#i think it��s the hairline. and face shape. hmm

[angelofrainfrogs]

Spend the Night: Ch. 7

~Coauthored by @zeitghest~

Fandom(s): Five Nights At Freddy’s: Security Breach

Description: The familiar melody of Grandfather’s Clock chimes through the echoing halls of the Pizzaplex…

Charlie wakes up in her Puppet’s vessel yet again with one goal in mind: to stop William Afton’s reign of terror for good. She enlists the help of Glamrock Freddy, the emphatic leader of the newest iteration of the Fazbear Band. But there seems to be more to this bear than meets the eye—and the same goes for the mysteriously familiar kid the duo find tinkering with animatronics down in Parts & Service.

With some help from friends new and old, Charlie’s journey into the bowels of the Pizzaplex will unravel mysteries none of them ever expected. 

Rating: T

Read on Ao3

It is just a glitch scattered in the system Tell me that it's wrong, never gonna listen World won't understand till they stand the vision Mayhem, mayhem, three, two, one

~Under Control by Tryhardninja, Ivy Marie~

“We must prepare to move,” Freddy announced, releasing Gregory and snatching the next access card from its little bear-shaped holder on the desk. Now they’d be able to get into higher-level areas than before—including another security office.

As Freddy grabbed for the card, Charlie reached for Gregory. Of course there was always another hurdle to overcome. With it barely even being 2:00 in the morning, they still had a long time before the main doors opened again. God forbid something else went wrong; Gregory could be trapped here with them over the weekend, too...

“Freddy? There's a place around here with unused characters right?” Charlie asked, bouncing Gregory soothingly in her arms and they readied to speed from the security room. “I think I have a solution for you and Michael's problem.”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, there is a basement warehouse near Parts & Service; I believe unused characters are stored there as well,” Freddy responded a bit absently, watching the monitor as Vanessa approached the door.

“Freddy?” the guard’s voice soon rang out and she knocked harshly. “I can hear you in there! What the hell are you doing?! I gave you instructions to stay put, and now none of the Glamrocks are in their rooms!”

Vanessa sounded well and truly angry. She’d been running around searching for this phantom kid for nearly two hours, and she was tired.

“Ah, I was… using the cameras to see if I could track the child down!” Freddy replied, refusing to open the door until they absolutely had to. Speaking of cameras—

Another glance revealed yet another threat: Roxy was prowling through the arcade, directly in their path to the exit.

Charlie had half a mind to just press her face up to the double-walled security glass and scare Vanessa away. She didn't exactly deserve to be frightened so badly, yet they couldn't afford her slowing them down anymore. It seemed that right after she showed up so did the other animatronics, and that bunny might not be far behind either...

Roxy looked worse than before. What was she doing? Rolling in the left over oil at the Raceway? She normally held such pride in her appearance, reasonably grooming herself and making sure her model was in perfect, working condition before performances and “bedtime.” Now the cracks were showing—her metal chassis forming hairline fractures at stress points. Dirt and grime matted in the faux fur atop her head, smattering her cheeks and covering the paint-job makeup that the designers spent so long creating for her.

“You like playing games, Gregory?” growled Roxy, her voice heard past Vanessa in the arcade. “I know a game we can play—I'm a pro at hide and seek.”

The wolf was seething; her sharp maw would probably be dripping with drool if it could do such a thing.

Gregory held in his fearful sounds, choosing to close his eyes and bury his face in Charlie's thin shoulder. They knew he was there… but how?

If Michael had a body, he’d be shivering with fright at Roxy. Objectively he’d seen much worse over the years, but something about her tone, the way she was so clearly out for a child’s blood… that was utterly horrifying. Even the Funtime animatronics that were literally designed to capture children for William’s sick research purposes didn’t act like this. They behaved like relatively normal robots until a kid was close enough to grab, then they snapped and it was over in an instant.

But these Glamrock models… these were aware. And that made their actions so much worse.

“Bullshit!” Vanessa snapped as Michael fretted. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you guys, but as soon as I get in there you’re going straight back to your room and I’m putting you on extra-lockdown!” She wasn’t entirely sure if they actually had that protocol, but she couldn’t think of a better threat right now.

“Charlie, you must focus on getting Gregory out,” Freddy murmured. “Find somewhere safe—I will keep the others occupied as long as possible, then come and find you.”

“Are you talking to someone?!” Vanessa chimed in, and it was at that moment the door power failed. The distinctive sound of electronics shutting down could be heard as the lights in the security office went out. The door soon raised, revealing Vanessa standing there with hands on her hips. She let out a gasp, eyes widening at the sight of Gregory and the Puppet.

“What the—what the fuck are you?!” She shook her head with an annoyed growl, starting forward. “Whatever; hand over the brat. He’s caused enough trouble tonight.”

Charlie was aware that Vanessa had been in the dark about everything just like them. Really, the woman didn’t deserve most of the frustrations of tonight. Even so Charlie’s arms coiled around Gregory, almost constricting him as she let out an inhuman hiss.

“He didn’t do anything wrong! Leave him alone!” she warned, backing slowly away. She attempted to match Vanessa’s pace, planning to run out the opposite door. The goal would be to hightail it out of the arcade without Roxy catching either of them, but with the speed demon hounding for their blood she’d have to time it perfectly.

Gregory looked up to Vanessa, the fear in his face knotting into anger. “Hey! Who are you calling a brat, dumbass?!”

“Clearly you, kid.” Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Ugh, why do I have to find the one with the biggest attitude? Look, I just need to take you to a safe area so we can call the police and get in contact with your parents. You can even take your weird, clingy robot with you... What are you, anyway?” The guard paused, staring at the Puppet with a pinched expression of confusion. “Some knockoff Daycare attendant model? Or—oh my god, Freddy, get out of my way!”

The bear had placed himself directly in Vanessa's path, holding his arms out ready to physically restrain her if need be.

“I am sorry,” he said with a shake of the head. “But my child safety protocols indicate that, at this moment, Gregory is safest with me and Charlie.”

“What?!” Vanessa shrieked, clenching her fists so hard her knuckles went white. “There is absolutely no way your protocol would tell you that a kid is safer with a robot than a human! You're so malfunctioning right now; we’ve got to—ouch!”

Suddenly, Vanessa's face twisted into an expression of extreme pain and she doubled over, clutching her head.

“Officer Vanessa?! Are you alright?” Freddy asked, instinctively reaching out to help.

“Mmph, y-yeah... just... just a migraine...”

And major amnesia to follow, Vanessa thought, but there was no need to tell the robot about her chronic health issues. She remained hunched over, temporarily blocking out everything around her as she tried to get over this sudden attack. She couldn't afford to lose the kid again...

Gregory was ready to push Puppet aside just to fight Vanessa for her rude nature towards his friends, though Charlie held fast to the squirming child with her arms laced around his small frame. There was no room for arguing between them. With Freddy intervening and trying to talk some sense into Vanessa, Charlie put more space between the humans.

“Freddy—” she said, calm and collected as she watched Vanessa curl at the pressure building in her skull. “—Vanessa needs first aid. She doesn't look too good...”

“Who cares about her?!” Gregory snapped, eyes narrowed at the night guard. His sympathy was clearly thin for her right now, having been tracked down by her for over twenty-four hours by this point. “She's the weirdo who's been trying to kidnap me, remember?!”

“Gregory, please have some empathy. She's hurting...” Charlie remarked. All the while, they were completely unaware what was really happening inside of Vanessa's head.

Ẅ̴̛̪͍̽̑̈́͌͌̄͛̏̏̃̅͝h̵̻̉a̸̺͆t̶̬̿'̴̡́s̴̱͛ ̵̮̅ẃ̸̨r̴͔̐ō̷̖n̷̠͝g̵̦̑,̷̼̔ ̷̳̿f̷̰̽u̷͔̿n̶̝̿n̷̠͒y̷̺͂ ̸̲͋b̴̟͆ǘ̷͇n̵̺͝ṅ̸̪y��͓̒?̴̡͝[1]

Ä̵͉́r̵̼͑e̶̟͐ ̸͉̓t̵͉͊h̴̜̓ë̶͎́y̷̞͊ ̷͎̒b̶̯̊ẻ̷̟į̶͑ǹ̶̜g̸̤̎ ̵̯̿m̸̝͝è̴͚ȃ̴̠n̶̳̂ ̴͚͒t̴͉̚o̷͉̽ ̶͎̔y̴͓̕o̸͇͌u̶̼̔?̸̻̈

Ș̵̢̡͉̘̊̆̈̎͆ḩ̵̓o̵͎̍w̸̨͒ ̵̮̽t̶͔͋h̵͉̆e̷̪̓m̴̙͊ ̴̻͝w̶̖̚h̴̯̕a̶̰̒t̵̝̂ ̵̼͑h̷̨̒a̴̩͘p̷͚̀p̷̥͌e̴̡͐ṅ̸̺s̴̛ͅ ̶͖̈́w̸͕̔h̸̛̜e̴̤͋n̶̠͒ ̵͖̋ţ̷̀h̶̞̓e̴̼̎ỳ̸̡ ̴͉̓ḏ̷͂o̶̫̚n̴̻͛'̶̤̓t̶͍̄ ̶̫̄p̷̥͐l̵͈͌a̶͈͌y̵̪͌ ̴͕̇n̶̯̓ỉ̵̲c̴̯̓ė̷ͅ.̸̣̊.̶̼̉.̵̨̇ ̵͖̓

The playful voice inside the guard’s mind tried to soothe her, pain increasing the longer she denied it.

“N-No, I... I don't... What...?” Vanessa was mumbling to herself, a nonsensical string of words for the nonsensical voice. The ache was so intense all she wanted to do was curl up on the floor and sleep for days. She resisted as long as she could… but as was the case nowadays, that wasn't more than a few seconds.

