#it was gory but it didn't Disturb me. i am here to be disturbed

[eatyoursparkout]

i finally watched the new hellraiser!! looooved jamie clayton's hell priest, thought it was overall decent/better than most of the sequels that came after 1/2 but imo it wasn't visceral enough

[unsoundedcomic]

Whumptober 2024 - 07 - "Only For Emergencies"

New Tawhoque was a dangerous place for Ssaelit, but if a woman knew just what crooked street to turn down and upon which unmarked door to knock, she might find a sanctuary or two open to those of the Way.

This one was a public house (semi-private house, really, they did not allow Gefendur) called Arbert's. A woman slipped its heavy front door closed behind her and pretended she didn't notice the wall of eyes move to sweep across her from the bar. Finding the newcomer hidden beneath a dumpy rain slicker and a waterproof bonnet, the collective gaze rolled back towards their whispered conversations and their glasses of imported beer. She chose a hightop in the corner, asked for a cheap pour of Trieste, and unwrapped her hand to see if the bleeding had stopped.

"They cut your finger off," a male voice observed behind her. She jumped a foot in the air, then collapsed forward over the injury to hide it from him.

"It is nothing!" she said.

"It is nothing now," he agreed, "But until recently I think it was your right index finger."

"Oh, why do you care? Did you want it?"

She turned. Her shoulders hunched even higher to discover an unreasonably tall man looking down at her, his face half a void of shadow. "Perhaps," he admitted at length. The words sounded strange. Artificial. Pymaric? What a strange thing to say, and in what a strange voice to say it! "Which of the gangs have you crossed?"

"I did not 'cross' any of them!" Her head lashed back and forth in pain, then anger. "I am a good and honest woman! I went to the constabulary! I went to report all my hens dead!"

"O-oh!" He seemed to suddenly lose a foot of height, shocked. Perhaps he loved animals too?

She continued: "I think my neighbour's hounds had at them in the night. One of the constables said it would cost thirty sem for them to go and investigate the scene. I pointed my finger in his face and called him a villain. Then he said he would have that finger, and before I knew it he had nipped it free with a spell! Have you ever heard of such a thing? That is not how policing works!"

"Naught works in the expected manner here," the stranger whispered. For all his prior forwardness, he suddenly seemed to be avoiding the sight of her gory hand. "I… am afraid I can be of no help confronting the local lawmen, but I would happily pay for your drink and direct you towards a more honest physician than the twin-eating sawbones you will find on the high street."

His voice was unnervingly tinny, but there was warmth there. In spite of her anxiety and her throbbing hand, she tried to wind down. She hadn't been in town very long but even the Ssaelit she had tried to befriend were standoffish. She was beginning to understand why. Sharteshane was a land of traps and predators; everyone was waiting to see what you had, and if you were strong enough to protect it. Why she had supposed the law would be different, now seemed beyond her. A final illusion shattered.

"Is it still raining?" he prompted when she took too long to decide on an answer. "It is forever raining here. It is as though the city must be kept wet, or its amphibian skin will crack open."

"And out will pour the bloody flies," she agreed, removing her coat. It had done little good. The clothing beneath was sodden, draping, and she coloured to realise how prominently her bosom rose. Oh, dear, her nipples were visible too. These cheap Sharteshanian weaves simply did not reflect her patterns correctly-

Now it was the stranger's turn to give a start! He shuddered and stumbled away as though burnt. Had it been the fly remark that had disturbed him? He was surely scandalized to hear such language from an Aldishwoman. Of course he would be! Soon she would be a ribald Sharte, all cusses and swears-

Ach, no, no. He was trying not to look at her chest. A gentleman! Of course.

"You must forgive me, sir! I dove into the rain after the attack without first buttoning my slicker and… and…" Her good hand fumbled at her bonnet, slipped it free of her head so he could see her earnest green eyes. Oh, a mistake! Now he would see she was a Soud, and hate her-

He stumbled again, struck, and grabbed at his midsection! Then from her eyes to her hair his attention alighted once more upon her missing digit.

"What is it?" she demanded, "Are you ill? What is wrong with you!"

"D-did you keep your finger?" he sputtered, almost wailed, "Or did the constable take it?"

"What a question! You monster! Bartender!"

"Bartender!" he echoed, "Aye, please bring to me my emergency order! I require my emergency order!"

A moment's pause, and a broad-shouldered Bronze suddenly jumped the bar. He was nearly seven feet tall, with a touch of the Glut about him. A steaming hot bar towel was in his grasp. The stranger grabbed it, two-fisted it with all the alacrity of a drowning man reaching for a watertight coffin. Then she swore she heard a hiss as his impossibly perfect white teeth bit down upon it hard. When he started gnawing it like the hounds last night had surely gnawed at her poor hens, she flew from the pub, never gathering the courage to ask if he'd been the one to leave nothing in that coop but two beaks and a pile of bloody feathers.

[justagirl-with-thoughts]

unicorns are kind of horrifying

The Unicorn Tapestries, also known as the Hunt of the Unicorn, created around 1495-1505, and is made out of wool warp, wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts, the tapestries are currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

If you didn't know, unicorns were kind of messed up at first.

In the Medieval Ages there was an incredible amount of lore surrounding the unicorn. There are different possibilities as to how the idea of this creature came to be about, but in whatever case, the legend was obviously lasting.

I'd like to detail some of the research I had been doing on the Medieval lore of this creature.*

The image above comes from a specific set of tapestries that detail a hunt of a unicorn. Every detail of these tapestries is honestly beautiful and often symbolic.

To summarize the key point of the legend, the unicorn was a very temperamental creature, and know one could go near it. In some tapestry scene the unicorn is shown to impale its attackers on its horn, so it was not exactly a defenseless creature.

Here is where the legend gets...annoying. The only person who could tame this creature was a young virgin girl. Obviously this is gross, and some Medieval writers and artists took this idea in really gross directions**, but I would like to attempt to understand the reasoning behind this aspect of the lore.

For one, the Middle Ages in Western Europe was where a lot of the traditional Catholic beliefs and traditions were really fostered, so naturally it affected the art made. In many cases, it is believed the unicorn was a symbol of Christ so this piece could have been an allegory for the life and death of Christ.

Then, the Virgin Mary was a highly worshiped holy figure, so the symbol of "the virgin" was respected. Having this idea of a virgin in the story likely had some secular motivations that meant to encourage this idea of purity in women, but it is also likely that the inclusion of the virgin figure was meant to amplify the importance of this creature.

Remember, people believed unicorn were real, and anything people could make into a religious symbol, they did. If an artist was trying to express that the unicorn was a holy symbol for Christ, they had to include other visual clues like "the virgin".

For me, this is one of those things that I found really interesting, and wanted to think further about. I am curious as to how you could interpret the ideals of this legend and artwork. The history of this creature is vast and strange, it is fascinating to see how it involved with pop culture today knowing the disturbing origins.

-

*In this case I am referring to the Middle Ages rather generally, but I am more specifically focusing on the Western European lore. There are similar legends that come from East Asia, however, as well.

**I really do not want to detail some of the more disturbing/graphic aspects of this legend, but the article The Unicorn: Creature of Love by Teresa Noelle Roberts addresses some of history and more gory details rather tamely if you really wanna look into it.

[lostbetweenthepagesofthesebooks]

Some Will Not Sleep

My second book into the horror genre, and leaning a little more towards what I'm looking for. In my head, this is really the book that starts my horror novel journey. This is a book that another friend let me borrow, they are big into horror, so they gave me a few different types of horror to start my journey.

Some Will Not Sleep

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot(s): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I think technically the overall rating should be like 4 1/2 stars, but it gets a full 5 stars because I would absolutely read this again. I am also going to be owning this now, more so because I accidentally spilled coffee on my friend's book (my bad, my dude). And not saying this because I wouldn't own it, I just wasn't planning on owning it so soon.

I really enjoyed Nevill's writing style, it's different... but then again all of horror will likely be different than what I'm use to. But Nevill does a great job of building up the suspense and then giving us our big reveal. I felt anxious as times... basically chomping at the bit to get to the climax. So when those feeling's get evoked, regardless of the material, it's always good to me.

Another major feeling that you'll likely get, because I sure as hell did with every story, while reading these: disgust. Literally every time we got to the climax, or the point, I made a face. A few I even said "ugh" out loud. Nevill's writing is that great, where you can clearly visualize what he's describing with his creatures. Might not be how he saw them, but the way my brain created the images were plenty jarring

It's also good to add here that all of these short stories feature some type of creature, and all said creatures are grotesque. It's certainly not gory to me - which can be taken with a grain of salt because I'm not bothered by gore too much. It's not disturbing per se - again, grain of salt, I never felt disturbed during this book. Every story features creature(s), and they are just... gross. Again, the writing here... superb.

Plot(s) got a 4 only because I didn't love every story, and I think this is a fair rating for this reasoning. It's hard to fairly rate plot, I think, with a book of short stories where the stories themselves are only like 30 pages long. Overall, I enjoyed every story, but not every story really jumped at me. Speaking of which...

My favorite stories from this book: Mother's Milk, Yellow Teeth, To Forget and Be Forgotten, and The Ancestors.

I had a hard time deciding whether or not Mother's Milk was going to be on that list because to me, this is the most grotesque. This one disgusted me the most. But in that same vein... since it really impressed on me so... I do think it deserves the mention. Yellow Teeth felt a little more on the disturbing side to me, but it was such a good build up. I felt like this one definitely had movie vibes, in a good way... I'd watch it. To Forget and Be Forgotten also fairly disturbing at the end. This ending I really enjoyed, the wrap up of it all. There was something of a relief mixed with dread. I'm not sure how to really explain it. Then The Ancestors. I think this one bothered me a bit because it involved a child. So there definitely something very childlike about the POV in this one, which I appreciate when written well, and Nevill did a good job. There's also something about all the hair that's mentioned, gave me the heebie jeebies.

Overall: definitely recommend this one, with the caveat that if 1. you like horror in the first place and 2. if you like horror and don't mind more grotesque/somewhat gory horror. I recognize this is not everyone's cup of tea, so I want to make that very warning clear. I did not mind it one bit, but it still isn't quite the horror I'm yearning for. But, like I said, I wouldn't mind reading this again, and I will be looking into reading more by Nevill.

Read on beautiful people. 📖🤘

[drawing-way-outside-the-lines]

➖ Mature content, 18+ ➖ check the trigger tags each time ➖      

Chapter 13 - Flashbacks. Episode 2.

Andy: *His voice was shaking as he went on* I tortured someone… a… a person… *he frowned and as he lowered his head, so he was no longer facing me, his sobbing turned into a silent almost choking crying. Coming so deep from inside of him it almost knocked the air out of me.* I understand if you can no longer be with me. The things I did to him.

Evan: *Things started making sense. There were often some form of torture on a show as Supernatural. I just couldn't understand why he hadn't reacted earlier? I wrapped my arms tight around him, drawing him close to my chest, holding him as tight as I could while still allowing him to breathe freely.* Andy… I'm not leaving. *I took a deep breath, caressing his back gently* Does Congo know?

Andy: *He nodded softly*

Evan: *I kissed the top of his head gently, feeling my heart pound heavily* Does George know?

Andy: *He nodded again*

Evan: Does anyone else know?

Andy: Only…. A…. he was…. with me.

Evan: *I took another deep breath. Of course he was! Andy wasn't a person that could come up with something like torture on his own. I kissed his mohawk and squeezed him extra tight a few seconds, and as I slowly loosened my arms enough for him to be able to breathe, I spoke to him in the softest voice possible* Andy… if they know, and they didn't leave, I can assure you I'm not going anywhere either. Please tell me. I need to know more now, only knowing the headline is just gonna eat me up. You don't have to go into too specific details, but you gotta explain this a little bit. Please. I promise you I am not going to leave you. Okay?

Andy: *He dug his fingers into my chest and started hyperventilating again* I can't…. I can't live without you!

Evan:* I looked up at the big windows at the first floor, Congo was sitting in the couch with a book. I didn't want to disturb him, but at this point I saw no other choice. I reached my hand down in my pocket, dialled his number, and watched him as he picked up his phone. Congo… I'm sorry, I know you are reading, but I could really use you down here in the garden right now. And please bring a hoodie for Andy. As I hung up I watched him quickly putting his book down, and disappear down the stairs, seconds later he came out from the tv room, with a hoodie in his hands, running fast towards us.*

Congo: *He looked concerned at me as he stopped in front of us* What's going on? *As he squatted down next to Andy, he gently wrapped the hoodie around Andy's shoulders caressing his back softly* What's going on my love? *Even if his question was directed towards Andy, he looked at me with worried eyes*

Evan: *I shook my head softly* Andy says he once tortured a person? And that you and George are aware of it?

Congo: *He frowned and sighed deeply*

Evan: *I sighed softly* I don't know what to tell you? We were watching Supernatural, and one of many torture scenes ran over the screen. Suddenly he ran out in the garden, and as I caught up with him he fainted.

Congo: *He sniffed his nose a bit* Do I smell vomit?

Evan: *I nodded briefly* Yeah… somewhere over there *I made a waving gesture with my hand in the direction of Andy's dinner.* So, is this true? Look, I'm not asking for all the explicit details, he already made it clear A was there, so I can only imagine what Andy felt he had to do to "impress" A. But I think I'm entitled to a little bit more than just the 'hey, I tortured someone' headline. Don't I?

Congo: *He frowned mildly and looked at me a bit hesitating before he grunted deeply and grabbed my chin softly* Evan, it's not my story, so not really up to me to share, and you already look like the headline knocked you over. But I don't want to deny it either. So please, look me in the eyes and tell me if you can handle it or not. And be honest. Are you going to run out of here once you hear some of the gory details? Cause that's not what Andy needs. Another person he loved to give up on him.

Evan: *I shook my head firmly* I'm not going anywhere. I already told Andy this a couple of times, and I stand by it.

Congo: *He smiled softly and pushed my chin gently with his big fist* Alright… let me just sit down here… we can share, right? *He nodded at Andy and sent me a warm smile*

Evan: *I looked at Andy, still hiding against me, softly kissing his mohawk* Sure…. we can share.

