#hell AU

[teddylovestea]

please hold gently

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Edwin, Monty, and Charles (Hell AU)

“You have to be quiet,” Edwin instructs, quick and quiet as can be, but in a voice that trembles just as his hand does, shaking in a way that Charles has never known Edwin to do. “We cannot risk it coming to get either of us again.”

“Either of us?” Charles asks, keeping his voice to a whisper, because Edwin might be scared but fear doesn’t make you wrong- it makes you a better fucking survivor. It’s how Charles lasted in his father’s home for so long over the years, learning exactly how to keep his head down. It didn’t save him from beatings- nothing could make his father happy- but it kept them to as much of a minimum as possible.

For some reason, Edwin nods down at the bird in his lap, a brief, sharp motion, before looking up at Charles with big, bright eyes. “Charles, what the absolute hell are you doing down here?” 

Charles can’t help a fond smile, despite all the grime and blood and distant, demonic screams. Only Edwin Payne could manage to make a whisper so sharp. “I came to rescue you, mate. Someone’s gotta do it.”

But Edwin, to Charles’ shock, rolls his eyes. “God save me from heroes,” he hisses.

-aletterinthenameofsanity, heaven knows (we belong way down below)

All my aching bones are trembling

And I may yet fall apart

Won't you stay with me, my darling

When the war starts in my heart?

Oh ashes, ashes, dust to dust

The devil's after both of us

Oh, lay my curses out to rest

Make a mercy out of me

-The Crane Wives, Curses

@deadboy-edwin @icecreambrownies @anonymousbooknerd-universe @ashildrs

@tragedy-machine @orpheusetude @jaysbraindump

@pappelsiin @itsbitmxdinhere @rexrevri @sweet-like-h0ney-lavender @saffirez

@the-ipre @sunnylemonss @days-light @agentearthling @helltechnicality

@sethlost @catboy-cabin @secretlyafiveheadeddragon @vyther15

@anything-thats-rock-and-roll @queen-of-hobgobblers @every-moment-a-different-sound

@nix-nihili @mellxncollie @tumblerislovetumblerislife @lemurafraidofthunder

@likemmmcookies @wr0temyway0ut @thelakeswillbreakourfall

@sapphic-corgi

[cookiesupplier]

Catch You When You Fall - Part One

pairing: Nicholas Ruffilo & ofc (Catherine)

warnings/tropes: slow burn, angst, murder, mystery, smut, mentions of speciesism, mentions of violence, trauma... (to be added.)

summary: A new soul has arrived in the Afterlife. While she appears to adjust just like anyone else might in the new environment of the world of life after death, despite the ordeal she experienced with her death. The question is has she really, and can Nicholas help her without crossing lines that he knows he shouldn't?

Authors Note: Like most of my stories, no beta, but enjoy if you lik lol.

To find the others in the Hell AU Universe: Combined Hell-Verse Masterlist

tags: @missduffsblog @tearfallpixie @spicywhenspeaking @sorrowsofsilence @wild-child-7747

@lacktoesandtoddlerants @blackveilomens @valiantroeagleangel @bngurngheart @collapsedglasshouses

@embracethereaper42 @emmmm127 @sunsshinesunny @dominuslunae @xxkittenkissesxx

If you would like to be added to this tag list please see THIS FORM

Screeching, she can hear something screeching, and it's making her head ring so bad as she stumbled forward, it was making her so dizzy that everything around her just feels like it's a blur for the moment. What is going on? The room, it’s, it’s spinning, is it even just a room, a hall maybe, it was long, it felt like it could go on forever. Perhaps that was because she couldn’t seem to focus on any one thing. Catherine leaned against the wall for a moment, closing her eyes, trying to take a breath. She was just at home, she was just, in her bedroom, she was just…

That sound wasn't screeching at all. It was screaming. Screaming, and it was coming from her. She had been screaming until her throat felt like it was ripped to sandpaper. Oh god, she remembered screaming, and she remembered there being another person in the room, but it had been so dark who had it had been, why, why had they… and, then... nothing. Why did her head hurt so much?

