#god rest their poor soul they were so confused

[bad-and-drawn-that-way]

Omfg I ate that Vox fic up! The one where he hypnotized the reader after a long fight of them nearly being taken from him. Can you do a part 2 please? Like when the reader eventually learns he basically forced them to sign the contract and they find a way to be immune to his hypnosis? He goes absolutely nuts despite literally owning their soul. He's canonically a control freak and seems to even have some yandere traits. I hope I'm not going against your rules! You don't have any posted so I just wanna ask! Thank you for being awesome! :D Don't hesitate to turn down this request. Write what makes you feel comfortable. Just please respond so I and everyone else knows not to make a similar request in the future. Lots of love!

ABSOLUTELY!! I did take this in a slightly different direction, but hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Lowkey thinking of doing a Vox POV of this later and maybe even a part three...

Vox isn't actually in this much, but I feel a loose actual plot coming together and this is what naturally flowed for me.

I hope y'all are ready for more angst... plus a cliff-hanger <3

More Than Anything Part 2 [Vox x Reader]

Part 1

Part 2.5

"You controlling prick!"

Vox ducked as you threw a pillow at him. Even in your righteous anger, you'd never actually truly try to hurt him, but by god were you pissed.

Despite Vox's obvious disdain for the Hazbin Hotel and its association with Alastor, you visited the hotel occasionally to catch up with your friend Angel Dust and give some much-deserved love to his pet pig Fat Nuggets. It was during one of these visits that you ran into Alastor, who immediately looked at you with disgust in his ever-present smile.

"Really now, my dear," he said as he shook his head in disapproval. "It's already enough of a shame that you have such poor taste in a romantic partner, but to give your soul to him as well? I thought you were smarter than that."

The overlord could see the aura of Vox's ever-annoying electric cords locked around your soul like chains. You'd been confused and his eye twitched with annoyance as he realized what Vox had done to you. To say you were livid after he explained that you'd been tricked was an understatement.

"Y/N, I'm sorry," Vox pleaded as you fumed at him in his room. "But you left me no other choice! You weren't listening to me and if I didn't bind your soul, then Satan knows what could have happened to you by now."

"Just because you don't fucking believe in my ability to look out for myself doesn't mean you get to just take my soul!" You screamed with hot, angry tears flowing down your face. You wipe at them, only crying harder at the frustration of the tears you couldn't control in your anger. You felt like they undermined your emotions.

Vox's magic sparked around him as he tried his best not to get angry and start a fight with you. He was terrified and was that much more susceptible to his angry tendencies in moments like these. It took everything in him to try and calm himself, not wanting to push you away further. His heart dropped and his blood ran cold as he saw you pull a large bag out of the closet and start shoving clothes into it.

"W-Where are you going?" Vox panicked as he crossed the room.

"The hotel," you said with quiet fury, as you stepped away from the closet and went to the nightstand with your personal things on it. "I need some space and it's the one fucking place I know you'd rather die again than follow me to."

"Ŷ̸̪͕o̸̢̿̿ū̷̫ ̶̬͂c̶̺̾͂a̴͒͘͜n̴̫̂̔'̶̡̉t̶͙̝̄͒," Vox said, his voice starting to glitch as his panic increased. "You've heard the news, the extermination is in a week and the angels plan on attacking there first. There's no guarantee they'll keep to the date after how much little miss dumbass pissed off heaven. It's not safe there."

You pull your bag over your shoulder and the look you gave him will haunt him for the rest of his afterlife. "It's safer than here."

It breaks him all the more when you shield your eyes from him and storm past him so he can't hypnotize you into staying. Vox is paralyzed with fear like never before. He wanted to scream, to beg, to stop you from leaving him, but he couldn't do anything as his system glitched so hard it forced him into a reboot. When he came to, he was alone. You were gone.

--

Charlie was more than willing to let you stay at the hotel. The two of you hadn't had the chance to really ever speak before, but she was always friendly when you came to visit Angel, even after you explained to her there was no way you'd be able to become a guest.

In exchange, you were happy to help set up the defenses against the extermination. You got to know all of the other members of the hotel and the work helped you push down the burning ache in your chest.

Vox had been trying to contact you nonstop. You eventually turned off your phone, driven insane by the wall of notifications of him begging you to respond in any way. He knew you were okay for the time being. He was literally connected to your soul. But as the extermination day grew closer, his panic only increased. If it wasn't for Valentino and Velvette holding him back, there were several times he genuinely would have set aside his pride and come to the hotel just to get you.

It was after helping Husk and Cherri put up a particularly tricky barrier with the dwindling supplies that Angel found you taking a break. He passed you a water which you took gratefully as he slid down the wall and joined you on the floor.

"So," he started. "Are we going to ever talk about the reason why you're hiding out here?"

"Do we have to?" You groan, running your fingers through your hair. Despite the smiles and laughter you'd been sharing with your newfound friends as you all prepared for the potential end of it all, the dark circles on your eyes gave away what was lurking underneath.

For as angry as you were at Vox, you missed him. You missed feeling him curl against you in bed. You missed being woken up at unholy hours early in the morning because Vox couldn't start his day without giving you a kiss and telling you how much he loved you. You missed his shitty taste in shows and how he'd collapse into your arms after a long day at work.

Angel sighed, looking at the boarded-up lobby. "Look I may not get it, but you love the guy, right? Are you really content with possibly dying in a couple of days for a cause you're not even a part of, just because you're pissed with him?"

"He stole my soul, Angie" You frown at him.

"And that is fucked up as hell," he agrees. "But I know you and I know there ain't no way in hell you're actually satisfied leaving shit like this."

"I just-," you start before groaning. "How the hell are we supposed to come back from this? I doubt he'd ever void the contract. He's too convinced he's right for that."

Angel sighed, setting his own cup aside. "Honestly toots, you're not gonna like it, but... He kinda has a point."

You whip your head up to look at him and he holds up his hands defensively. "Not saying that stealing your soul was the right call. Believe me, if anyone gets how fucked it is having your soul controlled by a sociopath with a big ego, it's me. But you're not exactly in the safest of places, dollface. Not to mention, you're dating an overlord who's in a trio determined to piss off as many big shots as possible. His mind may not be in the right place, but his heart kinda is."

You take Angel's words to heart and sigh as you bury your face in your arms. "I hate it, but you're right... I just... I don't want to hold him back. I don't want to be the person that needs to be protected. I want to be his equal, not his problem."

"Then tell him that," Angel sighs. His gaze drifts to the bar and smiles fondly. "Someone recently has taught me how important being real with yourself is. It's okay to be flawed. No one got stuck in this shithole cause we were perfect, y'know?"

He nudged you with a grin as he added, "Plus, come on. Can you imagine how many bitches in hell would kill to have a sexy fucker that wants nothing more than to love ya and keep ya safe? I love you toots, but for fucks sake, pick a struggle."

You snort, shaking your head as you lightly swat at his arm. "Fuck you for being right about shit all the time."

"It's one of my best assets," Angel smirked. "Y'know, aside from all the fluff."

You laughed as he puffed up his chest and by the end of the evening, you'd decided to head back. As much as you loved Angel and wanted nothing more than to be by his side as the extermination drew near, he had a point. This wasn't your fight and there was a controlling dumbass that had been blowing up your phone ever since you left that was praying for your return.

After exchanging promises to see each other after the extermination, you left the hotel. You had an idiot to see.

[obxthornton]

Kitty Kat - Wolverine/Reader

Summary: Wade's friend comes into town

Warnings: Sexual humor, Sexual references 

A/N: smutty part 2?

WC: 897

Logan sat on the couch, arms crossed as he stared at the TV, watching whatever trash reality show Wade had put on. Wade however was in the kitchen, passing around and making small noises of excitement. Logan closed his eyes and sighed, realizing he would cave to what the man wanted. "What?" he responded to the man's actions. Wade giddied with glee at the chance to speak freely, "Wolvie I'm just so full of emotions, do I look okay? Be honest." He walked in front of the tv, and motioned down at his outfit, wearing khaki shorts and a beach button-up. "you look awful." Logan said honestly, Wade smiled and nodded, "Perfect she'll love it." Logan rolled his eyes at the man, "Who Wade? Please tell me you are not going on a date with a poor girl dressed as a tiki hut waiter," his voice insulting the man on his choice of clothes. Wade shook his head, "My precious Kitty Kat, she's just staying the weekend, so there's no need to feel threatened by my best friend coming. And if you want to fuck her, I'm sure I can move bits of my long sexual fantasy I have planned so you can enjoy her company as well," Wade sighed alittle, putting his hands on his hips and smiling. Logan rolled his eyes yet again, at the man's antics, alittle confused by the situation at hand, "I don't like cats." Wade gave him a thumbs up, "Perfect."

A proper knock came out the door, causing Wade to gasp, "She's here. Be on your worst behavior she will love that, god she's going to eat you alive." Wade let out another sigh as if he were daydreaming yet another knock snapped him out of it. He quickly walked towards the door before he threw it open. "Hello, my kitten whiskers!!" His voice said with glee. A small snicker came from the door that Logan could hear, "Hi Wade, miss me?" She said. Her voice was laced with something that Logan couldn't figure out but it made him shift on the couch. "Silly question you know I did y/n." Footsteps carried her farther into the room, she looked around the place, "You look nice." This time logan could pinpoint what was laced in her voice, a patronizing undertone. Wade let out a jittering, sexual breath, "thank you." The footsteps stopped and she turned around to look at Wade, her head cocked lightly, "Did you get a dog?" Wade smiled largely, "That's just logan. Not a dog but defiantly close enough." He said dismissing the girl. Y/N turned around and sniffed once more, her eyes following the smell to the couch. "oh you shouldn't have Wade." She stated pursing her lips at the man, "he didn't." Logan huffed, interjecting into the conversation about himself, pushing himself off the couch. "a big dog," She corrected herself. He turned and looked at the girl, crossing his arms. She stood there in an all-black outfit, her bag held tightly in Wade's arms. She was smiling, smirking even, her eyes piercing into Logan's soul. He regretted standing up. She slowly walked up to the man, scanning over every ounce of his body. "The Wolverine," She stated the fact. "I must have been an awfully good girl to be under the same roof as you," Y/N said raising an eyebrow at the man. Logan stared down at the girl, "I must have been awful." She flashed her pearly teeth at him, "we can only hope." He rolled her eyes at the women, looking over at Wade who had a giddy look on his face. 

Logan was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a finger rub over his bicep. He looked down unamused, to see y/n running her fingertip up his arm. She eyed the area where she was covering thoughtfully as if she was searching for something. Her finger carried up to Logan's neck, and he was over the little game she was playing. He went to move her hand away but she had rested her hand behind his ear and scratched once with her finger. Logan's claws protracted causing her to smile, she went to move her hand down but Logan grabbed her wrist, his claws still out. His face was angry and his grip was tight, "how the hell did you do that." She grinned up at the man before protracting her own claws. They were thinner and shorter than logans, coming out from under her painted fingernails, resembling long cat claws. "we all have a place that just does it for us," She stated. "I won't tell you where hers is." Wade chimed in, a big smile covering his face, "But I will tell you it rhymes with slit. Or I guess that could be the same thing." Y/N rolled her eyes lightly at her friend before looking back up at Logan, who had dropped her wrist. They both retracted their claws, Y/N smiled, "Oh we're going to have fun. I've always wanted a dog." Logan scoffed, crossing his arms, "I'm not going to be your dog." She turned around and walked towards the spare bedroom, Logan's room, Wade following with her bag. A sigh caught in Logan's voice, "That's, my room." He could practically hear her grin, "Whatever you say, baby." She called out before slamming the door behind her. 

[ozwriterchick]

Spencer Reid fic...

A/Note: This is my first Spencer Reid fic so please be kind. This fic is thanks to @navybrat817 who convinced me to give it a go when I had no faith in being able to write this loveable character.

Characters: Spencer Reid, Other BAU team members; Reader (1 mention of Y/N)

CW: Secret relationship; a bit of angst but not much; some fluff; happy ending; Spencer being a forgetful genius (yes, he's a warning); If i missed anything, let me know

W/C: Approx 2080

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

“Spence, you promised.” You sighed.  This was not the start to your morning you had expected.

Your fiancée, Dr Spencer Reid, lifted his head from his breakfast reading material with a confused look on his face.  He might be a genius with an eidetic memory and one of the main players in the FBI’s famed Behavioural Analysis Unit at Quantico, but he seemed to easily forget the most basic things.

His confusion only lasted until he saw the stack of envelopes in your hand.  “I was supposed to send those, wasn’t I?” he asked.

“They were supposed to go out a week ago Spencer.  The RSVP date is next week!” you reiterated.

“I’m sorry Maat, I’ll send them today.”

You blushed, after all this time, the pet name he gave you when he found out your job and obsession still works on you.

On your 2nd date, Spencer asked what you do for a living.  This led to a deep discussion about your work as a librarian at the Smithsonian and your overpowering obsession with all things ancient history.  In particular, the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, Rome & Greece.

His question of which were your favourites didn’t take long for you to answer.

“Well,” you began “My favourite god is Anubis.  He’s the jackal-headed god of the Egyptian Afterlife and mummification and that kind of thing.  Without Anubis, none of the Pharaohs could enter the eternal afterlife.  He weighed their souls and guided the dead, rich and poor, into the Afterlife.”  You realised he’d gone silent and that maybe you’d just word vomited at him and had probably said Afterlife way too many times. You hoped you hadn’t scared him off.

You looked up at him and opened your mouth to apologize, when you saw such a look of awe on his face that you hadn’t seen on a date in a long time, well if you’re being honest, you’ve probably never seen it.  He’d tell you on the day he proposed that his is when he fell in love with you.  When he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you.

You then, in much fewer words, told him your favourite goddess was Gaia, the Greek goddess of the Earth.

Spencer resolved, at that moment, to read everything he could about these gods and goddesses so he could converse knowledgeably with you.

After he'd done his research, which involved speed reading everything he could find, he decided you were his Maat.  Maat is the goddess of Justice, Harmony and Balance.  When he called you this for the first time, you asked why.  He simply replied that you bring Harmony and Balance are what you bring to his life, it’s what you are for him.

“You’re probably best giving the ones out at work you know, you see them every day.”

He looked at you hesitantly.

“Or are you still not wanting them to know about me?”

This was a small point of contention in your relationship.  Early on, you understood Spencer wanting to keep you safe from the pitfalls of his job.  However, now you are engaged, you thought he’d bring you into that part of his life more.

You know he wants the team, as his pseudo-family, at the wedding, but achieving that would involve actually telling them about you.

Suddenly a plan formed in your brain.  You were glad Spencer’s attention had returned to his breakfast and reading material and he wasn’t looking directly at you, so he didn’t catch on that you were plotting something.

“No, I promise you it’s not that.  There’s just so many important things running through my head at any one time.  I just forgot.”

“Oh, more important than marrying me?” you enquired, a little bit jokingly but also, a little bit seriously.

“Don’t be like that my love, you know that’s not it at all.  I love you so much, I can’t believe I’m the lucky guy that gets to call you my wife soon.”

“I know, it’s just sometimes, I wonder.”

“Well, don’t.   Give them to me, I’ll put them in my satchel now and in the post box on my way to work.”

“Nope, I’m going to send them.  At least that way I know they’re gone and you’re not trying to stall this wedding.”

“Sweetheart” he began, “I’m not stalling.  But if it makes you feel better, then go for it.  At least give me the ones for the team and I’ll give them out today when I get to the office.”

You filtered out the invites for his team, handing them to him and putting the rest in your bag. 

A few minutes later, as he was leaving for work, you gave him a quick peck on the cheek, reminding him that it was his turn to cook tonight.  You smile at the roll of his eyes, he’s not a bad cook but you can guarantee it will be takeout tonight.

You rang Spencer on your lunch break.  He usually took lunch around the same time of day as you, so you knew you could have a conversation without issues of people being around or listening in.  This happened most days he was working in the Quantico office.

During the call, you asked him how his team had reacted to the invitations. You were pretty confident he hadn’t given them out yet and this was all part of the plan.

After he left this morning, you noticed he had, once again, left the envelopes on the kitchen table, forgetting to put them in his satchel.  You knew he hadn’t given them out because he couldn’t, but that also means he hadn’t even tried yet.

“Oh, I haven’t had a chance to give them out yet because…”

“Spencer Walter Reid, I am sensing more and more that there’s something else going on.  If you want to postpone, or cancel, this wedding, you better tell me know.”

Spencer couldn’t believe you would think that, more importantly, he couldn’t believe he’d made you think that.  He knew what the fallout could be of everyone knowing about you and he was just hesitant about that.

"Maat, my love, I’ve never once been hesitant or unsure about marrying you.  It is a big thing, everyone knowing about you, putting you in the line of fire, as it were.  It’s just that massive change that is making me nervous.  Not you.  Not getting married, Never that.”

You sighed loudly. “I believe you Spencer, I just need you to back it up with actions love.  Just promise me they’ll all have their invitations by the end of the day?”

“I promise you, I will give them out today.”

About an hour later, you walked up to the Quantico building asking for SSA Aaron Hotchner, with the envelopes in your bag.  You’d mailed the rest of them, or given them out at your work this morning.

Aaron came down and confirmed your security clearance with the front desk and asked why you didn’t just let Spencer know.  You told him that you’d been waiting on Spencer to give out some invitations and he kept forgetting them so you figured you’d have to do it yourself if you wanted it done, and probably as a surprise.

You hesitated when the lift doors opened on their floor. Were you doing the right thing forcing this to happen?  You didn’t want to irrevocably damage your relationship with Spencer by forcing the meet and greet with the rest of Spencer’s team.

You stepped to the side so that you couldn’t be seen from inside their offices.  “Is this wrong Aaron?” you asked him.  “Maybe I should just take them home and not force this meeting.”

“Listen, you know Spencer loves you, we both know he wants this, but I get why he’s hesitant about, well, sharing you with the team.  Sometimes I wonder, if Hayley hadn’t been exposed to this..”

“Hotch, Spence told me all about what happened, it wasn’t your fault.  I just don’t want to make him angry by forcing the team to meet me, but we are fast approaching the rsvp deadline for this wedding.”

“Do you want me to send him out here.  I really think he’ll be ok with whatever you do.”

“No, let’s do this….” You explain your plan to Hotch who grins like he’s masterminded the whole thing with you.

Hotch opens the door to the BAU offices and walks in with you beside him.  You can’t believe this is the first time you are seeing where Spencer works.  Of course you see the back of his head because his desk kind of faces away from the main doors.  He looks like he’s deeply concentrating on whatever it is that he is reading.

Some of the team members are milling around one of the desks and when you walk in with Hotch they look up to greet him and you see the startled looks on their faces.  They all looked at each other, then back at you and Hotch, waiting for someone to say something.

“Mornin’ Hotch” said the one you pretty much knew to be Derek Morgan.  From Spencer’s detailed descriptions of each person, you were confident you knew who each person was in the group.  “New team member?”

“No Derek.” Hotch replied.

“Well then hello gorgeous Mama” he grabbed your hand to shake it and lifted it to his lips to give you a kiss.

You could see Spencer out of the corner of your eye and he was just working out that a conversation was going on without him that maybe he wanted to be a part of.  You saw him turn around and realise who it was with Hotch.  The look he gave you was both priceless and stunned at the same time.  You could clearly see the confusion on his face as to why you were there.

He stood up hesitantly raising his eyebrows at you.  You gave him a small smile so as not to give anything away.

