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liveontelevision · 4 months ago

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Sweet Radio Demon Alastor x Reader

As promised, here she is -

It's inspired by Living Tombstone's song Alastor's Game!

CW: Reader is a cannibal and it's a p big part of the story so mentions and details of cannibalistic intent and murder

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Some people just don't belong in Hell. The structure of divine judgment must be rigged, punishing any poor soul who commits sin without realizing it. Those individuals don't belong.

Then there are those who do. Those who realize there's an afterlife and instantly come to terms with their placement. That's when all the Oh, I'm definitely going to Hell for this jokes start to bite back.

It's always easier for those who choose to be sinners to adapt to Hell's settings. The job market for porn stars and actors is extensive, and protection is almost guaranteed despite the souls owed or deals made.

But, what interested you the most, you depraved sinner you, was the loveliness of Cannibal Town. Not only was it the nicest part of Pentagram City, but you felt right at home considering your appetite when you were living.

It was immense. Some kind of craving that you could never satisfy, no matter how many callers you invited into your home and how many of them never left. You got creative, playing with recipes, spices, and cooking methods, but it was never, never, enough.

Sometimes, you'd wonder how you got to this point. You were a normal enough kid, went to school, had a nuclear home life, and you were comfortable financially, the works.

You remember it feeling like a stomach ache.

A stomach ache that brought you to tears and kept you from school some days. You almost assumed it was something every child went through until you learned what subdued the pain.

Meat.

It was the solution. You ate like a carnivore at first, then the food became increasingly rare as you aged up. Until you stumbled upon some strange forums online (There's something online for everyone, I suppose). You gave in to the cryptid suggestions. You tried rodents at first, only after thorough mental and food preparation, but fuck did it do the job. It made your body shutter and your mind hazy, momentarily melting any thoughts of guilt you might still have.

As time went on, you grew hungrier. Animals weren't cutting it.. but maybe he could.

You found him online, chatted for a while over some messenger, then discovered how much of a dirtbag he truly was. That seemed to disarm you from the whole idea.

Poor thing.

Maybe if he was kind enough, he would have been spared.

You invited him over.

As you watch him approach your door, you tussle your hair, and adjust your clothes that leave little to the imagination. With a continuous, you can do this, you can do this, you're drawn to the knocking of the door.

"Damn, babe, if I knew you actually looked like this, I would've come over sooner." He props his arm on the doorframe as he speaks.

Is.. is that supposed to be a compliment?

Your eye only twitches a bit before you cover your expression with a cute giggle. Holding your hands behind your back, you lean forward.

"Not too bad yourself, big guy. How's a movie sound?"

One thing leads to another, you're seated on your couch, and his hands are immediately on you. For someone who acts so big and tough, his touch is awkward and uncomfortable. Like he doesn't know what he's doing.. probably because he doesn't know what he's doing.

The inexperience helps.

You didn't take into account how large he was. Assuming this would go as planned, you'd be set for weeks, but the actual action of getting him down still worries you.

You're barely an hour into the movie, which you can hardly remember, before his sloppy lips are on yours, which you respond to with a grimace. He doesn't seem to take into account your reactions, grunting against your very unresponsive lips.

Disgusting.

Pig.

He places a large hand on your waist, pulling you roughly to him.

Strong.

Muscular.

You need more. You need to evaluate your prey. You place your hand on his wrist, delicately running your fingers up the entirety of his forearm, tracing and digging into each vein and muscle you can find. That continues up to his chest. Before long, you find yourself straddling him, his wide hips forcing your legs apart a decent amount. Despite his build, his composure clearly shows he's nearly at your mercy. While you're running your hands along his body continuously, occasionally kissing him or letting out fake moans to his ear, you're feeling his ever-growing length pressing into your leg.

You'd be disgusted by the sensation if you weren't planning your next move internally.

You hid weapons everywhere. If you remember correctly, there should be a knife sitting in the crevice between the couch’s armrest and the side table. You just have to reach -

"Take this off." You command with a breathy voice, tugging at his t-shirt that had some unknown stain on it. You almost regret putting so much effort into your appearance.

Oh, well. You're taking notes in the back of your mind for any future endeavors.

You guide his desperate hands to pull the shirt over his head. In one movement, you drop the shirt and take the hidden knife into your hand. You hadn't realized until just now, but -

You're shaking.

You let out a deep breath. With your arms reaching over the arm of the couch, you're essentially caging him in. Nothing looks suspicious yet. Not to him, at least.

You lean in to give him one final kiss. You aren't exactly sure why. It's not doing anything for you. Maybe some sort of sympathy is crossing your mind?

… You'll have to work on that.

You pull away slowly, giving yourself time to examine the state he's in. His eyes are glazed over, his breath shallow.

Now.

Do it now.

You're ready. You've studied anatomy, disarmed yourself to the idea, and prepared for the worst.

You have to do it now.

You straighten your back, the knife now visible to him. He doesn't seem to notice at first until your arms are in the air, hoping to find some momentum in the stab. With your eyes still open, you find the spot where it should end this without too much pain for either party. You dive as fast as you can, but you made a fatal error.

You shut your eyes.

The moment was immediately silenced by the tension of his hand fisting the blade of the knife. He caught it. He stopped it just before it could pierce his chest, only bleeding from his palm. You both sit silently, in disbelief, perhaps.

A silent curse slips from your lips, and that seems to snap him back to this failure of a hook-up.

"You fucking psychopath!" He screeches. He stands, effectively throwing you off his lap as he does so. The action forces a small yelp out of you, and your grip on the knife is immediately taken from you. You stare up at him from the ground.

The tables seem to have turned. He's looking down at you, stumbling and struggling to find his grounding, all the while holding the knife. Despite this, despite his large build and his newfound advantage, he bolts for the door.

Was this better than him attacking you? Will he go to the police? You almost hope he's fragile enough to not admit he was attacked by a frail creature, or that he'll use this as a story to brag to his friends over, I escaped a psycho bitch last night.

You start cursing again. They become more frantic and louder as you follow him out. You watch him stumble off your patio and back to his car. You manage to find reality when a previous thought hits you.

You hid weapons everywhere.

A shotgun sits by your front door. It wasn't the most hidden, but in your defense, it was dark enough outside that it went unnoticed. And you're in a rural enough area that some wouldn't bat an eye at the sight of it.

With shaky hands, you pick it up, already loaded, and aim it at him. He's already in the driver's seat, but you're too exposed to let him just drive off at this point.

You didn't really know much about guns. But in an emergency such as this, it seemed like it would come in handy. So when you took your shot, you never considered the consequences of shooting bullets at a running car, especially with your poor aim.

You come to moments later, fire and pieces of metal surround you. You try to take in your surroundings, but your ears are ringing, and your senses are overwhelmed by the severe burns covering most of your body. You manage to find your home, still mostly intact. The car, on the other hand, is completely decimated.

In the corner of your eye, you think you can spot some resemblance of your date sprawled along the asphalt. With a heavy breath, which you consider might be your last, you let your head drop onto the pavement.

"My my, what a predicament you've got yourself into!"

A voice?

It echoes through your head. You can still only see the crackling of the fire surrounding you, and your ears still ring, but the voice seems clear as day. There's a bit of a static to it, but still it's clearnes startles you. You attempt to respond through the pain.

"W-Who-"

"Save your strength, my dear. I'll be quick since it seems you won't be with us much longer." The voice says. You can hear footsteps, a clear clicking of heels that echo in this ethereal space you find yourself. You struggle to lift your head, only catching a glimpse of the stranger kneeling in front of you.

"I'll clean up this little mess of yours, and we can discuss my repayment once you're in less of a.. scorched state. Deal?"

How could you consider the consequences? Or even comprehend his words while you’re like this? You aren't sure what he means, and you have no time to question. Your consciousness seems to be honing in on the burns.

You let out a horrific scream, clutching your arms, only intensifies the pain. If you could see the stranger, you'd see a disturbingly unphased smile.

"Help me - H-Help me! Please!" You beg and cry out, finally reaching out your hand to him.

"So? Do we have a deal?"

"Deal - Deal! Fuck- I-It hurts..!" You sob, biting your blood-dampened lip to prevent any more screams.

He takes your hand, gripping onto the raw skin of your burns. Your next scream comes out silently. You feel your vision blur before your body finally comes to terms with its seemingly sealed fate.

You shoot up from your bed, your face running with tears. They feel cool, running down your heated cheeks. You quickly wipe your face, leaving a wet smudge of makeup and sweat across your fingers.

Right.. make-up from the date.

You scan your bed, no man in sight. It’s a relief to wake up in your bed alone. Shifting out from under the covers, you look to your hands, waving them in front of your eyes and running your hands across your own skin.

Smooth.

Maybe even softer than you remember previously.

Some sort of calming amenity seems to be sweeping over your body. With glazed eyes, you examine your body that should be severely burned, yet you feel nothing.

Still, in a state of shock, you rise and wrap yourself in your blanket before leaving your bedroom looking a mess. You roam your home, looking around with still-damp eyes. You feel like a tourist. Like none of this is yours.

Not anymore.

You find yourself standing by your front door, opening it without hesitation. It's a clear sunny day. The grass is just as green, if not greener, and there were flowers there that you don't recall ever planting.

Suddenly, your bare feet against the heated pavement sends a slight panic through you, as the more gruesome details of the previous night conjured in your mind.

That's why nothing looks right. You were sure your porch was blackened by the fire. The grass was a flame, and there was a car - and that man and the voice -

You approach where his car was parked, only to find a torn-up strip of rubber, assumingly from its tire.

"What the.." unable to even complete a thought, a familiar voice only brings up more questions.

"Ah, my apologies! I assure you it is quite out of character for me to miss a spot." You see a disturbingly tall figure come from behind, swooping down to pick up the rubber scrap. He examines it within his red talons, turning it back and forth. You stand dumbfounded, but he goes on anyway.

"So, what exactly caused your date to ..implode? Was he not to your liking? Too handsy? Too-"

...

You're too tired for this.

You rub the sleep from your eyes, turning on your heels and letting the blanket drag across the rugged pavement behind you as you head back inside. You almost expect some sort of resistance from him, a qwip on how rude it is to walk off in the middle of a conversation, but there is none. Maybe you just imagined that little interaction. Maybe there wasn't really anyone there, and you're still tired or still sleeping.

You open the door, and that same bright smile greets you from inside your own home.

That seems to wake you up.

Your wide eyes scan his face, then peek inside your home behind him. You turn back around to see where he previously was, and obviously there's no sign of his travels. You slowly turn back.

"May I speak now?" His voice is laced with a radio filter, and it hits your ears in the strangest way. The reality of the situation turns your exhaustion into apprehension, yet you nod your head anyway.

"I may have caught you in the midst of your disarray, but I must admit, I'm curious about what led to it." He steps aside and gestures for you to come inside. To your own house.

"H-He got the upper hand is all." You decide not to comment, moving inside sluggishly. As far as you know, this strange being has no idea of the sins you've committed. You quickly fib.

"He attacked me, actually."

