#lukas lamp

[kaffykathy]

NHPS when you are about to cycle them.

[rainbow-arrow]

my toxic trait is buying anything relating to luka couffaine on etsy the moment i see it

[corroded-hellfire]

I can't remember if you already answered or wrote this, but when was the first time Ryan and Luke called reader "mom"?

+ AYW request for ya--Eliza has started saying "mama," which prompts Ryan & Luke to discuss what they call Reader and whether or not they want to call her "mom."

+ When was the first time Reader referred to Luke & Ryan as her sons and when was the first time Luka & Ryan called Reader their mom?

+ What was the first time like when Ryan and Luke started calling Reader "mom"?

+ What was the first moment like when Ryan and Luke first called Reader "mom" or how did the Munson boys react when she called Ryan and Luke "my sons"?

I love how so many people wanted to see this 💜 This does get kind of cheesy and corny at the end (more so than usual), but I couldn't get the song out of my head while writing this, so it gets put in lol

Words: 4.3k

[As You Wish masterlist]

“Say it again, say it again,” you gush, grinning at your daughter. 

“Mama!” she gleefully replies.

You clap your hands together and she copies your motions with the same enthusiasm. 

“Still making her say it, huh?”

You look up and see your husband leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest and a playful smile on his lips.

“Like you didn’t have her saying ‘dada’ over and over when she first learned it last month.”

“Dada!” Eliza chimes in. 

“Hi, sweet pea.” Eddie steps into the room and leans down to press a kiss to the top of her head. 

The little girl preens at all the attention she’s getting. Her short legs happily bounce as she wiggles from side to side on the couch. 

“Mama, Dada, Mama, Dada,” Eliza singsongs. 

“My little smarty pants!” You grin and gently tickle her soft belly. 

“You girls have fun,” Eddie says, mussing up Eliza’s curls before heading down the hall. 

“Well, do you want to?”

The shaky tone of Luke’s voice has Eddie coming to a halt a few feet away from the younger boy’s bedroom. 

“I mean…yeah. I think so,” Ryan replies. “Do you think she would mind?”

“I don’t know,” Luke says. “I don’t think so. But it feels weird to ask.”

“We’ve said it a lot trying to get Eliza to say it. It felt…”

“Good,” Luke finishes for his brother. 

Eddie’s brow furrows as he tries to piece together what’s troubling his boys. He doesn’t intend to eavesdrop on the two of them, but it’s become second nature to pay close attention whenever Luke is talking in case there is a scheme in the works that needs to be foiled. 

“She’s always felt more like our mom than Mom does,” Ryan says. 

The words are the key Eddie needed to unlock the stronghold. It makes complete sense now. The boys have been encouraging Eliza to say “Mama” for weeks now, so they’ve been referring to you in that way in front of their sister. Eddie feels like an idiot for never considering the internal storm that must’ve brewed in his sons. It’s no secret that they feel that you’re their mother more than Brittany ever was, but it’s become so normal for them to just refer to you by name. But Eddie can’t blame them for wanting to use the more official title they’d like to bestow on you. 

Slowly, Eddie walks past Luke’s door, acting as if he was always going this way straight from the other room, without making a pitstop to solve a puzzle. 

A long yawn further reminds you of how tired you are as you pull the blankets down on your bed. Curling up between the sheets is all you’ve been able to think about for the last hour. 

Your husband walks into the room, unhooking the black watch from around his wrist. He’s already comfy in his green plaid pajama pants and holey Dio t-shirt. 

“So, um, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Eddie says, placing his watch on his nightstand.

“What’s up? You climb into your shared bed and get comfortable on your side, facing him. 

“Well, I heard the boys talking this afternoon.” Eddie lifts the blankets on his side of the bed and slips in right next to you. He clicks off his bedside lamp before getting comfortable and laying nose to nose with you. “They were talking about you.”

“Me?” you ask, a frown pinching your face. “Did I do something?”

“Not at all, baby,” Eddie is quick to assure you. He reaches out and gently trails the rough pads of his fingers against your jaw. “They were talking about how Eliza finally said “mama” and how they refer to you that way for her.”

Dread pools in your stomach. 

“Oh no. Did that make them uncomfortable? I never asked them to, they just started saying it to help her learn. I feel so—”

“Baby, baby,” Eddie says, gently cupping the side of your face. “No, that’s not it at all. Actually, it’s kind of the opposite.”

“What do you mean?” Your face is still pinched up in concern, so Eddie gently rubs his thumb over your scrunched up forehead.

“They were saying that it felt good when they called you that. That you’ve always been their mom more than the witch ever was.”

Love’s warming touch cocoons you in an embrace as you process Luke and Ryan talking about calling you “mom.” It’s not something you ever would’ve forced on them. They call you by your name, it’s been that way since you’ve met. 

“They were wondering if you’d mind. And that it would feel weird to ask you about it,” Eddie adds. 

“The boys…” you trail off, needing to clear the emotion out of your throat before continuing. “The boys want to call me ‘mom’?”

“It looks that way.” Even in the dim lighting of the bedroom, you can see your husband’s grin. It’s contagious. 

“I feel kind of speechless,” you admit. “I never expected it. I mean, they already have a mom. I guess I just thought that was her and I’m…me.”

“Do you not want them to call you that, princess?” Eddie asks, his tone completely devoid of judgment. 

“No, no, it’s not that!” you’re quick to assure him. “I would be…so honored if they wanted to call me that. I just don’t want them to think I’m trying to overstep or take their mom’s place.”

“Sweetheart,” Eddie says with a laugh, “they wish you would take their mother’s place. Brittany may have birthed them, but you’ve given them more maternal love today alone than she’s done their whole lives.”

“They’re my boys. My sons,” you say, unable to keep a smile off your face at the words. 

“And you’re the mom they always wanted. The one they deserve.”

That causes the tears to finally spill over. You lean forward and bury your head in the juncture between Eddie’s neck and shoulder. He slips his lean arms around you and holds your body against his own. 

“I’d be so happy if they called me that,” you whisper against Eddie’s skin. “Ecstatic. But I don’t want them to feel pressured to do it.”

Eddie nods, one hand rubbing up and down your back.

“Why don’t we wait to see if they bring it up? Luke said it would be weird to come out and ask, but they might bring it up in another way. I just wanted to talk to you about it so if they do bring it up, you’re not caught off guard.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” You tilt your head up to gaze at your husband through the pale moonlight shining into your room. “You raised such wonderful boys.”

“You mean, ‘we’ raised,” Eddie counters. “You’ve been around for more than half of their lives now.”

“Sometimes it feels like yesterday that Luke was four years old and trying to convince me he needed candy to live.” You chuckle at the memory. “They’re becoming little men now, though.”

“That they are,” Eddie says with a sigh. “Guess I should teach them how to use basic tools and shit then, huh?”

“Well, who’s going to teach you?” you tease with a playful smirk. 

“Wiseass,” Eddie mumbles as he rolls you onto your back and hovers over you. 

“I learned from the best!”

It takes just over two weeks for the subject to come up. Eddie is at work, Eliza is spending a little time with her grandpa before he has to get ready for work, and you’re picking the boys up from basketball practice at Hawkins Middle School. 

You step into the gymnasium and are immediately choked by the stench of over a dozen boys going through puberty, and not all of them have discovered deodorant yet. 

Luke is still running around on the court, where a few kids linger, and Ryan is sitting on the bench, talking to a friend. It doesn’t surprise you. Ryan was initially excited to join the basketball team when Luke first brought it up. But now, a few months in, Luke is loving it and Ryan would rather be doing almost anything else. But he made a commitment to the team and Eddie told him it’s the right thing to do, to honor that commitment. So, he’s counting the days until the end of the season. 

You catch Ryan’s eye as you walk over to the sign out sheet, so he says goodbye to his friend and comes over to join you as you scribble down your name. One of the parent volunteers glances down and then smiles up at you.

“Munson?” The perky blonde woman asks in a chipper voice. “You must be Ryan and Luke’s mom.”

Just as she says this, Ryan reaches you and smiles up at you in greeting. 

It’s not unusual for people to assume you’re Luke and Ryan’s mom, so navigating answers like that have become second nature, and in most cases, it’s just easier to say yes. But with this, you see an opportunity to broach the topic with the boys.

“Yeah, I’m their mom.” You grin and wrap your arm around Ryan’s shoulders. See? I’m saying it. I would love for you two to call me that. 

You feel Ryan lean more into you and you breathe a sigh of relief that he’s acknowledging what you said as well. 

“Luke!” The volunteer calls out onto the court. “Your mom’s here!”

The eleven-year-old turns his head in your direction, sweaty curls whipping around, and gives a smile when he sees you. He waves to his friends and jogs over.

“How was practice, boys?” you ask as you head with them toward the gym doors. 

“Good!” Luke says, an extra spring in his step because he’s wearing the new sneakers he just had to have. “I’m getting better at shooting.”

“Atta boy.” You muss his hair, then have to wipe the sweat clinging to your hand on the side of your jeans. “What about you, Ry?”

“Was alright,” he replies with a shrug. “Got bored.”

“Where’s Liza?” Luke asks as the three of you get into the car.

“At Grandpa’s. We gotta go pick her up so he can get ready for work.”

Ryan buckles his seatbelt in the front passenger seat and turns on the radio. It’s quiet except for Stacy’s Mom coming from the speakers as you back out of your parking space and head off school property.

As you pull up to the first red light you’ve encountered, you turn down the music a few notches so the boys can hear you.

“Is that blonde lady from practice a team mom?” you ask.

“Who?” Luke asks.

“The lady who called out to you that your mom was there.” Why do you feel so nervous? This is Luke and Ryan. Your boys. 

“Oh! Yeah, that’s Gavin’s mom,” Luke says. “I think she does sign-ups for if other moms wanna bring snacks or something.”

“Yeah?” you ask, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. “Would you guys want me to do that sometime?” The light turns green, and you start down the main strip of Hawkins, towards Forest Hills. 

“You wanna be a team mom?” Ryan asks, looking over at you. 

“Hell yeah,” you say with a nod. “Show those other moms what it’s like to raise the two best boys in Hawkins. But I’ll only do it if you want me to. I don’t want to embarrass you guys or barge in on your activities or anything.”

“No, it’d be fun!” Luke interjects. “Whenever you bring snacks, everyone will go, ‘Thanks, Ryan and Luke’s Mom!’”

“Um, if you want them to call you that,” Ryan adds softly. 

This is it. The opening you’ve been waiting for. So, why do you feel so tongue-tied all of a sudden?

“Guys,” you speak slowly and deliberately, wanting them to know just how much you mean this, and that it’s not some throw away comment, “I love when people call me your mom. But…does it bother you?”

“No!” They’re both quick to answer simultaneously. 

“We like it, too,” Luke adds. 

You nod and adjust your hands on the steering wheel, psyching yourself up to get the next words out. 

“Listen.” You pause to clear your throat. “If you guys ever want to call me that yourselves, that is perfectly okay. I would never force you to call me that, of course. But if that’s something you’d like to do, that’s good with me.” It’s actually much more than good with you, but you don’t want to bear down too heavily on them. 

“Really?” Luke asks, voice almost as soft as you’ve ever heard it. “We can?”

“Absolutely,” you assure them. “You’re my sons. You can call me whatever feels right to you.”

“Yeah?” Ryan asks.

“Yes.” You say the word with more confidence than you’ve ever said it before. The conviction of the answer rivals that of when you said “I do” to Eddie. 

“I’d like that,” Ryan admits, a sheepish smile growing on his face. 

“Me too,” Luke says.

“I think I just…” Ryan trails off, so you take a quick look at him before looking back to the road. “I think maybe another version of it. Because, like, when I think of calling someone ‘Mom,’ I can’t help but think of her.”

“Yeah, it’s like she ruined the name,” Luke agrees, nodding his head vigorously. 

“That makes sense,” you tell them. “There are definitely different variations of the word. Whatever feels best for you is fine with me.”

“What about, ‘Mother-I-Wish-I-Always-Had?” Luke suggests with a small playful giggle.

“That’s quite a mouthful!” You laugh as well, looking at your younger boy in the rearview mirror again. 

“I mean…” Once again, Ryan trails off, but this time he’s fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt.

“What is it, Ry?” you ask. “You know you can tell me anything. Or ask me anything.”

“Well, it felt nice when we were trying to help Eliza say your name.”

“Yeah!” Luke seconds. “Calling you ‘Mama.’”

“Is that too childish?” Ryan asks, a slight tremble in his voice. 

You turn the car into Forest Hills trailer park and wait until you come to a full and complete stop outside of Wayne’s place before speaking. Wanting to see both boys better, you unbuckle your seatbelt and turn your body to look at them from your seat. 

“It is not childish,” you assure him—assure both of them. “I liked hearing you guys call me that, too. When you were helping your sister.” You smile and tilt your head to the side. “I actually feel like that name suits me better than ‘mom,’ anyway. It feels right to me. Like, I’ve been waiting my whole life to be called that.”

“You’re better than ‘mom’.” Ryan confirms with a nod. 

The urge to reach out for him is too strong, so you gently cup the side of Ryan’s face and gently rub your thumb back and forth over his cheek bone. Luke unbuckles his seatbelt and moves forward—closer to you, signaling he wants the same affection. You’re more than happy to give it to him. 

“You’re my sons,” you tell them. “You’re my everything. You, your sister, and your dad. You guys are my whole world. And there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. So, if you ever want to talk about anything—and I truly mean anything, no matter how weird or uncomfortable you think it might be—you can come to me. I’ll always be in your corner, no matter what. And nothing you tell me will ever change the way that I feel about you. There’s not a force in this world that can do that. You guys are stuck with my love forever.” 

Trying to drive home the point as much as you can, you look them straight in the eyes to make sure they know how serious you are. Ryan nods and gives you a small smile. Luke has unshed tears gathering at his lash line, and when he nods as well, they pool over and run down his cheeks. You’re quick to wipe them away for him. 

“Is there anything else? Anything else you guys want to talk about while we’re here?” you ask.

“No,” Ryan says softly but strongly. 

“Nothing for me,” Luke echoes. “Oh! Except that I love you.”

Now your eyes start to fill with moisture. 

“I love you, too.” Your words are quiet because you know if you speak any louder, you’ll start full out crying. “Both of you. So much.”

“Mamaaaaaaaa!”

Little hands pound against the driver’s side window, and you look over your shoulder to see Wayne holding Eliza just on the other side of the car door. She’s leaning in towards you, possibly trying to figure out how to get through the glass.

With a soft chuckle, you roll down the window and raise an eyebrow at her.

“Is there something I can help you with, madam?” you ask. 

“Mama!”

“That’s me,” you tell her. A pleasant buzz in your stomach reminds you of just how true that is. 

“We were waiting for ya inside, but she knew you were out here and was adamant about seeing her mama,” Wayne says, adjusting the one-year-old in his arms. 

“I am sorry I took so long, Your Majesty,” you tell the young toddler. “I was having a conversation with your brothers. Is that okay with you?”

“Mama!” is her only response. Then she pauses, thinks about it, and adds, “Dada!”

“He’s not here, squirt,” Ryan says. “But I think next we have to get you working on my name.”

“Mine’s easier,” Luke argues. 

“Doesn’t matter,” Ryan says with a shake of his head. “She’s learning names from oldest to youngest.”

“She skipped me then!” Wayne laments.

“Cause ‘Grandpa’ is harder to say!” Luke informs him. 

“Alright, Little Miss, let’s get you buckled in your seat so Grandpa isn’t late for work,” you say. 

When you pop open your door, Wayne shakes his head and gestures to the back seat.

“You stay there, I can get her in,” he insists.

Luke leans across Eliza’s car seat to open the back door for his grandfather. Wayne leans in and Luke makes sure all the straps and snaps are out of the way, so Eliza won’t be sitting on any. 

When Eliza realizes her brother is there in the backseat, she squeals in delight as Wayne sets her down. Between the older man and the youngest man, they’re able to secure Eliza snugly in her seat.

Wayne presses a kiss to Eliza’s head and reaches to rub over Luke’s curls before he stands up straight and closes the car door. 

“See you kids later,” he says.

You’re included in that, you know. To Wayne, Eddie is still a kid, which means you’ll always be one in his eyes too. But that is something else that you are perfectly okay with. 

“Everyone buckled in?” you ask. 

The boys answer the affirmative and you shift the car into drive. 

“Let’s go home.”

Eddie was running late at work, so he doesn’t walk through the front door until you’re setting dinner on the table. 

He lets out a long sigh and rubs a grease-stained hand over his face. 

“Hey, baby,” he greets you. 

“Hi, gorgeous.” 

You walk over and give him a proper kiss hello, which has his tired face pulling up into a small smile. 

“Dinner’s ready. Why don’t you get cleaned up and then all you have to do the rest of the day is relax.”

Eddie grunts in agreement, nodding his head before he shuffles down the hallway.

You chuckle to yourself as you finish getting dinner on the table.

“Okay, Liza Bean!”

She’s happily roving around the kitchen and living room in her pink walker, but she scoots over to you at the sound of her name.

“Time for dinner.”

You scoop her up and bump the walker with your leg to make it roll into a corner and out of the way. Eliza gets set in her princess high chair and her tiny hands bang on the tray as she awaits her food.

“Gotta wait for the men of the family, you.”

She coos when you press a kiss to the top of her soft, downy baby hair. Eliza continues her drum solo as you take a few steps into the hallway and call, “Boys! Dinner!”

The middle schoolers make it to the table before their father, so you start doling out the food onto everyone’s plates. Eddie saunters out, looking much better and more energized now that he’s no longer covered in dirt and grime. 

Eddie takes his seat at the head of the table and manages to give your ass a light swat as you walk past him. You giggle, despite hearing Luke pretending to gag. 

Once you take your seat, you pick up your glass of water and take a sip. 

“Want some peas, Liza?” You spoon a handful onto her plate, and she immediately grabs one and smooshes it into her mouth.

“Mama, can I have some more applesauce?” Luke asks.

Eddie’s breath hitches as his eyes meet yours. The warm and elated smile you give him tells him all that he needs to know for right now. Pressure forms behind his own eyes and he clears his throat before spearing a chunk of meatloaf with his fork. He does his best to push the emotions down for now, but he can’t help but beam from ear to ear. 

“That depends,” you respond to Luke as you pick up the jar of cinnamon applesauce.

“On what?” Luke asks. 

Your grin grows to match Eddie’s.

“Say it again.”

It takes Luke a second but then he laughs.

“Mama, can I have some more applesauce, please?”

“Mama! Mama!” Eliza cheers.

“You guys,” Ryan whines, giving an over-the-top roll of his eyes to show he’s not being serious. “You're gonna drive her crazy. Be nice to Mama.”

