#it's very eclipse fed to me

[clingyduofan]

riches and wonders

[theoihalioistuff]

Do you have any information on misconceptions about Hades & Persephone? I'm not well read but all the portrayals of them as a #goals power couple doesn't seem quite right to me (also am I losing my mind or did Persephone get girlbossified?) I could be totally wrong of course! There's a lot to learn in the world. Hope your day is good ^-^

Hi Anon! Sorry for taking so long to reply, (I'm in the middle of exam season and have tons of work to do T~T)

There's a lot to unpack here, as this is basically the most popular greek myth nowadays and one of the most affected by misinformation and people spreading their headcannons as facts. Broadly, in every surviving account their marriage is a forced abduction, where Persephone is very much unwilling. For example in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter (our earliest and most complete source): she cries out in fear for help as she's seized and dragged away under the earth "So he, that Son of Cronos, of many names, who is Ruler of Many and Host of Many, was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal chariot — his own brother’s child and all unwilling", is mournful and despondent until she gladdens at the news of being brought back to the surface and reunited with her mother, is "grieved to tell the tale" of her abduction, and finally is not so much tricked as force-fed the pommegranate "I sprang up at once for joy; but he secretly put in my mouth sweet food, a pomegranate seed, and forced me to taste against my will."

On the other hand, it's true that their marriage is one of the few where they are presented as standing on equal footing and ruling jointly (compared to, for example, Zeus and Hera, where she's generally very much subordinate to him), to the point where Persephone frequently eclipses her husband as sovereign in myth (sending forth the dead in the Odyssey, recieving Herakles when he goes to the underworld, permitting the return of Sisyphos and Alkestis, etc.) and it's widely theorised that Persephone predates Hades in her role as ruler of the underworld. Also in several parts of Magna Graecia their marriage seems to have displaced Zeus and Hera's as the ideal model in cult.

I get the appeal many feel for the myth (though also frankly sometimes get a bit tired of it), but regarding original sources I would certainly hesitate to call a kidnapping and a forced marriage a #goals power couple. As for Persephone getting "girlbossified", I completely agree and find it really disappointing how in most so called "feminist retellings" the only sort of shallow "empowerment" she gets is "fiercely stricking a pose and looking cunty in black next to her bad-boy misunderstood sweetie of a goth/millionaire fifty-shades-of-grey husband."

All that aside, for a great retelling that in my opinion successfully presents Hades and Persephone as a compelling love story and skillfully avoids the pitfalls where most other retellings fall short, I can't recommend @a-gnosis comics enough. They're really well researched, original, beautifully drawn and peopled with actually well written characters (non-perfect, endearing, interesting, etc.) instead of 2D caricatures. She balances a delightful romance without ignoring and addressing the beats of the original myth (as much as possible anyway, no easy feat in my opinion), and all her comics are free to read on her tumblr, deviantart and comicsfury. I really recommend them to anyone interested!

[naffeclipse]

A Little Pod

Beluga!Reader x Orca!Eclipse (ft. baby sirens Sun and Moon)

Commission Info

Here's Orca!Eclipse being a dad and a flirty mate thanks to a commission from the lovely @crazedauthor! She allowed me to choose the Y/N for this comm and I was delighted to do Belgua!Reader. We've not seen one with Eclipse and baby sirens Sun and Moon, and I had to remedy that!

———

You flick your tail slowly along the waters boarding a coastal ice sheet. The sky is deliciously clear and the sun is warm and bright, glinting across the snowy ice with a dazzling slant. Floating on your back, you drift with the weight of two siren young cuddled in your arms. Your tail is round, smooth, and white with small fins which slightly curl at the tips—so unlike the strong and striking patterns of your adoptive children.

Softly, you gaze down at the little ones. Nestled in the crook of your right arm, almost too big to properly contain, is Sun. His big eyes blink, gazing up at you with wonderful curiosity. You smile back. He shares a blue eye on the white side of his crescent marked face with his brother, but the other is yellow, burning like sunshine early in the morning. He nuzzles softly against your shoulder. His beautiful array of head fins drip in gold and flare out to white-gold tips like the gleam of light refracting off of an icy surface.

His tail is a squirming, restless thing that wiggles against your side, splashing the sea over your middle. Unlike you, he possesses sharp, strong flukes even so young. His dorsal fin is small for now but arches tall compared to his tiny body, tipped in brilliant yellow and gold, the beautiful colors following similarity along the end of his fins. His markings are unique among orca sirens: white and creamy yellow. He squeaks endlessly.

“Yes, I know, little one,” you answer, voice soft and attentive. “You have so much to say and I don’t understand any of it yet. But one day I will, and you can tell me everything all over again.”

His wide maw splits into a grin, revealing his nubby baby teeth. A high-pitch chirp of delight unleashes from Sun and you giggle with him. Bowing your head, you press your lips to his sleek, sheeny forehead.

A quiet whine arises from the crook of your other arm. You lift your head with a soft gasp. 

“Oh, oh, oh, my darling! I won’t forget about you, no, never,” you trill, answering your other adoptive child. 

Moon grumpily gnashes his teeth. The poor thing is tired, displeased with the swim in the middle of the day while his tummy lies empty. He shares his brother’s markings save for a black and white color pattern  which carves a half moon onto his face. His right eye cast in the blackness is a deep, pulsing red. His wide gaze stares up at you while he slowly blinks. His brow furrows with irritability. Mewling, he hides his face against your collarbone. 

Gently shushing him, you promise him a meal when their adoptive father returns. You lift a hand to gently stroke down the sleek appendage which dangles off the back of Moon’s head. His face is not crowned in brilliant gold fins nor deep burning reds, but small, silver fins. A soft, sleepy cerulean begins at his crown and melts into a deep blue. At the very end, a small fin in the shape of a star dangles. His fins and flukes carry the same colors, and together, your twins remind you of the rising morning sun over a midnight deep ocean. 

Your children, though not by your blood, are beautiful. Your heart bobs within your chest at the loss of their parents—by no uncertain terms, a tragedy. Eclipse found them, all alone. Regardless, you comfort yourself with the knowledge that they are safe and well fed, the thick blubber of their baby fat keeps them warm. You hold them safely.

It’s strange to think you were so frightened when Eclipse first brought you the twins. Of course, you didn’t understand then how much they needed you both.

Moon settles under your fingertips, his eyes growing heavy, drooping while you pet him softly. A great yawn splits his mouth, exposing his pearly white and round teeth. He is a grouchy thing when he doesn’t have his food or naps. 

“There, darling. It’ll be alright. Your father will be here shortly and then your belly will be filled and you can sleep all you like.”

Sun continues chirping and occasionally whistles not unlike you. Orca sirens, from what little you have gathered from Eclipse, don’t carry the same brillant pitches and whistles that you do. You admit you are glad you can entice your mate with lullabies he has never heard before, and in turn, he serenades you with deep, moving vocals that heat your heart into ice melt and stir your middle into a bubbling mess.

A soft splash echoes beside you. Your heart leaps in your throat when large hands fit around your waist, squeezing softly. Mindful of the little ones you hold, a soft flick of a tongue touches the shell of your ear, and your face floods with a heat that would combat an Arctic blizzard in the middle of a polar night.

“Happy day, my love.” He purrs the words against the nap of your neck. A sleek, large tail cradles your own, easily dwarfing you as he pulls you onto his chest, and together, your family floats like an iceberg. “How are the little ones?”

You struggle to find your voice, swallowing down the bubbles filling you up at his touch.

“Hungry.” You turn your cheek to find something drifting lifelessly along the surface just behind your mate. Teeth marks cut into the red and transparent flesh. A soft, mushy food that is easy for the little ones to chew and swallow despite being so young. You feared they would die without a mother’s milk but they thrive despite the odds. 

Sun immediately squeaks and squeals, calling for Eclipse’s attention with a heart endearing excitement that tugs on your core. Moon’s eyes fly open. He stares up at his father, owlishly gazing with a fixation that speaks to how glad he is to see Eclipse once more.

“Let me feed them.” He rumbles pleasantly against your back. “You’ve been doing wonderful caring for them so much. I will feed you too.”

Your cheeks bleed a pinkness.

“No, no! There’s no need,” you spout, embarrassed at such a thought and yet, you soften at such an offer. “They need to eat first.”

“They will, my lovely lullaby,” he growls softly as one hand releases your hip. “I will take care of you, no matter how sweetly you resist.”

You squirm slightly, as if to escape, but he holds you firmly against him. A soft splash echoes as Eclipse snatches the dead squid in his claws. Lifting it to his mouth, you feel a slight trail of a squishy tentacle against your shoulder before Eclipse snaps his teeth. 

He gingerly lifts a chunk of squid from his mouth, dangling it above Sun’s restless cries for food. You chuckle as he scrambles against you, his tail slapping the deep blue surface while he squeaks for a bite. Gingerly, Eclipse sets the meat into Sun’s grabby hands and frantically, the siren young begins gnawing on the soft flesh. His baby teeth make quick work of the meal. 

Moon whines a sad, pitiful sound. His large eyes threaten to dissolve into tears at his brother receiving the first taste. You coo gently.

“Your father is getting yours ready. It’s alright,” you softly sing until Moon’s bottom lip stops trembling. 

Eclipse delivers a fresh piece of squid gently to his adoptive child. Moon takes it in his chubby fists and begins chomping at it with vigor, his sadness quickly dissolving like snow upon the sea.

“Hungry little minnows, aren’t they?” Eclipse chortles. Gingerly, he swims you all along, a floating island of black, white, and red. He gently strokes Sun’s and Moon’s backs while they eat. “Chew slowly, little ones. The food is not leaping out of your mouths, I made certain of that.”

Of course he did. You fill with the memory of when he first saw you. Eclipse began your courtship with a prized offering of a squid and an insistence that you were already his mate. He frightened you. His teeth are shark-like and his size dominates your own, but he proved himself worthy of your songs when he held you close under the northern lights.

Quietly, you catch his jaws moving once more. Good. He needs energy to keep hunting food for the little ones, their appetite ceaseless and their needs great. You enjoy holding them. It’s difficult to part from their sides even when Eclipse insists you need a break to stretch your tail and move without the twins in your arms.

A black bone claw strokes your cheek. You grow still at the tender tracing, as if Eclipse intends to memorize the shape of your face with his touch alone.

“There has never been a more beautiful caregiver,” he whispers into your ear. 

You inhale softly.

“Eclipse,” you murmur, half in protest, half in a melting mess. 

“Truly, you never cease to amaze me,” he continues mercilessly. You feel your pale tail begin to shift into red, your entire body a blushing, betraying shade. Your mate rasps softly against your cheek, “When I first beheld you, I thought you were a living sculpture of snow, and my heart was captured. Then, you sang and enthralled me, mind and body. Now, you sweetly tend to our children. I knew it the moment I first touched you.”

He nuzzles softly into the crook of your neck. You mewl a tiny sound, resisting the urge to wiggle under the electrifying touch for fear of disturbing Sun and Moon in their meal.

“You are perfect,” he pulses.

“You are going to upset Sun and Moon,” you caution but it sounds weak and breathy even to your own ears. “Are you trying to court me once more? I’m already your mate.”

He chortles a dangerously low sound. His teeth graze the shell of your ear and you shudder. 

“Can’t I still seduce you, my lovely lullaby?” He rests his chin on your shoulder, gazing down at the two orca siren young that have become yours. “We have two children, but why not more? We can make our own pod.”

You balk, and the tips of your ears burn. Yet the thought deliciously stirs within you.

“One baby at a time, Eclipse,” you whisper, then smile, “Two, in this instance.”

“Very well.” He sounds far from sated with such a proposition, but to your relief, his attention shifts. He lifts a small piece of squid. A perfect bite for your mouth. “Eat. I won’t have you growing weak with hunger while you protect our children.”

You don’t resist as he softly presses the tender squid to your mouth. Parting your lips and taking it with your teeth, you begin chewing, savoring the succulent flesh. Your children swipe their tongues over their maws and look up, furling their messy fingers for more. Tiny squeals echo.

“I should feed you by hand more often,” he rumbles around a bite before he tears that apart, too, and splits it evenly between Sun and Moon. The little ones snatch the offerings with glee. A few slick smears of their meal paint their face but you’ll wait until they’ve filled their little bellies before cleaning them off. “You’re so precious when you let me take care of you.”

You almost choke on the squid in your mouth. It’s a wonderful thing Sun and Moon don’t understand the wicked words falling from their father’s lips, and yet, you can’t help but warm underneath his praises. Swallowing, you find your voice.

“Perhaps I should feed you next time,” you offer softly. “I can hunt too, and you need time with Sun and Moon. You can teach them best how to be orca sirens. I cannot.”

It’s not so sad that you didn’t give them your soft, white tail or small, round fins. They are perfect, Eclipse is entirely right in this regard as he proclaimed it so when you first agreed to raise them as your own. But your habits are so different. Perhaps, you might teach them the songs of beluga sirens. That would be enough.

“I would gladly accept such an offer.” His deep rasp slips into you and swirls around your heart. He presses sweetly against your cheek. “I will gladly have your undivided attention.”

Sun and Moon whine. Sun wiggles against you, scrabbling for his father while you laugh. Moon yawns, showing off the pinkness within his gaping mouth before he slips deep into the cradle of your arms, nestling greedily onto your chest. He lays his head softly over your heart.

“Oh, I’m afraid you have dangerous rivals in that regard,” you singsong.

Eclipse grunts, mockingly annoyed but his eyes glow softly with tenderness as he allows you to slip off of him. He takes Sun into his hands. Gently, he fits the tiny orca siren against his chest. Eclipse opens his other arm and draws you close, holding his entire family within his embrace as Moon gives a sleepy sigh.

“I’ll find some time for us tonight once we find a place on the ice safe enough for them to rest.” His grin flashes dangerously. Your heart races with the burning heat of his twin star eyes as he says, “Then I am entirely yours.”

[zalrb]

Saint {elena/stefan/katherine pt. 7}

It's long and hopefully messy af. Hope you enjoy! The gif limit pisses me off, lololol.

