#laying tree mulch

[tenpolegardener]

Spring in the garden

Now that i have cleared the weeds I’m laying down tree mulch.

[teddy-bear-naps-and-random-snaps]

[headspace-hotel]

Tree stuff

Most trees should outlive you. If a landscaper tells you the lifespan of a tree is 10 years, they don't know what they're talking about.

Trees are free. Carefully comb over your yard for baby trees, especially in mid-spring!

Similarly, If you live near a gravel driveway or gravel parking lot, you can find baby tree sprouts that can be easily transplanted by gently removing the gravel bits from around the roots, wrapping the roots in wet paper towel, and transplanting to a large pot.

Do not pile up mulch around the base of a tree. You can mulch under the tree, but it should be a mostly flat layer, not a raised mound, and keep the mulch a few inches away from touching the trunk. Roots need some access to air or the tree will grow roots upward through the mulch, and the roots will slowly wrap around the trunk and strangle the tree to death. It's called root girdling and it is very sad.

Trees need friends!!! If possible, plant two or three trees instead of just one. Trees share nutrients through the mycorrhizal network and they protect each other from storm damage.

Always get a tree that is native to your area and suited to your local environment.

Growing an oak from an acorn is easy. Go to an area where there are oaks in the fall, and collect the acorns that have turned brown and whose hats have popped off. Get large pots at least 8 inches depth, and lay the acorns on their sides on top of the potting soil, then cover them with a layer of damp fallen leaves, and leave them outside all winter long. Just be sure to cover them with some wire mesh or something to protect them from squirrels

Please keep oaks and other large trees about 20 feet from any structure because they will grow huge. Websites will tell you to keep trees X distance away from "structures or other trees" but other trees can go as little as 6-10 feet apart whereas structures need to be like 15 feet away minimum, generally speaking

Prune the tree while it's dormant, NOT in the middle of summer!

If you happen to be from the Eastern United States, please consider getting an oak! They are keystone species and host plants for literally hundreds of insects. We have too many maples here too, so maybe consider a Sweetgum or Black Gum for pretty fall colors?

If you have a tree that's tied to a stake to keep it upright, get rid of that thing as soon as you can, particularly if there's zip ties holding it to the tree, because those can grow into the bark and kill the tree...

If your tree is dead, please consider cutting off the branches and leaving at least 6-10 feet or so of trunk standing. Dead tree snags like this are important nesting places for many birds and you might see a woodpecker

If you live in North America, whatever you do, do NOT get anything marketed as an "ornamental flowering pear tree." They're typically Pyrus calleryana, and they're virulently invasive

Bugs eating a few holes in the leaves of your tree? Good for them! (They aren't hurting the tree unless they're like, fully skeletonizing it, and they're just the caterpillars of butterflies and moths. Want Luna moths or Tiger Swallowtail butterflies? Let the caterpillars eat their dinner mmkay.)

Don't throw away the fallen leaves! Butterflies, moths, stick bugs, lightning bugs, ladybugs, and many other insects hibernate the winter in the fallen leaves. Use them as mulch for flower beds, compost them, or just leave them alone! You'll probably want to stop mowing after the leaves fall if you'd like to see bugs.

[mostlymarvelsstuff]

Moi Devochki: Chapter 10

Authors note: This is the last chapter of this series! Thank you for reading and enjoying it, and I hope the ending is satisfactory! 💖

Word count: 2320

WandaNat Masterlist Marvel Masterlist Moi Devochki Masterlist

Five Years Later:

    Natashas back lays in the cool grass that's shaded by a large oak tree, and her eyes light up as she laughs at the sight before her. The pup straddling her chest bounces slightly because of this, but he doesn’t seem to mind the action. In fact he starts to giggle along with his Mama, oblivious to the fact that he was the one being laughed at.

   “Look at you, you're a mess!” she exclaims as her hand comes to soothe his wild head of hair full of small twigs, leaves and some mulch, “What did you go down the slide head first or something?”

   “Uh huh, was fun!” he admits with a wide smile

   She glances beside her to the backyard playground where the other two toddlers are playing. Sure enough at the end of the slide is a patch of messed up mulch and his stuffed tiger lays beside it.

   “You are crazy, Pietro. It’s a good thing you came to Mama to help sort you out instead of your Mom or Mommy”

  “Why?” he asks as his head tilts adorably, letting a small leaf fall onto the Alphas abdomen

   “Because they would have worried. Especially your Mommy.”

   “Oh, m’kay” he states, likely filing that information away for future mishaps.

   She chuckles at him and continues to work on cleaning him up. He behaves and sits there, letting her make him look presentable while he watches his siblings continue to play. His sister, Sasha, is working on a sandcastle in the sandbox that was recently put in after a trip to the beach. And his half sister, Lena, is swinging on her swing with her stuffed bear.

   “There we go my handsome little man, all fixed up” 

   “Thank you Mama!” he exclaims, glancing down at her briefly before darting back off to the playground

   She watches him fondly as he picks up his tiger and brushes off the debris from it as he makes his way to one of the swings next to Lena. He sticks the plush between his legs so it can swing with him and he pushes his little legs off the ground to get his momentum going. The pups all laugh and smile, and Natasha knows without a doubt that retiring and having a domestic life was absolutely what she needed to truly feel whole.

   “Alpha! Pups! Lunch is ready!” Wanda suddenly calls out the back door to them

   Ever the hungry one, Lena jumps up and sprints towards the house, “Did chu make macs with cheese, Mommy?”

   “Lena, baby, change out of your sandy clothes and wash your hands first! Then ask Mommy questions!” the Alpha shouts out as she stops the swings for the other two, “Go wash your hands too, please.”

   “Yes Mama!” they both reply before darting into the house as well

    Wanda smiles as they all rush by her to do as their told, and she greets her Alpha with a kiss, “Hi love, you all looked like you were having fun”

   “Hi dorogoy(sweetheart)” she replies, holding her close for a moment, “We were, them more so but I do love watching them just get to be pups”

   The brunette nods in understanding, “Me too. So happy and carefree, as they should be”

   The patter of small feet gains their attention and Lena bursts into the room in a mismatched outfit, “Macs with cheese Mommy?”

  Wanda giggles at the small girl, “Yes honey, I made some”

   “Yay!! Tank you!” she says, hugging Wanda's leg briefly before scrambling into her seat

   The other two pups file into the kitchen next, and Pietros shirt clearly shows evidence of a mishap with the sink but neither of them mention it. He smiles a gap toothed grin, waiting to be given his plate as little Sasha struggles to get her chair out far enough for her to climb up on it

   “Careful baby, let me help” Wanda says as she moves to do just that

   “I'll go get Y/n and the little twins” Nat tells her mate before heading upstairs. She makes her way down the hall and into the large master bedroom, “Hi medovyy(honey)”

   “Hi Tasha” you greet, shifting slightly in your nest

   She comes over and joins you in the nest and gently cups your face, her eyes scanning the small pups by your side, “You and the pups doing ok?”

   You smile at her, “We’re fine Alpha, I finished feeding them a little while ago”

   “Well, Wandas just made lunch and I think it's your turn to eat now”

   “Yes please” you agree, moving to pick up one of the two month old pups, “Mind carrying Scarlett downstairs?”

   “Of course not” she replies, getting out of the nest and carefully taking the small pup in her arms, cradling her

   You get out of the nest too, and pick up Rico cradling him similarly as you follow your mate back downstairs and into the kitchen. It warms your heart to see all the toddlers sitting at the table with their plates of mac n cheese and dino nuggets.

   “Hi detka(baby)” Wanda greets, kissing your cheek while caressing the pups head, “Did they eat well?”

   You nod, “Very well, they passed out almost as soon as they had enough milk”

   “Good” she exclaims, taking the small pup from you, “Now you sit and start eating, Tasha and I will get them settled”

   You do as you're told and sit, watching on fondly as your mates help get your littlest ones into their highchairs beside you and Wanda. Your Alpha places a gentle but loving kiss on each of their heads before grabbing your plate and Wandas. She sets them down in front of you both before grabbing her own and taking her seat.

   “Thanks for making lunch baby, it looks delicious”

   “No need to thank me, you were both busy with our pups, lunch was the least I could do” she replies before taking in a forkful of macaroni 

   After a few bites of your meal you turn towards your pup Lena, “Did you have fun outside baby?”

   She nods and swallows the bite of her chicken, “Mhm, I was swingin’ the whole time”

  “Tell Mom how high you were going” your Alpha encourages

  “So high up! And without Mama's help!”

   You smile, “Good job baby!”

   Wanda looks over to her twins, “And what did you two get up to?”

   “I played in the sands” Sasha tells her with an excited smile, “Made a castle”

   “I didn’t go down the slide headfirst, so no worries. Just did the swings” Pietro says, winking at his Mama

    You giggle as the Alpha hides her face in her hands and Wanda does her best not to smile, “Oh, well, ok then. I won’t worry.”

   Nat sheepishly looks up at the Omega, “Sorry dorogoy(sweetheart)”

   “Its ok Alpha, pups are a bit wild at that age. He's not hurt and that's what's important.” she smiles and looks back at the boy while he tries to shove an entire nugget into his mouth, “Besides, he's just living up to his namesake”

   After lunch you, Natasha and your twins head into the living room while Wanda makes her way upstairs to put the other pups down for their afternoon nap. Your Alpha snuggles up to you on the couch as you both hold the twins, she still remembers when the other three were this small. And it seems like only yesterday she was running around like crazy trying to supply both her Omegas with their every craving, keep them sexually satisfied, take care of them and keep them safe.  

   You glance over at your mate and notice her pondering gaze, “What are you thinking about?”

   “Just how much I love our family” she admits, “And how glad I am Wanda chose to carry more pups at a later date, because you two were a handful”

   She chuckles at your fake expression of hurt, “I was not. Wanda definitely was though”

   “Wanda was what?” she asks, walking through the threshold

   “Y/n said you were- ”

   The Alpha is cut off by your free hand cupping over her mouth, “The most beautiful Omega in all of Sokovia”

   She quirks her brow at the two of you, “Now, why don’t I believe that's what was said?”

   You give her your best innocent smile while Nat playfully glares at you. Wanda only shakes her head with a smile before she joins you both on the couch, snuggling into your other side. 

   Nat huffs and you remember your hands position and quickly move it away, “Sorry babe, couldn’t risk it”

   “I’ll get you back for it later” she teases, leaning in for a gentle kiss. As soon as she pulls away Wanda's lips are taking her place, and the three of you settle down to snuggle and watch tv.

    About an hour later the thudding of small footsteps down the stairs alerts you all that the pups have awoken from their short lived nap. The three scuttle into the room, trying their best to remain quiet in case the younger ones are still asleep. Once they see them sitting up in their playpen and hear them softly cooing they know they don’t have to remain silent

   “Mama! Mama!” little Sasha squeals as she reaches out for your Alpha

   “What's wrong baby?” She asks, picking up the girl

   A large grin spreads across the pups face, “Nothins wrong, I’s excited!”

   “Oh?” the Alpha says, casting both you and Wanda a look, “And why is that?” 

   “I did what Mommy does!” she answers, making the three of you scrunch your eyebrows in confusion

   “What do you mean honey?” Wanda asks 

   She excitedly looks over at the Omega, “The wisps you do with your fingers!”

   Wanda may not be an active Avenger anymore, but that didn’t mean she stopped using her powers. In fact she used them on quite frequently to help her with household activities, calming one of her mates down from a ptsd induced nightmare, and helping lul the pups to sleep when they needed it just to name a few things. So the pups have definitely seen her use it, and since they weren’t really old enough to fully understand they story about them and she didn’t want them confusing her magic with that of fairytale story magic the three of you decided to refer to it simply as wisps for now.

   Your Omegas eyes widen slightly, “You did this?”

   The three pups watch as scarlet tendrils leave her fingertips and sore into the air before they dissipate. She nods, “Mhm! Only not so big”

  Natasha had anticipated the possibility of the pups inheriting powers, but she hadn’t expected it so soon. And based on Wanda's wide eyed expression, she hadn’t either.

   “Well, guess that means you’ll have to start teaching her about everything so she doesn’t accidentally do anything she shouldn't” 

   Wanda nods in agreement with you, “And that means we need to keep an eye on Pietro too”

   You move your gaze from your mate to your pups only to see that in the last few seconds the boy in question had wandered off. It doesn’t take you long to spot him though. He's next to Natasha, reaching up onto the end table to try to sneakily grab her currently unattended coffee cup. You weren’t sure why he's been so fascinated by the dark liquid lately, but a certain feline is usually pretty good at deterring his interests.

   As if your thoughts had summoned her, Liho hops up on the table, making Nat turn in that direction at the sound. Before she can scold the boy Liho does it for her, slapping his hand repeatedly with her paw. He quickly withdraws in who;e pouting at the cat

   “That’ll teach you.” Nat giggles, ruffling his hair, “Mamas coffee isn't for you, and I don’t know how many times you have to be told that”

   “Natasha Romanoff” Wanda scolds, “I swear, if that cat of yours ever ends up using her claws on one of my precious pup hands, you and she both will become acquainted with the doghouse”

   “But Mommy, we don’t haves a dog” Lena tells her with a perplexed face

   “It's just an expression baby” you explain, “It means Mama and Liho will be in lots of trouble”

   “And they’ll be sleeping on the old couch too” Wanda adds with a huff

   Nats complexion pales, “But dorogoy(sweetheart)”

   “No now, there's no need to worry Tasha” you tell her, “Liho has never used her claws, except on the cat scratch post. You have nothing to worry about. She just likes putting the pups in their place, printsessa(princess).”

   Wanda melts a bit at your affectionate nickname, though you've been using it since you started sleeping with her all those years ago it never fails to make her knees weak  

   “I know.” she sighs,  “I just don’t want them to catch her on a bad day and end up getting hurt”

   “I’ll make sure to keep her claws trimmed” Nat says, before turning to her beloved cat “And you’ll behave, only smack them if they get into something they shouldn’t. And no claws. We don’t want the couch. Bad for our backs”

   You smile at the one sided conversation and though things are sure to get a bit hectic with your pups having powers, you know this is where you're meant to be. A home, with your mates and pups, away from everything hectic in New York. Being a hero was fun and it gave you your mates, but being here with your family meant more than words to describe. Looking over at Wanda as she holds Sasha, you know she feels the same. 

   Nat seems to sense this too as she turns to look at you both, “I love you, moi devochki”

Taglist: @wandaromamoff69 @when-wolves-howl @danveration @sheneonromanoff @sayah13 @likefirenrain @nighttime-dreaming @chaoticevilbakugo @crystalstark02 @wackymcstupid @lovelyy-moonlight @blackwidow-3 @mistressofinsomnia @that-one-gay-mosquito @yomamagf @yourfavdummy @justarandomreaderxoxo @scoutlp23-blog @whoischanelle15 @lissaaaa145 @eline03 @wizardofstories@imthenatynat @marvelonmymind @fluffyblanketgecko @bitch-616 @dakotastorm @zoomdeathknight @aeroae @sashawalker2 @maggieromanov @doveromanoff @mommyluvu @404-almostdone @tarathia @ayoungexwife @loki-laufeyson68 @elle161989

[tinydefector]

IRON GIANT 2

Optimus prime x human

Warnings: none.

Word count: 2.3k

Is this becoming one of my favourite pieces? Yes, it is. So enjoy more of the dadimus agender.

Optimus prime Masterlist

1

111

__________

It's nearly a week later when the sound of little footsteps echo through the forest again. Optimus had taken to using the cave as a sanctuary, he was away from people, war and causing anymore harm; it was his peaceful spot to coexist with the life of earth. He had taken to watching his step a lot more. 