"Oh, how devastating!" He lets out a saddened sigh, a hand over his heart with fake sympathy. "Now, was that before or after you attempted to drive a knife through his chest?"

With a defeated groan, you flop onto the couch.

"What are you? A sleep paralysis demon? A.. nightmare? Am I still asleep?" You grumble, running the possibilities out loud and not expecting a true answer. You actually hoped that it would all go away. That this voice in your head, this hallucination, is just that.

In your head.

"Ooh, I like the sound of that.. A nightmare~ has a nice ring to it wouldn't you say?" He stands in front of you, his hands folded formally behind his back.

"Now. Enough with the compliments. What truly happened, my dear?” When his voice suddenly turns sympathetic, you find yourself actually in need of someone to vent to.

“Well, since you're clearly just a nightmare - or.. something - ” You sit up, take in a deep breath, and with its release, you reveal yourself.

All of you.

Every single animal you've killed to curb your pain, what seems to work and what doesn't, and the previous nights failure. You talk about the number of friends and family you've scared off throughout the years, everything.

“I.. was gonna eat.. him…” You squeak out your final sentence. You've never really said it out loud before. And never in front of someone else. It made your own blood run cold. Not the thought of the act itself, but just sharing it aloud. your eyes stay fixed on your fidgeting hands in your lap when a loud cackle interrupts your anxiousness.

“My word, aren’t you just the cutest basket case? You're lucky to be dealing with a demon of similar tastes.” He hisses his final words, all with a sly smile. He sounds prideful in his admission. His words seem like they're meant to disarm you, and even though he essentially admitted to being a cannibalistic demon, it works.

“Well.. since we have sooo much in common-” Your voice drags, the notion of being similar to this demon feeling strange to mention out loud, “-would you.. help me? With all this..?”

Expecting another laugh, maybe some more teasing, you're met with a confusing expression. His smile is still there, unmoving, but you catch the smallest twinkle in his eye. He stands and faces away. The hope of finding an outlet for your cannibalistic intent starts to dwindle.

Your misplaced disappointment is overtaken by the flickering of lights and the soft tunes of a radio nearby, one that you recognized but were sure had been broken for decades. He turns his head unnaturally, looking over his shoulder to meet you with blackened eyes.

“I would be absolutely delighted.”

“Lucky for you, some of your late-night delivery seemed to withstand the flames!”

You follow that transatlantic accent to your kitchen, unamused by his continuous puns and casual speech. This big scary demon friend of yours presents a commically large plate, with a very familiar carcass sitting atop.

He did nothing to make it look any less disturbing than it truly was. the skin was nearly burned off, the smell was just awful, and the shirt was somehow still recognizable through it all.

You cover your mouth in response. The fact that it doesn't smell much different than some of the other carnivorous meals you’ve prepared nauseates you more than the sight of the corpse itself.

“Quite a specimen, very good choice! But, you needed tips, correct?”

All you can think of to respond is a simple nod of your head.

“Then let's get started!” With a snap of his clawed fingers, a sleek black apron covers his suit.

The next few hours were grueling, but.. fun? If you're allowed to call it that. You were given multiple pointers, and sure, they were all quite helpful, but they were in excruciating detail. What certain parts of the body you should pick or avoid was one thing, but discussing what wine pairs with what organs? It's not a conversation you ever thought you'd have.

By the time the meal looks normal, all decorated with spices in a baking pan and in the oven, you instinctively go to do dishes. As you fill the sink and start bringing things over, a little creature has you nearly tripping. You look down, seeing a strange little stitched doll carrying most of the dishes to the sink. No matter how strange it looked, you respond with a curious hum, fully desensitized to it at this point.

“Huh..” is all you can say. You take any remaining dishes and follow suit, plopping it all into the water. The little doll seems to be tugging at your leg when you try to walk off. It's holding its arms up to you, letting out little murmurs that sound restrained by the stitches across its mouth. You hesitate at first, but scoop it up in your arms and place it aside the sink. And it gets to work scrubbing away.

“Damn, you're cute, and you clean? Can I keep you?” You ask it quietly, giving it a quick pat on the head. It seems to smile.

“Quite a delightful little thing, one of my better creations, I must admit.” The response from him seems to scare the poor thing straight. It immediately lowers its head and focuses on cleaning. You scoff at the interaction between the two. if his own toy is scared of him, should you be as well? “That being said, I simply can not part with it. My apologies.”

“Oh, I was kidding. Mostly.” You reply quietly. You hear the first chuckle from him that seems genuine. No ill intent, just a joyous response to your little quip. It felt kinda.. Nice.

“So, Mr. Scary Demon Man-” You clear your throat before you speak. “-why are you here, exactly? did I do something to summon you? Or-” He cocks his head to the side at the title, a little twitch to his eye.

“Not at all, my dear. I simply wanted to help you in your little endeavors, from one cannibal to another, Haha!” His tone goes back to that of a salesman. Like he’s trying to convince you he’s something he’s not.

“Well.. thank you, I guess. I don't really understand why you’d want to help me without wanting something in return, though. You don't seem like-”

“-A charitable man? I suppose that’s fair.” He doesn’t give you a chance to reply. “If you’re so desperate to return the favor, why don’t we strike a deal? Just a little one. Between friends.”

You weren’t stupid. His words made it clear that this was his intention from the moment he chose to save your life. You shrunk a bit.

“Sure, between friends.” You let out a sigh, your somewhat chipper attitude immediately fading. He takes no time to be empathetic.

“Good! Now, you seem to have an eye for food. This meal was ideal considering your poor execution.” You can’t stop your eyes from rolling. “And you can’t get meals quite like this where I’m from. How about you keep providing, with my assistance, and I’ll make sure it’s prepared to the best of my abilities. In exchange for all my hard and generous work, I get half the spoils! Seems far more favorable on your end, but I’m feeling rather generous today.”

Where he’s from? You want to question it. You want to know more about him, you want to know -

“What’s your name?” Your sudden questioning leaves him speechless for a moment, but he’s quick to recover his charming smile. “You never told me.”

“Well, considering you won’t need my name if you don’t agree to this little game, how about I throw that in as well? You provide the living flesh, and I’ll handle the rest. And, you’ll get my name.” He stands before you, a bit too close for your comfort, as he reaches his hand out to you. “Call it a deal?”

An ominous green glow surrounds the two of you. It sends some kind of wind through your clothes and hair. His hand is especially bright, and his eyes go back to that frightening black that you experienced previously.

At the end of the day, if this is what you have to do to stifle those damned pains, it doesn't seem all that bad. You extend your hand, instinctively flinching at the seemingly impending danger. But that still doesn't stop you.

“O-Okay.. Deal.” With the touch of his palm against yours, the glow flashes, forcing your body to tense and your eyes to squeeze shut. It only lasts for a moment, though. When you open your eyes, you first examine your connected hands. His hand is huge compared to yours. From this proximity, you can truly take in how unnaturally tall he is.

Attempting to tug your hand back, his grip tightens, forcing your hand to his lips for a quick kiss to your knuckles. An outdated and surprisingly intimate action leaves you a bit flustered.

“My name is Alastor. It’s been a pleasure, my dear~”

And so, your transactional deal went on, right until your demise. You used a similar tactic to bring more meals to your doorstep, finding a handful of poor saps online. You weren’t exactly sure what he meant when he offered his assistance, but when the time came, a strength took over your body that you never experienced before. There were no more shaky hands or sympathy. Your aim was always true, and it was just so easy. Any impending dangers or possible retaliations were alerted to you by a subtle whisper, a voice, coming from just behind you. It was startling at first, but quickly became a comfort.

When it came to preparing the food, which Alastor said he’d handle, you’d essentially leave your victim's remains in the kitchen and would come back to a meal ready for the oven. Sometimes, you’d leave the body as is, limp on the couch, or sprawled on the floor, only when you were too exhausted to deal with the clean-up. On nights like that, you’d wake up to a completed meal the next morning. You liked to picture him going through your home, rolling up his sleeves and wearing that apron, cleaning things up, and cooking in your kitchen how he did that first night.

That being said, you didn't normally see his physical form. There was the lent strength and whispers during your hunts, but other than that, contact seemed to nearly cease. Why was that upsetting you? You cursed yourself for being too much of a romantic - for making this seem like anything more than a delusion you conjured up to make this whole action easier for you.

And that pain? That constant hunger that was never sufficed nearly went away. In fact, you’ve never felt fuller.

He did return on especially rare occasions. You never complained, and you attempted to hide your excitement when you'd catch him lurking in the corner of your eye.

Sometimes, it was to cook for you again. Despite the deal being in full swing, you would ask him to show you some of the recipes. Normally, it would just appear, looking delicious and homemade as always, yet you still pestered him to show you how to prepare some things. He always acted burdened by it, but seeing him cooking felt.. Domestic. Like, when he was cooking, he was truly in his element. It made it easy to forget what he was, which you found yourself questioning less and less. It simply didn't matter anymore.

One particular visit was late into the night. He actually woke you up from the racket, which had never happened before. Stumbling out of your bed, expecting to see police raiding your home or something worse, you’re instead met with a swaying radio demon and a shattered vase. Whenever he was around, soft music would play from your busted radio, a contrasting notion to the fumbling man in front of you now.

“Alastor?” You call out, a wave of relief hitting you and bringing the baseball bat from your hands to the floor. “What the hell are you doing? It’s like.. three in the morning..” The realization of the time makes the previous adrenaline seep out of you.

“Ha-ha! Isn’t that an interesting concept? The Devil’s Hour. Throw some religious implications, and it drives people mad! In reality, it’s just when your feeble body is at its most vulnerable.” He rambles on, spilling the drink from his bottle as he exaggerates his actions. He walks to you as he goes on, his body still swaying. “When your little fragile human heart reaches its lowest speed. When waking you would cause.. distress.” He goes on, his words suddenly sounding melancholic.

“Your breathing is erratic.” He adds, staring intensely at your heaving chest. “And you are hot to the touch-” The back of his claws trace the apple of your cheek, where even you can feel the heat radiating from your skin. Because his voice has no filter. You’ve never heard it like that before. You’ve never heard him sound so human.

His hand traces down your face to press against your chest. He’s feeling your heart. And it’s beating erratically.

“Your heart is fast. Are you distressed?” He leans in closer, to the point where you can smell the alcohol on his breath. “Do I make you distressed?”

In a flustered panic, you push him away. His closeness, his touch, it all threw you off guard.

“N-no, I’m just tired. You woke me up in the middle of the night, asshole.” You cross your arms over your chest, watching him laugh and struggle to find his bearings after being shoved. With a groan, you pull him by his slender arm over to the couch. He sits down with a thud, and you sit a careful distance next to him.

“That is what is so refreshing about you, my dear.” He lets out a dreamy sigh, and you pull the whiskey from his hand before he can break anything else. “Why - you have no idea who you’re dealing with, I could be a powerful demon overlord,” He slurs his words. “But, to you, I’m just your sweet radio demon~” He sings out.