Congo: *He sat down next to me, and dragged Andy halfway over on his lap, so Andy's head was laying in Congo's lap, and his upper body and hips were placed in my lap. He nodded at me softly and started running his fingers through Andy's hair* Alright… Let me see if I remember this enough to give you a short resume…

Evan: *I feared the worst, but was determined I wouldn't leave Andy no matter what. And I placed my hands softly on Andy's back, caressing it with my thumbs, making sure he knew I was there as he continued his sobbing.*

Congo: *He took a deep breath* You do know the story about John, your old manager? How it turned out he was a vampire too, One of the extra bad ones, and how he had tried to control Andy for years, trying to make Andy his new pet… or son as he tried to put it. You do know John was the one who killed Andy's parents, right?

Evan: *I nodded softly and sighed. Yes, I knew, although I didn't like being reminded of that jackass the slightest. The pain he had caused Andy had been unbearable, and even after A had brought Andy's parents back to life, the pain had formed permanent scars on not only Andy's soul, but also his body. Literally.*

Congo: *He smiled apologizing as he understood I wasn't happy about hearing John mentioned* You also know John raped Andy then?

Evan: *I swallowed a knot in my throat and felt out of breath* Yes… I know…

Congo: *He padded my shoulder gently, and smiled even more apologizing* So far so good, I guess. I'm relieved I don't have to repeat all of that again. However, I'm expecting you don't know John over the past years had slowly been giving Andy some of his blood, without Andy being aware John was slowly trying to turn him.

Evan: *I rubbed my forehead as I felt a headache rise*

Congo: Yeah… *he grunted deeply* As a result when A… killed him… John never really died. He lived on in Andy's blood, where he slowly started coming back to life. And for months he was torturing Andy mentally. Breaking him down from inside Andy's mind. Making Andy believe he was useless and were to end his own life. When A finally figured out what was happening, John had almost gained completely control of Andy. Luckily A was able to subtract John from inside Andy, and put his… soul… inside an empty body. *He frowned deeply* I don't wanna know where that body came from. However… A trapped John in a basement, deep under the ground of his family home, and told Andy he was allowed to go see John, and try to relieve the anger he felt after John playing with his mind, almost destroying him. Andy agreed to seeing John, and as John was secured by chains around his wrists, attached to the ceiling, Andy was able to get very close to him. As John once again tried to get into Andy's mind. Andy reached out for the only defence he could find in that dark basement. Torture instruments A so cleverly had laid out on a table. Andy tortured John for about an hour before his mind broke, and A dragged him out of the basement. They left John as a bleeding, passed out, sad excuse for a person. He had even pissed himself during that hour, which only can mean horrible things must have been done to him. This was a man that lived of killing innocent people. And he pissed himself. *He rubbed his forehead and suddenly looked very tired as his eyes connected with mine* Andy, George and I decided to put Andy under hypnosis where George safely locked these memories away, so Andy wouldn't have to drag them around the rest of his life. Andy was in a very bad shape after what John put him through. So I don't think he can be blamed or held responsible for anything. But then again, if you abuse a dog and it ends up biting you, it's always somehow the dogs fault, right? He smiled softly and observed me for a while, before he wrapped an arm tight around my shoulder and pulled me closer so I automatically leaned my head against his shoulder* Are you okay there Evan?

Evan: *I sighed deeply* Yes…. as okay as I can be.

Andy: *He sniffled his nose and looked up at me with anxious eyes* I'm sorry… please don't leave me!

Evan: *I shook my head softly and placed a hand over his mouth* Shut up with that. I'm not going anywhere. I'm with Congo. You cant be blamed. You were tortured for months, and when you were put face to face with the person who caused you all this suffering, a weapon was even placed in your hands. No one can blame you for using it.

Andy: *He sobbed softly* But it was not just one weapon. It was multiple tools, and i picked them up myself. A didn't force me. I chose on my own. One of the tools were designed to rip strings of flesh out. To peel skin off slowly. I shoved it up his urinary tract and raped him with it. But not until after I had already raped his ass with it. Imagine what a tool like that can do to your soft insides. And when I puked from all the crap I was doing to him, I only stirred the tool around in the puke, to once again insert it and make sure my puke got into all his internal cuts. *He sobbed loudly and hid his face in his hands* How can you be with a person like that? How can any of you? I shouldn't even be loved! I deserve the same as I did to him!

Evan: *I shook my head strongly* Andy, that's bullshit! I do not agree with what you did, in fact I wanna tell you to never ever do such a thing again. But I can't judge you. Andy, he raped you, did you forget that? He killed your parents, simply because he wanted you for himself. If you ask me, that's a billion times more sick than what you did to him. I don't encourage or believe in revenge, but as Congo said, you were abused, no one can blame you for finally snapping an biting back! No one!

Congo: *He smiled softy and caressed my hair a bit, it felt weird, but also comforting, so I didn't say anything. His voice was firm but warm as he spoke again* Sweetheart, Evan promised both of us he is going to stay, and he is still here. Isn't that proof enough?

Andy: *He sniffled his nose* I'm scared he will change his mind and leave…

Congo: *Smiled softly at me as if he held a secret only him and I knew about* Andy… I'm pretty sure you are wrong. In fact I'm so sure that I would bet my life on it. *He winked at me, and suddenly it dawned on me*

Evan: *I panicked a bit as I nervously padded the pockets of the hoodie Andy had over him as a blanket. The pockets were empty. So I looked a bit questioning at Congo*

Congo: *He moved Andy around a bit, so he could get to stand up, and in the same moment lift Andy up, princess style, and as Andy sent out a soft whimpering protest, he shushed Andy softly* Shh… my love, it's cold out here, you aren't wearing any pants. We all need to get inside before we get a cold. The nights are still too chilly to lay on the ground half naked.

[catwingsthespatula]

This post is so fascinating to me because I am coming at it from exactly the opposite direction.

I have low empathy. I used to think it was high because I was always the person who wanted to help other kids who got hurt, and it was mostly because I knew they were in pain and wanted to help, even if it was also partially because I'm a biology nerd and thought blood and injuries were fascinating. Then for a while I thought it was low because I got diagnosed with autism and assumed I couldn't have much empathy (which is incorrect, as were my accompanying assumptions that I couldn't possibly be particularly compassionate or kind, but that's another post). Anyway, I realized at some point that what I thought was empathy was an indirect response--to the abstract knowledge that someone was hurt. And, truly, sometimes not having the direct form of empathy is a major problem. I can't tell you how many times I've thought a conversation was going fine only for the other person to start crying and for me to realize, abruptly, that they've been very upset this whole time and I accidentally made them that way (which does hurt, quite a bit, even if just seeing someone crying doesn't).

Here's the thing. I care immensely about the wellbeing of all people, especially my friends and family. I am aware that my city has a homelessness crisis, that there's currently a genocide going on, that people all over the world are displaced and starving and ill and injured, and that many people die early and preventable deaths every day. I am sad about these things. If I see an action I can take to help, I will take it (to the point that my parents have been on my case about how much money I donate since I first had money of my own, and now I just don't tell them). If there's someone in front of me I might be able to help, I do. I regularly ask homeless people if I can buy them lunch, sit with them, and listen to their stories (that's one of the best things becoming a Christian did for my day-to-day life, honestly, is encouraging me to do that more often, stop worrying so much about how to have the most impact and focus on whoever's in front of me). I'm not saying this to brag, just to establish that I do care, and I do do something about it.

And, seeing a specific person in pain is not going to do anything to change those emotions unless it's giving me new information. The dead person on the sidewalk being given halfhearted CPR by city employees I saw on my way to a doctor's appointment with bloody froth on his mouth didn't upset me at all, because I already know people in my city are homeless and die of drug overdoses, and that man wasn't someone I knew personally and didn't know had died, so... what new thing did I have to be upset about? I have trouble even wrapping my head around the concept of finding an image of a dead stranger (or even a dead friend or relative, if you already knew that they were dead) disturbing. If anything, gory pictures appeal to me on an emotional level, because I'm still a biology nerd and still think it's fascinating to see the insides of a human being (this is why I usually avoid looking at them, because I don't like that fact about myself). I stopped watching true crime shows like Forensic Files because I have an ethical problem with the fact that they interview the families of murder victims and dredge up all that trauma for other people's entertainment, but it's certainly not because anything about the shows directly, emotionally bothered me.

And here's the thing. I now work as an in-home caregiver. I've been in situations involving my clients in immense physical and/or emotional pain, and the nature of the job is that I will be again. I care, of course, because I care about my clients as people. I love them, and that is not an empty phrase or exaggeration. But their pain doesn't shut me down. I don't suffer more helping someone with a broken arm into a sling and unavoidably causing them pain than I would at home, knowing that that person was in pain. Low empathy straight-up makes me a better healthcare worker, because it lets me focus on the client's feelings without interference from my own.

Tl;dr high empathy can absolutely be a problem from a moral standpoint, and low empathy, while coming along with its own moral challenges, can also have moral advantages that actually make it easier to be compassionate and kind toward others.

empathy gets treated as this universally positive thing but we forget that empathy often equals pain, and pain often activates fight or flight behaviors. a lot of my most asshole moments as a person were motivated by a twinge of empathy that was too painful to engage with in that moment, so i became aggressive and mean, NOT compassionate and helpful

[bonniesbookreviews]

In The Miso Soup

Author: Ryu Murakami

Published date: 1997

Plot: 

In The Miso Soup is about Kenji, a just-turned-20-year-old who works as a tour guide of Japan’s nightlife that revolves around the sex industry, ranging from massage parlours, S&M bars and pretty much everything else you could imagine. On New Year's Eve, he meets with a client, Frank a tourist from America who has all the means and cash for his desires. 

Kenji begins his tour with Frank, showing him what the nightlife offers but as time goes on and Frank starts to open up to him showing his personality Kenji starts to get creeped out, be it over Franks's odd inhuman-looking skin and his cold empty eyes. 

In the meantime, there has been a gruesome murder of a young girl that seems to be sexually motivated. Kenji becomes paranoid, thinking of who the killer could be, even feeling them closer than he wished not to.

Review:

*SPOILERS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW*

I was surprised with how I liked this book and that it was good enough to get me out of a reading draught, the length of the book was good enough that it didnt overwhelm me and suited well for the story and the way Kenji and Frank only knew and spent time with each other for 40 hours, a longer word count wouldn’t have suited this story. 

There is not much character development for Kenji but I feel thats okay for this story as the main focus is on Frank and the disturbing things he is involved with.   

The story itself is creepy and unsettling but Chapter 2 is the so-called money shot of the book with its grandiose and gory indulgence of the reader seeing Frank in action, brutally killing everyone in a bar. Kenji reacts to this by freezing from fear unable to do anything but personally, I feel it could have been more intense and it needed more adjectives to show his fear, but thats just me being picky.

I didn’t find the grand killing scene to be the most scary scene in this book, instead, I felt more disturbed towards the ending when Frank has his monologue on when he started to kill and feed on blood as a child. Seeing where and how it developed, moved me more than the slashing and butchering.  

The ending was effective even giving me chills, I was expecting Kenji to hand Frank over to the police but instead, the only thing being handed over was the feather of the swan most likely from the same swan Frank killed years ago. It's almost like Frank had kept the swan feather all of these years because he was expecting to tell his truth one day to only someone he fully trusted.

Although Kenji is not the villain in this story, is Kenji the second villain in the story for not telling the police about Frank and even letting many more murders come in the future? 

In the ending, during the see final moments between Kenji and Frank and even where the name of the story comes from when Frank says 

“But now I’m in the miso soup, myself just like those bits of vegetables. I’m floating around in this giant bowl of it.” 

I feel like this shows that as he didn't get caught again he will still be floating around drifting, floating in the soup that Japan’s nightlife, leaving pieces of human remains here and there as he floats and dips under hiding from the law once more.

I noticed a somewhat misogynistic description of teenage girls and women that made me pull a 'not impressed facial expression' in real life. Still, I think thats on the writer himself and maybe a reflection of the subject matter of the story but who knows right?

Overall, I really liked the fast-moving pacing of it as I am someone who gets frustrated with slow-paced stories and will easily give up books halfway through if I dont see any hope or reason to finish them. But in this case, I got stuck into the story pretty quickly and that was good motivation for me to finish the book.

Favourite Quote / Highlight: N/A

Rating: 4/5

Keep or sell: Keep

[ambreiiigns]

HIIIIII HOW ARE YOU 🥺🥺🥺🥺 i got your message a few days ago BUT i wanna watch both those films first so i can give you a proper response 💞💞

i started watching Nyx Fears and i'm liking her channel already!!!🥺💖 i love youtubers who make discussions about disturbing shit feel like you're hanging out w a friend who's telling you about fun horrible things<33 i found a couple of those lately but cannot for the life of me remember the channel names so i'll have to check 👀👀👀👀

ALSO i finally watched Hellraiser today because it's been on my (very long) to watch list for a while and people at work were saying they found it terrifying, and like? it honestly felt to me like if an episode of doctor who was gory, like yeah it was fun and i did enjoy it but. once again no fear 😔😔😔

ANYWAY how've you been, what've you been up to!!!! found anything particularly terrifying yet??? HAVE A GREAT DAY/NIGHT 💝💝💝💝

HIII NATE I'M VIBING HOW ARE YOU!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

ye that's how you do it baybayyy unfort i don't remember what i wrote you anymore but i'm pretty sure my goal was just like. is it worth the watch or not question mark 🤔🤔🤔 and i hope i didn't spoil anything. i don't think i did but i have been living in fear. YEA LET ME KNOW IF YOU WATCH THEM THO LET ME KNOW ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!