“Well, I have some invitations for you lovely people to an upcoming event that you might want to attend.  So I came to give them out because my.. ummm.. assistant” you said pinning Spencer with a glare, that none of the team seemed to catch.  “Kept forgetting to post them.”

Spencer heard what you said and his brain was even more confused.  How could you have the invitations, he’d brought them with him that morning.  He lifted his satchel and opened it, realising he had, once again, left them at home.  He looked up at you, suitably apologetic in his glance and then put his head down, got up from his chair and made his way over to the rest of the group as you gave out the envelopes.

“Wait, you forgot Spencer.” Said the one you knew to be JJ.  A sort of best friend to Spencer, who you felt might be the one who felt the most betrayed that he hadn’t told her about you.

“Oh I didn’t forget Spencer” you said. “But maybe you should open the envelopes and you might see why.”

One by one the envelopes were opened and the shocked looks on their faces said it all, as they read:

‘You are cordially invited to the wedding of Y/n Y/l/n and Spencer Reid’

Derek turned to Spencer “Pretty Boy, you dirty dog.  You’ve been gatekeeping this gorgeous woman for how long?”

Spencer walked over to you, put his arm around your waist and replied “Oh, for about 3 years now” he happily turned and gave you a peck on the cheek.

“And you’re getting married?  Spencer, why didn’t you say anything” asked Garcia.

“And why are we only just now meeting her?” JJ again.

“Well, you know with everything, Spence thought it would help keep my safe if as few people as necessary knew about me but, as you can see from those invitations, we’re fast coming up on a certain day that you guys can’t miss.  Please say you’ll all come.  We would so love to have you there and I’d love to get to know all of you better.”

There was a chorus of yes, and of course, and Derek even put in a “try and keep me away”

You were so happy that this had gone well and that Spencer didn’t seem angry at all and that all of his work colleagues really wanted to know you and help celebrate your wedding in a few weeks.

Taglist: @wolfbeanpotion

Let me know if you want to be added.

[base0h]

Hii! How was your day? Can I please get Sabo, luffy and ace? If you can, please add shanks! It's okay if not! Can you please do them with their s/o waking them up, but they just wouldn't? So the s/o says "Wake up my boyfriend's here!" To prank them? Thank you!

a/n - I totally died I’m sorry lmao 💀 oml this idea is everything anon- thanks for requesting!!

Warnings ⚠️ - g/n reader, crack as always

- it’s not a surprise luffy just- won’t wake up unless you say food is ready, or that there’s an island in sight .-. very heavy sleeper, won’t wake up if there’s a firework in his room 💀 (I’m not joking you’ve tried this.)

- well today was the day, you’re gonna prank Luffy, isn’t that fun? 😂 you got nami to play along with this.. She was gonna be the one knocking on the door 👀 all that was left was to just sleep with him like normal!

- “goodnight y/n!!”

- “Night luffy >:)”

- the amount of effort to just stop yourself from laughing was incredible- you were practically tearing up just from struggling not to laugh and giggle.

- IT WAS MORNING.

- cue the knock on the door (thx nami) you frantically shook poor Luffy awake, smacking his face just to get one of his eyes half open. “Huh??? What??” Man was so tired 💀

- “Luffy get up! My boyfriend’s here! GET UP! INTO THE CLOSET RIGHT NOW-!” You shouted, shoving him out of bed. Poor man was not awake at all so he literally just went into the closet as you instructed. Your plan had backfired because now he was just sleeping in the closet.

- … “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” -you

- “y/n I warned you of how dumb he is.” -nami

- about 8 hours later (it’s now past 3pm) he stumbled out of the closet, rubbing his eyes and yawning with a grin. “Where’s y/n? She said her boyfriend was here! I wanna meet him!” (Omfg Luffy)

- man literally didn’t get the prank. HE DIDNT UNDERSTAND- (I’ll calm down) he skipped around, finally finding you helping Nami harvest some oranges. “Y/n! Where’s your boyfriend? You said he was here right? What’s he look like? Is he strong?” He asked with excitement.

- the way you and nami were just looking at each other oml: why

- “Luffy. You’re my boyfriend.”

- “yeah I know that! I’m not dumb-“

- “…HUH?!”

- “YOU SAID YOUR BOYFRIEND WAS HERE-?!”

- “LUFFY IT WAS A PRANK!”

…

- “Aw man so he isn’t here?”

- “YOU BETTER RUN BEFORE I KICK YOUR ASS STRAIGHT INTO THE FUCKING OCEAN DUMBASS.”

- you chased him for about 30 minutes before you finally calmed down, and then he understood.

- “WAIT YOUR BOYFRIEND?! I’M YOUR BOYFRIEND Y/N!”

- “IM FULLY AWARE LUFFY.”

- “THEN WHY DO YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND?!”

- kicks him into the ocean

- now here with sabo, it’s once in a blue moon where you’re the one waking him up. It’s NEVER that way, it’s always him dragging you out of bed at the literal crack of dawn. He’s an old man, give his poor soul a rest and some coffee 💀

- BUT- this one time, since he was exhausted, you were the one waking him up. Poor man’s hair was having a bad day, it was literally standing up straight like goku’s hair lmao. You started by gently tapping him, and when that didn’t work. You nudged him, “Sabo-? Cmon wake up, we have to go eat so we don’t miss the briefing!” You said hurriedly.

- He was just out like a rock. He wasn’t even budging, so you had to resort to more desperate measures. Yelling his name, tapping his cheeks, holding him by the shoulders, and even blowing and air horn into his ears.

- “SABO.”

- sabo: peacefully having nice dreams

- finally, you had the perfect idea… And if this didn’t work? God you might just decide to make dragon or koala do something. “My boyfriend’s here! Get up! Hurry!” You shouted, grabbing his arms.

- “wha- huh???” He said, his eyes barely being able to open. You dragged his sleepy ass out of bed, over to your closet. “Y/n what are you doing???”

- “my boyfriend’s here now get inside before he sees you!” You said, opening your closet door. He was so tired, dehydrated, exhausted, and most of all? So fucking confused.

- “wait- but- I thought I was your boyfriend…? Right? Was it all just- a dream? Did I dream all of it?!” He was on the verge of tears. Oh god you fucked up. You gave him a hug, “No- no! Sabo it was just something I used to wake you up… You’re my boyfriend.”

- poor guy was sniffling, trying to hold back his tears, you’d never do this again because you didn’t think his heart nor yours could take it. You never want to see poor sabo cry again 😭

[voltronisanobsession]

You know what, I’m going to warn you from now, you’re going to get a lot of Percy x reader requests form me (not that I can blame myself) so without further ado… Can I request a Percy x Melinoe!reader?

Everyone knows how Nico is the ghost king, but can you imagine Percy meeting and falling head over heels for a daughter of Melinoe? She may as well be a living ghost queen because of her control over ghosts.

I imagine she shows her love for him in strange ways since regular lovers give each other flowers and chocolate, what the reader does? She shows up in his nightmares and battles off any monsters giving him trouble. She also did something weird for Valentine’s Day, but I’ll leave that up to your imagination 😉

Maybe she even has magic, to smaller extent to the Hecate cabin? (Blame Hades II and my love for magic for that idea), I don’t know, I can just see her having a lot of tricks up her sleeves.

(I’m sorry for making this so long.)

Percy with a Child of Melinoe

I’m always ready for these Percy jackson requests, keep them coming😻😻😻 you literally be dropping the most COOLEST REQUEST LIKE DDAAMMMNNN I LOVE UR BRAIN

Also I’m so SORRY it’s super long, always write too much but I can’t help it😭😭 for some reason I need to have some loose story when writing anything😭😭😭

Ok so I headcanon any child related to any underworld gods/goddesses usually have like dark eyebags, so Percy meeting Reader for the first time kinda freaks him out. A lot.

Reader just emerges from the darkness of the forest with shadowy figures following close behind, bro really believes that his soul was chosen to be reaped because the way they would look at him with dead eyes LMAO💀💀

But you were just walking around. In the dark. Lowkey talking to yourself until you saw Percy

I think Percy would find reader very odd at first, considering all the other people he’s met

Their dark eyebags and dull appearing skin makes them look like a walking corpse, and the way that they would just be lurking in the shadows, kinda talking to themselves would make him raise an eyebrow

But he didn’t know that you were just talking to the ghosts surrounding you, all of them yapping about ‘unfinished business’ they have

Reader would often be seen around camp looking a bit jittery, almost like they’re hiding from something but you’re just trying to avoid the ghosts that won’t leave you alone

“Shh shh, fine I’ll help you Jonathan. But later, people are looking at me again. Now leave me alone, oh gods Percy is walking over, leave leave!”

Since no one can seem these ghosts reader can see, Percy genuinely thinks you’re just off your rockers

Until you reveal how you’re mother is Melinoe, goddess of ghosts (he would be confused at first since he probably had no idea who that was💀💔)

OMG WAIT

Imagine Melinoe!Reader can like allow people to see ghosts if they’re touching them in some way!!! So to show the poor boy that you’re not crazy, your cold ass hands touch his arm and BOOM! Percy cannot believe all these ghosts just SURROUNDING reader

After that the rest is history

They both would grow so much closer since Reader finally chooses to fully trust in Percy as he accepted them and all their weird and scary abilities!!

Percy starts tagging along with reader when they go to take ghosts to the underworld, though Hades isn’t happy to see him most of the time

“It’s fine uncle, Percy’s just helping me.”

“How can he help you if he can’t even see the ghosts grabbing him?”

“Wait they’re grabbing me?!”

“He’s messing with you Percy.”

Reader and Nico would also be pretty close too

Since they’re able to summon ghosts, Nico sometimes asks if he can see Bianca, and they all sort of just have random get togethers in the middle of the night

Family reunions we love ‘em😍😍

Nico and Reader also shadow travel together whenever he needs someone to talk to

Melinoe!Reader would be a BIG gift giver, but they aren’t the most conventional gifts 💀

While some would gift flowers or plushies, reader would probably give him like wilted flowers and trinkets they claim would ward off unwanted spirits, and maybe even an authentic dreamcatcher too!!!!

Reader might even give him bones of small dead animals, which he accepts with a grimace on his face

“Wow ok! Um where did you find these exactly haha!”

“Oh you know, I was walking around the forest and began finding these small bones! Then I went further and found larger ones and then even larger ones! I would’ve taken one but it was too heavy, so you get the small ones.”

He would keep them in a glass jar that’s next to his bed though because it’s the thought that counts <3

He would also bring you SHELLS he finds whenever he’s by the the beach, sometimes even going to deeper waters to find the prettiest ones for your own collection🐚

Percy definitely carries a bag so you and him could put bones and shells in it to take home if you’re out of camp

I also would think that sleeping around reader would give anyone in their vicinity nightmares so they usually appear in Percy’s dreams to fight off any nightmarish monsters

At first he thinks he’s going crazy that he keeps seeing you in his nightmares until you explain that you can travel through dreams, hence why you’re basically in his brain now

Totally normal😁

AND FOR THAT VALENTINES DAY THOUGHT

I think Reader would think a good idea date for both of them would try summoning some kind of powerful ghost during the night for fun😭

Like at first Percy thought it was a cute picnic date and was like aww they’re so cute🥰 until he sees the ritual circle and is like what😀

He’s like super worried that your soul is gonna get possessed or something so he just keeps holding your hands to keep you grounded to the living world while you continue chanting and smiling

This dude can’t catch a break with you

During battles is when everyone around experiences what readers true power and magic is

While they may appear weird on the outside, them summoning ghost after ghost and making them solid life forms sends shivers and chills throughout every living persons body

It’s a really unsettling feeling tbh

So while Nico can summon the undead, you’re able to summon ghosts which makes you guys the perfect duo when fighting together

And they’re able to make their opponent hear the whispering voices of the ghosts around them which usually drives the fear factor up by a LOT

They could also sap any energy in their opponents body but they need to be touching the person which involves fighting in close range

I think Reader could also possibly drag out the soul of a living persons body, but it’s a theory since they haven’t fully tried going through with it

Also random thought but Melinoe!Reader loves going underwater with Percy because it’s the one place ghosts can’t follow them

So it’s just like, they can finally breath and not have a million voices demanding things from them

Percy is just super happy to help them in way he can

Plus it means he gets to spend more one on one time with you without having to worry about any ghosts watching their every move

Reader and Percy have matching rings that ward off any evil and vengeful ghosts

OH ANOTHER THOUGHT TO FINISH THIS OFF

Readers hands are super cold and I like to think Percy’s hands are super warm, so whenever they hold hands it’s like a clash that they both like

And when they hold hands, Percy is able to the world through Readers eyes

Which means that Percy kinda bullies the ghosts into leaving Reader alone for a while and getting some kind of privacy💀😻😻

Percy is super in love with this reader despite the unsettling vibes they can sometimes radiate

Reader is just happily digging up more bones to add to Percy’s growing collection :D

[bunji-enthusiast]

If I'm not bothering you then can you make a sonic exe x reader?

Where exe is able to leave and go back into the game anytime he wants and reader isn't scared of him at all after the first time they met

Then during a strong storm (no rain just strong winds and loud thunder) the whole house becomes black and exe tries to use that to his advantage to scare reader, with her famous chase around the house as reader is litting some candles on but of course he fails in scaring them so in the end they just end up cuddling together on the couch for the rest of the night

It's very simple it's just what I have on my mind for now sorry XD

Long Into The Abyss — Sonic.EXE

Note || that’s fine! A very neat idea :>

WC || 1,527

Sypnosis || Your a hard person to scare, he wonders how he can even deal with that. But soon enough he gives up on the idea.

The first time you had met him was the only time you truly were scared of your fluffy blue friend ridden with malice and lust for murder, though it was only upon those originally living in his world he had inflicted it upon. He thought it to be interesting to scare the hell out of you when your poor innocent soul came across his corrupted game.

Watching the way you panicked when trying to look for a way out for Tails was amusing, but when he had finally made his infamous appearance upon the screen. That was more amusing than anything, the way you screamed when he did. 

Now utter confusion just simply fills him when he realizes you aren’t as phased by his antics anymore, not even when he appears outside of the game in your house.

“What the hell?” He muttered when you continued playing various different routes of his game, he intentionally had created them on purpose to see if he could scare you again. Even then every time with your attempts to save Tails, Knuckles and even Eggman; you weren’t scared anymore. Just only cursing when you mess up.

“Dammit.” You curse under your breath when you're on one of the death routes, you kept forgetting about this specific one. 

“No no, no no-” 

The death screen appears, detailing the very specific death of your poor character. You wince in an apologetic manner for putting him through it again. “Sorry, I’m trying my best here.” He then decides to appear right next to you, swirls of glitches and blurriness permeating his arrival.  

“Oh hey!” You said, noticing him from the corner of your eye.

“How are you not afraid?” He interjects in a curious yet amused tone, sincerely he was curious to know how you can maintain such a calm and ready manner even while playing. The demonic hedgehog floats around you from behind, while he was albeit rude and murderous at times, he wasn’t about to break your concentration. 

“I dunno?” You shrug, before adding on, “I got used to it I guess.” He raises a brow, seemingly confused with the answer you gave. But only with humans could they actually answer this way, it would only make sense, he concludes. For a few moments he blinks, giving you an incredulous look nonetheless. 

“I see.”

Then he disappears into the air, leaving you alone in your own company once more. You were actually getting used to the bloody hedgehog, in a way. You wonder if he will come back around at all once again. “Too bad.” You shrug, turning your attention completely back on the game. You wanted to see what else you could find while you still were in the game, you thought he was interesting for even creating more routes.

You know this because you remember them all not being there near the beginning, since your first official meeting with the self-proclaimed god. 

“Alright Knuckles, let's see if I can do a better job with you.” You pause in your gait, feeling a little hopeless for continually failing them multiple times in a row. You wonder if you should just actually stop playing the game altogether, you caused them enough pain. 

‘Am I actually causing them pain? They aren’t even real.’ You thought to yourself, but this wasn’t anything new to you. You often just played games for fun, this one in particular wasn’t any different, even if it was a corrupted game file. 

You didn’t know what to do, but just searched far and wide – as extensively as possible. You grew up with them sort of, they were your childhood imaginary friends. There for you so that you didn’t feel so alone at recess, in school or just anywhere in general. Popularity was not your most dominant trait growing up, especially not now. 

But they were your friends, so was he. 

–

The whole storm threw you completely off guard, you just wanted to go back home. You got yourself caught in the middle of it when you dropped off something at a friend’s, you certainly didn’t expect it least of all during your way back home. But you were close to being there, that was the fortunate part of it. 

“Crap-” A strong wind nearly threw you off course, but you immediately corrected yourself and got back on track. Your house was appearing in view, finally you could pull back into the driveway. 

Once in the driveway, you turned your car off and opened the door, you suddenly got the wind knocked out of you when you left the car. You heaved as you caught your breath, trying your best to close the door then ran straight for the door. Even in the midst of it all, you were surprised that you managed to find your way back in the dark. 

The loud sounds of all the thunder didn’t help you though.

You yelped as another loud sound of crackling thunder resounded in your ears, this certainly by no means was a normal storm. This was a very harsh storm, you had to get inside.

“C-Come on,” You shook in the cold outside, fiddling with your key to unlock the door. It was a struggle that demanded concentration and patience, nothing of which you really had right now. “Sonuva- ugh.” Your lips pursed in tight posterity as you finally succeeded in unlocking the door. 

It made you question why you shouldn’t have just gotten one of those security locks, or even the padlocks would’ve just worked fine and dandy. 

You look around at your familiar house, finding the usual safety and comfort in it. Only problem being, the whole house was smothered in darkness. You could’ve sworn you left at least some lights on, you were aware you usually forget to turn them off before you leave, but they really would help in your predicament right now.

Your feet were light, you creeped around the house as if you were afraid something would suddenly jump out at you from beyond the dark. Sometimes you weren’t afraid of the dark, other times you were very afraid of the damned dark. Something flickered in the corner of your peripherals, causing you to jump. 

It felt like the ligament holding your eyes tightly in their sockets will just fall out from the way they had nearly bulged that far out. 

“Jesus christ-”

Only a few minutes had passed now, successfully lighting a few candles around the house. You definitely felt more comfortable and less afraid now. Suddenly you could hear a few thumps resound from behind you, you looked behind your shoulder to see it was him. 

“RUN.”

You absolutely didn’t need to be told twice, not when he was feeling particularly murderous right now. Dying this young was not on your bucket list, you took off and immediately grabbed the lighter to begin lighting every other candle in the house. 

Still, he had spoken while he chased you, “You're fast! Not bad at all.” You could hear that bone-chilling laugh echo throughout the halls. Still, you didn’t allow yourself to falter. 

NOPE, NOPE, NOPE–

You find yourself at the last candle you could find, and light it. You turn around to see the bloody hedgehog standing behind you, no longer possessing a ‘god-fearing’ appearance. He just looked innocent and rather small compared to you. 

He huffs and sighs, shoulders relenting in defeat. “You're impossible, you little gnat.” At his words, you chuckle and nod, crossing your arms with a tilt of your head, “So I’ve been told, can’t scare me easily with all this light now can you?” You stuck your tongue out when you finished speaking. 

“I suppose not.” He snaps with a very clearly annoyed disposition, legs folding into a crossed sitting position while his elbow laid to rest for him to rest his cheek on the palm of his hand. His other one tapped the end of his knee on his other leg. 

You shot a glare at the demon-possessed hedgehog, “Well don’t be like that, we could just maybe be cuddle buddies instead?”

