all the attempts Peter made to show his interest? But that was before he had gotten the hint that Tony wasn't interested… Maybe Peter was flirting without meaning to?

They just got along so well that these teasing little banters would start between them and Peter could swear that the older man was interested. But what did he know? He wasn't experienced in that kind of thing and as much as he wanted to rectify that, his heart was set on Tony.

Peter sighed as he entered his bedroom. His bag, filled to the brim with notebooks and books, was tossed carelessly to the side. He was ready to clock out and take a nice little nap until he went on patrol later in the evening. 

His eyes were already drooping closed when his phone buzzed with an incoming message. He checked it more out of habit than actual desire.

Come over.

Peter's eyes shot open. 

The message was from Mr. Stark and like many of his previous messages, they didn't really give him any more info beyond that. And he knew from prior experience that shooting off a "what's up?" Or "??" wouldn't get him an answer either.

If Peter was busy, he wouldn't go. Tony probably just assumed that was the case during the times his mentee didn't pop up. More often than not, Peter was able to make it though.

This time… He didn't even have to think about it. His fatigue evaporated, mind and body invigorated by the thought of spending some time with Tony.

Maybe it was a little sad that he was so eager for the older man's company but he couldn't help being opportunistic. To feel better about it, Peter took a few minutes to shower and change into something more comfortable. 

From Queens to the city, the time passed quickly. It only felt like a couple of minutes had passed by the time he was in the elevator and FRIDAY was directing him to Tony's experimental labs.

When the doors opened, he knew something was wrong. First off, Tony's favorite brand of music wasn't being blasted off the speakers. It was quiet enough that Peter could hear his steps as he walked further into the labs.

But then, there was a mounting sense of urgency growing in the pit of his stomach. It was a peculiar sensation, one that confused him because it felt like his spider senses were trying to warn him but… why would it do that here?

Peter hurried, making sure to keep his steps light just in case there really was a problem.

Then he caught sight of his mentor. Tony was standing in front of his array of holograms, hands planted firmly on the tabletop and leaning forwards. His head hung loosely between his shoulders with the shadows blurring his eyes.

On the main screen, there was some sort of formula being constructed but Peter barely noticed. That was because his entire attention was on the black fluid-like substance that was steadily seeping from Tony's back.

His breath caught and for a split second, he felt like he was in some sort of horror show. Peter could only watch as more and more of that inky darkness flowed over his mentor's trembling body. 

He would've rushed to his side but then his ears caught these sounds that Tony was making– Oh, God… Those weren't the kinda sounds someone would make if they were in pain. That sounded like– His ears turned red, heat mixing in with adrenaline as he stared and stared.

It was… hypnotic. It should've been frightening because what the fuck was that but… Detached from that sense of horror, what he was seeing was almost beautiful. The darkness spilled out, gleaming and reflecting light as it arched all around his mentor. It looked like it was forming a protective cocoon that, strangely enough, gave the impression of possessiveness.

The thing that made Peter take action though was that there was too much of it. It seemed like an endless supply of black kept seeping out of Tony's body and it was simply engulfing him.

No matter how beautiful it looked, Peter couldn't help gasping out his name.

"Mr. Stark…!"

Tony's head jerked towards him, surprised. The brown of his eyes were thin discs, pupils dilated.

All at once, that black cloud rushed back inside the older man as though being sucked in by a vortex. It happened so quickly, surprising the both of them that Peter barely had time to react when Tony dropped to his knees.

Peter was by his side in an instant, eyes rushing over his mentor's body to find any injuries, any anomalies. All the while, his brain was trying to make sense of what the fuck just happened.

"Kid…" Tony mumbled. He was crouched, one knee pressed to his chest and his head tipped down. There was sweat on his brow and his shoulder felt hot beneath Peter's palm.

"Are you okay, sir?" Peter asked. His voice sounded high-pitched to his own ears, just short of panic. "Wha–What was that?"

Tony looked up and there was a glassy sheen to his eyes. Combined with the fever, Peter came to a quick conclusion.

"Were you drugged, Mr. Stark?" He asked, trying to see what other damage had been done. "Should I call 9-1-1? Friday?"

"Kid– Peter," Tony tried to get his attention. Some of the fogginess seemed to recede but it still wasn't enough for Peter. "I know what it was."

Their contrasting reactions to the situation were just so bizarre that Peter was finding it hard to rationalize. But Tony had been an Avenger and a hero much longer than Peter so maybe dealing with stuff like this was just so typical.

"What was it?" Peter asked, trying to stay on track. 

"I was working on something and the stupid thing– Ugh, simply put, I got what essentially amounts to sex pollen into my system and–"

Peter's brain came to a screeching halt. Aphrodisiacs, he knew about those but the term sex pollen seemed to be more intense.

Still, he had to ask.

"Like an… aphrodisiac or something?" Peter hedged cautiously.

Tony grimaced. "Probably worse but nothing I can't handle."

It was only then that Peter noticed Tony's pants were undone. His crouched over position, it seemed, was deliberate in that it hid the state of his undress and more likely than not, any state of arousal the older man was in.

Heat crawled up his neck, no doubt turning his cheeks bright red. It also didn't help that some of that blood flow was directed further south.

His eyes skittered away despite wanting to affirm if Tony was hard. Peter, himself, hunched over a little, hoping to hide his own responding state.

Peter knew that the best thing to do was to retreat but some part of him didn't want to. This thing could be something they laugh about in the future or something they completely bury in the past and never talk about. Or it could be the thing he needed to get Tony to really see him.

Besides, he still had so many questions… He just shouldn't be getting hard when something was obviously off in this situation.

"And that thing that was all over you… Was that something with the um, aphrodisiac?" 

He knew he shouldn't be getting hard and yet… Peter couldn't get the sight out of his mind and his mind puzzled over it, maybe even obsessed over it. 

It was like a void had taken on a physical form but it had also looked fluid in some parts. In others, the thing had looked like it was solid. What really stuck in his mind was how sensual the whole thing appeared but maybe it was his perception of Tony that was to blame, not the way some weird liquid solid moved.

Tony's grimace only deepened and Peter felt bad for putting him on the spot when he was in such a precarious situation. But he knew… He knew that Tony would brush it off if he left now. He would reset and push Peter away.