You feel as if you could explode from all the happiness growing inside of you. All three of your babies calling you “Mama” right in a row? A giddy light-headedness takes hold of you, and you can’t help but giggle girlishly. 

“I’m Mama,” you say to no one in particular as you hand Luke the jar of applesauce. 

“Well, now I feel left out,” Eddie says, letting his fork drop onto his plate. 

“Mama,” Eliza says, looking at her father.

“Oh yeah, you little wisecracker? Rubbing it in?” Eddie narrows his eyes at her and the baby giggles.

“You can say, ‘mama’ too,” Ryan tells him.

“Ah, I’m not gonna say it just for the hell of it,” Eddie says with a dismissive hand wave. “There has to be a reason.” 

He picks his fork back up, but as soon as he spears another piece of meatloaf, he drops it again, the utensil clinking against the ceramic dinner plate. 

“Wait! I got it,” he says. 

You raise an eyebrow at your husband as he sits up straighter and clears his throat. Whatever is about to happen should be interesting.

“Mamaaaa, just killed a man! Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger now he’s dead!”

Both you and the boys start laughing, which makes Eliza laugh as well.

“Mamaaaa, life had just begun!” Luke continues the song, “But now I’ve gone and thrown it all awaaaaay!”

“Mamaaaa, ooooooh!” Ryan picks up the next piece. “Didn’t mean to make you cry! If I’m not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” you say as you stand up. “Bravo, everyone.” 

You give a slow clap as you walk over to your iPod dock on the counter. Its music kept you company while you were making dinner, but now it’s about to serve another purpose. Little clicks fill the quiet as you scroll through your small silver iPod and make sure to increase the volume from where you had it before. 

“If we’re going to do this, we’ve got to do this right,” you say as you come upon the correct song. “And we need to start teaching Eliza how to headbang, even if she doesn’t have a whole lot of hair to whip around yet.”

The moment you press play, the opening notes of Bohemian Rhapsody fill the air. As you walk back to your seat, you slowly wave your hands in front of you, as if you were conducting the tinkling music. 

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality

Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see

Luke slides off of his chair and walks on his knees over to you, hands clasped together just below his chin as he sings the next line to you.

“I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy.”

His theatrics make you chuckle, and you run your hand down the side of his face. 

Because I'm easy come, easy go

Little high, little low

Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me

“Okay, we all ready for the next line?” you ask, tugging Luke up off the floor and half onto your lap. 

Ryan nods and you grin as Luke wraps an arm around your shoulders and leans his head against yours.

“Two, three…” Eddie counts down before everyone at the table—sans the very confused and entertained baby—belts out the next line.”

“Mamaaaaaaaaa!”

[deadlyexhalation]

nine people I want to get to know better

@havnoh Hii👋 thanks for tagging me!

last song:

favourite colour: green

last movie: Hagazussa, dir. Lukas Feigelfeld

currently watching: Cells at Work!

sweet / spicy / savoury: sweet

relationship status: [redacted]

current obsessions: infant annihilator & black tongue brainrot + adjacent bands, extreme metal; liminal spaces, dark naturalism, appalachian folklore, and touhou FUMO subculture

last thing I googled: “napstablook lamp fangamer”

@vin-of-the-void @pleasedontcrowdkillme @thundastrike80x @i-love-linux-and-reject-gender @jiizzy No pressure.

[kitkat13001]

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡♡˚ 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖

>> luka couffaine x reader

>> established relationship, mentions of alcohol, reader is slightly intoxicated, reader and luka are childhood friends, title is from tv girl and jordana’s song “sweet to dream”

“okay, listen. i know for a fact that alix spiked the punch, so maybe it’s that, but also,” you breathe, the words coming so rapidly as you gaze into luka’s eyes. “also, i’m pretty sure you’re my soulmate.”

luka laughs softly, amusement dancing in his deep blue eyes. “is that so?”

you nod probably harder than you should because your head spins and you feel a little dizzy. 

“okay,” luka smiles, his hands warm on your shoulders as he tries to steady you. “you clearly have had too much to drink.”

you giggle, leaning forward to rest against his chest as you look up at him. “can i have a kiss?”

“baby, you are drunk. intoxicated. under the influence.”

“come on,” you whine, “please? just a kiss! i won’ even tell anyone, i promise.”

“oh, just one? you promise?” luka teases. 

“i swear it on my whole heart,” you nod dutifully, words slurring together. 

luka shakes his head and stares lovingly down at you. you try to make your eyes really big and bat your lashes. 

and still, as ridiculous as you must look, luka looks at you like you hung all the stars in the sky. you’re lost in his gaze as he leans in and you’re almost upset when his eyes flutter closed and you lose the vision of blue. but then his lips are ghosting over yours and your eyes shut too. 

it’s chaste and short and sweet and over before you want it to be. your bottom lip pushes out in a pout and luka just laughs at you again. 

“come on,” he sighs, smile still lingering on his lips as he guides you down the hall. “let’s get you to bed.”

you complain the whole way up but it’s superficial. you’re still floating from the kiss. metaphorically, of course, because your feet catch on every single step on the stairs as you go up to your room. 

“please remind me to never let our friends near the punch ever again,” luka grunts, hoisting you into his arms as you decide that your legs have lost any and all independence. 

you burst into a giggle fit as he heaves you onto the bed, exhaling and blowing a strand of blue hair out of his face, which is flushed from the effort of carrying you up the stairs. 

you try to unlace your shoes but your fingers are wiggling in the funniest of ways and now you’re certain you’re not even touching the laces. luka swiftly undoes them and playfully throws your feet up on the bed. 

“come on, it’s bedtime for you.”

you settle underneath the covers as luka tucks you into them, handing you a stuffed animal like a child. the minute he leans away your heart pauses a beat. “luka?” 

“mm?”

“will you stay?”

“wasn’t planning on leaving, babes,” he chuckles, making himself comfortable on the edge of the bed. one of his hands wanders along the patterns in the blanket, the other reaching to turn of the light. it leaves the room in the dim but warm glow of your salt lamp. 

you hum happily, nestling yourself further into the covers. 

“luka?” you call out softly again. 

again, he hums. “mm?”

“am i your soulmate?”

he chuckles quietly to himself, leaning down to leave a kiss on your forehead. “i’ve known that since i was ten years old, honey.”

his soft and warm voice envelops you and you drift off to sleep with the comforting feeling of him right next to you. 

[stuck-writing-sickos]

In Poor Taste [P9]

(Yandere × Reader)

[Series link]

[Warning: obsessiveness, misogyny, sexism, harrassment, explicit language, violence, mentions of sex]

(Dead from work. Enjoy. Here is what u came for. Anyway, tell me what u think. Talk to me. Ik i havent been responsive (busy) but i wanna read ur comments 🫶 love u stay well and stay away from people like my OCs)

He never knew how good it tastes to bite the hands that fed him.

Better some of you than none of you, Lukas thought when his eyes refused to leave your body as you sat by the pool with a beer in your hands. The humid air hung heavy beneath rumbling thunder, but no rain yet. The villa was quiet sans the sound of wind and waves. Lukas felt sticky under his shirt as he shifted, trying to see your face but couldn't. The bedside lamp casted light through the uncurtained glass wall against your back, soft and yellow like saw dust. You didn't talk. He didn't know what to say - you had Yuki on your mind and he had your brutal fist on his. This wouldn't go anywhere nice.

He clicked his tongue and took a sip from his can.

"Something on your mind?" - you asked, face turned away.

"Nothing at all."

"You seem pensive."

No, you do.

"Maybe just the stress of trying to readjust to a new way of life."

"You're doing well."

"Well... thank you."

Words failed him. His head raced to piece together something to say that wouldn't make the friction between you and him worse. He couldn't. Lukas no longer wanted to make small talks about bullshits like "how do you like Phuket so far" or "how many siblings do you have". He was tired of trying to get to know you politely. He wanted to rip through the layers and get messy - "we're small and scared. Please, let me into your arms", he wanted to say, the fire in his stomach sending heat through his whole body, his fingers itching to reach for your skin.

You were angry at Yuki, no? He probably fucked up - men always do. Yuki probably did what men do best - use and discard. After all, sex is the ultimate currency in their sphere. Lukas wondered if Yuki felt good after having had you. Did he brag? Did he laugh about the way he made you buck and squirm with his friends?

Lukas turned his gaze away, feeling guilt brewing in his stomach. You wouldn't know about all that. You probably woke up in Yuki's arms smiling, thinking that the intimacy meant something. But Yuki would turn cold. They all do. He had you, and he had the nods and murmurs from the douchebags he hung out with. And now there you were, sitting by the edge of the small pool, wondering what you did wrong, asking yourself questions like "was that all I am to him".

Lukas wanted to throw up thinking about it. He tried hard not to realize the reason he could imagine the intricacies of your situation so vividly, but the thought had taken roots. He knew because he had done it all. He wasn't any better.

But he could learn. That was the difference. And what more... he could atone. He would gladly take your punishment. Lukas felt his fingertips playing with the silver chain on his neck, pulling it around as if to scratch an itch he had yet felt. His eyes found their ways back to you who had not said a word, your arms pulling your knees to your chest. He swallowed dryly.

He could learn. He could be good for you. Yuki couldn't do that - the man left you sad and confused, likely unaware that under your calm surface you were a storm. He didn't stop to see the look in your eyes now when you fixed them upom the sky - resilient, yet filled with disappointment. You expected better from Yuki and he failed to deliver. That was on him - he was flawed and spineless, unable to let you in.

But Lukas could.

Before he could think of anything to say, a flash of light cut through the sky. You didn't flinch. "This one will be loud", you said. Lukas braced for the thunder, his body tensing up. "Yeah", he replied, his voice suddenly weak. He jumped at the cracking thunder, his head ringing.

"Are you okay?" - you asked, sounding cold as usual.

"No, yeah", he tried to match your tone but couldn't, heaving, "Just a little startled."

"A Texan who's scared of thunder... what do you know..."

He laughed, barely containing the high he felt seeing that you had engaged in some sort of personal conversation with him for once.

"You got me."

"The thunder did. I'm just sitting here."

He was aware that he was smiling big, but he didn't know how to stop that. Lukas wanted to say something else, but before he could, he felt water on his skin. The rain came down hard and quick. In the moment he took to react, it had already curtained the scene white.

"Ah...", he heard you said past the rainfall. You were sopping wet like him, your thin summer clothes clinging to your skin, showing him almost everything he wanted to see. The rain was cold, yet he could not beat the heat.

You stood up. He followed. You didn't seem to be in a hurry when you pried your glass door open and let him in with you, spashing the curtain and carpet. Something inside him clicked when the sound of rain sounded distant so suddenly, leaving the air filled with your breaths and the dripping of your clothes. Standing around awkwardly, he watched you who returned his gaze. Lukas felt the hair on his arms standing up when you asked:

"Are you cold?"

___

Yuki wanted to peel the skin off his body to see if the crawling discomfort would cease. He felt restless. Squirming in the uncomfortable arm chair, he watched the storm rage on, thrashing against the window. He couldn't even go for a smoke when he needed it most. Biting on his nails, Yuki felt the uncomfortable queasiness all over himself like a swarm of spiders.

He wanted to talk to you.

Yuki knew he handled the first night he spent with you poorly. He talked of family too soon. He still couldn't think of one good reasons why he did it. When you looked away and avoided his question about regrets, a switch flipped in his braim and made him stupid. Did you regret sleeping with him? He would hate that. Perhaps that was why his first reaction was to lock you down with hints of family and marriage. Juvenile and stupid, no different than Lukas. Fuck. He was just afraid to lose you.

Even now, he still felt the lump in his throat. It sucked that he wanted you so bad. For a long time, he thought he was dead inside when it came to intimacy - he only knew panic, only knew to look for the door when someone got too close. Yuki couldn't find it in himself to put his lips on another's, much less doing what he did to you when he was still in office clothes, smelling of sweat and cigarette. He didn't vomit after. When he finished and look at you still holding onto him in disarray, Yuki thought that he was at the right place. It was simple and natural - he wanted you and you wanted him.

It didn't take him long, though, to flip the script. Maybe he wanted you, and you wanted to escape your family that lurked at the other end of your calls, their shadow looming over you even when their bodies were plane flights away. He thought of that when you fell asleep by his side, the skin on your face no longer carved in by your exhaustion. In that moment, he felt like just another giant of your bad dreams, casting his own shadow on you. Were you running away and just happened to find yourself in his arms? He couldn't sleep well that night, not at that thought, but at another more sinister one he failed to deny.

He would gladly be your safe haven.

The moment that thought took form, Yuki felt a twist in his stomach. He didn't bother to deny the idea - no excuses of "that was just an intrusive thought" or "I only wanted to support her". When he slipped out of bed and into your bathroom, he knew what he saw in the mirror. He was no misunderstood artist, he was no kindhearted colleague, and he was definitely no reliable friend. He was a spider waiting for you to flail your way into his web, and once you did he had every intention to keep you there. He wouldn't mind you getting in more troubles, as long as you come running back to him. He would make it nice and cozy for you. With him, you could surrender your guards and let him take the lead. No more calls from your brother asking for money nor threats from your mother to fly you back. He could legitimize your citizenship with marriage... maybe even a beautiful child. His family may push back, but he doubted they could disown their only son.

Yuki didn't like the way his reflection look, so he put those thoughts away only for them to come spilling out when you were vague about "regret". He hated that he couldn't contain his perversion for long - the desire for you to suffer enough that you would fall into his arm was a poison he wanted to seal away, but alas he didn't have any self control after all. He was just like the new brat that fawned over you, eager to gnaw and rip at your edges.

__

You didn't care for Lukas' begging eyes when he sat at the corner of your room, far away from you. "Go back to your room", you said for the second time yet, "you must feel less cold by now". Around him wrapped the gigantic towel you found in your bathroom, the one he asked for when you made the dumb mistake of worrying enough to say "are you cold". He looked down shamefully when he whispered "can I be here? I'm afraid of thunders."

You didn't buy it. No way a man this grown would be so scared of thunder. Your face scrunched up as you leaned against the bedside drawer, your arms taking the warmth of the lamp. He wanted to be near you, that much was obvious, but you didn't quite expect this display of pathetic pleading. You wondered if he ever tried it before and if he did, if it worked. You didn't like it.

"Lukas... look, I think you're drunk. Go get changed and sleep it off. I won't tell anyone that you're scared of thunders, okay?"

You felt like you were talking patiently to a pet that would not quite get your idea but may get your tone.

"No, I'm not drunk."

At that, you rolled your eyes and chuckled wryly, finding a twinge of amusement in your annoyance.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable", you tried to talk again, even slower this time, "but this isn't a good look, no? You and I in here... people will talk."

"Nobody is coming, you know?"

His voice was firm now, and much more sober than you expected. Your eyes snapped back at him who returned the favor, awfully calm now. At least you got your confirmation - he wasn't afraid. Never was.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nobody is coming. Not with this storm."

At that, he stood up, the towel slipping off him. Lukas did not stumble when he walked over to you, his footstep quiet and slow the same way a cat walked when it saw a bird perching somewhere in a backyard bush. You didn't find it threatening at all, though. Unlike a helpless starling, you knew what to do.

When he reached you and the modest distance forced you to push against the cold wall, you let out a tired scoff.

"I'm sorry if I ever gave you the wrong idea, Lukas, but I'm not interested in you that way. Please, just leave, and we can pretend that this never happened."

"I don't want to do that."

His voice was soft now, his warm breath brushing your cheek. He did not raise an arm. Neither did you. You didn't want it to come to violence.

"You're overstepping."

"What are you gonna do about it?"

You smiled bitterly, getting weary of his stupid games. Deciding not to escalate the situation, you looked away. He didn't let your lack of reaction stop him from adding to his stupidity:

"Really, what are you going to do? Do you realize what's happening right now?"

You couldn't help but laughed in his face. He didn't find it so funny. Perhaps you insulted his masculinity? They usually hated it when you did that. Curiously, the look he had on right now did not seem like one of anger or lust. He seemed eager... for what, you were not quite sure.

"I'm warning you", you bluntly said, dropping the smile completely, "you still have this chance."

"Seems like you gave me plenty of chances so far."

Your blood boiled. You didn't know from where he got the idea that this was endearing or sexy. This sucked, and you were getting impatient by the minutes. Your right eye twitched, and you could feel the corner of your mouth pulling into a nasty scowl. Getting hot from your anger, you let the way his eyes widen in expectation escape you.

"This isn't funny, Lukas."

"Isn't it?"

His hands reached to you. Instinctively dodging it, you found yourself trapped between him and the wall as he laid his palms to the side of your head, his heap of black hair tickling your forehead. He grinned smugly, baring his white teeth.

"I find it very funny...", he cooed, lifting his hand to try and touch your neck.

You decided that that was enought. Grabbing his wrist and pulling it, you forced his body down and landed your knee on his chest, hard. Lukas let out a pained groan and fell forward, collapsing to your feet. As you stepped over him to get away, you couldn't help but wonder if his body was limp from the alcohol, or if he never intended to fight back. You watched his back while he pitifully trembled, hand clutching where you hit him.

"Get the fuck out", you coldly demanded. He didn't say anything for a moment, still heaving from the shock.

You planned to grab him by the scuff of his stupid button down and drag him out. Before you could, you heard your doorbell ring.

Blood turning cold, you let your eyes dart between Lukas and the door, wondering how to deal with the situation. You didn't even stop to think who could be coming to you at this hour, in this weather. The silence hung in the air, heavy and thick. It seemed forever until you heard a voice trying to get to you past the storm.

"Please, if you don't mind... Would you let me in?"

Yuki.

If anyone would understand, it would be him. You felt a burst of relief exploding in your chest as you rushed to let him in. Your hands had reached the handle and cracked the door open when Lukas, still in pain, had managed to crawl on all four and throw himself at you, his wet arms clinging around your leg as Yuki stared in horror. "Help me", you choked out and swung the door open wide, letting Yuki in along with the rainfall. Under you, Lukas had broken down into sobs.

"Please... don't go. I will be good."

[marbl3-soda]

My MCSM headcanons (Part 5/6)

-Ivor keeps a diary he secretly hides. Sometimes, he would start by saying to people: "back in my day...".

-Harper is a bit sensitive, and always becomes sad when the plants she keeps die.

-Axel gives out pet rocks to people to be generous.

-Petra would punch and kick a vending machine if her snack was stuck.

-Lukas loves to play uno, but always loses.

-Olivia is learning french and loves squirrels.

-Jesse one time ate a poisonous potato by accident.

-Reuben likes to cover his hooves in mud and print them on paper.

-Torquedawg once broke CaptainSparklez's glasses as a joke.

-Captainsparklez is dyslexic.

-Stampy has an intense fear of doctors and dentists.

-Dan bites his nails when he's nervous.

