#listen: i do not mind the cerberus - i do mind being eaten

[modormouth]

had this weird dream this afternoon where i and a relative finally moved house. seemed alright and we thought. cool. this house is ours now. the real estate agent never told us however that there was a bloodborne-ish cerberus patrolling the basement. is it a dealbreaker for most people? yes. but i'm not most people. it is however a dealbreaker that said cerberus hunts down anything that breathes near him. yes i tried hiding. yes i failed miserably (i felt jaws crushing my lower midsection and ribs so ah- a painful ending to a dream).

I DIED

[belphies-cuhm-sluht]

Hello 👋

I saw that requests were open and I was wondering if you could do the brothers reactions to a MC who Cerberus absolutely loves?

Brothers Reacting To Cerberus Loving MC

Lucifer

Shocked. Cerberus doesn’t love anyone, he’s pretty sure that his dog doesn’t even love him, it just obeys him. When he heard you squealing through the vents, knowing that it was coming from the basement, his heart kind of froze. But then again, why would you be in the basement anyway? He’s fully prepared to have his brothers clean your scattered flesh and bones from the floor, absolutely sure of it that Cerberus had torn you to pieces. He’s frozen in place as he reaches the landing of the stairs, watching as all three heads lick along your face. He’ll keep a watchful eye on the mutt whenever it’s around you, still worried, deep down, that Cerberus will look at you as a snack instead of a friend one day.

Mammon

Terrified. When you told him that you were taking a walk and asked him to join you, he was so hyped. So excited. Taking a walk with his favorite MC, sign him up, oh wait, you already did. What he wasn’t expecting was to see the thick leash that connected to all three collars of Cerberus’ heads. Did Lucifer make you do this? Was this some kind of prank? Wait! Why are you kneeling down in front of their heads? Is this some kind of sick punishment where he has to watch the one person he’s madly in love with get eaten by the demon mutt?! Oh… it’s… rubbing its face against yours, and you’re… enjoying it? THE THING LOVES YOU?! Ridiculous. But he will still join you for that walk… just in case he has to protect you, ya know…

Leviathan

Confused. Playing video games with you was a daily occurrence, he loved doing it, and he loved the silence that neither of you seemed to mind. Usually, you would stay there until someone decided to barge in and try to steal you away from him. Now though, now you were ending your literal play date (at least that’s how he thought of it) early, telling him you needed to go take care of Cerberus. TAKE CARE OF CERBERUS?! Take care as in, be near it? Be in the mutts general vicinity? Why would you do that? Because it likes you!? You’ve gotta be kidding! It’s one thing to have to share you with his brothers, but now he has to share you with Lucifers literal demon dog.

Asmodeus

Disgusted. You texted him to tell him that you’d have to cancel your bi-weekly self-care day. At first he just glanced over the text and nodded to himself, only to do a double take and practically have a heart attack. Canceling? A Self Care Day? With HIM? Who could be more important than him?! Well, the question wasn’t exactly who, it was a what. When you told him it was so you could give Cerberus his own little self care day, he about died. Did you KNOW how dirty that thing was? Ugh. The dirt will get all under your nails, and Father forbid if he licks you! The saliva will get all in your pores and MC… listen. You come to him as soon as you’re done because that is just, big yucky. Let him clean you up.

Satan

Confused. What kind of unknown power do you hold within you that you could have, unbeknownst to you, used to tame that wild animal? He’ll watch you from a distance, see if he feels some kind of strange magical aura emanating off of you while you’re around Cerberus, only to find that… the dog just likes you? Nothing magical about it. You’ve been here for… how long? Definitely not long enough to have formed a bond with that thing. Now it’s sleeping at the foot of your bed, almost guarding it, and since it is Lucifer's dog, it growls whenever he enters the room. Thanks MC. Get rid of it. Put it back in the basement. Kill it. He doesn’t care. Just… keep it away from him.

Beelzebub

Indifferent. Sure, the dog scared his brothers, and the mention of the dogs name sometimes sent a shiver down his spine, but honestly, he was the least scared of all of them. He didn’t snap that picture of himself as the dog groomer for nothing. He’ll be slightly worried at first when he sees you with Cerberus, mainly because you’re just a fragile human and a quick smack of the dogs paw, even playfully, could crush your skull. But he also knows that as long as he’s around while you’re with Cerberus that everything will be okay because he’s big, he’s strong, he could definitely take down Cerberus before he even got his mouth open far enough to bite you.

Belphegor

Curious. Of course, he doesn’t like Cerberus at all. He’ll say he’s not scared of it, but, we all know differently. He’s terrified of the beast, and rightfully so, it was a beast and it would not hesitate to rip one to pieces if given the chance to… that’s why he was so confused when he, for once, woke from his nap and came down the stairs to see you in the living area rolling on the floor with Cerberus. At first he thought you were being attacked, which, he probably should act faster now that he thinks of it… but then he hears you laughing. Your squeals of delight were unusual noises to be heard when one was around the beast. He wasn’t going to get close enough to find out what was going on, so he just blamed it on Lucifer. Obviously he must have done some stupid spell that would make Cerberus love you so that he himself would be too scared to come near you. He’ll get Lucifer back for that.

[spookyvalentine]

oc profile:

thanks for the tag @aceghosts !! i always have so much fun doing these. imma snag @irikahkrios @battlemastershepard @vizarding @comefeedtherainn​ @yellingaboutmasseffect​ @zet-sway​ and have at it if ye wish me mateys!

General-

Name: mercy shepard (no middle name)

Alias(es): shep, coach (from sports coach au)

Gender: agender

Age: i haven’t quite figured out how long i hc 3 to be, but by the end of it, maybe thirty four, fiveish? if you count the years their body was on the table. mercy... doesn’t really. at least start of 2, when asked their age usually what fell out of their mouth first was thirty one. (for sports coach au they’ve just turned thirty one)

Birthdate: april 11? 2154. day isn’t really known for sure? they were found several days old

Place of birth: unknown! but they were left at st. bernard parish fire department, louisiana while still a fresh baby

Hometown: their most stable home was around lake martin, when they were taken in by the henrys. around thirteen they went to juvie in new orleans, and that started their urban feral teenager life. eventually they move out to another megacity (havent figured out which one yet lmao) and meets kasumi

Spoken language(s): they’re pretty adept without the translator. mercy is fluent in english and creole, passable french and korean, and readily picks up phrases in other languages. after being reconstructed, a translator was literally built into mercy. they resent its presence sometimes.

Sexual preference: open. they’ve been too damn busy to even think to seek out experiences, but aesthetically admire all sorts

Occupation: spectre and alliance officer. enormous pain in the ass before that

Appearance-

Eye color: gold. not hazel or brown ‘til in the light type thing. when anderson first saw those odd lantern eyes it made him think of the foxes that liked to linger at the edges of his parents garden when he was growing up

Hair color: somewhere between summer wheat and spun gold. darkens a little, when not planetside

Height: 6’2 >:)

Scars: they have some from the thresher maw, some acid scars on the left side of their body like thick webbing that cut through parts of a tattoo. maybe got part of their ear. and one they got as a kid that sliced across their face. and then they were rebuilt, and what was left in their place were those glowing lines. (sports coach au they still have the thresher maw scars)

Favorite-

Color: greens

Hair color: favorite hair color on them??? they’ve never dyed their hair before, only crazy haircuts

Song: its not mercy’s favorite song bc i dont know how i’d even choose right, but the song that i have in my head for them is falcon in the dive from the musical the scarlet pimpernel (which fucks severely, also just do yourself a favor and listen to this too because christine andreas makes my heart stop beating. wow. WOW yes i will push it on everyone)

Food: clementines, satsumas, mandarins—any sweet citrus that peels easily (oranges are more work, but will be eaten if they’re around). persimmons, figs. cotton candy flavored grapes. cherries, peaches. they’re a very big fruit bat, basically. they get hype for an alien produce stand

Drink: day to day? chicory coffee, lapsang souchang, soda water. Sometimes lemonade or apple juice. for booze, theyre down for a beer. really likes a good whiskey. delights trying homebrew moonshine. ‘you made it in your bathtub? you went blind for two minutes? hell yeah i’ll have a glass cheers’

Have They-

Passed university: they went through officer academy and all that n7 training, does that count? 

Had sex: once in a relationship w thane, yeah boiii 

Had sex in public: …maybe? that is um. something to explore 

Gotten pregnant: never, also not possible

Kissed a boy: yes, although for these situations ‘been kissed by’ is maybe more accurate

Kissed a girl: yes, see above

Gotten tattoos: yep! they have two large pieces from before being arrested and negotiated into joining the alliance. they start under the jaw and both sides of the neck, going across the shoulders, along and down the arms, coming to an end on the forearms, and they shelled out for that fancy ink, that’s a little bit holographic/iridescent, where the colors would shift and glint in the light as they moved. obviously they’re gone when miranda rebuilds mercy, but they’re absolutely still around in the sports coach au 

Gotten piercings: had a handful of ear piercings as a teen, but has mostly stopped wearing them, for practical reasons 

Been in love: falling in love for the first time 

Stayed up for more than 24 hours: oh lmao yes for sure 

Are They-

A virgin: not anymore babeyyyyy

A cuddler: with people they are very close to

A kisser: oh yeah, big time. really into it now

Scared easily: nope! if anything, has adrenaline junkie tendencies 

Jealous easily: nah. sometimes when they were a teen growing up on the streets, but not anymore

Dominant: in bed? still figuring things out there. maybe sometimes. in life? they’re not domineering, but will shout people down if it comes to it

Submissive: also still figuring that out in bed ;) absolutely not in other situations tho. if theyre being submissive theyre usually up to something 

In love: learning what its like 

Single: not once mercy realizes what they’re feeling for thane (there was a lot of facepalming from kasumi and frustrated yelling on this one)

Random Questions (tw for self harm/suicide mention)-

Have they harmed themselves: i mean, through some of their harebrained, reckless ideas where the possibility of getting hurt is assured but they don’t care, yes

Thought of suicide: maybe a little, after akuze

Attempted suicide: no

Wanted to kill someone: oh absolutely homie

Have / had a job: yeah, pulling peoples heads outta asses

Have any fears: oh for sure, mind control and zombies, and even though now they know how to kill one down absolutely dead--thresher maws 

Family

Sibling(s): none, but kasumi is basically one

Parent(s): unknown. they had some foster parents (adoption was never approved) that offered mercy some important years of shelter

Children: no biological kids. but they feel powerfully parental feelings for grunt, jack and tali. kolyat and oriana too, eventually. in sports coach au though (more details to follow soon), jack is theirs. after akuze they got on the scent of cerberus early, and therefore busted down pragia while jack was still a lil kid, who pretty much imprinted on mercy

Significant other: thane, and in sports coach au, irikah + thane

Pet(s): their fish. they’ve got names like hand roll, don and chip

[frangipansi]

Hi! If your inbox is open, I'd like to request a scenario with all (or any) of the demon brothers, + undatables reacting to a blind MC? Like, none of them expected to have a blind human and Devildom and they have to revamp everything to make it as safe for MC as possible. Can be she/her or they/them pronouns for MC. Bonus points if MC is extremely talkative and won't shut up lmao. Thank you!