Cat’s hand rose to her throat, her fingers pressed to the soft skin tenderly, flinching as she swallowed, it… it didn’t hurt. Why didn’t it hurt? She remembered the pain. She remembered feeling the hard press of their gloved hand circling around her throat, digging in painfully until she couldn’t breathe. He’d laughed, she had looked up into those strangely familiar eyes, and he’d laughed. Why had they been familiar? Why couldn’t she remember who they were?

She swore she remembered waking up in her bedroom. Cat didn’t remember what had startled her enough to wake her, but she did remember seeing him, it was a him, she knew it was a him, well, she assumed it was him. His stature, lack of breasts, presence of his aroused state when he used his body to slam her against the wall as he cornered her in the hallway after she leapt from her bed and tried to run. At the very least, he had been born physically male. The mask hid her attacker's face, and it had been far too dark for her to see anything other than black, she’d barely gotten a glimpse of the eyes when they’d got right up close as they’d choked her. The irony, all of her dark fantasies could have come true with that masked person choking her that night, were it not for one thing.

What they had wanted.

They didn’t want her in any way other than dead, which lead Cat right to where she was now, standing in a rather bleak room, almost. Was this, an office hall? She was dead, right? She hadn’t been dreaming or anything? As in, she had actually died? No catch twenty twos, no second chances, no glimpses of what-ifs.. Maybe she’d read one too many supernatural books… so sue her. 

“Catherine?”

Her head turned swiftly, glancing to the side of her, only to groan softly in pain, her hand flying to her head and cradled it with her palm to her temple, the sudden movement had not eased the throbbing. 

“That would be from you hitting your head on the way down when you fell, please, you should sit.”

Looking at the man in confusion, he looked so, well, frankly, normal. Blue eyes, blonde hair, highlights matching his sun kissed skin, he had a couple of random tattoos down his forearms, over all he looked like a basic surfer. Nothing alarming that meshed anything close to her dream. Who was he? Just the same, though, he was guiding her to one of the empty desks, where he pulled a chair from the desk, offering it to her so she could sit, just as he had suggested. Once she had, he proceeded to pull another chair over so he could join her sitting by the desk. Then, almost, as if by magic, which, it couldn’t be, that was impossible right? An ice pack appeared in the man’s hand, holding it out to her.

“Here, this should help ease the headache.”

Accepting the cold pack, Cat took in a sharp breath as she pressed it to the back of her head. It was so tender, there was a spike of pain with the pressure, however it was soothed quickly with the cool feeling. A moment later she shivered a little at the ice pack in her hand even. 

“Thank you.”

Seeing him smile to her, Cat watched him warily for a moment, trying to understand what was happening here. After a moment, she decided that she was just going to bite the bullet and ask.

“I am, dead, right? I didn’t.. Hallucinate everything that happened, did I?”

The kind of smile that came her way pretty much told her everything she wanted to know, pity. Sighing, she presumed that it could very well be intended to be understanding, but it didn’t feel that way. No, it felt like pity. At least he wasn’t smirking at her, yea, the last time she got bad news it went sideways very fast. The worst moments, for Cat, were when a person didn’t even mean to be. For instance, the burst of childish laughter at a horrifying moment that had ripped your heart out. At least this man, whose eyes, eyes, had a look that told her he might as well be as old as dirt for however young he appeared. She was dead, and he was possibly an old man, in a young body, oh yes, that made absolutely complete sense.