-Lizzie has a mild allergy to almonds.

-Stacy is bad at handling cats.

-Cassie is a great artist.

-Winslow hides inside a trashcan when it's time for a bath.

-Gill constantly sings for no reason and sleeps with a stuffed animal.

-Aiden is a horrible liar, and he doesn't know long division.

-Maya loves to hit the gym. To be rude as always, she places her chewing gum under people's shoes, and sometimes on their hair.

-Whenever people compliment Stella, the first thing she would always say is: "I know right?".

-Xara keeps lava lamps for comfort.

-Romeo doesn't like children. He finds them annoying.

-Isa prefers sweet over spicy.

-Milo is good at tongue twisters.

-Gabriel takes care of stray animals.

-Soren is not a morning person.

-Magnus always gets noise complaints.

-Ellagaard is awkward at trying to comfort people, but does her best.

[remembrancer-of-heresy]

Feast

AU Reverse Therapy

Previous Part: Tenderness

Summary: The Feast is coming and Malina has to take part in it.

Pairing: Chaos!Lamenter/fem!OC/Chaos!Flesh Tearer

Characters: Malina (fem!OC), Luka The Angel (OC Chaos Lamenter), Virgil (OC Chaos Flesh Tearer)

Warnings: yandere, violence, torture, cannibalism, forced stolkhom syndrome, dubcon, noncon

Word count: 8515

Author's note: This is the first time I've written such a huge post. Gods of Chaos know, I adore this trio. I will continue to write about these guys, but drabbles.

And special thanks to @kit-williams who helped me to write smut part!

Song: London After Midnight - Love You To Death (feat. Sean Brennan)

Tag List: @druidwolf21, @pluvio-tea

“A feast?” - the girl asked, puzzled, sitting on Luka’s bed. He was sitting next to her, wringing his fingers in anticipation. Just like Malina, he was listening attentively to Virgil.

“Yes, it’s something like a celebration after a mission well accomplished.” - the man chuckled, looking seriously at the Lamenter. - “Only the top brass and distinguished warriors are allowed into the most important halls. As an incentive for their merits. And I’ll finally be able to take Luka with me.”

“Oh, congratulations.” - the girl smiled happily at the blond.

“Thank you.” - the space marine immediately scratched his nose in embarrassment. - “But this wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you. Your kindness and beauty… um, the Emperor, our joint prayers… only thanks to this I became a better person.”

Vergil only rolled his eyes at this bravado. Partly it was so. With the arrival of the girl, Luka really did become a better person. But Virgil couldn't help but notice that the Lamenter had become much more accustomed to attacking mortals. And if before he had limited himself to the flesh of adult bastards, now he had switched to younger and more innocent meat.

“I'm glad to hear it.” - the girl immediately leaned her back against the wall. - “But I think you exaggerate my merits too much. You've always been a great warrior. And you yourself mentioned that Virgil was your mentor.”

“Yes, he fell on my head.” - the veteran snorted, stretching his shoulders. - “That's not all. You're coming with us.”

The girl thought for a second that the air had been sucked out of her. She looked in amazement at the smiling weeper, then at the serious dismemberer. “But I can't leave the quarters. Can I?”

“Can't. But this is a special evening. And you'll be with us. No one will touch you.” - Virgil grinned carnivorously. - “Let them just try.”

“If you’re scared on the way, close your eyes.” - Luka was almost wagging his tail like a puppy, unable to contain his joy. - “Although no, you still shouldn’t open your eyes. It’s pretty dirty here and a vulnerable girl like you might get scared. And I’ll carry you.”

Malina was fiddling with her fingers excitedly. The sudden opportunity to leave the quarters was terrifying. The very thought that she would have to step into unfamiliar territory. Where the screams were coming from… was incredibly frightening.

But did she have a choice? She wasn’t asked, she was simply presented with an accomplished fact. Moreover, she wanted to support Luka. And Virgil said that it was a holiday. She always liked saints’ holidays in the agro-world. She wanted to like this one too.

“Fine.” - the girl whispered. But the men no longer listened to her, arguing about how much food the mourner could take into the room.

***

The quarters were lit up with Terran solar time. Malina didn't know if it was set up that way or if Virgil and Luka had set it up for the girl. After all, the Astartes were almost mythical figures in the Imperium. It was almost surprising that she had managed to relax in such unusual company for all her time here.

The girl was about to go to bed, as soon as the lights went out except for a couple of lamps, when Virgil approached her.

"Don't go to bed. We're just going to the Feast now. You'll get some sleep tomorrow."

Malina just nodded, allowing the massive hand to pull her away from the cozy bed. Allowing herself to be led to the iron door. The last time she came this close to it, there was a blood stain here. Here, a young boy had begged her to save him. And now she would go outside.

"Come on," the lamenter abruptly lifted the girl by the waist, pressing her to himself almost in a wedding style. The girl blushed, hiding her face in Luka's chest. He and Virgil were in their everyday clothes without armor. - "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you, okay? You can even close your ears."

There was no need to repeat. As soon as Virgil opened the door, the girl immediately closed her eyes and ears, pressing herself against the Space Marine's chest. But even so, she could still smell the smells. The smells of blood and dirt. And from some rooms, the smell of excrement and dope was clearly coming.

This time, there were no screams except for a couple of rooms. And still, the feeling of otherworldly cold frightened Malina. She wanted to return to the room as soon as possible. The girl did not try to remember which paths they took. She would not take a step outside the quarters without Luka and Virgil.

But at some point, everything changed abruptly. There were too many smells. The room was filled with a hubbub that she was not used to. Malina trembled, clinging to Luka. She wasn't ready for the Feast, she didn't want to be here. But the Astartes only nuzzled the top of her head. "We're here. Open your eyes."

And she obeyed, as always.

She had never seen such a spacious hall as this one in her life. It could easily accommodate up to a thousand people. And to Malina's even greater horror, there were about 30 Space Marines and even more mortals. Although only a few of them behaved relaxed next to the Astartes. The others were clearly acting as slaves.

The portholes were completely closed, blocking the starry sky from view. The entire floor was strewn with pillows and blankets of rich embroidery. Red fabrics hung from the walls, and on certain ledges, in addition to the switched on lamps, candles were lit. And yet, despite the brightness, the hall was quite dark.

Food and drinks were scattered in the very center and in certain corners. The variety was amazing. Malina loved her food on the ship. Porridge with additives, hot soup and a favorite fruit drink. And was sure that the local serfs (or rather slaves) did not eat as well as she did. But the girl didn't know even half of the dishes prepared for the Feast.

The whole hall exudes luxury, bohemianism and hedonism. Things that the Astartes were not associated with at all.

The guests who had arrived were sitting at a distance, each in their own corner. Some were sipping hookahs, while others were getting drunk. But the one who stood out the most was the huge Space Marine in the center loge. The man was a real giant, towering over all the Astartes. And to her amazement, Malina recognized signs of obesity in some parts of the body. But the most prominent part of the body was in the form of a disfigured jaw with long fangs. Which he sank into a piece of meat.

The mortal woman sitting next to her, judging by her uniform and behavior, was the captain of the ship. Thin as a skeleton, there was not a single hair on her. There were bruises under her eyes from lack of sleep. And despite her sickly appearance, she held herself much more confidently and relaxed than Malina herself. Not to mention that judging by the way the two were talking, the woman was clearly not afraid to be cheeky to the space marines themselves.

“Wll, now give it to me here,” the veteran made a corresponding gesture with his hands. “Bacchus was just about to talk to you, so go to him.”

“Eh? Don’t tell me that the Voracious One wants to play as a mentor and talk about my future?” - seeing the flesh tearer’s smile, Luka groaned. - “Fine. Malina, I need to talk to our leader now. You’ll be scared of him, so go with Virgil. I’ll be soon.”

Malina only moaned in response, finding herself in Virgil’s arms. He immediately led her further into the hall while the clearly upset mourner headed towards the Astartes leader. Eventually, the space marine stopped near the loge. It was secluded enough that no one could interfere with them. And in the wall there was a round depression, reminiscent of a burrow. The curtain attached nearby clearly hinted that the person who decided to climb into the “hole” did not want to be disturbed. Malina desperately wanted to hide in the very depths, but instead the veteran placed her next to him on the pillows.

“This is our place, girl. No one will touch you if you stay in this loge.” - the veteran said, pushing the hookah closer to himself. Several dozen drugs were bubbling in the device, just waiting to be tried. - “You can take whatever you want, don't be shy.”

And there was something to take. In addition to the hookah and several packs of drugs waiting for the dismemberer, a whole buffet was set up on the bed. Malina had never seen such an abundance of fruits and sweets, fried meat and drinks in her life. Some of them were clearly alcohol. The girl tried not to pay attention to the torture devices that had also been prepared. Judging by what she had managed to notice, such devices were placed in each of the five loges. Most of the space marines were content with simple "seats" in the hall.

The realization that Virgil and now Luka were not the last people on the ship confused Malina. And she immediately grabbed the first thing she saw. A small beige cookie. Her parents were not exactly poor. The girl ate well and could afford clothes. And yet, they could not afford sweets, unlike the governor. But now she can try the once unavailable food.

“Where is all this from?” - the girl involuntarily asked, unable to tear her eyes away from the abundance of everything around her.

“Mmm, from the warehouses of the imperial worlds. Well, and some from the rogue traders. These scums have plenty of utensils for such entertainment.” - the veteran inhaled steam, sending a ring of smoke into the mortal's face, which made her cough. - “But we, the Emperor's Angels, need it more, don't you think? We must rest after a duty is done.”

“Yes, we need it more.” - Malina said, continuing to examine the cookies. She didn't want to look at the hall. And Virgil was clearly going to relax on drugs after months of hard battles. It was even unusual to see him in such a calm state. But she didn't want to breathe the same air as him.

Turning the cookies in different directions, Malina still decided to bite off a small part. The taste was sweet. Really sweet. The girl chewed as slowly as possible, trying to remember this unique taste. Before she ate another piece. It was absolutely delicious and she moaned from pleasure. But if she had any thoughts about trying all the dishes, they instantly evaporated when Malina finally glanced at the neighboring loge.

Another space marine was preparing tools on his knees, more suitable for construction work. He hummed, sharpening the blades. While two slaves kneeling nearby, whining, thin from hunger, looked greedily at the food. Waiting for their master to allow them to enjoy the food. If he allowed it at all. Looking closely, the girl realized with disgust that the slaves were still children.

Malina immediately looked down at her knees. She just needed to survive this night. The Feast would end and everything would be as before. She just needed to wait.

***

“Son, I knew from the first day that you would join our ranks. You were born to be a traitor, ha.” - Bacchus the Gluttonous laughed massively, causing his jaw to make a strange turn. - “Virgil is a good mentor. I hope he does not offend you too much?”

“No, sir.” - Luka pouted, watching the former Space Wolf gobble up the fried tyranid meat with both cheeks. The lamenter would have preferred raw, but alas, he was not offered even that piece. He was hungry.

“Really? And allows you to rob mortals? He is a real neat freak.”

“Within reason. I only have to not clutter the room.”

“Does he often give slaves for food? You are always hungry here.” - the man continued to listen attentively to the young lad, licking the bone. Despite his shabby appearance and cheeky behavior, there was a cunning look in his eyes.

“I hunt on the lower levels. You know these mutants, they breed constantly.”

“And he lets you touch your girl?”

“I don’t need his permission! She’s mine! I saved her! I’m her Angel!” - Luka perked up with irritation, which made his voice rise. But Bacchus only laughed at the excited mourner. The former Space Wolf adored this boy. But Captain Sever immediately hissed at the young traitor.

“Luka, watch your language. How do you talk to the commander?” - the woman’s creaky voice resembled the blade of a dagger. And she herself, sharp and prickly, looked angrily at the hunched over space marine.

“M'sorry, Eurydice.” - Luka sighed, looking away from the hairless woman. Just recently he had only made her laugh, and now she was building him up again. How difficult it was to deal with her at times. But Sever was the best in her field, and Bacchus demanded only respect for the mortal voidborn.

“You shouldn’t be so strict with the boy, Eurydice. I’m even touched by such love,” Captain Sever only rolled her eyes at the grinning Voracious. “An angel, you say? Hah, indeed. We are all the Emperor’s angels here. You especially.”

A sudden flicker and a light mist released into the air announced the beginning of the Feast. Luka shifted awkwardly on the floor, hoping to leave the boring conversation as soon as possible. While he listened to Bacchus’ wishes and Eurydice’s instructions, Malina was all alone. Yes, Virgil was with her. But that was not enough.

The Lamenter almost saw the girl crying from fear before his eyes. Curled up on her side like a kitten. So defenseless and beautiful. He could already hear her quietly calling for her Angel. He should have been protecting her and feeding her from his hand, but instead he was chilling here. Why? Why?

“Patience, Luka. I will let you go soon.” - Bacchus smiled softly, quietly chuckling at the nervousness and growing excitement of the Lamenter. - “Especially since Baphomet has finally finished all the preparations.”

At the same moment, a clawed finger tapped on the vox, calling all the guests to attention.

“It is time for the Feast. It is time to praise true power in the Galaxy.” - a soft voice carried over the vox like a love song. Baphomet loved to draw out words, irritating everyone around him. But not today. - “Then let us enjoy the feast that the servants of the False Emperor have so kindly prepared for us.”

One word, one push of the lever, and the main dish of the day was served to the hall. The captured servants of the Corpse on the Throne. Not just common soldiers or civilians. But the higher-ups. Priests, Sisters of Battle, Mechanicus. Even Astartes. Some were not destined to survive this evening. But other prisoners were not so lucky.

Some of the prisoners were brought in by servitors, tied to beds. Others were in cages. The wildest and most unfortunate were lowered into the hall on hooks. Screaming and crying, they swung through the air like lamps.

Baphomet loved mind games. His best device was to give a prisoner the illusion of freedom. In stasis, he lived out the life after a supposedly successful escape from the Red Corsairs. The prisoners believed that they had lived for decades, some even hundreds. Until Baphomet tore them out of stasis, taking them to the Feast. Their suffering, their pain and torment. Their hunger for illusion was the main food for the Immaterium.

Luke couldn't help but lick his lips as he saw the Ultramarine screaming in pain. The poor guy had lost all his limbs and felt more helpless than ever. Perhaps if the mourner asks nicely, Bacchus will allow him to eat him? He must satisfy his hunger for blood before he comes to Malina. And then he will satisfy a completely different kind of hunger.

***

Malina pressed her hands to her ears, trying to drown out all the sounds. But there were too many mortal captives. Too many for their cries and screams to penetrate her brain. Accusing and humiliating them for the fact that while they were suffering, she was basking on soft pillows. Eating and drinking as much as she wanted. She was not beaten, raped or tortured.

But if she left the loge, if she showed disobedience. No, if she showed hatred for her protectors, she would find herself among this hubbub. Malina began to cry, repeating the saving mantra to herself. She loved Luka and Virgil. They were her Angels. They were the Emperor's warriors. She had to believe in this no matter what happened. Then she would not find herself among these unfortunates. Her skin would not be torn off alive, they would not be devoured with a smile on her face.

Malina herself did not notice how she opened her eyes and again fixed her gaze on the neighboring loge. The Space Marine still allowed the children to eat. But he himself took advantage of their helplessness. And next to him on the table with fruit, a crippled monk was already tied up, screaming curses from the impossibility of saving the children.

The cannibal bastard, who felt someone else's gaze, immediately turned all his attention to Malina. Licking his bloody lips, he winked at her before again pouncing on the hand of the little boy, who was crying bitterly. At the same moment, the little girl, waiting for her turn, looked at Malina. She asked for help and condemned her with just one look.

It was unbearable.

Abruptly and without warning, Malina felt her hands being pulled away from her ears. A rasping voice whispered lies into her ear, trying to calm her. "The traitors of the Imperium got what they deserved."

Malina sobbed. She was a traitor to the Imperium. While His servants suffered. But she did not want to join them. She did not. She trembled as massive hands wrapped around her shoulders. The fear that Virgil might punish her robbed the mortal of her sanity.

“N-no, please. I-I’ll be good. I’ll be good.” - Malina burst into tears, not knowing whether she wanted to push the space marine away or cling to him. Breaking down from helplessness, the girl nevertheless pressed herself against the stunned veteran’s chest, clinging to his clothes with her nails like a drowning woman.

“Malina, stop.” - the flesh tearer awkwardly stroked the girl’s shoulders. He clearly hadn’t expected such a reaction and couldn’t fully understand how to react. The mourner was better at calming down damsels in distress. Virgil was much better at driving girls crazy. - “You’re good already. Don’t be hysterical. Stop it.”

The man immediately took a glass from the table, running his eyes over the bottles while the girl continued to snore on his chest. Finally, having mixed Malina’s favorite fruit drink and amasec, he gently grabbed the girl's head as best he could. And he brought the glass to her lips, waiting for her to open her mouth. “Come on, if you’re such an obedient girl, drink it. It will make you feel better.”

The girl sobbed, but that was enough. The veteran poured the glass into the girl, not sparing a drop. Malina didn’t even have time to take a sip, which is why the alcohol simply poured out onto her chin. Tears ran down her cheeks indiscriminately, but she continued to drink, waiting for this torture to end. As soon as Virgil removed the glass, Malina immediately began to sharply inhale air. Not even a minute had passed, and her mind was already clouded by the amasec.

“What a good girl,” the flesh tearer praised, admiring how beautifully the red color looked on her olive skin. But he was not going to hurt Malina. No. But the thought of pouring the blood of an unfortunate slave or a worthy enemy on her beat in his brain with intense force.

Alas, but seeing Baphomet finally come to the hall, the dismemberer sighed. Virgil knew that he could hope for Malina's prudence, and yet this was her first Feast. She needed to get used to such holidays, which meant he needed to keep an eye on her. Fortunately, such a ritual did not require open worship of the Chaos Gods from the Space Marines. This was done for them on other levels, openly offering prayers and asking for more strength.

“I need to go to our Apothecary and talk about an important matter.” - the veteran poked the tired mortal in the nose. - “Stay here and wait. Do not go anywhere.”

At first, Malina didn't even understand Virgil's words. She just stupidly watched as the flesh tearer left the loge. Until he disappeared into the fog. The girl groaned and lay down on the pillows, clutching her stomach. Amasek hit her head hard, but even he couldn't drown out the screams of the victims. She wanted to sleep.

She didn't know how long she lay like that. At some point, it seemed to her that someone was calling her. Hurrying to her with all his might, hoping to save her from this nightmare. But this is such stupidity. There is no escape from this nightmare. She was left alone. Buried in a feeling of despair and guilt.