"Oppy!, Oppy!" The voice of the child calls out in the forest from different areas of the small meadow. Optimus onlined his optics slowly as familiar foot fall neared, accompanied by an eager call he had not expected to hear again so soon. Unfurling from his rest against the cave wall, he peered out into the dappled forest light just in time to see the youngling break into the clearing, they continued calling out. 

"Here, little spark," he rumbled gently, not wishing to startle. His chassis gave a rumble of quiet amusement as they raced over to grasp a digit in childish enthusiasm, peering up at him through delicate facial features wrought only for joy and new discovery. 

"Oppy! I knew I'd find you!" they declared proudly, patting his hand. Pars working, I come to play! You wanna see berris? I picked pretty colours for you!" Bright optics shone with innocent invitation, as if this massive metal being was not so different from the little one smiling up at him. 

Settling back with a faint creak, Optimus regarded them fondly. "I would be honoured to see your findings, little one." The child slowly rummages through their pockets pulling out crumpled flowers, berries, rocks and dirt, eagerly showing it to the Large bot who's hand they sit on. "Oh look, look! I drew this for you!" They exclaimed as they pulled out a drawing. It's a crude yet adorable child drawing of Optimus. "It's You!" They state proudly.

Optimus gingerly accepted the well-worn offering, optics crinkling with gentle humour and affection as he examined the unmistakably drawing of himself, however simplified.

"You have quite the artistic talent, little spark," he rumbled warmly, carefully stowing the drawing within his chassis to keep safe. "I shall treasure this." 

As they continued showing findings, however, his sensors pinged softly, noting the absence of their guardian. Brightening optics subtly scanned the trees, playing drones searching for any signs of the guardian... but none appeared. 

A faint thread of concern wove through his field. "Little one, where did you leave your carrier today?" he asked gently after a moment. "Oh, oh! Pars at home. Just the other side of the meadow!," another toothy grin spreads across their face. 

Optimus is more worried about the young child wandering off without their guardians knowledge, he slowly walks out into the sunlight with them in his hand. anxiety rising though his systems. They were too young yet to wander so freely alone in the forest unguided. 

Stepping carefully out into the dappled sunlight, he turned optics down to them and rumbled in his gentlest tones, "It is not safe for you to wander away from their carrier's care, little one. What if you stumbled upon dangers I was not near to help?." His voice is ever soft as he talks to them.  Shifting his hand, he lifted them up to optic level and tapped their tiny nose softly with a digit. "Let us return you home swiftly, less your guardian finds you missing." striding with utmost care and speed towards where he remembered the meadow lay. 

A set of eyes flicker up as they hear their loud steps, the crunching of branches and the loud voice of their child. They look up from working in a garden, planting vegetables. They look up worried for a second before seeing their child with the large red and blue robot. "Baby I told you, no going into the meadows without me!" They call out as they stand and begin walking towards Optimus. They are covered in a mix of soil, mulch and fertiliser. 

Optimus bowed his helm apologetically as the youngling's carrier approached with concern clear upon their features. Stopping a respectful distance away, he carefully lowered his hand and helped the little one slide to the ground between them. 

"Your child came to my shelter with gifts of drawings, yet when seeking their guardian’s presence I discovered them wandering alone and brought them swiftly back." He explains. 

They slowly check their child as they pull their cheek lightly. "No wandering without me baby, I mean it, what would have happened if Optimus wasn't there and you got hurt?" They ask the child. The little one just smiles at them without a care or worry. "Thank you Optimus, sorry they seem to have a skill with disappearing and finding trouble" they state with a sigh.

Optimus vented quietly, field radiating amusement. "No apology is needed," he rumbled gently. Turning down to the child now regarding him with less enthusiasm, he continued in a rumble barely louder than a murmur but meant only for young audials, "Your carrier speaks wisdom, little one. These forests hold wonders, but also perils for ones as small as you. Promise you'll not stray from home again, hmm?."

Rising once more to his full height, though still kneeling, he paused watching them together, there was something about this that made his spark ache. "Go have a bath bub" they state to their child giving them a quick kiss to the forehead. “ahhh par you are stinky!” They squeal and take off running into the house. "Bath!, bath!, bath!" They yell in excitement. It makes their parent sigh with a shake of their head. "Don't use all the Hot water!" They yell out.

Optimus' optics crinkled with gentle amusement as the child raced off squealing. his plating shifted in a subtle shrug. "Younglings possess a boundless energy and curiosity it appears," he rumbled. 

They slowly try wiping dirt off their face. "Can I get you anything, I'm not sure if you eat or drink but is there anything I can get you?"

"You know you don't have to stay in that cave, you're more than welcome to stay in the barn if you wish" they hum with a smile. For a moment Optimus was surprised by the thoughtful offer, not used to such easy generosity. His optics softened earnestly even as his sensors subtly noted details of the little homestead and its assorted life - taking in the moment watching the small farmhouse and barn, a small collection of many animals linger on the property.

"You are too kind," he rumbled gratefully. Although space within his plating felt... empty, lately, in ways repair and recharge did not mend. He lingers watching as They head inside, helping their child wash up. “ You know one of these days you're gonna get yourself in real trouble you know that kiddo” They huff as they scrub their back. Small giggles leave the child as they throw bubbles back. “But Oppy was out there I wanted to say hi!” They state. 

“and what would happen if he wasn't there, baby. You could have gotten hurt” they sigh. Slowly drying their kid off before letting them race around the house. Making dinner and getting them set for the night is a chore in itself. It's only when the phone rings do they let out a tired sigh, answering it. 

 "Yea, yea I can do that Murphy, I'll be in, in 30 just let me get dressed and put my kid to bed" they state. After the phone call they move around getting dressed quickly. "Baby I've gotta go to work, remember the rules about what to do if I'm not home?" They ask the child. "Mmhmm! I stay inside, lock the doors, don't answer for anyone but you, Par! Can Oppy stay and watch me please?" the little one asks with the biggest pleading eyes, still towelling off damp hair. "Please par? I promise to be good, and not wander, if Oppy watches till your home?" 

"I will ask him but you need to go to bed soon it's getting late" they state while pressing another kiss to their forehead. They are quickly out the door. "Sorry I've got to go to work, would you mind just watching them to make sure they don't wander" they ask softly to Optimus. As they head out to their car. 

"It is no trouble," he rumbled gently, bowing his massive helm in easy acceptance. Settling just outside where his pedes would not disturb soil, Optimus' optics dimmed in contentment as he slowly sank to sit beside the house. "Oppy, watch a movie?" They ask while moving the TV so Optimus can watch through the window. 

his optics flicker gently toward the tiny gaze regarding him through the transparent barrier. "As you wish, little one," he rumbled softly, dipping his chin in a nod. Adjusting his massive bulk carefully so as not to shake the dwelling's foundation, he folded his pedes aside and rested intake against powerful arms, 

 The starting of the movie, excitedly showing him the Iron Giant. “Look look its you!” they say excitedly while pointing to the metal man on screen. " He comes from space just like you!" They state excitedly. Orion's optics brightened keenly as the child excitedly guided his attention to images upon the screen, quickly parsing scenarios and recognizing similarities between fictional depiction and aspects of his own frame and past. 

"Fascinating," he rumbled softly. Looking down with a gentle tilt of helm to meet shining eyes gazing up at him in awe, his field pulsed with warmth. "It would seem he and i are in similar situations." 

Turning audio receptors attentively back to the story unfolding, great hands carefully gathered tiny one closer within his palm, sheltering them in one massive digit as together they watched adventures of the unlikely bond between alien visitor and human child unfold. 

As the movie plays on they continue explaining things to Optimus. The large bot focuses in as the movie shows a little boy saving the large bot from a power plant and how their friendship slowly evolves. It makes him see the parallel with his own situation. As it gets to the scene with the Deer, it makes Optimus' spark ache, remembering what had happened only a week ago when he had stepped on a deer. “ Ah I see why you refer to me as the Iron Giant” he states ever so softly.  Within some time the child is asleep on the couch. Optimus can feel the rain clouds rolling in and decides it's time to retreat into the barn for the night. Transforming down into his alt mode, systems powered down into minimal low-energy mode as the rains began. The little one had drifted into recharge as intended, and his duty for now was fulfilled.

It's a peaceful night until the thunder starts. Cries break through the air. Setting Optimus fuel lines a blaze with true terror hearing the child crying out.

Optimus systems roared instantly back to full alert status at the first crack of thunder and subsequent crying, Transforming smoothly and silently into root mode once more, he began querying sensors for signs of harm - but quickly pinpointed the source as the small one rightfully frightened by nature's fury. The small patterns of foot fall along the wet ground echo's as they run into the barn, meeting his blue optics in fear. 

 "Little one, it is alright. Its only the sky." Holding out palm upturned, 

"It's scary, it's after me!" They cry out.A pang of sorrow shot through Optimus core at the terror in those tiny words, and he responded without pause - tiny arms had barely reached him before he folded massive digits as gently as his construction allowed around them, lifting and tucking them close to his broad chestplate in a cradling hold.

"Shh, little one," he murmured, the steadfast thrum of his own mighty spark resonating against their frame. "The thunder cannot harm you, I promise." he leaned carefully back against the barn walls, free hand coming up to form a shelter around them as the storm raged on outside. "Listen to my sparkbeat," he whispered through the noise, They pull their stuffy and blanket closer. Pressing themself into Optimus’ chest flinching every time the loud thunder echoes in the distance. Snuggling closer to him hoping he will chase away the monster in the storm.

Optimus core ached anew at each flinch of tiny form against his own, Curving lithe digits ever-so-carefully around the little one and their favoured possessions, he cradled them close as any carrier would. 

 "Listen to my pulse, little spark," he murmured softly between cracks above, voice a low, calm anchor in the chaos. "No monster dares face a Prime. I have you." Dipping his helm, Optimus brushed a tender kiss of metal against their head, They eventually fell back asleep snuggled against his form. He powers back down. Locking his systems so that no harm would come to them by him moving in recharge.

When dawn's light broke anew over gentle fields, his core pulsed gratitude for the reminder that life went ever on, even in darkness' wake. And as tiny optics fluttered open to his calm regard once more, he knew true purpose and solace would await wherever innocence required shelter and guardians stood watch.

It's very early morning when they finally arrive home, drained as the head towards the door keys in hand. When they go to open the door only to discover it's unlocked. Cold fear runs through their veins, they move towards the barn with speed. Optimus systems powered alertly at the barn door's opening, yet he remained as still as possible, not wishing to disturb the little one's recharge. Lifting weary optics, A digit raised gently to his intake. “shhhh” he calls out softly. 

_________

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Taglist:

@angelxcvxc

@saturnhas82moons

[bouncybongfairy]

Werewolf Ghost looses control on the full moon and fucks the new recruit. New recruit doesnt know who it was cause they were face down in the dirt the whole time getting the best fuck of their lives.

Brainrot

Animal Like Rage

Werewolf Ghost x Fem Reader

Summary: As a new recruit you hear alot of tales and stories about Ghost on the feild. You chalked it up to overexaterations based on his intimidating apearance. After being paired for a mission with him, you see first hand these account, if anything played-down.

Word Count: 1.0k+

Ref Account: @kaionyx

TW: Rough Smut, Sex in Forest, Masocistic Ghost, Blood Kink.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Everyone knew that there was some underlying reason why they called Simon ‘Ghost’. As a new recruit you heard stories about seeing Ghost do remarkable things on missions. Ripping a man's throat out with his teeth. Beating men twice his size into an unrecognizable pile of messy flesh. While hanging out with other recruits, they would exchange rumors heard about him. After hearing all the tales you came to the conclusion that it was all just over exaggerations. Maybe you were just telling yourself that in order to comfort yourself for the upcoming mission you had with Ghost. All your friends were making a big deal of it. 

As if he was going to chew you up and spit you out or something. The two of you were driving towards the perimeter you’d be guarding. It was actually quite a picturesque section of forest. Lots of trees and wildlife living among them. The mission was to simply look out for the assailants if they fled in your said direction. The two of you both knew it would be a boring night. The sun had set about an hour ago, and the moon was beautiful. Full and completely illuminated the sky with its burnt yellow tone. 

“It’s really nice tonight right I mean, look at the moon-” you started to make conversation but then realized Ghost was no longer with you. 

Your initial reaction was that he was fucking with you. Trying to pull a fast one on you so he could entertain his friends with a story of a gullible recruit. You called out his name a couple times over coms but got no response. Yelling his name out wasn’t an option, seeing as that could give away your location. For about 20 minutes you continued to check the perimeter of the area but to no avail. Eventually you decided to go into the forest to look for him. Starting to get uneasy, feeling like you were seeing things out of the corner of your eye. You stumbled across both of Ghost’s guns placed upright against a tree. 

Immediately you bend down to investigate the scene. As soon as your knees hit the ground, you felt someone on top of you. Hitting the ground so hard, it knocked the wind out of you; rendering you completely disoriented. The taste of copper started to flood your mouth. Immediately you assume it’s one of the target’s men. Especially when he ripped the radio off your vest. You reach down for your knife and go to fight back. However, he uses his palm against your back; shoving your upper body against the dirt. You tried to get up but the person’s strength was unparalleled, like a cement wall. Heavy breathing and growls could be heard from above you. 

Ghost’s mind was wrapped in a fog of lust and greed. Ever since he first saw you,  he knew he wanted to lay much more than his eyes on your body. He had so much pent up sexual aggression that he’d been carrying for weeks. He was practically shaking with anticipation, he ripped your pants off. His claws leave abrasions on your hips and upper thighs. Blood starts to create droplets along the vertical lines. Only to be smeared by his hands gripping your sides, lifting your body and forcing you to change positions. Grabbing your hips and forcing you onto your knees. The dirt and mulch from the forest floor cutting up your skin. 

He grabs your ass and spreads you apart, watching as you desperately try to get away. Not wasting any time, he shoves his cock into your entrance. Loving the way you squirm and clench around him; not used to the burning and stretching. Most of you was scared but there was a small part that found this exhilarating. Being bent over in the middle of the forest while you were supposed to be on guard. Apart of one of the deadliest task forces to ever exist but still being used like a bitch in heat. 

He began rocking his hips in and out of you, loving how your tight pussy hugged his length. Like you didn’t want to let his member go. His bloody hands grip onto your ass, his claws digging into the soft flesh. He was growling and snarling; drool dripping from his mouth and onto your back. He’d been watching you for a while, walking around the barracks practically half naked. He’d been waiting for an opportunity to get you alone and when he found out you two were together on this mission… It was like fate was trying to satisfy his hunger. He loved watching you, completely in submission for him. Your face was buried in the dirt and your blinks were slow. Gradually becoming more braindead and pliable. So cock-drunk that you were pushing your hips back to meet his thrusts. 

“Such a little pain slut, you want more?” he asked, voice raspy and low. 

His thrusts were so hard his thighs were spanking your ass, starting to leave the skin reddened and raw. His hip bones leave bruises from them assaulting your skin. You were going in and out of consciousness, his tip hitting your cervix is what brought you back whenever things went black. He was starting to get sloppy, losing rhythm and frantically groping your body. Pushing your body flat against the ground and pile driving you. You never felt someone so deep inside you, like he could literally rip through you. 

Having no control of the situation but loving every fucking second of it. The burning feeling in your stomach boils into your climax. Holding your breath while trying to rub yourself against the ground; overstimulated and desperate for any type of friction. Seeing you becoming so disheveled and desperate made him cum. Letting his body weight fall onto you, bucking his hips and growling into your ear. Once he’d finished up, he got the both of you dressed and carried you back to the safe house. Where you were treated for injuries sustained by a ‘animal attack’.

