#i read dracula before it was cool

[harbingerofsoup]

i hope every single one of you comparing good omens to pride and prejudice knows that it’s on my book list for one of my classes next semester and now im planning on buying a nice copy instead all because these tragic little queer characters consume my every waking thought

[loverboybrightsideghost]

a very silly reason that i'm amused by what im reading now has nothing to do with the actual novels or authors themselves, however it is funny to me bc i'll be reading and then wonder a bit about the author and then randomly remember that jonny sims stole their last names for his characters. hehe.

[yandere-daydreams]

Title: Final Girl.

Pairing: Yandere!Chrollo x Reader (HxH).

Word Count: 1.4k.

TW: 'Girl' Is In The Title But Reader Is Gender Neutral, Death and Blood, Mentions of Guns, Manipulation, Implied Kidnapping, and Spoilers for the Ninteenth-Century Novel Dracula.

The night you met him was, by no coincidence, also the night you learned what it meant to feel your blood run cold.

‘Met’ might’ve been an exaggeration. You didn’t meet him so much as you stood still and stared at him – lumbering down the hallway, clutching a gore-splattered butcher's knife, his suit disheveled and stained with a dark, blotting substance you couldn’t bring yourself to put a name to, in your fear-induced paralysis. With the manor's high ceilings and dim lighting, he seemed impossibly tall, his black eyes blank and terrible, his smile manic in a way that sent a chill up your spine, that left you frozen where you stood and unable to run as he came to stand in front of you, as he raised a hand and—

And pointed to the book tucked under your arm, a yellowed paperback beaten to hell and back from weeks of loving abuse. You’d spent hours wondering if you should bring it with you, if there was anyone else on the face of the planet who’d be stupid enough to bring a book to a mascarade ball, but you figured you’d have to step out for a breath of fresh air at some point, tonight, and phones weren’t really an option at this kind of thing. Looking back on it, you struggled to remember why you’d spent so much time agonizing over something so inconsequential, especially when whoever found your body likely wouldn’t pay it a second glance. “Is that—” He started, pausing to wet his lips before correcting himself. “Is that Bram Stoker’s Dracula?”

You blinked several times, shifting your weight. “It is,” you managed, eventually, just before the point of no return. “I… I’m only a few chapters in, though. They’re only on the second blood transfusion.”

His smile widened. “I’m reading it for the second time, now. That’s one of the best passages - you can practically feel the dread mounting in the prose.” While he spoke, you stole another glance at his attire. With your shock beginning to fade and your nerves given a few seconds to cool, you could see that he clearly hadn’t just walked out of a crime scene. His clothes were wrinkled, but not torn, not displaced the way they would’ve been if he’d been in a real fight, and he was covered in a cartoonish amount of (presumably fake) blood. He couldn’t have meant for it to be realistic, not unless you were supposed to believe he’d bled twenty people dry on his own.

He must’ve noticed you staring. His rambling trailed off into an airy chuckle, his free hand drifting to his blood-soaked shirt. “I’m afraid I might’ve misread my invitation,” he admitted, with a slight shrug. You were almost in awe of his nonchalance. Showing up to a masquerade ball in a costume fit for a b-rated haunted house would’ve left you catatonic for… god, the rest of the year, at least. “That’s how I found my way back here, actually. You can understand why I wouldn’t want to stay in the ballroom for very long, considering I’m dressed for a very different party.”

“No, no, that makes a lot of sense! I mean, a costume party would be more in-season.” You felt like an idiot. You could only hope you hadn’t looked as scared as you felt. “Honestly, I’m just surprised they let you in with a prop.”

He glanced to his ‘knife’, too, as if he’d forgotten he was holding it. “Oh, this little thing?” He took the blade in his free hand, bending it downward. Unceremoniously, it snapped into two pieces as easily as if it’d been made of little more than tin foil and plastic - which, to be fair, it probably was. “Most people struggle to see me as a threat, for whatever reason.”

“The doormen probably just felt bad for the strange man who showed up to a charity gala covered in blood.” You spared a small smile, then genuinely brightened, taking up your novel and fishing out the spare mask you’d shoved between the pages while you were getting ready. He should’ve counted himself lucky that you could never be bothered to find a real bookmark. “Mine came in a set of two,” you explained, signaling for him to bend down. A little too easily, he obeyed, stooping just low enough for you to work your spare mask over his head. It was cheaper than anything you would usually like to show off – the base simple black cloth, the embroidery meaninglessly gaudy, the main body kept in place by little more than a simple white ribbon that never seemed to sit just right, but he accepted your offering with a grateful hum. “It’s not much, but—” You paused, buttoning his suit jacket, doing your best to make it look a little less like he’d just walked out of a bad slasher movie and a little more like a tragically color-blind, but ultimately well-dressed party-goer. “It should get you through the door.”

He straightened his back, and you thought you might’ve seen something spark in his dark eyes. Then again, it could’ve just been the moonlight. “I don’t think I ever got your name.”

Oh, right – that was something most people did before offering to fix a stranger’s clothes, wasn’t it? You rushed to introduce yourself, and he did the same. “Chrollo Lucilfer.” And then, offering you his hand, “Perhaps I’d be more warmly received with a plus one?”

As hesitant as you were to slip back into the ballroom on the arm of a disheveled stranger who’d already made an impression of his own, it would’ve broken your heart to turn him down. That, and you might’ve had a weakness for disheveled strangers who fell on the more handsome side of the spectrum.

You laughed as you threaded your arm through his, letting Chrollo guide you back to the main event. A second passed with only the sound of your footsteps and distance music to fill the quiet, then another. Eventually, you broke the silence. “It’s very well-written,” you started, trying to fight the urge to fidget. “But… I don’t think I’m the right audience. I care too much about Lucy. Seeing her go through so much and knowing she’s not going to make it is just—” You sighed, shook your head. “It’s agony. Especially when the villain is literally in the title. I mean, I know the characters don’t know that, but still.”

“The benefit of a voyeur's perspective.” For all his glowing praise, he didn’t seem very offended. “I think the dramatic irony is part of the appeal. By the time the tension breaks, it’s nearly too painful to keep going.”

“Which is exactly why it hurts to read,” you groaned, slumping into his side. “I get why it’s happening, but I just can’t stand spending so long on the build-up knowing how it’s going to end. It probably doesn’t help that Lucy’s one of my favorites, either. Well, aside from Mina, but it wouldn’t be fair to compare her to the author’s self-insert.”

The two of you came to a pair of rounded oak doors. There’d been a pair of attendants stationed outside when you left, but Chrollo didn’t seem to mind shouldering it open himself, ushering you inside with a smile and an idle gesture. You took a second to steel your nerves, still not entirely prepared to throw yourself into a very crowded room filled with very loud music and very eager socialites, then crossed the threshold, coming face to face with—

Carnage. Pure, unadulterated carnage.

There were bodies everywhere, each corpse mangled and bruised and broken in every possible way. Dark blood and broken glass covered the formerly pristine ivory floor, and the walls were painted with the remnants of gunfire. A few people were still standing – the murderers, you figured, judging by the blood on their outlandish clothes, the weapons in their hands, the indifferent agitation written across their expressions as you stared at them in horror, as your heart threatened to give out for the second time that night. The tallest man you’d ever seen pointed a hand-held machine gun in your direction, but Chrollo found his way back to your side, resting a hand on your shoulder as he spoke. “Hold your fire,” he said, casually, as if you weren’t standing at the edge of a bloodbath. As if he’d known what he was leading you into. “I think I’m going to keep this one.”

You didn’t say anything. You couldn’t speak. You couldn’t move. You couldn’t breathe. The air hitched in your throat as he brought a hand up to your chin, tilting your head back and forcing you to meet his unblinking stare. You’d been right the first time. There was never anything his eyes could’ve been but terrible. “I always did like Mina.”

There was never anything he could’ve been but a monster, prowling for his next kill.

“I guess I just have a soft spot for survivors.”

[see-arcane]

Well.

Here I am again.

In-between half a dozen other projects, the writing exercise that was supposed to be a light distraction has taken off without me. Once more, a very vampiric flavor of horror. But this time it’s so close to the Dracula source material that it’s living in it like an accursed undead poison. Or the bedeviled solicitor who first wrote on that horror in the first place.

That’s what Harker is. Those who have read Dracula before will know that, being a novel built of diary entries and sundry documents, the narrative is boiled down to what events the characters bother to record. Of special note is how the opening and closing protagonist of the book, Jonathan Harker, becomes progressively curter in his descriptions as certain grim events pile up.

So much so that he pointedly avoids recording the bulk of his two month-long captivity in Castle Dracula. And whatever it was that happened to him between the castle and his stay with the nuns. And just what exactly happened to him upon realizing what happened on the 3rd of October. Among a hundred other little omissions a reader only detects by the vacuum they’ve left as the entries of other characters sketch around them. Artful as Mr. Harker may be when in a descriptive mood, vital as his words are for the whole of the story, he’s shockingly silent on huge gaps of time and very significant occurrences within them.

Which bothers the hell out of me. Especially when there’s roughly a jillion elaborations and inventions made from swiveling the perspective to (Suddenly in love with Dark Sexprince Dracula~) Mina or (Very Definite Vampire Expert Badass Actionman) Van Helsing or (Ohhh, I’m so misunderstood, those babies and sailors and assorted murdered chattel had it coming and those human heroes were just stuffy cliché Victorians who were so meeean to meee) Dracula or (Actually pretty cool?) depictions of the nightmare aboard the Demeter. And yet we’ve got nothing for Jonathan? Not one single spinoff dedicated to filling in the blanks between journal pages?

It can’t stand. Not for another Dracula Season. So, I’m a-scribbling.

Whether this winds up as a proper book or not, I figured said scribbling has gotten big enough that it was time to carve out a piece to share. Hope you guys enjoy the read and any future updates.

You can read the Chapter 1 Teaser via:

Tumblr

PDF

Author site

(And remember, I already have a book published if you want to read about some modern gothic undead horrors! The Vampyres is a short and sinister read with its own preview sample to comb through. Hope you’ll have a look.)

[jobean12-blog]

Insatiable

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader (Vampire AU)

Word Count: 893

Summary: Bucky will never tolerate any harm coming to you and he will do anything to protect you.

Author's Note: Another little piece for Kinktober! I can never leave out my favorite AU and Vampire!Bucky is one of my fave kinks! 🫠🔥 The inspiration for this came from Castlevania season 1- if you haven't seen the show it doesn't matter, I just love the idea of Dracula losing his mind bc anyone tries to hurt his love. Thank you all so much for reading! Much love always! ❤️❤️❤️Divider by the sweet @firefly-graphics thank you Daisy!🥰

Warnings: soft sweetness, mentions of b-l-oo-d, fi-g-e-r-in-g, p-in-v, Vampire!Bucky bc he's just so hot lol

Vampire AU Masterlist

Kinktober 2023 Masterlist

His blue eyes pierce the darkness of night as he gazes down on the slumbering village, unmoving on the large balcony even as you approach.

“I was wondering where you had gone,” you whisper as you curl yourself against him. “I hate being in bed without you.”

He removes his gaze from the village and settles it on you, the radiant skin of his brow furrowing when he sees your bare skin.

With a tsk of disapproval he removes his shirt and drapes it over your shoulders, cocooning you with its warmth as he presses you against his body. He drags his eyes away from you and stares back out over the village.

You lay a palm on his bare chest, feeling nothing but his cool skin. “Talk to me.”

He rests his hand over yours. “I’m going to burn that city to the ground.”

The words come out in a rumble of a warning, his eyes glowing and his fangs elongating.

“No,” you state, sliding in front of him so you can draw his attention. “You’re not.”

With a sly smile his focus returns to you. “Is that so doll?”

He cages you against the iron railing of the balcony and ghosts his fingers along your collarbone, moving higher until he pushes his shirt from your shoulder.

“Mm hm,” you hum, pressing yourself closer to him.

His dark eyelashes kiss his cheeks as he feels every inch of your naked body and his hands glide along your curves.

But when he speaks the next words his grip tightens and his eyes flash. “But they tried to take you from me. Tried to take the only thing that makes this eternity worth enduring.”

“James,” you whisper, brushing your fingertips along his jaw. “They didn’t succeed. You saved me. I’ll always be safe with you.”

His fingers ghost over your hip to grab your elbow before they continue sliding along your arm until he catches your wrist in his hand and leans his cheek into your palm.

“They need to pay for what they’ve done,” he murmurs as he lifts your hand and presses his lips to each fingertip. “I will make them bleed.”

“You can’t punish all of them for the wrong doings of only a few.”

“I can,” he says, his voice deep and powerful. “Besides doll,” he croons, his smirk growing, “how do you plan to stop me?”

Your own grin graces your features as you remove your hand from his and take his wrist, sliding his fingers down between your breasts and along your stomach.

His breath hitches ever so slightly as his eyes track the movement.

“A distraction,” he simpers.

You catch your bottom lip between your teeth and nod.

“For the rest of eternity?” he teases.

“Are you complaining?” you ask when his fingers meet the apex of your thighs.

You release his hand and he doesn’t move, his touch teasing.

“If I could stay buried inside you forever,” he murmurs, nipping lightly along your throat with his fangs, “I would.”

You shiver and spread your legs wider when his fingers dip lower. His free hand slides firmly around your neck and his fangs still hover above your delicate skin as he runs his nose the length of your throat, inhaling your scent into his lungs.

“You smell good enough to eat,” he hums when he slips two fingers inside you.

Your head rolls to the side, exposing more of your neck as you thrust your hips onto his fingers, whispered pleas for more falling from your parted lips.

“You tempt the beast inside me doll,” he growls.

“I want you…every way I can have you James.”

The drag of his fingers is slow, torturous and purposeful.

His cool lips graze along your jaw before they find yours and he draws out every breath from your lungs, pushing harder and deeper with his fingers.

“James,” you gasp as your legs start to tremble.

Without warning he pulls his fingers from inside you and lifts them between your bodies, the moonlight illuminating his glistening skin. He brings them to his lips, licking and sucking them clean of every last drop with a satisfied growl.

“They tried to take you from me,” he repeats, his eyes growing darker even as a soft glow surrounds his irises. “Tried to take this from me.”