Link to part 1: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/707929608286240768/toxic-elenastefankatherine-fic

Link to part 2: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/709460774203064320/valentines-day-elenastefankatherine-fic-pt-2

Link to part 3: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/709838031967879168/choices-elenastefankatherine-fic-pt-3

Link to part 4: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/710274615200628736/blood-elenastefankatherine-fic-pt-4

Link to part 5: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/710584105290579968/boundaries-elenastefankatherine-fic-pt-5

Link to part 6: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/733086688201654273/kill-elenastefankatherine-fic-part-6

Stefan Salvatore was walking. Haunting the night. Skulking the shadows. The way a vampire should, he supposed.

All of Mystic Falls seemed to be sleeping or at the very least, shut away in their homes, leaving him the freedom to brood in the open air. He had to have walked the entire town at least once by now. It felt that way, anyway. But he couldn't stop moving, walking, running. Couldn't stop trying to outstrip his own thoughts.

Really, he was ready to be bored. To evolve. He was ready to just be done. Over the years, when he’d come across other men who had fallen prey to Katherine Pierce – tomb vampires, Elijah, Mason — he had pitied them, having had been a victim to her once himself but no longer a fool to her sway. It was all in the past. Even when they’d slept together years after she'd returned to his life, he hadn’t been twisted up or lovesick. It had been a contained moment. He had evolved from her then. So, he didn’t know why he felt like this now. Why she had her claws in him now. Why he couldn’t seem to get enough now.

He didn’t love her. That much he knew. Not after everything she’d done to him, the lies and the deceit, the violence, the manipulation; she’d stolen his human life and had done her utmost to ruin his vampire one so that he only had her to rely on. But more than that, he couldn’t love her. That was the important part. He couldn’t love her after knowing what true love felt like, not after knowing what Elena felt like, her blood, her touch, her kiss, her voice. For all the lifetimes he lived and would live, he knew that nothing could or would ever eclipse that. Loving Katherine wasn’t the problem.

And yet. She had been gone for fourteen days and he felt those fourteen days in his skin. He wanted to forget her --- his mind, his heart, his conscience all wanted to forget her, but his body was in a tragic, despicable need. His lust, his anger, his resentment, his ego, they all fed off the poison in his interactions with her and they were, waiting, in frenzy, for another hit before he was swallowed with shame for the feelings that came out when he was with her.

He drew some dark, vicious satisfaction from the fact that Katherine had to be more of a mess than him. He may have been craving her but he knew that she was fiending for him. In an attempt to punish him, she was torturing herself and thinking of her, tormented in her self-appointed denial of him, only served to arouse him.  He hated that. God, he hated her. Above all, he hated himself. His craving was tinged by disgust, his yearning accented by hate, he was in a repulsive, unsavoury state of being, that left him wired and strung out and even mired in all of this, missing Elena.

He’d been avoiding her. Avoiding hurting her. Avoiding scaring her. She had seen him at his lowest and he had told her about the worst parts of himself, she had seen his worst parts, his capacity for danger, for cruelty, the things about himself that brought him the most shame and remorse, and she’d never judged him. No, she’d understood, offered sympathy, gave him grace, gave him her love and that was why he couldn’t bear to see her when he was sick with another woman. The woman who had cursed him with her love. It was an insult. 

Suddenly, Stefan stopped walking.  He heard ... it sounded like ... those words ... that tone ... In the distance, he could see a cross perched above a steeple. It ... what he heard ... he couldn't block it out ... it was coming from that direction.

He heard it again.

His heartbeat quickened with dreadful anticipation. He wanted nothing less than to see who that voice belonged to and yet the promise of a reunion stoked in him a furious lust or lustful fury, he wasn't sure which. He should be smart. He should be strong. He should --- 

But his feet took him to the church. 

The sanctuary was only lit by candles so it was dark and quiet. The sound of his footsteps was the only thing he could hear until ---

A voice, breathy and whiny with need. "But the thing is, Father, I haven’t seen him in … weeks …” “And I’m just so … so hor --- tightly wound. For him. But I just …” Quickened breathing. “I just need some kind of relief. Please. Do you think you can help me? Do you think you can help a child in need? Please?”

It was an instinct he would do anything to curb, but Stefan sped over to the confessional and wrenched open the door. He didn't know what he expected to see. If there'd be a priest in a compromising position or dead or compelled or ... he didn’t know, he just knew he had to see. There was no one inside.  Suddenly, Katherine was behind him in a black dress accented by a long rosary draped around her neck in layers, and a smirk on her face. 

"Fancy seeing you here," she said.

Stefan grabbed her then turned and pushed Katherine hard against the carved, ornate wall of the confessional. 

"Stop messing with me!"

"Were you angry that you thought I was corrupting a man of God or were you jealous because you thought I was with another man at all?"

Neither. Both. She was toying with him and he was in no mood. And yet he was. Stefan could feel his fangs itch. His blood boil.

"Who did you want to kill, me or him?"

His jaw clenched. She always asked that question. He never answered. He would not give her the satisfaction of admitting anything. 

“God, you’re just revving to go, aren’t you?” 

“That why you disappeared, huh?” he asked. “Again?”

His anger sounded desperate even to his own ears. God, he wanted to kill this feeling.

“Sometimes it’s good to remind you that you want this as much as I do,” said Katherine. “That you go feral when you don’t have access to me.” 

"So then, how did you know I'd be out? How did you know I'd come here?"

Katherine looked at him with mock sympathy. "Stefan, Stefan, Stefan," she said. "I lured you here. All those late night walks you take."

He blinked at her. Her expression was smug and satisfied --- it was the face of triumph, of a winner, and yet she did nothing to move from his grip on her throat. As ever, he didn’t know if that meant he was in control or if it was her. Stefan let her go and backed away.

She walked toward him, slowly unravelling the rosary twirled around her neck. "You really think I would've left you alone for two weeks?" She pulled a face. "You think I wouldn't want to see my handiwork? All that tension, all that need?” She shivered at the anticipation of Stefan unleashing all of that on her. “I've been watching you this entire time."

He wanted to seize her and break her and kiss her and lay her bare.

Stefan looked at  the rosary, now hanging loose around her neck. "Little theatrical don't you think?" he said, glancing around the church, at the confessional, the candles, the stained glass windows.

"I like making an impression. This is the perfect place for you. All that guilt?" She put a hand on his cheek and he tensed. "Want to add a little more?"

"What game are you playing?"

"Doesn't matter." She ran a finger across his lips. "I know you want to play with me. Maybe that can be your first confession. What's it going to be, saint or sinner?" 

He caught her finger between his teeth, and Katherine nearly convulsed. It took all the control she had to keep from launching herself at him, to keep from begging him to relieve the frustration she'd been suffering from for fourteen days.

It had been a persistent ache that had driven her to the point of humiliating neediness, where she did everything she could, used everything she could think of to rid herself of the pulsing desire that could only be satiated by the man in front of her. And he was going to completely undo her with a simple act.

Stefan closed his eyes. What was he doing? How was this his life? Why couldn't he stop? He needed to stop. He --

"There's nothing I'd ever confess to you," he said.

Katherine draped the rosary around Stefan as well. "I'd expect nothing less than you wanting me on my knees, begging you for absolution." She pulled the rosary tight around his neck, choking him, using it to pull him forward, to pull him toward her, so they were a breath away from each other, so close her lips brushed against his when she spoke.

"Shall we begin?" She gestured to the confessional.

Stefan didn't answer. He didn't move. He just stayed where he was, letting the beads dig into his skin. The moment he thought he heard her voice on the wind, he knew that he would succumb to whatever was going to happen next. He would fight and battle, and he would hate himself for it, but ultimately he would succumb. He knew that. She knew that. He wondered, then, if it would give him peace, even momentarily, if he did more than succumb for the night but if he actually gave in. If he admitted what this did to him, that it excited him. Would that soothe something in him, would that give him the relief, the release, he needed to be set free? Could he move on, could he sleep, could he face himself, could he face Elena, could he tear away from the intoxication of toxicity if he just ... ... confessed?

“I’m not a saint.” He glared at her before freeing himself from her beaded prison and stepping into the side of the confessional for the and closing the curtain behind him. 

Katherine flushed. “Oh, I do love a surprise,” she said, before stepping into the box herself and closing the door behind her. 

*

Elena just made it onto campus and felt glad that Bonnie and Caroline had refrained from moving back because she didn’t know if she was going to scream or if she was going to cry when she got to her room, and she wanted to be alone to figure it out. 

She was barely inside her dorm before she heard, "Do you want to know what's so perfect?”

Elena turned on the light and saw Damon sitting on her bed, a drink in hand. The books and grimoires she went to sleep reading and re-reading to find that one overlooked line or detail about how to permanently kill Katherine Pierce so that she was gone gone, not other-dimension gone, were on the floor. She threw her head back.  

“I thought you outgrew this, Damon.” 

“Uh…” Damon shook his head, trying to find words. “Let’s say alcohol makes me emotionally regress.” 

Elena closed the door behind her. “Right.”

“I’m surprised you’re here actually. I thought you’d be out stalking your ex boyfriend.” 

“I know exactly where he is,” said Elena quietly. “I know exactly who he’s with.” 

The church. Doing God knows what with her. It was a bit of a sick joke. Elena had been keeping tabs on Katherine who had been keeping tabs on Stefan, which meant that Elena had been following him too, skulking after him the way Katherine did, the way she had always done. He’d told her about how she’d checked in on him over the years and even at the time he’d told her, when they’d been together, Elena understood how and why Katherine would do that, how and why she’d just need a glimpse of him to see how he was doing. It was Stefan after all. Not knowing where he was or how he was doing her summer before college had weighed on Elena like a pebble lodged in her mind. And now she was in a place where she couldn’t help but check in on him. For two weeks, Stefan had avoided her. Avoided everyone. And she had allowed him his privacy only because she’d known where he was. 

Damon chuckled. “Perfect transition. So, again, do you know what’s so perfect?”

“What, Damon? What’s so perfect?”

"You and Stefan, the great love story, the great romance, and your love is never enough."

Elena closed her eyes and sighed. “I really don’t feel like playing this game tonight.” 

"No, but just think about it.” He put his glass on the bedside table and then put his hands behind his head. “He loved you and yet he left you to save me. You loved him, you chose him, but ended up with me. Why do you think that is? You two just love each other too much to be together permanently? You always have to leave?”

“But I never really did leave him, did I?”

Damon did nothing but glare.

Elena leaned against a dresser. “I never left him,” she said again. “And he never really left me. Even when it hurt. Even when we tried.” She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. “Why else would we still be in each other’s lives? Don’t you think I know how desperate this looks, how pathetic I must look to everyone? After hearing them, after seeing them? Don’t you think I know anyone else would’ve walked away? But it’s still the same, I can’t give up. And neither could he.”

“He didn’t fight for you. Not when you chose me.” 

“He respected my choice,” said Elena. “But he never left me,” she said, shaking her head. “So, why do you think that is?” 

Damon scoffed. “Feels like he finally is giving up.”

“This is a phase. Some kind of revenge.” 

Damon raised his eyebrows. "You think he's sleeping with her to hurt you back?"

"Stefan doesn't do that. He isn't---"

"What? Me?" Damon grinned. "That's the problem."

Elena muttered beneath her breath. "Haven’t you been listening to anything I’ve said? That's what you want the problem to be."

Damon put his hand to his chest. "Ouch."

Elena sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Damon, this really isn't---"

"You've said a lot of things over the years that have hurt me," he said, swirling the whisky in his glass.

Elena blinked temporarily wrong-footed. "I..." She took a breath. "I'm sorry."

"Stefan's never experienced that."

"You just asked me if I thought he was with Katherine," she could barely say her name, "to hurt me back. How can you also think I've never hurt him? Especially after everything between the three of us?"

"Doesn't count. Extraordinary circumstances."

Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "What other reason would there possibly be for me to hurt him?"

"What reasons were there for you to hurt me?" Damon took a sip of his drink. "You've been casually cruel, you've manipulated me. You couldn't stand to do that to Stefan," he said in a tone that was somewhere between smug and bitter. "You can't bear to see him in pain and that's the beauty in all of this."

Elena looked at him, incredulous. "Damon, I don't---"

"Do I really have to spell it out for you? You can't save Stefan from this. You can't keep him from Katherine."

"You're wrong," she said simply.

"You love him too much," Damon said. "He loves you too much. It's too pure."

She shook her head. "That's ridiculous."

Damon laughed humourlessly. "Stefan isn't a saint and you've never been able to accept that."

"No, no,” she said, walking up to him, her index finger pointed. “I've always known that Stefan has a dark side, OK? I've seen it. I've faced it," she insisted. "I just think that he's more than the worst thing he ever did! So does he!"

Damon gestured triumphantly. "And that's exactly why you're losing. You two always bettering each other, pushing each other, protecting each other." He took on a mocking tone. "Trying to find the rainbows and the puppies and the silver lining." He rolled his eyes. "He's revelling with Katherine in the parts of himself he hates, that he tries to ignore or tries to better. You two could never do that."

"And what makes you so sure?"

"Because you revelled with me. You tasted blood with me. You killed because of me."

"Because of the sire bond."

"Which part?"

Elena brushed her hair away from her face but said nothing. Damon nodded.

"Casually cruel even in your silence. You have no problem hurting me. You have no problem hating me. The truth is, you know how addictive it is, what Stefan is doing." 

Elena narrowed her. "I was never addicted to you."

"The sex dreams you've had about me beg to differ."

She scoffed. "That was different than what's happening to Stefan now."

"Because it's Stefan. He doesn't half-ass anything, my brother, he goes full throttle. All or nothing. He's not just addicted to Katherine, he's obsessed with her."

Elena winced.

"And that fucking torments you, right?" said Damon.  "But you still can't hate him for it. You still can't want to kill him for that. You can't give him what he---"

"That isn't what he needs," said Elena sharply

"But it's what he wants," said Damon. "He wants to be feral and savage. He wants to be a vampire. And you can't give him what he wants this time." He drained his glass. "Call it karma."

“I don’t believe that,” said Elena. 

Damon looked at her, a vindictive grin on his face. “Then why did you leave the church?”

Elena furrowed her eyebrows. “How did you know that’s where they were?”

“The question is, do you want to go back?”