“Oh?” All of a sudden Vanessa perked up, releasing her head to stare at the little group in the office. An eerie smile stretched her mouth wide, and her gaze was somehow both vacant yet very sharp. She glanced down at her body, tugging at the crisp, white uniform shirt.

“Oh no, no, this won't do; these clothes are so stiff! She keeps misplacing that thing...” She let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head for a moment before abruptly snapping her gaze to Freddy's. “I'll be riiiiight back~ But while I'm gone, you can play with a friend!”

Without warning she whipped around to dash away through the arcade, her goal known only to herself. For just a second, it seemed like Freddy and his friends' prayers had been answered. That is, until they heard Vanessa shout at the top of her lungs:

“Oh Roooooxyyyyyyy~ Gregory's in the security office, and the power's out! Better go find him before Monty does—you want to make sure you're the best, don't you?”

The mumbling had only raised more questions at Vanessa's strange behavior. But when her whole demeanor changed from agonizing in pain to practically frolicking away to alert the others, Charlie recognized what was happening. Scampering towards Freddy, she raised Gregory up to the bear.

“Put him inside your chest, now!” she begged. “It's��her! I recognize the voice now—it's the bunny lady!”

The sound of stampeding, metal feet began to tear straight for them.

“What?!” An incredulous tone could be heard, Roxy flabbergasted that Vanessa would even imply that Monty was better than her. She was the best. An obvious fan favorite! 

And she was going to make sure the others knew it. She barreled for the office, feral and growling even as she skidded and slid painfully into the walls.

“Gregory!” Roxy snarled, “Get over here, you snot-nosed punk!”

Freddy knew there was no time for questions, and Michael realized the same. The ghost resisted the urge to argue with Charlie’s instructions, sucking up his personal correlation with shoving a kid into an animatronic’s chest cavity to let the bear do what he needed to. Freddy was safe, and that meant Gregory would be safe, too. Without hesitation Freddy helped Gregory scramble into his surprise compartment, closing the hatch just in time for Roxy to slam into the wall outside the open doorway.

“Roxanne!” Freddy exclaimed, eyes wide at the sight of her in person. Along with the dirt she had a plethora of tiny dents and scratches, presumably from running into things during her frantic search. “What happened to you?!”

“Not the time, Freddy!” Michael reminded with an edge of panic to his voice. “Get Gregory out of here before she figures out where you hid him!”

Freddy stared at Roxy for a moment longer, his face twisted in an expression of genuine hurt and confusion. He hated to see his friends like this—it scared him. Until tonight, Freddy thought it was impossible for him to feel such things as fear…

But that existential crisis was for another time. Michael was right: they had a mission.

Slowly, Freddy began shifting around the wolf, trying not to make any sudden moves that would startle her or give any indication that the child was nearby. Roxy huffed, a simulated sniffing coming from her nose as she glanced around the room in a jittery nature.

“He was here! I just heard him…,” she said, pushing past the Puppet as she inspected the room, practically ignoring Freddy until all hope of finding Gregory had been lost to her.

“Freddy... Buddy, amigo...” She looked to the bear, clasping her paws together as she approached. “You've seen the kid, right? You have to by now. C'mon, help a girl out...”

Charlie already stood in the doorway, making sure the coast was all clear as she motioned just outside Roxanne's line of sight for Freddy to follow her. The wolf’s unsettling appearance, both out of character and alarming, became more apparent the closer she drew.

“Ditch the creepy Puppet! Come hang out with me and help me find that brat!” Roxy begged, yellow eyes desperate for help.

“I... I cannot do that, Roxy,” Freddy replied with a shake of his head. He’d been inching away successfully until the wolf stepped up to him—now she was a bit too close for comfort. Freddy knew she was much faster than him, especially in this virus-induced state, and the last thing he wanted was for her to somehow finagle his stomach hatch open in a frenzy. He just needed to move her a bit and then he could make a break for it.

“You likely will not accept this, but there is something wrong with you,” Freddy continued, gently putting his hands on the wolf’s shoulders. As he spoke he shifted her sideways, ever-so-slowly moving her out of his path. “Something is wrong with all of you—Monty, Chica, even Moon and Officer Vanessa. I am trying to figure it out and return you all to normal, and it would be a great help to me if you would stop trying to pursue the child.”

Freddy’s grip tightened on Roxy’s shoulders. He moved her a little more forcefully, tapping into his animatronic strength just enough to match her resistance. Just a few inches more, and the path would be free.

Roxy's expression turned from one of mild annoyance to complete offense. Her eye's flicked over Freddy's face as if looking for a sign that he was joking.

“What?! There’s nothing wrong with me! I-I'm... I-I—” She stuttered, not for lack of anything to defend herself with verbally, but literally shorting out as she was made to think about her and the rest of the Glamrocks’ actions.

She resisted Freddy’s shifting, trying to push back. But as she glitched, her strength faltered. She was pushed into the desk, a few loose bolts clattering as they toppled to the ground. Before she could explain herself, Freddy and the Puppet were already speeding away.

“W-Wait! Freddy, I'm sorry!” Roxy attempted to call after them. With the child momentarily out of sight and mind, she was granted a minute of lucidity and couldn’t help but feel disgust.

But this quickly faded, as everything did thanks to the malware infecting her very core.

She listened to the voice inside her head that told her to get the child. Her goal was to bring him to the basement without maiming him too much. The rest of the plan was so genius Roxy couldn't even comprehend why they were doing it in the first place.

***

Freddy gritted his teeth as he ran, trying to forget that look in Roxy’s eyes. For just a moment she’d been herself again, trying to break through whatever was controlling her. Her apology echoed heavily in Freddy’s mind, and he suddenly had the strange urge to yell out in frustration. He resisted of course, not wanting to alert anyone to their position more than his heavy footsteps already would. Instead he pressed on, thinking of the best path to their next destination.

“The stage!” Freddy exclaimed, falling into step with Charlie. “It will take us directly to Parts & Service. But we need to activate the sound booth first—hopefully there is a showtime disk already in place, but if not we will have to locate one.”

“How hard could that be?” Gregory asked, relieved when he heard a plan coming from the outside of his little enclosure.

Freddy then took the lead, guiding Charlie back through the arcade and El Chips. Soon enough they’d re-emerged in the main atrium and made a beeline for the sound booth. Thankfully it was also on the third floor, not far from their current position.

“Is a showtime disk like a record?” Charlie felt the need to ask, her voice not above a whisper as they curtailed themselves into the booth. Overlooking the stage and all that sat before the concert area, they sat relatively in the open. With the strange sounds emanating from the third floor backrooms, Puppet wanted to get the show started and leave as soon as possible.

“Yes, it is a CD—like a smaller version of a record,” Freddy explained as he rapidly scanned the area. To his great frustration, there was no such item anywhere in sight. “It is not here—we must take the long way around, back through Rockstar Row. Follow me.”

Not wanting to waste time Freddy urged the Puppet to trail after him, adding in a hushed voice as they moved: “We can use Roxy’s service elevator for the time being, although once we return from Parts & Service we can rest in the security office near Rockstar Row—it is accessible with our new clearance level. From my recollection the showtime disks are often stored there as well, so hopefully we can pick one up in case we need to activate the stage lift later.”

Freddy was hesitant to jinx anything, but in a way it seemed like things might be turning in their favor, if only for a moment. Hopefully Charlie was onto something with regards to Michael’s predicament, and this task wouldn’t be fruitless. Although even if it was, at least it would keep Gregory moving. Freddy dreaded the thought of getting cornered again. If Roxy was already this bad, he didn’t want to know what the others were like.

Having watched the head of security change right before their eyes into someone so completely different than before only told Puppet one thing: this virus didn’t just affect robots. It’d been spreading through people as well.

It just went to show how they needed to work together to keep Gregory separated from whatever the hell was going on around the Pizzaplex. This virus, whatever it was, must have something to do with William's return. Should they make it to Parts & Service in one piece, Michael's experience with dealing in his father's villainy would help them immeasurably.

Again they moved, all too scared for now to let Gregory leave Freddy's chest. It would be bad enough if the robots were seen out and about—though to their benefit Freddy's bandmates only seemed interested in human blood and flesh, not metal and oil.

With Rockstar Row in sight and all its residents currently looking high and low in more complex places for their little gang, they snuck in undetected. Through Roxy's more inexplicably damaged backstage room they crept, right as Gregory broke the silence.

“Freddy? Is it safe to come out yet? My legs are cramping!”

Don't think about the meat pretzel..., Gregory mentally noted as a means of staying calm in the tight closed in space for so long.

Freddy winced as a barrage of images suddenly flashed through his mind in response to Gregory's innocent comment. Most flew by too fast to catch, but three kept repeating themselves over and over again:

A smiling little girl with long, red hair, green eyes, and a red bow in her hair...

A clown-themed animatronic Freddy recognized a Circus Baby...

The same animatronic standing exactly as before, though there was a distinct trail of dark, red liquid leaking from her chest cavity.

“Michael, stop!” Freddy exclaimed, jerking his head in an effort to quell the ghost's memories. Whatever those images represented were so painful even Freddy was starting to feel an ache deep in his core.

“O-Oh god, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to—is Gregory okay?! I don't like the thought of him being uncomfortable in there w-with... with the cramps, and all,” Michael managed to say, reigning in his wayward thoughts. Clearly this wasn't the only issue at hand, but he didn't want to freak Freddy out and somehow cause exactly what he was afraid of happening.

“Yes, he is fine—Gregory, please come out.” Freddy heaved a sigh of relief as they entered Roxy's service elevator and closed the door. He opened his chest cavity and freed the kid while checking his power meter. “I must charge before we progress—there is a station just outside the main area of Parts & Service. We can stop there before going to the warehouse.”

Helping Gregory down from his spot inside of Freddy's torso, Charlie suggested he sit and stretch his legs before they left the lift. Safe Mode may not be the best way for Freddy to be traveling throughout the night in regards to the draining battery power, but it also still might be one of the only things keeping him safe from the virus spreading around.

