#i wish they would adjust the banner system

[electric-plants]

😑

so crazy that i’m going to wake up after the livestream tomorrow to find out all the leakers were completely wrong about the banners actually

[achaotichuman]

Naked Poetry

Okay so, this is not finished at all. *But* I am a baby smut writer and this is some of the best I've ever written in my opinion and it is just rotting in my docs. So I'm posting it to see if anyone likes it!

Summary

The Seasonal Courts are gathering for an annual meeting. With tensions growing between the Courts, they aim to settle what they can and allow the magic to return to harmony as it was before the Curse of Amarantha.

But after so long away, the magic of each Court is writhing for its sister. From Spring's weakened magic, the power of the Seasons is demanding rejuvenation.

Magic comes with a price, and this is theirs.

Title from Naked Poetry by SKYLAR would recommend listening to whilst reading.

Read on Ao3 or below the cut.

Explicit NSFW

You make me feel, like someone I was before

You make me feel, like the lady I adore

Routine meeting. Kallias watched the line of trees outside the carriage turn into a haze of orange and red as the carriage sped through at unnatural speeds. He remained motionless, perfectly poised even alone, eyes closed, head held high and hands folded into his lap. 

At normal times, Viviane would accompany him on these meetings, unfortunately her sister had a bout of sickness and Viviane wished to remain by her side. The thought of his mate with her shimmering gaze and banner of hair brought a smile to his face, that he quickly squashed, they were on Beron Vanserra’s territory. He would gravitate to any weakness he smelled, like a shark searching the ocean for blood. 

The Seasonal Courts met every century or so, to discuss the magic of the land. As tight or tense as connections could be, they orbited each other. Like stars whirling around each other, they depended on the magic of the other lands. 

It was a week-long trip. The first few days they would discuss the state of their Courts and how this affected the others, before discussing resolutions, and the last days would delve deep into the magic of each individual Court. Often on the last day there were plenty of eye-wateringly boring speeches from historians and scholars about the carefully crafted magic systems they all had at their feet. A lecture in disguise, a snap at the High lords to not kill each other. 

Kallias supposed it was necessary. 

Particularly for the Vanserra’s. 

They had never been able to keep their hands to themselves.

 You make me feel, like my feet don’t touch the floor

Brush me down, oh, down in designer

Bit of charm with his one class liners

“Don’t sweat it Tam, you’ll be fine.” Lucien said, adjusting his collar and jacket. The perfectly pristine emissary shot him a cocky grin and a wink, “We’re just in a room with some arrogant males that need a swift kick in the ass to not just hop around alliances.”

“You mean we’re in a room with Kallias, Tarquin and a male that needs a swift kick in the ass to not just hop around alliances.” Tamlin replied with an eyeroll. 

Lucien sighed wistfully, “Wish I had been there, heard you dragged him out by his neck to get Autumn to fight in the War on Prythian’s side.”

Tamlin swallowed when he remembered that day. He had been in bloodied armour, stained red with the blood of Hybern’s soldiers. He had thrown the doors of the Forest House throne room wide open. Eyes blazing, tongue lashing behind his sharp teeth, claws bursting through his knuckles so quickly they drew blood which dripped to the ground in time with the fast beating of his heart. 

Tamlin had roared for Beron to get off his ass and fucking help. Beron had nearly refused as he drew fire to his hands. 

Tamlin then snuffed the oxygen from the fire and they had gone out. Beron’s eyes had been wide, but not with fear. He drew more fire which Tamlin put out again. 

The blond had stormed up to the throne. All but throwing off the guards who tried to stop him.

He had stood above Beron Vanserra. The male held up his large hand between them and sparked a flame. 

Tamlin had shown his fangs as he snuffed it out again. 

Beron had tilted his head, then smiled like a predator. 

“Eris, get my armies ready, we’re going to War.” Beron had said. 

Tamlin had looked over his shoulder to see a wide-eyed Eris standing in the threshold. He had drawn in a breath before murmuring a respectful “Yes, my Lord.”

Then he quickly ran off to prepare. 

Beron had risen to his feet. Standing near pressed against the High lord of Spring, that grin only widening. 

Tamlin had nearly faltered in his breath. Beron was taller, but they were the same in build. The Autumn Lord had taken the younger’s chin in between his fingers, leaned down and whispered, “You would’ve been wasted on her, once you’re done with the hero act come find me. I’ll show you how the High lord of Autumn plays.”

Tamlin had shivered, but not from fear. Never from fear. 

“Hey! Tamlin!” Lucien snapped his fingers in Tamlin’s face, the blond was thrown from his memories, he lifted an eyebrow as he looked at Lucien. 

The carriage bumped and jostled, but Lucien still remained somehow unaffected. Perfect, from his falling hair to his pressed suit. 

The Fox leaned back in his seat and grinned, “Went to Tamlin world did you?”

“I-I- Tamlin world?!” Tamlin stammered. 

Lucien cackled as he flicked Tamlin’s nose, “Yeah, Tamlin world.” His voice changed to a much higher, mocking version, “Oh I remembered something nostalgic, so I had to retreat to my little Tamlin world where it’s all meadows and deer; and I lie under willow trees, listening to the wind through the grass-”

Tamlin lightly smacked him on the side of his head, Lucien laughed so hard his face turned red.

Tamlin had flushed a splotchy shade of pink, he told Lucien to stop being an idiot, to focus. 

They were here for the meeting of the seasonal Courts. Tamlin couldn’t say he was looking forward to seeing Beron again, to seeing any of them again. His Court had finally returned to a state he could call somewhat working. 

He finally understood why many of his sentries had turned and left without a word. 

Feyre had assaulted them through her mind. Violated and twisted their memories, they’re very minds she turned into her playthings against her will. The disgust he had felt never ended. Tamlin had half a mind to storm Night and demand a reckoning upon them all. For ever daring to harm his sentries, his friends, in such a vile way. 

He had found some healers from Day that specialised in undoing such horrible scars to the mind. So far a few had returned to their senses, still they were wary, untrustful, of him, and rightfully so. At least it was of their own accord. None of them though, still loved or cared for the cursebreaker. All of them spat her name like it was a drugged drink. 

Tamlin crossed his arms as his gaze followed the never-ending winding roads of Autumn. He looked over to Lucien who watched the scenery as well, a soft longing in his eyes. The longing of a child wishing to return home, yet he smiled like he knew it never could be. 

Lucien had come back to Spring one day, and Tamlin had fallen to his knees begging for forgiveness. That night they talked more than Tamlin had ever spoken to anyone in his life. Words were softly hummed and screamed, tears were shed and wiped away, snarling frowns were as much a presence as were soft, happy smiles. 

It wasn’t perfect, nor had he made up for it, maybe he never would. But it was a start, and Tamlin felt like he had his friend back.

Maybe it was another apology itself, but Tamlin reached out his hand and took Lucien’s in his own. Quickly looking out the other window as he felt Lucien’s gaze snap to his own. 

Tamlin stared at the orange, the red, and the yellow. He felt the piercing gaze of his friend. 

Then he felt a slight tightening in his hand as Lucien returned to gesture. When Tamlin glanced over, Lucien was once again looking out the window. ‘

Tamlin looked back at the treelines, and a smile adorned his face. 

He curled his fingers around Lucien’s, stroking the soft skin with his thumb. Lucien returned to soft treatment. 

Then it came into view. The Forest House loomed above them. Entrenched in dark branches and Autumn dry leaves that swayed in the wind like hands dragging along the brick of the House. Wood and stone were the materials of choice. But there was an elegant touch with the large pillars that supported the ceiling. The polished, refined wood lavished the House in elegance. 

Tamlin remembered how his feet had thundered against the tiles of the Forest House. He felt the same shiver of power that rippled over him as they passed the tightly furled wards. Lucien gripped his hand tighter, Tamlin stroked the back of his palm. 

The carriage began to walk around the large fountain in the centre of the gravel path to the looming oak doors. 

“Ready?” Tamlin asked. 

Lucien finally met his eyes and grinned, “Born ready.”

***

Eris slicked back a fallen hair. The short red pushed back, he adjusted his shirt, then fitted his waistcoat on, before shrugging his long jacket over his shoulders and smoothing it over. He pulled several ruby encrusted gold rings over his long pale fingers. 

“How do I look brother?” Eris asked, eyes still locked in on his own reflection as he peered at himself. 

“Like a polished gold ring with a raw diamond for its gem.” Silas responded. 

Eris’ smile turned to a cruel grin, “That’s what I’m going for.”

He turned around, jacket snapping behind him. Silas too was dressed for the occasion, fiery eyes piercing, lithe body wrapped in layers of gold and red.  

Eris’ palette of choice was swirling gold and red on black. He looked gilded, carved by Gods and decorated in the finest of robes. 

The second eldest Vanserra fell into step with his brother. Both faces falling into the haughty looks of Autumn naturally. Their veins lighting up with fire, turning their eyes a deep shade of burning amber that resembled liquid flame.

Like heartbeats in sync with their own, as the two approached the meeting room, the two missing brothers joined the lineup. Brom, the third-eldest, fell to his left. Albus, the second-youngest, stood tall and proud beside Silas. 

The doors opened, the three younger brothers took a slight step back so Eris took the lead. A perfected song and dance that reverberated through their very bones. Like the siblings shared an incarnate rhythm that thundered in their chests. Their very breath hung on each other. 

Blood pounded through their heads, hands and legs. Holding them like leashes on dogs, holding the power behind their very step in a tight grip so as to not allow the four to descend into mindless chaos. 

Magic and flame and darkness, it writhed between the offspring of Autumn like a wild, untamable wildfire. A part they played so well it was no longer a part, another way of life, a comfort as caring as a shark in a frenzy but as familiar as their mother’s arms. 

The dance nearly faltered as power that did not join the song writhed from one side of the room. Eris’ eyes found Lucien’s before he gazed upon anyone else. 

For a second, for one precious, treasured second, Lucien’s remaining eye lit up with the fire of Autumn. Eris saw it, his blood beginning to boil as his body begged and screamed and cried to fall into step with his brothers. To complete the lineup by joining Brom’s side. 

Lucien looked away before Eris could let out his breath. 

Eris then faced the rest of them. 

Beron sat at the head of the table. Eyes lazily falling upon Eris and the rest of his breed. For a second, the same happened, his eyes flashed with amber, power responding to power. Eris turned his eyes to Beron’s right, where Kallias’ tight, tense, near glare rested on Eris. Eris just smirked back at the pretty white-haired male. Kallias loosened a breath like it was pain just looking at the Autumn Heir. 

Then Eris looked over at the golden male beside Lucien. Tamlin didn’t even look at Eris, rather his emerald eyes gazed at a painting across from him. His posture slack, expression and shoulders loose. Tamlin played the part of the eased, uncaring Lord well. But it wouldn’t work here. The fire the male kept under his skin would be drawn out in response to the burning flames surrounding him. Like fire licking at the wood burying it, stoked to immeasurable temperatures by wild flames surrounding it. 

“Eris,” Beron drawled, gesturing to the end of the table and the chairs around it. The brothers waited behind him as Eris took the first chair, exactly opposite of Beron. Then on cue, they stalked with their heads in a slight bow to their own chairs. Kallias sat right beside Albus who paid the Winter Lord no mind. An empty chair separated Lucien and Brom.

“Tarquin is not present,” Kallias noted. 

“Tarquin will not be present for these next two days,” Beron notified him. Lips curling in disgust, baring white teeth as the Autumn Lord thought on the young Lord of Summer. Waving his hand in dismissal, “Something about his mother dying.”

Tamlin snapped in a breath, eyes quickly flicked to him as the male’s mask cracked ever so slightly. From where he was, Eris saw Lucien’s hand quickly flick out to Tamlin’s. 

Rumours had spread of the Spring Lord finding comfortable company in the arms of the Summer Lord. Rumours had spread that this… company had taken a turn for the sexual. Eris supposed this confirmed nothing, but it was a more than interesting reaction. 

“We will begin the meeting without Summer.” Beron said, with a flick of his hand, scrolls filled with the delicate information of the magic of the Seasonal Courts appeared, laid across the table, “Let the meeting of the Seasonal Courts begin.”

Eye to eye, he couldn’t last a minute

But I stole his soul just to watch him finish

The sun had set by the time the meeting came to a close. Kallias felt like yawning, but he stopped himself. His fingers twirled a pencil in his hand and his white eyes flicked up to the male across from him. Tamlin’s eyes were lost on the page he was holding, eyes flicking over the words with a deep concentration Kallias lost half an hour ago. 

Beron was reading over something to the room. The Vanserra brothers present down the table nodded along. All jotting down the odd note, this was just the first day, just an outline of what needed to be covered. Lucien and Tamlin continued to work with each other like they were connected by invisible strings. One picked up a paper, one put one down, one jotted down a note before passing the pen to the other. They read scrolls before passing them along. 

It was intriguing to see just how well they worked. How they seemed to not just thrive together, but depended on each other to work properly at all. 

Beron’s eyes trailed across the room, then they landed on Tamlin. The amber pressing into the pale skin of the Spring Lord. Tamlin didn’t notice the blazing gaze on him as he was too caught in the paperwork at his fingertips. But Lucien looked up, if Kallias wasn’t mistaken, his lips nearly pulled back into a snarl. 

Beron saw the twitch in his face. Kallias almost leaned closer. To see the flaming amber, matching that of his son’s. Power thrummed through the room. Kallias shifted, his own magic flaring at it. An automatic response. 

Tamlin now lifted his eyes as he too felt the sudden shift in energy. The brothers all glanced around as power began to throb, like a heartbeat beginning to quicken its pace until its pounding was all you could feel in your body. 

Beron’s eyes swirled like fire in a pool. He dragged that burning gaze to Kallias, and Kallias swallowed hard. Blue frost began to creep over his skin, delicate as spiderwebs, but reaching its roots deep into his flesh like a mushroom spreading its spores. 

“I suppose that brings day one to a close.” Beron murmured. Breaking the spell of power that had washed over the High lords. 

Eris cleared his throat from the other end of the table. Tamlin looked over towards him, as Lucien dragged his eyes to Kallias. The Winter Lord leaned back in his chair, regarding the emissary with little emotion. Lucien seemed to peer behind the cold mask, as if he were drawing a curtain back ever so slightly to gaze upon what was behind it. 

Kallias shut him out with a hardening of his face before he raised himself from the table, overlooking the Lords gathered, “I assume we have been provided with quarters, Beron?”

Beron raised an eyebrow, eyes turning from burning amber to a mellow hazel, he gestured to the door and as if on cue, a maid walked through, “You shall be escorted, Lord Kallias.”

Kallias nodded tightly, as he did, Tamlin and Lucien stood from their seats, Tamlin murmured his thanks to Beron for hosting, then the three followed the maid from the meeting room. Leaving Beron Vanserra with his four dangerous sons. 

As the meeting doors shut, their silence grew thicker. The three followed the High Fae maid through the winding hallways and dowing curling staircases. 

Lucien’s posture slackened ever so slightly, his gaze tipping from one spot to the other, walking with leisure. Kallias supposed this place had once been his home, so he knew the halls like the back of his hand. 

The Fox leaned in and whispered something into his High lord’s ear. Tamlin stifled a laugh by biting down hard on his bottom lip. 

Magic seemed to crackle and pop in the air as the Winter Lord watched with fascination as those sharp teeth dug into the plush, rosy flesh. 

Tamlin whispered something back, as he did, Lucien’s face began to flush red, then his eyes…

Kallias straightened his back as Lucien’s eyes flicked to him, just for a moment. A second held in the air, dangling between them like fire reaching out from the borders of Autumn and lingering on the cold snow. Those eyes held the same burning flame that had been there in the meeting room earlier. 

Lucien quickly snapped his gaze back to Tamlin and whispered something in a low voice. Kallias found himself straining to listen, frost again creeping up his hands, now at his elbows, covering his forearms in spidering blue. 

Tamlin laughed and Kallias ever so quickly glanced to see the Spring Lord’s face was now red as Lucien’s.

They finally made it to a hallway, Kallias spotted two doors, the maid first led Lucien and Tamlin to the first room. They both thanked her as she opened the door, then they looked over at Kallias. Tamlin smiled kindly and said, “Pleasure to meet with you once more, Kallias.”

The way he murmured his name, in a soft, respectful tone. A stark difference to the near child-like way he had been whispering with Lucien earlier. Kallias felt a shiver run down his spine, he straightened once again and bowed his head ever so slightly, “The pleasure was all mine Lord Spring, and Lord Lucien.”

“Please, Kallias,” Lucien said, with a daring smirk, “It’s Tamlin and Lucien.”

Kallias’ eyes nearly went wide, he looked quickly to Tamlin, expecting swift correction on the Lord’s part, for Lucien daring to speak for the High lord. 

Instead Tamlin just grinned and turned into the room. Lucien right behind him. 

When the door shut, Kallias felt the click echoing through the halls in his very bones. 

He must’ve been staring at the door, for the maid had to clap her hands for the Winter Lord to remember he was being escorted somewhere. Quickly he moved towards his room. Right beside Tamlin and Lucien’s. 

When he walked past the threshold of his room. All he could think about was the idea of Tamlin and Lucien shrugging off those suffocating jackets and tunics. Maybe their shirts sticking ever so slightly to their too hot skin. Long, lithe fingers moving to the buttons before unclipping each buckle one by one. Eventually sliding the fabric off their chests and shoulders-

Kallias smacked the side of his head, quickly shaking off the thoughts and replacing them by turning to a large dark oak drawer set with a platter of cheese and fruits, a glass with a bottle of red. 

The Winter Lord poured himself a glass before finding a large, plush chair by the crackling fire. After drinking half the glass in two gulps, he leaned back and closed his eyes. Smiling as he pulled on the mating bond and felt the joy of his mate. 

Now he’s putty in my hands, hedonistic

Graffitied down with my lipstick

“I mean Viviane didn’t choose wrong is all I’m saying.” Lucien laughed as he shrugged off his jacket. He looked over his shoulder to see Tamlin blushing from Lucien’s earlier comments still. He smirked, but the anxiety no doubt coursing through him was still present. 

“How can someone look so powerful but…” Tamlin cursed, snapping his finger, he mumbled something in his native tongue before asking, “What’s the word?”

“Pretty?” Lucien lifted an eyebrow. 

“No… uh, ethereal!” Tamlin said, a quick victory snap of his fingers before a dreamy look cast over his eyes, “Ethereal.”

Lucien shrugged, “Same same.”

“No, pretty is Albus Vanserra.” Tamlin smirked, “Your brother is very pretty-”

Lucien threw a pillow at him, Tamlin laughed as he let it flop to the ground before taking off his own jacket and beginning to unclasp his waistcoat. Lucien followed suit, peeling away the layers of his form-fitting wear. Until he was bare to the night’s air, warmed by the fireplace. 

Lucien and Tamlin flopped onto the bed, kicking off their boots and turning over to stare at the ceiling. 

As the silence weighed in, the night’s crushing quiet blanketed them in the events of the day. Lucien finally broached the subject he had been distracting Tamlin from with less than innocent comments about Kallias and playful teasing. 

“Tarquin’s mother-”

“He didn’t tell me.” Tamlin whispered in a small voice. 

Lucien quickly took Tamlin’s hand in his own. Tarquin and Tamlin had been developing their friendship over the past months. What started as a potential alliance between Courts had turned into a friendship, and if what Tamlin had said was true, they were beginning to broach into something more than just friends. 

Lucien felt a stab of writhing jealousy everytime he watched Tamlin give Tarquin those big bright eyes, but he ignored it in favour of being happy seeing his friend happy. 

“I know we aren’t… together but I-... is it stupid that I want him to tell me when things like this are happening to him? I mean I-I’ve met his mother and she’s such a lovely person, I don’t want to be blind-sided when I hear of this kind of thing. Least of all I want to hear it from Beron.”

Lucien felt shimmering rage at the mere mention of his name. 

The eyes of amber and liquid fire were reflected in Lucien’s own as Beron turned his gaze on Tamlin. Not looking at his face, but rather the milky skin of his neck. Burning gaze branding a mark on each freckle, mapping him like a good view from the window. 

Lucien had caught the eyes of his father and nearly snarled. Nearly growled. He had to swallow the sound as magic writhed under his skin, ready to burst through every pore until he turned into power itself. 

Tamlin hadn’t noticed the silent battle that occurred, if one could call it that. Lucien felt like he was losing that battle. Like a soldier with their armour dinged and bloody before a King lounging untouched on his throne. Regarding him with nothing but an amused grin before his eyes turned back to the one Lucien tried to protect.

Nothing could be done to stop the magic that erupted in that room. Capturing everyone in the spell of power. Brom near him had twitched, eyes moving quickly over everyone. Albus had glared right at Lucien as if he were to blame for the sudden eruption. And Eris had tensed and looked to Silas who quickly scanned the three High lords. 

Lucien had looked up to see Kallias breathing harshly through his nose. Near shivering from the magic that called directly for his own. 

This meeting was more than a meeting. 

Lucien hadn’t ever been to one, but he felt it. The need for restoration of magic. Each High lord’s power beckoned for its sister Court. Like a siren lounging lazily on a sun-baked rock and hollering for men on ships to join her in the water. 

Lucien felt like an outsider, at the same time he had writhed at it, as fire leapt in his veins. Boiling him from the inside out. He knew the others felt the same. 

“What do I do?” Tamlin asked, breaking Lucien from his spell. 

Lucien squeezed his hand, “Maybe he’s still shocked, Tam. It could’ve happened recently and he had to give the reason to Beron to explain his absence.”

Tamlin released a breath, then turned his head on the pillow to face Lucien, “Yeah, you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

“I’m just worried about him. I… I don’t want him to be facing this alone.” Tamlin whispered into the space between them. 

Lucien took Tamlin’s hand in his and squeezed, “He’s lucky to have you.”

Tamlin scoffed, Lucien just squeezed his hand again. Tamlin smiled at him, then looked down at his collarbone, “I don’t know about that.”

Lucien leaned forward until his forehead was pressing against Tamlin’s, “I know that, more than you think.”

Tamlin playfully shoved him away, but Lucien didn’t miss the way the High lord’s face burned red, “Sap.”

They laughed then fell into the routine of undressing and redressing for bed. Washing up, showering, possibly getting distracted with a game of tossing cheese across the room and seeing if the other could catch it in their mouths. 

Eventually they were drawing the curtains and snuffing out the Faelights, with only the embers of the fire to light the room they wrapped themselves in the duvet. Tamlin shivered before huddling closer to Lucien. Lucien, despite usually running hot himself, pulled Tamlin in close. Holding him tightly, until rain and roses was all he could smell. His face was buried in blond curls that he could barely see in the dark. Calloused hands twisted in the back of his silk shirt. The tip of his nose burying in the crook of Lucien’s neck. 

They pushed and writhed against each other as they settled themselves. It was all Lucien could do to not lose himself to the scents, the hands, the hair, the lips pressing against the exposed skin just beneath the bones of his neck. 

Tamlin settled himself with a leg thrown over Lucien’s hip, pulling him closer in a half asleep daze.  The blond murmured in a sleep-ridden voice, “I’m so glad you’re with me again.”

“Me too, Tam.” Lucien whispered into the night, “Me too.”

***

Eris didn’t know how to feel as he recovered from the onslaught of magic that had just assaulted his body. He turned to his other brothers who had been thrown from their own rhythms. Looking to the eldest for answers. Eris had none to give. 

Beron watched them. Eyes still blazing with amber. Swirling like wine in a glass. He tracked each of them. The brothers held their breath. Preparing for anything that might be thrown to them. A punishment, screaming, yelling, rage and anger. 

Yet the High lord just leaned back into his chair, his lips curling into something that was too wicked and cruel to be a smile, but not at all what they expected. The Vanserra brothers all shared a quick glance, their eyes no longer burning with the heart of Autumn. Rather they kept their eyes low, their heads bowed respectfully. 

The next words out of Beron’s mouth were ones no one could predict, “Well done, boys. You may depart.”

Albus’ eyes widened by a fraction, he looked towards Eris, cocking his head in Beron’s direction, as if saying, ‘Is he being serious?”

Eris adjusted himself in his seat, “Father, is there anything else to discuss before we depart?”

Beron planted both forearms onto the table, eyes glazing over them. Wicked grin growing, “Perhaps there is but one thing.”

The brother’s strained to listen, the slight pause making them curl their toes in anxiety. Eris’s skin pricked under the heavy, judging gaze of his father. 

Beron appeared to consider his next words before he tilted his head, a cat toying with its food, “After a second consideration, you will find out later tonight. All of you, return to your quarters.”

A breath was held, gazes were met, heads were lowered in a bow. Eris rose to his feet, followed silently by his brothers. The burning gazes returned. Power rippled through the Forest House as the High lord’s power drummed through it’s chosen High lord, and reached out to the next generation. 

Eris shivered, he couldn’t help it, but he bowed his head with a murmured thanks to the High lord. Turning on his heels he strode for the door, arms tense at his sides. All magic felt useless in the stifling air. Like he was breathing in ash, desperate for oxygen. 

He heard the footsteps of his brothers. They should sound like a single heartbeat falling into one, instead their steps faltered. The dull thuds sounding like metal clashing to the ground for Eris. Weakness. Easy to spot, easy to prey on. 

They walked to their quarter in the Forest House. Close to each other. And close to the guests now in the House. 

“That was…” Albus started. 

Eris shook his head, teeth grinding, “Leave it, Albus.”

The Autumn Heir looked ahead, but he could feel the eyes of his brothers, all glancing at each other. Determining their next move. 

“Did anyone else feel that… power?” Silas asked. He asked the group, but Eris knew the question was directed at him. Solely at him. They had all felt the glimmer of power. 

Eris had thought it was a fear tactic from Beron. But when he had looked at Beron, then Tamlin and Kallias…

There was no fear, only a strange curiosity, as their magic responded to one another. 

“I fear…” Brom said, in a low, resounding voice, “That this meeting is more than just discussing the magic.”

Eris stopped, his brothers breaked instantly. 

Whipping around, the Heir’s eyes glowed with a deep amber, fire swirling in honey, “What does that mean, Brom?”

Brom didn’t falter, not for a second. He lifted his head ever so slightly, “Spring is still recovering. Amarantha threw the magic off when she enslaved us. The power of the Seasonal Courts I fear will…”

“Spit it out, brother.” Eris advanced forward. Brom was taller, much taller, but Eris still managed to glared down at him. 

“I fear it will demand regeneration.” 

Eris blinked, for once, taken by surprise. It lasted mere seconds. Fire returning to his eyes, he took hold of his brother’s chin. 

“What does that mean?”

“The magic will want to interact with its sister magic to regenerate itself. Call it magic fertilisation.” Brom shrugged, holding eye contact with his eldest brother. 

Albus put a hand on his hips, head falling to the side, “What does magical fertilisation entail?”

“Well little brother, you know of Calanmai, do you not?” Brom pulled away from Eris’ burning hand, rolling his head over his shoulders to smirk at the second-youngest Vanserra. 

Albus scrunched up his nose, thinking back on the sex rite and what it meant. The fertilisation of magic in the Spring Court. 

Then horror washed over the group. Lapping at their edges like the sea licking the shoreline. It curled low in the pits of their stomachs as the wide, orange eyes all fell on Brom’s face. 

No one said a word as the implications of what Brom had said sunk in. Brom just shrugged. 

“We’d best sleep. Perhaps, if we’re lucky, I’m incredibly incorrect.”

“And if you’re not.” Silas murmured in a tight, tense voice. 

“Then we are going to need that rest.”

Red shade on his neck, artistic

A bit of class, but I kept it cryptic

For round two, a bit of juice and biscuits

With a french tongue, called him the cunni-linguist

It started at three in the morning. 

A flush spread up his skin, slowly but surely overtaking him. Tamlin groaned into the hard thing his face was pressed against. When he blinked his bleary eyes open, his hands began to regain their feeling. He arched his back, curving his spine as he drew in a breath. 

Settling against the weight in front of him, he realised what his arms were wrapped around was in fact a person. And his face was pressed against a chest. A very, very hot chest. 

He stilled, body freezing, unable to process anything until Lucien took a shuddering breath. Skin heating. Getting hotter and hotter underneath Tamlin’s arms. 