One of his ears flicker at the possible insinuation in your offer, brows furrowing as he replied, “What kind of a ridiculous demand is that?”

Your head rolls around as if you were trying to bite back some sort of desperation spilling from your words, you inhale, mouth opened as you attempt to speak. Then you close your mouth, lips pursing in a bout of self-defeat. 

He notices this, his ears falling flat as he sighs. Voice glitching with a bout of nervousness, “Get on the couch.”

You let out a squeak of excitement, not having to wait for him to repeat it again you had already made your way there. You patted the cushion seat beside you, wanting not to wait another second. He wonders to himself why he even agreed to this in the first place, he wasn’t like this to anyone else who played his game.

So why do you seem so different? You were just another possibility of a victim.

But he gives in, climbing onto the couch with you.

[aviscarrentals]

Yelp • Chapter 1 ls2

masterlist previous chapter next chapter

words: 1.5k

warnings: cursing, implied off"screen" deaths, injury/blood, implied character death

notes: this first chapter is mostly just exposition (and a little sad i know), but at the very end you get a sneak peak of the action before everything turns totally cray. (there will be more defined logan x parker in the future chapters as well.) parker is supposed to be the "reader" character. i decided to use a gender-neutral name instead of y/n because that's not my thing. she/her pronouns and feminine descriptions are used, but her gender is not a major plot point at all, so you can totally still read this imagining parker however you want. i hope you enjoy!

“God, it’s so weird just going right back to school like nothing’s even happened,” Parker started.

“Yeah,” Logan agreed. “Five fucking kids are dead, but science! Calculus! English!” he finished mockingly.

“Well, four,” Oscar corrected him, Lily nodding along.

Logan let out a large exhale and nodded. “Crazy he survived that shit considering how fucked up the rest of them were.”

“Well, you know what they say about quiet kids,” Arthur chimed in. The other five immediately turned to look at him in confusion.

“What?” Fred questioned incredulously.

“What?” Arthur demanded. “They’re like actually really cool and badass and stuff.”

“Huh?” Logan inquired with a furrowed brow. “I thought the thing was that they’re like… kinky and shit.”

“Mate, what the fuck?” Arthur responded defensively. “Why would I say that?”

“Well, that’s like the thing people say,” Logan bickered. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, but I’ve never heard anyone say that in my entire life.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Arthur retorted, making them all burst out into laughter for a brief moment before they all returned to a somber silence when they remembered the conversation that led them here in the first place.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to walk you to class?” Logan pressed, his pleading tone making it obvious that he was asking for his own sake instead of his girlfriend’s.

“No,” Parker laughed him off, pushing his chin off of her shoulder and his arms from around her waist. “The health room is all the way on the other side of the building. You’ll be late. Again.”

“Yeah, well-” Logan began to protest before his newest complaint was interrupted by a loud crack behind him that made the both of them jump. They turned around to see Zhou Guanyu staring back at them guiltily.

“Sorry,” he started to apologize “I just dropped-”

“Oh, no, that’s okay,” Logan interrupted, as Parker reached down to pick up the textbook that fell from his locker.

“Thank you,” he said with a shy smile when she handed it back to him.

“No problem,” she reassured him, returning the expression. “It’s the least I can do, especially considering…” She trailed off, instead gesturing to his left arm which was fully encased in a sling.

After a moment of awkward silence, the girl spoke up again. “Um, what class do you have next? I can help you carry your things,” she offered.

“Bio,” he answered, “but it’s alright,” the boy quickly added. “It’s not far, I wouldn't want you to go out of your way-”

“No, that’s perfect,” she interrupted. “I’ve got psych first period, so I’m headed to the science wing too,” she explained, lifting the heavy load from his hands, right as the morning bell rang.

“Alright,” Logan said, leaning over his girlfriend’s shoulder to give her an instinctual kiss on the cheek. “I better get going. If I’m late to Mrs. K’s class one more time I think she might beat me to death with one of the CPR dummies.”

Parker immediately bore her eyes into her boyfriend’s soul at his word choice, the poor boy not remembering his audience until the words had already left his mouth. Looking like a deer in headlights, he simply turned around and scurried off.

“Sorry,” Parker apologized once she turned back to Zhou, embarrassed.

“It’s okay,” he said, chuckling.

“Shit, we better get going or we’ll be late too.”

“You guys know Zhou, right?” Parker asked the group in front of her as she led the incapacitated boy to her customary lunch spot under the oak trees in the school courtyard. The two were met with a chorus of “yeah”s and welcomes.

“I hope it’s okay that I sit with you guys today,” he asked timidly.

“Yeah, great to have you, man,” Liam assured him as Lily reached across the table to relieve Parker of the extra lunch tray.

“Didn’t we have trig together last year, mate?” Dennis piped up to ask him.

“Um… I’m not sure. I don’t think I would recognize you in class,” the bashful boy responded, leading to a roaring bout of laughter from the crowd.

“Goddamn! He got your ass, Hauger,” Jack said through a fit of childish giggles.

As the conversation continued, Parker couldn’t help but notice that one of the usual members of their crew was missing. “Hey, babe,” she said as she nudged her boyfriend’s rib to get his attention.

“What?”

“Where’s Paul?” she asked, concerned. “He said he was coming to school when I checked in on him yesterday,” the girl recalled.

“Yo, Bearman,” Logan called quietly to the younger boy sitting across from them.

“What’s up?” Ollie questioned, eyebrows raised.

“Have you seen Paul at all today? Did he change his mind about coming in?”

“No, he’s here,” Ollie informed the couple. “I think he probably just wants some time to himself right now. Usually…” he trailed off.

Parker and Logan nodded in understanding. Usually Paul wasn’t the only Aron present at the lunch table.

“How are you holding up?” Parker inquired, giving the boy’s hand a gentle squeeze. Paul had lost a brother, but Ollie had lost the next best thing. His best friend. “I’m alright, thanks for asking,” he replied a little too quickly, flitting his eyes away from the couple before abruptly turning to rejoin the ongoing conversation to his right.

Logan and Parker shared a sad glance, but decided it was better to leave the boy be. Paul probably wasn’t the only one who needed space.

“So,” Arthur’s voice rang out, gathering everyone’s attention. “We’ve got Wednesday off, what say you all we hang at my place tomorrow night.”

“OMG! Sleepover!” Jack shrieked in a high pitched voice, eliciting a few snorts from the kids surrounding him.

“Shut up, Doofus,” Arthur shouted at him playfully.

“That’s not my name, Lecdumbass,” the other boy snapped back, overdramatically rolling his eyes in jest.

“Anyways…” Arthur hollered over his friends’ audible amusement, attempting to gather their attention again. “Is everybody in? You too, Guanyu,” he clarified, to which the meek boy simply nodded, much to the others’ delight. “Awesome!”

As everyone else agreed to the plan, Jack interrupted once again. “Can’t. My parents have been totally freaking out over all this shit. You know how they are. So, unfortunately, the only party I will be attending is Doohan family game night hosted at 15 Fairview Road. Sorry, gang.”

“Well, hope you have fun playing Scrabble with Mummy tonight,” Liam teased.

“Yeah,” Dennis joined in sarcastically, “maybe if you’re lucky she’ll let you have a scoop of chocolate ice cream too. With sprinkles!”

“Alright, fuck you all, I’m out of here,” Jack countered, beginning to gather his things in perfect unison with the end-of-lunch bell.

“Bye-bye, Doofenshmirtz!” Parker called to the boy’s back.

“See ya when Mama Doohan lets you out of your cage again,” her boyfriend added with a big grin, made even wider when Jack simply flipped them off as he continued walking away.

Dennis had worked his ass off all summer. He wanted that spot on the team and he wanted it bad. So, in the month leading up to tryouts, he had to keep up his training. And if Coach saw how dedicated he was maybe that would benefit him too.

After another grueling workout under the hot September sun, Dennis made his way back to the empty locker room. He could smell, see, feel, and taste the sweat on his body, making him strip off his soaked through shirt before the door had even fully closed behind him. He needed a shower ASAP.

All of a sudden, he felt the air knocked out of his lungs as his back hit the ground, letting out a strident wheeze. He laid there for a moment, groaning in pain and sweating even harder than before. Wait, no. That wasn’t sweat���

The boy wearily lifted his head off the ground, still recovering from the harsh impact of his fall, only to see the entire floor of the room flooded.

“What the fuck?” he sighed out with the little breath he was able to collect.

He slowly lifted himself back to his feet, ignoring his spinning head, until he looked down at where he had been only to be greeted by a river of pink floating in the shallow water. He reached his fingers to softly touch the back of his throbbing head and was immediately met with an intense pain and sticky, red blood covering his hand.

The boy sluggishly stumbled forward toward the sinks in order to better assess the situation and clean his open wound. The only sounds he could make out were his laboured breaths and the splashes of his feet meeting the puddles beneath him. Splish. Splash. Splish. Splash. Splish. He paused for a moment as the world spun around him.

Splash.

But the sound of that extra step behind him didn’t register in time for him to save himself.

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[katsukikoi]

your so pretty

character; yuji itadori x f!reader + sukuna x f!reader

part 1 part 2

warnings; swearing

theme; Sukuna's past, yuji's crush. ( strong f!reader )

Itadori was new to the jujutsu world, he weaves around missions and finishes them quickly. Although, he can only do so much as a student.

So, since his “death” he has to stick with Gojo sensei.

He never minded, he actually rathers. He would happily do all of the tasks and missions the albino man gave him, with a smile.

“yes gojo sensei!” he would say, one hand with his thumb up, and the other on his hip. Unknowingly sassy.

He never could remember the pact he made with sukuna. Which made the poor boy drag his head in the mud.

Sukuna would often respond nonchalantly, always brushing him off and cursing him for being stupid. This would make the poor boy pout and huff, annoyed if anything. But, nonetheless he perseveres.

Gojo said he had a surprise for him, making the boy get excited hoping it was time to go back and re-reveal himself to the world.

"i have someone you need to meet!" gojo spoke, with a large smug smile.

"huh? i thought i wasn't allowed to see anyone.." he spoke, with a confused, but cute pout. He blinked like an innocent puppy.

"This one, wont make a peep." he winked, making the salmon haired boy even more confused.

"yuji-kun, meet your new best friend, y/n!!" he yelled out, opeing his arms out as he waited for her to appear.

"so, there is nothing there?" sukuna laughed, his eye opened under yuji's as he tried to slap him away.

"sorry i'm late, sensei. I got caught up." the girl spoke, walkimg into the door. Her jujutsu energy pouring out of control even sukuna could feel it deep in his soul. God, it felt so familiar to him. It felt like he yearned for it even after he was sealed.

There stood, a girl. Similar looking to gojo, a very small section of sleek white like hair on the front, the rest chocolate brown with golden strands in different places. Her eyes shined gold, the purest of the metal. Her eye lashes, long and thick, her lips, healthy and soft looking. Making sukuna gulp. He knew this woman, but where from exacting?

Yuji was a different story, the boy greeted her with a smile, telling her he like women like Jennifer Lawrence.

"nice to meet you, itadori-kun. Personally, i like men like senami shinazugawa." she bowed, much like he did. Her smile catching a sly fox look.

"woah! from the anime?" he spoke, excitedly.

"yes! you know it?" she excitedly giggled, looking up to the taller boy he nodded quickly.

"hmh! what episo-" before he could continue, gojo satoru laughed. Interupting them. " yuji, y/n. You two, are coming with me." he spoke, grabbing them both yuji by the hood of his jacket, while y/n bridle style. Making sure to cover her skirt from praying eyes.

“what? gojo satoru, are you using them for a human shield?” the cruse boredly spoke.

“hi! i hope you don’t mind :) i have students.” gojo smiled, brightly at the mt fuji curse.

“wah! he looks like mt fuji.” yuji spoke, grabbing y/n’s calf, in awe.

“hey brat, dont touch.” sukuna grumbled, his voice unheard as yuji ignored it. Still holding on to the poor girls leg as she glared at the curse.

“jogo? still looking homeless.” y/n spoke, a wild smirk on her face as she got out of gojos grasp to stand in the middle of the two men.

y/n clapped her hands, ready for a fight as a golden tattoo glowed, ready to be summed.

“neh, y/n. Hold back.” gojo smirk, petting the smaller girls head.

“eh!?” she spoke, huffing as she watched the scene play out.

As the girl zoned out, she didnt notice that the two of them, yuji and herself were currently falling to a spikey dead wood pile. “thats not good huh?” she spoke out a loud. she grabbed yuji as she moved her hand in front of her. “tsunami.” she whispered, summoning a great wave of water, destroying the pile of wood as she landed on top of the water. Carrying yuji bridal style.

“put the brat down. This is embrassing.” sukuna mumbled, sitting on his bones he watched interestedly.

Watching the girls every step, calculating her moves. He was tempted to keep all of his eyes open, just to make sure, but he decided against it. Thinking it was a waste of time.

———

“itadori, your curse-“ *smack* “energy is too high.” the girl spoke, reading a book next to him as she watched him get smacked for the 18th time.

y/n sighed, putting a book mark in her page as she stood up. She went behind the couch and patted the boys hair, making him blush and look up.

“ill get some food, kay?” she asked, making the boy smile, blush coating his cheeks as he nodded. “m’kay.” he squeaked out.

—-

“go yuji! you can do it!” she spoke, watching at the boy downed a weaker shinigami. Jumping for joy as she proudly taught him black flash.

its been 2 months since they got partnered up, not once has the king of curses made a peep.

until, “brat no.2 fight me.” sukuna’s mouth smirk, his eye glaring with blood lust.

“no, i wont let you.” itadori spoke, covering him. “sorry y/n-senpai.” he spoke shyly.

“sure sukuna. How many fingers you at? 4?” she asked, cracking her back and neck.

“extention.” sukuna spoke, smirking as he did so.

The tattoos filling yujis face as sukuna changed his look. y/n blushed abit as she looked away for a second before turning back to him.

She watched him come at her with full force like he did gojo. “i wonder.” she spoke, her long nail ripping her sleeve, “whale, of the jade chamber.” she spoke, a green whale the size of a large jelly fish swum around sukuna. Making him laugh, “really!? i overestimated you!” he laughed,

Y/n came at him with roaring speed, as fast as a full grown cheetah. Eyes shining gold, she let her knee fully hit his face. The whale growing more green as it amplified the hit breaking the mans jaw.

He groaned as he gripped his jaw, “you bitch.” he smirked, “i like it! more, give me more power!” he yelled, exitedly.

The girl tilted her head, as she watched the man pause sighing, and rolling his eyes. He let yuji return as he barked out in pain. “ouch!” he spoke, y/n rushed towards him, using her reverse technique to heal him.

“what happened?” he asked, thanking her.

“i.. sukuna happend.” she spoke.

—

“and i think thats the best episode we watched. Tengen is so flashy!” itadori gushed as he leaned on her chest has he cuddled her, so sweetly and kindly. so repectfully, and so innocent.

“hn! senami is better.” she spoke, playing with his hair letting her nails comb through.

They became close, this made her scared. Making her heart drop, what the hell did she do?

she stopped watching the series as she watched yuji, just looking at him made her heart flutter. “shit.” she mumbled, no one but sukuna heard. Not that she knew anyways.

The two teens stayed in that position until, itadori fell asleep. This caused the girl to yawn.

“you care for this vessel.” sukuna spoke, making the girl snap her head towards him. No longer was it yuji, but sukuna. Laying right where yuji was, unmoving.

“ha? i-“ she tried to lie, and look away, but she felt sukuna shift, making her move herself back, preparing herself for a future fight.

Sukuna looked at her, with praying eyes, a hunter; hungry for her blood. “tell me, bunny. why do you?” he grinned, stradding the girl, as she tried to calm her heart rate. She cant fight that well at night.

“so, what. why would you care?” she asked, as she watched him trail his fringers around her hip and collar bones.

She gulped as he became hyper fixated on this tattoos hands, a type of black dye coated his nails. She shivered, she continued to watch as they made contact. Sukuna moving her con with his finger, forcing her to meet his red crimson eyes.

“he doesnt deserve you.” he grunted out.

“what?” she asked.

—-

i hope you enjoyed, it was kinda shit ngl. But lmk if you like it!

dont repost my writing, translate, or rewrite.

Only, reblog, comment and follow. Sent requests too!

much love,

Atlas. 💣✨

[howlingday]

For you're jaune is hades au. I'm curious, what other powers does jaune have: A grimm form? Magic? Items of power? Authority?

Youve mentioned blue fire and he's created reapers.

"So, what exactly can you do?" Ruby asked, sitting across from Jaune. "Like, does you being here kind of put 'the balance of the natural order' at risk?"

"Well," Jaune chuckled, "at first, it would have, but I have reapers to take care of everything for me now."

"At first?" Qrow asked. "What was it like 'at first'?"

"Not good." Jaune said, a chill in the air not going unnoticed as he said it. "Before the reapers, I had to be there for everything. Every dead child in his mother's arms, every man of wealth begging for 'more time'." He shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to kill the mood. Ozma always said I was a downer to talk to."

"Gee, I wonder why." Yang said with a very nervous chuckle from her seat next to him. "Uh, what else can ya do?"

"I can make fire."

"You, too?"

"Well, it's kind of different." Jaune held out his palm and a blue flame flickered inside. Yang instinctively reached for him, only for his palm to shut and snuff it. "Don't touch it. It's probably the worst fire you'd ever touch."

"I can take it." She chuckled.

"No, you can't." Jaune rolled his eyes. "This isn't like mortal fire. It would burn away souls if it could."

"Like a fire in the soul?" She fingerbanged at him. He gave a groan in return. Of all the beings the Brothers made, it was always the ones with their sense of humor that were the worst.

"What else can you do?" Nora bounced in her seat across from Yang. "Can you turn into a Grimm? Use magic? Ooh, ooh, do you have an epic class loot or like a dominion power?!"

"I, er..." Jaune blinked, struggling for words.

"Nora, calm down." Ren placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, making Jaune smile a little. "But I am curious about your answers as well."

"Uh... Well, going in order; no, I can't; yes, but not without some consequences; I guess my sword would be 'epic class loot'; and I don't know what you mean by dominion."

"You know," Nora leaned closer, "like a... like a... like a mind-control superpower, or something. You're the god of death, so that would mean you're the god of souls! Ooh! The god of auras!"

"Actually, no." Jaune replied. "I can't touch control aura. Aura is a gift of the Brother of Light, so I can't do much besides whittling it down. And I'm not so much a god of souls as much as a guide of souls."

"Well..." Nora leaned back. "That's lame."

"Nora." Ren chided.

Jaune chuckled, along with the rest of the group. Well, everyone except Oscar. The poor boy was still so lost and confused. When Jaune's eyes cast over him, he flinched and looked away. He hated when people looked at him like that.

[creatchie8]

Yellow Soul: Chapter One

Mulberry

Summary: Trapped in a relationship with your high school sweetheart Perry is like a never ending nightmare of always stepping on eggshells. One winter break changes everything as you are reintroduced to his younger brother, Rhett. Looking for an escape, Rhett provides the perfect shelter you crave.

Chapter Summary: You return to Wabang with the intention of celebrating Christmas with your boyfriend, Perry. What you discover instead is much more than you would have ever dreamed.

Pairing: Rhett Abbott/Fem!Reader

Warnings: Minors DNI! No smut in this chapter, but there will be some later! Implied/Referenced Cheating!