“Don't worry you guys,” Charlie tried to comfort. “Gregory's a tough kid, right?”

Gregory plopped to the ground, stretching out his legs and reaching halfheartedly towards his toes.

“More like a kid who's about to have a charley-horse...,” he griped in reply.

He was still having a tough time moving past Vanessa's odd behavior from earlier. He knew she was weird, but that smile... It didn't even look like it belonged to her. It was uncanny—as if someone had copied an eerie grin and pasted it over Vanessa's mouth. Not to mention her words, and the way she said them.

It’d begun to hit Gregory too that something was controlling the minds of people along with the animatronics. That wasn't something he could fathom—the idea of losing his mind inside this nightmare was already becoming too real for him to feel comfortable.

Eventually the lift brought them to the hallway leading towards Parts & Service. If one were to peer into the actual workshop and the safety cylinder, the Map Bot Gregory attempted to reprogram was notably gone...

“The entrance to the warehouse is just around the corner from the charging station,” Freddy informed the group as he led the way out of the elevator. He frowned slightly upon seeing the empty cylinder, wondering who exactly moved the defunct robot. “However, I suggest that you—”

“Ehehehe...” A distinct cackle filled the air, and Freddy whipped his head to find a glowing set of red eyes peering out from a dark corner. Moon crouched low to the ground, swaying slightly as he slowly reached one hand up towards a nearby light switch. Before anyone had time to react, the room was plunged into almost complete darkness. “Nighty-niiiiight~”

“Go!” Freddy exclaimed, thankful that Charlie had already scooped Gregory up at the first sign of danger. As the others moved towards safety, Freddy hung back to distract Moon. However, when he turned back the Daycare attendant was already gone from the corner.

“Why the fuck can he crawl on the CEILING?!” Michael screeched as Freddy's eyes roamed up to find Moon literally scuttling upside-down over their heads like some sort of weird, lanky bug.

The bear simply shook his head at Michael's comment, calling out to the Daycare attendant in an attempt to distract him: “Moon! I... I know where to find another child! Come down here and let me tell you!”

Charlie hand to clamp her wiry hand over Gregory's mouth. The last time she tangled with Moon, she ended up in an unconscious heap on the ground with no way to protect anyone. Vanessa had followed them before, and if last time was forewarning then maybe she wasn't far behind.

As they rushed to tuck themselves safely in the recharge station, Charlie and Gregory could only watch in horror at the way Moon moved, lurching and crawling like something from a horror film. If he was made like this, how could any kid sleep with him around?

“Oh, Freddy, Freddy...” Moon paused to stare down at the bear, his static grin impossibly wider than usual. “Don't you know it's naughty to lie? And naughty ones must be punished...”

“What the hell is he—oh no, Freddy, MOVE!” Michael yelled as Moon suddenly released his grip on the ceiling. The animatronic dropped, twisting his body like a cat to land on top of the cylinder with eyes locked on to the bear.

Freddy, however, was starting to struggle.

“I am almost out of battery power,” he murmured as the LOW POWER alert flashed red and ominous across his vision. Apparently, carrying Gregory inside his chest cavity drained him more than he'd initially thought. He spared a glance to the charging pod, then back to Moon. Thankfully, the Daycare attendant didn't seem interested in Gregory at that moment—he was solely focused on Freddy. “Michael... I think he wants me. For what, I do not know, but... are you able to get out?”

"What?! Freddy, I'm not just gonna bail—”

“GET OUT!” Freddy shouted, stumbling backwards as Moon slunk closer. His vision was fading fast, and he knew it was only a matter of seconds before he shut down. As darkness closed in around him, the bear intoned in a sluggish whisper: “Please... You have to... help them... please...”

And then Freddy collapsed in a heap, Moon cackling all the while.

With both fists, Gregory hit the inside of the charging pod in an attempt to open it. He was quickly snatched backwards by Charlie, and they could only listen helplessly as Moon encroached upon Freddy. Charlie had to remind herself that, even if he got out of this in one piece, until the bear was recharged and with Michael attached to him, she'd be the only one to watch Gregory.

Trembling and forced to be silent inside Puppet's arms, Gregory strained to get out and help. Rationally though, he knew there was nothing he could do—and Moon may just in fact tear his new best friend apart.

[1] What’s wrong, funny bunny?

Are they being mean to you?

Show them what happens when they don’t place nice…

***

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Looking for more? Check out the Chapter Masterlist on Tumblr!

Or check out the entire Wires that Bind Us Series on ao3!

[serahsanguine]

School, Sex and Subterfuge NC-17

ao3

This story is based in 2018/2019.

Mulder is a teacher, Scully is a student. This story is an NC-17 rating. There is no underage sex in my story I researched this before even writing it.

Mulder is known to give extra credit of a sexual kind to Someone special in his class does this person turn out to be Scully? I will let you read and find out.

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Notes:

The first Chapter is kind of Scully Pov but most of the chapters thereafter will be both pov and or third person. Also, the characters I am portraying may seem out of charter well one of them at least but as the story goes on this will sort itself out it had to be done this way for the story to work.

*************************************************

First Day, First Meeting

Scully was now in her second year at Stanford University getting her bachelor's degree in Medicine.

She was a sophomore, thank God, because she had hated being a freshman. At least now she was kind of settled. She knew where she had to be on campus and knew the best places to get away from everyone, when she needed time alone. She has mostly the same classes that she had last year, just more advanced versions of those classes. She wasn't much for parties or social gatherings, as she preferred to study and get straight A’s instead of headaches and awkward conversation with strangers. Anything less would not please Ahab, especially with Missy roaming the world. She knew her roommate Serah and a couple of her close friends well and even knew most of the people in her classes. Serah was in most of the same subjects she was, bar a few, like art and music for example.

Scully woke up in her room, the sun was just starting to peek through the musty brown curtains. She groaned to herself and forced herself to roll over, looking over at her clock which sat on her bedside table, moaning again when she read the time - 5 am.

She hated when her body did this to her when it didn't want to sleep or she couldn't get to sleep. She swung her legs off the bed, it wasn't like she was going to go back to sleep anyway and put on some comfortable yoga pants, with a tank top and some bright red Nike Air running trainers. She could probably fit in an hour or two at the gym before the rest of the campus even wakes up. Plus the benefits of being at the gym this early is that no one would be there; meaning no guys wolf whistling or giving her dirty remarks under their breath while exercising.

She exited her room quietly shutting and locking the door behind her trying not to wake Serah, as she definitely was not a morning person. Scully made quick work of getting to the main entrance and across the quad to the west wing of the campus which held the gym and entered the building saying a quick "Hello" to Jim the security guard, before heading straight for the treadmill machine area. She placed her eco-friendly water bottle in the holder, and then put her wireless headphones on before scanning her iPhone and hitting play on Fleetwood Mac and stepped onto the treadmill starting at a light jog then a full sprint. She was so focused on running and what she was listening to that she didn't notice a man enter the room and start running, three treadmills down from her, himself.

An hour passed and Scully had run the sleep deprivation out of her system, and her legs were starting to burn so she slowed her pace and started her cool down. That's when she looked over to see a man in his late 20’s, maybe early 30’s, running hard with sweat dripping off of his face. Scully covertly checked him out - he was about 6ft 1 with chestnut brown hair and tanned skin.

She had never seen this man before but as she studied his physique, she could tell he was athletic, he had brilliant legs and calf muscles. She worked her way up staring at his butt which was nicely shaped and stood out in the very short black workout shorts that he was wearing, continuing up further to his arms she watched his toned biceps and triceps flex and tense as he was really giving this run his all.

The man suddenly turned towards her, looking directly at her and she realised she had clearly been caught checking him out. She started blushing and then he smiled at her and she wanted to look away but she couldn't help but stare back at the man looking appreciatively at her. His eyes are what drew her in, they weren't green but neither were they brown, in fact, they were a lovely shade of hazel; so bright and deep at the same time, they were mesmerizing. She watched sweat drip from his hairline and run down his cheekbones and nose which she did admit was too big for his face but it suited him all the same and didn't diminish how cute he was.

Scully worked her way down his face to look at his gorgeous pouty lips so pink and full - Wow! What she would give to have that bottom lip in-between her teeth sucking and nibbling it. Wow, where did that come from? She smiled back at him and he took off his drenched mesh and cotton tank top, her eyes drifted down of the own accord she could not help but notice the muscles of his chest and the very well defined six-pack on his stomach.

Looking at this beautiful man sent her into a full body flush - her heart racing, her breath was ragged and uneven, a pool of desire building in her stomach. Why was she thinking like this? She had to stop thinking like this immediately but damn she just wanted to shove him up against a wall and have him fuck her senseless!

She had to escape quickly, hopping off the treadmill she walked fast towards the ladies locker room but he was still staring at her as she opened the door and only then did he turn away. She could not help but glance at this man once more before heading for a very cold shower (which desperately needed now), trying not to think of the man she had just encountered and spent no actual time talking to.

After Scully had showered and changed into some light grey jeans and a flowy peach coloured tank top blouse with spaghetti straps, she grabbed herself a coffee and grabbed Serah one while she was at the on-campus coffee shop before walking back to her dorm room.

She arrived at her room and unlocked the door; Serah was already awake and dressed in black stretchy jeans, a black tank top and cropped burgundy hoodie, her long blonde hair was in a messy ponytail and away from her face, making her blue eyes stand out more than they already did.

"Hey Dana’ Serah said cheerfully.

"Wow, look who's up early!" Scully replied sarcastically, with a curiously raised eyebrow.

"Oh, shush you. Is that coffee for me?"

"Well, I don't see anyone else here to give it to, so you might as well have it," Scully said, handing Serah the coffee cup.

"Well, it looks like someone is in a sassy mood on the first day back. Anyone, I know?"

Scully was still surprised at how easily Serah could read her sometimes.

"No. Just some guy I saw at the gym this morning... I didn't even speak to him."