YES YES YES YES YES NYX FEARS LICHRALLY. THE VIBES. OFF THE FUCKING CHARTS. THE ENERGY SHE HAS THE ATTITUDE UGHHHH!!! and she's not. i apologize if i said this already but [EDIT: i have in fact said it already. a couple of sentences have therefore been redacted xx] i Knew you would also find use in the channel hell yeah brother 😎 curious to know if you remember any other youtube guy tho!!

oh Tell me about that. i simply can't get into hellraiser i haven't really seen any :-( it's one of the things i stumbled on as a kid along like. nightmare and child's play but i haven't really cared to watch it??? i really should i KNOW it's fun i know it's silly i know the gore and sfx are Insane but it also feels like... it gets Too sci-fy almost? 🤔 that is Not the right term but. in short i am very conflicted abt it so Tell Me Nate which one did you see how was it i know we're not getting scared but was it fun do you think i should commit do you think it's worth watching 👁👁

i got nothing new for you unfort! apparently i watch two heavyweights in one sitting one after the other and then i step away for a while huh!! i NEED to change this pattern or i'll go insane!!!!!! but i've been showing my brother some slashers here and there and the last one we watched was house of wax 2005. nate it's soooo you us core have you seen house of wax it's so fuckin fun and silly and slay. i wanted to make brother watch pearl 2022 next but apparently no pearl in italian yet :-( so we're either doing like maybe ginger snaps or silent hill next :-( blowing u kissies wishing u a nice time too 💜💜💜💜

[alleycat-arcade]

Game Start! The Seven Lords: Tales From the Wailing Woods

Oh, you'd like some more mature games? Ah, let me see if I can find something for you...

Here we are, follow me. I didn't get the chance to decorate for it but I did have this lil' guy installed before Halloween rolled around. Yeah, it's more of the gory sort. Why don't you take it for a spin?

(While I'm finishing up editing some fics, here are some headcanons I worked on with my roommates and discord friends! They helped my write this while my burn was still healing as well as helped edit. Each of them helped on the parts of the brother they simp for the most. Except Satan's part, that was all this resident Tantan simp. They don't use most social media platforms or have any they want me to credit it to, so I'm just going to thank them here. I know Halloween was like, around a month ago now, but this idea rooted itself in my head and won't leave >:( . I did still have fun with this though, as a person who does enjoy horror/violent games from time to time. Personally not too big on most movies though, mainly just the older ones.)

Movie Magic (Obey Me! Brothers x Actor/ess/ex!Reader)

Content Warnings: Blood and light to heavy injury(Makeup), false organs outside of body, false lost limbs, surgical themes, body horror, general horror themes and elements, threats of violence. Mature(?) Content.

(I am aware reading about gore does not equal actually seeing it, but I am a very detail oriented and descriptive person. Even if these aren't particularly things that are too descriptive, I'd rather warn without need than not warn and trigger or upset someone. I will not be attaching any sort of disturbing gifs or images. All specific content warnings will be attached to each brother's part.)

⚝──⭒─⭑─⭒──⚝

Lucifer: Afraid of My Dreams

(Cw: Blood, light gore/injury(gashes), knives, death)

The script was fairly simple, the typical trope-y and classical horror movie.

You were particularly excited for this role. Not for the type of movie, but for your placement in the plot itself.

Sure, you had starred in one or two before, but this time you were going to be the main character!

The movie itself was a cliché story, in which the main character keeps seeing things in their dreams that keep coming back to haunt them in real life.

Throughout recording the whole thing, you had become quite close with the rest of the cast, even the person playing the killer.

Tonight was the night that you were filming the ending, in which it would be revealed that the killer had been your friend's boyfriend who had been overhearing things about your dreams from her the entire time.

The scene in particular you had been filming had you sprinting through a rather fancy home in which your other rich friend had just been killed in. Your character was supposed to be injured and running for their life, as the camera crew filmed a few shots of you struggling to get away while the boyfriend was monologuing about how "this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't rejected me last year." Classic cliché there.

What was supposed to happen was that you would escape into a room full of your rich friend's family, who happened to drop by to surprise her, and protect them by finally killing the killer instead with the knife you had snatched from the kitchen. Then, the family would rush them to the hospital in which they had been recounting their story to the police.

When the bright white light engulfed you, you assumed maybe the lighting crew had turned the lights up too high.

The Student Council Members were beginning to grow a little bored as they waited on the last Human Exchange Student. Barbatos had continued to reassure them that he had been waiting for the best moment to summon them. According to the butler, the Human Lucifer had selected was quite the busybody and they needed to wait for the perfect moment. But, as the portal finally opened up and the person they had been waiting on emerged, Lucifer couldn't help but think that maybe the butler didn't know a thing about timing.

Bloodied and battered, the human pitifully limped through the portal. They shielded their eyes with one arm, coated in deep gashes, while another clenched a butcher's knife firmly. Diavolo practically leaped out of his seat and over the table, calling for one of them to get medical attention as he ran towards them. Lucifer quickly followed suit, as while he didn't particularly care for humans, he didn't want part of Diavolo's dream to die before it even started. But, not one of them could expect the supposedly dying human's response.

"Y-you must be Grace's family. Listen you've got to get out of here. He's killed Grace and- and he wants me now." The human panted. Their pupils were heavily shrunk and darted around as they spoke. Suddenly, they whipped around and pointed the knife at the air behind them. "I won't let you kill anymore innocents, Nathan! You- ... you uh..." They had been practically roaring before, but now they were stumbling over their words as they were met with not a door, but a wall.

Their posture straightened as they ran a hand through their hair, no longer struggling to stand and they muttering to themselves for a minute. "Damn it, sorry guys. Can we get another take on that scene? I think the light guys had it too bright up there." They rubbed their eyes as they turned around to face the small crowd before them. "I must've stumbled a bit too far when I came through the door." As they blinked, their eyes struggled to focus in the low lighting of the room. All the while the crowd in front of them stood silently. "Uh, you guys aren't that mad right? Sorry, I'm not used to playing these kind of big roles, but this is only the third take. So go easy on mee.... oh."

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with the knife they held in their hand. The human couldn't help but shift awkwardly on their feet, realizing the people before them were not the actors they had met prior. At first, they had assumed they had stumbled onto another set by accident, but the house they had rented for the movie was an actual real place this time. It wasn't even located anywhere near any towns or rural areas, the closest building was a farm whose residents had already been informed about the movie prior to filming. "Hey, listen. How did you guys get on set? We're filming here." "Set?" "Yeah? For a movie?" ... "So you aren't dying." "No? This is just makeup that the team worked really hard on. I'll make sure to tell them that you think it's that realistic though. Now let me find my boss, and he can tell you-"

"Oh, this is definitely not the set."

Lucifer didn't really know how to feel when you suddenly dropped the act and tried to usher them off set like that. His pride was insulted that he had rushed over with concern, only for them to try and usher him and the others off like a group of trespassers. Yet, you looked just as confused as the rest of them. It took an explanation from Barbatos to clear the air finally, but he couldn't help but wonder why the butler hadn't cut you off earlier.

After introductions went through and pushing you off onto a startled Mammon, he went back through your files. It must have slipped his mind that you worked in the acting industry.

It will take a while for him to admit it, but he was kind of impressed with your acting talent. If they happen to have any thing sort of acting club or play auditions going on at RAD, he might slip a flyer for it under your door when you're out of the house or asleep.

You don't even need to ask him to sit down to watch any of the movies you're in if they're the right type. If you've been in anything that meets his personal requirements for a film, he's probably already seen it.

That being said, he will openly critique any of the films you've been in. You'd think he was a professional movie critic with some of the things he tells you.

If Diavolo lets you go back and forth between the two realms in order to finish the movie, he'll very likely be tagging along to make sure you don't spit out the secrets about the Exchange Program. This also includes if you happen to go to any interviews or Opening Night events. Get ready to have a "is this celebrity dating this guy???" scandal when you get back from the program.

Lucifer may make a decent co-star in another movie, but even if he had asked the director there wasn't any real way for the writers to squeeze him into the current movie's main plot as a main character with how close to finished it was. The closest the two of you could get would be including him in at the ending and small flash forward scenes, as the boyfriend who fully supports you while you recount the tale to the police. Despite being a side character, the internet seems to love him based on the amount of edits of you two.

Mammon: 'Til Afterlife Do Us Part

(Cw: False missing limb, mild gore, exposed internals, description of rotting corpse)

Zombie movie with a romantic twist? Sure why not. You've starred in far stranger roles anyway.

The director had requested you personally to audition for the role, as you had starred as a side character in one of his favorite zombie tv shows. He had told you that the movie itself was inspired by your character, and how he loved your performance both while you were travelling with the main group and after you were turned yet kept by one of the main characters.

The character you would be playing was fairly similar to the latter part of your previous role, but it further expanded on letting you be more than a brains devouring zombie. As long as you didn't have to wear the muzzle and handcuffs the whole time again, you were happy.

It had taken quite a while for the makeup team to finish up your heavily detailed makeup, but excited butterflies filled your stomach as you made your way on to the set. The crew had already filmed most of the scenes leading up to your appearance, and now all there was left to do for the day was film you meeting your love interest. You had been in the background in a few scenes as a little teaser, but now was your real star moment.

You had been lying on the ground amongst the other "zombies", with your character pretending to be dead. Your fellow zombies were killed by an attack by some army troops, but your character had enough humanity left in them to carry out faking your demise to ensure your survival. You laid face-down in the dirt, body slack and unmoving as you waited for the next scene to begin. Faintly, you could hear the director calling out the cues in the background, and prepared yourself to keep your body limp.

As the actor sloppily scooped your "corpse" off the ground, you struggled to keep your composure. A small part of you wanted to ask for a redo of the scene so he could pick you up properly, but you and your co-stars were already tired and you didn't want to drag this out any longer. But, if you thought being carried weird would be the worst part of this scene, you would be very, very wrong. He tossed you over the fence as directed, but instead of landing on the soft pile of fake corpses, your body slammed against a hard floor.

You felt dizzy and your head throbbed, but you couldn't bring yourself to move for some reason. Did they decide to skip the scene with you rolling off the pile and landing in front of the protagonist?

Deciding to just roll with the punches, you waited for the love interest to make his entrance and continue the scene.

The Student Council really didn't know what to think now. There was supposed to be a human being coming out of the portal, skin flush with natural color and at most unconscious with all of their limbs. Not a dull, lifeless corpse dropping unceremoniously on the floor, lacking one of it's hands and having bits of exposed bones and organs. It remained unmoving, just laying there.

Whispering broke out amongst the members as they attempted to figure out what to do with the body. The first idea had been to just give it to Beelzebub, but they didn't want to make one of the youngest members of the House of Lamentation devour something that seemed like it had been for quite a while. They didn't want the Avatar of Gluttony to potentially get sick. They finally settled on an idea, one that might manage to teach a certain late demon to get to the meetings on time more often.

Mammon crinkled his nose on the body on the floor. It didn't emit any sort of rotting smell, but appearance-wise it was very much dead. "Why the hell do I have to dispose of the damn body?!" He huffed, nudging it with his foot. "Maybe you wouldn't have to do this if you weren-" Lucifer's lecture was cut short as the second-born let out a high-pitched shriek. One so high that anyone in the room hoped there were no animals in the vicinity.

Now, the Avatar of Greed wasn't one to be shocked by dead bodies. He'd seen them plenty of times before, likely even ones in a much worse state than the one before them. The rest of the room were mostly just confused, until a low groan sounded from the ground. Looking down, they saw the remaining hand of the corpse clenched tightly around Mammon's ankle. He stood there, frozen in shock, before panicking and desperately kicking to get it to release its grip. One of those kicks just so happened to give them a good knock on the skull.

"Ow fuck! Dude, you're totally going off too far script here. Oww...." The previous moaning was now replaced with a rather pissed off voice. One that while tired, didn't sound fully dead. They raised their arms to cradle their head, rolling onto their side. "Z-zombie!" Mammon squeaked, scrambling backwards until his back hit the table behind him.

"Uh, Yeah? We've been filming all week how did you forget the plot so soon? Seriously man, you were doing really well earlier today. I would say lets get ready for another take but my head's killing me." They sat up slowly before looking around them.

"Did they throw me into another set? Damn it, sorry guys."

It takes a bit of convincing for Mammon to be sure that you weren't some sort of re-animated corpse from a graveyard. They could've gotten some actor/ess/ex 's dead body or something. He may hate horror movies, but he's seen enough to know what a zombie looks like!

He finally relaxes after all of the makeup crew's hard work has been taken off. Now all you have to worry about is how huffy he is to be your babysitter.

When he finally warms up to you, he searches up your name to see if you're in any movies that are popular in the Devildom. If you are, you can bet that he's going to plead with you to let him sell your autograph to your fans down here, at the right price of course. Mammon may even try to get you to be in a few of his modelling shoots as well. It's not like he wants to be close with you or anything though, he's just trying to get you into his schemes and stuff 'cause he wants some extra Grimm! It's not like he hung up one of your autographs in his room or anything.

With enough pleading, he might sit down to watch one of your movies that's not too scary. He might "accidentally" unplug the tv if you are a part of a romantic subplot.

If Diavolo lets you go back and forth in order to finish off the movie, Mammon is none too pleased. Lucifer almost definitely wouldn't let him go alone with you to the Human World, and he'd quite huffy in the background as you acted out your on screen romance with your co-star. If he didn't have such a distinct personality and mannerisms or if he knew the script, he may have tried to possess the love interest just to take his place. And if he does end up spending a moment of alone time with you there in public, the celebrity dating rumors are almost 20x worse than if you went up with Lucifer. Sure, the eldest may have given you fleeting romantic glances and brief gentle touches, but Mammon is practically glued to your side if you aren't working.

Though he's a model, he would likely struggle with the role if he were to somehow actually replace your love interest. Unless they're meant to be a character that's face goes red at the slightest gentle caress or vaguely romantic scene, only to immediately deny it.

He will not leave your side at all at Opening Night. You caught him growling at one of your co-stars once when they got a little too close to you. Mammon does his best to deny it, but a cameraperson happened to be a close enough to catch the sound on tape.

Leviathan: The Amnesiac Prince

(Cw: Light gore, false stabbing, blood)

Starring as the main character in the movie adaptation of a popular novel series was nerve-wracking. Even though the first movie had received glowing reviews, you couldn't lie that you were worried.

Your cast members did sense your nerves and kept an eye on you, making sure to reassure you and check on you when you needed it. It didn't matter if it was during scenes or interviews, they treated you like a second family. You did your best to support them in the same way as well.

You had finally reached the climax of the film, where you would be filming one of the most looked forward to parts of this particular volume of the series. The scene in which your character was dying, only to be saved by a kiss and healing spell from a mysterious stranger.

This particular scene was stumping you and your team at the moment, as even though they had gone through multiple castings, they couldn't find the right person to play your love interest. The reasons ranged from the director not feeling like they fully fit the character, them simply not putting their heart into the role, forgetting their lines far too frequently, and many others.