Alastor leans into you, uncharacteristically tapping your nose. You swat his hand away, forcing another loud chuckle from him. He stays leaning forward, even seated beside you, he towers over you. Your wide eyes meet his.

“Even your eyes show no sign of fear. How curious.” You stay like this a little longer. His breath still reeks of expensive whiskey, but you can’t seem to tear your eyes from him. You’re terribly focused on keeping your distance, but he doesn't seem to have the same concern.

With a sly smile, he removes his coat and flips to his back, laying his head in your lap. With his long legs crossed over each other and hanging very much off the couch, you’re almost nervous to touch him. He wasn’t especially touchy, only doing so when necessary; fingers brushing against fingers, a hand on the shoulder for a mere second- why can you remember each moment so vividly? Why is it so fresh in your mind?

“Alastor, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at home? or.. wherever you are when you're not here?” That’s still something you’ve questioned. You weren’t one to pester him so insistently, wery on losing the good thing you have going on.

“Unfortunately, I’m not sure! Be careful with your alcohol, my dear! Ha-haa!” He slurs out with a grin. “I suppose.. I prefer to be here.”

“What? Why? If you’re some powerful overlord, don’t you have somewhere better to be getting sloshed?” You scoff, keeping your eyes away from his head that was still perched comfortably in your lap. He seems to even nuzzle into your thighs a bit, and it only flushes you more. You take an unpermitted swig of his confiscated drink.

“Hm! Well, I can’t exactly get meat this fresh in Hell-” He taps his chin in thought to your rhetorical question that clearly went right over his head. “-besides! It’s not nearly as nice without you.” He sounds so matter of fact, so sure of his words. You hold your breath, suddenly reliving every moment together before this.

You’d chat and joke around in the kitchen, but you’ve really learned more about him than you thought. How he sews together those strange little creatures. And he seems so proud of them, despite their clear fear of his presence. You noticed he always puts some sort of spice in the meals he cooks, and that even if it's too much, you eat it anyway. How he simply hates getting dirty despite his occupation. He rolls up his sleeves, has that dumb apron, and uses those little toys of his to keep clean.

You loved it.

You’ve done nothing but enjoy every moment with him. You don’t need to know what he is to know that.

Wait, did he say Hell?

“You’re from Hell? There’s a Hell??” With a more shocked exclamation than feared, you finally look down at him. He’s too far gone, humming along to the music, he barely hears your questions. With a clearly defeated sigh, you brush his hair from his face. He winces from the action, his smile wavering but not breaking under your touch.

“Ah, I wish I knew how you survive this cozy little life.” His voice is quiet and mumbled.

You.

I can live this way because of you.

He manages to finish off the bottle with one more swig - when did he take that back?

Your thoughts begin to wander, absent-mindedly twirling strands of hair through your fingers, raking your fingers down his scalp, only to startle yourself with the sensation of animalistic ears. And they’re twitching. Whether it be your reaction or his, it seems to force a little yelp from you, so you reel your hand away.

“I didn’t mean to alarm you, darling.. Could you - or.. You can.. Continue. If you’d like.” His voice had dropped that strange filter again. You feel woozy. That whiskey you had shared, maybe it was strong. Or.. it was the middle of the night, you were sure you were just tired. You spiraled to come up with any reasonable excuse other than developing feelings for a Hellbound demon. You wonder if you-

Oh, you’re definitely going to Hell.

But, could it be something to look forward to?

Your intimate thoughts cloud your mind, leaving your hand mindlessly petting a literal demon. Your fingers combed through his hair, delicately clawing up the ears and pinching the softness at the tip of each one. Despite your thorough and elaborate massage, your mind has wandered to how a relationship with a possible hallucination of a demon would work out. But that's ridiculous, isn’t it?

“Alastor, can I ask you-” your words are brought to a halt and your eyes drop. A quiet hum of satisfaction, leaving a barely conscious radio demon, who’s head still sat in your lap. With a curse under your breath you decide you're trapped.

There was absolutely no chance of escape. What, were you supposed to wake him? What if you upset a powerful overlord demon, or whatever he claimed to be? Albeit uncomfortable, you force yourself to sleep. Enjoy it while you can, who knows if it's even real?

You didn't see him for awhile after that.

Alastor was a poinient man. He never missed a pick up before. So when you realized the meat you've portioned off for him was still sitting in your fridge, you start to worry. You're not exactly sure why, you’ve pushed any and every intimate thought from your mind.

This is purely transactional.

Even though his portion had gone untouched for a few days.. A few weeks, if you really think about it, you already had a date set with another victim.

It went on as usual. A dumb hunk of meat thinks he’s all that until you’re straddling him. You decide to stick to what you know works; a knife to the heart.

You mapped exactly where to plant it, as he fiddles with your top, and with a raised arm, you go to claim your next victim.

There was no warning.

There was supposed to be a warning.

The next thing you know, you're pinned to the floor, your wrist being gripped so tightly you have no other option than to scream and lose your grip on the knife.

Your date took no time. No hesitation.

The last thing you see is the opposing view. A stranger straddling your body with a knife held high above his head.

It seems so quiet.

And it's awful.

Where was the warning?

If anything, you should've at least heard Alastor's voice telling you how to avoid this. You always do. A slight pang of worry hits you, but it's quickly overtaken by anger.

With a final yelp that's fueled with frustration, hurt, and a broken heart, you met your demise quickly and alone.

By the time you've come to, you're surrounded by a handful of black eyed children. You immediately scramble backward, hitting your back against a brick wall. You’d notice your surroundings if these little scavengers werent eyeing you with an innocent curioustity. You let out a hiss, holding a hand over your eye. A streak of blackened blood comes from it, your palm thoroughly stained with it.

“You must be new~”

“You’re very handsome!”

“How did you die?”

A bombard of tiny voices and questions go straight over your head, a ringing in your ears forcing your mind to go hazy.

“Alright, give ‘em some space, kids!” A sweet voice seems to bring you back. You look down to your seated body. Your skin is a deathly gray, and your top is stained with your own blood. It’s still red. “Don’t overwhelm the poor thing, I’m sure they’re quite shaken!”

Your eyes then trace up the silhouette of a vintage looking entourage, then to a sharp-toothed smile. The woman stands before you, a hand held out to you.

Her eyes are just as black and her skin is just as pale as those children that now whisper and giggle to eachother nearby.

It didn’t take you long to realize your misfortune.

You died.

You’re upset sure, but you find that you’re mostly angry. None of this wouldve happened if you- if he-

“Come on, cutie! Let’s get you cleaned up.” Her considerate smile clears your mind almost immediately. You don’t hesitate accepting her assistance.

“He was supposed to help me. He said he would be there for me! I died because of him..!”

A strained smile and a quick nod is the only response you get to your angered rambling. The kind face that scooped you off the streets was Rosie, one of the most powerful overlords in Hell, who just so happens to own most the souls in Cannibal town.

Lucky you.

She did exactly as she said, having her fun and playing a bit of dress up with you. It wasn't exactly your style, but there were more concerning things when it came to your appearance. Your eyes were just as black as Rosie’s. As those children who have been following you around.. In fact, most residents of cannibal town had this feature.

You really are in Hell.

Right where you belong.

Right along side people who are just like you. It almost felt.. Comfortable.

You confided in her, going on and on about some jerk of a demon who broke a promise that cost you your life. How he had been helping you in fights, saved your life a number of times, taught you how to cook, showed up drunk to simply sit in your lap, then just fucking disapeared when you needed him most. Your face was turning red, from anger or the way you gushed about him, Rosie couldn’t quite decipher.

What wasn’t comfortable was the period clothing you were put in. But according to Rosie, it’s Perfect! What a doll!

“Is Alastor. The radio demon?” She completes your sentence with a sigh, standing to tower over you and placing a hand on your shoulder. “I hate to break it to you, hun, but no one’s seen him in quite a while.. If i’m being entirely honest with you, he’s a dear friend of mine.” You instantly tense at her words. You just went on a rant about how shitty he was, only to find out he’s disapeared with no explanation. Maybe it was a good reason. A good enough reason to leverage your own life? You aren’t sure.

“I have to find him!” You finally say, as if a lightbulb switched in your head. He seemed so unattainable all these years, but now? You’re in his house. “Miss Rosie! Can you help me? His name-”

“I can’t say he didn’t wrong you, but he’s a man of his word, hun.. If he’s not holding up his promises, then he might be in some real trouble.. ” You hear her voice crack, yet she doesn't let her smile drop.

Another factor to consider that Alastor might have bitten more than he can chew, yet she still sympathises with you. You nearly knock the wind out of her with your arms encircling her small waist. Your head rests just at her chest. You can’t see her face, but her arms are around you almost instantly.

As you got settled in town, you did actually use the skills that Alastor had taught you throughout your lifetime. You understood why he made your previous deal. Demon flesh was just fine, but you really needed to spice it up to be anything special. And even then, it still couldn't compare to fresh, living, meat.

You started off just making and baking your own food. Then, when one cannibalistic child asked to try some, they told their friends, who told others.

After a while, you were cooking for half the town. You had a line every morning out of your own home. Once Rosie took notice, it was time for you to make a deal.

“Why can’t I sign a contract with you? You’ve done so much for me, I trust you with my soul.” You had taken Rosie out for dinner, where you planned to discuss a potential deal. Even with you barely being in Hell for a year, you heard plenty about Extermination Day, contracts, dealing in souls, all of it. You did your research. You talked to some of the townsfolks and saw no real downside in giving your soul away. Your proposal seems to surprise her, though.

“You still have your soul? Didn’t you make a deal with Alastor?” She asks, quieting her voice when she says his name, as if just the sound of it would make you upset. It only makes your eye twitch, though, just at the thought of the whole ordeal.

“I did, but he didn't say anything about my soul.. Was he.. Supposed to take it?” You question.

“Well.. he’s made deals like that before, favors for favors, right?” You nod. “But to go all the way to Earth just for some food? That’s.. Not like him…” Rosie seems to be lost in thought, trying to piece together his intentions. You clear your throat, and attempt to calmly bring her back. You slide a tupperware container of lady fingers you had made just before this.

“I want a restaurant, Rosie. I’ve been keeping an eye on that abandoned shop in the town square. I can feed everyone in town if you’ll let me. And.. protection, of course. Would that work?”

She opens the box with a sparkle in her black eyes, almost immediately popping one of the delicate treats to her lips. With a hum of satisfaction and a snap of her fingers, the glowing golden paper floats in front of your eyes.

“It’s a deal, darling!”

You could barely call it a restaurant at first, but you were elated. Rosie granted you some extra hands to make deliveries and assist in the kitchen. Everything seemed to be going your way. Your first extermination day went by quickly. For some reason, angels weren’t destroying everything in town. And you and your little shop were both safe, untouched, really.

You had a steady job, loving customers, and a residency near the center of town. You were almost surprised how having a shared interest, in eating human flesh, can bring people together. And after just a few years, you had a community.

You had a family.

Something you never really though you’d have, in life or death; A home.