Peter didn't want that so he clung to the situation.

"That… that was something else, Pete," Tony said hesitatingly.

Were they at a stalemate? Tony could've gotten up at any moment but he just stayed there, as did Peter. At this moment, were they both…?

"I'll explain another time, but right now..." Tony cleared his throat, "I got some things to take care of. If you don't mind."

Peter looked away but forced himself to turn back to his mentor.

"Why did you text me if you were busy, sir?" Peter asked. Then he licked his lips, boldly pushing forward, "Does it hurt or something? Is there anything I can… do to help?"

He was sure that his face was a nice cherry red color. But… He put it out there. Never had Peter so plainly offered himself. He held his breath, hoping wildly that Tony would…

"Text? I didn't..." Tony trailed off, frowning to himself. 

There was a moment of silence where Tony was just looking at him and then he squinted. Kept looking at Peter then at the cell phone on his table then at his hands. Silent microexpressions that hinted at what was going through his mind but not outright giving it away.

Peter fumbled with his own phone for proof, tapping the screen and showing the message.

Tony's eyes narrowed.

"Traitor," Peter heard him mutter, Peter heard him mutter, out of the blue.

Tony then sighed and moved into a sitting position with a groan. Peter wished that he could say he didn't look but he did.

A quick little glance confirmed that Tony was still hard. Peter swallowed the sudden influx of spit in his mouth, feeling hot and bothered.

"Ah-hem," Tony coughed, hiding a smirk behind his hand. He did arch a brow, "I got some weird alien pollen going on, what's your excuse?"

Peter squeaked in alarm, knowing he was caught off guard. He tried to play it cool anyway and subtly moved the corner of his hoodie over the obvious bulge where he was getting hard. 

"I've had a crush on you since... forever?" he admitted, unable to look Tony in the eye.

"You… You did or you… have…?" Tony asked curiously, cautiously.

Peter peeked at him, eyebrows raised. He thought his feelings were extremely obvious.

"Have."

He had the pleasure of Tony's mouth dropping into a little 'O'.

"Well… damn," the older man exhaled, laughing slightly.

They sat there for a moment longer, both a bit amused at the situation. It seemed so silly that Tony didn't know… Even so, Peter frowned at the lack of answers he was getting.

Hesitatingly, he reached over and squeezed the other man's knee.

"I really do wanna help you, Mr. Stark…" he said plainly, holding the older man's gaze, "and that thing… I wanna know what that thing was… You're obviously okay but..."

Peter continued to lock gazes with him, determined to show his mentor how serious he was.

Tony seemed to be internally conflicted, probably monologuing with himself as he tended to do. Peter, with his best puppy eyes, awaited his answer.

The older man muttered something under his breath before he finally seemed to give in.

"Only a few people know this," Tony started then seemed to backtrack when he said, "You know how I escaped the Ten Rings back in Afghanistan?"

He did. It had been all over the news and later on, when Iron man made its debut, the pieces had been put together on how Tony escaped. He'd never heard it from Tony's point of view though.

Peter nodded, leaning forward and so curious. "Yeah, it was the first Iron man prototype you created. It got you out."

Tony nodded, then a bit more solemnly, he confessed, "The thing that wasn't published was that I… kind of blew myself up. The armor was made of pieces of scrap metal, never before tested, all just theory and aspirations. Anything was better than staying there... So I got out. And I blew myself up in the process."

This was all new information for Peter. It was a hard fact to process… He couldn't imagine a world where instead of watching the news of Tony's return, it would've been a funeral. His blood chilled at the very thought of it.

Tony cleared his throat, no doubt sensing Peter's upset. "I ended up in the hospital, actually. In this little town that Rhodey took me to. They would've flown me to one of the bigger ones but I wasn't supposed to make it from the get-go. My chances of survival were… abysmal."

He lifted a hand, palm facing upwards. A dark plum of fluid spilled out, liquidy and swirling around itself. Even in this tiny form, it was fascinating and hypnotic to watch.

Peter's mind stumbled over itself trying to figure out what it was. Some sort of secret tech? He wouldn't put it past Tony to create something but even this was beyond the impressive display of nanotech his mentor created.

"It's a parasite," Tony explained calmly.

Peter inhaled sharply. "Para–"

Then the thing came alive. It swirled larger, seemingly gathering more of itself out of nowhere. It whirled together like an angry hornet's nest. Not only did it become larger but it grew eyes and a large cavernous mouth followed with tiny razor-sharp teeth.

"Parasite!?" It hissed, voice guttural and offended. Peter's mouth dropped open as the thing swirled to face Tony, flashing menacing teeth. "We are not a parasite."

His mentor was entirely unphased and what was even more confusing was the fond, almost chagrined expression on his face.

"Yes, sweet pea, it's just the scientific term," Tony said as he leaned down and kissed the top of what should be the creature's head. "Okay, fine. A symbiote."

The creature didn't seem placated but it did shrink, the mouth disappearing so only large white sinister eyes peered at them.

"We are Venom," the creature rumbled and Tony smiled, affection shining through.

"This little guy is part of an alien race called the Klyntar," Tony told him. "And sweet pea found me after the blowing up. Saved me, actually… And we've been together since."

The creature didn't confirm or deny but somehow Peter could tell that it was pleased. He wasn't even sure how he made that deduction but the… body? seemed to have settled into a lazy spiral as it swirled around itself.

"This human… intends to mate," the symbiote purred, staring at him with that strange alien gaze. Peter's eyes grew wide.

"It's a fear boner!" he blurted out.

The symbiote swirled towards Tony, almost vibrating with curiosity.

"Yeah, go ahead and search for it," Tony told the creature with a chuckle.

"Ah," the symbiote murmured knowingly after a moment.

Tony lowered his hand but instead of the symbiote retreating into his body, it traveled up his arm and settled comfortably on his shoulder. Like this, it reminded Peter of a cat for some reason.

"The reason why I told you isn't because I need your help," Tony admitted while absently petting the inky void on his shoulder. "Well, not with sweet pea and not with the, ah, sex pollen."

"Tony will need help," the symbiote disagreed, displeased.

"I will not–" Tony refuted, attention switching to the creature.