Tamlin went to pull away, to get his hands, his chest, his leg which was slung over Lucien’s waist off, of the Fire lord. But he couldn’t move. Not even his unfaithful tongue would pick up from its place behind his teeth. 

Lucien moaned, it was a soft, gentle sound that would’ve been lost to night if there was even the slightest of sounds. But there was not, and Tamlin found himself drowning in the breathy whimper that followed. 

All blood began to rush. Veins expanding, heart pounding, a ringing in his ears drowned out anything else. 

Then Lucien was too hot. His skin scalding, beads of sweat dripping from his face and down his neck. Spilling across the fabric beneath them. There was heat and heat and heat. 

Burning, burning, burning. He was burning, everything was throbbing, and he couldn’t fucking move. Like something was chaining him there against his will. Like something wouldn’t allow him to leave this moment. To cool down. 

Nothing, like ropes had been tied around them. Tamlin closed his eyes, breaths beginning to come out in quick, rough pants as the burning spread through his body. Boiling his blood from the inside out. 

“Fuck.” Lucien murmured under his breath, still locked in whatever dream had affected him this way. 

Then something thick and hard pressed against Tamlin’s thigh and the whole world zeroed into the feeling. 

Finally Tamlin could move. He sat up with a gasp, throat screaming for water. Ears ringing. Vision blurry and muscles slow and sore. His arms, head, legs all throbbed in time with his heartbeat. 

Lucien gasped into the pillow beneath him. Quickly getting up on his elbows. With a snap the fire was lit and Tamlin was staring down at Lucien, with Lucien staring up at him. Sweat still dripped from his neck, falling in clear pearls underneath his sleep shirt. Eyes wide-blown, his chest heaved as he stared at Tamlin, who didn’t feel like he looked much better. A strand of blond hair stuck to the side of his face. There was a sticky feeling all over his body. His knees shook underneath him. 

And. Everything. Was. Fucking. Burning. 

His skin heated to immeasurable temperatures. Body pulsating. His fingers twitched. And nothing could put off the fever overtaking him. 

Tamlin shuffled back away from Lucien. And Lucien quickly darted up. As if forced forward by an invisible string. Tamlin nearly reeled back but managed to keep himself right, only a sharp gasp escaping his lips. 

Lucien was panting. Sweat dripping like blood onto the bed. 

“Fuck.” He croaked hoarsely. And Tamlin’s eyes, the traitors eyes, they travelled below the heaving expanse of his chest. 

He nearly snapped into a too sharp breath again. Lucien’s bulge pressed against dark red silk. Dribbles of precum already soaking the fabric. As quickly as Tamlin’s eyes snapped back up, Lucien still noticed the quick dart of his eyes.

Lucien swayed, face too pale, body quivering with the intensity of his hard-on, “Tam, fuck I…”

“You need water.” Tamlin said suddenly. 

Lucien blinked, then he licked his dry lips, coating the soft flesh in a soft shine. Tamlin pressed his thighs together. 

“Yeah.” Lucien conceded. 

Tamlin didn’t waste another precious moment, gathering the shreds of his strength. Tamlin slipped away from the comfort of the bed. His thighs sticking together from sweat collected between them. He swallowed hard. 

“I’ll be right back.” Tamlin told Lucien, then with a quick glance over his shoulder, he fled from the room. 

The door clicked shut behind him. And Tamlin felt stuck in his skin. Like he was moving in the haze of a dream, he could barely see the world around him as it swirled like wine in a glass. The floor was miles away and his head was turning blurry. 

He felt drunk, but not the pleasurable kind. The kind when you woke up in the morning with your head caught between the dazed world of not being able to think but bordering on the headache sure to come. 

He hadn’t realised he was running until he tripped over his own feet and collapsed to the ground. 

Tamlin cried out as his knees hit stone, cold and rough. Then he slipped even further and fell down what in hindsight were stairs. 

He dug his fingertips into the wall beside him, fingers giving way to blood. He still fell, until he eventually hit flat ground again. He fell flat down on his back. Staring up at a swirling ceiling. 

Even with the pain in his legs, back and pounding on his fingertips, it only served to disorient his mind even further, now the pounding of his body focused on one spot. Right between his legs, his cock pounded. Precum already dripping from the tip. 

Tamlin moaned, breathing was hard, like there was a weight on his chest, something strangling his heart and forcing all blood to remain directed to his groin. Making him light-headed and thinking so hard. 

“I was hoping you would be the first to find here.” A wicked voice crooned from the room. Wrapping Tamlin in a haze of undeniable pleasure. 

He whined. 

Then shot up as he realised he was not alone. 

Around him was just swirling darkness. So thick he could taste the cold on his tongue. Pain, sharp and undeniable, shot up from the space between his legs and Tamlin swallowed a sob at the unattended hardness. 

A snap reverberated through the room, through his bones like fiddle strings being plucked. A soft light spilled into his vision. 

A torch had been lit. Tamlin looked around and realised where he was. 

Some kind of a dungeon. Chains, swords and other very sharp and polished weapons hung from the walls. It looked unused, as not a stain marred the floors. 

Tamlin could still barely see past the swirls of his vision. Then that deliciously powerful voice, deep and certain, resounded again, “Look here, Spring.”

Green irises followed the voice, until they landed on the source. 

The swirling stilled as Beron Vanserra came into his vision, he smirked from a throne-like chair in the centre of the room, it was made with soft red velvet, the dark wood carved with intricate details. 

Tamlin let out a small shriek when he saw that the High lord of Autumn wore not a stitch of clothing. 

Beron’s smirk grew, he placed an elbow on the armrest of the chair, while supporting his head in his hand. 

Tamlin looked back, trying to find the exit, but the second his eyes came off the High lord his vision went blurry once again. He tried to get to his feet but he fell back down to the floor, sprawling across the hard, cruel stone. His cock throbbed again and Tamlin swallowed a whimper, tears springing from the corners of his eyes from sheer need. 

“The seasonal magic demands rejuvenation, Spring. You would know that.” Beron spoke. His voice the only clear thing in Tamlin’s head. 

When Tamlin focused on the High lord, everything began to still. Rejuvenation?

The Spring Lord slowly pulled himself to sit up, knees bent around him, hand reaching out on the stone. His eyes found Beron again, the Autumn Lord laughed, a dark, low sound that caused Tamlin’s whole body to shake. 

Beron relaxed back into the throne, his abs tightening as he moved. Tamlin watched the wide expanse of chest lift and fall under his breathing. Breathing that was tightly controlled, but not even Beron could hide the slight shudder. 

And when Tamlin looked lower, curse him for ever looking lower, he saw Beron hard and dripping. 

An involuntary sound nearly left his throat. Tamlin had to bite his tongue until it bled in his mouth. 

Beron snapped his fingers and Tamlin snapped his gaze up to find the High lord glaring ever so slightly. Tamlin wanted to reach a hand between his legs and finally relieve some of the pressure building up but his hands felt like they were chained to the floor. 

“Stay with me, Spring.” Beron said in a slow voice. 

Tamlin’s whole body trembled again, twitching against his will. 

“Rejuvenation of the magic. Our power is calling, demanding, for its sister.” He leaned back, eyes amused as he watched Tamlin writhe on the floor as his dazed mind tried to make sense of his words. 

“You can leave, and writhe with your own want and need for the rest of the week.” Beron said the words painfully slowly, “Or you can stay, and find pleasure unparalleled.”

What? 

Tamlin’s toes curled as another wave of throbbing overtook him. His eyes nearly rolled back and he tried to put a hand on his dick, but they refused to listen, like they heeded another master now. 

Pleasure unparalleled. 

Any pleasure right now sounded better than the pain crying out from his body. 

“I…” The rest of his words were lost to the agonising buildup in his core. Threatening to overflow into intense pain. 

Beron snapped his fingers once more, and like a deer being spooked, Tamlin’s eyes shot back up to him. Every fibre of his being zeroed into the sound. 

“Pick, Spring. Pleasure or agony.” Beron lounged back into the throne and smirked like he already knew the answer. 

He did. By the throne, the lack of clothing, the pristine dungeon, this was planned. Carefully calculated. Tamlin was prey caught in a trap, a trap of spiralling pleasure that wound tightly in his belly until the burning was melting his insides. 

He needed relief. Fuck, he needed pleasure. 

He needed that long, hard cock sitting in between Beron’s legs. 

Tamlin tried to move his tongue to speak, but even moving was near impossible. Everything swirled and spiralled and he felt like he was going to faint. 

“Gods.” Beron murmured, “Stay with me Spring.”

Tamlin swayed, breathing now harsh, hoarse pants, but he looked back up at Beron. Eyes wide and wanting, continuously flicking down to the cock bobbing under Beron’s slight movements. Hoping he wouldn’t have to speak for Beron to know what he meant. 

It seemed the High lord of Autumn already knew how this night would play out. 

He grinned, it was full of that fiery wickedness that Tamlin had grown to hate, to loathe. 

Beron lifted a finger in a beckoning motion, “Come here, Spring.”

The burning started again. An intense all over flush that made his skin bright red. Tamlin wanted, needed, to rip his clothes off, feel the cool air on his skin. But for a moment in time, all his thoughts went to the throne before him. The feet resting on the ground.

Tamlin crawled to Beron. Unable to do anything else.

The stone scraped his skin, the bleeding from his fingertips had not stopped, red stained the floor underneath him. His skin throbbed and burned. He felt like screaming from the sheer need to release at least a drop of the pent up energy only growing in him. 

Far too soon, or not soon enough, Tamlin was kneeling before Beron. He stared at the cock now stationed before him, hands falling atop the soft, pale skin of his thighs. Refusing to look up, refusing to meet the eyes of the male that had just made him crawl. 

He had crawled for Beron fucking Vanserra. 

If the burning before had been pleasure, it began to wash out, replaced by shame and guilt. 

Lucien was still in their room. 

Lucien who had been burning. 

And hard as a rock. 

His eyes widened a touch as realisation dawned over him. 

Lucien too had felt the effects of the seasonal magic, the need for regeneration, for rejuvenation. 

“Look at me.”

Tamlin felt his body begin to shake again, as everything begged him to look up. To do as told. As ordered. Like he was something that could be ordered about. 

“Spring.” Beron’s voice was low and cruel. Demeaning. 

Tamlin growled, a low raspy sound. 

It only earned him Beron grabbing his chin between his fingers and forcing his head up. Tamlin’s memory snapped back to the day of the War, when he had ordered Beron bring his armies out, when those same rough fingers had grabbed his skin. 

“Obey, when I give you an order.” Beron murmured. His voice was like a caressing hand after a slap to the face, a soothing ice to the fire. Something disgustingly caring after brutality. 

Burning. He was burning and he thought it would never end. This was how he went, with a throbbing cock and his blood boiling his body until it fell off his bones. 

Beron’s hand dragged down his chin, then wrapped around the long column of throat. Tamlin breathed in deeply. Lungs dragging in air. Animalistic instinct shot through the pit of his gut, telling him to run, to get away from the danger, the predator with its hand around his neck. 

Like he truly was prey caught in a cage. 

The Spring Lord wanted to demand Beron release him, just to get some control, just to be able to say he fought back. 

But he could say nothing, for that by hand released his neck. It was like honey torn from starving bees, Tamlin gasped for air and found his body begging for that hand to return. 

The Autumn Lord fisted Tamlin’s long curls in his hand, pulling so roughly Tamlin’s scalp burned like the rest of him, he hissed in pain, but the sound was short-lived, as Beron shoved his cock down the younger’s throat, making Tamlin gag around the shaft. 

The Spring Lord panicked for a moment, eyes going wide and lungs tightening as all the breath left them, they squeezed with the need for more. His throat tightened, and he gagged again. Beron shoved him down deeper, Tamlin sobbed. 

“Breathe through your nose.” Beron ordered. 

His body was burning, lungs screaming for air, squeezing in his chest. Whilst his mind begged for some kind of control over the situation, hating the vulnerability in the hands of a male so cruel. 

But he heeded the command. Forcing himself to take shallow breaths until his breathing evened out as much as it could. Beron held him in place, waiting just a moment whilst he got his bearings.

Tamlin lifted glistening green eyes to the male and saw wicked eyes grinning down at him. Beron, without warning, fucked up into his mouth, shoving Tamlin down further until his nose brushed the hair at the base of his dick. 

The Spring Lord nearly gagged again, but he forced his throat to relax, as the Autumn Lord began to fuck into his mouth, pulling his head up and down in time with his thrusts. 

The burning was pooling, leaving his arms and chest and centering around the coil in his belly. Until it was no longer an unfamiliar feeling. Rather, one he knew well from hundreds of Calamnais. Although he had never felt this way whilst pliable under the heavy gaze and rough hands of a male, certainly not a male like Beron. 

Slowly, like lazy waves drifting along the shoreline, uncertainty gave way to pleasure. It edged his vision, and made his mind fuzzy. Slowly his thinking descended into a spiral of nothing but the stone his knees dug into, the burning in his core, and the cock in his mouth.

Tamlin moaned, head starting to bob without Beron’s guiding hand, falling into the rhythm and the obscene sounds of his throat being fucked. 

“Yes that’s it.” Beron groaned, “Move your head like that, well done.”

Tamlin whined, a high sound he didn’t know he was capable of making. Sucking hard, his cheeks hollowed out, sliding up and down, silky skin thrusting slowly in and out of his throat. Waves of heat washed over him again and again, barrelling through his body as the coil in his belly got tighter and tighter. He grasped Beron’s thighs, desperate for something to keep him connected to the world around him. 

“Good boy,” The male above him hissed lowly as his head tipped back, hand tightening in his hair. Tamlin groaned as his eyes rolled back, hips underneath him jutted up, suddenly thrusting into his mouth once more. Pushing his head down, Beron kept him from moving, the head of his cock in the back of his throat. Tamlin gagged, but managed to keep himself composed; or as much as he could in the face of what was happening. 

Beron’s thrusts picked up, rocking inside him quicker and quicker, before his body tensed. Muscles going rigid, the cold, cruel High lord’s breaths, normal level with each intentional movement, had turned ragged. The magic flooding his senses cried out at each desperate pant. 

Then, Beron readjusted his fingers in Tamlin’s hair, and roughly yanked him off his cock. The High lord of Spring, reduced to something like a rutting, desperate slut whined, voice gone strangely high-pitched. 

Tightening his grip, Beron murmured in that harshly aroused, commanding voice, “Swallow everything.”

His eyes had gone blurry once more, he couldn’t focus on a single thing around him. One of his hands seemed to move on its own, moved by an apparition. Grasping the hard, throbbing cock before him, jerking it quickly, the slide made easier by the spit that had drooled down it. He whimpered again, heart pounding in its cage. 

Then stinging pain splintered across his face, as the sound of a hard slap to the side of his face echoed in the otherwise empty dungeon. 

“Do you understand me?” Beron hissed, his fingers gently tracing the red print he left across pale skin. 

“Yes,” Tamlin gasped out, “Yes, sir.” 

“Good boy.” Beron’s smile was feline as he forced Tamlin back down onto his dick. As if possessed by Calanmai magic, Tamlin’s entire mind went utterly blank as he sucked with twice the enthusiasm as before. The heat was transcending, like burning up in a furnace. Everything was getting tighter and tighter, his whole body shaking. Zeroing in on one end. 

A delicious groan left Beron as his head tipped back once more, fucking up into Tamlin’s mouth as he sucked, those hands suddenly pulling his hair again as the Autumn Lord came down his throat. 

Tamlin obediently swallowed, the hot salty come in his mouth dripping down his lips as he slowly pulled off Beron’s softening cock. Tongue darting out, his tongue swirled around the tip, tasting the salt-sweet liquid, before trailing his lips down, sucking up the excess. 

Beron swallowed hard, “Good boy.” 

Tamlin’s eyes fell closed as his head rested on the Lord’s knee as Beron’s hand petted his hair softly. Touching him with the tenderness of a lover. It caused something inside him to purr in content, but his own arousal could not be put far from mind. 

[theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction]

Imagine going present shopping for the Avengers…

A/n: Happy Holidays you beautiful humans!! I wish you so much love and safe festivities x

Tinsel shone in its glory as workers climbed their tall ladders to fix decorations to a large tree on the street. Snow fall had started early this year and the city was alive once again. Despite the turbulence of heroes and villains, people flocked to their closest stores and exited with wrapped boxes and bags - it really was starting to feel like Christmas.

Clint had called you an hour ago requesting some assistance for an undisclosed emergency. Thankful that you were at the tower at the time, the journey to the shopping square was easy on foot but when there was no Hawkeye present, you guessed that he was stuck in traffic.

Buzz! You lifted your phone and saw a text message.

Running late. Start without me. Will keep you updated. - H

As you read the text, you made a note to ask him why he kept signing off as Hawkeye instead of his real name. 

With him out of the picture for a while, a head start with gift buying for the team was a good idea. Everyone was off on their own adventures this year, some on missions, some off-world. You didn’t know their exact locations but you figured that you could get some help from a certain Sorcerer Supreme on Bleeker Street.

Forty minutes or so had passed with Clint sending regular updates of his location while also offering gift advice and you shopped around.

Found an amazing green scarf. Banner or Hulk? You typed out.

Definitely the big guy. Apparently he told Bruce that he liked how soft they were. Clint replied.

Funnily enough, you could imagine the Hulk making the argument about scarves. Easily, you proceeded to make the purchase. As you stepped outside, the wind was far colder than before so you decided to walk towards a coffee shop for a warm drink and to rest your arms. 

Adjusting the bags around your wrists as they become uncomfortable, you tried to put the receipt into your pocket. You glanced up every so often to make sure that you didn’t bump into people when a voice approached from the side.

“I’m so sorry.” Clint apologised as he caught up. You paused your steps with a smile, happy that he had finally made it. “I was on my way when I saw a mugging take place. After I dealt with that I thought a cab would be quicker.”

Classic hero move. You lifted your arms to display the marvellous holiday themed bags. “My spirit cannot be crushed, Barton. I’m invincible.”

“I actually forgot how much you love this time of year.” Clint chuckled as took a few bags away to help lighten the load which you greatly appreciated.

“So what’s the emergency?” You wondered.

The man huffed as his shoulders slackened. “Christmas gifts for Laura and the kids - I’ve been so caught up in spending time with them that I didn’t get a chance to buy anything.” He looked at your blank expression and rolled his eyes. “Go ahead and judge.”

You sent him a small shrug. “I would but I was going to bribe Stephen with my homemade eggnog to use his magic portals as a personal present delivery system so…”

Clint raised his free hand, “No judgement here.” He gave a small laugh that finished on a sigh when he looked around at the people. “Navigating the busy crowds is going to be a challenge.”

“You’ve got me, what could go wrong?”

Clint smirked. “I can think of at least ten things.”

You took his arm and merrily pulled your friend onto the snowy streets. “Alright, Grinch. Let’s get some hot cocoa to warm that heart.”

While walking to the coffee house, Clint took a sneak peek through the bags and you were glad that his gift was safely hidden in your cupboard. You had created a new bow after he complained that his current one wasn’t the best for stealth.

“What’s this?” Clint pulled out a black box that looked very expensive. “An extra special something for a special someone?” He teased.

You lunged forward to take it from his palm, forgetting to hide it. You knew who he was referring to but you chose not to confirm the suspicions and tucked the item away into your pocket.

“That’s meant to be a secret. You only found out accidentally.” You reminded. “Besides I’m not sure if I’ll even it give to…”

“Y/n, if you don’t give it to the one person who actually makes you happy, I will. Got it? Christmas is the time for confessions of love or pining or whatever it is that you both have going.”

As much fun as Clint could be, you knew that his words were serious after all, even he was tired of seeing people dance around feelings. So you promised to deliver the special present as well. 

The quest for gifts for his kids wasn’t a large task because Clint knew the perfect items. In under an hour, you both had everything wrapped or boxed or bagged and then loaded into your car for a quick trip to the Sanctum Sanctorum. 

Upon arriving at Bleeker Street, you parked in a concealed area that was reserved for the Avengers. You and Clint pulled out the presents for the team before stepping onto the porch and knocking thrice. On the third knock, you both were transported inside the Sanctum suddenly. 

Clint exhaled. “I remember why I don’t like coming here.” 

You heard him but was more preoccupied with finding the wizard donning the red cloak. “Happy Holidays, Stephen!” You called out holding up the neatly bowed bottle. “I brought you some of my special eggnog.” 

Clint looked around at the empty space when silence began to fill the room. “This isn’t going to work. He’s too busy with the universe to-”

There was the sound of footsteps before Stephen appeared from a hidden doorway. He approached and saw the drink in your hands. 

“I am not the postal system, Y/n.” He told you slightly annoyed. 

You nodded and handed him the bottle nonethless. “Be that as it may, you do still owe me from the time you accidentally turned the whole team into hermit crabs and then you erased their memory because it was so traumatic.”

Clint’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, what?”

Stephen’s jaw clenched when he remembered how that ordeal only ended with your help and discretion (that is, up until this very moment). He sighed and raised his hands, summoning several portals. “Where are the presents?”

Masterlist here

[not-terezi-pyrope]

Wildbow web serial update notifier

I didn’t properly mention it when I actually released it as I wasn’t back on tumblr at that point (thanks for @fipindustries for boosting it on her blog at the time), but a few months ago I released a Wildbow web serial update notifier! It’s a standalone background app that polls for updates to Pale (or any other web serial in the future), and lets you know within the minute when a new update is released with a custom notification/chime that includes the new chapter title/banner.

If you were  in the Homestuck fandom during its hayday then you may remember the "MSPA Upd8 bot" that would sound notifications whenever the webcomic updated. This is essentially a Wildbow/Pale version of that.

Github link (releases)

I want to keep people aware of the existence of this, so now I am back on tumblr I will boost it here as well (screenshot and feature list below the cut).

Features

The program runs in the background, minimized to the notification tray.

The program will autorun on startup (this can be disabled in settings if you wish).

The program will poll the website regularly, to check if a new update has been released. The poll interval can be set in settings to anywhere from 1 minute to 24 hours. This means that the program will notify you of new updates almost immediately (and faster than the RSS feed for the website, which I believe only updates hourly).

Notifications will only be displayed when a new chapter/blog entry is posted.

Notifications will appear on the bottom right of the screen, and will display the new chapter title, the subtitle, and the top banner image, as in the screenshot above. Notifications will disappear after 15 seconds if not interacted with.

Clicking the notification will close it and open the web serial URL.

Notifications are also accompanied by a chime to get your attention. You can adjust the volume of this (or turn it off completely) in settings.

The program is designed for Pale updates, but is general enough that the current version will most likely work for future web serials published in the same way, or indeed any arbitrary Wordpress blog. You can specify the URL to monitor in settings, so that even if in the future the software is not updated for a future Wildbow serial, the current version should theoretically still work, although using it for other blogs may result in some unintended formatting behaviour.

I intend to keep updating this, so let me know if you encounter any bugs or issues, although you may need to bear with me in order to get fixes out. So far this is only designed to run on Windows, but I could potentially release versions for other operating systems in the future if there were demand (however such versions would be difficult to test from my end).

Known issues: If your internet connection fails then the app will display an error message, this isn’t a major issue if your web connection works okay but if there is demand I may update this to stop attempting to poll the site if there is not an active internet connection available.

[flokali]

♦︎ SAGAU Thoughts

….

Warnings: Cult AU, Religious AU, mentions of war, possible spoilers, etc. Ask to tag!

A/N: you guys thought i forgot about sagau or rem/vita didn’t you?

– All on-going wars seem to have stopped, at least to the public and you. However the Tsaritsa’s plan to steal all the Gnosis is very much still occurring, it’s just became harder to collect them. There is also tension between the Abyss order, which has halted its plans – at least, that’s what they alleged – and the Seven, and the Tsaritsa very much still plans to take down Celestia, however there are new, more complex motivations since you’re now involved in the equation.

For example, the Abyss order hopes to take down the Seven and Celestia, defaming them by exposing their nature and past actions, and restore Khaen’ria with you as its new head, meanwhile the Tsaritsa and her Harbingers hope to take destroy Celestia with the power of the Archons and build a new world, once again, with you and the Tsaritsa as its rulers.

– Since you have access to the teleport points, because let’s be honest, exploring Teyvat without them must be hellish, you’re also expected to be able to divide your time between the Seven Nations. Realistically, since they view you as a higher and wiser power, you’ll be consulted for all sorts of affairs such as politics, culture, the arts, and even the economy. Because of the amount of power you hold and how valuable your input is to them – even if you have no idea what you’re talking about – it’s likely your schedule has been adjusted with this in mind by the Archons and the Qixing, unfortunately this translates into having days where you won’t be able to so much as breathe for too long without messing up the time slots and you’ll have painfully uneventful days where you’re nothing but a glorified idol who’s wondered the same halls for the ninth time that day.

– With your arrival, Zhongli probably didn’t step down as an archon but rather is taking an “indefinite break”. He probably could have gotten away with retiring but it would have strippen him of too many privileges in regards to being with you, privileges he doesn’t want to hand over, so instead he’s order a contract with the Qixing that states he – as Rex Lapis, and now as Zhongli too – is still the Archon of Liyue but has given the harbor over to them for a “trial” period. This allows him to cease power if he thinks they’re getting too out of hand or if he feels his spot by your side is being endangered.

– Celestia is neutral about your existence, however many average citizens seem to think you’re both working together; only the Archons and the Abyss Order know you and Celestia work apart.

The Twin and the rest of the Abyss dislike how it has taken your name as its own, it only further fuels their distaste towards them and the Archons since they also don’t try and correct the mistake.

– We, as players, know how the wishing system works alongside the concept of event/limited-time banners, but the people who are in the game have virtually no clue what that is.

I imagine that they must have come up with some sort of an explanation, here’s my little take; it’s basically a prayer to them.

What I mean is, quite literally, that they pray to you, the player, to fulfill a “wish” of theirs — which in most cases is to be closer to you for guidance, comfort, and so on. When you pull for a character and get them, to them, it’s basically you answering their prayer and coming to them - a mutual bond of sorts. It’s less about if they want to come or if they believe in you - we’re going with the “all playable characters + The Fatui (Scara included) + Archons + Dainsleif + The abyss twin + most of Teyvat in general'' believe in you in different extents but extents nonetheless approach.

The minute they become accessible to you it’s sort of a semi-meditation-state where via their wish and Vision (yes, Vision — we’ll go with the idea that Celestia is somehow connected to you or the Vision also working as an asset that favors them in religious-ways) they manage to establish a “connection” with you where you’re temporarily sharing consciousness and controlling their body; they’re fully aware of what’s going which is why idle lines and animations are still playing, however it’s a painless and overly-euphoric state that could - in theory - become addictive, thus making characters you’ve pulled and used often become more delusional and attached to you compared to others and why sometimes you can still end up getting the same character even if you’ve already got them, aka constellations and dupes – the constellations act as a limit of wishes Celestia allows them to have, but when they appear even after you C6 them it’s kind of a testament of their devotion.

This is also why Visions are kind of a big deal, not only are they connections between the Archons, Celestia, and the user but you as well.

Characters such as Dainsleif - who don’t have a vision -, Scara - who we don’t know if he has a vision, delusion or what-not - and Baizhu who aren’t playable it’s less of a “we don’t believe in you” and more of a “we are so busy with other shit we literally cannot become vessels… yet”. Any character who hasn’t been released yet - could be considered to be “going on a journey” until they can become vessels, knowingly or not. Those who won’t become playable are a whole different story for another post entirely, but we could say it’s a “punishment” - at least, in La Signora’s case for possibly “betraying” Celestia or being too much of a danger to them.

Banners are similar, the standard banner is basically the “we are literally ready 24/7 for any blessing, lord help us” – basically, their prayers are more vague and easily answered.

Take Jean for example, her wish is to keep Mondstatd safe via being the best Acting Grandmaster and Dandelion Knight she possibly can — that’s a wish that’s easily accessible in the day to day in-game life compared to, let’s say, Raiden who’s a literal god having to repent for her past-mistakes. Of course, this logic doesn’t always apply - we can even go and tweak the explanation for each Event Banner. Standard banner = more achievable wishes, Event Banners = Harder – % up’s aren’t completely random and have more to do with the character’s importance in that moment - we know banners are loosely tied with whatever event is going on in-game, therefore we could say that it’s during the moment where the character are the spotlight that there wishes are given priority. In their eyes, they probably get told by the preachers something along the lines of: “In times of change, where our future feels the most uncertain, it’s that our Grace bestows us with their presence” or something.