Frowning, she glanced along the hall, there were other people along the desks, talking with people along the way just as she was. Some were calm, some however, not so much. One at every desk looked rather, shall we say, out of place. For instance, while her, for lack of anything else to call him, her new friend, he certainly hadn’t been rude to her so far at least… was dressed in smart casual attire. Button down shirt, rolled up sleeves to his elbows, long slacks, neatly trimmed hair, she however, was dressed in her nightgown. At least unlike some of her other night gowns, this one at least was more on the modest side, not to say Cat wore a lot of risqué nightgowns, but she had some. For when she had someone in her bed that might enjoy it. Unfortunately that was few and far in between times, it had been quite awhile, hence the very modest night gown. 

Holding the ice pack to her head as she turned her focus back to her new, friend, of sorts, whoever he was. Who was he?

“How about we start with introductions, shall we?”

Perking up at that, trying not to flinch at her pained head, he might as well have read her mind for a moment there, but she stayed silent, letting him continue. Years ago she’d learned to stay silent and let others talk freely, especially when they had already started, tended to go far better than cutting than off to demand information. Most times anyway. Sometimes it got her even more information than she could personally want, while it could lead to some embarrassment in certain cases, in others, it was exceptionally useful. 

“My name is Bryce, I am your caseworker. It’s my job to help transition from life to the Afterlife, until you are ready to reincarnate, which, don’t worry about that right now. Reincarnation is a layered subject we should leave for a later time, once you’ve settled.”

Casework, afterlife, reincarnation? Well, that was more than she expected. Blinking at him, she had no idea what to say to that, the whole world just seemed to stop.

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Questions? Did she have any questions? What kind of question was that? Who in their right mind wouldn’t have questions? Has anyone ever said no to that? It felt like kind of a redundant question in itself, and it made her want to- no, no. She was not going to laugh in the face of the first kind face she’d met upon her arrival in the afterlife since her demise.

“Oh, maybe just a few. Let’s start with you just throwing Afterlife out there like that, so, am I in, ah, Heaven, Hell, Limbo? Honestly, I have no idea what to think here, because this just looks like-”

Cat turned her head, still holding the ice pack in place against the back of her skull, she did not want to risk losing that sweet relief. 

“An office building.

There was no other way she could think of as a way to describe the look of this place. As her attention turned back to, to, Bryce, right, Bryce, and continuing right on.

“I can’t be certain that if I got up and walked out the front door, I wouldn’t in the middle of the city square.”

His smile this time was far less sad and more amused,

“The Afterlife is more generalised than specific in terms of places. Technically in the means of the way human religions see them, there is technically no specific Heaven, Hell, Elysium, Valhalla, Summerland, the Duat, the list goes on as you can imagine. Now, in saying that, there are many here in this particular area of the Afterlife, that refer to it as Hell, affectionately, of course. They do this as it is the gateway to many punishment dimensions of the Afterlife. Now, in saying that, you, Catherine, are in no way here to be punished. If you were here to be sent to one of those dimensions, we would not be sitting here talking as we are. There is a whole different hall you’d be going through, and very different people you’d be meeting if you were.” Something about that seemed to amuse him greatly, “And they aren’t exactly the kind of people you really want to know, quite undesirable as it were.”

Frowning slightly, oh? That, was a curious thought, that there were people in the Afterlife, in Hell, there were still people that were considered undesirable, outside of those being sent to be punished she was presuming. At least, in Bryce’s opinion. It made her wonder why. Something else also caught her attention with his little spiel about where she was, about what the Afterlife actually was.. Human religions, he didn’t just say religion, he specifically said human religion.

“When you say human religion specifically, is that to suggest there are more than just humans here in the Afterlife?”

This caused Bryce to smile brightly, 

“Oh, you are a bright one, smart, catch on quickly. I like that. Correct. Most of us that live in this area of the afterlife are in fact demons, I am a demon. I hope that doesn’t scare you, we are quite friendly, I promise.”

There was a possibility that Bryce misinterpreted the surprised expression crossing her features when he mentioned demons, assuming she was afraid with the news instead. The amount of supernatural books that she’d read in her life only to find out that demons were something that were in fact real. Oh, it made her wonder what else she could find in the Afterlife, what else she might find here. Were there vampires, werewolves? What kind of creatures were in Hell? Were there different creatures here in hell that there were in different parts of the Afterlife?