[inkskinned]

glory be to the topsoil. to the worms. to the private church of mushrooms. what makes for a better angel than the quiet promise of decomposition - that thankless, endless task. returning to the earth: this is a final prayer.

you said to me - we understand so much of history through the lens of how each society handled death. i have been thinking about the funeral industry. about embalming. how the devil is supposed to be almost-human, charming. i was raised on teflon pans. the poison in my blood came from good intentions; sprinkled over pancakes and scrambled eggs. will those particles go, too, when i go?

i keep thinking about how many cultures personify death as being gentle. as being a friend. as being kind-of-beautiful. an outstretched hand. oh, we scowl so much at carrion birds; but they make their nests by the worship of a carcass. something about that feels beautiful to me.

i am often scared. i understand why some people seek immortality, even if it's not something i desire. i spend a lot of time worrying about coffins. i spend a lot of time thinking about how if they dug me up, my bones would tell very little about my soft spots. so many of my friends say - i just want to be a tree. i want to find a quiet space and go home. the other day, we got the bill from the funeral home, and i just stood there, staring. this is death?

you said: it's learning backwards. from how a society approaches death, we might learn how they celebrate life. i worry about what that means, sometimes. about what others will think about us. divorced from our contexts, maybe alien archivists will have a fondness for our tendency to call death sleep. maybe they will write essays titled towards the light: an analysis on how some sects of humanity worshipped solely facing east.

oh, there's so much about my life that won't survive. especially these days. there's so little that lasts in-the-same-shape. oh, if the universe is kind - i want them to know that we loved moss. that we loved lichen. that even decay could be beautiful for us; the little warm space of mulch. how i will go home, one day, in the body of a bird. in a worm. in a leaf.

how when we lay a body in the ground, we say: be at peace.

oh, to go to sleep so gracefully. when i go i want to leave no mark. i want the dirt to take me. // r.i.d & a.b

[clangenrising]

Month 15 - Newleaf

Battle With Razor Pt 4

It wasn’t long after the start of the battle proper that Razor made a break for it. Goldenstar couldn’t believe the absolute cowardice on display, especially from a leader. He didn’t call a full retreat, he just looked around, seemed to come to a conclusion, and fled. 

“Come on,” she’d barked to Orangestar and the two of them had bolted after him. Luckily, his size and the jingling of his bell made him easy to follow. 

“He’s going deeper into the woods!” Orangestar shouted. 

“Why would he do that?” Goldenstar called back above the noise. They burst from the throng of cats in pursuit of Razor’s fleeting tail tip. 

“I don’t- Ah!” Orangestar cried out and fell to the ground. Goldenstar whipped around to see the ginger cat she had met in the city pulling roughly on Orangestar’s tail. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” he growled, reeling her in. 

Goldenstar dropped into a crouch. “Orangest-”

“Keep going!” the other leader ordered, rolling over to kick at the tom’s face. “I’ll catch up with you! Don’t lose him!” 

“Got it,” Goldenstar nodded and pivoted again to charge deeper into the woods. Orangestar was right. The point was to kill Razor. If they let him go, the whole meeting would have been for nothing. 

She bounded through the woods after his scent trail and the faint jingling sound of his bell. The massive tom left a path of broken twigs and scattered leaf-litter in his wake that wasn’t hard to spot. As she raced through the trees, her mind was also racing. He was barrelling west, north-west, deeper into EarthClan’s territory and away from the city. Why would he do that? It wasn’t like he was headed for their camp. How would he have even known where it was? If they kept going, they would eventually run into the river but she couldn’t imagine he would run for that long. 

She couldn’t hear the bell anymore. She paused, looked around, and realized that the trail had vanished too. She looked around at the trees, tried to figure out if he had jumped up one, but that didn’t make any sense given where the trail had ended. It was as if, in the middle of a clearing, he simply disappeared. The fur along her spine prickled with unease as she padded carefully to the end of the trail, mouth open to find his scent. He was close, she was certain, but where exactly? The muffled breeze was blowing against her face but there was no trace of him on the wind. The smell of mulch and growing green things was distractingly strong. 

“Where are you?” she mumbled under her breath, eyes flashing around the clearing. She turned around to try retracing her steps and there he was, looming behind her. She gasped in a particularly undignified manner, puffing up to twice her size. 

Razor laughed. “Did I startle you?” 

Goldenstar lunged. There was no time for fear or conversation. She raised her claws to swipe at his face, aiming to blind him, but he reared up and slammed one of his heavy paws into the side of her head, sending her tumbling into a gnarled root. She groaned and heaved herself to her feet but he was on her again, laying multiple swats on her skull in quick succession. The world spun dangerously. 

“Shh, stay down, girl,” he soothed, one giant paw pressing down on her throat, claws unsheathed. She coughed and clawed blindly at his leg to no result. She quickly realized that he hadn’t been taking the fight seriously before. She had underestimated him, the one thing Scorch had told her she should never, never do. 

“I’m glad we could get some time alone,” he continued, his other paw trailing feather light along the ridge of her sternum. “A girl like you deserves special attention, don’t you think?” 

Goldenstar snarled and he chuckled to himself. As her vision started to clear, his face swam into view, silhouetted against the blood red light filtering in through the canopy above. His too-white smile spread like a menacing butterfly across his face, his pale eyes roving intrusively over her body. Goldenstar knew that, pinned as she was, her hind legs wouldn’t reach any part of his body that would matter so she settled for curling up to try and kick at his leg in a desperate attempt to dislodge it. 

Razor’s smile widened and he pressed harder on her throat, drawing blood and cutting off her air. Her body panicked at the sensation and she thrashed her body as hard as she could against his weight but there was nothing she could do. He was too heavy and seemed unfazed by the claw marks she was leaving on his legs. 

“This is my favorite part,” he purred. “I think it’s just adorable: the moment when a creature realizes there’s nothing she can do. If you stop struggling, this will be easier for both of us.” Goldenstar tried to hiss at him but there was no air in her lungs. She gaped helplessly, starting to feel darkness encroaching on the edges of her vision. Razor frowned and very slightly lifted his paw to allow her to gasp for air. With the immediate threat of death removed, her eyes shut tightly and her body went slack, save for her chest which heaved over and over again as she greedily gulped down air. She couldn’t think straight.

“That’s it,” he said, “stay with me. As fun as it would be to see you choke and squirm until you turned blue, that’s too good for you.” His free paw trailed down from her sternum to her stomach. As it went, he unsheathed his claws and Goldenstar yelped as they scraped her skin hard enough to draw blood. 

“No,” Razor rumbled,  “you thought you could take what was mine and get away with it. But nobody,” and here, he sank his claws deeper into her belly and twisted them, causing her to nearly bite through her own tongue, “gets away with stealing from me.”

“I didn’t steal anything,” Goldenstar choked out around the blood now pooling in her mouth. “She couldn’t wait to get away from you!” 

“I know,” he laughed and Goldenstar nearly gagged. “She’s always been a flighty little bird.” He dragged his claws across her stomach and flicked them out of the flesh, tearing it away in a spray of dark blood. Goldenstar whined in pain and threw her eyes upward to try and focus on the branches of the tree, hoping it would distract her from the overwhelming pain.

He purred at the sound and kept speaking. “But she’s always known her place. It was your influence that fooled her into thinking she could live without everything I gave her.” He lifted his bloody paw and swiped his tongue between his toes, grinning down at her all the while. 

“You tortured her,” Goldenstar spat, trying to thrash again. 

Razor’s smile contorted into a furious snarl. “I love her!” he shouted, slamming both paws down on her throat. “I’ve shown her more kindness than she’d ever known! More kindness than a jealous little bitch like her deserves!” He sank his claws into her neck, that look of bloodlust back on his face. Goldenstar gasped and felt an uncomfortable flutter in her windpipe as the air escaped around his claws. If she didn’t do something soon, she was going to die. 

She kicked her hind legs up at him again, scrabbling at his now bloody arm. She twisted her head to try and sink her teeth into anywhere on his body she could. He snarled again and sank his claws in even further. 

“What could you possibly give her?!” he roared. “I am the Speaker! I am excellence personified! I am the most powerful cat alive! What are you?! You’re nothing!” The world was growing dark again, his voice fading as blood pounded in her ears and her focus started to drift uncontrollably into the void. She had failed. Tears welled in her eyes, not just from pain but from the shame of knowing she hadn’t been strong enough to protect anyone. The cold earth was leeching all of the heat from her body. Her paws started to grow stiff and numb. She couldn’t find the strength to lift her legs anymore. 

Distantly, she registered that Razor let go of her throat and heard him shout, as though at the end of a long tunnel, “Dammit! Don’t you dare die yet!” 

In one last act of defiance, she ignored him.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

The Assistant 11

Warnings: this fic includes noncon/rape, cheating, creep behaviour, violence, anger. These warnings are not exhaustive.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: As an assistant at the Daily Planet, you’re rarely noticed. Until you are.

Characters: Clark Kent

Note: I expect we're near the endgame now.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. Thanks to everyone who reads this one and thank you for all your energy.<3

Love you all like Lord Farquaad loves unnecessary vowels. Take care. 💖

🖊🖊🖊

Clark lands with an impact that makes your skull rattle. Your ears ring as the world around you smears. He lets you go and you stumble away. He keeps you off balance as he grabs you again, spinning you as you whimper helplessly.

He rips your hoodie down your arms, tugging it free only to use the sleeve to restrain your wrists. He keeps you facing away from him, forcing you to your knees as he shoves his knee into your back. He puts you on your stomach and bends your legs up, securing your feet with the other sleeve so you’re facedown in the dirt.

You heave as your tears spring out unchecked. He parts from you, his soles mulching the dirt as your sobs echo. You squirm until you fall onto your side, bound helpless as you let your horror mount to frantic screams.

“Help! Someone!”

He hushes you and bends to grip your jaw. You quiet, choking on your voice as you look past him. Canopies of leaves ripple above him, you smell water nearby, a freshness that lends a coolness to the air. He snarls and drags you across the ground, placing you against the brush along the jutting rock wall.

“Scream all you want. No one out here.”

“Please, Clark, please,” you plead through pathetic babbles, “I didn’t–why– why did you– Richard—”

“You promised you loved me. That you would never hurt me–”

“I was scared–”

“You lied to me,” he growls as he paces back and forth, “you betrayed me!”

“No, no, I was just afraid. I was afraid you’d hurt me, Clark, honey, I swear–”

“Hurt you?”

“You’re married,” you whimper, “I knew we could never be together–”

“I know.” He grits out as he stops to face you, his eyes glowing eerie crimson, “you know. Lois is dead. This was our chance and you ran–”

“Dead? Clark–”

“Stop lying,” he barks, “I can hear your fucking heart amp up every time you do. So stop.”

You sniffle and shudder in the dirt. Prickly vines poke at you as you give in to the futility. You’re not getting away this time. Your lashes are webbed with tears, adding a soft glare to your vision. You look up at Clark and pout.

“I can be better… please,” you beg. “What are you going to do to me?”

He raises his chin and stares up at the sun. You murmur and curl your fingers into your palm. You wait in the deafening silence of the moment. The chitter of birds and scramble of critters is dulled by your dread.

“Make you better,” he says as he spins to face the sprawl of trees.

He clutches his fists tight and a sudden rush of air blows over you as he zips up into the sky. It feels as if the earth lurches beneath the force of his departure. You fall back against the rock wall, leaning your elbow on it as you gape up after him.

“SOMEONE!” You screech, even as you know he’s right, that no one will hear, “SOMEONE PLEASEEEEEEEE!”

🖊

Your lungs burn and your throat turns raw. You have nothing left. Your fruitless screams die as you lay in the dirt, wriggling only a few inches this way or that. Twigs and pebbles jab through your clothing and the dewy patches of grass stain the fabric. 

This is it. This is the end. The sheen of disbelief slowly fades. That denial that it couldn’t be real. You are just an intern and he is just a journalist. A lonely man looking for company where he shouldn’t. No, he is a murderer. You witnessed it. You’ve seen the rage in him, you felt it, the insatiability that cannot be denied.

More than that, he is inhuman. He is something else. He is lauded as a superhero yet lurks like a villain behind the mask of Clark Kent.

You quiver and let out a deep heave. Breathless, exhausted, defeated. You let your head rest on the ground as the warmth of the sun pools over you through a gap in the branches above.

Sweat beads over your forehead and dampens your cheeks. It gathers beneath your clothing and trickles along your neck and back. You languish there in the beating of the summer heat and wait. For what comes next. For the inevitable.

As resignation sets in, your fate doesn’t seem so scary. Death is a finality. It is an end. It means that you will be free, even if that freedom is nothingness. There is relief in knowing that those weeks of torture have come to a head. You’ve met the climax and now you’re in the falling action, plummeting towards the finale.

A gust sweeps over you and the earth shakes. You let out a yipe at the flash of colour and the clatter left behind. In a second, he is gone again, whooshing up into the expanse as the din of the forest resumes. You look over at the large ax leaning against the cliffside, a hand saw beside it, and few other tools you can’t place. What?

He returns, surprising you again. The clunk of a heavy chest hits the dirt. You flinch and try to turn your body. The effort leaves you hollow as you manage to roll against the jutting rock wall. 

Several more hurtling trips and Clark finally stands still, curls mussed from the excess but otherwise unshaken by his efforts. He grabs the ax as you stare at the wrapped packages of insulation, the bucket of plaster, and litany of materials. It can’t be–

He approaches a tree and swings the ax. He cuts through the trunk with a single strike. He lifts the gargantuan tree with a single arm and tosses it behind him. It bounces and rolls to a stop on the soft ground. He does it again, and again, and again. He clears at least a dozen trees without a glance or word in your direction.

You linger in stupefied silence. He approaches the pile of trees and pulls one out. He is little more than a blur as he works at breaking them down into neat planks. This has to be a nightmare. The distortion, the unreality of the moment can’t be true.

You gulp and lower your head. It makes you dizzy to watch him. You listen to the furor of his labour. The zip of the saw, the crack of the ax, and the rhythm of a hammer. When you peek over again, vision hazy with the beaming heat of the sun, there is a foundation built.

You shudder and blow out through your dry lips. You try to wet your mouth but your tongue is arid. You will against the ground, crushing your shoulder as you clench and unclench your fists.

You’re stunned by a sudden grip on your jaw that brings your head up. You nearly choke as Clark puts a bottle to your lips and pours water into your mouth. Your body gulps it down greedily as your thoughts remain disjointed and distorted.

He backs up and pulls the stump of a log over to sit across from you. He drains the last of the water and brings forward a paper bag. He doesn’t say a word as he reaches inside and takes out a granola bar. He wraps it and leans forward to offer it to you.

You stare at him. He presses it to your lips. You turn your face away.

“Eat,” he demands.

You sniff and push your head back against the side of the cliff, “why are you doing this?”

He sighs and retracts his arm. He breaks off a chunk of the bar. He doesn’t answer you.

“Clark, what are you doing?” You croak.

He gets off the log and comes closer, nearly straddling you as he drops onto his knees. He grabs your skull, turning your head straight, and forces the granola into your mouth. You murmur as he holds your jaw in place and your stare up at him with wide eyes.

“Eat.”

You don’t resist. You chew and swallow. He takes another piece and jams it through your lips; he does it again and again until the wrapper is empty. He backs up and perches again on the log.

You watch him as he looks over at his work so far. A whole wall built. It's not hard to guess at the goal, but you don’t understand why. Why doesn’t he just kill you? Like Lois. Like Richard.

“I’m building us a home,” he says as he drops his head into his hands and scratches along his hairlines, “just you and me.”

He sits up and combs his hair back. He stands and dusts off his palms. He stretches and peels off his shirt, revealing his broad chest and thickly muscled stomach. The hair along his torso speckles with his sweat.