Word Count: 7,000ish

Next Chapter - Masterlist

It’s really hard to know anyone else, isn't it? No matter how long you've known them. It's hard enough to know yourself.  

The heater was on full blast, a constant whirring noise that threatened to drown out the music playing. The hot air smelled like burning dust, the scent of your light blue air freshener fading away, the little tree swinging with the bumps on the road. The dark gray truck interior is starkly different from the wintry conditions on the road outside. Dirty snow was piled up high on the sides of the road, the man made mountains sure to be taller than you. 

Already you saw several unattended vehicles resting on the side banks, surrendered to the cold with orange tow tags hanging from the side mirrors. 

Drumming your fingertips on the steering wheel, you look at the digital clock on the dash. 

Five fifty-seven PM. 

You would be at the ranch in about twenty-one minutes, that is if your poor truck could survive another second on the slick road. The blue/green salt they sprinkled on the road was doing nothing to calm your nerves. You pushed the worrisome thought away, trying to think about how you couldn't wait to see Perry, and his family of course.

You hadn't been home properly in a few years, just brief visits for a day or two. 

When you tell people you grew up in Wabang, they look at you with confusion. Then, you explain it is a tiny little town, kind of by Lander, but more East. 

You would think the residents at the University of Wyoming would get the concept of tiny towns by now.

You were lucky to be there. Especially in a graduate program that you were almost done with. Leaving Wabang at eighteen was definitely a difficult decision though. You left your whole family, immediate and extended for Laramie, Wyoming. That also meant you had to leave Perry, who decided to stay and work on his family’s farm after graduation, now working at a local hardware store. 

You drove on the opposing side of the road to avoid a big ice chunk sitting in the middle of the path, cautiously returning to your side.

Perry made such an effort to see you, the relationship had been going for six years. 

Now, the dynamic was different. Not in a bad way, but in a way that made you know he was ready to settle down. Get married. Have you be his bride. Perry was rushing you to finish school so you could return to Wabang.  

The ranch land here was flat and familiar. 

You would be nodding along silently as he detailed how he wanted to take over the ranch, and he wanted to do it with you. It wasn’t like you were appalled by the idea, but it was a bit depressing to think of yourself barefoot and pregnant on a ranch in the middle of nowhere after getting your master’s degree. Possibly even living with his parents. 

Perry was so insistent on the idea, it was like he didn't want to give you a voice in the matter. 

But you loved Perry, right? Of course you did, because why would you still get butterflies in your stomach when your phone vibrated, showing his name on the screen? Or was that nervousness? You two were twenty-three for god sake, you had your whole life ahead of you to settle down and get married, why did Perry need to do it so fast?

Off handedly, you reached into the cupholder and turned on your phone, glancing down at the screen saver. It was you and Perry, a recent picture from the last time he came down to Laramie. He had his eyes closed, pressing a kiss to your smiling face with the Laramie Plains Museum in the background, the great house looking beautiful and regal. 

Maybe he was worried about losing you. 

You learned quickly that you couldn’t tell him everything while you were gone. Too many times you had just casually mentioned a man’s name (whether that was a friend’s boyfriend or a lab partner) and he would give you the third degree. 

Many times you would be sitting there on your bed, phone on speaker as you answered every question. Perry had like it was a mental checklist. Fiddling with the stitching of your jersey comforter, highly uncomfortable and on the verge of begging him to just drop it. 

He would get mad, possessive. You knew it wasn't a healthy response, but Perry had always been like this. 

All of your friends were highly jealous of you, constantly reminding you how lucky you are that you have him. They all would send you videos and pictures on social media of wedding dresses, you were pretty sure they had all figured out who was going to wear what in the event of your wedding.

Never would you think about telling them the doubts you had. 

From the front windshield, you could finally see the Abbott ranch through the snowy haze. There it stood in all of its rustic beauty, a thick blanket of snow heavily sitting on top and around all the surrounding fixtures and land. A few trucks sat near the house, all angled differently. 

There was that feeling of nervousness in your stomach again as you drove through their giant arch. The feeling settled itself deep in your stomach, gnawing at your intestines as you recognized all of the vehicles there. Perry was definitely here, and so was the rest of his family. You parked behind Perry. 

Even though his parents were against staying together after highschool because they didn't want it to end in heartbreak, you still adored them. 

Cecilia and your mom went to bible study every week and were devoted followers of Christ. It was often that your momma would drag you to their ranch with her bible in hand, toting other things like a casserole and maybe even a knitting project she was working on. They would laugh and laugh, hardly getting anything done because most of their time was consumed by gossip (which your mom had lots of, considering you lived just minutes from town square). 

You would go up to Perry’s room and play with his toys, when you got older you would go horseback riding on the trail behind their house with him. 

The two of you shared your first kiss on that trail. 

Dad on the other hand, did have a friendly relationship with Royal but never went out of his way to become his confidant. Neither man seemed to mind though, just comfortably enjoying the silence between shared beers and musings about cattle or trucks. 

But, the two moms were thrilled when they both had babies within months of one another, one boy, one girl. Destined (loosley) to be with one another. 

Then there was Rhett. 

Younger, rowdier, much more mischievous than Perry. Rhett did strive for his parent’s approval, but it was much less pressing in his mind than his own free will. Born three years after Perry and you, he tagged along for a while but when he got into his teen years, he would rather be caught dead than hanging out with his brother and a girl. 

Last time you saw the Abbotts fully was a couple of years ago. You wondered absentmindedly if Rhett still was that lanky six foot teen with the bad attitude. 

Your keys jingle as you cut the engine, but you just sat and stared at the house. Snow capped mountains loomed behind it, almost threatening to overtake it. As the heater died out, all the heat left the truck slowly and you decided it was best to go in and try to keep your butterflies under control. Even in the truck cab, the cold was seeping into your bones. 

Grabbing your purse and puffer jacket from the passenger seat, you slowly made it to the porch, thankful for the tall boots you had invested in before coming here. Snow was piled up on either side of the walkway, just like the road. You looked up as you shuffled your way to the door. By the way it’s coming down, you knew the walkway would have to be shoveled again by morning. 

The light wood porch is creaky under your heavy boots. You raise your hand to knock, hesitating a moment before rapping your knuckles harshly against the thick wooden door. Your hands were frozen. The quiet hum of winter was interrupted by muffled yelling on the other side of the door, footsteps walking from room to room, and more yelling. It was Cecilia’s voice by the way her inflection changed, pulling a small smile from you. 

The door opened suddenly, a blast of warm air hitting you in the face as the old door groaned. The house smelled like a home cooked meal, your mouth watering. You could tell it took a moment for Royal to recognize you, his gruff face going from complete confusion to fondness after a second or two.

 His facial hair was noticeably grayer since the last time you saw him. Hair still in that neat side swept style. Royal had a small scratch above his right eyebrow. 

“Perry, you better get your ass down here!” He bellowed over his shoulder before wrapping you in a great bear hug, the smell of pine engulfing you. Royal all but pulled you inside, slamming the door behind you two. Footsteps stomped down the many stairs as the two of you pulled away, looking up and into the stairwell as you heard Perry’s familiar voice shout incoherent things. 

“How was the ride over?” He was rough, but in a comforting way. 

“Not as bad as I thought it'd be.” You replied, smiling at him. Trying your best to keep your chattering teeth at bay. 

You took the moment to dry off your feet at the inside door mat. Someone must've been doing a lot of work outside today. There was a pair of dirty snow boots sitting where you kicked off yours.

From what you could see of the house, it was still rustic as ever. Dimly lit in a soft amber glow, dark wood floors and peeling wallpaper. You knew they didn't mind though, especially because it was such a historical house. It held many memories for the whole Abbott clan. The fireplace was raging, crackling and providing warmth to the whole house. 

Your attention is pulled away from a knot missing in the hardwood below your feet as the creaks from the steps get louder. You smiled up at him. He hadn't noticed you yet, his eyes going directly to Royal. Grumbling something about the cold. Soon he turned to you, stopping in his tracks, mouth parted in surprise.

Perry’s hair had grown a little longer since the last time you saw him, his sideburns curling over his ears. You could see that he was still sporting his stubble, which you had begged him to shave the last time you two had facetimed. The freckles from the summer had faded slightly. 

Next thing you knew you were knocked off your feet, he was crushing you in his arms. Perry was a wall of muscle, his chest solid and warm under the blue long sleeve shirt he wore. 

“How- how did you even get here? I was going to see you in a few days!” He beamed in shock and excitement, pulling back to look at your wind-bitten face. His dark eyes crinkled at the corners.

“I wanted to surprise you! I missed you too much.” You mumbled and pressed your head  into the juncture of his neck, your hands on his back, moving you closer to him. Your nose was warming against his shoulder. 

You were excited to see him, but not as much as you hoped. The giddiness you usually had faded into a slight simmering below your skin. 

“Who the hell is here? You can't just be havin’ people come in without-'' Cecilia's voice called from the kitchen, her words cut off as she sees the two of you in the foyer.

“Perry, did you know she was comin’?” She asks, practically bouncing towards you in happiness, her open flannel swinging around her sides. The Abbot family must have a collective gene that makes them stronger than bears, because Cecilia easily pries you out of his grip, crushing your ribs in a hug. 

You couldn't help but let out a strangled laugh, hugging her back. You explained that you got sick of waiting in your dull apartment because all your roommates had gone home, and you missed her, of course.

 That brought a huge smile to her face. Cecilia and Perry shared the same crinkles at the corners of their eyes and smile lines at their mouths. 

Discarding your jacket in the coat closet full of snow pants and snow suits, the four of you settled in the retro kitchen.

Immediately, despite her protests, you started to help Cecilia finish dinner. Royal and Perry sat at the table, chatting about what they were going to do with the cattle tomorrow with the incoming snowstorm. 

This was exactly the reason why you did not want to settle down yet. You knew Royal and his two sons did respect Cecilia, but every day always ended the same. She would work all day, just as hard as any of them, but even when she got home, the work wouldn't stop. 

Cecilia would stay up later than everyone else to get ready for the next day. 

Standing by the stove, you tended to the gravy in the big pot, adding all the seasonings that Cecilia gave you to put in it. Watching it turn from a white/beige to a slightly deeper color once you stirred in the chili powder, the savory smell making your stomach grumble. 

A couple times, Perry stood and wrapped his arms around your middle, too tight, his warm breath tickling your neck, too warm, telling you how much he missed you. Each time you tolerated it for a bit, but shrugged him off. Perry smelled like freshly cut wood in the rain, the scent filling your nose. 

By the time the chicken and gravy was done, it was already pitch black outside. The darkness was flush against the window above the sink, preventing anyone to see out of it. 

Cecilia and you passed out plates and silverware on the table, resting them on the flaxen placemats. When you set down the fifth plate, you remember Rhett. He had not been down to the main level yet but as you were cooking you could hear soft footsteps padding around on the floor above you. 

Royal got up from his seat and stood at the end of the stairs to call Rhett’s name, letting him know that dinner was ready. Your heart picked up a bit upon hearing someone close a door and walk down the stairs. Why were you so nervous to see Rhett? He was rude, standoffish, and snarky. You could swear the last time you saw him he hadn't taken a shower in a month. 

Not to mention he was just Perry’s brother, not a new unfamiliar person. 

To busy yourself, you dish up after Cecilia and settle next to Perry, the wooden chair squeaking against the tile. Perry’s arms snake around your hips before you can sit down, pressing his nose deep into your side where your shirt rode up, exposing your bare stomach to him. 

It was a loving gesture, you told yourself. Perry loves you so much. So why do you feel the urge to brush his arms from you? The tightness distressed you, anchored you in the worst of ways to him. But as soon as it started, it was over and you were free to sit down next to him. The only lingering touch was his shoulder pressed against yours, the sound of fabric brushing against fabric filling your ears. 

“Who’s that?” A gruff voice said behind you. Whipping your head around, your eyes connected with a shiny brass belt buckle a few feet from you. 

Slowly, you looked up. By the time Cecilia started talking, you were still tilting your head further and further up to see his face. Slim hips, tight light gray shirt displaying a strong torso and impossibly broad shoulders.

Rhett. Of course it was Rhett. But it couldn't be. He looked so different. 

“...Perry’s girlfriend, the one that you've known since…” Still, even with Cecilia talking (clearly annoyed at Rhett), your mind went blank when you saw his face. The Rhett you once knew, the gangly beanpole obsessed with bull riding, was all grown up. His face had sharper lines, all the baby fat gone from his features. Hair no longer cropped short (much to Royal’s dismay), but longer and flipping outward near his neck, pushed behind his ears.

What were they putting in the Abbott well water that caused angsty teen boys to turn into hot grown men? 

Rhett listened to his mom, his piercing blue eyes boring into yours. He nodded in your direction, “Hey.” He said roughly, one side of his mouth quirking up as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Your heart was beating out of your chest. 

“Hey.” You repeat and shut your mouth quickly, an embarrassed flush covering your cheeks as you turn back to your plate, hands shaking as you picked up your fork and busied yourself with your meal. 

Royal led the family in prayer. Dropping your head in your hands, thankful for the moment of relief to yourself as he asked the lord to bless the family. When he made a comment about being grateful you made it here safe, you smiled and looked up from your hands. 

The start of dinner eased your nerves, settling into a routine of talking when you needed and laughing. 

Rhett sat right in front of you, was it on purpose or accident, you didn't know. What you did know was he would not stop looking at you. Whenever you looked up from your plate, there he was. Light stubble dusted his face, the look of it much more intriguing than Perry’s patchy stubble. 

He still had the same long fluttery lashes and when he looked down, the warm buttery overhead light cast small shadows on top of his cheeks, which were freckled slightly. 

Rhett’s hands were rough, you could see the callouses from here. The fork he was holding seemed like it was made for someone much smaller. Your breath caught in your chest when you noticed the veins wrapping around his forearms like snakes, disappearing under his rolled up sleeves. 

It was suddenly too hot in the kitchen. You tugged at the opening of your sweatshirt, trying to fan some air down there discreetly. Vulnerable situations did not come often to you, so you felt crippled in this moment. 

Dinner felt like it was hours long, but the food was good. It was torture trying to avoid Rhett’s gaze as well as his brother’s heavy arm around your shoulders. But thank god, it came to a close and now it was time to clean up. Royal excused himself outside, no doubt to shovel snow, you assume. 

“Rhett, now don't go up to your room just yet!” Cecilia said firmly as Rhett stood from the table, stalling and turning to his mother. “It’s your turn to do the dishes tonight- and don't you ‘but’ me.” She added even before Rhett could open his mouth to argue. 

“I can help!” You flushed at how painfully eager you sounded. 

Why the fuck were you volunteering? Were you out of your mind? 

“It really is no problem, it'll go by much faster with two people.” You added nonchalantly, standing up and gathering you and Perry’s plates. Cecilia protested but you assured her you were more than happy to help, pecking her on the cheek as you passed her on the way to the sink. 

Perry walked over to where you were at the counter, grabbing a handful of your ass before mumbling something about being in the living room. Mustering up a half smile, you nodded and watched him go, embarrassed by the display. Cecilia thanked you again and went to start a load of laundry.

“How long are you staying for?” Rhett was behind you, still standing at his spot before picking up the other dishes at the table.

“Oh, uh, maybe like a week? Week ‘n a half? I was lucky and got it off work.” You answer, plugging up the drain with the metal stopper before turning on the sink, low enough so you could still hear him. “My truck, um, started making this weird noise on the way over. Called my dad but he couldn't do much.” You call over your shoulder, “You're good with trucks, right? Maybe you can take a look at it while I'm still here?” The thought of him leaning over your truck, in the summer, sweaty and hot, made your stomach flip.

“Yeah, no I can definitely take a look for you.” His voice seemed closer. “Almost didn't recognize you.” He was much closer now, making you turn your head to see where he was, to keep an eye on him. Rhett walked over to your side, setting the plates on the counter. The harsh ceramic scrape made you cringe. 

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. 

“I don’t think your daddy recognized me either, he almost left me out to freeze.” You laughed, “You look pretty unrecognizable yourself, Rhett.” He leaned against the counter beside you, folding his arms over his chest. His stance wasn't defensive, just casual as he watched you turn off the faucet and swirl dish soap into it. The water turned milky white. 

“Been ridin’ more. This past season was my second one out of the senior category.” 

Well, that explained his bulked up frame. You could tell by the way he talked that he was prideful about it. When you looked up from the water, a crooked smile was on his face. 

“Perry’s been telling me about it. He’s pretty proud of you.” You held his gaze, swallowing the tight knot in your throat that accumulated suddenly. “Say, how ‘bout you dry, and I’ll wash?” 

Rhett nodded, reaching down to open a cabinet and pulling out some rags. You quickly busied yourself with dunking the plates and using the little scrubber Cecilia had to clean them. He was almost silent for the rest of the time, which brought you a great peace of mind. It was easier to stay calm when you were too worried about scrubbing. 

Desire ladled deep in your stomach. It was tight, like a snake was wrapping around your hips. But you shamefully tried to cover it up, the fire blanket you used slipping when you would glance up from the basin to look at him. The way his brows furrowed, tongue sticking out to lick his bottom lip every so often.  

While you washed the dishes, Royal brought in your suitcase from your truck, which you had thanked him profusely for. Especially now that it was starting to snow heavily. Due to this, you decided to forgo seeing your parents tonight, instead hauling your suitcase and duffle bag up the stairs and to Perry’s bedroom. 

It had only changed a little since you were last here. Just a few more photos of the two of you decorated the walls.  

You dialed your mom once you were up there, a quick little call despite her wanting to talk for hours. The hand holding the phone to your cheek grew tired and you switched sides. 

“Ma, I’m exhausted.” You finally said after talking for a while, “Don't forget we have to wake up early, I have to see you tomorrow, right?” You remind her as you sit on Perry’s bed, noting that the sheets have not changed since the two of you were teens. That should be something you should get him for his birthday. 

“Right sweetheart,” You can sense the smile in her voice, “Will you and Perry meet us for breakfast? Is Odessa's Café okay?” She asks, almost insinuating you forgot the name of literally the only good diner in town. 

“Yes, momma. I will be sure to wake Perry up extra early so we can meet you there. Is dad coming too?” 

“He is, and he informed me that you told him you were coming home.” She says, mocking a hurtful tone. You roll your eyes, laughing as you lay down on the bed, situating a pillow under your head.

“Only because my truck started acting weird. He pried it out of me, you know how he is.” Your mom was the one to laugh this time. You loved it when she did. She had a crystal clear laugh that always echoed down the hallways of your childhood home. Momma was definitely a glass half full person, and you loved that about her. 

The call came to an end after you exchanged ‘I love yous’ and you laid the phone on your stomach, looking up at the cracked ceiling. Rhett’s face drifted into your thoughts again. You sat up suddenly and vigorously shook your head, trying to get him out. It was scaring you, these sudden feelings you felt for the youngest Abbott son. 

Never in your entire time of knowing him have you ever had a crush on him. 

Sure, he was always cute, but in a best friend’s little brother way of being cute. Not a ‘tie me up like one of your rodeo calves’ hot. The thought made you groan in disgust of yourself. You were already doubting you and Perry’s relationship, so it would be the biggest Wabang scandal if you got with Rhett instead, the younger Abbott son, and you couldn't do that to either of the families. 

Not that Rhett would even be interested in you, God, like you even were on his radar. From what Perry said during your weekly facetime, Rhett was with a new buckle bunny every week. Supposedly, he had gained quite a fan club from his bull riding adventures. Fresh, talented rider, son of a former champion. 

