#literally quaking with anger

[multiverse-of-multifandoms]

STOP CANCELING SHOWS BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO GROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[livingfandomly]

Walker? Sir? Mr. Actor?

Jokes aside. That look? That anger? Percy finally having enough and being pissed off with a God who doesn’t care about his children, insulted his friends, ruined their quest and wants to start an unnecessary war where he has nothing to lose? But most importantly… Percy literally QUAKING with unchecked rage for a God who came in the way of him saving his mom?

[ivorydragoness44]

dtror!Hades x fairy!Reader: Good

Word Count: 642 Warnings/Notes: Accidental jump scare by Hades, established relationship, mention of Hades ending his romantic relationship with Maleficent to be with the Reader, minor teasing, fluff, nuzzling, and kissing. Summary: Hades finds the Reader enjoying the weather outside and it becomes a cute little interaction.

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  Merlin Academy. All were welcome and all were taught like any other enrolled student. Just beyond the titled plaque and ever watching statued owl, was a quaint little lake. That was where you found yourself one weekend.   Your jacket was laid out on a stretch of grass for you to sit on, and a book loosely in your grasp. The attention you had was far too busy taking in the scenery. How the gentle breeze rustled the leaved in the trees and created small rippling waves across the shimmering lake. It was almost magical.

  The overall serenity of the moment was feeling sensational until a warm breath tickled your neck and sent sharp spikes of alarm beneath your skin.   “You’re out here again?”   “Hades,” you exhaled. With a single hand to your chest, you took a steadying breath. “What did you do, appear in a smoky haze?”   The small spikes of his jacket rustled against the fabric on your back. “Not yet,” he smiled against the crook of your neck. “Did I scare you?”   “Yes, you did.”   His voice softened. “I didn’t mean to,” he said, pressing a kiss to your skin. “I’m sorry, I wanted to surprise you.”   You let out a small laugh. “Well, mission accomplished, Lord of the Underworld.”   “I should take you there some time,” he said. A smile returned to his voice. It was not entirely rare, but sometimes it’s what follows that does.   “Are there visiting hours?”   “I think I can work something out.”

  Nuzzling his face into your neck, his gloved hands delicately caressed your upper arms.   You pondered on his words for a moment. It was strikingly familiar to something that he had said before.   “Was that not what you said when you fell for me while you were still with Maleficent?”   He paused, his lips ghosting over your skin. “Literally or emotionally fell?”   Swatting at his hands, you laughed. “You know which.”   “Those were two very different instances.”   You rolled your eyes. “You do love fairies.”   He hummed, sending a chill down your body. “No. Just the one.”   “Good.”   Hades chuckled and dropped himself down onto his back beside you. “Good?” He smiled up at you.   “Yes. Or else what would’ve been all of those nights of you trying to find the words to tell Maleficent without shattering her heart and confidence? All the time afterward of us apart to spare us—me—her rage if she were to”—   Hades grabbed your hands and brought them to his chest. “She has no anger toward you. I know that much. It will only and ever be on me.” He sighed. “Besides…I think I gave her a confidence boost in saying that she’s too good for me. I didn’t lie. And don’t you go and get jealous, because I know that you’re too good for me too.”

  As he kissed each of your fingertips, you smiled. “You’re good too, you know.”   “Heh, enlighten me, because I doubt the professors would agree with you.”   “Skipping class does not mean you’re a bad person. Heck, Hades, you and I don’t necessarily have to be here given our ages. But…we are here to learn, right? That’s the whole reason in attending Merlin Academy. Merlin is so knowledgeable that I can’t even complete a list of subjects that he knows even if I tried.”   He gave a false frown. “I guess I can go to my classes more often.”   You tapped your finger against his lower lip teasingly. “Don’t you want a study partner to spend time with?”   The dark eyebrows on his face furrowed. “Morgie?”   “No!” You laughed and dropped to your side on him. “Me. I was talking about me,” your laugh mixed with his as you both quaked in laughter on the lawn. “You’re ridiculous.”   “No, I’m hot.”   “I know, what else is new?”

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

Thank you for reading!

If you'd like to read more fanfics from me, check out the pinned post on my blog for all of my masterlists.

[vanfleeter]

My Love: Chapter 5

Characters: Jake Kiszka x Sara Warnings: 18+ || Gore. Blood. Vampires. Blood drinking. Death. Angst. Fear. Anger. Jealousy. Arguing. Torture. Physical violence. Smut. Oral sex (m & f receiving). Cockblocking. Penetrative sex. Seduction. Makeout.

It had only been two days since the dream and two days since I had any news from Danny or Sam about their search for Chris. After the incident with the Onyx, he disappeared. It wasn’t until one of our close friends in Spain spotted him and tipped us off to him. I wanted to go there and rip his heart out myself but I also knew that I needed to stay with Sara while she worked through her transition. She’s getting better and better every day and she’s handling the feeds with ease. Sometimes I even wonder if she’s doing better than I ever did when I was transitioning. Hell, she did a lot better than Sam or Josh did. Danny transitioned with ease.

Josh’s transition was far from easy. At first he seemed to get the hang of feed and release. Until one fateful night where he took it a step too far, couldn’t stop himself. Ended up draining the man and his psyche couldn’t handle the fact that he actually killed someone. He went on a blood strike for a month and nearly killed himself if Danny didn’t convince him to try again.

Sam? Well, Sam was known as the Ripper. Original, right? He was bloody thirsty. Lustful for it. He tore through Michigan like a tornado, which forced us to leave and go into hiding for a while. It was because of him that we had to live off of animal blood. We ended up having to lock him up in the basement, starving him of blood until he eventually took on the animal blood diet. Now that’s all that he prefers. He’ll indulge in human blood once a month just to keep up his strength but only if it’s provided to him in a blood bag or a glass. Anything to keep him from sinking his teeth into another human.

Danny was the easiest of us four to transition. He learned his limits almost immediately. Like Sam he stuck to blood bags. It was very rare when he would feed directly from a human and when he did, he reveled in the after feed sex. About the only time he ever had sex. He’s the one that keeps all of us in line with our feedings and with our powers.

Me? Well.. I started out like Sam, except I never killed anyone. I just fed on and slept with any woman I could get my hands on. While Sam ripped the heads off of people, I fucked every woman that gave me some of their time. I was the one who mastered the feed and release technique. Feed on a human until they become tipsy from the blood loss and then wipe their memory clear before sending them on their way.

Sara caught on nearly as quickly on the technique.

As for our powers?

Danny has the stare that can kill. Literally. One look from his eyes from underneath his brows and you’re a goner. He’ll have you quaking in fear or submitting to him on your knees in one second, whichever he prefers in the moment.

Josh has the gift of mind reading. Though he doesn’t use it often, he will if he wants to gain insider knowledge on something. He knows better than to use it on me. Sometimes he’ll, on a not common occasion, read someone’s mind just to see what they might be thinking of.

Sam was given the illusion of despair. He has the power to render anyone into self doubt and bring them to tears. He can even use your deepest and darkest fears against you to get you to do whatever he desires of you. Not one person can defend themselves against him. Not even the three of us.

The power I was given is the ability to make someone bleed with just one look and boil their blood from within. Similar to how Danny can look at a person and they submit. I give them one look and I can have them bleed out from any part of their body. I can even do it without looking at them. All I have to do is focus on the person and what I want to happen and it happens. I’ve only done it a handful of times. I found myself enjoying watching someone bleed from their eyes. I haven’t used my power in a long time now.

With Sara, we’re still trying to figure out her given power. She has all the basic vampiric powers. Strength, immortality, and compulsion. Which is great, but her given power will help enhance her survival and defense mechanisms. Hopefully she gets it soon. She’ll be able to protect herself if any of us four are indisposed.

“So you can make someone bleed just by one look?” She asks.

I nod my head and take a drink of the now watered down whiskey. Disgusting. I point my chin in the direction of a man sitting at the bar. He’s been an asshole the whole night and it’s been making my body itch with the need to stick Sam on his ass. The only time I’d allow Sam to rip someone’s head off again.

“Watch..” I say as I put all of my focus on the man.

His laughter rings through the air, his loud and annoying laugh. He’s yapping loudly about his ex-wife but it slowly starts to fade. I can hear his blood rush through his veins and go straight for his nose. Blood steadily flows down from both of his nostrils. “What the fuck?!” He exclaims as he cups his hand over his face.

I chuckle as I lift my glass up to my lips and finish off the rest of the whiskey.

“That’s insane..” She says as she watches on in awe.

“Don’t expect me to always do it,” I say. “It’s only when I want to and that’s a pretty rare occasion.”

“I wonder if I can do that.”

I shrug my shoulders. “If that’s what you were gifted,” I say, leaning back in the chair. “Try it.. All you have to do is focus on your target. Pick an area where you want to draw the blood out.”

Sara nods her head and zeroes in on the same man. Nothing happens at first, no blood oozing out of any part of his body. Then suddenly…

“Argh!” The man screams as he clutches his right hand. “What the hell is happening?!”

I watch as his fingers twist, his bones cracking. His screams fill the bar and all of the patrons watch him in fear as his body continues to contort. Bones cracking everywhere as he falls to the floor.

Sara.

That’s her power.

Pain and bone breaking.

She’ll kill him if I don’t stop her.

“Sara..” I warn under my breath. “Time to stop.” But she doesn’t. I kick her foot under the table. She only flinches slightly but still she doesn’t stop.

Danny suddenly appears in front of her and she stops. Her eyes soften as he pours his energy into her. Soon the bones stop cracking and the man’s screaming calms down to just simple whimpers.

“I think we just figured out her powers..” Sam mutters beside me.

“What are you guys doing back so soon?” I ask.

“He’s gone again..” Danny leans on the table and cracks open a peanut that he picked up out of the bucket. “But everyone in the States is keeping their eyes and ears open should he reappear here.”

“Come on,” I say, grabbing Sara’s hand and pulling her through the bar and to the exit. We walk past the man who is still in a crumpled heap on the floor. I scoff, shaking my head and keep heading for the exit.

“Jake..” Sara says behind me as I continue dragging her down the street. She tries pulling her hand away but I hold tighter. “Jake, please stop.” But I don’t. I keep moving. “Jake!”

“What?!” I snap as I spin around to face her.

“You’re hurting me..” She says softly.

Looking down at our hands, I can definitely see just how tightly I’m holding her hand. Releasing my grip, I wipe my hand on my pants. “I’m sorry..”

“Why did we leave?” She says. “We could’ve stayed longer.”

“No.. We should get home.”

“But Jake–”

“We’re going home.”

“I don’t want to. I’m tired of constantly being in the house.”

“I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“I can protect myself..”

“Sara, don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”

“I’m making it difficult?” She scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “I feel like fucking Rapunzel locked up in her tower. Jake, I’m growing tired of constantly being inside the house. Nights like this are pretty fucking rare ever since–”

“Shut up..”

“Jake, I know you’re just trying to protect me from Chris but baby,” She cautiously raises her hand to my cheek and softly runs her thumb over my cheekbone. “I think we just learned inside that I can handle myself, should the need arise.”

I sigh and drop my chin. “Yeah.. I guess you’re right..” I lift my head again and immediately pull her into me. “I have to admit, that was pretty sexy..”

“Mmm, yeah? You think so?”

“I know so..” I grab her face in my hands and kiss her. “It makes me hard just thinking about it..”

She smiles against my lips before she kisses me. Pulling away she drags me into the nearest alleyway, away from wandering eyes, and shoves me up against the brick wall.

“Oh no..” I say, wagging my finger in front of her face. She pouts and slides her hands down to my crotch and palms me with her hand. She begins to rotate her wrist, moving her hand in circles. The friction causes the most pleasurable feeling. I let my head fall against the wall as I suck my bottom lip in between my teeth. She lets go of me and moves upwards to undo my pants.

“Look at you all ready..” She says as she finally releases me from my pants. Her hand wraps around my length as her thumb circles the tip. Sinking to her knees in front of me, she takes the full length of me inside of her mouth until I touch the back of her throat.

“Fuck..” I groan.

While my hand grabs a fistful of her hair, the other slams onto the ledge of the dumpster next to us. Receiving this next to a smelly dumpster is a total first for me.

Her tongue works its way around my length and she opens up her throat to take me deeper until she gags around me. The metal of the dumpster groans underneath my grip. She’s working me closer and closer to my release, the pleasure filling my veins and fogging up my head. I can’t help but to groan loudly as she sucks on my tip like a lollipop. No doubt anyone out on the sidewalk could hear me as they passed by.

“Oh god, get a fucking room!” I hear Sam shout.

Turning my head to the side, I can see him and Danny standing at the end of the alley, pulling out a cigarette and passing the lighter to each other. Danny has a smirk on her face as he lights his cigarette. “At least one of us is getting laid tonight.” He laughs before grabbing Sam by the collar and disappearing around the corner.

The feeling of her mouth around me disappears and she’s standing to her feet.

“Fuck, why’d you stop?”

“Oh, you wanted more?” She smirks and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Brat..” I grumble as I tuck myself back in my pants.