"You may not have spoken to him, Dana, but he has you all hot under the collar I can tell," Serah smirked, then took a sip of her coffee.

Scully could feel a slight redness in her cheeks and a small smile creep across her face.

"Maybe... but you know me and you know that I have no time for men."

"Well, my dear friend. All work and no play makes life very dull indeed. And sometimes you need to play hard and be free... and let go every now and then."

"Maybe I will, sometime"

"Yes but the sometime may never come, Dana"

"What classes do you have today anyway?"

"Mostly same as you Biology and Chemistry but when you have your free period I have Art class then lunch we can meet back up at say two for psychology?"

"Sure, that sounds about right."

"Oh, have you heard the rumours about our lecturer?"

"You know I don't listen to rumour and speculation."

"Well, I know THAT! But they are pretty good and sound rather juicy so do you want to know or not?" Scully nodded, and so without hesitation Serah carried on with her story "Well as I hear it our teacher Mr F. W. Mulder takes one girl under his wing a year and gives her ‘extra credit’" Serah raised her eyebrows as if willing Scully to get the hint but Scully just looked at her friend standing across from her and gave her a sceptical eyebrow. "Anyway, it so happens he purposely fails them so he can take them back to his office and have his way with them. And nobody minds because apparently from what I have heard from the older girls, he is very good looking and fantastic in bed"

"As I said I don't believe in rumour or speculation, and if what you say is true surely he would have been found out and got fired by now."

"You would think so, wouldn't you? But apparently he is from a wealthy family that donates a lot of money to the school... so they look the other way."

"Hmm… we really should get going or we’re going to miss out the first lecture."

"Changing the subject are we?"

"Why yes, I am." They both started laughing.

They casually wandered to their first class sipping their coffees on the way.

Several hours and a number of boring "Welcome back" lectures later. Scully was sitting in her favourite little, off-campus, cafe eating a small Caesar salad with a strawberry and banana smoothie just enjoying the scenery. The weather was warm for Autumn, a good 78 F but there was a light breeze flowing through the trees and flowers offsetting the unusual heat.

What Scully liked most about sitting here was being alone and the peace and serenity of it all - that was until the guy she saw earlier at the gym started walking in her direction. She watched him walk across the small cafe, his hair caught the sun coming through the large windows and his eyes glimmered in the sunlight, he was wearing dark blue jeans that rode low on his hips and a white shirt rolled up on his arms.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" He looked at her directly in the eyes now, and she could feel him burrowing his way into her soul, gesturing towards the empty seat next to her.

"No, it is not." Scully smiled sheepishly at him and watched him sit down across from her.

"It’s nice here. Very open... and yet rustic"

"Yes, it is" Scully felt herself going shy, and was unable to form long sentences.

"I'm sorry to be so forward. I'm not normally like this," he took a short pause before completing his train of thought "You just looked lonely. My name is William, by the way."

"Hello William, I'm Dana" she took his hand and shook it, she felt unable to breathe because of this man sitting in front of her.

"I was wondering if you attended the University?" Scully simply nodded, William took the chance to express what he really wanted to say "Look, I really came over to say that you are a very beautiful woman."

"Thank you," Scully was covered in crimson blush now and she didn't know what to say, she could feel her heart beating hard in her chest, could hear the blood pumping and thrumming in her ears.

"I really must be going, sorry to interrupt your day. It's been nice to meet you, Dana."

"It was nice meeting you, too," Scully answered managing to stumble out the words.

She watched him walk away (eyes distracted by his firm butt). No man had made her lost for words before, no man had really taken an interest in her or at least been so forward about it. She was shocked, to say the least, but very flattered by his attention.

She finished her salad (and smoothie) and made her way back to campus to meet Serah by the water fountain.

"Dana!"

"Hey Serah, are you ready to head to class?"

"Yeah"

Serah picked up her bag and bottled water, said bye to her group of friends and walked alongside Scully. It took about ten minutes to walk to the lecture hall, when they arrived it was already half full. Scully thought two things at that moment It is either a popular subject or he was a very popular man! Serah looked at her as if she knew what she was thinking and grinned.

"It could possibly be both, there a couple of seats over there"

They shuffled through the row of seats to find their spot.

"So, what did you get up to at lunch? You came back a bit flushed."

"I'm fine! Nothing happened." Scully stated, staring off into space and trying not to look at her friend.

"Yeah, right. I heard some more details that should interest you... details about what kind of women he picks for his little game"

"Is that so?"

"Apparently he goes for long haired brunettes and quite tall... or so I have heard."

"Oh, well thank you for the reassurance. Since I'm nothing like that he wouldn't even look at me twice." Scully mumbled while getting her notebook out of her bag.

"Anytime!"

Suddenly the whole lecture hall went quite as Professor F. W. Mulder himself stepped onto the stage at the front of the room. Scully looked up and recognized the man that was about to teach their class, it was William in his blue jeans and white shirt. Their eyes locked onto each other... Shit, she thought.

This was going to be one very long academic year.

[arigathanksgozaimuch]

to hell and back.

genre: fluff? angst?? supernatural??? character/s: wonho | reader | minhyuk. overview: because demons have feelings too. word count: 3846.

The instructions were quite simple, really. Unlike the elaborate and sometimes exaggerated ritual shown in movies, summoning a demon proved to be child’s play, both literally and figuratively. She was technically a child then, a four-feet something eight-year old with a mouthful of baby teeth.

With her checklist in hand, [Y/N] trudged around the house to look for the things she needed.

Salt Candle Yarn or any kind of string Chalk

She crept to the kitchen and took one of the high stools to stand up on to be able to reach the jar of salt on the top cupboard. For her mother not to be suspicious, the girl only took two handfuls before running back to her room.

The next item was pretty hard to find. She had no idea where her mother kept the candles they use for emergency when the power goes out. Opening the fridge, she saw one of the candles she had for her birthday cake a few weeks ago.

“This would have to do,” [Y/N] muttered, returning to her room to stash the number eight-shaped candle under her bed, next to the pile of salt.

Yarn and chalk were pretty easy to get. She rummaged through the drawer on her study desk for the ball of pink yarn she used in class when they had to make a face out of a paper plate. When she went to school the next morning, [Y/N] made sure she raised her hand to recite just so she can write on the board and slip a small piece of chalk inside her pocket.

Once all the items she needed were complete, she couldn’t wait to start the ritual. She made sure to lock the door to her bedroom first before beginning to draw a circle in the middle of her room using the chalk. She then stood in the center and placed salt following the pattern drawn in chalk. Checking the procedure, [Y/N] couldn’t figure out what the yarn was for, so the girl untangles enough yarn to surround herself as well. Her birthday candle stood lit in front of her, the flames flickering occassionally.

Finally, she closed her eyes. According to the written manual on summoning a demon, there were no Latin incantations nor spells needed. Once she had completed the preparations, all she had to do next was to close her eyes and really really wish as hard as she could for the demon to appear. Hypothetically, the demon would appear in front of her as soon as she opens her eyes. As soon as she opens her eyes, however, she was only met with silence and the same lit candle in front of her – no pitchfork-carrying apparition laughing maniacally. [Y/N] tried closing her eyes once more because maybe, maybe, she just didn’t wish hard enough and didn’t close her eyes long enough.

A tedious waiting time commences – because what if the travel time from hell to earth took more than five minutes? – but still, whenever [Y/N] would open her eyes, there’s no sign of her summoned demon anywhere. She gave up after the third try, because she got impatient and tired and sad, and also because her mother has arrived and she didn’t want her to see the mess on the floor. The girl blew on her half-melted birthday candle by herself, like how she did during her birthday party when no one but her own mother attended, and decided that even supernatural beings didn’t want anything to do with her.

As soon as the clock struck five in the afternoon, she diligently climbed up the chair and faced her study table. Her failure of a demon ritual was all forgotten because now was the time for homework. It was Science, something she was never really good at. [Y/N] chewed on the end of her pencil as she stared at the page, her concentration unwavering. She had never been a scaredy-cat, but she might as well have been when a face appeared beside her, hovering closely over her open book.

“Hmm, what’s this?” the face asked with the voice of a man. Apparently the face was connected to a body – thank goodness – which was standing behind her.

“Do you mind?” he asked again, and without waiting for an answer, he took the book in his hands and flipped through the pages. “This is pretty easy. Is this what you called me for? You could have asked your parents for answers. Or consulted the internet.”

Dumbstruck, [Y/N] couldn’t speak, and she could only watch as he pored through her Science textbook. The man didn’t look like anyone she’d known. He was probably her mom’s new boyfriend, but it did seem odd that he just barged into her bedroom without knocking and interrupted her as she studied. Usually her mother would warm her up to the idea of dating first before actually getting into another relationship and letting [Y/N] meet the new guy. He also didn’t look the least bit similar to her mom’s ex boyfriends. She had a thing for men who wore suits and drove in shiny cars. This man wore a battered leather jacket with spiky studs lining the shoulders over a plain white shirt and skinny black jeans. He didn’t look like he drove a BMW or a Ferrero – Ferrera? Ferraro? [Y/N] forgot what it’s called – and instead looked like he sped through streets with a motorcycle.

To top it all off, he had hair the color of ketchup. Ketchup!

When the girl still didn’t reply, he closed the book and knelt on one knee to face her fully.

“Who are you?” she asked, voice small and suddenly terrified.

“Nah-uh,” he said, wagging his forefinger in front of her face. “I’m not falling for that trick. But if you just want to have something to call me by, call me Wonho. And you’re [Y/N], right?”

The girl nodded.

“Well, then, [Y/N]. You called for me and I’m here.” He stood upright and spread his arms outwards before doing a 360-degree spin. “What do you want me to do?”

“I called for you…?”

“Yeah, you did.” Wonho started to pace around the small bedroom. He ducked down and reached for something under her bed before producing the tangled pink yarn. “With this and the candle and all.”