If Bryce wondered whether she had questions about being here in the Afterlife before, that was nothing compared to now. Her mind was just completely reeling as to what he’d revealed to her. Still though,

“I’m sorry, you just, look so human.”

Smiling,

“Well, admittedly, not every demon does, there are plenty of those that reside here that don’t shift into a more human form. Because I interact with humans quite a bit, especially ones like yourself, that are just starting their transition to the Afterlife, I find it eases their passage just a little having a more familiar. A friendly face to help them acclimate to their new surroundings help a great deal. How am I doing so far?”

The chuckle that followed made Cat think that Bryce wasn’t really looking for an answer as to how she was actually doing, and was really just joking around in hopes to just ease her in with his amusing remark. She supposed he wasn’t wrong however, though, it would have been quite a shock if she’d stumbled into the hall and been approached by someone looking vastly different. Not that she knew how demons actually looked quite yet. For all she knew, they looked just as welcoming as he did. “Fine, I guess.” “How is your head feeling, Darling?”

Oh, she tried not to frown, she’d never liked it when men did that, called her Darling or something like they were all familiar with her, and they didn’t even know her. Now there were some people in her life that it was different with, her friends, they’d just had a different way about them, and some of them she clicked with quickly. She’d only just met Bryce, and as nice as he seemed, it was a liberty she didn’t feel comfortable giving him yet. 

It did not help that from a darkness in her mind, she couldn’t shake the shadow of a thought of the man that held her to a wall, pressing his body to hers, choking the life out of her. Now this man was calling her, Darling, like it was nothing.

Taking a breath, she lifted the ice pack from the back of her head, realising…

“Oh, I, it’s, much better. My headaches gone. Thank you.”

It was just gone. As she offered him the ice pack back, the smile as he took it from her seemed, significant, as if he had expected as much, and had known all along that her headache would just vanish to nothing. That, was just frustrating, and it would have been nice to be told instead of manipulated, even gently. She’d just been murdered, she didn’t need to be manoeuvred around like a game here. Her initial welcoming feeling from when she arrived might be waning right now.

“So, um, now that I know I’m dead, what now exactly?”

What did, being in the Afterlife even mean, what would she even do here until she was eligible to reincarnate? 

“Now, Darling,” There it was again, he was comfortable with that, wasn’t he?

“I give you the tour.”

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

[runningskaven]

Fleer is fancy.

[kirathehyrulian]

SPN Artists Discord Challenge #3

🔪"Infernal Depths"🔪

(Please do not edit/alter. Feel free to reblog, but please do not repost. At the very least, please give me credit.)

Prompt:

3. blade

So I finally got around to completing a prompt in Frauke's server decided to do some digital stipple shading with Ruby's knife in a skull in hell.... My clicker finger aches, but I'm happy with the results.

•Art notes, and WIP pics on the [AO3] post.

For more art from me please check out my “myart” tag here on Tumblr or my AO3.

[gre-saamp]

devil Kakuzu for my friend's ff – сердце ангела 🌹

[theprofessionalpromptmaker]

Person A: If I asked you to go to Hell with me, what would you say? Person B: I’d ask who’s driving.

[th3w00ds]

Embodiments and Their Blood (Hell AU)

— “Demons have found that specific individual demons (known as embodiments due to their nature and power) have glowing blood that varies highly in color, and is typically different from what it was before said demon became an embodiment.”