As he speaks the words he grabs your thigh and spreads you open, lifting your leg and wrapping it around his waist. He fills you in one hard thrust, your back arching and bending back over the railing.

He holds you in his embrace, his hips still as he nips and sucks along the swell of your breasts.

“James…please,” you beg.

When his lips reach your pulse point he bites down hard enough to draw blood, his fangs caressing the spot before he soothes it with his tongue.

“You would have me do nothing when they try to take everything from me?” he whispers into your skin, his voice raspy with need. “I can’t lose you.”

He starts to move; each roll of his hips deliberate as he chokes out the next words and wraps his hand more tightly around your neck, drawing you impossibly closer.

“I can’t lose you and I’ll do anything to protect my Angel. Even if it means I have to be the Devil.”

@book-dragon-13 @hiddles-rose @randomfandompenguin @goldylions @buckysdollforlife @blackwidownat2814 @lizette50

[justmeinadaze]

Children of the Night Part 8 (Steddie X You)

Warnings: Daddy Vampire Eddie/ Switch Vampire Steve & Sub Fem Human Reader, SMUT, brief smacking, handcuffing, pegging :), biting, blood (vampires so yeah), dirty talk, etc. FLUFF, they love each other <3,

ANGST, Steve struggles with his need to talk control and Eddie fears that may have disastrous consequences. Their childhoods are touched on very briefly, negative talk about how Steve's dad can't accept his sons sexuality (very brief) and some conversation about what happened in S4, cliffhanger ending... *evil laughs*

Word Count: 6090

Series Masterlist

“Fuck, that’s it, baby.”, you groan as you grind your hips against Steve’s tongue while his hands dug into your thighs as you rode his face. Eddie smirked from his place between his boyfriend’s legs that he was currently holding apart as he thrust roughly into him. 

It had been a few months since Eddie had turned Steve and the new vampire was doing much better than he was before. He felt more confident in his ability to feed without fear of fully draining and both men had been able to get a better hold over their emotions. 

You sold your house and moved in with them, finding that after everything that happened it was better for you three to be closer to each other. You had also taken over Steve’s responsibilities such as making sure there was enough blood in the fridge just in case and keeping track of their health to make sure they were alright. 

You genuinely didn’t mind doing it and they made up for it after they woke up; taking you on dates, spoiling you, and then fucking you till your eyes rolled. They got back to being consistent with streaming and you had become a prominent member as they fed from you. 

Grabbing Eddie’s jaw, you brought his lips to yours as your body shuttered and the coil snapped. The metalhead having already fed from you knew it was time for Steve to have his meal and as if they could read reach others minds as soon as Eddie pulled out, the other vampire pushed you off him, and wrapped his arm around your waist, placing you underneath him. 

As soon as he guided his cock into your cunt, Eddie did the same with his partner’s entrance again making Steve grumble low in his chest with pleasure before his fangs attached to your throat. Your fingers tangled in his hair as your eyes rolled back.

“Oh my…God. Y-Yes, Renfield. Take what you need.”

His hips pump at a fast pace, thrusting himself deep into your core while pushing back hard against the other vampire whose eyes never left your face; making sure Steve didn’t take too much. Licking his fingertips, Eddie reached underneath him to rub fast circles into your clit causing you to cry out at the feeling. 

Right as you came, Steve pulled up his head without prompting, his hair blocking his eyes and his lips covered in blood.

“Good boy. Cum for Daddy, baby.”, Eddie whispered encouragingly in the boy’s ear.

An audible grunt left his lips as he warmed your insides and collapsed on top of you. 

“F-Fuck. That was so fucking good. Are…are you ok, honey?”, he panted as his palm cupped your cheek. When you nod, he grins as he licks his thumb and heals the bite mark he left. “I think Dracula’s leaving the cameras on this time while we do some after care, ok?”

“Ok, baby.”

The man himself suddenly appeared next to you with some water and juice, popping the latter open and guiding it to your lips after Steve helps you sit up. 

“There we go, good girl. You have to drink all this, alright? Do you want a bath tonight or do you want me to try the washcloth?”

“Washcloth, please, Daddy.”

“Ok, princess. What about you, Renfield? How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright, baby, thank you.” 

You beam up at them with heavy eyes as they kiss softly before Eddie disappears again. 

Tenderly, your lips kiss Steve’s shoulder and trails down his arms to his hands. 

“I love you, Renfield. I love you so much.”, you hiccup as the clingy side takes over and you nuzzle your face into his cool skin. 

His palm cups your cheek and brings your lips to his before moving up to your forehead.

“I love you to, Mina…so beautiful, honey.”

“Ay, children.”, Eddie playfully scolds as he swishes his hand back and forth between you two. “So greedy, I swear.”

While cleaning between your legs, the long-haired vampire notices Steve’s kisses becoming a bit more passionate as he licked and sucked on your neck with his lips making your brain start to go even fuzzier. 

“Renfield.”

You heard it in his tone. When Steve stepped over the submissive line and disobeyed he wanted to scold him properly so it sunk in but he couldn’t with the cameras on which he knew his partner was aware of. While he had gotten better at controlling his emotions, the urges while or after being intimate were even harder to rein in and Eddie found himself punishing Steve more and more. Neither boy minded but the metalhead was beginning to find repeating himself tiresome. 

“Hey, little boy. I didn’t give you permission to do that.”

Standing to his full height, he grabbed his boyfriend’s chin forcing him off you but when Steve’s black eyes glared his way, he growled low in his throat. Wind blew around you as Eddie turned off the camera and angrily tossed the rag in his hand against the wall. 

“How many times are we going to do this, Steven? I thought you wanted me to be in control?!”

“I do! I do.”, he insists as he blinks and tries to get to his feet but his partner pushes him back on to the mattress. 

“Sit down.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy. I really am.”, he pleads. “I just…there’s something about her… I can’t…” Steve feels himself go into a slight trance again as he presses his nose to your cheek and inhales your scent. At the action, his large hand glides up your skin between your thighs as your eyes roll closed and you groan. “I can’t help it. I want to fuck her till neither of us can move.”

His last sentence comes out deep and seductive in his vampire voice causing Eddie to blink as he thinks to himself. 

“Stop. No. Leave her be tonight. She needs to refuel and rest.”

Grunting in frustration, he begrudgingly moves away from you and guides you backward under the covers, smiling when you immediately fall asleep.

The other vampire’s chocolate eyes constantly scanned over you both as you slept. It wasn’t just a dynamic thing or him being annoyed sexually that Steve wasn’t listening. Eddie understands what it was like to allow the vampire to take over when it came to you both but, unfortunately when it came to the man he loved, Steve had come the closest the most times to accidently killing you by fully draining you. 

There had to be a way to get him to listen and be more careful. 

That afternoon when you woke up, you found a note with your name on the end table on top of some cash. 

“Baby girl, 

Can you do me a favor and buy these items here for me? I’d do it myself but I don’t want Steve to know what I’m up to and walking into that store is going to rile me up so he’ll feel that and ask questions so I want to do this while he’s asleep.

If you don’t feel comfortable, I understand. Just burn this note and we can come up with another plan later tonight. I love you, sweetheart.

Things we need…”

Your eyebrows raise as you read the list. 

What IS he up to?

#################

“Good morning, my love.”, Eddie greets as soon as Steve opens his eyes. “How are you feeling? Hungry?”

“Um, no. I’m still pretty full from last night. What are you up to?”

“Nothing. I just thought the three of us could play tonight without the camera.”

“Is Y/N ok with that? She’s not sore?”

“I’m alright, baby, thank you.”, you giggle in a sweet voice as you come around the corner. 

The vampire’s jaw drops when he sees you draped in a simple white lace nightie with matching panties underneath. Your nipples peaked through the material but your hair attempted to block his view as it fell around your shoulders. You looked so innocent…

He wanted to ruin you.

“Oh, do you like my gift I got her, Stevie?”

“Yes, Daddy. Fuck she looks so good.”

“Have a seat, baby.” Eddie gestures to a chair he had placed by the bed, beaming sweetly when the vampire listens. “Good boy. Look at you. Listening to Daddy so well tonight. You must really want her.” 

Steve aggressively nods as you stand behind him and run your palms along his bare shoulders down his arms. 

“Hm. But you were misbehaving last night. Weren’t you, little boy?”

The sound of clicking startles the pretty vampire as you handcuff his wrists behind the chair just as Eddie had instructed before he woke up. 

“Weren’t you?”

“Please, Daddy. I’m sorry.”

“Yet you keep disobeying. You’ve gotten better about stopping yourself when it comes to not draining to much but you get so worked up so easily. Even when Daddy tells you no, you give me attitude and sometimes do it anyway.”

“I’m—”

“I know. You’re sorry.”

Taking a seat on the bed, you watch as the metalhead quickly maneuvers around the room, pushing the chair against the wall and chaining the boy so he could barely move.

“Eddie, what the fuck!?”

Steve grunts when the vampire smacks his cheek and grips his jaw. 

“I trust you when you say you’re sorry but I need it to fully sink in. When I tell you to stop or do something you do it especially when it comes to her.”

“Are you fucking kidding me!?”

Releasing his hold, Eddie sits beside you and gently rubs your thigh. 

“Now because Y/N has been a good girl, I’m going to reward her.”, he coos as he pushes some of your hair behind your ear. “I’m going to let her fuck Daddy.” Your eye lids flutter at his words and his hand effortlessly slides between your thighs to the crotchless panties, his fingers running between your folds. 

“You like that idea, princess?”

“Please, Daddy.”

As your lips mingled with his, you both listened as Steve tried to use his strength to break free but failed. 

“This isn’t fucking fair! I kept you in control for two years, Edward!” The long-haired boy growls low at his words and you try to calm him by caressing his cheek. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“He needs to learn, baby. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Fuck you both! You’re a part of this to, Y/N?! FUCK! After everything I put up with when it came to you losing control, Eddie. All the fucking deaths I helped you clean up and the times I even saved your fucking life, Y/N!”

The vampire in front of you swished away from you and grabbed his boyfriend’s throat. 

“SO THAT MAKES IT OK FOR YOU TO LOSE CONTROL!? FOR YOU TO ALMOST KILL THE WOMAN WE LOVE?! Because I fucked up!?”, Eddie shouted in a deep voice as they glared at each other with black eyes. 

“Steve…if you want to stop we can stop. Just say the word.”, you coo gently as you slowly walk towards them. “Eddie, baby, let him go till he tells us.”

When he didn’t move, your hand reached out to grab his wrist as you tenderly kissed his cheek. After a few seconds, he did what you asked. Steve’s dark eyes scanned over you both and the scene in front of him. He wondered if you realized how innocent you genuinely seemed right now; an angel trying to manage two devils. 

He wanted you to feel safe with them and even he knew sometimes his neediness was hard to control when the vampire took over. That first night he had almost killed you and it frightened them both. He never wanted to feel that again and he definitely didn’t want that for his partner. 

“I’m ok.”, he mumbled.

Eddie stepped towards him with the intention of making him speak up but you cut him off, placing your soft hand on his chin, and gently kissed his lips. 

“Are you sure, baby?”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m sure.”

“Ok. Good boy. If you change your mind just let Daddy or me know.”

“Yes ma’am.”

When you turned to face the metalhead again, you were met with kisses as he cupped your face. 

“We don’t deserve you.”, he whispers as his thumbs run along your skin. 

“No, we don’t.”, Steve agrees.

Eddie carried you to the bed, his soft kisses becoming more passionate as you both grinded against each other.  

“Are you ready, sweetheart?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m…I’m a little nervous.”

Your eyes rolled as he open mouth kissed your neck, his tongue caressing your skin as you both groaned. 

“I know, pretty girl. I can feel it but—fuck—do you feel how hard you’re making me?”

“Fuck, Daddy. C-Can I…is it ok if I…?”

Glancing towards Steve, he noticed the dent in his pajama bottoms as he felt the energy rise between the two beings loved. Nodding, Eddie rolled out of your way and got up to place himself behind his partner. 

“Crawl for us, baby.”

Giggling, you did what he wanted, sinking to your hands and knees to make your way towards them. Steve whimpered at the sight as the other vampire ran his hands along his chest. 

“I’ll make you a deal. If you behave through this, I’ll allow her to suck your cock so you can cum down her throat.”

“Yes, baby, please.”

Eddie grinned as you perched your elbows on his thighs between his legs and tenderly kissed his tummy. Your breasts behind the silky material perfectly rubbed against him making him pant against the other boy’s cheek before his stomach was suddenly cut and you began to drink his blood. 

Steve tugged on his restraints as his head fell back, moaning loudly you sucked his wound. 

“Oh…my…FUCK! That feels so fucking good.”

“I know, baby. I know. I bet you want to fuck her till little one can barely walk, huh? Oh, to bad you can’t seem to listen to Daddy.”

“I’ll listen! I’ll listen…please, Daddy. I promise.”

“I know you will. Come on, beautiful. Time for your reward.”

Your body swayed as Eddie reached for your bicep and guided you to your feet. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he dug through the bag you brought out and untangled the strap on from the tissue paper the shop at used as an extra layer of hidden production. 

When his eyes meet yours, you can’t help but giggle at the innocence behind them as you lean down to peck his lips, taking the toy from his hand, and sliding it up like underwear. Taking his hand in yours, you place his fingers between your legs. 

“Feel that? When you click the button on the remote, it will vibrate. The harder I pump the harder it presses against me.”

“Fuck me, sweetheart. You are so perfect.”, he whines his hand grabs the back of your neck forcing your mouth to his. “Come here, baby.”

As he starts to position you over his face, you stop him. 

“Wait, Daddy. Since you’re letting me take over a bit… can we try it the other way?”

“Um, Jesus, yeah. You’ll tell me if I’m too heavy?”

“Yes, I promise.”

After laying you flat on your back, Eddie takes off his boxers and straddles his knees on either side of your head, being careful to not hit you by accident or pull any of your hair. Trying to comfort him, you run your hands along his thighs and a small groan leaves his lip. 

Pressing the little button on the remote, the vibration comes to life between your legs and you moan his title as he tilts forward to wrap his mouth around the end of silicone. The lower his head went the harder the garment pressed against your clit causing you to moan around his cock as his tip hit the back of your throat driving the vampire crazy. 

“Fuck, Y/N! That feels so good.”