She clasped a hand over her mouth. And just when Wonho was expecting her to scream in terror, [Y/N] let out a squeal of glee so loud he was the one who got terrified. She ran towards him and quickly grabbed his wrist before leading him to sit on her bed. The child produced a wooden treasure chest from underneath her bed and thrusted it towards Wonho before climbing up the mattress herself. She reached for Moo-Moo, her Moomin plushie, and made it sit upright so that she, Moo-Moo, and Wonho sat in a triangle on her bed. Taking the chest from the man, she flipped the lid open and took out her tea set.

Wonho was still waiting for instructions, because that’s what they get summoned for – taking revenge on enemies, scaring off bullies, taunting teenagers to try and get high. Instead, here he was, sitting crosslegged – because “that’s the only proper way!” – on the bed, taking instructions from the eight-year-old, and occasionally taking sips from his plastic teacup.

“Hey, Wonho?” she asked after a while.

“Yeah?”

“So are you a demon?”

He choked on his imaginary Earl Grey. “Yeah.”

“Why don’t you have wings or horns?”

“Only higher-tier demons have wings, the ones who used to be angels.”

“Higher… tier?”

“Yeah, higher tier, you know… like… demon bosses.”

“But what about horns?” the girl asked, taking Moo-Moo from her spot and propping the plushie up on her lap as they both looked at Wonho.

He placed his cup and saucer down on the bed and raked his fingers through her hair. “You can’t quite see it, but it’s here. It gets hidden in my hair. Do you want to see?”

Nodding, she crawled in between his legs and carefully placed her hand a few inches above his hairline. She gasped as she felt the two protrusions from his head, making him laugh at the look on her face. If he thought it had been a good idea to tell her about it, he didn’t think so after she announced – not ask or request, but announce – that she would style his hair. And so Wonho found himself a few minutes later with Moo-Moo on his lap, his hair in asymmetrical pigtails, a sad excuse of a braid down the back of his head, and a yellow ribbon for each of his horns. Already, he can hear his friends laughing at him if ever they find out what happened to him.

Just as he was about to catch the girl and playfully scold her off for what she did to his hair, her mother called for [Y/N].

“Hey, hey,” he said, holding the child by her shoulders and staring sternly into her eyes. “You can’t tell anyone about me, you know that, right?”

Her face slipped into a frown. “But why?”

“Because if they find out, they’ll call me by my real name and then I’ll disappear.”

“But I call you by your name too. Wonho.”

“That’s not my real name,” he said, sighing. “Do you want me to disappear?”

“No,” [Y/N] replied curtly. She finally had a taste of what having a friend is like, and she wasn’t going to pass the opportunity up.

Wonho smiled. “Okay. Go have dinner.”

The girl skipped merrily up until her bedroom door, where she held onto the doorknob and gave Wonho another glance. “You won’t disappear, right? When I come back, you’ll still be here… right?”

She was sad, he knew. And so to appease her young heart, he nodded. “I promise,” the man replied, and it was enough for [Y/N] to get by.

Wonho kept his promise. In fact, he didn’t just stay until she finished dinner. He stayed for many more days after that. Because here was a human girl who needed a friend. Here was a girl who, even as she grew older, still held within her the innocence of a child.

“Hey, remember when you told me that only demon bosses have wings?” twelve-year-old [Y/N] asked one day. She was sprawled in the middle of her bed with her feet high up against the wall.

Wonho was looking out her window and busily throwing pebbles at random passerby. Sometimes he does things that were so human that she forgets he is a demon. “Yeah? What about it?”

“How do you become a demon boss?”

“I can’t be a demon boss,” he said and paused, giggling as he hid behind the wall after successfully hitting a teenager on the head. He settled on the floor with his back against the wall and counted the remaining pebbles he had in his hand. “To be a demon boss, I should have done something really bad when I was still human, like murder a hundred babies or set a school full of children on fire. Either that or I was one of the angels who followed Lucifer during the Fall.”

She pushed herself up by her elbows and sat up. “Well, what bad thing did you do when you were still human?”

“I don’t know,” he said, gaze dropping to his hands. “I’ve forgotten. I don’t remember much about being human, to be honest.”

And then he stood up, resuming his quite dangerous prank. [Y/N] didn’t prod him for his backstory further.

She did, however, ask him about other things. “Do the other demons know you’re here?”

“Of course,” he said with a scoff, and she almost hurled a pillow at the smug look on his face. “Being on earth is honestly better than being stuck in hell. Colder, too.”

“It’s literally summer.”

“Yeah, well, if you’ve been stuck in neverending fire, anywhere is colder.”

For a moment, [Y/N] paused. The only noise that could be heard in the room is the whirring of the fan as it oscillated from left to right and the occasional whistling Wonho makes when calling the attention of his victim, followed by his own hushed giggling. She couldn’t understand why, even in the middle of summer, he was wearing his leather jacket – not that he ever wore anything else.

“What do demons even eat?”

The man sighed loudly. “We eat fresh hearts.”

“Really?” the girl said incredulously, her eyes wide. “Where from? Babies? Criminals? Your own?”

“From twelve-year-olds who ask too many questions.”

At this, [Y/N] grabbed one of the pillows and hurled it towards his face. He dodged it, of course, but Wonho still wanted to get even. Laughing, he followed after her as she dashed out of her bedroom and ran towards the cramped living room. She shielded herself with one of the pillows lying on the sofa, which proved to be useless because Wonho managed to slip his hands and place them on her waist before tickling her sides. It was all in good fun; he never gets her into trouble like what other demons actually do to their poor human victims.

In fact, Wonho does the opposite – he gets her out of trouble.

For her sixteenth birthday, [Y/N] arranged a night out with her friends at a karaoke. Unlike when she was eight and friendless, she started to come out of her shell and was able to gain friends with the same interests and hobbies as her. Despite this, Wonho remained by her side. He might not be there every second of the day, but before she could even know that she needed him, he appears at just the right moment.

After singing their lungs out and eating to their hearts’ content, her friends started to leave one by one as the night wore on until, eventually, she was the only one left. [Y/N] stood outside the building with her arms crossed as she waited for a cab to pass by. The building wsa a few minutes walk to her apartment complex, but she would have to pass several dark alleys along the way and she didn’t want to risk her own safety. But as the time passes and all the cabs that would pass by seemed to be occupied, her resolve was starting to wear thin. She clutched her jacket tighter around her, slipping her hands inside the pockets, and started the short journey home.

Halfway through the walk, however, she caught sight of the huddled figures of maybe three or four men staggering towards her, causing her to freeze. And, as if he had sensed her distress, Wonho slung an arm over her shoulder, to which she almost screamed in shock.

“You have to stop doing that,” [Y/N] complained, clutching her heart.

“What?”

“Appearing all of a sudden!” she said, resuming her walk confidently now that he was by her side.

Wonho made sure to puff his chest out and pull his shoulders back to appear more buff and manly, just until the drunk group had passed them by a good few feet. “Hey, you didn’t get surprised at all when you were younger. It’s the caffeine you’re drinking, I swear. It’s making you all jittery.” And he didn’t remove his arm from where it was resting around her shoulders even when they reach her front door minutes later. It was a simple gesture, really, and a gesture that was nothing new because this was Wonho, a man she had known for half of her life, but it didn’t help that she was currently going through the awkward romantic stage like many girls her age. And it didn’t help that Wonho acted more and more like a normal human being as the years go by.

By the time she was twenty and living on her own, it felt like living in the same house with Wonho. It was different from when she was younger because her mother could come in her room anytime and Wonho would disappear in lightning speed. Now, he stayed for longer intervals. Coming home from work, [Y/N] sometimes catches him crying over the new episode of the drama he was obsessed with, wiping the windows with flannel, or even cooking bacon and eggs.

So as Wonho gets more and more humanized, she gets more and more blinded from the truth. The day she was about to tell him, no, the exact second she was about to tell him she loved him, in the middle of a variety show they both love, he silences her with a finger.

“I know. You don’t have to say it,” he said softly, lips barely moving.

Because, like how she tends to overlook his true identity, [Y/N] forgets how he could also read minds.

“We can’t do this, you know?” He kept his gaze on the TV. She did, too, no matter how badly she wanted to look at him. “I’m a demon. I may look human and kind, but it’s a shell. Every time I disappear and return to hell, I’m back to my true self. I’m damned, [Y/N]. This isn’t… this isn’t what you deserve.”

She clenched her fists tightly, the skin stretched over the bones of her knuckles, to keep herself from crying. The heartbreak came not from his rejection, but from the wrong timing of everything. Because if they’ve met in the same period when he was still alive and human, they might have had a chance.

Wonho sensed she was about to say something else and then reach out to touch him. He knew it the moment she decided to. Before she could execute her plan and afraid his bluff would waver and he might entertain her affection, which would be more painful for her, he closed his eyes and willed himself to disappear. Because demons have feelings too. And him not having the chance to confess his own feelings doesn’t make them any less real.

The demon being gone from her life for almost an entire year made the recovery a whole lot easier. [Y/N] slowly grew to accept the impossibility of their situation, and took their short separation as an opportunity to meet more people, make more friends, and take on new challenges. Wonho watched her from afar still, and only decided to make an appearance the day she started dating Minhyuk, a guy she met from work. And, as if they haven’t been separated at all, [Y/N] and Wonho returned to their old relationship, a comfortable bond that was as warm as it was innocent. Because before she fell in love with him, she was his friend first. He was her friend when nobody else wanted to be.

True friends knew each other like the back of their own hands, so as soon as [Y/N] came home from meeting with Minhyuk and introducing Wonho to her boyfriend, she sat down on the couch and sighed.

“Okay, I don’t want to be one of those annoying girlfriends who spy on their boyfriends’ phones or stalk all their friends on Facebook, but I want to know what you know about Minhyuk,” the woman said as she talked to the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.

As if on cue, Wonho appeared leaning against the door. “Excuse me, I am not that kind of demon.”