The pieces clicked into place. What Peter witnessed when he first came in… the way Tony was trembling while that massive inky cloud of blackness surrounded him.

"Was Venom helping you?" Peter dared to ask.

Tony fell silent, debating whether or not to answer. That was answer enough to Peter. He sat there, mindblown, as he digested the implications. Tony and this… creature?

"The symbiote and I have been in a state of symbiosis for… years now," Tony said softly, almost lovingly. "Sweet pea and I… We're like one entity. They can't be separated from me and I can't let them go."

The creature hummed in delight.

"We are one…" it agreed softly.

To Peter, it felt like the world was about to shatter in front of him. He didn't think he'd ever have a chance but of course, finding out would always make it hurt even more. But to find out that some alien creature– Wait.

"Then the… Text? Why did you send it when you're in this state?" Peter demanded. There was a thread of hope there but his face remained neutral.

Now it was Tony's turn to become flustered.

"We have dreams," the symbiote answered instead of Tony. "Dreams of… You. Of the spiderling."

"...Traitor," Tony muttered again. "Sometimes, my other half likes to do things when I'm not looking."

The last part was said with a pointed glare at the creature but Peter could tell there wasn't any heat in it.

"So the… alien para–" the symbiote perked up, ready to hiss when Peter remembered and amended his words, "the symbiote sent the text because you… you want me, sir? Is that right…?"

Tony was definitely flustered but he nodded firmly then clasped Peter's wrist. "But I can't have you. Not when we're like this. We're– We won't separate, Pete. It's why I've never allowed myself to… Not with anyone since Afghanistan."

Peter took a deep breath. He kept looking at Tony's hand on his wrist and thought about it. It took a tremendous amount of trust for Tony to tell him. Even if the symbiote was the one to push for this encounter… Peter didn't think that Tony was entirely unaware of what his other half wanted to do.

As he organized his thoughts, a swirl of black seemed to creep towards Tony's fingers. It… fascinated him. This was an alien creature? He found that once he accepted the revelation, it wasn't that hard to picture it. Well, then again, people like Thor and Mr. Loki existed so why not beings like the symbiote?

The symbiote's little tentacle passed Tony's knuckles and skittered to a fingertip. There, it hesitated before a thinner piece swept past and touched Peter's knuckle. It was so feather-light that Peter wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't watching. It was more like a caress, a soft touch that was just exploring.

Tony and this symbiote were one entity, they both confirmed. And they shared dreams. Did they share desire too?

Peter peered at them, heart pounding as he made a decision.

"I still want to help," Peter said softly, "and… I want more than that."

Tony seemed surprised by his answer but the symbiote swirled around his ear, hissing in amusement.

"Told you so," it teased.

--

Tony definitely needed help with the sex pollen. It started off mild enough but the symbiote explained it'd only get worse. Peter didn't want it to get worse so they got started.

It was awkward at first and as much as Peter had fantasies of getting fucked in the lab, Tony wanted a bed. His mentor said it because he was an old man but the symbiote seemed to think it was another reason.

Peter was more than happy to follow them to bed, even if he was a little apprehensive. But it was his first time, so that was easily explained. Add to the fact that he was technically having a threesome for his first time…

It was nerve-wracking and yet… When they fell into bed together, it became so easy. Tony's arms circled around him, pulling him close to a firm human body. That was normal. And Tony's lips were so soft… So soft and so hungry as he kissed Peter gently with ever growing fervor.

It was intense and perfect, their mouths slanting together, barely parting except when a moan refused to be contained. It was all perfectly normal as far as Peter could tell. He was so caught up in Tony, in the feel of his mouth, his beard scratching pleasantly against his skin… His roaming hands… It was a dream come true to Peter and he embraced it fully. But then, he started to notice other things.

Soft subtle things like Tony reacting to something other than himself. It didn't make him jealous though. In fact, it turned him on to see Tony's expression start to cloud over with pleasure.

The symbiote was making its move and directing its attention to Tony. It was expected but after a while, Peter became… curious.

So it wasn't by accident that when he encountered one of the symbiote's limbs, Peter didn't pull away. It was curled around Tony's hip and Peter explored cautiously.

It was long and solid but the girth of the limb would be thick in one part then taper off into a thinner point only to grow thicker if it joined another section. It moved sinuously and it… it reminded him of tentacles… Peter caressed it as it had done to him when they were talking. The creature seemed to understand and didn't shy away from him.

If anything, it seemed eager enough to touch him back, curling around his wrist and directly his hand to Tony's firm ass. A slight pressure had Peter squeezing and the symbiote purred, pleased. It then traveled up his wrist and then his arm, a warm sort of weight that excited Peter.

From there, the symbiote fully joined them and became an ever-present force. It was attached to Tony for sure, tentatively spilling outside of the older man's body and boldly, shameless, exploring both of their bodies.

Peter could tell it was very familiar with Tony's.   It was more careful with him. More tentative but so very curious.

He felt every tendril of inky blackness as it slid around them. He felt it brush against his chest, Tony gasping against his mouth as the symbiote teased his nipples.

"Mm…" Peter watched Tony's mouth drop open, pleasure contorting his features. A tentacle caressed his face, urging the older man to kiss Peter once again.

He moaned into it and shivered when he felt the tendril slide down his neck.

"Ah…" Peter ended up beneath the older man, starting up at him with hooded eyes and a bruised mouth.

"Beautiful…"

"Beautiful…"

Host and symbiote had murmured the same word, sharing the same thoughts while Peter panted up at them.

Tony kissed him again and he arched into it, whimpering when something wrapped around his erection. It wasn't a human hand, but as Peter's hips jerked into the touch, he found that he could care less. It felt warm and tight and perfect.

"Tony…" Peter whined. Was this how it felt for Tony when the symbiote touched him?

"It's okay…" the older man murmured against his mouth. "Anything you don't like, tell us…"

His hips bucked into the tight grip and his entire body spasmed as the symbiote rippled around his erection, squeezing gently and massaging his cock like a living fleshlight.