Static and need run through your body as you felt Steve get more turned on by what he was witnessing. Thrusting upwards, you groan as you listen to Eddie gag and find a steady rhythm as you search for a release. Making sure to keep your mouth full of him, you kept his cock warm between your cheeks as your eyes rolled and the coil snapped. 

Your moans around his length had him grunting loudly as he tried to control himself from coming as well. You both weren’t even close to being done and he wanted to savor the moment. 

Carefully, Eddie bounced away from you towards the bedside table to grab the lubrication as you turn to glance towards the other vampire whose eyes were now black with desire as the vampire was starting to take over. You could hear his low growl as he tried to maintain control, his arms and hands tugging against the chains around him. 

Quietly, you wiped the drool from your mouth and stroked it along the toy, groaning lightly as it pushed back against you.

“I love you, Steve. Come back to us, baby.”

“Love…you…”, he strained a reply as his eyes squeezed shut. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry.” A tap on your shoulder causes you to turn as Eddie hands you the bottle. “Why does his speech break like that? Yours doesn’t.”

“He’s hungry and still new… The more he learns to control it, the quicker that will go away.”

“He needs to eat?”

“No, hey, focus. He’s ok. I can give him a blood pack after.”

“Not hungry…for…food…”, the other vampire huffs. “Want…you…”

Eddie’s head tilted at his partners comment as he whispered in your direction. “Can you feel that?” You nod as your breathing picks up the same way it does right before you orgasm. “Can you tap into it? Show me what you’re feeling from him?”

Closing your eyes, you do what he asks and try to focus on what was running through Steve at the moment. You could absolutely feel the want for you both but for Eddie it was a combination of anger and intense desire. He wanted to prove that he could be in control and still take care of him. It was like an internal battle within himself where Steve still wanted Daddy but the vampire wanted to BE Daddy.

When your eyes opened again, he smirked your way and you mirrored him as you turned to focus on Eddie, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back against the pillows as you took your place between his legs. 

“Lay back, Daddy. I can take care of you.” His chocolate eyes watched you carefully as you poured some of the lube in your palm and mewled when you firmly massaged his entrance with your fingers. “That’s it, honey, fuck you’re tight.”

His cock twitched at your words as he reached down to lazily pump himself as he waited. As you slowly began guiding the silicone into him, his breath caught in his chest as his back arched. 

“Fuck, baby.”

Gripping his thighs for leverage, you made subtle thrusting motions with your hips as the vibration between your legs pressed harder against your clit. 

“Daddy takes it so well. There you go… sucking me in like a good boy.”

Where Eddie could normally feel you both, something primal was blocking the notion. He loved the way you were talking to him but he needed to make sure you still understand he was in charge. Is this what Steve was struggling with? Did he not need Daddy anymore?

As you picked up your pace, the boy beneath you exposed his neck a bit more and you literally felt your mouth salivate. You wanted nothing more than to kiss it and run your tongue along that vein on the side. 

It looked so…delicious…

“FUCK!”

You’re not sure when you did it but suddenly your human teeth were biting so hard into Eddie’s throat that blood was now draining past your lips. The notion was so strong and he tasted so good, even more so when his fingers tangled in your hair and held you closer to him as he grunted in pleasure. 

You didn’t see it but his eyes darkened and you abruptly stopped moving as he yanked you back roughly. 

“Who told you to stop fucking me?”, he growled in a deep voice that had you exhaling heavily. His palm grabbed your neck and a grumble of warning caused you to start thrusting into him against. “Never…NEVER forget, little girl, I’m Daddy. You think you’re in charge right now but that’s an illusion. I’M always in control. Do I make myself clear?”

Your eyes blinked and softened as you nodded. 

“I’m sorry, Daddy. I-I-I don’t know…”

“It’s ok, baby. You got this. Fuck me harder, sweetheart. Please.”

Your gaze never left his as you did what he asked, pumping into him so hard the bed began to shake until you screamed and fell against his chest. His arms wrapped tightly around you as he moaned into your ear and you felt his seed hit your belly between you. 

“Eddie, I’m…I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“Shhhh…it’s ok. I’m ok. See? All healed.”, he coos as he shows you his neck that you tenderly kiss. “Do you think you can wait a few more minutes before I give you a bath?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Carefully, you pull out of him and lay there patiently as he helps you remove the device, tossing it on the floor. Rising to his feet, he grabbed the computer chair and wheeled it directly in front of his partner as he took a seat.

“Do you want to start being in control?”

“No…I don’t…”

Eddie doesn’t say a word as he watches you stand and walk towards Steve, kneeling as you move around to free him. With his hands still bound behind his back, however, you help him out of his seat and walk him towards the metalhead. 

Without prompting, he straddles his lap facing him as his head hangs. Both vampires exhale as Eddie takes hold of his chin, tilting his eyes to meet his own. 

“Talk to me.”

“It’s hard…”

“I mean…yeah, but after what you just saw I’m not surprised.”

You smile as Steve breathily laughs, shaking his head. 

“You’re so fucking stupid.”

“You love it.”

“I do.”, he sighs before leaning his forehead against his own. “The feelings are so strong, Ed. The vampire wants to take over so bad. He wants to hold you down and have you kneeling at MY feet. He wants to shove his cock down your throat and hear you choke.” Eddie’s eyes lids fluttered as he tried to keep his facial features from showing anything. 

Placing his palm on Steve’s lower back, he guided him to grind his hips against his thigh.

“He wants to fuck you both till the fucking mattress breaks… He’s—mmm—hungry for you and blood. I just want to hold you both and have you do those things to me like we always do but it’s primal, honey.”

Helping him to move faster, Eddie leans up to kiss his lips and Steve groans against them as he nears his release. 

“Steve Harrington, I love YOU. If you want to try switching it up I’m fine with that. What I can’t allow is for you to hurt her. Y/N is a strong woman but she’s still fragile. She doesn’t heal like we do. That part of the vampire you and I BOTH need to do better with.”

The man’s body trembles as he cums, his pants dampening against Eddie’s skin. 

“It’s only with her, baby.”, he whispers as he pants against his mouth. “…and you. Do…Do you still crave me?”

“Fuck, Steve.”, he chuckles. “That fucking word choice turns me on. Yeah I do, sweetheart, but… I didn’t figure it would give me any kind of sustenance like her blood.”

“Try it.”, you encourage. “Maybe just offer him your wrist.”

Doing as he suggest, he offers him his arm and the other vampire hesitates before biting into his flesh. Eddie flinches for a moment but the pain is soon replaced with pure ecstasy as his eyes roll back. The sound of metal clanking to the ground fills the room as Steve broke the cuffs apart, grabbing his boyfriend and falling hard to the floor. 

You had no idea what was happening but you didn’t want to ruin it if it was something that could help them. Sinking to your knees, you crawled slowly to them, watching as the pretty boy man handled the other vampire onto his hands and knees, pulled down his pants enough to free his cock, and slid it into the man beneath him. 

At a brutal pace, Steve trust into him as they both grunted and growled. Eddie’s hair blocked his face as his head hung but as you laid on your back beside them and tried to move it, his hand reached out to catch it, stopping you and pinning it to the floor. 

Gripping his long mane, Steve yanked his back to his stomach and it was then you noticed their eyes were black; the vampires were in charge. Eddie bit into the arm across his chest making the other boy mewl as the echo of skin slapping filled the room. 

They came at the same time, Steve slamming his release hard inside of him until he fully emptied with Eddie spilling on the floor. Their lips mingled together as their tongues licked any remnants of blood that lingered around their chin. 

“H-How did it feel?”, you squeaked.

Both sets of dark eyes met yours before gliding down the white lace that clung to your sticky, sweaty body. Eddie’s blood stuck to the fabric drawing their attention to your breasts as your nipples poked through the garment. An intense feeling washed over you and your breathing picked up as they let each other go, crawling your way like a lion on the hunt. 

“Hungry.”

They dived at you at the same time as both men took control.

 ###################

Thirteen-year-old Eddie wanders around Hawkins desperately searching for something, ANYTHING, to clear his mind. His dad had called Wayne from jail asking for money again.

“No, Allen! And even if I did have any extra funds I wouldn’t give them to you because that would go towards your son. You remember him, don’t ya?”

No, he doesn’t. His dad forgot about him long after he went in and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t hurt him.

Walking past a music store, he finds something that grabs his attention; a guitar hanging in a music store window. 

“Hey, sweetheart. You are perfect, aren’t you?”, he thinks to himself as he presses his forehead against the glass. 

“Edward Munson! Get your dirty face away from my display.”, the owner scolds as she shoos him with her hands. “Don’t come back unless you’re going to buy something!”

“One day, Mrs. Barber, I AM going to rescue that beautiful thing from your evil clutches and after I do, she and I are going to travel the world with my band and become famous! You’ll regret being so fucking rude to me!”

“Mhmm… I don’t think they allow you to have guitars in jail.”

Eddie’s eyes widen at her insult as he glances around him, locking eyes for a brief moment with the king himself, Steve fucking Harrington. He tries to gather his faculties for a comeback so he seems tough but he can’t think of anything as embarrassment floods his face. 

Sighing in defeat, he runs in the opposite direction. 

***

Steve hated outings with his dad because everything became a lesson. 

“Civilized people don’t do this or that.”

“As Harrington’s our image matters.”

With every sentence, he was reminded that there was a thin line he was balancing on when it came to his father and one wrong move could have him hating him forever. 

“Edward Munson!...”

Both Harrington boys glanced towards the music store owner yelling at the youngest Munson outside of her shop. 

“Jesus, who does that kid think he is? His family can barely afford a can of beets let alone an instrument.”

“Maybe he just wants to look at something. Give him motivation to buy whatever he’s staring at. You always say motivation is important.”

“Not for him, son. Munson’s are freaks who are always meant to be at the bottom.”

Eddie’s eyes met Steve’s and for some reason the youngest Harrington boy felt guilty. He wanted to tell his dad to fuck off, run over to this other boy he desperately wanted to hug, and defend him from Mrs. Barber. He wanted to buy the entire store so he could smash everything inside it for her rude comment and give the instrument Eddie wanted to him for free just to see him smile. 

But he couldn’t…

His dad would punish him or worse if he said one thing that wasn’t “right”.

When their eyes locked from across the street, Steve felt like a failure but he didn’t understand why as the other boy turned heel and ran.

Both vampire’s eyes opened as the memories faded away. To be able to see from each other’s point of view was a bit odd but now they understood why you felt so strongly about leaving them after Steve turned. If you had felt everything he had felt when he thought Eddie was gone or what the metalhead felt when he first woke up in the upside down, no wonder you ran. 

Realizing their movements were slower they glanced down to see their skin stained with blood as fear washed over them looking down at your tiny frame. 

“Y/N? Shit! Y/N, baby, wake up!”, Eddie screamed as he grabbed your arm and rolled you on to your back. 

“Ow! Fuck me, I’m awake. Why are you holding me so tightly? You’re hurting me.”, you whined as you rubbed your hands over your tired eyes. 

“I thought…we thought…what happened?”

Blinking, your gaze shifted between them. 

“You don’t remember?” 

“The last thing I remember was biting Eddie—”

“Oh no.”, you giggle as their brows furrow together. “Then you missed a lot of the good stuff. You two went at it like you hadn’t seen each other in years. Steve, you took over and turned into someone completely different. Not in a bad way, though.”

Eddie’s eyes scan the void as he tries to remember what he can. 

“I do remember bits and pieces but after I bit you, Steve, it’s just…a bit of blur.”

“We didn’t hurt you, did we?”

“No.”, you smile as you shake your head. “You feed from a little bit but that wasn’t what you seemed to be hungry for. I wish I could show you… the vampires within you were rough but not…violent. Not to me, anyway. When we were done playing and you were done feeding, Eddie gave me a bath and Steve cleaned the floor. I’m not quite sure why you didn’t clean yourselves but…”

“Did we talk to you?”

“Mhmm. Not in like full sentence but it was more like one or two words at a time.” You scrunch your face and playfully deepen your tone. “Hungry. Pretty girl…taste good. Tight.”

The three of you laugh as Steve falls back against the pillow.

“Maybe…maybe the reason you struggle to control the vampire is because…they don’t NEED to be controlled. They just want to be able to be free every now and then. I bet if you stop ‘repressing’ them you’d remember more and actually get what you want…more control.”

Nodding, both men cuddle up to you and kiss your cheek. 

“Ew, you both are really sticky!”

################

You grinned at both vampires as they laid in bed on their sides facing each other while they quietly whispered admirations and declarations of love. Steve ran his fingers through Eddie’s tussled hair while the other continued to caress his palm down the boy’s back. 

You imagined this was another small glimpse into their past before everything terrible happened to them. Two young men lying in bed together dreaming of the perfect future where they could happy. 

Allowing them some space to be, you focused on their website in front of you, scanning through dialogue on their message boards and open chat forum before something abruptly changed.

“Eddie? Steve?”

“Hm?”

Words were appearing along the screen too fast for you to keep up but what you could see had you frozen in fear. Feeling the sudden shift, both vampires whooshed to your side watching as your hand shook as you pointed to the screen. 

Renisa10: “No! No there’s no way! I thought they said Steve Harrington died.”

MenaMyQueen: “No, you idiot. They never found his body.”

Here12whatever: “I guess Eddie Munson kidnapped him and now he has Stockholm Syndrome.”

DraculaStoker1984: “So he kidnapped Steve AND Y/N, got them to fall for him, and then convinced them to do all this? Fuck no.”

Justice4ChrissyCunningham: “Eddie Munson is a fucking murderer and should be in hell for what he did! If Steve Harrington isn’t a victim than he’s an accomplice!”

Steve quickly ran into the living room and turned on the tv, flipping channels till he found what he was looking for. 

“Yes, we were finally able to get a positive ID on the men known online as ‘Renfield’ and ‘Dracula’. With some diligent work from our IT team as well as some research from credible sources we have learned that the alias Renfield is missing and had been presumed dead Steven Harrington who disappeared from Hawkins, Indiana a little over 2 years ago and alias Dracula is fugitive Edward Munson who is still currently wanted for the murders of 3 students in the same town as Mr. Harrington.”

“Chief! Chief! What about the other young lady who’s been seen in their streams?”