Natemare, Embodiment of Nightmares: Gold blood (I thought that would go well with the large amount of purple and black he has)

Phantom, Embodiment of Desire: Blue blood (He’s blue blooded both literally and figuratively, literally as in his blood is actually blue and figuratively as in he’s part of Hell’s royal family and is the current King of Hell)

Janus, Embodiment of Deceit: Green blood (My reason for this was mainly because of his friendship with Remus, and I thought him having green in his colors (albeit only when bleeding) would be cool)

Cynic, Embodiment of Corruption and Decay: Purple blood (I went with this for Cynic because I thought it would be a fun little bit of color in his majorly gray and black colors (btw Cynic is an OC, pretty much is just CORPSE HUSBAND now that I think of it, I headcanon him as having CORPSE’s voice) I also thought Cynic having purple blood could sort of represent the fact that he’s allied with Natemare in trying to overthrow Phantom)

I might be open to explaining my Hell AU in more depth if anyone wants it, then again I might do it even if nobody asks for it- anyway, thank you for reading!

[starker-sorbet]

Lords of Hell Tony and Peter hosting a bonfire for their most talented minions after a especially productive year in hell

[the-multiversal-asterisk]

AU where you guess which ideas have and haven't been suggested by Sheriff (reference to that time I got 10 or so of my submissions posted in a row (hewwo!))

[therealmintedmango]

Seven Deadly Sins - Tender Viridian

Genre: Seven Deadly Sins; Demon/ Hell AU; Smut

Rating: NC 18+, Explicit

Words: 6,599

Pairings: Jung Hoseok (Envy) x Female Demon Reader

Warnings: Dark themes; Demons; Sinners being sinful; Smut: oral sex, fingering, whipping/ whips, stripper poles, female and male orgasms; semi-violent sex, rough sex, demon sex, smacking/ slapping, semi sensory deprivation, choking, fingering, masturbation, praise (I think that's it, but please me know if I forgot anything!)

Tag List: (Please notify me if you wish to be added to the tag list!)

Seven Deadly Sins Playlist — Apple Music (Let me know if you have a good song to add to the playlist and I’ll chuck it in there!)

Summary: He puts his other arm out to the side, blocking your movements. Envy rests his head casually on his arm that was stretched above him. “Where are you going, my pet?” His eyes seemed to mock you, fake concern coating his words. His eyes sparkled like green jewels as he continued to toy with you. “Where do you think you are going?” He smiled maliciously then, ready to pounce upon you, his smile that of a carnivore. The smoke starts to rise around you, curving and swirling, withering in the air like long talons. The green fog pushed up, blocking out your peripheral vision. The green smoke swirled around you both now. “Don’t make me repeat myself, baby.”

READ IT HERE : CLICK ME!

[teddylovestea]

still busy with commissions and life these days but have this ☆

characters © Yana Toboso

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Monty, Charles, and Edwin (Sex Pollen AU)

All the while Monty tries to keep an eye on Charles, who keeps constantly almost surfacing, trying to pull himself back into his own body, trying to break the hold that the pollen has on him, and god, the thing that hurts the worst isn’t the sex. It isn’t the friction, the passion, the thing that Monty was made for.

It’s that they kiss again. And again. It’s the one way to keep Charles pulled to earth, to distract him from the pollen coursing through his body, to ground him to himself.

Every kiss breaks off another part of Monty’s heart, because if Charles was in his right mind, if they were able to check in with each other, if Charles actually wanted this-

It wouldn’t hurt like this. It wouldn’t ache. 

-aletterinthenameofsanity, i love him, kiss his mouth (pushing it down and praying)

I downshifted as I pulled into the driveway

The motor screaming out stuck in second gear

The scene ends badly as you might imagine

In a cavalcade of anger and fear

There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year

I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me

-The Mountain Goats, This Year

@deadboy-edwin @icecreambrownies @anonymousbooknerd-universe @ashildrs

@fandoms-princess @orpheusetude @jaysbraindump

@pappelsiin @itsbitmxdinhere @rexrevri @sweet-like-h0ney-lavender @saffirez

@the-ipre @sunnylemonss @days-light @agentearthling @helltechnicality

@sethlost @catboy-cabin @secretlyafiveheadeddragon @vyther15

@anything-thats-rock-and-roll @queen-of-hobgobblers @every-moment-a-different-sound

@nix-nihili @mellxncollie @tumblerislovetumblerislife @lemurafraidofthunder

@likemmmcookies @wr0temyway0ut @thelakeswillbreakourfall

@sapphic-corgi @occasionaloneshots @troublegoblin

@natureismynature

Filled for @dbdakinkfest!