Things were going so well. This was supposed to be your happy ending. It had been a few years since you had signed the contract, and you still feel satisfied with your decision. You could really be yourself here.

In Cannibal Town.

In Hell.

It made you laugh sometimes, how much joy the underworld brought you.

On a say that seemed like any other, you had sold out your stock for the day early, and went on to send the rest of yout employees home, when you heard a ruckus near the gazebo.

The screech of a microphone, and a very distant agitated Susan, is all you can truly hear from where you are. You drop everything to join the crowd.

It was the princess of Hell.. You weren’t one to keep up with politics or media, there was no need for you. You entertained yourself plenty just by residing in town. But, you managed to hear her blow up before being dragged away. A tall, rugged figure takes their place, ready to entertain the crowd while the Princess gathered herself.

“Come one, come all! While our little princess is collecting herself, who would appreciate a quick song, hm?”

“There is no fucking way..” You mutter to no one but yourself.

Alastor.

He holds his hand up to his ear, waiting patiently for the adoring crowd to praise his presence before he went on. You knew Rosie was a friend of his, he was a cannibal afterall, but for the entire town to love him just as much? Including Susan?

It’s absurd.

He went on to perform some showtune, one that sounded familiar to you. The crowd excitedly surrounds the pavilion, dragging you nearly to the front. You held a look of disgust. A look of betrayal.

You didnt want to see him, you told yourself. Things were perfect as is, you felt no need to repair a relationship with your imaginary friend you conjured up while alive.

Although, you never thought you had to. He had been gone for years, he nearly became just a passing thought.

An unreasonable part of you stayed put. A part of you wants him to see you and recognize you, to remember what he had forgotten. You stood with your arms crossed, your heart beating rapidly just at the sight of him.

He looks entirely the same, completely unphased. You’ve changed so much visually, and you’re happier now. Bolder. You’re not shying down now.

He catches your eyes.

The music screeches to a halt, sounding like a record player needle dragging across the disc. You’re holding back a smile, almost proud that you were able to stop him in his tracks. This had to be the first time he’s thought of you in over seven years.

And stops singing.

Lucky for him, the princess is finally ready to make her own point. You stick around, not exactly paying attention to her lyrics. You keep your face of disdain strong, stepping away and flinching at any advance Alastor would make to reel in the crowd. He seems to distract himself just fine until Charlie whisks away the crowd. Again, you're firmly planted in your spot.

Alastor turns to you, much more apparent of who he’s dealing with now that you stand alone from the crowd. His ears are flat against his head, and his smile is turned at the corners. His eyes seem to dart back and forth as if he’s deciding whether or not to stay. To be with you.

Oh, he’s nervous.

You’ve never seen him nervous before. It feels good. You’re making the almighty Radio Demon nervous. You smile just slightly. But not a smile between old friends, but a smile in response to his realization that he fucked up.

Despite your delay, Alastor continues on with the rest of the parade. Your body immediately lost all tension once he leaves.

“Well, well! I knew I recognized that menu. I was ready to tear apart some poor sinner for using my recipes.” A familiar, antagonizing voice echoes throughout your little empty shop.

You turn on your heels, almost startled by the sudden intrusion.

Almost.

But, you'd be lying if you said you weren't hoping for it.

Just a little.

Of course, he'd come back. Maybe to make another lowly deal. Or to get you to do more menial tasks for him, to flaunt his power and authority.

“Yeah, well.. when you've been left for dead, and all you have is your skills, you do what you have to, to survive.” You snap, turning your back to him to continue wiping off an already spotless counter. “Plus, it never hurts to marginalize.”

“I've actually tried some of your food here.. Hm! And I hadn't the slightest idea who prepared such a meal. You've gotten better, I'll give you that! Such a small world.” He says with a nostalgic sigh. You can hear his heels clicking throughout the empty store, circling the room before eventually approaching you.

How can he speak to you like you were still.. aquitanced?

“I hope whatever kept you busy these seven years was worth my life.” You mutter. You weren't sure if you wanted him to hear that or not. Maybe if he did, he'd finally apologize or-

“Oh, it was! A nice little sabbatical is exactly what I needed.” You quickly turn to see him polishing his claws against his coat and smiling quite brightly. “I will say it is a pleasure to be meeting you here! I'm glad you settled in so easily.”

“You killed me, Alastor! You were supposed to keep me safe.. and now I'm dead! Because you disappeared without a word!” You start to scold him, finally hitting a breaking point. All he does is scoff at you.

“Oh please, I didn't even take your soul. And it's not like you'd end up anywhere else if you were to perish later on.” He speaks so casually about it all.

But, you were ready to cry. To kick and scream at his arrogance.

The feeling of sharp fingers engulfing your shoulders leaves you suddenly tense and puts your murderous thoughts on hold. He's vanished from in front of you and now looms over you, his eyes meeting yours from over your shoulder.

“Plus, you seem to be quite happy here! Why don't we just call it even then, hm?”

He can not be serious.

You pull away from him, the tears welling in your eyes finally letting loose.

“Alastor, stop!” You yelp, turning to face him. “That’s.. so unfair! You broke a promise! And you-” you hold your finger out to scold him even more, but you feel your body simply going slack. “-you hurt me.. I just.. thought that after all that time, after that night, you'd care a little more..” You look up to him, in the hopes of being met with some sort of sympathy. But his unnatural smile goes unwavering. You rub your arm awkwardly, losing your confidence as your words turn more vulnerable without your realizing.

“Oh, I can feel your pain, not to worry dear. I truly meant no harm when I couldn't hold up my end of the deal.” He's smiling and drawing out his words, only setting off a sense of unease within you. You finally let out a shaky sigh.

“With everything you've done for me.. I thought that.. you might've liked being around me…” You let out, your voice running slightly ragged from the previous shouts. “I thought we were having a good time! Then after all this?” You grow an uncertain smile.

A previous sight that made you giddy before only brings you dread now. His ears are flat, his eyes struggle to meet yours. He's losing his composure.

“I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted it to happen.” You laugh through your words, your hands raking through your hair in a stressed manner. In your little pits of passion, you don't get the chance to see his wavering smile, the grimace on his face, any of it. When your words are met with silence, though, that's when you finally look up to him.

He's nervous, again.

“Oh.. my-” your sentence barely starts before he attempts to cover his slip up.

“Now let's calm down, I really didn't mean for- I didn't intend-”

“Isn’t there rules to this? Were you ever allowed to meddle with my life in the first place - let alone - be on Earth??”

“-God! You killed me on purpose?? Just so I could come down here to do your bitch work?” You snap, your laugh becomes delirious and your tears betray the anger you're meant to be showing.

He’s scrambling for a witty reply, his expression finally showing his true intentions for the first time in a long while. He’s speechless.

“I’m such an idiot.. Of course, you never cared. Bastard.” You mumble your words to the room, losing any fear of him hearing your insults.

Your vulnerability sends a strange shiver down his spine. One he’s never felt before, one that makes his chest ache and his muscles tense.

“Well - Now, let's just talk for a moment before you-” Alastor extends his hand out to your turned back, but it never reaches you. A delicate grip takes his wrist, bringing him to a full stop. He stops, unnaturally snapping his neck to see who would dare disrupt the Radio Demon himself.

His ears flatten against his head, and with a sudden disbelief in what he’s seeing, his eyes return to their normal crimson.

Rosie towers over his hunched form, her eyes stern.

♡♡♡

“Al, sweetheart, you gotta go. You're disturbing my client.”

I love when Alastor fucks up and found out

THIS IS A TWO PARTER I PROMISE

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amuyyi · 5 months ago

Text

recess .

synopsis; you were an ideal student. obedient, quiet, educated, and experienced. oh haewon was not. immature and childish, yet still above you academically and with everyone wrapped around her finger. everyone except you. you refuse to be reeled in by her natural charm and hope to make it out of this project alive, with or without her.

trope; non idol!haewon x fem!reader, sort of academic rivals to lovers, uni au, fluff,

wc; 5.1k

cw; some swearing

a/n; just wanted to write something a little silly :3 seeing haewon with kids is so </3 didnt proofread again and im zzzz

“… and Song y/n, your partner will be Oh Haewon.”

“WHAT?!” A pair of shrill voices rang out throughout the classroom, causing not only the students but also the professor to jump at the sudden sound.

You wildly grip at the pen within your hand, the plastic material beneath your fingers creaking and threatening to break at any second. No. There's no way you’re paired up with her.

Oh Haewon, second year university student, business major, and the bane of your existence.

She is loud, immature, annoying, always out partying, a chronic class-skipper, never pays attention during lectures, and never actually talks about the material during discussion. She claims that everything she does is a form of “networking,” but you don't buy it. It's all just an excuse to keep on slacking off. Despite this, almost everybody who came across Oh Haewon’s path practically fell in love with her at first sight.

Everyone except you.

The worst part about it all? Was the fact that she was seemingly the best performing student out of all the classes you two ended up taking together. She somehow managed to even beat you. No matter how good you do during exams or projects, or how long you dedicate to studying, Haewon always manages to get a higher score. You don’t think she even studies!

You, Song y/n, were a perfect student. Business major, second year, and valedictorian of your graduating high school class. You were quiet, but confident, you always turned your assignments in on time and dedicated many hours of rigorous study time for all of your classes. You held a paid internship on campus as well as an executive board position within a business club on campus and a volunteer organization as well. The odds were entirely in your favor.

Your horrified gaze slowly shifts towards the other girl from across the room, who sat in her seat with her hands dug deep within her dark bobbed hair. Seems like Haewon wasn't all too fond of the idea of being your partner either.

Timidly raising your hand, you try to speak up, try to fight for better treatment for you and your sanity, but the professors ice cold glare cuts you off as he speaks,

“As of now, partner assignments are final. If there are genuine issues between partners that hinder either one's ability to create an effective marketing strategy, come to me in a week. No sooner. I specifically hand picked your partners for a reason.”

You silently slump back down into your seat, defeated, and you can hear a faint thump from across the classroom. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Haewon’s face buried within her desk. Must’ve slammed her head into the table at the news. You would have done the same if you cared as little for your image as Haewon did.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

The sound of snickering and nails quickly tapping against a phone screen was all you could hear within the silent study room. Your eyebrow twitches irritably as you try to focus on the powerpoint slide in front of you, but the words on the screen seem to melt into one another as you hear the girl slam her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Unable to subdue your temper, you slam your laptop screen shut, the sound bouncing off the rooms walls as Haewon jumps within her seat, nearly dropping her phone as she stares at you with comically wide eyes.

“Are you serious right now, Haewon? I haven’t even seen you actually add anything to the presentation since we got here.”

The shorter girl rolls her eyes as she leans back in her chair, avoiding your gaze as she responds, “We already established who’s doing what, I can just do it later,” She shrugs, and the careless sight irritates you to no end. “You do the more technical stuff like research, budgeting, or whatever, while I do the stuff that actually matters like target audience analysis and promotion– ‘cause I highly doubt you know how to actually charm potential investors with that stick up your a–”

Heat rapidly rushes to your face as you lunge forward across the table, hand slamming onto the table as you stick your finger in Haewon’s face to cut off her sentence. “That is just… So… Disgusting!! How can you even speak to me like that?!”