“It must be done by nightfall,” he declares as he marches away.

You turn your attention back to the endless forest. You stare into the daunting sprawl and deflate. It isn’t a home he’s building, it’s a prison.

🖊

The house is complete. Clark carries you through the front door and puts you against the wall, just beneath the window. The interior is barren. No furniture, only a gaping fireplace and a small hoop anchored in the floor.

He unties you and stands over you, watching you as you sit up. Your shoulders and knees throb from being locked the whole day. He bends and pulls your left leg straight, he closes a metal cuff around your ankle and pushes a bolt into place. You kick your foot in fright as he lets it go and a chain clanks loudly as he lets it unfurl.

He attaches the other end to the loop in the floor. You whine and get to your knees.

“Clark, please, what are you doing?”

“I can’t trust you,” he sneers, “it’s for your own good…” he stands and looks above you, to the window, “you would only get lost out there.”

“No, please, you can trust me–”

He raises his hand and you quiet. You sit back on your heels and clasp your hands together. He shakes his head and waves you off, striding away without another word. He goes through the open door as you focus on the chain, touching the links in dread.

He returns and unzips a sleeping bag, spreading it over the floor. He leaves again, coming back with pillows and another blanket. He backs up, hands on his hips and looks over the makeshift set up.

“Tomorrow I will find a bed. Other things,” he turns and approaches the fireplace, resting his hand on the mantle above, “I will start a fire for the night. It’ll be cold soon.”

You want to scream. You want to wail. You want to call him a monster, tell him that he’s insane. But you know that won’t make this any better. You let go of the chain and raise yourself on your knees. You crawl on the blankets and make yourself small as you sit against the pillows.

“Thank you, Clark,” you squeak as you pull off your shoes and place them to the side.

He keeps his back to you, bowing his head as he sighs. Slowly, he shifts and glances over his shoulder. His eyes meet yours and he drags his hand off the mantle. He faces you as you carefully recline.

“I’m sorry, honey,” he says grimly, “but it has to be like this. Just for now.”

“I know,” you say as you wince and rub your shoulder.

He sniffs and reluctantly turns away. His steps are lighter as he goes back through the door, returning with an armful of split logs. He stacks them by the fireplace before he works at starting a fire. You listen to his efforts and close your eyes. Only to hide, not to sleep.

The scent of the fire fills the cabin and he pulls the door shut. He nears and his shadow looms over you. He tugs on the blanket as he climbs down next to you and swoops it over you as he wraps an arm over your middle. He draws you closer, his breath fanning across your hair.

“I know you’re scared but one day, you’ll see,” he rumbles as he bends his arm, fondling your chest. Your stomach knots as he presses his pelvis flush to you, “I saved you… like you saved me.” 

His hand trails down and you hold your breath. His fingertips touch the top of your jeans and he pauses. He brushes his arm back up and embraces you again.

“Not tonight,” he resigns glumly, “I don’t forgive you yet.”

[laelior]

The Weight of the World

To: Master Operations Chief (ret.) Margaret Shepard

This letter is to inform you that your granddaughter, Lieutenant Commander Bethany Shepard, was presumed killed in action following the destruction of the SSV Normandy by unknown enemy forces on December 5, 2183. 

Lieutenant Commander Shepard’s service with the Alliance was an example to us all and her heroic actions in service both to Earth and the Citadel Council will never be forgotten. 

At this time, we are unable to publicly announce details related to the destruction of the SSV Normandy. At such a time when we are able, rest assured that the Alliance will lay Lieutenant Commander Shepard to rest with full military honors.

Please accept my sincerest condolences for your loss.

Adm. Steven HackettAlliance 5th Fleet Command

Anderson sat in the back of his skycar, numbly rehearsing the words of the letter in his hands over the neatly-folded Alliance flag and Alliance-stamped urn in his lap. God, for such a small jar it must have weighed a ton. Nevermind that it was empty.

His eyes continually wandered to the shallow, formulaic words on the flimsy paper in his hands, hoping that somehow they’d magically rearrange themselves into something less weighty than the gravitational pull of a whole damn planet before the skycar touched down.

Hackett had already sent nineteen letters just like the one in his hands to nineteen different addresses. Letters addressed to Preslies, Dravens, Tanakas and so forth. Letters only confirming what the rumor mill had already been circulating for months. Letters delivered by NCOs and junior officers with black bands around their arms as a thin show of solidarity for their losses. It had been tempting to pass this particular letter off to someone else, too, but some things just had to be done.

“We’re almost there, sir,” the driver said.

The skycar gently touched down on the street next to a neat little house with an immaculately maintained garden. Even in the dead of winter the hedges were neatly trimmed and the flower beds were freshly mulched.

The driver went out to ring the doorbell while Anderson slowly gathered himself for the news he had to deliver.

The woman who came out to the front porch to greet him after a moment was smaller than he expected. He’d never met her before, but Peggy Shepard was a legend in her own right. One of the founding mothers of the Alliance non-commissioned officer’s corp and one of the best damn sniper instructors the service ever had. Hell, her 500-meter longshot record had stood for nearly forty years and had only been broken a few years ago by Lieutenant Coats.

And she didn’t need a letter to tell her why he was here. That was obvious from the hard, steely look in her eyes that flicked to his uniform, the flag tucked under one arm, and the black band around the other. Her eyes lingered on the captain’s stars on his lapel and her hand twitched at her side, fighting the reflexive urge to salute. Old habits died hard, and habits drilled in by a lifetime of military discipline were harder to kill than most. When she looked him right in the eye, though, Anderson had to fight the urge to flinch.

Throughout his military career, Anderson had faced more threats than he cared to count, from the petty political rivalries that riddled the service right up to Saren himself. And just then he would have rather faced down Sovereign itself if it meant getting away from the look in her eyes.

She was no stranger to this ritual. A casual glimpse at the Shepard family tree told him how many of its branches had been pruned like this. But that never meant it was easy to be the bearer of this particular news.

“Ma’am,” he intoned formally. Formalities were good. They were safe. He held up the folded flag and offered it to her with both hands. But before he could so much as open his mouth to say the words that were the next part of the ritual, she held up a hand and drew in a shaky breath.

“It’s true, isn’t it? What they’ve been saying?” She asked quietly. No need to ask what they were saying.

Anderson could only nod stiffly. “I’m afraid so, ma’am.”

She quietly accepted the flag, taking the weight from him and hugging it closely to her chest. 

“The Alliance offers its sincerest condolences for your loss,” he intoned, getting back to the words of the ritual. “If there’s anything we can do for you….” He trailed off. There was nothing the Alliance could do for her that would remotely make up for the magnitude of her loss, and there was no point pretending otherwise. 

She nodded in acknowledgement of the harsh, unspoken truth that passed between them.

“I need to make arrangements,” she said, her voice barely a whisper, before turning back into her house and letting the door slam shut behind her. The large wooden door closed with a resounding thud that made him flinch with its finality. He set the urn and the letter down on the porch table next to the door and went back to the car, his duty thus discharged.

If it was a tragedy for a parent to bury their child, then it was an utter goddamn travesty for a grandparent to lower their grandchild’s casket into the ground.

The driver cleared his throat, cutting across the uncomfortable silence that filled the car. “Where to next, sir?”

“Norfolk,” he said, picking the closest Alliance base he could think of off-hand. The car began its ascent, leaving the view of the Shepard household behind.  “Drop me off at the officer’s club, and tell them to have a glass of Ardbeg 16 ready, no ice.”

Something to wash away the ashy taste of having been the one to send Peggy Shepard’s granddaughter to her empty grave.

[tenpolegardener]

Spring in the garden

Now that i have the nettles, bindweed and grass tuff removed I can lay down the tree mulch.

[systlin]

hi!! i know you probbaly get this question a lot because of how popular your post is lol, but i had a question regarding soil compaction. the soil in my yard is similar to how you described yours; extremely compacted, bends shovels. how did you go about dealing with it/restoring soil health? i know thats a super broad question but if you have any tips i'd love to hear them. thank you so much for your time :3

Mulch

Mulch

More mulch

I cannot overstate the 'mulch' part enough, really. Whatever works that you can get for cheap. Grass clippings, leaves, sign up for Chip Drop ( a service where tree trimming companies can dump wood chips on your yard for free for you to use as mulch)

Lay down a layer of damp newspaper or cardboard...amazon boxes with the tape stripped off work...and cover it with a real good thick layer of mulch.

Then you wait. Apply more mulch as it rots down. Won't hurt to throw down some blood and bone meal. A layer of compost between layers of mulch won't hurt a bit.

But aside from that, the biggest thing is time. You let the soil microbes and worms and things do their thing. They'll do the real work, so long as you feed them with all that lovely organic matter you just gave them to eat (the mulch) and maybe water a bit if it's dry now and then. Give it a year, and you'll be astounded.

After that, keep spreading mulch. It'll keep weeds down and retain moisture and keep feeding your soil.

For the part you leave lawn, don't bag your grass clippings. Leave them where they fall. Don't rake your leaves. Just run the mower over them when you mow. Don't mow your grass too short. (I realize some places have regulations about grass length, which is annoying, but don't mow your lawn super short.)

[bomberqueen17]

farm life

Am at the farm. Just gonna witter on uninterestingly about that behind the cut because I"m too tired to be interesting.

Initially we were going to make chicken sausage this week but BIL decided not to, but then when I said I was coming anyway, he decided to cut up some chickens.

In past years they've always sold out of chicken parts way before they've sold out of whole chickens. But a couple of years ago a chef friend told him there was nothing really wrong with thawing a chicken, cutting it up, and refreezing the parts, and initially we were just thawing whole chickens to cut up to grind into sausage, but we did some tests and determined that actually, no, there's really no discernible loss of quality in the parts. So now we don't sell out of chicken breasts in December anymore, but can keep bringing them to market all winter.

So this year we took the whole chickens out of the store, stopped bringing them to market, and are *only* selling the parts, and are saving the whole chickens to thaw and cut up and refreeze as parts. It's working great. It's more work, but it's more profit, and also more sales. People just don't buy whole chickens that much.

So anyway we cut up 88 chickens, and saved like 60 of the carcasses into a pair of huge stock pots. Packaged all the parts up, labeled and weighed them, then put the stock pots on to boil. Today we packaged 89 quarts of chicken stock. I was going to deep-clean the commercial kitchen, but it's not ready for the full spring treatment: we're still washing eggs in there, which means baskets full of chicken-shitty eggs are coming in and getting set on the floor. So I just cleaned and sanitized the heck out of the stuff we were using, and also the floor drain, but have held off. In April when the temps don't go below freezing at night anymore, when the vegetable washing station can move out of the eviscerating room so the egg washing can move back in there, *then* I will haul all the big equipment out and wash the whole room from the ceiling to the walls to the floors to the back of the grinder, under the mixer, under the fridge, under the freezer, all of it is getting powerwashed within an inch of its life.

But not this trip.

Next week we're making pork sausage.

I have been taking my dose of adderall at 8am immediately before I go out to work. It's hard to judge the efficacy, actually, because I'm so busy and so rarely totally self-directed. The real test would be to have me have a day of idleness and half a dozen things I need to accomplish. But I can concretely observe that I don't get a sort of dizzy head rush when it kicks in anymore, and I don't crash around 3 or 4 pm anymore. No, instead I'm just physically exhausted at that time, but it's understandable that I would be, because despite my best efforts to work out all winter, I am in no way prepared for the amounts of heavy lifting, repetitive movements, and sheer mileage you have to walk around here.

Today I finished cleaning the kitchen and then spent a couple of hours with my trusty old pruners, helping Farmsister and Veg Man harvest pussy willows to sell at market in decorative bundles. They just chainsawed the trees off a couple inches above the ground, and then we went at them with pruners and only took the nice branches, and the rest are going through the woodchipper to be mulch. VegMan pointed out the line they'd cut back to last year: this is how you coppice willows, and you can harvest them like this every year. They were fifteen feet tall, all new growth.

Soon we'll have daffodils. Mom had too many at her house, and a couple years ago she and Dad dug up buckets and buckets of them and brought them over and we dug a trench in the hillside and tipped them in. And now they're about ready to be divided again, LOL.

We have pullet eggs too. The chickens are laying pretty well, manageable amounts. We've started packing the eggs by weight, which is a little time-consuming.

OK that's enough wittering. Have I got any photos? Hmm.

the view from the little creek down into the Quackenkill, alongside the back of the old granary. Morning, sun coming through the trees and lighting up the red-stained old siding, the neighbor's house visible at the other end of the cut.

2. A pig friend, muddy snoot questing toward the camera in the sunshine of the winter livestock barn, which has a plastic south-facing roof to let in all the light it can.

3. Farmsister, in her chainsaw chaps and safety gear, chainsawing down the pussy willows in front of the solar panels. (They measured, before they planted the little trees; they'd have to be 40 feet tall to block the light on the solar panels in any season, which I don't think a pussy willow would do, but it's still important to prune them back whether we harvest them for the catkins or not.)

That's all, happy spring. I'm so tired.

[gardening-is-punk]

Lunarpunk gardens

Okay, I'll admit I'm not on top of the whole aesthetics of the various -punk genres, but looks imo should be considered after function and ethics. SO...

I was inspired by this post and got to thinking about what a Lunarpunk garden would mean on my site.

I decided the most important part of the post was "Let me propose lunarpunk being more than just witchy aesthetics. It should be about reducing light pollution, protecting all endangered species including the ugly ones, and most of all seeing darkness as a coexisting counterpart and not something to conquer." So, that's three ideas that I can work with.

reducing light pollution: Working through this idea the same way I would evaluating an established garden in terms of layers and scale of objects in the space, at a site-level the only exterior lights are those at the front and back door. Various flying insects are very attracted to the back light, which is a normal incandescent bulb, and less are attracted to the front ones, which are green. In both cases, we never leave them on all night, but working off what several websites say about bulb color and warmth, I can swap all the bulbs for a warmer-tone LED bulbs and that would cause less issue when they are on at night. Scaling up, I'm not sure what I can do about the huge streetlight on our road, which has the most hideous white-light. Before I DO anything, I probably should dig into the city's files, since I know the bulbs were changed into those LEDs a few years ago, and maybe there was some thought put into that decision.

protecting all endangered species including the ugly ones: Given I'm looking at Lunarpunk, an obvious connection here was moths, the 'ugly' relatives of butterflies. Personally, I love moths and understand their greater ecological role compared to butterflies from a video presentation I watched a few months ago (I'll post that later). Focusing in on the "endangered" aspect, I used Xerces Society's 'Species Profile' tool to look at my state and see what moths are endangered in my area. (Side-note: I also looked at the other categories, like Bees, Beetles, etc. and nothing was specifically noted for my area, so I'm putting those categories on the backburner for ideas rn.) I identified three species of moth as endangered for my area: Diana Fritillary, Dukes' Skipper, and Early Hairstreak. The idea to then ID what plants the eggs and larvae need as host plants, what adults need for sustenance, and what mirco-climates I can make to support their life cycles.

Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana) "As a forest-dependent species, threats to the Diana fritillary come mainly from forest management: logging operations and pest control... There is one flight from June to September. Males emerge before females and patrol within the forest. Females lay eggs later in the flight period, mainly August, walking along the ground and attaching eggs singly to twigs and dead leaves. As with other Speyeria species, the caterpillars hatch and hibernate without feeding. They emerge in spring to feed on the leaves and flowers of various species of violets. Adults feed on nectar from a variety of plants, including milkweeds (Asclepias sp.), ironweed (Vernonia sp.), and red clover (Trifolium pratense). Males will also drink fluids from dung...Habitats for the Diana fritillary are the edges and openings in moist, rich mountain forests. They will also use pastures, shrublands, and fields for nectaring but will only breed if there is a suitable forest margin. Larval hostplants are various species of violets (Viola sp.)" (quotes from Xerces Society).