The rest of the cast had lost count on how many actors they had gone through to get to the current one, and how many more they would go through as well. You honestly were just hoping that you would at least find the right person soon so you wouldn't have to suffer through another awkward interview about the current delays on the film.

You received a gentle pat on the back from one of the makeup artists as they finished, giving you some words of encouragement on your way out. Making sure to grab the right props, you moved to the proper spot and waited for your cue.

As you ran through the first take for the scene, a small voice in the back of your head wondered why it felt warmer in the room than before. But you ignored it to focus on the sword-fighting scene at hand. When the prop sword "plunged" itself into your abdomen, you dropped to the ground and rolled into the secret compartment that another character had opened in a different scene. Though the landing was rougher than you imagined, you were too tired to care and focused on properly delivering your performance.

The Avatar of Envy may have had a strong preference for reading manga over most books, but something about Young Adult novels drew him in. When the movie version of one of his favorite Human World series had come out, he couldn't deny that he enjoyed it greatly. Sure, he would have preferred the adaptation to have been animated, but the amount of hard work and dedication that had been put into the first film had him waiting on the edge of his seat for the next. Even the script was almost a near replication of the original dialogue!

As Leviathan sat in the Student Council room, awaiting the last Exchange student, he scrolled through the latest news about the novel. He bit back a soft wail as another headline announcing a delay in production popped up on his feed. Even the reassurances from the interviewed cast didn't soften the disappointment he felt, reading that the director was still being picky about a later character's casting. Before he could mutter anything more about wanting to head to the Human World to give the director a piece of his mind, Asmodeus nudged him with his elbow to pay attention while the exchange student finally made their way through the portal. He couldn't deny that his heart skipped several beats when he saw a familiar person roll into the room, stopping to clutch a deep wound on their side that dripped steadily onto the floor.

What kind of Reverse Isekai was this? One of his favorite characters was here, in his world, bleeding out in front of him. Leviathan couldn't decide whether to faint on the spot or run to them, but his feet moved before his brain and carried him to their side. "Have you come to finish me off?" They hissed, feeling the presence of someone behind them. Levi recognized the line off bat, as it was one of the only times the main character showed any true hostility to a stranger. "If so, please be quick. I'd rather not bleed out personally."

Now, he knew the line the came next, but should he even say it? Would it make them feel more at home if he recreated the scene for them? He paid enough attention to his online classes to know a decent healing spell or two.

Well, he had already acted on instinct to get where he was now, may as well go with it and play the role of the mysterious stranger. People already used that role as a sort of self-insert anyway. The character was meant to be the stoic, strong type, so perhaps if he acted more like Admiral Leviathan rather than Otaku Leviathan it would be more convincing?

"Not going to beg for your life?" "As my Master would say, a mage should die with honor." "A mage, huh? There's not many of your kind still left alive after the Queen's decree." They chuckled feebly, before groaning and clutching their wound. "Can we get this over with?" "Hmph." Leviathan raised his hand to the wound, whispering one of the incantations he remembered from class. Though it wasn't the spell used in the books, it would at least work to close the gash. It must have been effective, since he couldn't feel the torn skin when his fingertips grazed their hip. "You... Why did you help me?" They rolled to lay on their back, but Levi didn't move quite fast enough out of the way so they ended up laid against his lap. "It would be a waste to allow one of such strong potential to die here." "I... Thank you, kind stranger. If there is anything I could do to repay you, just say the word." "Could I perhaps, steal something from you?" "Steal? I have no gold or goods on my person." "No, nothing of that sort." His hand moved to hold their chin. This was it, the kiss scene. He just had to kiss them... on the lips. "T-this." As their warm breath grazed across his face, he couldn't maintain his Admiral persona. He chickened out just as quickly as he had leaned in. Levi tried to slip out from underneath them and cover his face, but he felt a comforting pat on the small of his back as he suddenly pulled away.

"Hey, that was really good! That's the best take we've had on this scene since we started filming. You really embodied the character." They smiled up at him. "...Scene?" "Yeah, the whole kiss scene and everything. Let's say we do another take and try again. Remember, our lips don't actually have to touch, just close enough for it to look like it to the camera." "So you're not the Grand High Mage, Gladiolus?" "I mean, technically no? That's Gladiolus's title in the fourth book, not the second. Or did you mean that I'm not the actual character from the books?"

They did not receive an answer, for he had fainted the second they sat up.

Leviathan avoided you for quite a bit after that, until he absolutely needed to interact with you in order to get his money back from Mammon. Even then he couldn't look you in the eye. Though you weren't the character yourself, if you were he'd probably still be this embarrassed.

He wants really badly to ask for your autograph though, but he's too nervous to just outright ask for it. Play your cards right, and you may not even need to do the TSL quiz in order to get his pact. Some incredibly exclusive merch that only the cast and their close friends can get? And it's signed by the author? Make sure to sign the box too before you tell him where you want the mark. (If you manage to get the director to work your new "tattoo" in the character's movie design, he will cry tears of joy. HOL will flood with his happy tears.)

If you are comfortable with it, he'd ask you to cosplay with him. Not just the character you're used to playing, but any he'd feel you would pull off well with your acting talent. Maybe surprise him in a Ruri-chan outfit and do your best impression if he's having a bad day.

If your other movies are in a similar vein, he's likely already them. Please let him talk your ear off them, he's just so excited to have someone to talk about them to who both knows what he's talking about and also cares about the topic. Even if you weren't too great in them, he'll still sing your praises in every title. He'd also like to hear you speak about it as well. The demon is bouncing in his seat with a beaming smile directed at you while you tell him some exclusive behind the scenes stuff.

You will have to do a hell of a lot of begging if you want Leviathan to come to the Human World as your companion during filming. And, if you really think he'd fit the role of the stranger, you'll need to beg even more to even more people if you want that dream to come true. Including Leviathan himself.

For the sake of this, imagine a perfect world in which the two of you do in fact star in the film together. The cast and director love him, and are sure to support him like they did with you. Your beloved shut-in gains a little more self confidence after all of this, along with the honor of playing a character that many people love. If he was not the Avatar of Envy, the title may as well has been divided amongst his brothers while he was gone.

You take him out for dinner to celebrate rather than taking him to Opening Night. You'd rather not force him into an incredibly crowded event with cameras everywhere because you know how uncomfortable he feels in social heavy situations. If he'd prefer it, you're also fine with just staying home and cuddling instead as well.

The media views you as a sort of "maybe couple", since the two of you are very close but also avoid a lot of the typical PDA things and the press in general. A photo of you two linking pinkies in public did go viral though.

Satan: Frankensatan

(Cw: Body horror, blood, caps)

When you were offered the role, you were surprised at the plot. A witch fails repeatedly to make a single pact out of the 100 demons she's summoned, and takes matters into her own hands. When her friend arrives to drink tea with her like they do every weekend, she knocks them out and takes them to her basement. By the time they awaken, they are something that is definitely not human.

You and your fellow cast members have already run the whole "Frankenstein was the doctor" joke into the ground long before any news of the movie had gotten out there. The internet being, well, the internet, had mocked the movie for the title alone for a good week, long before the trailer was even going to be ready to be released. It quickly moved on though, choosing to use its 5 second attention span on something else. Despite the internet poking fun at the movie, it inspired you even more to do your best. And it seemed your co-stars shared the same sentiment.

The makeup and costume departments had done a fantastic job on the whole patchwork demon look as well. Though you were meant to look like a sloppily stitched and fused together demon recreation, they made it look like so realistic. Your favorite part had to be the wings and tail, both of which were mechanical and controlled by a remote hidden in one of your ripped gloves.

It felt almost cathartic to be so close to finishing the film. There were a few more scenes after this, but you personally were waiting for this scene. Your character was going to chase the witch through her large home, fully intent on killing her. The demon she had finally managed to almost get a pact from had seen your character in the basement, and ran for their life without looking back. So, now that she had no protection, they would enact their revenge.

As the camera followed her running down the staircase in front of you, you shouted your lines after her. Once she was fully gone, you took a deep breath and went over the lines for your monologue as you waited for your cue.

Satan would have much preferred doing something else that day, rather than waiting around for the last exchange student. He had downloaded a good amount of e-books the night before, much to his otaku brother's dismay, and would be far happier reading them in his secret spot where he fed stray cats often. Most of his curiosity regarding the human only extended to if he could use them to piss Lucifer off.

The solution to his boredom arrived sooner than expected, as well as louder than expected. Wooden boards splintered beneath them as they fell through the portal on the ceiling, landing on all fours. The Avatar of Wrath wasn't sure if what he was seeing could fully be described as a human, which was what was meant to arrive. The best he could say was that it was a vaguely humanoid creature, but the oddly demonic features that it bore confused him. He was still trying to analyze their features when it began to grumble and growl.

"It is time to face the consequences of your actions, old friend. One cannot play God and get away with it." They rose slowly from their position on the ground to stand on just their legs, but their head still hung low. The position gave the him and the rest of the Student Council a better view of them, giving them a full look at the rags and chains they were dressed in as well as the stitches lining their body. "You made me into this... this thing. And for what?! So you can have more power than you already have?!" They snarled, expressing their anger with their hands- no, claws that flung around wildly. Scarlet droplets flung off of them as they swung them about, spattering onto the mess of splinters on the floor. The way their tail lashed violently behind them and their wings twitched only added to the appearance of their rage.

An angry sob choked its way out of their throat, and their arms went to shield their face. "I was human! I was always supposed to be a human! Not.. not..." They hiccupped. "I... I thought we were friends. We were friends for years! I've known you since we were kids damn it! I know you couldn't manage to make a pact to enhance your magic and shit, but this? This?!" They began to stumble towards the group, slowly shuffling through the broken planks. "I'm sick of it... Sick of this..." Satan could feel the Wrath coming off them in waves as they approached the Student Council. Oddly, they seemed to be heading straight for him. He knew that they couldn't kill him if they tried even in his human form, but he felt tempted to end them on the spot for their audacity. They finally stopped when they reached the edge of the table, beginning to dig their claws into the wood as they leaned forward.

"I'm going to rip you to shreds, and sew you back together just like you did to me. Over, and over, and over again, as many times as I please. You wanted a demon didn't you? Let's go to hell together! Hehehe...hahahaha....AHAHA-" They had finally raised their head to begin manically laughing, only to lock eyes with a random male that was absolutely the witch they were pursuing.

Quickly, they stepped back a straightened out. "Ah, I'm so, so sorry about that. I told the director that we shouldn't have done this scene today so that if I accidentally fell into the wrong room I wouldn't interrupt a different movie." They brushed themselves off as they apologized, pressing a few buttons on the device on their hand that seemed to cause the wings and tail to stop. Upon looking around, they stuffed their hands in the pockets of their outfit and let out a low whistle. "Haha, nice set you got here. What kind of film are you guys filming here anyway?"

"We aren't filming anything. This is our meeting room." Satan leaned forward, inspecting the spot where their claws had been. Not even a little scratch in the desk was present. "Oh, damn. Sorry man, let me get out of your hair real fast. Jeez, I just wanna go home and see my ca-" "You are human, right. Not a demon?" They paused on their way towards the door

"No? I just play this character in a movie."

Satan wants to be upset with you for pretending to attack him, but he couldn't deny that your performance resembled one of his dramas. He has no plans to get too cozy with you just because of this though, even if you are a decent actor/ess/ex. At most he may look into what other sorts of films or entertainment you've been a part of and watch them.

He has likely heard about the movie you were currently filming through his many connections in the Devildom and Human World. The first thing he asks about it is the title, and why it was chosen despite the whole "Frankenstein was the doctor" thing. You offhandly joke about the reason being that the witch was the real demon all along, which takes and runs with. You didn't have the heart to tell him that the original reason was that the writers thought it was funny. Especially not when he has that look on his face as he happy discusses the theory with you.

He'll invite you over to his room often to read you some of the books that some of your previous roles may have been inspired by or some books about similar characters you're currently playing if you're stuck on how to play them to your best ability.

It's rather entertaining to listen to him read, as while his regular reading voice is nice pleasant while he narrates, he puts in the extra effort to do his best impression of what the characters sound like in his mind. You can no longer count the amount of times you offered to get him a job as a narrator in a movie or documentary, while tugging gently on his cheek and calling him cute.

Satan will impulsively buy any cat-themed merchandise that any movie you were in released that featured you. No matter what he thought it about the film itself. As he covers the neatly stacked horde of merchandise in the corner with a blanket, he begins to wonder if Leviathan's behaviors had begun to rub off on him. But he can't help it, what is he supposed to do when he sees your character on a postcard drowning in kittens with a bright smile? Or another one of your characters dressed in cat themed server attire as a little figure?

Whether Lucifer likes it or not, mostly not, Satan will not allow anyone but himself to keep an eye on you when you go back and forth to film. It just has too many benefits to him. He can pick up some exclusive Human World books, spend time with you, and gain some more insight on the entertainment industry. He also gets quite chatty and friendly with the director, using his natural charm and gentlemanly nature to woo him.

You were surprised to find that the writers had changed the script to a happy ending after the witch was killed. The patchwork demon would now escape the angry mob, only to run straight into the arms of another stranger. The handsome stranger takes them in and protects them in his secret cottage in the woods. In the after credits scene, it is revealed that the person is actually a demon, and promises to return their beauty to them if they marry him and stay by his side forever. It is also kind of suspicious that the director just so happened to feel that "Stan" fit the part to a tee. When his brothers fume with jealous over the scene as its sealed with a kiss, he just shrugs and states its just acting.(Plus you've kissed him plenty of times before.)

Opening Night is certainly interesting. If it weren't for the amount of sneaky kisses he places on your hand and cheek he'd likely be asked on a number of dates.

The media kind of assumes the two of you are secretly already married or at least dating. Who just goes to a cat café and willingly hand feeds their friend sweets and stares at them with an adoring expression as they're smothered in soft furballs and buzzing from all the purring? Not to mention, even if you're much taller or shorter than him, he wants to hook his arm around your waist and snuggle into the crook of your neck when he thinks no one is watching.

Asmodeus: Pained By...

(Cw: Blood, knives, fake pulsating organ, obsession)

The yandere trope was not something out of place in films, and it wasn't too surprising to you when you had been offered the role. You had already starred as a similar character before, but you had just been a one-off character in a television show in that role. Plus, the character had been fleshed out quite a bit more than the baseline stereotype you had previously played.