***

Katherine had never been more exhilarated. She heard Stefan on the other side, heard the unbuckling of his belt, heard his zipper, heard him shift; when she’d moaned and whimpered, he’d pressed himself against the wall, she was sure of it, and that made her flush with arousal.  She could hear the faint whispers under his breath, his self-admonishments, his curses of pleasure, his need for release that sickened him and she encouraged his tortured desire with unadulterated excitement as she let him know she couldn’t help herself, that she never could. Through the grate she could see that deliciously anguished expression as he reacted to her words, her noises. She sighed loudly. He responded in kind. 

“Confess. Do you like hearing me?” 

“Yes.” 

She smiled. “Because you want me?” “Yes.” 

“And that kills you?” 

“Yes.” 

“But you want me anyway?” He was leaning his forehead against the grate and gripping onto the wall, splintering the wood. “Yes. Yes.”

Katherine threw her head back. His words were drugging, enough to bring her to the brink. She’d yearned for his yeses for weeks, for decades, for a century and now he was giving them to her in a choked voice tortured with want. 

“You crave me?”

“I’d give anything to stop.” 

She made an urgent noise and caressed the grate in a feeble effort to feel his skin through the gaps. 

“Tell me. Confess. Confess.”

“I haven’t had my fill of you.” 

“Yes,’ said Katherine.

“I want -- fuck.”

She was undulating, racing to finish.  This was … this was … but, she couldn’t ignore it. The twinge in her chest, the nagging feeling that always served to remind her that even with all of his lust and pain and conflict, that even with his acquiescence, even with his obsession,  he didn’t love her. He didn’t have her in his heart. None of his confessions --- I hate it but I can’t stop and I hated you for showing up tonight but I hated you for leaving two weeks ago and yes, it’s taking everything in me not to break down this wall and come for you --- were about his undying passion or eternal love for her. He belonged to her even when, even if, she stopped claiming him, even when he refused her claim, he would never, could never pull away from her. Katherine felt a flare of rage amidst her desire that then turned to a resolve of sorts, as it always did. This was all familiar and yet never old, she, and they, could never get old. 

Katherine got up and ripped open the curtain. Stefan was already leaving his side of the booth to get to her. She pushed him back inside, sitting him down so that she straddled him. She’d never get his love, fine, she would just have to do what she always did --- bring Stefan lower, deeper into her, entangle him in the messy web that was their relationship. Take it all from him. She took a kiss from him, ravishing him, dug her fingernails into his shoulders, whimpered into his mouth when he grabbed her by the neck.

He moved them out of the booth, back into the nave, and slammed against a pillar, making the building shake. The impact was near-hazardous and the idea of his lust for her being so great it’d bring down an entire church inflamed Katherine beyond reason.

“No,” she whispered in his ear. “I want you now. Now.” 

He lifted off her dress in a single motion and suddenly there was clattering on the floor. Something had fallen out of her pocket. A lot of somethings. Stefan moved away slightly to inspect, making Katherine groan with impatience and frustration at the absence of him against her, between her. She took a step forward to close the gap between them but Stefan pushed her back against the pillar, holding there, his quiet domination making her moan. Candied chestnuts had fallen from her dress. One landed in Katherine’s bra. Stefan’s eyes stayed on it for a few moments and then he quirked an eyebrow, looking at her to explain.

“Come on, Stefan, you know your history,” she said breathlessly. “I was alive at the time, after all.” 

After a beat, he realized. “This is a poor substitute for the Vatican.” 

“But it’ll do.” 

“Mm.” 

He closed the gap between them -- finally -- and buried his face in her chest, taking the chestnut out with his teeth before kissing and palming her breasts. Katherine sighed and gripped his hair, gripped his back, pushing him deeper into her so she could feel him once again between her legs.

Stefan teased her with a graze of his fangs and she shivered then left her again, to pick up her dress. He found a few more chestnuts, and backed farther away from her as he chewed the one in his mouth. 

“If I remember that contested piece of history correctly…” His expression was becoming more devilish. “The courtesans were stripped bare, weren’t they?”

Katherine steadied her trembling body against the pillar, trying to exude control instead of melting into a begging mess. “They danced first.”

Stefan nodded.

“Is that what you want me to do?”

His gaze was focused. “I just want you naked.”

And God, that was what he’d get. Katherine left her spot on the pillar and followed Stefan into the aisle. She reached behind her back then stopped, and then looked at him. “That’s what you want?” She wanted him to say it twice. “Me, naked, on my hands and knees?”

“Yes.”

It was a command and with that voice and that look, she would do anything for him. 

“You know it was here,” she said, unclasping her bra. “This exact spot.” She let it fall to the floor. She wanted him wild and inflamed and as drunk on her as she was on him. “Before I was dragged to hell.” She hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her underwear. “Where I vowed that only I could have you.” She was wearing nothing but the rosary and it switched something in Stefan’s brain. 

“Only pick up what I drop,” he said.

And she did. Stefan took his time, walking backwards, step by step, toward the sanctuary, leisurely dropping chestnuts on the floor, keeping Katherine’s gaze as she crawled toward him, collecting what he scattered.

The way she moved, feline, almost serpentine, a seductive display just for him

inflated something in Stefan that made him want to twist the rosary around her neck around his hand and pull her to him.

He could do anything. He could have her like this, on her hands and knees, for hours. One word and she’d do what he told her to. She had centuries on him, more strength than he could fathom, and she’d let him stake her for his pleasure, torture her for his knowledge, she’d let him bind her and leave her for his own amusement. She never said no. And he never had to compel her to say yes. Never had to use the tricks on her that she’d used on him. The power he had over her, the control he held, he alone had that and did that, he could make her plead, make her pay, make her yield to him in a way he could never and would never yield to her and every time he remembered that, every time she reminded him of that, he wanted to test the limits, see how far she was willing to go, how far he could go. 

She had chestnuts in her hands, in her mouth, she’d picked them up in ways he wouldn’t have been able to imagine. The more she prowled, the more her movements seemed to change, seemed to shift into something… dangerous, as if suddenly, Stefan was prey, as if he was something to be consumed. That same smug expression was on her face now but with sultry, seductive eyes, like she had him right where she wanted him, like she would devour him completely. And the closer she got to him, the faster his heart raced; he could hear its beat in his ears, feel a tremor throughout his body, and Stefan felt something like excited trepidation mixed with resentful frustration that she had seized back the power he’d been enjoying. But this was what she wanted, the struggle for the upper-hand. She wanted him battling himself, battling her, the fight, his better nature, is what tangled him in her with no thought of escape. He had to give in tonight. He had to. Remember?

Suddenly, they were against the altar and Katherine was feeding him chestnuts, transferring one into his mouth with a kiss that made him greedy, that made him want to steal her breath, steal her soul, that made him want to leave her a gasping husk. And then he was on his knees in front of her as she picked up a chalice half-full with wine and poured it down her throat so it spilled down her chest, her stomach. He drank the red rivulets off her skin, licking and lapping and sucking so that she giggled and moaned and clutched him to her

and then he was piercing her skin and drinking from her skin, her blood on his tongue, the wine on his lips, her nails digging into his shirt, raking his back, his grunt and her moans reverberating off the walls and echoing throughout the church. Stefan turned his attention lower so that her body arched and she fell back onto the altar, her back bowing off the surface, her arms spread out so she could grip the edges, her moans turning to sobs of pleasure and calls of Stefan’s name. He had her at his mercy. 

Before he knew it, positions changed. The candlesticks and the chalice and the cross clattered to the floor and he was lying flat on the altar in their stead. Somehow, she had tied him to her with the rosary, bound his body to hers with complicated knots and layers, entangling him, snaring him. He was still fully clothed and she sat astride him, completely bare, her hand on his throat, as she teased him, using him to pleasure herself, daring him to grab her and take her, spurring him to grip her waist tighter and tighter and tighter because the harder he held her, the closer his grip came to grinding her bones, the more control he had to exert over his desire and Katherine wanted him to falter and crack and completely break apart beneath her so that he could utterly destroy her with his prowess.

She didn’t stop until he begged, until he admitted to wanting her so badly he couldn’t stand it, to wanting her to ride him to oblivion, until he confessed that he didn’t know how or when he would be able to liberate himself from their game, and Stefan hated each word he groaned while she laughed and basked and rewarded him with her hands, her mouth, her gyrating body. Lust so close to blood lust, desire so close a murderous rage toward Katherine and all she’d done to him, all she would do to him, could do to him, and toward himself for wanting to exact his revenge in this way. And then they were clawing at each other, biting each other, the candlelight illuminating how they writhed in delicious agony, tearing each other apart with their carnal appetites. 

Even without her vampiric ability to eavesdrop from miles away, Elena was sure she would’ve been able to hear the screams of pleasure coming from the church. As it were, she was with Damon a few yards away, asking herself over and over why she chose to come back, why she would torment herself this way. Out of everything she’d heard over the past few months -- and she’d heard more than she’d ever cared to -- this was the worst of it. 

Elena glanced at Damon by her side. He was near-catatonic --- in so much pain that he looked to be in the process of disassociating. 

“Oh my God,” she said. “We’re here because you’re jealous.” 

He shook his head, snapping himself out of his horrified reverie, and looked at her as though he were seeing her for the first time. 

Elena glared at him. “You wanted to hear them because of some sick need to punish yourself or measure yourself or something.”

“Yeah, well.” Damon shrugged. “I’ve had a lot of practice listening to Stefan screw your brains out in the house.” 

“This is unbelievable.” Elena shook her head. “You hate the thought of him in there with her.”

“Yeah, I do. And you know what? I hate the thought of you hating the thought of them in there too.”

Elena threw up her hands. “What do you expect me to say to that? That I’m flattered?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you?”

“No!” said Elena. 

She stalked off. Vaguely, she wanted to go back to campus but she didn’t even know if she was going in the right direction, she just knew she wanted to get as far away from Stefan and Katherine as possible.  

Damon followed her. “Then why are you so mad that I’m jealous about what’s going on in there?”

“I’m mad that I let you talk me into coming here because you’re just playing into her hands! This is what she wants, this is what she likes!”

“So, no part of you likes that I can’t stand how much this hurts you? Because I still want you?”

Elena stopped short and opened and closed her hands in frustration.  “No, I just feel bad. I don’t want you in pain, Damon, but your pain over our breakup isn’t a compliment and your jealousy over my feelings for Stefan isn’t a turn on!” Elena buried her head in her hands. “And I would probably feel worse about what this is doing to you if I had the room but I can’t get everything I just heard out of my head. I can’t---” Stefan’s confessions made her hold her stomach.  “I’m pretty sure I’m going to go crazy.” She rubbed her eyes and felt the tears she couldn’t help wet her fingertips. “Why would you convince me to come back here?” “Why did you let me?

“Because I’m an idiot.”

“It’s because you want to fall out of love with him,” said Damon. 

Elena sighed, suddenly exhausted. “No.”

“You’re lying to yourself.”

“That’s not it.”

“You want me to convince you---”

“I love him, Damon.”

He stared at her. 

“I’m not playing games. I’m not in denial. I just love him. And…” she bit her lip. “I came because I want to understand this as much as I can.” As she said the words, she realized it was true. Even now, even in this, she wanted to know Stefan, wanted to be close to him. “I want to be there for him when this finally ends, but…” But right now she wanted to scream. She started to walk again to keep herself from doing it.  

Damon grabbed Elena by the arm, pulling her to him. She glared at him. “WHAT?” 

“Don’t get sad,” he said. “Get even.”

“Let go of me.” 

“You want to save him?” said Damon. “You want to understand him? You want him back? Sink to the level he’s at.” 

Elena took a deep breath. 

***

“So, Katherine was stalking Stefan. You were stalking Katherine. And Damon was stalking you?” said Bonnie, sipping from her coffee.

“We were all stalking Stefan,” said Elena. 

“Why would you go back?”  said Caroline, adjusting the knapsack with the candles and the books and the grimoire on her shoulder.

She, Elena and Bonnie were trekking through the woods, on their way to the witch burial site. Caroline had called for a coffee date/catch up and Bonnie suggested combining it with a field trip to search for answers about their “Katherine problem”, and for the entire morning, Elena barely heard what either of them said and mostly walked around with a loud ringing in her ears.

“I don’t know,” said Elena because she knew they wouldn’t understand if she’d admitted it was to be close to him.

“Yeah, this whole thing sounds so healthy,” said Caroline. 

Bonnie shot her a look. “Was that really necessary?”

“Well, I’m sorry but this is insane! Our group has survived a lot of cross…” Caroline shook her head, trying to find the right words. “Couplings, I don’t know! But Katherine is breaking us. Bonnie and I are displaced from our home---”

“It’s bad but let’s not be dramatic,” said Bonnie, as they made their way into the dilapidated cottage. 

“No, the dorm is our home for the next few years and we can’t even stay there for long periods of time. We are displaced!” said Caroline, as she and Elena helped Bonnie set up the candles around the cottage. “Stefan is off the deep end.” Elena closed her eyes at the pain of that. “Damon is getting there and who knows how many people that will put in danger, including us! Matt is,” Caroline gestured. “I don’t even know what’s going on with him, I just know ever since Katherine decided he was a key player in her weird psychosexual whatever, he hasn’t been the same.” 

Bonnie laid out a blanket for the three of them to sit on. “I mean, she’s right. I had to use my magic on you. I hated that.” 

“Exactly!” Caroline gestured. “It’s mayhem!” 

Elena didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like she could disagree. Katherine’s preoccupation with Stefan had brought out a side of Elena she didn’t recognize, made her consider things, do things, think of things she would never otherwise. 

“And we haven’t found anything about, you know, killing, really killing a vampire and it’s been months!”

“That’s why we’re here. I want to see if they,” said Bonnie, gesturing around the cottage, “have any insight. If they’ll even help us.” 

“Even if they did, are we even sure that’s going to work?” Elena said it in a voice so quiet, Caroline and Bonnie barely heard her. 

They stared at her with furrowed brows and Elena looked up at them, already wiping away tears. “He chose this. He’s choosing this. Before, with the blood, you know, I … I did that to him. I made him drink from me. And Klaus … that was for Damon. Everything that happened after that, the way he pushed me away … that was to protect me. But with her, I don't …” Elena’s voice cracked. “I'm starting to wonder if he just doesn't want to stop and that scares the hell out of me, the thought of letting him go, I can’t do that but even thinking about trying scares the hell out of me. But I …I just …” 

The breakdown Elena had been delaying for weeks poured out of her and Bonnie held her just as she cracked so that she was crying into her shoulder. Caroline shifted over to hug her.