"It's good…" Peter hissed, "so good, sir… Mmm… Want you to touch me too, please…"

Tony groaned, captivated, breath exhaled in a soft sigh. "Oh, sweetheart, you're a treasure…"

Tony took his request and his hands roamed all over Peter's body, learning all the spots that made him shiver and squirm in their hold. And if he felt the symbiote mimicking Tony's touches, Peter didn't protest. He was far from protesting.

"How far do you wanna go," Tony murmured against his jaw. 

He was sucking love bites onto Peter's skin, playing with his healing factor and doing it harder and harder until Peter cried out. It was a miracle that Peter could even process what he was saying.

"We can do it like this… Just running against each other… Making you feel good makes us feel good…"

Peter looked at him through the slits of his eyes. He licked his sore lips and pressed eagerly into the older man's touch. Tony's cock against his hip felt so hot and ready.

"Anything," Peter answered then amended, "everything…"

"Hmm…" Tony's response was a hum of consideration. 

There was some hesitation in that one note though and it was something Peter wanted to eradicate. If Tony and the symbiote were one person, he wanted them and everything they could give him. He was so sure of this, of Tony. Of Tony and the symbiote. 

"There's more," Tony admitted softly as though doing so would scare him away.

"I want more…" Peter almost begged.

Tony's eyes were so dark. He felt like he should be able to see the symbiote lurking there but he saw nothing. Feeling though… He could feel the symbiote now, feel the way it watched him through Tony's eyes.

Peter shivered and spoke to them both. "I want more… I want both of you. I want… Venom."

The answer seemed to be the right one. The hunger in Tony's eyes grew and he took in Peter's trembling body.

"Turn around…" It was said so softly that Peter would've missed it if not for his spider enhanced hearing.

He did so eagerly and when he felt Tony's hands on his waist, he almost melted into the bed. Instead, Tony kept his hips up in the position he wanted while Peter buried his face into the pillows.

Admittedly, Peter had never felt so exposed as he did right then. Tony and the symbiote could see everything, from his cock bobbing in the air between his trembling thighs to the tiny untouched hole between his cheeks.

"Mr. Stark…" he moaned when he felt Tony spread him open.

"We want a taste, Pete," Tony said, breath fanning over his sensitive hole. "Can we…? Wanna taste you on our tongue... Make you fall apart all around us..."

Oh, God…

"Yes, yes…" Peter babbled. "Do it, sir, do it–"

His words trailed off into incoherent squeaks and moans when they began. A wet, agile tongue licked him there and it was the most surreal experience Peter had ever had.

His breath came in shuttered gasps and his palms curled into fists. One pressed against his mouth as though it was possible to stop the dirty little moans he made from escaping.

The older man's tongue swirled around his hole, teasing and licking. Slurping. All these obscene sloppy noises assaulted his ears as Tony made quick work out of him, reducing him into a babbling, moaning mess.

And just when he forgot about the symbiote, it reminded him. While Tony started tongue fucking him, a wet tendril wound itself back around his cock and two smaller ones attached themselves to his nipples.

He whined when he felt them somehow suck on them, like small little mouths teasing every bit of pleasure they can get out of him.

Peter whimpered when Tony pulled away. The tentacles didn't stop though and he squirmed, hips swaying as the symbiote continued, sucking his nipples, pinching them, stroking his cock...

"Get ready, baby, this is gonna be… something," Tony warned. 

Peter barely caught a glimpse of him over his shoulder but what he saw… Maybe any sane person would've been terrified but all Peter saw was Tony. It was a different kind of Tony that was melding with the symbiote but nevertheless, he was still Tony.

He didn't know what Tony was talking about but he trusted him.

The next time he felt Tony's tongue, he did go boneless against the bed. Tony licked him gently, his tongue teasing the sensitive muscle. 

"Give it to me…" Peter whispered. 

A tendril caressed his cheek and he nuzzled against it. Tony had said pleasuring Peter gave them pleasure. Did that mean they shared pleasure just as they did thoughts and body…?

It was a curious thought, one that was blasted away when Tony pushed his tongue back inside. With some repetition, Peter thought he could get used to the feeling but for now, he tried to stifle a gasp and failed.

Then something changed and– Peter cried out as Tony's tongue grew and elongated, filling up the space in his body and brushing against this sensitive spot inside him. He felt it... Reaching so deep inside him where he didn't think it was possible...

"O-Oh…!" Peter stuttered out in a whine. "Oh, God…!"

Then he remembered how the symbiote's form was fluid-like and seemed to expand and shrink at its desire. He did a full-body shiver with the realization that Tony was doing that to him… Tongue fucking him along with the symbiote.

He was truly a mess now. Tears leaked from the corner of his eyes as that long, fleshy tongue played with his sweet spot.

He had asked for more and he was getting it…

"M-Mister… Starkk…!" He moaned, incoherent. 

The symbiote continued to caress his face with gentle tendrils but Peter, teased beyond his limits, didn't want gentle. Just as Tony was licking and tonguing him, Peter, too, put his mouth to good use.

Pleasure… He wanted to make them feel good, both of them.

He kissed the tentacle closest to his face, curled his arm closer so that it was nudged closer. It jerked at the contact but then eagerly traced along his lips as though asking for permission.

Peter moaned and kissed it again. It slipped into his mouth and even though it wasn't a cock and it didn't have the girth of one, Peter still felt so dirty and lustful taking it in. He sucked it like it was a cock, moaning when he heard Tony cry out in pleasure.

Tony's assault continued and it nearly drove Peter crazy. His tongue was reaching in deep inside him… Then he felt something else nudging against his hole alongside Tony's tongue and it was being gentle by slowly working itself in but it was also thicker… He was being stretched even more and it eased itself in, fucking him gently.

He didn't know if it was more of the symbiote's tentacles or if it was Tony's fingers. He couldn't bear to look… The sight of Tony eating him out while he was being fingerfucked would make him come. And he wanted to last, at least until Tony fucked him.

"Mmm–" His words were muffled around the tentacle in his mouth but as soon as he tried, it withdrew. He was left gasping, mouth open in a drawn-out moan.

"Wait…" he groaned desperately, "m gonna come, M-Mr. Stark…"

"Come then, baby…" Tony encouraged him when he pulled away. "We'll lick you clean..."

Even without his tongue, the other insertion continued to pump in and out of him. It was joined by another and another... Slimmer than the first but he still felt it, the way all three moved and pumped in and out of him in varying motions.