The four-stars are similar, their wishes tend to be “easily achievable” and tend to be more… normal you could say. Compare Thoma who wants to protect and be loyal to the Kamisato Clan to Ayato or Ayaka’s wish to create a safe and happy Inazuma for all of the people, even Sara who’s main devotion is towards the Shogun has more achievable goals than someone like Kokomi who wanted to stop a whole decree and was an integral part of a literal civil war or even Zhongli who is a former Archon, Prime of the Adepti, who literally created a whole economy and city who is now a retired funeral employee who is keeping the progress of a whole harbor/city in check. I’m rambling here but you get the gist; four stars tend to have more “tame” and “ordinary” goals, while five stars are kind of… really, concerningly, ambitious.

In a way, being a five star AND an exclusive event banner character is kind of a curse for the characters, for the player it’s more of a “damn, Hoyoverse really wants us to spend money on this limited time character, huh?” but to the character it’s a whole religious/identity crisis akin to a “I am unworthy of my God’s love and there’s something literally wrong with me”.

[httpjeon]

SEHEBON ― KTH (M.)

synopsis. you find yourself on izo huen, home to the sehebon. luckily for you, you've arrived at an interesting time.

pairing. taehyung/reader genre. angst, fluff, smut au. alien!au wordcount. 16,580 contents. Huge Dick Tae, cocky!tae, soft!tae, protective!tae, lowkey possessive!tae, human!kink, slight harrassment, dom/sub themes, size kink, size difference, sensitivity kink?, orgasm kink?, cunt slapping, breath play, dry humping, cunnilingus, fingering, cumflation, belly bulging, lowkey consent kink, unrealistic sex but it’s aliens what do u expect, lots of mention of humanity note. tae just wants to learn human things ):

blog masterlist. made of stardust masterlist.

© httpjeon 2020. do not repost, modify, or translate.

It had been a little over a half a year since your move to the Vela System of the Fanet IV Galaxy courtesy of the Interplanetary Relations Commission had begun. You were still adjusting to your new environment, Izo Huen being a vastly different place compared to Earth in terms of culture and climate.

"So, to wrap up the events of this past week," you shifted in your chair, staring into the lens of the camera you used to send reports to your superiors, "I met with the head of the Embassy for a dinner in order to meet the head of Izo Huen's military. The only way I can describe the whole interaction is...tense. Warrior Sehebon are truly another level of terrifying. Horrible burns across their bodies correlate with the information we had about their rituals. They wear the burns with pride, however ― a mark of bravery I suppose. The middle of the week was rather uneventful," you shifted in your seat, leaning over just out of frame to take a sip of your water. You stared at the arched ceiling, thinking of anything that could come to mind of importance to note. Outside your window, you could see people walking through the streets, laughing and chatting with one another.

"Oh!" you sat up straight again, "The monthly market came back once again. This time it was mostly vendors from Liana. They had the most amazing fruits I'd ever seen ― nothing like Earths. They were delicious too, so sweet. I wish I could send some back for everyone to be able to taste. You know," your gaze shifted out your window again, to the people bustling about, "Things got really hectic here in Fia recently, I don't know what it is. They're hanging banners up and there seems to have been an extreme increase in population of the city. I'm not completely sure what's going on."

After ending your weekly log and sending it to your fellow researchers on Earth, you downed the rest of your water and groaned. Izo Huen was sweltering hot, the two suns that hung in the sky upping the temperature past comfortable.

You couldn't wait for night to come, the freezing cold giving you a wonderful excuse to cuddle under the wool blankets.You decided to take a bath to pass the time, as it would be night in just a few hours. Plus, you desperately wanted to wash the days grime off your body.

By the time you woke up the next day, you were acutely aware of how incredibly loud it was outside. Shouts and cheers emanated from just outside your window. So with sleep-filled eyes you hurriedly dressed yourself and rushed out to see what the fuss was all about.When you stepped out of the door, you were shocked by the incredible crowd of people filling the streets.

Banners and streamers, even balloons, decorated every inch that could be covered. The alphabet was one you hadn't yet learned to decipher so the meanings were completely lost on you.

"Excuse me?" you asked a nearby woman. She was much taller than you ― a key trait in both men and women of their race. She turned and looked down at you with surprise in her eyes, "What's going on?"

"It's the pre-celebration," she answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

She turned her back to you once again and quickly disappeared into the crowd and you sighed. Sehebon citizens were still getting used to their planet being visited by other races outside their own solar system ― they were the newest planet to be opened for visits by the Interplanetary Commission.

It unfortunately resulted in some of the citizens to hold ill feelings towards those entering their cities.

Sighing, you decided to follow the flow of the crowd to appease your own rabid curiosity. A lot of the cultural information on Sehebon had yet to be discovered or disclosed, as a race that held their own traditions close to their hearts.

You were surprised that the place everyone was flocking to was the massive Colosseum that was centered in the very middle of the city. Larger than any stadium found on Earth, you'd never had the opportunity to find out what it was for.

In your excitement to get through the crowd of large Sehebon, you stumbled over your own feet and hit the ground hard ― knocking the air out of you. The crowd didn't wait, stepping over you and for a second you were scared you would be literally crushed under a stampede.

However, strong hands grabbed your arms and lifted you up, grabbing your wrist and dragging you out of the crowd. You stumbled trying to catch up, with his large steps while trying not to end up slammed into unsuspecting people.

The person tugging you pulled you out of the crowd and rounding the stone walls until you realized the amount of people had dissipated. You had the opportunity to look at the person who had helped you ― a male Sehebon finding a safe spot for you and finally slowing down.

"I...thank you," you muttered when he didn't say anything, his back still facing you.

"You're a human right?" he asked, finally turning to you. You choked on your own spit at the sight of him ― black hair hanging over two pretty dark eyes. He was tall, probably a little above average for his race and he was absolutely gorgeous, "I heard there was one staying in Fia but...damn."

"Uh...I'm an advocate for the Interplanetary Commission," you sputtered out, unable to break your gaze away from his face. He had tanned skin, smooth as could be with a jaw so sharp it could cut glass, "I'm from Earth, yes. My name is _____."

"Incredible," he moved closer, having to lean down to look at you how he wanted. You could feel his breath on your face and you could see the way he had one mono-lid and one double ― which was absolutely adorable, "My name is Taehyung...you know, you're so...small."

"I-I'm actually quite average," you refuted, glancing away under the power of his gaze.

"Maybe by human standards but..." he straightened up, looking around, "You should be careful. You can get hurt easily, you're lucky I saw you fall and bothered to help you."

"Bothered..." you whispered with a soft scoff. You could still feel his eyes on you, burning into you as if he was analyzing every inch of you, "Hey, so what's going on anyway?"

"You don't know?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow when you shook your head.

"I asked someone and she just said it was a pre-celebration," you shrugged.

"Yeah sort of," Taehyung gnawed at the inside of his cheek, jaw cocking to one side at the action, "It's gonna be our lottery in a few days so we come to the stadium to get our tickets."

"Wait...lottery? Like a money thing?" you asked, "You guys have that?"

"What?" Taehyung shook his head, staring at you like you were stupid and you suddenly felt embarrassed.

"O-On Earth we have this thing called a lottery and...you scratch these little papers and you can win money," you explained, hoping to help him make sense of you assumption.

"Huh, that's interesting," he actually did seem interested and maybe a little impressed, making you feel weirdly proud, "But no, that's not what we have. Once a year the government holds a lottery here in Fia, in the stadium. You draw and if your number is picked you gotta fight."

His words made you blank out.

Fight?

They had to fight?

"What the hell?" you sputtered before you could stop yourself and Taehyung cocked his head to the side.

"Have you not read any of the banners and information sheets floating around?" he asked, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets, "They put them up to inform new visitors of what's going on, you know."

"I..." you cleared your throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed again, "Can't read the alphabet."

Taehyung went quiet for a minute before he snorted, beginning to laugh way too much for the simple problem you had. Your cheeks burned as he held his stomach, no doubt aching from how hard he was laughing.

"Oh my gosh!" he choked, wiping under his eyes, "Y-You're illiterate!"

"I am not illiterate!" you gasped, ears beginning to burn now at his accusation, "I-I just haven't had a need to read the alphabet! Since we speak the same language, you know?!"

"Okay, okay," he sniffled, finally calming down from his outburst. He looked down at you and cooed, placing his hand on your head, "Aw, don't-don't pout, I'm sorry. You're so cute!"

"St-Stop making fun of me!" you whined, petulantly stomping your foot which just made him coo more at you, calling you cute.

"I'm not making fun of you!" he argued, standing at his full height again, making you look up, "Isn't it only natural that I find the small little human girl cute? You're so...small."

"So you keep saying," you mumbled, crossing your arms over your chest, "Are you going to go into the stadium?"

"Yeah, probably a little while later," he shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets, "It'll calm down soon enough and it'll be less hectic. You're welcome to wait with me, if you'd like."

"I might as well," you sighed, leaning back so you rested your shoulder against the wall, "I'll probably literally be killed if I try to go in there at this point."

"Probably," he agreed, looking away from you when you squinted up to glare at him, "Say..." He looked back at you, head cocked to the side curiously, "Is it true Earth has a lot of oceans? And only one Sun?"

"Eh? Yeah, that's right," you nodded, making him hum, "You've never been to Earth?"

"Nah, can't afford to make that trip," he sighed, sliding down the side of the wall to sit on the ground, "I read about it when the news that we'd be open for visits from them, though. Here sit," he tugged your hand until you were finally sitting beside him.

"About this...fight," his head lulled to the side as he gazed at your through his lashes, "What...why do you guys do it? How's it work?"

"Well," he rested his hands on his bent knees, head resting against the wall behind him again, "You know majority of our planet is uninhabitable right?"

"Yeah, dominated by deadly deserts that will kill even Sehebon," you replied mechanically, having studied their landscape immensely on your voyage from Earth.

"Then you also know there's only a few, select places suitable for us to live," you nodded and he continued, "We have three cities on Izu Huen, Fia our capitol, Veles, and Holis. That isn't a lot of room for an entire planet to live, right? We have to stay within the habitable zone and fit every person on the planet in the cities. Excluding those that have the means to move to Vimoldara, that is. That's a lot of people, isn't it?"

"Wait," you sat up straighter, jaw dropping open, "You mean, it's a form of population control?"

"That and," his gaze turned much darker, sending a chill up your spine, "It's a chance for us to show each other how strong we are. That we're the best and we deserve to live, we offer more. Those who lose are killed and only the winner can stand."

"That's..." you cleared your throat uncomfortably, "That's scary."

"Not for us," Taehyung shrugged, casting a sideways glance your way, "It's a celebration. We're all excited and ready to do it. We get to make our families and ancestors proud as we fight."

You hummed, still weary of the lottery but kept the rest of your opinions to yourself. You and Taehyung dissolved into talking about things he was curious about on Earth, deciding it would be worth it to travel there simply after hearing what a cheeseburger was.

The suns began to set when Taehyung stood, helping you to your feet.

"We should be able to get in easily now," you followed him to the large entrance that you'd been unable to see past when you had first approached.

With the smaller influx of people, you could see fully inside the stadium. There were banners and decorations strewn about everywhere, a wash of white, red and black colors seeming to be the theme. In the very center of the stadium was a booth with a man standing inside, handing things out to the people in line.

"I hope he doesn't think I'm here to pick a lottery," you mumbled to yourself as you stood in line with Taehyung. He was still holding onto your hand as you waited, large fingers wrapping completely around your wrist, making the size difference more apparent.

He really was right when he said you were small. But his hand was so warm and comforting against your skin that it made you feel...cute.

"Nah, they won't assume a foreigner is here to participate," he said, not breaking his gaze from the booth.

By the time you reached the booth, the suns were down to just peeking over the horizon and the moon was, instead, shining large in the sky. The temperature was dropping and you couldn't help but move closer to Taehyung for warmth. You weren’t dressed to be out at night, you’d only anticipated spending the daytime hours out.

"Thank you," he said, tucking a slip of paper into his pocket after folding it up. The man behind the booth nodded, waving the next person forwards.

He began to walk when he paused, looking down at you with wide eyes. You scrambled to detach yourself from his side, not realizing just how close you were to him. However, you were quickly brought back when he pulled you flush against him again with a small smile.

"You humans are so fragile," he breathed, beginning walk, keeping you tucked into his side. Your face was burning with embarrassment but you also felt a strange sense of pride flowing through you at the prospect of such a good looking man treating you like he was.

"I-It just gets really cold here, you know?" you mumbled, trying to defend yourself albeit weakly.

His chest vibrated with his laughter, tightening his hold around your shoulders, "I guess if you're not used to it. You live around here?"

"Uh yeah," you pointed in the general direction of where you were staying, "I live down this road a ways."

"Alright, I'll walk you there," he offered, though he left no option to refuse.

You both fell silent as you walked, every once in a while another person would pass and stare at the two of you. Their eyes followed you even as you passed, turning back to stare at you and you began to feel strange about it.

"Why is everyone looking at us like that?" you asked suddenly, making him look down. The moonlight cast a soft glow on his face causing the shadow of his lashes to dust his cheeks.

"Probably because you're a human and you're with me," he answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world, "It's not exactly common for Sehebon and foreigners to be together yet."

You swallowed thickly, cheeks burning for the thousandth time that day it seemed.

It wasn't long before you reached the stoop of your house and you dislodged yourself from Taehyung, wrapping your arms around yourself to keep in the warmth you now missed.

"Um thanks for walking me home," you said, shrugging your shoulders self-consciously as his eyes scanned over your body.

"It was my pleasure," he leaned closer to you, "Hey, why don't you come to the celebration in a couple days, hm?"

"You mean the fighting?" you asked, feeling uneasy at the invitation. He nodded eagerly, eyes bright in excitement, "Taehyung, I do understand it's an important practice for you...it's your culture. But humans and Earth...it's punishable to kill someone. It's against the law. We find the concept of death scary...you know?"

His head cocked to the side, brows furrowed and the excitement in his eyes gone, "You're scared to die? And you don't like to see others die?"

"Exactly, it's...it's a very negative thing for humans," you attempted to explain while trying not to upset him.

"You know being invited to a fight is a very special thing," he muttered with a frown, leaning close to you so his nose was touching yours. Your eyes grew wide at the fire burning in his eyes and you swallowed nervously, "It's very offensive to reject an invitation to a fight. I want to show you how good I am, how well I can fight. I want you to be proud of me. Impressed by me."

Your mouth grew dry at his words and the way he uttered them, deep voice dark and no hint of the gentleness he had spoken with before. You attempted to move back but found your back pressed against the door. He loomed over you, leaning on his forearms above your head ― caging you in. Strangely, the only thing you could think of was how good he smelled; like the fruits you'd eaten a couple days ago.

"I-I'm sorry, Taehyung," you whispered, licking your lips in an effort to rid yourself of your nerves, "I just...Y-You don't need to kill someone t-to impress me, you know?"

"Then how can I?" he squinted, "I find you fascinating. A cute little human girl, smart and charming. I want to...what is it you humans call it...court you?"

You wanted to smile at the sound of the outdated term he used. But it was stopped by his confession, of what he thought of you.

"W-Well...you're trying to court a human girl..." you spoke slowly, meeting his eyes in faux confidence even though your heart was beating a mile a minute, "Why don't you try...a human method?"

"A human method," he gnawed on the inside of his cheek ― apparently a habit he had while thinking, "What are human methods?"

"Well um..." you noticed that with his body covering yours like it was, you weren't affected by the cold and that your trembles were no doubt excitement, "Like...dates. Do you guys have dates?"

"Usually an invitation to fight for someone to see is sufficient enough to begin a relationship," he explained, making you sigh. He frowned at the sound and leaned closer to you to meet your gaze, "Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"F-For humans usually a man will ask a woman on a date," you explained simply, "Like...you would ask to take me to see a movie or take me to dinner."

"A dinner," he repeated, seeming to mull it over for a moment before nodding. The dark look was gone and he smiled the cutest boxy smile you'd ever seen in your life, "Then I'd like to take you to dinner, _____."

"I'd like that, Taehyung," you smiled, feeling your cheeks burn under his soft gaze.

"After my fight, to celebrate my win I'll take you."

"Alright, Taehyung, I look forward to it," after what seemed like an eternity, his eyes flickering from your lips to your eyes, he finally stood up straight. The cold immediately began to sink into your bones and he stepped back off your stoop.

"See you soon, cutie," he waved, twiddling his fingers before spinning on his heel and walking in the direction you both had just came from.

You opened your front door, slipping inside and relaxing once the warmth hit you. Leaning back against the door, you pressed your hand to your chest and sighed.

"Not how I expected my day to turn out," you mumbled, taking a seat at your chair in front of the camera, turning it on so the red light blinked indicating recording, "I know it hasn't been a week yet but I've found something interesting. I met a man named Taehyung and he told that they're about to begin a planet-wide lottery. Everyone draws a number and they're picked to fight. It's a...form of population control and some kind of cultural flex on each other to show who is the toughest and bravest. The fights are set to take place in a few days and I was invited but...I had to decline. The prospect of watching it was just too much for me to consider so I apologize for that."

You went quiet for a second, deciding to leave out the fact that the invitation was an attempt to ask you out. You greeted the people who would be watched goodbye and shut off the camera, turning to your computer monitor and hurriedly sending the video before shutting everything down.

The city was quiet for the next few days, everyone packed into the stadium. You would frequently hear the thunderous roar of the crowd but ultimately did your best to block out the prospect of the death no doubt going on.

You laid on your bed, reading a book you'd read several times already but lacked the means to acquire a new one. You wouldn't be able to read the books in an alphabet you couldn't read. Though you could take the time to learn but, you were in no mood to study.

As expected, you found yourself thinking of Taehyung. He was charming, no doubt, and you were surprised by how much you ultimately enjoyed his company. It was quick that he decided he wanted to date you, by human standards anyway, but Sehebon were very fast-moving people as more than half their race were warriors who could be killed in the blink of an eye. No doubt a cause for Taehyung's rush to be with you.

You couldn't deny the complete attraction you had for him; he was incredibly good looking and had the cutest smile. His voice was hypnotic, smooth as whiskey and as deep as the ocean. Dating someone of a completely different species wasn't the strangest thing by far ― plenty of humans had counterparts from different races. Dating a Sehebon, on the other hand, was different since the brand new introduction of their race to humans.

There was no fear that Taehyung would bring you any harm or have ill intentions, there was just a lot of confusion about him. You didn't exactly know much about who he was as a person rather than his race.

The date would no doubt clear things up and open doors for you.

Remembering the fact you would be going on a date with him set butterflies off in your tummy and you bit your lip to hold back the gleeful grin that threatened to spread across your face.

It was a full week before the streets became the same again. The population of Fia went back to normal as visitors from other cities left and went back home. The banners were taken down from around your street and before long everything seemed to have returned to the way it was.

Unfortunately, you were running out of food so you needed to go food shopping. As the suns were beginning to set, with the temperature steadily dropping, is when you decided to go shopping.

You slid a sweater on to keep you warm before stepping out the door. It was still a little warm but you knew you'd be grateful for your choice later.

In the past, you'd made the mistake of forgoing something warm and had to quite literally run home before you froze to death.

You carried a bag, an effect from when you lived on Earth and refused to use plastic bags in fear they'd end up in the oceans. When you first presented the bag at the local grocers, the cashier had looked at you like you were stupid ― making you feel just a tad self-conscious.

Fortunately, they'd now grown used to your practice and barely batted an eye in response when you brought.

The shop wasn't busy during that time of day and you were thankful to be able to navigate the aisles without having to avoid the giant Sehebon people that easily blocked your shelf access. You packed your bag with things you were vaguely familiar with. There was a lot of food you didn't dare try ― you couldn't read what it said or it was just gross looking.

Unfortunately, however, the shelves were so damn tall that you sometimes had to scale them to actually reach the things you needed. Standing on your tippy-toes using one of the shelves to grab a simple box of noodles ― something you were very pleased to find on Izo Huen.

You chose a lot of fruits and vegetables ― trusting them more than their alien-meats. You were basically the alien version of a vegetarian at that point.

When you stepped outside, you were immediately grateful of the sweater you wore. The cold still seemed to seep in a bit but it was tolerable despite the light shivers that took you. Carrying your bag, you hummed a tune to yourself as you navigated the darkening streets. The lamps were lit to illuminate your way but there were no other people in sight, making you feel calm.

"Hey, you a human?" scratch that, there were people.

You paused, looking into an alleyway separating two residential streets. A small group of young men were smoking cigarettes. Part of you wondered if they were cigarettes or some Izo Huen-version.

"Yes I'm a human," you replied, pulling your bag off your shoulder to hold it in front of you.

"You want a hit?" one of them asked you, offering you what he was smoking off of.

"N-No thank you," you backed away slightly to get away from the smoke emanating off the burning end, "I really should be getting home...I have things to put away."

You turned to walk away but a hand aggressively gripped your arm to stop you, startling a gasp out of you.

"Hey, that hurts," you mumbled, attempting to tug your arm free but he tugged you closer to him, "Let go!"

Before he had the chance to speak, a hand was violently wrapped around his throat and slammed him back. He pulled you with him slightly, knocking you to the ground as the man was pinned to the wall. Looking up, you could see Taehyung leaning close to him ― whispering something that had the man's eyes widening.

"Do you understand?" Taehyung growled, loud enough for you to hear. The man nodded so hard you were sure he was going to give himself a headache. Taehyung held him still for several more seconds, looking over him to make sure he was telling the truth.

When the man was dropped, he took off down the alleyway with his friends following, none of them daring to look back.

"Are you alright?" he asked, crouching down to where you were sitting on the ground. He cupped your cheek ever so softly, thumb grazing beneath your eye, "I didn't mean for you to get knocked down."

"It's alright," you muttered, using his shoulders to pull yourself back to your feet. He remained crouched for a moment, just gazing up at you silently, "W-What is it?"

"You should be more careful, _____," he said, picking up the bag of groceries you had dropped, tucking some of the things that had been knocked out back in where they belonged, "Didn't I tell you that you could get hurt?"

"W-Well yes but that was different― "

"It wasn't," he snapped, moving close to you once again. Fingers hooked beneath your chin to make you look at him, "Don't you understand how much people want you? How they look at you when you walk around?"

"N-No..." you blinked as you tried to recall any staring while you were on your own.

"Everyone finds you alluring here, _____," Taehyung's voice dropped and he stepped even closer so your foreheads were just barely touching, "The cute little human girl. And I'd be very disappointed if I had to kill someone for hurting you."

You were speechless, lost staring in the fiery blaze within his eyes. He held your gaze for several seconds before stepping back and smiling.

"I'll walk you home, I was on my way to see you anyway," you sputtered in shock as he tugged your hand in the direction of your home ― his rapid change of demeanor no doubt going to give you whiplash.

Your feet pounded the pavement as you struggled to keep up with his large strides. You were running out of breath and stamina, though he appeared unaffected.

"T-Tae...can you s-slow down?" he halted in his tracks so suddenly that you fully ran into his back.

"What did you call me?" he looked over his shoulder, staring sharply down at you.

"I-I..." you pulled yourself away from his back and stuttered, "I called you Tae. I'm sorry i-it just slipped out...h-humans like to make n-nicknames, you know?"

He was quiet for a second before he turned around completely, cocking his head to the side.

"Say it again," he commanded.

"Uh...T-Tae?" the name sounded more awkward than it had before coming out of your mouth.

"Hmm," he made a noise akin to a moan, rolling his head back in response before looking down and smirking, "I like that. You're the only one allowed to call me that, yeah?"

"A-Alright," your heart was racing from the way he had reacted to the nickname but you didn't get to dwell on it long before he was tugging you along once again.

You stood on your stoop again, looking at Taehyung, a small smile on his lips as he watched you. He held your bag of groceries out for you and you had to hold back a gasp when your hand brushed his.

"Shit, your hands are freezing!" he gasped, taking one of your hands in his and bringing them closer to him.

"U-Uh yeah it's...pretty cold," your words came out a whisper, reveling in how warm his hands were against yours.

"Poor thing," your eyes widened as he pulled your hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against your fingers.

"T-Tae," the nickname had his eyes flicking up and he hummed, pressing another kiss against them.

"Did you like that?" he dropped your hand from his lips but continued to hold it, smiling at you, "I read in a book about common human practices for courting and it said a kiss to the hand will make her heart flutter. Did it work?"

"I..." you swallowed thickly, nodding your head ever so slightly, "I-It was nice, Tae..."

The two of you fell quiet, his hand enveloping yours and his soft gaze fixated on you. Your groceries hung in his free hand and he slowly reached out to hand them to you once again. Once the bag was in your hands, he released your hand from his hold and shoved his own into his pockets. He stepped backwards off the stoop but continued to stare at you, bottom lip tucked in his mouth.

Your eyes danced over his body ― never really looking him over that much besides his face. He had a black button-up tucked into tight fitting jeans and boots that made him even taller than he already was. It surprised you how thick his thighs were but how small his waist was ― it's like he was sculpted by actual gods.

"Well," he smirked, no doubt having caught you staring, "See you around, cutie."

"Hey, Tae wait!" you called before you could stop yourself.

He halted immediately, turning to look at you once again, "You alright?"

"I just..." he jogged back to the stoop, stepping up and moving close to yours.

He cupped your chin between his fingers and made you look up at him.

"You can tell me, sweetheart," his brows were drawn together in concern.

The pet name causing a shiver to go down your spine, "What is it?"

"C-Can...Would you...like to stay for a while?" your cheeks were on fire and you couldn't meet his gaze after whispering the words.

Taehyung's eyes softened and his lips quirked up, running his thumb over your lips for a split second ― so light you almost missed it. He stood up straighter, removing his fingers from your face. You found yourself missing the touch and your heart was pounding at the possible rejection you could face.

"Were you nervous to ask me that, baby?" your core lit on fire at the new pet name and you held in a whimper, "I'd love to stay with you."

"O-Okay..." you reached behind you, turning the knob and pushing the door open.

Warmth hit you from the inside and you scurried out of Taehyung's view as fast as you could to the kitchen. You could hear him walking, the sound of his boots on the floor seeming deafening in the silence of the house. Leaning against the counter, you took a few deep breaths to steady yourself.

You began putting your groceries away in their designated places, noticing that Taehyung's footsteps had gone silent.

"This place given to you by your job?" he asked suddenly, making you jump.

"Um...yeah," you cleared your throat, "It's nothing special but it's cozy."

"It's nice," he muttered before falling silent.

You placed the box of noodles in your cabinet, steeling yourself before moving to the living room. Your brain nearly short-circuited at the sight before you.

Taehyung sat on your couch, legs spread wide and arms stretched out on the back of the couch. His head was tilted back, exposing beautiful expanse of throat. The way he sat was so confident and commanding that you had to clench your thighs together to control yourself.

"Um...are you okay?" you whispered, stepping forward as he lifted his head to look at you.

"I'm perfect," he responded, scooting to the side to allow you to sit beside him, "I think I've figured out a place to take you on our date."

"Oh?" you'd nearly forgotten about the date, "So you're ready to take me?"

"I'm thinking tomorrow, if that's okay," he looked down at you and you smiled.

"I'd love that," your gaze fell to your thighs, noticing the size difference between his and yours ― reminding you of how large he was.

Flicking your eyes up, you were frozen by the sharpness in his own as he stared at you. As you kept his gaze, you felt one of his hands find its way to your thigh and you bit your lip to keep from outright whimpering at the feeling.

"You're so soft," he muttered, shifting to turn more towards you, "And absolutely breathtaking..."

His lips drew closer to yours, his hair brushing your nose as he dipped down. When he pressed them completely, his hand tightened around your thigh. You whimpered, seeming to set Taehyung off as he cupped the back of your head with his free hand ― deepening the kiss.

Your hands clutched at the front of his shirt, losing yourself in the feeling of his lips and hands on you. The hand on your thigh traveled up, grazing your hip, drifting up your stomach and over your breasts before wrapping around your throat. You gasped at the feeling, lips parting from Taehyung's just slightly before you surged back forward to reconnect them.