OKAY! So, finally got this one out. I’m sooo sorry for the wait, but I wanted to try and do this right, not just some Daredevil nonsense, but I didn’t want to make the mistake of a ‘helpless blind MC’ either; because they’re not helpless.

I am also lucky enough to have a regular customer at my work that happens to be blind and she has been very happy to give me a helping hand to make this ask more real. She’s such a delight and her guide dog is beautiful and I could ramble on with our interactions, like one time she scolded us for moving the fixtures because she had just memorized the layout of the store then told her guide “you’ll earn that pay check today!”

SO! With her in mind, more so from her younger days that she reminisced with me; I have decided to work this piece around this customer’s condition specifically so I’m not just pulling shit out my arse.

To give you an idea, this MC suffers from Retinitis pigmentosa; their symptoms being tunnel vision and night blindness. So while they are legally blind, they can somewhat see. They use a cane when going out, use their hands and/or cane when inside a place knew to them – that happens to be in poor light (Devildom) – until they have the layout in their mind and move more confidently.

~

This also took a while because I couldn’t get a fic/scenario to work cohesively and hc was just not working either! But I’ve hopefully gotten it now, and I do hope you like it. I’ve also placed this under the cut because I’ve waffled on here.

Diavolo:

Interested. Anyone within the Devildom without eyesight, are generally the souls of the damned who aren’t permitted to move freely. Heck, he’s removed some of their eyes himself.

He wants to know instantly if there is anything he needs to change and improve to make sure MC’s stay is not only comfortable but enjoyable.

Absolutely loves how open MC is. He’s amazed at the resilience of humans; delighted to hear MC say how capable they are, though he does insist on one of the brother’s remaining her escort for the duration of their stay. Capable or not, he is well aware of how demons would use MC’s lack of sight to their advantage.

Really wants to ask how amplified their other senses are; disappointed to know most things depicted in movies are – for the most part – an over exaggeration.

Organises a tablet for them with all RAD textbooks uploaded so they have that ability to zoom in so they are able to read the text at their own comfort. Other systems such as braille, text to talk etc are also implemented if that is something MC prefers to learn by.

Lucifer:

Considers Cerberus as a guide dog? Impossible, the human would be eaten alive. Perhaps another smaller hellhound? Goodness no, they’d still be eaten.

Asks MC about their condition –on behalf of Lord Diavolo of course – so he is aware of anything that may help their stay in the Devildom.

Very pleased to see how receptive MC is, very talkative and informative about her condition; he’s surprised to learn the varying levels of visual impairment. Consults Diavolo on brighter lighting to improve her movements around RAD and already planning on improvements within his own home.

During MC’s first few nights in Lamentation, Lucifer appears on edge; always keeping an eye when they’re moving about on their own. Enjoys watching how they learn to memorize layouts, quietly telling themselves how many steps it takes from one room to another, touching hallway objects.

Ready to run to their side that one time MC walked into the wall; turning into the kitchen a little too soon; until he hear them chuckle to themselves and ran their hand along the wall until they found the doorway and walked through it. No damage done. He’s learning to leave them be, understanding that he doesn’t need to dote on them.

Mammon:

MC is blind? Ooh yeah! The things that boy could swipe to make some quick Grimm, and right under their nose. It was gonna be too easy!! Completely stunned when they still catch him out. “How’d ya know it was me?!”

Watches them narrow their eyes as if trying to spot him before coming up beside him and close the drawer he was just rummaging through. The nerve this human has to threaten The Great Mammon by saying they’ll use their cane to whack him.

Surprised at MC’s explanation on how they knew it was him. They recognised his scent; not only did he have his favourite cologne – which he didn’t think he wore that much of – they noted how he had a metallic smell, like the kind you get when touching coin constantly.

Likes to watch MC move around their room; at first using their hand to remember the layout and then moving as if they saw as well as he did. Considered rearranging things to see what would happen.

Okay, so MC isn’t helpless… but, other demons don’t know that. Considers using MC as bait; distract idiots so he can rob them and sell their things for a little Grimm. “I, The Mammon, am a genius!” “No, Mammon.”

Levi:

Couldn’t even imagine being in their position; all that manga he couldn’t read, anime they couldn’t watch… never knowing what Ruri-Chan looks like!!! Gasp! No way. Poor MC!

Really confused when he sees them one day, curled up on a chair in the common room, wearing a pair of glasses and a book in hand. Wanders over and looks over their shoulder before questioning what was going on; nodding when they told him that with reading glasses and preferably larger font, they could indulge in many a storybook.

As their relationship blossoms, he has a dedicated reading nook in his room for the two of them, including a lamp to brighten the area to help improve what sight they have. Likes that they’re happy to listen to him read to them his TSL series. He thinks about writing to the publishers for the next editions to have larger fonts; that way he could buy MC a set of their own.

He likes to sit and watch them bring things close to their face to inspect them better; his figurines which they – to his relief – handle with great care, or his manga comics to see which characters he’s fawning over.

He secretly loves that MC likes to chill by his fish tank wall. Why? They state that while there’s too much distortion for them to actually make anything out, they enjoy the ambient colouring and light; the two eventually just listen to music together like that as a means to relax.

Satan:

Of course he is utterly curious about MC’s condition and is glad to see how open they are to talking about it. He’ll look things up himself in his own time but nothing like hearing it from someone’s own experience.

Asks if those romance and crime novels are accurate; “so, do you touch people’s faces so you know what they look like?” finds it interesting that for the most part, this doesn’t happen; but it makes sense, he wouldn’t be too thrilled by someone he barely knows putting their hands onto him.

Writes down notes that he considers most important from the board during lessons and offers them to MC should they need them for their studies.

Another one who likes watching MC learn their way around Lamentation, like how they touch cupboard handles until they find the one they need while grumbling about how crappy the lights are.

Shared appreciation for just lying on the ground whenever a cat is near them, all responsibility out the window as number one priority is giving adorable little hellcats their undivided attention. Loves that MC is willing to con Lucifer into believing a cat makes a wonderful guide animal.

Asmo:

Oh poor MC, unable to see just how beautiful he is… Oh, they can kinda see? If he gets real close? Oh he can definitely do that! Bummed that MC promptly puts in some boundaries but once their relationship develops they do enjoy the closeness with him.

Learns – albeit slowly – that his looks aren’t going to win MC over, and instead begins to better understand the value of personality and getting to know a person. Should MC like Asmo, it’s because of who he is and not for all the fluffing he does with his looks.

Whenever he happens to be the brother escorting MC, just know he’ll always detour to the main hub; treating the two of them to manicures and pedicures, facials, all that fun stuff.

When shopping, he loves how MC feels the fabric of things he grabs for them and has an even bigger appreciation for how things feel on him. Absolutely enjoys offering explanations whenever MC would ask about colour or cuts if they can’t make them out should the lighting be too poor for them.

Will starting looking around for ‘fashionable’ canes. Yes, he knows it’s about practicality and he’s not going to take that away from MC, but what’s wrong with wanting to match their cane with that gorgeous outfit he’s picked out from them?

Beel:

Having no experience with a visually impaired human, he’ll ask MC if he should carry them places; it’s no big deal, they looked pretty light after all. Apologises if they happen to get a bit defensive so keeps close while they walk together, worried they may walk into or trip over something.

He’ll be curious about whether or not other senses are heightened due to the loss of another and is lowkey disappointed that they wouldn’t be able to hear someone in the kitchen stealing his food when they’re somewhere else in the house.

He loves cooking with them; the tastes of what he creates seem to be more balanced and they’re more than happy to sneak him a few snacks while Lucifer is occupied elsewhere. They’ll fool around, tasting things to see who can pick up more notes.

Things turn into a game between the two of them; if he spots MC in a room he’ll sneak up and try and get to them before they realise he’s there. “Too heavy on your feet,” or “you were giggling,” is something he hears a lot when trying.

Though MC can’t really see while he’s training or playing a game, he really appreciates that there still there to cheer him on; he’s taken to wearing a bright headband in hopes that they’ll be able to spot him out a bit better. They don’t half the heart to tell him they still can’t find him.

Belphie:

In the beginning, he’ll use MC’s lack of sight to their advantage; sly and manipulative to lure them in. Watches how they react to his voice, how their eyes or head move in the direction he’s in, learning how they work their other senses.

Tensions between the two would be tight after that moment and he’ll feel tremendous guilt for what he did to them; keeps himself at a distance, afraid they’ll recoil if they sense he’s too close and understands if they would.

Amazed that they find it in them to forgive him and help mend bonds between him and his brothers, and will spend whatever time he’s able building up trust with MC; whether that’s being their escort around Devildom or just being there for company.

He loves – when trust is established – that MC is just happy to lay with him while he star gazes and talks about what he sees, trying to paint a picture for them while they huddle up together in a fluffy blanket, sharing his cow print pillow.

Simeon/Luke:

They’re angels; their job is to look over and protect humans. So they are already well aware of how capable MC would be – Simeon more so than Luke since he’s younger and more interested in Michael – but they will still offer their assistance should MC need it.

They’re also the sort to take notes down during class that MC may not be able to see on the board; but they’ll ask before assuming.

Simeon has taken to writing a little bigger if it’s something he’d like MC’s opinion on his work; the two forming a bond through fiction and history. The two can be found losing track of time and just talking about any given thing.