“Ah yes. Alias Mena is Y/N Y/L/N. There is no criminal record for her besides a few juvenal crimes. We speculate she may actually be a victim and not an accomplice but AGAIN that’s just speculation.”

“Why don’t you assume the same for Steve Harrington?”

“That’s up for his lawyers to prove when we catch him. We have several accounts saying him and Mr. Munson were romantically involved but his father Bill Harrington denies this.”

Steve growls low in his throat as he glares at the tv. 

“Wow, in two years, nothing has changed, huh, Harrington? People are still really good at painting me as the villain.”, Eddie replied sassily as he folded his arms across his chest. 

“I haven’t seen my dad since I moved in with you and Wayne and yet he still refuses to accept I love you.”

“I’m not a victim…”, you whisper. “I hate that they called me that. I’ve been a victim my entire life… but not with you two.”

The metalhead’s eyes softened as he reached out to grab your hand and kiss the back before throwing you a gentle reassuring smile you knew was fake. 

“Don’t. Don’t tell me and Steve to leave you. Please.”

“Y/N—”

“No. I saw what it did to you both and you said it felt like a piece of your soul was missing. I won’t do that to you again…either of you. I actually think I can help you but I want something in return.”

Steve took a seat on the chair across from you as Eddie leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. 

“Help how?”

“I can boot them out and reroute the feed but I genuinely believe I can do it where they can’t find us again. We can still run if you want to but you still need income. You still need your site and I can make sure you can utilize it where they can’t track it or the account the money goes in to.”

“Hm, so much for ‘only juvenile’ crimes.”, the pretty boy teases. “Why haven’t you offered to do this before?”

“I didn’t want to steal Dustin and Mike’s thunder.”, you smile. “Plus, the did a good job. It just seems like the police have updated their methods.”

“I see. Ok, baby girl. I’ll play along. What do you want in return?”

Heavily exhaling the nerves, you turn to face him with confidence. 

“Change me into a vampire.”

###############

@chelebelletx @mandyjo8719 @nailbatanddungeon

[a-collection-of-cool-ideas]

Thank you wonderful fanfiction authors! You do a great part to make life wonderful. Recs below the cut (I CANNOT believe I haven't rec'ed some of these before!) Previous recs: 2018, 2020, 2022. Looks like I only do these every two years lol.

Gravity Falls

Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, by @dubsdeedubs / WDW; complete multichapter. A heartbreaking concept with a happy ending. Sad but wonderful and a really fun idea. Working out just what is happening is a great challenge, and watching the pieces fall into place with mounting consternation is awesome.

In Search of Antidotes, by @astriiformes / azhdarchidaen; complete multichapter. An awesome Historical AU, and neither Ford nor Stan go through the portal (there’s still suffering though). Bit of freakiness, bit of funniness, bit of stubbornness, bit of coolness. A very cool read! A much more classic demon-possession story than canon with its modern sci-fi overtones. The gothic sci-fi horror takes the floor here. Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein, Dracula, it takes inspiration from all the best roots!

Just a Game, by @nikxation / nikxation; one-shot. Intense! High stakes! Well-written! Doesn’t mess around getting to the point, and hammers its beats into you! LOVE it! Bill holds a gun on Ford, while in Ford's own body. The tension in this is unbelievable!

An Outreached Hand, by @dubsdeedubs / WDW; incomplete multichapter. Something freakishly supernatural happened to Stan during his homeless days. It’s called Ghost Trick AU, and it’s super interesting and utterly engaging! It’ll have you tearing through it wanting to know what the heck is going on! The characters are all so intense in their own ways, and the plot is drip fed to you piece by delicious piece.

Snapshots from an Alternate Reality, by Rethira; one-shot. PORTAL STAN!! Just a short little one-shot about this alternate version of events, but incredibly cool to read. Love the writing style: it takes you through the scenes like a skipping stone, its wake mesmerising.

All Things Go, by @cantica10 / Cantica10; incomplete multichapter. A weird (in the best way) idea of a crossover between Timestuck AU (where Mabel is trapped in the past) and a Wings AU (where, you guessed it, everyone has wings). Adorable Stan and Mabel bonding, but is SO not afraid to get really dark. That being said, it’s also so sweet and fluffy, and explores the effortless love that Mabel feels for Stan, and that (broken, scared, young, sad) Stan feels for her. This is one of those fics I am compelled to keep coming back to. It’s such a full experience to read.

Snow and Pine, by @ancientstone / TheArchaeologist; incomplete series. A great concept!! Loved the idea of these two brothers being forced together by circumstances instead of intention. Some great selective description here, and the plot itself is a very fun ride. WERE. WOLF. STAN. Need I say more?

Lighthouse Keeper, by @impishnature / impish_nature; incomplete series. There’s a lot to this story; the main work is mostly a series of one-shots, with other works sprinkled between. The idea is so eerie and haunting, and the vibes are pretty different to most other things I’ve read. The instigating artwork by @sightkeeper is magnificent and Imp has managed to capture the images very well!

Triptych, by @scribefindegil / scribefindegil; one-shot. A very cool character study on Stan. Great for informing his central motivations. It's kept short and sweet, but the analysis is no less thorough for it. I loved the insight into my favourite character's life and mind. Scribe writes him so well.

Blind Faith, by pinesinthewoods; complete multichapter. Come on, how could I NOT mention this one? It's one of the many here I'm astonished not to have rec'ed earlier. Super dark, super scary, an AU where both Stan and Ford fall into the portal. Ouch, but cool. Really good, but be prepared to yell out loud in horror. This is a doozy, don’t expect a lot of happy feels going into it. That being said, it is INCREDIBLE. The structure of the story is fantastic, perfectly encapsulating the reliance each of the brothers’ needs to have on the other and how one has to step up when the other can’t. Stan and Ford are forcibly tied together in this, and they find they each mean more to the other than expected after ten years of bitterness and radio silence. A STAPLE of Gravity Falls fics.

Like They Were a Perfect Fit, by @sensitiveowl / hapful; one-shot. Aw, ow, cries. Love! Lots of tangled-up emotions and scenes that will tug at your heartstrings thinking about Ford’s life journey. Speculations on the importance of the photo that Ford is implied to have carried around with him for 30 damn years.

30 Seconds Later, by @invisibletinkerer / shayera; incomplete multichapter. Loved this to death! A really great concept executed fantastically. An AU where while it took Stan thirty years to rebuild the portal, Ford was only gone for thirty seconds. The characterisation of paranoid Ford and his interactions with the rest of his family are perfect, as is his reaction to finding himself in the future and his relationship to Stan. And Stan is wonderful in this too! A very good examination of age, aging, and the associated changes in perspective.

1 Step Forward, 20 Years Back, by @infriga / Ppleater; complete multichapter. An AU where Stan is turned into a kid in the midst of Ford’s pre-portal paranoia over Bill. It adopts the wonder and innocence that comes with youth, but still retains the darkness of Stan’s adulthood - wait, actually, his entire life has been kinda dark in this fic. This is one of those fics you can tell the author had a lot of fun with. It’s palpable in the chapter titles and the art :) The illustrations are beautiful, the story is heartfelt, and it is not at all afraid to go into some dark places. A very enjoyable, loveable, read!

The Road in Front of You, by @nicnacsnonsense / Nicnac; complete multichapter. Ford falls through a portal potty and gets dumped in Stan's path. MAN!!! This fic has a really great concept, and Nicnac’s writing is impeccable as always. A great look at Ford and Stan’s relationship post-high school, how their personalities have developed and changed, and most importantly how they reconcile the changes in each other.

Nothing a Little Sleep Can’t Fix, by AkitaFallow; one-shot. Oh MAN. WOW. Okay. A heavier look on the mark Sock Opera leaves on Dipper, featuring repercussions throughout the rest of Dipper’s summer. Absolutely, heartbreakingly, entrancing. The slow build up of the plot perfectly mimics the rising emotions that poor Dipper is struggling to keep a lid on until they inevitably explode, and watching the people who love him pick up his pieces afterwards is just golden.

Ad Infinitum, by @nicnacsnonsense / Nicnac; one-shot. My first read of the Same Coin Theory and it was awesooooooooome!!! There are so many repetitions of phrases that spark in my mind because of how great they were, and the aspects of Stan contrasted with Bill that thread through it are incredible. Kind of an unsettling concept. I couldn’t get enough. For a fic that’s all about cycling around, you'd think it'd get repetitive, but every paragraph is rich with novelty. A FEAST.

Some Sunny Day, by @anistarrose / anistarrose; complete multichapter. Another Same Coin Theory fic. The beats of the plot in this are stunning, with some truly awesome lines that left me reeling and thinking Oh SHIT that did NOT just happen!!! In the best way possible. A highly interesting story and some excellent takes on the Pines family and the world of Gravity Falls.

Towards the Sun, by @notthistimespock and pinesinthewoods; complete multichapter. EXTREME BROTHERLY FEELS. Incredible! Love the in-depth examination and speculation on Ford and Stan prefinale. A different ending for Weirdmageddon, following Ford’s journey through Stan’s mind. It gets sad, it gets scary, it gets freaky, you shed tears. Another one of those staple fics for the fandom. The story is a wild and heartrending adventure, full of imagery that stuck in my brain for years after the first time I read it.

Fisherman’s Knot, by @scribefindegil / scribefindegil; complete multichapter. MORE EXTREME BROTHERLY FEELS. Deals with postcanon adventures on the Stan’O’War II, including some reeeaaaally bad mental states/situations. Have tissues handy. I think this is generally regarded as the be-all-and-end-all of Stan twin angst. It is long, it is HEAVY, but it is also heartwarming and hopeful, and full of adventure and magic, and the kind of love it's made with really comes through.

Mob Boss Stan Pines, by Capricious_Passions; complete multichapter. A fic that you HAVE to read over again to get the complete picture. Complex and well-thought out, incredible attention to detail, but the first read will baffle you! A lot of fun trying to figure out what’s happening, and even more fun on the re-read picking up all the details you missed the first time!

Scrapbook, by Shyeye; complete multichapter. The complicated weight of grief hangs heavy over everyone in the story, and the difficulties in dealing with it are at the forefront of everyone’s minds. The depth each of these characters are written with is very much appreciated, not-so-pretty parts and all. This was a wonderful, touching, read.

Rescind, Reset, by @endae / endae; one-shot. Canon divergence where Mabel temporarily lost her life during Weirdmageddon, and the aftereffects on her and the rest of the family. It is one of the most beautiful things I’ve read, very emotionally raw. I cry every time. This incredible story is wrought with a filter of broken hearts being pieced back together as the characters live through the aftermath of their happy ending. It’s a shining, nuanced take on Mabel and how someone with her personality deals with the plot premise. I love the complexity of the emotions in this, not only from Mabel but also from the rest of the Pines as they work through their own traumas.

Safe as Houses, by @beastenraged / Beastrage; complete multichapter. If I could whistle I would! An entrancing read about the Pines family’s adventures from the perspective of their home. Some great and not too far-fetched ideas about how the Shack may have come across to its inhabitants over the years.

Greyscale, by @impishnature / impish_nature; one-shot. OH MY LORD. Incredibly touching and heartbreaking, I can’t look at this directly for fear of being emotionally blinded. Loss, and gain, and loss. Striking, powerful, so, so beautiful and painful. The aftermath of Weirdmageddon: another canon divergence where Stan lost his life. Except... Reverse Portal AU Stan stumbles across this sad dimension soon after. I swear, no fic has made me cry so hard and left me so much in shock of what the heck just happened to me. I love the look at how loss has affected the characters, and I especially love the path to recovery that is laid out for them.

Buying Gold, by @dubsdeedubs / WDW; incomplete series. Veeeery intriguing. It’s not really Same Coin Theory, but it’s a great read about the similarities between Stan and Bill and some cool speculation on Stan post-defeating Bill.

Any Family You Choose, by @nicnacsnonsense / Nicnac; incomplete multichapter. So sweet! Portal Dipper finds a young Stan Pines and decides to help him out. This concept is so wonderful, and the characterisation is blindingly clear. Keeps you guessing at the backstory!

Across the Universe, by Queen_Mab; one-shot. SUCH a great set of adventures. The multiverse really tries to hammer in its lessons sometimes, whether they stand a chance of sticking or not. Extremely well-written and fun, I devoured every word ravenously. Some scenes of Ford's portal time, with some VERY interesting encounters.

Star Wars

Anything Brighter than Even the Sun, by @hamliet / Hamliet; complete multichapter. The Rogue One crew survives and continues rebelling, as does Galen! The main focus is on Jyn and Cassian's characters and relationship, and how they navigate growing into a family. I love Jyn's character especially in this, with all those hard edges guarding a deep, deep well of passion.

Chirality, by @niobiumao3 / Niobium; complete multichapter. A Tech was CX-2 fic! It's great to see this fan theory explored, and Niobium writes so well! The plot is entrancing and has you hooked on the edge of your seat waiting for all the pieces to fall into place for our poor brainwashed guy. The way CX-2 thinks and melds with the personality of who Tech once was is beautiful and his interactions with his family and Phee are a sight to behold.

Crash Landing by @returnofahsoka / delightwrites; complete multichapter. Another Tech is CX-2 fic, can you tell this idea has a hold of me. The characters' voices in this come through SO clearly, it's insane, and the writing style is perfection. Jumbled and pained and confused and grieving, all threaded through with that little bit of hope. Wonderful.

I'll Keep You Safe (You Keep Me Strong), by @miadeardn / sheikahs; oneshot. An AU where Crosshair's chip never activates and he is as embroiled in adjusting to being on the run with a new little sister as the rest of the Batch. Just a sweet little moment between the two. Both of them are written very in-character, and it's great seeing a side of Crosshair that never came to regard his brothers as his enemies.

Talking in Defence, by @buskuta / buskuta; oneshot. An awesome look at all of Hunter's complicated feelings regarding Omega and Crosshair's relationship post-Tantiss. He's not a paragon of perfection, he's human. I can't emphasise enough how much I love this and how well he's written here.

Unyielding, by Face_of_Poe; complete multichapter. The scene immediately post-reunion between Omega, Hunter, and Wrecker, with some speculation on Crosshair's internal strife at that moment. There's a chapter for each of the remaining Batch and Wrecker's is EXCEEDINGLY well-written in my opinion. We don't get nearly enough exploration in canon or fanon about the depth of his thoughts and feelings.