She winks at me before turning on her heels and leaving the alleyway. My god, she drives me insane. Pushing off the wall, I quickly follow after her and to the car in the parking lot where Sam and Danny are standing and waiting for us with Josh right next to them.

“Didn’t let you finish?” Josh smirks.

“Stay out of my head.” I quip as I shove him away. He laughs and shakes his head. “When did you get here anyways?”

“Just now..” He says as he snatches the box of cigarettes from Sam. “I have an update on Chris..” He sticks a cigarette in between his lips and lights it up before inhaling and puffing out a few clouds of smoke. “Eleanor says he’s in Memphis.”

“Eleanor?” Sam perks up. “She’s back?”

“Must be… Said she’s been sleeping with him for the past few days.” Josh puffs again and flicks some of the ashes onto the ground. “According to her, he goes out to feed during the day and when he comes back to her place, they fuck like rabbits.” He sees Danny grimace and he holds his hands in the air. “Her words, not mine,” He speaks around the cigarette in mouth.

“Why him though?” Sam grumbles.

“You two broke up over fifty years ago,” I say. “Let it go..”

“Speaking of exes..” Josh continues. “He’s not the only one in Memphis.” His eyes trail over to me. “Sitovo is back in the states too.”

“Sitovo?” Danny straightens up. “Didn’t she flee to Siberia or something after the Onyx picked up on her killing spree in Mexico?”

“Russia..” I mutter. Lifting my eyes, I see them all looking at me, including Sitovo. “What?”

“You would know her exact placement,” Sam smirks. “Considering..”

“Shut up..” I snap.

“Oooo, someone’s still sensitive.”

“I said shut up!”

Sam chuckles and nods his head in Sara’s direction. “Ever told her about Vo?”

“Besides that they dated way back when?” Sara says.

“They were lovers..” Sam smirks again. “Kind of like how you two are now. Fucked every chance they got.”

“Samuel, this is your last warning,” I growl. “Shut the fuck up.”

I can feel Sara’s eyes on me. I have told her about Sitovo but just that she’s someone I used to date.

“They were married back then.. Until Vo went crazy..”

“Jake?” I look over at Sara. “She was the one you lost..”

“Sara-” I start but she cuts me off.

“You told me she was dead..”

“In a manner of speaking..” Sam grumbles. Josh sends his arm across Sam’s chest, his hand slapping loudly. “Ow, geez.. Knock it off.”

“You knock it off.”

“Sara, I can explain..”

“Marriage?” Her eyes sparkled with tears and her chin quivered. “You were married?”

“Still are..” Sam pipes up again.

“Say one more word,” Danny threatens him.

“Sara, please..”

“How could I have been so stupid?”

“Baby, no,” I reach her hands and grasp them within my own. “You’re not stupid.”

“No?” She pulls her hands from mine. “You lied to me.. You made me believe that she was dead..” A tear slips down her cheek. “But you knew this whole time that she was still alive and you knew where she was! And you’re still married to her!”

“Sara, please let me explain.”

“No..” She shakes her head as she starts to back up. “I can’t be around you anymore..”

“Sara.. Sara, please.” I say as I try to follow after her.

It wasn’t until she was turning back around with her eyes on me that the blazing fire courses through my body, the pain unbearable as she crumbles me to the ground. “Stay away from me..” She says through clenched teeth.

“Please… Sara…”

The pain suddenly stops and she’s gone. Josh gathers me off the ground but I shove him away. Grabbing Sam by his collar, I press him into the side of the car. My hand curls around his throat, slowly cutting off his airway. “Why the fuck would you bring that up?!”

“I just..” Sam gasps. “She needed… To know!”

Images flashed in my head of the dream I had the other night. Chris with the stake in his hand. His smile flashes in my head. Sara’s screams fill my head.

“Stop it! Stop it!” I shout.

My hold on Sam loosens and he pushes me down to the ground. “She needed to know, Jake.” He says as he towers over me.

“You go find Sara,” Josh says to Danny. “And we’ll meet back up at the house.”

My leg shook intensely as I waited for Danny to come back home with Sara. It had been hours since she stormed off, and rightfully so. I was an idiot for not telling her the full truth. I should have been honest with her from the start, but I was afraid that if she knew the truth then she wouldn't want to be with me.

I haven’t seen or heard from Sitovo since she fled to Russia. I tried to end the marriage before she left but she was so erratic and insane that she wouldn’t do it. I didn’t want to have to do it, I wanted to help her through her episode and bring her back into herself. It was painful waking up one morning and she was gone. She left her things behind, even her wedding rings.

She left a note explaining why she couldn't stay. Aside from her episodes and how crazy they were making her, she said she had to leave because the Onyx were after her. They learned of her killing spree in Mexico, something my brothers and I tried hard to cover up. But somehow they still found out. They couldn't risk her exposing the whole of the clan so they thought best to get rid of her. So she ran.

They showed up at the house not long after she had left and searched the whole place. No matter how many times I explained to them what happened, they didn’t believe me. At the time I had no idea where she had gone, I had no answers for them. They didn’t like that. For days they tortured me in hopes of receiving the answers they so desperately wanted out of me.

The sun was their main tactic. Removing my ring so I wouldn’t be protected. Whenever I answered with ‘I don’t know’, they’d draw the curtains, allowing the sun to burn my skin. Josh had to listen to my screams of pain, unable to help me. No one was allowed to help me. I was on my own.

The love of my life, or at least I thought she was, up and left and giving me up. It wasn’t until five months after the Onyx finally gave up on their search for her that she finally made contact via letter. She apologized for leaving but said she was safe in Russia. She was aware of my torture and said she wanted to help but couldn’t in fear of exposing herself to them. She couldn't risk it.

I had lost her for good. She was gone. I believed she was never coming back. And after fifty years, I chose to not be married to her anymore, even if we had a binding agreement. She was dead to me and to anyone who asked about her. That was that. I didn’t want to have to explain that she was definitely still alive and hiding out in Russia away from everything and everyone, including me.

Sitovo chose herself. She chose her own safety and left me to deal with the mess.

My only question to her now would be.. Why come back now?

Did Chris convince her too? Will he use her to get to me? To get to Sara?

What if he gets to her before Danny does?

What if–

Josh slaps my arm, pulling me out of my thoughts. He nods his head towards the doorway of the living room. There she stands with Danny, the look of annoyance clear as day on her face.

“Found her on the other side of town with some guy’s tongue shoved down her throat.” Danny explains as he walks down the few steps into the room and goes over to the alcohol table. Anger and jealousy boiled through my veins as I stared her down. I knew she knew it too because she wore a devious look on her face.

“Get out.” I order my brothers, not once breaking eye contact with Sara.

“Don’t break anything,” Josh says as he leads Danny out of the room.

Once I knew they were far enough away, I strode up to Sara and grabbed her by her neck. She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Jakey, you don’t scare me anymore.”

“Oh no?” I cock my head. “Are you sure about that?”

I could see my eyes darken through her pupils. Using full force, I swung her around and tossed her to the floor. “Now it’s my turn to have fun with you.” I say as I pin her to the floor.

“Your little blood trick doesn’t scare me either.”

I chuckle maliciously and grin at her. “You don’t know the extent of it. I only told you what I wanted you to know..”

“Like what you only told me about Sitovo?”

Gritting my teeth, I pull her off the floor and shove her up against the mantelpiece, cracking some of the molding. “You don’t get to talk about her..”

“Sounds to me that she still gets you riled up.” She dryly laughs and runs her fingertips along my jaw. “You still love her. I saw it in your eyes when Josh told you she was in Memphis.. I think that hurt worse seeing that than knowing you lied to me about her being dead, let alone failing to mention you’re still married.”

“Of course I still love her, I never stopped. But I only love her in the sense of someone that I care about. I don’t love her like I love you.”

“Love me how?” She questions.

She questions my love for her?

Pulling her off the mantelpiece, I shove her onto the couch. I instantly have her legs hooked over my shoulders as I press my lips against her needy center. I lick a stripe up her, her moan escaping from her lips. I licked and I sucked and fucked her with my fingers until I had her crumbling to pieces before me. I lapped up everything she had to offer and not leaving one bit of it behind. I pull away, letting her legs fall off my shoulders.

“Is that all you got?” She asks breathlessly.

Standing from the couch, I undo my belt and snap my fingers before pointing to the floor. “On your hands and knees. Now.”

She smirks and slides off the couch. Positioning herself on her hands and knees in the middle of the rug, she glances at me over her shoulder. I fall to my knees behind her and reach forward to turn her head away. Shoving my pants down, I free myself. I bunch up her dress to reveal most of her ass and I line myself up with her entrance.

“Would you have let him fuck you?” I say as I push just my tip past her folds.

“Maybe..”

I crack an open palm against her ass, making her yelp. “Yes or no?”

“Yes.” She responds.

“Hmph..” I huff before slamming myself into her. She lets out a loud moan, her head dropping downwards. “Does that feel good?”

“S-So good, Jake..”

“I’m sorry..” I lean over her and yank her head back. “Who?”

“S-Sir..”

I smirk and let go of her head, allowing it to drop forward again. “That’s what I thought..”

I pull out just enough to keep my tip inside of her. “Were you going to do it just to spite me?” I say as I slowly push back inside of her. “I take it Danny cock blocked you, didn’t he?”

“Y-Yes..” She stammers.

“Because he knows who you belong to..” I say as I thrust my hips again. “But I don’t think you do..” I retract myself, pulling all the way out.

“No.. No..” She pleads as she turns herself around. “Jakey please..” She says as she grabs hold of the lapels of my shirt.

I trace the expanse of her jaw and use my knuckle to draw her face close. “Then tell me who do you belong to?”

“You.. You..” She breathes against my lips as I lay her down on her back. “Only you..”

“That’s right, baby..” I say before kissing her neck. “Only me..” I thrust myself back inside of her and slowly started to create a steady rhythm. “I know I screwed up.. I know I should have told you the truth..”

She grabs a handful of my ass in both of her hands and squeezes tightly. I moan from the feeling it gives me and I dig deeper inside of her. “If you had been as honest as you were when you revealed to me that you’re a vampire, we wouldn't be in this mess..”

“I always want to be like this with you.”

I quicken the pace and thrust as deep as I can go inside of her. “Jake..” She moans. “Fuck, Jake I’m almost there.”

“Me too baby..”

I can feel my own orgasm creeping up, the build up becoming utterly unbearable. As soon as I feel her spill all over me, I’m crashing to my own orgasm.

Slow claps fill the room and I lift my head to find Chris standing in the entryway to the living room. “Enjoyed the show?” I smugly say as I pull out of Sara. Getting us both resituated, I pull her behind me.

Chris chuckles and shakes his head. “I have to say, Jacob. You’ve really found the loophole.. Creating a new vampire all because you didn’t want to give her up.” He takes a step down and smiles. “From my doing of course.”

“You killed her..”

“And she would have stayed dead had you not fed her your blood.”

“She didn’t deserve to die..”

“Had to do something..” Chris says. “I wasn’t given a choice.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “You had a choice.. But you took the trust that I had in you and used it against me.”

Chris rolls his eyes and moves down off the last step. “Oh quit with the dramatics, Jake.. I heard she nearly fucked someone else tonight,” He chuckles. “Aren’t we jealous?”

“Shut up..”

“Though I gotta say, Sitovo is quite the little thing herself.”

I clear my throat and run a hand through my hair. “She’s free to do whatever…or whoever…she chooses to.”

“Good to know you still care about me.” Sitovo steps out from around the corner. Her hair was longer and curled around her shoulders. Her eyes still looked like the same old ocean blue as they always were. Her staple red lipstick was stark against her pale skin. She never could color in her skin as easily as anyone else.

“Hello again, Jake.. I see you moved on..”

“I see you have to,” I responded back. “Russians weren’t enough for you that you had to stoop so low to the Red coats?”

“Oh very original,” Chris scoffs. “It’s been two hundred and forty-eight years..”

“Should have killed you that day. Then we wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

“But then that would’ve meant I couldn’t enjoy making love with this pretty, little thing.” He says as he traces Sitovo’s jaw.

“Why are you here?” I question him. “To finish the job?”

“As much as I would love that, I love having my limbs intact.”

“How do you know about that?”

“Don’t think I haven’t been keeping tabs on you like you have been on me.” Chris folds his arms over his chest. “Besides, I’ve been in town a lot longer than you know. I guess Josh doesn’t have good enough resources.” He turns his attention to Sara and smirks. “Your lips taste so sweet..”

“How would—” Sara gasps behind me. “That was you?!”

Chris smirks. “I have the gift of shapeshifting darling.” He winks. “I could’ve killed you on the spot had Danny not shown up when he did.”

“Oh… My… God…” I say as I turn to face Sara. “You almost fucked him?!”

“I didn’t know it was him!” Sara exclaims.

“Get off my couch..” I say pointing behind me at Chris as he tries sitting down.

“Just wanted somewhere comfortable to sit while the show went on..”

“Then you can watch my foot go up your ass,” I hear Danny say as he and Josh enter the room.

“You know this is getting so exhausting..” Josh says as he fills a glass with whiskey. “Give up already Chris.”

“Not until I finish what I was set out to do.”