You knew how to socialize and talk to people…! It's just that nobody ever wanted to stick around, that's all… And you preferred it that way, actually. Nobody can drag you down if you simply stick to your numbers and graphs, no people involved.

Haewon snickers at your response as you sit back down, rubbing your temples as you try to steady your breathing, a bit embarrassed that you allowed yourself to snap like that in front of her of all people..

“Look, if you were just going to do it all at home, why are you still here?” You try to speak in a neutral tone, but it was difficult to remain composed after your outburst. You can feel your eyebrow twitching once again as you speak.

A sinister smirk forms on her lips as she finally looks you in the eye. “‘cause I know it pisses you off.”

You have to firmly bite the inside of your cheek to the point where you worry about drawing blood in order to hold yourself back from tackling this girl and beating her to a pulp right then and there. Taking a deep breath, you simply open your laptop and get back to organizing the format of the presentation in silence. Fine then. She can go on and be that way and be uncooperative. What did it matter to you? It seemed like you had to do most of the work, as always. From above the top of your laptop, you can spot Haewon rolling her eyes once again and resume texting whoever may be taking her attention away on the phone.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

Unfortunately, Haewon was not as incapable as you expected her to be. She actually put some effort into her parts of the project, and they were actually pretty good. She knew exactly what people wanted, and even proposed ideas you never would have thought to be effective on your own. Haewon was a people’s person, and people with that kind of natural charm make it far within the world of business. Asking to change partners would prove inefficient for you.

You’d never tell her that to her face though.

For the rest of the month, you and Haewon had come to a mutual agreement. Meet once a week on Wednesdays, around 2-4 PM at the business building on campus. Work on the project, then leave. More often than not, the two of you would work in silence, and you simply chose to not make any comments if she happened to be on her phone giggling to herself during the session. She wasn’t worth it. Besides, you had other things to worry about. Upcoming midterms, exec board event planning, your internship. It was a lot, but you could handle it as long as everything went according to your precise and calculated schedule.

Haewon had been pretty respectful of your established meeting time for the past three weeks, but of course, something had to come up when week four came around. Right when you had another major presentation for your business club to prepare for as well. You had been settled down into the study room you always rented out every Wednesday tapping away at your laptop when your phone vibrated. Unusual. You had do not disturb on.

Oh Haewon [13:55] – hey

Oh Haewon [13:55] – i wont be able to make it to the business building on time today

Oh Haewon [13:55] – i would ask to rain check but i know ull throw a fit bc i ruined ur schedule or sum

Oh Haewon [13:55] – so can u just meet me at the child development lab instead?

… Child development laboratory? Your eyebrows knit together as you stare at the text on your screen. What could she possibly be doing there?

Come to think of it, you don’t really know much about Haewon to begin with. You tried to rack your brain for any information about your class partner outside of the obvious, and… Nothing. You knew nothing of her hobbies, interests, actual activity outside of her public outings. Not that she really mattered or interested you in the slightest, but the idea of simply being out of the loop with someone who played a major part in your weekly schedule made you a bit… Uncomfortable?

Sighing, you begin to pack up your belongings. She could have at least told you this before you already arrived and got settled in the private study room. That's what you get for being 30 minutes early to everything, you suppose. You now either have to move everything in your schedule back, or do a whole revamp of the entire week. You take a breath. It’ll be fine.

If your memory serves you correctly (in which it always does) the next bus that arrives will take you near the lab. An annoyed huff leaves your lips as you zip up your bag. So much for routine.

Your phone rings out one more time.

Oh Haewon [14:07] — skasdkfj apple kjj k

You’re convinced Oh Haewon has officially gone crazy.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

After hopping off the bus and walking in whatever direction Google Maps told you to go, you eventually found yourself at the doors of a building you’ve only ever occasionally passed by on walks. It had a mural of multiple colorful images along its walls, from a giant sun with a smiley face to different kinds of flowers and other doodles scribbled on the brick. Your eyes shift towards the side, where a fenced in play area lay. The sounds of multiple children laughing and screaming made a small smile form on your lips, and you couldn’t help but approach the edge of the fence to watch the young ones play.

You weren’t all too big on kids, more focused on your own academics and staying afloat while in university, but the sight of them still managed to soften your harsh demeanor. They were so innocent and pure, you sometimes wish you could go back in time and relive your childhood once more. You catch sight of a little girl chasing another, flower in hand. The both of them laughing excitedly before one screamed out, “let's go show Haewon-unnie!!”

Haewon-unnie?

Cocking your head to the side in confusion, you watch as the pair of girls scamper towards the wall of the building, where a very preoccupied Haewon remains, squatting down while a horde of children literally climb all over her. One of the kids had a hold of her phone, and another was choking her, his arms wrapped around her neck in an attempt to dangle off of her like some sort of monkey bar.

You would’ve laughed at the sight if it didn’t look like Haewon was on the brink of actually getting taken out by a mass of children.

“Haewon?” You call out.

The smothered girl’s head whips towards the direction of your voice, though she struggled to exactly spot you as one of the little girls started to cover her eyes very aggressively as she begged for a turn to play with Haewon.

“Y-Y/n?” She squeaks out, gently shaking the climbing kids off her as she meets you at the fence, one of the kids in her arms as the rest of the kids flock after her. It almost looked like she was a mother duck with her little ducklings.

The child in her arms was holding a rolled up pillbug, and you find yourself incing away at the sight of the isopod, a bit deterred from bugs. “Hey,” Haewon simply greets, looking a bit exhausted, but you couldn’t tell if it was from the kids or the sight of you.

“Hey…” you greet back awkwardly, looking down at all of the kids by Haewons feet. You had no idea how old they were— honestly you had no idea how kids of specific ages were supposed to look like, but with how these kids were acting, you assumed they were possibly around kindergarten age?

Each and every kid had something very interesting to say.

“Haewon-unnie, can you please play pretend with us? We need a dog!!”

“Haewon-noona, look at this dead mantis I found!!”

“Haewon-unnie, who's that?? She's reaaallllyy pretty !! Can she play with us?”

“Yeah yeah!! Can she? Huh??”

Haewons face immediately flushes red as she uses her free hand to cover one of the little girl’s face in its entirety as she goes, “Hyunjoo, shush!”

You cover your mouth with your hand to hide the smile forming on your lips, “So… Is this what's stopping you from being able to meet today?”

An exasperated sigh escapes Haewons lips as she nods, “I can't leave until one of the workers or researchers on shift turns up and it's been like an hour and nobody has shown.”

A small frown tugs on your lips as you listen to what Haewon has to say, watching as multiple children tug at the hem of her shirt from every direction, and one was even trying to untie her shoe. Haewon looked.. Helpless, albeit a bit desperate as well. None of this was your problem really, worst case scenario you just had to do Haewon’s half of the work that was meant to be completed today. Yet you still find yourself looking between the overwhelmed Haewon and the kids and feel a sense of familiarity towards the circumstance… You can't believe you were doing this.

“I.. Can probably help you out until someone arrives.”

Haewons eyes widen as the kid in her arms tries to feed her the pillbug, in which she arches her head away as she speaks, “Really? I wont be messing up your perfectly punctual schedule you have for today? I bet you had to make some sacrifices to come here.” She teases near the end of her sentence, and you feel your face heating up once again.

“I don't….!” You exhale, “Have a schedule…” You lie through your gritted teeth before shaking your head, “Look, do you want my help or not? The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back to–”

“The project, yeah yeah I know. That's all it is with you, isn't it?”

Offended, you open your mouth to retort until Haewon opens up the fence gate to allow you in, immediately sending around two or three children your way, tugging at your hands, shirt, and pant legs as they guide you inside.

“Don’t be too rough with her, guys!”

For the next hour or so, you had learned a lot whilst working with the children at the lab.

For starters, you had learned that Hyunjoo had a crush on Jeonghyun last week, but now has a crush on Hwan after Jeonghyun accidentally spilt grape juice on her dress. Also, Bora and Somin are best friends, but only one of them got invited to Kiwoo’s birthday party on Saturday, so there's some unresolved tension in the air.

Alongside the lives of these children at the facility, you also learned a bit about Haewon.

“Yeah, I spend my free time volunteering here when I don’t have class. There's not a lot of teachers here who research, and there's even less students majoring in child education or anywhere else in a similar, so I figured it’d be nice to help out while my schedule is still free,” Haewon says while sat down in a comically small chair, watching as a small girl pours muddy dirt water from a toy teapot into her even tinier toy teacup.

“A lot of parents within the town need a place to drop their kids off while they work their usual nine to fives, and the children's education department needs all the help it can get. Sometimes I skip class to cover shifts just so these kids aren't alone… And sometimes I just skip because I’m hungover,” she chuckles.

You feel your heart melt a bit at Haewon’s words as you hold one end of a jump rope, aiding the two girls from before in their game. Haewon was actually… Sweet? At least with kids. They all seemed to naturally flock to her, and she had no problem talking and interacting with them in return. You on the other hand were a bit awkward with the kids, but it was alright because kids don’t think anything is awkward at this age. This wasn't the lazy, inconsiderate asshole you’ve been despising for the past year.

Staying silent, you nod as you simply listen to Haewon ramble on, sharing little tid bits and stories of her life you never would have heard otherwise.

“I tried to get my roommate, Jinsol, to join me one day and it went to actual shi– I mean, it went horribly,” Haewon corrected herself with a very indiscreet cough before continuing on, “They all ignored her! When she tried talking to them she made the kids cry. She didn't even do anything and they already didn't like her!” She laughs out as she makes her way to tend to another kid, a little boy latched onto her leg as she goofily limps her way across the playground.

“Still, I’m surprised they like you so much. You’re normally such a stick in the mud. Maybe the kids see something I don't.”

Furrowing your brows, you look back at Haewon, but she was already preoccupied trying to separate two boys that were trying to make beetles fight in a plastic bucket. See something she doesn't? What does she even mean by that?

The children had the both of you running around like headless chickens. A pair of girls wanted to play house with you two, and assigned you and Haewon as “mom” and “dad.” Needless to say, it was awkward, the first interactions between you and the shorter girl being rather stiff and tense– but you also learned that you are actually an incredible child actor once you got into it, and played the role of “mommy” perfectly in (all of) their eyes.

Another pair of boys wanted to use you and Haewon for a piggy back ride race. Apparently, being cooped up inside studying all of the time did not make you the most fit person, and Haewon quite literally left you and your piggyback partner in the dust. You couldn’t be mad about it though, she the kid looked happy.

In due time, a fellow university student finally arrived, apologizing profusely for the tardiness as Haewon simply waves her off, insisting it wasn’t a big deal and she wore out the kids to make things easier for the next shift.

The pair of you wave goodbye to the kids as you close the fence gate behind you, dusting off your hands as Haewon lets out a sigh of relief, taking a moment to relax and stretch as a cool breeze picks up. You decide to close your eyes and take in the peace as well. You don't know when was the last time you really did anything “fun” or even let loose for that matter. The kids were a lot, but it was refreshing. Different.