You couldn't lie that you were invested in watching the main storyline, even if you were the villain the detectives had been chasing. The performance of the main character who you were supposed to be in love with was the most enthralling out of all of them. The cat and mouse game the two characters played was fairly amusing, but it was finally time for the two characters to meet properly. There had been a scene prior of the two meeting by chance and not knowing who each other were, but this was meant to the climax where the protagonist sees the true killer.

The character you were playing definitely fit the typical femme/homme fatale type that quite a few other villains shared over the years. Even though they only had eyes for the newest detective at the local agency, they easily lured in their targets with their charms. The only common trait their victims shared were their relationship to the Protagonist. From their mentor to a waitress that happened to get a little handsy with them, if you were in the vicinity at the time to witness some form of closeness their days were numbered.

The outfit your character didn't do too much to protect you from the night's wind chill as you sat on the balcony. The lines flowed from your mouth as you looked out into the garden maze, of which the protagonist was meant to be trapped in at the moment. Your character was still covered in the blood of their most recent victim, who had just been tossed over before your lines were delivered.

"Ah, let's get this cleaned up now. I have plenty of time before my guests return to the banquet hall." Turning on your heel, you slipped into the door behind you that lead to the living room.

Asmodeus sat silently, scrolling through Devilgram. As per usual, his most recent post was a hit and his notifications were full to the brim. Originally he had left the sound on, but after enough complaints from his brothers and a threat of punishment he turned his D.D.D. to silent. Sure, the repeated chiming was annoying after the first 300 times, but he couldn't help that he was so popular. Plus, the last exchange student was taking forever! Solomon had already left with the Angels to the Purgatory Hall, and the other members of the Student Council were off in their own little worlds. It only made sense that he'd keep himself entertained somehow, and the lighting from one of the half open windows was a perfect match with this new filter that everyone else on his timeline had been obsessively using.

It would be a lie to say that the Avatar of Lust was not at all curious about the second Human who would be staying in the Devildom, especially since they would be living with him and his brothers for the duration of their stay. He was confident he'd have no trouble getting along with them, his natural charm would win them over within seconds after all. What he was concerned about were their potential mannerisms. Despite probably having the most human interaction out of all of the brothers, humans could be rather unpredictable types. He honestly just hoped that they were cleanly and well-behaved. His brothers were enough to deal with already, even if you were to ignore the underlying tension that had been present ever since the Exchange Program had been proposed.

Barbatos cleared his throat, getting the rest of the room's attention before finishing up the portal. The milky white oval formed on the nearby wall the same way the portal Solomon had come through was formed, but when the first thing that emerged from it was a single hand coated in a thick, scarlet liquid emerged you could feel the temperature drop a few degrees in the room. As one would probably expect, the hand was attached to the blood covered human that stepped through the portal. Their eyes darted confusedly about the room, confusion filling their features until they finally locked eyes with Asmodeus.

Their grip tightened around the knife in their opposite hand as they took a breath. Releasing it, they allowed a grin to light up their features as they moved to saunter up to Asmo. Their movements were deliberately slow and sensual, not relenting as they went to lean seductively across the table that divided themself and the demon before them. Now, their mannerisms weren't anything that he hadn't seen before, but it was not often that he was approached in the same way by someone covered head to toe in blood. Not to say that it had not happened before, but it was just something uncommon.

"So, Detective. It seems you finally caught on to me." Their tone of voice was seductive, but he could sense the underlying parts of their voice that made it sound like a recited speech. Asmodeus was certainly not some Private Investigator, that role would suit Satan more than him anyway. Were they into some sort of roleplay or something? Maybe they were playing so character Leviathan would recognize? While he was paying attention to them, he tried to peek at the rest of the council members' reactions, only to be met with more confused gazes. The human's smile dropped to a look of disappointment at his lack of attention to them, letting out a low hum before moving to pull something out of one of their pockets.

A wet slap sounded as whatever they had pulled out landed on the desk, just barely avoiding splattering bright scarlet onto his outfit. The pulsating red mound resembled that of a human heart, or some similarly sized organ. Asmo couldn't help but lean away from it as it oozed more of the red substance onto the surrounding area of the desk. "You don't like your present, my love? It is the heart of that foul bastard that dared to try to have you spend the night. I tried to get you the eyes that you said you loved so much, but I was a bit too rough with them. I apologize if you would have rather had that instead, my dear." "My love? Rather forward for someone you've just met, isn't it? Not that I have a problem with it, though."

At Asmo's response, their face dropped, no longer able to keep whatever façade they held from before. "Morgan, those aren't your lines. You're supposed to be frightened and run off while I chase you remember? Did you even read the script?" "I hate to kill the mood, but I'm not this Morgan person. I am Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust." Their eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Morgan, what are you trying to pull? This is the only role you've had all year, and I told you to tell me if you landed a new one so we could go out and celebrate. Are the rest of you guys in on this? Or..."

"Hm. Who are you all?"

The frazzled expression that crossed your face when you realized you were in fact, not talking to your co-star was quite cute to Asmo. Although, he was rather disappointed that you were not as deeply in love with him as you had acted. You didn't even react to his attempts at charming you, just what kind of human were you?

If you had gone along with the scene for longer, Asmo would have caught on at some point that the blood and props were fake. There have been millions of trends all over the Devildom involving fake human organs and blood, and it had become rather easy to tell the difference if you were in the know and knew what to look for.

He's all the more happy to hear that you worked in the acting industry. Finally, a fellow celebrity in the Devildom! If you happen to also have a rather obsessed fanbase, the two of you bond over their shenanigans to receive your attention and approval. You wished you had taken a picture at the look of horror on Mammon's face when you shared the story of a particularly frightening stalker. Sure, you may have added a few details in there to make it seem like it was straight out of a horror movie, but there had to be some consequences to Mammon's eavesdropping sometimes.

Asmo would prefer to be the person who helps you out of your makeup at the end of the day. Its rather relaxing with the way he gently cradles your face and runs the cotton pad over your skin as if he were cleaning a delicate object. He'd be overjoyed if you offer to clean his face as well, making sure to instruct you how to remove it properly like he had done for you. You may have to keep an eye on him though, as he may relax a bit too much in your hands and potentially fall asleep. Or don't, you do you.

Say hello to your #1 companion in the Human World(A self-appointed title). When you're not acting and you have some free time before returning to the Devildom, he's absolutely dragging you off to see the sights around your filming location. Becomes your own personal Paparazzi as well. There are tons of viral photos of you on his Devilgram of you in various locations that you travel to with him. He has a very special picture of him kissing you on the cheek in front of a beautiful canyon set as his lockscreen, and you can feel the jealousy in the air whenever he opens his D.D.D. around his brothers.

There is no denying that he'd likely find a way to squeeze himself into the role of your love interest. Whether he becomes the main character or a surprise character does not matter, as long as you too get some nice romantic scenes together. He's already charmed just about everyone working on the film with you by the time he walks through the door.

You two are the best looking people on Opening Night. His arm is firmly wrapped around your waist and he snuggles into you whenever a camera passes by.

Forget the media thinking that you two were a couple, Asmo has all but directly said "we're dating" at any moment he's asked about your relationship.

Beelzebub: Pressing Lilies

(Cw: Killing mention, death, prepared corpse description, coffin description, claustrophobia mention)

The concept of necromancy had been in films and television before, but when the director came to you with this particular version you couldn't lie that you were interested. A man blessed with the gift to return life with a simple touch, but if he were to ever touch them again they would return to being dead forever. It turns into a sort of supernatural mystery movie when he begins working with a detective and his revived love interest to figure out the secrets behind how people mysteriously died. There was even the added twist that someone else would die should the revived body stay alive for longer than a set amount of time.

It was quite flattering to know that you'd be playing the love interest, who just so happened to be the main character's childhood sweetheart. But, it was a little awkward that you'd have to be playing a corpse for a good segment of the first episode as well as act out getting killed.

You had just finished filming the segment in which your body was thrown overboard and soon after found by the captain. The rest of the cast were off filming another scene while you met up with the makeup crew. They had dressed you in a rather lovely outfit much like how one would dress a body for their funeral, and although you were meant to be dead the makeup they had applied made you look positively glowing.

On the drive over to the funeral home that had been temporarily rented for the shoot, you realized something. You actually hadn't met your co-star yet, despite being meant to be the love interest of the film. Your scenes of your character's demise had been filmed while the introductory scenes were as well, and you hadn't had the time to take a peek before you left the harbor. A small part of you worried that you might screw up the scene if you didn't recognize him as the right character, but one of the makeup artists who had come along gave you some comforting words and a pat on the back.

Some of the assistants on set helped you climb into the casket, making sure not to mess up the velveteen interior or your outfit. You slowly eased into the proper position, making sure to flatten out the ruffles that had formed from your wriggling. It was a little claustrophobic and strange to be laying in a box meant for dead bodies, but you'd take this over redoing the scene where your dragged out of the water by a crane any day. But you grew a tad worried when the bottom of the casket seemed to spread out beneath you. Chalking it up to nerves, you remained in position waiting for the cue to awaken, doing your best to ignore the larger than expected amount of voices around you while you waited for the tap on the cheek.

Beelzebub wanted nothing more than to head home and raid the fridge, but the last exchange student was taking what seemed like forever to be in the perfect position for Barbatos to summon them. His never-ending hunger had grown far stronger than before with the absence of his twin, and he'd already finished the snacks he'd brought with him. The most that he knew about the exchange student was that he'd been repeatedly told by his brothers not to eat them and that they'd be living at the House of Lamentation. Since they were a human without any sort of powers like Solomon, he wasn't too worried about their potential to harm his family, but he would still be on guard just in case.

He knew all to well about his twin's distaste for humans, but he tried to not let Belphegor's bias effect him too much. Plus, Lucifer had informed him that his sibling had changed his mind about them and became the demon ambassador in the Human World. Maybe they weren't all that bad? Beel really would just have to wait and see.

Finally, Barbatos finished the portal and called out for everyone's attention. Oddly enough, the portal had been placed on the floor rather than the wall or ceiling like the others had been. Slowly, the form of the human emerged from the floor. Their body had been laid out flat on their back, dressed in an elegant outfit and decorated with makeup. At a glance, they looked to be simply sleeping, but they lacked the steady rise and fall of their chest typically perceived in people who were asleep. The deathly stillness of their body added a level of discomfort into the room, but even more of it came from the heavy scent of formaldehyde that had been brought along with them.

Beel didn't quite understand the reason why the scent hung off of them, but with a quick explanation from Satan about it's purposes he too felt discomfort from it. Taking everything into account, the whispers about the human having been dead and removed from some hole in the ground overtook the Student Council. Even Lucifer had been whispering in a concerned manner to Diavolo, his voice just low enough for only the Prince to hear. Barbatos had done a few things to check if they were fully dead, holding an object under their nose to see if it would fog up and similar things, before declaring they had passed on.

When the Butler had turned to Beel to ask if he could move the body to a location where it could be disposed of, a small pang of confusion lingered in the back of his mind. Sure, Barbatos had done some things to check for signs of life, but he hadn't fully checked the pulse or even touched their body. The Avatar of Gluttony complied though, approaching the form laid out on the floor. Since it would be disposed of anyway, he decided giving it a gentle prod would do no harm.

As his fingertip grazed their cheek, their eyes suddenly flew open. They scrambled to their feet and quickly put distance between them, eyes darting around the room before locking on to a loose chair that had been setting out. Then, they made a rather stupid mistake. Well, it would be a stupid mistake if they knew just who they were suddenly charging at with a chair, attempting to attack him with the legs. The chair easily shattered in his grip, and he couldn't help but send a piercing glare that shocked them to their sole.

His arm quickly grabbed their shoulder in a strong grip, but lightened when they finally spoke in a manner clear and loud enough to hear. They had been saying some things when they had been trying to attack him that were incomprehensible and quiet, but their next words were loud and clear.

"Hey! You do remember the whole premise of the plot don't you? You touch me once, I live, you touch me twice, I die again. I know this is just rehearsals and everything, but this is like the whole center of your character." Beel may not have been a person who often went out to watch plays and the like, but he knew enough about that sort of thing to recognize the phrases "plot", "premise", "rehearsals", and "character". "Are you some sort of actor?" "Huh? I mean, yeah. But you are too! Are you doing alright? I know it's been a long day of recording but if you're feeling worn out I'm sure they wouldn't mind stopping here and continuing tomorrow."

"I appreciate the concern but I'm not an actor. I'm just Beelzebub."

While the Avatar of Gluttony wasn't a demon well versed in the arts, he knew enough to catch on that you were just acting when you were laying dead on the floor. Though, if you hadn't mentioned the phrases or hadn't full on attacked him, he potentially could have believed that he somehow managed to revive you from the dead.

But, your interaction went far smoother than expected. He had calmed down rather easily when you had admitted you were acting based on a script, much to the shock of his brothers and the other members of the council. Something about you had this sort of calming aura that discouraged him from bringing any harm to you, and he apologized for the bruise he had caused on your shoulder.

Once the two of you have grown closer, his hugs become one of the most comforting things after a long day of filming. No matter if you want to ramble about today's scenes or just relax, Beel welcomes you with open arms. Your presence in his grasp makes some of his hunger subside, even more so after the return of his twin.

Were you worried before about overly rowdy or creepy fans? Not anymore! Your personal bodyguard Beelzebub scares them off from a mile away. One harsh look from them has them running with their tail tucked between their legs. To Beel, you're a part of his family now with all that you had done for him and his brothers, whether or not the two of you are romantically involved.

Beel will happily sit down with you to watch anything you've starred in, you seated close to him wherever you're comfortable and an incredibly large bowl of popcorn nearby. You cannot help but wonder where in the Devildom he managed to find that.

He's rather unsure about the idea of playing the main character if you asked him, even if the director was on board with the idea. But, a very specific detail managed to win him over. Y'see, the main character's job happened to be that of a baker, and plenty of pastries had to be baked for the scenes that took place in his bakery. Sure, they could have just used fake food like they did in commercials for it, but oddly the director wanted only to use freshly baked goods. This meant there was a fair amount of leftover food after recording, one that would be a rather large serving even for the Avatar of Gluttony.