“I just don’t understand how she’s able to do this,” said Elena. 

“Elena,” said Bonnie. “If you don’t want to---”

“No,” she said, sniffling. “I’m not giving up. We still have to do this. We still have to try. It just … it hurts.” 

***

For the first time in weeks, Stefan was still. Sitting in the library. Brooding. Stewing. Sitting with himself, with the wreckage he wrought, the decisions he made, the life he’d led, the one he didn’t get to, he was sombre and melancholic and felt the familiar sourness of shame.  He was still for hours and then he heard her. She was hovering in the doorway. He knew she knew that he sensed that she was there.

“You can come in.” 

Elena took a few steps into the library. "Katherine left,” she said.

"Yeah."

Elena continued to walk until she could see Stefan’s face. "Bonnie said you were the one that made her go."

Stefan didn't respond. He should’ve known Bonnie wouldn’t keep it to herself. He hadn’t told her so Elena could know, he’d told her in the hopes that Bonnie could work her magic and do something like spell the town to keep Katherine from ever coming back. 

“Well, is it true?” Elena insisted.

Stefan simply nodded. He'd had the conversation with Katherine the night before. It hadn’t been planned. There wasn’t a big speech. He had walked into her apartment and without any preamble told her it was time to leave.

"Get on a bus,” he told her. “A train. Steal a car, take mine, I don't care, just leave. It's done. You're done here."

Katherine had looked at him. The grin on her face had slowly disappeared when she’d realized that this wasn’t a game, this wasn’t an empty request. It wasn’t a request at all. 

"Something's changed,” she’d said. 

"I've let it go,” said Stefan. “I'm..." he sighed. “This isn’t what I want.” 

“Bullshit! You wanted this! You wanted me! Don’t deny it, you know that you did!”

“I did,” he said openly. “And now it’s over.”

Panic was all over Katherine's face. He was serious. She knew it. "She got to you," she said.

"Katherine..."

“No, no.” She started pacing. "How does she always ...? How could you do this?"

"Don't go after her.” Stefan’s tone was weary and Katherine’s eyes darkened with rage when she saw that his eyes were emotionless. 

"I've already killed you twice,” he said. “I can do it again. Do not go near her. I will stake you." 

“You've made that threat before," she said, uncertainty a tremor in her tone.

"I will behead you," he said matter-of-fact. "I will set you on fire. I will let the sun burn you, Katherine, if you touch her."

Still, a shred of hope flickered in her chest. She could still turn this into a game, make it into a power play.. She just had to get under his skin in the exact right way.  "So much anger,” she said with a hint of a seductive grin. She trailed a finger down his chest. “I bet you’d love to bury your stake in me.”

"No," he said dispassionately. He didn't even bother to move her hand away. "No enjoyment, no rage, it will just be because you hurt her. It will just be for her."

Katherine’s eyes reddened. She gritted her teeth.

“I should rip you to fucking shreds.”

“How long did you think I could keep doing this?”

“STOP TALKING TO ME LIKE I’M A STRANGER. I AM NOT A STRANGER TO YOU.”

“Oh no, we are intimately acquainted,” Stefan agreed. “That’s why I know it needs to be done like this.”

“I never knew that loving Elena made you cruel,” said Katherine waspishly.

Stefan sighed. “What, you want me to hold your hand? Shed a tear for you? Go through all the darkness, all the trauma that got you to this point, that got me to this point? Tell you I understand, tell you it’s not your fault? That’s what you want?” He said, raising his eyebrows. “Because I think I did that already, Katherine---”

“OK---”

“--- and then you threw it back in my fucking face and jumped into Elena’s body.”

Katherine grinned. “There’s that anger.”

“It’s not what you think,” he said. “I’m just making a point.”

“And now let me make mine. I won't let you do this to me. You understand that, right? You understand that I will not let you go. I never have.”

"I’m not doing this with you. Leave, Katherine. Peacefully," said Stefan, heading toward the door. "Today."

She’d screamed after him. "I will fucking kill you before I let you leave me!” 

Stefan stopped in the doorway and hung his head. He turned back around, his expression dejected. 

"Do what you need to do," he said. "Just don't touch her. And don’t think you can kill me and then hurt her because, if you do, I will come back from whatever hell you send me to. Leave her out of this."

And then he’d left.

Stefan looked at Elena and cleared his throat. “It was time.” 

Elena rubbed her eyes in disbelief. There had to be more, there had to be a reason. "You were in so deep. You---"

"Elena, do we really have to..."

"How did you...why did you..."

"I saw you ..." He closed his eyes. And he saw Elena in the cottage with Bonnie and Caroline, sobbing into their arms, devastated and heartbroken. He hadn’t meant to see it. 

But he’d been out in the woods himself, running, hunting, doing anything he occupy his mind, and he’d heard her from a distance. He reacted before he could think and in a manner of seconds, he was outside the old cottage.

He would never forget that like he would never forget the way she looked at him, teary-eyed and completely undone, that night on Wickery Bridge; expressions that would haunt him for his eternity. It clarified him in a way that nothing else had.

"You were in hell," he said. "I couldn't just..." His voice choked and he sighed, bending his head. "You were in hell," he said again, more firmly, as he stood up.

Elena watched Stefan walk away and was oddly overcome with emotion. The gratitude she felt toward him, the love that she felt for him because he loved her enough to let Katherine go, because he loved her enough, because he had always loved her enough to do anything for her only served to underscore that he’d given up something he’d wanted, something he’d wanted terribly; something he shared with Katherine. The thought of her in his head, in his heart, the thought of her as a sacrifice dizzied Elena with a disorienting jealousy and an aching indignation that Katherine possibly gave him something their relationship never did.

"I slept with Damon!” she blurted out.

Stefan stopped walking. He turned back around. When Elena came to the Boarding House, she didn’t know if she was going to tell him that, she didn’t know what she was going to say beyond questioning him about Katherine and her impulsivity made her look at him defiantly. 

He cleared his throat. "You two are back together?"

She shook her head. "No. I just felt like it."

He nodded. "OK, well, that's not really---"

"We woke up my entire dorm,” she continued conversationally. “We were so loud we didn't even hear the pounding on the door."

Stefan was quiet. Still. He looked to be focused on something Elena couldn't see. She wondered if he was breathing. When he got like this, he reminded her of sculpted marble. She pushed further.

"I rode him so hard into the mattress, it broke the be---" 

"Why are you doing this?"

He was looking directly at her now with no accusation in his eyes, just sheer pain. It made her want to go to him, put consoling hands on him. She folded her arms. She was hurting him back.

"Well, we're telling each other about our sex lives now---"

"No," said Stefan, shaking his head. "I never wanted to tell you what happened between me and---"

"I thought you should know about the headache I have because I kept knocking into the headboard. Well," she said. "Before we broke it."

Stefan nodded then continued to walk, which caused anger to swell in Elena's chest. Anger that made her walk after him.

Anger that  pushed her over the emotional edge she'd been teetering on for weeks. 

"You're just going to walk away?" She accused. "Is that all you do?"

He stopped short then turned around. "What does that mean?"

"After your summer with Klaus, when you came back, I told you I kissed Damon and you walked away. You found out we spent the night in a motel room and you didn't ask any questions." 

Stefan took a deep breath and started to walk away again, faster this time. Elena shadowed him into the living room. 

"I chose him---" She grabbed him by the arm and turned him around so he could look at her, so he could see her furious, determined face.

"I chose him after you gave me the cure and you just left town.” It was cruel of her to say that here, in front of the fireplace she’d made that choice. She didn’t care. “You just told me that you made Katherine go and I respond by telling you that I fucked Damon's brains out---" Stefan flinched, exhaled sharply, and broke free from Elena's grasp then continued to walk. "And you run away!" She screamed. "You're running away!"

Of course he was running away when he had --- "I have no right to feel anything, Elena."

Elena put her hands to her head and then picked up a lamp and threw it against the wall, making Stefan stop and turn to look at the damage.

"I don't give a fuck about what you have the right to feel, Stefan. How do you feel?"

No, she wasn’t hurting him back. She was pushing him. Testing him. Seeing if he loved her too much to show her what he showed Katherine, to feel with her what he felt with … … her. Her desperation to know was making Elena blunt and messy with her emotions. It had been making her messy with everything.

Stefan clenched his jaw, holding onto his composure. "You have every right---"

"Yes, of course. 'I have every right'. Always so patient!" She upturned a table, making his eyes widen. "God, you're so understanding, doesn't it ever get tiring? Don't you get tired?"

"What do you want from me? You want the fight?"

"Yes!"

"You want me to ask you if you did this just to hurt me?”

“Why not?”

“You want me to say that that isn't you? That you would never do that? Why?"

"Is that how you feel?"

"I feel like I don't get a say in what you do!"

"So you're not angry? You're just never angry with me?" Elena took a few steps forward. "The things that we've been through over the years, the things that you had to hear, that you had to see, it doesn’t affect you because you’re such a fucking saint?"

"Elena---"

"It has to. You have to be. Stefan, you must be so angry at me. How much anger do you have that you don't let me see?"

"That's not---"

"Hate me!" she yelled.

He blinked at her, a picture of confusion. "No," he said simply.

She was in front of him now, pushing him so that he staggered backwards. "You're a ripper, right?" She pushed him again. "Let in the rage." And again. Into a wall. Causing a dent. "Let it in."

"Stop it." 

"Why? It wouldn't be anything I hadn't heard before!"

He put his hand over hers when she moved to push him again, as if she wanted to push him through wood and brick, and he was suddenly looming over her. 

"I didn't mean any of that and you know that. You have to know that," he said, pained at the memory of every cruel lie he spat in her face when he'd been detoxing.

He wasn't angry. He was earnest and passionate and Elena loved him for it, she could never hate him for it, but in this moment, she could kill him for it.

"Why can't you get angry at me?" she yelled. "Katherine---"

"SHE'S GONE. None of this matters!"

"She enrages you."

Stefan gritted his teeth, thinking about the church, the blood, the lust, the shame, the regret. The sick hateful feeling in his stomach he had the morning after. All of the mornings after. The intoxication in that was corrosive. 

"You're not Katherine." He said firmly. "I have never linked you to Katherine. You've never made me feel what she has! She's out of my life. She's out of our lives! We don't have to do this!"

Elena glared at him, a mixture of fury and pain. She felt something shift, tilting her off-balance, stripping away more and more of her composure. 

“You still want her, don’t you?"

“What?” 

“You didn’t send her away because you wanted to---”

“Elena---”

“I heard you in that church! Yeah, I was there! All of your confessions, all of your desires!”

“That’s not---”

“God, you still want her! More than you have ever wanted me.”

Stefan looked sharply at her. The sentiment was too incomprehensible for a simple denial, it didn’t deserve any kind of acknowledgement. 

Elena was adamant. "I thought I was the one you didn't hide from but it's her. You don't hide that part of yourself from her."

Katherine had done everything in her power to destroy him, and Elena had done everything in hers to help him was never, could never, be that. She knew that. She had to know that.

"Don't do this."

"You relish that side of you with her."

Stefan was beside himself. "There's only that side of me with her!"

"Then give that to me!' She was inconsolable. "You owe that to me!"

No, this was enough. Stefan put his hands on either side of her face and she inhaled sharply the feel of it. 

"Elena? Elena! Look at me. Look at me." His tone was frenzied and anguished. "I could never hate you."

And her doing her best to make him try was painful in a way he would never be able to truly articulate. "I could never feel---"

Elena was trembling. She couldn't feel his touch. She moved away. "I'm telling you to."

"No," he said flatly.

"I want you to."

"No."  

He started to walk out of the living room, but Elena grabbed his arm, keeping him in place and it caused a tormented sob in his chest. He was overwhelmed by her refusal to give up, let go.

"What did you do with her that you couldn't do with me?" 

Something turned in her expression. Why was she goading him? Why was she so insistent on this? "Not this." His voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"You want me on my knees like her?"

"Stop it." He closed his eyes.

"You want me to beg like her?"

"Elena, stop."

"It wasn't enough for you. We weren't enough for you." She was more than angry, she was near-crazed. It scared him. "You want to be savage with me like you were with her?"

"Please." 

"Own me like her?"

"Please stop."

Without warning, she took his hand and put it on her neck. "If you were to put a hand around my throat the way you did with her ---"

Stefan erupted with horror and desperation. "STOP IT." He held her by the arms. "JUST STOP! STOP." 

"If this is because you actually do love her---"

His mouth was on hers before she could finish her sentence and she whimpered from the shock of it.

Stefan pinned her against the wall, kissing her with a furious, desperate passion. He was clutching her, gripping her. His hands found the dips and shallows of her body, massaging her, feeling her. He was kissing her cheek, her neck, her eye, her forehead, so that she gasped and quaked and each of his touches asked again and again, Does it feel like I love her? Elena, tell me. Does it feel like I love her?

And when she moaned in response to his wordless question, when she bowed to him, sank into him, making helpless, needy noises, he moved to leave, confident that he’d made the depth of his point, of his feelings clear, but Elena kept him to her, refusing his departure and desperate for more.

She could get lost, oh God, she would've gotten lost in him if it weren't for this feral urgency and impatience clawing at her.

She didn't know if it was the vampirism, if it was the weeks of torment, but she had this need that was territorial and possessive and primal and raw. She bit his lower lip then sucked and Stefan put his hand on the small of her back, bringing her forward, pressing her into him and she felt the evidence of his desire. Had he done this with Katherine? Bring her to him so he could feel her body against his, so his arousal, his lust for her could drive her crazy? Had that driven him wild? The thought of that ---

Veins darkened Elena's face. Suddenly, she bit him, sinking her fangs into his neck, making him call out and convulse. He pressed her even tighter to him then pressed her back against the wall, leaving no room for escape, He grinded into her as she drank, as she clutched the back of his head, gripping his hair. She fumbled with his shirt, scrambling to rid him of it. She wanted it off. Off. And then her hands were all over him rough and greedy and jealous. Katherine had touched him here, kissed him everywhere, and if it were the last thing she did, she was going to rewrite the history of his body with touches and kisses of her own. She skated her lips across his chest, nipping him, biting him, marking him so he pleaded with strangled sounds, but she wanted him to regret everything, everything that had happened in the past couple of months.