Luke enjoys cooking with MC; asking them what they think of the taste of something he creates and asks how he can make it better. He’d love to be able to wow Michael upon his return to the Celestial Realm and MC will always critique his work rather than sugarcoat like Simeon would or just outright scare him like demons would. With a little push from MC, he takes lessons from Barbatos.

Solomon:

Quite unphased; he’s dealt with various impairments before seeing as he is still human despite being a very powerful sorcerer. He doesn’t offer assistance but will give it should MC ask him for help.

He has many a spell in his books that could quite possibly cure or ease symptoms of various impairments and is very tempted to bring this information to MC; but decides on holding back until he can figure out how to approach the subject. He’ll ask them how they feel about their situation and go from there.

Would also offer heightening other senses should MC want them; even temporarily if they’re just a little curious. “Let’s see what’s so crash hot about being Daredevil!” “My thoughts exactly MC.”

[a-dumb-simp]

Wrong

Trans Leviathan (Obey Me) fic/vent

Leviathan had always been a female in the celestial, before the fall. She had a suspicion there was something missing but was constantly reassured that god had made her in a perfect way, and that nothing could ever be wrong. And she had tried to brush it off, tried to forget about it, she truly did.

Her brothers we're very protective of her and Lilith even in the celestial. But after the fall they became more possessive, they were worried about her constantly as she was their only sister left. Lilith's death had caused them to show her more affection and it only served to make her feel worse. She couldn't let them down once again, could she? They needed a sister, and she was the only one left.

She attempted only once to tell her brothers about what she had been feeling and yet they only waved it off. One of them, she couldn't remember now, had even started to say ”he made you perfect” but then had a realization as to where they were and shut up fairly quick, instead moving onto a different subject. She even tried going to Asmodeus but he was really no help, just spent the entire time not really listening to her while doing other tasks.

She couldn't take it. She had locked herself in her room for nearly an entire month never leaving. We knew her brothers had become sick with worry and they would leave food out for her, but they all knew she wouldn't eat it.

Leviathan got envious of everyone around her being happy with their body image and themselves and could take it anymore. Why were they happy while she had to suffer through life not knowing who she was? She had a sudden urge and grabbed a pair of scissors she found laying around and before she could feel any regret snipped off a long strand of hair. She barely had time to think before she was doing it again, the adrenaline pushing her forward and her...his?? Hair rapidly falling to the floor. He finally looked up at the mirror and realized he was crying, small tears fell down the bridge of his nose from looking down, hair sticking to his hands annoyingly. But he smiled and continued his work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mammon had looked up during dinner to see a blur of blue hair and felt relief that she had finally come back out. He thought it must have been a new game or anime, or something stupid that had distracted her from seeing them. He looked back down again remembering that he was supposed to be grabbing the food for everyone as it was his night to cook. He attempted to get Levi to help him.

”Hey, Levi could you.....uhhhh”

Mammon was shocked just continuing to stare at her as if he was seeing cerberus coming charging at him. Lucifer told him to shut up, and to everyone's disbelief he didn't follow the order. This had caught the other brothers attention who had walked into the dining room on routine and barely noticed those around them. They all looked first toward Mammon who still stood mumbling incoherently and then secondly to Levi whom he was staring at.

Mammon started sputtering attempting to say something but it was more of even worse panicked mumbling then before, Lucifer just stared with a neutral look on his face and his hands resting on the table not moving an inch, Asmo and Satan stopped what they were doing and both slightly smiled at Levi although shock was still evident, unsurprisingly Belphie had yet to enter and was still sleeping and Beel had already started eating although looking at Levi out of the corner of his eye.

Levi slowly turned around with a blush lighting up his face as he finally looked up at everyone.

”hey” he settled on

Asmodues immediately ran over and started petting his hair, the strands still in his eyes and the cut was a bit uneven but Asmo was still impressed with him.

”you look gorgeous dear!” he yelled ”but if you don't mind me asking what brought this on sister?”

Levi flinched at the word...sister coming from Asmodeus’ mouth. Every brother took notice and frowned a bit, now more concerned with the fear in her eyes then her hair. Lucifer finally stood up in the silence walking over to Levi. He stopped in front of her and Asmo and was silent for a moment studying her features and the look of doubt written all through her face and body language.

He attempted to reach for her but she yet again flinched, making the brother even more concerned. Lucifer took his hand back quickly as if being burned and, while he usually hides his emotions well, hurt and worry managed to seep out.

Asmo took her hand, this time Levi let him, and looked into her eyes. Levi wanted to deny what had happened and move on but knew that wouldn't be the case.

”we need to talk” Levi said.

The boys all stood silence surrounding their sister but Lucifer nodded in agreement and led them away from the dining room. They hadn't eaten yet and it was a school day, but he knew this was important and maybe the only time they would get Levi to open up so he allowed it.

They all settled on the couches in the living room, trying not to be too obvious with their concern and failing miserably. Levi decided to speak up first knowing he should take a grip on the situation.

”I don't feel right”

Fuck.

that was the wrong thing to say. The brothers look even worse now all leaning in, Asmo now lightly touching his arm in reassurance.

”I mean, I feel wrong, in this body. It isn't truly me, it's just wrong.”

Lucifer finally spoke up at that.

”what do you mean wrong?”

Attempting to keep his voice neutral but they all could hear the waver. He couldn't lose another sister, not again, no matter what he would not let that happen.

Levi sighed ”Being female feels wrong, I don't k-know why” the hitch in his voice caused by the oncoming tears of frustration. ”It just feels...wrong..”

The next things that happened were a blur. Asmo had grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry softly into his chest while looking at his brothers in worry. Lucifer stood up and sat next to Levi gently prying her fingers from Asmos shoulders and lifting her chin to talk. Before he could Asmo spoke up.

“Is, is that why you cut your hair?” He spoke softly

Levi nodded only feeling tension and regret for what he had said. Maybe he was just making a mistake, maybe he was a girl and just faking for attention, maybe he’s just delusional and this is how he’s supposed to feel, maybe he’s-

His thought got caught off by Lucifer pulling him into a hug.

“Just talk to us, please.”

Lucifer never said please. He was the avatar of pride after all, and yet he was letting his guard down for his little sister...brother? Levi attempted to explain again, saying nearly the same words as last time until he felt Asmo leave the couch behind him. He immediately felt shame, he had made his brother leave and soon they all would leave him. He couldn’t help but cry again, until he felt the weight dip back into the couch.

Asmo had brought back with him a binder, he had forgotten at this point which of his lovers had forgotten it in his room and he simply had washed it and added it to his ever-growing closet, hoping it would come in use. Lucifer spotted it and was a bit confused but sat Levi up so he could be handed the piece of clothing. Levi had been doing research the entire month constantly and knew what it was the second he saw it. He had to look a few time back and forth between the binder and Asmos growing smile of encouragement but grabbed it from Asmos grip quickly, and proceeded to tackle him into the sofa. Asmo let out a small giggle and turned to the side seeing his other siblings giving him confused looks.

”how about you go try that on while I explain everything dear?”

Levi quickly shot up, taking action again based on adrenaline and happiness alone before he could back out. And ran out of the room leaving Asmo to explain.

As soon as he had walked into the bathroom though, he couldn't move. He couldn't look at himself at all, tugging off his baggy shirt and bra and putting the binder on quickly. It took a second to get used to, his breath stolen for a minute before he put on a regular t-shirt and turned. For the third time that night he cried. Cried because he had found himself, cried because his family excepted him, cried because he could start becoming who he truly was. And there were only happy tears for the rest of the night.

[spaced0lphin]

Counting Stars

“Bailie is determined to count Jeff’s freckles.” - @virusq

This takes place post-TBMS, after the events of ME2 and before ME3.

The evening was blue with twilight. Humidity and the whine of cicadas spilled into the kitchen through the open patio door. Shepard was still out there, leaning on her arms and staring into the black pines. The opened letter on the table turned his stomach. An Alliance insignia showed through the envelope. In disgust, he turned it over face down. This was the thanks she got for spearheading the operation to save the known galaxy; a warning. The message was simple: Either show up in court voluntarily in a week, or be dragged there.

Joker's own eyes looked back at him, his image caught in the glass door. It felt weird, but also good to be out of Cerberus fatigues. Sometimes it seemed like his reflection looked a little wrong without them, but he remembered feeling like that after putting away his Alliance blues for the last time, too. 

A bizarre, almost musical croaking from outside caught his attention. It wasn't familiar - but Shepard, in all her stormy silence, didn't seem bothered by it. Dusk was settling fast. It was weird, this place. It was some little house on the far outskirts of the city Shepard grew up in. The warm, familiar rumble of the engine was traded in for wind in the trees, birdsong in the day, and whatever spooky noises the damn woods conjured up at night. Joker did not like the woods. Being so close to so many trees, all growing at once in strange, chaotic angles - it was unnatural. It and the nearby ocean smelled nice, though.

His Omnitool glowed, displaying the time. Two hours ago, she'd opened the mail and stormed outside. He picked up the offending letter and slid off the chair, putting the paper out of sight. This whole house in a familiar place thing was meant to be a break, a reminder for Shepard of what she was fighting for. Instead, all she'd found was this insult. He thought about hurling it in the garbage. It just wasn't fair.

The curious sound came again, this time from somewhere a little closer. Shepard hadn't moved an inch, nor noticed his approach. Not even the rap of his knuckle against the glass door, half-open to where she'd flung it a couple hours earlier could steal her focus.

He cleared his throat. "Hey," he said gently. "What was that sound just now?"

At the sound of his voice, she lifted her head as if snapped out of a spell. Her eyes were red and she sniffed. She'd been crying. A pang of guilt shot through his chest. He should have known. All this time he was sat twiddling his thumbs at the table like an idiot waiting for orders, she was out here, crying her eyes out with only the trees and mosquitoes for company. He slid the patio door closed behind him and leaned on the bannister with her.

"Uh, noise?" she asked, her voice thick. "Just now?"

"Yeah. It sounded like… uh." He screwed up his throat. "G-Ghauck," he tried. She recoiled, making such a face at the awful sound coming out of him he couldn't help but laugh. To his relief, she cracked a small smile, too. "No, no, wait, wait, hold on…" He did his best mimicry of the odd call. "Ghaaaawk. Like that."

"That's a raven," she answered, wiping at her eyes. "I think your first try was maybe a raven getting eaten by something."