“Then I won’t hesitate to snap your neck..” Josh says as he casually sips on his whiskey.

“You know that doesn’t–”

“Before I burn your body…” Josh continues.

“That’d be a bonfire I’d love to participate in..” Danny snickers from his place beside Sitovo. He casually turns his head to look at her and grins. “I wouldn’t mind adding you to the pile too.”

“Ooo, who's having a bonfire and can I join?” Sam says as he walks through the front door. “I love a good s’more.”

“Josh threatened Chris..” Danny continues grinning.

“Oh goody, I won’t have to collect firewood.”

“Now I can see why you went crazy,” Chris says as he turns to look at Sitovo. “They’re nothing but murderous freaks.”

“Well, it is what we were made to do,” Josh says. “Although we do have control, unlike someone…”

“Hey, it was one time..” Sam says defensively.

Danny slaps him across his chest. “Not you..” He says as he glares at Sitovo. Sitovo rolls her eyes and shifts her weight to her other foot.

“You still haven’t moved on yet?” Sitovo questions. “It’s been over two hundred years, build a bridge and get over it.”

Sam casually leans over towards her, “I would shut up if I were you,” He says. “You’re poking the stick at the wrong bear.”

“All I’m saying is–”

“And all I’m saying is,” Danny says, his voice raising in volume. “You killed me..”

“I brought you back..”

“Yeah, like this!” He exclaims, motioning his hands around himself. “I told you no, I didn’t want this! I didn’t want any of this and you took that choice away from me! I lost everything because of you! I had to hide from my own family so they wouldn’t kill me! Do you know how hard that was?! I had to watch them grow old while I stayed like this! I had to watch them die while I kept living!”

“I gave you a gift..”

“That’s it..” Danny rolls up his sleeve and takes the first swing at her, knocking her to the ground.

“Hey hey!” Sam shouts as he pulls Danny off of Sitovo. “She’s not worth it, Danny.. Come on, stop!”

“Just let me rip her head off!”

Chris laughs, shaking his head. “The quiet one is always the first to explode.”

“I’d shut up if I were you,” Josh says. “Anyways.. While Sam calms down Danny.. Let me ask you this.. Did you come back to finish the job?” He asks.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Josh scoffs. “Why come here then, to a house full of vampires that literally want to kill you, when you could have easily done it when you had her in the first place?”

“I thought about it, I did.” Chris says, nodding his head. “But that just wouldn’t satisfy me much.”

Sitovo manages to pick herself up from the floor and slowly approaches me. I throw my hand out, capturing her by the neck. She gasps for air as I gradually squeeze my fingers into her throat. “You..” I growl as I look at her. “Why are you here then?”

“I’ve come..to make..amends…with you,” She croaks.

“Ha!” I laugh loudly. “Bullshit..” I drop her to the floor and she takes in gulps of air to regain herself.

“You’re still my husband, Jake.” She says as she looks up at me.

I scoff, “I haven’t been your husband for fifty years, Vo. You left me.”

“I know.. And I’ve regretted every day since,” Sitovo stands back to her feet and straightens out her clothes. “I came back in hopes that we could rekindle what we once had.”

“Never will I ever want to rekindle anything with you, except your body.”

“Ooo,” She shutters with a grin. “Talking dirty already.” She says as she dares to take a step closer. “There’s my Jakey..” She walks her fingers up my shoulder, goosebumps being left in her wake.

Fuck.

Stop it.

You don’t love her anymore.

Don’t let her convince you otherwise.

Her fingers make their way to my jaw and she turns my head so that I’m looking at her. Her face is so close to me, I can smell the cherry lip gloss on her lips.

“My sweet, sweet Jakey..”

“Paws off,” Sara warns beside me. If I’m being honest, I forgot she was still there.

“Or what?” Sitovo spats. “You’ll break every bone in my body?” She laughs menacingly before pressing her lips to mine. “Let him go, just for a little bit. You can have your fun, why can’t he?”

I felt like puddy in her hands, melting into her palms.

No.

Jake, fight it.

“Jake?” Sara calls from beside him.

“Uh oh..” Josh mutters.

“Jake, snap out of it,” Sara says as she tugs on my arm. “Jake!”

Sitovo licks her tongue across my lips before pushing it inside my mouth. I can’t help but to kiss her back, the feeling is too overwhelming to fight. This was her gift. She was able to seduce a man into doing whatever she willed him to. It was a curse on the man but a blessing for her. She reveled in it.

The sensation fell away, the clouds breaking up in my head as I came back to my senses. Sitovo’s wails filled my ears and I looked down to see her crumbling to the floor in agonizing pain.

“Why couldn’t you just listen?” I hear Sara say beside me.

I could feel anger beginning to course through my blood. Danny’s anger flowed through me and I smirked. Putting all of my focus on Sitovo, I began to drain the blood from her heart and make it flow from her eyes.

“Jake!” She cries. “Jake… Please!”

“You betrayed me..” I growl. “You broke me..”

“Jake!”

“Now it’s my turn..”

I could see Chris trembling as fear overtook his body. Once I was finished with Sitovo and she was nothing but an empty shell of a body, I turned to face Chris. Danny’s anger dissipated from my body and I felt like myself again. I smirked at Chris and he looked at me in fear.

“Scared of me now, traitor?” I say as I slowly make my way across the room. “You took advantage of our friendship, and you betrayed my trust.”

“Jake, I-”

“I considered you a brother. I loved you like you were one.”

“Come on, Jake.. We can work this out. Start over?”

I laugh loudly. “Ha! Start over? Start over?! We’re in this mess because of you!”

“I don’t think so…”

I look behind him at Danny and I nod my head. Danny steps behind Chris and cracks his knuckles. But before he has the chance to even touch him, Chris is violently throwing his head back and smashing into Danny’s nose, causing him to stumble backwards in slight pain. Chris lunges forward and pins me to the mantelpiece. I can’t tell if the cracking I hear is my spine or the concrete.

“I wanted to be civilized about this..” Chris says as he lifts my chin and crushes my throat in his hands. “Handle this myself, but I guess I was wrong..” Before I know it, he has the poker in his hand and he shoves it through my abdomen. “I’m older than you, Jacob. I’m stronger and faster and I could kill you right now, along with your brothers. Maybe I’ll even spare Sara..”

I struggle against him but the iron poker only shifts inside my body causing more pain.

“She was gorgeous as a human but now?” He chuckles and smirks. “I guess ever since she turned, vampirism has given her more confidence. She’s absolutely glowing.. I mean.. Look at the body..”

“Don’t..you..touch..her..” I gasp.

“Come on, just a little taste..”

Suddenly the shift in the room changes. Sam and Danny are dropping to their knees and groaning in pain as they clutch their heads. Josh follows seconds later, his whiskey glass falling to the floor and breaking into pieces.

“No! No! Jake!” Chris turns my head to the side, making me watch as two other men are grabbing and pulling at Sara. “Jake!”

“Please..” I beg. “Please…don’t kill her…”

Chris laughs menacingly and turns my head back so I’m looking at him. “Don’t worry.. She’ll be safe with me..”

The last thing I heard was Sara screaming my name again before I heard the cracking of bone and everything going black.

@losfacedevil @writingcold @edgingthedarkness @i-love-gvf @katuschka @josh-iamyour-mama @sammysstolenbirks @asendingtothestarsasone @hollyco @musicislove3389 @its-interesting-van-kleep @katiegvf @tinydancer40 @gretavangroupie @lizzys-sunflower @fleetingjake @takenbythemadness @godly-sinsx @psychedelectable @dancingcarbon @oliverfuckingreed @cheersdannyx2 @piratejtk @katuschka @thetroublegetssoloud71

apologies about the tag list, tumblr won't tag a lot of people, but some are in the comments.

[aaal-iz-well]

What happens when you're tired, and angry, and feeling betrayed

Pairing: Avery and Jameson

Summary:

Jameson fucks up, again. But this time, Avery's had too much, and is too tired to hold back what's in her (heavy) heart.

(takes place sometime during The Hawthorne Legacy)

A/N: hello guys, so this is my first time posting my work over here, and i hope you guys like it. enjoy reading! AO3 LINK

Jameson, never the gentleman, opened the door for Avery before stepping in himself.

The lights flickered on automatically, and as if they knew he’d brought a girl, were dimmer, softer. Which surprised him, because why couldn’t they be like this when he stumbled in drunk? Instead of that eye-wateringly bright, which was mirrored on the insides of his eyelids for hours.

He’d have to look into that.

For now, he was looking at the state of his room, and wished he hadn’t been so bitchy about letting the staff clean it. As if letting someone see his stupid collection of riddles was a clear devaluation of them.

And it would’ve been cool if it was the sort of room that embraced the mess. Instead, the room seemed detached, its pristine surfaces glaring at the cluttered papers, just like Avery probably was.

Only when she quickly strode over to a wad of papers at the center of the mess did alarm bells go off in his head. But it was too late, as she was already straightening one against the floor, and turned to him with eyes that held so much—anger, betrayal, sadness, did he—

“You didn’t tell me about this,” she accused, and he wanted to rescue the paper from her clenching hands. That was the only copy he had; one she’d destroy if she didn’t control those shaking fingers. One he literally went to hell for.

He immediately moved towards her. Damage control. “Oh, it’s nothing,” he said, “just a—”

He stopped abruptly, grimacing at the way her fingers further tightened over it. “I thought we’d decided to tell each other everything,” she said indignantly. She wasn’t shouting, but the quake in her voice suggested she might as well be if she was that sort of person. “And, then let the other person decide what is and isn’t important.”

Jameson felt chagrined by his words to her upon discovering her letters thrown back at him.

But, he did what he did best in tight situations in front of disappointed teachers, and brothers, and grandfathers, alike. He shrugged in the boyish way he’d seen Avery admire from afar. “Well,” he tried to smile.

This only resulted in her crossing her arms over her chest, and the bitterness in her eyes as she appraised him felt more cutting than any barbs or threats or insults anyone had ever thrown at him.

His mind wanted to default to a wink, but he very much did not want to test her patience.

In a desperate attempt to avoid those eyes, he bent down and started collecting everything he’d discovered along with that zoomed in shot of Toby—which thankfully, wasn’t in a quite so bruising grip now.

Her hand clamped down on his wrist. She all but snatched them off the floor. Without sparing a glance at him, she quickly walked to his desk, and with exceeding force, pulled out the chair underneath it. Changing the lighting to that same blinding setting, she stacked the pages and tapped them against his desk, apparently determined to go through the whole load of them at this very instance.

He thought he saw her discreetly wipe off a tear over her cheek, which he doubted could be chalked up to the lighting.

His whole body felt tight, coiled up within the weight of her disapproval. His hands twitched to give something, that he didn’t think he had; to ease her shaking shoulders.

To convince himself he wasn’t a completely shitty person, he placed a hand on those shoulders, rubbing them slowly. “Heiress,” he said as softly as he could manage. “It’s been a really shitty long day. We- you can pick this up tomorrow. Why don’t you get some rest for now?”

She exhaled, her shoulders relaxing under his hands, and for a moment, he felt hopeful.

“Please,” she choked out, her eyes fixed on a zoomed-in image of Toby. “Don’t touch me.”

Jameson’s heart sunk, literally sunk. He felt it being dragged under, settling somewhere at the bottom of his gut; its rapid beat as it squirmed to be let free. Suddenly, he found his hands were still there, and lifted them as if burned, shifting back brokenly.

And he knew he couldn’t be in the same room as Avery with the knowledge that she didn’t even feel safe, after she’d said that. Before he knew what he was doing, he had collected a towel, and a spare change of clothes, thrown what he hoped was a coherent, “feeling like a shower” and locked himself in the bathroom.

Yes, he was a Hawthorne, hiding in his bathroom.

As he deposited what he’d brought over the hangers, a determination settled over his shoulders, giving them some strength.

An image started to form in his mind: of him exiting the bathroom, tragically handsomely. Steamed glasses, towel around his waist, backlit against the counter lights with steam condensing into his air-conditioned room. And have a heart to heart with Avery.

(He was yet unaware of the effects said heart to heart would have on him.)

As if to warn him, the striking hot water hit his skin, making him yelp, and he quickly switched to comfortably lukewarm. And got to doing something that had helped him crack so many stubborn riddles. Masterminding in the shower. So…

Toby was a mystery to Jameson. Something that made his hands itch to do something, everything, to find him. By hook or by crook. A part of him also thought of it as a race.

But he didn’t put a lot of thought into what he’d do after Toby was found. What was even left of a mystery when it was solved? Now that was a clear devaluation, the loss of allure. But he couldn’t picture anything significantly changed.

It couldn’t have been more different for Avery.

Those nimble hands kept filtering through everything, anything, when it came to Toby, eyes unblinking. Not because: Ha there you’re hiding. Nice place by the way, have to give it to you.

But because Toby was her friend, someone she bought breakfast, someone whom she let buy her breakfast. And by now, Jameson knew what an incredible feat that was, for Toby to have accomplished.

And then they found out he might be her father. Even with his eyes focused on the scribbled wall, he noticed her breathlessness as she ran out. Or how all the colour drained out of her already quite pale face, leaving her looking like something lifeless, when they were faced with the harrowing possibility that he might be hurt, or worse, dead.