Stefan was torn between the pleasure of Elena’s lips claiming his body and the impatience to once more feel them against his, and he brought her back up to him with reverent, rough hands so that he could kiss her again, moaning into her mouth, as they made their way, clumsy and drunk, to the couch. Suddenly, he wrenched away from her, his expression aroused and raw and pained.

“It’s too soon.” He was shaking his head frantically. “This is too soon.” 

“What are you talking about?” said Elena, breathlessly. She crossed her hands at the hem of her shirt and peeled it off in haste, and what little resolve there was in Stefan’s expression crumpled at the sight of her. “It’s been a lifetime.” 

He didn’t move when she walked up to him. She slipped her hand beneath his waistband so that he squeezed his eyes shut and stuttered when he spoke.

“It’s -- It’s too much,” he said. 

And Elena understood. He hadn’t forgiven himself for the arguments they had, the things she’d pushed him to say.

 “Stefan,” she said, as she continued to feel him and please him, her touch an indication of her forgiveness, of the fact that there was nothing to forgive.  “Come home.” 

He exhaled sharply and then he was kissing her everywhere, feeling her everywhere, embracing her so tightly, pressing her into him so firmly, as though he wanted them to physically meld. He lifted her onto him and sat on the couch so that they were entwined. His face was buried in her and he whispered against her skin, “I’ve missed you.”  

Elena shivered and sighed dreamily. “I---”

Fire. Sudden fire. Spreading everywhere. Fast. Impossibly fast. From nowhere, from everywhere. Quickly, Stefan and Elena disentangled, terrified and confused. Flames engulfing the carpet, the tables, the walls. 

“Run! RUN!”

Stefan took Elena by the hand and they sped out of the room. 

Katherine heard the yelling from within the Salvatore Boarding House and she smiled grimly at the panic, the fear. Stefan could not be surprised. She’d warned him. Repeatedly. And yet, she knew he thought she was making empty threats. Time and time again, he and Elena, and Damon, and everyone, they’d underestimated her. Time and time again, they’d forgotten her reach, the friends she’d made, the people she’d had in her debt. They’d forgotten that she’d been alive for centuries. If she wanted a witch, she’d find one. If she wanted vengeance, she’d get it. If she wanted Stefan, she’d have him.

It took him a day to get to Mystic Falls but the witch she’d once spent the night with, the witch who had pledged to be there for her always, no matter what, had come when she’d called in a favour. And now he was here. Next to her. He spelled all the exits shut. He brought the fire to life. He helped her with her vengeance. 

“It’s like I said, Stefan,” she spoke, knowing that even with all of the commotion, he’d be able to hear her. “If I can’t have you, no one will.”

[works-of-heart]

A little chat about my art

-wip of a fox Lucien Vanserra (I plan to do a fawn elain too)

Over the course of a week or so, I have been getting harassed by anons who accused me of using AI in my work, and not being a legitimate artist. Most have been very, VERY accusatory and nasty and I was tempted to make an angry post about it then, but instead I just ignored them, deleted their comments and went on with life.

Yesterday morning I woke up to the ask about AI, and while I was fed up with all these sudden asks, the person who asked me was at least kind.

I don't know where the accusations started, I thought it might have been antis, but if I'm real about it, I don't think too many are looking at my stuff, say for the few strays I had in the past. Only one negative, and one quite positive.

I do not know if people understand what kind of accusations like that makes of an artist, but it IS hurtful! If people start spreading lies, people will believe them and with enough people believing them, it starts to look like it's true.

I have NEVER used AI in ANY of my works. EVER.

All of my work has all been done digitally on my tablets, using CSP. I have been drawing digitally for over 20 years. It is fine if you do not like my work, it's totally ok if you think my anime style is ugly or childish, it's alright if you think I'm not a great artist. All of that is fine, I respect everyone's opinion.

What is NOT ok, is saying that I am stealing art. That I am a fake who uses AI and I'm stealing from legitimate artists who put work into it. I've worked for my art all my life, since I was a child, with the only aspiration to share the wonders of my mind with the world. These accusations, these hurtful things cut very deep.

I've been a fan of Acotar since 2020, and in love with Elucien ever since then. When I looked online, I found that most Elucien/Lucien art was buried under mountains of Elriel. There are some amazing artists for Elriel, truly beautiful, but they were eclipsing any that I saw for my ship. The ones I found of Elucien were beautiful! Stunning diamonds that would often get lost under the mountains of fan art for the other ships.

So when I made a blog that would be more focused on my love of Acotar and Elucien, I made a vow to fill the space with Elucien art!

That is all I ever wanted to do. Was to be in a space I can geek out with others who love the ship as much as I do, to make pieces that make everyone feel. I spent hours working on my elucien comics, just because I wanted to share these with you all, to give the feels. I am a comic creator myself, I've been working as one for almost 10 years now, it is my job. So pushing these out are works of love.

This was my mother's day picture. I had 3 separate folders for Elain, Lucien, and their daughter. I worked very, very hard on this picture to get it out by the day, in celebration for mother's day. My work is always a bit rough in the beginning stages, but I promise, I put all the work into it. I've studied from other artists I admire, to put it into my own style, something unique to me. A style that I've drawn since HS and was constantly mocked for, because it's too 'anime' too 'asian' and not western enough. Still, that doesn't matter as long as people enjoy it, and I love what I do.

An elucien wip of a picture that I never finished.

A picture of a Non-Acotar work I did

Some of my work never sees the light of day... because I'm so self conscious about my work, about my art in general. I never think it's good enough, and I struggle with trying to finish them because I want to only put out what I think is worthy of being shown. Sharing my art is so incredibly nerve-wracking for me, the fear of judgment, of never feeling it's good enough. I put my all into my work, my whole heart and soul into them, and though I know I need more practice, but I am trying.

Suffice to say, I've never used any form of AI in my art, I've never stolen anyone's work and claimed it as my own. I have referenced poses every now and then, and painting styles that I've studied, but never have I EVER cheated through any of these pictures.

Had someone had a real concern, coming to me and asking politely would be fine. Thank you to the anon yesterday who was truly kind and showing concern, but I don't know where this started from. If you are concerned a work may be illegitimate, you can always DM the artists and ask them kindly, I am sure they will no doubt be willing to prove their work if only to confirm they're real. Witch hunts where you just deem someone of using AI and spreading rumors and lies does MORE harm to the art community than you think. Artists are already hesitant about uploading their work for fear it will be stolen or used, but claiming they use AI with NO PROOF, and spreading misinformation is not only doing damage and making sure they'll never want to post again, but it impacts the community as a whole.

That being said, I am still going to draw and paint and post my artwork. I have no intention of backing down. I just hope as a community we can do better and be kinder to people who are spending their free time making things and sharing with us all. It's incredibly vulnerable to put yourself out there, and just remember, we are people behind these screens.

[spikesbicth]

Your Whole World

Astarion x Reader!Female!DarkUrge One shot

approx 3.2k words.

CW: 18+, minors DNI, face fucking, oral sex, fingering, PiV, smut, choking, bleeding, biting. rough sex, creampie, blood play

cross posted on ao3

A/N: oh hi everyone… I couldn’t resist adding an Astarion smut to my repertoire. Besides, he has such a chokehold on me right now. A few things; if you have read my other posted one shot, you make notice a few similarities. I’m very proud of that fic and this being my first time writing in over a year, I borrowed a few elements from it to inspire me and get ideas flowing. It’s minor, but just FYI. also, sorry if there are any glaring grammatical mistakes/typos/tense errors. also i barely proofread. the majority of this was written in the middle of the night so I could give all of you sadistic fucks the most heinous christmas gift ever. So enjoy some sex and a dash of fluff. please don’t hesitate to give me feedback :)

Nothing sparked a glow in Astarion’s eyes like watching you standing over your most recent kill; bloodied and battered beneath you moments after landing your final strike. Lowering your hands and brushing loose hair from out of your face, you lift your gaze to meet his.

“Gods, it never gets old watching you work” he purrs, stepping towards you to further relish the moment now that the enjoyment of the bloodbath you created could begin.

Months had passed since you freed yourselves of your pasts. Astarion, exacting revenge against Cazador and ascending to his present form. Yourself through your rejection of Bhaal. Together you destroyed the Elder Brain, banishing any doubt that either of you would be puppeted by anyone, ever again. You remembered the night it all ended fondly, Astarion pressing you to accept his gift of immortality. Though you declined at the time, citing your desire to experience the rush of near death but a few more times, you assured you always planned to accept and commit to an eternity with him. You also remembered the way he fucked you that night, bringing you to the brink of ecstasy and back. How he promised to make you edge for every so-called “rush-of-near-death” you wished to experience before entering immortality with him. How he fed on you until you were nearly drained, exacting his dominance over your life. How much you

fucking.

loved it.

In the time since that night, you had parted ways with your companions and set forth on your journey together. Time was spent ravaging the nobles estates, killing off anyone who threatened you, giving in to every sadistic whim and desire. Nothing but the exacting of pure chaos as a victory lap before getting down to the real business. Power was still to be exacted.

“My Queen of the Hells…” He breathes, stepping towards you across the white tiled floor of the home belonging to whatever Mage of High Sorcery you had just butchered. Still meeting his gaze, you watch his pupils dilate as the scent of your own blood from the oozing gash on your cheek overcomes him.

You smile, extending your hand for him to take. His hand meets yours for a brief moment, before tracing his fingers up your forearm across to your waist and holding you firmly against his body. The both of you take a moment to admire the bodies that dotted the main floor of the ornate home, and the blood that so starkly contrasted the white decor.

“Shall we explore?” You ask, a cunning smile spreading across your lips. Astarion nods, his face dotted with specks of blood and his pupils so black they eclipsed his crimson irises.

“My love, you know I want to.” He affirms, his voice liquid velvet echoing the grand hall you stood in. After all this time, even his smallest endearments still fill your abdomen with warmth.

Together, you proceed up the opulent white tile staircase to the second level. There is no secret as to what you were looking for. Nothing filled you with lust and desire the way watching Astarion dominate his opponents in battle did. His most malicious attacks read like a dance, it seemed even his enemies were not immune to melting in his striking gaze. Though you promised to yourself that you would never be a servant to anyone again, the rules were much more malleable when it came to Astarion. You adored being under him, subject to his control and desires, the feeling of existing to pleasure him. Property he cherished, though still his property, he once declared.

At the end of the hallway at the top of the stairs, the former tenants bedroom lay vacant and freshly tidied. You watch as his graceful hand turns the doorknob and unlatches the door. On the other side was an appropriately opulent bed chamber dimly lit by fading mage light, now that the magic of the previous owner had begun to dispel. Upon entering the room, Astarion’s focus intensifies on you.

“Gods… you’re so beautiful…” He turns to you, his eyes examining your face, one of his fangs caught on the outside of his slightly parted lips. He brings his free hand to your bloodied cheek, pressing his thumb into it. You welcome the wince of pain at his hand and lingering for a moment. You could see the lust in his darkened eyes, hear the desire in his gruff voice.

You bring your hand to meet his on your face, and press his thumb deeper into your wound. The pain elicits a sharp exhale, and you watch Astarions eyes flicker to yours then back to your wound. Every sensation he imparts upon you was a taste of bliss. He slips his hand out from under yours, and brings his thumb to his mouth, gently licking it before closing his lips around it. A soft moan escapes him. He wants all of you.

The moment he removes his thumb from his mouth, you move to meet his lips with yours, entering a forceful and hungry kiss. You taste the slight sour of your blood in his mouth as he teases your lips with his tongue. You press your body against his, feeling a growing bulge in his pants.

“May I, darling?” He asks as his hands find the bottom of your shirt . You nod, and he tugs it over your arms and head. Your freed breasts bounce gently from the movement, and Astarion quickly brings his fingers to your erecting nipples. You press yourself further into him, kissing him hard. He hadn’t yet removed his light armour, and the coolness of the metal tingles your nipples and hardens them even further. He kneels, trailing kisses down your chest as you stand, and makes quick work of the tie holding up your trousers. He slides them off you with your undergarments and aided you in removing your shoes. He rises to standing again, gently nibbling at you on the way up to meet your lips again.

You pull away from the kiss for a moment, bringing a hand down to the base of his top, awaiting him to assist you in the removal of his layers.

“Mmmm..” He moans in anticipation, “Not this time my pet.” A sultry growl in his voice. He places his hands on your shoulders, and slowly presses you down. “On your knees, my precious thing.” He orders.

You obey, lowering to the floor. The cold hard tile digging into your kneecaps as you look up to Astarion from the ground.

You are his precious thing.

He takes a step back to remove his own armor and clothing as you watch, kneeling naked on the floor in front of him. Your heart quickened and you felt your folds dampen with arousal as Astarion removed his pants, freeing his erect cock that had been buldging for freedom just moments prior. His tip already slick with precum, glistening in the dusky room. Your mouth waters in anticipation. He indulges in a few strokes of his length before stepping closer to you, your eyes level with his muscular lower abdomen. There you sat beneath him, eyes wide with admiration and chilled from the cool tile floor, dripping in your own arousal, waiting.

“My love, do open your mouth for me.” He asks, his voice a breathy hush.

You obey, parting your lips and letting your tongue slide out. You knew how he wanted to use you, how you wanted to worship him. With your hands clasped behind your back, you welcomed his cock into your mouth. Your mouth waters at the saltiness of his precum and Astarion’s composure falters as a moan escapes him. He adored fucking you this way.

His cock quickly met the back of your throat, and you began to salivate fiercely to welcome it. You try to swallow but your throat closes around Astarion’s cock, and saliva begins to pool in your lower jaw. He slowly fucks your mouth, pulling out so that his tip met your lips, then thrusting hard to push his cock further and further down your throat, digging for your gag reflex. You cough, and your vision blurs as tears well up in your eyes.

“Oh, that’s it pet,” He moans, pushing deeper into your throat. Tears spill over, running down your cheeks and you blink to clear your vision as well as you can. He feels the flood of saliva building in your mouth and withdraws, then cocks his head to one side in admiration of you. Saliva flows down your chin and neck, dripping on the floor between you. You gasp for air, then open your mouth once again. He smirks, and runs his hand through your hair. He aligns his cock with your mouth again once more, you allow him to enter but not before teasing the spot below his glans that you know will send thunder through him.