"Heh. Maybe, I mean I don't know what's out there in… in that," he said, gesturing to the deep blackness in front of them. The little yellow light covered in bouncing moths could only do so much to illuminate even the first layer of branches. "It's so much worse than space," he grumbled. "At least you can see in space. Here there's things. So many things, and they all run and swim and bite, and… fly." He paused. Shepard wasn't looking at him - but up, at the sky. She tapped her Omnitool briefly, then all the lights went out.

They waited for their eyes to adjust. Stars separated out from the blueish darkness above. They looked so different beneath miles of atmosphere. Little swirling black dots blotted a couple of them out in patterns as tons of bugs did their crazy dance high above.

"You've never heard a raven before?" she asked with another sniffle, the sound a little loud in the darkness. He thought about her voice, and all the times he'd heard her be strong. In the course of everything, she’d yelled, commanded, screamed for her life, even laughed in the face of death. But never, never ever once that he knew of, had she actually cried.

"No, I guess not," he said. In the gloom, Shepard's shape started to materialise. She had her face tipped up towards the half moon, eyes closed against its light. He wondered at what she must be thinking. He couldn't imagine why she hadn't ordered a shuttle to Vancouver five minutes ago. How seeing that letter waiting for her hadn't sent her direct to HQ to scream in their faces about their ignorance and injustice. His own rage about it boiled hot in the back of his mind like the surface of a star. It didn't take much to picture himself cracking a rib telling them where to shove their trial. How dare they threaten her after everything? Where were they all this time to demand accountability now? Suddenly, he understood why she had been staring into those dark trees.

As she let out long breath after long breath through her nose, it hit him like a ton of bricks. Shepard wasn't on a shuttle right now doing those things, because Shepard had run out of fight. She had nothing left. She had given them everything already, and still they wanted more. They wanted her freedom. He knew that feeling, and in answer to it his throat grew tight.

"Hey," he said, nudging her arm gently.

She opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, Jeff. You were saying. Did you need something?"

"…C'mere." He pulled her close, tucking her head to his chest. She was silent. Her back shuddered a little, so he enclosed her in his arms as best he could. He kissed and stroked her short clipped hair. She carried the scent of vanilla, the sea breeze and everything good about the galaxy.

Shepard broke like glass. The sound of her wordless sob made his throat knot up so bad it was almost hard to swallow. Everything she went through, he was right there with her. Physically in only a few cases, but always in her helmet. Every hard decision and breath held in hesitation was a memory he shared, too. His way of dealing with it all was not to think about it most of the time. Always, he tried to focus on the next thing, and to give her someplace else to be when she was with him. But as her tears seeped through onto his skin, he knew she didn’t have that luxury anymore. He wanted to tell her it was okay, except it wasn’t okay, not at all. He didn’t dare shush her, the last thing she needed was to be told to shove it all back down inside herself.

After a little while, it felt right to sway, like when he was held once himself, a long time ago. Eventually, her halting breaths steadied, and tears slowly stopped spreading the wet patch on his shirt. He lost track of how long they stayed like that. He would have stayed the whole night like that if he could, but his left thigh trembled. Always the weaker of the two, his left had more extensive work done to the weak bones, and the muscles fatigued quicker. Just balancing on one wasn't an option.

"Mm, yanno, I didn't realise the fact I never heard a raven before would upset you so much," he whispered in her ear as he rubbed at a knot between her shoulders. She shook again, and Joker's heart sank to the pit of his stomach. But a second or so later, her quiet laughter made him sigh with relief. "Yeah… Okay. Hey, I need to get off my feet."

Her fingers curled around his as she followed him back inside. There was some long couch thing in the obscenely picturesque living room, and that would do just fine. He moved several of the fifteen cushions people always fill couches up with onto the floor and eased himself down, gingerly putting pressure on the twitching muscle. She reached over and pressed at it too. He kept waiting for her to speak, to address what just happened somehow, but kneading the muscle in silence was all she would do. 

“Been a while since you shaved your head,” he said, running his fingers through the fine growth. “You growing it out?”

She smiled and scratched his chin pleasantly through his beard. “The reason I left flight school used to have a thing for long hair,” she said quietly. “I’ve kept it shaved ever since.” 

“Oh. Right.” He took a second to admire the half-inch of rich chestnut brown. “Hey, only grow it out if you want to. Y’know, luscious vid-star locks or not, doesn’t matter to me.”

The weight of her head lay against his shoulder. “I think it’s time.”

“Because that doesn’t sound ominous.”

She smiled softly. Even red eyed, pale-faced, and her face wet with tears, Shepard was always beautiful. Dabbing at her eyes again with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, she said, “I shaved it all off the same day I left flight school. It was… kind of a statement, back then.”

“Well. Whatever statement you’re making now, I’m listening,” he said. Her green eyes flicked from point to point, studying him. “Ah heh,” he added with a grin, “That sounded a lot less serious in my head. You know something I’ve always wanted to do, though?”

“What’s that?”

“This,” he said, and traced from her forehead down her cheek, as if tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Her arms slid around him. She sniffled, then grinned wide, in that way she always did before saying something stupid. “You say you don’t mind my hairstyle choices, but I’d dump you if you shaved.”

He laughed. “Listen, I’d dump me if I shaved.” He gave her a gentle squeeze. “I don’t actually have this killer jawline, it’s all just sculpted hair. I look like a yahg under this.”

She kissed his cheek. “You know, I’d never seen you in actual sunlight before today.”

“O-kay…? You say that as if I look different?”

“No, but stark light shows details, and I noticed something I never did before,” she said as she took his arm into her lap. “You’re covered in all these light freckles. The light from the displays washes them out and I’ve only ever seen you in dim light.”

“Uh… huh,” he puzzled. “There was that time your leg was all busted up and I took you to a café.”

“Yeah, but even in the day, the Citadel looks very different from Earth. Anyways. It reminded me of something from when I was very little.” Shepard turned his hand over and began drawing ticklish little circles in his palm. “My grandmother was a pretty interesting woman, from what I remember. She used to tell me that freckles were a kind of map,” she explained, squinting down at his skin in the darkness of the room. “She said they are a star chart, and they show a snapshot of the universe where a person’s soul was born.”

Joker lay his head back. Shepard’s little piecemeal memories of her family were always interesting, but very often bittersweet. If it had been anyone else’s anecdote, he might have made some kind of crack about such a sentimental idea, but as she curled up to his side, he couldn’t bring himself to wreck it for her.

“Well, let’s think,” he said. “I got a billion of these, all over, so clearly I’m from somewhere near Sagittarius. What about you, though?” It was hard to see much, but her skin tone looked smooth as ever. “I don’t think you have very many.”

“No. Just a handful, here and there. I remember wishing for a million of them, just like she had.”

“Ugh, you’re gonna give me a cavity,” he groaned. “Little baby Bailie at like five years old asking her gramma how to grow stars on her or something. It belongs in a cartoon.”

“Hard to tell, but I think you’ve got about sixty-seven right here… I need better light.”

“You’re… counting them?”

“I am,” she said. “It could be fun.”

“You have a weird idea of fun,” he said, shaking his head. 

Her lips travelled up his arm, from his wrist to his shoulder. “Do I? I think our sensibilities might be closer than you think…” “Oh?” “I’ve been thinking.” “That usually ends in explosions somehow,” he said. She smiled softly. “I think... I want to spend these next six days finding out where you’re from.”

“How are you gonna do that by just counting ‘em?”

“Oh, Jeff. Don’t bring logic into this. Just go with it.”

“No I mean, wouldn’t you wanna cross-reference them with known star charts? I bet EDI could do that. Maybe she’d burn out a processor… Y’know, you might actually be right, that does sound kinda fun,” he said with a snicker.

“I don’t need to do that. I can use the star charts up here,” she said as she tapped her head. “See this little arrangement? Looks like the Five Sisters in the Aurean Expanse, kind of…”

“Wait, what? Really?” he asked. His forearm looked the same as it always did. Maybe there were five darker spots among them, but it was dubious at best.

“Oh, definitely,” she replied, never breaking his gaze as she kissed the spot.

“Pfft,” he said, before recognising the glint in her eye. “Oh. I mean, uh. Yeah, interesting. Y’know, with this first pass at it, maybe just take a look, and uh… mark anything you recognise? To look at. Again. Later.”

She moved fast when she needed a distraction. Her chilly fingers made him shiver in the best way as she slipped her hands up his shirt. He followed her lead and just lay back. Of all the stars to be counted, he figured he had a few lucky ones, himself.  

[pocket-luv101]

Ransom || Part 4 - End

Fandom: Servamp Ship: KuroMahi Characters: Kuro, Mahiru

Summary: Mahiru is kidnapped by the mafia. He learns that Kuro is being forced to work with the mafia. He hoped he could convince him to help him escape. {KuroMahi, Mafia AU}

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || (Part 4 - End)

Mahiru walked down the hall with Cerberus by his side. He would occasionally be stopped by a few mafia members to have a casual conversation. After he helped stop the intruders a week ago, he had gained the respect and trust of the mafia family. Tsurugi asked: “Are you on another walk, Persephone? You should stop by the cafeteria so Hera will cook something delicious. She only cooks something special when you’re attending dinner with us.”

“I’m on my way to meet Kuro. He’s returning from a mission so we’ll stop by the cafeteria if he hasn’t eaten yet. I should go before Kuro starts to worry why I’m late.” Mahiru said goodbye to him before he stepped back from him. He continued down the hall and he thought of the first time he was able to leave his room. He could now freely roam throughout the mafia’s headquarters but he still felt trapped. There was an unspoken understanding that he couldn’t explore the building nor leave.

His uncle promised to negotiate his freedom soon but he didn’t know when he would arrive. While he wanted to return to his normal life, a part of him knew that his future would never be simple again. The knowledge that his family was tied to the mafia made him question everything in his past life. He couldn’t recall anything in his childhood that would’ve hinted at a connection though. His mother died when he was young and his father left before he was born. He wished he was able to ask his mother about the truth.

“We’ll ask Uncle Toru about our ‘family business’. Right, Cerberus?” Mahiru knew he was speaking to himself more than the dog. “Then again, I promised to return you to Zeus once Uncle comes for me and I have to leave. I’ll miss you. I’ll miss a lot of people. It’s a little surprising since I was so scared of everyone when I was taken here.”