The last name Abbott immediately turned heads at rodeos. 

Rapping knuckles on the doorframe drew you from your thoughts, looking up at Perry’s kind face in the doorway. The hall light shone behind him like a halo before it was turned off, presumably by Royal who wanted to conserve electricity. 

“You doin’ okay, babe?” Perry asks, walking over and sinking down on the bed next to you. It was a smaller mattress, probably a full size.

Nodding, you move closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder, desperately trying to push away the thoughts you had earlier. You feel ashamed of yourself. 

“I’m fine. Just tired, that's all.” You kiss his bicep, “My ma wants us to meet her and my dad at Odessa’s tomorrow. Is that okay with you?” You ask, fingers rubbing at the fraying edge of your sage green sweatshirt. It was Perry’s, but you had stolen it before moving away. 

“Sure, hun. Sounds like an amazing idea.” His words were muffled by your hair, his large hand sliding over your jean clad thigh that was closest to him. Nervousness returned in your stomach. You checked your watch, nine thirty-seven. 

You should be getting ready to go to bed. 

Perry’s hand drifted over your other thigh, fingertips drawing little designs into the dark wash fabric. Pulling away from him, you give Perry a sheepish smile at the sound of him huffing, annoyed you were scooting off the bed.

“Let me get ready for bed, I stink from the ride over.” Which was true, you had woken up late and in the rush to get ready to go, you had forgotten to take a shower. Perry laid back on his elbows, watching you gather your toiletry bag and some pjs.

“Hurry, I haven't seen you in forever.” 

You chuckled nervously at the comment, turning to face him, a goofy smile on his face. “You facetimed me the other week. You saw plenty then.” You reminded him, turning on your heel and walking briskly out of his room. Letting out a heavy sigh as you walked down the hallway and the stairs. The best working shower was on the main level. You were praying no one was using it, because then you would probably have to go upstairs and join Perry again. 

It wasn't like you didn't enjoy sex with Perry. He was a kind lover, someone that enjoyed drawing things out and ‘making love’ as he put it. That was fine when you guys were teens, and had absolutely no idea what either one was doing. 

Your sex life was stagnant, and that was the plainest way of putting it.

No ups or downs and recently, you were starting to get intrigued about your roommate's hookup stories. Frequently, you found yourself sitting on the couch listening intently as she told you all the nitty gritty details, which normally you would have turned your nose up at. 

Sex with him was just repetitive, and even when you tried to spice things up, he complained that he didn't like change or what you requested was too freaky for him, even when it was just a little spank on your ass. 

You should have brought your phone, it was almost pitch black in the house. It seemed like everyone had returned to their rooms. Somehow, by some grace of god, you stumbled your way to the bathroom. Turning on the light ignited a low buzzing, the vanity bulbs assaulting your eyes. The main bathroom had this amazing clawfoot tub, ivory basin and brass handles. Royal installed a shower head above it a few years ago, the matching brass pipes snaking up the wall. 

The water took a while to heat up, and only stayed like that for a few minutes so your shower was fairly short. You resorted to only scrubbing the necessary parts of your body like your armpits and feet, the rest of your body just got a quick once over. Casually, you cleaned between your legs with the warm water, not wanting to get yourself worked up at all. 

Coming out, the steam swirled around you. But the draft from under the door was sure to kill it quickly. 

The towel you brought did a shockingly poor job of soaking up the water, and you suspected that you or your roommate may have added too much soap in the washer when you were cleaning it. Still, you ran it over your body and patted yourself dry the best you could. The pjs you brought still clung to your damp body despite both the shirt and sweats you brought were both loose fitting.  

Slowly though, you moisturize your face and brushed your teeth. Studying your face in the mirror. It was evident you were not the teenager you used to be. You lost your braces, your figure had filled out, and you just looked more mature in the face. Did Rhett notice how different you looked? Did he find you prettier?

Did he even care? 

You grabbed onto the porcelain sink as you spit your toothpaste out, rinsing your mouth off with the freezing water. It was more than ridiculous that you were thinking about him in this way, especially because you were three years his senior. Not an incriminating age gap, but enough to where you were sure you would teasingly be called a cougar by your friends. 

Folding your clothes and placing your toiletries back in the zippered clutch, you opened the door to darkness.

You tried, quietly, to make your way back to Perry’s room. Again, you cursed yourself for forgetting your phone. The flashlight would be great to have right about now. 

Embarrassingly, you ended up stubbing your toe a few times on the stairs before you made your way to the landing. Each time clamping a hand tightly over your mouth to avoid waking up the whole house with your curses. 

Finally, after what felt like an hour cautiously making your way to the second floor, you sagged against the wall nearest to Perry’s room, laughing internally at the crazy act you put on to get to the second floor. It was a relief that his room happened to be one of the first doors, so you slowly felt along the wall till you found it, which was cracked open a bit. 

Perry must've closed it after you left.

You pushed it open and slid in, softly shutting it behind yourself. It smelled a little different than how you remembered it, more like a spicy smell with an undertone of earth. Rather than a woodsy smell. The window beside his bed was covered loosely by the curtains, the smallest sliver of light slicing through the room. Thinking nothing of it, you padded a few steps forward, leaning down and searching for your duffle bag to put your dirty clothes in. After no such luck, you dropped your clothes and toiletry bag on the floor. 

It was so warm in the room, heating up your skin and making you sleepy. 

The bed creaked behind you, blankets rustling softly.

Adjusting your shirt, the armpits bunched uncomfortably around your shoulders. You made your way to the empty side of the bed, your eyes had adjusted more in the dark, just enough to see a figure laying under the covers. 

Your legs hang off the side of the bed when you sit down, you scrub a hand over your face, worried at what tomorrow might bring. Sure, you were excited to see your family, but it was always nerve wracking coming home. There were so many things you left behind in Wabang, including the lifestyle your parents ingrained into you.  

The mattress creaked again, Perry turning towards you. It dipped as he moved closer. 

A large warm hand settles higher up on your side, sliding down and fingers now curling around your hip. Your hand instinctively covers Perry’s, your thumb caressing across his knuckles. The touch made you shiver, his fingers pressing harder into your flesh at the reaction. 

The pants you wore were loose enough in the waist that just by the sudden flexing of his fingers, his pinky dipped below and brushed along the sensitive skin of your hip. You were sure he would realize you weren't wearing any underwear.  

“You okay?” A sleepy, groggy voice asks in the dark. 

That was most definitely not Perry. 

Stiffening, you tear your hand away and spin around on the bed, looking directly at Rhett. Eyes finally adjusted, you could faintly see his face, full of sleep and turned towards you. He was propped up on an elbow, the sheets once covering him now pooled around his waist, exposing his bare chest. 

“Oh my god.” You whisper-shout, a metallic taste filling your mouth as you scramble to a standing position, “I thought- I thought this was Perry’s room. Oh my god I am so sorry.” You babble, walking frantically over to where you thought you dropped your bag and clothes.

“Other door, across the hall.” Rhett mumbles, voice still laced with sleep. He watched as you bent down, hands searching for your clothes. Your heart was racing and you were breathing heavily, beyond embarrassed. Rhett rolled over to one side of his bed and turned on his bedside lamp.  

The lamp washes the room in a dim canary light, illuminating your things on the floor. You let out a soft oh and grab them, holding it close to your chest. The rational part of your brain tells you to leave right then and there, to scurry back over to Perry’s room and save yourself any more embarrassment. The stupid part of your brain tells you to be curious and look at Rhett in the lamp light. 

Turning over your shoulder, you make eye contact with him, clutching your things tighter to you. You weren't much to look at, no makeup, hair not done, donning baggy clothes. 

Even still, Rhett’s eyes raked over you, and you could swear you could feel it. What you were doing was not much better. Ogling his bare chest, you noticed a raised pink scar on his left shoulder. You couldn't help but stare more, absorbing as much as you could. A tinge of desire pooled between your legs.

You were the first to break the silence, “Thank you, for the uhm,” You tip your head towards the lamp, “the light.” You finish, now backing towards the door. His hair was messy, some strands sticking to his cheeks.

“Not a problem.” Rhett says simply, the muscles in his jaw tensing, “You uh, you smell nice.” He finishes. 

Rhett was not a man of many words, not to say that he was dumb. But he never said anything unless he was told or compelled to. Like the last time he said you looked nice was when you were in fourth grade and had an unfortunate run in with the scissors, cutting yourself jagged bangs. Rhett started cackling when he saw what you had done, Cecilia smacking him on the back of the head and forcing him to tell you that ‘you look nice’. 

“Thank you?” You didn't mean to phrase it as a question, it just came out that way. 

Excusing yourself, you all but ran out of his room, making sure to close the door behind you, accidentally closing it a bit too hard. Cringing, you crossed the hallway and pushed yourself inside Perry’s room. He was sleeping of course, you could hear his soft snores. 

Dropping your things on your duffle bag, you ease yourself next to Perry, careful not to disturb him. His back was turned towards you. Even while sandwiched between cold sheets and your boyfriend right beside you, you could still feel Rhett’s hand on your hip. 

How he squeezed it, a probably innocent gesture turned sinful in your mind. How his pinky brushed over the skin of your inner hip. It burned like a branding iron. 

-

It was still dark when you opened your eyes, the soft exhales from Perry the only thing that fills the room. 

Your stomach was in knots. It had been since you laid down, twisting and hurting. The skin on your hip was rubbed raw by the time you finally fell asleep. Your fingers tracing the same path Rhett’s took when your pants loosened. 

Never would you admit it out loud. Never would you admit the commitment you had for Perry was slipping. It was too much change. You were staying with him out of convenience. 

Scared. That's what you were. 

The thought of breaking up with him also brought the thought of a storm that would come. You slipped out of bed soon after waking up, the cold floor like needles in your feet.

You just needed a drink of water, anything that would quench your parched throat that was like gravel. To your surprise, the saucer light above the dining table was on and it showed up the stairs. Just enough to where you didn't need your phone light. 

A huge shiver ran down your spine when you saw why the light source was on. The very person you did not want to see was sitting at the end, forehead resting on his clasped fists. But when you went to turn up the stairs, it was too late.

The sudden shift of your feet caused the old stairs to let out a painful groan, Rhett lifting his head from where it was resting. So you forced yourself to make it down the last few platforms, twisting your hands nervously in front of you. A diffident smile on your face.

Rhett didn’t seem bothered by your presence, just watching as you grabbed a glass from the cupboard, filling it with tap water. 

“Can’t sleep?”

“Not a bit.”

God, who knew a voice would have such an effect on you.

“Me neither. Which is bad because I have to go see my parents in a bit.” You tried to lighten the mood, pulling out the chair closest to him before settling down. 

The coaster you grabbed was doing a great job at collecting the condensation sweating off your glass. 

You were trying to focus on something besides him. 

Rhett snorted in response, scrubbing a rough hand over his chin. His eyes were trained on the side of your face. They burned a hole in your cheek. You lifted your face up, your fingertips dragging lightly on the side of the glass. 

It honestly wasn't as awkward as you thought it would be. The silence was semi-comfortable, as comfortable as it could be. 

“Re-Remember when you guys still had that chicken coup near the barn? ‘N the three of us somehow managed to climb up to the roof? Perry dared you to jump and you were so confident you could fly-” You started, recounting the memory to break the silence.

“Then I broke my elbow.” He finishes with a laugh. “Listen, it still clicks.” He holds his left arm out and bends it a few times. In the silence you could hear a faint popping noise, then you snorted a laugh out your nose. 

“Gosh, I tried to stop you! Almost ripped your shirt in half trying to grab you, ya know.” 

“I don't think I even hesitated.” He laughed, cheeks reddened in embarrassment.  

“To be honest I’m not sure how you didn’t cry. I would’ve started bawling my eyes out.”

“I think I did when you left with your momma.” Rhett said, his goofy smile fading a bit.

Cocking your head, you furrowed your brows, “Why then? I thought they took you to the doc a bit after I was gone?” 

“Well- because…” Rhett rubbed the back of his neck, glancing down at the table for a second.

“I think because you were bein’ so nice to me. Like I’m pretty sure you basically carried me inside. Sat with me when my dad was lookin’ me over, brought me a glass of water too.” 

You gave him a crooked smile, dipping your head, “Well… I felt bad, like really bad. Especially when Royal was makin’ you bend your arm ‘n stuff.” You cringed at the memory, “He was pretty rough for you being what? Eleven, maybe twelve years old?” 

Rhett bit the inside of his cheek and hummed, a faint smile still on his lips. Behind him, the world was still black. You hoped it would stay like that for a while so you could have Rhett all to yourself. 

“I was also trying to hold it together so I wouldn't cry ‘front of a pretty girl like you.”  

The world stopped spinning. You could feel its immeasurable halt against your body, the velocity of the sudden stop sliding your chair so your back slammed against the kitchen counters. 

Your chair never moved.

But even through all this, Rhett’s strong gaze never wavered. It pinned you in place like someone trying to preserve a moth for their collection. 

“You thought I was pretty?”

I am hoping to have a somewhat regular posting schedule since I already have a few chapters written! See me on AO3 as Creatchie8 too for a full list of tags & more!

[coolcattime]

Reborn Obsession [Mianite AU Oneshot]

Relationships: Lady Ianite/Captain Capsize

Characters: Lady Ianite, Captain Capsize, Skipper Redbeard

Under the blanket of night, Lady Ianite lurks awaiting a mortal to quench her thirst. For centuries, the vampire queen has made this town her hunting grounds and tonight is no different. However, as she lures a pair of unwitting souls into her grasp, she finds one bares the face of a love lost long ago.

A love that she will not let escape her again. Whether the woman remembers her or not.

AO3 Link

Mianite Vampire AU Tag

“Why? Why is she—?”

“How many times have I warned you about keeping a human pet? It was only a matter of time before you went too far.”

“No… I didn’t mean— This is your fault!”

“Don’t you blame me. You were the one to sink your fangs into her and drain her dry.”

“You chained her up! Drugged me so I’d—Oh gods, I—! Why!?”

“I did warn you to turn her before our next meeting, didn’t I? If you’d have done that, this little accident wouldn’t have happened.”

“…”

“No more arguments? Good. Next time I’m sure you’ll listen to me when I tell you to do something.”

🩸 🩸 🩸

The cobbled streets were lit only by moonlight and the few lanterns still burning fighting the blanket of darkness that had descended when night had taken hold many hours ago. The perfect hunting grounds for the Lady currently lurking in the deepest shadows of an alley contemplating whether she should await prey coming to her or if she should begin actively hunting.

If any of the townsfolk were to see her at this moment, confusion would set in first rather than fear. Their rational thoughts would leap to the idea that their eyes were playing tricks on them. After all, she was a lady of nobility dressed in all her finery. She should truly have no reason to be loitering in an alley.

Though there would be some who would react in fear. After all, this town had crafted her existence into scary little stories meant to keep children from misbehaving. Tales that so many thought were merely that, but still would cause fear in their hearts if one was to encounter her late at night.

That thought brought a smile to her lips. Most didn’t even recall her name, merely calling her “the Lady”. Yet the fear persisted. As it should. If she so wished, she could unleash horrors on this little town.

They should be grateful that it remained just the occasional disappearances. If she so chose, she could dry this town dry and there would be nothing that anyone would be able to do to stop her. Not even the thorn-in-her side slayer nor the little apprentice she had recently begun training.

So as far as she was concerned, her hunting being such a rarity was a great mercy. Most of the time she tended to stick to merely capturing those trespassing onto her lands. The rest of the time she drank from her plentiful supplies or from animals. Coming into the town like this was just for when she was particularly carving fresh human blood.

Though she imagined whichever mortal happened to be her prey tonight would not take solace in their fate being a rare one. In fact, it seemed to make them far less accepting of meeting it. Though she did always enjoy telling them. The look in their eyes as she explained was always so amusing.

And it seemed that it would not be much longer before she would be able to quench her thirst. She could hear a group approaching. Such loud conversation and intoxicating laughter. So many souls unaware of how close their ends could be.

For the briefest moment, she considered feasting. To just emerge and drink her fill before stealing away the survivors for later. Let the streets run red and the stories become reality once again.

Tonight, though, she had no reason for such an act. As much as it was always tempting, it was simply not worth the attention she would gain. It was not worth the slayers coming to her door.

So instead, she simply focused on the footfalls. One would be behind. One or two always were. That poor soul would be more than enough for her meal tonight.

As always, she was right. Of course she was. These had been her hunting grounds for centuries. Even if the physical landscape changed, the ways mortals acted didn’t.

She could hear it, one walking slower and falling behind the rest of their friends. Now she just needed to completely separate them from their group. That too she was extremely well practised at.

She waited in the shadows for the group to make their way past. They were locked in some odd discussions that she paid no mind to, though she was glad for its presence. Those focused on such stupidity never noticed one of their own going missing until it was already too late.

Still, she waited. Her moment had to be chosen carefully. She closed her eyes, focusing entirely on the footsteps. They all passed slowly, moving further from the alley she was in. She needed only one in earshot.

Then, once she was sure only her target would hear, she let out a cry as if in pain. One step of footfall ceased as a member of the group paused.

She smiled. It was child’s play. However, now was not the time to be revelling. She had to reel her prey in.

She continued to cry. Weak, pathetic, little cries. Those meant to sound like the lost and the scared. The type of cries that she knew from great experience would lure people in. Tonight was not an exception. Footsteps began to approach the alley.

“Hello? Is— Are you okay?” A voice with a thick accent travelled in a careful call. At the edge of the alley, she could see a man.

He would not be able to see her, his eyes were not nearly as good in the darkness as hers, but she could completely take him in.

She’d guess he was a dock worker with how he was dressed, though her knowledge of fashions was outdated. He did look scruffy though. An untucked shirt and unkempt beard. The only part of him that seemed groomed at all was his hair and as far as she could tell that ginger mess that only tied back to keep it out of his vision.

He would not be missed.

“Red?” Or perhaps, for once, she was wrong as a woman’s call came and turned his head. The same accent, clearly one of his friends having already noticed his absence.

The man hesitated. His gaze was pulled towards the one calling him, but he did not move away. Her cries were still reaching him.

Of course, she could just let him leave. Allow him to go on never realising how close he was to the end of his little existence. But she could already smell him. The sweet blood waiting for her beneath the scruff and sea salt. She didn’t feel like letting him escape now.

So, she would just have to lure them both. Drain one here and save the other for later. Whichever had less fear in their eyes… Or perhaps just whichever was prettier.

Yes. What harm was there in having a little fun tonight?

“What are you doing? We almost left you behind,” The woman called again, apparently oblivious to the fact that the two had very much been left behind by their friends.

“I—” The man’s gaze was pulled between herself and the mystery woman. He appeared to have no words for why he had stopped. Perhaps the old stories were floating in his head, of the way that the Lady lured her prey in.

So, she just needed to push said thoughts out of his head.

“Help me…” She imitated the final tone of her last unfortunate prey. The quivering tone that she had heard so many times. The tone that she knew from experience would lure in the kind and dark-hearted alike. “Please… Help me…”

Then a yelp. Weak, but loud enough for him to hear.

His eyes widened. He entered her web.

“There’s something hurt!” The man yelled back to his friend as he entered the alley.

“Shit!”

Feet began rapidly hitting the cobbles. Both sets coming towards her.

The man was approaching quickly, though for the moment he still couldn’t see her from where she was hidden. If she so chose, she could lunge out now and snuff out his precious life before he even knew what was happening.