He does a decent job of playing the main character, but a few minor tweaks were applied to better suit his personality. The only real problems that might happen would be him beginning to drool as he stood in a kitchen filled with food and that he couldn't touch you or the dog on camera. Though, he did feel quite a few butterflies in his stomach during scenes that had elaborate ways of being romantic without having skin to skin contact. His brothers didn't mind the hand-holding through gloves, it was rather cute in fact, but they drew the line at using saranwrap to share a kiss.

On Opening Night, the two of you are practically glued to each other. Don't think that the reporters don't catch the moments where you pull Beel away and tell him you'll reward him afterwards if he doesn't eat all of the food. It might not be on camera or recorded, but they know. No one does believe them when they tell their story though, since the two of you are rather wholesome. Belphie comes along as well, but Beel carries him on his back for the rest of the night when he falls asleep halfway through.

The media assumes that the two of you are siblings at first, actually! With how close and comfortable the two of you are, it seems that you've known each other all your lives. The shocked face of the reporter when you told them Beel was not at related to you was funny enough to get a loud snicker from the male you were currently holding hands with.

Belphegor: Stranger Hidden in the Cove

(Cw: Body horror, murder, cannibalism(?), manipulation, Chapter 16 Spoilers, caps)

It had been a few days into your stay in the Devildom, and to say you felt unnerved and uncomfortable would be an understatement. Sure, you were able to return to the Human World when needed to film the movie you had been in the middle of recording when you were summoned, but you would be hurriedly whisked away by Mammon back to the realm full of people with a strong desire to devour you once it was over. Even with having pacts with two of the strongest demons in the Devildom you still couldn't shake the feeling of dread around you.

Outside of RAD and schoolwork, you found a form of comfort in reciting and studying your script. Even if Mammon and Leviathan did happen to barge in and interrupt you from time to time. Speaking of the shut-in Otaku, he actually happened to take quite a liking to your particular role in the movie. Not because it was something based on an anime or video game he knew, but because of what your character was. When he first saw you return home with gills, scales, fins, and webbed fingers, he was almost certain that you were some sort of shapeshifter from the deep blue. That bright twinkle in his eyes made you feel bad to break the news to him that it was just makeup.

The film itself was a simple love story between a human and a monster. It vaguely reminded you of The Little Mermaid at first, but with a lot of blood. The premise was that an orphan who had just gotten kicked out of the orphanage for being too old was wondering along an abandoned boardwalk, only for the rotting wood to fall through beneath him. He hit his head on the way down, leaving him at the mercy of the waves. But, he was saved by a sea monster that was rumored to live in the nearby cove.

One of the twists was that the sea monster had planned to use the human they rescued from the ways as a way to bait in other humans to eat, and then devour them later. But, upon getting to know the human and learning about the orphanage, the sea monster couldn't bring themselves to eat them. Throughout the story, the sea monster falls even deeper in love, eating whatever humans happened to wonder into the cove when their friend was out to satisfy their appetite. At the end, the orphan would catch them in the act, and in a panic the sea monster heavily injures them in a desperate attempt to keep them from leaving. Overcome with guilt, the monster drags their body to a place he'd be found before he bled out and abandons his home in the cove.

You had just finished recording a particularly gruesome scene when you returned to HOL, fully prepared to drag yourself into bed for a century long nap. Until you suddenly remembered the record you had set on the dresser. Taking the disc, you sought out the eldest of the Demon Brothers and presented him with the record you borrowed from Levi.

With Lucifer now distracted, you slipped up the staircase that lead to where you had heard a voice calling out for help from.

The demon trapped in the attic was well aware of the human's presence in the House of Lamentation. His nose would crinkle in disgust whenever he would hear their voice echo up to the room he was stuck in. Belphegor hated humans, that was no secret, and had heavily opposed the Exchange Program. In fact, it was his intense opposition to the program that he was now locked away for the duration of the human's stay or however long Lucifer was going to keep him locked up there.

But, through hearing their voice Belphie had happened to catch onto a particular trait that the human held. They were rather ignorant about demons in general, and their words held an air of naivete. Though the Avatar of Sloth spent most of his days before the attic sleeping away, he knew just how powerful the magic of a human that held pacts with strong demons was. The memory blossomed into an idea, which further grew into a plan to trick the human to help him escape. A grin was present on his face as he'd call out to them in the night, making sure that only they would hear it. Belphie did have to hold back his chuckles though, the thoughts of how he'd deal with them and ruin Diavolo's precious program coming to mind whenever he begged for help in a pitiful voice.

Hearing footsteps approach the staircase and the sounds of a cursed record playing somewhere else in the house, he knew the human had done it. Making sure to play up his joy, he pleaded with them to come up to the attic. Belphie moved to stand at the door, awaiting his "savior".

His words caught in his throat as a creature that looked straight out of Levi's fish tank stepped towards him. "You were calling out for help, right?" The conversation he had planned out in his mind was now gone as his brain struggled to comprehend just what exactly was standing in front of him. They were supposed to be the Human exchange student, keyword there being HUMAN. Whatever being in front of the door was at least humanoid, but with their rather... aquatic features they couldn't be the exchange student he was looking for. Not to mention the deep red that had soaked into their clothes. Did Diavolo change his mind and bring one of Levi's troops instead of a second human?

"Are you, uh, doing okay? You've been staring at me for a few minutes now." "What exactly are you?" "Huh?" The creature looked taken aback for a moment before realizing what he was talking about. Their hand went to their shoulder and pulled off a thick chunk of scales, revealing not raw muscle tissue, but untouched human skin. "Don't worry, I'm human! This is just a costume, see?" They offered the fake scales to him, but he shook his head.

"Oh, I'm a human too."

He'll give it to you, he was convinced that you weren't human when he first laid eyes on you. Belphie was rather upset that a human managed to trick him though, he was supposed to fool them after all. Whatever, this small mishap wasn't going to deter him from his plan. It probably only made him more determined to get out of his prison and deal with you.

You've really got no chance in bonding with him enough to stop him from his actions once he was released. While he may have felt a little guilty when the memories of you spending time with him rushed into his mind, his grip on your throat never released. It is only after you've miraculously come back from the dead do the memories hit hard, spending the rest of the night with regret coiling into a ball in his stomach. The particular memory of the night that you borrowed a laptop to show him the Director's Cut of your movie made his eyes misty, tears fully forming when he recalled the way you had threaded your fingers through the bars to grasp onto his. The thought of the soft chuckle you had let out when he leaned against the door to allow your to stroke his hair allowed a sob to escape his mouth. Even if he had done all of those things just to make you trust him, they did feel tender. Loving almost.

After the two of you have worked everything out, he's rather fussy about you having to leave every now and then to film. Sure, the Sea Monster movie had already been long finished, but you had landed a really good role from someone you met on Opening Night!

Speaking of the Sea Monster movie, he'll tease you a good amount about it and jokingly ask you to put it back on. You called his bluff one time and he came to realize just how uncomfortable that fake blood was when he tried to lay against you.

Belphie does make an effort to stay awake whenever you show him anything you've been in, but sometimes he can't help but fall asleep when you let him snuggle up to you. If he does stay awake, he'll give you a handful of teasing compliments. The more tired he is the more sincere and thought out they are.

Good luck getting him in a movie unless the character is always tired or always sleeping. Not even the makeup department can get that sleepy look off of his face. He'd much rather wait in your trailer or watch you act, and reward you with a good cuddling session. If you happen to be strong enough to carry him, there are a number of videos around social media of you walking around with him hanging off of you like a literal sloth.

Even if he's not an actor, he'll still accompany you on Opening Nights if you invite him. He's a lot more awake than usual, and the look in his eyes keeps people who talk to you in check. No matter your height, he'll find some way to rest his head on your shoulder the entire night. Beel also attends, and will carry Belphie around if he happens to fall asleep at some point if you don't. While he's asleep, the two of you just sit around and chat with each other instead of the other guests.

You are constantly getting congratulations on social media about you dating a cutie. There are fancams dedicated to sweet pictures of you and Belphegor together, some of which you really question where they get them from. Seriously, where did they get a picture of that one time you and Belphie were baking cookies for the rest of the cast in your trailer?

⚝──⭒─⭑─⭒──⚝

Oh? Headin' out? Alrighty, have a good day! I've got some decorations to start puttin' up, so it'll look a little different in here soon.

(Here we are! Again, another massive thank you to my friends who helped out with this! There are a lot, LOT of references and inspirations sprinkled throughout this, some more obvious than the others. Shout out to my good friend who simps for Beel hardcore that made me watch the entirety of Pushing Daisies, it was nice. Now, it is time to get back to editing my other three fics and finalizing my stuff for my Christmas event! Like always, if there's any sort of mistakes in this lemme know! I'm still getting a feel for writing the characters, so there's that. Also sometimes grammatical errors will slip through the cracks. If we missed and content warnings let me know ASAP!)

[glitchstoxicwaste]

Matchups I see 👀 may I request one for slashers?

I'm 19, though soon 20, and nonbinary with any pronouns. I'm 4'11, and am a slut for height difference (but that's not very hard to get lol)

My style is emo/grunge/goth mix, lots of black, chains, spikes, ripped jeans, etc.. I don't usually wear makeup, but if I do it's usually gothic/emo. My hair is shoulder length, purple, and very curly!

I'm mute, and communicate by writing on my phone or in a notebook. I love drawing, scultping, painting, and writing. I'm a huge horror fan, most of my art is of slashers or horror OCs. I've got a huge sweet tooth, but honestly? Salads are also very good.

I'm hyperempathetic, and try to be nice to everyone I meet. I'm often by myself, watching movies or playing games or drawing. And, despite my style of dressing, I absolutely adore stuffed animals and other very cutesy things. I can be very patient and calm, however if I know you well I can act completely feral.

I'm hypersexual and am romantically interested in men.

Hope this was okay!

"Aw shit, I forgot to say how I act in a relationship!

19 goin on 20 enby anon here again, you can throw this in with my previous ask.

I'm usually very caring, supportive and accepting of whatever they want to do. I absolutely hate conflict, and will try to communicate calmly. Since I can't talk, arguing is frustrating, and I'll usually just end up crying out of anger. I'm hesitant to touch but once I get comfortable I can be clingy, but always not going too far for my partners comfort. I like cooking for people, and staying in to spend time with them. I have nightmares, and sharing a bed helps, so sharing a bed it is! If my partner is struggling I try my best to comfort them.

I'm very much a "mother" hen, but also very obedient when need be.

Sorry for not adding this to my last ask, I forgot!"

2nd part to the whole ask from this anon!

TW: Slight sexual themes and insecurities mentioned!

You're grunge too?! Awesome! Also you didn't have to add it, it just helps me get a better match is all, but thank you for telling me!

Any who I have the man for you!

He is:

Vincent Sinclair!

Height difference- all I gotta say-

Your style is stunning to him, he's never seen anything quite like it, especially with your hair being dyed, absolutely beautiful.

He adores how you look without makeup, will automatically want to draw you without it, but he also enjoys when you put on makeup, it's unique and interesting, wants to draw you with makeup on too.

With you both being mute it'll push him to learn sign language, but he will also communicate with you through writing if it's easier for you.

Always wants you to be in the basement with him, he personally finds it to be a quiet and safe space to work on art, so you are the only person allowed to go into and stay in the basement whenever you like.

Admires you while you work, your delicate hands working on something so beautiful, his heart could burst.

If you draw anything gory or murderous he wont judge, to him all art is beautiful, that's why he gave you the nickname "Art".

He personally doesn't have a sweet tooth, but he will make Bo go get you candy when you want them, and Vincent will happily make you a salad if you want it.

With you being hyperempathetic he feels you are the only one who genuinely will try to understand him as a person, will look beyond the murder and making living people into wax covered sculptures around Ambrose.

He feels you wont be too disturbed with the scar on the side of his face, or how he's missing an eye, but he still is warry about it, thinking you might be disgusted with him and will avoid him or even leave him for the scar.

Whenever you wanna be by yourself he accepts it, understanding perfectly.

He fixed up a small house in Ambrose for you, the only house with WIFI, Internet access, has a TV with Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, any any other things you want to have to watch movies and shows.

It also has Xbox's and/or PlayStation's, a laptop, and other electronics for you to game, including a full gaming setup in a grunge/emo/goth aesthetic, boxes of band posters and other items for you to decorate the house however you want, a free space only you can go into, he wont step foot inside unless given permission.

He took up sewing and embroidering to make you little stuffies, unique one of a kind gifts for you because you're worth it, you're unique so you should have unique things.

But he will have Bo buy you stuffies if you don't like the ones Vincent made you.

When you first started showing your feral side he was a little concerned, but when you explain to him that it's how you are when comfortable he will get flustered.

If you befriend Lester and/or Jonesy his heart will swell, you trust his little brother and became friends with him, you're accepted by not only Vincent but by Lester, Jonesy, and maybe Bo if you don't annoy him that much.

He isn't a very sexual person, but if you are in need of some sexy affection he will help out however you need, but be careful at first, baby boy is a virgin.

With you being a supportive person he will feel more confident in the relationship and with himself, but still fears you'll hate him or secretly hate him for what he does to visitors in Ambrose.

He too hates conflict, especially due to how he grew up and what his parents did to Bo, so he tries to understand where you're coming from and tries to calmly explain his side, although, lack of verbal communication is rather tricky, he will keep his patience with you.

But if Bo ever corners you and causes you to cry out of anger, then Vincent will loose his patience and will be at your side in less than a second, he will straighten up to full height, hold you close to cry in his chest, and will glare daggers into Bo as a warning to fuck off.

He's not used to physical affection, its new to him, so at first he will be uncomfortable, but after a while he will be more than happy to hold you or have you sit on his lap.

With you cooking for him -and maybe Bo and Lester since Les doesn't know how to cook and Bo can't cook for shit- he feels a sense of domesticity around him, it makes him smile -a rarity- and will wrap his arms around your waist, burring his face in the crook of your neck, proud to have you in his life.

You staying inside makes him happy, you're safe inside the house or in your private sanctuary, Ambrose is a dangerous place and he couldn't live with himself if you got hurt at all.