Kuro’s soft smile from when they went to the roof appeared in Mahiru’s mind. Throughout his time being held hostage, he had been kind and supportive. He was certain that he wouldn’t have survived among the mafia if it wasn’t for him. He liked to consider them friends and he wondered if Kuro felt the same. Mahiru knew he would miss him the most after he left.

“So, you’re brave enough to walk through the halls without your keeper.” The cold voice behind him caused Mahiru to stiffen. He hesitantly turned around to face Makabe. He came to know the mafia family as people and he wasn’t afraid of most of them. Makabe was the only exception because he had been the one to kidnap him. He approached Mahiru with a cold glare. “I don’t understand why everyone is treating you like one of us but you’re not. Know your place.”

Cerberus sensed Mahiru’s fear and bared its fangs at Makabe. The air became tense around them and Mahiru’s hands turned into fists at his side. He didn’t want to provoke the man since he was dangerous. Mahiru bit his lip but he couldn’t stop himself from muttering: “Why are you angry with me? You’re the one who fucking kidnapped me and brought me here.”

“You should learn how to shut your mouth!” Makabe yelled and reached for his gun tucked into his belt. When he saw his intention, Mahiru’s body tensed and he stepped to the side to dodge his attack. He ran into something hard yet warm and he was relieved to find that it was Kuro. He hadn’t noticed him approach them and Makabe was surprised as well.

Kuro stopped Makabe by taking his wrist and he twisted it away from his gun. He didn’t take his eyes off the man as he subtly moved Mahiru behind him where he would be safe. He let go of his wrist and said, “You were the one who made this situation so don’t take it out on Mahiru. He only pointed it out. Zeus also said Mahiru isn’t to be harmed while he’s here.”

“Is Touma’s order the only reason that you’re so protective of him?” He spat at the two and then stormed away. Kuro sighed and then ran his hand through his shaggy hair. He hoped that Makabe wouldn’t target Mahiru during the rest of his time within the mafia’s headquarters. His words lingered in his mind though. He decided not to think about his own feelings and focused on Mahiru.

He turned around and asked Mahiru, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Thank you for stopping him, Kuro. I’m sure he was only trying to scare me since he can’t actually hurt me. As a veterinarian, I know when someone is more bark than bite.” Mahiru tried to reassure him with a light joke. His face was a little pale and Kuro could see that he was forcing himself to smile. The expression stabbed his heart and he reached out to comfort him. He gently cupped his cheek and ran his thumb over his soft skin. Mahiru leaned into his touch and relaxed.

At first, it was pity that caused Kuro to feel protective of Mahiru but he quickly learned how strong he was. There was a fire in his brown eyes and Kuro admired him. He knew that he could fend for himself but he still wanted to protect him. The best way to protect him was to help him escape the mafia world. His stomach twisted into a knot at the thought of Mahiru leaving. He reminded himself that he couldn’t be selfish when Mahiru had been pulled into a word he didn’t belong in.

“I was going to meet you at the front door so we could take Cerberus on his walk. Are you hungry? We can stop by the cafeteria before we go out for a walk.” Mahiru said after Cerberus nudged him with its nose. He stepped away from Kuro and knelt down to pet the dog’s head. “Can you give me a moment to talk to Kuro? It’s rare that Zeus sends you on a mission since he assigned you to protect me. How was it?”

“We should get going before Cerberus decides to bite me for taking your attention. He has grown attached to you.” Kuro avoided his question with the joke yet there was a hint of sadness in his voice. He tilted his chin towards the door and Mahiru understood what he meant. He stood and they walked outside together. They took the familiar path to the plaza where they would usually take.

A few people would greet them as they passed and Mahiru waved back to them. He felt a light tug on the leash and he glanced down at Cerberus. He wasn’t annoyed at the dog’s persistence and he only giggled lightly. Mahiru picked up a stick and tossed it a fair distance from them. Cerberus raced after the stick and Mahiru sat on a bench as he waited for the dog to return.

Kuro sat next to him and he naturally placed his hands at his sides. Their fingers accidentally brushed together but neither moved away from the other. Mahiru looked up at the large building and said, “I thought about escaping a lot on the first day I was here. I never imagined that life among the mafia could be peaceful like this. Everyone calls me Persephone too.”

“It’s a sign of respect since they consider you one of us after you stopped the intruders.” Kuro reassured him and patted his leg.

“I know that but the nickname makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Persephone was taken to the underworld and she married the person who kidnapped her. Makabe kidnapped me and I don’t want…” His voice shook slightly. Kuro started to pull away but then Mahiru locked their fingers together. “Makabe isn’t Hades. If people are going to call me Persephone, I’m glad you’re Hades. I think you fit that name better than he could.”

“As the god of death?” Kuro raised a brow at him. “I am one of the best hitmen in the mafia family.”

“Hades is the God of the Underworld.” Mahiru corrected him and smiled up at Kuro. “He takes care of the souls in the Underworld like how you protected people when the intruders came.”

“You see me as a better person than most would.” He found himself leaning towards Mahiru as he spoke. They drew closer to each other until he was able to feel his breath against his lips. Kuro knew that he couldn’t close the small space between them and held himself back. “I’m going to miss you when you leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Mahiru’s eyes widened with surprise and he sat straighter. His uncle told him that they were negotiating his release and that he would be freed soon. He never expected that he would be leaving within a few hours. A part of him was happy that he could return to his simple life. Yet, another part of him was disappointed that he would leave Kuro behind.

“I wasn’t on a mission today. Touma asked me to attend a meeting about your kidnapping and what we should do. Neither mafia families want you involved in our war but it would be dangerous if you went to the police after you’re set free. I told them that you wouldn’t give our names to the police. You’ll have to reveal that your uncle is also a member of a mafia group and that’s how you escaped.”

“I’m going home.” Mahiru whispered and his voice almost sounded like he was in a daze.

“We’ll miss you once you’re gone, especially Cerberus. I don’t know how we’ll control him without you.” Kuro thought Mahiru would be happy to learn that he could finally leave. Yet, he appeared to be conflicted. He wasn’t able to ask him before Cerberus returned. Mahiru stood from the bench to play catch with the dog.

As Mahiru’s bodyguard, Kuro would sleep on the couch in Mahiru’s room. He listened to the quiet night to avoid thinking of the upcoming day. He opened his phone to check the time and he saw that it was an hour past midnight. In mere hours, Mahiru would leave and Kuro would return to his previous job. Their time together was like a dream to him.

He heard the rustle of cloth and the sound was followed by the floor creaking. Kuro immediately knew that Mahiru had left his bed and he assumed that he was going to drink water or go to the bathroom. He didn’t sit up to check on him though. Instead, he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He wanted to prolong their goodbye for as long as possible.

Warm fingers trailed over his cheek and then brushed over his lips. “If I asked you to run away with me, you would probably say no. I want to save you from this place and this situation but the only thing I can think of is kidnapping you. Would you let me, Kuro?”

He opened his eyes to find Mahiru leaning over him. He didn’t seem surprised to see him awake and he didn’t pull away. Kuro reached up and placed his hand on his neck. Beneath his fingers, he could feel Mahiru’s pulse quicken slightly. He slowly pulled him down even as his mind warned him to let go. He was certain that he wouldn’t be able to let him go after he kissed him once. He told himself that he would stop if Mahiru pulled away from him.

“Kuro…” Mahiru whispered his name as his eyes fluttered close. He waited for his kiss yet he only felt the brush of his lips against his forehead. The light touch was still able to make his heart tremble. He opened his eyes and met his longing gaze. Boldly, Mahiru cupped Kuro’s face and kissed him. He was frozen with surprise but he slowly melted into the kiss. He returned the kiss and buried his fingers into his brown hair. “I can’t leave you behind, Kuro.”

“It’s impossible for me to leave the mafia.” Kuro said and shook his head. The short refusal caused Mahiru’s heart to tighten painfully. He felt a connection with him and he was certain they would never see each other again after tomorrow. They were from different worlds and Kuro wanted to protect him from the dangers he knew. “This is for the best.”

“For you? For me? For us?” Mahiru whispered the question and lowered his face. He rested his head on Kuro’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around his waist. His hold was weak and he wondered if he could keep him from leaving if he held onto him a little tighter. “Uncle Toru will pick me up in the morning. Can we go on one final walk together? I want to watch the stars with you again.”

Kuro could never say no to him so he silently nodded. His answer made Mahiru smile weakly and he wished he could do more for him. It was impossible to give him the answer he wanted. They rose from the couch at the same time and they walked out of the room. Mahiru was careful not to make a sound as he closed the door behind them.

They made their way to the stairway in silence because neither of them knew what to say. Mahiru glanced down at Kuro’s hand and he slowly reached out to him. He hooked their pinkies together and he was happy when he adjusted their hands to tangle their fingers together. He lifted their linked hands together to his lips and whispered, “What’s the first thing you’ll do when you return home?”

“Cook curry and share a meal with my uncle. It’ll be the best time to talk to him about… everything.” Mahiru had told him that he loved to cook the first day he became his bodyguard. That day felt like a lifetime ago since so much had happened. He wished he could invite Kuro to eat with them but he didn’t voice the thought.

He opened the front door for Mahiru and the cold night made him shiver as he stepped outside. He moved closer to Kuro for warmth and he wrapped his arm around his shoulders in return. They walked aimlessly without a destination in mind. Mahiru stared at the moon hanging above them instead of the pavement ahead of them. He was certain that he wouldn’t be able to look at the moon without thinking of Kuro.

“I was in high school when I joined the mafia.” Kuro told him. He didn’t face Mahiru but he heard the small gasp he made. He had never pushed him for the reason he was with the mafia but he knew that he was curious. After a brief pause, Kuro went on. “I have seven younger siblings. Money was tight for us, especially after our father left. A large family comes with a lot of problems but I love my siblings.”

Mahiru remembered the night he was kidnapped. He saw Kuro comforting his brother and the interaction told him that he was a good person. He didn’t interrupt Kuro and listened to him. “Lily, my baby brother, became sick. We took him to the doctor but we couldn’t afford the medicine he needed. I thought I should get him some cough medicine to help his pain at least. Unfortunately, I was a stupid teenager without a job.”

He could hear the pain in his voice and he hugged Kuro to comfort him. “I was stupid and I tried to steal it for him. The police chased me down but I was able to knock a few of them out before they handcuffed me. When I was sitting in that jail cell, the only thing I could think of was my siblings. The last person I expected bailed me out, Touma.”