So, this species wants a forest edge, which my neighborhood is certainly not; however, I have a decent handful of trees which I mulch using unprocessed leaf litter and stems over the winter, and this provides a decent base for supporting any number of species in my site. I also have lots of self-sown viola in the lawn and beds, which I greatly enjoy not only for their tiny and delicate looking flowers, but also the fulsome heart-shaped leaves the rest of the summer and autumn. I have two Swamp Milkweeds planted, and I'll consider more species as space and needs arise. So far, off to a good start.

Dukes' Skipper (Euphyes dukesi) "It can be found in a variety of moist habitats with long grass, such as marshes or ditches, but the primary habitat is patches of sedge—its main larval host plant—in forested swamps. Dukes’ skipper deserves conservation efforts wherever it is found. Its forested wetland habitat should be protected from drainage, logging, and spraying...In the mid-south, there are two between June and September... Adults visit open wetlands to drink nectar from flowers such as pickerelweed (Pontederia sp.), sneezeweed (Helenium sp.), hibiscus (Hibiscus sp.), and blue mistflower (Conoclinium sp.)...Dukes’ skipper can be found in a variety of moist habitats with long grass, such as marshes or ditches, but the primary habitat is sedge patches in forested swamps. Larval hostplants are sedges, including hairy sedge (Carex lacustris) and shoreline sedge (Carex hyalinolepis)" (Xerces Society).

Again, not a habitat that is immediate to my site. The good news is that I'm already starting several Swamp Hibiscus from seed this year for various spots, and I've been looking more into sedges for a couple wet spots. In particular, I want to run an open pipe from the AC drip into a spot where I removed a non-native 'hibiscus' this winter after some damage. I could feasibly do a few sedges around the Swamp Hibiscus. I doubt I would get a breeding population on my own, but if it becomes an effective use of the water, this might be a technique that I can demonstrate to others in the neighborhood - and again, it's a good habit for several species besides the Skipper.

Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta) "The habitat is mature deciduous and mixed woods containing its host plants, American beech and beaked hazelnut. As a forest-dependent species, both logging activities and pest control spraying are possible threats...There are usually one flight (May – mid-June) in the north and two flights (mid-April – mid-May and late- June – July) in the east. Rarely, a partial third flight (late-August – early-September) in the southern Appalachians. Males perch in treetops on ridges and hilltops to watch for females. Adults nectar on fleabane (Erigeron sp.), oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), and steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa) Early Hairstreaks spend a considerable part of their life in the canopy. Some observers note that adults visit moist ground in the morning (for example, along dirt roads) before returning to the canopy in the afternoon. Eggs are laid singly on the hostplant fruit. Caterpillars feed on nuts, initially the husk in early instars and later boring inside. Most of the year is spent as pupae, probably in the leaf litter" (Xerces Society).

I'm realizing now that the reason these three species are threatened so much is that their habitat is decidedly not urban or adaptable to the swathes of monocultures that have swallowed my area. I don't have any Beech or Hazel nut yet, but I do have some beechnuts sown in a pot, that I picked off the path in a local park. If those germinate, I can probably keep some in pots and maybe get one in the ground depending on the circumstances this summer. I don't have any of the nectar plants, except the fleabane which randomly pops as a volunteer ( a "weed" to those more judgmental about pioneer-recovery species), and I can look into Steeplebush seeds, since they do look gorgeous and I can probably sell the more reluctant in my household on that factor.

seeing darkness as a coexisting counterpart and not something to conquer

This one is a bit tougher to work with outside of my own praxis, specifically in convincing others visually through my site. Honestly, I think the best way to suggest this visually is in using plants that are either dark foliaged (I have a ninebark and planning on some corn that fit this bill) or silver foliaged/white flowering ( a garden sage I have in a pot and the sown buttonbush, maybe). In daytime, I'm hoping to focus a lot on bright masses of color paired with bright hardscape, like the existing white accents and planned turquoise painted pots. The dark foliage are native plants; the ninebark is a replacement for the awful barberries I spent hours hacking out, and the corn is "Flor de Rio" a burgundy-colored popcorn variety. Those alone I hope are visually different enough to catch people's interest, but I know a lot of people take walks in my neighborhood in the evening, at dusk or after dark. The white flowers and silver foliage might actually benefit from the harsh streetlight, here, shining out from the muted greens and darker foliage.

The easiest way to try and further this point is naturally to talk to people about the idea, but I think this visual communication/demonstration could serve as the backbone of those potential conversations.

further thoughts

Lunarpunk isn't a genre I've really worked with before, but I hope this interpretation of the idea (a dark/hidden counterpart to the more well known Solarpunk ethos) can meaningfully help people reconsider their biases about visibility and usefulness, and of course provide support to various critters in the area.

[femmefat-ale]

It’s hard to get work done in a library when you can hear your own thoughts so clearly. While planning some Yuletide recipes, I couldn’t stop looking at my boyfriend’s growing belly almost slipping out of a tight t shirt. Instead of my responsibilities, I indulged in writing down a bit of a fantasy. If my big bear keeps gaining at the rate he is, there will most definitely be a chapter two :)))

Ember’s Folly

Entering into the woods, the paper map crinkles in Ember's strong grip. “Do not stray from the marked trails,” it said in large blue lettering. But what was the woods without exploration, some pre-decided quest that fate may force upon you? Regardless, he intended on only a short walk, to the top of the mountain and back if you could call that short, just to watch the sunset for a while and head back. The first marker was a red ribbon tied around a tree, not to be mistaken for pink ones which indicated that a tree needed to be cut down. “Stay on the trail, and you’ll have a good time,” ominous words for a guide to the National Park. Walking along the mulched trail ahead of him, Ember basked in the afternoon sunlight and prepared his glutes for quite the workout. The incline hadn’t started yet, but it soon would.

Passing the first cairn was always a sign of relief, a sign you were headed in the right direction and that there were more ahead. It’s a shame that the parks service had ordered for their removal, and Ember couldn’t bring himself to knock over the carefully constructed tower. A traveler needs a sign of hope every now and again, a reminder that people have been here before them and will come after to the same spot.

The trail became steep, less of a paved trail and more a stone staircase winding for miles along the mountain. Ember wished there was a more direct way up; next time he’ll bring a harness and rope. Escalating slowly, the sun passed over him to the other side of the mountain, occluding him in shadows. The cool gray mist descended upon the trees and settled in the ground foliage. A small noise to his right, Ember turned to see a sweet silka a few yards behind him. Following a trail of fescue, the doe walked on barely noticing the wanderer. Off the trail she went, grazing her way past the treeline only to stop and pop her head up. After a moment of thought, she swiftly returned and ran off down the hill behind Ember. Funny, he thought. Perhaps the rules apply to fauna as well. It was then that he noticed the birdsong had died down, and was much louder on his left. Odd, but not disarming, the sun was on that side to be fair. He couldn’t blame them for chasing down the setting sun. The sun was setting though, and he had little time if he wanted to catch dusk at the very least. Time management is never easy, but one hour could cost you your life in woods like this.

Perhaps I should turn back, he thought. Otherwise, he could always camp out and catch the early sunrise. Preparations for that kind of excursion however were nowhere to be found. Time management and preparedness had never been his particular strengths. Shit, it was starting to get dark, and 6 miles lay ahead before the peak. The trail circled back around at least. As his stomach growled, his scavenger instincts kicked in. Perhaps he should track down another deer, but in reality a squirrel was a much more likely candidate. Unfortunate, he thought, digging in his pockets to pull out the wrappers of protein bars consumed hours ago. Maybe he was a bit gluttonous, and that should have been accounted for before he left the house.

Pressing on, Ember continued his way up the path, getting progressively more tired as the sun descended more. He was starving at this point; he should head back while there’s still a speck of light. Or, he thought, take a trail back to the lodge near the trail’s entrance. While looking at the map, Ember smelled something divine, too good to be real. Hallucinations, especially during times of need, weren’t uncommon, but this seems all too real. Past the aroma of petrichor and dirt, there was something sweet trailing in the air, cutting through the fog right to Ember head. Like the damned cartoons, the smell of apple pie wafting like smoke right above him. Apple pie, that’s what it was. Impossible, yes, but his stomach growled in desperation. Letting his eyes adjust a bit, a narrow trail made itself apparent, overgrown by grass and clearly unkempt. It wasn't marked either. Pulling out the map once more, there wasn't any indication of the path. The large blue lettering stood out once again, but he might as well be illiterate at that point because the smell only grew stronger. Fuck it, he was only human, and humans needed a warm meal and a fire. Screw the mountain, he thought, taking the first step off the mulch and the flora crunched beneath his boots.

A pathfinder was a noble job, and he was serving not only himself but the parks service as well. Maybe he should build his own cairn and mark the path himself. So far nothing felt off except the continually retreating light. Either it was getting darker or the fog was getting thicker. Nevertheless, Ember couldn’t be stopped, not now. He was hungry and too far into this to retreat. The sweet aromas only got stronger as he went, leading him right to salvation, he thought. He was surprised others hadn’t come his way yet with the air becoming nearly intoxicating. It was then he noticed the birdsong had died out. In fact, he could not spot a single squirrel or hare in the nearby surroundings. Odd, but not alarming. Were his senses being dulled? Who cares anyway? The smells were now all consuming, apple pie and vanilla, fresh coffee too. The fog was illuminated by a small light far in the distance, past where the trail had ended before his feet. Finally, a sign of life. Marching onward desperate as ever, the lights multiplied and a small stead was visible just a short walk away. Ember was feeling light headed, out of his mind with his stomach grumbling. Upon reaching the small cabin, he realized that this is why the trails were to be followed closely. It came upon him that this was someone’s home, not a lodge. Was he intruding? He did disregard the rules completely, but for good reason. He didn’t want to be a bother, but he was absolutely starving. Perhaps he could ask for a quick bite of bread and be on his way, but he needed more. An idea popped into his mind as his eyes wandered to the bountiful garden on the house’s side. Tall sunflowers, asleep for the night, surrounded bushels of lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and what he only assumed could be an entire apothecary of herbs. Stay away from those, he thought. It would be one thing to intrude and ask for food. It was another to be poisoned and fall ill after stealing from the garden. Stealing from the garden. He wanted to. Surely a missing cabbage would be much less intrusive than asking for a whole meal. The crop was so plentiful Ember doubted the gardener would even notice. So he grabbed a cabbage. Without even wiping the dirt off, he took a bite from the top leaf. It was utterly bland. And shameful eating was not much of an enjoyable experience. He much preferred happily indulging himself. Eating was to be a joyous thing, he thought. But here he was, stealing cabbages, ravaging like a wild dog. Before he could make much of a dent, Ember heard a creek from the other side of the cabin. Fuck, he hoped he hadn’t been found out. He dashed to the backside of the cabin, cowering under the windowsill, looking past the corner. He wondered if he was about to meet the owner, his maker, or both. A loud metal clang was the last thing he heard before the last of the light went out, and it was all dark now.

It had been dark for a while, he thought, as he opened his eyes once more. There was light again, warm, yellow light, and heat too. The first feeling he had was that of comfort, of tiredness. Perhaps he could stay passed out for a little while longer and get some sleep. Passed out - he had passed out. Immediately, the images of the cabin and cabbages came back to him. Fuck, he should have just knocked on the door. He should have just stayed on the trail. That cabbage was definitely not worth it, and he was definitely still hungry. Taking in his surroundings, he was happy to see he was in the kitchen at the very least. There was a pot steaming on a wood burning stove that sat next to a pie cooling down. He was right about the pie at least. What was in the pot though? As he went to stand from his chair, Ember realized that he couldn’t move a limb. Just now thinking to look down on himself, he was tied to the chair entirely, arms and legs tied to pine wood with black rope. Also, he was naked. The rope was itchy too. Good thing his dick wasn’t tied up because it was steadily getting harder as he came back to his senses. Hearing once again, Ember noticed the crackling of a fireplace somewhere in the next room along with a high pitched whistling tune. Coming from the owner, he assumed, they didn’t sound very pissed. But then why was he hit over the head and tied up? As all the answers walked through the archway at the end of the kitchen, Ember snapped back and the anxiety poured all in at once. “I’m so so sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, but I was walking along the trail and-”

“Shush,” replied the woman now standing beside him. Taking the opportunity to meet his captor, Ember glanced up and realized how fucked he really was. Standing over the stovetop were harsh eyes, staring directly at him. The woman was shorter, plump, wearing a calico dress and a messy apron tied loosely around her small waist. She was adorned with a green headscarf with a few red strands hanging in her face.

“You see, I had made the grave mistake of being underprepared, and I had run out of rations for my journey, so,”

“You went off the trail,” she interrupted. “You’re not supposed to do that.”

“Well, I was walking and I had smelled something nice, your cooking, I now realize had led me off the path, and I walked straight-”

“Into my garden.”

“I apologize, really. I didn’t want to be a bother, but I was absolutely starving.”

“I’m sure,” she replied, ladling stew into a cup.

“Truly, I am very sorry,” Ember continued on until the woman was standing right next to him.

“Then shut up and eat. That’s what you came here for, isn’t it?” Ember looked up, not lifting his head, to finally meet her eyes. She looked down at him, then at his stomach.

“I can’t-”

“Open,” she said, pressing the spoon to his mouth, and so he obliged. She lifted a bite of stew and fed it to him. The first bite was delightful, so much so he let out a small sigh. It must have been beef, deliciously braised in red wine. As she gave him a bite of potato, she said, “If this is what you wanted, you could have just knocked. I didn’t buy those vintage brass knockers for nothing.” Knockers, he laughed to himself, and a pair she had. He was leaking a little from the tip now, finally a little hydrated from the warm broth. It still tasted of alcohol. She probably didn’t cook it out on purpose.

“I really am s-”

“Keep eating,” she said, feeding him more of the delicious soup.

“Mmmmmm,” this was divine, or utterly satanic. He wasn’t quite sure. It tasted like whoredom and sodium, the worst of sins.

“Good boy.” Fuck, that turned him on even more, almost as much as the stuffing did. He kept eating, growing fuller and fuller each bite. She was stuffing him, maybe she was a witch, just fattening him up before he ended up in the stew. Before he knew it, the bowl was empty, but he could eat more. “Good good. All full yet?” she asked. Ember released his head back, noticing the herbs drying above his head. Definitely witchy behavior. As he stared up at the flowers, he heard footsteps and the woman was grabbing another mug. Instead of stew, she filled it with water from the kettle. He never heard it whistle, but it was steaming. More suspicion started to grow. She reached for some of the herbs above him, shoving her tits right into his face. She picked an assortment of leaves and put them in water, stirring clockwise for a minute as they sat in silence. He didn’t know what to say. “Drink,” she said as she brought the cup to his lips. It burned him. “Shit sorry,” she broke out. She seemed genuinely worried, bringing a finger up to his lips and patting them as she blew cold air onto the tea. It whistled with a musical chime. “Here, now it should be better. Make sure to smell the vapor too for full effect.” He sipped on it once more, then took a big gulp as it was now cooled off. It tasted bitter but earthy. It made him and his cock feel fuller, but there was a void in his stomach once more.

“Are you a witch?” He asked. Fuck, that was probably a mistake.