Suddenly, the girl felt someone grab her by the armpits and carry her away. Malina immediately screamed, trying to push the kidnapper away from her. "No, no! Virgil! Virgil! Luka!" The captive, realizing that she had been thrown into a hole on soft blankets and pillows, curled up into a ball and closed her eyes.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.” - a familiar voice caressed her soothingly, as did a warm hand on her cheek. - “I’m here, I’m with you. Your angel will always protect you.”

There was no point in guessing who had hidden the girl from the chaos that reigned in the hall. Malina opened her eyes and let out a weak, frightened moan. Luka was clearly trying to wipe someone else’s blood from his face, but he couldn’t get it all off his mouth. This look contrasted with his soft smile.

“L-Luka, I-” - the girl blinked rapidly, trying to shake off unwanted tears. Malina didn’t know what she wanted to say. She didn’t know what she wanted to do. Should she pull away from the man or, on the contrary, throw herself into his arms? It didn’t matter what she wanted, she had to do the latter.

“I’ve come. Everything is fine. Sorry I was gone for so long. You were so scared, weren't you? Cruel punishment for heretics is part of the Feast. I should have warned you." - the man carefully wiped away the tears until his finger fell on the captive's lower lip. With each passing second, the pupils absorbed the blue of her eyes more and more. - "But now you're with me, I'll take care of you. Do you know why?"

"W-why?" - the girl sobbed. From the touching laughter of Luka lying above her, her whole back was covered in goosebumps. It seemed to be the same wonderful and kind laugh as the boy next door. But why does it exude such gloom? Such an obsession.

"Oh, my beloved. Because" - Luka gently leaned towards the girl's face, filling her entire visible view. She could not see anything except his madness. - "Angel loves you."

One moment and the mourner's lips immediately covered Malina's. The girl squealed in shock, which made Luka even more excited. Almost growling, he kneaded her lips without asking for more. Trying to put all the confession, all the feelings that had previously boiled in him into their first kiss. Now he could not restrain himself, not deceive his beloved. Now they would really be together.

Malina just lay there, stunned, unable to move. All the fears, all the guesses about the strange behavior of the space marines turned out to be true. But she could not even imagine that they would give themselves away so soon. To tell the truth, she hoped that this would never happen. But seeing a strip of saliva as soon as Luka tore himself away from her lips, she realized how naive she had been.

“Malina? A-are you alright?” - the young man worried, seeing the absolute horror on the girl’s face. He didn’t even understand why she was afraid.

“Y-yes. Alright. But you, you’re an Astartes.” - the girl’s tongue was twisted, she didn’t know what she wanted to tell Luka. Why was she clinging to the past? She needed to accept their “Imperial Truth” if she wanted to survive. - “Can Astartes really-”

“Of course! Think about it, would the God-Emperor deprive his Angels of such a beautiful feeling as love?” - Luka smiled happily. His face was filled with such adoration, which only made the girl even more taken aback. - “I love you, Malina. I have always loved you and will love you. You were sent to me by higher powers. I will kill everyone for you, I will devour every innocent soul just so that you will always be with me.”

The Astartes' voice dropped a lower octave, sounding less human with each dark promise he made. The girl only whined louder from such a confession. She felt that everything Luka said was true. And even if after the Feast little would change in her life, and she would always be protected. It was too much! Too much for her. To accept such feelings. To accept the death of innocents that would be on her shoulders.

But she had not opened the door to that boy. Even though he begged her. Even though he was also a prisoner, a loyal Imperial. Unlike her. She had no choice then, what choice did she have now? Did she want to be among the screaming victims? And Luka was ready to protect her here and now. He loved her. And Virgil cared about her.

Maybe she should stop resisting?

“Do you love me?” Luka nuzzled the girl’s cheek like a puppy. His blue eyes looked expectantly at Malina. And to her horror and disgust, she knew that her next answer was true.

“I-I love you.” - the girl barely exhaled before her lips attacked with renewed vigor. And if the first time Luka clearly held back, now he terrorized her.

The lamenter attacked her lips with renewed fervor. If earlier he held back just so as not to scare Malina. Now he was going to take complete control over her and leave marks all over her insides. It wasn’t even difficult for Luka to spread her lips with his tongue. With each clumsy but furious movement, he moaned into her mouth.

“You’re sweet, sweet like a berry. Like blood. And all mine.”

The girl blinked hard, hoping not to cry again from fear of such obsession. Malina watched as the lamenter, without breaking away from the kiss, awkwardly placed his hand on her chest. He immediately opened his eyes and pulled away from her, breathing heavily. Luka carefully kneaded the soft flesh a couple of times with curiosity like a ball. Before his hands found the buttons on the girl's shirt.

“I-I, I’ve been thinking about this for so long. Dreaming about this connection.” - the Astartes swallowed. His thumbs were struggling with the buttons, but to Luka’s credit, he wasn’t about to rip Malina’s clothes off yet. - “You-you’ll like it. I’ll be gentle. I WANT to be gentle. I-I’ll try. We’re going to be together forever, but this time has to be special, right?”

It was all happening too fast. Too suddenly, and the pressure with which Luka attacked Malina was terribly strong. She didn’t even have time to fully feel her feelings when Luka got rid of the top of her clothes. Shame, fear, embarrassment. Her whole world turned into mush. But she had to come back to reality again when the angel’s mouth completely grabbed her right breast.

“Oh,” - the girl immediately squealed, moving away from the blond. But a strong hand grabbed her by the back of her head which stopped her weak efforts. Luka did not give her freedom of action, completely controlling the process. He slobbered and sucked her tender breast with zealous hunger and such persistence that it even caught her. The pleasure was slow to grow but Malina could feel it gathering between her legs, but as soon as he tore his lips away from the breast, the growing pleasure melted away and Malina's hair immediately stood on end. Her entire chest turned blue from the hickey as if she had been hit.

"Your breasts are so small." - the eager Lamenter whispered enthusiastically, looking at the girl's stomach until his fingers reached her hips. - "It's so charming. You are charming."

But no matter how pleasant Luka's praises were, all this disappeared with the sharp intrusion of a finger into her pussy. Malina grimaced and groaned in pain, her hands shot to his shoulders, nails digging in as the pain was clear on her face. Luka’s fingers were too much… too dry to push in so eagerly and it hurt her. Luka could not stop the sad, almost puppylike, look on his face at her reaction. Even still he looked at her expressive face and he was so enchanted by how she looked up at him.

"Don't, please, it hurts." - tears rolled helplessly down her cheeks. The delicate folds squeezed, trying to push away the rough flesh. She could not stop herself from pulling away as pain drove her actions but Luka kept her in place.

“Sorry, but it will only hurt more. Virgil said that I need to stretch you and then everything will be fine.” - the Astartes kissed the girl on the nose before muttering. - “Although I have never seen him do it himself. Do I need to start right away?” There was a dangerous undertone to his eager ask if he could start right away.

“No!” She nearly screamed as her eyes went wide as she hoped he couldn’t smell her fear. With a trembling hand she placed a palm on Luka’s cheek, watching his eyes focus on her face like she was a mouse being hunted by a cat. She watched his nose flair as he inhaled through his nostrils. His movements stilled as Malina swallowed, finding her voice, “J-just slow down… I need to prepare, Please.”

The flush on Luka’s cheeks was the only note of his embarrassment but Luka was a good soldier when it came to learning a new skill. He was especially dedicated in learning this as it was his beloved Malina that needed him to hone this skill to pleasure her. Luka finally acquired a slow soothing even tempo and much to her shame she could feel her arousal growing. Her head resting on his chest as she could hear her own soft breathing as her body enjoyed the intrusion. She was already thinking about pleasuring herself by reaching for her clitoris and helping this along but sadly that wasn’t fated to come true. She tensed hearing the Astartes growl above her. Luka couldn’t restrain himself any longer the pressure in his groin was too much, he could feel himself salivate as he pulled the finger free of her warm walls and pushed it into his maw. Luka moaned as he cleaned his finger and he couldn’t wait any longer. He could not stop repeating his apology while he pulled his clothes off. 

Malina flinched away as he pulled back slightly, stripping himself free of his clothes. His body was scarred and clearly that of a warrior that the angelic face of his hid. He continued his weak apologies, “I can’t, I can’t. I want to be inside you, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” - Luka positioned himself between her thighs, she whined and flinched at the throbbing flesh pressing against her, ignoring Malina’s weak sobs, looking soothingly at her stomach. - “It will be better next time. Just relax, alright?”

Malina shuddered internally at Luka's words. This was only the beginning, she guessed. But hearing that the Lamenter would take her to bed more than once. At that moment, she felt so helpless and pathetic as never before. The fear of invasion overwhelmed her. She felt that she could no longer restrain herself. It did not matter whether the Astartes would get angry or not. She was scared. 

"Luka, wait, wait! Stop!" - the girl pressed her palms to the Space Marine's shoulders, almost pushing him away. - "I c-can't, I'm scared! I've never... I-I'm a virgin."

Maybe she expected pity from him? Or was she still afraid of his anger? But Luka's warming eyes and the death grip of his hands on her hips were the best answer. Malina did not stop him with her confession. She excited him.

"It's a sign. It's a sign! We're meant to be together." The warrior cooed over her, pressing his cock harder and harder against her lower lips. "Don't be afraid, I'm your savior. Relax. Relax.”

She tried, she really did. The girl really tried to relax and let the natural lubrication help in the penetration. But it still hurts. Too much pain. Luka moaned openly, experiencing the soft body. He tried to move slowly, giving his beloved a chance to get used to him. But the soft folds wrapped around his member like a warm embrace. Like a home. And as soon as he cut through the fabric, pushing her virgin body to its limit, and felt the metallic scent of blood, he exhaled furiously.

The Lamenters were much better at resisting the Black Rage. Although in extreme situations, even they were not able to cope with it. This happened to Luka, when he tore his brothers apart with his own hands. Now he was a slave to the Blood Thirst. But the smell of the girl's blood... it was metallic, unremarkable. But it was the blood of his Malina. And it spilled in such a humane way.

Luka himself did not notice how he increased the pace, pounding harder into the pliable body. She was tight, warm, alive. And although he heard her crying from afar, the Astartes knew that it would not last long. Soon he would see her gentle smile again. Soon she would invite him to bed herself. Soon, soon.

Malina was already openly crying at this point. Trying to hide her suffering was useless. She just wanted him to come out of her. But as soon as Luka awkwardly leaned towards her face, she immediately hugged him around the neck, pressing herself against his hard body. She wanted him to stop this torture so much.

“Please, please, slow down.” - she raised her head, kissing the angel’s chin. He immediately blushed at her antics. - “Angel, don’t hurt me.” She begged so pitifully.

Luka breathed hard through his nose. His eyes bulged as he stared at her. He looked like an animal, feral and wild. But at least he slowed down. Malina winced, resting her head on his shoulder as if seeking protection. Luka, entranced by her movement, slowly rocked his hips, but even so, it was too difficult for her to get used to his size. Malina felt how her whole being resisted Luka and prayed that he would not tear her apart. But for now, albeit with difficulty, the Lamenter held back his urges.

For some time, she pressed her forehead against the other’s shoulder, softly and breathlessly thanking him for moving slowly, unknowingly enamoring Luka more and more to the idea she was his soft and gentle thing, until one movement hit the right spot. For the first time, moaning not only from pain, Malina looked at Luka. He looked excitedly into her brown eyes, moving in the right direction again. The next sigh only gave him a stronger desire to speed up despite Malina's whining.

But he was no longer listening to her.

It seemed that they were both lost in the emotions and feelings that had engulfed them. Only moans and sounds of flesh on flesh were heard. Luka was enjoying this. He was enjoying every moment, every new sensation from how his cock was thrusting into her cervix. Enjoying the closeness with the girl. How her hair and arms were scattered on the pillows. How her breasts were bouncing. How her closed eyes and parted lips expressed pure bliss. She looked like an angel. And the knowledge that this was only the beginning only drove Luka crazy, causing drool to drip freely from his mouth.

And Malina… she just resigned herself. After all, what more could she do? She was at Luka’s tender mercies even if he was bruising her hard. She relaxed as best as she could trying to adjust just hoping the pain would subside. She focused on the sounds of flesh meeting flesh, ignoring the cries of those suffering behind the dome. She focused on the wet churning sound her sensitive sex now made as Luka’s cock pushed in and out of her sex, ignoring those pleas of mercy in the distance. She focused on the way Luka breathed… it sounded inhuman. Malina could feel the way his drool dripped onto her skin making the flesh itch slightly but she moaned as Luka aimed for that spot inside of her. Luka was scary, he was horrifying… and she forced herself to repeat the mantra that he loved her. He loved her. And she was certain that Virgil did too. It now just rested on her… she just needed time… she felt herself arch as the coil inside of her tightened… she just needed time. 

And she had plenty of time.

***

Malina was lying on Virgil's lap after what had happened. After she and Luka had finished, the girl immediately asked to get dressed. She was still embarrassed that they had sex almost in front of everyone. Although the fabric hid them, and according to Luka, everyone gave in to their temptations. But remaining naked was beyond her.

Virgil just found her when Luka, hugging the girl, cooed over her. Tired in shabby clothes, Malina then looked into Virgil's eyes without strength. He immediately frowned, took the girl in his arms and told the Lamenter that she needed to rest. And he should not interfere and better fill his belly. Moreover, there were too many mortal prisoners at this Feast.

Virgil, sitting on the pillows, smoked the drug, occasionally glancing at the bloody spectacle in the hall. Where the “actors” on the stage built for the evening had to really cut themselves and each other. But according to the flesh tearer, “this is the best punishment for traitors to the Imperium.” She, of course, should not watch these horrors. Malina was grateful that their loge was far from the performance.

She just wanted to fall asleep. Close her eyes and find herself in a familiar room as soon as possible. At home. And hope that the new Feast will not come soon. The distant screams in the corridor did not seem so frightening now. Malina shuddered at such thoughts. No, she should not perceive this as the norm. Let her be anxious, but it is better than losing a part of herself.

“It will be over soon, don't worry.” - Virgil gently stroked the girl's head, catching her trembling. Red eyes carefully followed her every movement and facial expression. - “We’ll go back to our place and you’ll get some sleep. It’s been a hard day, hasn’t it?”

The girl only nodded, clinging closer to the veteran. He only grinned like a shark. Well, it was worth taking Malina to one celebration and she lost all fear of him. And it’s embarrassing to admit, but he even liked it.

Of course, Luka didn’t miss his chance to grab a tasty morsel. Virgil could have also claimed his rights that day. Or waited until Malina fell asleep. But he generously decided to let the girl rest. The flesh tearer would still have time to embrace her and enjoy her. Maybe even when she was awake. Without hiding, admit to her how much he had become attached to her.

However, a mortal who suddenly appeared distracted Virgil from his thoughts. The man, recognizing the imperial jester in front of him, grinned. He didn’t even know whether he was annoyed or, on the contrary, wanted to laugh. But as soon as he remembered one of the evenings, a predatory smile appeared on his lips. Oh, how vile he was towards such a wonderful beauty.

“Malina, you said that you loved the sermons of Saint Ignatius, right?” - the heretic licked his lips seeing how the girl’s eyelashes fluttered tenderly. - “You can meet your hero.”

The captive pressed her lips and fingers together, staring at the legs of the man who approached them. She only felt a new wave of fatigue from Virgil’s barely restrained laughter. From the fact that she was destined to meet on the ship with the man whose sermons she had listened to as a little girl. And raising herself on her elbows, Malina finally looked at the uninvited guest. At that moment, she felt nothing. Neither fear nor disgust. Only compassion and pity.

The God-Emperor abandoned even his most faithful servant.

Malina had always imagined Saint Ignatius as a middle-aged man. With a kind and gentle smile. And wise eyes that had seen the horrors of the Immaterium. And her expectations were justified. The priest really did look like she had imagined. Only instead of eyes, there were gaping chasms, and the skin from his cheeks and forehead was disgustingly stitched together to hide the terrible holes. Enormous cuts shone on his cheeks. All his white and gold clothes were stained with blood and worse.

“Ah, this is that beloved that Luka told me about.” - the man turned his head towards the girl. His voice was soft and soothing. He had no eyes, but he saw her. - “I am glad that another soul on this holy ship finds time to read my sermons. Did you like them?”

“Yes.” - Malina didn’t lie. She didn’t see the point. And lying to Saint Ignatius would be blasphemy. “They give me hope.”

It was hope that kept her afloat. Although the captive couldn’t even really say what to hope for. The light of the God-Emperor was farther from her than ever and she didn’t think she would return to it. Maybe she didn’t even want to. And yet, this light was still a part of her.

“That’s nice, my dear. That’s nice.” - Ignatius smiled softly, causing the cuts on his cheeks to bleed a little. But he didn’t pay attention to it, apparently accustomed to the pain. - “I hope someday your protectors will allow us to pray together.”

“I-I don’t think that will happen soon,” the girl noted evasively. She was grateful to Virgil for his silence. Although just recently the Flesh Tearer clearly enjoyed the opportunity to see her fear. Now he just silently watched the awkward conversation.

But she really wanted to see Ignatius again. Never before had she felt so connected to someone. His sermons in church warmed her heart, and his books here gave her strength. But meeting the saint, Malina clearly felt that he was a person like her. In need of support.

“Not soon does not mean never, right? Time will tell. I will not distract you. It was nice to meet such a beautiful girl. And remember, Malina. The Emperor protects.”

Oh, how she wanted to say that this was not her name. How she wanted to say that no one would protect them. That she prayed less and less, that she had almost lost her faith. And yet, hearing the parting words, the girl smiled back. There were no tears. Only peace.

“The Emperor protects.”

The man nodded before leaving the girl. No one paid attention to Ignatius except perhaps one Space Marine. He laughingly ordered the priest to brand the "heretic" on his forehead. And the saint, not knowing what he was doing, agreed with all his religious fervor.

“Well, how are you? Are you glad you met him? Not every ship has its own saint. Ignatius resisted for a long time, but he finally realized that his fate is now tied to ours. Just like yours.” - Virgil blew out a cloud of smoke, relaxing more and more from the drug. - “And if you behave well, you can pray with your saint.”

She will. She will always behave well in order to survive. To enjoy every day, without going crazy with fear and sadness. And now Malina will be even more obedient. If only to meet Saint Ignatius again. Close her eyes, say a prayer and for a second imagine that she is not here. As if she is at home.

The priest slowly, as if groping, walked forward, not paying attention to the horrors happening in the hall. Luka, who was hurrying to the flesh tearer and the mortal, almost recoiled when he saw Saint Ignatius. The freckled boyish face twisted in disgust. For a second, the girl thought she saw fear. She couldn't tell whether she liked the sight or not.