For Avery, every thread unravelled was a nail bitten, an extra crease on her forehead, a pound lost.

What an incredibly senseless way to live, especially for someone as sensible as Avery, letting every hope hinge on something so uncertain.

***

Jameson got out the shower, not because he felt nearly composed after considering everything (quite the opposite actually), but because his hands were pruning, and his skin felt raw. He wrapped a towel around his torso, but the idea of going out like this felt ridiculous, so he quickly changed into the clothes he’d brought, and stepped out.

The result was rather anticlimactic, considering all his imagining, because Avery was slumped over the table, head to her side, over all the pages she’d earlier been determined to pour through all night.

Jameson had that feeling again, of those coils around him.

He gently shook her shoulder. “Heiress,” he said, “Avery!” Her eyes fluttered open, and it was a relief to see them look at him confusedly, rather than with malice. “Come on, get up, I’ll walk you to your room. Your back’ll thank you in the morning.”

Avery cracked both her eyes, quite painfully, it seemed, and they looked painfully red as well. It was then that he noticed the dried tears on her cheek. “Jamie,” she croaked.

The boy in question felt a pinch in his throat, at the sight of tears staining her face, and his nickname being used like that. For something other than the upper hand in a petty power play.

“Yes?” he whispered back.

She patted his shoulder, and it took him a while to understand, but he pulled back the other chair and sat down next to her.

He waited for her to say something, feeling uneasy.

She lifted her head up, somewhat. “Why’d you have to do that, Jameson?” she asked. “Every. Single. Time.” Her voice should have been demanding, claiming, but it felt like giving up instead. To sleep, to feelings— he didn’t know.

Her face scrunched up. “I think we’re even, you know. When I show you everything I’ve collected over the years, praying you don’t think me mad for holding onto garbage.” She stopped, and he noticed the tears pricking the redness in her eyes. “Can you imagine how hard it must be for me in this shiny place? How stupid I feel showing you mum’s postcards, my old life, for what is game, Jameson—” she poked his chest righteously, her voice quivering “—all a game to you.”

“Avery—” he said, shaking his head, but stopped when he realised what a selfish thing he’d wanted to ask of her. Please stop, don’t tell me how shitty I am.

She had paused, and seemed to know this as well. “Yeah,” she said knowingly, mirthlessly. “But it’s okay, I think, because you’re doing the same, like I’m not opening up to be shot at.” She paused again. “But then, then you pull something like this, and I feel so stupid—” she seemed to be clawing for words, but a broken sob was all that came out, tears following.

“I hate being stupid,” she managed. “And over a boy, my god.”

Only when the silence— broken by her trying to compose herself, furiously swiping at her eyes— stretched on too long did Jameson realise she was done.

He felt tears prickling his eyes as well. At his utter uselessness, just sitting there, staring at her; at the urge to spew an excuse, to say ‘oh, guilty as charged’; at his tied tongue.

But, mostly, at his capacity to hurt. So grievously and deeply. For a truly dark moment, he thought there was no difference between him and Emily. After all, wasn’t this exactly how she’d made him feel. He recalled his shrug earlier, how it must have felt like a slap in the face, the way it’d come naturally for him to minimize her anger.

And his thoughts felt scattered, dangerous in the way they were bubbling up, trying to come out his throat. And he knew that anything he said right now might very well break the thread he stood on with Avery.

“Avery, we’ll talk about this tomorrow, I promise,” he told her, just as he saw her head droop to one side. “You should head to bed right now.”

She buried her sleepy face into her hands, and sighed. “I don’t want to go to my room.”

“Oh,” Jameson breathed. “What do you want to do, then?”

Avery rubbed her hands over her eyes, mumbled something unintelligible, and Jameson waited, waited, but she didn’t seem keen to repeat herself.

He shook her shoulder, and when she cracked open her eye, she looked even more annoyed. But before she could say a word, he pulled her up to her feet. Avery seemed to understand, as she walked quickly, following his lead to navigate all the clutter, to the bed.

He let her ease herself onto the mattress, and, then removed her shoes. Picking a thin blanket from his armoire, he draped it over her. As he went to switch off the lights, her hand caught his.

“Jamie,” she said, and it did feel like a powerplay this time. “Don’t you dare hide anything from me again. I’m not lying when I say I’ll kick you out.”

He was certainly surprised by her words, but could only nod. As he was closing the door behind him, he heard Avery call out. “Jameson, please don’t tell Alisa I’m here.”

“Sure thing.”

[ossifer]

What of the Sun?

AKA: Alecto, Gaea, and Uranus—why John Gaius is connected to Dominicus.

Special thanks to @the-sword-lesbian for inciting me with this question, and then going on to listen to all the conspiracy board rambling that ensued whilst offering up her own excellent questions:

Alecto, Gaea, and Uranus

Alecto is, as we know, named after the Fury of the same name from Greek myth whose name literally translates to ' the implacable or unceasing anger'. John, after becoming God, took the surname Gaius, the masculine form of the name Gaia.

Something notable about the Alecto of myth is her parentage: she is the daughter of Gaea (also spelt Gaia), the personification of the Earth, who was fertilised by the blood of Uranus, the personification of the sky (who was also Gaia's son and husband). Uranus' blood was spilt when his and Gaia's youngest son, Cronus, castrated and overthrew him, with the blood from his severed genitals falling upon the Earth (Gaia) and birthing Alecto in the process; Cronus is sometimes interpreted as also being Chronos, the personification of time.

Dominicus, the name John bestowed upon the resurrected Sun, has its origins explicitly stated by John. It is derived from Psalm 27:1, which he partially quotes while talking to Harrow: “The Lord is the source of my light and my safety, so whom shall I fear?”

“A myriad ago, I resurrected nine planets,” he said. “And I reignited the central star, and I called it Dominicus. As a reminder. Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea, quem timebo? God is my light.[...]

Dominicus and Thanergetic Stars

He said, As the world went up I remade us both. I hid me in you … I hid you in me. And when we were together … once the shaman had claimed the sun … I became God. He said, It wasn’t enough. He said, The ships … the ships were still full of people. I reached our hand out into space. I extended. I struggled. He said, I bit through the sun first. It’s human nature. That started things going. Once you take down the sun, you’re cooking with gas, pardon the pun.

It’s a dark and cold and unlovely part of space, and the stars there are old and were nearly dead then. We nuked them with thanergy and now they’ll shine forever, but the light is not the same …

From the glare of the plex window, beside some perfectly ordinary white twill curtains, the buried monster turned herself so that she was lit in the light of the undead stars.

THE MITHRAEUM, THE SEAT of the First Reborn! The Sanctuary of the Emperor of the Nine Houses, the bolthole of God—the removing place of hallowed bones, and the ossuary of the steadfast! A space station hidden forty billion light-years from the ever-burning light of Dominicus, lit by thanergetic starlight, set in the midst of the circumstellar disc, an ancient jewel within so much dead gravel.

As we see from the above, stars are implicitly naturally thalergetic in character, and through necromantic intervention (nuked them with thanergy) can be rendered thanergetic: undead and everburning, emitting thanergetic starlight. Curiously, nuked them with thanergy is eerily close to how flipping a planet is described by Harrow:

You drove the point of the bone-sheathed blade into the talc—obviously you never wanted it to have an edge of any kind, ever again—and using the sword as your focus, drove a killing lance of thanergy right into the planet’s heart. The planet did not quake, or howl, or freeze, or writhe, skewered on your necromancy’s tines. You began the cascade outward, as you had been taught. A wide thanergetic scythe sheared out into the mantle, deeper into the minute thalergy of the rock, into the solid stone’s buried recollections of the day its ball of dust was formed.

Flipping a planet involves focusing thanergy into a killing implement that is driven into the planet's heart, its soul, inducing a cascading thalergy-thanergy reaction that fuels itself, thanergy decaying thalergy into more thanergy and burning through it:

The thanergy scoured through the soul like a lit taper touched to flimsy. The living flush of this rocky outcrop began to die in dizzying, concentric rings: flipping, the thanergy feeding on the thalergy as locusts fed on wheat. As the soul tore away, an extra thanergetic bloom fanned the fire of what you had already done.

Planets, as we are told in Harrow the Ninth, have souls: a communal soul, arising from the thalergetic complexity of the microbial life present on them much in the same way a human's soul emerges from the thalergetic complexity of its internal microbial life.

“And what has a soul?” “Anything with a thalergetic complexity significant enough to … have a soul. So, humanity.” [...] “A planet’s a ball of dust. Its thalergy comes from the accumulation of microbial life. You can’t consider it one coherent system.” “Call it a communal soul,” said her Emperor. “What’s a human being, other than a sack of microbial life?

This explanation has always reminded me of how the human body is explained in terms of a hierarchy of organisation and complexity: the lowest unit is the cell, cells come together to form tissues, tissues form organs, organs form organ systems, and the sum total of these connected systems is the human body. The soul, then, is implicitly the organisational level above the body: the body is the tissue, the soul is the organ; it is shown by Anastasia's tripod principle that the soul indeed plays a vital part in the functioning of the body:

“There was a bad option where your soul snapped straight into her body, leaving your body stuck with no soul at all, and that would have been a shit time all round.” “Would I have died?” Nona asked, interested. “You’d have tried to,” said Pyrrha. “The body needs thalergy and a soul to keep the lights on. Anastasia’s tripod principle. Body plus thalergy, but no soul, is basically a very weird vegetable … after a while it gives up and shuts down.”

Without a soul, the biological processes cease and the body shuts down; thalergy, in the absence of a soul, decays into thanergy. Flipping a thalergetic planet involves thanergetically disrupting its soul to induce a cascading thanergetic reaction. Thalergetic stars 'nuked' with thanergy become undead, ever-shining, thanergetic: they are flipped.

Stars have souls. Dominicus has a soul.

Why John Gaius is connected to Dominicus

You said, “So if you die, the Houses die with you. The star warming our system fails, and—becomes a gravitational well, as I understand it?” “Yes. A black hole, like the one that took out Cyrus,”

The Sun would need to be about 20 times more massive to end its life as a black hole. Stars that are born this size or larger can explode into a supernova at the end of their lifetimes before collapsing back into a black hole, an object with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Ergo, the black hole part is a load of bullshit—but, you know, necromancy; the important part of that quote is that John claims that when he dies, Dominicus dies with him.

When Mercymorn tries, and fails, to kill John, Dominicus falters and does indeed begin to undergo a collapse: John's 'death' somehow affects Dominicus from all this distance away, and him coming back results in it stabilising again.

“Right,” he said, and closed his eyes briefly. Then he said, “The sun has stabilized. Hope the Sixth House didn’t get cooked in the flare.”

John says that he reignited the Sun, yes, but I think it goes deeper than just that: I think John put more than just Earth in Alecto's body, and more than just his soul in Alecto's.

Anastasia's tripod principle stipulates that a body with thalergy and no soul shuts down—Dominicus undergoes collapse when John's body is destroyed by Mercymorn, when his soul is decoupled from its material tether—John's soul is the Sun's soul.

“Once the shaman had claimed the sun … I became God.”

The soul of a planet is communal, composed of the sum total of the life present on it: John killed the life upon Earth by inciting a global nuclear war, then killing those humans who were spared the fate of atomic fire. He had to kill the world to put his hands around her throat. He became God by eating her, by hiding him in her, and her in him—the shaman claimed the sun.

He said, I bit through the sun first.

Alecto was born from the blood of Uranus being spilt upon Gaia by their son Cronus; Uranus is the personification of the sky, the husband and son of Gaia. John took the name Gaius when he reignited the Sun, after spilling its blood upon the Earth and creating Alecto: he became one with Gaia, tied his soul to hers and to the sun's.

The Mithraeum is 'a space station hidden forty billion light-years from the ever-burning light of Dominicus, lit by thanergetic starlight'. The ever-burning light of Dominicus contrasted by thanergetic starlight. Immortal, but alive.

“The eyes have it, John.”

He approached her, and she saw that his sclera were black as space. The irises were dark and leadenly iridescent—a deep rainbow oil slick, ringed with white. The pupils were as glossy black as the sclera.

The Emperor of the Nine Houses drummed his fingers over his belt. It still hurt you a little, to look into his terrible eyes: the irises like black shadows of the Canaanite white, that iridescent absence of colour, a shade rather than a tint; the purity of the white ring; then the matte black of the sclera. “A myriad ago, I resurrected nine planets,” he said. “And I reignited the central star, and I called it Dominicus[...]

You could study him without shyness: the shining iridescence of his irises, the unyielding black of the cornea and pupil, the long, square, urbane face.

And his eyes were just absolutely, insanely fucked up: deep black wells, this unreflective flat black. Even from where I was, I could see the white light that circled the irises: a cold, flickering perimeter.

[greenerteacups]

Hello! I love Lionheart (literally started four days ago and have read continuously since and am, in a word, Obsessed).