The sound of Haewons stomach growling breaks the comforting silence, and you open your eyes, looking at the shorter girl with a quirked brow.

“Have you not eaten yet?”

“Ahah… No.” She sheepishly comments, “Normally I grab something to bite between my shift and our study sesh on Wednesday, but I’ve been helping out for hours by now.”

Unexpectedly, a wave of concern washes over you as she speaks.

“It doesn’t matter though, let's find somewhere to finish up the last part of our project and we can finally leave each other alo–”

“You’re going to eat.” The words almost seemed foreign coming out of your mouth, or perhaps they felt that way because you were speaking them to Haewon.

Confused, Haewon stares at you as if you’ve grown a second head. “What?”

“You’re going to eat,” you repeat matter of factly, “You can't focus on the project if you’re hungry.”

Quickly tapping into your phone and looking into google maps, you were quickly able to find a restaurant nearby for the two of you to dine at.

“There's a restaurant about a 10 minute walk away from here. It closes at 7. We’re going.”

Before Haewon can even get a proper response out, you had already grabbed onto her wrist. You really didn’t want to think too hard about what you were doing… What are you even doing? Shaking your head, you drag her down the street, the bob haired girl nearly tripping on her own two feet before she falls in line next to you, just about as confused and unsure as you were.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

The walk to the restaurant was… Fine. Albeit a bit awkward. Haewon wasn’t really expecting you to take her somewhere to do anything but study, and you weren't really expecting yourself to do that either. Apparently Haewon was the type to strike up conversation when things become awkward– unfortunately for the both of you, you were the complete opposite. So for the next 10 minutes, Haewon would make some off comment and you would simply mumble or hum in response.

Soon enough the two of you arrive at the restaurant and its definitely more on the high-end side. Dark yet warm mood lighting illuminated the interior, and the pair of you were seated near a quiet corner of the establishment, a charming bell shaped light hovering above the two of you as you blink. This setup was a bit more… Romantic, than expected; but if the food was as good as the place looked, you decide it was worth looking past.

You were handed menus as well as lemon water, and you peek over the paper to look at the girl across from you.

“Order whatever you want, I'll pay.”

A dry laugh escapes Haewons lips as she places the menu back down on the table, “oh no you’re not.”

Her response catches you off guard, and it 100% was shown in the contortions on your face. You were certain she would have jumped on the opportunity for free food. This girl was simply full of surprises, wasn't she?

“You helped me out today with the kids, I’m paying you back like the gentlewoman I am.” Haewon’s statement was firm, but you were stubborn.

“Oh yeah? With what money?”

“Hey!! I work for my money! You don't know me as well as you think you do, y/n.”

“Uh huh… so tell me then. Who is the true Oh Haewon?”

After placing your orders (you had gotten malatang while Haewon very stubbornly got herself an order of galbi and a strawberry lemonade) Haewon props her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her hands as she smirks, “what do you want to know?”

You guys then proceeded to spend the next two hours eating and chatting. Turns out Haewon wasn't all too bad company when she wasn’t existing to purely spite you. Haewon shared many interesting things about herself, like how she actually doesn’t like drinking at the endless networking parties she attends, or how she was actually fluent in spanish, or how she had no idea what she wanted to do the first year of college, but ended up transferring into business because it was the only thing that simply clicked for her. After some pressure, she even caved in, reluctantly admitting to be… Envious of you?

“Me??”

“Uh, yeah! I mean I do well in my classes and stuff, but you practically reek of academic perfection— it's actually kind of sickening,” she snorts, taking a bite into the meat on her plate as you roll your eyes. “You’re basically every professors favorite ideal student.”

“Me?? The favorite??” You scoff, “I thought you were the favorite! You act out and talk about anything in class and the professors still love you regardless! You get nearly perfect grades on every exam and have a million friends in every department, you don’t even have to try!”

“Seriously? No way. I know I'm funny and all, but I know the professors are disappointed I wasn't involved with any extracurriculars or anything. Probably think I'm wasted potential.”

“Well I know for sure they were concerned I have like, no friends or connections. That's wasted potential.”

“Wait— do you think—“

A moment of realization hits both of you like a truck.

“Ohhhh… that's why professor Wang paired us up.”

“Yup.”

A short pause passes between the two before you snort, holding back a laugh as Haewon giggles, running a free hand through her hair as she shakes her head, “That's so dumb…”

Allowing a comfortable silence to pass, you finish up your food. It was good, and you kept your eyes out for the server to approach so you could pay. Haewon had excused herself to the bathroom, and you paid no mind to it as you absentmindedly scroll through your phone, remaining attentive to your surroundings as you do so.

After a few minutes, Haewon returns, a very untrustworthy smile curled on her lips as you squint at the sight. What is she trying to get at?

“Alright, let's head out!”

You look up at Haewon from your seat in confusion, “but I didnt pa—“

That familiar smug grin was plastered on Haewon’s face again. “I paid for it already.”

“What?! How? When?”

“I didn’t actually use the bathroom.” She snickers while leaning on the table, arms crossed in satisfaction.

Haewon seemed to have more manners than you expected as well, it seemed. She beat you at your own game, as she always seems to do. You’re left there shocked for what felt like a whole minute before you shake your head, chuckling dryly as you get out of your seat.

“Okay Oh Haewon, you win this time. Let's go.”

Haewon wiggles her eyebrows teasingly as she follows you out the doors, “‘this time,’ huh? Are you implying there will be a second time?”

You raise your hand to silence the shorter girl, and she can't help but laugh at the gesture. You bite your lip to hold back your own laughter, but a silent puff of air still manages to escape your feeble attempts.

Her eyes light up as she notices this. “Aha! I saw that! Come on now, y/n. Why are you holding back on me? What? Are you afraid to show any signs you might like me a little now?”

Under normal circumstances, you’d find yourself seething with rage at the other girl's comments. You’d think to yourself: who was she to poke fun at you? She's nothing but rude, childish, and every other insult above. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t be allowing yourself to laugh freely into the air, the sky above you and Haewon slowly morphing from blue to orange as you finally release all of the tension pent up within you.

But this wasn’t a normal circumstance. You honestly had no idea how you even really ended up here to be honest. You were supposed to be at home by now, typing away at yet another project for some big club or company in your large sea of responsibilities. Instead, you find yourself walking down the sidewalk on the outskirts of campus with no other than Oh Haewon, your (now seemingly one sided) academic rival, laughing away, and actually thoroughly enjoying her company.

The pair of you find yourselves back at the lab, but the air was quiet this time, the stars above beginning to emerge from the blanket of night. You lean your back back on the fence, arms propped up behind you as you look back at Haewon as she stands in front of you. You weren't that much taller than her, maybe by an inch or so, but the fact that she had to crane her neck ever so slightly in order to make eye contact with you gave you a teeny tiny ego boost.

You can’t believe you were smiling right now, and it was because of the girl in front of you. “Y’know, I thought I had you pegged, but turns out I was wrong. You’re not all too bad when you decide to be.”

Haewon grins playfully back at you, absentmindedly fiddling with her fingers as she nods, “You’re not as prissy and snobby as I thought you were either.”

You simply hum in response, taking a moment to look back up at the stars scattered throughout the sky. If you didn’t go out tonight, you would've missed all of this. You can't remember the last time you actually took a moment to enjoy the night. It was beautiful.

“So… About this ‘next time’ you mentioned…”

Your gaze shifts back down to Haewon, and you notice she's inched closer. Smiling, you remain leaning on the fence, undeterred. “What about it?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, y/n. Are you saying you want to see me again even after this project is done?”

It's finally your turn to be smug. “And what if I am?”

Haewon is caught off guard. “...Then… I would also like that.”

Your smile softens as you take one of her hands in yours. Haewon’s hands were surprisingly small, and also quite soft. You slowly raise it to your lips and plant a soft kiss on the back of it, letting the feeling linger for a moment before pulling away, still holding her hand in yours as you look at Haewon. Her pale skin turns bright red for the second time today. A soft laugh leaves your lips at the sight.

“Cute.”

Unfortunately, your romantic gestures are met with a punch to your side and a flustered groan as Haewon twirls around in an attempt to hide her face. “You really are annoying, you know that?!” She exclaims, already walking in the opposite direction as you chuckle. When was the last time you had fun like this?

“So. Same time next week?” You call out, and you’re very charmingly met with a childish middle finger stuck into the air. With that gesture alone, you already know she’ll make it to the next project meeting right on time.

#kpop x female reader #kpop fanfic #kpop #kpop x fem reader #gxg #gg fanfic #kpop gg x reader #kpop gg #oh haewon x reader #oh haewon x fem reader #haewon x reader #haewon x fem reader #nmixx #nmixx x reader #nmixx x fem reader #Spotify

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peachdues · 5 months ago

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I’m getting slammed at work rn and I’m going on a mini-vacation later this week, so don’t have a ton of time to write. In the meantime, enjoy a small peek at Part II of The Great War

First, he took her shopping.

The idea had been to give her whatever she needed, having little in the way of possessions. Giyuu insisted she get whatever she wanted and not to concern herself with cost.

Easier said than done.

Not once in the more than one year he’d known her, had Giyuu ever seen Y/N shy. Yet, as they browsed the small stalls lining the lively street market, or turned about the tailor shops boasting an array of exquisite silk kimonos and fabrics, his fiance remained remarkably subdued. And though he’d insisted she pick out whatever caught her eye, Y/N stayed quiet.

He knew it was likely she was overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of it all, and so, as they left their third shop empty-handed, Giyuu resolved to make the trip as easy as possible for her.

Anything she touched — anything she lingered on for more than a moment, he purchased.

No matter how she tried to dissuade him.

“Giyuu, this is far too much —“

“I have the means,” he replied simply, nodding at the shopkeeper who’d presented them a rather extravagant hair comb that had made his beloved’s eyes go wide. “More than I know what to do with, actually.”

“These are your earnings! You should spend them on yourself — purchase something you desire.”

“Everything I desire is currently standing beside me, protesting how I choose to spoil her.” And Giyuu flashed her a small smile meant only for her eyes before he returned to his casual perusal of fine baubles laid out before him. “There is nothing more I could want.”

—

BONUS!