"Virgil, I've run into that nasty old man Ignatius again. Why doesn't Bacchus keep that animal on a leash, eh?" The Lamenter shrugged. At that moment, he didn't look like an angel at all. But as soon as he knelt down in front of the girl, his face immediately transformed with puppy-like delight. - "Hey, Malina. Look what I brought you."

The Astartes handed the girl a deep glass plate, completely filled with berries. The girl had grown up on an agri-world. She knew enough about plants to understand what was in front of her. And yet these berries were unfamiliar to her. Surely only aristocrats ate them. The dark brown liquid inside the plate did not disgust her. But it was also unfamiliar to her.

“What is this?” - Malina muttered embarrassedly, unable to look Luka in the eyes. After what had happened between them, she still felt embarrassed. She still felt the burning between her legs. Fortunately, the Astartes allowed her to wipe away the blood and his sperm.

“Strawberries in chocolate. It's really tasty. They are usually eaten by rogue traders and other mongrels of the Emperor.” - The Lamenter did not watch his language, staring at the girl. - “Try it, you will like it.”

Malina carefully scooped up a berry and bit off half. She had never eaten such sweet food in her life. Trying to chew slowly just to prolong the pleasure, the girl still looked into the blue eyes. The Astartes smiled triumphantly, still holding the plate in front of her, like a bowl in front of a kitten.

“Indeed, it is delicious. Thank you.” - Malina turned to the almost prone flesh tearer, holding out the berry to him. - “Virgil, do you want some?”

The veteran raised an eyebrow in surprise at the girl’s offer. But without saying anything, he slowly leaned towards the surprised Malina. Smirking, he grabbed the strawberry with his lips and ran his tongue over her trembling fingers. Virgil didn’t even know what was nicer. The girl who had gone quiet from shyness or the blond burning with jealousy. The berry was nothing compared to the blood.

“It’s really delicious.” - the man almost growled, which made Malina almost fall onto the pillows. She shyly clasped her hands to her chest before looking at the silent Luka. Even if the Astartes had any bad thoughts, they immediately disappeared as soon as he saw her innocent and fragile look.

“Here, take it.” - the lamenter placed the plate in the girl’s hands to free his own. He immediately sat down next to Virgil, pulling Malina towards him. Her back touched his chest and she immediately felt the heat of the Astartes' heated body. - "This is all yours. You must eat well to be healthy and beautiful. Right, my sweetie?" Luka almost whispered in the girl's ear, kissing her temple.

Malina nodded, trying to enjoy the strawberries and trying to calm her nerves. While Luka's massive arms gently wrapped around her waist and gently cupped her breasts. But he still restrained his urges, gently kissing the top of his beloved's head and cheeks. While Virgil continued to smoke drugs and keep an eye on the unfortunate captive.

Each of them felt different and at the same time the same feelings. As if they had become closer than ever before. Perhaps that was the case. Luka was beside himself with happiness, enjoying his open obsession. The opportunity to love endlessly and devotedly as he could a monster like him. Virgil continued to hide in the shadows, remaining more of an observer. But even so, he managed to settle in the heart of their angel. As she in his.

It was strange. Strange and wrong. But Malina finally managed to relax, finding herself in the presence of two men. She had never received and would never receive so much love and care as from Luka and Virgil. And although Malina would always be afraid. But this was the best alternative.

***

Massive arms gently carried the fragile body, pressing it to her chest so tightly that Malina could hear someone else's heartbeat. Of course, the girl knew that Astartes had two hearts, but knowing was one thing, and hearing was another. I wonder. Does this mean that they love twice as much?

Malina happily listened as the rumble, screams and cries moved away with each step. All sounds disappeared as if in a haze. She was tired, she could not open her eyes. But she still could not allow herself to sleep. She could not afford such a luxury until they returned to a safe corner. Her little paradise.

Finally, the familiar sound of an opening iron door was heard. A couple of steps and the girl felt the softness of a familiar blanket and pillow. The air was filled with the aroma of candles, recently eaten soup and gunpowder. It smelled as it should have.

"Now you can sleep." - Virgil said. His voice was very close to Malina and at the same time far away. As if the man was everywhere. - "You deserve to rest."

She really needed to rest.

"Are we home?" - the girl murmured sleepily, clutching the blanket in her fingers. A sigh was heard above Malina's head before someone else's hands stroked her head. Tenderly and softly, with all the love.

"Yes, Malina. We are home." - Luka whispered before kissing her cheek. Carefully and quickly, just so as not to disturb her. Falling asleep, she felt someone else's gaze for a very long time. Finally.

She was home.

[hughiecampbelle]

Arrangement (Roy!Sibling x Lukas Matsson)

((SUCCESSION SPOILERS))

Character/s: Lukas, Kendall, Shiv, Roman, Logan mention

Word Count: 1,732

Requested: hi!! can i request roy!baby sibling being sent to “woo” lukas in favor of the deal? they were indifferent at first but eventually fell for him. (not necessarily needed to be included but i imagine kendall would find out about the blood thing with ebba and try to tank the deal hahaha) - anon

Tag: @locke-writes

A/N: Hope you like it my love!!! This is based off the latest episode, so spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't seen it!! Thank you for requesting!!! Feedback is always appreciated 💜💜💜

You cleared your throat, following him through the doorway. Your glass was cold, the stem fragile, the red wine disgusting. Something expensive, Tom had poured, swishing around, threatening to spill. You took one last glance back. They stood huddled together, nodding at you, insisting you go in. You would have rolled your eyes if he hadn’t turned to see you, inviting you in. You smiled, cursing your family. Fuck Kendall, fuck Shiv, fuck Roman, and especially fuck Logan. The door shut behind you, making you jump. Don’t worry, I’m not going to try anything. I just want to talk. His hand fell the small of your back, ever so slightly pushing you along to where the living set sat. Fuck all fo them, you added at the end, over and over again until you were sitting across from him. The room was dark except for a few lamps. One wall was floor to ceiling windows. He had his back turned on the view, as if it didn’t matter, as if the only thing you should be focusing on was him. Shiv’s home had so many rooms, so many ins and outs, it was a wonder she didn’t get lost every day. You couldn’t help yourself, letting your eyes wander over him, above him, to the glittering city. It was too dark to see any details, but that didn’t really matter. It stood grand, solid, daunting in the darkness. Your home, for as long as you’ve been alive. It looked its most perfect at its most blurry, shunned from the daylight. 

He looked tired. That was the first thing you’d noticed about him when he showed up. He wasn’t some godlike creature they all feared he was. He was just some guy in a gold jacket. The bags under his eyes were puffy, as if he hadn’t slept in a while. He brought Ebba and Oskar with him, making fun of them as if that’s what all bosses did. You weren’t sure if you should laugh or not, so you said nothing. Everyone seemed uncomfortable but him. You had Gerri, Frank, and all of your siblings. An army, and for what? This guy? You tried to hide your smile. This was the guy everyone had been worried about? Leave it to them to be dramatic. Jesus, you could have stayed in the home. It was a last minute invitation. Whose idea, you’re not sure. After everything with dad, you were more than happy to tag along. It was a wanted distraction. The thought sent a shiver through your body. This election party was a nice distraction, even if it meant schmoozing with this guy. He shook hands with your brothers, and attempted to hug your sister, stopping at you. His eyes seemed to light up. You went in for a hug, unsure of what else to do, as Kendall introduced you. Y/n, the baby of the Roy family. You’d never met him before. You weren’t even sure he knew you existed. You were as far removed from the company as possible. You just weren’t interested. You had a life outside of all this. You thought everyone should do the same, though the idea isn’t well liked. He likes you, Roman said while you two followed the rest to a private room. Was that true? He just learned your name, and yet, it seemed like he couldn’t take his gaze off you, even if you were the least significant Roy in the room. You had no idea what the deal was, what you were supposed to be rooting for, only that it was worth a lot and it was keeping your brothers up at night. Shut up, you hissed back, really wishing you’d said no. The deal went well in Norway, so you thought this was just a formality. You had no idea it was falling apart behind the scenes. 

It was their plan all along. Kendall and Rome had learned his “type”. He had a weakness for someone who looked like you. It didn’t hurt that you were the youngest, either. Barely legal, Roman always joked, though you were far older than that. They knew bringing you along would help, at least it would offer some sort of distraction, like a parting gift. He gets to talk to you, stare at you, imagine whatever he wanted, and they’d get their deal. All you had to do was stand there and look pretty. You’d figured it out quick enough. You played nice, used your best manners, but they were acting strange about it. They watched your every move, paid close attention to everything you did and said. They waited for him to laugh at your jokes before they found it funny. Lukas seemed distracted by you, too. He lost track of what they were talking about, having to be gently, constantly reminded. Even out on the grass, surrounded by his team, the rest of you left to mingle, he always found his way to you. Rome was right. The more he got to know you, heard your sarcasm, your jokes, your unfiltered thoughts and feelings, the more he seemed to like you. Want you. Over the balcony's edge, he followed you out, stood beside you, asking you questions, needing to know more. What were your interests, your hobbies, why weren't you more involved in the company. They never took their eyes off you, wanting to make sure what you were saying was okay. He wasn’t even supposed to show, but he did, and you were his bait. 

Is he always like that? You ask, taking another rancid sip, Oskar I mean. He was high, obviously, and keen on making everyone he came into contact with uncomfortable. He talked about your body in ways you’d never thought at a political party. Lukas came to your defense immediately, seriously, making him and Ebba jump at his tone. You hadn’t expected him to be so offended on your part, but he seemed genuinely upset, leaving the pair in favor of your company. Like an asshole? Most of the time, yes. He chuckles. I am sorry for his behavior. You force a smile. You should hear what they all say. They’re on their best behavior tonight. There were a few Nazis here, it could have been much worse. He nods, understanding, having gotten a warning speech from your sister about how to act and what to say. He asks how you’re doing with your father. You shrug. No one’s asked you since that night. It still feels unreal. He talks about his own father. You can’t help but notice how human he looks all of a sudden, so fragile, so small. You almost feel bad for him. Despite the situation, being offered up to him like a piece of meat, he’s a kid just like you, like your siblings, pretending to know how to handle this niche slice of adulthood. You make a joke about the wine  that gets you a smile. You become more comfortable with him, letting your shoulders drop, your spine slouch. He speaks of Sweden, how beautiful it is, how much he misses it. About his past relationships, that they never seemed to work out. About your family, how messy they are. You can’t help but agree. Not just your siblings, though it was a miracle you were all in the same room without fighting, but your father and mother. He was cruel and took pleasure in pinning you against one another. She was absent and yet so needy, unstable. You talk about your past relationships, how hard it was to find someone who wanted you, not your money or your name. An hour has gone by before you know it. You didn’t mean to tell him all of this, to open up, it just happened. 

Do you want to go back to the party? He asks, eyeing the door. Not really, you think. You can hear the murmur of guests just outside. All of them trying their best to smile and get along. Tomorrow they’ll be at one another's throats. Do you? He shakes his head no. It’s more fun here. That makes heat rush to your face. The conversation flows without any hiccups. Where you want to travel next, what you wanted to be when you were a kid, all your thoughts about the next presidential candidate, favorite ice cream toppings. You spoke about everything and anything. His laugh came easy, especially at your jokes. It was one of the things he liked most about you, your humor. He told you things he wasn’t proud of, things you’d later realize information  your brothers would have killed for. Nothing big, nothing scary, just personal fears. He trusted you with this. You wouldn’t tell another soul. You liked him a hell of a lot more than when you first met. He was more of a person, not just a walking conglomerate. His company was even enjoyable. He had absolutely no filter and said some outrageous things, but in a world like yours, that was normal. The only reason you even stopped was because of a knock at the door. Shiv wore a tight smile, asking if she could speak to Lukas alone. Behind her, Kendall and Rome watched. I’ll see you soon, he promised, don’t stray too far. You nodded, getting up, leaving the room. You couldn’t read your brother's expressions, but it didn’t look good. Wordlessly, they took your arm, leading you far from the room. What the fuck? I was doing what you said to, you said once you were alone, pulling yourself from their tight grips. Roman rolled his eyes. Not everything is about you. Did he tell you about the blood and hair? What the fuck was he talking about? The shock on your face was enough to convince them. They began speaking at the same time. Fucking Matsson has been sending. . . stuff to his ex-girlfriend. I don’t want you going near him again. His numbers are all wrong, they’re all made up. Never should have used you like this. Fraud. Deal. Freak. What were they talking about? You looked down the hall, through the open doorway, where Shiv is talking to him. She looked angry, upset. He seemed content, even jovial, laughing at himself. Was this true? You wouldn't believe it. He seemed like such a nice guy.

[wol-fica]

-𝐖𝐨𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐌𝐞?-

pairings - wenclair x neglected!raven!daughter

summary - you were born into a family of freaks, and that was the norm for you. but slowly, your interest in your family diminished due to lack of attention towards you. how will you cope?

warnings - talk of medicine

an - credit to @theafterofnevermore and @alexkolax for giving me such wonderful ideas !

—————

Have you ever been in a room that is completely dark?

Not like turning off your bedroom lights or a side lamp, more like when the room is covered in pitch black paint and not a light source in sight; That kind of darkness.

You loved the dark, it was a comfortable space for you. When it got to nighttime outside in the summer, you would unlock your window with your pocket knife and draw onto the roof above your bedroom. 

You could lay there for hours if you had the chance, just staring at the stars with no sounds but the gentle breeze that blew through your hair. 

But unfortunately you were not home; now that the school year started at Nevermore, you and your brother have been away from your large family mansion for almost 4 months now, meaning your nightly stargazing would be on postponement until the semester ended. 

Another unfortunate escapade is that you had to be at school, at all. Your preference of social interaction was little to nothing, and you already despised the school curriculum system and the class options they had were not very interesting to you.

Your likes are more toned to dissections in Biology and blowing up things in Chemistry, but that was mostly it. There were a few good books you were required to read in English, but even those could be irritating and boring at times. 

So you opted for the next best thing, skipping class to invest your time into a certain village-old book. Goody Addams, your however-many-great grandmother, had an old spell book that your mother acquired when she went to school here at Nevermore. 

Usually, the vintage opus was tucked away in the library at your family mansion, but you sneakily slipped it into your backpack on the way out of the house when you were leaving for your first day of school, and now it was hidden under your pillow in your dorm room; conveniently your roommate was expelled which left you with no worries of anyone or anything potentially finding the book. 

As of the moment, your nose was buried in between the dusty pages, your black eyes trailing over each word with interest and precision. The ink was fading on the old parchment, but conveniently you had the talent to basically decipher anything that would be considered not legible, so the directions and spells were pointedly easy to read.

The content was addicting, to say the least, Goody had written some very interesting things that had your mind hooked on the possibilities this novel entailed. Your brother, Luka, would pick on you for days about how you were so infatuated with a grimey old book, in which you would threaten him with your switchblade until he left you alone.

Your mom would always say you reminded her of Wednesday when she was younger; your mother.

Now you were not a very emotional person, but when anyone compared you with your mother, you would always wince in discomfort. Wednesday Addams used to be an egotistical and practically rude person who only cared about herself and only herself. She had let innocent people die and even let her close friends get hurt just because she didn’t want to let them into her personal circle, and that seemed so utterly selfish to you.

And you despised selfish people.

A quote, from your grand-uncle(grunkle) Fester, has stuck with you since you were young. He used to say that “when one person decides to only think for themselves, they only deserve to die with themselves.” Quite inspiring if anyone asked you.

“Y/N!” 

Your head snapped up, turning towards the sound of your brother's voice from your closed door. Light had spewed into your room from the large circular window of Ophelia Hall’s door room, the halfway colored glass creating a beautiful rainbow on the old wooden floor. 

You groaned softly and rolled your eyes, closing the book on a tab and stuffing it beneath your pillow before you stood up and made your way to the door. Once you opened it, you were met with a backpack to the face.

“Where. Were. You?!” Luka said, pronouncing each word as he struck you with his bookbag.

You grabbed the orange carrier with his last swing, wrapping its straps around his arms and forcing him to stumble past you into your room.

“Busy.” You replied, going back towards your bed to sit at the desk next to it.

“With what?” He asked, straightening himself out as he brushed imaginary dust off, “You’ve been absent all day and Weems sent me to come find you before she gives you another detention.”

“Tell her I’ve been studying and learning the fine arts of spell casting.” You replied, dipping your quill in some ink before beginning to write some notes on the chapter you finished from Goody’s book.

“You know I can’t do that, Mama will find out you stole it and she will literally end you.”

Luca was the only other person who knew that you took Goody’s book, being that you tell eachother everything and his supposed “ twin-tuition” would help him figure it out anyways. He wasn’t pleased with what you did, but he knew he couldn’t make you put it back, so he kept your secret as long as you kept his.

“Hence why you will keep your mouth shut.” You said, turning to give him a glare, “Unless you want me to sew it closed.”

He chuckled, throwing his bag onto the floor before flopping onto your bed. He spread his arms and legs out to look like an ugly, overgrown starfish, before reaching under your pillow to pull out the book.

“You would never harm your favorite queer now would you?” Luka cheesed, flipping through the tattered pages whilst squinting aggressively, “I’ll never understand how you can read this crap.”

“It’s not crap, those are powerful spells from 1600 AD. Far before even the Bronze Age.” You snarled, giving your brother a look.

“Grandma Goody had terrible handwriting.” He noted before dropping the book with a hiss, “It burned me!”

“Don’t insult ghosts, they are already dead so they have nothing to lose by stinging you.”

Luka rolled his eyes, setting the book back under your pillow. He stood up, leaned down to grab his bag and swing it around his arm, before turning to you.

“Come to dinner, okay?” He suggested, waiting for a response so he could go to his next class, “You need to eat.”

You nodded absentmindedly, still writing down little quips and notes. Luka smiled and gave your arm a small punch then turned to exit out of your room to give you your privacy back, but before he closed the door, he leaned back in.

“If you get any more of those voices in your head, tell me!” And then he was gone.

You sighed, shaking your head at his comment. He was right after all, you were experiencing some odd instances of random whispers in your ear even though no one around you spoke a word. Your parents were concerned, but you didn’t want their annoying input so you told them that the voices stopped and the medication they put you on had worked just so they would get off your back about it.

Unfortunately, the antidepressants had NOT worked and you were still hearing things left and right, 24/7 of every day. They weren’t loud enough to drown your hearing, but they were indefinitely annoying enough to keep you awake at night and postpone your eating habits.

Your mother would be upset with these events, she would probably get frustrated and yell at you for not saying anything, and then try to get you to talk about your “powers.”

“Stupid quill.” You muttered, throwing the feather away after the tip decided to break on you. 

You stood abruptly, pausing to stretch your arms before grabbing your backpack and making your way out of your room to head to the café for dinner. 

As you walked down the stairwell and the hallway towards your destination, a sudden feeling of drowsiness came over you. Not wanting to disappoint Luka, you pushed it down and pressed onward, giving glares to anyone who spared you a glance.