One thing I've noticed that is a common theme among Dramoine fics is how Draco gets away with his pureblood ideology and essentially has no consequences (besides Hermoine's anger/disgust) until his eventual redemption arc through their romance. However, I've noticed that your fic is unique in the way that Draco is constantly held accountable, especially backlash from Ron (btw, love the way you characterized Ron, my boy deserves some justice) and Harry, but especially through Hermoine, who fights back in any way she knows how. So my question is: what are your thoughts on this common trope within the Dramoine fandom? Do you think that Draco's eventual love for Hermoine negates the harm that he's done in the past?

I absolutely believe that love can be redemptive, but that doesn't mean you redeem yourself by loving. It's not about how you feel, it's about what you do. You can love someone a whole lot, but if you don't treat them well, and make a real effort to be good to them, well — I mean, I'm not saying it doesn't "matter," because everything always matters, but I wouldn't say that love has really changed you. Which is to say, I don't know that it's really love at all.

Draco can't be made better by the fact of loving Hermione, but he can make himself better because of it. Reasoning past, getting over, and making amends for his past wrongdoing should — ideally — be part of that development. Now, this is assuming that you want to do a real, honest-to-God, "I'm going to drag this horrible little wet blorbo kicking and screaming into Heroism" redemption arc. Maybe you don't! Maybe you want to write a story about two fucked-up people who fuck each other up more. Maybe you want to write about a bad man who isn't held accountable, and the kind of person that produces. Draco Malfoy can be many people, depending on where you take him, and many of them are interesting without being particularly nice or good. And you can still do great fiction about that! Romances with and between horrible characters can be totally delicious. I'm a big fan of 'em. But the kind of love I personally prize the most — the kind that makes us, if anything can earn this word, really, truly holy — is a love that's so selfless you are willing to be changed by it, and to change for it, and to constantly reforge yourself in order to do justice to the object of your love. It's veneration. It's finding in each other a reason for goodness. That's what I think real humans should look for, and so I guess I can't help trying to write about it when it comes to fake humans.

So when we talk about love as the catalyst for a redemption arc, I think what we mean is: love can awaken you to the personhood of others and ignite latent capacities for empathy that might not have existed otherwise. It opens you up to new ways of seeing, of being — James Baldwin in The Price of the Ticket has a brilliant quotation that captures it perfectly:

"If your lover lives in Hong Kong and cannot get to Chicago, it will be necessary for you to go to Hong Kong. Perhaps you will spend your life there, and never see Chicago again. And you will, I assure you, as long as space and time divide you from anyone you love, discover a great deal about shipping routes, airlines, earth quake, famine, disease, and war. And you will always know what time it is in Hong Kong, for you love someone who lives there. And love will simply have no choice but to go into battle with space and time and, furthermore, to win."

[siremasterlawrence]

The Fantastic Four: Entrapment

I woke up last week at the gigantic condo of The Fantastic Four’s couch somewhere in the Multiverse with a splitting headache, my vision super blurry at this point it finally coming back settles landing my eyes on him The Johnny Storm. I touch my face feeling the ship of whipped cream he sprayed on me and the swatting device he used to make me think a insect is over me and I swat myself in retort waking up to see him in a laugh of stitches as he fell to the floor.I sit up rolling my eyes in annoyance as he makes a run for it leaving me sitting totally dazed out and being taken care of by Reed Richard’s who is giving me his full attention maybe a bit too much. A thousand test later the scan is complete with my plan is about o hatch when the man hits the results that I could not even fathom some how I time travelled to a universe that actually has Superheroes and well this is my calling.Reed drones on with more results as I hear him say that my body is imbued with power as well and I should in theory be able to do it literally bend time to my will and of course it all goes haywire when I yell stop feeling the full weight of it all.Next thing I know, the doors slide open in a huge reveal as Torch floats in, Benjamin stomps the ground as the world quakes and Sue walks in ever so gently and gracefully as always typical behavior hoping to get Reed to focus on me again. I take a deep breath “Freeze” I screech so loudly as everyone stops mid step with each and every single person stops in time on my command obediently without question to me because I slip behind Mr. Richard’s and take both of my hands wrap around on his waist lovingly. I can see the expression of fear on his face the anger very apparent to me and to all as I cup his chin lifting it in to air reach closer to me as I kiss down his muscular ton neck making him squirm, grow rock hard and fall to my whims of pleasure. Energy in his body grows a largely kinetic level it is increasing at a unknown rate causes Reed to wiggle, his heart beat races at a alarming rate and he blacks out completely only to wake up in a few minutes.

“Let’s have some fun shall we!” I say to my four new toys.

“If those freaks back home could see me now.” I think to myself.

“Can you hear me? All four of you?”

“Yes” they reply in unison.

“Thank you for attending the rehabilitation center.”

“Reed commence with these plans”

“As you wish “

“In the mean time Johnny and Brick head help him”

“Sue come and worship me”

“Yes Master “

“This Baxter building is my new home now”

“We are happy to be here”

“MASTER…MASTER “

“WHAT DO YOU WANT?”

“It’s been a week we are ready “

“Perfection! Excellent!”

“We will be there”

“Soon the machine transforms the world and you will see new world in one…two…three.”

“Master?”

“Sue you are now my wife”

“Reed and Ben are my slave property”

“Kneel for me”

“Johnny you are my prime slave “

“I am hot and so in love with you “

“All four of you strip”

“Confess your love “

“Worship me”

The final touches have issued onto the main floor of the roof top tier complex of the core building, I move through the building in awe at all of my plans coming to fruition clapping my hands into the air as cool air swoops in to the room. Reed Richard’s follows me in as the door closes behind us as I smirk wicked with a glint in my eyes making Reed shake in his boots to my glee in excitement in my hand and the timber in his voice because I am awesome. I walk to the console Reed has built for me flipping all of the switches a switch as the console blows up in a blue aura sends a bright signal of color trace to those gigantic machine. “Reed Richard’s listen to me extremely, carefully, and with no question because I am always right about all of it simply because I made you submit to me with very little on me and you will know my true power.” I tell him in a stern voice as the machine flips open as Reed is stepping up to the main machine staring deep into it because future depends on it and so does his family and I laugh my ass up as he walks in. The grandiose, glorious and sexy silver design machine of me swung close as he took a seat with the seat belt is closing on him and he locked in as the lights stir up as the window in front showcases in front of the machine. “Reed watch the good ole magic screen before me with a beautiful golden light spun into a circle spinning out of control instantly ensnaring you with one snap and you are last to my words as your life passes by you.” I begin. “Reed you can’t move any longer as you are focus on me, you see my face it’s in the center your focal point Reed you love me now and I am all you know because your mind, body, life and soul are mine to use.” I continue to speak in to his ears. The first time in his life Reed has to be one to accept now powerful his sexual feel of submission has become him as his cock stirs, growing so hard making his cock even hard, horny and over the top. A powerful beam shooting in to both of his eye balls he succumbs completely body falling limp in to my thrall.

“Your wife immediately gave up her free will into my love, lust, need and desires.”

“Yes Master, Sue is yours and I don’t care.”

“Master Lawrence “

“Sue? What is it?”

“How may I serve you?”

“Enter the machine strip him naked “

“Make love to him and remove the last of his will”

“With pleasure “

“Mwahahahahaha “

“Ben are you ready?”

“Yes Sire”

“You see that shaft in the back “

“Join your training and punishment “

“What is this ?”

“The door is shut “

“Help!”

“Relax Ben!”

“Watch as you heal and return normal “

“You will always be The Thing”

“What about me?”

“Strip off “

“Slip under me”

“Oh Master”

“Yes”

“Fuck me”

“Mwahahahahaha “

“Rip it off”

“I rule The Shitastic Four”

The end

[heartfullofleeches]

Can we like… Kill V please???? With a knife please…..

(You..really don't want to try that anon (I'm sorry)) [one note of vulgar comments]

Cornering Vince to the square of the room, your blade lines perfectly with ball in his throat. Eyes dark as the crimson flush tinting his face; your hand quakes from anger and thrill - uncertain where to land the killing blow. You couldn't stand him. This freak and his antics have gotten on your last nerves. Watching you, bugging your device, trying to break bridges between you and those you loved. He needed to be put down.

"I'm going to kill you, and stuff your body in a hole where no one will ever find you."

V almost let's it slip. A small whimper of excitement he stuffs back down into the raving tides of want in the pit of his stomach. He feels the knife kiss his skin as he swallows - just like he wants to do to you. V had never really been afraid of death. He wasn't a big fan of getting hurt either, but if the grim reaper was going to be this addictive he had no issuse. The man was torn between letting you stake your knife through his heart and dying with the vision of his blood coating those pretty hands, and taking that same blade and cutting his way into yours.

You snarl. "Why are you looking at me like that? Say something, you bastard!"

"My dick has literally never been more erect in my entire life than it is now. "

[aliteralchicken]

there’s one robin 1993 character that really confuses me and that is Dean because I’m just not sure why he exists

we first learn about him in issue 57 literally all we know about him is:

At the time Steph was flirting with and trying to date Robin she was already dating him (if you want a rough timeline the quake happened robin issue 52)

he left after the quake and there was no communication attempted by either of them afterwards

Steph says he’s a “jerk who knocked (her) up” and probably wouldn’t care about her pregnancy

now at this point we have the perfect character we know nothing about, we just know he’s Stephs ex and the father of her kid, we don’t even get a name

which is fine since he’s not needed, he’s not a part of the plot, Steph was never going to tell him she’s having his kid and he’s probably not in Gotham anymore so there’s no need for a surprise visit or anything like that,

A true blank slate of a character we never need to hear about him again, his only purpose was already served

…but then they bring him back? (Or rather in since we’ve never met him) in issue 80

They see each other again, he says he found out she had a kid, from her reaction he guesses it was his and asks if they can get back together:

Steph beats the guy up and says it’s because she’s mad at Tim (long story short: his civilian friend Star got shot and he was concerned, Steph didn’t like that since she didn’t know his civilIn identity)

now a few issues later, same plot, we had another civilian Steph beats up because she’s mad at Tim (he was Stars brother), so taking other anger out on someone can’t the only reason they brought him back since they did it with this guy as well

but we never see this guy again??? He brought no plot??? All he did was bring up Stephs kid which we wouldn’t hear about again until war games and get beat up so Steph could have one of two moving punching bags

Was he just the next person to piss Steph off when they couldn’t use her dad? Or did he have an actual plot purpose they never used? Because the potential is there, he never found out about his kid before it got put up for adoption,we could’ve had the classic 2000’s ex drama that would’ve fit very well into robin 1993, or maybe make him a minor antagonist either as civilians or vigilantes for emotional drama

but he’s never brought up again

why are you here dean??? You had potential more than most characters to be something for the plot but you did nothing??? why come back???

Should’ve stayed a nameless plot device smh

[mejcinta]

House of the Dragon Season 2 Ep 1: A SON FOR A SON reaction.

One word: JAEHAERYS TARGARYEN. Even with the minimal screen time, he snatched my heart as Aegon’s little fatherhood project. You can tell Aegon projects so much of what he wanted with Viserys into the boy. The murder of Jaehaerys and the trauma precious Jaehaera (basically mini Haelaena who Aegon is careful not to over-stimulate with touch) faced at the hands of Blood and Cheese will make Aegon abandon his trepidation and respect for Viserys as seen by how he destroys the Old Valyria model in episode 2.

Helaena and Aegon’s failmarriage and co-parenting arrangement is EVERYTHING to me. It’s exactly how I would’ve written them pre-B&C. Helaena’s ‘choice’, which is a BIG change from the book, probably has something to do with her ‘dreams’. In difficulty, she saved Jaehaera (her only girl) and gave up Jaehaerys. Her dreams are unconsciously guiding her to accept hard realities (Jaehaerys’ inevitable murder) and to prepare for future realities like the birth of a new heir (Maelor). But this in no way means that she won’t suffer psychologically for the choice she had to make. It will clearly haunt her and drive her to revere and pay more attention to her heightened intuition.

I’m disappointed that they skipped over Alicent and Otto’s reactions to Aemond returning with news of Luke’s death!! But Alicent’s conversation with Otto in private pretty much sets up the former’s anger, frustration, disappointment and doubts when it comes to Aemond, while the latter (Otto) is more…adaptable to the situation at hand (no pun intended). It is clear Aemond is HURTING greatly from Alicent’s dejection. He’s not used to this new position, having fallen out of grace with her with no sign of an understanding in the horizon. Aemond is rightfully resentful, but I am glad that Aegon and Criston are there for him in the meantime.

Alicent and Criston’s affair works for me, despite of people disagreeing with it. This is Alicent’s channel for venting her frustrations and curbing her passions, whereas Criston allows her to use him out of his warped sense of duty, dedication and mutual love for her(Olivia confirmed Alicent has been holding a torch for Criston since her girlhood). She is basically a bomb and he, her diffuser! This is a sacrilegious alliance that lets them turn the wheels of power from behind the scenes as well where Aegon cannot see them. Where Alicent can’t get to Aegon, Cole can reach out on her behalf with counsel, although with Larys sneaking around you are left to wonder how long their sizzling romance-alliance will remain hidden.

I really don’t care about the North. Not crazy about Cregan’s slow Kit Harrington Jon Snow accent imitation either…but I loved the opening monologue. Duty is sacrifice even at the cost of blood. This seems to be the theme that will set the tone for the season.