He groaned against your lips, giving your neck the lightest squeeze before he released you and reached lower to cup your breast through your sweater. You arched your back into the muffled touch but he didn't linger for long because his hand was diving between your legs.

Your jeans impeded you from feeling his touch properly and you whimpered, grinding your hips forward in hopes to remedy the problem. You reached down, holding his hand against your core as you whimpered into his lips.

"Do you want me to touch you, pretty baby?" he asked, kiss parting until your lips just barely brushed his.

"P-Please Tae," you whimpered, feeling your eyes sting with tears of desperation ― having never wanted to be touched so badly in your life.

Taehyung didn't reconnect the kiss, instead he tilted your head back to press his lips to your neck. His long fingers unbuttoned your jeans and hurriedly tugged them off your hips until you finally reached down to pull them off completely, tossing them away.

The way you cried out when his hand cupped you again, this time through your panties, was nothing less than lewd. He tugged your thighs open further, one of them resting across his own, leaving you completely open to his fingers.

"Sound so pretty," he mumbled, teeth grazing your neck where he continued to mouth at you.

You wrapped one hand around his wrist, dragging his fingers up ever so slightly until you were able to push them past the band of your panties. He immediately took over, fingers diving between your folds to find just how wet you were for him. He groaned, pulling away from your neck to meet your gaze, his lips open just slightly as he brushed against your clit. Your hips twitched and you found yourself clinging to his arm as you whined.

"So sensitive, little one," he whispered, wrapping his free hand around your thigh to pull you even closer to him until you were completely in his lap with your back tucked to his chest.

"Tae..." you whispered, eyes fluttering closed when he began to press kisses to your shoulder ― the sweater not allowing you to feel it properly but enjoying it nonetheless.

"Yeah baby?" he cooed, resting his chin on your shoulder to watch his hand move beneath the fabric of your panties.

"C-Can..." you trailed off, feeling your cheeks burn and he tsked.

"Tell me what you want and I'll do it, baby," he assured, fingers now running across your folds without dipping between ― teasing you.

"Can you...take them off?" you asked, turning your head slightly to meet his gaze.

"If that's what you want," he pulled his hand out of your panties and you whimpered at the loss, making him chuckle, "So needy, huh?"

His thumbs hooked into the band and he pushed them down your thighs. You pulled your legs up to help him take them off ― tossing them off somewhere else to join your jeans. He gripped your knees, roughly tugging them open until your cunt was completely exposed to him ― glistening in the dim light and flushed swollen with your arousal.

"Fuck, babygirl..." he breathed, reaching down to run his fingertips through your parted folds, "Such a pretty little pussy, hm?"

Deep in your mind, you wondered where he learned such delicious dirty talk from ― seeing as he didn't even know the proper word for courting. The thought was completely wiped from your mind, however, when he used two fingers to spread your folds open. Your hole clenched around nothing and Taehyung let out a choked groan.

"St-Stop staring!" you whined, snapping your thighs closed around his hand.

Taehyung growled, wrapping his hand around your throat again and pulling the back of your head against his chest. You whimpered, eyes flicking up to briefly catch his glare. His jaw was set, glaring down at you with a gaze that made you feel incredible small.

"Spread your fucking legs," he ordered, tone making your eyes flutter slightly. When you hesitated to do as he said, he leaned closer until his mouth brushed your ear, "I said...spread your legs."

You whimpered, bottom lip trembling as you pouted, slowly opening your legs back up. Too slow for his liking, he jerked one open and pinned the other down until you were just as exposed as before. His hand cupped your entire core, middle finger sliding between the folds.

"That's more like it," he sighed, finally releasing your neck, "You better act right, baby, or else I'll have to punish you."

His words made you tremble, thighs twitching ever so slightly. He raised a brow at your reaction, an almost detached look coming across his face.

"Would you like that? To be punished?" when you only whimpered, he smirked, "I see...how would you like it, hm? To be choked until your lungs burn for air? Or maybe if I spanked your little cunt?"

"Tae..." you felt your hole clench, sending a gush of arousal to meet his fingers.

"Oh?" he chuckled, making you cheeks burn, "You'd like to be slapped, huh?"

Before you could even think up a reply from your foggy brain, a sharp pain right against your clit had you crying out. Your eyes found his face but he was watching as he smacked your cunt again. His fingers ran over your folds to soothe the sting and he laughed.

"Interesting..." he hummed, middle finger circling around your clit. Your eyes fluttered and your hips arched into the touch more.

His index and ring fingers spread your folds, his middle finger swirling over the hardened bud until you were moaning. He pulled the hood back, exposing it even more to his sensitive touches. Your eyes rolled back in your head and you choked out his name.

"Does that feel good?" he asked, pressing a kiss to your shoulder, "Does it feel nice to have your little clit touched?"

"Y-Yes!" you squeaked, reaching down to take hold of his wrist. Your body was practically vibrating as you trembled beneath the almost too much stimulation. Suddenly, his touch was gone and you were left still trembling with the remnants of his fingers lingering.

"It's alright," he cooed, wrapping one of his arms around you to hold you tighter against him, "I've got you, little one."

"Please, Tae," you begged, burying your face into his arm, thighs trembling still spread.

"What is it?" he asked, voice soft as silk.

"Your...Your fingers," you canted your hips up ever so slightly and he hummed.

"Want my fingers inside?" he asked, although he already knew before you nodded.

He hummed, two fingers finding your spasming entrance, coating them in your juices. You held your breath as he finally sunk them inside you, stretching you deliciously even though you were plenty wet enough. His fingers were big, filling you up nice and deep. Gasping against Taehyung's arm, you mindlessly ground your hips up as he slowly pulled them out. You didn't get to mourn their loss for long because he was quickly pushing them back in ― slick sounds accompanying the movement.

"You're so fucking tight," he muttered, "So small...Shit, how long has it been since you've been fucked, pretty girl?"

"Ah-Never..." you gasped, hand circling around his wrist as you squirmed.

His fingers paused, halfway inside and you whined, "You've never been with somebody?"

"N-No, Tae," you whined, using your hand on his wrist to push his fingers back inside, "J-Just you...only you!"

He cursed under his breath, wrapping his arm tighter around you before he began to finger fuck you wholeheartedly. The sounds pouring from your lips only spurred him on, your cunt tight like a vice around just two of his fingers.

"This little cunt won't ever be able to take my cock, sweetheart," he growled, crooking his fingers up to nail that little spot that made you sob, "I'm gonna be too big for you."

"W-Want it a-anyway, Tae," you cried, nails digging into his wrist. Tears welled up in your eyes, trickling down your cheeks as your body was sent into overload.

"Yeah? Want me to fuck you open until you can't take anymore?" he groaned, "Watch your virgin cunt get stuffed full of a cock you simply can't handle...have you make those pretty noises while you cream all over me..."

His words seemed more self-indulgent than aimed at you but you whined and nodded anyway. His palm ground against your clit as his fingers filled you up so nice and you found yourself teetering on the edge.

"I-I'm gonna cum," you panted, thighs twitching erratically in response to your pleasure."Go ahead, cum for me," he commanded, groaning alongside you as you tightened up around his fingers.

"Tae! 'S so good..." you slurred, eyes closed as you buried your face in his arm to ride out the pleasure he was giving you.

"Coming so prettily, little one," he whispered into your ear, fingers beginning to slow as your orgasm died down, "You're such a good girl."

"Ah...Tae," you whimpered as he pulled his fingers from your still-clenching pussy, sensitivity hitting you like a brick wall. Your thighs clenched shut, trembling uncontrollably in the aftermath of the most pleasure you'd ever received.

Taehyung slid his cum-soaked fingers into his mouth, eyes rolling back at the taste of you on his tongue. His arm still held you tight as you continued to whimper against him.

"Taste so so good," he whispered, mostly to himself.

Once his digits were clean, he glanced down at you. It was clear you were still a bit overwhelmed and he cooed, shifting you in his lap until you were facing him. He pulled you into a hug and couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Humans are so fragile," he whispered, "So overwhelmed...even that was too much for you, huh?"

You didn't respond, simply tucking your face away in his neck. You let your weight drop fully on his lap but froze immediately. You hadn't realized while you were being touched, how hard Taehyung's cock was against you but with a clear mind you could.

He was fucking big.

He chuckled darkly, lips finding your neck as he slowly made you grind against his covered length, "I told you, babygirl, I'm too big for your little pussy."

When you whined and tightened your grip on him, wanting to avoid the painful overstimulation, he simply chuckled. He let you cling to him and lay with him until your eyes fluttered shut ― sleep quickly and eagerly overcoming you.

Just as you sunk into darkness, you felt him press the softest of kisses against your forehead.

"My cute little human," he whispered, voice fading out as you finally fell asleep.

When you woke up, you were tucked cozily in your bed beneath your wool comforter. The sun was up and you groaned, kicking the blankets off as you grew warmer with every passing second.

You had on your sweater from yesterday and a pair of panties you hadn't been wearing. Looking beside you, you found the bed empty and sighed.

Despite yourself, you found yourself feeling disappointed he hadn't stayed the night. He had shown you such a sweet, caring side before you fell asleep. It had made your heart flutter, how he treated you so delicately yet used such a sharp tongue to fluster you.

"He's such a strange dude," you muttered, staring at the ceiling as you spread starfish on your bed.

There was a dull ache between your legs, reminding you of the night before. Feeling your cheeks flush, you sat up straight and hurriedly crawled out of bed intending to take a cold shower.

Drying your hair with a towel, you hunted around your closet for a cute outfit for the date. Briefly, you wondered if he was still planning to take you out. Excitement thrummed through your veins, a giddy smile lighting up your face and making your cheeks ache.

After choosing your outfit, you took a seat in front of the vanity you had set up. You had found a mirror at the monthly market a few ones back and decided it was the best purchase ever. You hadn't known mirrors were scarce on Izo Huen for whatever reason until you desperately needed one.

Deciding to leave your hair down, too lazy to try and make anything of it, you mindlessly spun around in your chair.

A strange feeling bubbled up in your chest that made your heart race. Leaning your head back against the back of the chair, you ran your hands over your face with a groan.

"I actually miss him," you scoffed, leaning forward to rest your head on your vanity counter, "What is wrong with me?"

The day seemed to drag on longer than any other as you waited for Taehyung to arrive. The heat hadn't even bothered you, your mind too muddled with thoughts of your date. You wondered if he would hold your hand and where he planned to take you.

As the sun finally sunk beneath the horizon, you were more antsy and began to pace your living room. Every once in a while, you'd glance out your window in hopes a passing man would be Taehyung. Unfortunately, you were mistaken every time.

Before long, you began to realize that he simply wasn't going to show up. You changed into your pajamas, rejection burning in your veins before sitting on your bed. The streetlights and the moon cast a decent glow around you.

Your feelings were hurt. You’d been stood up by an alien.

Your heart ached and you felt your eyes sting with unshed tears. You flopped over, covering your face with a pillow before screaming into it.

"What a jerk!" you shouted in the material.

By the time you went to sleep, your simmering anger gave way to pitiful dejection. Your eyes were wet with tears as you closed them.

He was polluting your mind, everywhere you went you found yourself hoping that he'd turn up around the next corner. You’d hoped he would come knocking on your door with a sheepish smile, apologizing.

Though as the days passed and you had seen neither hide nor hair of him, the prospect of an apology made you angry. You didn't want his stupid apology anymore.

A week lapsed and it was time, once again, for your weekly log.

Sitting in front of the camera, you sighed, "The...friend I had made seems to have disappeared. It's weird, I was perfectly content by myself but once he showed up and vanished ― it's made me lonely," you gnawed on your bottom lip before sighing, disappointment becoming a common feeling in your life by then, “Maybe I need to make some friends but...I can't explain it; the Sehebon are such a strange race that it feels like it's going to be really difficult to make friends. There's really nothing eventful that happened worth logging besides my own problems so...I'll sign off."

A couple clicks on your computer had the log sent. You'd be getting paid again soon, perhaps you'd be able to go out and find something to do for yourself. Maybe you'd hit the jackpot and find someone who would want to be your friend.

It felt childish, the need for friendship you had. But with Taehyung's absence, your loneliness was at an all time high.

It was beginning to get dark and you decided to say 'fuck it' and get dressed. You'd find something to do ― you hadn't really checked out nearly all the districts of Fia and you knew there were some popular places to hang out.

It was a long walk to the area they dubbed the Social District. The second you stepped onto the rowdy street, you were blown away by the flashing lights and heavy bass emanating from the various buildings.

They had their own clubs.

You suddenly felt out of place and awkward, weaving through the giant people blocking the streets as they talked with friends. It seemed like no one saw you, as if you were just invisible to them. You moved to the sidewalk, being able to squeeze by the people and avoid the large crowd that filled the street.

You slipped into a pub ― judging by the tables and bar. You couldn't read the sign but you still walked in anyway. It wasn't very crowded, a few tables still open. The vibe inside was much cooler and calmer and you felt yourself begin to relax.

Walking up the bar, you took a seat, grabbing a menu without thinking about it.

"God dammit," you muttered, staring at the alphabet you still couldn't read.

"Can I help you?" the tender asked, moving to stand in front of you.

"Uh...I can't read this," you admitted, feeling your cheeks burn.

"That's alright, what do you like?" she pulled the menu from your hands and looked over it herself.

"Do you have any good alcohol?" you slumped against the counter, chin resting in your hand.

She regarded you with furrowed brows, closing the menu, "You do know alcohol is poisonous, right?"

"Wait what?" your head snapped up and the woman laughed.

"Alcohol is poisonous to us. We don't drink it," she placed the menu back where you got it and smiled, "We have some Soda."

"You do?" you perked up at that, not tasting soda since you'd left Earth. You watched eagerly as she filled a glass with brown liquid, placing it in front of you.

"It's not...Earth's soda but it's basically the same," she smiled, "It's got seltzer and sugary syrup in it."

You thanked her before she was whisked away to take care of another customer, leaving you by yourself. You sipped out of the straw, sighing at the taste. It was slightly off compared to the soda you were used to but bubbling seltzer had you smiling.

"_____?" you jumped at the sound of your name, choking on your drink and erupting into a fit of coughing. A hand carefully patted your back until you calmed down, "Are you alright? I didn't mean to scare you."

"I-It's fine," you choked out, clearing your throat and swallowing a few times to rid the feeling. Your eyes flicked up to meet Taehyung's and you felt a frown fall over your face before you realized it, "Taehyung."

His brows furrowed at your using his full name but he didn't say anything, "I uh...didn't know you came around here."

"It's my first time," you muttered, turning back to sip on your drink. When you didn't offer another opening for a conversation he let out a sigh and slid up next to you between the vacant seat beside you. You didn't have any choice but to interact, seeing at he wasn't going to back off.

"I'm sorry I missed our...date," the word still sounded foreign on his tongue, "I had urgent business to attend to in Holis."

"You don't owe me anything Taehyung," you muttered, failing to mask the hurt in your voice.

He sighed again, "I had to go visit a friend of mine, he was stranded and couldn't get home on his own. I promise that's all it was, _____."

You sighed, feeling your hurt and anger soften. Turning to look at him, you opened your mouth to reply but were interrupted.

“Whoa, is this the little human?” a loud voice from behind you made you jump. Twisting around, you saw a large man with biceps so big his t-shirt was stretched taut, “Oh you are a cutie!”

“U-Um...hello,” you greeted timidly.

"Uh yeah," Taehyung smiled, placing his hand on your shoulder, "This is _____. And _____ this is Wonho."

"N-Nice to meet you," you held out your hand, gasping when he leaned down and pressed a kiss against your knuckles.

"It's my pleasure," you could hear Taehyung let out a long sigh, "Bartender, I'll take a Blue Ice please. I gotta take a leak," he muttered the last part to himself, fingers lingering on your shoulder before he disappeared.

"You drinking a soda?" Wonho asked, peering into your glass, "Mind if I have a sip?"

"I guess not," you shrugged, watching him wrap his hand around the glass and bring it to his lips.

He was good looking, you couldn't deny. He had cute ears that stuck out just slightly and pretty teeth as he grinned at you. You found yourself comparing him to Taehyung ― deducing Taehyung definitely set your heart racing the second you looked at him.

"You know," Wonho placed your glass back down in front of you, "I was surprised to hear Taehyung was fooling around with a little human. I never thought he'd be the type."

"What do you mean?" you asked, brows furrowing as you mindlessly stirred your drink with your straw.

"Well I just can't believe he's actually giving in to it," Wonho said, pulling out a menu to look over it.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," you muttered, quite blunt.

He seemed surprised, chuckling and waving his hand, "Just the whole human kink that's going on. You know, since humans have started coming here it's become like a game to see who can actually manage to bang one. Can't believe Taehyung managed to snag one."

Your eyes drifted to your glass, the ice melting in your soda ― watering it down. A human kink?

"So...I'm just a conquest?" you whispered, though you were sure Wonho didn't hear as he was ordering a drink.

So many things bubbled up inside you; anger, humiliation, shame. Humiliation at the fact you'd been used, shame over the fact you fell for it and were so close to giving in, and anger of the audacity he had to do such a thing to you. Tears stung your eyes and you bit your lip to hold them back.

"Oh man, that looks delicious," Taehyung groaned, grabbing his tall glass of blue drink and taking a sip.

"I'm leaving," you muttered, sliding off your stool and moving to walk away.

You were stopped by a hand grabbing your elbow. Taehyung stared at you, brows drawn together.

"You just got here," he muttered, obviously confused by your sudden change.

You scoffed, "I'm going home, Taehyung."

You snatched your arm out of his grip and stormed out the doors and onto the busy streets. You could vaguely hear your name being shouted but it was quickly covered by the noisiness of the people. Crossing your arms over your chest, you weaved through the bodies. Tears were burning your eyes but you held them back.

"Hey a human!" you heard someone shout but you didn't stop, "Why don't you come party?"

'The whole human kink.' Wonho's words echoed in your mind, making it harder to fight your tears. 'It's become a game to see who can bang one."

By the time you reached your front door, your jaw was aching with keeping your tears in. Slamming the door behind you, you immediately burst into tears ― bringing your hands up to cover your eyes with your sleeves. Sniffling, you dropped onto your couch and let your sobs out freely.

Hugging one of your throw pillows, you attempted to calm yourself down. Just as you were about to drift off to sleep, eyes fluttering against your will, there was a series of sharp knocks against your door. You didn't move, silently waiting to see if they'd go away.

Unfortunately, the knocks became harsher and more frantic. Deciding that they weren't going to go away, you stood up and dragged your feet to the door.

You already had a feeling who it was and you weren't wrong ― Taehyung standing on the other side. His fist was raised like he was going to knock again and his hair was a complete wreck. His shirt clung to him with sweat and his breathing was a little heavy.

"What do you want Taehyung?" you muttered, crossing your arms around yourself.

"You've been crying," he whispered, moving to step forward but stopped when you moved back, "I knew you were upset. What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"Don't!" you snapped, turning on your heel and storming into your house.

"What?" Taehyung whispered, closing the door gently behind him.

"Don't call me that," you said, keeping your back to him so he wouldn't see your tears.

It felt so nice to have him call you pet names so gently. But you remembered it was just a ruse to lure you in ― and it was so hard not to fall.

"Why not? I thought you liked being called that?" he sounded so confused and you could imagine he looked akin to a kicked puppy.

"Because it's not fair!" you shouted, finally turning around, "You can't just play those games with me because I'm a human, Taehyung!"

"I really...What are you talking about?" his voice was so soft, so gentle. He took a couple steps towards you, hands outstretched, "I'm not playing any games."

"Oh yeah?" you scoffed, wiping away a few stray tears from your cheeks, "Wonho told me about your disgusting kink! You don't care about me, you just wanted to be able to say you fucked a human!"

"Wh―" he stumbled over his words, irises desperately scanning over you, "That's not...true."

You scoffed, shaking your head., "You're so unfair, Taehyung." he cocked his head to the side curiously, "You made me like you and I trusted you. But you just...you really aren't any different from men on Earth, huh?"

"What do you mean? Of course I'm different!" he argued, his own eyes growing glassy, "I never lied to you, _____. I promise!"

"You just wanted to use me as a conquest, something to brag about," you breathing stuttered as you sobbed, "And I almost fell for it!"

"Would you listen to me?!" he snapped, suddenly moving and pinning you against the wall.

He was caging you in, scent overwhelming you and making more tears fall from your eyes. You refused to meet his gaze, even though you could feel his eyes burning into you. You sniffled, staring down at your cardigan sleeves that were functioning as sweater paws.

"I never once intended to use you like that," Taehyung growled, voice giving away his frustration, "Everything I have said and done for you is real and not because you're a human. I don't want you as a...a...conquest," the word sounded foreign on his tongue, "And I certainly am not like your pathetic human men on Earth. I am better in every single way."

"Taehyung..."

"Stop calling me that!" he snapped, making you jump, "I-I want you to call me Tae!"

"I don't think..." you shook your head.

"Why won't you believe me?" he sighed, voice going soft, "Is it really so easy to lose trust in me when I haven't even done anything? You heard my friend say some stupid nonsense a-and you're suddenly convinced I'm evil!"

When he put it like that, you felt silly. Your own insecurities caught up with you and you shifted awkwardly in your place against the wall. You sheepishly looked up to find him staring at you, eyes dark beneath his long bangs. They were damp from sweat and you swallowed thickly at how good he looked.

"I'm sorry Tae..." you mumbled, nibbling on your lip beneath his glare, "I just...I really like you and I don't want you to―

"Listen to me," he tilted your head up, making you look at him directly. His eyes were much softer now and your eyes felt hot once more, "I have no intention of hurting you. You can trust me, _____. I promise."

It felt like all self-control slipped through your fingers as you suddenly surged forward to press your lips against his. Standing on you tippy-toes, you wrapped your arms around his neck. He eagerly kissed you back, arms wrapping around you ― teeth nipping at your bottom lip to make you whine.

One of his hands traveled lower, cupping your ass and pulling you closer to him. You could feel his length hardened in his jeans ― and it was just as big as you remembered. It made you whimper, feeling him so hard against you. You squeaked when the floor was suddenly pulled out from beneath you and you found yourself pressed against the wall with your legs wrapped around his waist, his weight supporting you.

You whined when his lips found your neck, trailing his lips over the sensitive skin beneath your ear. He smirked at the feeling of you shuddering against him.

"Are you wet for me, baby?" he asked against your skin. You whimpered and nodded, feeling your pussy clench and gush into your panties, "Do you want me to touch you? Tell me."

"Yes please, Tae," you begged, blushing when he chuckled at your desperation.

The wall was pulled out from behind you and you scrambled to hold onto him around his shoulders, "I got you," he reassured, turning to walk through the open doorway of your bedroom.

You were deposited onto your mattress, making you bounce slightly on it. Taehyung was covering your body once more, however, as he met your lips for another kiss. Resting his weight on one forearm beside your head, he used the other to push your shirt up.

Getting the hint, you pulled your cardigan off and tossed it off the side of the bed before tugging your shirt off as well. Taehyung groaned, his lips kissing the swell of your breast above your bra. His fingers trailed over your bra ― cupping you and sighing softly.

You were surprised by your own boldness as you reached behind you and unclipped your bra. Before you could tug it off, however, Taehyung pinned your arms above your head and growled.

"Why are you so eager?" he asked, making your blush further.

"I-I just want you to touch me..." you confessed, lashes fluttering when he leaned down to brush his lips against your lips once more.

"There's no rush, little one," he cooed, "I'm not going anywhere until I've made you cum for me."

You clenched your thighs with a whimper at the pressure in your core. He pulled off your bra, finally, tossing it away and sitting back to admire your body. You were laid out beneath him, breasts heaving in your arousal.

His head dipped down and you held your breath as he enveloped a perked nipple into his mouth. Your hands flew up to clutch at his hair, back arching. His teeth grazed the bud, and groaned at the way you whined.

"Fuck, you're so responsive to everything I do," he gasped, pulling his lips away from your nipple. His fingers found it and brushed his thumb nail over and you choked out a sob, "I love it so much..."

"T-Tae please!" you whined, arching your hips up.

"Alright, baby," he cooed, flicking the button of your jeans open and tugging them down. Your panties went with them but neither of you cared, "Look at that. So wet."

"Please touch me, Tae," you begged, spreading your legs wider around him.

"You ever been eaten out, sweetheart?" he asked, watching the way your breath stuttered at his question. When you didn't answer, he gave your cunt a swift smack. You cried out, clutching at the blankets desperately, "I asked you a question."

"N-No I've never― " you were cut off by his fingers sliding over your clit softly.

"Do you want to?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Yes, yes please, Tae!" you gasped, eyes wide when he shifted down the bed until his head was positioned over your core.

"So pretty, baby," he sighed, spreading your folds open to expose the pretty wet hole that clenched desperately around nothing.

Your mouth fell open, a stuttered breath escaping you when his tongue slid over your entrance up to your clit. He hummed, licking his lips to chase the taste. He looked like he was in heaven, swirling his tongue over your bud and chuckling when your whole body trembled.

"Love how you react to me," he whispered, mostly to himself. He tongued at your hole to taste your juices once more before dragging up to your clit once again, "I don't think I'll ever get enough of you."

"Tae!" you cried, tugging his hair harshly though he didn't seem to mind.

His lips wrapped around your clit, sucking the bud into his mouth. You keened, eyes rolling back into your head at the stimulation. You nearly screamed when you were suddenly filled with two long fingers.

"Fuck!" you cried, back arching. You abandoned your hold on his hand to wrap your hands beneath your knees ― keeping yourself open for him.

"Good girl," he praised, making you smile down at him.

He pressed a kiss against your thigh before diving down to take your clit into his mouth again. His fingers stretched you open, catching your g-spot every chance he got. He reached so deep inside you with just his fingers and you suddenly remembered how big his dick was. Just the thought of it had your walls clenching around his fingers. He groaned in response, the vibrations against your clit making your thighs twitch.

"A-Another finger, Tae, please," you begged, voice not above a whisper.

"Can you handle that, sweetheart? Your little cunt’s already stretched around two," he teased, his index finger beginning to nudge against your entrance.

"N-Need it," you gasped, "Need to take it for you cock."

His fingers froze and you felt him exhale sharply against your core ― as if the air had been punched out of him. Glancing down, you saw his jaw was clenched and his brows were furrowed.

"Don't say things like that, little girl," he growled, finally pushing the third finger into you, "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Tae I― " your words died on your tongue when he enveloped your clit once again.

You felt stuffed with his fingers, the digits making your entrance stretch deliciously. You lost your grip on your knees and let them fall open once again. Taehyung's tongue danced over the sensitive nerves, eyes closed as he relished in having your cunt wrapped around his fingers. You were gushing, coating the digits in your juices and he couldn't wait to have them in his mouth.

"W-Wanna cum, Tae," you gasped, reaching above you to grip desperately at the pillow.

He reached up, pulling on one of your hands until you released the material. You felt your walls clench tight when he urged you to put your hands on his head.

He wanted you to pull at his hair.

Not one to reject such an offer, you tangled both your hands in the soft locks as he began to fuck you with his fingers eagerly. The wet noises were obscene, mixed with your moans made an incredible melody for Taehyung.

The fact he was the only one who had ever had you like that made his cock throb. His hips moved mindlessly against the bed beneath him to get some stimulation. His cock hurt in the confines of his jeans but he didn't dare try to pull it out.

Suddenly, your walls clenched tight and the grip on his hair began to sting the harder you pulled. Sobbing out his name, your entire body began to quake beneath him. The pleasure was overwhelming and you snapped your thighs closed around his head. He didn't pull away, however, keeping his lips attached to the throbbing bud through your orgasm ― milking every spectacular second until you were whimpering from overstimulation.

He gasped as he pulled away, sitting back on his heels before pulling his fingers out of you. He spread your folds, groaning at the way you gaped slightly from being stretched open. Sliding his soaked fingers into his mouth, his whole body trembled and he reached down to palm himself through his jeans.

The feeling of a smaller hand covering his had his eyes snapping open. He pulled his fingers out and stared down at you as you shyly palmed him through the material. He groaned, head falling back.

"C-Can I..." you trailed off, not quite sure what you were asking.

"I...I don't know..." he bit his lip, apprehensive.