Tentacles then…

Peter's head swayed side to side, words escaping him as his hips pushed back in needy little jerks.

"Fuck me…" Peter gasped out. "Please, Mr. Stark… Need it…"

Tony groaned behind him and Peter was almost certain he'd go back to rimming him but then he was hauled up to his knees by a very strong grip. He gasped, shock and pleasure shooting through him like a jolt of thunder.

The hand that gripped his waist was black with the symbiote's flesh and larger than a normal human's. 

He felt Tony's cock press between his cheeks, rubbing against his wet hole. He shuddered and wondered if the pollen could transfer… Via spit or other fluids… If it could, he was certain he'd been dosed too. But the reality was, he was just this needy for the older man, this hungry to get fucked by Tony and his symbiote.

Tony shifted a bit and the large, heavy girth of his cock pushed between Peter's soft inner thighs. Tony was more than human in this state, and his cock, like the rest of him, was being supplemented by the symbiote.

"I could fuck you like this… Or I could fuck you as just myself…" Tony murmured, soft and intimate in his ear. He gently led Peter's hand between his legs, let him feel just how much his cock was different when he was like this. It felt… massive and pressed between his thighs, it looked impossible.

And yet, Peter wanted it. He wanted everything Tony could give him. Even with his breathing shallow, his mind balanced on the dangerous edge of fear and excitement, he wanted it.

"Will it fit? It's so big..." Peter asked, breathless. His fingers curled around the fat tip, rubbing along the sensitive undersides. 

Tony gave a breathy moan of pleasure before he said, "It'll fit, baby, we'll make it fit…"

Peter took in one last shuttered breath before nodding. "Do it…"

Tony was oh so gentle with him when he finally fucked him. Peter felt the strength restrained in his limbs as he did and knew Tony was being gentle on purpose. It was… Peter's first time, after all.

It was a lot to take in but as Tony promised, they made it work. The rimming had helped and, with a flushed face, Peter could admit that the extra attention the symbiote gave him helped too. Properly prepared, Peter's body still struggled to take him in but they were determined to do it. Inch by inch… Tony carefully pushed into him, breath ragged as he took Peter's first time.

Peter gripped anything within reach which was Tony's arms as he took his first cock. White knuckled, he bore through the sensation of being penetrated and God, he felt so full… He whimpered when he felt the press of Tony's hips against his ass and his head lolled against the older man's chest.

"Taking us so well, sweetheart…" Tony praised into his ear, "every damn inch…. Fuck, baby… We can feel it... Feel you squeezing down on us, ah– You wanna get fucked so badly... So fucking perfect for us..."

He felt the warmth of that praise but all Peter could do was moan, helpless and speared open on their cock.

"Let go, baby," Tony murmured. Peter vaguely noted his voice was rougher and deeper. "We'll take care of you… Make you feel so good..."

Some part of him remembered that he was the one that was supposed to be helping Tony but the words escaped him. With his head against Tony's chest, Peter looked at him with glazed eyes. The face staring back at him was monstrous, gleaming black clinging to Tony's tanned flesh and those teeth... Venom's white pupilless eye on one side and Tony's familiar brown in the other.

Peter came with a strangled cry. The combination of the symbiote stroking him and Tony fucking him was too much. He had waited so long that he was surprised he didn't come earlier. 

His release spurted into open air and all over the symbiote's tentacles that had been touching him. More dribbled down his pulsing cock, only to be collected and carried to Tony's lips. Tony kept his promise and licked away every drop.

Even soft, Peter wanted Tony to keep going. He knew he'd be hard in no time.

"Please…" Peter moaned, tipping his face up and hoping for a kiss.

They answered him, leaning down and giving him the kiss he didn't know he was craving. It was wet and savage, Venom's long alien tongue running over his human one. Even then, his lover was careful with his teeth. Peter never once felt the deadly sharp edge of those teeth, just the wet agile glide of their tongue as his eyes slipped closed.

He was fucked gently at first. Every push and pull felt like he was being turned inside out with Venom's alien cock dragging along his soft insides. He was probably ruined for any other, he couldn't imagine sex being anything but this…

His senses were dialed up to a hundred and every caress, every sloppy kiss, every nudge of Venom's cock against his sensitive prostate was just short of overwhelming. The only thing he could do was breathe through it and adapt.

It was a struggle but he was reminded at every turn that this wasn't just a fuck. The gentleness was almost lovemaking and when he finally got used to it… He craved more.

He craved the feeling of Venom/Tony's muscles flexing under his hands, craved the punishing thrusts that he knew his lover was capable of.

Peter worried that the next time he begged for more, he'd be denied. He was never so happy to be wrong.

Once they knew he was capable of taking them, they gave him the more he wanted. Manhandled and practically lifted into the air, each wrist and ankle held firmly by Venom's tentacles, they fucked Peter with careful abandon. He was Spiderman and more than capable of taking a beating but they were Venom and they weren't going to risk hurting him besides bruising up his lips with kisses, his skin with their teeth, and his insides with their cock.

It was more than enough. Tentacles were touching every part of his body, teasing his nipples, rubbing against his cheeks, fucking his mouth, massaging his cock… And smaller but still substantial tentacles pushing in and out of his body, sometimes syncing up with Tony's thrusts and other times moving in contrast to it.

He felt… So… full…

His second orgasm was dragged out of him and by the time the last pulses of cum spurted out of him, he was boneless in Venom/Tony's hold.

"Come…" he murmured against a tentacle teasing his mouth  "Inside me, please…"

He felt Tony's body shudder, his chest working hard to draw breath as he chased after his orgasm. Peter's eyes slipped closed, focusing on the way his lover's thrusts went from smooth and precise to short and sloppy.

He let out a soft cry when he felt Tony come inside. A flood of heat warmed his worn body and it came in several loads as Tony groaned, helpless and vulnerable as he filled Peter up.

They were a mess after. Tony's bedsheets were ruined for sure.

Sweaty and exhausted, but feeling beyond sated, Peter murmured, "Okay, now?"

The older man pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips.