The delicate moment is lost upon an abrupt thrust of Astarion’s hips, forcing his cock as far down your throat as he could. He continues to fuck your face with concentrated thrusts at the back of your throat, blocking any air from entering your lungs. A burning sensation grows in your chest as you try and fail gasp for air. Your vision grows fuzzy as a dark veil begins to shroud the corners of your vision, and you begin to choke. He takes a fistful of your hair and pulls you off of your cock, leaving a string of saliva pulling from your mouth to the tip of his throbbing length. Tears trail down your cheeks and you quietly gasp for air. Seconds after you inhale he shoves his cock back into you, fucking even harder than before.

“That's it my love, I know you yearn for breathlessness, I could give you this forever.” He praises, tightening his grip on your hair and humming with pleasure. You catch him with his gaze towards the ceiling, enjoying the filthy sounds. Beginning to feel the fire in your chest building again, Astarion pulls himself out and you gasp for breath, this time with enough time to notice the tears and saliva mixing with the blood from your face flowing down your bare chest.

Nearly as exerted as yourself, Astarion comes to his knees to greet you, meeting your slick and swollen lips with his own.

“Look what you’ve done to me…” you whispered between kisses, reaching up to feel the wetness on your face.

“I am not nearly done with you yet,” Astarion growls, pulling away from your lips then tonguing over his own, relishing the taste of your blood. He placed one hand on your mid back, and another to guide you down to lay gently on the floor. The chill of the tile on your warmed skin sent a shiver through your body, causing your nipples to erect once again and goosebumps to cover your body. Astarion smirks, admiring your body and the arousal leaking from between your legs. He works his way down your neck placing loose, open mouth kisses down your neck and chest, allowing his fangs to catch on your skin as he moves. He finds your left nipple and began to trace his tongue around the hardened sphere of flesh, sucking and flicking.

“Astar…ion….” you moan, fluttering your eyes. Now he was just teasing you, waiting for your patience to wane. “A..Ast..star..ion” you moan again, your clit swelling and throbbing between your legs. “P…p..please… Ast..star..ion” you beg, undulating your hips to touch his, attempting to alert him of your desires.

“Impatient tonight are we, my dear?” He coos, looking up to your eyes from where his face rested on your breast.

“P..please… touch me..” you beg, and you see a grin spread across his face, his two fangs glinting in the light.

“Now am I supposed to say no to that?” he asserts, not breaking his gaze as he begins kissing and lightly biting down your abdomen. Your stomach fluttered as you watched him move towards your pelvis. You admire his beautiful silver curls shift on his head while he moves his hands to your thighs to signal you to spread them, and you obey.

He traces circles with his fingers on your thighs, sending shivers through your body. Slick fluid drips through your folds and you feel your walls pulsating with the beat of your heart, you are desperate for him. You are certain you have never wanted anyone more than you have ever wanted Astarion, beautiful, powerful, Astarion. His aspirations, his ascension, and your mutual freedom, his unwavering devotion to you and only you. Gods, was there anything else you truly needed besides him?

You are snapped back to reality when he licks his cunning tongue up your folds, circling quickly around your clit. You take a sharp breath in and wrap your legs over his muscular shoulders, taking a fistful of his curls in your right hand. He wraps an arm around one leg and pressed down on your lower abdomen a few finger widths above your pelvic bone, not breaking the contact between his tongue and your clit. His ascendant strength holds you down as you adjust your hips, begging for him to indulge you. He teases your entrance with an icy finger, and you clench around nothing. A moment later, he slowly pushes two fingers inside of you, hooking them rhythmically to catch your G-spot. Your back arches and waves of warmth course through your body, reveling in the pleasure he was bestowing upon you. He drags you up to the “Darling, I thought you’d never ask” he responds coyley. It was often routine for him to feed on you while he fucked you, elevating his own ecstasy and you enjoying the way he held your delicious little life in his hands.

He kisses his way to your left inner thigh, and without warning, pierces his fangs into your tender skin, and blood begins to spill. You breathe out slowly, enjoying the pain he inflicts on you and the pleasure from the fingers still toying with your clit. You feel him drinking from you and your blood pressure dropping, sending a shockwave of dizziness to your head. This was pleasure like you had never experienced before him.

Astarion rises from his feed at your thigh, and slinks his way back to meet your mouth with his. Once again you taste your own blood in his mouth as he kisses you with such urgency and near corporeal desire.

“I need you… to be inside you..” he desperately speaks between kisses, and you feel him shift his weight to fumble with his throbbing cock. His facade has cracked, palpable, burning eagerness leaking through. He parts your folds and drags his cock against his bite, still exuding blood. For a moment he teases your entrance with his tip, but you know his grip on his composure was slipping. Carnal. Insatiable, it was coming.

He thrusts inside of you, and you moan with adjuration. Your walls expand for him, and you spread your legs, bending your knees to allow him the deepest thrusts he could muster. Your breasts bouncing in rhythm with him, and you reach your arms around his shoulders to pull him nearer to you. You moan hungrily in his ear, knowing this and the filthy noises of your fucking would drive him duly mad. He moans, breathing heavily and kissing you hard, enjoying every sensation of you around his cock. It was clear that he was edging to his finale, but it was now your turn.

You untangle your arms from him and press your hands on the front of your chest, and gain enough leverage to roll him off you and onto his back, you, only an instant behind him. You slide him back inside of you, then bring your hand to his mouth for another taste of your wetness and blood. He closes his eyes and licks your fingers, preparing himself for your turn of the fun.

His cock flexes inside of you and you find his wrists and guide his arms above his head, gripping them tightly to the floor. Your extended position leaves your breasts hanging just above his mouth, and he lifts his head to lick and suck. Slowly at first, you lift your hips so only the tip of his length remains inside of you, linger for a moment, only to come crashing down to him. His eyes widened and mouth opened, an aching moan coming from within him. You repeated the motion, watching him gasp and moan, withholding and flooding him with pleasure. The stickiness of your arousal, his precum, and your blood mixing on his thighs, squelching with each of your movements. After demonstrating your control over him, you release your grip from his wrists above his head, and lean back, forcing his cock to press into your walls. His hands find your hips, and he digs his fingers into you as you rhythmically fuck him. You push him closer and closer as slowly as you can handle. You push him to the edge, so, so close.

You find your swollen clit with your free hand, and begin rubbing in heavy circles. Astarion loves watching you pleasure yourself on him, using him to reach your own peak before allowing him his own. As you rub yourself and ride him, you feel intense pleasure rising within you.

“I- I’m going to come,” you moan, moving your hips faster and faster on his cock while applying more pressure on your throbbing clit.

Astarion opens his mouth to speak, but no words arrive, only fast, broken breaths.

You sing his name while you squeeze him with your thighs, gushing over his cock. Finally, you are over the edge. An intense euphoria floods through you as your walls contract around his cock. Your heart races and you gasp for breath, reveling in the pure pleasure you were experiencing. Astarion bucks his hips into you, desperate to spill himself inside. His silver curls now clung to his sweat-dampened forehead.

“O-oh f.. oh fuck…” He speaks, now fully lost his control and desperate only to join you in your pleasure. The contractions of your walls on him are sending him over. A powerful moan rises from his chest and with a few beastly thrusts inside of you, he spills. When he comes, he throws his head back and moans your name so it echoes within the tiled bed chambers.

His thrusts mellow, and eventually his twitching cock inside you calms. You lay forward on him,

His breath slows, and he wraps his arms around you, welcoming his coolness. He kisses your temple, then begins to rise. He helps you to the freshly made bed, and rests beside you.

“I love you, Astarion.” you say quietly, delighting in his arms woven around you.

There you lay together in your nakedness, the sweetness of your undying love cleansing all desire for anything more. No promise of power could be worth the sacrifice of losing each other. Despite both your aspirations and contributions to chaos, the constant of having each other for eternity was an invaluable prize to you both. You turn and delicately kiss his neck, breathing in and savouring his scent garnished with the metallic of your blood that was beginning to dry and crack on your skin. You feel his embrace tighten around you and you close your eyes, listening to his beating heart and melting into the arms of your little star. And he loves you too.

[feasibilities]

Paper Dolls and Homework | Patricia 'Kitten' Braden x Reader

Synopsis: Being Kitten's tutor allows her to tell you how she really feels. Warnings: Angst, Oral Sex, Unprotected P in V, Slight Dub-Con, Admission of Love, Desperation, Praise Kink Author's Note: I feel like my writing style is evolving (in a good way, hopefully). Enjoy!

“Can you solve this?” You inquired, pointing a calculus problem in Kitten’s workbook. She was occupied with impure thoughts of taking you over her desk. 

“Oh, goodness! Let me see…” She exclaimed, scribbling an answer with pen that has a pom-pom. You double-checked it with a calculator and smiled. 

“So you have been listening to me.” You quipped.

“Of course. Now, let’s watch a movie.” She piped, getting up to scan through her VHS movies starring Mitzi Gaynor. 

“We can complete the next chapter. It might help to get some extra practice.” You said hesitantly. 

“C’mon, darling, you’re allowed to have a little fun. Don’t be so serious.” She teased. You relented and organized the notes before you sat on her bed. She put in a copy of There's No Business Like Show Business and plopped down next to you. You thought she was a bit too close for comfort but decided to ignore it. While the movie played, you saw Kitten’s eyes fill with wonderment. You grew curious enough to ask about her obsession. 

“Why do you love Mitzi so much, Kitten?” You asked.

“Hmm? Oh, Mr. Feeny said she looks like my mom.” She said softly. 

“I can help you look for her after the exams are over, if you want.” You proposed. She turned to you and intertwined her fingers with yours. 

“That’s awfully sweet of you. I really don’t deserve it.” She said earnestly. Her breath hitched in her throat while she admired your beauty. She leaned in close to plant a delicate kiss on your cheek. You felt your heart palpitate when she put her hand on your thigh. Her pupils widened with admiration. 

“Patricia, I-“ You started.

“I love you and I don’t wanna be alone anymore. Can’t you see?” She begged. Her words pricked at your heart. Noticing your apprehension, she laid you on the bed and perched between your legs. You hurriedly removed your shirt and bra.  She had a particularly beautiful view up your skirt. Sliding the skirt up to your waist, she smiled at your baby pink underwear. She massaged you through the delicate fabric and felt you moisten against her fingers. Your breaths wavered as you got off on the unusual feeling. The only fingers that had the chance to explore that area were your own. 

“Oh, love…” She purred, sliding your underwear down your legs. She gently opened your legs once more and dipped between your thighs. Her soft lips nibbled at the soft flesh before they found your tender floret. A fraught moan escaped  you as she fed on you like a starved peasant. Your fingers clenched the fluffy pink comforter on her bed. Her manicured ones moved to your breasts and kneaded them gently. Her thumb occasionally swiped against your nipple. Your juices landed on her waiting tongue as you came harder than you ever have.

“Good job, hun. Now, it’s my turn.” She praised, undressing herself. You squirmed in anticipation at what was to come. Before you could gather yourself, she was on top of you with a coy smile on her face. She gently spread your lips and slipped inside of you. You swore you stopped breathing for a moment. Her cheeks turned red and she bit her lip to maintain her composure. Thrusting slowly, she whispered sweet nothings to you. She buried herself in your silken pink depths. 

“Mmm, right there…” You croaked out. Her thrusts sped up at your praise. The outdated dormitory bed began to creak and shake. You kissed her fervently and wrapped your legs around her to bring her closer. Her pupils eclipsed her gorgeous blue irises. Soon after, she filled you to the brim with everything she had to give. She rested her forehead against yours as she descended from paradise. You were hers until the very end. 

[lifesteal-headcanons]

🍞 missed me? ANYWAY BIG TIME ON CLOWNZY AND ECLIPSE FED ! and also medieval duo and pruple trio

Clown and Zam are nether born , which means theyre super resistant to warm / hot stuff but very weak to anything under 20 degrees celcius, so they usually eat very hot/warm things and even lava sometimes(its like water to them) theres like nether born jacuzzis and saunas that instead of hsing water they use lava and so that results in branzy or subz and vitalasy being worried as hell(heh) while clown n zam are just chilling

Branzy , subz and vitalasy are also enderborn , altough branzy has some slight aether (the aether is canon no one can tell me otherwise)gene alteration , so theyre all very immune to anything cold but will fucking crumble if they spend more than 20 minutes in the nether w/o something to cool them

Clown's clothes are also very thick and Zam's coat/cape thing (the one everyone draws him with) has fur on the inside to keep him warm , zam only slightly opens up his cape if hes in the nether for a small period of time

And we all know how subz has no shirt , i think vitalasy has just a tanktop under his bigass poncho thing and branzy tsnds to take his vest off a lot

Some orher things that have happened: Zam or Clown using lava buckets as a refresher or prank , purple trio eating straight up icicles together , subz and vitalasy eating a frozen pizza out of the freezer and zam waiting for the water and eggs to boil on the stove at 2am

theres more but im about to forget to take my meds so. ill see everypony later! Live laugh love

.

[for-those-who-wait]

i feel like i might have already said this but i like the way you describe Hunter’s physique, if i may. as described by his friends (in your writing of course), his shoulders are bony which i interpreted as the arms a lot of volleyball players have. i have a lot of friends who play that sport and they have skinny arms but they’re also insanely strong (for obvious reasons), which sometimes feel like their bone from how compact their muscles seem to be. Hunter is very athletic and needed to be good at cardio and arms as Golden Guard, which probably gave him the kinds of shoulders a lot of volleyball players have!!

i have no idea if that’s what you were trying to convey when his friends leaned on him, but in my opinion your description was spot on!! it’s just a thought that’s been circling around my head for a while

I was trying to convey a more lean physique but also was trying to imply that he wasn't very well-fed when he was in the Emperor's Coven.