“So you didn’t read his mind?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

“Okay, maybe I did,” the demon sighed, finally giving in.

“And? What did you find out?”

“He’s okay.”

“Okay? No weird background story I don’t know about?”

“Nope.”

“No crazy ex girlfriends I should watch out for? No criminal record?”

“Nada.”

“No stalker tendencies? No porn history?”

“Whoa– whoa let’s not go that far.” Wonho laid a hand over her head and tousled her hair, like an owner calming his pet down. “Minhyuk seems nice, okay? A little boring, maybe– Ow, goddamnit, that was my face!– but overall, he’s alright. If there was something fishy about him, I would have told you immediately.”

[Y/N] cupped either of her own cheeks with her hands and groaned. “Oh my god, that’s a relief.”

“You love him that much?” he asked, stepping aside to sit on the free space beside her.

The woman only nodded.

“Ah, look at you, all grown up and with her own friends and even a boyfriend!” He reached out once again to trap her in his hold and give her a noogie, just to annoy her to no end.

And even if she had made the same mistake once before, [Y/N] still tended to forget that he isn’t human. More than not being human, Wonho was a demon. So he stopped walking just before she could take a step into the sacred ground of the church where her groom was waiting for her by the aisle on her wedding day.

“This is it, I guess?” he said softly, almost like a whisper.

The tears felt hot against her cheeks. “But you look so good not wearing your leather jacket,” [Y/N] managed to reply in between her silent sobs as she gave his bicep a gentle squeeze. “I want you to be here still.”

“Minhyuk’s already wondering why we’re stopping,” Wonho said, his other hand trying to subtly pry her fingers off his arm. “You have to go meet him there. And then…”

“And then?”

“I can’t say I want to see you soon, because I don’t want to see you in hell. You’ll be good, right?”

[Y/N] only sobbed louder, shaking her head as she held onto him tighter. “But Wonho–”

“It’s Hoseok.”

She glared at him. “You can’t say it. Don’t make me say it. I won’t say it,” she almost furiously argues, because what kind of demon would reveal his own name?

“You have to. Come on, now,” Wonho recoiled. He took many steps back from her and braced himself for the brief flash of unbearable pain the moment she would as much as utter his name.

The woman didn’t say it at first, because the wedding was still ongoing and her groom was waiting for her. Collecting herself together, she managed to walk down the aisle without breaking into pieces because someone she dearly loved was about to disappear and it would be her fault.

Minhyuk lifted the veil slightly from her face and cupped her cheeks, suddenly worried at the endless stream of tears from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Ho-Hoseok…” was the only thing she could muster to say, and just like that, Wonho was no more.

When he opened his eyes he was back underground. Stripped off of his human form, Hoseok scanned his surroundings. Hell was a place of punishment not in the form of never-ending hellfire. His hell, he was sure, was the eternal waiting to be summoned time and time again by people who needed someone to do their dirty business for them, and not by a girl who only wanted someone to occupy the empty seat on her fancy tea party.

[believingispowerfulmagic]

Dark OQ Week Days 1-3

I know, I know. I’m way behind. But I’m going to write these prompts. I’m determined.

Apologies for any errors. 

It had all seemed romantic at first. She had gone into the tavern and let Robin buy her a drink. They had flirted for the rest of the night before he had suggested going up to his room. She had accepted immediately, letting him help her upstairs.

Their night together had been hot and wild--giving her a release she desperately needed.

However, things had appeared different in the daylight.

Regina lay on her side, studying her bedmate. Everything about him was familiar, burnt into her memory. His blond hair was darker but it was as soft as she remembered. And the scruff had still felt delicious against her bare skin the night before. Robin was as toned as ever and she ran her hand over one of his arm muscles, one of her weaknesses. Her fingers traced over the lion tattoo and her heart fluttered.

Soft lips pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Good morning, sweetheart."

Looking up, she met his blue eyes. Eyes that had haunted her dreams for weeks. Yet they were different. They didn't hold the same love and adoration they once did. In fact, she only saw lust there.

He frowned at her prolonged silence. "Regina?"

"Maybe we're rushing this," she said, pulling the blankets around her naked form. "Maybe we should slow down."

"Slow down?" He looked both confused and amused at her suggestion.

She stayed serious, backing away from him as she nodded. "I'm not Regina. That Regina, I mean."

"I don't want that Regina," he replied, frowning. "I thought we established that back in Storybrooke."

"But I'm not entirely that Regina either," she tried to explain.

He sighed, rubbing his face as he sat up more. "Okay. Okay, why don't we discuss this over breakfast?"

"Breakfast sounds good," she said, biting her lip. "Do you mind turning around? I'd...I'd like to dress in privacy."

Robin nodded. "Right, of course. I'll just grab my clothes and change elsewhere. Meet me when you're done."

Guilt stabbed at her and she placed her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Robin. I just...We just need to figure this out."

His shoulders sagged and he nodded, giving her a soft smile. "I know, Regina. I'll see you downstairs. Take your time. We're in no rush."

"Thank you," she said softly. She watched as he pulled on his pants at least before gathering his other clothes and slipping out. She collapsed onto the bed and prayed she hadn't ruined her fresh start already.

Breakfast was awkward.

They were silent at first as tavern owner's wife served them two bowls of oatmeal with a side of disapproval, judging by the dark look she gave both of them. Robin gave her one in return, waving her off. She muttered as she stormed off.

"Sorry about that," Robin said, sipping his coffee.

She shrugged, swirling her spoon around the oatmeal. "I'm used to it."

He paused, considering her answer before putting down his mug. "Doesn't mean it's right."

"I guess not," she said. "But we're probably going to get a lot of nasty looks if we stay together."

"If?" he asked, frown returning.

She glanced down at the grayish mush she was eating, shrugging. "We don't really know each other, Robin. We might not make it."

He reached over, his fingers gently raising her head until she could see his gentle smile and soft blue eyes. "Don't be so pessimistic."

"I'm being realistic, Robin," she argued, annoyed he was refusing to see her point.

"Maybe," he relented, surprising her. "But you're declaring we're doomed before I get to know you. And I assure you, milady, that I do want to get to know you. Very much."

Surprise filled her and she almost allowed herself to hope. "You do?"

He shook his head. "Why are you so surprised?"

Regina stared at him. How could he not see it? She was certain it had to be obvious and she motioned to herself, scowling. "Hello, Evil Queen?"

"Common thief," he replied, pointing to himself. "Trust me when I say I'm in no position to judge anyone."

She relaxed, even giving him a soft smile. "True. So where do you think we should start?"

“With this.” He held out his hand. “My name is Robin of Locksley.”

“Regina Mills,” she replied, shaking it.

He smiled at her. “So it’s just Regina Mills? Not Her Majesty, Queen Regina?”

She paused, considering her next words. Part of her was always going to be the Queen and she was far used to a life of luxury than one spent sleeping on the palace floor. Even in the Land Without Magic she had set herself up in a beautiful mansion and made herself mayor. So, yes, she was still the Queen. Yet at the same time, she had the opportunity to be what she always wanted to be--just Regina. No obligations, no expectations to live up to and no one to control her every more. She could go where she wanted, eat what she wanted, dress how she wanted...Everything was hers.

“Yes, just Regina Mills,” she replied before giving him a stern look. “But it doesn’t mean I’m not to be treated with respect.”

“I wouldn’t dream of treating you any other way, milady,” Robin assured her.

She nodded, knowing that even this darker version of Robin still had some of his other self’s honor and gentlemanly qualities. Glancing down, she bit her lip. “Where will we live?”

“Now who’s taking it fast?” he teased. “Already talking about moving in?”

“Shut up,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m serious. Where are we going to live in this world? I’ll warn you now, I am not sleeping on a forest floor.”

He laughed, his eyes lighting up and the skin around them crinkling in a very familiar way. It made her heart skip a beat, even though she knew this wasn’t the Robin in her memories. This was a new Robin whose darkness spoke to her own, who was more of a kindred spirit than the honorable thief.

Which was proven when he made a face. “I prefer not to sleep on the forest floor either, milady. I usually charm my way into a bed or at least a bale of hay in a stable.”

“Well, I’m sure I can charm my way into a few beds,” she replied, grumpy and a bit jealous at the women this Robin had apparently slept with.

He smirked. “Are you jealous?”

“Of course not,” she replied, trying to sound haughty and uncaring. “Why should I care who you sleep with?”

“You can’t fool me, Your Majesty. You care. I can see it in your eyes,” he said, sipping his coffee.

She frowned. “Really?”

Robin nodded, setting his mug down. “They are very expressive. Your eyes are truly the window to your soul.”

“Is that some line you use to get to spend the night in a bed?” she asked, his intense gaze making her nervous. Her heart sped up, sweat dotted her hairline and she felt her breathing grow more shallow.

“Do you think it is?” he asked, eyes never leaving hers.

She swallowed before shaking her head, knowing in her gut that it wasn’t so. “I didn’t know my eyes were so expressive. No one ever told me such.”

“I find it hard to believe.”

Regina shrugged, sipping her own coffee. “I guess no one was really looking in my eyes, now were they?”

His lips curled into a smirk and his eyes darted down to her chest. “Well, if you wore outfits like that, I can imagine where their eyes were.”

“Like what you see?” She leaned closer, making certain he got a better view of her breasts. Robin swallowed before nodding. She smiled. “Good.”

“I enjoyed seeing them last night. Free from those confines and soft in my hands,” he said, voice low and husky.

It was her turn to swallow and she felt herself grow hot as she recalled his calloused hands against her soft skin. “You did like them,” she said.

“Almost as much as I liked your ass,” he replied, winking at her.

She smirked, pushing her empty bowl away as she leaned even closer to him. “So, where do you suggest we go after this?”

He leaned closer to her. “I believe you still have a castle here?”

“I do,” she replied. “However, my other half told me that it’s in pretty bad shape.”