“Something of the sort,” she replied. He didn’t know whether to get worried or extremely fucking horny. “Nevermind it; keep drinking.” She held it up to his mouth until he finished the whole cup. She set it down and reached for something. Thinking that was the last meal before the demonic sacrifice ritual she had planned, Ember closed his eyes and turned his head towards the window. Instead, he heard a spark; he looked to see she was lighting a pipe. Taking a long, slow hit, she leaned over and blew smoke into his face. That was definitely weed, the good, smelly shit too. Those weren’t carrots in the garden after all. She grabbed hold of his hair and brought the pipe to his lips and he took a hit, immediately feeling it go right to his dick with no blood left in his head. He was swirling, probably would have fallen forward if it weren’t for the strong grip in his hair. “Good boy,” she chimed again, and Ember became less and less worried about his predicament, letting his anxiety float away with the smoke.

As she let go of his hair, she stuck the pipe in her mouth and walked back over to the stove, grabbing another cup of stew. He realized he was starving once again despite the fact he just had such a large helping. Maybe it was the weed, maybe it was whatever was in the tea. He didn’t care right now. He just wanted to eat. And he did, as the witch hand fed him a second and then third cup before the ropes grew tight, digging into his skin. His belly was swollen, dick barely peeking out from under it, even fully erect. She was fattening him up.

As he yawned, fearing a food coma would steal away his consciousness for the second time today, she looked Ember dead in the eyes and said, “Oh you’re not done yet. You think you can just come to my house and steal my food? We’ll see about that.” She placed a plate of apple pie down on the hardwood floor in front of her feet. He was confused and looked up at her, only for her to walk over, maintaining a cold stare. She untied him from the chair and shoved him to the floor with a thud.

“Ow!”

“Poor thing,” she replied, completely unsympathetic. As he tried to get up, he found his hands and feet were still bound together. The pie laid a few feet in front of him, and he looked up at the witch for help. “Crawl, come and eat it like the dog you are.” And he did, wormed his way across the floor to the pie, realizing that she didn’t provide a fork, not like he could use it anyway, he supposed. She really did want him to eat like a dog. And he would, he would be her dog if she wanted. Looking up at her once more with uncertainty, she lifted her boot to press down on his head, “Eat, boy.”

He smashed his face right into the pie, smearing the filling all over his lips and chin. It was sugary sweet, soft and felt amazing in his mouth. He’d swear it was enchanted. The crust was buttery and crumbled easily, which made it impossible to eat. After a few bites, the pie was left a pile of mush. “Lick it up, doggy,” she said, still smoking from her pipe, eyes now hot on him, red and stoned. She walked behind him, reached under his hips and pulled him up to his knees and a puddle of precum gathered under him. “Fat dog,” she cooed, “your stomach already reaches the floor.” Did it? Was he getting filled that much? Whatever; the food was good anyway. As he licked up the remains of what was once a pie, devoured by hunger, the witch raised her boot once more to rest it on his back until he finished. That turned him on so much his balls started to ache. She brought him a second plate and did the exact same thing once more. He was definitely full now. As if she could sense it, she lowered her pipe for him again, and he was hungry all over again. Then she just gave him the rest of the pie, left in the dish there for him, and he went at it like a beast, as if he were as hungry as before he stumbled upon this gluttonous dream. Gnashing his teeth, he inhaled soft apples and cinnamon right down his throat, making godless noises as he did. Within a minute, the entire thing was gone, the dish licked clean and spotless. Fuck, he still wanted more. As tight as his stomach felt, as full as he was, he wanted, needed more. “Good boy,” she said again, bringing a hand down to run her fingers through his long hair. It was probably as messy as he was, sticky and matted together like a mangy dog. He raised his gaze to meet hers again and whined. “Oh, poor thing, you’re still hungry, aren’t you?” she asked sweetly. “Fat dog,” she said less sweetly, and he whined again. “Aw, the dog wants more pie, doesn’t he?” Ember dropped his head. Immediately she pulled it up and repeated, “Doesn’t he?” voice lowered and tinted with lust. She let go and walked over to the pantry, and oh god Ember nearly came from the sight alone. The pantry was stocked, looked endless, filled with candies and crackers, every kind there were. She bent down to the bottom shelf, and Ember caught a glimpse of her supple ass before she stood up once more. “Well, I don’t have the ingredients nor care to make you another pie. I suppose you’ll have to make your own.”

She walked towards him again, and Ember perked up, thinking she would unbind him and let him cook and eat as much as he desired. Instead, she moved the pie dish and rolled him over onto his back, and straddled him. Oh, he understood a bit better now. “Are you going to be a good boy for me- well, what is your name?” That surprised him. Perhaps she wasn’t so cold; in fact, he was willing to bet she was quite warm. That made his dick jerk up and rub against her ass. Wait, she had asked him a question.

“Ember.”

“Ember; that’s nice. Well, are you going to be a good dog for me, Ember?”

“Yes, yes - um, what is your name?” She slammed his head to the floor, grabbing his throat.

“You’ll call me m’am.”

“Ok.”

“Ok, what?”

“Ok, m’am. Yes, m’am.”

“Good boy, now are you going to make yourself a pie?” He whined at that, bucking up in desperate search of some kind of friction. All he got was rough cotton. Then, she pulled her dress up and red panties to the side. Ember could feel the heat radiate from it. “Now be a good boy and fuck me, ok?”

“Yes, m’am, “ was all he could get out before she sunk her warm, slick cunt down onto his throbbing cock. God, Satan, whoever, this was perfect. He didn’t realize how desperate he was until he let out a loud gasp at his entrance. She sat down, put all her weight on him for a minute until she raised herself up, dick nearly slipping out.

“Well, puppy, are you going to fuck me or what?” And that was all he needed to start writing on the floor, pushing up as hard he could for the position he was in. Still bound, he thrust in sloppily as the witch moaned, and it was beautiful, harmonic even. Perhaps she was a bard. Ember kept whining until she reached over to stuff candies in his mouth to shut him up. That didn’t help much. He was a vocal lover and a vocal eater. The sugar melted on his tongue and he nearly cried at the taste. Now the witch was bouncing up and down on his dick, throwing her head up in ecstasy. Thighs trembling, she worked her strong thighs up and down again, squeezing down on him. Ember was getting close, his balls got tight as her round ass slammed against them over and over again. His overfilled tummy filled with warmth that traveled lower into his groin. “Good puppy, cum for me, will you? Fill me up with your fat cock.” And that sent him over the edge. He thrust up one last time before she slammed them both to the floor as sparks went off in Ember’s brain. Warmth spreaded down his thighs, an incredulous amount. Feeling it fall down his thighs as she shook on top of him, he realized she’d squirted. Fuck, he was getting wet. Maybe she’d make him lick it up. Mind wandering, he barely processed how much he was fucking filling this bitch, wait, witch. Was this her plan all along? Foxy devil. Reverberations kept shooting through his body short circuiting for a whole minute after as he laid there, trying to catch his breath. The witch was petting his head; he was a good boy after all. He deserved it. “Good boy, good boy,” she repeated as he came down. As soon as he felt like he might just fall asleep right there, full to the brim, lying on the kitchen floor, the witch got up, walked back to the table and plopped herself up onto it. Her plump ass folded on the edge of the table, and her thick thighs parted to reveal a dark pink pussy dripping with cum. She used her fingers to toy with it, spread it around, shove some of it back in. God if he didn’t feel so heavy, he’d get up to take her there again. All he could do right now was stare. Looking back up at him, she asked, “Well are you going to finish your pie, sweet pup?” And fuck, he was still hungry.

[thekinkyleopard]

Why Me?

An Alistar x Draeko Sick Fic

⚠️Content Warning⚠️

Sexual Tension, Snz, Sick, Fluff, Slight Angst

Author’s Notes: Hi guys! Been awhile since I’ve posted something, so sorry! I was pet sitting for the week and let’s just say those dogs would not let me have a moment of peace. 😭😭😭 I’m going to try to get a bunch done this week, as I’ll probably have more overnights at the end of this month to do. 🥲 So honestly, me and Geezie love Al x Drae’s relationship, so I thought I’d do a one shot of Al taking care of Drae. :>

Description: Al is stuck babysitting the sickly mutt, instead of enjoying a day of leisure. Can he contain himself against the mutt’s kitten like sneezing??

“Luciftias…I don’t want to go without you…I should be here, rubbing your leaking face holes with soft mulched tree sheets…” The grey skinned man looked somberly down at the sniffling, and stifling mutt. The mint and pink themed boy met his gaze with the other and tried to muster up the softest smile he could through tear stained cheeks and a reddened nose.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be better in no time but you can’t miss this….these divers are experts and they don’t tour out here often…” doing whatever he could to convince the hound not to miss out on such an opportune moment to learn about the ocean. Something not many got to.

“How will I know how to act? Or what to do? I need you there…” Kanai almost whimpered, feeling slightly a miss without the mutt coming with him. They’d been inseparable since they met, and this would be the real challenge. Trying to blend into a human setting without his …relatively…human guide. Drae tried to muster up the energy to giggle, shaking his head softly back and forth.

“You got this, okay? I’ll be here healing, you go learn! Text me if you need to, remember I showed you how to do that right?”

“Yes…okay…well…I can’t leave you to fend for yourself….” He considered for a moment what he was supposed to do in a situation like this. When suddenly it hit him. “I know,” his face beamed brightly, in aura, his expression mostly lay flat, either way it was something that didn’t happen too often, as he was mostly void of any expression. Now standing to his feet, he quickly made his way down the hall of the apartment he shared with his best friend. As he approached the door he could hear ICP playing very loudly from the other side of the door. Kanai knocked at a decent decibel, hoping to acquire the demon's attention.

Soon enough, the music cut and the bedroom door swung open. Alistar stood there shirtless, in a pair of black occult sweatpants and his ruby red hair tied up in a ponytail as his crimson eyes looked Kanai up and down. "Sup dude?" curious as to what he wanted, he cocked a thin red brow, knowing full well the hound had plans for the day.

"I need you to help me," the navy haired demon said simply, his emotionless eyes resting on that of the other.

"Ok, with what?" Cocking his head upward now, Al was intrigued by his friend’s sudden dance around the subject.

"I need you to look after Draeko while I'm out, he isn't feeling well," immediately Al's eyebrows fell into a furrowed motion and he crossed his arms over his chest as he absorbed the inconvenient request.

"Why me? I dont know the first thing about whatever the hell it is he's got," scoffing with a dramatic toss of his head.

"For me? Please?" This time Kanai stared straight into Alistar’s….being. Can you really say he has a soul? Maybe somewhere in there, to whatever part of Al’s body Kanai often appealed to, he bore into it.

"Fine...but you owe me," folding like a lawn chair, as he typically did in matters like these, but he was pointing a serious index finger into the other's slyly smug face.

"Thank you, Al," He nodded his head gently in a kind gesture, his face turned up, almost as if he would smile, but the motion was still too foreign to the hound. Yet the change in his general energy, could be easily deciphered from the red head. Al rolled his eyes, trying to push away the blush that was almost unnoticeable if he wasn’t so pale. Ever since Drae started coming around he was doing that, almost smiling thing more. Typically it was only something he had seen when they’d done something malicious, but it was still very different from that. However, things were changing for them now. Both of them.

"Yeah, yeah...so like...what do I have to do?" begrudgingly he started following the man out to the living room, now where they both loomed over the sniffling mess of a man that lay across their couch.

"You just have to always ask him what he needs...a lot....maybe set a timer every 15 minutes to check in on him.." he thought thoroughly before stopping in their tracks.

"Oh...jeez..he looks like he's dying...are you sure he's not dying?" Alistar looked over at Kanai with an air of seriousness, never having really seen a human this ill, without the reason being heavy addiction. Drae peaked open his dulled duo colored eyes and sniffled weakly.

"I'b not dying...I'b jusd sicg!" he huffed with a slight attitude causing Al to narrow his eyes over the little mutt. The two hadn't really exactly spent a whole lot of time together. Alistar thought Drae more like, a stupid distraction pulling his best friend's attention from him. Manipulating other's wasn't quite as fun without Kanai beside him thinking he was making acquaintances. Drae thought of Al as some bitter, angry, loser that was holding Kanai back. They clashed any time they shared a room together since K started dragging the mutt around with them every where they went.

"Listen here kiddo, if you're going to act like a priss I'll have you know I'-..." grumbling with slight agitation before Kanai lifted his hand in the space between the two of them.

"No, Drae is allowed to feel whatever emotions he feels Al, and you have to understand he is sick, he isn't himself...suck it up," Kanai spoke while gathering all his things and kissing the mutt on his forehead before taking his leave from the apartment all together. "Be good," he spoke more toward Al than he was Drae. The demon rolled his red eyes dramatically before looking down at the mutt once more, the front door now closing shut.

"....Is there anything you need....?" grumbing meerly under his breath but enough for the other to catch it.

"Y-yeah...I'm kind of hungry actually?" Drae perked up slightly his gaze leering slowly up at the anti-christ that refused to make eye contact with him.

"Uh...ok...what do you want?" looking to the side, he wasn't much of a cook, truly, the convenience of delivery and take out was far too grand than learning how to cook for one's self. Why would he? He could have all the money he wanted, and never have to lift a finger.

"Soup?" the mutt asked with a sore throat, trying to swallow the feeling of pins sliding down his esophagus. "Maybe some water?" bringing a tissue up to his swollen and red nose, an action caught by the red head who deemed the motion, rather cute in a strange way.

"I can make mac n cheese," he shrugged his shoulders, finally now attempting to look the other in his face, but still avoiding their eyes touching.

"No, I can'd habe thad, Al, it's bad for sicg people, it mages id worde cause of the dairy in id," furrowing his eyebrows in distaste at the mere suggestion of a flemmy meal.

"Uncle Fuckin’…..fine, whatever. I'll just order something, what kind of soup do you want?" Now pulling out his latest upgrade iphone and scrolling through the uber eats app. "They got some shit called pho, you want that?" looking up from his screen momentarily to possibly catch a response through Drae's face.

"Mmh...no...I jusd wand something comfording..." he mulled over the idea for a second but never really took to much a liking to pho. He snuffled loudly, though it was still soft and less disruptive than your typical sniff. “Sndfff…”

"Okaaaay....I could order from this weird diner, they have beef stew? Or clam chowder?" not even really certain what these kind of meals were. Al hated soup. Liquid meal? It's not a meal, its a beverage, with chunks. Gross.

"Stew sounds kind of nice...." Draeko started when he suddenly felt a painful, persistent prickle at the bridge of his nose. It crept higher, and higher. It overwhelmed him until he was hitching his mouth wide open and squinting his eyes almost halfway shut. "Heh'Kisssh!" a breathy kitten like sneeze escaped his mouth, flinging his arm across his face in order to catch the mess in the crook of his elbow.

"W-Wha?" Alistar blushed brightly at the sound, looking up from his phone to see the other still struggling to keep himself under control. Eyes leaking, nose swelling and lips dripping as he hitched again. The demon froze, just watching as his heart started to beat rapidly.

" 'ihschh! H'sSHIEW!" Again, and again the mutt suffered through as his tiny sneezes echoed the space between the two men. Al clutched his phone tightly in his right hand as he just continued to stare, almost in a trance, unaware of what was happening to him right now. Usually he was a man of composure, cool, slick, but currently he felt like he could melt into a physical puddle.

"Wait what's...what's happening are y-you okay?" he asked cautiously reaching his left palm out to gently touch the hybrid's sweating forehead.

"I'-Hih' I'm ...'TSCH! Fibe..." Draeko grumbled and sneezed, swatting his hand away trying to gain some sense of composure as his nose started to leak.

"You're literally exploding from your face," Alistar quickly looked around and grabbed a tissue bringing it over to the mutt and gently dabbing at the other's wet face.

"I'b sneeding," Drae rolled his tear stained eyes, allowing the other to help clean him up, a simple but kind gesture, it couldn't hurt to actually allow the hellion to tend to him.