Giyuu pressed his lips to the Miko’s ear and his voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Wear that later.”

wants her to put it on so he can take it off yk (or fuck her in it)

#incorporating Giyuu’s love language of gift giving bc he would spoil tf out of his partner #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #giyuu tomioka #kny #kny x reader #kny fanfic #demon slayer fanfic #kny giyuu #giyuu x reader #tomioka giyū #kimetsu giyuu #giyuu x you

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alwaysbewoke · 11 months ago

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Ota Benga was born around 1883, in what is now the Republic of Congo. Theirs was a hunter-gatherer society. When he became a man, his teeth were chipped into sharp points, part of his tribal customs. His world came crashing down when King Leopold II of Belgium (The butcher of Congo) established a colony in the Congo to exploit its valuable resources. The demand for rubber was increasing around the world and Leopold wanted to corner the market. He subdued the native population to force them into laboring on the rubber plantations. In Belgium Congo, women were held hostage until their men returned with enough rubber for the colonizer King Leopold. Some had their hands chopped off for not meeting rubber quotas. Ota was out on a hunting expedition when his village was attacked by the slavers. Whether they were Force Publique or an African group working to collect people to sell to them varies from story to story. He was taken captive. On the other side of the globe, a man named Samuel Verner was preparing exhibits for the 1904 World's Fair. The fair's organizers wanted to do an exhibit showing the progress of mankind “from the dark prime to the highest enlightenment, from savagery to civic organisation" He was given a hefty budget to collect living "specimens" of people from Africa to represent the "savage depths" from which mankind had sprung. The experience of young African men at the 'fair' aka Human Zoo, was not a pleasant one. Billed as cannibals, they shook spears at the crowd and grimaced with their filed teeth, modeling their "war dances" Verner sent Ota to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. In 1906, Verner found a new home for Ota: The Bronx Zoo. Ota was put as an "exhibit" A plaque was erected, describing him in the same way an animal would be described and put into a cage in the monkey house. The Minneapolis Journal declared Ota to be the "missing link" between chimps and humans. On March 19, 1916, he stole a revolver gun and shot himself through the heart.

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mydearestbeloved · 14 days ago

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Chapter 9 [Draft]

Sung Jinwoo/Trial Player!Reader

CW:

Inspired by @circeyoru ‘s “Future Power Couple”

[Masterlist🦋✨️]

Jinwoo had been mulling over a simple, yet increasingly puzzling question: How does one even contact you?

Despite weeks of fighting together, not once had he taken the initiative to reach out. The strange thing? You two hadn’t even exchanged numbers. You either planned your next raid before parting ways, or—more recently—you would simply show up because of your own schedule, or a butterfly of yours would come to him first.

The answer came to him, in a way that felt both obvious and absurd. Your butterflies.

Jinwoo wasn’t one to wait idly for answers, so he decided to test his theory. Concentrating on the familiar presence of your aura, he extended his hand, replicating that feeling in his mind. Moments later, one of your butterflies—the one that often remained hidden nearby, perhaps acting as your eyes—fluttered into view, landing lightly on his open palm.

Its wings faltered slightly, as if in acknowledgment.

This might actually work.

Closing his eyes, Jinwoo focused on the connection he had felt before, the distinct feeling of the red butterfly communicating with him.

Take me to her.

He didn’t know if it would respond, but soon enough, the butterfly took off, guiding him through the city.

---

He found you in the Hunter’s Market, haggling with a merchant. You were engaged in a rather intense back-and-forth, and judging by the merchant’s begrudging look, you were winning. In your hands, Jinwoo caught sight of what looked like a dormant magic beast egg, likely the reason for the negotiation.

"You're late."

You greeted him without even turning around, continuing to inspect the wares. Jinwoo raised an eyebrow. Not even a flicker of surprise from you. It was becoming clear that not much could catch you off guard.

By now, he was getting used to your way of doing things. "I need to talk to you."

There was an unspoken understanding between you that this wasn’t a conversation for public ears.

As you continued to browse the market, you hummed in acknowledgment. "I need to talk to you about some things too. Let’s continue this conversation in my domain. I’ll be done here in a few."

Jinwoo froze, staring at your back in confusion.

“Domain?"

"Dungeon," you corrected nonchalantly, still focused on the items displayed before you, your words casual as if you were discussing the weather.

Jinwoo’s brain paused for a moment.

"You own a dungeon?"

At that, you paused, a beat of silence passing before you turned toward him with a curious tilt of your head. "Did I never mention it before?"

"..."

"Ah."

For a split second, Jinwoo had the very distinct and rare urge to pinch your cheek. But instead, he just stared, half-amused, half-incredulous. You owned a dungeon, and you were mentioning it in the most off-handed way possible.

Of course, you would be the kind of person to forget to bring up owning something like that.

And just like that, another piece of the puzzle that was you fell into place, though Jinwoo knew he had only barely scratched the surface.

---

Jinwoo couldn't help but feel a rising sense of disbelief as he followed you into the alley. He had barely come to terms with the revelation that you owned a dungeon. Even now, he had to force himself to stop asking questions before they overwhelmed him.

He kept telling himself, Stay calm. Just get to a private place. Ask your questions there.

But, of course, fate had other plans.

As if summoned by his very thoughts, a glowing portal materialized in front of them with a soft hum. Jinwoo froze mid-step, his eyes widening. The gate was far smaller than the typical ones he had encountered, just big enough to fit a full-grown adult comfortably—yet there was no mistaking it for anything but a dungeon gate. The shimmering silver-white wisps that surrounded it were unlike any other, almost blending with rainbow-like accents at the edges. It looked... strange, subdued compared to the usual ethereal blues and reds, but somehow still powerful.

It was just his luck.

Jinwoo had been trying to push the thousand and one questions flooding his mind to the back of his thoughts, but now, they came rushing back in full force. He glanced at you, but you didn’t even seem phased by the sudden appearance of the portal. Instead, you waved him forward, as if portals and dungeons appeared in alleyways every day.

He hesitated for a split second but, deciding it was better to follow your lead than be left behind in confusion, he stepped forward, his senses alert. The instant he crossed the threshold of the gate, everything seemed to shift. The world around him blurred for a second before stabilizing again, and he found himself standing in a vast open temple-like structure.

It was nothing like the harsh, ominous dungeons he’d been to before.

The structure was grand, with high ceilings and pillars that seemed to stretch endlessly upwards. The atmosphere had an air of serenity to it, something so starkly different from what he expected when entering a dungeon. But it didn’t end there. As he followed you forward, stepping through what looked like the entrance of a colossal, ancient temple, Jinwoo’s gaze was drawn outward.

The view beyond the floating temple was breathtaking.

The sight was nothing short of a dreamscape. Lush forests and vast gardens stretched far beyond what the eye could see. Gentle rivers meandered through valleys, their sparkling waters catching the sunlight. Towering, misty mountains loomed in the distance, and there were labyrinthine paths that seemed to lead into hidden areas, mysterious domed structures rising proudly in the distance. The land appeared to have been untouched by time, ancient and majestic in its quiet beauty.

It felt more like a paradise than any dungeon Jinwoo had ever seen.

This is a dungeon?

"I know, right?" you spoke, breaking his thoughts, your voice playful. "Trust me, the first time I got here, I thought I was dead and that this was paradise."

Jinwoo’s eyes flicked to you in surprise.

But you continued walking calmly ahead without a glance back, seeming completely at ease, at home.

This place, this dungeon, was a paradox. It was both beautiful and dangerous, serene and lethal. As you moved forward, he couldn’t help but make comparisons. It reminded him of the butterflies—so ethereal, so delicate, yet with a deadly bite.

Like you, Jinwoo realized.

As if sensing his thoughts, you shot him a brief glance over your shoulder. Your eyes caught his for a moment before you turned back ahead, leading him forward through the landscape. Jinwoo shook his head, his thoughts momentarily swirling. But something made him froze in his steps.

He watched you from behind, the soft fluttering of butterflies surrounding you, some of them trailing closely behind, others flitting about aimlessly.

One butterfly, the familiar red one, fluttered close to you and landed delicately on your finger. You brought it up to your lips and kissed it gently, a soft, quiet action that felt impossibly tender.

Divine.

Jinwoo couldn’t help but wonder again, and for some reason, his pulse quickened. But, before he could dwell too much on his absurd thoughts, he shook his head and hurried to catch up with you.

---

The two of you continued walking until you reached a beautiful outdoor gazebo. The serene atmosphere of the garden, complete with a quiet pond surrounded by vibrant flowers, made it feel just like the rest of this space shouldn’t had been, a paradise. The soft trickle of water from nearby waterfalls added to the peaceful ambiance. On the table in front of the gazebo, there was tea and snacks laid out, ready for the conversation he knew he had to have with you.

Jinwoo sat down across from you, his mind buzzing with questions. He had so many things he wanted to know, and yet, he wasn’t sure where to start.

You, on the other hand, took a sip of your tea, completely at ease, before setting it down. You studied him quietly for a moment, perhaps waiting for him to speak first.

It took a moment, but Jinwoo finally asked, "This place... this dungeon. How did you come to own it?"

You sighed, leaning back in your chair, looking out over the garden for a moment as if gathering your thoughts. "Ah, yes. The story of how I got this place. It’s not simple, but I suppose I owe you an explanation."

You paused, seeming to gather yourself. "The truth is, this dungeon was here long before I ever arrived. In fact, I... was lost here when I was a child."

Jinwoo blinked, surprised. You—lost?

You continued, seemingly unfazed by his reaction. "I was barely a teen when I stumbled into it. The Trial System... it didn’t exactly help me, if you know what I mean. But it gave me a challenge I couldn’t ignore. To leave this place, I had to defeat the dungeon’s guardians."

Guardians? Bosses? Multiple?

You caught his gaze, raising an eyebrow as if to ask if that was a question. Jinwoo didn’t say anything, but his mind whirled. It was clear that this place wasn’t like any other dungeon he’d ever encountered.

"So, how did you own it?" he asked, his voice quieter now, as if trying to make sense of this all.

“The Trial System gave it to me as a... reward, I guess,” you said, a faint smile playing on your lips. "It’s mine now, in every sense of the word. And because I own it, I can summon it whenever I need to. I can open a portal to it and leave at will." You looked at him, eyes gleaming. "That’s how I was able to summon that gate earlier. It’s a... special gift."

Jinwoo absorbed the information, slowly piecing it together. "So, you can teleport anywhere?”

“Not exactly, I need to have a clear picture of where I want to go." You shrugged nonchalantly.

Jinwoo exhaled sharply, his thoughts swirling. As much as he wanted to ask more—wanted to demand answers—he felt something within him pull him back. This was your secret to reveal, in your own time.

So, instead of questioning you further, he allowed himself a moment of quiet contemplation. You seemed to know what he was thinking. With a soft smile, you raised your cup again and said, "I don’t mind sharing more, Jinwoo. But just know, some things are better left unsaid.”

Jinwoo nodded, his gaze lingering on you. He would get the answers he was looking for, one way or another. But for now, he would have to trust you—because there was no other choice.

---

Jinwoo stared at you, completely flabbergasted, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "You have to what now?"

You sighed, sinking a bit deeper into the seat of the gazebo, as if this whole conversation were some kind of exhausting memory you'd rather not dig up. "I have to level up my skills manually. Yes. Manually."

You could almost see the gears turning in his head as he tried to wrap his mind around it. "Wait, so… no shortcuts? No automatic leveling?"

"None." You let out a dramatic groan, leaning back and stretching your arms out. "The system basically made me work my way up through blood, sweat, and endless labor. You’d think the trial version would offer at least some quality-of-life updates, but nope. If I wanted to get better at farming, I had to actually go out and till the fields. If I wanted to improve cooking… yeah, let’s just say that was a nightmare."