He understands you need for sharing a bed, he will happily cuddle you or be the big spoon, if a nightmare wakes you up he is there to pull you close and center you, remind you of where you are, and kiss your face gently to help ground you more.

The "Mother Hen" instinct and obedience comes in handy, when he says Bo is "Working" and so you need to stay inside, and you listen, makes him worry a little less, he still fears you'll get hurt, that'll always be a fear, but knowing you wont leave the house makes him less anxious and on edge.

He appreciates when you want to help him when he is struggling, if it's art he's struggling with then he will hold you close, tight but not crushingly tight, and will calm down in your embrace.

If he's struggling with his appearance, his insecurities involving his scar and his mothers constant berating about him not being perfect and making him wear a mask, he will get anxious and insecure around you, feeling you'll hate him for the scar.

He loves you and wants to protect you, keeping you safe and enjoying art by his side fills him with pride he never had, you make him feel like he's more than a disfigured murderous monster, but a human with a heart and a sense of purpose.

[musicallisto]

without fail tag

THE “WITHOUT FAIL” TAG — List five things that you, WITHOUT FAIL, weave into or explore in your stories, whether it be specific themes or tropes, character archetypes, allusions to other literary works, what have you! It really can be anything that you consistently include in your narratives for whatever reason. Then invite others to share theirs by tagging them!

I was tagged by @deadlymodern - thank you so much for tagging me, this tag is amazing and I loved reading your answers! I can tell you have a very thorough approach to your writing & themes, it’s so cool!

(tagging people at the bottom of the post if you want to skip)

1. flowers, skies & words

grouping them together since they're all related to a wider, general literary device: symbols and allegories in my stories. Without fail, I’ll always use flower symbolism to evoke certain themes, places, characters... withered petals for death, blossoms for youth, you name it, it’s probably been in one of my stories. just consider my main WIP’s title, The Grave of Roses (Le Tombeau des Roses). It’s a little basic, and has been used time and time before in literature, but I still love it.

Other elements that often make it into my stories as symbols are planes (because I love aviation obviously, but also as a symbol of breaking free, independence, of man’s domination on mortality, what with having tamed the skies, but also his frail condition and how everything hangs on a thread). Also, the sky is pretty.

And lastly, words, stories, novels always have their place in my stories, and more often than not one of my characters is a writer, or someone who uses words and stories as some kind of comfort, outlet, or a driving force.

At its [the tombstone] foot, below the name, red roses piled up, enough of them to cover ten graves. A single vermilion bud, a wind-swept poppy, clashed with the rest of the bouquet, and Samuel knew that it was William's children who had placed it there. Only they knew that he didn't even like roses anymore, and that he would come to lay poppies on his father's memorial every time he returned to London...

The tomb was both smaller and prettier than Samuel imagined, less opulent than England would have wanted to give its precious child. The morning sun, like a caress, illuminated the epitaph, a Latin verse that Samuel had known in the past. “Bury me southward,” he heard William say so clearly that he almost turned around, "so that I can look at England and France in the same breath." His name, however, was drenched in full light, facing east, and inexplicably this saddened Samuel.

“And there it is... it's pretty, don't you think? I don't know if he would have liked it... You probably know it better than I do...”

“And why do you care about that, huh? You don't even believe in God.” “He's a writer. He believes in symbols.” “He believes in vanity, alright.”

“I think he would have liked it anyway,” he nodded in agreement, his eyes glued to the lonely poppy. (Translation)

2. parental roughnesses

this was bound to come, because I feel like we were all pretty fucked up at some point in our lives from our upbringing. I didn’t go for straight up “parental issues” because I don’t deal with like, abusive or absent parents or anything, just complicated relationships between parents and their children, but who still love each other. Oftentimes it has to do with one of the children idealizing the heck out of their parent and slowly realizing that they make mistakes and are not a hero at all, and/or unmeetable expectations and parental pressure. but it’s not like I’m projecting or anything lol

“You never knew Father, William,” Grace stopped him immediately [...]. “Don't you dare pretend you know what it's like.”

“Growing up without a father is not necessarily better than losing him in childhood! Everyone here has suffered from his disappearance, Grace. You have no idea how much I miss him, despite never meeting him. But that's all in the past now. And there's no reason for there to be another war.”

“Of course there is!” she retorted ferociously, despite the tears spilling from her eyes. “Of course there is, and they're going to send you there like Father, and you'll want to play hero like Father, and then you'll get shot down like a dog! Where's it going to be this time, huh? Above Luxembourg, just like him, or maybe somewhere in your beloved France?” (Translation)

3. patriotism

One way or another, all my stories always deal with patriotism, nationalism, pride in one’s country and more broadly speaking one’s relationship to it. It questions what it means to belong to a country, to share one culture, one language; does it justify acting in the benefit of one’s country, and where do you draw the line before you intentionnally harm others’; what even is a country, a nationality, and it what sense do you belong to one, and what do you owe it, if you even owe it anything? Is it wrong or right to feel love and attachment to your place of origin? And what does it mean to fight for your country, for its values, for its people? & other things of the like. It probably stems from my own experience as a binational person; growing up, I was always asked stuff like “but who do you root for in a football game” “but are you like really French or not?” “if Spain and France got into a war what would you do?”, and this all lead me to question “am I more French or am I more Spanish - which one am I, and which one would others perceive me to be - do I need to pick a side? And how can I express my affection to these places that raised me both differently, without undermining the other - or others? can I still be proud of my heritage given the horrors my countries have committed in the past?”. I still haven’t found a definitive answer, so my writing is just me throwing trails out to the world and hoping I’ll figure it out someday. that’s why my stories often have a war setting; firstly I just love historical fiction, and secondly it’s the perfect backdrop for all these questions to unfold.

William laughed at the idea - he, a true Frenchman! It was a very silly thought. He may have loved what he had seen of Charlotte's country, but England was not to be ashamed of any other land, for it was the only one he would love until his last breath. (Translation.)

4. just a hint of supernatural

I love me a good ghost story, and I’m a fan of everything spooky, but what’s subtly spooky, and not the gory, in-your-face horror. This particular theme may have increased since I saw The Haunting of Hill House which completely OBLITERATED ME with how it uses the house and its ghosts to tell a story of family and trauma and memories... but I’ve loved ghost stories forever. Another piece that truly resonated with me was One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien años de soledad) by Gabriel García Márquez. It was my first dive into the world of magical realism and I didn’t make it out of there the same person I was when I entered. This one is not necessarily included in every piece without fail, because some are just too anchored in reality, but if it’s not a straight-up spirit or an otherworldly creature, I’ll always find a way to include an aspect of superstition, a myth, a legend, a tale from faraway that is neither proved nor disproved throughout the story. It truly adds to the atmosphere of the world, even in a very realistic and gritty setting, I believe.

I hear murmurs of legends among the soldiers. [...] One of those stories caught my attention, I must admit... It is not very special, nothing more than a children's tale, but I thought it was beautiful enough to please your Romantic soul. Some pilots speak of a cemetery, somewhere in the countryside north of London, which has something mystical about it, lost in the flowers that sway as far as the eye can see, in the calm rhythm of the wind, wrapped in the heady scent of eternal spring, and where the bravest warriors would go to rest forever, tired of their exploits and the continual explosions. No one knows exactly where it is or what to do to be buried there, but this beautiful image simply floats like a dream in the minds of many and, I confess, in mine as well since I first heard about it.

It is said that there only flowers dare to disturb the heroes in their sleep... This fragment of silence is called the Grave of the Roses.

So if I were to leave you, if you were to hear that I am gone...

With a bit of luck, that is where you will find me.

5. love

this one is broader and less obvious than you might think. Of course, I’ll always, always implement an element of romance to my story (and more often than not it’s angsty with star-crossed lovers or insurmountable obstacles or forbidden romances and whatnot), but there’s more to it. I don’t think I have ever written a story that is entirely grim and bleak, simply because I do not believe the world is built like that. I’ve said time and time again that love is my favorite thing in the world, and I believe it is the force that drives us all forward and connects us all together; love is, to me, the truest power of humanity, and its inherent purpose. And love covers all subjects and all types of relationships, but my absolute favorite ways to explore and show love in my stories is through long-lasting, rock-solid friendships (because friendships are often overlooked both in fiction and real life), and just a grandiose love letter to humanity as a whole. I’m an optimist, and many people who have suffered more than I have would deem me naive for thinking this - and I cannot blame them -, but as Anne Frank put it more bravely than I ever could, “despite everything, I still think humans are good at heart”. My stories are always born out of love and made for love. For the love of humanity and kindness and literature and love of myself, too, because sometimes I just like rereading the words and thinking, “wow, I’ve made it this far. look at me go.” In a word, yes, I would say that is what it boils down to; my work, but also what I hope my entire life and being will be. An ode to love.

“He admired you and truly loved you, you know. You were a good leader, I'm sure, and a good friend, above all.”

He thought she was going to put her hand on his shoulder, and prepared to bend to avoid it, but instead she came to rest on the polished marble of the tomb, which was already beginning to erode at the corners. The soft light bathed her hand, and Samuel's on the other corner, still resting above William's surname, the only thing he had been proud of from beginning to end.

“And I loved him too. I loved them all. If you only knew...”

well, I got carried away, as I always do when talking about my writing, but it made me miss it so much. I haven’t worked on any of my projects since literally October and I’m feeling the void rn. anyway, thank you again for enabling me to ramble about what I love most, Thais! and I’m tagging @softeninglooks, @lxncelot, @myriadimagines​, @swanimagines & @randomfandomimagine + plus any writer who wants to talk about their marvelous work <3

[hex6rcist]

HI! I absolutely loved that hinata and ino hcs, my gay ass was over the moon! Can I please request something else for them with the same reader? Something a bit angst-y where the reader goes to a mission and come Back heavily wounded and almost dying? Maybe they thought the reader actually died but she didn't. Thank you sm and I hope am not bothering you bc you just became my favorite blog and I might be ino/hina anon hehehe💖💗💞

I’m so glad you really liked them! I hope you enjoy these just as much. <3 Prepare for the angst! 

Hinata’s mind was a tangled mess of thoughts as her feet carried her through the village at full speed, people dodged out of her way and those who already knew diverted their eyes from her in pity. She hated pitying looks but she didn’t have time to worry about that. The young woman burst though the doors of the hospital breathing heavily. She just received word that you and your team had returned to the village all in very rough shape and you were nowhere to be seen, only a figure covered in a thin sheet that oozed blood. The worst case scenario was heavy on her mind. The scenario that came to her mind every time one of you left for a dangerous mission. Her palms rested heavy on the front counter her chest heaving with deep breaths. “Y/l/n, y/f/n is she here? Is she okay?” Her voice was forced barely able to reach an octave above a whisper. At the sound of your name the nurse’s face dropped. She stood to come around the counter and lead Hinata to the waiting area where she was asked to sit for a moment. 

Hinata waited anxiously foot jiggling and hands wringing. Why weren’t they telling her anything? It couldn’t be true could it? You couldn’t be... No. She put the thought out of her mind. You were strong. You’d be okay. You had to be because you’d promised her you would come home safe. And you never broke a promise to her. Anything Hinata ever wanted you offered to her on a silver platter with an adoring smile and all she wanted in the world right now was for you to be okay.

It was hours before anyone came to speak to her. a nurse stood before Hinata with their head bowed, unable to look at her. “You’re here for miss y/l/n correct?” She sat up from her previously slouched position. “Y-Yes. Is she... Okay?” The nurse spared her a guilty glance. “I’m afraid not miss. She’s in critical condition and we are unsure how much more we can do. But we’re trying our best, doing everything we can.” The last part didn’t really register. The floodgates had been opened and the thin string of hope that held her together snapped tears flowed down her cheeks. She covered her mouth to stifle a harsh sob. The nurse rushed to explain the extent of the damage you’d received in the final battle of your mission but she couldn’t stand to hear any more. She held up one hand. “P-Please...” They fell silent before her. “Please just tell we when you know.” With an understanding nod Hinata was once again left in the waiting room, alone. God how she wished you could be here with her to be her rock like you always were. She curled in on herself tears silently streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t dare make a sound. She couldn’t handle anymore pitying looks. Her hands curled into fists in her lap. “Please, y/n. I need you. Please be okay.”     

Sakura squeezed Ino’s shoulder comfortingly as she took a seat next to her childhood friend. She leaned in to try and catch her blue eyes, rimmed red from crying. Sakura had never seen Ino in such a state before, but she understood why. You’d been rushed in after a mission in critical condition and Ino was hot on your heels having been notified by one of your teammates. Things had looked dicey before Sakura arrived but she’d done her best and, “She’s going to be okay Ino. It’s going to be a long road to recover still but she’s alive.” Ino threw herself into Sakura’s arms hugging her tightly, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. “Can I see her now?” Sakura stood supporting her friend’s weight. “Of course.” Empowered with the confirmation Ino held herself up and lead Sakura to your room more than the other way round. The young woman slowed Ino just short of your door with a hand on her shoulder. “Just... Be ready Ino.” She nodded before quietly opening the door, not wanting to disturb your rest. She peeked in to see your bed was surrounded by a white curtain, blocking her view. She stepped in, gently closing the door behind her. Her toes curled and uncurled anxiously before she stepped deeper into the room. Ino took a moment to wipe her tears away before gripping the curtain and pulling it out of the way. The sight of you made her gasp in horror. You were covered head to toe in bandages some still seeping small amounts of blood that dyed them a gory pink.

Ino shakily pulled a chair up next to you sitting in it gratefully, she didn’t feel like her legs could hold her up anymore. “Y/n,” her thin fingers combed through your knotted hair, dislodging debris “baby can you hear me?” Her voice cracked and more tears streaked down her cheeks. A small garbled sound left your lips, a sign that you were indeed alive. Ino went to take one of your hands in her own but found it was wrapped up tightly. The realization pulled a strangled sob from her throat. She buried her face into the blankets beside you gripping them tightly as sobs wracked her body. A part of her felt ashamed for acting like this, for acting so weak when you needed her the most. You were always there for her and when she had to be there for you this was how she acted? “Y/n I promise I’m going to take care of you. I’m going to help you through this, through everything.” She placed a tender kiss on your injured hand.

[ari-shipping-stuff]

Guard Dogs Week 2020

Day Three - "Stay"

———

Thunder boomed outside.