"Yeah, I know what a sneeze is but...I didn't realize so many could come out at once..." looking completely entranced by the other’s stuffy, and snotty state of being. His motions moving slower as he started to notice the fine details of his chapped skin. Drae’s breath snagged in his throat once again, trying his best to respond.

"S-some-tim..'ihschh! H'TSCH! 'sHiew!" Befouled by the inevitable illness that had it’s tightened grasp on the small mutt. His sounds were innocent, like a small cat, there was minimal mess, but still puffs of stray mist would escape past his arm. Alistar felt his heart beating in places it certainly shouldn’t be at current as he tried his best to compose himself, he cleared his throat, standing back from the other’s space now.

“Okay well, uh…I’m gonna order that…stew…” he lingered as he contemplated his next move. Was he going to go back to his room and return to his previous tasks or, should he stay? Granted, the worse the mutt got, the more Alistar felt the innate urge to ravish him, but that was certainly inappropriate. He took a deep breath and swallowed. “Alright I’ll let you know when it’-…” cut off by the softest, most defiant whimper he’s ever heard, it caused a rush of heat to flood through the back of his ears and jaw.

“S-Stay? Keep me company?” Draeko pleaded from behind his stack of blankets, and used tissues, those glistening mint and pink colored eyes staring right through the soulless demon. His blackened fingers twitched as his sides. He knew he shouldn’t but, fine. He’ll do it for the sake of his best friend, and behave to his best ability.

“Uh…Alright…” looking around Al found himself more comfortable sitting on the ground next to the sofa Draeko was laying across. “You want to…idk…watch something?” He asked almost nervously, there was something off about the demon now, and Draeko could suddenly sense it. He had no time to ask questions as he continued to cough, and sniffle into his palm of crinkled tissues.

“Hnnn…” he groaned in response leaving the hellion in charge of having to make the decision.

“Okay, what if….I show you the Kardashians, huh?? They’re totally tone deaf to society around them and are actively shitty people, it’s fun to watch them scramble for a sense of normalcy in a world they begged for,” he snickered maliciously to himself as he thought back to all the episodes he’d already binged. Drae flopped his head to the side, looking at the demon with a less than amused expression.

“Okay then what do you want to watch?” Sighing deeply and leaning against the couch to look at Drae from an upside down angle.

“Aggretsuko,” he said simply. Al blinked a few times before he raised a thin brow in confusion.

“A what now?” He blinked a few times, not even really sure he heard the mutt correctly.

“Aggretsuko… just gimme the remote,” sticking his one hand out now from under the covers, Al slid the device over to him and the man began to find it in the recents, pressing play. Al went back into his phone now, ignoring the tv altogether in order to finish completing his order.

“You want anything with your stew?” He asked with an unamused tone to his voice.

“Nah,” equally distracted, Drae already found himself lost in the screen title of his show.

“K cool, it’ll be here in like 45 minutes,” clicking his phone shut he set it down on the ground beside his leg and began to watch the screen now in front of them. “What the fuck is this garbage?” He asked as the title scene came to an end and the show itself started. His eyes scanned over the harshly designed animated cat mood switching between scenes.

“It’s like..my favorite show sndfff,” Drae slicked up another mound of building sick from the depths of his sinuses, trying his best to keep them down.

“You can’t actually enjoy this shit can you…?” Alistar’s lip turned up in disgust he was so going to make Kanai pay him back for this. Before the mutt could answer there was a hiccup followed by a series of staggered inhales. “Whoa, is it happening again?” Alistar quickly turned around and almost like a dog that was told ‘treat?’, watching with intense intrigue before the hybrid let loose. Yet, with Al in such close proximity now, it filled him with nerves, stage fright. He stifled. “Hihh’GXXTsh!…Ihh’gxxnt!” shoveling his face deep into the comforter, trying to hide himself away while the feeling of built pressure pounded against his cranium.

“Now come on, that can’t feel good,” clicking his tongue with dissatisfaction. “Let it out!” He turned his body now to face the other fully, while getting a good look at his current state. His usually bright eyes were sunken, and rather lifeless. His mouth was chapped and his nose was almost swollen, hair strewn about in a terribly messy fashion.

“Bud…id’s embaradding….” He mumbled gently, shifting his gaze to the side before reaching for the box to obtain yet another tissue. Slopping it lazily against his aching nose.

“It’s just me here,” cocking a smug smirk before licking his lips dangerously. Draeko rolled his eyes in repetition.

“Thads the problem…” Mumbling with a new found shyness that Al hadn’t usually seen on the normally bubbly man.

“Just let it out,” rolling his own red orbs in reflection, with slight irritation now as he waited for the mutt to stop acting so damn coy. “Here do you want me to close my eyes?” He asked shutting his lids closed finally, Draeko giggled, though it did help a bit with the anxiety.

“Lil bid..” he uttered softly under his breath, already feeling the intense tickling build once more, his throat tightening, the prickle etching through the center of his nostrils the longer he focused on it.

“K’GNSH’’iiew! Hihh’…” his mouth hung open, and he allowed his eyes to fall shut after the first, before another forced itself through. “GXXTSH!” He sniffled loudly, though it still came off as a very gentle sound compared to most people. Alistar’s body trembled, he could not see the action but he could feel the vibration of the couch shaking beneath the pressure of Draeko’s sneezes. His toes curled in his black socks as he could not escape the thoughts in the darkness of his eyelids. His face felt hot.

“Can I look now?” He asked already starting to open his curious red orbs. Suddenly Drae panicked, trying to grab at himself uselessly trying to find something to cover his face but in no time, the dripping from his nose, the sting behind the light shining into his eyes from the peaking curtain, he found himself remaining underneath the cruel fate of fit.

“Ihh’gxXNT’IIEW! Heh’KISSH!” Out into the open air, mists of saliva drifting into the air between the two of them, a few stray droplets hitting the demon across his cheeks. He blinked his crimson reds in …almost amazement as it seemed. Quickly he grabbed a tissue and presented it to the young mutt.

“That was a surprise for you AND me,” he chuckled trying to distract himself from the rising heat within his chest. Draeko took the tissue in his own grasp, patting and rubbing his sore, leaking features.

“Shuddub…” Drae rotated his teary eyes back while blowing his nose self consciously into the thin sheet of tissue. “Uggggh I hade dhis,” he uttered helplessly while continuing to fight off the horrendous feeling that grew inside of him.

“I know, pup, but…you’re leaking like a faucet, and I’m stuck in charge so…is there anything else you need while we wait for your food to arrive?” Seemingly genuine, almost like he was dropping the hardened facade and maybe, cared? Drae blinked and shrugged gently.

“Somb more meds? On tha…uh…” his words fell back down his throat as a gasp of air forced it’s way through, his mouth hung open.

“The…?” Alistar stared at the frozen mutt, hoping to get an answer while he slowly came to a stand.

“Tha..H…Hih’hhishiew!…..counder….” Groaning with a powerful snort of his nose, desperate to feel clarity while his face only felt fuller by the hour.

“A-Alright…” Alistar quickly sped off to the kitchen and clutched the counter with his blackened hands. The Anti-Christ felt like he’d run out of air, like the time he was socked in the chest by Remi for being a bit too cheeky with the cat. He shook his head and tried to balance himself. He was sweating. “What the fuck? Why is my vessel leaking like this?” He swiped at his temples and turned to the sink and flicking it on with one swift motion. “Get it together, dude…” swift flashes of Draeko bent over the couch, looking behind him with that dripping nose and reddened eyes…the feeling of him sneezing while he’s buried…”DUDE,” he scolded himself, now dunking his entire head under the running water. He soaked through his red hair, allowing the shockingly cool temperature change to ground him, letting out a deep, desperate sigh.

“Do not…try and fuck the sick….DONT…” he stared at himself in the reflection of the over head microwave. Turning, he snatched the box of mucinex from the counter as droplets of water trickled down his scalp, neck and exposed back. When he returned to the living room Draeko looked at him with almost certain surprise.

“Why’re you all wed?” Raising a pink brow to examine the demon from head to toe, like he’d had a bucket of water dumped over him. How?

“Mind your business…here,” he tossed the box ontop of the mutt haphazardly, avoiding eye contact before he slid back to the ground, back flush against the couch.

“Okay….” Drae sighed, not liking the sudden change in atmosphere and mood. “Well…I need wader to tage it…” he managed as he fumbled with the plastic sealing on the individual pills.

“Oh shit..ok be right back,” sighing deeply before Al stood back up, walked into the kitchen, grabbed a Mountain Dew from the fridge and then brought it right back out to the mutt.

“Dude….no…wader,” sniffling sharply, pushing his sleeve against his exhausted nose. Alistar sucked in a breath of air through his teeth.

“Fuckin’ Uncle Christ,” he turned sharp on his heels, and back into the kitchen. Flinging open the fridge now with borderline rage, not really at anyone else but himself. If he had maybe a little bit of earthly knowledge in this sort of situation, that would be nice. They don’t really teach ‘Healing the Sick’ in Anti-Christ training. He snagged a water bottle out of the fridge and slammed it shut before he once again, returned to Draeko who was stuffing bits of tissue into his nose and still tending to his ever flowing face. “Here,” he shoved the bottle into the mutt’s lap before once again, taking a seat on the floor. Yet, the second his butt touched the surface, there was a knock.

“Bro! Every time I sit down?!” Now letting out an exuberantly frustrated chuff of air he stood, AGAIN, and stomped his way to the door, flinging it open with such rage that it spooked the delivery person standing on the other side. “What?!” His red eyes narrowed in on the bag in the shaking man’s hand.

“D-delivery f-for Al?” Presenting the bag slowly to the raging demon, he snatched it with his blackened hand, narrowed his eyes and spoke without emotions.

“Thanks,” closing the door he walked into the kitchen, a place he was sick and tired of having to be in, and started to fix a proper bowl of stew for Draeko. “Stupid Kanai…stupid Draeko…stupid earthly illnesses…I just wanted to watch ICP music videos today, maybe jack off a couple times, MAYBE, get some Poon….NO…” he grumbled the entire way through pouring the contents of the Togo bowl into a real temperature regulated containment. “I’m here…taking care of KANAI’S fuckin PET….catching BLUE balls…” Slamming the now empty to go box into the trash, shuffling his feet out back to the living room. While he approached the couch once more with his hands full of soup, uttering, mumbling and grumbling to himself he paused dead in his tracks.

Draeko was sitting up now, hugging his legs, and gently crying into his knees. “Hey…wha-…wait,” Alistar, already feeling and knowing the very real sense in sorrow. He set the bowl aside on the table and he sat next to Drae, looking at him with quizzical eyes. “What’s this? Why are you sad?” He wanted to reach out with his hand but, he couldn’t seem to make his body do it. So his hands stayed in his lap, and his ruby reds bore curiously into the mutt.

“Just leave….if taking care of me is SUCH an inconvenience on you, then leave, I don’t need you stomping around here making me feel worse,” He now looked up at the Hellion with tear stained eyes.

“Hey, wait! I didn’t…..” Al sat back for a second and reflected on the way he acted. Normally, it was fine with just him and Kanai here, but he hadn’t realized how sensitive the pink and mint colored male was. “Look, my bad okay? I just…..” he took a breath in and averted his gaze to the side while the sniffling, shaking mutt listened closely. “I never get to see Kanai anymore..and I just, feel left out…and like I don’t know…” he shrugged.

“Are you jealous of me, Al?” He asked quizzically.

“No. I’m not…jealous? I just hate…that you have such an influence on him, and that…I don’t know, what happens if you put all these things in his head, and then you disappear and he’s not the same as he was before? I’ve seen it ya know…” he muttered running a hand through his crimson threads. “Look, I just…I’m not used to….talking…I just don’t want you to change my best friend for the worst…and not in a fun way either,” he chuckled trying to lighten the seriousness of his sudden vulnerability.

“Oh, I have absolutely no intentions of going anywhere, Al….I really love that big lug…and I know, before you start…” he looked down at his hands. “I know it’s probably highly unlikely that he will even fully understand or truly love me back…” his face turned up into a smile, those his eyes stay somber. “It just means I’ll have to love enough for the both of us, but that’s perfectly fine with me cause, he’s the first person that’s ever felt like home,” trying explain himself the best way he could, looking up now to meet the demon’s avoidant gaze.

Alistar realized in that moment, this may be something incredibly real for his best friend. The only opportunity for him to ever know what it’s like to be loved selflessly.

“I’m sorry I’ve been a heathen….there’s more reason than one but…” he said genuinely, though it was hard to tell how genuine when his face always seemed so emotionless when he was trying to be, vulnerable. Meanwhile, he kept his struggle of arousal to himself. Least he make their newly found friendship, weird. “Let me make it up to you…” he turned his whole body to the side, and he noticed a visible chill go down Draeko’s spin. A tinge of pain shot up the mutt’s body and into his temples.

“Well first…I need a pain killer or something…can you grab me some Tylenol?” Taking the opportunity in the now seemingly once again peaceful environment, to get some relief from his suffering.

“Yeah, no problem, hey there’s soup over there if you’re peckish..” he nodded his head in the general direction of the bowl, before getting up and walking into the kitchen. This time, he wasn’t so angry, but thoughtful in his own head. He hadn’t realized how sensitive earthly beings were and for the first time he was actually aware of how he was carrying himself. Taking a deep breath to make sure he maintained an even aura, he grabbed all the medicine stuff that had been splayed across the counter. “Okay, so hopefully I won’t need to come back for any aide shit,” mumbling softly to himself as he came back arms full of bottles and packaging. “Okay which one is the Tylenol?” Looking down within his loot to scan any of the labels facing him.

“The white bottle with the red lid,” Draeko said before sliding a spoonful of stew down his throat. He was sitting criss cross on the couch, bowl in his lap as he continued to observe the demon. Who, in turn sat on the ground, and spilled over his hoard.

“Red lid….” His eyes visibly scanning through the different items before they spotted the exact bottle description he was given. He snagged it in his hand, turned it over and it read ‘Tylenol’ in bright red letters, satisfied he had found the correct item he popped open the lid and then looked up at the mutt. “Uh…how many you want?” Lifting his brow in confusion. Drae couldn’t help but giggle at this point.

“Are you allergic to reading? Medication bottles usually tell you in the directions how many you can exceed in a 24 hour period,” they both shared a chuckle while Al shook his head.

“My bad ok! They don’t really emphasize the attention to detail on the health care system, just how to abuse it,” he shrugged simply with a snicker before he actually took the time to scan over the bottle. “Okay says don’t exceed 6 so….give you 6? Or?” Fixing his gaze back up to Drae.

“Well I COULD take 6, but that wouldn’t be a good idea, give me two, and then set a timer for two hours for me to take another..okay?” It was slightly taxing having to explain how to take care of him to a seemingly grown man, but he never forgets that both Al and Kanai, are not from here, and it takes patience to deal with them sometimes.

“Alright cool, here’s two then,” the hellion handed the two pills over from his blackened hand and then preemptively taking the bottle of water next to the mutt, twisting off the lid and handing that over as well.

“You ARE learning!” The smaller giggled with a wink before snapping the pills back in his mouth and sloshing it down with the refreshment.

“Whatever,” rolling his crimson’s with a sly smirk spreading across his face. “Okay so you wanna watch that show now?” Though it played softly in the background this entire time, he meant more in the sense of actually watching the damn show instead of going back and forth.

“Yeah!” Drae seemed to cheer up now, before he suddenly looked very, quizzical. “Can I ask a favor though?” A light blush spreading across his cheeks.

“What’s up?” Almost cocking his head to the side as his ruby reds looked over the mutt’s slightly shy expression.