[cookiesupplier]

Catch You When You Fall - Part Eight

pairing: Nicholas Ruffilo & ofc (Catherine)

warnings/tropes: slow burn, angst, murder, mystery, smut, mentions of speciesism, mentions of violence, trauma, mental health, depression, anxiety, sleep terrors, loss of appetite, (potentially more to come)

summary: A new soul has arrived in the Afterlife. While she appears to adjust just like anyone else might in the new environment of the world of life after death, despite the ordeal she experienced with her death. The question is has she really, and can Nicholas help her without crossing lines that he knows he shouldn't?

Authors Note: Unbeta'd, here we go!

To find the others in the Hell AU Universe: Combined Hell-Verse Masterlist

If you would like to be added to this tag list please see THIS FORM

tags: @missduffsblog @tearfallpixie @spicywhenspeaking @sorrowsofsilence @wild-child-7747

@lacktoesandtoddlerants @blackveilomens @valiantroeagleangel @bngurngheart @collapsedglasshouses

@miamore0570 @emmmm127 @sunsshinesunny @dominuslunae @xxkittenkissesxx

@philomenie @dontdiganothergravetoday @anameunmusical

Nicholas was at a loss, he had a caught Cat in his arms, as she stumbled, thinking she had just entirely passed out, only to have her eyes, wide and glassy blinking up at him, maybe she was just woozy? He swallowed as he looked down at her, the way her expression was in a state of shock seeing him out of nowhere, Nicholas could almost imagine what might be going through her head. Either this was a dream, or she could have somehow died and passed through the doors all over again, he’d been there, the question had been asked by souls in the past with surreal moments after they first arrived. Strands of his long dark hair that had escaped where he’d tied it back into a bun at the back of his head had fallen around his face. They brushed along her cheeks before he was helping her stand back up to her feet.

“Are you alright? You almost took quite the fall just then.”

Watching her carefully, even as she stood up, he noticed as she did, she reached out for the railing on her balcony, to grasp it for support, keeping her balance. Was she swaying a little?

“I, I’m fine, I think I just need to sit down a lit-”

Nick frowned in concern a little down a little at her.

“When did you last eat?”

Glancing at his watch, okay, so it was starting to get a bit later in the day, and maybe he would be heading home, and starting to think about dinner soon himself. But seeing her almost pass out like that, it felt a bit off to him. Not to mention her eyes being all glassy right now, honestly he didn’t quite know what it might mean, if it meant anything at all, she could just be tired after starting her job the past two days. Either way, he worried about whatever had caused the effect, and wanted to make sure she was okay before he left her here on her own. It would be different if he knew she had someone staying with her, but she didn’t. That was a thought though, a roommate situation, or even just a buddy program for the newly acquainted to Hell, but roommates would be most useful. Especially in this situation. Just someone checking in on her, who knows how long it would have taken for them to figure out how long it would have taken to realise she had passed out. Some would say it was also the point of Bryce, but he had piles of cases on his books, Nicholas knew that personally, at least, he should, though, plenty of Nicholas’ were actually ones in punishment. Not all of them were viable souls living in Hell. 

Nicholas, what was Nicholas doing here. One moment, Cat was moving to head back inside of her apartment because she was starting to feel dizzy, and the next she had his warm, soft but firm arms around her. Swallowing as his eyes, piercing blue eyes as they stared into hers, she was dazed, and she felt sick, she knew why, not that she wanted to admit it when he asked her when she’d last eaten. It was all she could do not to groan. Just his voice, no matter how soft, and gentle he sounded, there was a commanding quality to it, that promised trouble if she dared lie to him, and yet, what could he do to her really? 