Plan 100, by Face_of_Poe; complete multichapter. An awesome canon-divergence speculating on Omega and Crosshair's escape from Tantiss. The action is great, the strategy and coded communication is so sharp, and the feeling of desperation as Omega and Crosshair fight to evade recapture is fantastically taut. I especially love the small moments in this showing just how close these two have grown, and, in Crosshair's case, how little he's realised it happening. It feels very true to their characters.

Through Darkness Unknown, by @stardustandash / StardustAndAsh; complete multichapter. Holy shit the stakes are so high in this. A Tech Lives canon divergence of Omega and Crosshair's stay in Tantiss, and you can really FEEL just how helpless they all are to Hemlock's control. I absolutely love how this fic does not pull its punches, really forcing Crosshair and Omega into relying heavily on each other. There's so many great scenes in this that are seared into my brain!!

Ask Yourself, by StoneSage; complete multichapter. Omega is captured by the Empire while Crosshair's still working for them. I freaking love the complicated messiness of Crosshair's response to this- he's constantly challenged to act on the callous persona he projects, and constantly comes up short realising what he's actually willing to do to his family when it comes down to it. Very true to his character, and the quandaries Rampart presents him with a subtly terrifying. A fantastic examination of character and a great plot to go with it.

The Space in Between, by Misvet; incomplete multichapter. A series of stories focusing on the complications and dangers involved with Omega joining the Bad Batch. The writing style is great, the plots are great, the characters are great! It's all great! Just read it!

Maybe Fate Has Different Plans, by hanged_albatross; complete series. God I love this so much. Some incredibly touching and well-written moments of the Bad Batch protecting each other in a dangerous galaxy, with Omega, of course, at the centre. She is characterised so well in this, and constantly written with the idea of despite being so young, she is also no less protective of her brothers than they are of her.

Modern Batch, by kaydear; incomplete series. DUUUUDES just read this. It's such a sweet collection of stories about an alternate universe of the Bad Batch in a contemporary setting. Life is tough and complicated and full of pain, but also there are others right beside you to lean on when you need it, and so life is also full of love. I have cried multiple times while reading and re-reading this.

Skulduggery Pleasant

I Will Lay Me Down, by mcginnis; oneshot. This is perfection. A rewrite of the aftermath of the Lord Vile reveal in Death Bringer. I wish this was canon. Valkyrie and Skulduggery are PERFECTLY characterised in this scene, and the nitty-gritty of how they're both feeling is thoroughly explored and explained, and the tone of the story never once diverges from canon's- it is complicated, dark, and interspersed with ridiculous levity.

Pride and Prejudice

A New Addition, by @ralkana / Ralkana; oneshot. A great fic about Elizabeth and Darcy and childbirth, various moments in this are imprinted in my mind permanently. High emotions all over the place, incredible tension and wonderful dynamics between the two main characters and the rest of the family.

Mr Bennet Travels Through Time, by AMarguerite; oneshot. A truly great fic with a wild concept that totally works. Mr Bennet is actually from the 1990s. Weird and funny, but also touching and sad, and goes leagues towards explaining a lot of this man's quirks and contradictions. I was fully invested in this all the way through reading, and it did not disappoint. Utterly satisfying.

Once Upon a Time

The Worst, by @alchemistc / alchemistique; oneshot. The real-life dynamics of these ridiculous fairytale people had me grinning ear to ear. The mortifying ordeal of your family of fictitious characters helping you move into your college dorm as told from Henry's perspective. Love it to death.

[ghostofhyuck]

Dark Fantasy Series 6

Vampire! Zhong Chenle x Human! Reader

Summary: You never thought that Zhong Chenle would like you, heck even go through measures of courting you just to show you that his intentions to you are genuine. Or is it? If you only knew about his real identity. 

Word count: 3.5k

TW: Contains blood, and noncon biting. Read at your own risk.

AN: I skimmed the Dracula plot just for this fic, if inaccuracies occurred, I’m sorry. 

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Everyone would think that you’re just a typical college student who studies literature at her local town college. 

“Oh my god, you have another one!?” your friend shrieks as she sees the bouquet of flowers on your desk. 

Except what makes you stand out from the others is that you’re being courted by Zhong Chenle — one of the most popular guys in your college.

Popularity isn’t just by the looks. Sure Chenle is one of the most good-looking guys in your town, but that’s just a small part of his popularity. He came from a family who runs a centennials-old business. The Zhong family are knit-tighted and are old money. They’re highly influential. Chenle being the second son of the Zhong makes him stand out. Aside from that, he studies business while being the captain of the college’s basketball team.

Girls would die to be noticed by him. But Chenle was dubbed as an “ice prince” due to his cold yet cool image. He rarely engages in conversations with anyone aside from his friends, and has been known to turn down confessions coldly. People’s impression of him as someone who’s untouchable. Even in academic projects, he's as formal as he can be. 

You think of him as someone who’s unreachable. You did find him ideal and handsome but not enough to throw yourself on him. 

That’s why you were surprised when one day he striked a conversation with you. You thought of it as merely a coincidence. You were part-timing at your older sister’s book shop when he entered the place. You never thought that the college’s star athlete would find himself going to a book shop. 

You stared at him unknowingly as he scans around the bookshelves that contain poetry books. You watch as he scans the books, finding himself engaged between the pages, and obliviously, you have your gaze lock on him. Everyone’s right. Chenle does have a strong aura that can make everyone turn their heads on him. 

And there, he started asking you questions. Keeping the conversation going on. You were surprised by the way he talks to you, casually. You always thought that he’s a bit cold who thinks highly of himself. That’s why you’re there, quietly flustered as he gives you a small smile before waving goodbye to you. 

That’s not the only thing that happened to you. The next day, the whole school is buzzing as Chenle drives you to school. They were shocked to see Chenle step out of the car and walk towards the passenger seat in which he opens for you. Due to embarrassment, you ran away without even turning around to look at the crowd. 

You knew that day, you'd end up being the talk of the town. The girl who managed to swoon Chenle. There were a lot of stories and gossip running wild as they tried to decipher how you managed to end up in that situation. Even getting strangers to ask you and ask you what’s your deal with him. 

It didn’t stop there. Everyday, you’d go out to your house and see Chenle waiting for you outside. He’s leaning on his car and has every plan of driving you to school. You told him that it’s fine, but he insists. Even during days where you have classes and he doesn’t have, he’ll still drive you to school. 

Then came the gifts. The foods he brings you, and small gifts that he insists that it’s nothing. You tried to ignore it but you knew where it would lead, and you were suspicious of it. 

“Whatever you’re planning, stop it,” you told him one day. 

Chenle glances at you, dribbling the basketball so casually as he throws it to the ring. It went straight to it and you only watched as he caught it. 

“What do you mean?”

“You can be honest with me, if your friends just made a bet to date me or something, you can now tell me because I don’t have any plans of making myself look like a fool,” you explained, letting out a small sigh. “If you’re doing this because you’re bored, find another girl.”

“You got to stop reading romance novels in your past time,” Chenle mocked instead. “I’m not that type of guy yn, if you want, fine I like you.” 

“Stop fooling around —”

“I’m not, and if you find yourself doubting me, it’s okay,” Chenle said with a serious tone. “Because I’ll prove to you that my intentions are genuine.” 

That’s how you ended up being courted by Zhong Chenle. You know that it’s some old-fashioned thing to do but it was Chenle’s decision to do so. He has every plan of making you his. While you’re just there, accepting all things he does to you. 

You bear no feelings for Chenle at first. You found it suspicious that he chose you out of all the girls in your college. But he explains so casually that he’s just drawn to you. Whatever that means. You think. 

But as day passed by, you slowly opened your heart to him. He’s not the ice prince everyone calls. Chenle also has a side that only he opens to you. He’s good with his words, can be straightforward but you’ll find yourself agreeing with him. He also likes teasing you, and you’d come to realize that you’re lucky that you hear his laughter on a daily basis. 

Soon, you find yourself thinking that maybe being courted by Chenle isn’t that bad at all. 

“Hey!” you looked up to see Chenle in front of you. He’s wearing a plain tshirt and jogger pants. Hair still dripping wet indicating that he’s fresh from the post-practice shower. His gym bag slinged on the left side of his shoulder. 

You only smiled at him as you grabbed your backpack and stood up from the bleachers. 

“Should we go now?” you asked, Chenle only nods. He helped you get down from the bleachers and as you two began walking, he grabbed your backpack and wore it on his left arm. You only smile at his gesture but shift to the book you’re reading. 

“What’s that?” he asked, pointing out the small book you’re reading. 

“Oh, it’s Dracula by Bram Stoker,” you answered, showing him the book cover. “It’s for my Gothic Literature class, I’m doing a novel analysis for it.” 

“About vampires?” he asked. 

“Yeah, why not?” you only smiled. “The plot’s interesting plus the writing style is different.” 

“Didn’t like the novel,” Chenle casually said. “There’s a lot of inaccuracies.” 

You raised an eyebrow, “inaccuracies?”

“About vampires.”

You laughed at his comment. “Okay nerd, are you a big fan of vampires? Next thing you’ll say, twilight isn’t an accurate representation of vampires.”

“You’re right actually,” Chenle pointed out. “Vampires can actually be exposed to the sun, it’s just that they’re just more active during night because they’re more connected to the moon rather than the sun.”

“Okay where did you even learn that?” you raised an eyebrow. “What’s next? they can actually eat garlic and can actually touch silver.” 

“Vampires can tolerate garlic, it’s a food preference just like how you don’t like some types of vegetables while they can touch silver but not those silver stakes that are blessed with holy water. That’ll kill them.” 

“You’re bluffing.”

“I’m not.”

“Then how come you know much about vampires? Wouldn’t be surprised if you’re secretly a vampire.”

But Chenle only laughs at your comment. He swings his arms around you pulling you closer to his stance. “What if I am really a vampire? And then I’m gonna eat you!”

You let out a small shriek as Chenle tickles you on your waist. You squirmed your way out of his touch, and as you catch your breath, you can hear the horrendous laughter from your suitor. 

“You’re such an asshole!” you shouted, playfully kicking his shin in which he was able to dodge it quickly. 

“Sorry, it’s just you’re just too cute!” Chenle squealed, squishing your cheeks before he steals a kiss on your nose. 

“That’s not going to work Zhong Chenle,” you said, sticking out a tongue. 

“Yeah I know, I just want to kiss you,” he smirks. “Come on, let’s just go get some iced coffee for you.” 

-

“Ugh, you reek of her again,” Renjun complained the moment Chenle entered the mansion. 

“Isn’t she sweet?” Chenle proudly said, making his way towards his room while his cousin was just behind his tracks. 

“Not for me,” Renjun pointed out. “She’s too sweet that I’ll get cavities just from a drop of her blood.”

“Well that’s a relief because I have no plans of sharing her to you.” 

The older one only lets out a sigh. “The full moon will be out in a week, if you don’t get the chance to drink from her —”

“Yeah I know, i’ll die from starvation,” Chenle rolls his eyes. “Don’t worry about me, I can handle it.” 

“I just hope you’d do it in a decent way.'' It was the last thing Renjun said before leaving Chenle alone. 

As Renjun’s footsteps started to fade, Chenle could only laugh as he grabbed his phone, revealing a stolen photo of yours. 

“You don’t have to worry about that dear cousin.” 

-

Despite being courted by Chenle for months, you two never really had a proper date. You’re used to him taking you out to eat dinner or lunch just outside your college’s vicinity but the formal ones never really happened. 

So you were surprised when Chenle asks you if you’re free on Sunday night. 

“For what?”

“A date,” he said so casually and yet, it made your heart jump in joy. 

“A date?” 

“Yeah, I mean I’ve been courting you but I never really took you out for a date,” he said. 

“I mean, it’s okay with me but can I ask where?” you asked. 

“I actually wanted to invite you to my place,” Chenle pointed out. “The full moon’s happening tonight and my mother has a garden that’s full of moonflowers. It only blooms during the full moon and I want you to watch it bloom with you.”

“Oh Chenle,” you gasped. Flustered with his words. “That’s sweet of you but I'm scared that I might draw a wrong impression on your family.”

“Oh don’t worry about my family, they already like you,” he brushes it off. “I’ve told them how amazing you are and they couldn’t wait for you to be part of the family.”

You only let out a small chuckle. “Okay, I’ll be happy to watch the moonflower with you.” 

You watched as Chenle’s smile grew bigger to your answer. In a swift second, he gives you a hug and a kiss on the cheeks. “Thanks yn, you’re not going to regret it.”

“Those moonflowers better be worth it.” you teased. 

But you were only welcomed by a small pinch from Chenle. “Of course they will be.” 

When Sunday night arrived, you felt nervous. You tried your best to find the most appropriate dress you can find from your closet. 

With the help of your best friend, the two of you managed to find the most decent yet formal looking dress from your closet. It was a black sleeved dress that hugs your chest area and has an A-line skirt just above the knee. You paired it with short heeled sandals. You let your hair flow, curling the ends and doing light makeup. 

You let out a sigh as you wore the silver cross necklace that your mother gave to you. Adorning it with silver stud earrings to compliment your overall outfit. As the night deepens, you can feel your heart beating fast. The moment you heard the honk from Chenle’s car, you did everything at the last minute and grabbed the small bag that contained your things. 

As you open the gate, Chenle is there, leaning against his car’s hood. He looked exquisite in his black slacks and white sleeved polo, rolled down to ¾’s and two buttons undone. You were in daze, thinking that you indeed scored a good-looking guy as your suitor. 

Chenle glanced at you and did a double take, he was about to approach you when he stopped, you became confused when you noticed the sudden discomfort from his face. 

“Is everything okay?” you asked. 

“Oh I’m fine,” he said. “Your necklace looks nice.” 

You smiled, “really? I got it from my mom.” 

“It’s pretty,” he said looking away. “It’s a shame that I won’t be able to give you my gift.” 

You raised an eyebrow. “A gift?” 

From his back pocket, he grabs something and shows it to you. Your eyes wide at the silver necklace that’s adorned with a topaz trinket. 

“It’s beautiful,” you said, touching the topaz. 

“It’s from my mom,” Chenle answered. “I was hoping if you could —”

“Of course! I’ll be happy,” you only smiled. 