"More than," he replied. He carried Peter into a spare bedroom but instead of leaving him there, Tony joined him under the covers. Now that Peter knew about the symbiote, he could feel its presence like a slight tickle in the back of his mind, his spider senses licking something up that wasn't quite human.

Tony's arm, entirely human, wrapped around his waist and dragged him back so they were pressed Peter's back to Tony's front.

"Round two in ten?" Peter teased with a soft hum.

He felt Tony chuckle against his ear, "That can be arranged." 

The soft tickle of a tentacle along his neck was all he needed to know the symbiote was in sync with those plans as well.

[lightshelldarkyoak]

Part 2: Moon Crossed Lovers

"WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!", Hades screams from the top of his corroded lungs as he tries to claw Hou Yi in half.  Hou Yi responds in kind while loosing arrow after arrow into Hades's shapeless form, "ABOMINATION'S FIRST!", said Hou Yi. Ever since Hades revealed his true form to Hou Yi the only sound heard in the distance has been that of battle.  Souls of the damned screaming in agony as they are forced to aide their master in pinning down the lone marksman. The fleet-footed marksman himself manages to dodge their un-dead grasp with ease, unleashing volleys of flaming arrows into the night while hes at it. Most would assume this battle of titans's to be a stalemate. Unfortunately though for Hades, Hou Yi was starting to get the upper hand. The heavenly marksman trained with the bow ceaselessly, even before acquiring the Raven Bow. Not even one day went by without training being involved in his daily regimen. Meanwhile, Hades lead a very sedentary lifestyle by simply sitting on his throne, watching the River Styx flow by, and listening to the throes of anguish as Cerberus mutilated those who dared to unlawfully exit or enter the underworld. thus with this grand difference in both ability and tempered skill the battle seemed to be nearing its end. however unbeknownst to both gods, a third more graceful goddess was about to make her way into the fray.

  Still deep within the caverns, a simple argument was ensuing over direction and pride: Chang'e: are you sure we're going the right way Mon? The Moon Rabbit: yes madam , if you follow me through this path here we'll make it to the surface in no time. Chang'e: That what you said the first time Mon. Not only did we not make it back to the surface,  it took us an extra two hours to make it back to the camp!

The Moon Rabbit: NOW LISTEN HERE MISSY! I may be an old moon rabbit but I still have pride in my animal instincts! and theses rabbit ears of mine heard a sound this way!

Chang'e: ugh, very well Mon.

The Moon Rabbit: That is another issue!

Chang'e: Hmmm?

The Moon Rabbit: why do you call me Mon?

Chang'e: Well your name is The Moon Rabbit correct?

The Moon Rabbit: YES IT IS INDEED I, THE ALMIGHTY MOON RABBIT! Chang'e: .........

The Moon Rabbit: (The most trolling look you can Imagine) 

Chang'e: ....Well your name is too long

The Moon Rabbit: Its my name madame

Chang'e: I like Mon better, its cute! 

Moon Rabbit: b-but madame

Chang'e: yes Mon?

Moon R. : I-

Chang'e: Yeessssss Mon?

Moon: ......I don't have much of a choice do I?

Chang'e: *shakes her head and brandishes a smile so bright it lights up the cavern* nope!

Mon: *sighs* very well, from this point on I shall be....Mon.....

Chang'e: Splendid! now lead the way Mon!

Mon: Uuuuuuuuugggghhh ..........!

  "Madame, I believe we are nearing the origin of the sound I heard not long ago, as well as the surface!" Mon explained with glee. A sparkle had returned to Chang'e eyes that Mon could only remember seeing when he first met her on the moon's surface. Granted, this sparkle shines much brighter for two reasons. Not only does Chang'e have a chance to finally look at the planet where most of her memories lie, she may finally get to see her beloved after so much time has transpired. "Now madam I must warn you of the dangers that are out-", before Mon could get a word in, Chang'e dashed into the open now dawn with reckless abandon. Hope and joy welling in her heart she bellowed, "MY BELOVED, I AM HERE!"

Dashing out into the sea of tranquility, Chang'e stretched her arms to feel the solar winds flowing through her kimono and kicking moon rocks along the way just for fun. eventually, she came to a stop and properly started stretching. In the process of all this stretching she knocked off what was most likely a millennia's worth of space dust from her kimono. Mon not exactly too enthused with all the dust, begins to have a sneezing fit because of it. Chang'e notices Mon's discomfort and performs an elegant crescent spin move that knocks all the surrounding dust away in one fell swoop. as She leans down to brush some dust off the rabbit's muzzle she asks, "Mon are you alright?" Mon replies, "I'll be fine madam, but we have bigger dilemmas to tackle". Chang'e responds with a quizzical look and tone, "where?" Mon simply points and says, "look". Chang'e looks in the direction Mon pointed, at first she can't make it out because of how bright it is compared to the caverns. Eventually her eyes adjust and after a bit of squinting she sees them, but most importantly him. His red scarf, long flowing ponytail, his distinct headdress, his eyes burning with determination to go beyond his limits, and finally his bow of feather and steel shining like a lighthouse in the distance on this vast ocean of rock and sand. overcome with emotion, she wailed one name: "HOOOUUU YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII"

Back to Chang'e and Mon, they were watching in the distance to see if the battle was over or if they heard Chang'e's voice. "Madame I think the battle is over" said Mon. " did he win, do you think he heard me?" Chang'e replies. "I believe so but its strange that the skeletal figure disappeared all of sudden" said Mon. "OH! I see him! Hiii my love!", Change yells joyously while waving. "hmmm, that's odd", Chang'e points out. "What's that?" Mon replies, "the last time Yiyi ran that feverishly was when a boulder was about to fall on me".  ".....................Madame I have a plethora of questions for that statement alone" said Mon. "Regardless, he does seem panicked. I wonder wh-" before Mon could finish his pondering, Hades's black visage arose from the ground enveloping everything in darkness. "Salutations Wench, I'll be borrowing your form " Hades said with a wicked smile. "MON HELP ME!", Chang'e yelled "MADAME WHERE ARE YOU, ITS TOO DARK!" Mon replied in panic. "YOU'RE IN THE WAY VERMIN!" Hades roared as he knocked Mon into a nearby dune. "GAH!" Mon reeling from the blow drifted into the sand dune and fell unconscious. "Mon!" Angered by Hades's treatment of one of her eternal companions Chang'e proceeds to threaten him appropriately. "SHOW YOUR PRESENCE SO I CAN END YOU MYSELF!" she yells with righteous fury. "very well, but be careful what you wish for. hihihiAHAHAHAHAH" Hades responds knowing full well his final plan is complete and unveils the darkness. As the darkness cleared and vision is returned to Chang'e's eyes a figure stands before her that is both bewildering  and yet very familiar. "So?" , said the figure flashing a cheeky smile. "how do I look?" the figure responded again with a near perfect replication of her voice. At this point Chang'e realized the horrors of what had transpired. What was standing in front of her was Hades, but in the form of herself.