"Please Tae?" you pouted, looking up at him through your lashes.

"Shit, alright," he whispered, switching your positions. He scooted up until his back rested against your headboard, shoving your pillows aside to make room for himself, "Come here. Sit on my lap, pretty girl."

Your hands were trembling as you did what you were asked, swinging your leg over his lap until you were straddling him. As you pressed your full weight on him, he tossed his head back in a groan. The pressure of you sitting on him felt spectacular.

Gripping his shoulders, you suddenly felt shy with his eyes on you. He gazed at your body on top of him like you were a goddess, hands drifting up your sides and cupping your breasts. Thumbing your nipples, he smiled crookedly when you shivered at the feeling. He cupped your cheeks, finally, and pulled you down for a soft kiss.

"Go ahead and grind on me, baby," he cooed, gripping your hips to urge you to move.

The first grind against him had him releasing the most beautiful moan that you felt yourself gush in response. His head leaned back against the headboard, watching through lidded eyes the way your cunt ground against his cock through his jeans. He wishes he could take it out and feel your wetness drip all over him ― to feel you cream against him as you came. He swallowed the urge down and continued to guide you.

"D-Does it feel good?" you asked, biting your lip as you watched his jaw tense as he held back his moans.

"So good, babygirl," he groaned, feeling his heart stutter when you proudly grinned down at him, "You're so fucking cute."

"D-Don't call me cute when I'm doing this," you hissed, narrowing your eyes at him.

"Doing what?" his head rolled against his shoulder and he smirked at you, "Go on and say it."

"No..." You whispered, clutching his shirt. Leaning forward, you wrapped your arms around his neck and held him close.

"Why so shy, little one?" he chuckled, kissing your temple and trailing his hand up your back before cupping the back of your head, "Grinding your wet little cunt against me like this...wanting to make me cum. And you want to act shy?"

You whimpered, gasping into his ear so prettily that he shuddered. He felt his orgasm coming and he groaned through clenched teeth.

"Close..." he whispered, fingers digging into the soft skin of your waist while he other clenched in your hand, "You're gonna make me cum, baby."

"Please cum, Tae," you begged, gasping when he wrenched your face out from where you were hiding in his neck.

"You want my cum?" he panted, mouth falling open as you fastened your pace. You nodded as best you could with his hand in your hair, "How about you cum first for me?"

Your eyes fluttered, realizing with his words how close you were to another orgasm. You leaned forward, pressing your lips against him. He hummed in response, smiling in the kiss when you started trembling in his lap.

You pulled away from the kiss and tossed you head back as you cried out his name, gushing against his jeans. Taehyung cursed, his own hips stuttering beneath you.

By the time you came down, you realized how wet his jeans were beneath you. You whined, falling off the side of his lap. He still sat up, chest heaving as he caught his breath. With his eyes closed, he didn't see you cupping his softening length through the wet material. He hissed, brushing your hand off of him.

"I-Is that all your..."

"I should get home," he interrupted. You frowned, watching him stand up and shift uncomfortably.

"Can't you stay?" you asked, finding yourself not wanting him to leave.

"Sorry, baby," he leaned down and pressed a kiss against your forehead, "Maybe another time." With a final, departing kiss, he turned and stepped out of the door. He paused, however, and looked back at you, "Be ready tomorrow, 8PM. I'll take you for dinner."

You were left alone on the bed with a little smile on your lips ― the promise of seeing him tomorrow making you giddy.

You felt apprehensive when 8PM rolled around and there was no sign of him ― the time blinking on the screen of your computer. You sat on your desk chair, watching the moments tick by.

It was nearing 8:30 when there were a series of knocks on your door. You jumped to your feet and raced to the door, pulling it open to see Taehyung with a guilty smile and a handful of flowers.

"Sorry I'm late I uh..." he cleared his throat and held the flowers over to you, "I had to go a bit out of my way to get these."

"Oh Tae..." you smiled, taking them from his hands and bringing them up to your nose to smell, "They're beautiful."

"They're imported from Liana," he smiled, shrugging sheepishly.

"How'd you think of this?" You asked, motioning for him to enter your home as you went to your kitchen to put the flowers in water.

"Well..." he cleared his throat, "I just...I've been reading about human dates and just human things like that, you know?"

"You've been studying for our date?" you giggled, putting the flowers on your counter before turning to him. He looked shy, keeping his eyes averted from you, "I really appreciate it, Tae."

"Really?" his eyes lit up and he grinned his adorable smile.

"I think it was very thoughtful," you led him back to the door and out into the cool night.

"There's this place I really like around my place," he suddenly explained, taking your hand in his as he helped you down from the stoop, "I like to go there with some friends. I think you'll like it!"

"I'm sure I'll like anything, Tae," you admitted, smiling when he squeezed your hand in response.

The two of you made simple talk as you made your way to the restaurant. You hadn't had the opportunity to go to one in the time you'd lived on Izo Huen.

It was a simple, small building with an Open sign in English. You grinned, bouncing inside tugging Taehyung by his hand excitedly.

"Pick a seat, little one," Taehyung cooed, nudging your back.

It was set up exactly like a restaurant on Earth and you slid yourself into a booth, grinning. Taehyung took the spot across from you, lounging back as he looked at the menu. You followed his lead and opened the menu yourself. Eyes wide, you realized you were able to read everything.

"Hey...It's in English!" you muttered, eyes scanning over the words. They were translated underneath into what Taehyung could understand ― the characters and symbols lost on you.

"Yeah it's the only place around here that does it," he shrugged, "I figured you might enjoy that."

"You're..." you grinned, shaking you head, "You're so thoughtful, Tae. I really appreciate it."

He shrugged, though you could see that his ears were tinged red.

You both ordered drinks and food, the atmosphere dissolving into one of calm company. You both chatted idly about anything ― Taehyung asking a lot of questions about Earth and him trying to teach you the different characters for his alphabet. He gave up when you just couldn't get a hang of it ― teasingly calling you illiterate and cooing when you pouted.

"Hey Tae," you muttered, picking at the salad you had ordered. He hummed, mouth full of some type of steak ― though the meat was of a consistency that made your stomach turn, "How did you learn to speak so...casually?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, sipping his soda.

"You know..." you blushed, realizing the question wasn't really something to ask over the dinner table, "When you talk you use a lot of slang terms. Like...in bed," You whispered the last word and picked at your salad again.

"Oh," Taehyung chuckled, "See, I have a friend who has been to Earth a few times. He has a lot of...interesting material that he let me read. And he kind of taught me some popular slang on Earth."

"You didn't have to go to so much effort, Taehyung," you whispered, although you were grinning. Your heart fluttered in your chest nonetheless.

"I wanted to," he suddenly set a hard gaze on you, "I want you to like me and I want you to feel comfortable around me. I want to be good for you."

"Tae..." you reached across the table and cupped his hand in yours, "I already like you very much. You make me feel comfortable and you make me feel very happy."

He grinned, looking away from you shyly but squeezed your hand tightly.

The walk home was peaceful, you found yourself wrapping your arms around one of Taehyung's ― wanting to be close to him. He didn't seem to mind in the slightest, squeezing your hand tightly and staring down at you with sparkling eyes. It felt like he looked at you like you hung up the moon ― it made you feel fluttery inside.

"Do you want to come inside, Tae?" you asked, opening your front door.

He hesitated for just a moment before stepping inside. He kicked his boots off along with you, watching as you tucked both of them away in the corner. You went to your bedroom to change into something comfortable ― settling on some pajama pants and an oversized sweater. When you walked back out, Taehyung was sitting at your desk looking at your computer.

"What's this?" he gestured to your setup with your camera.

"It's where I record the logs needed to send back to Earth," you explained, "I update my superiors every week on things that are happening. When I learn something new about the culture or something interesting happens."

"Interesting," he muttered, sitting there for a moment before standing up and navigated over to your couch.

You dropped into the seat beside him and molded yourself against his side. He wrapped his arm around you and pressed a kiss against the top of your head. The silence was comfortable and you rested your head on his chest ― listening to his heartbeat.

"Hey Tae?" he hummed, looking down at you when you looked up at him, "Can I have a kiss?"

His gaze softened and he quickly leaned down to press his lips against yours. He went to pull away but you followed him, pulling him into a deep kiss making him moan. Swinging your leg over his lap, you straddled him boldly. He seemed surprised by it but didn't say anything, just moving his lips against yours.

"Tae," you whispered against his lips, "I want to touch you, please?"

"_____― " he pulled away from the kiss, pushing you back slightly by your shoulders.

"You keep saying I can't handle it, but I can!" you argued, pouting at being pushed back.

"I don't want to hurt you, _____," his brows came together in a deep furrow, "It wasn't just talk when I said you couldn't handle it. It's too much, you're too...small."

"It turns you on though doesn't it?" you teased, noticing how he was growing hard beneath you, "Can't we at least try, Tae?"

"I-I..." his head fell back when you ground against him, "Fuck, we can try."

You held in a squeal of joy when he scooped you up in his arms and carried you to the bedroom. He dropped you on the bed and stripped his shirt off.

It was the first time seeing him naked and you sat up to admire his body. He was fit, as you expected. His stomach was flat with a small trail of hair leading beneath his jeans. On his shoulders were patches embedded in his skin that reflected off the dim light of your bedroom.

"What..." you sat up on your knees, brushing your fingers over them. It felt like normal skin, and you hummed in wonder.

"They're...light-sensitive patches that we just...never evolved out of," he explained, "They were useful for survival when we dominated the deserts. Now they're just...here."

"Interesting," you muttered, trailing your hand down his chest and stomach to the button on his jeans.

Before you could flick it open, however, he grabbed your wrist and pinned you back to the bed. His gaze was dark, making you shiver underneath it. He smelled wonderful and you reached up with your free hand to brush his bangs out of his eyes.

"You've got another thing coming if you think you'll get anywhere near my cock before I think you're good and ready, little one," he growled, making your thighs clench at the sound.

You whined when he rushed to discard your clothes, not wasting a single second in getting you bare for him. He palmed himself through his jeans as he looked down at you, licking his lips.

"So pretty," he whispered, smoothing his hand down your body. Smirking, he pinched one of your nipples to hear the way you whined, "Spread your legs for me."

You hurriedly did as you were told, shame and inhibitions thrown out the window. You felt nervous under his gaze but with every compliment and soft touch ― you began to feel better. Mouth falling open, you gasped when his fingertips brushed against your folds.

"You're so wet," he mumbled, more to himself, "Are you always so wet, baby?"

"Y-You're the only one ― "

"I know that but when you touch yourself, pretty baby," he glanced up when you tensed, "I know you do. Tell me do you get this wet?"

"O-Only when I think of you," you admitted before you could think twice about it. You felt your cheeks burn at your own admission but Taehyung cursed and grunted as he squeezed his cock.

"You're such a good girl," he praised, fingertips trailing up your body again. Goosebumps ignited across your skin and you arched your back to get more of the feeling of his touch.

His fingers eagerly dipped back between your thighs to find your entrance. You whimpered when he immediately slipped a single digit inside. It felt nice but unfulfilling.

He pulled his finger out and circled it over your clit ― using your own juices to lubricate the movement. You hummed, eyes fluttering as he circled the bud several times. When your thighs began to tense, he pushed his finger back inside.

He continued the teasing until you were whining beneath him. Suddenly he pressed his thumb against the bud, circling and pressing against it relentlessly.

"I'm gonna cum!" you warned, your eyes squeezing shut.

"Go ahead, pretty baby," he urged, not pausing in his torture of your clit.

You came quickly, arching and trembling on the bed. Your cunt was empty, gushing and clenching around nothing. His touches on your clit slowed until they stopped all together.

You figured he'd give you a moment to recover but, he was suddenly sliding two fingers inside you. You were so wet from your orgasm, your cum slicking down his fingers and onto the bed. You sobbed, grinding your hips into his touch. He didn't try touching your clit or your spot, showing that much mercy. Instead, he leaned down to envelop a perked nipple in his mouth while he scissored his fingers, stretching you a bit more.

You hummed, cupping the back of his head to keep him in place. He didn't seem to mind, beginning to fuck his two fingers into you faster.

"A-Another, please," you requested, whimpered when he immediately did so.

There was a slight, tiny burn that immediately gave way to pleasure. His palm pressed against your clit ― still so sensitive that it made you tremble. As he fucked you with his fingers, he switched to give your other breast attention.

Your hips jerked with his every movement, following the pace he'd set. Every time he brushed your g-spot and you whined, he would laugh.

He took so much enjoyment in your pleasure it was almost baffling. You were always sure that men would be selfish and unsatisfying in bed but Taehyung was nothing but attentive.

Perhaps he was right; he was better than any human man.

"Cum again for me," he purred, swiping his tongue along your chest before meeting your neck.

The feeling of his fingers and teeth on your neck had you inching closer to the edge of the abyss.

"T-Tae, please," you whined, grinding your hips down, "T-Touch me, please."

He hummed, moving his thumb to press against your clit. The simple touch set you off and you were coming once again beneath him. Your body was on fire, sweat sticking to you and making you pant. It crested beautifully and faded out into trembles and whines.

He didn't remove his fingers, instead beginning to nudge a fourth into you ― his pinky finger. His eyes met yours, keeping his eyes on your face as he stretched you further than he had before. The width of his hand was bordering on painful but you found it highly enjoyable. His thumb continued to circle your clit even as you sobbed in overstimulation. Your spasming walls eagerly accepted the new stretch and you found yourself relaxing into it.

He was quickly going to send you to another orgasm but before you could fall off the edge again, he removed his thumb. You whined, grinding your hips to chase the feeling. His eyes drifted down to where his fingers were buried into you, smoothing two of his fingers from his free hand over your folds.

"Stretched so wide," he muttered, scooping up some of your cum on the digits and popping them in his mouth. Your walls squeezed his fingers in response to his display.

He suddenly pulled his fingers out and you cried out at being empty so fast. Your walls weren't able to close properly and you closed your thighs at the feeling.

Instead of stopping you, Taehyung stepped off the bed. Your mouth went dry when he unbuttoned his jeans and began to shuffle them down his thighs.

You realized he wasn't wearing underwear when his cock popped free ― flushed incredibly red at the head and leaking precum down the shaft. He visibly shuddered when his cock was free from its confines and he quickly wrapped his hand around himself ― giving himself a few good squeezes.

He was just as big as you thought. His fingers didn't meet when wrapped around the girth. He was wider than his four fingers and so long that you found yourself whimpering at the thought of him drilling into you that deep.

"You still think you can take me, little one?" he asked, crawling on the bed to kneel in front of you still clenched thighs.

"Y-Yeah...want it," you let your legs fall open, showing him your flushed and swollen cunt.

Her cursed, tapping the fat head of his cock against your cunt. You whimpered when you saw just how big it was compared to your own pussy. He was surely going to rip you in half but damn if you wouldn't enjoy every second.

His precum mixed with your cum as he slid his shaft between your folds, getting the underside of him nice and wet. You whimpered, feeling him grinding against your clit bringing you close to the orgasm you'd been denied.

Before you could fall into it, he positioned his tip at your entrance. Prodding ever so slightly, he sighed at the feeling of your heat against him. You spread your legs wider for him as he began to press inside.

You cried out, clutching the sheets beneath you as he stretched you wide open. The head of him was so thick, bordering on painful. You reached out to stop him from going any further, gritting your teeth at the feeling.

"You're okay," he whispered, shifting back so he pulled out of you.

You breathed heavily, relaxing once more as he circled your clit with his thumb. As your eyes fluttered, he began to press back inside. You whined as he pushed past what he had been, thumb not letting up on your clit. You walls spasmed around him, making him groan as you began to tremble.

The head of him popped inside and you cried out as you were sent over the edge. Taehyung's body fell over yours, catching himself on his hands beside your head. You sobbed, tears filling your eyes at the pleasure of being stretched as you were.

Taehyung's mouth fell open as he felt you cum around the head of his cock. When you calmed down to just little sniffles and whimpers, he leaned down to press his lips against your neck.

"You okay, baby?" he whispered. You nodded, reaching up to cup his cheeks and pull him into a soft kiss.

He took that as his cue to sink further into you. The flare on the head of his cock was the thickest part of him and it felt much easier for the rest of him to slide in. He nudged your cervix and when you flinched at the pain, he pulled back slightly.

"Look at that," he chuckled looking between your bodies. Following his gaze, your eyes widened, "You can't even fit all of me inside you, little one."

He was right, you'd only managed to fit half his cock inside you. Your walls clenched around him at that.

"Feels so good, Tae," you whispered, feeling his cock twitch against your walls.

He grinned, moving his hips gently, sinking in as far as he comfortably could before pulling back out. Although he wasn't able to fit in you completely, he still found himself groaning against you

"Such a tight little cunt," he growled, nipping at your jaw, "Took me so well, like a good girl."

You began to grind your hips up as he sunk into you and he growled. Sitting back on his heels, he soothed his hand over your body to soothe you.

You cursed loudly when he snapped his hips much harder into you ― testing how much you could take. When you gushed and spasmed around him, he took that as a sign to keep going. You moaned so beautifully for him, body reacting like a dream to his every touch and movement.

Cunt stretched wide and stuffed full of cock, you couldn't even think of anything else. You felt drunk, dizzy and lightheaded. Taehyung cooed when you slurred out his name, swiping his thumb over your bottom lip to collect some drool there.

"You're so cute," he grinned, breaking out into a moan when you clenched him tight, "All you can think about is my cock, huh?"

"'S so good..." you whispered, the words coming out almost breathlessly.

"I know, baby," he replied, licking his lips as he moved to his cock pounding you open wider than you should have been able to take, "You're gushing and squeezing me so nice. Are you gonna cum? Can you cum for me?"

You swallowed and nodded, whining when he hit your cervix. It hurt but it blended in with the pleasure. Mindlessly, you reached down to find your clit ― intent on sending yourself over the edge.

"No, no baby," he cooed, brushing your fingers away, "You'll cum without touching your pretty clit, yeah?"

"C-Can't," you sobbed, tears leaking out of the corner of your eyes.

"I think you can," he muttered, smoothing his hand over your lower stomach. "Fuck, look at that, babygirl."

You lazily followed his gaze to where his hand laid. Your cunt clenched at the sight of your stomach bulging every time he sunk in ― his cock literally molding you around it. You gasped, your high bubbling in your stomach.

"Wanna cum!" you cried, attempting to reach down and circle your clit again only to be stopped once more.

"I said no, little one," he snapped, pinning your hands above your head as he loomed above you, "You can do it. Cum for me."

Your body went still, focusing on the feeling of his cock filling you and stretching you. His cock was so big that he didn't even have to try to reach any good spots within you.

Astoundingly, you shrieked as your orgasm finally washed over you. Taehyung cursed in your ear, fucking you ruthlessly through the high. Distantly, you felt wetness splatter between your thighs and coat both of you. You chanted his name as you squirmed and writhed at the overwhelming pleasure.

"Shit, I'm― " Taehyung's warning was cut off by a groan.

His weight fell on you fully and he hid his face in your neck as he came. You hugged him against you, still trembling as he pumped his hot cum into you. There was so much, his cock keeping his cum plugged inside you. You gasped and twitched as you felt your stomach bloat over so slightly. You walls clenched around him, the idea of him filling you so much sending you into another quiet orgasm.

It was less spectacular than the others, but still left you gasping of air. Taehyung groaned in your ear as he felt you cum around his sensitive cock once again ― forcing a couple more spurts out of him to add.

It seemed like forever until his body finally relaxed. He continued to hold you, pressing kisses against any place he possibly could.

"That was...nice..." you muttered, making him laugh as he rolled off of you.

Your mouth fell open as he pulled his cock out ― it ached, there was no denying it. There was a gush of his cum, so much of it that it formed of pool beneath you. Your cheeks felt hot as Taehyung watched his cum pour out of your abused hole.

"Who knew my little human girl could take so much?" he teased, enjoyed the way you squirmed in embarrassment, "Want to take a shower?"

"Only if you will with me," you offered with a tired voice, watching his face morph into an expression of confusion.

"Is that some type of human thing?" he asked, sitting up and stretching his muscles.

"Apparently so," you whispered.

"Hey..." he paused from getting off of the bed. "You...you'll be here a while, right?"

"What do you mean?" you asked, clenching your thighs shut as you felt your core begin to burn and ache as you came back to yourself.

"Like...you won't have to go back to Earth any time, right?" his voice sounded small, almost fragile.

"I'll stay as long as I want to," you reassured, leaning over to kiss him but freezing before you could.

"What is it?" he asked, frowning.

"I'm just really fucking sore," you mumbled, flushing when he burst out laughing.

"Ah, my cute little human," he cooed, kissing your nose.

[twistedtummies2]

Birthday Belly (LeonaXReader)

I wrote this yesterday for my own birthday. I didn’t really go into this with much of a plan, this story is 99% just me freestyling and whipping out some self-indulgent nonsense involving Leona Kingscholar and his appetite. It came out to about 4000 words, which is relatively short for MY stories on here. XD Hopefully you all will enjoy it.

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Living at the Ramshackle Dorm had, you thought, left you almost impervious to surprises. The 999 Happy Haunts who inhabited the old manor house had tried nearly every trick up their capes to spook you and shock you, and after dealing with so many dark mages for so long – facing demigods and fairy princes along the way – you didn’t think much could startle you. Today, you were going to be proven wrong. You sighed with some relief, removing your obligatory birthday sash and letting it drape over the arm-rest of the sofa as he leaned back and closed your eyes. Back in your homeworld, you had never really been much of a party person. You had never much cared for crowds, even among people you knew well; part of the joy of being one of only two (living) beings who called Ravenswood Manor home was that you were able to find privacy and peace fairly easily. However, despite not being a mage, and despite being so lonely there, your friends and the school itself had gone to a great deal of trouble to provide you with a party. You smiled wearily as you eyed the streamers and other decorations strung about your ground floor rooms. A huge banner reading “Happy Birthday…!” and followed by your name was hung over the fireplace, and piled up next to the spot where you’d installed your television and other such things was a stack of presents you had gotten from all your friends.