“What?” Confusion crossed Mahiru’s face and Kuro understood why.

“I was surprised too. I’ve never met him before but he saw me fight the officers. He thought he could use my skills in his mafia family and he would take care of my siblings in exchange. I can’t leave the mafia without endangering my family.” Kuro told him. He knew Mahiru would have regrets if he left him behind without fully understanding the situation. He hoped the story would make him give up on him.

They had stopped walking and Mahiru moved to stand in front of Kuro. He tilted his face down and looked into his red eyes. “You’re a good man, Kuro. I’m glad that we met, even if it had to be like this. Thank you for everything and how you protected me.”

A sharp yell cut through the moment and Kuro pulled Mahiru closer to protect him. He scanned the area to search the person that had screamed. The shout was more from anger than pain and he wondered what could’ve caused it. More shouts reached them and he assumed someone was having an argument. He wanted to make sure that it wasn’t an intruder so he cautiously approached the voices.

Mahiru followed close behind him and held onto his sleeve. They peered into an open window and he was suspicious that someone would be awake so late. The room appeared to be a simple office and his eyes fell onto Touma and Makabe. Touma appeared to be calm even as Makabe was yelling at him. “Mahiru will leave tomorrow. I thought you wanted him gone, Makabe.”

“You’re going to let him go so easily when he could put us in danger. Who knows what he has managed to learn? He’ll give that information to his uncle or the police!” Makabe argued and the anger in his voice caused Mahiru to flinch slightly. “The reason I ordered his kidnapping was to get information from his uncle, not the other way around. We should get rid of him. I’m the heir to this mafia family so my opinion should mean something!”

“You’re my son but I never said I would hand over this empire to you.” Touma barely gave Makabe a glance as he worked on his laptop. “The issue with Mahiru has been resolved. No harm is to come to him, now and after he leaves. If you don’t have anything else you want to discuss, go back to your room and think of how you can prove yourself to be a good leader for my organization.”

“I am your son!” He yelled. Touma’s response was only an exasperated sigh.

“With your logic, Mahiru would become the leader of the mafia before you. He’s my first child and your half-brother. I promised his mother that I wouldn’t involve him in my family business after she told me that she was pregnant. You made me break that promise when you kidnapped him. You should consider yourself lucky that I only punched you for that.” Touma shut his laptop and leveled a glare at Makabe. “Now, go back to your room.”

The conversation went on but Mahiru didn’t hear the rest as Touma’s statement repeated itself in his mind. His father was a mafia leader and his mother never told him. Mahiru’s knees suddenly felt weak and Kuro caught him as he started to sink to the ground. He didn’t know if his world could be shattered any more than it already was.

Mahiru laid on his bed with his head on Kuro’s lap and he stared at the sunrise through the window. He was barely able to sleep and Kuro stayed up at night to comfort him. He tenderly threaded his fingers through his brown hair and the touch calmed him. In the silent moment, he didn’t have to think about how his family had been a large secret. His world was spinning but Kuro helped him.

The door opened behind them and Mahiru sat up to see Toru and Touma enter the room. Neither men mentioned how close Kuro and Mahiru were. He was happy to see his uncle after months but Touma’s presence stopped him from running to him. Kuro noticed his hesitation and gently squeezed his hand. Mahiru took a deep breath and said, “Father?”

The single word hug in the air and thickened the air with tension. Toru laughed nervously and said: “Don’t you recognize your uncle, Mahiru? It’s sweet of you to call me your father though. You owe me a lot of Father Days presents.”

“Touma, you’re my father, aren’t you? I overheard you tell Makabe that I am. You’re not the type to lie about something like that.” Mahiru faced Touma for the first time since he learned the truth. He searched his face for any similarities they had. “I always wondered why my mother would tell me that my father was a good man but also say that it was best that I didn’t try to meet him.”

“Mahiru, you have to understand that your mother—” Toru started but Mahiru interrupted him.

“My mother was right about half of that statement. It was best that I didn’t try to meet my father.” Mahiru’s pointed statement caused Touma to turn away from him. “I’m glad to finally have a face and a name for my father though. I have a more complete picture of my family as well.”

Mahiru stood from the bed and walked to his uncle to give him a brief hug. He let him go and then stepped back to take Kuro’s hand. “I have no intention to take over your mafia organization like Makabe. On other hand, I am worried that he would consider me a threat because I’m your firstborn son. Thinking simply, I would like to have a bodyguard after I leave.”

“I guess you already have someone in mind for that position.” Touma said and looked towards Kuro.

“Please, let Kuro come with me and continue to be my bodyguard.” Mahiru bowed to him. His declaration surprised Kuro the most since he hadn’t told him that he intended to make the request. “Since Kuro’s protecting me, you will still consider Kuro a part of the mafia and pay him for his work, right?”

“You’re as crazy as your mother.” He was surprised to hear Touma chuckle. “You’re both free to leave with no consequences. Kuro, we will continue to fund your family’s living expenses as long as Mahiru is safe.”

“Thank you! We can leave, Kuro!” Mahiru cheered and threw his arms around Kuro.

[allthekpopimagines]

NCT Greek Gods!AU Part 2

Word Count: 1459 

Hello my children!! Sorry if that was weird....but anyways here is Part 2 of my Greek God AU for my ub group NCT. This was more of a filler chapter but this does have some important parts to it!! I promise. Sorry for the late updates guys, college has been KICKING my butt.....but I promise I’m trying to keep you guys up to date on this series. I mean, you guys are the first ones reading it so. But I hope you all enjoy this part. Part 3 will be up very soon, promise! I love you all so much! <3 -Admin M

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“She was one of the rare ones, so effortlessly herself, and the world loved her for it.” -Atticus 

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This is ridiculous. I look around Jaemin’s room and I see a lot of photos of him and another guy or an animal. I grab one of the photos and I see Nana and 17 other boys with in a family-looking photo. I see that Nana treasures a lot of these things because it’s mainly what he has that are consuming his room. I sigh as I sit on his bed not knowing what to do. Should I come downstairs? No, Nana said to stay up here until he called me back down or when he came to get me again. Are they talking about me? Probably.....Jaemin did bring me here so they could explain things to me. I don’t feel very comfortable here....maybe I should leave. What if they’re planning on how they’re going to kill me....because Nana knew what to do and say to get rid of that creature from before. Okay, Perry, you’re overthinking this too much. But I do need to leave from this place, I feel like I’m a trapped prisoner here. New plan, get out of here before they come upstairs looking for me. 

I look around for anything that could get me out of this room. I could just walk out of the door but then they would see me and I would never be able to escape. There’s a window but I’m in the second floor of the building. If I jump out I would be committing suicide. I look around Nana’s room in order to find a way out of this house. I go into Nana’s closet and I think of a way to get out. I smile and get to work quickly but quietly. 

<<--->>

Jaemin’s POV: 

“Hyung...what’s going on?” Jisung says concerned. Jeno pipes in, “Who was that? Who did I basically tackle?!” Mark then gets confused and asks, “Wait you tackled someone?” Haechan adds, “Wait he doesn't tackle you?” I sigh in anger and I yell to get their attention, “Yah! Listen.” They all get quiet and I can finally talk, “Do you guys remember the daughter of Demeter?” 

“You mean Persephone?” Chenle adds in. Renjun says, “Man, I’m sad about what happened to her and her mother.” I fidget in my chair and I then say, “What if I told you guys that Persephone isn’t dead?” They all get confused. Mark speaks up, “That’s impossible. Her mother is basically dating Hades and Persephone got killed by a Cerberus. Hades’ Cerberus to be exact.” I shake my head and they all get confused, “What’re you saying Jaemin?” Haechan asks. I sigh and I collect myself before saying, “Persephone isn’t dead. I know that you guys think she is....but that’s her, the girl that’s in my room right now is Persephone.” Chenle tries to run upstairs to see, “Chenle! Stop!” Mark says.

I look at Mark and I mentally make a note to thank him later. As Chenle walks back to his seat Mark adds, “You could scare her more than she already is,” Mark turns to me, “How did you get her to follow you here?” I sigh and I say, “That’s the story. I stopped the Chimera from basically trying to ‘play’ with her but she just thought that she was going to be eaten. She doesn’t know how she saw the Chimera and she doesn’t know how she understands Greek.” Jeno pipes in, “Wait, she doesn't know who she is?” Renjun steps in, “No. Her mother got rid of her memories when she got to see her. She has an adoptive mother and father. She remembers her name but that’s about it.” 

Jisung then says, “You didn’t explain this to her?!” I look at Jisung as if he’s crazy, “Of course not! She doesn’t remember anything and I just say, ‘Oh hey by the way I’m a demigod and so are you and you’re the daughter of Demeter and your mother is in the underworld with Hades.’ Because that won’t sound absolutely insane to her.” I say sarcastically. He looks away. “Well, we have to tell her sometime, she doesn’t even know where she is.” Haechan says. I nod and say, “I’m waiting for Taeyong or Ten to get home. They can probably explain it better to her. Plus, I can’t just keep her here forever without their approval.” The rest of the dreamies agree and I think, what have I done?

<<--->>

I get down to the ground and I brush off my hands while being super quiet as well. I smile at myself and I think, Good job Perry. I take off running in the direction we came from the road and as I’m running I think I hear someone open the front door and I turn around to look but there’s no one. I then run directly into something that had the stiffness of a tree. 

I end up on my butt and I squint up to the figure hoping it’s just a tree and I’m just oblivious. There’s a person’s face right where the sun should be blinding me. The person speaks, “Whoa. Where are you going in such a rush?” I stand up and I try to run but the persons strong grip on my wrist prevents me to do so. I just look up at the person and their vibrant red hair, “Please let me go. I just want to get out of here.” The person looks at me confused, “Are you okay? I won’t hurt you.” I look into his eyes and he has a sincere look in his eyes and I sigh and I try to not pull away and I say, “Not really. I’ve had a rough day and then Jaemin brought me here to this house and now I’m supposed to be waiting for someone but I don’t know if they’re planning to actually kill me or not. I’m just trying to get home and pretend this day didn’t happen because I’m already claimed to be the towns psychopath. But I’m not actually crazy okay? There was a giant creature that was a lion, but also part goat and snake chasing after me. But I’m not crazy because Nana saw it too! He saved me from it.” I say looking down at the end. 