Chenle watched as you took off the cross necklace, he could only sigh internally as you placed it inside your bag. He then carefully places the necklace around your necklace. Clasping the lock before grazing his finger against your nape. 

“It’s beautiful,” you said once again. 

“Should we get going?” he asked, making you nod. 

The Zhong Mansion can be found on the outskirts of the town. It just sinked into you just how far Chenle drives just so he can pick you up. The gesture makes your feelings for him deepen. You watched as you trailed off to a more secluded part, turning left towards a dark road that seems endless to you. 

You would eye Chenle from time to time but it didn’t budge him, he kept on driving until you passed by huge bamboo stalks, swaying slightly against the wind. And from there, you noticed how there’s a few lantern lights from afar. You guessed that that’s Chenle’s place. 

After minutes of driving on the endless road, you found yourself in front of a white steel gate. Chenle honks for a few seconds before the gate opens slowly and from there, your jaw drops. 

A white mansion rests idly on a small hill. Chenle drove further until you two reached the entrance of the house. There, he shuts off the engine while you remain frozen from where you are sitting. You flinched as you felt his hands holding yours. 

“Nervous?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” you said. “Your house is huge.” 

“I know,” Chenle only said. “Let’s go inside? Everyone’s waiting for us.”

Your worries disappeared when you were welcomed by warm hugs and laughter. There were only a few people and just like Chenle said, it was an exclusive party. They keep their life private, away from the prying eyes of the public. Only a few guests are allowed and you’re just lucky that they agreed to invite you over. 

Chenle introduced you one by one to his family, and just like what he said, they seem to like you. You only smile as they give you handshakes or hugs. You found it incredibly fascinating how they’re so pale and seem ageless. You guessed that that’s what happens to rich people. 

“Finally glad to meet you,” you turned around to see a guy around your age. He’s wearing a black sheer blouse that’s tucked in his black slacks. He’s insanely pale and pretty as he gracefully took a sip from the red wine that he’s holding. 

“And you are?” you asked while waiting for Chenle who went out to get you some food. 

“Renjun, Chenle’s cousin,” he introduced. “Care for some?” 

You only stare at the wine he’s holding and you shake your head gently. “Sorry, I don’t drink red wine.”

Renjun laughs, “who says it’s red wine?”

“Then what is it?”

He brings the glass closer to you, “why don’t you find out?”

You stared at him for a second, an innocent smile forming on his lips. You raise an eyebrow before accepting it when Chenle grabs your hands. 

“Chenle —”

“Auntie is looking for you Renjun-ge,” Chenle said with a cold tone. 

But Renjun wasn’t fazed by his cousin’s words. “Alrighty then, see you later yn,” he gives you a wink before leaving you two. 

Chenle lets go of your hand. You ignored the way it hurt you, Chenle placed the plates full of food in front of you and sat next to you. 

“Sorry about that, Renjun tends to be a prankster,” Chenle apologized. His hands make their way to your wrist as he lightly presses it. 

“It’s fine, I get it,” you assured. “What’s in that drink by the way?”

“Alcohol but not wine,” Chenle answered. 

You let it be. Giving him a sign that it’s fine now and you two can start digging in. The whole night, you two enjoyed mingling with his family. Dancing to the music and even talking to his parents. They were lovely people, despite the enormous teasing that you got from them for being the first girl Chenle has brought, you couldn’t help but feel at home with them. 

“It’s almost eleven,” Chenle pointed out. “Should we go see the moonflowers?”

“What about your family?” he asked. 

“I know a perfect spot to watch it, come on,” you weren’t able to say yes when he tugs you away. 

You two walked towards the backyard of their property. A wide grassfield that's a field with nothing but tall trees and wildflowers. You only hold on to Chenle as he finds the route towards the garden of moonflowers.

“Wow,” you mumbled as you two reached the garden. Chenle finds the marbled bench that’s beside a pillar where the moonflower vines crawled. You looked at the white buds, they’re twitching as the full moon slowly rises, gray clouds acting like a curtain opening slowly the bright gleam of the moon. 

You sat there in awe, watching the moonflower bloom slowly and beautifully. Your eyes widen in amazement because it’s the first time you have witnessed a flower bloom, let alone in the middle of the night. 

“This is amazing,” you only mumbled. “I’m so glad that you brought me here. Thank you Chenle.” 

“I’m happy too,” he smiles. 

Silently, you gaze on his eyes. That’s when you noticed how his eyes weren’t in the shade of black, more of a unique reddish brown. The two of you stared at each other for a second before Chenle leaned on you slowly. 

You couldn’t help but to close your eyes as Chenle’s lips crashed onto yours. It was soft, tasted like cherries, so sweet and addicting that you couldn’t help but to kiss him back. You can feel your heart beating fast, the feeling was something new yet blissful. 

Chenle’s arms trailed around your waist, you couldn’t help but to distinctively wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer as you two kissed each other under the bright moonlight. 

He breaks the kiss, leaving trails on your jaw, going down and down, earning a moan from you as you feel his lips on your neck, somewhere you’re sensitive the most. 

But your eyes widened as you felt something sharp — a deep sting stabbing on your neck. You let out a mute scream as you tried to grasp for air. The stabbed deepens more and as you try to push Chenle away, his grip on your arms tightens. 

“Chenle…w-what?” you stuttered, finally having the courage to speak. You let out a scream as you felt the stab being removed from your neck. As you come face to face with Chenle, you watch as he licks his lips in pleasure, blood dripping from his fangs — something that you were surprised that he had. 

“Fuck you’re so sweet,” he said. “I’ll never get tired of drinking your blood.” 

“What?” it was the only thing you could say. Your mind is turning hazy, feeling the blood dripping out of your neck. You feel pale and weak, watching Chenle cup your cheeks. His eyes turned red fully. 

“You’re driving me crazy yn, your blood is driving me crazy. You don’t know how much I endure taking you in whenever I’m with you,”

The truth was out. You can feel your tears flowing out from your eyes. No wonder he was drawn to you. It was your blood that he’s addicted to. Chenle’s eyes darken and yet, his thumbs swiped the tears away.

“Oh don’t worry dear, I still love you,” he said. “You’re going to be mine anyways.” 

“What do you mean?” you asked, heart beating fast. 

“It’s easy, you’re going to be mine,” Chenle said, resting his forehead on yours. Eyes gazing at you with every dark intention he had in his mind. From there, he smirks. “We’ll share the same blood and drink from it. You’ll be just like us.”

“No!” you shouted, pushing him away but he was just too strong. You struggled your way out of his grip but Chenle was just too strong for your weak body. He pushes you against the marbled bench, trapping you in between his arms. His left hands grabbing both your wrist to stop you from struggling.

“Don’t worry, it’ll just hurt a little,” he assured, gazing his hands on your cheeks. You watch as he leans close to you once again. 

And you could only let out a guttural scream as his fangs deepened on your neck once again.

[malewifesband]

before i became kabrupilled labrumaxxer (read ch 76) i had seen quite a bit of labru just floating around and thought it was just ok, but i did think it would be fun to put them in a dracula situation

kabru, lover of humanity, and reluctant vampire, unable to really resist his basic instinct to eat despite his best efforts

laios, wolf researcher, drawn to this secluded, seemingly abandoned castle because the behavior of wolves in the area is fucking bizarre (due to the dracula powers). has always fantasized about meeting a scary monster (werewolf) but sadly they arent real. intends to squat in the castle until he can get some good data on the wolves.

kabru ofc notices immediately theres a dude squatting in his vampire castle, and has to try and scare him off before starvation gets the better of him and this guy dies in violent exsanguination. he tries siccing the wolves after him, but hes well prepared for wolves (wolves cant find him bc hes got that NASTY cover scent spray to confound them) and theyre only beasts and cant be controlled for long. he tries spooking him by hiding in corners and vanishing so he thinks hes seeing ghosts--laios just thinks hes hallucinating and tells himself its probably fine, he just needs to get sleep

kabru decides to just go for gold, present himself fully and try to talk him into leaving, and he'll show fang and risk the angry mob if it keeps this guy safe from his hunger. laios is really glad to find someone out here to talk to, not offput at all theres a random guy out in this castle (oh that must've been you i saw! haha sorry for crashing in your squat since you were here first. if you don't mind me staying ill be gone in a few weeks)

his hand is forced, he brings out the fangs and tries to terrify him, only for laios to be disappointed (😞 im sorry its cool youre a vampire but i was really hoping... sorry this is silly, but i was hoping if monsters were real it would be a werewolf out here)

laios offers up his wrist for kabru to drink from since he probably doesnt get to eat easily. (gotta be easier to just have some from someone who doesnt mind then eating people, right? go on, we all gotta eat!)

[schmergo]

My mom gave me this chocolate London kit for Christmas and I finally decided to use it as sort of a tongue-in-cheek Fourth of July activity. I love my mom and I don’t think she meant to psychologically torture me, but this experience lowkey led me down a true long dark night of the soul and then utterly broke me. Follow my slow mental unraveling below.

I should add that I am bad at crafts and once got gorilla glue all over my hands while fixing a child’s display-only gingerbread house and spent Christmas break with a hard translucent shell on both hands gradually flaking off over the course of a week, so a fair amount of this may be user error. But also the box says this is for ages 6+ and I’m over 5 times that, so maybe they could have done a wee bit more handholding.

Anyway, here’s my journey, which should absolutely be read in the tone of Jonathan Harker’s letters in the beginning of Dracula.

The first hint that something was wrong happened when I melted the chocolate according to instructions and the next step said to pour it into the molds. The chocolate was not really the “pouring” kind. It was a chunky sort of paste that I had to spoon in. The molds filled unevenly and clumpily and at this point, I asked my husband if he’d let me try to assemble the rest of this on my own because I think I can tolerate my failure better if nobody else witnesses it.

The instructions also cavalierly said to save a “handful” to use as mortar for the chocolate tower.

How much is a handful? A Schmergo-sized hand or a husband-sized hand or what? I have very small hands for an adult, but this is for ages 6+ after all. I opted for a Schmergo-sized handful. I would live to regret that.

I chilled the pieces in the fridge for 20 minutes as directed, then popped them out of their mold. To my surprise, they actually didn’t look THAT bad.

Looking at the pieces of Big Ben that I had to assemble, I became acutely aware that there weren’t detailed instructions on how to fit them together other than just “put them together” and no actual photographs of a real person doing it. The wall pieces were still unnervingly floppy and I decided to freeze them in hopes of hardening them while I focused on the clock itself.

In addition to Big Ben, the kit came with a chocolate taxi and a chocolate double-decker bus. The taxi popped out slightly distorted but in a way I liked, with playful Toontown vibes. But the double-decker bus was still mushy and fudgelike, warping and rippling alarmingly as I tried to push it out of the mold. I opted to put it in the freezer, too, along with the walls of Big Ben.

The instructions said to use the melted remaining chocolate to stick the pieces together and to apply it by sticking my finger in it and rubbing it on. It did not mention that, even after letting the chocolate cool, the warm melted chocolate would make the details of the pieces of the chocolate you’re sticking together start to melt, too.

I began to wonder if this kit had ever been formally tested by anyone and if the instructions were written by AI, like that Google search result that suggests adding Elmer’s glue to your shredded cheese when making pizza to keep it from sliding off.

Nothing can prepare you for how bad the clock part looked, so I’m just going to let you deal with it cold turkey. Et voila.

As I cemented my terrible melted clock together, it occurred to me that I’d have a lot more fun if I really leaned into the ominous post-apocalyptic energy of the abomination before me.

What if this was the result of some kind of whimsical Doctor Who villain— or maybe The Unknown from that infamously bad immersive Willy Wonka experience— transforming major London landmarks into chocolate… during a heat wave?

How will will the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer deal with this on his first day in office?

I yelled to my husband in the adjacent room, “Maybe I’m just turning into the Joker, but this is starting to feel more funny than depressing!”

“Mr. Starmer, a second chocolate vehicle has hit Big Ben.”

The bus actually came out pretty well!

Trying to fit together the pieces of the walls would have been maddening if I hadn’t already been driven mad by the clock portion. The pieces didn’t actually fit together quite right, they were still slightly floppy, and the instructions said— after I was in blood stepped so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er— that I was supposed to use ELASTIC BANDS to hold together the tower walls while the chocolate was cooling.

The kit didn’t come with elastic bands and I don’t have any in my house except for scrunchies with my gross hair stuck to them, and I’d already come this far, so I decided to forge onward. Then a piece snapped off.

Honestly, this rules, no notes:

I did it, but at what cost? I don’t know much about British politics, but this feels like a poignant commentary on the current state of affairs or something. Should I submit this to the Tate Modern?

[shegatsby]

Hi,

could you please write a Hannibal one-shot, where he is in love with Alana‘s best friend? He met her after she picked up Alana from one of his dinners? And Alana often tries to set them up, with the reader being pretty stubborn, but after a while, finally gives in?

A/N: Hi, thank you for this request. Don't wory guys im getting to your other requests as well. xxx

''Pretty please!'' you heard Alana's honeyed voice yet demanding. You were at home, minding your own business, reading and drinking your wine when suddenly your friend Alana called, asking you to pick her up from a friend's dinner party. ''What happened to your car?'' Alana paused for a second, she came up with a quick lie ''Broke down a week ago.'' you looked outside the window and saw the darkness, under the yellow street lights one could see snow. ''Send me the address.'' Little did you and a certain gentleman know that Alana had a cunning plan. You wore a simple outfit, black jeans, a burgundy sweater, with your keys you left the comfort of your home.

The drive was 20 minutes, when you parked you felt as if you have entered Dracula's castle. ''The owner of the house must be into architecture.'' you thought.

When you rang the bell you had a feeling that tonight something strange would happen but you pushed that feeling away, no need to be paranoid.