"You monster", Chang'e spat as her graceful demeanor cracked for the smallest of seconds as she stared straight into herself knowing full well what Hades' s final scheme was. "Monster?" hades laughed " i'm just a damsel in distress and for all we know, you could be the monster here" Hades said with sinister elation. Chang'e had just about enough of Hades's illusion and prepared to dance his head clean off his body. Sadly before she could twirl, Hades's grabbed her arm and said "I would be careful where you spin princess, since lover boy is almost her". Understanding the gravity of the situation before her, she held back. Knowing full well the consequences of killing her clone right in front Hou Yi.

Hou Yi, now having caught up but gasping for air utters his beloved's name "C-gasp wheeze Chang'e where are you?". in perfect unison a response is heard, "here I am Hou YI".  Standing up properly from his hunched and haggard stance, Hou yi speaks, "strange, did your voice always res..o...nate". If it wasn't for the situation at hand, Hou Yi would have fainted. He was looking at not one but two Chang'e's, Both Identical in voice and pose. "C-Chang'e?" Hou Yi asked, "yes?" they both responded. Confounded by the turn of events, the marksman hunched over again for air but also to think. After a couple Moments of pondering , He realized there was only one thing to do. "lady and god of death, one of you is the my most cherished one." The Chang'e's looked on in silence while Hou yi continued, " I will find out who your identities are with questions and events that only me and Chang'e know, and once I figure who is who". he paused, "ONE OF YOU WILL DIE!" , the pressure from that statement alone sent shivers down both the Chang'e's spines.  So now begins the final gambit of the god of underworld, a game of memories with one wrong move or answer from either side leading to death.

Question after Question, with each being farther back and more specific than the other. A fool-proof plan except for the fact that each Chang'e had a perfect answer. Hades's was able replicate everything about Chang'e including past memories that only her and Hou Yi knew, all it took was a little help from the Oracles. Hou Yi was starting to run out of questions and patience. Meanwhile Hades was snickering on the inside as his perfect plan was coming to fruition. Simply put, running down the clock until Hou Yi would have to guess or finally buckle from the stress. If Hou Yi picked him and shot Chang'e he would wait until Hou YI inevitably came in for a hug and reap his soul. On the other hand if Hou Yi did shoot him but collapsed after, Hades would use that chance. By appearing from below Hou Yi, Hades would attempt to take him to the underworld with his ultimate ability before Chang'e killed him. It was a dastardly double edged sword that only Hades, the the god of the afterlife could forge. "Everything is going to plan" Hades's said in his mind.........Or so he thought. A couple feet away from this deadly game a certain fluffy companion was waking from his impromptu slumber.

Mon, The Moon Rabbit was stuck headfirst in moon sand for at least an hour before regaining consciousness.  When he did arise his response was.....unique to say the least.  *PTOOIE* "Goodness me the last time I had my head dunked in the sand for that long was when I lived with my nineteen brothers and sisters!", Mon said right before spitting more moon sand out. *Ptooie* "Now, where has the madam been whisked away to" taking the power of the impact into consideration, Mon guessed that he had not been sent flying too far. After scanning the area for what felt like an 10 minutes Mon saw a recognizable Figure in the distance making his guess correct. "there you are, but wait... there are two! hmmm" mulling his thoughts Mon had an idea. "lets try this for size", in a matter of seconds after speaking Mon's eyes  began to glow bright jade and that's when he saw it. "HA!" Mon scoffed, " you may be a master trickster but these jade eyes of mine see EVERYTHING, TALLYHOOO!". With pep in his hop and brimming with confidence, Mon scurried towards his master in order to break Hades double-edged sword into pieces!

Hou yi: .......Favorite toe....

Chang'e and Hades: ......Pinky......

Hou Yi: .......if you were Jing Wei, how would you say hello .....

Chang'e and Hades : ........Oh hey fam.........

Hou YI: ............THATS IT, I'M SORRY BUT  ITS TIME TO CHOOSE!

Chang'e's mind: NO MY LOVE

Hades's mind: FINALLLLYYYYYY!

Mon steps onto the scene in gallant bunny fashion!

Mon: HOLD IT!

Hou Yi: a talking rabbit?

Chang'e's mind: MON!

Hades's mind: VERMIN!

Mon: Never Fear, for I have a plan Sir Yi, but it requires secrecy.

Hou Yi: Tell me your secrets small creature

Mon, proceeded to whisper something in everybody's ears and at the end of it, everyone was ready.

Hou Yi: Could both Chang'es please move several paces from each other

Chang'e and Hades: Yes my love

As both Chang'es moved away from each other, Mon stuck with the original as they moved farther away from Hades's reach but stopped in perfect range for something else

Hou YI: Its time small creature

Mon: indeed sir Yi......... MY INSTINCTS ARE TOP NOTCH!

As Mon hollered this abnormal comment, Hades stayed perfectly still while Chang'e did a perfect twirl

Mon: *wink* there you have it

Hades: what?

Hou Yi: *smirks* indeed

Hades: pardon?

Chang'e: *giggles*

Hou Yi: NOW MY LOVE!

SUNBREAKER!

Chang'e:  RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

WAXING MOON!