Jace surprised me this episode. Loved Harry’s tangible step up in acting chops. Jace seemed the dandy, out of touch prince who Cregan quickly grounds with the biting words of a man that has seen more danger than him. Harry’s emotional delivery as a grieving brother was so well done as well.

Aegon and his pack of jesting friends made my ribs quake with laughter this episode. I hope that humor will not get severely extinguished down the season.

Laena mention was refreshing in the scene between Rhaenys and Daemon. I hope Rhaena’s resentments have something to do with Laena and that we will see her talk this out with a family member soon. I am tired of the Happy Family picture Team Black is given. Where is the fun dysfunction??

Emma’s quiet, grieving performance was excellent. I literally cried BOTH times I watched the scene of Rhaenyra finding Luke’s remains. I really dig this vengeance angle they are pursuing with Rhaenyra.

Alyn and Addam are welcome additions to the story so far as bastardy is concerned. We really don’t see this with the Velaryon-Strong brothers at all, but here we see how Corlys has to be low key with his interactions, how Alyn suppresses his need for approval from his biological dad, how it’s compromising to be seen together etc.

Why is Hugh Hammer being yassified and babygirlified lmao?? I guess they’ll make Ulf the fool, then.

Blood and Cheese delivered complexity in terms of Helaena’s choice…but it flopped a bit at the horror part. I was left wanting more from it, but Phia’s performance was EXCELLENT and Helaena’s dissociative POV as the event happened, so soul-twisting and chilling. The children being made younger (the babies are reportedly 4 in the show canon) makes everything much sadder and disgusting. Alys Rivers can’t haunt Daemon Targaryen enough for what he has done!

Larys politically seducing Aegon the same way he did Alicent years ago…Lord, take me away!!! He and Otto continue to be the delightfully subtle evil, whilst Alicent slowly catches up, navigating her way more strenuously towards her sons to capture and ensure influence over them.

Daemon’s loserism is hilarious. And I did very much enjoy his intimate interactions with Mysaria, whose accent has largely improved!!

I’m repelled by this rubbish logic that Ser Erryk is the most honorable, angelic and saintly Kingsgurad! Again, the concept of ‘honor’ in a story fool of hypocrites, liars and pretenders is funny as hell. This is why I love the Greens more narratively. We don’t have to pretend that they’re the good guys…and that makes them way more badass.

No Daeron mention yet. THIS SHOULD BE THE EPISODE WHERE HE’S MENTIONED, DAMN IT!!

[saltygilmores]

Thoughts While Watching Gilmore Girls- Season 2, Episode 16, "There's The Rub", aka A Sheer Masterpiece of GilmoreDom, AKA Jess, Rory, And Paris Eat Together And All Is Right With The World-Part 3

Who's ready for more TTR? (PS: There is a link to all previous recaps including parts 1 and 2 of TTR in my pinned post, while I work on puting together a better master index. You can also search my Tumblr by specific episode name or season).

Anyone ever look at unofficial GG merchandise on places like Redbubble and Etsy? There are a bunch of phrases that always end up on crap. Oy with the poodles already. I smell snow. Etc etc. "Vicious trollop" is a very common one as well. But nobody was putting "Why Did You Drop Out of Yale" on anything, so I had to create my own custom merch.

The banter between Emily and Lorelai is so sharp and witty and wonderful in this episode, it reminds me why am I still watching this show in the first place and subjecting myself to the additional torture of analyzing every episode minute by minute (for the second time in 3 years), even though it so often greatly disappoints me or angers me. There are just some episodes where AmyShermanPalladino's light shines through and touches everything in her kingdom. None of these moments involve Dean Forrester.

Never have I ever been so excited to see these two little words. "Doorbell Rings." JESS JESS JESS JESS JESS JESS JESS JESS JESS JESS

When I tell you I literally squealed when she opened the door. If Gilly Girls was taking place in the 2020's, Jess would be a DoorDasher. I would have him deliver to the Forresters and spit in Dean's food. This is all too pure. My heart's a flutter. I can't snark on it. SaltyGilmores™ has been disabled. Look, I can't just regurgiate every single line and frame from this scene so I'll just post a select few things. Enjoy and #AdmireTheDeliveryBaby

Can we talk about the way she's looking at him? 😍 R: How come Cesar didn't deliver this? J: I volunteered. R: Why? J: I wanted to get out of the construction zone. Mmm, sure. I love when he does this shit:

He doesn't exactly sound surprised that one of the Gilmores didn't tip him. I will never cease, desist or yield in making "Rory and Lorelai don't pay for their food" jokes.

Should I instead make jokes about how this is the second time in a row that the Gilmores actually did try to pay him and he refused?

The last time we saw this shirt, he had a name patch over his titty. I really like this shirt and how we can see his scandalous bare forearms for once. Dear Baby Jesus, Milo is adorable. And the light on him is just perfect in this shot.

R: You're staying? J: Didn't you just invite me? R: No... J: You told me I could have all the food I wanted. That sounded Invitation-Like. R: You want to stay here and eat? J: Beats being at Luke's.

You will not be going anywhere, young lady. You sit right down at that table and have a literary debate with Jess and Rory, eat some fries, and don't get up until Dean Forrester barges in and ruins everything.

Jess Mariano's social anxiety is so palpable you could eat it. It is radiating from his pores with the intensity of a hundred suns. This anxious little nugget, who did not make even a second of eye contact upon meeting a new person, has the entire town of Schitt's Hollow quaking in fear of what atrocities he may be capable of. Oooh what have we here? A MINOR INCONSEQUENTIAL PLOT HOLE!

To be continued.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Oracle of Nineveh

1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 A jealous and avenging God is Jehovah: an avenger is Jehovah, and full of fury: Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

3 Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and doth not at all clear the guilty: Jehovah, his way is in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

5 The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt, and the earth is upheaved at his presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who shall stand before his indignation? and who shall abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him.

7 Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make a full end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What do ye imagine against Jehovah? He will make a full end: trouble shall not rise up the second time.

10 Though they be tangled together as thorns, and be as drenched from their drink, they shall be devoured as dry stubble, completely.

11 Out of thee is gone forth one that imagineth evil against Jehovah, a wicked counsellor.

12 Thus saith Jehovah: Though they be complete in number, and many as they be, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

13 And now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds asunder.

14 And Jehovah hath given commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy god will I cut off the graven image, and the molten image: I will prepare thy grave; for thou art vile.

15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, that publisheth peace! Celebrate thy feasts, Judah, perform thy vows: for the wicked one shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off. — Nahum 1 | Literal Emphasis Translation (LET) The Literal Emphasis Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 8:1; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:6; Leviticus 23:2; Deuteronomy 7:10; 2 Samuel 23:6; 1 Kings 19:11; 2 Kings 19:36; Job 13:9; Job 18:17; Psalm 2:1; Psalm 107:14; Psalm 109:13; Psalm 118:12; Isaiah 9:4; Isaiah 10:7; Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 10:33; Isaiah 13:1; Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 28:22; Jeremiah 51:64; Ezekiel 7:5; Ezekiel 11:2; Matthew 8:26; John 10:14; Romans 10:15; 2 Timothy 2:19; Revelation 6:14; Revelation 6:17

Commentary on Nahum 1

[sandrayofsun]

What Just Happened Pt. 1

Episode 9 of only friends is THAT BITCH!!!!!!!

I don't know if I can fit everything I want into one post but we're going to try. I'll go scene by scene and insert my thoughts and reactions, as always, all opinions are valid, this is just mine!

Also I didn't screenshot everything because I'm lazy, but I got what I thought was most important (hehe)

Let's begin!

-----------------------

Starting off with Ray going to talk to Sand to clear things up after everything that went down at the party and Sand looking at him LIKE THIS^^ had my jaw on the floor and my nerves quaking

This whole conversation was tension filled from the moment that Ray walked into that music room. As much as people try to analyze Ray's and Sand's motivations, I'm a simple girl at heart, and I was honestly just kicking my feet and squealing because I live for angsty romance. The distance between them, the simmering anger, the love that bubbles underneath it all IS TOO MUCH FOR ME!!!!

I loved Sand's sarcasm, and the honestly it was a little out of pocket for Ray to go to Sand after everything and say that he "thinks" he understands his feelings more now. I too would've been like ok and???

This part had me in shambles because LOOK AT SAND'S FACE! The man he loves is a total dipshit but also the cutest thing alive (Khaotung privilege is real).

LOOK AT SAND WHEN RAY SHOVES HIM!!! I let out an actual scream because wtf was this like they have such insane chemistry I could feel it in my feet. Pushing each other away, but also not being able to stay away from each other. POETIC.

This was so chef's kiss I can't even begin to explain it. Like this is literally what people write about in books, being so desperate for someone that you kiss like you'll never get to kiss them again. I had to rewatch this like 18 times to get it through my head. (clearly because I've never had this LMAO)

This was then OBVIOUSLY interrupted because in what universe are they not interrupted lol. I will however say that I slightly agree with Top here because Mew and Ray haven't at all communicated on where they stand, but also it's implied that they're "together."

Overall this was an angry, desperate, HOT and important make-out for everyone involved.

moving on!

-----------------------

Sand and Nick's Bestie Getaway was honestly one of the highlights of this episode for me. I think a big part of the plot of this show is how all of these "friends" are not actually very good friends to each other. So it is really heartwarming to see a healthy friendship between these two.

I honestly laughed a lot, and I like they're not part of the main friend group because it creates a good comparison.

(I'm treating everything in this part as "one scene")

I loved seeing Sand once again put his foot down. He is having fun with this bestie and he doesn't want to see Ray. TBH it was also just funny watching Ray get shut down but also get incredibly determined to find and see Sand.

This whole part made me laugh hahahah The face Ray makes when Sand hangs up on his is priceless.

We can only upload 30 images at a time, so part two is (here)

Bye!!

[harlot-of-oblivion]

The Devil's In The Details

Dante starts to feel something more besides an undeniable attraction growing between him and the fiery Detective.

Another chapter hot off the goggle doc presses! Hope you enjoy! 🌹😘🌹

Chapter 11: A Little Heat Never the Devil

Dante sticks to you like glue as both of you run down the train aisle, leaving the chaos and destruction of the derelict station behind. And just when things started to get interesting, he thought remorsefully, still so curious about what you were going to him for tricking you.

It was an honest mistake; in hindsight, he probably should’ve kept up with you more during the battle. But you really know how to handle a gun, and Ebony was fucking glorious in your hands. Just seeing you in action, popping demons left and right while covering his back was one of the hottest things he’s ever seen.

So, when he got popped as well, he didn’t mind since he knew it was his fault. It’s not the first time he got shot and walked away scotch free, but the way you rushed to his side all protective and concerned…he really couldn’t help but to let it all play out just to see what you would do. You always have this icy wall around you, and getting a peek through it as you pushed his shirt up to check his wound…the devil within him purrs at the mere memory of your fingers brushing his chest. And the way your eyes ignited with pure rage and desire when you confronted him…

How could a devil resist getting a rise out of a firecracker like you?

That’s Honeybee for ya, he remarks to himself as both of you dash into the last train car. Ferocious beauty all wrapped up in a smokin’ hot package.

Dante regains his focus as you leap out of the broken-down train car with him hot on your heels. Both of you stand still for a moment with weapons ready, quietly waiting to see if the reigning destruction will cascade down to this part of the abandoned station. But the trembling ground calms down as the echo of the crumbling racket in the distance fades away.

“Whew! What a rush!” he exclaims while dismissing his sword with a flick of wrist. “Amiright, Honeybee?”

Your eyes squint viciously as he turns towards you. “That’s one way of putting it,” you growl before hitting his shoulder with the handle of Ebony over and over.

“Ow! Hey!” he yelps before ripping his gun out of your hand. “What’s that for?” he asks while rubbing his aching shoulder.

“For being an insufferable dick!” you fume before turning away from him with a furious whip of your head.

Dante can literally feel the fury humming in your body, threatening to burst through the seams of your control. Hmm…might’ve pushed her too hard, he admits with a concerned frown while holstering Ebony behind his back. But before he can try to diffuse your unbridled temper, you take a deep breath and all the anger seems to just disappear as your quaking body becomes deathly still.

“C’mon…let’s report back.”

You take out your flashlight and forge ahead without a backward glance. Dante follows quietly, leaping up the ledge to the station just ahead before helping you up with a charming smile. But your stoic face never wavers as both of you make your way out the station in total cold silence.

Yeah…definitely pushed too hard, he notes, already missing the companionable heated banter that usually goes on between you two as both of you climb up the ruined stairs up to the surface.

Carmen waves both of you down with a relieved smile. “Hey, guys! How’d it go?” she yells while jogging up to meet us.

“Pretty good!”

“We encountered some demons.”

We both respond at the same time, and Carmen looks between us with her mouth agape in shock and horror. “What?! Holy shit, are y’all okay?”

“We’re fine,” you reassure while reaching into your leather coat. “But we found this,” you inform while handing her the evidence bag with the bedroom slipper in it. “Fill her in, Dante.”

“Uh, okay,” he murmurs with a confused quirk of his brow as you walk away at a brisk pace.