A tall man answered the door, and made you freeze for a second. He was much taller than you, his maroon eyes seemed like the pits of a deep wheel, observing you and calling for you, ''Hello, I am Doctor Lecter. Please come in.'' you walked in with a bluch on your cheeks, you weren't sure why you were flustered. He took your coat, ''I am Y/N Y/L/N, Alana's friend. Here to pick her up.'' you said calmly as he took your coat you didn't notice but his eyes closed for a second to smell your scent and he found himself intrigued. ''Please follow me.'' you did as he said, he guided you to the grand living room where Alana was sitting by the fire place, as soon as you entered you were struck by the ambiance. The inside made you feel like you were in a museum, the walls were dark blue which held paintings from renaissance era, mostly depictions of ancient Greek tales. You fund yourself standing in front of the painting of ''Leda and the Swan''

''You are interested in fine art I take it?'' you heard Hannibal say with a cool yet interested tone. Before you could speak Alana's voice was heard ''Yes, my friend is deeply interested in art.'' you gave a threatning look to your friend and turned to Hannibal, ''Yes, I'm in awe of what men can create.''

Hannibal found your answer daring, you could see his eyebrow twitch, ''If you have to I would love to offer you a warm cup of tea?'' he offered kindly, you looked at Alana, wondering if she had to go home immediately but she nodded in agreement. ''I would love that. Thank you.''

''I will be back shortly.'' he declared and left you alone with Alana.

Alana had a strange look on her face as she sat by the fire again, ''He is fine isn't he?'' she asked trying to conceal her smirk, you rolled your eyes and sat next to your friend. ''What's your angle?'' you turned to your friend, obviously she was after something. Her blue eyes had a strange shimmer. Hannibal walked in with a silver tray that had three cups, you noticed how he held the tray elegantly his three piece suit made him look like a member of a royal family far away from here. You noticed his accent, he must be from Lithuania, an exotic place and exotic man...

''Thank you.'' you said she handed you the porcelain cup, it smelled divine, ''My pleasure.'' he responded kindly. It also tasted divine.

Even though you had spent thirty minutes there you loved the conversation, he was konwledgeable about everything and he was willing to listen, you noticed how focused his eyes were on your reactions and face.

You dropped your friend off and drove back home. When you climbed the bed your mind went back to tonight's events. Doctor Lecter's demeanor made you aware of him, he was there and dominant. It triggered you in an exciting way.

The next morning you went to work, you worked at a bookshop, the owner was an old lady who needed help and you started working, it had been 2 years and you were comfortable there.

As you placed the books on the shelves you heard the door open, a dominant voice called in a disbelief ''Miss Y/LN?'' you turned to owner of the voice, ''Doctor Lecter?'' you were startled to see him there, ''H-hi, how are you?'' you stood up to approach him, he was wearing a long black coat, black leather gloves and a dark red scarf, he immediately took off his gloves and extended his hand eagerly, ''Its lovely to see you here Miss, I'm very well, what about you?'' he smiled and you swore his eyes shimmered with an emotion... a powerful one.

''I'm doing great, what brings you here?'' you asked in a curious manner.

''I'm on a break and I thought I should look for a new book to read. I had no idea you were working here.'' Lie... Last night ss soon as you left he did a deep dive search on you and thanks to your Instagram he found a lot about you.

''What a grea idea. Anything speacial in mind?''

He looked around for a second, ''I would love to hear your recommendation.''

He was looking at you so intensely, ''Well,'' you started, ''My favorite is Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald.''

He took a step towards you, once again you were reminded how tall he was, tovering above you, ''May I ask why?'' his dark mind observing you, ''Its a love story and im sucker for those,'' you chuckled which earned you a grin from him, ''There was a line there which stroke a cord with me,'' you stopped to think for a second, trying to remember, ''He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man.'' you gave the quote, ''Its just.. a great story.'' you were gas and his eyes were matched, lighting you up.

''Its a shame,'' he made you focus on him, you thought he was going to humiliate you, ''All the credit goes to Fitzgerald in fact his wife Zelda was the one who he stole the ideas from.'' your eyes lit up, he knew.

''Another white man getting a credit from something a woman had done. Same old story.'' you commented, he raised his hands as defending in a sarcastic manner, ''You said it, not me.'' you laughed at his reaction.

After talking for a while he offered you something, ''I will be throwing another dinner party next week. I would love to see you there.''

You smiled gently, ''I would love that.''

The entire week you pondered upon what to wear, and the day finally came. Alana was at your home watching you get ready, ''Wow, he really invited you huh? I knew he was interested in you since the second he saw you.''

You rolled your eyes, ''Its not like that, he is friendly.'' you protested as you wore a nice black dress, ''I know him, he never invites other than his work friends, you are the first person from outside his work and... you know what? You'll see what I'm talking about.'' Alana raised her hands in a weary attitude.

When you entered his home you understood what Alana was trying to say, everyone came from a successful background and they were all one way or another his colleagues, she was right. You were an outsider. Alana introduced you to her team she kept talking about, Will Graham, Jack Crawford and others, you had a nice chat when Hannibal approached, his eyes first landed on Will, who waa talking to you, and then you. ''I see you met my close friends.'' he said greeting you, ''Will was just talking about a case you and him worked on.''

His stood next to you and his hand went to the small of your back, you didn't understand what was going on, but he was directly facing Wil.. ''Please Will, go on.'' his tone was careful. ''Uhh-'' Will froze for a second, he looked at you and Hannibal and then smiled understandingly. You still didn't understand what was going on but let it go.

The night was vibrant, you met most of his colleagues and they were nice and kind but everytime he introduced you to someone new he would place his hand on your back and stood there like a statue.

When the night came to an end Alana left you with him, you decided to help him in the kitchen, he gave you an apron and you got to work. He played some classical music, you heard Hildegard Von Bingen and smiled to yourself, he noticed, ''I love Hildegard.'' you explained shortly. Together you worked in silence, ''Thank you for helping.'' he said gently and you smiled kindly. He offered a glass of wine and asked you to wait in the living room, the fireplace was lit, you decided to stand by the tall window and watch the serene night.

Hannibal walked in with two glasses and for few seconds he watched you, you looked calm and content. He approached and offered you a glass, ''Thank you.'' he smiled kindly and decided to stand next to you, a question was nagging you, ''Alana said that you usually invite your colleagues.'' you began, ''That is true.'' he said waiting for you to continue, ''What am I doing here then?'' you asked turning to him, looking at him under your lashes, ''I wanted you to mee to my friends and be a part of my life.'' he was so frank that it caught you off guard, '' You have captured me the moment I had met you Y/N, you don't have to say anything just think about it.''

''Yes.'' you found yourself saying, ''I want to be with you too Hannibal.''

He smiled lovingly and leaned in for a kiss.

Thank you for reading. :)

[can-of-w0rmz]

Can fans of Dracula stop infantilising Jonathan Harker for five minutes oh my god. That is a grown man. That is an adult man. That is a partner at a solicitor law firm. He’s not “omg tee hee baby blorbo man,” he’s a grown ass intelligent married man with a whole career. Also, ngl, almost every example that people give when they talk about him in that way is related to him being a PTSD-ridden abduction and sexual assault/harassment victim?? (depending on your reading of the text). Jesus Christ can we stop infantilising the mentally ill for five fucking minutes please is that physically possible for you people. Either that, or he’s babied because he likes his wife?? Like bro ok, I get a couple of comments like “oh yeah he’s a sweetheart” and stuff like that, sure, how he treats Mina is endearing and really sweet, but can we stop acting like his treatment of Mina makes him a child, or that relying on Mina sometimes bc of his mental health makes him a child?? He’s a completely normal fucking guy. He’s a super interesting character, and there’s cool analysis to be made with the subversion of gothic horror tropes (eg: putting him in the place of the gothic heroine kinda), but 1) being put into a stereotypically “feminine” role doesn’t make someone weak or a child, and 2) in terms of non-trope related talk, in terms of how he just acts as a character, he’s legitimately a completely normal man in terms of acting his age who’s experienced the stuff he has and reacts completely rationally and normally.

Like Jesus Christ im genuinely starting to think some of you people have never TALKED to a man before what the fuck, how are you expecting him to act like here???

How the average gothic horror fan expects Jonathan Harker to look:

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Shadows Entwined: Part 2

BatmanVsTmnt!Leonardo x sidekick!reader

Part 1 / Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Bonus (18+)

In which both Leo and reader get grilled by their families, because of the "pretty eyes".

Warnings: Spelling, loong.

The reader and the turtles are 19.

—--------------------------------------

“They call him… The Batman”, Donnie said, reading from his computer screen, causing Leo to break from his starting contest with the wall. He didn’t even remember how he got to staring at the wall. He remembers returning to the abandoned cafe with his brothers, after their meeting with this, Batman and… her. She had said his eyes were pretty. No way she actually meant it. Not with eyes like hers. They were… Leo did not know how to describe them… deep? Colorful? Lively? Filled with emotion-, oh this is how he ended up zoning out in the first place.

Leo was once again pulled out of his thoughts, as Raph started yelling about how stupid it was to use half an hour to google something he could have guessed in seconds.

“I’ve read rumors about a supernatural bat creature in Gotham, but I assumed that he was an urban legend, or that he was a mutant like us”, Donnie said deeply fascinated.

“That guy was definitely human”, Leo finally spoke. “And I think his super natural powers are just his gadgets. Anything about the girl?” Leo could see Raph facepalm out of the corner of his eye.

“Nothing”, Donnie said. “Only stuff about this Batman, or whatever he is”. Why did that pull down on Leo’s mood? No information about her at all?

“We already know what he is!” Mikey was practically dancing at the whiteboard. “He’s awesome!... Unless he’s a bad guy… That would make him… 40% less awesome”. Leo could already tell by the look on Raph’s face that he wanted to punch their little brother all the way back to New York.

“No one knows his motives, but it does appear that he only attacks criminals”, Donnie continued. “Especially this clown guy”.

“So he wears a Dracula costume and punches clowns. Who cares?!”, yelled Raph. “The dirtbag stole my sai!”

“Dracula costume? What kind of Dracula movies have you been watching?”, Donnie muttered.

“Is that why that girl hang around him?!”, Mikey yelled from his whiteboard, jumping with the same enthusiasm he had shown ever since they arrived in Gotham. “He has bitten her and now she is under his control? This city just gets better and better!”

“I don’t think so Mikey. She did say Leo had pretty eyes”, Donnie said. “Hypothetically, I don’t think a human under vampire control would say that. I actually don’t even think vampires in fiction can control people like that…”

Leo already hated this conversation.

“Look all I’m saying is Shredder stole the ooz from TCRI and came to Gotham, we know he’s been working with a new partner, right? It’s gotta be this bat creep and that Leo loving sidekick he has around”, Raph said, exasperated.

Leo remained unmoving with his arms crossed, but the mentioning of the girl made something move in his stomach.

“I’m not so sure”, Leo said. “The way they fought, avoiding lethal blows. They wanted to figure us out. Like a detective".

“She wanted to figure you out”, Raph mumbled, just loud enough for Leo to hear it. Leo would have spoken up, and Mikey not done it first.

“Okay bros. I broke it down”, he said, pointing to his drawings on the whiteboard. “Awesome: Little bat throwing things, cool car, sweet hat, Leo’s first girlfriend. Not awesome: Kicked our butts, may be evil, mean voice, Leo’s first heartbreak”.

“Either way”, Leo broke in, before giving his brothers any chance to add on to Mikey’s whiteboard Batman and sidekick breakdown. “After Wayne Enterprises, we have no idea where the Foot will be next. The Batman is our only lead”.

Donnie nodded. “Whether friend or foe, he and his sidekick was at the scene of the crime. And if you give me a minute, I think I’ve gotten an idea”.

---

“I was right outside!” you yelled like a spoiled child, waving your arms in the air, while Batman carefully looked at the magnifying glass in front of him, a sample he had taken from the sai laying in the little glass tray. “I did nothing but watch those metahumans kick Penguin’s butt! I could have helped you!”

“I did not need help”, Batman said, stoic as he always was when wearing that mask. “I had it under control”.

“That blood in your mouth said otherwise”, you sighed leaning against the deck next to you. This man was stubborn and you knew it. It was no use fighting him on his opinions, as it would be a losing battle for anyone except him.

You heard the familiar sound of a grappling against metal, and saw as Batgirl made her way out of the air vent.

“Heard on the scanner that the police took in some of Penguin’s men. Said they were jumped by four crazy frogs. I assume those were my lizard guys”, she said.

“Your lizard guys are strange”, you told Batgirl.

“They are turtles”, Batman said, pressing keys on the computer keyboard. “And the DNA on this weapon suggests they were mutated by an outside agent”.

“Mutant ninja turtles”. You raised a brow. “And me who thought Gotham couldn’t get any stranger”.

“The technology the ninjas have already stolen could be used to refine a mutagen like that”, Batgirl noted. “But why?”

“The cloud-seeder is the last piece of the puzzle. Which is why I had to move it to a secure location outside of Gotham”.

“I really wished you guys brought me in on this!”, Batgirl said. “I mean I saw the monsters first. It’s my case”.

“And pass up the opportunity to watch them swordfight Penguin later in the future? No way! I had front seat tickets!”

“There were too many unknowns. You could have gotten hurt. Both of you”. Batman turned his attention towards you. “You have to be more careful, (Y/N)”.

“What do you mean? I was beating that blue one pretty good”.

“Yet you didn’t notice the red one almost tapped you from the back”.

You felt a movement in your stomach and cold run down your back, yet your face started to feel hot. You did not notice at all. When would that have happened?... How long did you look into those blue eyes? Did the red one see an opening, only for Batman to save you, while you were being engulfed in a mutant turtle’s eyes, not noticing the world around you?

“N- no, I didn’t”.

“No, and you’ll have to work on that before I start calling you for backup”. Feedback from Batman always sounded harsh. And it did make you feel self conscious. But when it came to fighting alongside Batman, it was a matter of life and death. “In the meantime”, Batman continued, before you could dig too deep into your own feelings. “I’ll need to start working on a way to counteract the mutagen”. Batman stood for a moment. “And for that I could use both of your help”.

You could feel a big smile form on your face as Batgirl thanked the man you saw as your father figure. It wasn’t often that he actually asked for your help, or any help at all, making this a rare occasion, forever saved in your memory.

“All though”, Batgirl said as Batman looked closer at the sai he had gotten from the red turtle. “If those creatures left the Penguin's men tied up for the police, maybe I was wrong about them”.

“Maybe”, was all Batman had to say about that.