The man is towering over me but to get down to my height he bends over a little and says, “Hey, don’t be so upset.” He lifts my head and he smiles at me, “You’re not crazy. That was a Chimera. There are creatures like that around here.” I get confused and I look at him with concern, “Are you okay sir?” He laughs and says, “I’m fine. But please, call me Taeyong.” I nod a bit and I can’t remember where I heard that name from but I did hear it somewhere. “Hopefully you don’t mind me asking, but what are your parents names?” He asks me. I say with hesitation, “Hanna and James Wilson. Why?” He nods and says, “Do you by chance believe in the gods?” 

I get shocked by the question, “What’d you mean?” He thinks for a minute and says, “The gods. Like Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades?” I shake my head quickly and I say, “I don’t even know what you’re talking about. If you’re asking if I believe in God, then the answer would be, kind of.” He laughs a bit and says, “No. Greek mythology....or, what people believe to be Mythology.” I shake my head, “I don’t know anything about that.” He sighs and nods, “Okay well, you said Jaemin brought you here?” I nod and he mumbles, “Hm, I thought it would’ve been Lucas.” He lets go of my wrist and he holds out his hand, “Will you come inside and let me explain to you what’s going on? No lies and I will not let anyone hurt you. Trust me.” I think for a minute and I am intimidated by Taeyong but not in a way that he will hurt me, in a way that he will protect me and I’m not worried about it. I nod and I take his hand. 

We begin to walk a little and he asks, “Oh, one more question. What’s your name?” He looks at me and I look at him and then away as I say, “My name is Persephone but my friends call me Perry.” He stops dead in his tracks and I stop as well, confused on why we stopped walking. The front door of the house flies open and I see Jaemin standing there and he’s out of breath and he makes eye contact with Taeyong and he looks down and then back at Taeyong and he says, “Surprise?” 

[succubused]

Post ME3, just something I needed to write to for catharsis about the ending, Heartbroken Turian Returns To Site Of Girlfriend’s Presumed Death Three Weeks Later, What Happens Next Will Warm Your Heart

The worst part about Liara’s reaction was that she hadn’t said anything. She just looked at him while Garrus explained that he was going back to the Citadel, listened to all of his justifications and half-hearted I just need closure, you know?

Because she knew it was all bullshit.

She hadn’t even said what they both knew, called him out on it so he could hear how pathetic it was having been said out loud.

You hope to find her alive.

Liara just watched him with that sad look she’d had every day since Shepard had been lost. It was the same look she gave him when he put the memorial plaque with her name on it in a locked drawer and hurled the key out an airlock with an aggression that surprised even Garrus himself.

But Liara had seen enough dying men to know one when he was standing in front of her. She didn’t address what he told her. Instead, she crossed her arms and asked him how long it had been since he’d slept.

Shepard had once asked him if he ever had nightmares. She had sat there on the edge of her bed, hands twisting together, eyes flicking back and forth in empty space, still seeing whatever it was that had been knocking her awake in a cold sweat for months. He had asked what the dreams were, but she never told him, always just shook her head. “Doesn’t matter.”

I tend to expect the worst anyway, so dreaming about it seems like a waste of good sleep. That’s what he had told her. And she wiped away the tears, angrily, and crushed his hand in hers until her heart rate slowed.

She had been so afraid. He had felt it in the thrumming of the air, that one defect that Cerberus hadn’t been able to resurrect out of her; the air answered to Shepard’s biotics, and Shepard’s biotics answered to her emotions. Some wouldn’t have known the static electricity for what it was. But Garrus was attuned to it by now; she couldn’t hide from him.

Expect the worst.

Garrus glared at the wreckage beyond the shuttle window. He had always expected the worst. But that day, he just couldn’t force himself to expect Shepard to die. It seemed impossible, like the sun going supernova. You know it’s possible, you know it’ll happen someday, but the idea of the sky going up in flames tomorrow? A disaster on a scale too large to process as a possibility. That was how he’d seen the possibility of Shepard dying. And he hadn’t expected it.

What happens when the worst comes to pass? Is it still a waste of sleep if it isn’t what you expect that flashes before you, just the truth?

He didn’t sleep. He saw the Citadel going up in flames and he felt the stone dropping into the pit of his stomach as he watched from the Normandy’s med bay. They weren’t nightmares. They were just memories.

The visions of Shepard being slowly crushed beneath burning slabs of concrete, trying to scream for help but choking on a collapsed lung, Shepard dying alone and broken and not even knowing what she’d done, well. Those were merely extrapolations. Test scenarios.

Not dead.

Not dead.

“She’s dead,” he said, softly, to himself. There was no one left to hear.

The battle had been over for three weeks, but the Citadel was still smoldering, lazy embers floating through the air like fiery snowflakes. It was unrecognizable. Garrus could have been standing smack in the center of his old office at C-Sec and he wouldn’t have known.

What are you looking for?

What is is you think you will find?

He had to. He had to.

Garrus took a deep breath and coughed. The air was full of soot. Hard to breathe even with functioning lungs. If one was injured…

Stop.

Everything was different. It was as though the walls themselves had tilted, shifted to change the galaxy’s largest city into the galaxy’s largest weapon.

Or the largest tomb.

Stop.

It was all wrong. He didn’t know what to look for. This wasn’t the Citadel he knew. This was the Crucible, and he was looking for the corpse of the woman he loved among the wreckage of a dead weapon of mass destruction, and if this wasn’t a nighmare, it was doing a spectacular impression of one.

Where are you, Shepard?

Blinking up at the stars, he slowly started to make his way towards what seemed like the center of the wreckage.

Empty.

If she wasn’t here maybe he would just stay and wait to rot. If he found her and she was dead maybe he would just die here beside her. At least they would be together.

He was…where was he? It looked vaguely familiar. Purple lights still pulsing, weakly, on one side of the platform and an overturned shape so burned out it was barely recognizable as a couch.

Of course. Of course this, of all places on the Presidium, would be what somehow made it slightly intact. Slightly being the operative word—it was shattered, but Garrus could tell what it had been, which was more than what he could say about the rest of the ruins.

An image of Shepard, shattered and unrecognizable flashed before his eyes. Wreckage. Ruins.

No.

Purgatory.

Garrus?

Of course he was in Purgatory.

His laughter bounced hysterically off the ragged walls, he almost felt as though he would never be able to stop, until he sank to his knees and put his head in his hands. He remembered her here. Swaying back and forth on the dance floor while Jack watched her with both eyebrows raised more in shock than amusement. Doing that absurd thing with her hands.

Don’t crack up on me now, Vakarian.

“I’m not,” he said. “I’m just talking to the voices in my head. It’s all normal.”

The air shuddering, crackling.

“Not…in your head.”

Garrus froze. He scrambled to his feet gracelessly, whipping around for the source of the voice.

Her.

She was leaning against what appeared to have once been a bar, arm wrapped around her bloodied midsection, and one leg bent at a horrible angle, but her eyes were open and she was looking straight at him. Barely recognizable behind black eyes and a broken nose and split lip and blood all over but the light that washed over her face was hers. Her mouth twitched slightly.

“Shepard,” he breathed.

Her lips twitched again. “Garrus,” she croaked.

A moment and he was by her side again, and she was broken in a million places but it was Shepard, and she was undeniably alive. She smelled like smoke and blood and rot and stale whiskey but she was breathing, labored as it was. She turned her head and stared at him.

“The Crucible…what…” She swallowed painfully. “What happened?”

“You did it. I don’t know what the hell you did but you did it. You saved them.”

“I…saved Earth?”

Gently he felt her neck for her pulse. Weak, but steady. “No, Shepard. You saved everyone.”

“Everyone.”

“Everyone.”

“Whole galaxy.”

“Yeah.”

She got halfway through a smile before she winced in pain. Garrus was looking anywhere but at her face, at her broken leg, at the lacerations, at the blood on her hands both dried and fresh. Shepard always knew. She took his face in her hands, gingerly, tilted it up until he was facing her. He closed his eyes at her touch, too warm, feverish, but the calluses so familiar, rough but somehow soft at the same time.

It was real. She was real.

He opened his eyes.

“You—do you have any idea—I could kill you for—you just threw me back in the ship and you ran—”

“If I hadn’t, we’d…both be dead,” Shepard said hoarsely. “You wouldn’t be here…saving my ass. It worked out.”

Garrus shook his head. She dropped her hands and he caught them in his, careful not to press too hard on her broken knuckles. “How the hell did you survive, Shepard?”

A low chuckle. “I’m hard to kill. You of all people should know that.”

She held up an empty bottle and suddenly he knew where the stale whiskey smell had come from.

“You were right on time, though,” she commented as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “I just ran out.”

“You…”

“Probably would’ve died of shock otherwise…drunk out of my fucking mind for a lot of the pain. Whole lot of water bottles back there. I was lucky. Although I haven’t eaten anything but very stale cashews in weeks.”

“You just happened to land in Purgatory.”

Shepard was speaking more clearly now. “I crawled here on my elbows, actually. Saw the lights. I can’t walk, by the way. And I think one of my kidneys is…broken.” Shepard paused and considered her midsection. “Actually, I think I might have exactly one fully functional internal organ left.”

“Your collarbone is broken,” Garrus said.

“Garrus, my everything is broken.”

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to kiss her entire body but that would only break it open again.

Not dead.

As though she’d heard his thoughts, Shepard shook her head and wrenched his face down to meet hers and she kissed him, hard, re-opening her split lip in the process and he tasted her blood in his mouth but her blood meant she still had a heart to beat it through her body and that meant she’s alive she’s alive she’s alive.

“Okay,” Shepard said. She looked around herself, then back up at Garrus. “This is great, but can…can you get me the hell out of here, please?”

He smiled. Raised Joker on the comm. “Hey, I need an evac from the Citadel. Also, tell Dr. Chakwas she’s got a patient incoming. Pretty severe trauma to…well, her entire body, really.”

“Don’t make me laugh, it hurts,” hissed Shepard.

A pause.

“Joker?”

“No, yeah, I heard you, I’m coming, just, I mean, you’re saying, what you’re saying is—”

“Shut the fuck up and fly my shit—I mean my ship—”

“Holy fuck.” Joker paused again. “Was that. That was. Holy fuck.”

“Just get here,” Garrus said firmly.

“I’m doing it. I’m doing it. Holy shit. Holy fuck.”