“I had something this afternoon, when I got home, after work.”

She had, technically, she had the coffee, never mind that most would say that wasn’t technically eating anything, but she had had something at least. Bending the truth a little, not out right breaking it though at least, there was that, her mother hated it when people lied. The thought of upsetting her mother, even if she was not here, she was glad her mother was not here. That dark feeling in the pit of her stomach churned at the thought of her mother being here sooner than she should. Cat shouldn’t be here. She wanted to sob, Cat shouldn’t be here. Swallowing, she took in a deep breath. Blinking back the sting in her eyes as she thought about how she came to be here at all. 

“I just, I just need to, need to sit down, maybe I was outside in the sun too long, a rest could help. At least I hope so.”

She knew what would really help, and he was probably right, food, but admitting to that when he was right there, would just be admitting that she likely lied, and she didn’t want to do that. Cat also didn’t want to think about how he had just appeared out of nowhere as he seemed determined to help her inside, his hand so soft, so gentle on her arm, holding her. She presumed to make sure she didn’t fall again.

As she stepped back inside of her apartment, making her way to her sitting area, Nicholas walked with her to her couch, and she moved to sit down with a sigh, just letting herself relax. It would be a bold faced lie to say she didn’t feel a bit weak and dizzy. Without even realising that he had moved, a moment later, something was being pressed into her hand, a cool glass of water. He’d disappeared into her kitchen to get her a glass of water… and she hadn’t even noticed?

“Drink, and we’ll order you something for dinner, you need to eat.”

She’d been about to lift the glass to her lips when she baulked at his soft voice, not wanting to, as much as intended to eat, controlling her own dinner, her own food, that was different.

“No, I have already planned some-”

“You need to eat something, and I’m sorry, as much as you might want to I don’t think you are up to cooking, I’ll order you something, unless you have a preference?”

Staring up at him, the way his voice washed over her, as kind and soothing as he sounded, there was a no-nonsense quality to it that made her want to shrink in her seat,

“I, um, could we get Chinese, noodles, please? They… They are my favourite.”

Her father’s favourite, actually, and they reminded her of him. Seeing the way his eyes glanced up from his phone before he dialled a number he seemed to already know by heart and press it to his ear, starting to order familiar dishes from a Chinese restaurant, and Cat sighed. Enough for two, from the sounds of it, he wasn’t going to leave her, whether because she tried to fight him, or because she’d had her spill. He had invited himself over for dinner. What had she gotten herself into?

Nicholas knew he was digging himself in deeper by each passing moment. Now he was waiting for dinner to arrive, dinner that he’d insisted on ordering. He shouldn’t be here, but he couldn’t just leave her here, on her own, maybe he could call Ellie, see if she would be willing to come stay with her, or Ishtar? However, as he moved to sit across from her in the armchair across from her three seater couch in her living area, he didn’t. He knew he probably should, give him reason to head home, and keep space between them, but he didn’t. There was just something about her, and walking away and leaving her in the hands of someone else, even someone he trusted, felt just as bad, as leaving her alone. 

Then again, it wasn’t about feeling bad, he didn’t think.

He just wanted to be here to make sure she was okay, was that so bad?

Yes, Nicholas it was bad, it was terrible. Dammit, no, no, he was fine, it was just dinner, it was just making sure she ate. He was just passing by, and she had a spell, and he was doing his do diligence, and he’d report it to Bryce tomorrow and make sure everything was above board and fine. No one could be sanctioned, not Bryce, and not himself.

“Have you known Ishtar and Ellie long?”

Smiling slightly, small talk time, slightly,

“Somewhat, yes, I was Ellie’s caseworker when she arrived here.”