He's definitely got a lot of lean muscle from his particular brand of fighting, and he's definitely going to be very strong and in-shape just from whatever training he has to do. This man is Not Soft, and that's part of why I chose to mention his being real bony since it's a very physical and hard-to-ignore aspect about his past status as the Golden Guard (apart from his scars, mannerisms, etc., you know what I mean). I was trying to give him a sense of otherness in a way, since a lot of the time I find myself writing TTT Hunter as feeling very alienated from his friends due to 1) his previous actions/status as the Golden Guard and 2) being a Grimwalker, something he assumes they would find terrifying and despicable. Like because he's got harder and leaner muscle, and because he's not as comfortable to hug, he's not like them and is somehow lesser than them. Meanwhile his friends are like damn what a cool guy, I should give him a hug

As for not well-fed thing, IIRC there isn't a ton of canon information about what he actually did in the Coven apart from his two mentioned missions (Hunting Palismen and the mission he was supposed to go on [that he ends up going on anyway] in Eclipse Lake), but from the eye bags and things I've seen in a lot of other fics and art and stuff, a lot of people seem to agree that he gets severely overworked. Maybe he's got a bit of a workaholic in him since the Emperor's Coven seems to be a very dog-eat-dog environment and he feels the need to get ahead of the curve. So I put my own little HC in there that he either forgets to eat or literally doesn't have the time because one thing that always gets me is when a character actually gets to experience consistent good meals for once in their life. I will absolutely write that in whenever I get the chance hahaha

Thank you for the ask, sorry for the ramble!

Edit: Also addendum to the second paragraph, I love the concept of "character who is not good at comforting tries to comfort someone" and Hunter being physically very uncomfortable to hug kind of shows that the way he grew up wasn't conducive to those types of interactions. He wasn't "made" to be comforting, or to be comforted, and that just hurts me a little bit

[proxylynn]

Blorbo: Sun and Moon (FNAF SB)

{The first bot of FNAF to make me feel something.}

[Unlike Monty, who I think got massively shafted with all the cut content, the Daycare Attendant still had enough of him intact to show off his personality(s) in the games.

Sun is often seen as, well, a big ray of sunshine and happy-go-lucky with his need to take care of others. But with Ruin and HW2, we learned how he really is and it made some oddities from SB when we first met him now make more sense. On the surface, Sun is a friendly and playfully cartoonish fellow who loves playing with kids and taking care of them. But under that, Sun is something a lot more human. He's not just anxious, he's frustrated. He's restricted, he's bossy, and childish. He's flawed. The common belief for Sun was that he was a childish dreamer in an adult body, a scattered and hyperactive fellow with plenty of colorful hobbies who is happy to be a playmate for any child. But no. Maybe that was a Sun from a long time ago, like how Moon used to be friendly, maybe Sun used to like his job. Sun is not the bouncy buddy boy that we thought he was. Sun is fed up with the job, occasionally happy or feigning happiness before the blasé slides through. Sun is Squidward. From how he criticizes art, to how he can be snarky and bitter, to just being done with everything. He's suffering from burnout. Sun is…relatable. And it's fucking amazing!

When it comes to Moon, it's harder to put down a clear distinction. The Moon we see in SB is made out to be a malevolent and aggressive enemy, attempting to punish those for staying up "past his bedtime". He still has a great distaste for messes and feels responsible for cleaning them like his daytime counterpart does, but to a more demented degree. And in Ruin, he's desperate to remain in control and in pain. Kinda painting in the light of a wounded animal of sorts. But…and here me out on this…Whatever personality Moon once had, if at all, is no more. Moon is just Sun's alter but has been corrupted by the Vanny virus to the point he's just…well…What we see. For so long we have considered Sun and Moon as separate animatronics entirely. Sure Sun refers to Moon as him or he, but he also refers to him as the other me and that is very important because HW2 to is the game where we see Sun for who he really is and in the process, we also see the real Moon. In the SB trailer, the animatronics are shown with red eyes as they being possessed. Monty is shown with red eyes in his boss battle (the red dots, not just irises), the staff Bots that Vanny controls also have these red glowing eyes, as does Vanny herself who is also possessed… and so does Moon. Moon is not evil Sun. He is his possessed corruption. Moon is to Sun as Vanny is to Vanessa. This is even more clear by the fact that Vanny and Moon act very alike and even Vanessa and Sun act alike. Like Vanessa and Vanny are the same person, so are Sun and Moon. They are not two separate personalities, to an extent. It's just Daycare Attendant and Daycare Attendant under the effects of something else. In HW2 Moon has absolutely zero awareness or concern for his situation. Once the switch flips he's on the hunt, saying the same lines and moving the same way. With the only deviation being in the small glimpses we get in Ruin when Cassie enters the daycare and confronts the same shattered Sun and Moon, except moon is in control this time and she can only communicate with Sun when the mask is on. Seeing him during the mask thing seems to show us that Sun is always aware, watching, and that's actually pretty sad.

Eclipse, to me, is what they were supposed to be. Not just a reboot safety mode, but the true state of mind when both halves are unified. He's rather gentle, whimsical, and calm, acting as a combination or even a balance between Moon's collectiveness and Sun's cheerful demeanor. By all accounts, Eclipse seems like a safe character and a kindly fellow, not showing any of the same red flags that we might have seen with Sun's meeting with Gregory. Well…except one. Eclipse seems a little detached from reality, thinking the daycare will be opening the next day and that he'll be taking care of kids again, which is not going to happen unfortunately. But this demeanor, it makes you wonder if there was a time long ago when Sun and Moon were more like this. Back when nap times were safe and kids wanted to be in the daycare, perhaps there was a time when Sun and Moon were distinctly one and the same. And then some corruption crept in and slowly they became further and further divided. Now all that being said Eclipse is a complicated case, while assumed to be Sun and Moon in an earlier form as a reboot would imply, he instead is their safe mode. In safe mode, one of the trademarks is being a sort of state that makes them oblivious to their situation and a slow halting way of speaking. Like how Freddy thinks everything's hunky-dory and Roxxy's asking if Cassie booked her party, Eclipse looks around at the daycare and says "Oh, this place will be flooded with kids" like he genuinely believes it. This is devastating and it gets worse outside of the daycare as Cassie gets a final call from Sun thanking her…Which raises some questions.

Sun is still capable of speaking once Eclipse is online, which may mean that Eclipse is also maybe a third personality created through the safe mode, which would explain why his voice is so different even though being the same. This would mean that like with Moon, Sun is sitting inside watching what Eclipse is doing he's just contented because Eclipse is not some wicked gremlin yelling no Sun and instead is a sweetheart blissfully unaware that this is the end of the line. He is the comfortable and welcoming fugue and that's where we leave Sun and Moon, as Eclipse now reverted to an earlier state and they are now stuck in unawareness of their situation but they are still trapped in that situation, still broken, still stuck at the pizza Plex with nobody coming for them.

Sun and Moon are more complex characters than pretty much anybody else. Between the major cuts, drastic changes, and a lack of commitment, this is the first time that we've had a character have so many layers and the fact that the Jekyll&Hyde thing isn't the most interesting thing about him anymore is great. The Daycare Attendant was expanded on, cues we already saw in SB, every quirk and flaw shown of him has been built enough to see the full picture which immediately shot him up the ladder of character building since so many fnaf's characters are voiceless, nameless, devoid of a personality...and then suddenly the daycare clown has more depth than anybody else, books included. Hell, his VA even confirmed he's autistic. There's so much to this bot and I fucking love him!]

[pepsiboyy]

beyond the contract - part 2

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8

pairing: matt sturniolo x reader summary: where the sturniolo triplets are part of an organization known as the eclipse alliance, matt has constantly failed to pull through with pulling the trigger on a target. fed up, their boss gives matt one last chance, where he is sent to northside high school to get some answers out of a girl. warnings: mentions of weapons (guns), blood, and cursing!! author's note: hiii part one is doing kind of good so i guess its time to write part two !! <3 WC: 1974 lowercase intentional !!

"class, today we have a new student."

my eyebrows furrowed as i examined the new boy. he was very clearly nervous, and i could tell he had a bit of a hard time talking to the class.

"hi, i'm matt," he breathed and took in a sharp breath. i smiled softly at him as i sat up in my seat. i already knew where this was going.

"psst," i whispered, causing the brunette to turn in my direction. "here," i mouthed, pointing at the seat beside me. this kid had to sit down eventually or else the teacher would dig into his life story in front of the entire class.

once he set down his things, he turned to me and whispered a soft, "thanks," before he took out some things.

i smiled softly as i looked at him. this guy was stunning, probably one of the most beautiful guys i had ever laid eyes on. in the least weird way possible. or something.

"no problem, she rambles anyways. needed to get you outta there as soon as i could," i mumbled back and chuckled, shooting him a soft smile. i held out my hand as i watched his eyes scan the room. was he looking for someone? i shrugged it off when he moved to shake my hand back, and i shook his hand firmly. "name's y/n."

matt smiled at me and nodded quickly and pulled his hand back to his lap. "nice to meet you, y/n. your name's pretty."

i felt my cheeks heat up, but played it off and thanked him with a soft smile.

-

i took a few steps towards my front door before pushing the door opened and turning towards my dad, who was sitting in the living room and reading. he shut the book at the sound of the door opening, and i smiled softly. "i'm home, dad."

he immediately stood up and smiled, making his way to the kitchen. "hey, kiddo. how was school?" he whispered as he began to wash the dishes in the sink.

"good, there was a new kid so i showed him around throughout the day.." i trailed off as i began collecting my things. "anyways, i'm going upstairs to do homework." i smiled at my dad before giving him a soft side hug and heading upstairs.

-

after some time of doing homework, my mind felt like it was trailing off severely. i had gotten hardly any work done. my dad had gone off to work, so i had the house to myself. with a soft hum, i carefully slid my phone out from my pocket and pulled up the newest contact created, matt.

i stared at it for about five minutes before finally composing a message, typing and reading it out loud to myself before backspacing. this repeated several times before i read it out to myself again.

"hey matt, glad i met you today... i hope that today was an alright first day, and i could be of some help. see you tomorrow." i took in a soft breath and hit send before quickly shutting off my phone and setting it on the side of my bed.

for some reason, matt made me super nervous. in the best way possible. he seems like he keeps to himself, and someone who doesn't open up much. yet, that makes him so intriguing. i found myself thinking about him many times throughout the day, and to add on top of it, he's pretty cute too.

living alone with my dad was always something, especially since he was always out on a business trip. he works in an office, and while i try to visit him sometimes, he tells me he's busy that day. and the next. and the next week. month. year. so i stopped trying. he never really talked with me in general other than asking me how my day is going.

my mom is out of the picture. she left us when i was about eight years old, and i never got to find out why. dad talks about her a lot though, and how beneficial she was to him overall. he really loved her.

i guess matt reminds me of my dad in a way, being so mysterious. but what can i say, i met him just today.

i sighed and turned to the clock, groaning as i read the time.

1:03am.

-

"hey," i breathed, looking at matt and smiling at him. we had both sat down fairly early before class.

matt turned to me and smiled softly before going back to his phone and scrolling through instagram.

i scrunched up my nose, blinking a few times as i looked down at my finished homework and back at him.

"how was... your night?"

matt shrugged in response, and i bit my lip. was he upset about something?

"did you get my text last night? i was worried i sent it to the wrong number."

wrong. i knew it was his number, but i wanted to know if he had at least read it.

"oh, sorry, i must have opened it on accident." matt mumbled before going back to what he was doing.

my face fell as i stared at him in disbelief. "right," i replied, before turning my head to the front of the classroom.

-

class came to an end, and i turned to matt. he hadn't spoken to me the entirety of class, and i was beginning to wonder if something was wrong. maybe he was having second thoughts about coming to this school?

"hey," i muttered, putting a hand on matt's shoulder as he began to walk away. he stopped in his tracks and looked down before taking a very visible breath. i bit my lip before i removed my hand. "can you talk to me? is something up?"

matt turned around slowly and looked at me, his bright blue eyes making contact with mine.

that was another thing about him i couldn't stop thinking about. his eyes.

"yeah, sorry. i just have had a lot on my mind," he responded before taking a deep breath and smiling at me.

"i understand. did you want me to go over some of the missing work with you after school?" i questioned, looking at him with a soft smile.

"oh, yeah sure that might be... good," matt breathed, looking away and rubbing his neck. "is your place cool? mine is kind of... a mess. or any place. it doesn't have to be yours-" he rambled, but i cut him off with a soft chuckle.

"my place is fine. my dad won't be home, so.." i trailed off before my cheeks turned pink. "sorry, i mean that in the least weird way possible." i chuckled nervously, and matt nodded with a shy smile.

"right." he breathed before he turned to begin walking to our next class.

-

i sat on the couch in my living room, staring at my wall as i waited for the doorbell. i had deep cleaned my house, and to be honest, i still felt like it was a mess. the idea that this new boy who i had known for a day and a half was coming to my house, not to mention he was incredibly attractive.

ding dong.

i shot up from the couch and booked it to the door, quickly opening it and chuckling softly. "heyy," i breathed, smiling as i stepped back for matt to come inside.

with a few steps, matt made his way through the door and smiled softly. "nice house you have here," he mumbled before he tried to hold in a laugh. "sorry, not to be weird. i just.. think it's nice? i don't know.." he trailed off.

i could tell he had mentally facepalmed and i shrugged before making my way up the stairs to my room with him. "my schoolwork and everything is up here, we can work on it all in here." i smiled as i pushed the door open to the room.

it was a quiet and simple room, one with white and beige walls with hints of greens and browns. there's some posters of my favorite bands and shows, but not too many to where it looks like clutter. i carefully took a seat on the end of my bed and turned my head to matt, who was standing awkwardly in the doorway.

i chuckled and waved him in. "you're welcome in, you know." i smiled.

his cheeks turned a soft shade of pink as he chuckled and moved forward to carefully sit beside me, a generous amount of room between us two.

"should i put some music on?" i questioned as i stood up and connected my phone to the small speaker on my nightstand.

matt shrugged and played with his fingers for a few minutes before reaching into his backpack and pulling out a few books.

i watched him for a moment before i mentally slapped myself.

right, we're studying.

i put on some hotel ugly on shuffle, and matt's head shot up as he looked at me with a shocked look. "i love hotel ugly," he breathed, and i chuckled softly, sitting back down.

"i picked them up more recently, their music is really soothing and.." i trailed off as i looked at my hands and shrugged. "sorry, i'm rambling." i smiled as i pulled out my own books and materials.

-

matt stared at me as we studied. a lot. and every time i turned to catch him, he would clear his throat and look away.