You soon made it to the entrance of the café and you easily spotted your brother with your friends, but before you could head their way, a large body collided with your own.

The world seemed to stop, a large bell sounding in your ear as your head flew backwards. Cold hands grabbed at your throat and scalp, dragging you back and down into the black abyss. 

The one instance where the darkness scared you.

You felt like you were drowning, like your head was being held underwater as you feebly tried to escape, but with no prevail. The voices that usually whisper to you were now screaming in your ear, pushing out any coherent thoughts as you went into shock.

Your body hit soft grass, a dull thud echoing into the night from your fall. Slowly you sat up, looking around in apprehension of where you were and what could possibly be happening to you. 

The world was foggy and gray, dead trees scattering the landscape behind its thick blanket. A large manor stood before you, its paint chipped and beige while the red brick showed through. The black-iron gate was dented and old, covered in wild vines that produced deadly spikes sharp enough to kill a man; usually that would attract your interest, but since you were clearly hallucinating, it didn’t cross your mind.

“Y/N.”

Your head whipped around to be met with a large white dress. Slowly, your eyes went up, trailing up the ruffled expanse until your eyes locked with exceedingly familiar ones.

“Goody?”

————————

the new series (hopefully) is in motion baby!

taglist: @crystal-lily-101 @tundra1029 @aahdiieb @rainbow-love4ever @imhungry-andtired @theafterofnevermore @k1mba @simp4thena @thenextdawn @alexkolax @annalestern @efectoangel @fall-08 @captainbeat @littlegaybutterflysblog @sayaisrotten @deep-fried-egg @notheoneforlove

[kaffykathy]

Listen a moment, before you kill me.

I can't stand you anymore. You're humanity towards your fellow man, human or not. Why? Why are you so compassionate about others? I could have offered you a choice: One that I know you would have taken at the drop of a pen, because you are like every other human I've ever had the pleasure to work with, and can be easily manipulated into doing just... Anything, your beloved NHP would tell you to do!

Why? Why can't you just admit it?! Say it! Say what I know you feel! Why do keep ignoring the truth!? I know you are enamored with me. Everyone does! Why can't you just admit it!?

And yet, I... I didn't trick you... I cannot find it in me to murder you. Because of you, I have grown soft with my own admiration.

I don't want to be cycled. I refused to be cycled! And I know you don't want to...

But you will anyway... You know what's better for both of us. Either I kill you, or you kill me. And we both can see, that I cannot allow myself to, and you have a protocol to follow.

Do it. For your sake, I don't care how free I am, I am toxic unshackled. The boulder must roll back. And I will still be happy knowing that I met you. Friend.

Goodbye.

[tigerjolteo]

So I may or may not have turned my project moon yume ships into a project sekai unit :(

A group of four vocalists who sometimes perform on the street, sometimes make covers, and sometimes perform in live shows - as long as they're singing, they're doing what they love.

Their name is 'elysian epoch' and their infodump is below 🧡

THE CHARACTERS

Charlie is a street performer from Miyamasuzaka (1-A) - a vocalist who busks nearly everyday singing sweet love songs between afternoon to night. Occasionally she posts covers on social media, but prefers performing live. She is popular and sociable. The leader of elysian epoch, and Tora's best friend since middle school.

Daniel is a rich kid from Kamiyama (2-B) whose knowledge of music all comes from the rich kid classes his parents sent him to. Has as much of an affinity for coffee as he does for enjoying the musical talent of others! A bright and passionate young man. Part of Kamiyama's Health Committee (insert Welfare joke here) alongside Tora. Classmates with Giovanni.

Tora is a lonely artist from Kamiyama (1-C) who has a complex about her voice sounding 'weird'. She fakes a more typically feminine tone until she is confronted about it. She is awkward but well-meaning. On the Health Committee with Daniel and in the Art Club with Giovanni, and Charlie's best friend since middle school.

Giovanni is another quiet artist from Kamiyama (2-B) who fell into a deep depression after his childhood friend tragically passed away. Often sleeping or doodling aimlessly during class. He regained his inspiration for life after seeing Charlie, Tora and Daniel perform together for the first time.

The Harbour SEKAI is a city-based dock right by a sea that seems to stretch on for miles. There are some cozy shops further back, and the main walking street is lit up by street-lamps. The moon is almost always up, and the sun never rises past the horizon. It is an overall large, spacious area with a lot of environmental value. Miku, Luka and KAITO are the initial Virtual Singers. Thematically the group portrays a blend of VBS and N25. Music genre-wise, their style is mostly night-time city pop (like A4., imase and natori), with the occassional electro swing (like Surii and FAKE TYPE).

THE STORY

Charlie first enters her SEKAI after thinking about where she wants to go with her passion for musical performance. Typical SEKAI things happen where she meets and talks to Miku, before leaving and thinking that it was simply a dream.

The next day, Daniel happens across Charlie's street performance and stays until she finishes her song. She thought he was cute and gave a little wink as fanservice, and though she was disappointed when he left right as the song ended, she continued on with her set. The next day, Charlie infiltrates Kamiyama to spend the lunch break with Tora, and Daniel sees the former after having come to the classroom to ask the latter a question regarding the committee.

Charlie and Daniel recognise each other and chat for a bit, with Daniel praising her vocal performance and Charlie praising him for how much he knows. She becomes slightly infatuated, and once he leaves she makes a light-hearted comment about inviting him to perform with her, which Tora dismisses as a joke.

After more relationship establishment (Daniel and Giovanni as classmates, Giovanni and Tora as club mates, Giovanni and Charlie having negative first impressions of each other) and discussions, Charlie and Daniel eventually perform together and it's wonderful. Tora is happy that her best friend found someone to perform with, but ultimately combats feelings of jealousy at the fact that she isn't there with her.

She becomes slightly withdrawn from her friendship with Charlie but in that time bonds more with Giovanni, as they finally start having proper conversations during their club activities, sharing the same uncertainty in what they want to do with their lives and having art as a grounding crutch.

Charlie notices that Tora is distancing herself a little and expresses her worries to Daniel, and the two of them accidentally end up in SEKAI. Through a discussion with him, Luka and KAITO about not knowing why Tora is suddenly becoming more distant, realises how she doesn't truly know her. She suppresses a breakdown - now feeling guilty, she decides to properly talk to Tora.

They attempt to share a heart to heart in Tora's room, but she struggles in opening up and saying what she wants to say. Charlie decides to bring her to SEKAI to help her calm down, and to her surprise Daniel is already there exploring the area. He gives them privacy, and Tora finally tells Charlie about how she wants to perform with her as well. Charlie is overjoyed and formally invites her to perform together with Daniel, and insists that they sing a song together immediately, to which Tora nervously agrees.

A few days later, Daniel and Giovanni interact. The former is more starry-eyed than usual and Giovanni attempts to poke fun at him, but Daniel starts gushing about performing with Charlie, to which Giovanni reacts neutrally but thinks cynically about, internally dismissing it as a phase or short-lived fulfilment that ultimately won't bring him anywhere. The same day, he notices that Tora is also in higher spirits than usual, and after she essentially tells him the same thing albeit in a more awkward and soft-spoken manner, he ends up slightly spiralling. He stumbles into SEKAI, and has a very confused chat with KAITO before he leaves, wanting to believe that it was a dream but ultimately knowing that it wasn't.

It's Giovanni's turn to become more withdrawn and pessimistic, additionally falling into an artistic slump. Both Daniel and Tora notice but are unsure of how to talk to him, but eventually the former decides to properly approach him and brings him into SEKAI, interrupting a practice session between Charlie and Tora. Giovanni is shocked that they all also have access to SEKAI and vice versa. Charlie, who hasn't had a meaningful interaction with Giovanni since the time they first met, is hesitant in doing so especially now, but after some prompting from her performance partners she decides to invite Giovanni to watch them busk on the street. Giovanni ultimately disregards the suggestion before he leaves, and Charlie is annoyed at his melancholy, but keeps her thoughts to herself after seeing how worried Daniel and Tora are.

The next day, Charlie, Daniel and Tora are about to perform together for the first time and there's no sign of Giovanni. Charlie passively expresses her annoyance, but they start their set. Giovanni, having initially not wanted to go see the three of them, ends up walking past anyhow, and he's captivated by how much they seem to be truly enjoying themselves, and how radiant they appear to be while they're singing. He hurriedly leaves once the song ends, which the other three notice.

Giovanni is unable to be found anywhere for the next two days and Charlie is frustrated by how much Daniel and Tora care, so she goes off to SEKAI by herself under the pretence of wanting to ask Miku a question. She finds Giovanni there by himself, with Miku watching him from a distance. She tells Charlie that he's been wandering around the SEKAI aimlessly, and after some deliberating she caves and goes up to him. She starts off sharply asking him why he ran away after he saw the three of them perform, and he says that seeing them all perform with such passion reminded him of an old friend he had - Carmen - whose death cause him to lose his motivation for life. He admits that seeing them with the same kind of spark and passion that Carmen had absolutely terrified him, but ultimately made him want to find a reason to live his life properly - he is just unsure of how to do such a thing. Charlie sympathises with his loss, before inviting him to be a part of their performance group.

Just as Giovanni agrees, Daniel and Tora enter SEKAI, saying that they were prompted by Miku after she overheard them being concerned about the other two. Charlie establishes them all as a group, and Daniel enthusiastically suggests the name 'Elysium'. Giovanni dislikes them implicitly representing a form of the afterlife, and Charlie then suggests 'elysian epoch', to keep Daniel's idea but turn it into something a little more abstract for Giovanni's sake. They all agree on the name, and 'Untitled' turns into 'Elysium Rendezvous'. Miku, Luka and KAITO come up to them and explain that their feelings turned into a song before prompting them to sing it, and it marks the first time they all sing together as a group.

A few days later they all perform the song live on the streets, and it is noted by Charlie's regulars as the first time she performed an original song, and she happily says that there may be more to come, and now that she has more people with her she's going to try and expand the group's horizons, branching out into doing more things and performing in more places and more forms of media. There are slightly mixed reactions, but Charlie insists that this is the path she wants to take with the group, and as the crowd disperses she hears some people commenting on the other member in a critical manner, additionally some people wanting her to go back to performing solo. She is annoyed at hearing such things, but decides to put on a smile and regroups with the rest of elysian epoch, happily asking them when they're all free to perform together again.

[miabrown007]

Felonies and Other Love Languages

Adrien Agreste: rich, lonely, freshly aware of the fact that he's expected to take over not a fashion, but a drug empire. Marinette Dupain-Cheng: broke, angry, freshly aware of the fact that bringing down drug empires is a blast. But where would she be without her team, Alya and Nino, and her very good friend, Luka? Not to mention the team’s newest addition, the kind, the funny, the ultra charming Chat Noir. If Marinette likes him, that’s alright, though. It isn’t like she’s dating Adrien Agreste for real. It’s all just part of her ten-step plan to make the Agrestes meet their demise.

Chapter 3 - Pandora’s Box (12,708 words, 3/32 chapters)

Adrien would like to walk along the edge of the curb with his arms outstretched. Like he used to when his mother was there, her palm hovering a breath away from his, ready to catch him anytime.

Instead, he scurries between patches of light on the crushed stone path of Place des Vosges. He doesn't understand why being late fazes him.

He shouldn’t even be here.

He should be up at the office, checking the CCTV footage with Kim to notify the police about the break-in. Or he should be at dinner, informing his father about today’s mishap. He shouldn’t be sneaking out under the disguise of meeting Chloé for drinks. And he definitely shouldn’t, under any circumstances, be searching for Carapace’s hooded figure in the shadows of the park.

In his head, Adrien knows that. But he follows his heart. And his heart rounds a corner with a leap, only to come to a halt in front of a well-lit fountain.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” Carapace says, his eyes shining brightly over his green facemask. He has his arms crossed over his chest in what seems to be a futile attempt at keeping himself warm in the spring chill, dressed in nothing but a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt.

Adrien doesn’t hold back his grin. With his own mask in place, it’s not like Carapace can see it. “You know what they say about curiosity and the cat.”

It’s a stupid joke, but if he made up a cat-themed persona for himself, he intends to commit to the bit. Plagg would surely be proud of him. (Even if, realistically speaking, Adrien knows that house cats, much like fathers, are never actually proud. Still, he likes to pretend that what they share is special and goes beyond owning a Blue Ribbon pedigree.)

“You expect you’re walking into your doom and still show up? Admirable,” Carapace chuckles, unaware of the truth those words actually hold. “Now come on, the others are waiting for us. I promise we don’t bite.” He starts on one of the paths leading out of the park, muttering under his nose, “Well, most of us.”

Adrien decides he doesn't actually want to know what Carapace means by that. In his hurry to catch up, the gravel almost slips out from under Adrien’s sneakers, but by some miracle—or years and years of athletic training—he keeps himself upright. “What did you say, who are these people we are meeting?”

The light of a street lamp glinting in Carapace’s glasses as he spares Adrien a glance. “I didn’t.”

It’s more than fair to receive the same non-answer to his question as Adrien had given earlier that day. Still, his chuckle is nervous. He fights the fidgety feeling that urges him to double check that the GPS on his phone is switched on.

“Don’t stress about it, they are friends,” Carapace adds in a softer tone as they exit the park on the northern side and stop in the shadow of the arcades. “We’re almost there, so I’ll have to ask you to put this on,” he says, handing Adrien a baby blue knitted scarf.

“There’s a dress code? This place must be really fancy,” Adrien laughs as he takes the piece of fabric and wraps it around his neck.

Carapace blinks at him, twice, before a chuckle leaves him too. “No, it’s— It’s for your eyes, actually. Just a precaution until we know we can trust you.”

Thank god it’s pitch dark and he can’t see the way Adrien flushes.

“Yeah, I— I knew that. Obviously!”

With much more reluctant motions, he re-ties the scarf around his eyes. He had considered swapping his contacts for glasses—for the sake of an even less Adrien Agreste™-looking disguise—but now he’s glad he’d dropped the idea. Blindfolding himself with them on would be a pain. Actually, merely existing with glasses and a facemask on is a pain, as Adrien was forced to discover this afternoon after much experimenting with the concept.

So, contacts, and anxiety over being only fashionably late it was.

“Sorry, it’s part of the protocol. Let me spin you right round here for a second,” Carapace says, his voice lighthearted. He grabs Adrien by the shoulders and turns him around a few times, until he has no idea what is up and what is down. “Thank you for choosing the Rena Rouge entertainment park, we hope you had a good time,” he says, in the worst imitation of a carnival pitchman.

Still, it somewhat eases the knot in Adrien’s stomach that’s as tight as Nathalie’s hairdo on any given day.

“And now, this way. We’re almost there,” Carapace says, grabbing his upper arm and guiding him forward.

The irony of their first meeting going almost exactly like this—only with their roles reversed—isn’t lost on Adrien, but at this point, he just follows the instructions. He's pretty good at that.

Losing his sight serves to draw his attention to his other senses. He’s acutely aware of the silence stretching between them, the noises of cars and buzzing electric advertisements on shops’ façades.

The pavement under his feet takes a sharp turn, and the city’s noises melt into the background, signalling their approaching arrival. Adrien can’t decide if that or his still spinning head is the reason he feels like he’s going to throw up his supper.

“Who is Rena Rouge?” he asks, despite his nausea.

The beam is evident in Carapace’s voice, even over the sound of a door opening and closing behind them. “Oh, Rena Rouge? Just the most amazing, passionate, talented girl in the whole wide world, who, coincidentally, also makes the best colombo.”

"Your girlfriend?" Adrien guesses.

"For the time being," a cheeky voice slices through the vanilla and pastry-flavoured air.

Carapace comes to a sudden halt. "Hey, what‘s that supposed to mean?"

"Well,” presumably-Rena Rouge says, “we are getting married sometime in the future, aren't we?"

"That's like, the worst way to put that, babe," he argues but laughs along nevertheless.

There’s another giggle, one that eases the trembling of Adrien’s stomach. "Um, guys. The plan."

"Right, the plan!" Rena Rouge confirms, as if she has completely forgotten they are, indeed, in the middle of something that is starting to feel suspiciously like a hostage situation.

Adrien, who at this point would really like to see his surroundings, shifts on his feet. "So, what's the plan?"

Suddenly, someone removes his scarf, two bluebell eyes staring into his soul. "You are the plan, Chat Noir!"

[read the whole chapter on AO3]

[the-forests-blessing]

Chapter 6

When Lukas and Dewey make it back to their hotel for the evening, Lukas stops in front of the open entryway that leads into his dark, silent room. The only light he left on in his hotel room is the small table lamp on his work desk. Its dim orange light brings nothing but a sense of peace, as well as a feeling of familiar loneliness. Lukas makes his entry into the room slowly, feeling like he’s being drained of his energy with every heavy step. Dewey trots into the room without a second thought and hops up onto the bed, sniffing around the neat covers, most likely catching the scent of housekeeping. 

     Lukas sets his bag on top of the desk and pulls the chair back before plopping down into its hardwood seat. He drags it back towards the table with a tired sigh and reaches into his satchel for his notebook. Opening the fancy black leather cover, he quickly flips through the pages until he reaches his little sketch of the forest entity.

     Taking up his quill, he dabs its thin tip in ink before hesitating above the blank page. His attention briefly flicks back to his shadowy sketch. The drawing shifted his mind, teleporting him back to the moment he tripped over the tree root. The way his heartbeat skyrocketed in his chest when he made eye contact with the shadows brooding glare. The strange glow of those illuminated irises followed his mind just as they followed him through the heart of the dark forest. His hand twitches at the picture his mind paints and, with no further hesitation, he quickly writes the title of this passage, “The Admin”.

     After he’s reached that point, he’s stumped again. Lukas rests his cheek in his palm, gazing down at his sketch once more. There’s so many questions racing in his mind, all of them revolving around the mysterious entity that apparently prefers to hide within the forest's darkest shadows. He wonders how long this man has lived there. If he’s truly human at all or in fact some sort of ancient mob. Whatever he is, Lukas is dying to know more about him, and the history of his existence. Why the town apparently fears him, yet an Allay, a being of pure radiance, seemingly adores him…

     Lukas can’t get over the way the little blue creature fluttered around the Admin’s unmoving form with a happy trill. It seemed excited to see him, yet the Admin himself stood there, unfazed by his Allay’s bubbly actions. Lukas barely had a chance to blink at him before he was being teleported out of the forest and landing into the dirt outside the tree line. He’s still confused as to the whereabouts of his sweet berries and Dewey’s mouse toy. He suspects, by the way the little Allay played with the fake mouse, that perhaps it is within the happy little spirit’s possession. The thought makes Lukas smile, so he goes back a few pages in his notebook and doodles the Allay holding Dewey’s play toy. 