His quizzical eyes never leave your retreating back as you whip out your glasses and slip them on before taking out your notebook. You stop a good distance away before updating your notebook with a furious scribble of your pencil. Dante lets out a frustrated sigh as he turns back to Carmen, who is looking up at him with a sympathetic smirk.  

“Don’t worry…she gets like this when she’s super pissed,” she assures with a small nod of her head. “Just give her some space and she’ll go back to her usual icy self again!”

Dante nods in understanding as his eyes flicker back over to you. “Sounds like you’re used to this.”

“Oh, yeah! It’s just how Quickdraw works,” she comments with a casual shrug of her shoulder. “So, what did ya find?” she presses on while looking at the evidence bag in her hand.

“A bedroom slipper,” he informs while keeping his eyes on you. “Honeybee thinks it could’ve been Mrs. Harmon’s.”

“Oh, sweet! We’ll see in the lab later!” she exclaims with an excited smile while pocketing the evidence bag. “But what about the demons?” she asks with a sudden fearful twist of her lips.

Dante glances down at her with a confident smirk. “All taken care of.”

Carmen sighs in relief. “Good…glad you were there with her,” she murmurs while nodding her head towards you. Then, her lips curl into a gleeful grin. “And can I just say…I totally ship it!”

“What do ya mean?” he asks with a curious quirk of his brow.

“You and her together!” she explains with a wildly excited gesture of her hands. “The chemistry is just…perfection!”

Dante chuckles wryly. “Wish she felt the same way,” he murmurs as his longing eyes find their way back to you.

“Oh, believe me…she totally does!” she assures with a knowing smile. “I’ve seen this before, ya know.”

His eyes swivel back towards Carmen with a sudden pique of interest. “Really?”

“Well, uh…” she hesitates before heaving a soft sigh. “Okay…so, I’ve known her for a long time, and I’ve noticed that she doesn’t show interest in the normal way,” she discloses with a soft whisper. “Most would go full on heart eyes, but Quickdraw…she’s more complicated.”

Already got that impression, he quips silently to himself, but still leans in closer to hear more.

“Complicated how?”

Carmen looks back at you like she’s making sure you haven’t noticed their conversation before continuing in a secretive whisper. “She usually keeps her cool with everyone, but every now and then there’s someone who just rubs her the wrong way…but I think it’s the right way!” she informs with a satisfyingly knowing smirk. “Like the last guy that she swears up and down that she had no romantic feelings for…they’d get into explosive arguments at the station! It was so thrilling!” she whispers excitedly before scrunching her lips in a disappointed frown. “But it didn’t work out.”

I can guess why, he thought as the juicy tidbit he heard about your Lieutenant replays in his mind. He got the impression that there was a history between you two, and after what Moxie shared with him at Love Planet’s bar…the devil within growls possessively against his skin, but he ignores it in favor of playing along.

“Why not?” he prods while leaning closer.

“He chose his career over her,” she replies with a small shrug. “And she’s moved on, but man…what a dick move,” she murmurs while glancing over at you with a dejected sigh. “Quickdraw deserves more than getting thrown under the bus…which is why I’m gonna help you!” she claims as her lips curve into a hopeful and bubbly smile.

“You wanna be my wing woman?” he asks with a tilt of his head.

Carmen nods. “Hell yeah! In fact, I have an idea, but we can’t talk about it now,” she whispers softly, shooting a wary glance your way. “You got a cellphone?” she asks, surreptitiously taking her own phone out with a cheeky grin when he nods. “Gimme your number and I’ll fill ya in later!”

Dante recites his number and she quickly types it into her phone before pocketing it. Both of you share a sly smile as the distant ringtone of the Detective’s cellphone chimes through the air. You flinch irritably at the interruption, but still whip out your phone and bring it up to your ear. He can’t quite hear your low murmuring words, but he can tell that the conversation must annoy you by the way you prop your hand on your hip. Then, you end the call and close your notebook with a snap before approaching him with an irked grimace.

“Everything alright?” he asks with a concerned tilt of his head.

“Yeah…just the Lieutenant wanting a personal update as soon as possible,” you explain with an annoyed twitch of your brow before turning to Carmen. “How much longer do you think you’ll take here?”

“Just waitin’ for the tow truck to get here!” she informs while nodding her head towards the abandoned car. “I’d say about another 30 minutes?”

You nod. “Alright. Seeya later, Sandiego.”

“Seeya! And good luck!” she replies with a chipper smile before joining the rest of the crime scene analysts  waiting around the abandoned car.

Dante gives her a friendly wave before turning towards you. “So, back to the station?”

You ponder for a moment before shaking your head. “Let’s get lunch first.”

“Nothing like mowing down demons to work up an appetite!” he exclaims as both of you head towards Cavaliere.

You let him drive this time much to his disappointment and judging by the disgruntled rev of the Devil Arm’s engine…he’s not the only one. Dante rolls his eyes but he totally understands; the way you straddled Cavaliere and rode him like a pro really turned him on…but the feel of your hands around his waist as you lean against his back makes up for it a little bit. Just having you close makes the devil within purr with contentment as he follows the directions you gave him before riding off.

Dante comes to a screeching halt on an unfamiliar street and looks around curiously as you hop off the fiendish bike. You urge him to follow with a nod of your head before walking down the adjacent sidewalk. He hurries off the bike and follows you to a food truck decorated to look like it’s wearing a tuxedo parked by the street. His brow quirks at the fancy cursive sign that reads Dapper Dogs.

“Huh…and here I thought you’d live up to your end of our deal,” he teases with a rueful shake of his head while crossing his arms.

You chuckle wryly. “You said pizza, but you didn’t say just traditional pizza,” you point out with an amused smirk.

Dante quirks his brow in interest as you step up to the food truck to give your order to the guy behind the window. Then, you grab a couple of drinks before walking back to him. You offer him one of the drinks while both of you wait for your food. He takes a sip and hums softly as the sweet and spicy taste of home brewed ginger beer bursts on his tongue.  

You cross your arms and wait with him for a couple of minutes until the guy behind the window waves you down. He watches as you go over and grab a small tray before dropping some cash in the tip jar. Then, you look back at him and nod towards Cavaliere before heading that way.

Dante rushes up behind you and looks over your shoulder with a perplexed furrow of his brow. “What the hell is that?”

“Diavola Dog,” you reveal while looking over your shoulder at him. “It’s a hot dog wrapped in spicy salami smothered with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pickled jalapeños,” you explain with a challenging quirk of brow. “I thought a devil like you can handle a little heat.”

“Oh, I can handle it, Honeybee.”

Your keen eyes flicker up to his confident smirk before you quickly turn your head away from him with an indifferent hum. But he still saw that fiery spark that he desperately tries to stoke every time he sees it in your intense gaze. She’s warmed up to the nickname, but still pretends to not like it, he muses as you set the tray down on Cavaliere’s seat.

You hand him a well-crafted and utterly smothered hot dog before grabbing your own. Then, you lean against the backside of Cavaliere while setting your drink down on the tray. He watches as you dig into your meal, giving no shits about appearing all ladylike as you open your mouth wide before hacking into your hot dog with a satisfied groan.

Dante licks his lips as his mind wonders about what else your mouth could do, but he shakes those desirous thoughts out of his head as he focuses on his own hot dog. He sets his drink next to yours before bringing up his meal for a curious sniff. It smells like pizza, he admits before leaning against the front side of Cavaliere. Then, he takes a bite…and throws his head back as a familiar savory flavor with a heated kick of spice hits him like a brick wall.

“Mmmm…holy shit!” he exclaims with a gratifying moan before going back for more.

“Told ya so,” you murmur with a smug nod while swiping some tomato sauce from your cheek.

“Don’t get me wrong, I still like pizza,” he clarifies between hearty chews of his mouth before swallowing. “But this is really good!” he admits before taking another bite. “And the pickled jalapeños…damn!”

You grin triumphantly as both of you fall into comfortable silence, just enjoying the calm and quiet of enjoying a damn good meal for a few moments. But the concerned and hectic tone of your voice as you rushed to his aid in that demon infested part of derelict station invades his mind. He was only provoking you, but realizes that you’re not like Lady or Trish, who are used to him being reckless all the time.

Still worth it to feel her hands on my chest, but… he relents before trying to make amends.

“So, uh… I’m sorry I scared ya down there.”

You pause your chewing of a delectable meal before letting out a resigned sigh. “It’s alright. Still not used to having a half demon as a partner,” you murmur before pinning him down with a harsh glare. “But if you even pull some shit like that ever again…”

“I won’t!” he promises with a defensive shrug of his shoulders before flashing you with his most charming grin. “Just glad that you care, Honeybee.”

You roll your eyes but he can still see the barest hint of a smirk on your lips as you go back to enjoying your spicy meal. Oh yeah…still got it, he boasts to himself while digging into his own delicious hot dog. Both of you finish eating and drink every drop of the refreshing ginger beer before hitting the road once more.

Dante zips through the streets for a few minutes before barreling into the station’s parking lot with a loud rev of Cavaliere’s engine. You hop off as soon as he parks and immediately head inside with him in tow. The charged excitement of his first appearance here has died down, but he still gets some curious looks as both of you make your way to the criminal investigations department. Even Detective Douche pauses whatever loud and verbose conversation he’s having with a bunch of other detectives in the department to stare at him as both of you head straight towards the Lieutenant’s office.

You knock on the door and open it when the Lieutenant’s raspy voice answers. “About damn time,” he grumbles while ushering both of you in with a wave of his hand. “Whatcha got for me, Detective?” he asks as his office door clicks shut.

You take a seat in a chair across from the Lieutenant’s desk while Dante remains standing behind you. The Lieutenant arches his brow but doesn’t question him as you launch into a report about your current finding in the case. You go into the details of searching through the Harmons safety deposit box and the interview with their son. Both of you agree that contents of the safety deposit offer more questions than answers, and that the son is an unlikely suspect due to an airtight alibi and lack of evidence implicating him.

Then, you move onto the missing dog in the abandoned car, informing the Lieutenant that the murder weapon has been recovered for testing. You mention the humongous syringe you found as well, feeling very confident that it’ll test positive for the mysterious demonic venom that’s been present in your other related cases. The Lieutenant perks up at that little bit of information but doesn’t interrupt as you go into your investigation of the derelict station. You go through every detail: finding the bedroom slipper, heading deeper into the station through the broken-down train, and the terrifying encounter with a group of demons.

“Demons?” he repeats with a raised brow. “Are you sure?”

Dante bristles at the Lieutenant’s skeptical tone. “Are ya saying she’s a liar?”

You remain silent as the Lieutenant shoots him with a withering glare. Dante knew that he should’ve kept quiet, but he can’t help but to remember what he heard from Carmen…about how you were ridiculed while your former partner sitting behind that desk left you high and dry for a promotion. Just thinking about how much that must’ve hurt you makes the devil within rumble angrily beneath his skin as he stares right back at the Lieutenant with his own scathing glare.   

“No, I’m not,” the Lieutenant answers gruffly before turning his attention back to you. “Any injuries?”

“None,” you reply with a small shake of your head.  “We dealt with them quickly, but they took a chuck of the station with them,” you explain before launching into a short and concise retelling of your daring escape from the abandoned station as it came crashing down from above.

The Lieutenant is stunned for a moment. Then, he takes a deep breath and lets out a low whistle. “Damn…glad you got out okay.”

“Me too, Lieutenant,” you murmur with a relieved sigh. “But any lead on Mrs. Harmon’s whereabouts got destroyed as well,” you point out as your lips curve into a frustrated frown.

The Lieutenant nods in agreement. “But them’s the brakes sometimes,” he admits while placing his elbows atop his desk. “Just glad that they didn’t cause a ruckus above ground. We’re still dealing with that shitshow of a tree, and if the press finds out…” he trails off while lacing his fingers together with a grime scowl.

“A total frenzy,” you finish as your lips twist into a contemptuous grimace. “Yeah, I know.”

The Lieutenant meets your gaze, and Dante gets the impression that both of you are still talking despite the growing silence. His eyes flicker between both of you, taking in the Lieutenant’s stoic face and your scornful expression as he wonders what exactly is being said in the utterly quiet office.

Kinda feeling like a third wheel here, he muses as the possessive growl of the devil within rattles under his skin. A quip mirroring that exact same thought is on the tip of his tongue, but before he can break the silence with it…the Lieutenant turns his stoic gaze to him

“Can you excuse us, Mr. Dante? I’d like to talk to the Detective…alone.”

Dante looks down at you before nodding. “Sure,” he murmurs while gripping your shoulder before leaning down close to your ear. “I’ll just wait in your office, kay?”

You glance up at him and nod with a grateful smirk while patting his hand. Then, you turn your steely gaze back on the Lieutenant as he heads out of the office. He opens the door and spares a glance back at you and the Lieutenant staring silently at each other, literally filling the office with an impending tensity that beckons him away. The devil within growls in protest, but Dante knows you can handle whatever your old partner slings at you. So, he steps out and closes the door behind him before making his way to your office.