Hades: AGH THE PAIN,  I CAN'T MOVE ! NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ! NO! STOP! IT BURNS!  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Chang'e and Hou Yi unleashed their ultimate abilities in glorious fashion and timing! Crescent blades flew from Chang'e's kimono, cleaving through Hades's being and stunning him in place! Meanwhile 8 molten suns come crashing down where Hades stands practically incinerating him on the spot! This volley of fire goes on until the dust clears leaving the god of the afterlife in such a state that his only salvation is death and a quick return to the realm he left. "D-*COUGH*-damn you" Hades whimpered as he tried to reserve what life and energy he had left. Hou Yi being the chivalrous individual he was spared Hades's from his arrows point so that he could speak one last time. "H-how *cough* d-did you know?" Hades asked sincerely.  "Elementary" Said Mon, "these Jade eyes of mine can see who has consumed the potion of immortality and unlike you Hades, these two  practically looked like they were glowing". "....I see.... guess in the end that "light" was never meant to be mine after all...." Hades replied sullenly. " Well, anyway last words O' god of the underworld" Hou Yi said in snarky manner followed by Chang'e giving him a light smack for being petty. "Just five" Hades responds in kind, "See you in the underworld, ahahahahAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHMUUHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAhhaha...hhaa.hh...aa..........."

The ominous glowing miasma that constantly flowed from Hades's form began to dissipate, eventually his entire being began to disappear until not even his presence remained. After Chang'e and Hou Yi finished watching Hades fade out of existence, a plan thousands of years in the making was finally coming to fruition. Chang'e and Hou Yi simply turned, held each other in their arms, and a simple conversation ensued.

Hou Yi: ......So, any ideas? we might be on this rock for awhile

Chang'e: a few.....but you'll never get to know them until I say so <3

Hou yi: Ha! i'm a pretty patient man as you can see!

Mon: Yep! say no more! if you need this bunny he'll be in the cave!

Mon hops away as fast as possible realizing he's a third wheel

Chang'e & Hou Yi: ......pfttHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Chang'e: sure, sure, anyway I believe there is a thousand-year monologue we could never quite address. *smiles* care to help me?

Hou Yi: *grins* of course......... Chang'e, where are you?

Chang'e: Here I am Hou Yi. I'll be right here beside you, Always and forever.

.......yes they kissed, Happy?!

-Fin-

[pathfindersemail]

I will quote you bc im afraid of messing it up: "Annoyingly enough, most self-doubt and insecurities their characters express are rooted exclusively to the LI, which I find highly problematic. As opposed to, say, the LI bringing out (by way of the need to change their relationship because the protag is not helping their relationship or if that LI is a dick) these pre-existing doubts and insecurities (which IMO is much more interesting)." I'm mostly confused with the last sentence.

Oh I see! Got you nonny. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna use a Reyder example LMAO! (I’m not obsessed...)

So I kind of like find it weird when r characters are only like... unsure or insecure about themselves if an LI is about to leave them. How many Ryder fics have I read where Ryder is scared to death that Reyes will leave them? Or, conversely, Reyes is scared to death Ryder won’t accept him for who he is? 

Now this reaction is completely natural in any imminent breakup setting (and can be in fact interesting as I have used it as a plot point), but what isn’t natural (much less interesting) is the utter lack of pre-existing insecurities and doubts that contour the resulting fights, arguments, and heartbreak.

Reyes is compelling to me because any sense of tragedy he feels should Ryder leave him stems from an already-existing insecurity he has with himself. If you did a PT where you break up with Reyes, you find out that he doesn’t connect the breakup with an existential crisis (neither explicitly nor implicitly). However, he does connect the breakup with his already-existing doubts about being able to find someone who accepts him for who he is. 

Ex:

Ryder: you’re not the man I thought you were.

Reyes: I wanted to be

And you know what fucking happens after?!

Ryder: So what now?

Reyes: We get to work

He affords himself a millisecond of authenticity and vulnerability before quickly resuming his mask as the Charlatan. This guy no longer wants to be that safe and vulnerable with someone who rejected who he was, and it almost as if he feels like Ryder confirmed his self-doubts in breaking up with him.

In the other scenario where a Ryder expresses doubt about their relationship with Reyes, I’ve seen instances where they lament the prospect of abandonment and being toyed with because of Reyes, which imo puts the fault unfairly and squarely on Reyes. 

The one fic I can think of that does this very well in connecting a troubled relationship with Reyes with the Ryders’ specific and pre-existing insecurities about their competence, morality, etc. is Substitute with Molasses by snappleducated or @smartalker:

They break up when Liam takes a shot to the arm. He'd gotten it by jumping in front of his Pathfinder, probably saving her life, as a woman in old armor and older skin swears, reloads. The reports say she'd gone down screaming about the Charlatan's whore, the Initiative's lies. Five minutes on the net show that her son hadn't survived cryo.

As usual, Ryder takes it hard. She spends the night arguing, kissing, breaking free of him. When she gets drunk enough she won't stop holding her arm, the same place Kosta had been shot. When it's just getting to early morning he coaxes her to bed and she lies awake facing him, her expression uneasy, a mess of contradictions.

“What if I had just been a regular person?” she baits him. She’s always baiting him, testing her safety nets. “I bet you wouldn’t have cared about me at all.”

Now, the subtext behind a passage like this, is that Ryder isn’t just worried/guilty about people under her command being hurt; she isn’t just upset that her intimacy with Reyes got other people hurt. Yes these things hold true, but what the writer ultimately reveals is that the Pathfinder doesn’t really regret paying this price to be with Reyes (”as usual”... how many times has this happened?!). What bothers her is that, in order to undo all the damage she believes she caused, she must go back to being normal or a “regular person” - a person she believes Reyes has no interest in. 

“What if I had just been a reegular person?” she baits him

My god what a powerful action word. She is baiting, which speaks volumes about her feelings of guilt, self-awareness, and pre-existing doubts about who she is as the Pathfinder and who she is as just “Ryder.” The two are held in tension throughout the short story, and it is only when she is alone with Reyes does it unravel. Why? Because he, as the LI, brings out these insecurities, one of which is her inability to dissociate herself from her political role, identity, and responsibility. 

I actually super recommend this fic for being able to weave together two messed up people and how their beautiful relationship brings it out to make something worthwhile and better.

I hope this clears up what I mean about characters who are insecure BECAUSE of their LI vs characters who have always been insecure and their LI brings it out (to cope or to exacerbate). I find the latter more interesting because it progresses plot, for one, and it also gives the protag room to grow apart from the LI.

Thanks again!