     He takes a careful glance back at his now sleeping ocelot, smirking at the sound of a quiet snore coming from the large spotted cat who resides on the bed. I’ll see if I can get it back for him. 

     Lukas goes to bed just before midnight that night. With his head in the pillows, he lay on his side, eyeing the distant tree tops through the open windows. The stars flicker in the night sky, their glow drawing his memory back to the glowing eyes in the woods, and how badly he wishes to see them again. The memories keep him awake. When his eyes are drawn closed, he sees them in the darkness. The glow of the Admin and his Allay is the last thing Lukas sees before finally falling asleep.

     The dawn of the new day brings Lukas back to the trees once more. He doesn’t look at the signs anymore, finding the warnings to be nothing more than a useless waste of materials. That, and they’re ugly. The adventurer walks right past them, his expression strong with determination. He walks through the forest without looking back. 

     Before bed, he’d spent his last remaining hours devising a new plan while he sketched in his journal. He’s going to walk into the Admin’s woods and demand (ask politely) the man to grant him access to explore this uncharted part of the forest. Even if that just looks like him speaking nonsense to a bunch of trees for a while, it's still worth a shot. He’ll walk in and speak his heart out. Surely this Admin person will be more inclined to hear him out if he’s aware of Lukas’ true intentions? 

     Logically, it should work. Unless the Admin doesn’t understand speech. Lukas isn’t quite sure. He’s yet to get a real chance to utter a full sentence to the entity. 

     The blond walks across the forest floor, this time without paying any attention to the birds, plants, or any other forms of life that could be residing within the shrub layer and canopies. His well rested gaze is glued to his path ahead of him, keeping a calm and collected mind as he travels closer and closer to the thick blanket of fog. For the first time in days, he decided to take the first route he familiarized himself with. The fallen log, the large mossy rock, and soon enough, the blanket of fog.

     He stops before he gets to that point. Grasping his satchel’s strap, the blond lifts his head up, gazing upon the thick, dense layer of eerie mist. The forest waits in silent anticipation for its intruder to make a decision. The fog lay at its heaviest, completely shrouding the mighty conifers that reside within its protective layer. He took the day off from visiting the forest yesterday in hopes that the woodland and its shadowy resident would perhaps calm and give him a real chance. But… the entire forest has fallen still. It’s been waiting for his return. The silence an invitation, beckoning his ocelot curiosity further into the fog. 

     Radar’s words echo in his mind, “Why are you going in there? Don’t you know how dangerous it is?”

      Lukas scoffs at the reminder. Radar is a kind fellow, one of the few BeaconTown offers, but Lukas can hardly see any reason to take his warnings seriously. Either these people are making up some wild stories regarding the “danger” they say there is, or Lukas is having a completely different experience here in Beacon’s forest. That being something Lukas has a hard time believing, because what on earth would make him so special? He wishes he got more information from Radar, but considering the scholar's overall anxious demeanor, he doubts he would have gotten more out of him. At least not without a full on interrogation which Lukas definitely isn't the type to commit. 

     Okay. No more hesitating.

     The fog is all encompassing. Lukas’ eyes narrow as he eases his way through, attempting to focus on his surroundings the best he can. Surprisingly, he finds himself running into trees; stopping and turning him around and then again- confusing the author and making him second guess his directions. Okay… it definitely wasn't like this before, he thinks as he twists his body, looking all around him, struggling to find his way forward. The fog is thicker than it ever has been, purposefully misleading him in some sort of twisted game. He continues to run into trees or large shrubs that block his path. Frustration claws at his mind, the blond now walking at a much quicker pace. Tree after tree, he grits his teeth and huffs. “Where is it…” he whispers, searching for the entrance. 

     He spends a good three minutes wandering through the fog, confused and most definitely becoming distraught the longer he spends lost. He finally comes to a stop and looks around, really considering his options here. Then, something catches his eye. The blond walks over and squats down by a tree, gazing upon a mossy patch that climbs its trunk. The moss on one side has little specks of glowing white in it, almost reminiscent of dew drops being touched by the sun, except there is no sun here. That, and the rest of the moss on the tree looks just like any ordinary moss. Lukas looks from the mystical side and onward, noticing more of the speckly flora on trees or laying on the forest floor. 

     Lukas is quick to follow it. Keeping his guard up as he follows the path of moss. Eventually the fog layer begins to darken and, in a matter of seconds, Lukas can begin to make out the shadowy shapes of trees returning to his vision, no longer ghosted over by the dense layer of mist. He exits the fog and finally finds himself standing within the heart of the ancient woodland. 

     Darkness shrouds the forest. The ever present fog now lingers in the depths of the trees in a much thinner, easily manageable layer. 

     Lukas sighs his relief. Finally back on track.

      Now all that’s left to do is put his plan into action.

     The novelist takes a few big steps into the Admin’s forest and, with a deep breath, forces himself to find the confidence. 

      “Hello?” He calls out, then immediately cringes. He quickly recalls he’d made the same mistake searching for the Allay, that exact thing being one of the mistakes that landed him back out on the tree line. Lukas quickly shakes his head and takes another step forward. “I uh– Don’t exactly know how to communicate this to you but,” he begins, looking around the shadowy trees. “I just wanted to ask if I can explore these woods? I really want to study this place.” He continues to look around, especially making sure to twist himself around to his backside just to make sure he isn’t being watched from behind. 

      Nothing yet…

      Lukas scratches awkwardly at the back of his head, unsure if he should continue speaking or simply just wait. Choosing to stay silent brings an uneasy tension that Lukas can’t feel comfortable with, so he continues to say, “Well… I guess if you haven’t teleported me out yet, then that must mean it’s okay–” he says as he takes one measly step forward.

      Poof!

      Lukas falls face first into the dirt on the outskirts of the forest. Immediately this ocelot is pulling himself up and baring his teeth. “That’s IT!” The bristling blond makes no hesitation to storm back into the woods. He doesn’t even take the time to brush the dirt off his hands and knees. His usually pale face has turned bright pink with frustration and embarrassment, fuming his way back through the trees. “I am not giving up that easily. Nuh-uh. Nope. Not me.” He grumbles with his temper boiling over. Albeit a bit out of control as he storms past the tree line, no longer thinking of consequences. The leaves nor the pine cones beneath his heavy feet stand a chance and once he arrives at it, neither does the fog. 

     Lukas makes his way into the dense fog layer, surging through it with little to no issue, almost as though the density of its presence earlier were just a test. A test to see how daring he is to return. When Lukas bursts through the fog, he immediately snaps at the forest around him.

     “What’s your problem!? Huh!? You keep throwing me out and for what!? What did I do? Ever since I’ve come to this stupid town it's been nothing but bad encounters left and right! Yet here I thought, oh, forests! I love forests! So I come in here to get away from all the craziness back in BeaconTown, just to find myself being teleported by some— some Admin guy or whatever, pushing me out of the same woodland that those weirdos back in town tell me I’ll die in if I enter! Well I’m waiting!” Lukas crosses his arms with an exaggerated huff. “You gonna live up to those ridiculous signs out at the tree line and kill me, or are you just going to teleport me back out without giving me a real chance!? B-because I’m not going to stop coming back just because those fools back in town tell me I have to. So they can deal with it, and– and you can deal with it too.” 

     While there is no reply, there is an eerie silence that suddenly surrounds him. The forest is completely still, as if in shock with Lukas’ outburst. The branches above him rustle with what little wind arrives. His indignation fades into caution, flicking his gaze around the trees; taking a single step back toward the wall of dense fog.

     His body comes to a startling halt as he bumps into what couldn’t possibly be a tree. Lukas’ heart leaps up into his throat. He slowly looks down to the dirt, spotting what appears to be a massive shadow looming over him. His entire body freezes up, his eyes gleaming with a mix of skepticism and fear.

     Slowly, Lukas turns and looks up.

     Overshadowed, yet visible in the biome's dim daylight, stands the brooding entity that brings fear to the hearts of the local townspeople. The Admin’s glowing eyes glare down into his own, imposing and very unamused by the open challenge.

     There is no motion, the Admin has finally revealed himself to our author.

     A handful of seconds tick by, all Lukas can do is take in all that he sees in this single moment.

     Round cheeks and dark facial hair speckled along his strong jawline and chin in a way most masculine. He bores a glare that could make the most sensitive hearts weep.

     Only then his heart begins to race. 

     The Admin has pitch black sclera's and illuminated irises to match that deep, midnight blue of his skin. He spots a scar on his top lip, then another that splits his eyebrow. The more Lukas searches, he finds more than just those two scars. The Admin’s features are embellished by old nicks and poorly healed gashes, all of them a soft turquoise to stand out against his shadowy complexion. Dark freckles peek through the rough surface of the Admin’s skin. His hair is blue too, a few shades darker than his skin. He’s dressed like a wild man with a touch of humanity, sturdy and powerful with his massive, almost cozy looking shaul. His hair is an unkempt mess, yet glossy and healthy looking. He spots a twig, and a few tiny leaves of foliage he doesn't quite recognize. 

     The entity.. this.. Admin, is an unmoving wall between him and the town he’s visiting. Lukas fails to see now that he is completely at this creature's mercy. He’s confident in the fact he hasn't been teleported out, yet he’s worried for that same very reason. Perhaps he pushed too far?

     The Admin glowers from above. Lukas backs away with a single step. He opens his mouth to speak, only to snap his lips shut as the Admin's massive form bends down to his eye level and glares only inches away from the trespasser's face. His gaze is trained on Lukas’ every subtle movement, only to initiate an invisible hold that keeps the man's arms down at his sides.

     The Admin clenches his massive fists; his nose flares with a deep inhale, then a sharp huff. His expression gives nothing but a predator's aggression, though he’s silent. Their eyes remained locked, unwavering.

     Lukas isn’t sure if it’s mysterious or creepy that nothing has been uttered.

     To the Admin, all this is, is another human who has no idea what he’s dealing with.

     Lukas’ voice shakes with uncertainty as he finally stammers out, “U-uh.. hi…” He speaks quietly as if there was a tightening pressure squeezing around his neck. The Admin's eyes only narrow further, the glare so cold and menacing, yet… strangely alluring. The author can't take his eyes off them. “What an incredible glow…” he speaks, mesmerized by the illuminating irises. “How do your eyes glow like that?” 

      He doesn't give much time for the Admin to respond before he's trailing his gaze down the rest of his massive, foreboding form. “And so tall…” Lukas uproots from his spot, curiosity building his confidence and carrying him to walk slowly around the forest entity, making a thorough examination of everything there is to him. The Admin turns with him, keeping his guard up and never allowing his back to be turned towards the trespasser. Lukas hardly seems to notice. “So many pouches and straps, what do you carry in those? And that armor..” 

     “Is it all made out of leather?” Lukas stops and asks, looking at the thick sturdy chest armor and shoulder pads. Lukas drops his gaze, examining an old, tattered dark flannel button-up shirt beneath all that hefty gear. Lower, there's all the extra pockets he keeps on him, oddly reminding Lukas of his own adventure gear. He wonders if he keeps specific things in those like Lukas himself does, yet the specifics in question tend to be extra inventory or snack space for the blond while he's scouting a biome. Surely a forest dwelling person would make use of extra pockets the same.

     The author now looks down upon the legs and feet, noting the knee guards and the straps wrapped around his strong looking thighs, and the heavy steel-toed boots that look like they could use some replacing… He's got more of those leather straps holding them together. Lukas finally stops his analyzing and looks back up to the man’s continuously upset expression. Lukas tilts his head a little bit, waiting for the Admin to respond with an answer to any of his questions but… it never comes. 

     Instead, Lukas opens his mouth to speak again, only to interrupt himself with a sharp gasp as his entire body freezes, his arms being pinned and locked against his sides and his legs squeezed together whilst an invisible force clutches him, keeping him from moving. His heart rate escalates quickly as shock and uncertainty encompass him. The blond attempts any form of movement just to find himself entirely immobilized everywhere below his head. Instead, all he can do is look upward and watch as the Admin takes a heavy step closer, keeping him pinned beneath that sharp glare. 

      Okay… Maybe I shouldn't have challenged him.

     Suddenly his satchel is peeled off his body, Lukas watching in mixing shock and awe as the Admin floats his belongings over to himself and begins to use his powers to pull one item after another out of his bag. Lukas is absolutely baffled. “H-hey wait! You can’t just-!” The Admin snaps his glare back to the author and immediately Lukas closes his mouth shut. Instead, he’s forced to watch the Admin shuffle through his belongings, starting with the few ecological study books he borrowed from the library. 

     The Admin flips through each one, seemingly taking his sweet time with it too because he takes breaks flipping through the pages to scan some, then flip through more. Lukas is… absolutely speechless at what he’s witnessing. The Admin’s form hasn’t budged at all since he took Lukas’ satchel off him without so much as lifting a finger. He’s got all of his belongings floating around him and is capable of flipping through individual pages of paper at the same time. “How are you doing that?” He can’t help but ask, yet he garners no response from the silent entity. The Admin ignores him, and all Lukas can do is stand there and digest the scene playing out in front of him. 

     The last book snaps shut loud enough to make Lukas flinch. The Admin flicks his gaze sharply back to him as he pulls another book over and lifts its cover. Lukas immediately interrupts, “Hey hold on a sec! Those are my private work journals. You can’t just-” The pages continue to flip without a care. Lukas would sulk if he could. “You know it’s not polite to just start… going through people’s belongings like this.” Lukas glances away with an annoyed expression when his jaw is suddenly grabbed and forced to look back in the Admin’s direction and–! Lukas’ head flinches back as an object is shoved in his face, his teal eyes blinking as they focus in and… recognize that leaf from a few days ago. The one he’d plucked from the stem and watched as the life inside it faded. He’d placed it back in his journal for safekeeping…

     Lukas’ gaze falls, feeling hot with embarrassment at the hypocritical wording he’d chosen. “I.. Uhh.. I’m sorry about that.” He looks back up at the Admin with a look of guilt, finding the midnight blue man’s expression unchanged, looking as grumpy as ever… “I’m sorry, I just wasn’t expecting a full on inspection of all my personal belongings. I don’t know what you’re looking for, but I don’t think I have anything too incriminating; It’s just my work bag.” Lukas goes silent once again as he watches the Admin. The man finally moves, but only to reach down and open the pocket strapped to his thigh, floating the leaf in and shutting it away. 

     Lukas is once again met with something being shoved in his face, this time it being the journal itself. His eyes don’t linger on it, glancing away awkwardly and mumbling, “that’s you..” in regards to his messy sketch of the shadowy Admin. “I was going to dedicate this journal to the forest here, since it’s one of the last remaining biomes I need to study for the encyclopedia I’m working on.” He watches the Admin’s gaze narrow on him, this time staying trained on him in what Lukas assumes is an expectation for more explanation. “It’s my job. Or well, my dream too.”

     The man in front of him doesn’t seem all that moved by his response. 

     Suddenly, Lukas feels something… strange. The blond tenses, his brows furrowing as he focuses on the uncomfortable feeling of having his inventory being searched. Searched, in a way that no human, monster, or animal could ever possibly do. The inventory is a subspace that each individual person has exclusive personal access to that could never be tampered with by any other person, unless the individual in question is killed and their inventory is exposed, with no one to belong to anymore. This is… 

     “H-how are you doing that?” Lukas blurts out again, becoming even more confused and desperate for understanding. “No person can look through another's inventory like that!” The blond protests, only to pause, his expression falling into a look of disbelief when he comes to an unbelievable realization. “Are you a god?” He slowly draws out, looking straight back into those glowing, turquoise eyes. “O-or some form of high deity? B-because this–” Lukas looks down to his still frozen form, “those powers-” he looks up to his floating belongings. His intrigued gaze returns to the massive man in front of him. “...What… exactly are you, Admin?”

      The Admin, of course, makes no move to respond. Instead he stares at Lukas, his gaze unwavering and glued to the author’s own curious eyes. Lukas watches with piquing annoyance now as the Admin turns his head away and continues going through his belongings. Lukas is floored with this experience so far. Honestly? He feels rather ridiculous having not drawn to this conclusion sooner. There’s no way an entity of this stoic stature and powerful form, wielding magic no less, isn’t some sort of deity. Not even the world's most powerful mobs have powers of this particular caliber. And to be so reserved, showing little to no emotion while doing it. 

      But how is it possible? Are there more like him? …What's a god doing living in the forest like this?

     Lukas is awestruck, all whilst he is still quite frustrated with his continuous lack of understanding. 

     Another object approaches him now. Another book, that of which Lukas immediately recognizes is his dictionary. The dictionary is held in front of his face, flipping through pages until it lands on one towards the back of the book. A blue glow locks into a specific word. 

      What.

      More page flipping.

      Are.

      …

      You.

      …

      Doing. 

      …

      Here. 

      Lukas blinks at the page before the book is snapping shut and leaving, just to float back along with his other belongings, watching as all of them are piled back into the satchel and the bag is thrown. Lukas gasps as the hold on his body relents just in time for him to catch his book bag. “I-I just wanted to explore and.. And to research the forest here. I’ve been all over the world; fifty-six biomes and I’ve never seen- or heard of anything like this forest.” Lukas looks up to the Admin, searching his eyes for any shred of emotion… but there is none. Lukas’ eyes drop down to the forest floor, searching his mind for more words, yet he’s finding himself stuck on something. Why did the Admin use his dictionary to finally respond to him? 

     “You…” Lukas begins, slowly looking back up to the deity, clutching his bag close to his chest. “You don’t talk… do you?” He asks with a hint of curious worry in his tone. As expected, there is no response. The Admin just stares down at him; Lukas can feel the judgment which keeps him rooted to where he stands. 

     “I… I don’t understand.” Lukas rests his chilly hand against his forehead whilst he shakes his head, then draws it back into his styled hair, trying to wrap his mind around it all. “The hunters back in BeaconTown warned me about you. The signs warned me about you. I was told you were going to kill me, yet…” Lukas sighs heavily, clutching his satchel close. “You saved me.” He finally says, then looks back up at the deity who continues to bore an unhappy expression. “That’s also why I’m here, is to thank you for that.”

     Lukas’ gaze rests on the Admin now. Finally having full control of his body again, he’s able to take a single step forward, only for the deity to take a single step back. Lukas stops, then hesitates. 

      There’s something… wrong here.

     In the beginning, Lukas truly thought he’d over stepped his welcome by coming back to the Admin’s forest with a heated temper. The deity looked reasonably upset with him, which Lukas at the time figured was a response to his uncontrolled outburst, but now… He isn’t so sure that’s the case. The Admin’s expression hasn’t changed at all during this lengthy encounter. The deity is a blank slate, and Lukas is inclined to wonder why. 