But she did prefer her preys’ ends to be a little bit more drawn out. They just tasted better when there was a sauce of terror. She wanted the woman to see the first attack.

Still, it would not be long now until the woman entered the alley too. So, the Lady slowly began to rise.

There was an excitement that she could not rid herself of. It had been so long since she had hunted a pair. All the ideas of what she could do with such a golden opportunity were circulating through her head.

Immobilising the man seemed like the obvious first move. It would lure the woman closer and allow her all the time that she desired to figure out her next step. Though, it would likely be immobilising her too.

Then perhaps she would drain one here. As slowly as she could while their friend had to watch, unable to help. Then she’d leave her first victim with just enough life that they’d be able to see her abduct the other before they expired. Dying knowing their friend was in her clutches.

Or maybe she could take both back to her castle. Play some games with them to decide which she would drain first. Have them wake up in her dungeons, allow them an hour or two for reality and the terror to truly set in. Maybe she’d even tell them that she’d let one of them go, to watch them spend their last moments together arguing.

Just imagining the fun that she could have was enough to bring a smile to her face, but it was not the time for it. The woman was entering the alley. Now was the time to strike.

She stepped into view of the man. Briefly, she saw his eyes begin to widen at the sight of her. However, before he could even truly comprehend her presence, she grabbed a hold of his shirt and threw him into the wall.

There was a wet thump.

The man fell in a heap.

“Red!” Came the panicked cry of the woman.

She once again poised herself to strike.

It would be even easier this time. Fear, after all, made mortals act in such questionable ways.

However, when the woman actually came into her sights, the Lady found herself completely frozen. If she still had breath in her lungs, it would’ve been completely expelled at the sight of her.

Though she was dressed similarly to the man, in common clothes covered with the scent of sea salt and hard labour. Though her accent had made her voice different. After all these years, all the centuries of longing, it was her.

Alive and breathing. Her heartbeat rapid and fear spreading through her being did nothing to stop her from being as beautiful as the night that she had been lost.

Before Lady Ianite was her love, reborn again.

Every thought, even plan and hunting instinct, completely left her.

This could not be their reunion. It needed to be perfect. It could not be filled with fear and blood.

She could not be seen here by her.

She would prepare and come back for her. Nothing would keep them apart again. Anyone who tried would suffer. But for now, she needed to get herself ready.

She turned to mist and rushed away, her love knowing nothing of her presence but the man’s injuries and the unexplainable force that rushed past her.

🩸 🩸 🩸

A number of nights later, Capsize stood on her balcony trying to ignore her unease as she could swear that she saw a figure moving in the darkness just out of her view. Normally coming out here was a comfort. The night air helped put her at ease, particularly on nights where she struggled to sleep. But since Red had been attacked, she found it hard to shift the fear that someone was watching her from the shadows.

She knew that such a thought was stupid. Nothing more than paranoia from the fact her brother had been attacked out of nowhere, seemingly by a person that could vanish into thin air. Yet, the way her friends were acting, it was as if nothing worth worrying about had happened at all.

Maybe it was unfair to say her friends as a collective. Sonja had been coming by every day to make sure the two of them were okay, but the way the rest had been acting had left a bitterness in her that had soaked her to the bone.

It was ridiculous. Whoever had attacked him was still out there, but those closest to her were acting as if he’d just run into a wall of his own accord. Like she was just making up the attack to cover for him. As if she made something like this up.

Though, at least their laughter was better than the people she had to hear blaming the same local tall tales that they blamed on everything.

It was beyond frustrating the amount of old sods that were telling her that she and Red should be counting their lucky stars that they’d escaped an encounter with the Lady. Because apparently, they’d been attacked by a vampire. The way they laughed about it left her barely able to resist punching them as they used it as an excuse to not look into the attack at all.

‘I’m not becoming prey to that woman.’ One had said to her face. Apparently, they were fine with letting Red’s attacker walk free as long as they could pretend it had been a supernatural creature of the night.

Yet despite her annoyance at her explanation, she had still been unable to shift the feeling of someone watching her since that night. Only ever at night. But it had been ever present since the attack.

Maybe the local tales stuck in her mind more than she wished to believe.

Even now, standing here on her balcony, she could swear that someone was watching her. The more she looked, the more she swore that out in the darkness was a figure.

That a bright pair of purple eyes were fixated on her.

She gripped onto the railing, almost leaning over to just get the tiniest bit closer. To be able to tell that her eyes were just playing tricks on her.

“Capsize!”

She whipped around in panic as Red yelled from downstairs. As she did, she must have shifted her hand onto a rough part of the wood as her finger caught with a sharp pain.

“Ah!” She gasped, looking down to see that she’d cut her fingertip open. Blood began to drop onto the wood. “Shit…”

What on earth was wrong with her? She had no reason to be this jumpy over shadows and children’s stories.

She squeezed her finger, wrinkling her nose at the sting but thankfully not spotting a splinter. With a sigh, she headed inside. Hopefully Red wouldn’t make fun of her for the act of clumsiness.

What she did not see as she left her balcony was the figure she had been trying to convince herself was nought more than a figment of her own imagination, turning to a dark mist that floated its way up to where she had just been.

As quickly as she had deformed, Lady Ianite reformed into herself, smiling.

“Capsize… What a lovely name for you.”

She ran her finger over the freshly spilt blood. Every urge in her body told her to taste the precious liquid, but she knew that was not the best use of it. Besides, there was plenty more that she would be able to drink once the time was right.

Instead, she pulled the tiniest crystal vial from a hidden pocket. Pressing her fingertip to its top, she willed the drop to fall from her skin to the container, quickly sealing it once it landed and stained the inside crimson.

“With this, my love, we shall be together once more,” She said in elation as she held the vial close to her silent heart.

There was still so much to do, so many lengthy processes ahead of her to make sure everything was ready for their reunion, but blood magic was a talent of hers. Even with just this single drop, she knew what her talents could do.

When the time came, her love would walk right up to her without a second thought. No matter who or what tried to stop her, all her love would be able to perceive would be her.

Though with only a drop, it would take time to enthral her to such a level and the enchantment would burn out the moment they touched. But Ianite was patient enough to wait, it had already been centuries, what was one more year?

As for it burning out. Well, once they were touching, it would already be too late for anyone to stop her from taking her love home.

Of course, she’d keep a watchful eye on her in case of other opportunities, but she knew she had already won.

“I won’t fail you this time, my love. This time, I’ll do what’s needed and we’ll be together for all eternity.”

[blingblong55]

Smoke Signals- COD MEN

This is based gonna request:

Angst?, Family issues, mentions of abuse, mentions of SA and possible R8pe.

Backstory:

It's a known fact to Price that you never had a relationship/bond with your family. You had the worst relationship with them. As a child they treated you like shit. Nothing but the worst. One time, you tried to explain to them what had happened to you at a party, they as always didn't believe you. You were triggered when others would touch your thighs, so when they knew this, they pinned you to the floor, touching you everywhere. Ever since, it had been you out in the world.

----

Any time you'd have to take time off because you "earned" it, you'd stay at base. Price was the man you told all of your problems to, he listened to it all. Always the shoulder you leaned on, on tough nights. The guy who would make a joke as you cried. To him you had become his own child. So when your family would sneak up on base and verbally harass you for not being there for them(always asked for money) price would have them escorted. He'd sent you to his office and you'd sit there with a therapist, his hand holding yours. Always squeezing it when he knew you'd be close to a bad memory.

It brought him pain when he watched you talk about the past, you were so use to the mistreatment your poor soul thought this was normal. And ever since you first shared a dark memory with him, he has been teaching you the right ways you should've been treated like.

One late night, Price, Ghost and Alejandro had a meeting. It extended further than they'd like. Soap, Gaz, Rudy and Kreuger were off base, they decided to treat themselves to a few drinks. You walked around base, waiting for anyone to hang around with you. Unfortunately, your family got passed security. Soon they found you, they started to say things to you. "look at you, such a weak thing." your father pushed you around.

"there is a reason why I nearly aborted you, such a disgrace"

Your siblings started to push your buttons. And suddenly as you closed your eyes, you were 7 years old again. You were back in your room, your arms protecting your poor weak figure. "Daddy please stop!" you begged, yours eyes shut as tears streamed down. "this si what you get for being such a disrespectful thing!" he kept hitting you.

"please mummy do something, it hurts."

You prayed and prayed, hoping someone would hear this and take you away. To somewhere safe, kind and far away. To and mum and a dad who would love you, who'd hold your hand when you were scarred.

You must've been lookin' for me Sendin' smoke signals Pelicans circling Burnin' trash out on the beach

"get away from them!" price rushed to you. The rest of the team trailed behind, confused as to why the captain was acting like this. But as they approached they saw you. You were sitting on the floor, holding yourself as tears ran down. Price kneeled down, his arms around you. "Ghost call security, get these fuckers out" he spitted.

"hey, listen to me, you're safe now. They are gone." he whispered as he rocked you in his arms. "I'm here, they won't hurt you again. r/n"

But you weren't responding. You pushed hi off, he stepped back. You started whispering, "M'sorry dad, it's my fault just please..please don't hit me." your voice cracked. Your hands started to travel around your skin, you started to grip onto it. Price knew you were close to having a breakdown. So against your wishes he picked you up and jogged to his office.

One of your eyes is always half-shut Somethin' happened when you were a kid I didn't know you then and I'll never understand Why it feels like I did

Through the night he stayed up, listening as you calmed yourself down. "you left me alone." you finally said, your gaze focused on him. "I know kid, and for that I am sorry."

"why did you leave me?" your voice was so soft, god it broke him a million times to hear you say this.

"I didn't mean to."

---------

It was a regular Friday. Price and the other commanding officers back at the meeting room. You were locked in your room. What can I say, you learn from mistakes after all. You grew hungry at around 5pm, the mess hall was closed. To all other soldiers, but price gave you a spare key. "have a go, just don't be hard on the ice cream, and save me some." he had told you. As you exited your room, your mother tapped your shoulder. "I believe we have to talk." And you walked inside your room again. They sat around, "so what is it?" you asked. "why are you so stubborn with us?" you were confused. "stubborn?"

"well we try and try to talk to you, but all you do is send us away. I mean I am your mother for god sakes, and all I want is for my child to love me!" She began to fake cry. It was typical for her. "mum-"

"no your mother is right, we have tried to reach out, we send stuff to you, and all you do is bitch about it to your commanders." you dad stood up, god you hated that look on his face. Unfortunately it was a emotion he carried everywhere.

"When have I done such bullshit? I was just a kid when you all decided I would be your personal punching bag, you fucking blamed me for shit I didn't do. I loved you all, forgave you for it all."

"those are stolen memories, you saw a show and what you say we did is fake." you mother said

"what?! that is such a fucking lie! I lived through all your hate! I was always the idiot to go back to you! I cried for you, I begged for you to love me and all you did was laugh at my face mother!"

"pity me pity me." your sibling mocked your voice. You were closer to crying this time.

"aren't you embarrassed? grown men have to protect you, I mean you are just another burden for them!"

"that. is not true! I have found a family here, we all understand each other, we respect one another and I would die for them" you opened the door from your room, stepping out.

Your "conversation" had become so loud your teammates came out of their rooms. They all stood around and watched as you started to crumble. As you marched out, your mother grabbed your arm. "this isn't over! You listen to me here-!"

"no you listen to me! I have had enough of all of you, with you shit memories, you always play hero mother, always and I am tired of your fake crying. And by the way you should be embarrassed, at your grown age acting like a child? God you are pathetic.!" Your voice cracked every now and then, you wiped your tears and continue to look at her.

Alejandro wanted to step in, but Soap pulled him back. Price started to make way to you. You dad slapped you across the face. "don't you ever disrespect your mother!" There is was, his goddamn devil face. If he wanted you he could kill ya.

"go ahead dad, beat me, do it! just like when I was a kid! You fucking piece of shit."

"I hope you fucking die!"

the men started to approach. Your mother pushed you to the floor, as you looked up at her an evil smile was smudged against her lips. It was the same look she gave you every time she would hit you hard.

And once more, you were a child.

"mummy please, please don't hit me! I love you mummy please!" but she did it, she'd hit you until you fell asleep. And then as she regained some energy she would pull out a cigarette, she would light two. One for her and one for your skin. Anytime she inhaled the smoke, she would burn your skin

You're cried, "you are seriously doing this again?" your voice cracked, it was so low that only she heard. You had given up once more.

And as your father started to take his belt off, Ghost tackled him. He punched him a few times. One of your siblings tried to push him off, but Sebastian (Krueger) held them and with one move he knocked them out. Price and Soap dragged your mother and other sibling out.

"We will be back and next time I come around you'll regret being being born!" Rodolfo and Alejandro held you in their arms.

Just checking out to hide from life And all of our problems, I'm gonna solve 'em With you ridin' shotgun Speeding 'cause fuck the cops

Soon all the men looked at you, "what?" you cheek was red, a hand print on it. Gaz came back with a pack of ice, "here, don't want ya pretty face to suffer." he jokingly said.

"yeah imagine having to kiss ya cheek goo'night with what could be a bruise,,,,yikes" soap said as he wrapped you in his arms. Alejandro smacked the back of his head as he said that, it caused a giggle to escape your lips. "Oi!" he responded.

And for the first time, you were able to admit that your family had become your annoying lover boys. For this was true family, your family.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Tags: @ruler-of-fandoms69

A/n: okay maybe this isn't exactly what you had in mind, but I really do hope you liked it!

Can’t sleep so here ya go!

[wearepurplejackets]

Jibaku Shonen Hanako-kun 115 Theory

Okay, okay, OKAY.

(Spoilers btw.)

Long time not see, sorry, like a lot. I was busy... crying.

1,2,3 LET'S GO! So, if I understand what is going on correctly, in this new timeline...

Hanako is dead. I mean: DEAD. Like for real. Like no spirit or whatsoever. (Also TERU AND KOU'S MOTHER IS ALIVE OH MY GOD, EVEN IF I EXPECTED IT, OH MY DOG.)

Or not, (yeah, maybe not, sorry for the heart attack) it depends if the clock keepers went to the exact moment when Amane killed his fake assassin kind of a brother in the school for real. (And then he did a seppuku or something.) with the kitchen knife.

Or to the moment Tsukasa went straight to the cursed pit of their house when they were like... 5(?) years old to save Amane because he was dying of... some 1960 illness I don't know. He was pretty ill all the time. (My baby, you never have a rest, eh. I don't know what God is doing right now, but doing a good job is not on the list.) So if Tsukasa never met the THING and made a deal with it to save his brother, Amane could have died in the end, #killme :((((((

Anyways, what do you think? Are the other kids like number 3 gone for sure too? Pffft, my poor girl T.T The thing with number 6 never happened so he is still wandering in the other side not remembering a shit again? Will Aoi-chan (seriously, why these two have to be called the same? AidaIro what were you thinking, this is so confusing???) remember the other timeline/correct timeline?

I don't know but Kou is going to be so destroyed when this is over, Teru you are gonna need to contact a therapist this time, I mean, this kid got his dear mother and his (boy)friend back, my poor soul. At least hot (traitor) senpai didn't killed Mitsuba with this sh*t happening, I GUESS AIDAIRO. I DOUBLE GUESS.

I also think is pretty stupid for the clock keepers to go to the instant when Amane killed Tsukasa. Even if we saw the 1968 number all over last chapters. I think it could be smarter if they stopped the THING to come over to little Tsukasa in the first place. Or are they going to let Amane kill him and let them be, nah.

Or at least to stop Tsukasa to come back to Amane when they were little. So that way Amane would be alive (and traumatized for life anyway because his brother dissapeared) and their parents... too... Leave me alone, I'm sad.

I think this last one possibility is the most reasonable since the three girls who did the ouija thing/ceremony in class (there is no better place to do this sh*t? What is going on in Japan's schools anyway??) talked to some spirit called Tsukasa. And then one of them dissapeared, like, yeah. F*ck. Try again. (Even when they knew some other girl did this sh*t in the past and they never saw her again. Jezz, you were asking for it!!!)

Maybe Hanako saved everyone when he killed his brother and make himself one of the protectors of the school because WOW, you let this kids by themselves for a second and they are already dying like flies!!!

And I still think Yashiro is going to die either even if they changed this timeline, sorry not sorry, my girl will survive of course. But this present is so fake. Hanako wil try to find her to save her.

I KNOW. Believe in the... me, that believes in Hanako. (Still pretty weird the scene where we saw that old Yugi as a teacher wandering the school while the girls did the ouija. And the creepy smile in his face. Do you think that's really Hanako? Cause I don't know Rick,)

And what with the Hot senpai??? You have cursed blood eh, I knew something was wrong with this guy since the moment he survived EVERYTHING FROM THE START. (And you start to use it now, AidaIro, you both are ruffians. I love it, let them cook, let them cook...) This guy is immortal and bored to death, change my mind I dare you.

Well, that's all. But you know what? Let me dream and find in this plot something interesting and different, AidaIro. You never let me down. (Believe in the me taht believe in Hanako that believe in AidaIro that believe in Akane was so handsome in this last chapters like I BELIEVE IN ANGELS) I want to believe that the Yugi Tsuchigomori is talking about when he was asked about his broken watch, note that he said only Yugi as a surname (strange isn't it), so... what if that was Tsukasa? And not Amane.

What if Tsukasa is the one old and alive in this time line? It would be so cool to have Tsukasa and Yashiro working together to bring his brother back. What if Amane is now the evil psycho little kid.

Let me dream or write the fanfic. (Nah it wont make sense, the girls of the ouija called for Tsukasa, sighs.) BECAUSE WHO KNOWS, SOMETHING IS GOING ON IN THIS TIMELINE AND IS NOT OKAY.

ANYWAY, HANAKO KUN MANGA.

IS CINEMA.

[voidcxltist]

Explaining my idea of a AU so y'all know what's on my mind

TW as per usual, violence, traumas, torture and other mentions of these

Underground Cult!AU

Took inspiration of various alt aus of different images and ideas! Some are Red Crown Café & Band!AU for example

This au is set on the canon world, EONS away from it, larger explanation because of this being extremly important to develop for me HAHA

In this one, the bishops didn't took heart of Narinder's cult and the lambs, and Abel was born earlier.

Abel, the last lamb, and Narinder, unfairly trapped while he was sleeping, get a death sentence by Shamura, who had a cold heart to make them suffer before the actual thing.

But, smarter than them, Abel smeaks away and bearing the Red Crown of a traumatized Narinder that can barely speak or do anything due to the shock of basically being kidnapped (catatonic + here is a little younger), maquinates a plan of slaughtering them, three of them dead, before Leshy stops him.

Simce Abel managed to break his crown, Leshy would age up in a moment to another, so, it was technically a win/lose.

Leshy, being the most cruel of them, decides to take the axe, and not behead the lamb

He fucking slammed it on his shoulder and cut them abruptly, hitting the heart and the brain.

Narinder, again pretty much on shock to do something, stares blankly at the chopped body of the lamb. Unable to do something and with the Red Crown gone flying, he couldn't save them.

Leshy, wanting to be crueler with him, took a ceremonial dagger and cut his back to shape a pentagram, before slamming it several times on the poor, mortal body of Narinder, killing him with a cardiac arrest due to the impression and stress.

They rang the bells of the fall of not one, four bishops. Leshy, speaking in a low tone, added he was next, as his foliage (???) dried and fell apart. He announced that they had one last order: To grow without gods.