“It’s still a castle, is it not? I doubt it’s worse than sleeping on the cold, hard ground.” He raised an eyebrow.

She shrugged. “I guess you have a point. We could always fix it up.”

“I could stop stealing,” he said, leaning back with his hands behind his head. “Just live in the lap of luxury. I could get used to that.”

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” she warned him.

He shrugged. “Perhaps. Or maybe you were just not experiencing it with the right people.”

Regina raised her eyebrow. “And what do you know about that?”

“Plenty.” Robin sat up straighter. “The other Regina shared the storybook with me back in Storybrooke. I’ve read your story.”

Her heart skipped a beat before anger coursed through her. She scowled at him. “So you think you know everything about me?”

Robin’s demeanor changed and he grew less cocky, shaking his head. “Of course not, Regina. But I know your past hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. I’m not going to promise life will be that with me, but I want to help your life be better than it was. Will you help me make my life better as well?”

She felt her anger dissipate as hope began to blossom in her chest. Maybe this would be what she needed after all. Taking his hand, Regina nodded. “I’d love to help you.”

“Great.” He stood, giving her a gentle tug to do the same. “Then why don’t we get out of here and go find that castle of yours, hmm?”

The palace was indeed an utter mess. Regina had used her magic to get her and Robin there and they landed right in the middle of clutter. Broken furniture, destroyed vases and other debris littered the floor. All the windows were shattered and a tattered curtain fluttered in the wind rushing through the room.

Robin frowned. “Well, this is certainly a fixer upper.”

“It ought to be condemned,” she replied, kicking at a twisted and tarnished goblet.

“Come on. I’m sure your magic can restore this to its former beauty.”

She frowned. “You have a lot of expectations for my magic. It’s not a problem solver, Robin. In many cases, it just makes more problems. All magic comes with a price.”

“Even home renovations?” he asked, looking dubious.

“All magic,” she stressed before sighing. Her limbs felt heavy and she had struggled for breaths after transporting them to her palace. It seemed the price in this realm for her magic was her own strength, limiting how much she could do. But she wasn’t going to let Robin know that. This was something she could handle on her own.

Instead, she straightened her back and smiled at him. “How do you feel about helping to clean up?”

He began rolling up his sleeves, flashing the lion tattoo at her. “Where do you want me to start?”

Robin’s father had been a carpenter and had trained him to be one as well. However, he had watched the man toil day in and day out, barely earning enough to keep their family fed and a roof over their head. Robin discovered at a young age that he had a knack for stealing things, often lifting vegetables and fruits from the market for his family. As he grew older, he perfected his skills and started to branch out to bigger heists. He vowed he would have a better life than his father.

“So you count sleeping in dirt to be an improvement?” Regina asked, watching him sand some wood to fix their table. Or rather, she was watching his muscles flex as he had shed his shirt in the summer heat.

He paused. “I told you, I sleep on hay. Which is what I slept on at home since our mattresses were stuffed with straw.”

“Was that comfortable?” she asked.

“Actually, it kinda was,” he replied. “But I definitely prefer feathers.”

Robin glanced over at their bed and she chuckled, nodding. “Feathers are definitely better than straw. So I guess that means I’m doing better than my father. I am living in a palace.”

“A dilapidated one,” she reminded him, crossing her arms as she studied the wreckage. Storm clouds gathered in the distance and she worried about the lack of glass in her windows. “Your mother didn’t happen to be a glassblower, did she?”

“No, a laundress,” he replied. “So I know how to deal with cracked and broken skin. She had a great mixture that always made her hands feel smooth.”

There was something sweet about the fact he remembered what his mother used on her hands. However, Regina showed him hers--smooth and unmarked. “Do you think these hands are ever dry or cracked?”

“No,” he replied. “Especially since you used magic to do our laundry. What’s the price of that?”

“Overstarched garments,” she snarked. It had really been a headache that had almost kept her from eating dinner.

Robin smirked at her, desire clouding his bright blue eyes. “Then it’s a good thing I don’t wear any.”

She paused, recognizing their familiar game. Though they shared a bed, all they had done so far was sleep. Robin respected her wish to get to know each other and she believed she loved him for that. She was still sorting out the difference between lust and love.

Yet they had spent every waking moment together for two weeks. She saw more sides to him than the cocky thief with a penchant for the finer things in life--especially alcohol. And she believed he saw more sides to her than an Evil Queen looking for revenge. Their snarky conversations took on an undertone of affection and attraction as REgina found that they were flirting more and more. Moments like the one stretched out between them now made her want to tie him to the bed and have her way with him.

The first rumbles of thunder broke the moment as a cool wind blew through the room. Regina hugged herself as Robin looked up, frowning. “Oh, you were asking about glass to repair the windows.”

“Can we do something now to keep the rain out?” she asked, yelling over the howling storm bearing down on the palace.

He nodded, motioning to some wood. “Help me with these. We can cover the windows with it for now.”

Regina helped him carry over the large boards, placing them over the broken windows. She used some magic to keep them from blowing away as Robin sighed. “Can’t you just use your magic to conjure up new windows?”

“I told you. All magic comes with a price,” Regina said, feeling her head start to spin. She realized she should probably sit before her legs gave out.

He scowled. “And what exactly would the price be for some windows?”

She opened her mouth, a sharp retort on the tip of her tongue, but felt herself pitching forward. The floor rushed up at her as her knees buckled. Only Robin’s quick reflexes saved her from a painful collusion with the stone floor.

He carried her over to the bed and laid her down. “What’s wrong, Regina?”

“I guess I need to eat,” she said lightly, trying to play it off. “Could you be a dear and get me something to eat? I think there are still grapes left.”

Robin didn’t move, though. He studied her with narrowed eyes, the creases between his brows growing more defined. “It’s your magic. The price is that you grow weaker.”

“I am not weak!” Rage filled her voice but her body could do little but lie there. She could only clench her fists.

“Well, that explains why you didn’t tell me,” he said, face turning red in anger.

She was trembling now from her rage, upset he was snapping at her. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“No,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “I only live with you and share your bed. I’m the only person you really know here. Why should I exepct you to trust me? To let me share any burdens?”

“Why should I be expected to trust someone I just met? You just see me as an easy way to the good life,” she countered.

He let out a wry laugh. “Oh, yes. That’s why I’m sticking around, cleaning and repairing a palace long past its prime and with almost nothing of value.”

“How dare you!” she yelled. “There’s plenty of value here. I know you’ve sized it up. You know what will fetch you the best prices at market.”

“Yes, I do. And yet here I am boarding up broken windows and fixing your table because I care about you!” He was panting as he glared at her, leaning closer. “I thought you cared for me too. I guess I was wrong.”

“Robin…” Her anger drained as she realized what she was doing--directing the anger she felt toward herself at him. She was starting to push him away, just like she always did.

He put up his hands, backing away as he shook his head. “Not now, Regina. I need to take a walk and clear my head. You need to rest.”

Anger took over again and she scowled at his retreating form. She watched as he picked up his shirt and she exploded: “The other Robin would’ve stayed and talked, you know. He wouldn’t have run away like a coward! Guess I know what kind of man you are now.”

She watched as Robin paused in the doorway, never looking back. All he said was: “Guess you do.”

Then he was gone.

Regina rolled over, tucking her hand under the pillow and burying her face against it. Had she already blown her new start with her anger, her lingering issues with appearing weak and not really thinking of others’ feelings. She knew just what to say to hurt Robin and she had. He probably was going to walk all the way back to Sherwood Forest.

And she would be alone again.

How fitting.

She fell into a trouble sleep, plagued with bad memories. Daniel in her arms, staring unseeing at the ceiling of the stables. The look in her father’s eyes as she plunged her hand into his chest and removed his heart. Henry lying on the hospital bed, the heart monitor letting out a long sustained beep when his heart stopped due to her poisoned apple tart. All hurt because of her.

No matter what, it seemed all she deserved was to be alone.

Regina rolled over, pulling herself out of the memory of Henry rejecting her and wanting to live with the Charmings. Her face was stiff and sticky from the tears she had shed and she had kicked off her blankets because of how hot she had gotten during her nap. She then heard the crackling of a fire and frowned, sitting up to find out what was going on.

She was hit with several different aromas--garlic, paprika, cooking meat. Her stomach growled as she looked toward the fireplace in her room, finding Robin standing by it. Though she could see sweat dripping down his face and had his sleeves rolled up, he was tending to something in a large pot. Nearby, the good half of the table was set up with two place settings and a bottle of wine.

Her feet hit the floor and she tested her legs, relieved when they held her weight. Despite the nightmares, her nap had helped restore the strength her magic had sapped earlier. She took a few tentative steps toward Robin, careful not to startle him. “What are you doing?” she asked softly.

“Making dinner,” he said without looking at her. “My meals may not be up to the standards you’re used to, Your Majesty, but I can assure you we won’t starve.”

Guilty gnawed at her as she shifted from foot-to-foot, still adjusting to having some of Regina’s goodness inside her. She pressed her hand against her stomach. “I can cook as well. I could’ve made us something.”

“You needed your rest.” He pulled the pot off the fire, giving her a hard, cold look that almost chased away her hunger.

The smell of whatever he had made, though, overpowered it.

“What is it?” she asked, curious.

He bristled. “Not poisoned, if that’s what you’re asking.”

She deserved that, she told herself to push down the anger. “No. I really want to know what you made. It smells delicious.”

“Oh,” he replied, looking surprised. He set the pot down and lifted the lid. “It’s not much. Just some rabbit stew. I caught it on the grounds when I was out on my walk. And I found the vegetables around from when we went to the market yesterday.”

Regina glanced inside and her mouth began to water. She could see carrots, potatoes and a few other vegetables mixed with hearty chunks of rabbit meat. It all smelled so good and her stomach rumble.

He chuckled. “Well, I’m glad to see your appetite wasn’t affected.”