Ace had given you a set of playing cards and poker chips, winking as he promised to give you a chance to put them to use. Deuce, meanwhile, had been much more sensible, purchasing some cooking apparel he knew you could put to good use. Riddle Rosehearts, meanwhile, brought you some cherry tarts he and Trey had made together. Cater Diamond also appeared, and had bought a new external drive for your laptop computer. “I would have gotten you a new phone,” Cater had smiled. “But I didn’t think you needed one. Speaking of, BIRTHDAY SELFIE! COME ON OVER HERE…!” Idia hadn’t stayed for the party, but his brother Ortho had been happy to pop in. The two had pitched their cash together to buy you a new game system, along with a new game to play on it. Idia had personally sent a birthday card, as well; according to Ortho, his hands had been shaking so much trying to figure out what to write in it, he thought his brother’s fingers might fall off. All Idia had written in the card was, “Have a nice day,” probably because he had freaked out at the thought of saying anything else. Poor dear. Somebody – you weren’t sure who – had very, VERY wisely remembered to invite Malleus Draconia, who came with Silver. Silver spent most of the party sleeping, but Malleus had been kind enough to bestow a gift of his own, in the form of a leatherbound edition of The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe. Naturally, Kalim had shown up, tugging Jamil along behind him. Each had a different gift to give: Kalim had brought a VERY expensive looking carpet, done in the ornate styling of his homeland. “It’s been in my family for…um…uh…” he had paused to try and count the years on his fingers…and eventually ran out of fingers AND toes to count on. “…A very, very long time! Like…SUPER long! I thought it might look nice in your bedroom or the ballroom or something! It’s, uh…it’s not too much, is it?” Gods bless that Baby Otter. He needed so many hugs. Jamil’s gift had been much more reserved: a mancala game box, which he had presented all while trying not to blush under his black hood. Vil had stopped by for a short while; he’d only stayed briefly, claiming the “decadent atmosphere of your gloomy domicile” would mess up his hairdo. (Go figure.) However, he had kindly brought you a gift in the form of custom-made suit of clothes he had ordered from his own personal tailor: some of the finest and most formal wear you had ever seen in your life. “Now you can actually look halfway presentable, instead of resembling a half-baked potato, next time there’s a big event,” he had smiled, as if he had been doing you a tremendous favor. Well. With clothes like this, you weren’t going to argue or complain. Azul had stopped for a brief “hello and goodbye” visit; he actually wanted to stay longer – Floyd, who had been with him, seemed particularly sad he couldn’t stay and squeeze his favorite “Little Shrimp” half to death all afternoon and evening…and in his case, that phrase was probably literal – but the Mostro Lounge was open that day, and he didn’t want to leave Jade in charge of things alone for TOO long at the office. The octopus man had brought you a bracelet covered in small seashells: simple, but surprisingly sweeter than you had expected. Floyd, meanwhile…he just hugged you. “What’s a better present for Shrimpy than a nice, tight SQUEEZE from their bestest, most favorite eel-person…riiiiiiight?” The safety of your spine and lungs demanded you agree and hug Floyd back. Ruggie and Jack had been among the first to show up. The latter had brought a hastily-wrapped DVD: a movie entitled “The Wolf of Pumpkin Hollow.” “I didn’t get this because I actually care,” he had clarified, looking everywhere but at your face and scratching the back of his white-eared head. “Just…everyone else would have thought it was rude if I didn’t get you something. Not that it matters what they think! Just…didn’t want to have to put up with it.” He was such a puppy. He truly was. Not only was Ruggie one of the first to arrive, he turned out to be THE first to give you your gift: a box of doughnuts. All glazed. “My grandma used to tell me: ‘Ruggie, get people the same kinds of gifts you’d want them to get you.’ Well, I can’t think of much I want more than doughnuts!” he sang out with an innocent smile. “You just wanted to have some to eat yourself, didn’t you?” you couldn’t help but smirk. Ruggie had gasped, seemingly offended…only to eventually ask if he could have some. The four remaining doughnuts – which you had to sneak away while the hyena wasn’t looking – were now on a plate in your fridge. You’d eat them later. Others had come and gone throughout the day; none of them had gifts to bring, but they had been happy to pop in, give well-wishes, and enjoy the party for a while. Now, however, all the guests were gone; even Grim had left, as you had asked him for some alone time that night. He and the gang from Heartslabyul were going to have a sleepover as a result. Despite the smile on your face as you looked over at your gifts, there was a hint of sadness to your expression. The one person whose presence you’d been looking forward to most hadn’t come. You’d asked his dorm-mates if they knew where he was or what he was doing, but none of them told you. Most of them very clearly had no clue…except for Ruggie. You got the feeling he DID know, he just wasn’t telling. Honestly, that didn’t settle your mind much. Your smile faded completely, and you closed your eyes once more, sighing through your nose…this time with a hint of despondency. Had he forgotten it was your birthday? Was he with somebody else right now? Maybe he was sleeping somewhere, like the big, lazy kit he was…some part of you – you couldn’t tell what part – kind of hoped that was all it was. He probably wasn’t hurt or sick…if he had been you’d think Ruggie would have told you… You glanced out the window. Evening was turning into night. You huffed softly through your nostrils, and stretched a bit where you sat. The party had worn you out more than you thought. You shook your head to clear it of your more perturbing thoughts, and began to wonder if you should just get to bed early tonight… A knock came at the door, jolting you to a more attentive state. You stood up from the ouch and headed out through the hall to the foyer. You wondered who it was…had one of the guests left something behind? As you approached the door, you adjusted your pristine white suit – another obligatory item for those celebrating a birthday at Night Raven College – which must have made whoever was on the other side impatient: they knocked again. “One moment, I’m here!” you called out, and opened the door. “Who’s-?” You froze, the word “there” dying before it ever reached your larynx. The first thing your eyes took in was the familiar, dimly-glowing pair of green ones staring back at you, as well as the dark mane and leonine ears and tail that accompanied their owner. A scar was slashed across one of the two eyes. The second thing – and the one that truly made you freeze – was the ENORMOUS, bare belly that was only inches away from you. The skin was tanned and smooth and supple-looking, the organ swollen to the size of a large watermelon, and only slightly less taut. The navel looked like the center of a maelstrom, drawing your attention towards that bloated gut as it let out a deep, burbling rumble…just before a black-clad hand slapped over it, hiding it from sight. At the same time, another hand suddenly scooped itself under your chin…and you found your head being tilted up, your eyes now locking on a pair of perfect-looking, velvety lips…which then parted to reveal a gaping, red mouth, dripping with saliva and framed by two rows of pointed, pearly fangs. You barely had time to take in the view of this glistening, slimy orifice…before your ears rang and your nose crinkled as two words were burped up. Right in your face. “HAAAAPPY…BUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP-DAY!” The belch was followed by a light sigh and a chuckle as Leona Kingscholar patted his stomach proudly. It jiggled at his touch. He smirked as he took in your expression: a loopy, flushed look was on your face. You were swaying so much that if he removed his hand from under your chin at that moment, you might have just toppled over. “Hm-hm-hmmm…did you like that?” he purred, smoothly. You nodded dumbly, still smiling a loopy, dazed smile as the sound reverberated in your ears, and your nose tingled from the lingering odor of the lion’s gut gas: a strong, heady, meaty smell that twined through the pockets of your gray matter, practically putting you in a trance for several long seconds. Finally, you found your voice. “…Where have you been?” “Preparing your present,” Leona said, as if that should have been obvious, and gently nudged you back as he entered the house and swaggered past you. With every step, his hips swung, and you found your blush seemed to be permanent as you watched them rock and sway as he strutted towards the living room. You followed him as if a leash had been tied ‘round your neck, and watched as he flopped onto your couch, gut sloshing with every little motion of his form. He was dressed in his usual clothes, but his gut was so massive it caused his mustard-colored shirt to ride up, exposing his belly to the world. The lion demi growled as he reached down; his waistband was still buttoned up, and clearly it was causing him discomfort. His fingers fumbled for the belt buckle…and he frowned as he couldn’t quite get it to cooperate. “Tch. Figures,” he grumbled. “After that entrance…pain in my ass…” The familiar phrase snapped you out of your stupor, and you chuckled, rolling your eyes. You sat down next to your princely boyfriend, and shooed his hands away. He frowned, growling indignantly, but allowed you to fiddle with his buckle, and finally managed to work it off… POPK! ZZZRRRIIIP! GUHBLORLSH! Leona let out a sound between a sigh and a grunt as – the moment the buckle was released – his trouser button gave up the ghost, popping open as the zipper flew down, the sheer weight and pressure of his belly forcing them open. He sighed as his belly poured into his lap like a mass of mocha-colored dough, wobbling as it noisily burbled. “UUUUUUUURRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAARRRRRRRP!” he belted out. “Oof…that felt good…” You blushed bright red, helpless to do anything but nod; you were already starting to tremble at so many…APPEALING things happening all at once. Leona smirked anew as he noticed your expression, leaning back a little further against the sofa cushions as his scarred eye flashed with a superior gleam. “You didn’t think I forgot, did you?” “How much did you eat?” you asked, marveling at the size of his belly as you fingers fidgeted and twitched, looking for something to do. You suddenly felt a little parched… “Mmmmm…not enough,” Leona growled, and grinned wider, revealing his pointed teeth. “I could fit more in there, I’m sure…” He licked his lips in a sultry, almost inviting way. You couldn’t keep yourself from letting out a shaky, shuddering sound as you shivered, a mixture of warmth and cold flickering across your spine. Leona chuckled – his gut bounced with his mirth, and tilted his head back with a sigh. “Ahhhhhh…went to my favorite buffet and helped myself,” he elaborated as he gave his belly a few hearty slaps. “Pure meat, every ounce.” You nodded slowly, dumbly. Leona snorted through his nose, raising an eyebrow as he saw you openly ogle his stomach. “Hmph. Are you just gonna stare at it all night, Herbivore?” he grunted. He waited till you looked up at him before going on: “Go ahead. It’s not gonna rub itself.” Your heartbeat quickened and you smiled widely. Leona grimaced and snarled. “Oi…just rub, don’t gimme those eyes…you look like that brat back home…” You chuckled – it was hard not to giggle, honestly – and gratefully helped yourself to your “present.” Your hands quickly fell over Leona’s bloated gut as he stretched his arms over the back of the couch. You scooted closer, and quivered at the intense warmth of the half-lion’s greedy, globular gut. Your palms and fingers began to lightly run across his girth, stroking his belly, just to get a feel of the texture and temperature. His flesh was silky-smooth, making it so hard to resist just pressing your face against it and nuzzling into his belly… You did resist though. At least for the moment. Instead, your fingers began to knead and massage the belly of your beau, pressing down onto the thick soup you could feel churning away inside his bowels. You prodded experimentally, almost as if trying to distinguish each bit of food from the next…but there was no way you could. Whatever Leona had gobbled up was now little more than a uniform mush being swirled about by his strong stomach muscles. His insides warbled and rumbled, as if in response to your ministrations. Leona sighed, closing his eyes and savoring the way you massaged his distended tanker. In truth, the lazy lion didn’t need much of an excuse to stuff himself…but you didn’t care that much. Whether he did this for himself, or for you, as he claimed, the end result was the same. “Mmmmm…that’s it…keep it up,” he mumbled. “Wasn’t planning on stopping,” you said, more to yourself than him, but he snickered anyway. “Heh heh…good. Prey like you should be happy to have a chance like this,” he said, and playfully patted your cheek, causing your blush to intensify. A spike of ego shot up in you, and you purposefully pressed down harder against his stomach. It let out a HUMONGOUS groan, and Leona’s eyes widened and his cheeks ballooned…before he let out another sloppy, rumbling belch. “BUUUUUUUHHHHHHHUUUUUUUURRRRRRLLLLLLLUUUUUUP! Haaah…oi. Not so rough,” he growled, narrowing his eyes at you, tail lashing and thumping against the sofa cushions. “Sorry,” you smiled innocently. “You had so much hot air in there, it clearly had to be let out.” Leona’s eyes narrowed further. “I could turn you into dust right here and right now,” he said, warningly. “I guess you could,” you said, smoothly, and then traced a finger around the rim of his deep, dark trench of a navel. The effect was instantaneous. Leona tensed up for a second, inhaling sharply through his teeth…then sighed and relaxed, all but melting into his seat, eyes fluttering closed again as he purred louder than ever. You smirked triumphantly, as you stuck your finger into his navel and wiggled it around a bit. “Still want to turn me into dust?” you teased. Leona could only moan. He moaned even louder as you cupped one hand on the underside of his belly: the softest, warmest, most sensitive portion of his abdomen. You gently rubbed your hand against them, and traced your fingers over his sides. You could hear his toes curl in his boots; his tail you could SEE curl into a spiral shape as he bit his lip with pleasure. “I’ll take that as a no,” you observed, a dreamy sort of sigh upon your lips as you were honestly enjoying this just as much as he was, a fact you made clear you when you half-consciously murmured: “You’re so SOFT…” “Mmmm…I’ll be softer once it’s all digested,” Leona mumbled. “Vargas is probably gonna complain…think he’d pester me about that stuff if I ate ‘im?” “I think if you ate Coach Vargas, you’d just get a bellyache,” you said, not wanting to add that someone as egotistical as Leona eating someone as showboating as Vargas probably meant all the weight would to his head… …Cracks like that weren’t funny, and could get you bitten. The second part you didn’t mind as much as one might think, to be fair. …You really needed to see a shrink… Leona just scoffed, unaware of your thoughts as you continued to rub and massage his belly. You gave the side of his belly a few hearty thumps, watching the way his belly shifted and jiggled like a water balloon. His stomach groaned and churned rhythmically, squelches and squeals of liquid being compressed and stirred echoing just beneath the luscious skin of the half-lion prince. It sounded like a huge vat of semi-solid mash being pumped and processed in a factory…a sound some might have considered nauseating, but you just bit your lip, rubbing and kneading more vigorously as you heard pockets of gas being released. As you kneaded and pressed down, Leona would BELCH and BURP periodically. Each was short and low, which only made you rub his gut more vigorously. He gave you a bored sort of look as he realized what you were doing. “Didn’t get enough to drink at your party, did you, you thirsty little Herbivore?” “Not even close,” you responded, without skipping a beat. Leona rolled his eyes, and held up a finger in a “one moment” gesture. He then curled that same finger down, balling that hand into a fist…and pumped his fist against his chest once, twice, thrice…before unleashing a true wall-rattler, which flapped his lips and made him go crosseyed. “GYYYYUUUUUHHHHHEEEEERRRRRWWWOOOOAAAAARRRRRIIIIIPLK!” Leona sighed as the eruption came to an end, and snorted as you squeaked at the sound. “Happy now?” he drawled boredly. “Very,” you peeped, patting his belly thankfully. Leona rolled his eyes as he scratched the side of his gut with his leather-tipped fingers, making it slosh under your palm. You quivered. His lips quirked. “Tch. You’re such a snack,” he muttered. “It’s amazing nobody’s already gobbled you up…” “Just lucky so far, I guess,” you shrugged, and scratched his belly with your own fingers. Leona let out a non-committal rumble…then smirked a bit. “We could fix that, you know,” he purred in a slippery, sly way. You froze, and looked up at him slowly, a little confused and slightly apprehensive. Leona smiled back, eyes half-lidded; the dominant, powerful, but affectionately amused smile that always left you shivering for all the right reasons. Then, one of his his hands lifted, and cupped your cheek. He brushed a thumb against it, and you smiled gently back… …Just before that same hand slid forward, and wrapped around the back of your head. “Here,” he growled, commandingly, as he began to force you downwards. “Listen. Feel.” You didn’t have much choice, and it wasn’t as if you would disobey if you could. You surrendered easily as he eased you down against his belly, pressing your head down and holding it firmly, curling his hand so one of your was right above his navel. You felt your chest flutter as the warmth of his body was now right up against your face, and the deep, thick GRRRROOOOLLLLLLG sounds of his ever-hungry belly echoed in your ear like rolling thunder. You stayed perfectly still; time and place seemed to fade into nothingness. All that mattered was the moment: you were hypnotized by his belly, barely conscious of anything. He started speaking, but it took you a few seconds to realize what he was even saying. “…I’d you’d like it, huh?” were the first words you made out, followed by still more: “I could swallow you alive, Herbivore. You’d slither right down my throat, curl up in my stomach…and never come out. I’d just fall asleep, and let you stay there. It wouldn’t have to hurt: one big burp, and your air would be history. Then, you’d go straight to my hips…my thighs…my ass…even my belly. Every part of me you love most.” He paused, purring as his stomach let out a greedy, longing rumble. “How does that sound for your birthday, Herbivore?” he crooned. “How would you like to spend your birthday – your LAST birthday – turning into more of the body you’re so in love with. To be the snack you’re supposed to be. To spend the rest of eternity as just a part of me.” None of these were spoken as questions. You shivered and let out a whimpering sound – not necessarily one of fear, either – as you heard him lick and smack his lips. He leaned down and sniffed at you, purring in the back of his throat. “Mmmmmmm…I could make that happen. Right here. Right now.” You bit your lip; as his stomach rumbled, you closed your eyes. You could picture yourself inside of there…partially submerged in acid and bubbling goo…embraced on every side by his powerful muscles…hearing him belch with satisfaction above and around you…rubbing over you as you were steadily digestedinside of him… You took longer than most people probably would before speaking. “I know you could,” you said, very softly, then added, “Maybe someday you will.” Leona blinked…then puffed with amusement, his smile growing slightly more affectionate as he ran his fingers through your hair the way a cat might. “Not ready to make this birthday your last, huh?” You opened one eye and carefully shook your head. “If it means next year I could get one as good as this, or better, definitely not,” you responded, without skipping a beat. Leona clucked his tongue, and removed his hand, letting it rest against the back of the sofa. He chuffed as your remained where you were, despite no longer being forced down. “Kinky little morsel,” he mumbled. “Guilty,” you responded in a slightly muffled voice as you freely nuzzled his abdomen, smirking as he purred anew, clearly enjoying it. Leona chuckled, and nudged you, indicating he wanted you to look up at him again. You did…and watched as his cheeks ballooned with gas as he caught a particularly low, gassy burp in his mouth… “HHHHRRRRMMMMLLLLRRRRPH…phoosh.” …Before blowing the residual fumes into your face, almost like a kiss. You nearly fainted dead away. Leona grinned. “Good?” was all he said. “Marry me now.” Leona barked out a laugh and gave your hair a ruffling, then shut his eyes and reclined peacefully once more. “Get back to rubbing, meat,” he growled. “Or I might just swallow you whether you want it or not. Don’t let your gift go to waste.” You smiled and eagerly got back to work, kissing and nuzzling and rubbing his belly worshipfully, without any sign of restraint. Leona’s purring heightened as you pampered his plumpened middle. “Mmmmm…happy birthday, Herbivore,” he growled. “Maybe next year, I’ll add you to my hips…” At the rate things were going…that was starting to sound like a promise more than anything else. If so…you could hardly wait till next year.

 The End

[preciousthingsareprecious]

Around the Carousel

Catch me joining Damian Wayne Week after it started with some impulse fics. This is for day 2 (I almost made it to actually posting on the 14th my time). I selected the: Undercover prompt.

Summary: Bruce and Damian go undercover at a school fair. They're supposed to be investigating, instead they stop to enjoy themselves.

AO3 Link

~

Bruce tucked his hands into his pockets and smiled down at Damian as the boy adjusted his hat. It was the third time he’d done it in ten minutes as the wind kept pulling at it, trying to tease it off his head.

It was a windy night for them to be out. A steady breeze blew through fair stalls, kicking up banners and tablecloths, and threatening to blow papers and smaller items off of tables. It cut the late Spring heat in a nice way, making the night mild and perfect for a school fair. Which, was exactly where they were at.

“If you’d like, I can carry that for you.” Bruce said.

Damian dropped his hands and looked up at Bruce, “I am fine, Fa--Uncle Matches. It is not bothering me.”

“Alright, whatever you say, kiddo.” Bruce smiled, “You wanna adjust those glasses while you’re at it?”

His son frowned, his nose wrinkling, and sending the glasses sliding a little further down it. It was unreasonably cute. Bruce held up his phone and snapped a photo of his son. The flash went off and when Bruce dropped his phone Damian was looking surprised.

“For posterity's sake.” Bruce explained, examining the picture, it had caught Damian’s expression perfectly.

He attached it to a text and sent it to Dick, anticipating a response of jealousy from his eldest. Dick was in Bludhaven, working his own case, and had to bow out of joining the Matches boys as they went undercover.

“Uncle Matches, are you planning to spend all night looking at your phone or are we to explore the fair? You promised to examine my entry for the art exhibit.”

How Damian had managed to get a piece in an art exhibit at a school he didn’t even attend Bruce was still figuring out. Apparently he’d had Oracle hack into the system and create a profile and enrollment information for one Matthew “Matches” Malone. Damian’s art was set up under the moniker Lil’ Matches, and even thinking about it made Bruce smile.

“Of course, lead the way.”

Damian nodded, the action shaking his glasses loose again. Bruce bit back a smile. It was Damian who’d insisted on going the Clark Kent route with glasses and selecting clear ones to help obscure their identities, instead of the normal shades that paired with the Matches persona. It would be hard to defend sunglasses at a fair that took place mostly after dark.

It had been a good call, so far no one had recognized them in their suits and glasses, and they’d been able to enter the fair and purchase game tickets with ease.

His kid adjusted the glasses again, turned on his heel and began to lead Bruce. He followed at a leisurely pace, enjoying the lights strung across stalls, the smell of food frying, and the calls of students manning games and trying to get them to use their tickets to purchase sketches or experiences.

“I believe our target is one of the art students. Most have been asked to spend time by their pieces at the exhibit.” Damian explained as he walked.

“What time is their slot?” Bruce asked, eyes catching on a bottle toss game.

“He should arrive in approximately an hour.”

“An hour you say?” Bruce hooked an arm around Damian’s shoulders and spun him back towards the bottle toss, “Then why don’t we spend some time enjoying the fair, my dear nephew?”

Damian stopped and looked up at him with open surprise, “But we are on a case?”

“At a school fair. The likes of which I don’t think you’ve ever properly attended. Didn’t the one at your school get interrupted?”

“No.”

Bruce frowned, “You didn’t go, I remember that. What happened?”

His son looked down at the ground, fascinated by the way dust coated his shoe, “There was a Scarecrow attack the night prior. I--was incapacitated by it.”

He remembered now. Damian had taken a dose of toxin for Tim when his brother’s mask had cracked. Both of them had been down for a while, but Damian had been exposed longer than Tim by the time Batman and Spoiler had arrived. He’d been shaky and sick for days after.

Bruce squeezed Damian’s shoulder, “All the more reason to enjoy this one.”

He tried not to think about how Dick would have remembered right away and not pushed the subject, or how even if he had fallen in this pit he’d have figured out how to cheer Damian right away, “We can afford some distraction, you don’t want to be bored for an hour do you?”

Damian hummed, and glanced up, “I would not be opposed to trying a game or two.”

“Perfect, let’s start with the ring toss.” Bruce smiled.

They traded in some tickets for both of them to get a chance at the ring toss. The operator pointed at some green rimmed bottles, “Get at least three rings on the green and you’ll win a prize. If both of you get three onto green you can get one of the big ones or two smaller prizes.”

They had four chances each. Bruce glanced at Damian. He was focused, feeling the weight of the rings in his hands, and eyeing the bottles like he was doing the math in his head calculating what it would take to get them perfectly in place.

After a moment Damian tossed the first ring, it caught at the edge of one of the green bottles and slipped off. He frowned at it, nodded, and then tossed his remaining three in quick succession. All three landed around bottles.

Bruce grinned, and looked up to see the surprise on the operator's face. His son was extraordinary, and Bruce loved seeing him show off.

He took his own time tossing his rings, landing three as well, and missing his last. He shrugged, not minding missing one. They still met the requirements for the big prize.

“Well, kiddo, what do you want?” He asked.

Damian looked up at the racks of plushes hanging from the top of the booth, considering. He pointed at two of the smaller ones. One was a dog dressed as Batman, with a little cowl and cape, and the other was a duck wearing a green deerstalker cap, with a small magnifying glass attached to one of its wings.

The operator handed Damian both animals with a smile, “Good choices, looks like you’re a fan of detectives.”

“Yes.” Damian said, “I am, as is my brother. He will enjoy the duck. Thank you for the diverting game, and best of luck with others.”

As they walked away, Damian handed Bruce the duck, “I trust you to keep an eye on this.” he said, “If you lose it Timothy will be terribly disappointed. I cannot miss bringing him a souvenir twice in a row.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow at him, “It’s not for Dick?”

“Tt, I would have selected a different animal for him, perhaps an elephant or bird.” Damian fiddled with one of the ears of the cowl on his dog, “I promised Timothy a prize if I won one last time, it was supposed to be in exchange for driving Jon and I. Even though the event did not happen, he might still enjoy one from here.”

“I’m sure he will.” Bruce said, resisting the urge to tug Damian into a tight hug, “What would you like to do next? That didn’t take us very long.”

His son looked around the fair, “Perhaps we could try one of the rides? Is there one you particularly enjoy?”

Bruce looked up around them, the fair had a variety of rides. The school had managed to hire a good selection, including a carousel. Bruce pointed at it, they could just see the pointed top from where they were.

“The carousel, you’ll love it.”

This time Bruce led, with Damian close by his side, as they walked, Bruce gave into the desire to reach down and take Damian’s hand in his own. When the boy looked up at him Bruce smiled, “It’s normal for families to do, especially in a busy place like this.”

The crowd wasn’t so thick Bruce was worried about losing Damian, but the move felt natural. He’d held his other children’s hands at events like this before, even Tim’s, though they’d gone well after the boy was the usual age for hand holding when wandering around an event. Damian didn’t seem too upset, in fact he gave Bruce’s hand a squeeze.

“That makes sense. As my Uncle you would be concerned for my safety and wish me to stay close.”

“Of course.” Bruce nodded.

Soon they reached the carousel. Bruce watched Damian with a close eye as they approached. Damian’s face went from cautious and curious, to delighted. There was something about being at the fair and undercover that seemed to let his son react a little more openly than he might if they were somewhere else. Bruce contributed it to the magic of the night.

“It has animals?” he asked, looking up at Bruce.

“Yep, different types. Carousel horses and animals are actually a really unique type of art. There are some horses that have sold for tens of thousands of dollars.” He explained, “And some artists who spend their whole lives making just horses for them.”

Damian’s eyes had gone very wide now, his face open with childlike delight, “And we are allowed to ride them?”

“Most yes, this one probably isn’t as fancy as some, but if you’re interested I’m sure we can visit a few of the more famous ones. I bet Dick’s seen some really cool ones from when he was younger.”

The look on Damian’s face, of excitement and anticipation was enough to melt Bruce’s heart and say yes to anything the kid might ask. Bruce tugged him forward.

“Come on, let’s get in line.”

They didn’t have long to wait, just until the ride stopped and emptied off. From there, they traded in a few more tickets for a chance to ride. Damian wandered the whole of the ride before selecting a white horse with gold trimmings. Bruce took the brown one beside it. They’d taken so long selecting, that almost the moment after they were settled, the ride began to move.

Damian’s laugh when the horse he was on began to rise and fall along with the forward momentum of the carousel was like music. Bruce wanted to take him on every carousel in the world to keep hearing that laugh and seeing that smile.

“May we go again?” Damian asked, the moment the ride stopped.

“Of course.” Bruce told him.

After the second ride, they stepped off and back into the crowd. Bruce checked his watch, they still had some time to spare before they had to be at the art display. He glanced around and caught sight of some food stands.

“Have you had a funnel cake before?” He asked, elbowing Damian.

His son shook his head.

“Then we’re getting one.” Bruce declared, “They’re the perfect mix of fried dough and toppings. We’ve got enough time to enjoy one before getting back on track.”

Damian looked less excited by the prospect of fried dough, but agreed to try it. Soon, the two of them were seated at a picnic table with a funnel cake between them. It was topped with powdered sugar, chocolate, sprinkles, and even some whipped topping. Damian gaped at the concoction, but Bruce passed him a fork with confidence.

“You just have to go at it.” he explained, “Dig in and enjoy.”

His son snorted, “That sounds like something Richard would say.”

Bruce grinned at him, “It should, he told me the very same thing when he introduced me to funnel cakes.”

Together they managed to eat the entire funnel cake. As Bruce set his plastic fork down, he thought finishing it off might have been a mistake even if they weren’t in the middle of an undercover operation. His stomach felt heavy with grease, sugar, and bread.

“That was--a lot.” Damian said, finishing his bottle of water.

“Yes.” Bruce said, wiping at his fake moustache, “It was. But I think we’ll be fine. It’s about time to head over to the exhibit.”

He wanted to get there early enough to see Damian’s piece. The kid had been very secretive of what he’d been working on for it. Taking the project as seriously as he would have as if it were for his own school fair. Bruce wanted to be able to enjoy it before they disrupted everything.

They were here to catch one of the students in the act of trying to blackmail a teacher. Damian had gotten news of it from his friend Collin, letting him know that strange things were going down. After some research, Damian had found some discrepancies in grades with a few of the students, and noted one teacher withdrawing large sums of money on a regular basis. Not enough to make a kid rich, but enough to placate a teen who’d watched too much television.

Damian had brought the case to Bruce, and together they’d worked out that this would be the next best place to find the kid and teacher interacting in a public location. From what Bruce could tell, the teacher hadn’t done anything against his students, instead he seemed to be in the middle of an affair with a seperate teacher. The plan was to bust the student, or at the very least record the exchange and get it in the hands of the administration.

The teacher in question? One of the art instructors.

They tossed their trash into a bin and Bruce let Damian lead him over to where the art exhibit was put up. It was tucked in one of the further corners of the fair, out of the way of chaos, but on a busy enough route that plenty of people were stopping by to look at the art.

“Which one is yours?” Bruce asked.

“Ah, it is this here.” Damian led him to a painting hanging up on a temporary pillar.

It was a painting of the garden outside Wayne manor. Done in bright beautiful colors it looked like you could step right into the painting. Portions of the paint were raised up to create texture and shadows, like the petals on flowers. In one portion, Bruce could see Alfred the cat sleeping in a patch of sun.

“It’s gorgeous.” Bruce said, “the detail is incredible.”

Damian was blushing, “It is nothing, a quick painting.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, I know you were working on this for hours.” Bruce told him, “Do you get to bring it home?”

“Yes.” Damian said, “I was not sure what to do with it.”

“We’ll hang it up, of course. There’s a spot in the library I think will work well. Some greenery in a very brown room.”

At this point, Damian’s ears had gone red, “If you are sure.”

Bruce nodded, “I am.”

They spent a little longer looking at Damian’s painting before they shifted to look at some of the other pieces on display. There were quite a few that were really good, and a number of interesting ones. Some looked as if they had been submitted just for a grade, but all in all it was enjoyable.

Bruce was busy looking over a self portrait when he felt a small sharp elbow jab him in the side. He looked up to see Damian staring at another young man. Probably about sixteen, who’d just walked into the display area.

“That him?” he asked.

Damian nodded, “Let us wait to see if he approaches Mr. Franklin.”

Bruce slipped his phone out of his pocket and played with it, as if he were taking general photos.

“Matches, why don’t you stand by your painting? I want to get a picture of you with it.” he said, affecting a delighted uncle voice, “I’m sure your dad would love to see it.”

They moved over to the painting, and Bruce aimed the phone as he walked. Mr. Franklin was situated just behind the pillar with Damian’s painting on it. He snapped a few pictures of Damian, directing the kid to smile and pose, before slipping the phone’s setting over to video. He shifted slightly so that Franklin was in frame and hit record.

After a moment, the other boy approached him. Bruce inched forward to make sure he could get sound, and glanced over at Damian. The kid was hurrying away, off to find a separate teacher to bring over and hopefully stumble on the blackmail scene.

The exhibit was a good place to meet as Franklin was in charge of it and there wasn’t any reason for other teachers to wander over unless they were just checking things out. Most were too busy for that, with their own booths and class exhibits to care for.

Thankfully, Bruce did catch the conversation clearly from where he was. He hoped that no one would notice he’d stopped recording his kid, and started just recording the area. If he had to, he’d just say it was b-roll for a home video or something.

It wasn’t very long before Damian came back, a teacher at his heels. Bruce shifted the camera subtly back towards Damian’s painting.

“And here is my Uncle Malone. He can vouch for my skills if my piece does not convince you.” Damian was saying.

The teacher opened her mouth to say something, and then suddenly the boy speaking to Mr. Franklin shouted, “This is not what we agreed on!”

“I’m sorry--” she said, “Matches, Mr. Malone I’ll be right back.”

With that, she split from them to intervene on the argument. Bruce stopped his recording, and sent the video to Oracle who was going to forward it to the school.

“Well, that should take care of that.” Bruce said, turning to Damian, “How about we enjoy the rest of the fair? We’ve still got tickets, and there’s some rides we haven’t tried yet.”

Damian nodded, “That sounds acceptable. This fair has been, quite fun. And I am enjoying spending time with you.”

Bruce grinned, and tugged Damian into a hug, “Me too.”

“We should do the carousel again.” Damian said, stepping away to take Bruce’s hand, “And after that there is something that apparently spins you at such a speed you are stuck to the wall.”

“Oh? Well, lead the way, we’ll go until I feel like I’ve had a full patrol.”

Damian grinned at that, and Bruce felt his heart soar. He was going to have to figure out other ways of getting them undercover to things like this. Or just take Damian out to fairs more often as father and son.

[sairenji]

Genshin shenanigans

So, I’m partial f2p in Genshin. I only buy the Welkin Moon and the Battle Pass once a month. I do not whale on banners; I did it once for Xiao’s debut banner...most painful $65 ever spent, never again. 

I skip banners on character I’m not interested in, even if I want the 4*s featured, I hold back...occasionally I’ll do one 10 pull if I’m interested in at least 2 out of the 3 4*s featured. So, I’m pretty good about saving up my primos. 

When Itto’s banner happened (i saved up for months), I hardcore wanted him and his weapon. I pulled on Itto first, naturally, and if I recall correctly, I lost my 50/50 to Diluc (C0). I ended up pulling and within I think 30 pulls I got guaranteed Itto. Yay! Now...I think I was down to maybe 11k primos? I was fighting the mighty urge...to pull on the weapon banner given pity and the system in it is very different from regular character event banner. But I was stubborn and I wasted all of my primos...sorta...I ended up getting Primordial Jade Spear...WHICH WASN’T EVEN THE FEATURED 5* WEAPON. It was Itto’s claymore and some bow, I can’t remember. It wasn’t a total loss, I own Xiao so I slapped that shit on him and I only had to do some minor adjustments to his artifact set. 