And, with the five gods of the Old Faith gone, the world would supposedly die down

But no. Oculus, thinking they just did the correct to exterminate his former toys, gave them a little light of inspiration. And, giving them this light, they started forming a new "human" culture.

And eons in the future, since they took part of the ADN of the killed lambs to redo four with clonation... And a little of magic, of course, all the society was composed like a human's world.

In this AU, Abel and Narinder, reincarnate without consciousness of their past lifes, and meant to met, their parents are friends, but when they grew up, actually kinda feel they knew each other from far more of years (Narinder being the youngest of them both, 19, Abel is 21)

In their band practices, with Calix, Julie, Violet and Tayrn, Abel finds a glowing red thing that guides him out to the near woods, finding himself with a mysterious silhouette that reassambles something like a cat dressed in all black with red strokes and a glowing red eye

After that encounter, Abel returns with the rest who were as confused as him. They continue training and doing a rehearsal, before a group of black robes with gden details attack them out of the sudden. That's when Abel pulls out a sword out of nothing, and with this weapon dragging him around with him doing nothing, they defeat them.

Out of the sudden, the seord turns into a floating crown, and then into the cat of some hours ago.

Now, Abel had been encomended a task, to chase the four bishop's reincarnations and give the apparently "normal mortals" their souls back and find the other four crowns.

[vellichxrr6782]

CHAPTER TWO, in the quiet of the night.

SYNOPSIS: childe refuses the offer strictly, and you give up too. your managers are left confused.

CHARACTERS (in this chapter): childe, jean, zhongli.

CW/TW: childe and reader overreact, childe is already dating someone else. my apologies, this chapter is a bit short- it's basically filler.

WORD COUNT: 1.5k words.

<- previous chapter | cruel summer masterlist | next chapter ->

“nope, nevermind.” you whispered, as you saw the contract jean and zhongli had prepared for the both of you. “i’m not doing this anymore.” your confidence slowly crumbled away.

jean uttered, “doom.” and you grit your teeth in whatever complex, incomprehensible emotion you were feeling in the moment. 

“god, this is blackmailing, y’know?” childe furrowed his brows, throwing the paper on the table carelessly. “i’m losing my mind trapped in this room with you guys.” 

“no, childe. it’s not blackmailing if we’re doing this for your benefit.” zhongli smiled. what a devil in disguise, looking all innocent while holding a gun in his hand. of course, not a real gun. but you wished he was, so that he could end your misery.

“do you want a raise, zhongli? is that why you’re doing all of this?” 

“well, that is not my intention, but a raise would be nice, childe.” 

you stared at the contract lifelessly. it contained all the information about the scheme they’d planned, and your criteria to fulfil in front of the media. 

“holding hands, lingering glances… sitting beside each other, addressing each other with romantic nicknames, posting pictures on social media…” you mumbled, reading through the list, feeling progressively sicker and sicker as each word went on.

you swore your soul was escaping your body.

“kissing?” childe gagged, “i’m not kissing her!” he pointed to you accusingly, and you crossed your arms. 

“you guys have kissed in movies before though-” jean attempted, but you interrupted.

“well, i’m not too hellbent on kissing you either, childe.” you stated, crossing your arms defensively.

“glad we can agree, so who’s gonna tear this contract first?”

“no.” zhongli stated firmly, glaring as if he was offended at the idea of tearing a contract, “don’t tear the contract. if you don’t want to do it, leave. you’ll come back eventually.” 

childe grumbled, getting up. “you’re just wasting my time at this point. i said no in the first place.”

you followed, holding your bag. “i guess it’s a no from me too.” 

you and childe left the room quickly, leaving jean and zhongli with their thoughts.

if anything, it was confusing to your poor managers as to why pretending to date would be such a bad idea. it was a good story, and it was believable too. besides, you two acted all lovey-dovey on set, why couldn’t you do it in real life?

“we’ll just have to work something else out then…” jean sighed, resting her head on her palm. “what a shame, this could’ve actually been quite believable.” 

“it’s fine, jean. we’re not going to do anything anymore.” zhongli frowned in disappointment. “they’ll come to their senses and do what they need to.” 

jean nodded, “do you want to go to komore teahouse? i’ll buy you something.” she asked, and zhongli sighed. 

“i think i’ll need a vacation instead.”

childe stepped out of the building, scrolling on his phone mindlessly, letting his thoughts run a marathon.

a fake relationship, huh? no damn way. 

he’d known you for years now. you were strict, stuck to your schedules and ideals, stubborn, and hated wasting time. you especially hated relationships, only because of how much time that had to be contributed in a relationship, and also because of how the media exploited them. 

whenever a celebrity is in a relationship with a normal person, that person suddenly becomes a hot topic, and you can bid goodbye to peace and silence. when a celebrity dates another celebrity, that becomes their one defining trait. 

childe would rather lose popularity by a little, rather than be known as, “y/n’s boyfriend” for the rest of eternity. 

actually, childe would rather be crushed by a meteorite than to be known as your boyfriend. 

it’s not that he hated you, he just hated how you were sometimes. stubborn and self-reliant, you were a completely different person in real life, compared to the roles you acted on screen. 

childe would have to admit though, he didn’t always dislike you. when you both did your first movie together, childe actually found himself being attracted to you.

he showed up on set, even when he didn’t have to film anything for the day. he would invite you out to restaurants to celebrate filming a single scene, or he would call you to help you practise your lines. 

of course, those were all excuses to be around you. it’s crazy how fast times change. 

now, all childe wanted was an excuse to stay away from you. he didn’t know why. he assumed it was because you changed, but he also knew that he stood no chance with you, so he gave up at some point. 

maybe that’s why he convinced himself to act like he hated you, so that he wouldn’t accidentally fall in love. 

childe didn’t want to spiral again, into whatever phase he was going through before. childe was not strong of heart, he knew he would fall for you if he had to hold your hand and kiss you, which is the last thing he wanted. 

well, he had denied without a second thought, no? besides, he had a girlfriend. 

although he had to admit, he only got a girlfriend so that he could take his mind off of you. he felt pretty bad about it initially, but he came to like her later on. now he would say that they both were committed to each other.

speaking of his girlfriend, childe dialled her number. maybe they should go out together soon, it’s been a while. 

the call was outgoing for a while, and then the screen flashed to say that she wasn’t answering. it was odd, his girlfriend wasn’t really answering his calls anymore. 

i mean, safe to say that she was busy, but god, he might soon take the offer of dating you if she wasn’t gonna call back anytime soon. 

childe was joking.

obviously.

you waved around a little decorated invitation to a party in your hands, eyeing the words up and down. it’s been a while since you’d last attended a party. these days, you were rather busy with filming, since you and childe had a movie you both were working on. 

it was called “cruel summer”. it was a movie about how two strangers fall in love while on a trip to paris. they have the time of their lives, but things fall apart when the trip ends and they have to go home, without each other. they bid each other their last goodbyes, and it was bittersweet. 

but years later, they both meet again, but the female lead has found another lover, who would end up being the second male lead. 

he hadn’t been casted yet, so you didn’t know who it was. 

you loathed childe, yes, but the time came to act with him, you had no choice but to put it away. you couldn’t really put into words why you disliked him. maybe it was his lack of responsibility, his hyperactive nature, or how he could never shut up. 

or maybe it was that he started to hate you first, so you felt obligated to return that hatred, although you never understood why. 

he was rather nice to you when you first became an actress, he invited you everywhere when you weren’t included. he was a pretty big reason why you got a lot of attention. 

but when you wanted to thank him, he suddenly developed this… attitude towards you. one of hatred. you tried to ask why, but he didn’t explain anything. 

so you thought that it should be mutual. but much to yours and his luck, people adored your pairing, and movies with you both were always hits. such was the case you hoped would be for ‘cruel summer’.

you were anticipating the release of this movie yourself, so words couldn’t explain your fears that it would be an utter flop if you managed to crash without your limelight. 

which is why you wanted childe to accept, even though something like this was entirely out of your comfort zone.

but then again, the “fake dating idea” wasn’t the only way you could rise once more. there were other things you could do too, and besides, it wasn’t like your career was ruined. you really didn’t want to come off as power-hungry, it was just that you didn’t want your life to change.

still, it matters a lot to stay at the top, especially when many people have expectations and spend their money, time and effort to see you shine. if you weren’t popular anymore, you wouldn’t be casted in movies as often as before, and you wouldn’t be able to act. 

acting was your biggest passion, but as time went by, you felt this passion was slowly becoming a burden with the weightage of public image and money matters.

the entertainment industry was unforgiving, and more than ever, now you felt that you had to prove yourself. 

and maybe this party that you had been invited to, could be a nice start to keep yourself afloat.

published on; 15th march, 2023. writing belongs to @/vellichxrr6782 on tumblr.

[sovengardeswag]

You Poor Unfortunate Soul

Chapter 2:

And I Help Them, Yes Indeed

When he first noticed the sun, Astarion first tried to hide in the shade out of instinct. Then, remembering his deal, merely watched. It had been 200 years since he had seen the sunrise, even longer since he had just watched a sunrise. How funny it was, that most mortals took it for granted, that he had once taken it for granted, never truly stopped to admire it before it was too late. Had never watched as the blue of the sky lightened up, as one by one, the stars disappeared out like candles being blown out, the colors of the sun going from gentle oranges and pinks to harsher yellows and reds. It was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. He wanted to bask in it, he wanted to take it in for the rest of his days. He stepped out from the shadow of Wyrm's Rock because even with pain, even with the agony he knew would come, he was going to enjoy the sun to the fullest.

And oh, the devil had been honest in his assessment, as Astarion was brought to his knees from the pain. He breathed deeply, as he could no longer scream, it wouldn't do anything. There was an odd sense of satisfaction in that. Though it felt like he had been set on fire, like he had been dipped in molten metal, and was being roasted all at once, neither Cazador nor Godey would ever hear his "sweet" screams again. Perhaps that was what gave him the strength to get up and return to the shade of Wyrm's Rock. It was more of a scramble than a graceful rise, but still.

Now that he was out of the sun and no longer in pain, it gave him the chance to think. He was on the clock now, he needed to find Wyll. Raphael said that Astarion had put the spawn in his path, but who knew what that really meant? He thus walked through Wyrm's Rock, through the separation between the outskirts and the lower city, where all the masses passed through. In the brief time he spent with Wyll, he knew the man wouldn't be content to wake up late to a sweet breakfast and attend to his paperwork. No, he would be out training, honing his skills with his blade. This was a man of action. A man of conviction. Convictions that Astarion would have to tear down piece by piece. But first, he would have to brave the sun again.

When he got to the end of Wyrm's Rock's tunnel, he took a breath he didn't need and stepped quickly into the light, like taking a plunge into cold water. It felt just as horrid as before but he couldn't afford to dally. He knew that the potion settling into his veins wouldn't allow him to enter homes without permission, so getting into the castle courtyard like a red-eyed angel wouldn't work. So, he was quick as he walked to the Flaming Fist outpost instead, almost collapsing in relief when he was out of the sun, taking a few moments to recover before heading to the desk, the woman there asked, "How may I help you, saer?"

Ah, there was the first hurdle. He couldn't very well just ask if Wyll was here, could he? He huffed and patted his throat before putting a finger to his lips.

"You were attacked and can't say by whom?"

He rolled his eyes before he shook his head and pointed to the parchment in front of her.

"You need to file a report?"

He shook his head once more, growing more frustrated. He put his finger to his lips before pointing to the parchment once again.

"Saer, I can't help you if you don't tell me what you want."

By the gods, did they just let anyone into the flaming fists? Had they always been this clueless?

He was mere moments away from snatching the quill out of her hand when he heard a familiar voice, "Stella, what's going on?"

"Ah, nothing to worry about, Lord Ravengard, this citizen is just confused."

Oh, he could kiss that devil! Placed in Wyll's path indeed. He turned around and Wyll's eyes widened in recognition. "It's you!" He went up to Astarion, looking him over for signs of burns. "Are you alright? What brings you here?"

Once again, Astarion patted his throat and put his finger to his lips.

"You can't speak?"

Thank the gods, the prince wasn't a fool! He nodded once more as Wyll politely took some parchment and a spare quill from the fist at the counter. He first asked Astarion, "What happened? Why can't you speak?"

Astarion quickly scratched out, "Hurts like the hells."

"I'm sorry that you got hurt in that fire. What brings you to the fists?"

"Looking for you. Wasn't sure if you were alright."

"That's very sweet of you and I assure you that I'm fine, nothing sleep and health potions couldn't fix. Did you get home alright?"

Ah, perfect, the sympathy card. He wrote on the parchment once more, "No."

Wyll's eyebrows knit in worry, "No? What happened?"

Astarion scratched out another response, "Went home, employer became angry, threw me out."

"Your employer threw you out?"

Another hastily scratched explanation came. "Worked for a patriar, rotten temper."

A flash of disgust and worry flashed across Wyll's face, "That's terrible. but then, where did you sleep last night?"

"Flop house."

"Ah, I've been there." And the man had clearly not enjoyed it, from the look on his face. He had an idea then, Astarion could see it in his good eye."Why don't you come with me to meet my father when I finish here? I know it sounds intimidating since you heard my name, but I assure you that you'd be welcome and could stay at Wyrm's Rock for a bit. I'm sure that if you're not hired back, you'll find something in no time at all."

Astarion nodded eagerly, innocently clasping his hands together.

"Perfect, just wait here while I give a statement."

Astarion nodded, sitting down at a chair away from a window and thinking of what he would do when Wyll married him. First he'd learn sign, of course, assuming a quick wedding. He would get a fine parasol and new clothes with the finest silk embroidery, only ever sewing out of boredom. Most of all, he would find a way to tell Wyll and his new father-in-law all of Cazador's sins without implicating himself, the bastard surely executed just for being a vampire. He thought of all they could do to him. Maybe he would be tossed down an unclimbable hole with a pane of glass over it and left to the sun, maybe he would be beheaded with a silver axe, maybe he would simply be staked and burned. He was only pulled out of his violent fantasies when Wyll came back."It seems that everyone said the same thing, a grease fire. Do you want to get going?"

Astarion nodded once more, hanging onto Wyll's arm. He seemed a touch surprised but didn't stop Astarion as they walked out of the outpost together. But instead of walking back towards Wyrm's Rock, they were immediately met by a fiery red tiefling. "Heyo! They get everything down?" She then looked at Astarion and said, "Oh, hi. I don't think we've met, name's Karlach, who are you?" She offered her hand eagerly and Asarion was obliged to take it, shaking. And he had to stop himself from yanking his hand away, the feeling of her hot hand deeply unpleasant on his already burning skin.

Luckily, Wyll didn't seem to notice Astarion's discomfort and pain. The spawn was very good at hiding it when necessary, after all. But Wyll did tell Karlach ever so helpfully, "This is the man I told you about this morning, the one who saved my life."

Karlach immediately pulled Astarion into a hug and the vampire wanted to scream. Most would appreciate the intense warmth on a cold day like this, but it was agony, "I can't thank you enough! I cried like a baby when the fists brought him home."

This time, Wyll did notice Astarion was uncomfortable. He told the large woman, "Karlach, I think you're heating up."

"Hm, oh, sorry there, soldier." She let go of Astatrion, who straightened up the best he could despite the burning sensation. If the hellish fire hadn't given it away, then the utter affection this woman had for Wyll told him that this was the tiefling he spared in Avernus. The one who protected those children. And it made him nervous. Wyll said he hadn't spared her out of affection but she was a lovely woman indeed. Strong with kind eyes and a lovely curled horn, she and Wyll would make an adorable couple. He had his work cut out for him.

"I actually invited him to stay with us. He fell onto some hard times and this was the least I could do."

"You sure your Pops is gonna be alright with that?"

"I'd be shocked if he wasn't." He then looked to Astarion, "But first, we have a few things to attend to. Would you like to come with Karlach and me?"

Astarion nodded, continuing to hold onto Wyll's arm for stability as much as to endear himself to Wyll.

First on the agenda was to see a blacksmith named Dammon. One who found himself tightly hugged by Karlach. "Dammon! How are you adjusting to the Gate?"

"I've been adjusting as well as you can expect. The forge is good and the rent's reasonable. How is the engine treating you up here?"

"Nothing that you didn't say would happen. Weird aches, hot flashes, but other than that I'm alright."

Astarion quirked an eyebrow at Wyll in question and the prince of the Gate explained, "Karlach has an infernal engine for a heart. In Avernus, it works just as a regular heart does, along with enhancing her strength."

Karlach nodded and further explained, "Problem is, on Faerun, it just burns hotter and hotter to make up for the colder air. Eventually, it'll just burn me up." Astarion must have made a face he didn't notice because she was quick to clarify, "Oh, I'm not going to drop dead or anything, don't worry! I just can't stay up top for more than, I think, six months, give or take." And Asarion calmed, safe in the knowledge that they would not, in fact, die in a fiery explosion then and there.

Astarion watched Dammon examine Karlach like he was a doctor, checking her engine by giving it a listen, checking her temperature by placing his hand on her forehead, examining her eyes, all while Wyll watched with rapt attention. In the end, he told her, "Well, it's as I said, your engine's holding firm. You should be fine for a few months."

"Aces, thanks Dammon!" She gave the tiefling blacksmith another hug and told Astarion, "We've just got one more thing to deal with and we can head to Wyrm's Rock."

Astarion felt some measure of relief that they were almost done, still hanging on to Wyll's arm as they walked some more, the sun bearing down on him the entire time.

When they entered a jewelry store, Astarion found himself mildly surprised. He wouldn't exactly call jewelry shopping an errand. Even when Cazador got his ugly signet cleaned, he always went himself at night rather than send a servant during the day and he usually came back with something for himself. A tiny bit of paranoia crept in that he might be third-wheeling a gift-shopping expedition for a couple.

However, that fear was quickly dashed, as when the blue dragonborn jeweler asked what she could do to help, Wyll said, "I'm looking to have a new false eye made. My current one isn't suitable anymore and a glass one wouldn't work in my line of work. So, I need a metal one or a new stone one."

"Well, I can tell you now, sir, that a metal one is out of the question, it would be too heavy. However, I can make a base out of bitumen and..."

Astarion's attention drifted when the conversation turned to the intricacies of false eyes. His eyes wandered and they landed on one piece in particular. Locked under glass was a ring of mind-shielding. It was probably the most expensive item in this entire store. It had an amethyst as the jewel in a bezel setting, the gold band engraved with runes. Raphael's suggestion for ways to avoid Cazador came to mind. With a quick glance to ensure that Karlach and Wyll were still speaking to the jeweler, Astarion reached into his hair and pulled out a pin out of his hair, bending it as he walked up to the case, starting to quickly pick at the lock, keeping an ear out as he did. He could feel that there were four pins on this lock. The first went quickly

"And you're sure Opal is too soft?"

"Quite."

Pins two and three released. He heard Karlach say, "And if we brought a gem or a rock for you to polish up, would that work?"

"It would depend on what you brought, but yes, I could most certainly do it for a suitable stone."

The last pin went. Astarion had to work quickly. He opened the case just enough to reach his hand in and snatch a similar, inconsequential ring in the case to replace the ring of mind-shielding before switching it out and putting it in his pocket.

It was mere moments after he gently closed and relocked the case that Astarion was called over by Karlach. "Oy! Do you want to help us pick something?"

Astarion turned around and pointed at himself, genuine surprise showing on his face.

Wyll gave him a gentle smile and told him, "Yes, you. You look terribly bored and I would be a poor host indeed if I let you stay bored."