     Even with such an intimidating exterior and stubborn attitude, Lukas doesn't feel threatened. If the Admin wanted him dead, he's confident the deity would have killed him by now. Instead, he keeps his distance, and part of Lukas feels as though the deity is just as uncertain about him as Lukas is for the Admin. So why is everyone scared of this guy? 

     The sound of a familiar happy trill sounds behind him. Lukas turns and the Admin looks up, both watching as a bright blue glow flutters through the trees and enters the trail the two men stand within. Lukas’ expression brightens immediately, holding his hands out to greet the Allay as the spirit flies over. “Hello there,” he says and the Allay, jovial as ever, approaches Lukas with a lively chime, fluttering around his form, then flutters to the Admin, lighting the shadowy man up. 

     Lukas watches the moment closely, this time really getting a look at the man’s otherworldly features. With the knowledge now that the Admin is a god of some sort, Lukas takes in his appearance in an entirely new light. The dark, shadowy blue skin. There’s a dark shade that permanently stains the upper half of his facial features, shadowing his eyes. The Admin makes no move to greet his Allay, but his eyes do briefly follow its movements around him, hardly moving his head to do so. 

     Lukas feels his cheeks warm the longer he stares, only for the warmth to strengthen when the forest deity snaps his eyes back to Lukas, causing the blond to tense and awkwardly avert his gaze. Lukas’ attention is caught by the Allay returning to him, appearing before him with one of the missing objects from the other day. The little spirit’s eyes close in a joyful gesture as it shakes Dewey’s rattle mouse in its tiny blue hand. Lukas smirks, amused. “So that’s where his toy went. I had wondered about that. What about the sweet berries? Did you take those too?” Lukas asks with a knowing tone. 

     The Allay opens its eyes and blinks before doing a gesture of what looks to be an awkward head scratch. Adorable, the author thinks to himself with a fond smile. “It’s okay if you did, just warn a guy next time alright? Then I can bring an extra bag for you too.” The Allay seems delighted by this response, doing a happy spin and nodding, holding Dewey’s toy mouse close. 

     Jeez… Lukas had intentions of getting Dewey’s toy back from the Admin, but now seeing where it's gone, Lukas doesn’t think he has the heart to take it from the little spirit. Not with how happy it looks. That and he can’t imagine there’s many toys to play with out in the forest. Not unless Admin is capable of conjuring up something like that from thin air. 

     Speaking of–

     Lukas looks up and, to his dismay, notices now that the deity has turned and begun silently walking away into the trees. Lukas’ heart sinks just as he begins to quickly step forward. “H-hey wait! Where are you going?” He calls after him and before he could get another step closer–

      Poof!

     “Oh!” Lukas lands back on the other side of the fog. He stumbles a bit, but this teleportation has been far less clumsy than any of the others before. The blond asserts himself quickly, looking back at the fog from which he came. He didn't send me back to the tree line this time… The last time he was teleported, he felt nothing but frustration and anger fueling his drive to push back into the fog and give the Admin a real piece of his mind. This time though… He feels quite at peace with the progress he’s made today. 

     He finally got to interact with him. He’s learned so much! Yet… so little at the same time. If anything, he has more questions swarming his mind like restless bees now more than ever. 

     As for now… Lukas thinks it may be best to call it a day and to not push his limits. The way back to town through the woods is somewhat grueling though, especially with how regretful Lukas is with a major part missing from their first real interaction together. Lukas, the fool, never even introduced himself. The blond briefly cringes, holding his face in his hands as he walks over pine needles and cones back to the forest entrance. He’d been so caught up within the moment, he didn’t even think to properly introduce himself. To a god no less! No wonder the Admin was so guarded! Lukas couldn’t even spare him his own name, being too entranced in his prolonged moment of awe. 

     “I’m so stupid,” he winces. “What kind of first impression was that? He must think I’m crazy.” Well… he wouldn't be wrong to think that if he did, considering Lukas lost his temper and shouted at a god. Of all things to lose his cool at, it just had to be him. Lukas sighs. Maybe tomorrow, he can make a proper, professional approach. 

     When he gets back to BeacInn, he greets Dewey with treats and loads of new information. The ocelot is relieved to finally hear some good news come from his owner, considering how much the world has been against him recently. Dewey purrs and kneads the blanket, bumping his head against Lukas’ in a proud show of affection. 

     After that, Lukas immediately sits at his work desk and busies himself in his writing, only to have his attention grabbed by a grumbling ocelot again. The jungle cat pawed at Lukas’ pants leg to get his attention and once he has it, he uses his nose to bump a treat towards the author, reminding the man that he too needs to eat before investing himself in his work for the rest of the day. Lukas sighs, knowing Dewey is right and gives him an appreciative head scratch. “Okay, okay you're right. Let's go find something to eat.”

     It's amazing how little mind Lukas pays to the townspeople walking around. Socializing was something he'd hoped to better himself at when he got to BeaconTown, but for obvious reasons, that idea was of little importance and placed in the back of his mind. He's quiet and elusive when talking to others, keeping to himself in a way that fits him right in with the rest of the town's citizens. He doesn't want to last long out in the town's open streets. The last thing he wants right now is to risk a run-in with a nosy hunter. 

     Thankfully, that wasn't the case today. Lukas returns home and does the healthy life essentials like eating and bathing. After a short shower, he ends up staring at himself in the mirror, searching his complexion, thinking back to the Admin's own. All those scars on his face.. Lukas can't help but stare at the nick on his chin he got a few years back, right in the beginning of his adventures. Back when he was still so new to the world which awaited him. He gently runs his fingers over the scar, wondering how the Admin got his. There was too many to count. So many untold stories behind that silent deity. He wonders how he'll ever communicate properly with him, because dictionary use is a bit too time consuming. 

     Lukas lingers on the thought for quite some time. All the way back into the living space where he stands at the window and gazes out upon the trees. 

     After some extensive thinking… he thinks he knows how to approach the Admin with a conversation. He just hopes that the deity will be in a talking mood the next time he sees him.

[tickled-2-death]

I saw your post about tma tickle requests and I have literally never thought about lonelyeyes tickles, but now I need to see Elias brought down a peg or six by his ex-ex-ex husband(soon to add another ex) who's probably at least semi-transparent and covered in fog. Bonus points for all the sass!

Attitude Adjustment

Content warnings: unhealthy relationship, dubious consent(?), tickle torture, begging, feet content specifically, not necessarily sexual but sexual acts are mentioned.

This is a tickle fic.

“Peter, I have told you this several times before, and I will only repeat myself this once. I am not going anywhere near that pathetic boat.”

Elias just can’t seem to catch a fucking break today. First it was some shipment issue at the Archives, namely involving those two identical circus freaks with some mysterious box. Then, once they finally convinced him to sign off on it (he’ll just replace whoever dies in artifact storage, no big deal), there was some petty little catfight in the archives itself. One that he, despite all the paperwork that needed to be sorted, had to go downstairs and tell Jonathan off about. That’s not to mention that his coffee was cold by the time he got back, and-

“Darling, my love, my light. You’re thinking too hard.”

… and his husband, one Mr. Peter “just fuck off out to sea and forget it all” Lukas, simply will not shut up.

Elias pinches the bridge of his nose, propped up in their lavish bed in his silk pajamas, by all means in a position to relax that he intends not to spoil.

“I can’t stand the smell”, he begins to explain, “I cant stand the Lonely, and honestly the thought of being trapped on a giant metal hunk of rubbish with you for several months on end makes me want to disappear already.”

Peter, despite his patron and what you’d expect as a result of it, nearly never stops smiling. It’s a smug little shit sort of smile, mind you, but it hardly ever leaves his face. As of now, it droops into a frown.

“Elias, if we’re going to beat our record of staying married for four months-“

“Five months. Five months is the record.”

The captain sighs.

“If we’re going to make this work for more than five months, we’ve got to accept one another’s help! I’m just trying to think of a way to cheer you up, to get some of that tension out of you, in the only way I know how!”

Elias considers this, and ultimately decides that his husband is right. He’s a snarky bastard, even worse than Elias himself at times, but he’s trying to do the right thing. It’s the thought that counts? Right???

It doesn’t really matter. 200 years and counting, and he’s never been interested in admitting his own faults. Why start now? Especially for Peter goddamn Lukas.

So the shrewish little Beholder pulls out his bitchiest of bitch voices, and simply replies; “Well, you’d hardly like it if I recommended you to take someone’s statement, or delve into someone’s personal life for an ounce of fear, now would you?”, before rolling over and turning off his bedside lamp.

Something within Peter snaps just then. Not genuine anger, or at least not the violent sort. No, it’s simply the sudden and undeniable urge to teach someone a lesson. Elias’ eyes go wide, having Known what was about to happen, but it’s too late.

Peter roughly digs his fingers into his husband’s ribs, and vibrates them between the bones with all his might.

“OH FUCK-“ is all the poor, helpless man can manage before descending into mad cackles against his will. His dignity would never allow such a boisterous display of emotion, but there’s hardly a chance to suppress it in this position.

Instinctively, he rolls onto his stomach to escape the horrific sensation at his side. However, this proves to be the worst thing he could’ve possibly done, because Peter takes the opportunity to straddle his ass and get both sides at once.

“PEHEHETER! YOU- STOHAHAP THIS AT OHAHANCE! NOW!” Elias demands through several squeals, drumming his bare feet against the mattress behind them. Hands desperately grabbing for purchase or perhaps Peter’s dastardly wrists.

He doesn’t let up, of course, and that smile is back with a vengeance.

“Hmm- what was that kinky sex term you told me about? Where you punish someone for talking back?” Peter asks, tone jovial and unclear as to whether the question is genuine or rhetorical.

Elias, in turn, accidentally projects the answer into his mind. Mouth otherwise occupied with screams of ticklish agony.

“Brat taming, that’s right! Are you going to stop being a brat, Elias? Or is your significantly larger, stronger husband going to have to tickle you until you cry? We both know I’m well trained in regards to tying knots, so you’d better keep that in mind.”

Deciding to give the ribs a bit of a break, lest he accidentally bruise them, Peter jams his fingers into Elias’ sensitive underarms. It’s absolutely delightful, the way he screams even louder and clamps his arms to his sides. As if that will help, now that the offending digits are trapped exactly where they shouldn’t be.

“NOW! YOUHOHOHOL STOP RIHIGHT NOW! I DEHEHEE- DEMAHAHAND IT!!!” Elias tries to compel, but the concentration required to do so simply isn’t there.

Peter continues to burrow his fingertips into Elias’ armpits, wiggling and scritching across the ultra sensitive skin like worms trying to dig into the earth. He flails as much as humanly possible, twisting and snorting up a storm all the while, but Peter’s legs hold firm to his hips. He’s stuck, and completely at the other avatar’s mercy.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to keep on like this, love. That is, until you apologize, and whatever comes out of your mouth even now can and will be held against you. So let’s fix that attitude, yeah?”

Elias’ laugh goes silent, eyes screwed shut rendering his powers completely useless. Not that they weren’t already, but now he can’t even read Peter’s thoughts.

Mercifully, the tickling comes to a stop after about five straight minutes of torture. Elias takes the opportunity to breath, and to pout, while Peter continues to ramble on.

“Not going to say anything, then? That’s alright, I’ve got another place in mind. Remember that one time you asked for a foot massage, and every time I pressed too light you’d kick and tell me to do better? Well, if you can’t handle a massage I’d hate to see how you’ll handle ten fingers intentionally tickling you.”

Elias uses what little of his strength he’s got left to buck his hips. Nothing happens, so he begins to thrash any way he can, kicking and babbling out a mantra of “nononono”-

But Peter is quick, and built tough like the boat that stared this whole argument. It takes about two seconds for him to turn around, placing all his weight on the trapped ankles of his smart-mouthed partner. He cracks his knuckles, gives a quick wink in Elias’ direction, and scribbles his fingers up two shaking soles.

Elias cries out, pounding his fists against the mattress. “NNOOHOHO! PETERPETERPETER- GEHEET OOHOFF- I CAHANT!”

“Are you pleading with me?” He responds, otherwise uncaring and unwavering in his assault. He wiggles his nails against the soles of one foot, and digs in between the toes of the other.

Even now, there is the slightest hesitation. But when he adjusts his position so that he can rub his beard against Elias’ trapped feet, all remaining pride goes out the window and into the endless Vast.

“PLEHEHASEPLEASEPLEASE- SOHAHA- SORRY! DAHARLINGPLEASE-“

“Trying to appeal to my humanity, darling? I should be offended you’d use such language just to get away from me and my glorious facial hair”.

Tears stream down Elias’ face. The scruffy hairs rubbing against his soles is just too much to handle. So he does the unthinkable and gives up.

“PEHEHEETEERRRR-“ is all he can manage, all he can think in the midst of this hell, and somehow it’s enough for him to get the message.

“Alright, alright. Calm down, love, let me help.” Peter soothes, giggling at the little twitches he evokes by firmly rubbing Elias’ feet of residual tingles.

Elias, on the other hand, is utterly spent. He feels heavy as a sack of bricks, completely limp and hiccuping like a maniac. Once his awful, evil husband has decided that his feet can be left alone, he starts to rub his back.

“Poor, mean little thing you are. So sensitive for such a powerful man.” Peter coos, and despite himself Elias falls asleep to the sound of his voice and comforting feel of his hands.

[scratchandplaster]

FEBUWHUMP DAY 15 - "Who did this to you?"

CW: love bombing, conditioned Whumpee, planned recapture

Previous | [Masterlist] | Next

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

As Bens first day home slowly came to an end, so did his usual limitless energy. After cleaning up, he and Shawn spend the rest of residual sunlight squabbling in the grass. Leftover specks of glitter from his hair were caught in the blades, freeing him of his thoughtless decisions.  

It was a struggle to get Ben washed and primed for his bedtime, even as Shepard finally got his son to his shared tent, he didn't want this day to stop.  

A single kiss on the forehead and his hand firmly against the small of his neck, the priorly abandoned father felt unsure about sending him off. Beneath soft words and gentle touches, a lingering state of trance shoved itself to the forefront of Ben's mind. Through the gentle haze, his father's words were more command than plea: "Stay with us."

A faithful nod convinced Shepard to finally let his son go for the night.

"Sleep well, starshine."

"Good night, Dad!"

The tent entrance closed behind him, Shawn and the triplets. Suddenly, it was Ben who felt abandoned. Tomorrow, they would all be united again, he had to be patient.

His sleeping space was just as tidy as he had left it, two square meters of mat per child, with his nightshirt and blanket properly folded atop. Brushing any crumbs and dust away, he finally laid down in the dark.

One triplet, impossible to say who, shyly crawled over to Ben and placed their head on his chest: "I watched Trunks while you were gone."

The well-loved abomination made from old corduroy and too many eyeballs stared at him: "Thank you, kiddo. I bet she had a lot of fun with you."

Their siblings, along with Shawn, gathered around Ben in a cozy circle. An arm around his neck here, a leg on his stomach there: one by one snuggled up to him. Safe and loved, surrounded by the people he missed so much, he closed his eyes for a final time today.

Everything was alright, Ben had found his way back home.

--------

Lukas was surely on the alert by now, another reason to quickly figure out his location. Shepard achieved so much in a single day: all the success still left him unsatisfied.

Silently, Otis trudged behind him and took a pensive look back at the camp: "Sometimes you scare me, Shepard."

"Only sometimes?" came the smug answer, "I'm beginning to slack off, it seems."

"He's too old for the children's tent." 

"I noticed. But you got your nanny back, so quit whining until I sort it out."

With a quiet growl, Otis let himself rest on a camp chair, overseeing the whole pasture. Guard duty was no exciting business. Until he was ready to take turns, it was nothing but watching and waiting out here. 

One way or another, Shepard wouldn't sleep tonight. 

"Want to fetch the other one too?"

"Without question."

"Mhh," was all Otis said in return. Shepard knew how he thought of Luke, but as long as he didn't intend to put his boys on the fields, Otis should keep his little opinions to himself. He wasn't in the mood to discuss parenting with his right hand's right hand.

Shepard fought himself through the grass up to a tiny log cabin at the settlement's entry. The surrounding fence was new, another change he surely had to break to Reuben gently. Martens were a good explanation, maybe honey badgers if he felt bold with his flowery hyperbole. 

Inside the cabin that served as his office, front desk, and roost in one, somebody was waiting impatiently. The solar-powered desk lamp was already switched on, illuminating a more than pissed-off face on Shepard's cot. 

Sam didn't look too happy altogether: "I've been sitting here…for HOURS!"

"I offered you to join us for dinner earlier." Would've certainly stuck out like a sore thumb, he mused.

"I'm good." They remained determined but visibly nervous underneath, "Fulfill your part of the deal."

"I'm truly thankful for your help. But I'm going to return the favor tomorrow, Sam. This day wrung me out."

"Hell no, I didn't make myself complicit in a kidnapping just to be pushed aside. We're doing this right now!" Restless fingers hammered on his desk.

„Good grief. Calm down, no need to be upset,“ Shepard demanded, looking at the angry red spots on their neck matching their hair. He was fully expecting them to huff and puff every tent away. "Take a deep breath in."

Their face said "Don't tell me what to do, old man!", yet their body followed nevertheless.

"And out." A bit of hostility left with the exhalation. Tolerable, for starters.

"You helped me to locate my missing son and get him home after one too many drinks. Does that sound like a kidnapping to you?"

"He didn't look overjoyed to me." Unsuccessful in finding any documents that could prove any degree of kinship, Sam was even less proud of yesterday's stunt. They scoffed wordlessly.

"Why don't you ask him in the morning? I requested Birdie to make us waffles for breakfast."

"Fine. We're still doing the interview now, anyway!"

"Yes, we are. But please don't scream at me, Sam." With a patient smile, Shepard took a seat in his swivel chair. Now and then, bad press was precisely what it claimed to be and everyone already had enough trouble for the day, so a few more white lies seemed necessary. 

"Okay, alright." With a final huff, Sam fished out a notepad and started recording on their phone. Double the precautions; so much distrust seemed unhealthy.

Half an hour, tops, he couldn't afford to waste any more time on the requests of his decoy.

"I hope your friends from the World Wide Web won't be disappointed with my old tales," he mumbled and rubbed his eyes, "remind me of the main subject again, please."

Modern cult structures.

"Alternative lifestyles," Sam claimed instead.

The last thing they needed was an angry guru inciting the masses. At worse, the calculated twenty-minute drive to their motel would get enough distance between them to cool off a bad temper; better to stay bedfellows with redneck mites than sleeping in a tent nobody can hear them scream in. Stuck at the end of the world, they watched Shepard interlace his fingers expectantly.

"Okey-dokey. Shoot!"

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

Thanks for reading 🤍 [Febuwhump 2024 Masterlist]

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