I kept pulling for Itto’s weapon until the very last day of the banner...every time i got 160 primos, a new wish...anything! I would keep trying. Needless to say, his weapon did not come home. I think I went up to maybe 70-ish pity. 

Since then, i skipped every banner after Itto until Yae’s and won 50/50 on day 1 of the banner being released. Banner currently has 2 days left, I’ve got roughly 10k primos (and 9 wishes)...I’m itching to make a 10 pull at least. Weapon banner interests me, I wasn’t aiming to get Yae’s catalyst, I kinda just wanted another Stringless and Sacrificial Swords cuz you can never have too many Sacrificial Swords. I did 1 10 pull...fucking Yae’s weapon comes in. What is this luck? It’s like this game hates me! Now, I’m happy! Don’t get me wrong, but I could have lived without her weapon, I was gonna slap Solar Pearl or the new f2p event one that is currently available on her. 

I haven’t leveled up Itto at all because I got so discouraged and feel like he won’t be good without his signature weapon (I know that’s not true...it just feels that way). 

Now I feel motivated to build Yae (hadn’t built her cuz I was trying to improve Raiden’s artifact set...but RNG gods aren’t being too nice to me right now). 

I’m still on the fence about pulling for Ayato, I’m waiting for Kazuha’s rerun cuz he is my top wishlist character right now (along side Mona and Childe). I’ve got time to think about it, there’s been several rumors that Kazuha won’’t be in 2.7 anymore but I’ll have to wait and see if that is true or not. Been seeing around that it’ll be Venti instead. 

I’m skipping the 2nd half of 2.5, I’ve already got Raiden and I’m not interested in Kokomi. I would like some Sara constellations but it’s not worth risking it since I’ve already got c6 Xinyan (which I don’t use) and c6 Benny boy (not activated, I stopped at c5).

Anyways, this was just rambles for myself, thanks for reading and if you happen to understand my slight frustration with this game. :’)

[harrylee94]

The Tournament - Chapter 1

You can find this on AO3!

Summary: "This kingdom was a large one, ruled by whom many would call a fair and just ruler; the Witch King. This title was passed down from generation to generation, as was the way of monarchies, but upon them was also bestowed a second. Over the years there had been many Mand’alors -- Mand’alor the Ultimate, Mand’alor the Blessed, Mand’alor the Vindicated -- but this one was Mand’alor the Beloved. They were also Din’s buir.

And they were dying."

It is known that when a new Witch King comes to the throne they are in need of a Protector, and in order to find this Protector there must be a tournament.

Notes: I blame the TIOOIW DinCobb Discord for this. It's all you fault. You know who you are! *squints eyes at you*

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Thus ends the reign of Mand’alor the Beloved" - Din

The day was cold and damp, the sky grey and threatening rain, though the ground was still slick from the downpour the night before, and the well walked paths that were unfortunate enough not to be paved with wood or stone were doing their best to imitate a bog. Din held back a shiver as he looked over the parapet, watching men carry great logs in through the gatehouse. There were a great number of them, mostly beech and pine, but he knew they had to be ready, even if he was not.

This kingdom was a large one, ruled by whom many would call a fair and just ruler; the Witch King. This title was passed down from generation to generation, as was the way of monarchies, but upon them was also bestowed a second. Over the years there had been many Mand’alors -- Mand’alor the Ultimate, Mand’alor the Blessed, Mand’alor the Vindicated -- but this one was Mand’alor the Beloved. They were also Din’s buir.

And they were dying.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, the clouds dark and the wind tugging at his cloak. His buir had well earned their title, using her status and resources to help rebuild the kingdom after the war her predecessor, Mand’alor the Insatiable, had pulled them into. She had spoken to the people, learned their stories, and she acted on them. There were more schools, more medical facilities, a patrol of guards in every town, and a system of communication even to the smallest hamlet.

There had been difficulties, of course. Some of the Lords and Clan Chiefs had not liked how their smallfolk were being given greater attention than they, nor how they were having to adjust to this new way of thinking, and unfortunately a number of them hadn’t, but Mand’alor the Beloved had believed in her cause, and Din had too.

He looked down to the stables, the structure built into the walls of the castle, and smiled his first smile for some days. He could just see a flash of the silver hair of the stable hand working in the stalls as he cared for the creatures. Din had little chance to speak to those outside of his immediate circle at court these days, but once upon a time he would take the chance to talk to everyone, from his tailors to the girl who stoked the fire in the mornings. Cobb Vanth was one of the few whom he had truly enjoyed the company of, short though it had always been, and the memory of those times gave him some light to cling onto in this dark time.

His smile had always been earnest and true, and Din had spent so long surrounded by the pageantry of court that he felt he could be himself around the stable hand.

But now those days were gone, and the inevitable had arrived.

The Witch King was dying, and while the weather itself knew it, few others did. There was speculation of course, Din had heard the whispers of servants and courtiers, but nothing to confirm their suspicions. He, however, did not have the luxury of doubt in this matter.

The title of Witch King, while intimidating, was not merely for show; there was a magic in the line of Mand’alors, one passed from buir to ad, through blood or by ritual, and it tingled under Din’s skin. His own magic had always been small, a weakness for the Lords and Chiefs to exploit and look down upon, even though they had no true magic of their own. His buir had never lost faith in him though, and so, while the occasional taunt stung, he never forgot who he was.

In this moment, however, he wished he could, his skin prickling like the oncoming storm was already here as the magic inside him swelled in anticipation. He’d been in a constant state of hypertension for day. His body ached and his eyes stung from the lack of sleep, but preparations had to be made. He sighed in relief when the last of the timbers were set in the hall, and he nodded to each of the woodsmen as they passed back through the gatehouse, each clutching a bag of coin from their payment and smiles on their faces.

Din looked to the stables again, unable to keep his eyes away, and froze as his gaze caught on that of a silver haired man’s.

Cobb Vanth looked up at him like he knew him, like he knew every deep dark secret that there had ever been orevery would be, and still there was a softness and a sympathy to that gaze, something warm and comforting, without judgement or scorn. There were no smiles today, only a solemn press of his lips, but somehow it was what he needed. Cobb nodded at him -- in a deferential manner of course, but also in acknowledgement and support -- and Din returned it before forcing himself to turn away. He couldn’t allow himself to get lost in a fantasy today.

Taking a deep breath, Din walked the stretch of walkway to the stairs, heading down into the main ward. Mud splashed on his boots as he walked towards the smithy, hoping to check on the progress of the nails, but the quick patter of footsteps pulled him up short.

"My prince!"

A servant was rushing towards him, his balance in the mud tenuous at best, and Din reached out to stabilise him as he gasped.

"My prince," the servant said again, and Din recognised him as a new kitchen hand, though he'd not yet had the chance to learn his name. "Your… The Mand'alor… She requests your presence in the war room."

Din could see sorrow in the lad's eyes, and he swallowed thickly. "Thank you," he said around the lump in his throat. "I'll be there immediately."

The servant nodded again and stepped away. He could feel eyes on him, people watching, the whispers already beginning to circulate, but he ignored them as he tried to ignore his grief, and he made his way into the castle.

The corridors, strewn with reed mats and tapestries depicting the history of his line, had always held a warmth for him in his youth. Even up to the week before it had been a comfort, and the physical warmth the fabric gave from protecting the air against the cold of the stone walls was equally precious. Now the eyes of past Witch Kings looked down on him in judgement, and he shuffled past them as quickly as he dared, eyes forward and steps clipped. The servants he passed bowed or curtseyed as he pressed, but he hadn't the time to return it. The magic in his bones was throbbing to the beat of his heart, urging him, tugging him onwards, and he couldn't risk missing…

The doors to the war room were small, much as all but the main doors were in the castle, but they were carved with the skull of the great mythosaur. It was an intimidating sight, but Din knocked the wood, forcing himself not to fidget as he stood in place.

"Enter."

The hinges were well kept, but there was enough age to them that they creeked a warning whenever someone opened the door, and it made Din wince as he stepped through, closing the door securely behind him.

The war room was not an overly large room, and the windows were small and high in the walls. Very little natural light ever entered the enclosed space, and the lack of tapestries made it especially cold. That wasn't to say that the walls were bare; there were shelves of books, scrolls and maps across two of the walls, drawers below filled with carved pieces for the war games and strategies that had been frequently plotted at the table that sat in the centre of the room. The banner of the Witch King and the banner of the current Mand'alor hung from hooks against the far wall, beneath which was displayed a small collection of ancient weapons, each one well taken care of and just as lethal as the day they'd been forged. Oil lamps and sconces, all lit and flickering their warm light, were spaced carefully in buckets of sand around the room, a precaution to protect the precious paper and parchment.

Din had been in this room many times; his lessons had spanned a great many things, but it was his buir who taught him the art of war, and it was here that she shared her wisdom. Never had he seen a chair here before though, especially not the large seat on which his buir sat, encased in her ceremonial armour and finest clothes. At her left shoulder stood her Protector, hand curled about the sword at her hip as she watched Din approach. Their helms sat on the unusually clear table, but their faces were almost as unreadable as they would have been with them on.

Kovra, Mand’alor the Beloved, had deep shadows under her eyes, her skin was wan, paler than Din had seen it before the Sickness had taken her, but there was not a hair out of place, and she looked as immovable as a statue. There was a brief flicker of warmth in her gaze when she looked at him, but then it was gone and only the Witch King remained.

The air around them sang, the magic of their line swirling about them like a wind that only touched the two of them, and Din followed its eager nudges to kneel before his King.

“Din Djarin,” the Witch King said, her voice strong and full of power, “Prince of Mandalore, child of my heart, you come before me now to take up the mantle which I have carried these many years. Are you prepared?”

Din took a shuddering breath as the magic around them swelled. “I am prepared.”

The Witch King nodded and turned to her Protector. “Saruk Kerta, Protector of the Witch King, Knight and Verd of the Kingdom of Mandalore, you are here to bear witness. Are you prepared?”

Saruk bowed deeply. “I am prepared, Mand’alor.”

The Witch King nodded again and turned back to Din, holding her arm out to him. He took it, grasping it in a warrior’s greeting, and he blinked back tears from the knowledge that the warmth he could feel would cool.

“Din Djarin,” the Witch King continued, her fingers curling into his elbow, “Are you prepared to govern and protect the people of Mandalore, be they from low or high birth, whatever their creed?”

“I am prepared,” Din said, ignoring the tear that had slipped from his eye.

“Will you ensure that the laws of this land are followed by all, that you yourself will maintain and execute them should the need arise, and that your justice and mercy will abide by these laws?”

“I shall ensure this.”

“And will you, as the new Witch King of Mandalore, respect the magic of our line, use it sparingly, in the protection of others, and only in dire need, and respect its needs?”

“I will respect the magic of our line.”

These were the vows he would have to repeat before hundreds of witnesses in a few days time, but here and now they were the most potent. Here they meant more than just a promise of words, it was an oath made with magic as his witness. If he broke it, the magic would abandon him, as it had Mand’alor the Lesser when he’d attempted to use it for his own gains.

The Witch King nodded again as the magic around them rang in acceptance of his vows, and turned to her Protector.

“Saruk Kerta, do you accept the responsibility of Protector for Din Djarin until the search for his own Protector has been completed?”

“I do accept this responsibility,” Saruk replied.

There was a pause, the hairs on the back of Din’s neck rising as the swirling magic froze with them, the moment spreading out into eternity. He dared not even breathe lest the sound break the spell. It was as though the entire world was holding its breath with him, waiting for the verdict.

The Witch King smiled, and Kovra, buir to Din Djarin, leaned forwards to press a kiss to his brow.

“Thus ends the reign of Mand’alor the Beloved,” she whispered, the Sickness thick in her voice once more. “Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum, ner ad. Ni kelir ration kuyir ti gar.”

With her next exhale her body went taught, her fingers digging deep into Din’s arm, hard enough to bruise. He almost cried out in fear for her, but his voice was caught in his throat as an intense power rushed into him through her grip. It was as though he was being warmed by a fire after spending a day in the cold, like the Battle Fever was on him, and like he was stood in the midst of a storm on the tallest peak with his full suit of armour on, all at once. It throbbed through him, his own small well of magic deepening from a quiet vibration into a deep hum. It settled deep into him, into his bones, until it felt as much a part of him as his own thoughts.

And then his buir went limp, her weight falling against him as her last breath left her. Curling his arms around her, feeling for any sign of life and finding none, Din sobbed at the loss of his mother.

-----------------------------------------------

Mando'a Translations:

biur - parent Verd - soldier/warrior Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum, ner ad. Ni kelir ration kuyir ti gar. - I love you, my child. I will always be with you.

Link to Chapter 2

[kit-scrolls]

ignore the fact that i accidentally already posted this twice but i could not get this topic out of my head so goddamnit i’m going to post about it

inspired by my lovely friend @cinder202 and this video: here, which i highly recommend you watch before reading this post because he brings up a bunch of points, some of which i’m going to pretend don’t exist bc i have brainworms but you should still consider

genshin’s new player problem, and my ideas on how to fix it:

buckle up mfs its time for me to constructively complain about genshin

if you refuse to watch the video, the most concise way i can describe the new player problem is this: imagine you’re a new player. you saw some sick fanart of dainsleif online, and now you really want him! so you download genshin, speed through to ar5, spend a fuck ton of money, get him, just to find...

you have to get through a ten year roadmap before you can ascend him.

you see, this is the issue. if genshin keeps following the path they’re taking, its going to be impossible for new players to use any units besides those in the standard banner until they get to khaenri’ah, where they’ll only be able to pull for khaenri’ahn characters because no one else from the past regions will be running anymore.

but! i have ideas. here’s how they could possibly fix it:

1. regional banners - i know a lot of my fellow f2p players got a little mad when the double banner system was released, but i think this could actually work. consider: 8/9 character banners running at once, each one specific to each region and a permanent banner for universal characters (on that note, genshin add limited characters to the permanent banner please i’m begging you)

new players would therefore have a chance to actually get characters relevant to the region they’re working on, and older players would be able to return for characters they missed. banners could even be locked until you activated a statue at that region to prevent genshin babies from accidentally whaling on a character they can’t use. on the note of wishing:

2. accessible ascension materials - this wouldn’t even be too hard to implement right now, actually, but it would certainly help a fuck ton. lowering stardust prices and adding more materials, as well as perhaps expanding on the farming system in the serenitea pot. for example, say you just rolled yoimiya, but you’re still in mond (pretend the regional banner lock thing isn’t a thing yet). it’d take a lot longer than if you were to just go to inazuma, but you could get all the naku weed you needed from just farming it in your serenitea pot. if you need more, then buy more! stardust can fill in any gaps or impatience if you need it. rolling incentive too :)

3. accessible books - literally just expand the sigil shops i beg

4. BOSS MATERIALS - IN ALL CAPS BC THIS IS MY BEST SUGGESTION. MHY. CONSIDER: EXPANDING SPIRAL ABYSS. or rather, add a separate battle system!! adjustable floors for each region that randomly spawns enemies(that drop stuff) specific to that region endlessly. that’s right, endgame content betcha didn’t see that coming-

but seriously, this would solve so many problems. the growing gap between floor 8 and 9, players either finding 9-12 impossible or speedrun-able, etc etc. lack of endgame, and something that doesn’t just run out of content once you clear it once. maybe after a certain milestone (killing x amount of enemies, etc) they could also give primogems as an incentive for older players to go there, and also give more artifact boxes but with random artifacts specific to that region as well (like how the current gladiator/wanderer’s set works). 

alright, i have to go, but thank you for reading to the end!! if you have any criticism/concerns or ideas of your own, please lmk!! so many thoughts...

[ratonnhhaketon]

It’s Always Been You

Read on Ao3

Summary: Bloodhound and the reader keep getting pitted against each other in the arena, thanks to the jerks in the Apex Games Commission. After one particular, mentally-tolling match for Y/N, they agree that they've had enough. Bloodhound has had enough, and shows them just how much they mean to them with one simple action.

TW: Canon-typical violence (depictions of shooting/death in the Apex Games), Fluff

A/N: I really wanted to make the reader gender neutral but I hope using they/them for two characters isn’t too confusing. Enjoy!!

Being in a relationship with a coworker is never advised, no matter what field you work in. But, when your line of work is to battle to the death in an arena regularly, it’s certainly not advised. 

However, these rules didn’t seem to apply to Y/N and Bloodhound. They both aimed to keep their relationship private at first, PDA consisting of heartfelt glances to each other in group meetings or the occasional hand holding under tables, nothing more. But, after a legends-exclusive trip to the Paradise Lounge where Y/N may or may not have had a little too much to drink and started to get touchy-feely, the secret was practically out. Somehow the Apex Games Commission got word of the relationship and decided that “two lovers having to battle it out” was better for keeping views up, so they were rarely placed on the same team. Today’s game was no exception. 

The team was cleaning up after a run in with a squad by the building overlooking Bunker. A care package had landed not too far from where they were looting and Y/N barely even heard Octane announce he was going to check it out before he sprinted off down the hill.

“Kraber here!” His voice cracked over the comms. 

Y/N’s head snapped up and called out a “Dibs!” over the comms before they even started moving. They slid the whole way down the hill, instinctively dropping their empty Sentinel and exchanging it for the legendary weapon before retreating back up the hill and into the safety of the building. They ducked into a corner by the open window in the building and equipped the weapon, almost smiling at the oh so familiar feeling of the sniper in their hands. 

They looked over the arena around them, scanning the hills and valleys for a target. Gunfire stirred up on the hill across the small river from them. Y/N adjusted their grip on the weapon and started mumbling numbers out loud to themself, their brain working overtime to calculate the correct trajectory for a clean kill. 400 meters, plus damage drop-off…

A single shot rang out, curving through the air and going straight through the enemy’s skull. 

Attention: new kill leader appointed. 

Bloodhound’s masked eyes jumped from their hiding spot under a building up to the screens hanging from Bunker’s entrance to their left and were met with Y/N’s banner, featuring them looking menacingly at the camera with their prized purple Kraber, hanging to announce their new status. They pulled themself away and returned to shielding back up to return to the fight their teammates were still dealing with. 

Y/N, of course, paid the announcement no mind as they continued to scan over the area in search of their next target. What they didn’t expect was to be met with a familiar set of red goggles hiding quite far from them. Their target was distracted and in perfect view for a clean headshot, but something inside made them hesitate to pull the trigger. Instead they just looked on as Bloodhound finished shielding up and initiated their ultimate ability, watching their goggles glow a bright red before they ran into battle. Y/N waited in their perch as Bloodhound’s ultimate drained while they took out a few enemies and their goggles returned to their regular hazey maroon. As they ducked down to revive a teammate, the sniper lined up another shot- this time aiming for the chest so as to only down them. 

Just as the third member of their team was pulled to their feet, a single bullet flew through the air and directly into what was left of Bloodhound’s body shield, making them fall to their knees. Upon seeing them fall, Octane stimmed and sprinted down the hill to finish off the teams that were fighting. Y/N and the third member of their team, a random newbie that neither of the legends had met before, followed suit. 

The trio had managed to successfully third-party both squads that were fighting, but only one had fully died and dropped their death boxes. It was clear that one member of the remaining team had managed to snag a self-revive knockdown shield, and Y/N knew exactly who it was. Octane and the newbie on their team shared a knowing glance as they approached Bloodhound, who had tried to crawl away from the fight in an attempt to get themself back on their feet. 

Y/N kneeled down to be eye-level with their significant other. Their lips curled into a sad smile as they said, “Hello, my love.”

Bloodhound let out a grunt of pain as they clutched at their side. “A beautiful shot, elskan. It is truly an honor to fall by your hand.” 

Y/N pulled their small knife from its sheath on their belt and dug it into their opponent’s abdomen. As they pulled it from their body, Bloodhound, along with their teammates, all instantly dropped their death boxes. Y/N stood up as the announcer’s voice boomed through the arena’s speakers. 

Attention: A winner has been appointed. 

Several drones began to circle the team while Octane and the third member celebrated, with Y/N showing their excitement with a slight smile. 