The other detectives glance at him curiously, but none of them approach him as he walks through the department straight to your office like he belongs here. He opens the door and swiftly shuts it before heading towards your desk. The box of strawberry donuts you gave him this morning is still there right where he left it before both of you went out. He grabs a donut from the box with a fond smile before taking a bite as his mind replays the conversation he had with you over these delectable treats.

He saw the shock in your eyes when he appeared in your office, which told him that you honestly thought you scared him away. But nothing you do could scare him away, not even the threat of a knife to the gut because that fire he sees in you is irresistible. You always seem to keep everyone at a distance, but the “sorry for being such a bitch” donuts told him that you really do care, and that you’re aware of the anger locked away behind your stoic façade that scares everyone away if they get a peek of it.

But not him…in fact, it draws him in more. It calls to him, beckoning him to come closer…the devil within purrs in delight at the mere image of the fire behind your icy eyes. He can’t quite place what it was about you that pulls him in with such force, but after what you, Moxie, and Carmen have told him…he knows that it’s not just your fire.

Dante takes another bite of his donut as he walks around the desk and leans against the exact same spot where he heard you talk about the case that nearly ended your career earlier this morning. He knew that you would be pissed if you found out that he was snooping around for information about you. So, he told you he went poking around because he was hoping that you would tell him your side of the story. And you did, it was vague but he got the gist; seemed like a normal case involving a serial killer, but you came face-to-face with a demon…and the people you thought would have your back turned a blind eye to save face because the citizens of Red Grave City couldn’t trust the police if a mere demon can trick them.

He finishes the donut with a vicious bite as old memories of his past flash before his mind. After the attack on his home and escaping the horrors of what the demons wrought, making a new life with a different name just like his mom told him to before she…he tried to move on, but his devilish nature always seemed to attract the attention of demons. And that always came with a landslide of doubt and mistrust from anyone he confided in back then.

It ruined his reputation for a while, but he made it work with a few close friends along the way. He was able to make a living out of what brought him pain, a way to release the anger and despair of not being strong enough to protect his mother. And he sees that in you, trying to protect people from the devastation that demons bring despite no one watching your back.

Dante reaches for another donut but pauses as the gravity of his attraction to you hits him hard in the chest. The fire behind those determined and angry eyes of yours when he first met you drew him in…well, that and the confidence you commanded while walking around his office, so smoking hot and irresistible. But after working with you for a couple of days and hearing about what happened to you in the past…he feels connected to you on a deeper level beyond sexual attraction.  

Too bad Honeybee doesn’t wanna give me a chance, he thought, recalling the couple of times you made it very clear that you only see him as your partner.

But then again, he can tell that you’ve started to warm up to him and that you’re attracted to him as well. He definitely smelled the heady scent of your arousal when you marched right up to him after your tirade. Your lips were so close to his as you stared up at him with those scorching eyes…the devil within purrs against his skin as he wonders what your lips would taste like, how they would feel pressed against his in a blazing hot kiss…    

Dante puts a pause on his desirous thoughts as the sound of stomping footsteps approaches your office. He looks over his shoulder just as you rip the door open with an irate scowl. At least she’s not pissed at me for once, he thought, subtly readjusting his pants that got a little too tight while pushing off your desk with a concerned frown.     

“You alright?” he asks as you enter your office before pushing the door closed with a hard smack of your hand.

You turn your angry gaze towards him, staying quiet for a moment before breathing in deeply. “Yeah,” you murmur with an exasperated huff. “Just Hard Ass being a hard ass.”

Dante waits for you to say more, but you remain silent as you walk over to your desk. He watches for a moment as you open a drawer and begin to stack various casefiles on top of each other. I hate it when she’s like this, he notes, much preferring the wild and passionate side of your temper instead of this cold and impassive anger that keeps him at a distance.  

“So, what do we do now?” he gently asks, hoping to shake you out of your icy shell by bringing your attention back to the case.

You don’t even look up at him as you respond. “Now, we’re done for the day and for the next couple of days…apparently,” you grumble before slamming the desk drawer closed with a bitter scowl.

Dante furrows his brow in confusion before putting the pieces together. “He ordered you to take the weekend off?”

“Yep,” you confirm while straightening the stack of case files. “He wants us to lay low in case the press got a whiff of what happened down in the station.”

You pause for a moment, and he can see the conflicting thoughts churning behind your searing eyes. Something in his gut tells him that getting ordered to take time off isn’t the only thing that incurred your icy wrath. And it looks like you’re about to tell him more, biting your lip in thought before turning your furious gaze towards him. But then, you shake your head and pick up the stack of casefiles with a weary sigh.  

“I had some errands to run anyway,” you inform with a defeated shrug of your shoulders. “But we can still meet later and brainstorm our next move if you want,” you offer while adjusting the sizable number of casefiles under your arm.

Dante regards you with a worried tilt of his head. He wants to know what’s really going on with you but decides against butting into your business since you’re more likely to push him away than tell him anything at this point.

“Yeah!” he agrees while taking out his cellphone.

You follow suit and type his number in your phone before reciting your own number to him. Not exactly how I imagined getting her number, but I’ll take it, he muses while recording the digits with a smug smile. Then, he saves the number under his nickname for you before pocketing his cellphone.  

“Just gimme a call whenever,” he offers with a charming smirk.

“Alright,” you reply with a grateful nod before heading towards your office door.

Dante rushes ahead and opens it for you, which makes you shake your head at his chivalrous gesture. But your lips still curl into an amused smirk as he follows you out the office. Both of you walk through the station quietly, but the soft chime of your cellphone breaks the silence. You take it out and start sending a flurry of texts, disregarding the peculiar yet leery stares of your fellow officers as you lead the way out with a determined scowl.

The tension hovering around you melts away slightly as both of you make it to the station’s parking lot. Dante follows as you head straight towards your motorcycle, softly laughing when Cavaliere rev’s its engine in protest. Couldn’t agree with ya more, he laments while shaking his head at the fiendish motorcycle. He doesn’t want to see you ride away without him either, but he knows that you desperately want some space right now.

So, he just watches with a heavy heart as you secure the casefiles in a side bag before putting your helmet on. Then, you hop onto your bike and crank the ignition, giving it a couple revs before turning to him.    

“Seeya later, Dante.”

“Adios, Honeybee.”

And with that, you peel out of the parking lot with a loud roar of your motorcycle. Dante just stands there for a moment, ignoring the low rumbling growl of Cavaliere’s engine as he wonders what the hell he’s gonna do while waiting for your call. He could always go back to Love Planet and hang out with Moxie, but she always had a knack of seeing right through his jokingly carefree attitude. And he’s really not in the mood to talk about whatever’s going on between him and the Detective.

Maybe a drive though the abandoned parts of the city, he decides while walking towards his ride. Might find some demons to pummel along the way if I’m lucky.

Dante hops onto Cavaliere just as his cellphone rings and vibrates in his jacket. His heart feels like it’s leaping for joy in his chest as he whips it out with an excited tremble of his hands. Really? So soon? he wonders while looking at the slightly cracked screen. But his brows furrow at the unfamiliar number before accepting the call with a disappointed frown.

“Hello?” 

“Hiya! It’s me, Carmen!”

“Oh, hey!” he responds with a cheery smile. “Didn’t expect you to call so soon.”

“Yeah, well…I had a plan, but Quickdraw just texted me a while ago that she got benched for the weekend,” she quickly explains with a worried tone. “But that only gave me another brilliant plan!” she exclaims, and he can literally hear the excited grin on her face as she speaks.

“Really?” he questions. So that’s who Honeybee was texting on the way out, he surmises while tilting his head with interest. “Do tell.”

Carmen giggles softly. “Well, this isn’t the first time the Lieutenant ordered her to take some time off…she’d literally work herself to the bone if no one stopped her,” she informs with a fretful sigh. “So, as her fun-loving friend, I suggested that we should all go out to the cantina!”

“The what now?” he asks with a curious quick of his brow.

“Oh, uh…it’s a bar called Fuego del Diablo,” she informs before moving on. “Me, her, and Graves go there a lot. It’s got great food, strong margaritas, and a huge dance floor for salsa dancing!”

Dante hums softly as the image of you in a smoking hot dress dances across his mind. “Sounds fun!” he admits with a pleased smirk while his gut tells him that’s more to her plan. “But I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Carmen stalls for a moment before continuing. “I may have uh…neglected to tell her that you’re invited?”

Dante chuckles. “Ah, very sneaky, Sandiego!”

“Yeah, I know…but look!” she starts with an irked sigh. “Quickdraw is stubborn and won’t let her guard down at work,” she discloses before letting out a devious laugh. “Which is why I think it’d be good if both of you see each other outside of work…with plenty of tequila and dirty dancing.”

“Wow…you really do ship us, huh?” he asks while admiring the cunning plan of the bubbly crime scene analyst.

“Damn right!” she exclaims with utmost confidence. “I know it’s risky and Quickdraw could fly off the handle, but I’ve known her for a while and I feel like…” she pauses before letting out a frustrated sigh. “She tries so hard to uphold this image of being aloof and strong in a male dominated workforce that constantly looks for every little fault,” she explains with an angry tone. “And after what she went through…she just needs to find the opportunity to let loose and finally have some happiness cos there’s no way she’ll go for it herself.”

Dante remains silent as this new information floods his mind. Then, he smiles and speaks softly. “You’ve got her back too, huh?”

“Hell yeah!” she exclaims with an enthusiastic giggle before lowering her voice.  “And don’t worry, Dante…Wing Woman Sandiego’s got your back too!”

“Glad to hear it!” he responds with a wide grin. “Now, where is this cantina?”

Carmen gives him the location along with the description of the bar’s sign depicting a man with horns engulfed in fiery red flames. “We’re meeting at seven, but maybe wait until eight to show up?” she suggests with a sly lilt of her hopeful voice.

“You got it!” he agrees with an excited grin. “Seeya then,” he promises before ending the call.

Dante slips his cellphone back into his pocket before revving Cavaliere’s engine with a determined twist of his wrists. Then, he bolts out of the station’s parking lot with an explosive roar, zipping through traffic at breakneck speeds towards Love Planet. He didn’t want to go there at first cos Moxie would needle him constantly. But now, that’s the only place with a working shower that welcomes him. He’ll gladly suffer the keen eyes of Moxie because all she’ll see is his enthusiasm to impress the Detective that entices him.

But this night of drinking and dancing isn’t just about feeling your body against his, and if all goes well…your lips pressed against his in a soul crushing kiss. He also wants to establish trust with you. After hearing all the juicy details from Moxie and the hints from Carmen…he’s never felt so close to someone in a long time.

He’s gotten a little taste of your fire…but he wants more.

So much more...

🔪❤️‍🔥🔪

[alannah-corvaine]

[alannah] 14 associations

1. Animal: White-tailed Kite - unfettered, free, with only an open sky before them.

2. Color: White - the color of perfect despair, free of blemish or imperfection or stain, a sky drowning in sunlight, a contrast to all the world's darkness.

3. Song:

• how she sees herself: Lord Huron - Way Out There

• in hope: Thomas Bergersen - Cassandra

• in despair: Breaking Benjamin - The Great Divide

• in happiness: M83 feat. HAIM - Holes in the Sky

• in anger: Disturbed - Prayer

• in love: Taylor Swift - Daylight

• in sorrow: Aquilo - Silhouette

• in defiance: My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words

• in defeat: Demon Hunter - Carry Me Down

4. Number: 7 - the number of perfection, ambition, seeking truth and wisdom, enemy of the stagnant.

5. Day or Night: Day - sunlight brings warmth to the soul, a clarity of mind and purpose, joy like honey running through her veins, the sun a reflection of her heart on fire.

6. Plant: Peonies - delicate elegance, subtly fragrant, many-layered petals hiding a vulnerable center.

7. Smell: Burnt Parchment - acrid and dusty, the scent of failure, of anger, fears and desires kept close to the chest.

8. Gemstone: Opal - sun sparkling, multi-faceted, colors shining through a soft milky white, fragility, strength, and transformation.

9. Season: Summer - the blazing heat of fierce passion and untempered rage, sun's eye unblinking, the discomfort of facing uncomfortable truths, bare skin and naked soul, relentless storms that shake. foundations

10. Place: Thanalan - the greedy desert, swallowing the horizon, dry and unforgiving, bursting with life unbothered.

11. Food: Hearty stews and delicate pastries, the crispy crunch of a carrot.

12. Astrological Sign: Rhalgr - cleansing flame, destruction and rebirth, a beginning from the ashes of the end.

13. Element(s): Air, Earth - raging gales and gentle breezes, riding the wind beyond the horizon // quaking and breaking the bones of the world, toes buried in the sand.

14. Drink: Dandelion Tea - soothing, restorative, remedy, recollection.

tagged by: @miqomonkly

tagging: @ahollowgrave | @aethernoise | @starforger | @twelvesblades | @shroudkeeper | @nophicas-ward | @uldahstreetrat | @hydaelyns-bitch | @ahlis-xiv | @eris-vito | @sundered-souls | @unabashedrebel | @eorzeanflowers | @maeljade | @roguestly and literally everybody else.

(ya'll don't have to do 10 songs, i'm just incapable of picking 1 and not being extra with purple prose.)