With his new ring of mind-shielding safely in his pocket, Astarion went up to the counter. He looked at the stones before him, still uncut and quite large. One a deep green with variously darker and lighter rings, one a dark, burnt orange color with various stripes, and a grey and shiny one with thin bands around it.

Wyll pointed to the green stone and told him, "That one is malachite. It takes protective spells well but it needs a coating so we've decided against it. Apparently, it would become toxic without one."

Astarion made a face at the concept of a poisonous rock offering protection and Wyll chuckled a bit, "Exactly, so now it's between tiger's eye and agate."

"I say to go for the tiger's eye. I mean, it has eye right in the name."

"That, and it has a nice color, but the agate does as well. It's a bit hard to decide." He looked to Astarion and said, "This is where you come in, a bit of a tiebreaker."

Astarion looked at the stones, examining them. He picked up both options and weighed them in his hands. He also held up both options to Wyll's face, the prince allowing him to compare both options as he told him, "To tell you the truth, I've never done this before. This eye wasn't exactly my choice. I appreciate you taking this so seriously."

Astarion nodded, assuring Wyll that he knew this was indeed serious business. And as he looked at both stones at Wyll's eye level, he concluded that, despite the tiger's eye being absolutely garish, he'd look good with either one. Everything just seemed to flatter the man, though he couldn't imagine a cute little pupil being carved into the tiger's eye. But maybe Wyll would look better with something more serious. He also didn't get to choose his current eye. What if he thought the pupil was stupid and thought Astarion frivolous? He put both stones down and made a heart shape with his hands before pointing to his own ruby-red eye.

"The pupil? A stylistic choice by my ex-patron, though admittedly a sweet one. Do you like it?"

Astarion nodded.

"Well, I'll keep it in mind when it's time to carve then."

Astaion looked at the stones once more. He was naturally leaning toward the agate but there was one more factor. Wyll was an adventurer, he would be performing all sorts of feats that were liable to get him killed, this would all be for naught if Astarion ended up a widower. So he looked to the jeweler and made the somatic gesture for Firebolt.

The jeweler looked confused for a moment before realizing, "Ah, you're asking about charms. Tiger's eye is attuned to warding magic while agate takes to warding or perception."

As the saying went, an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure. Astarion pointed pointed to the agate, his mind set. It was up to Wyll now.

"Alright then, we'll take the agate."

"Excellent choice, sir, if you'll follow me into the back, I can take a measurement.

Wyll nodded and followed the jeweler, leaving Astarion alone with Karlach. The spawn went to take a seat and Karlach followed. The two of them were in silence for a moment, Astarion because he had no choice and Karlach, he presumed, because she didn't know what to say. But she soon broke the silence as she asked, "So, this is probably rude but I was wondering about the eyes.

Astarion tensed. Did she know, somehow?

"Are you half drow? Again, sorry if that's rude, been wondering all morning."

Oh, thank the gods. He shook his head and raised four fingers.

"Ah, makes sense. I just saw the eyes and the way you flinched and kind of guessed. I knew a half-drow kid growing up here, his mum was the drow."

Astarion's eyes widened in surprise that she noticed the flinching. To his expression she gave a little laugh and said, "On a cold day when everyone is trying to warm up and appreciate how bright the sun is? Come on." She elbowed him gently and, with it being indoors, it was no longer uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry about your job by the way. Why was the boss mad?"

Astarion couldn't help but feel a touch judgemental when Karlach asked that. Did she seriously expect him to answer in his state? He wouldn't show it though. Instead, he simply shrugged.

"Ah, yeah, I get that. But hey, you can find something better now, at least."

Oh, she was certainly right about that. He had to wonder about her own issues. He pointed to her shoulder and pinched his hand in question.

"You asking if it hurts?"

He nodded.

"Eh, not really. Not unless something breaks and starts burning me. But that's pretty rare, not since Elturel. Getting it put in hurt like a mother fucker though."

Astarion pat her shoulder, not sure what else to do.

"Thanks, you're sweet. I'm used to having it though."

Astarion could certainly understand that, saying one was used to something so horrendous. But he also knew that it was a lie. It was something said to keep yourself sane. As he pulled his hand away, he almost felt bad for very briefly seeing her as a rival. But only almost. Quite frankly, he still wasn't sure what, exactly, her feelings were for Wyll. He couldn't blame her if her engine went all aflutter for her savior. And here he was, Wyll's savior, calling in a favor and trying to win him so a devil could manipulate him. It was utterly devious. It was the exact sort of job someone would use him for.

Karlach didn't want to dwell on the painful, however, nor did she suspect a single thing from Astarion as she went on to ask, "So, was your grandma or grandpa the dark elf?"

Wyll came out of the back of the store when Astarion was most of the way through pantomiming a fake backstory of a secondborn son set to be an old and lecherous matron's concubine before running away to Baldur's Gate, earning a perfectly honest living as a courtesan before settling down with a humble elf. Or at least, that was the story he was trying to convey. He'd been pantomiming the part where his fake grandmother wooed her little drow with a pair of earrings when he arrived, "Well, you two certainly made fast friends."

"Yeah, the guy's a riot."

Yes, good, approval. Astarion pointed to his right eye in question to Wyll.

"It'll be done within the ten-day, so well within our stay here."

They wouldn't be gone within the day or anything like that then. Good. Either way, he got up once more and clung to Wyll's arm. Karlach pointed out, "He sure likes hanging onto you."

"Oh, ah, he certainly does. We were actually flirting a bit before the fire."

"Oh? And you didn't tell me that the beautiful stranger who saved you was flirting with you?" Karlach teased.

"Oh, stop," he said, "But he was."

Karlach, smirking a bit, addressed Astarion now, telling him as they walked out, "Can't say I'm surprised. I mean, look at him, Don't take him saying no as straight-up rejection though. He likes you back, he's just a bit old-fashioned."

"I said nothing of the sort," Wyll told Karlach, though took no offense to the implication that he liked Astarion. It was quiet aside from all the people milling about as they trekked back to Wyrm's Rock.

Astarion didn't feel nervous about entering Wyrm's Rock since Wyll had invited him to stay, even less so when Wyll said, "Again, you're welcome to stay as long as you need," when they had arrived at the living quarters. What he was, instead, was mildly surprised. He had expected the Grand Duke's home to be finely furnished, full of victorious paintings and tapestries of monster hunting, from, how Cazador described Ravengard as self-righteous. But no, while certainly not spartan, the home seemed more befitting a minor noble than borderline royalty. But Astarion, despite himself, wasn't disappointed. The place was comfortable, and tasteful. The couches were made of velvet, the office chair he spied in an open room lined with fine leather, and the few commemorative paintings were clearly done by the finest artists. Astarion briefly stopped at a portrait of the duke, then the grand marshall, with a ten-year-old version of Wyll. The boy had been rendered adorably, all wide-eyed and happy. It was also evidence that Wyll hadn't always been a tiefling, for the portrait displayed not a stubby horned child, but a human one with dark brown eyes and not a hellish feature in sight. Indeed, he was not a descendent of the hells but changed by them. When they moved on with some happy ribbing from Karlach, they came to the guest room. And never before had Astarion been so glad to be in a guest room. For one, he was allowed to actually sleep here. For another, it was comfortable, with a feather bed, a good, thick set of curtains, and fine cedar nightstands, there was even a tub for bathing. It was heaven compared to the Szarr estate.

Wyll explained the reasoning for bringing him directly to the bedroom. "My father is in a meeting and won't be back until dinner. Meanwhile, Karlach and I have some work we need to do. Is that alright?"

Astarion nodded in understanding and to show it was perfectly fine. It gave him the opportunity to prepare if anything.

"Alright, there's extra clothes in the wardrobe and if you need anything, just ask." And then, he and Karlach left. As soon as the coast was clear, Astarion fished into his pocket and pulled out the ring of mind-shielding. It was almost too good to be true, that a rune-covered, amethyst ring could guard him from Cazador. He had certainly heard of it working and Raphael had mentioned it, but those could simply be the dreams of desperate spawns and a trick from a devil. There was only one way to know if this little magic ring could work. He slipped it onto his finger.

As soon as he got it on, there was a sense of peace, as if whispers he had been hearing his whole life had been silenced. The tension he felt in his brain stem was gone. His mind, his body, they were his own. He nearly collapsed, catching himself to sit on the bed as he let out a silent laugh of relief. He had done it, he had outsmarted Cazador and all he needed to do was steal a ring. Oh, he was going to enjoy this new life of his. The first order of business? A bath, hot and scented and sudsy.

It was a slight hassle to ask the Wyrm's Rock staff for what he needed, but so very worth it. Away from the window, he was able to enjoy the hot water. The scents of juniper and bergamot were strong enough to cover up the mild smell of undeath that followed him. Though, now that he thought about it as he scrubbed his scalp, he wouldn't be surprised if that scent came from all the damn ghouls in Cazador's palace. Either way, he felt much cleaner and much more relaxed. He didn't even need to worry about his hair, products having been left for him with the soaps and the oils. By the time he was done, he felt like a new man as he looked over the options for clothes. Seeing as it was a guest room, there weren't very many options, but he could certainly style them. Black breeches always made for a promising start, especially with a white shirt, but what to wear on top? He looked between a green doublet and a black one. Though something in his mind said that the green doublet matched with something, he knew that wasn't true. So, he opted for the black one, which had some tasteful gold accents. It was dark and broody but didn't scream vampire, it was modest and comfortable. It was perfect.

His confidence was palpable as he left the room. It was dark out and he didn't feel any sort of compulsion. If he focused, he could feel someone asking, no, demanding to be let into his mind. And he smirked as he resolutely ignored it, imagining Cazador absolutely furious and confused. Instead, he sauntered his way through the halls of Wyrm's Rock, exploring. He found the library, a war room, and some more guest rooms, all of them as lovely as his own. It was during his exploration that he ran into Wyll again. "Ah, there you are. was everything alright?"

Astarion nodded, taking note of Wyll's outfit. A dark, deep blue doublet with a white shirt underneath, the doublet having gold trim. It was good to know his future husband had good taste.

"That's good. I was actually just looking for you. Father and Karlach are waiting in the dining room for dinner. You want to join us, right?"

Astarion nodded most enthusiastically and followed Wyll close behind. Wyll was very sweet, he was, but Astarion wasn't going to get anywhere by just taking advantage of his hospitality. He needed to do something more. Maybe dinner would be an opportunity, if he could impress the Grand Duke, Wyll might consider Astarion worth his time. He wondered what Ulder Ravengard was like anyway. Obviously, he hadn't exactly thrown himself into opulence upon rising to the station, living here instead of in the upper city palace, that much he had heard had been true. And Cazador could not stand the man, mentioned that he avoided him like the plague when he was forced to meet with other patriars, calling Duke Ravengard an arrogant little knight when he went on one of his tirades, but that was more due to the Duke's attempts at curbing corruption rather than his actual personality. He really had very little to work with. So, upon arriving at the dining hall, he merely sat down at one of the tables, right across from Karlach and next to Wyll. On other days, this place probably hosted grand banquets but, right now, it was just four people at the end of a table.

"Ah, so you're the man who saved my son from that fire. It is wonderful to meet you." Ulder Ravengard said, holding out a hand for Astarion to shake, which he did. It was calloused from years of work and training as a Flaming Fist, more than Wyll's was. "And what is your name?"

Wyll flushed with embarrassment at the realization he had never caught Astarion's name. Never mind that Astarion had done that on purpose, the spawn was now regretting that. He wasn't sure if Wyll had told his father about his supposed condition but he patted his throat again anyway, hoping Ulder could catch on as well as his son.

"Ah, forgive me, my son mentioned that you had been injured, but we must call you something other than "you.""

Karlach spoke up then, "Want me to get some paper and ink?"

Astarion shook his head. It wasn't necessary. He first pointed to his ear.

"An elven name," Wyll immediately understood.

Astarion nodded and pointed out one of the windows.

Karlach took a guess then, "Is it Skye?"

Astarion made a face at that.

"Oof, ok, not Skye."

Ulder took a moment to think as he looked out the window, "Ithilen?"

Astarion shook his head, though did not make a face.

Wyll finally guessed, "Does it have something to do with stars?"

Astarion made a so-so motion with his free hand.

Wyll immediately got it right, "Astarion?"

Astarion blinked twice in surprise. He had not expected that. He had expected to be clear within the next guesses, but not so immediately. Either way, he nodded.

"Astarion. It's a lovely name."

But now Astarion had his own questions and, blast this deal, he needed to know how Wyll guessed. Did his ex-patron have some idea of the plan? Was she still sending him messages through his eye?"

Wyll noticed his confusion as he said, "Ah, this is a bit morbid but I saw that name on a grave in the upper city when I was a boy. It seemed so lonely up there, with no flowers and only vines, that it stuck in my mind and I remembered it when you said you had a star name." Wyll then had another thought, asking, "Do you have any relation to that person? Astarion Ancunin?"

Astarion lied and shook his head.

"Wyll is right that it's a lovely name. Ah, but please, eat, the food looks delicious, and not just because I'm famished."

While the living got to enjoy their meal of pork cooked in a marinade and served wih risotto, Astarion was, quite frankly, suffering. That potion had only been said to "cure" his problem with sunlight and, indeed, it had done only that. The meat tasted like ash despite smelling divine, the same went for the risotto, he was unable to enjoy the creamy texture from the ashen flavor of the rice and the rank, sour taste of mushrooms that were supposed to be savory and delightful. But it wouldn't be the first time he faked enjoyment of a meal, acting like it was the best thing he had eaten and washed it down with a wine that, while being a nice vintage that was probably some variety of dry to go with the meal, tasted like straight vinegar to him

Luckily, he was able to put his fork down when Ulder asked, "So, Astarion, what was your trade?"

Ah, a simple question. He made a sewing motion with his hands and the Grand Duke caught on, "Ah, a tailor? A fine profession. Francesca, Wyll's mother, was actually a seamstress before I became Grand Marshall. She wanted to keep it up, but her old clients felt a little uncomfortable with her station, so she took up needlepoint to occupy her mind."

Astarion listened in rapt attention. He had known that Ravengard had been common born but had always assumed that his wife was a lower noble, that he had married his way in. It was clear now that Lady Ravengard was in the same situation as her husband. How odd this city was, a noble magistrate like him could fall to such lows and a common person could rise to Grand Duke.

It was Karlach, sweet karlach, who asked the dreaded question, "So, who'd you work for? You mentioned that they were a patriar?"

Shit, no matter what he said, he was doomed. Even if he knew no one here would talk, walls had ears, even if he lied and mimed out a different patriar family, they would deny it in confusion, word would get back to Cazador, and he would know where Astarion was. he'd be dragged back, his ring of mind-shielding taken, and he'd be flayed before getting thrown in the crypt again, no doubt for ten years this time.

Wyll, either once again reading his face like a book, or out of some sense of noble propriety, quickly told him, "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

"Oh yeah, no, I've just got patriars on the brain is all. I know how they talk, so if you're not comfortable saying, I totally get it. I actually used to work for a guy who was upper crust too. It's a long story but he's actually why we're here."

Astarion titled his head in a question. They weren't here for a visit? Though it certainly explained why Karlach and Wyll needed to work today.

Grand Duke Ravengard shook his head, "I'm afraid not. My son and Karlach are heading an investigation. One of the councilors is a Banite and has dealings with Zhentarim and the slave trade. He's also accused of other crimes, but those have less evidence so far. Normally he would be on trial by now but what was found in the hells and couldn't be brought back. A man by the name of Enver Gortash."

Astarion recognized the name. Councilor Gortash had come calling to one of Cazador's many parties, offering his services. He even offered "labour," in case Cazador wanted to re-explore some ruin or mine or something of that sort. Cazador had declined. Astarion only really remembered it because it was such a strange interaction. Cazador usually liked taking every advantage he could, and Gortash had turned down the evening's "entertainment" before leaving, and it wasn't as if Gortash had been an innocent and shy little upstart, he had been looking. Either way, he wasn't surprised that the man was involved with the Zhents and all sorts of atrocities.

Karlach then said something that made it all the worse, "He, uh, he's actually how I ended up in the hells. Zariel had something he wanted, and Zariel wanted me."

Astarion could have guessed from the context; the evidence coming from the hells, the fact that they were investigating him, Karlach's slavery in Avernus, it all added up. He vaguely wondered, how could she be so cheery despite it all. Who went through literal hell and came out smiling?

Wyll patted Karlach's shoulder, telling her, "We'll get him, don't worry." He then looked to Astarion, telling him, "That's not to say that we'll be leaving you completely alone tomorrow. You can join us while we go investigating, and the day after there's going to be a welcome party. We'll be taking that day off."

"As you should, we all need it after spending weeks in the hells, even longer for Ms. Cliffgate."

"I suppose," but it was clear to Astarion that this a sort of enforced day off if the way Wyll's eyes flitted away was any indication. He probably wanted to get justice for his friend and celebrate after. Well, if it was to be that way, he would just need to be absolutely delightful, a perfect little investigative partner, and would make the day of the party the best of Wyll's life. He would surely get a kiss by the deadline. Wyll already liked him, making love blossom would be easy.

Just as dinner was ending and Astarion choked down his last bite of risotto, however, a flaming fist came in, "Grand Duke Ravengard, I come with news."

"Has something happened?" The Grand Duke stood up, clearly surprised to be interrupted.

"Yes sir, there was another smash-and-grab in the city."

"Don't tell me it's-"

"Another jewelry store, sir. Everything in the cases included magical items with hundreds of gold worth of damages, possibly thousands. Clearly the same outfit as the others"

"I see, has anyone been hurt?"

"Not this time, sir, but among the stolen items were a ring of mind-shielding and an Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location. they may be trying to run at this point."

Astarion wanted to laugh. They thought that the ring he had stolen had been taken in a smash-and-grab. Things couldn't possibly be going more perfectly.

"Alright, I'll go see what can be done." The Grand Duke looked to astarion and told him, "It was lovely to meet you, I once again thank you for saving my son." Ulder quickly shook Astarion's hand again before leaving.

Wyll got up as well, telling Astarion and Karlach, "I should go with him. Goodnight Astarion, I'll see you in the morning." He gave him a pat on the shoulder before leaving.

And then there was Karlach, who asked, "You wanna come raid the kitchen for dessert with me?"

Astarion shook his head and Karlach said, "Suit yourself," before getting up and leaving.

Thus, Astarion was alone. He put his head in his hands and blew air through his nose. He felt awful after eating all that, the consequences of a vampire daring to eat actual good food were catching up to him. He began to run to the nearest window, the one he had pointed out to, opened it and immediately threw up into the snow outside. He was lucky no one had been outside and was grateful that, as a vampire, he had no bile to burn his throat. Just an empty stomach that always asked for blood.

As he wiped his mouth, he looked back into the dining hall. None had come in and seen that little display, good. He swiftly left to his room, washed out his mouth, and rubbed at his face. Two more days, Two more days of being the sweet, perfect little quarter-drow high elf and at least his place here would be secured. But how long would he have to hide himself? How long would he vomit out windows? He could explain the potion, the fact that he had never drank the blood of thinking creatures in his life, but would the virtuous blade and his father understand? He couldn't be sure of that. But would he be able to keep finding a permanent cure a secret? Ah, but he couldn't dwell on that. Not right now. For now, he just needed to deal with it. But that didn't mean he needed to miss out on an actual dinner.

He blew out the candle in his room and climbed out the window, knowing he would need to head to Rivington, he was in the mood for pig's blood.