Seeing the look that crossed her face,

“Like Bryce, I looked after her case and made sure she had her job, her apartment, though Jolly and Folio took care of showing her around for me a lot, cheeky that they are, they’re good friends of mine. Ishtar, I’ve gotten to know more since she started dating Folio.. Who, well, his name is actually Nick, but we call him Folio so it’s less confusing for everyone that way.”

When that made her chuckle slightly, Nicholas couldn’t help but smile a bit more, it was good to hear that, it was nice. She seemed a little bit off kilter the whole time, wary of him, and he wasn’t surprised. Cat didn’t know him, only meeting him yesterday, he turned up here and inviting himself in, even if to help her, but then staying for dinner, it was a lot. He might have a purpose, but he knew it was a lot. A part of him wondered if there wasn’t more to it, if, she wasn’t worried about something else, and that bothered him some. 

How much was Bryce paying attention? Had he checked in on her since she started work yesterday morning? Sure, it was only two days, but he would have checked in on Ellie after one day if he hadn’t seen her that very first night at the bar. Yes, he was aware that had been a part of the problem, being too involved, but it had still worked out. Ellie was fine in the end, but he still felt like something was off was Cat, and he just hoped Bryce was not brushing her off.

“Were you Folio’s caseworker too?”

Shaking his head,

“No, and I wasn’t Jolly’s either, Jolly does however work with Folio and Ellie..”

The way she was nodding, he realised Ellie must have mentioned him, at least his name, or Folio, either of them could have, she’d met both.

“I met Folio, through, my adopted brother, Noah, after Folio got his job in the arrival's office with Jolly a long time ago, long before Ellie came to Hell. Ellie and Noah are bonded, much like Folio and Ishtar. Noah is, well, you’ll know him when you meet him, he comes with a,”

Nicholas hummed as he considered the worded to use.

“Well, an entourage. Ellie likes to refer to them as his shadows, so to speak. It's rather ridiculous. You’d think now that he has a bonded that they’d leave him alone, but no, they still follow him around, like being a demon lord has a point.”

Watching Cat’s eyes go wide, oh he shouldn’t have said that part,

“There’s demon lords?”

“Yes, it just means he’s high up in his level of Hell, I promise you, it's not as special as it sounds. It’s actually a whole hell of a lot of work, that only sounds like it is all kinds of fancy and wonderful. It’s really not. Just a great big headache, trust me.”

Cat frowned the way he said that. It sounded like he was speaking from actual experience, not that he was talking about Noah, but that he was talking about himself. Oh, she turned her head when she heard the doorbell, dinner. Their food had arrived. However, when she went to stand to get up so she could answer the door, she got a bit too dizzy for a moment and struggled, whether Nicholas noticed or not, he reached out to stop her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it.”

She swallowed, looking over at him as she collapsed back into her seat, feeling the darkness in the pit of her stomach twist. The hand around her throat tighten again, she couldn’t breathe before Nicholas was standing up and walk towards the door. What, what was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she do the most simple thing? Stand up and walk to the door, it wasn’t that hard. She wasn’t that weak. She wasn’t that tired. She was fine, she was fine. It wasn’t that she wasn’t eating, she’d missed a meal before. Cat had missed breakfast, sure, but it was nothing. She’d done the forty-hour famine, she had a coffee, it kept her going, she was fine, why couldn’t she even stand up without any trouble right then?

Swallowing as Nicholas sat across from her again, setting the bag of food for their dinner on the table, smiling warmly to him, banishing the thought from her mind, not wanting him to know the self-doubt. He didn’t need to know all of that. That was the last thing she needed, a new friend to find out how much was going on inside of her head. She could figure it out, she could, everything was just, a little bit chaotic, all she needed was time to breathe. Surely that was it.

[runningskaven]

"Oooooh!"

Happy rat

[thediktatortot]

Mungrove Hell AU where Billy gets sent to hell for being too fucking sexy and becomes Eddie the King of Hell's personal babygirl.