"can i get you something to drink?" i asked as i stood up, rubbing the back of my head and stretching softly. "we have water, orange and apple juice, root b-"

"i'll take that," he interrupted, smiling warmly, "the root beer."

i chuckled and nodded before heading out of my room and to the fridge. with a soft hum to myself, i carefully grabbed him and i both a can of root beer.

my mind wandered. matt seemed like somebody who kept to himself, but i could tell that with time, he would open up. with that thought, i made my way back up the stairs.

"i got your root beer," i chuckled and turned to matt, who was standing by my dresser and looking at the different famed pictures.

i carefully set the cans down on my nightstand and made my way over to him, blinking. "you okay?" i asked, looking at him.

"why are you alone in all of your pictures here?" he asked, turning to me, and i blinked a few times before shrugging.

"well, my mom is out of the picture, and my dad usually takes the pictures." i shrugged and took a seat back down on the side of the bed, taking our root beers and handing him his before opening mine and taking a sip.

"can i ask what happened to your mom?" he asked, taking a seat beside me and opening his root beer as well.

i smiled sadly as i looked in front of me blankly. "uhh, she walked out on me and my dad when i was about... i wanna say eight?" i shrugged. "it's always been me and my dad, but we only talk once a day, honestly. he's busy with work, and i respect that." i smiled and hummed.

matt listened to me and nodded, humming softly through each statement.

a few moments go by and matt lets out a deep sigh, standing up and stretching. "wanna get out of here?" he questioned, smiling softly.

i blinked a few times and stood up as well, smiling back. "i mean... sure? where are you thinking of going?"

matt chuckled and began walking, motioning me to follow him.

"i know a spot."

I HOPE THIS WAS FREAKING AWESOME pls let me know what you guys think!!! i took a bit of a break off tumblr and whatnot for a break graaah and comment to be added to taglist!! taglist;; @star-saturn-xx @sturniolo-girl @p1xieswrld

[avatarkurukdefender]

Since the adhd brain refuses to cooperate and let me finish chapter two of A Literal Team Avatar...might as well talk about it instead

Specifically about the Boiling Rock arc

Aka the arc where I get to go full whump writer and torment the beloveds

:3

Kuruk and Roku are gonna get captured after the failed invasion during the eclipse (fpr reasons that I will not spoil)

And they are going to be taken to the Boiling Rock and will be there for about three weeks, maybe a month since that seems like how long that time period was.

That will be the worst time of their new lives

They will be separated almost immediately upon arriving, with Roku being taken to solitary confinement in the freezer (where he will stay for at least like sixty to seventy percent of his time in the prison) while Kuruk is taken deeper into the prison.

Ans the Warden will take EVERY possible precaution to make sure Kuruk cant bend. Because its one thing to hold a powerful firebender, just lock them in the freezer and they cant bend. No problem.

But keeping a WATER bender from bending in a prison that is literally SURROUNDED by water is a much more difficult task.

So Kuruk will be kept in a very hot, very dry room. Dry air will be filtered through at all times, he will be guarded at all times, there will be MULTIPLE locked metal doors before even reaching his cell, and most importantly

He will be heavily restrained.

Hands completely covered in metal cuffs, more restraints on the elbows, knees, and thighs and ankles, even a shackle around his NECK to really keep him as still as physically possible.

Oh did I mention that they will only give him the BARE MINIMUM amount of water needed to keep him from dying of dehydration (like once every five days)

They'll feed him even less.

Anything to keep him weak, prevent any chance of him breaking out.

Because Kuruk is definitely the most dangerous person in the prison and if he got out all hell would break loose

Meanwhile Roku is just gonna be left alone with his thoughts, with his guilt because this was all his fault, it was his fault that they got captured it was his fault that Kuruk was suffering and he was helpless to stop it, hell it was his fault that this entire war was even happening!

Because even thought he's in solitary, in the freezing cold, unable to bend, he's not actively being STARVED to death (even though he's only getting fed a bit more frequently than Kuruk) and being constantly kept on the brink of dehydration and close to heatstroke.

It will be such a relief when Sokka, Zuko and Yangchen come to rescue them and eventually Suki, Sokka's dad, and the other inmate guy whose name I cant remember.

The only reason Kyoshi wasn't allowed to join the rescue mission was because both her mentor and her former pupil being held hostage would make it be an absolute BLOODBATH.

It will still be a mass homicide when Yangchen sees Kuruk in his current state. Jst not as bloody, because she can just make people's lungs collapse, trap them in an airless void or just obliterate them with a close ranged scream.

Kuruk will get to drown people with boiling water, as a treat.

Zuko is gonna realize just how lucky he was that Aang is a pacifist because air nomads can become absolutely terrifying when "all life is sacred" goes out the window.

There will be three chapters before the actual boiling rock arc begins

One when Roku and Kuruk are first brought to the prison.

Another on how they're doing during the Sun Warriors arc

And a final one the night before the rescue trio arrive at the prison.

(The chapters will be titled "No Mind To Think." "No Will To Break." And "No Voice To Cry Suffering." Yes that is a Hollow Knight reference that game is a masterpiece, one of my favorite video games EVER and I cant wait for Silksong so bite me)

Why does this arc have to be so far away :(

Anyways enjoy

[luv4fandoms]

D'you ever just like.... Binge read an entire blog and start uglysobbing. Because that's me with your works.

The fact that you write for Dwayne (Lost Boys) legit had me weak. I have been in love with this mofo since I was like 14 (and I'm 27 now, so if that's not dedication idek what is) and you... FED ME. And your take on Dwayne is legit how I imagined him, like isn't it just fantastic when you read a fanfic that just makes your brain go "DING DING DING DING JACKPOT" that's me with your Dwayne content, I wanna cry.

If I may, but like please ignore this suggestion if it doesn't inspire you ... I am short af, like 4'11"(1.50m) kinda short, and I am kinda curious... How would Dwayne feel about that? Like how would he act around a very short partner? Is he the teasing type, the protective type, the "ur adorable" type... Does he have a size kink? Would he develop one? ;v;

Again, please just ignore this part of my message if you don't feel inspired by this little suggestion/idea/thing!

And plz keep posting your stuff because your blog legit helped me get out of a very nasty depressive episode and I cannot thank you enough for this!

First off let me just say that I am so freaking honored! Like holy crap! Dwayne the one boy I struggled to write when I first started writing about them, and to hear someone say that I nailed him perfectly to how they imagined him is just 🥹🥹. I'm also so glad that my stories helped you out of your depressive episode. As someone who has them herself I always wanna be able to help others through theres.❤️

Now on to the ask! (Never written a short reader before because I myself am 5'7-5'8 but I'mma try lol)

Warning: HINTS AT SMUT AT THE END

Dwayne is all three types when it comes to his shorter s/o. He's protective upon meeting you because in his mind, your height makes you more vulnerable to things, even if you are a little spitfire (like Marko) in his mind he still needs to use his own height to protect you. He will be your sword AND shield so you don't need to worry.

He also finds you absolutely adorable, especially when you have to ask him for help to reach stuff, it's no secret amongst the boys that Dwayne loves to be needed, it's like a drug to him, so that being said, he will be a cheeky shit at times and put stuff he knows you'll want, higher up so you have to come to him, with that adorable pout and ask in the sweetest voice.

"Dwayne can you help me?"

Cause you don't even know that you already have him wrapped around your finger.

He won't start teasing until you're a little ways into the relationship. It starts with little things, asking in a teasing voice "need something baby?" Other times it's "it's so cute when you stand on your tiptoes to kiss me. On more than one occasion he has easily lifted you up so you are at eye level with him, smiling that teasing smile and saying "there, isn't this easier baby? No need to strain your neck".

He loves how when you're out on the boardwalk he can wrap you in his arms, chin resting atop your head and feel like he is totally shielding you. How your body fitting so snuggly in his arms.

He never thought he had a size kink until he met you, but he soon realized he was wrong. The way his hand will totally eclipse yours when he holds them, how he can easily cup your cheeks and pull you close, his lips bruising your smaller ones. How easily you fit into his lap, either just relaxing so he can read to you, or during...other times.

That was another area his newly found kink came in. Seeing you taking him every time has his head reeling because he honestly is shocked when you take him. It always leaves him gasping and groaning, eyes locked on where you're joined, unable to look away.

Overall Dwayne will absolutely cherish you! Because you are his Princess/Prince and he would do absolutely anything for you ❤️

[naffeclipse]

Finished your latest chapter, and I was at rge ended if my seat from beginning to end. Amazing!

And at the end of the chapter I thought of an inquiry:

What if y/n is a hunter/fisherman instead of a photographer? How would they have met, and what would the dynamics be like? Would they bring each other kills to give to the other to show off? Or in Eclipse's case, courting gifts? Still would figure y/n wouldn't realize what Eclipse is actually doing.

Oh, man, I just flashbacked to Fisher Y/N from Deep Waves but for an AP fisher? They'd be a bit disgruntled and grumpy. Very hard working, set on the task and won't stop until it's done. They've got a shell that rivals crabs. Very gruff but has a heart hidden somewhere under all those brusque layers.

Of course, you're spooked when Eclipse pops his head up (he's a lot more terrifying, not trusting humans on their boats with their harpoons.) Still, once he sees that you're alone and also, well, pretty, he tones it back a bit to actually talk to you while still dangling you halfway off your boat above the icy cold of the sea. You manage to yell at the siren to put you back. While Eclipse does so, he promises to bring you fine fish, the best of the best. You wave him off like "Yeah, yeah, as long as you don't ruin my nets and don't kill me."

The next day, he's got a fat catch. You thought you got rid of him, but like a stray cat that's been fed once, he's back. If he can chat, he can help you push the nets onto your boat so the fish don't flop out and get away. You might pick one cod out (the best one but you would rather die before admitting so) and toss it to Eclipse for his lunch, as thanks, or something like that. Eclipse would beam at the exchange of gifts so soon but you're too busy trying to not slip on the half-frozen, half-wet deck to notice.

You know sirens are bad news, but you have the mindset of 'Eclipse hasn't killed me yet, and there's work to be done, so I better hop to it.' That kind of attitude, however, is what gets you into Eclipse's mandated cuddle sessions as he decides you've been working too long and require a break. Guess who is getting yanked across the deck, forcibly cradled, and persuaded to take a twenty-minute break by a large, touchy siren? You, of course!

It's unusual to endure this kind of attention (and maybe you thought no one would touch you like this, make you feel like you're not just a ghost on the sea.) You put your shoulder to the wheel and get the catch while navigating Eclipse's hands of avarice.

You learn quickly that there's no use trying to get out of his arms once he has you. You also learn that he likes seals, but you try to catch squid and even, once or twice, small sharks for him to snatch on. He returns the favor with a bounty of fish and even guides you to better fishing spots. He's always eager to hand you the fish he catches to you personally. You don't think too much of it when you take it in your gloved hands and his grin widens. (You think he looks infatuated whenever you stumble upon an old seashell or half-plucked feathers or shiny, chipped scales and figure he might think it's pretty, but you don't take it to heart—he probably just likes trinkets.)

One day, when the sea is calm and the fish are nowhere to be found, Eclipse decides you are due for a break. You both lounge on the deck of your smelly boat. You don't even push away Eclipse's hands while precious work minutes slip by, resting your head on his chest to his great pleasure. Eclipse manages to coax a few confesses from your lips with a few slippery musical notes in his voice. You really don't know why you start rambling like this, like a fool. You tell him you don't have anybody, but nobody has you. Sometimes, you don't feel like a person because the only time you talk to another human being is when business over the fish is conducted. You're so used to not having anyone to talk to that when you talk to Eclipse, your voice becomes hoarse and dry, but you don't mind. You don't mind at all, lately.

He tells you in that way of his that is as true as the sun and moon that he has you. You don't believe him, but you pull out a little... gift you've been quietly crafting for the past while you've known him.

Now is as good as ever to give him a simple piece of jewelry you made with a cord and yet another seashell that's so old and pale pink that no one will notice or care for it, but he takes it from you with awe. He ties it around his wrist and shows you how pretty it looks against his black and white markings. He says you need to strengthen your voice. You need to talk to him more. He will listen, and he will listen when you sing, too. The mere thought of you singing of all things jars you enough to finally pull you out of this fancy and get you back on your feet, scouring the sea for fish to catch.

Eclipse is still wearing the seashell when he drops back into the water, and he doesn't let you out of his sights on the sea. You're left to wonder if you're a fool for giving a siren a gift or for feeling pleased that he wears it so proudly.

[blood-and-pizza]

At first I was like,

"I can't be a fan of the Daycare Attendant, Sun is kinda annoying, Moon is very creepy, why are so many people obsessed with this animatronic?"

But then I was like,

"Oh, that's actually pretty good fanfiction of them. Okay, I think I'm starting to see the appeal."

And then I was like,

"MUST SEARCH TWO DIFFERENT GAMESTOP LOCATIONS FOR SUN AND MOON PLUSHIES AND THEN END UP BUYING THEM FROM GAMESTOP'S WEBSITE ONLY FOR MY PACKAGE TO GET LOST AND CAUSE ME ANXIETY BECAUSE FED EX SUCKS!"

And now I'm like,

"Sun and Moon? Yeah, I'm a fan." *wears a shirt of the two of them from Hot Topic as pajamas* "Eclipse has my heart, though."

I'm still perplexed by how this pipeline went.

[brightsstar]

Regretful Eclipse AU's second anniversary is tomorrow. Can't believe how much the time has flown by. Honestly this is the most time i have ever put into one au, and i still have plans for it.

I know my motivation has been lacking and i haven't gotten much done lately, but the passion i have for it is still there. I love this au so much, and i still, so badly want to share more of it.

I have a couple things i have made for it and i plan on making the ao3 series public again. On top of that, i'm finally refreshing the discord link. It'll only be open for a week though like the last couple times, starting tomorrow. Link will be both in the anniversary post, and the pinned post right after.

For everyone who has stuck with me this long, even in my dry spell, thank you all so, so much. It means so much to me, seeing how many people it has reached, and how many people enjoy it too. I hope it can reach more people. I never wanted to lock the series to registered accounts only on ao3, and i know AI is still a very big issue, but i don't want to keep it locked forever. I always wanted my stories to be something everyone can enjoy.

I still do not permit my work to be fed into AI though, and never will.

Thank you all, see you tomorrow