“No,” she admitted before biting her lip. “Robin, this isn’t easy for me to say but...I’m...I’m so…”

She paused and he chuckled again, watching her with an amused grin. “It really isn’t easy for you to say, huh? Let me help you.”

He then spoke in an exaggerated manner, enunciating every syllable. “Ro-bin. I am so-rry. Now you try.”

“Asshole,” she replied. “Look, you know what  want to say. Can we leave it at that?”

“I don’t know. I did slave over this rabbit stew…” He looked down at the pot.

She rolled her eyes, stamping her foot. “Fine. I’m sorry. There, are you happy?”

Robin smiled, nodding. “I am. And I’m sorry, Regina. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” she agreed. “But I should have been more honest about the affects my magic was having on me.”

“Does that always happen?” he asked, ladeling some stew into a bowl. He motioned for her to take a seat.

She did so, sighing as she considered his question. “No. Usually the price of magic is something more poetic and devastating. Like a hole in my soul that I can never fill.”

“What did that?” Robin asked, looking at her in disbelief.

“The Dark Curse that created Storybrooke,” she replied. “It’s...pretty serious.”

His eyes widened as he sat down with his own bowl of stew. “Sounds like it. So why are you getting weaker?”

“I wish I knew.” She sighed.

“Then I guess we need to limit your magic use,” he said, pouring wine. “So we’re going to have to get the money for the windows my way.”

She raised her eyebrow as she took the wine glass from him. There was only one way he could possibly mean. “You mean steal it?”

He nodded. “There’s a duke not far from here with coffers that are overflowing. He won’t miss the amount needed for good windows. I can easily go in and get what we need while he sleeps off his strong and expensive wine.”

“Let me help you,” she offered, wanting to feel useful in this world since her magic was handicapped. “We can be a team.”

“I’m usually a solo act,” he told her.

She nodded. “So am I. But I’m starting to realize I might be stronger with someone else than alone.”

Robin studied her, hands tented high over his bowl of stew. He then nodded before picking up his spoon. “But you take instructions from me. I highly doubt you’re use to stealing things.”

“Well, you’d be surprised,” she replied, sipping her wine. “Besides, I still have Regina’s memories as a bandit in an alternate universe. My skills might not be up to your standards, but I think I can manage.”

“How many bloody alternate universes are there?” Robin asked, incredulous.

She laughed. “Probably more than any of us know.”

He nodded, digging into his stew. She did the same, the tastes of rabbit, garlic and potatoes mixing in her mouth. A moan escaped her throat as she took a few more bites, the stew filling her stomach and warming her from the chill left over from the storm. “I think you missed your calling as a chef.”

“Please, could you see me toiling and serving other people?” he asked, making a face. “I prefer to cook for myself, thank you very much.”

“And me?” she asked, heart pounding. His response could change everything, she knew.

He smiled, eyes softening. “And you. Provided you don’t annoy me too much.”

“I can’t promise anything.”

“I wasn’t asking for a promise,” Robin told her.

She smiled, looking down at her stew. “So, what do you have in mind for raiding this duke’s coffers?”

Refilling his wine, Robin launched into his plans as Regina listened, glad to be part of a team for the first time in a long time.

[elai-okonma]

Chapter. 18: A Crown For A Queen

  The Demon brothers were right by your side, (even though they had the feeling that you didn’t even know it.) They all had a hand on you as you tossed and turned in your unconsciousness. They remembered their own transformation very well, and so they knew from experience that you’d need all the support you could get; even Barbatos was by your side, dabbing away the sweat that formed on your face and forehead. 

   You were fussing and groaning in your unconsciousness, and when you let out a yelp like a wounded animal the brothers felt their hearts sink. It wasn’t long after when Lord Diavolo came into the room and took a place by your side, as well. Mammon looked as if he were about to cry, and Beel squeezed your hand so hard that Satan had to grab his arm, signaling him to ease up.

  Everyone was quiet, the only noise coming from you. You were breathing fast and hard now, and Barbatos had noted a fever starting as your cheeks flushed red, when he spoke up:

“It’s time...Let’s get her as comfortable as possible.”  

Lord Diavolo brought more pillows to your side and Levi rearranged the blankets in a nesting sort of way. The others got as close to you as possible without making it uncomfortable in any way.

“Maybe we should pray…”

Everyone turned to look at the Demon of Gluttony as if he didn’t say what he just said. 

“Pray? Pray to who?” Satan questioned.

“Who’s going to listen to our prayer?”

“Jeez Beel, I hope you don’t mean who I think you mean.” 

The Demon spoke to defend himself, “well why not? What difference would it make? We could at least try…”

“Are you talking about our Father or the Demon King? You need to be more specific, Beel!”

Lord Diavolo raised his voice but was calm, “Everyone quiet...we will not be praying to your Father, nor will we be praying to mine.”

“Well why not-?!” Asmo shrieked.

“-Because the Young Master’s Father is already with her.” 

Diavolo looked over to his loyal butler and agreed, “Barbatos is right, my Father is already there to help her transition through.” 

  A breath that no one knew was being held was quietly released. They could all take solace in the fact that the Demon King was seeing to her personally. Maybe your turning wouldn’t be so bad, then…

_____________________________________________________

  It hurts... it hurts so fucking bad; it’s as if you hadn’t been tortured, killed, made a pact with Michael, tortured again, and then Fell… all these experiences were new to you, and with your heightened senses from being an Angel, it made everything 100x worse. You were on the ground, in the Demon King’s arms. Your jaw was clenched so hard that you felt your teeth cracking. 

“P-please, Sir-r…I-i’m sca-ared... I can’t d-do thi-is…” It was all you could manage to choke out through gritted teeth. 

“You can, MC. You can do this. You just need to relax and let it take over.” The Demon King's voice was so nice to your ears. 

“It’s-s too muc-ch...I c-can’t…”

“Listen to me, MC, do you want to be with Lucifer?”

“Yes-s…”

“Do you want to be with the Demon brothers, and Lord Diavolo? I know you have other friends that you’d like to see, as well.” 

“YES!”

“Then this has to happen.”

“IT HURTS!!” you sobbed hard and hiccuped.

“I know it does, but I’m here to make it as painless as possible, ok?”

  His voice is so soothing. The pain isn't letting up, but you feel as if you can deal with it just a little better than before. You unclench your jaw and take a couple deep but shaky breaths.

“There you go, dear. Deep breaths. It’ll be over before you know it. I’m here.”

  Just then your breath hitches and stutters; air is no longer coming into your lungs, and you try with all your might not to panic. Your eyes fly up to the Demon King as you desperately try to suck in air.

“This is the first step, are you ready? Hold on to me.”

  You immediately grab onto him as you feel yourself starting to become dizzy. Your eyes felt like they were going to pop out of your head, which made it difficult to blink. A not so mysterious liquid began to run down your face from your forehead. Knowing it was blood, you assumed that the first step in transforming was getting horns. Would they be intricate like Barbatos’ or Levi’s? Would they have multiple colors like Lord Diavolo’s? Or would they be simple like the others?

  You reached a shaky hand down to touch where the blood was coming from... Huh? All I feel is my Crown of Thorns... The Demon King grabbed your hand in his, and felt along your Crown with you. 

“How very interesting. MC, your Crown of Thorns became just that; a crown!”

“What color is it?”, you breathe.

“Hmm… iridescent ombre? Is that what you’d call it? It’s beautiful, like a diamond that changes color depending on the lighting and angle, but it’s black at the base. Black and smoky, like dripping liquid dye into clear water. I’ve never seen anything like it, and the shape suits you! What’s more fitting for you than a crown.” 

  You had your eyes closed as you listened to his explanation, feeling the sharp jutting edges that were your new horns. Instead of just sitting on the surface of your skin, they were now part of your skull. It’s very uncomfortable, but maybe it’s a feeling you get used to?  

_______________________________________________

“Look!” Asmodeus was right in your face, looking at your newly manifested horns. 

The others leaned in and gasped, they had never seen horns in this shape before. It was natural that each Demon had horns special for them; no two were alike, even if they looked it. 

“Are they... shimmering?”

“It looks like it! What gorgeous horns to match our gorgeous MC!”

“No look! It’s more iridescent, like the scales on Leviathan’s tail!”

The Otaku blushed at that. It’ll be another thing he and MC have in common now. ^.^

 Barbatos moved quickly to wipe the sweat and fresh blood from your hairline and forehead, as he spoke in a low voice. “The first part is done. Next should be wings.”

“...she was missing a wing when she Fell,” Mammon whispered.

“The only one who knows about losing wings is Lucifer…” Satan added in.

“I remember once, he told me that it was as if a part of his spine were missing.”

“Will MC be able to fly with only one wing?” Mammon asked, looking dejected.

“It’s not impossible but it is rare to be able to fly with one wing.” Diavolo answered.

 Your body jerked up suddenly, and hunched itself over. The brothers made sure to cover up your front but left your back exposed. They were all ready to see your wings, but they were all rubbing your lower back gently as they all knew that the wings could take time to form. Seeing as you only have the one though, maybe they wouldn’t have to wait too long.

__________________________________________________

“MC, are you ready for the next part?”

But it didn’t matter whether you were ready or not, this transformation was on its own schedule, and you barely had time to catch your breath before the next step was starting. 

“What’s next, Sir?” you were already so tired, and laying in the lap of the Demon King wasn’t helping. 

“Wings.”

You were silent a moment before whispering, “God took one of my wings. He wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be able to fly...”

The Demon King only chuckled, “the Devildom has its own rules, we aren’t bound by the Celestial Realm so none of that matters here. I already have a feeling what your wings will look like, anyway.” He looked down at you and smiled. 

  You suddenly noticed that the pain was a lot more dull now, but it was still extremely uncomfortable; like when your leg falls asleep and your foot feels like there’s sand under your skin and when you try to move your toes it’s painful. Was this the Demon King’s doing, or was it the calm before the storm?