The drive back to the Batcave from Wayne Enterprise was silent. With you and Batgirl squished together in one seat, while Batman was driving the Batmobile. The silence that was so common when it came to Batman. It was a far cry from the Bruce Wayne that had taken you in as his own daughter. I was as if the moment he took the mask on, he became a different person. Not less loving than the Bruce Wayne you had given the title father, but less expressive and harder to read.

“Pretty eyes?”, Batman said, finally breaking the silence. Batgirl looked at you in confusion.

“It caught him off guard didn’t it? I’ll say it worked”, you said, playing with a smile on your lips. The bat stayed silent. You knew that silence. It was not an approving silence. You tried playing it off, talking about something else. “Did you notice how easily excited the orange one got? And how mad that red one was? They kind of remind me of Robin-”.

“Your brother is not comparable to a bunch of ninja turtles”.

“Well you might think that”, you mumbled, thinking of your pestilence of an adopted brother, that often caused chaos in your daily life, by sneaking around Wayne Manor. “He does look a little like them”.

Batgirl turned to Batman. “Care to explain?”

Batman sighed. “(H/N) and the blue mutant had a moment where she told him he had pretty eyes”.

“A moment?”, Batgirl asked, slightly shocked.

“A stare down”, you said, feeling your cheeks getting hot.

“A moment”, Batman corrected. “Even his attacks became softer after she told him”.

“No they didn’t!”

“They did. And so did yours”.

With your cheeks on fire, you crossed your arms and leaned back into the seat you shared with Batgirl. The amused smile she was trying to hide, made you wish the Batmobile would swallow you on the spot.

Why did that damn turtle have to have such pretty eyes?

[ninadove]

Nina reads Dracula 🦇

September 24th

I hadn't the heart to write last night; that terrible record of Jonathan's upset me so. Poor dear! How he must have suffered, whether it be true or only imagination. I wonder if there is any truth in it at all. Did he get his brain fever, and then write all those terrible things, or had he some cause for it all? I suppose I shall never know, for I dare not open the subject to him.... And yet that man we saw yesterday! He seemed quite certain of him.... Poor fellow! I suppose it was the funeral upset him and sent his mind back on some train of thought.... He believes it all himself. I remember how on our wedding-day he said: "Unless some solemn duty come upon me to go back to the bitter hours, asleep or awake, mad or sane." There seems to be through it all some thread of continuity.... That fearful Count was coming to London.... If it should be, and he came to London, with his teeming millions.... There may be a solemn duty; and if it come we must not shrink from it.... I shall be prepared. I shall get my typewriter this very hour and begin transcribing. Then we shall be ready for other eyes if required. And if it be wanted; then, perhaps, if I am ready, poor Jonathan may not be upset, for I can speak for him and never let him be troubled or worried with it at all. If ever Jonathan quite gets over the nervousness he may want to tell me of it all, and I can ask him questions and find out things, and see how I may comfort him.

Can we talk about how cool Mina is for a second? Her first reaction upon finding out is disbelief, of course, but she turns around so quickly so she can A. support Jonathan and B. potentially save the world. She knows her skills are valuable and she immediately puts them to good use. It’s not hard to see why Jonathan fell in love with her!

It also means that everything we’ve been reading so far is courtesy of her work, by the way. Which immediately prompts two thoughts:

She apparently wasn’t jealous at all upon reading the Three Weed-Smoking Girlfriends bit Jonathan was so worried about, otherwise she would have edited it out;

She had to transcribe Lucy’s journal and her own letters… She had to add the “unopened by her” mention herself…

Everybody say thank you Mina!

And now for the bit where I genuinely shed a tear:

I pray you to pardon my writing, in that I am so far friend as that I sent to you sad news of Miss Lucy Westenra's death. By the kindness of Lord Godalming, I am empowered to read her letters and papers, for I am deeply concerned about certain matters vitally important. In them I find some letters from you, which show how great friends you were and how you love her. Oh, Madam Mina, by that love, I implore you, help me. It is for others' good that I ask—to redress great wrong, and to lift much and terrible troubles—that may be more great than you can know. May it be that I see you? You can trust me. I am friend of Dr. John Seward and of Lord Godalming (that was Arthur of Miss Lucy). I must keep it private for the present from all. I should come to Exeter to see you at once if you tell me I am privilege to come, and where and when. I implore your pardon, madam. I have read your letters to poor Lucy, and know how good you are and how your husband suffer; so I pray you, if it may be, enlighten him not, lest it may harm. Again your pardon, and forgive me.

I’ve said it before, but there are some similarities in the way Dracula and Van Helsing talk. Well, there are some in the way they write too!

You may remember this little bit from May 3rd:

"My Friend.--Welcome to the Carpathians. I am anxiously expecting you. Sleep well to-night. At three to-morrow the diligence will start for Bukovina; a place on it is kept for you. At the Borgo Pass my carriage will await you and will bring you to me. I trust that your journey from London has been a happy one, and that you will enjoy your stay in my beautiful land.

Your friend,

DRACULA.

The letter opened and closed on a fake declaration of friendship, foreshadowing Jonathan’s imprisonment.

Van Helsing does something very similar here, but A. with desperate apologies and B. recognising his status as someone who is very much not Mina’s friend (yet?). So what does it mean?

It means he is breaking down

We saw him run himself ragged to save Lucy and fail. We’ve seen him fall from witty and pretentious banter (with Seward) to hysterical sobbing and laughing (also with Seward) in the span of a few weeks. We’ve seen him hide the truth while also giving out clues, we’ve seen him break down because he knows, and doesn’t want to burden anyone else with this knowledge, but realistically can’t bear the weight on his own.

So when he reads Mina’s letters — the ones Lucy never got to open — he has no choice but to reach out. Mina is not a doctor like Seward, she’s not a Strong Young Blood Donor like the suitors, she’s just a young woman who is also struggling and also loved Lucy, and this fifty-something genius finds a sense of kinship in her, and immediately decides she is the only person who can help him.

But that means she must know, and therefore be trapped in the same Hell he is. Hence the structure of the letter. I LOVE THIS BOOK

< Prev 🦇 Next >

[im-ovulating]

"How're you feeling, love?" Demetri asks as he slips back into the room.

He shuts the door lightly before making his way over to you, sitting next to your huddled form to place a cool hand on your cheek. Your eyes flutter shut at the feeling.

"M'dizzy..." You mumble out, nuzzling your cheek into his palm; the chill almost acting like a balm to your discomfort - almost.

His thumb traces the line of your jaw as he murmurs, "I know, darling, I know... Can you sit up for me?"

You whine in protest. "Don't wanna~" You know, as soon as you sit up, that nauseating, room tilting feeling was going to come rushing back. Ever since you woke up, you've been lightheaded. You thought it was just a passing wave of vertigo until it was clear it wanted to stay.

"Sweetheart, I know it's uncomfortable, but you need to take some medication, or it'll only get worse." You know he's right, but just the thought of seeing the room spin makes you feel sick to your stomach. "It will be quick, and then we can lie back down and I can read to you for as long as you'd like."

You eye him. "Anything?"

"Anything." He confirms.

"Dracula?" You say, fighting back a shiteating grin.

Demetri drops his head with a chuckle, "Of course that's the one you'd want... Fine, fine, Dracula it is~"

"But first, medicine-"

With an exaggerated sigh, you manage to sit up with Demetri's help. Just as predicted, the room starts to feel like it's doing its best impression of a dreidle. Before you can even sway, Demetri steadies a hand on your back. He hands you a couple of antihistamines and helps you with a drink of water.

Downing the pills, you immediately flop back down with a small groan, waiting for him to set the glass down and join you. He speeds over to the bookshelf and snags your worn copy of the Bram Stoker novel off of it.

Once he's lying next to you, you snuggle into his chest and wait for him to begin.

After almost a year of being together, you're certain that you'll never get tired of hearing Demetri read to you. Him speaking in general is enough to lull you into a soft sense of security; the soft timbre of his voice rumbles through you and puts any worries at ease - quelling any and all thoughts that aren't him.

"3 May. Bistritz." He begins "-Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late..."

Demetri's low voice fills the room as he flips through the book.

As he reads, you can feel your eyes getting heavier and heavier - the medicine kicking in, making you more drowsy as you fight to pay attention to the story. Demetri's cold hand rubbing gently up and down your back and waist doesn't help. Soon, your eyes are slipping shut, and your breathing evens out.

The last thing you hear before passing out is the soft thump of Demetri shutting the book and his soft whisper of "Sleep well, my love."

Definitely not bc I'm so damn lightheaded today

[dollywheeler]

October 23th, 1996

Dear diary,

Let’s see - the last few days have kind of been a blur.

I don’t think I did anything particularly interesting, just following my routine - same old same old. I had to spend all of Sunday catching up on my homework, so nothing special happened there. Mike let me take his old guitar home, though, and the reading for English class is going a lot better now I can alternate chapters of Walden with a moment of playing music. My Oasis tape has been running non-stop.

Cheer practice is going fine - the routines are a bit easier now so I’m having less trouble. I try to practice the harder ones as often as possible, but I still haven’t found a solution for practicing the jumps on my own.

Oh! I almost forgot - On Sunday, I watched Dracula! Danny recommended it and I wanted to watch something while finishing my homework. It was too good - I had to pause it and rush to finish my homework so I could watch it properly; This is exactly why I usually play something I’ve already seen.

I wish we could have watched it together though, but we’ve both been so busy we’ve barely had the chance to spend time together. Whenever he doesn’t have basketbal practice, I have cheer or babysitting, or he has to work at the diner. Mrs. Benson is doing a lot better, at least, so I don’t have to go over as often. Danny joins us for lunch most days, though, and I try to come to the diner as much as possible - it’s nice, just being able to talk to him, even if it’s in snippets between him serving the other customers. Christy doesn’t seem to mind it too much, either, as long as Danny doesn’t leave anyone waiting for too long.

Still, I hope we can go on an actual date again soon.

Mom already hinted at having him over for dinner and I’m… Not sure how to feel about that.

I mean, Danny’s great and I’m sure Dad will like him - I already know mom does because she can’t stop raving about our homecoming pictures. She went to pick them up from the developer on Monday and though I do look terrible in a lot of them, there’s some really cool pictures as well - ANYWAY, what I was trying to say (write? Whatever) was that it feels weird to have him over for dinner with the family.

I was too young to remember the first time Jonathan joined us for dinner - if he ever did before they both went off to college - so it’s not like I can look to my older sister for an example.

Lord knows Mike never brought a girl home.

What I’m trying to say is - I have no idea how Mom and Dad are gong to act. Especially dad - there’s a big enough gap between me and Nancy that I’m sure dad is going to have to get used to his daughter dating all over again.

I might call Nancy and ask for advice - if she has the time, of course. She’s so busy lately running all over the place. When I called on Saturday she said they’d be coming back to the US on Tuesday, but it wouldn’t be the first time their stay got extended. I’ll probably just wait on her to call over the weekend, just in case.

I don’t know what else to write about really, but I’m at the diner and a table in the back is staring at me. I don’t know why - I know their faces but not their names. Pretty sure one used to be the school’s librarian before he retired a few years ago. I see him and the woman he’s talking to around town sometimes, walking dogs, or here at the diner drinking coffee and gossiping as they are now. Most residents always follow everything going on around them, and I’m sure they recognise me in turn from seeing me around one too many times, but today I swear they’ve been looking at me specifically for way too long.

So, I took out my diary and started writing so it seems like I’m not bothered and can’t hear what they’re saying.

It’s strangely unsettling. I don’t know - they seem judgemental, and I feel judged, though for the life of me I can’t figure out why. I’m not doing anything different. I don’t look anything different - I’m not wearing anything special. Sure, I’ve been talking to Danny a lot because it’s so calm today, but it’s not like we’re being particularly loud.

Pretty sure I just heard them say “the Byers kid” - which is strange, because a, I’m not a Byers, and b, I’m not my brother - hell, we don’t even look alike.

I didn’t even realise they knew who I was, let alone who my brother’s friends are. Anyway, it’s weird how hung-up they are about Mike and Will’s return to Hawkins - I mean, it’s been more than two months, and they were only gone for - what? Seven? Ish? Years? I don’t even know.

I guess that’s the one downfall from living in a small town.

Most of the time it’s an advantage - like havig to go to the post office during the summer and getting to chat with Dylan while she works, or feeling completely at home in a diner because you know every face there. It’s nice knowing your neighbours and your neighbour’s neighbours in turn.

Like last week, with Mrs. Benson, I heard soooo many stories about the people around town. And sure, it’s gossip which isn’t always nice, but more often than not it’s just keeping everyone updated. It’s how we all show we care - how else would Mom know who’s in desperate need of a casserole or a plate of cookies?

That sounds like a hyperbole or whatever - Mike would probably know the perfect term - but it’s more relevant than one might think.

Plenty people don’t know to ask for help - like Mrs. Benson - and they’re just waiting on people to offer it.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from mom, is that more often than not overbearing is just bearing enough.

Anyway, Daniel and his mom are new to town too, but no one’s talking about that anymore either. Now I think about it, it is weird that people seem more hung-up about them than Danny. I mean, Danny and his mom are total outsiders - even if they only came from a few towns over - but at least Mike and Will are known strangers. They came back, which isn’t unheard of.

Mr. Howard, our PE teacher, for example, moved back in his thirties to take care of his ailing father. His father is still kicking around, by the by, even though he’s been back for almost twenty years now. Anyway, even though he’d been gone for seventeen years, everyone acted like he’d simply never left.

Max’ mom, on the other hand, still often gets reminded that she’s not from here, though it’s less obvious because the residents of the trailer park are used to people coming and going more than Suburbians, and also because she at least was here for ’86.

Now I think about it, it’s bothering me more and more.

I’ve always felt like I’m missing something - it’s often clear mom and Mike are talking around me - but I always just assumed it’s them being weird about Mike’s degree. That’s the one thing dad brings up sometimes when it’s about Mike, right before mom sends him a warning glare with pointed eyes at me. I don’t know - I get dad wanted us to do something practical, or at least, Mike, because dad has plenty of opinions on Nancy’s career as well. But he’s from a previous time, and honestly why Nancy wants to work so bad, I don’t understand.

Anyway, this took a turn.

I really keep getting carried away with these things.

The people are still there, but they seemed to have moved on conversationally, and it’s about time I head home anyway. I’m just going to say goodbye to Daniel and get going so I’m back in time for dinner.

Love, Holly