These are your Apex Champions. 

~~~~~

After the game had concluded and the legends were picked up by the dropship, Y/N made a beeline to the infirmary wing. There was a nurse exiting Bloodhound’s room, who graciously left the door ajar when she saw that day’s Champion approaching. They gave the nurse a nod and smile of appreciation before entering the room and softly shutting the door. 

“Hey stranger,” they said quietly to not disturb the hunter, even though they inevitably knew they were approaching. “You feeling okay?”

Bloodhound sat up in the bed, “Just sore, but I vill be fine.” Y/N sat down in the chair next to the bed and scooted it to be a bit closer.  “I am very proud of you, elskan min. You have shown much strength in the arena today.” Bloodhound’s gloved hand extended forward and lightly gripped their hand, intertwining their fingers. 

Y/n brought their hands up to their lips and pressed a soft kiss to Bloodhound’s knuckles. “I just wish..” they began to say before looking at their feet and sighing. “I hate that they keep splitting us up. I hate having to finish you off instead of fighting by your side.”

A pained groan next to them caused their head to shoot back up and see their significant other moving to sit facing towards them with their legs off of the bed. They watched as the hunter pulled their hand away to remove their gloves before placing both of their hands around Y/N’s face. Their palms were cold, something they had realized must have been a result of the cooling accident they had been told about, but it was a comforting feeling. A grounding feeling. 

“I have spoken with Ajay and Natalie, and they both believe ve should speak with the Games Commission. If they do not stop treating us like this I vill stop participating in the games.”

Y/N’s eyes widened. “Blooth, no, don’t say that. I know how much these games mean to you, don’t make me be the reason you quit.”

Bloodhound glanced quickly to the door, making sure it was securely shut, and back at their beloved sitting in front of them. They wordlessly pulled their hands back from their face and up to their helmet, pulling it up and setting it on the clean bedding next to them. Next were their goggles and hood, which came off in one simultaneous and swift motion. Soft red curls that were intricately braided out of their face with an undercut that desperately needed shaved were exposed to the world and Y/N sat stunned. Their eyes were a delicate blue that almost seemed grey, with a scar slicing through the left eyebrow. 

A small hiss brought Y/N back from their thoughts of admiration as Bloodhound unhinged the clips on their respirator. It was last to fall on the bed with the rest of their equipment, and they sat there feeling as exposed as the day they were born. 

Y/N had heard the story of the cooling accident, as they had always wondered why their beloved’s body temperature felt so unnaturally low, but they never imagined it would leave scars on their face. Faded, light blue lighting bolts shot across their face, extending from their mouth and nose area. It looked almost like veins, or tree branches and the roots were their respiratory system. 

Many things had been communicated without words. Undying amounts of love and a trust that took years of the legends knowing each other to gain. They had shown a side of themself that even the doctors and nurses on the ship had not seen yet, proving that Y/N meant more to them than any title or win in the games ever could. 

“Bloothundr,” they said breathlessly, barely above a whisper. They raised a hand towards their face but pulled back hesitantly, not wanting to make the hunter uncomfortable. Bloodhound nodded silently, and they cupped their hands around their cheeks. A soft thumb lightly traced a scar that extended from the corner of their lip back towards their hairline. 

“Y/N,” they spoke up, looking at the person seated in front of them with nothing but adoration in their eyes. “I love you. The games do not matter, as long as you vill be by my side.” 

They leaned in, gently resting their foreheads together and smiled with tears in their eyes.“I love you too, Blooth. Always.”

[wildborn-witch]

“There are tales spoken in hushed whispers, beyond the ears of the Emperor’s Coven, about a tribe of witches who were bonded to spirits—mystical beings born of wild magic. An ancient race they were, said to have been the first children of the Titan when it fell. Taking the form of beasts, they had the ability to heal and speak to the Isles, calling upon its natural power. These gifts they shared with the witches, who took their name in gratitude, and together, they and their descendants settled near the Heart, wishing to live in harmony with the wilderness and their ancestor.’ 

“Centuries passed, and eventually their neighbors came to wield magic of their own, sparking a new age of discovery. In this time, the original covens were formed, each following one of nine disciplines, yet they all recognized the ancient tribe as the first masters. On their part, the tribe stayed distant from the others, though anyone willing to learn from them was welcomed among their ranks.’

“Everything changed, however, with the coming of the Savage Ages. Chaos reigned, and conflict and unrest divided the land until a new figure arose: a mysterious witch who called himself Belos. Claiming to be an emissary of the Titan, he vowed to bring unity to the Isles, insisting that unbound magic only brought disorder. One by one, the nine covens bowed to his teachings, but the ancient tribe resisted—they saw him for what he truly was, and would not give up the old ways. Their defiance led to their destruction, as Belos and his coven hunted them all down until, at last, only their chief remained. Accused of high treason, he was sentenced to petrification, frozen in stone as Belos took the title of Emperor over the Boiling Isles.’

“It has been thirty years since the tribe’s extinction, and the spirits have fallen silent, fading into myth and legend. But nothing lasts forever, for a new awakening has begun. The old ways will be found once more, and in time, the Isles will see the return of…’

To those who have followed me already on both this blog and my main account, I want to thank you all so much for your patience and continued interest as this has taken shape. To those who are here for the first time, my name is Drekasál, and I’m proud to announce the official master post and FAQ for the Wildborn AU!

I intend to update this as often as possible as I continue to work on new pieces—both artistic and literary—as well as answer whatever questions that may come up in the future, but for now, I figure the basics would be good to start with, first and foremost being…

What is the Wildborn AU?

The Wildborn AU is my personal contribution to The Owl House fandom, centering around my witchsona Tristan O’Connor who is its main protagonist. Taking place after the events of Season 1, it explores my own take on the history of magic on the Isles by introducing the Wildborn—a tribe of ancient witches bonded to powerful spirits of the same name.

Lore

Originating from days long before the Savage Ages, the Wildborn came into being when the Titan first fell, and hold great power over the Isles’ primordial forces. Reflecting their wild natures, their spiritual forms take on the form of beasts, both mythical and mundane.

In the past, the spirits had a rocky relationship with the early witches, whom had not evolved bile-sacs yet and thus relied on harnessing the wild magic of the Isles through glyphs. At some point in history, however, a young witch from an ancient tribe formed a Bond with the Thunderbird, the first of the spirits and their guardian. After that, the two groups grew closer, with more witches and spirits  forming Bonds with each other, eventually becoming the Wildborn tribe. Harnessing the power of their spirits, the Wildborn witches did not need to rely on glyphs, and those pairs who developed strong Bonds could Merge to become a new being, a reflection of the spirit’s beast form combined with the traits of their witch.

Regarded as the first masters of wild magic, the tribe was well-respected for centuries, even as other witches eventually evolved bile-sacs and formed the original covens. Tragically, that came to an end during the Savage Ages, which saw the appearance of Emperor Belos and his enforcement of the coven system. Seeing the Wildborn as untamable and a threat to his teachings, he ordered for their persecution, hunting them down and forbidding any mention of them, until at last it seemed they had been wiped out. But the tales still persist, and the spirits live on, waiting for the day their Guardian will return, and restore balance to the Isles...

Inspiration

This AU draws inspiration from both Wolfwalkers and Brother Bear, both of which are beautifully animated movies, but the latter especially I consider a criminally underrated Disney movie. Wolfwalkers mainly inspired the Hellhounds, the secondary group of characters in the AU, but both movies played a part in developing the Wildborn themselves, particularly their powers and portrayal as animal spirits.

The Characters

Tristan O’Connor - Protagonist in the Wildborn AU. He is a faun witchling enrolled in the Beast Keeping tract at Hexside School of Magic and Demonics. Shy yet kind, he has a deep love of nature and the wild, though it is a passion he has been forced to curb up until now due to the rigidity of the coven system. It is revealed later on that he is Bonded to the spirit Anam, making him the first living Wildborn to exist in thirty years.

Aedh - Deuteragonist in the Wildborn AU. He is a member of the Hellhounds, a pack of wolf-like fire elementals who live hidden beneath the Titan’s skull. Daring and adventurous, he doesn’t have the same bitterness against witches like his elders, having not been born during the time of their persecution, and he welcomes Tristan warmly as a friend. He proves vital in helping the witchling adjust to his Wildborn powers, teaching him how to be a Hellhound when he is Merged with Anam.

Anam - Tritagonist in the Wildborn AU. He is Tristan’s Wildborn spirit, originally being the soul of a Hellhound pup born with “too little fire”. As the AU progresses, it is discovered that he is Aedh’s younger brother and littermate, thus making Tristan, through his Bond with Anam, Aedh’s spiritual brother and and a member of the pack.

Tuft - Supporting character in the Wildborn AU. He is Tristan’s pet griffin, getting his name from his tufted ears uncommon to his kind. A frequent companion of the witchling, he is fiercely loyal and protective, accompanying him on his adventures in the wilderness.

Eleri O’Connor - Supporting character in the Wildborn AU. She is Tristan’s mother and a member of Bard Coven, stated to be well-respected as a master of her craft. She is shown to be a caring and loving parent, though she constantly worries about her son, partly due to her frequent absence in the household, as well as her fear that Tristan might never fit in and suffer for it. Although she is Adar’s daughter, she is not Wildborn herself, having never Bonded with a spirit.

Adar O’Connor/The Thunderbird - Supporting character(s) in the Wildborn AU. Adar O’Connor is Eleri’s father and Tristan’s grandfather, and was the last great chief Bonded to the Thunderbird before the extinction of the Wildborn tribe. When Adar was sentenced to petrification, the Thunderbird permanently Merged with him to save his life, and they act as guides to Tristan and his allies as the AU unfolds.

Arduinna “Rina” Ward - TBA

Arwain the Seeress - TBA

This list will be updated as new characters are developed and added!

Are the main cast of The Owl House involved?

Yes, actually! Their roles are still being developed, but I do intend for Luz to play an important part in this AU, given her rediscovery and usage of glyph magic, and she becomes one of Tristan’s close allies. Eleri herself has had interactions/relationships with Eda and Lilith in the past, when they were attending Hexside together as teenagers.

Is this an open AU? (Can anyone participate/make connections?)

I definitely wish for the Wildborn AU to be as open-ended as possible, as I love making potential connections with the stories/characters of other creators in the fandom. Fair warning, however, that this AU is still in constant development, so things are liable to change! Don’t be afraid to reach out if you have ideas you want to run by me!

Is fanart/fan fiction allowed?

Y E S. Fanworks are 1001% allowed and would honestly make me the happiest person ever ;;V;;

Master List

Eye of the Storm - Lore of the Thunderbird.

No Mercy - Hellhound lore

Reassurance - Aedh welcomes Tristan

Locked or Free - 100+ follower Instagram DTIYS

One Being - Tristan describes the Merge

Dumb Animal - Tristan and Aedh encounter Boscha’s gang at the Knee

Tristan’s Beast Form - Reference sheet

Forces of Nature - Wildborn lore

The Thunderbird - Official model sheet

Adar Concept Art

Hellhound Reference

The Last Wildborn - Official banner

Healing - Gift art/animation for @sobsinfrench​

«—•—»

If you have any more questions for me, don’t be afraid to submit an ask, and my inbox is open if you want to reach out to me directly! I also post artwork and occasional updates to my main blog @drekasal​, so be sure to follow me there as well! Thank you all so much for reading through this, and have a wonderful day!

[windblooms]

🥺thank you again for all the help! It's not my normal thing but finding out how the characters work well together and how best to make them strong is a fun thing to learn, so even if it's not my usual style I do still enjoy this aspect of the game. If I didn't look into this stuff I think I'd be lost and upset at my team being underleveled and lacking synergy/resonance. -Diluc better come home soon anon

sldsafj it all takes practice!!  and also becoming a total neet :’)  but yeah!  bideo bames are meant for you to have fun, so always remember that before anything else.

Anonymous said: which characters do you have, and who’s on your team?

overworld team:

xiao, lvl 80/90, dps. 

childe, lvl 80/90, sub damage/burst.

zhongli, lvl 80/90, support/shielder. 

diona, lvl 70/80, support/healer.

characters i have:  all 4stars except ningguang; i have keqing, childe, zhongli, xiao, jean, and qiqi.

Anonymous said: hello !! do you have any tips on how to get better w a bow? i NEVER can stun a ruin guard and lately ruin hunters have been a pain in the ass 🤧

hi!!  uhh honestly, the genshin aiming system is pretty good :0  the only advice i can give is keep your hand steady when you’re aiming (this applies to desktop and mobile).  there might also be an option to adjust your mouse/screen sensitivity so your screen doesn’t jump to slow/fast while you’re trying to aim, so i’d recommend messing with those if needed.

Anonymous said:

hello there! I know you mentioned to someone else that Qiqi is better than Barbara because 5* characters have better stats but if I have C6 Barbara is it worth beefing her up if I have C1 Qiqi? Thank you :)

c6 barbara is definitely better than c1 qiqi!!  auto-revive is too useful to pass up on. :0  although, consider how often your characters faint in-game.  if frequently/youre doing challenging content, then i’d recommend c6 barbara over c1 qiqi.  

Anonymous said: the dream didn't come true >:( i only had like 7k gems and i mostly pulled cause sucrose was the only 4* i didnt have but venti didn't come home!! but imma save for best boy childe hopefully i can spend as little money as i can :(

if you really want venti, you can still wish for him up until his banner ends!!  i’m sure you’ll get a 5star that you want uwu.

Anonymous said: Is there ever a situation in which Hu Tao and Albedo could work in the same party? They’re my only two five stars and I love them both. If I had to choose, I’d pick Hu Tao, but could I run both? Thank you! :)

hu tao and albedo would be amazing in a vaporize comp!!  albedo increases elemental mastery after unlocking his second ascension talent, and elemental mastery increases damage dealt by elemental interactions.  i would recommend xingqiu with hutao and albedo, since you’ll make the most of the elemental mastery bonus albedo gives. 

Anonymous said: When people talk about clearing floor 11, do they mean clearing with all stars or just making it to the end?

it can mean both depending on the person!  generally though when talking about later floors (9-12), they mean passing the floor/making it to the end, not necessarily with all the stars.  personally i always say “full clear” if i mean i want to clear a floor with 9/9 stars.

[prongsies]

Star-Crossed ⁕ Chapter 10

←Chapter 9 | Master list

"Concentrate, Harry” Hermione’s voice rang in the empty classroom as she tossed another book onto the wooden stool on the other side of the room from Harry.  

The bespectacled boy let out a frustrated grunt, he said angrily “What do you think I’m trying to do, ‘Mione? But no, I’ve got the image of a great big dragon in my head – Okay, try again” He faltered at Hermione’s glare, sensing her impatience to deal with his sarcasm.

“Accio quill!” He tried once more, watching as the book flew halfway across the room towards him before dropping onto the floor.  

“I have Arithmancy!” Hermione gasped as she glanced down her wrist watch in worry. She turned to look at Harry apologetically, “I would really love to stay and help you out, Harry but-”

“It’s alright” Harry replied with a reassuring smile. In an instant, the bushy-haired girl rushed out the classroom with her belongings, leaving Thalia and Harry in the room, “Aren’t you heading to you next class, Lia?”

“I’m not really looking forward to History of Magic” Thalia replied with a soft smile before directing her attention towards the book on the floor, flicking her wand towards it making it vanish, reappearing back onto the stool.

“So how are you and Fred?” Harry casually, deciding he needed a break before he goes back to attempting to summon the book.

“We’re... alright, I guess? We talked briefly today, he told me he trusts me but that’s about it” Thalia shrugged, fiddling with her wand in her hands, “I really don’t feel like talking to him more, though. Especially since I haven’t gotten a proper apology”

“That’s a bummer, from what I’ve seen in the World Cup, you would’ve been a perfect couple”

Thalia scoffed, “If Fred only knew how to get his big head out of his ass, right?”

This brought Harry to laugh, shaking his head towards the older girl who remained smiling, “How about you try it again, Harry? And I’ll go get us some snacks in the kitchen for us?”

“That’d be brilliant, Lia”

˚✧₊⁎⁺˳✧༚

“So, how’d it go?” Hermione asked, joining them once again in the empty classroom which Professor McGonagall graciously lent to them for the night. The three had been switching up their schedules to accommodate helping Harry. Though for the most part, Thalia had been the one patient enough to really teach him.  

By the time Hermione had returned, it was near midnight.

“Well, the good news is that Harry had managed to summon the object...” Thalia trailed off, watching Hermione’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“And the bad news?”

“They may have been hitting me in the face the entire time” replied Harry.

The three continued until they were sure Harry got the hang of it, because if he’d ever need to do this tomorrow, he’d have to summon his broom directly from inside the castle rather than just a few feet ahead of him.  

Finally, by one in the morning, the three retreated to the Gryffindor common room, switching using a couch pillow perched at the bottom of the dormitory steps with Harry in the other side of the room near the portrait hole.

It was at 2AM when Harry finally got the hang of it, tossing a heavy book back towards Thalia, who caught it with ease, and directing his wand at it, “Accio dictionary!”

The dictionary was quick to dart out of Thalia’s hand, flying straight into Harry’s awaiting ones before it could hit him straight in the face again.

“Atta boy, Harry!” Thalia cheered, rushing towards Harry and Hermione who were both celebrating. “Now you’re ready”

“I just have to make it work tomorrow” said Harry, “The Firebolt’s going to be much further away and...”

“It’ll work Harry” Thalia reassured, wrapping an arm around Harry’s shoulder to pull him towards her, “Don’t let your nerves get to you, yeah? You should go and get some sleep now, you’ll need a lot of energy tomorrow for the First Task”

“No, it’s fine I’ll help you clean up” He motioned towards the common room where items were scattered all over the floor and the furniture.

“We got it, Harry” It was Hermione who spoke this time, “Lia’s right, you need to rest”

“Are you sure?”

“More than”

˚✧₊⁎⁺˳✧༚

Breakfast in the Great Hall was full of excitement as the day of the First Task arrived. The students of the three schools were all buzzing in joy as they exchanged their theories about what they expected, and some – Thalia could see – were already placing their bets on the first champion to be declared the winner.

However, among the crowd were the champions. And while three of them talked excitedly among their friends and countless of students who approached them to wished them luck, Harry was in a far different state.

“Harry you look dreadful”, Thalia dares say as she watched him sit across from her, hair ruffled more than usual. There were bags underneath his eyes indicating his lack of sleep, and a paleness noticeable in his lips from the nerves.

Leo, who had been sitting in the Slytherin table waiting for Thalia to arrive, swung his legs over the bench to join Thalia, bumping shoulders with her in greeting, accompanying it with a smile. Upon looking at Harry, though, his smile faltered.

“You alright there?” Leo asked Harry, who was pushing his breakfast around with a fork.

“Yeah” Harry replied softly, “Just nervous”

“Well, I can assure you, you’re in a much better condition that Viktor had been last night” At the mention of the name, the three turned towards Viktor Krum, who was talking to fellow Durmstrang students and a couple of Slytherins in their table. Thalia noticed he did have the same tired eyes as Harry, and flushed cheeks, “He was a wreck, regretting that he even dropped his name into the fire”

“Are we talking about Potter regretting dropping his name into the fire?” Draco interjected the trio, peering over their shoulders to allow himself into the conversation.

“Don’t you have any other people to annoy, dear cousin?” Thalia said with a roll of her eyes, pushing Draco away from their table.

The blonde didn’t even budge from his position, his smirk growing deeper especially at the sight of Leo’s hand casually placed on top of Thalia’s. But that’s not what’s on his mind today – no, today he wants to aggravate Potter.  

“I bet you Potter will only last a minute in the tournament” He stated boastfully, staring at Harry who didn’t pay him any mind.

“Sometimes I wonder if you really don’t have it in your system to shut up, dear asshole cousin”

Draco’s smirk dropped, “I don’t understand why you’re always so mean to me”

“Try stop being a prick to others, maybe I’ll explain it to you” Thalia smiled teasingly at her cousin, who – although knowing she was not kidding – smiled at her. With one last glare towards Harry, he left the table, leaving them to return to the conversation.

“Just remember what we practice last night, Harry” Hermione piped in, ceasing her conversation with Ginny to look at the boy, who still hasn’t eaten from his plate, “and fill up, will you?”

“You’ll need it” You added, urging Harry to take a bite of his food. They accompanied him as he tried to finish his meal, talking about anything other than the task to distract him... which didn’t work since Professor McGonagall approached him, telling him to get ready for the First task.

“I hope he doesn’t get the Hungarian Horntail” Ron spoke when Harry had left, his eyes following his friend as he left the Great Hall.  

Thalia placed her fork down, throwing a confused look towards Ron, “They brought a Horntail?”

“Well, Charlie said-”

“And Charlie’s here?” Thalia threw her hands up in exasperation, “Merlin, of all the dragons he had to bring – I seriously need a talk with your brother”

“You can come see him with us later” Ginny offered, saving Ron from your frustration, “We’ll see him off after the first task. I’m sure he’d want to see you too”

“Brilliant”

Cheers filled the Gryffindor Table after that, as Professor Dumbledore urged the students out the Great Hall, instructing them to gather in the Quidditch Pitch for the First Task. By the time everyone had arrived, the pitch was much more crowded than before, everyone almost shoulder to shoulder in the small area. Despite the flood of people though, it’s still heavily cold that Thalia regretted not dressing warmer – as usual.

“You cold?” Leo asked, looking down at Thalia who had pulled her sleeves down to cover her freezing hands.

Thalia smiled sheepishly in response, eyes widening when she realized Leo was making a move to remove his scarf.

“It’s alright” Her hand on his forearm stopped him, “I can take it”

“Nonsense” Leo laughed, already wrapping his scarf around her neck before she could protest any further, “It’s much colder back in Durmstrang; plus, our coats do wonders in the cold”

“Are you sure?” Thaila asked, watching as Leo adjusted the collar of his coat to hide his neck – which actually looked quite warm.

“Positive”

˚✧₊⁎⁺˳✧༚

Nerves filled Thalia’s system as Harry emerged from the champions’ tent, his wand gripped tightly in his hand as his eyes searched through the crowd. Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor section, all waving their personalized banners and flags in support for Harry.

The Hungarian Horntail Harry had so-unluckily picked was circling the golden egg perched in the middle of the field, its eyes watching Harry cautiously, ready to attack at any sudden movement.

Harry was careful though, maintaining his distance from the dragon as he raised his wand, summoning his broom with an “Accio Firebolt!”

It was quiet for a moment, the crowd waiting for anything to happen because Harry had been the only one to use anything other than his wand – the others readily attacking the poor dragons with magic.  

Thalia waited in her seat; her hands unknowingly clenched beside her as she prayed the bloody broom would show up now. That’s when a buzzing sound filled the air.

Everything happened so fast Thalia didn’t even get to process it. One moment, Harry had been standing on a boulder, the next he had mounted his broom, flying into the field as he strategized for a way to grab the egg harmlessly. Everyone was screaming by then, including Ludo Bagman who was bouncing on his seat in excitement.

“Wowee, the kid could fly!” He exclaimed, voice echoing in the large expanse of the field, “Do you see this, Mr. Krum?”

Thalia watched as Harry rounded the dragon, missing the heat of its flames by mere inches as he flew higher and higher. The dragon was having trouble catching up, its chains binding it to the floor making its attempts at flying after Harry almost useless.

Until the chains broke.

Harry was quick enough to dodge the dragon as it went after him, following him as he fled from the field and into the open area surrounding Hogwarts. From the stands, Thalia could see Charlie talking amongst his fellow dragon trailers, his face holding panic as he looked up and searched the air for any sign of Harry coming back.

However, it was Thalia who had caught his sight, watching him disapprovingly which made him smile. He sent a cheeky wave over in their direction – sending a flying kiss towards his brothers who gave him the middle finger back – before mounting his own broom. With one last teasing smile towards Thalia, he raced after Harry and the dragon, disappearing from the field as well.

“Fuckin’ hell” Thalia breathed out as she turned towards Fred, George, and Ginny, all situated on the seats above hers. “You Weasleys are going to be the death of me”

˚✧₊⁎⁺˳✧༚

“Merlin, woman!” Charlie whined, rubbing the back of his head with a wince, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you manners – I've already gotten an earful from mum, I didn’t expect to get one from you, plus a hit in the back of the head!”

“Well, that’s your fault for bringing a bloody Hungarian Horntail to this tournament!” Thalia countered, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared up at Charlie.  

“It’s well-trained, Lia” Charlie stated proudly, a smirk on his lips, “I trained them”

“Oh, so that is why they’re so freaking grumpy”

A grin replaced Charlie’s smirk, and before Thalia knew it, she was pulled her into a hug by the older Weasley, immediately calming her down, “You worry too much, Lia” He pulled away to keep her at arm’s length, studying her face as he reached up to thumb in between her eyebrows, “You’re too young to worry about all of these”

“’Fraid not, Charles” She swatted his hand away, pulling away from the embrace.  

The rest of the Weasleys have left to return to the Gryffindor Tower, not wanting to miss the small celebration they’ve prepared for Harry in the common room. Thalia was less than enthusiastic to join them though, opting to stay and catch with Charlie a bit longer.

“I heard what happened between you and Fred” He said softly, cautiously approaching the topic that seemed far too sensitive – and fresh – at the moment, “I’m really sorry for his behavior, Lia”

“It’s not your place to apologize, Charlie” Thalia forced a smile, “It’s... it’s between the two of us... and as much as I love you guys, I really don’t want anyone else involved or taking sides”

“I know” Charlie sighed, “if it helps, Bill and I have talked to Fred already. He seemed very guilty for what he did”

Thalia remained silent, not having enough strength to deal with all of this right now. So, she simply sighed, sending a weak smile towards Charlie who stood in front of her, waiting for a response. “It’s great to see you again though, Charlie”

“As it is always a pleasure to see you” Charlie grinned. “Let’s not pretend I won’t spend the last few minutes teasing you about whoever Durmstrang that scarf belongs to”

“Charlie!”

“Alright, alright!” He laughed, throwing his hands up in surrender “So how’s school?”

“Really?”

“Well, you didn’t want me to ask!”

Master list | Chapter 11→

Taglist: @elf-punk @bloodorangemoonlight​ @peachesandpinks @levylovegood @marvelettesassemble

[isthisthingeven0n]

jailhouse rock : j.w

brief summary: you’re an ex-convict like jeff and you’re finally out of jail, leaving some unsaid matters to be addressed at last. 

word count: 2k requested: yes by an angel anon who was v sweet - i hope you like the result! warnings: it’s angsty, but there’s a happy ending (also idk how the prison system works)

* I just wanna say my requests are closed for a while! I know you guys wanna send ideas in, but can you hold off for a week or so if that’s okay - just so I can catch up :) *

* masterlistin’ / masterlistin’ 2.0

(everything on my blog is my own writing. if it is shared on another page or website know it isn’t me. all rights reserved. - i have to start doing this as I had some shit on my other blog with plagiarism)

also can we appreciate this gif. my girl once again killin’ it with gifs 

All you can say is that you were caught in a bad situation at the wrong time. Unfortunately, that didn’t make the crime any better or your sentence despite your lawyer's defences.

“Y/l/n!” You lift your head up from your small bed, walking toward the door as a guard opens it. “You’re out today. Be ready in an hour.” He states coldly, ignoring the pure confusion in your expression.

As the door shuts, you remain still. “What the fuck?” You whisper to yourself as you look around your cell and slowly move to sit back down in a state of disbelief.

And then it hits you.

You’re going home.

*

Stepping out in casual clothing, you shield your eyes from the bright sunlight.

“There she is.” Jeff pats David’s arm as his smile only grows as he climbs out of the car, running over to you eagerly.

It had been just over three weeks since Jeff had last visited you. He didn’t know what to expect when he picked up the phone earlier today as he listened to the guard explaining you requested a lift home. He was your one call, always had been and the only one to visit you whenever he had the opportunity. 

“Hey, jailhouse bird?” Jeff calls out as you lift your head up, shaking your head as he slows down to bring you into a tight hug.

Lifting you off of your feet, you laugh as he holds you close, taking all of this in as it is finally a reality instead of a distant dream.

“I missed you.” You mutter as Jeff squints, trying to focus on you outside of the orange jumpsuit and hair tied back. You were finally starting to look like yourself again, and that’s all you wanted. 

Resting his arm around your shoulder, Jeff guides you over to David’s car as he films. “If it isn’t the lady herself,” David films and chuckles, catching as you flip him off. 

“Can we go get food? Like, a milkshake and some fries?” You take a seat in the back whilst Jeff remains in the front with David.

Jeff glances back, raising an eyebrow. “Seriously? You just got out and the first thing you want is a milkshake?” He chuckles in disbelief as you nod. “Alright, guess we’re going to five guys.” He nods to David as he pulls away, making a start on the long drive ahead.

*

Resting your head on the window ledge, you remain oblivious to Jeff watching you in the side mirror. The sun is glowing on your face as you focus on the scenes passing you by. Never had you experienced a more draining three months, besides the time Jeff made you train with him every day for a week which felt like three months. 

Slowly, your eyes begin to droop and Jeff smiles to himself, trying to be discreet. 

“You going to tell her?” David questions quietly, not wanting to disturb your peaceful sleep as he drives along the freeway. 

Jeff sighs under his breath. “I want to, but I don’t know how just yet.” He admits as he looks back once again as you’re now curling up, lips parting as your eyes flutter. “She’s so pretty,” He thinks aloud, thankful for once David doesn’t have his camera on. 

*

“Okay, what’s going on?” You laugh lightly as Jeff keeps his hands over your eyes, guiding you toward the house as you keep your arms extended in front of you. “Is this how I get murdered? After a stint in jail, this is how I go?” 

“You trust me, right?” Jeff whispers into your ear and you swallow the butterflies back down as his lips part from your skin. 

“Do I really have to answer that?” You joke in response as he scoffs playfully before counting down from three and removing his hands from your eyes.

As you adjust to the lighting, all of your friends stand in front of you with confetti. 

You stumble backwards into Jeff’s arms as his smile remains wide whilst you wear a pure look of shock on your face.

“Welcome home!” Carly cheers as you look around seeing balloons and a banner reading ‘welcome back from jail.’  

“You guys did all this for me?” You turn to see more decorations and drinks already laid out for everyone.

“Of course we did, baby!” Zane comments as he brings you into a tight hug. “Now never scare us like that again, and no more dealin’ alright?” 

You roll your eyes at his Mom like attitude. “Alright, Mom, I’ll stop messing around with shady characters.” You reply, forcing a smile before Jeff interjects, resting his arm around your waist as he guides you into the kitchen.

As the conversations around you continue, Jeff stands in front of you whilst you lean against the kitchen counter. 

“What’s up?” You raise an eyebrow, seeing his expression harden as he clenches his jaw.

“You’re not going to get involved in that again, are you?” He asks seriously, no hint of humour lacing his tone as your eyes widen. 

“You fucking kidding me, Jeff?” You scoff, crossing your arms. “Why would I ever get involved in that shit again, I was in jail for three months.” You retort in a hushed tone, not wanting anyone else to get involved. 

“Trust me, I know how it feels.” He comments back, eyes hardening on you as you refuse to look at him. “I just don’t want you risking anything, we all care about you here.” Jeff glances over his shoulder, catching a few eyes as conversations die down. 

“It was a one time job, Jeff.” You state loudly, making sure everyone is clear that you weren’t getting involved in that line of work, not even for a quick cash grab.”Just so everybody is clear,” You move aside from Jeff, ignoring his mutter of your name. “I’m not dealing, I don’t plan on dealing any kinda drugs again.” 

Turning on your heels, you ignore the shared looks as you face Jeff who remains speechless.

“Happy now?” You ask him as you keep a straight face, watching as he gives you a curt nod. “Good.” You nod before taking a hold of a drink and downing it. “Cause I don’t need your shit too.” 

*

It had been over a week since you arrived back home and you were still adjusting to it. You were waking up at set hours, unsure what to do with yourself now that you actually had free time to do anything anywhere you wished. 

Most of the time you were with others, keeping your mind occupied. Being busy was what you needed, as when you were left alone you curled up and lost yourself. The person you’d always call wasn’t exactly in your good books, so he wasn’t an option. 

“So you guys still haven’t spoken since that night?” Carly asks, surprise in her tone as you nod. “Shit, I didn’t think it was that bad.” 

Letting out a heavy sigh, you relax into the sofa. “Well, I didn’t know what to say to him.” You admit, shutting your eyes. “I’ve been so lonely, and being in there with barely any contact beside a visit a week if you get lucky,” You open your eyes, not wanting to recall every detail of that place. “but then Jeff always came.” 

Carly watches as a smile ghosts your lips. “Jeff was always different when he went to visit you, you know?” Carly tells you, catching your eye as she chuckles. “He’d spend hours the night before choosing what to wear, wanting to look his best just for you.” 

You let out a short laugh, remembering the time he walked in wearing a burgundy suit. “Glad to know one of us was always high fashion.” 

“But seriously,” Carly brings you back out of your distant daydream. “he doesn’t mean anything by those comments, he just cares about you, like a lot.” 

“Yeah, I know he does,” You weakly respond before hearing a loud groan enter the room.

“For fuck's sake, Y/n,” David yells. “Jeff likes you, you like Jeff. You spent three months sitting on your ass with your thoughts and I bet at least sixty per cent involved Jeff.” David states, catching you off guard. “Am I wrong?” 

You shake your head, eyes trained to the ground as David glances to Carly. 

“He’s got a point,” Carly adds, only making the situation worse. “just, go over to his place.” 

“It’s homier than a jail cell,” David chuckles, catching a quick glare from you before your eyes soften. 

Rising to your feet, you walk over and give David a tight hug. “You sure you know this?” You mutter, feeling him nod. “Okay,” Pulling away, you head out of the front door, driving straight over to Jeff’s to hopefully resolve your argument. 

*

The sound of laughter can be heard on the other side of the door as you stand, unsure whether to turn around and admit defeat or face this. 

For a split second, you can picture the moment you got caught. A hand containing a bag of illegal drugs whilst the person you bought it from ran off leaving you the sole person at the scene. You had no chance to cower away, but this time you do. 

As you lift your hand up to knock, the door opens and a force almost hits you, only stopping just before. “Oh, sorry,” Todd comments as he looks back as Jeff remains oblivious. “go easy on him, yeah?” He asks as he pats your shoulder before leaving the door ajar. 

“Todd I told ya to shut the doo-” Jeff turns around, seeing you stood in his doorway with a nervous smile. “Oh,” He places his broom down, wandering over as Nerf remains in his bed, observing you cautiously. “hey.” 

“Hey,” You smile softly, taking a step into the apartment. “I wanted to come to talk, if that’s okay?”

Jeff immediately nods, motioning for you to join him on the sofa as Nerf waddles over, panting heavily at your feet. 

“Listen, about the other night,” Jeff starts but you shake your head, cutting him off.

“Please, don’t apologise if you’re intending to.” You state, shuffling as you turn to face him, your hands resting in front of you. “I know you mean well, and what you said is because you care about me as a friend.” 

“Yeah,” He responds quietly. “a friend.” 

“But, the thing is I spent ninety-one days inside, and the most common thought I had was about you.” You tell him truthfully, watching as Jeff lifts his eyes back up to look at you with a certain level of surprise. “I didn’t focus on what was happening, but the thought of seeing you walk in for a visit, to listen to the updates I’ve missed and the stories I wish I could’ve been a part of.” You ramble, unaware that Jeff’s eyes are lighting up with each passing second. 

“You know,” Jeff speaks up, letting you take a breath. “when I got that phone call I would’ve gotten you anything you wanted. I wish I could’ve gone back and told you to not go for that deal, that I should at least have gone with you.” Jeff admits, that mistake still haunting him despite you being back, that you’re now home in front of him.

You take a hold of his hands in yours, taking him from his darker thoughts. “But I’m here now,” You tell him. “that’s all that matters, right?” 

Looking at your eyes, Jeff tries to find any uncertainty as his eyes flicker to your lips. And for the first time, he’s confident he isn’t getting the wrong vibe from you as he leans in closer, kissing you softly. 

As he pulls away, your forehead rests against his. “Yeah,” He whispers, a smile lining his lips. “this is all that matters.”