Jaune was alone in the living room, the colorful lights from the TV his only source of light.

Marrow had a rough day at work, Jaune knew, and insisted on sleeping first. So Jaune let him. He deserved it. Jaune may have been a huntsman, but his boyfriend was an Ace Operative. Which was basically the same, but with hard extras.

One would be undercover missions. Those especially pained him because he didn't know anything about them. He knew they were happening, but that was all the information Marrow was allowed to disclose. What they were doing, who they were assigned to.. Whatever they were supposed to do. Jaune didn't know, and it worried him every second of the day Marrow wasn't safe and at home. Not that he didn't trust him to take care of himself, of course.

He snapped out of his thoughts, realizing his movie wasn't in the same scene anymore. A grimace reached his face as a gory sword was pulled out of a screaming leper woman.

Thunder crackled violently outside, furthering the disturbing effect of the scene.

That's enough TV for today.

He clicked the remote and turned off the television, cursing as he was plunged into darkness.

After fumbling around in pitch black, he was able to find his scroll, and much faster, the light switch. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.. Which vanished as soon as he saw all the microwave popcorn he dropped in the dark earlier.

"Ugh," he mumbled. But an amused smile soon crept up his face. "I swear, if mom or Saph' saw me now.."

He cleaned up the mess. Not that much. Just enough to not make the living room look like a dumpsite. He could finish tomorrow. It was his day off, after all. Something Marrow didn't have, he remembered sadly.

Once finished, Jaune turned out the lights and locked the door, finally deciding to head to Marrow.

As he went into him room, thunder boomed once more, making Jaune flinch. More lightning flashed at the window, signaling more thunder.

Jaune glanced down at Marrow, who hogged the sheets as per usual. Jaune didn't really mind. He wasn't the type to get cold easily anyway.

When he sat on the bed was when the thunder sounded off again.

He decided to just get used to it, as he really wanted to sleep now. He plopped his legs down on the foam, pushing stray edges of the blanket towards Marrow. The way he was clutching them made him seem cold, but Jaune didn't want to wake him.

However, as soon as he placed his head on his pillow, he felt Marrow's fingers brush his back subtly. He might've been asleep as he did it, but something didn't sit right with Jaune.

"'Ro?" Jaune whispered, turning to check on his boyfriend.

One shy, pale aquamarine eye peeped from the mound of blankets.

The smallest smile grew on Jaune's face.

"You're still awake then, huh?"

Nod. Jaune chuckled.

"Well, then.. Mind if I—" he slipped an arm around Marrow's waist— "Slide into the blanket with you then?"

Marrow snorted, pushing the sheets off his head.

"You're a big dork, you know that?"

"Hear it everyday, love."

"I don't think I tell you enough—"

Thunder erupted outside.

Marrow tensed visibly, though it was clear he was trying to resist full-on jumping out of the bed. Jaune raised his eyebrows, his grip on Marrow's waist tightening subconsciously.

"You're—"

"No!" Marrow cried. "I am not!"

"You are!" a grin grew on Jaune's face. "Oh, my gods, you are!"

Marrow glared at him, then mentally cursed his tail, which turned straight as a pencil as he spoke.

"Just.. Just shut up."

Jaune chuckled, now wrapping his other arm around Marrow, entangling him in a semi-apologetic embrace.

Marrow tensed.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to make fun," he smiled. "If this makes it up to you, I'm terrified of spiders."

Marrow didn't relax much, his reply a broken up mumble.

Jaune frowned, lowering his gaze to Marrow's.

"Hey? You alright, 'Ro?"

Marrow snapped back to reality, eyes wide as he realized that he just spaced out.

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine.."

"Are you sure?" Jaune asked, his brows furrowing anxiously. "You can tell me, 'Ro, really."

Marrow blinked at him, his heart pounding in his ears.

A warm chuckle escaped his lips. "Jaune, I'm alright. The people who raised me were never the.. Touchy-feely type."

A pause.

"Not so used to the hugs."

"Oh.." Jaune mumbled. ".. Do you want me to stop?"

"No." Marrow commanded. Crimson slowly dusted his face as he kept talking.

"Just.. Just stay. Stay right here and do not move."

"Ever?"

"Nope."

Jaune smiled, tightening his embrace. "I can do that."

———

here's day three, folks. i'll make this quick bc i'm really busy @-@

this takes place around their first few weeks in a relationship together uwu

and i will admit, this has been my favorite piece to make so far lol

— ari

[haddonfieldproject]

<<PREVIOUS⏺<<CONTENTS>>

1.2.10 HALLOWEEN NIGHT/NOVEMBER 1st 5:32 am‬

Warren County, Illinois

Deputy Sheriff Ben Meeker roared his brown and tan police cruiser almost right up to the shattered front door of Jamie Lee's Diner. As his headlights sparkled across all the shattered glass around the parking lot, his heart sank. Deputy McGrath of the US Marshals followed quickly in his black GMC Savanna, his headlights cutting through the rain and illuminating the fat and frightened face of Justin Lore, the man who had phoned 911 twenty minutes before.

As Meeker popped open his door and stepped out into the storm, more cruisers: some county, some state, some unknown—probably Feds he gathered by the looks of them—tore over the curb and splashed into the parking lot as well. Within moments, the holocaust of multiple flashing lights illuminated the walls and windows of the diner like a Christmas tree.

“Jesus Gawd Ben,” Justin moaned, coming around the side of the car to meet Meeker, “It's like a gawd damn massacre in there. Where's Leigh?”

Ben put a hand on the shoulder of the man he had known his whole life and together they ran back toward the restaurant, stopping just outside doors under the cover of the awning. Once there, Ben removed the hood of his rain coat and leaned against a line of rusted newspaper dispensers that had been empty for at least six months. No one read the newspaper anymore.

“Leigh's busy,” Ben said, watching as Deputy McGrath exited the vehicle and walked casually toward them as if he was oblivious to the drenching rain. “He's had---a err..family emergency.”

Justin didn't seem to care, “It's so bad...” he said, visibly fighting back tears, “I took the weekend shifts at the mill because holidays comin' up and all, so I came in here to get some breakfast before headin' out to work..and it's just plain awful Bengie...just awful.”

“Are you ready Deputy Meeker?” McGrath asked matter-of-factly.

Meeker nodded, “Call Mitch Larabee over at the Mill and tell him what happened and then go home, take a hot shower, and try to go back to sleep.” He said to Justin, “If Mitch has any questions tell him to call me.”

Justin sniffed and nodded. Ben didn't wait for him to go, instead he un-holstered his sidearm, and followed McGrath into the restaurant, their boots crunching on broken glass as they stepped in. All the lights were on, the jukebox was still playing...

Mr. Sandman

Bring me a dream

Make him the cutest

That I've ever seen.

There was a smoky smell, something had definitely burned, or was still burning in the kitchen. Meeker was pretty sure it was eggs. Directly in front of the door, laying on her back on a bed of broken glass was Taylor Rumspitz, her lifeless eyes were fixed on the ceiling, both arms lay outstretched in a gory Christ-pose. The top half of her head was completely blown off and flies were already beginning to light on the corner of her half-open mouth. A tray of broken dishes sat in the puddle of her blood and brains, along with a blood-soaked receipt.

A pang of sadness struck Meeker's chest like an electric shock. She was such a good kid, he thought, working her way through Community College classes at Langdon, picking up late shifts to provide for her and her son. Meeker had dated her mother Carol Rumspitz in the eleventh grade. Now he'd have to tell her that her daughter was dead.

Another waitress, Wilhelmina Peters, another girl Meeker had dated in High School lay face-down in a puddle of blood in the middle of the aisle between the window booths and the tables. Meeker felt a lump form in his throat. He also recognized Marshall Weathers and his good friend Pat Reagor slumped over in one of the booths. They met every morning here before sun-up to go fishing out on Harris Lake, wonder what led them out here in the storm ‪this morning‬, Meeker thought.

Tradition. His mind answered.

McGrath's voice startled him, “Can you ID all these victims?”

“Yes sir,” Meeker said dryly.

More cops filed past them, spreading out in a fan all over the restaurant. In the far corner Meeker saw Kyla Ruckshaw and her seven year old son Davey slumped over in another booth. Kyla met her ex-husband early on Saturday mornings to pass the kid off, per their divorce agreement. Davey's dad Donald Yates worked late nights at the same mill as Justin Lore, and picked his son up when he got off of work. They had been doing that since Davey was in diapers.

Meeker felt light-headed all of a sudden, his legs felt like they were stuck in jello. That was the thing about being a small town cop Deputy McGrath, he thought, of course I can ID all these victims. I know everything about every single one of them.

And it's gonna be even worse for Leigh, he thought, thinking of his friend and mentor who was sitting up at Haddonfield General right now with his daughter, not knowing whether or not Annie was gonna survive the horrific attack on her from that psychopathic lunatic. Now we have two more crazies butchering the townspeople. It felt so surreal, It's like the end of the goddamn world, he thought, this is just gonna kill Leigh.

Officer Mullenix came from the kitchen looking very pale, “Booger's dead,” he said with a wretch, referring to “Booger” Bernard Tyson, the head breakfast cook at the diner. “They stuck his head in the grease fryer.”

That explains the smell, Meeker thought rubbing his temples with one hand and holstering his sidearm with the other. “What the fuck is going on?” he whispered.

“I'll tell you what's going on,” McGrath answered, pulling a piece of chewing gum from his pocket and popping it in his mouth, “What's going on is that you have two very disturbed individuals out there and they're apparently still at large.” He took a deep breath, “Deputy Meeker, we have to find these individuals. We have to end this right here, right now in your town.”

“I agree sir,” Meeker took a deep breath himself and straightened up, he raised his voice, “Well boys, we need to get to bagging and tagging. We need to collect all the evidence, get all the photos we can get.”

“Forensics is finishing up at the park with that Tramer boy and are en route now,” Officer Kinnerly aka 'Doughboy' called out.

Meeker nodded and waved his hand.

“But Deputy Sheriff Meeker sir?” Doughboy said.

Meeker turned, McGrath turned as well. “What is it Kip?” Meeker asked.

“EMS boys got on the horn after taking that last girl...”

“Alice Martin,” Meeker's voice cracked. He cleared his throat and raised his voice so the other officers could hear him, “Come on boys! These are our people men, we can at least remember their names.”

“Yes sir,” Doughboy corrected himself, “After they dropped Alice off at County General, EMS boys got on the horn and told us that the morgue at the hospital is full sir.”

“Shit,” McGrath breathed under his breath.

“It's the Fetanyl sir...you know...the morgue's pretty much been full up all the time this past few years.”

“What about Yuva's funeral home?” Meeker asked.

“Well, that Tramer boy is there and Mr. Gudipati says he's already got three others who passed earlier this week. He says he can't take anymore either.” Doughboy answered.

“That's what I was afraid of,” McGrath growled.

“Well we can take them over to Russellville, they have..” Meeker began but McGrath cut him off.

“No, they have to stay here in Warren County.”

“Why?” Meeker asked.

“I hate to tell you this Deputy Meeker, but shit has just officially hit the fan.” McGrath replied.

“Well we just don't have a place to put all these people. We're not used to having so many people come up dead in one night in a small town like this Deputy McGrath.” Meeker put his hands on his hips, “Just what do you suggest we do?”

McGrath smacked his gum. “We need to get in touch with Springfield.”

“Why's that?” Meeker asked..

McGrath pulled his phone from his pocket. “With a body count this high and no where left to process the victims, we're gonna have to call in a response team...you know what that means?”

“What, like a portable morgue?”

“That's part of it. It means a whole fucking fleet of forensic people, pathologists, medical examiners, coroners...the whole shabang.” McGrath answered, looking through the contacts list in his phone.

“Okay...” Meeker answered, sensing more.

“You see the problem with that is, since ‪9/11‬, these kind of Ops Teams..or D-MORTs as they are called....are operated by the National Disaster Medical System, and they can only be requested by the Governor.”

“Okay....,” Meeker led him on again.

“That's National, as in Washington DC... by sunrise Deputy Meeker, your little town is going to be crawling with feds.”

McGrath hit a button on his phone and put it to his ear. He then added, “And the press.”

Meeker put his hand on his head and winced.

NEXT>>

[stardust-static]

What the fuck, man....

So I'm in a reading slump this month. I reread my favorite series and I still didn't feel like reading anything else. So I thought yesterday "I could go for a different genre. Like a really good disturbing horror novel sounds good" so I found this lady who does horror book reviews and she's reviewing this book saying that it's the most horrifying thing she's ever read and how it's so crazy and it gets 5 stars from her. Its soooo good she says. It was only like 131 pages and was on Kindle unlimited. So I read this fucking thing and... you ever read something and wonder about the mental state of the author? Because... yeah. I'm worried about that guy! I can't even put that I read that book on my goodreads because I don't want the people that follow me to be like "hm what's this?!". No way..

Here's the thing. I kept reading waiting for the scary part, but it wasn't scary. It was progressively getting more and more sexually depraved which was forewarned, but I was told it was "horrific" and while yes the ending was horrific you could definitely say, I still wouldn't call it horror, but what would I call it? Is grotesque a category?

So I suffer through this story about a guy in a motel room and the prostitute he hired and he's telling her these gross stories about all the things that have happened in this room and of course they're all about him (you find out at the end, but I knew) all the while he's like doing stuff to her and they're just having this fun (disgusting/awful) conversation... so fast forward to the end and basically we find in the last pages homeboy has mommy issues reeeeal bad and wants to be rebirthed.. literally (!!!). And in the few last pages he forces her to birth him and I'll let you figure that out for yourself.

😭😭😭

WhAt. The actual fuck did I just read with my own two eyes???!!! I was waiting for ghosts or demons or maybe even a serial killer moment, but a gory birth kink?? How dare anyone write what this man wrote and how dare anyone read it. How dare I. Like I'm legitimately mad at myself for reading that. Especially because like I'm just supposed to just go to bed now????? No. I'm traumatized! 😩

I'll tell you what though............. my reading slump? Over. I can't wait to stuff my head with new stories to erase that one. Like I am going to start a new fantasy series first thing tomorrow and be fucking jazzed about it.

Holy hell. I didn't know. I didn't know someone could think the things I just read. I feel.. I dunno. I dunno. 😣😖😞😓😩😫