He closed the comm. “Is there a good way to do this?”

Shepard considered it. “No,” she said decisively. “There’s a reason I haven’t moved in two days. Just do it.”

“If you feel like one of your ribs is going to puncture a lung or something—”

“Garrus.”

That’s what heaven is. Heaven is her saying his name. There is nothing else. Nothing else matters.

“Okay. Okay.”

He put one arm around her back, carefully, and the other behind her knees. When he lifted her she grunted slightly and the air shimmered with her distress, but she held still.

Garrus took one shuddering breath. “Shepard.”

“Yes?” she said through gritted teeth.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

“I love you.”

Shepard turned her head against his armored chest and smiled as best she could. “I love you. So fucking much, Garrus.”

They had nearly made it and the Normandy was just beginning to leak into sight in the distance when Shepard twitched awake in his arms, suddenly remembering.

“Hey, about adopting that krogan baby…”

[thatishogwash]

The Tale of Persephone and Hades

IwaDai Week

Day 1 - August 12 - Greed / The Little Things (Habits)

Day 2 - August 13 - Lust / Masquerade

Day 3 - August 14 - Gluttony / Five Senses

Day 4 - August 15 - Envy / Fashion

Day 5 - August 16 - Pride / Fake Dating

AO3

Hajime ran through the forest, hearing the sounds of hoofs and braying dogs follow close behind him made his heart beat too quickly in his chest.  Hajime willed the vegetation to grow, entrapping legs and slowing down his pursuers.  He could not be caught so simply, he wouldn’t allow it.  He would not go back without a fight and they should bring their best for that.

Hajime spotted a cave cut into the side of the mountain, partially hidden by large bushes and trees.  It could cause his easy capture but it could also be a means of escape.  Hajime slid down into the hole and asked the bushes to cover it.  They not only grew more wild but they also sprouted thick thorns and pungent berries that would throw off the scent for the hounds that followed so close.

Hajime turned and realized he was on a sort of cliff.  He lowered himself down carefully and found the floor easily enough.  It was dark inside the cave but Hajime was a god after all and light was an easy thing to fix, even for someone that was considered a minor god of flowers and such things.  He felt his face curve into a deep scowl at the fresh remarks.

The sound of barking shook Hajime out of his anger and he quickly made his way down the tunnel, a small golden ball of light hovering near his shoulder showed him where he was.  It was a little taller than him and quite wide, but it looked far too smooth to be natural.  He had witnessed mortals do many odd things and he wondered for what purpose would they carve a tunnel into a mountain.  It wasn’t a particularly big mountain, it didn’t seem to save much time to go through it instead of around it.

Hajime walked close to the side of the tunnel, hand stretched out to touch the smooth texture.  Like a rock carved smooth by the water.  Unlike most of the gods, Hajime quite liked mortals and all their oddities.

There was a strange noise up ahead and Hajime braced himself as the tunnel took a sharp turn.  He peered around the corner and felt his eyes widen at the sight there.  A hound the size of Hajime was curled up against the wall but most curious of all was the three heads all attached to the same body.  The strange noise Hajime had heard was a soft whimper, echoed three times.

Suddenly the three heads whipped up and spotted Hajime, who didn’t have time to even step back before the hound was on him.  The hound nearly knocked him over but instead of attacking him, like Hajime had thought it was about to do, the hound just huddled close, pressing against Hajime and shaking.

“Are you scared?”  Hajime whispered, fingers carefully working through the coarse hair down the creatures spine.  The hound whimpered and pushed closer, nearly knocking Hajime down once again but he held his stance and braced himself.  “Poor creature.”

Hajime knew of only one creature with three heads but he knew that one to be several times larger than the one before him.  Perhaps it was Cerberus’ pup?  Which would mean Hajime had found himself in or near the Underworld.  It was about the last place Hajime would ever want to be but what could he do now?

Turning back was always an option but would his captors be waiting for him?  And what did he have to go back to anyways that was so great?  He was tired of being treated like he was lesser just because his powers helped mortals than they did the gods.  But what waited for him further down the tunnel?  The Underworld was no place for Hajime, who was a child of the sun and things that grew under it.  But the creature before him was terrified and most likely lost, and Hajime had always been told his heart was too soft for his own good.

“Let’s go find your mother.”  And hope she didn’t eat Hajime, not to mention what would happen if the Lord of the Underworld found him.

Hajime had never met Daichi but he had heard the rumors that circulated about him.  He had no mercy towards anyone and he caused death and destruction wherever he went.

No, it was really best if Hajime avoided Daichi at all cost.

They walked together for hours and the only good thing Hajime could say about the length of time was at least the pup had stopped shaking so badly, though the middle head continued to try and lick his face.  Also his pursuers hadn’t found him yet.  Most wouldn’t assume he had gone to the Underworld to escape his fate.

Then Hajime heard the curious sound of water as he rounded another sharp corner.  He let out a gasp at the sight in front of him and was sure it was the entrance to the Underworld he had read about and seen depicted in carvings and paintings alike.  It was so much bigger than he imagined with rows upon rows of spectral beings floating on one side.  Some wandered near the back, moaning and trying to cling onto those who were boarding the ferry.

The pup let out several exited barks, the souls of the dead didn’t seem to care but the cloaked figure on the ferry turned towards him.  Hajime curled his hand in the fur around the pups neck as he felt his stomach drop.

A louder, deeper bark shook the large cavern.  The ground shook and Hajime looked up to see a hound who looked like the pup next to him though several times larger.  Hajime guessed that he could walk underneath Cerberus, reach up and not be able to touch her belly she was so large.

Cerberus stopped on the other side of the river and gave a long whine that made Hajime want to cover up his ears.  The pup trudged forward and Hajime watched in horror as he made a running leap for the water.  He had no idea what the river styx would do to the creature but he didn’t want to find out.

“No!  Don’t!”  Hajime grabbed onto the pup but he was far too strong and too eager to get back to his mother to listen.  They were both going into the river.

“Toraburu, stop!”  A voice commanded, cutting through all noise until it was completely silent.  Hajime stepped away from the river even as the pup gave a whine, pawing at the ground as a dark figure walked around Cerberus.  

The ferry glided easily over to the man, who stepped aboard with grace and came towards where Hajime stood.  He was dressed in all black with dark hair and hard eyes that stared at Hajime as he stepped into the sand next to the pup.  The ferryman, whose head was covered in a deep hood fidgeted with the long oar he held.

“You have given everyone quite a fright, again.”  The one man Hajime had told himself to avoid stated as he gave attention to each one of the heads of who Hajime could only assume was Toraburu.  “And you have brought a friend.”

“He was scared, I couldn’t leave him.”  Hajime said even though he had been warned never to speak out of turn in front of the god of the Underworld.  But he had also been told that Daichi was uncaring, which seemed untrue since his words were said so softly to the pup who was happily wagging his tail now.

“We thank you then.”  Daichi stated as he patted Toraburu’s side.  “Well, go back to your mother.”

“No Daichi, he always scratches the boat-” The ferryman complained but Toraburu was already scrambling onboard, nearly knocking the ferryman off.  His hood slipped to reveal a beard and worried looking brown eyes before he rightened himself and pushed away from the shore to return the pup to his mother.

“Perhaps you should put a collar on them.”  Hajime offered and was surprised by the flash of teeth as the god of the Underworld laughed.  The souls of the departed hadn’t reacted to anything else but they looked over when Daichi laughed.

“We’ve tried, they just chew them off of each other.”  Daichi kept his distance from Hajime, which he appreciated.  Lately too many have been pushing into his space, thinking they were due it just because he was being forced to marry.  “If you ever have need of a favor from the god of the Underworld, please feel free to ask.”  He sounded amused, as if he knew that day was unlikely to come.  Hajime knew the gods could be cruel and fickle, and none were supposed to be worse than Daichi but he could sense no ill will from the other god.  Just something very deep, some type of sadness lingered in the depths of his dark eyes.

Lightning cracked a space near Hajime, who jumped and moved away.  Daichi caught him around the arm, pulling Hajime back from the step he was about to make into the river just to get away from the person he had been running away from.

“Hello Ushijima.”  Daichi greeted the god of the sky, who gave Daichi a nod though his face remained blank as he looked at Hajime.

“It is time to stop running and accept your duty.”  Ushijima ordered and Hajime felt the need to run fill him up but he knew it was useless.  It had only been a matter of time before Ushijima interfered and then no place Hajime ran to would be safe, but he had just hoped for a little more time.

“Duty?”  Daichi asked, glancing over at Hajime.  “The crops could not have withered and died in the couple days he has been in the Underworld.”

“Of course not.”  Ushijima replied, completely missing the teasing smile on Daichi’s face.  “He is to marry, he has a long line of suitors that have been waiting.”  Daichi raised an eyebrow before looking back at Hajime once more.  Hajime wondered if the other god would show his true colors now, if he would toss Hajime towards Ushijima and be done with him.

Instead Daichi looked at the river than at Hajime with a raised eyebrow.  It took Hajime’s panicked mind to comprehend the meaningful look.  Daichi hadn’t verbally swore a favor to Hajime on the river styx, but he had been standing on its shores and that worked just as well.  Hajime was due a favor but was he willing to risk it?

“Come Hajime, enough of this foolishness.”  Ushijima ordered.

“I can’t.”  Hajime stated before clearing his throat and speaking louder.  “I have eaten fruit from here, now I must remain.”

“For how long?”  Ushijima frowned at the both of them.

“Four months.”  Daichi spoke up.  “Four months of every year he must remain down here.”  Hajime almost collapsed with relief as Daichi silently agreed with Hajime’s request.  He might still lock Hajime Tartarus or do something equally as cruel but he had given Hajime what he needed most, he had given him time.

“I will be back in four months then.”  Ushijima promised before disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.

“Daichi, what have you done?”  The ferryman asked, sounding deeply concerned even as Daichi laughed and clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him off his boat once more.

“Thank you.”  Hajime said, bowing deeply to Daichi.

“You shouldn’t thank me just yet.”  Daichi stated before helping Hajime onto the ferry.  “But maybe you can help me think of a way to keep the pups from wandering off.”

“There are more?”  Hajime asked in surprise, to which Daichi only laughed as they crossed the river styx together.  Hajime wondered what he had gotten himself into and perhaps that the Underworld wasn’t such a dreary place after all.