“Will you sit up here with me?” Patting the spot to the right of him, lifting his blankets to clear space for the demon.

“Uh…yeah, sure,” shrugging his shoulders without giving it a second thought, he plopped himself directly next to the small man, slinging a long arm across the back of the couch, behind Drae’s shoulders. “Alright, so what is the point of this show?”

“Well, Retsuko,” he started but quickly was met with interruption by the demon.

“The cat?” Alistar spoke out, looking between the tv and Drae who had just previously tried to speak.

“She’s a red panda!” He seemed offended, but any negative connotation that would come with offense was lost when he shook his head with laugh.

“Okay! Sheesh…” Al returned it with a huff through his nostrils and a toothy grin.

“Anyways…Retsuko works at an office and basically hates it, so she often vents through out the show in the fashion of death metal,” explaining a bit more with his hands than he was with his own words.

“Huh…” The demon now stuck watching a scene to which would be described as Retsuko venting, via death metal. “That’s kind of sick though…I’d probably find the human race a bit more tolerable if this was how they all vented,” he snickered, unconsciously his arm slipped down to pull Draeko into the crook of his chest, essentially snuggling him. Neither of the two men spoke about the sudden closeness they were sharing, it felt rather natural to them as they occasionally chittered and chuckled.

A few episodes went by and at first it seemed like the mucinex and Tylenol were working miracles on getting Draeko to a place of better health. However, mid way through the third episode, he started to feel that tickle again. Drae shifted under Al’s clinging arm, and tried his best to fight the urges rising within him. Alistar noticed the sudden twitching, and shifting under him and he looked down to see the small man’s nose flexing, and twisting.

“You okay?” He asked with a slight edge of concern in his voice.

“N-n…Hh’NDKT’ih! ‘ihschh!” He sneezed toward Al’s bare open chest, a mist of saliva spreading across his flesh. Al froze, and looked down, trying to hide the blush on his face that was surely growing brightly, quickly Drae slapped a hand over his face.

“S-sorry…H’GXTSH’UE! ‘TSCH! H’ih’Sshiew!” Trying now to shield himself as he shoved the blanket up into his face, successfully stifling any continued mess away from the hellion.

“N-No…you’re good…” Alistar muttered weakly as he reached over for a few tissues, bringing them over to Drae’s nose, pinching and rubbing the poor hybrid’s nostrils for him. His gaze staring closely at the darkened circles under the mint and pink orbs. “You need some rest, your vessel is tired,” he warned the mutt lightly while wiping any stray dribbles of saliva that may be on his chin.

“Bud…we’re wadghing someding…” whimpering stuffily he tried his best to keep fighting the broiling symptoms inside him.

“No arguing, sleep will do you some good…maybe laying down will help,” Al leaned back on the couch, his long body spreading as far as he could with the other still sitting there, he opened his arms out. “M’ere,” his fingers wiggling inward toward him, beckoning the sick one to come forth. Letting out a slightly defeated huff before he crawled into the space between Al’s leg’s allowing the demon to wrap his arms around his neck loosely, snuggling together like two puzzle pieces. “See? Get comfy, catch some Z’s it’ll be okay,” bringing a hand over to softly play with the loose strands of hair that fell over his lower abdomen.

“Bud…I’b…nod..” trying to fight against him but unfortunately, the warm body he laid on, and the fingers in his hair quickly sent him into slumber. The exhaustion from suffering all morning long, was just far too great. It was almost instant the second his body had gotten comfortable. Alistar, long abandoning the colorful television show that played mindlessly in the background, his eyes watched over Drae’s now sleeping figure. The way his chest gently rose and fell, but caught and stuttered in between breaths, mouth hanging slightly a jar. Any time it seemed like he may struggle himself awake, Al would slip his darkened finger tips tenderly down the male’s nose bridge, allowing it to soothe whatever interruption may intrude on his slumber.

As much as he longed for another, needed just one more to store in his memory to make the perfect mental compilation. He owed it to Kanai to take care of the sickly mutt at his best capabilities. This small hybrid male…may be the only creature in existence that can truly love the hound for exactly as he is, and truthfully, the only one that’ll follow him where he’s going. Alistar wasn’t sure what the future held, and if his father ever caught onto what he was doing down here, he could very well never see Kanai again. Leaving the hound alone. As he lost himself in one of the first thoughtful moments he’d ever had with himself, Drae shuffled. The demon blinked a few times as the movements brought him into reality, immediately looking down to see the mutt turning on his side, completely spooning Alistar’s thigh and leg.

“Pup?” He asked quietly out loud, trying to peer over to see his face, yet it was covered by the other’s colored hair. When he was met with silence he spoke out loud to himself “Guess not,” he chuckled through his nostrils, continuously running his hand delicately through Draeko’s hair. As his fingers gently combed through the strands, he let the backs of his digits slide gracefully across the other’s sleeping cheeks, causing him to slightly stir into the motion.

“K-…anai…” Drae whimpered in his sleep, snuggling closer into the demon’s body. Al almost froze up but realizing the mutt’s eyes were still sealed shut, he could only allow a small smile to slip over his features.

“Don’t worry kid, he’ll be home soon…I’ll take care of you til then,” his voice was soft, nothing but a whisper as he continued to run his hands over the man’s sleeping form. It felt like forever as the show played behind them and Al just carefully watched over Drae, Ruby eyes constantly gazing up and down the man’s body to observe any changes.

“Mmh…” the mutt grumbled from his sleep.

“Shh…” Al cooed with upmost care, just trying to insure the man retained his comfort, despite the fact his own leg was starting to go numb. “Shit..” he uttered loosely, unable to move his lower half as it joined Draeko into dream land. He heard a distant ding from under his torso, he just barely fidgeted to slide the device from under him with his free arm, looking at the screen he saw the display name.

Mine 🩵🩶: Hey can I eat these handfuls of colorful pellets they’ve given me?

Draeko: It’s Al. Drae fell asleep. Yeah, go for it.

Mine🩵🩶: ok

Alistar snickers to himself knowing full well he just told the hound to eat a handful of fish food. Often, finding it funnier to make his best friend fuck around and find out. Just as he was about to set the phone down another text came in.

Mine🩵🩶: It was salty. Everyone is looking at me weird. Why are they dumping theirs in the water?

Draeko: lol

Mine🩵🩶: Al????

Alistar sets the phone back down, he knows the 2500 year old being can figure how to manage on his own. For someone who was deeply invested in research, he surely didn’t pay enough attention to folks around him, and it was about time he did. His gaze switches over to the tv and though he had long lost interest in the strange cartoon, he was stuck here watching it. The remote had fallen onto the floor, and was not within Al’s range of reach. Instead he just continued to lay there, staring at the ceiling. Hm. He was bored. Severely bored. He sighed, almost completely forgetting he was trying to remain a comfortable source to the mutt, his expressive exhale is what woke him.

“Hmm?” Drae stirred, and Alistar’s crimson orbs shot down to examine the once sleeping creature’s face to see dulled out, and sleepy mint/pink eyes searching the space around him.

“Mornin’,” Al chuckled sliding his hand through the strands of hair that covered the mutt’s face and pushing them out of the way. “Sleep good?”

“Mmm…yeah,” followed with a yawn before he turned over to lay flat on his back now. “When did I fall asleep?” Blinking the sand from his eyes as he felt his body starting to waken, different areas of him throbbing uncomfortably.

“While ago,” The demon replied back smoothly, his face still searching that of the mutt’s exhausted features.

“You’ve just been…letting me lay on you then?” Drae raised a mint brow, his eyes looking up at him from where he was, his view of Al completely upside down but unchanging in the way he comprehended the hellion’s tone.

“Yeah, no biggie…K texted, but I helped sort that out so you could keep resting,” shrugging his shoulders and nodding his head into the direction of Drae’s cell that laid on his upper chest.

“Oh is he okay??” Trying to find the strength to sit up, only to be stopped by Al’s strong blackened hands keeping him in his position.

“Yeah, all good,” nodding once, with a slightly reassuring smile.

“Good…my head is killing me…” the mutt seemed to settle back down between Al’s legs, laying on his back as his hands came up to massage the different places on his skull that ached.

“Need me to rub your temples?” Alistar offered simply, his eyes going back and forth between watching Drae try to soothe himself, and the mutt’s pained expression.

“Would you?” Peaking his mint colored eye out from under his closed lids, wishing himself relief from the currently pounding headache.

“Sure, just relax,” the demon shifted just slightly so he could look down at Drae more fully, being able to see his head completely, he brought his hands to each side of the other’s head and with four fingers, on either side, began to gently massage the sore spots. Immediately he could feel Draeko melt into his lap, eyes slipping closed and groaning gently in response.

“It’s so much better when someone else does it….” He sighed with relief, allowing the hellion to work out his pain.

“That’s what she said,” Al couldn’t help but chuckle playfully, watching as Drae’s eyes shot open to make contact in his own.

“You’re such a turd,” giggling with a roll of his dual colored orbs.

“Yeah, rather me be a turd than a puddle of wet shart though,” Al said almost too seriously for Drae to not respond with a genuine laugh.

“Sometimes, the things you say are incredibly concerning,” slipping his eyes back to a closed position, while Al’s hands never ceased their movements despite the conversation between them.

“Probably, but it made you laugh, so I guess the line between funny and horrendous remains the same…” winking his crimson eye at the mutt as his hands continued to soothe and massage at Drae’s head.

“Mmmhh touché, just don’t stop,” rotating his eyes closed once more, feeling the first bits of real relief he hadn’t felt in days. Al’s face was flushed as he felt his body change in temperature again, the sounds of the relaxing man were proving to be a tad tempting. Yet, despite his natural hellish instincts to try and put the moves out, he swallowed it, and just remained attentive to the little mutt.

Seemingly, the tension inside his skull was starting to subside but as the pressure released there, it almost felt like it was migrating. The center of his face now feeling much tighter than it had when we woke. “W-Wait…think…I’m gonna…” hesitating to get the full sentence out, Drae’s eyes opened but squinted immediately when the light of the tv only irritated the continually building feeling. “I’m…” he tried to push back at the hellion’s hands but it was if no real use.

“Are you gonna sneeze again?” Alistar asked almost hopeful? It was enough to confuse Drae to disregard the fact he was trying to hold back.

“Hihh’GXXTsh’iiew! ehh’Gxxtchh’iew!” He brought a palm up, slapped clear across his mouth as he exploded outwardly. It was impossible to stop the force, but he did everything in his power to. Al reached down to snatch each of Draeko’s wrists pulling them apart from his face.

“Stop holding them back,” his voice was now much darker, commanding, Drae suddenly felt very small compared to the demon.

“Ehhh?” Looking up at Al from his still laying position.

“Stop. Holding. Them. Back. You’ll make your eyes pop out,” smirking, knowing it was a good enough excuse beside the sheer fact he just wanted to hear it. He’d been waiting hours again for the mutt to fall into another fit. The mutt looked innocently at the hellion before biting his lower lip, and as his ducts began to well with liquid, the red head could already suspect more were to come. “Release,” he said simply, but yet still laced with a dark edge.

“K’GNSH’iiew! Hih’hhishiew!” Each one so special in their own quietly explosive way, it was truly like a musical orchestra in the demon’s buzzing head. There was a lack of mess that disappointed him, as they weren’t relatively outward ENOUGH.

“See? Doesn’t that feel much better?” Releasing one of the male’s wrists to swipe his thumb under Drae’s moistened lower lip. In turn, the mutt nodded, but his maw hung open lazily as he struggled to breath.

“Bud now my node id plugged again..” warbling weakly, followed with a pout.

“Awww but the way you sound is so unbelievably adorable!” Pinching the mutt’s cheek playfully. “Come on…I know you have another in there…you still sound so full..” tickling his finger tips feverishly under Drae’s already struggling nostrils.

“H-Hey!”

“Just a little more…come on, we’re friends, right?” Licking his teeth predatorily. Draeko groaned lowly in his throat before he let out a sigh of defeat.

“F-fine…H..hh…” stuttering and shaking under the demon’s still dusting hands. “Heh’kissh!! H!! Hih’hhishiew!” Al had just in time moved his palm to hover over Draeko’s open sneezing mouth, capturing any and every particle that came flying out. The mutt now unable to handle it anymore, he brought his wrist up to swipe and wipe at his leaking and wet face. “T-There…habby?” Snuffling and rubbing at his still itching nose. The hellion brought his hand upward twisting it under the light of the tv, the living space darkening as the sun started to set. He watched as his hand glistened and shined with even a poorly lit atmosphere.

“Very,” he responded lost in his trance of admiration before he brought his palm down and slid his tongue across a collection of the mess, giving into his carnal desires if just a little.

“Uh…” Drae stared up at him, suddenly feeling almost like prey in the palm of a hunter.

“Hm? What? I deserve to get a LITTLE something out of this…even if that means my own imagination later on tonight…” he spoke so nonchalantly, it almost slid right over the sickly mutt’s head but he furrowed his brows and rolled his eyes.

“You’re a weirdo,” shaking his head slowly back and forth.

“Yeah well, get used to it, kid,” he smirked ruffling his hair a bit now. Just as he was retracting his hand back to his side, the front door opened to their apartment and in walked Kanai, their favorite hell hound. “Hey buddy!”

“Don’t Hey buddy me, you let me eat fish food…” the man furrowed his brows over now at the demon who was already bursting into hysteria, shutting the door behind him. Draeko snapped back to look up at the cackling man and seemed now equally as upset.

“You did what??” He exploded in a tone of accusation.

“Hey! In my defense the guide probably told him, it’s not my fault he wasn’t paying attention,” trying to clear himself of any blame in this situation.

“It tasted horrible,” Kanai stepped closer as he looked over the two and his lips almost pulled up in what seemed like a smile. “You two seem to be getting along though, how are you feeling?” His eyes now coming to fall upon Drae’s swollen and red face, pressing the back of his hand softly against the hybrid’s still burning forehead.

“Still like poop…I missed you…” reaching his hands out in a grabby fashion, Kanai leaned downward and placed a gentle kiss upon the mutt’s clammy forehead, as he had before he left that day. Al stayed seated, but couldn’t help watch how different the hound seemed to be around Drae. It almost softened whatever heart he had beating inside his hallow chest.

“Yeah…well…babysitting is over for me now I guess…” chuckling to try and mask the slight disappointment that he would no longer be of any use now.

“Or…K could set up a spot on the floor and we could have a cuddle puddle! That would help me feel better faster, I know it!” Both hellions seemed rather confused by the sudden idea, but in all truthfulness, Draeko didn’t want Alistar to feel left out anymore. He could see it past the masking ruby orbs that he missed quality time with his best friend, and the mutt, despite being ill, was determined to make a change. If Kanai was his forever, so be it that Alistar would be too. The navy haired man shrugged his shoulders before he voiced his own opinion on the situation.

“If that’s what you want, Luciftias, I’ll go grab some extra pillows and blankets,” already settling into the idea without any hesitation. Draeko swiftly nodded his head, managing to beam up happily at the hound, who could only return the gesture by ruffling the already messy mint and pink colored hair strands. “Anything for you,”

Alistar smirked, his gaze fallen upon the little hybrid, almost lovingly. He could see exactly what the little mutt was up to, and it melted a thin layer of ice that had long encased his heart. Maybe there was more to this plane of existence than chaos. Maybe there was more to his existence, than chaos.

The End.

Author’s Notes: Aweeeeeeeee suh cute 🥹 Alistar’s secretly a softy for his best friend, and in turn, Drae as well. Cbwizckwh sorry if this wasn’t my best? Idk me and Geez wanted something cute so I hope ya’ll enjoyed 🥰 @aller-geez did the cover art and Owns Draeko as well as Kanai!