Jinwoo blinked, half in shock, half in amusement. "Wait… so, all those skills that the system grants—crafting, mining, cooking—you had to actually do all those things?"

"Yep," you replied, with a roll of your eyes. "No instant boosts for me. While you get to succeed or fail with crafting based on your intelligence stat, I actually had to sit down and grind every skill point myself. And, of course, I started off just as badly as you’d expect.”

He tried to picture it and stifled a laugh. "So you’re telling me… you burned a boiled egg?”

"Listen," you huffed, giving him an exasperated look. "It was the lowest-level cooking skill, okay? Apparently, it was so low that I couldn't even be trusted to make something as simple as a boiled egg. Somehow, it just… burned." You buried your face in your hands, grumbling, "It’s still a mystery to me how boiling water and an egg turned into charcoal. But that was my life. Trial version for the win."

Jinwoo couldn’t hold back his laugh anymore, and the sound of it filled the air, rich and full of genuine amusement. "You? Burning an egg? You?"

"Hey, don’t laugh! It’s not funny," you protested and pouted at him. "Let’s just say I made my fair share of… tragic cooking attempts before my skill level got high enough to handle basic meals without a disaster."

You watched him try to stifle his laughter, but your own lips twitched, betraying a smile as well. "And it wasn’t just cooking," you added. "Farming was another story. I didn’t even know the basics—soil preparation, crop rotation, pest control. Do you have any idea how long it took me to produce anything that wasn't... wilted? Even mining was brutal. There I was, chipping away with an old pickaxe for hours just to get a sliver of ore."

He shook his head, still grinning. "Looks like you went through your own personal training arc as well."

"Of course I do." you agreed with a snort. "If the system hadn’t taken feedback from me eventually, you’d be the one cursing it out every time you tried to do something simple. But yeah, thankfully, the system decided to cut you a break. Guess my suffering counted for something, after all."

You straightened in your seat and took a sip of your tea, a satisfied smirk crossing your face. "But at least, once I got a skill to a decent level, it stayed there. Permanent. I don’t have to touch a frying pan for years, and the skill level’s still as good as ever. And the skills I invested in heavily—those have even broader effects."

Jinwoo’s brow furrowed, curious now. "Broader effects?"

You nodded, glancing up thoughtfully as if reliving memories. "Take my language skill, for example. I leveled it up while studying Monster Tongue, which was excruciating at first. But once I maxed out that skill, learning other languages was a breeze. The system gave me a boost, kind of like an automatic enhancement for anything similar. If I tried learning another language now, it’d be easy compared to when I first started out.”

He gave a low whistle. "So basically, the more you leveled up, the easier it became to learn things related to that skill?"

"Exactly." You placed your cup back on the saucer with a gentle clink. "Though there’s a catch. Back then, whenever the system went through an update, some skills would get expanded. The cap would get set higher, and I’d have to grind all over again to max them out."

You gave him a look of exasperation. "Imagine maxing out a skill only for the system to update and say, 'Hey, you can go up to Level 50 now instead of 30!' That happened so many times, I lost count."

Jinwoo leaned back, his expression growing more serious. "So… what happens now? Are you stuck with your current stats forever?"

You took a slow breath, letting the question sink in before nodding. "That’s exactly it. Since the trial stage ended when you became the player, there haven’t been any more updates. My levels, skills, and stats… they’re frozen as they are. I can’t adjust my stats, I can’t level anything up, that’s why I don’t get EXP anymore. It’s like I’m in a kind of… stasis."

He was silent for a moment, digesting the weight of that statement. It was strange to think that someone with as much knowledge and power as you would be… limited.

"I still have everything I gained during the trial, of course," you continued, your tone turning thoughtful as you gazed out over the garden. "But it’s a strange feeling, knowing that I’ll never improve again. All my stats, skills, and levels are frozen in time. There’s no ‘growth’ anymore—not like what you have."

Jinwoo frowned. "And that doesn’t bother you?"

You shrugged, meeting his eyes again. "It did, at first. But after a while, I came to terms with it. I put in the effort back then, and I reaped the rewards. Sure, I miss the feeling of progress, of leveling up. But the fact that you’re the player now means the system’s finished with me." You managed a smile, though it was a bit bittersweet.

He looked at you, quiet for a moment, perhaps feeling a hint of the sacrifice you'd made just for the sake of his journey.

"So now," you said, breaking the silence with a brighter tone, "I’m basically a living relic of the trial version, here to help you navigate the system’s quirks."

Jinwoo smirked at that. "The legendary burnt-egg chef, my official guide through the system."

You snorted, rolling your eyes. "That title better not stick." Then, with a playful nudge of your cup in his direction, you raised an eyebrow. "And hey, if I’m going to help you, maybe you could use a few pointers. Starting with, oh, I don’t know… naming tips? You’re downright horrible at that."

The two of you shared a look, both of you smiling. And despite the strange circumstances, Jinwoo knew he was glad to have you by his side, guiding him, burnt eggs and all.

[Oh, he’ll not let that go, will he?]

“And whose fault do you think that is?”

---

"The meals with healing properties, the intricate mana stones, and how your butterflies can affect my daggers' stats... So that's why..." Jinwoo trailed off, connecting the dots.

You nodded, munching on a biscuit. "Mhm, pretty much. Since I have to actually *learn* the fundamentals of each skill, I can manipulate and craft related items more easily. It makes altering, replicating, or even making things from scratch a lot more natural."

You paused, reflecting for a moment before continuing, "It’s a blessing that the last system update allowed me to max out certain skills to the point where I can do these things in reality without relying solely on the system."

You brushed the crumbs from your fingers and leaned back, satisfied. "Anyway, that's all I wanted to tell you. Now, what is it you wanted to say?"

Jinwoo took a deep breath, locking eyes with you. "Join me for a week."

"...Eh?"

Without a word, he held up an item—a key.

<Castle Door Key>.

It was the entry to the Demon Castle, the S-rank dungeon created by the system itself.

"There’s no rule saying I can’t bring someone with me. You don’t gain any more experience, so there’s nothing for me to lose. But you might get materials you won’t find anywhere else, not even in the hunter's market—"

"I refuse."

Jinwoo blinked, surprised. "What?"

You looked away, your mind racing. The offer was tempting—you had several experiments in mind, but there was too much at stake. There were bigger forces at play—the plot, the system's interference, and Jinwoo's crucial development. You couldn’t afford to be too involved in this one. You needed a good excuse, something he would believe.

"Jinwoo," you began, "you’re aware of my powers' limitations, right?"

"What does that have to do with—"

"Listen." Your voice, suddenly sharp, cut through the air, and Jinwoo froze.

For the first time, Jinwoo felt uneasy, confused, like he had said something wrong. He didn’t like the shift in your demeanor, especially when it was directed at him.

"'Demon' Castle," you continued, your tone softer but firm, "just by the name alone, we can assume the majority, if not half, of enemies there will be undead."

"..."

"My powers thrive off life. In an essentially ‘dead’ land, I’ll be at a severe disadvantage—"

"I'll protect you."

"And that’s exactly the problem. I’ll be a deadweight."

"Just focus on supporting me and my shadows."

You stared at him, the determination in his eyes unwavering. He was serious—dead serious.

You rubbed your temples, feeling a headache coming on. "You’re really persistent."

"I know," he replied, not once backing down.

You exhaled, resigned. Deep down, you knew that continuing to refuse him would lead to something far more troublesome. There was no winning against Jinwoo when he was this determined. "Alright," you finally said, "I’ll join you. But if things go south, you have to trust me to pull back. Understood?"

As if you could leave him, the nagging thought echoed in your mind.

Jinwoo’s gaze softened slightly, and a small, rare smile crept onto his lips. "Understood."

You only hoped that the system wouldn’t interfere or cause any unexpected complications this time. But one question remained: why was Jinwoo so insistent on bringing you along, despite the risks?

Unbeknownst to you, Jinwoo was asking himself the same thing. But it was something he wasn’t quite ready to admit—not to you, and perhaps not even to himself.

End Note:

Unedited Draft of [023/10/2024] -

The middle part of this, the convo between Jinwoo and (Name) feels a bit weird, so I apologize for the OOC-ness. I'll come back to this later.

#solo leveling #solo leveling imagine #solo leveling x reader #sung jin woo x reader #sung jinwoo #sung jinwoo x reader #yandere sung jinwoo #only i level up #solo leveling jinwoo #fanfic #fanfiction #solo leveling fanfic #sung jin woo #fem reader #x reader #reader insert

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altocat · 8 months ago

Note

The Silver Elite club is so creepy actually. The fan clubs for Genesis and Angeal share basic information about Angeal loving plants and cooking or Genesis having a history with Loveless.

But Silver Elite takes it to another level. The information is uncomfortably private. Sephiroth sneaking into the training room with his friends was supposed to be a secret, but Hojo exposed it anyway. Yet in the same newsletter he writes about how Sephiroth valued his privacy. Great.

Then for Hojo to share something as personal as what Sephiroth used to clean his “long beautiful hair” is absolutely repulsive and disgusting. All that fan club did was expose how obsessed Hojo was with Sephiroth and how closely he monitored him all his life.

It's really eye-opening because Silver Elite is sorta played for laughs in CC, or at least meant to be kind of amusing because it's Sephiroth doing mundane Sephiroth things, only for you to realize in hindsight that it's actually a very deeply violating invasion of privacy. Sephiroth around CC era won't even LOOK at Hojo, much less speak to him. I refuse to believe he's giving Hojo any license to post all this private information without Shinra pressuring him into compliance.

People have expectations of Sephiroth. That he's this regal, dominant creature that is always in control, always above everyone else, always flawless and badass at everything he does. They know him as a villain, powerful, imposing, always two steps ahead of Cloud and crew, always smug and threatening and towering over the competition. Crisis Core (and First Soldier) paints a far grimmer picture as to the person Sane!Sephiroth really was pre-madness. He's actually very passive and subdued, dare I say submissive. He has his pride, yeah. And a level of authority over his men. He's definitely not someone you want to annoy or come to blows with. But in his private life within Shinra, he's actually very nonconfrontational and sort of bleakly resigned to everything.

Maybe the EC marketing was right when it suggested that the audience doesn't really KNOW Sephiroth. Because the way the real Sephiroth acts doesn't suggest dominance or power or autonomy of any kind. He's dealt a lot of daily Shinra bullshit and he just puts up with it. He does as he's told. He can be choosy about his missions and he might have a few more privileges than the average soldier. But his hands are just as tied as everyone else's. Maybe even more so because his guardians are allowed to exploit him for profit day after day just to drum up propaganda for new recruits.

#asks #ff7 #ffvii #final fantasy 7 #sephcanons #crisis core #sephiroth #hojo

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belovedstill · 2 months ago

Text

svsss 10th anniversary snippets ◀ [ 7/7 ] the new fan @ ao3 | bingqiu | disciple years inspired by this adorable art by @hootyhoowoo ✨

It starts with a walk through the town market at the foot of the Cang Qiong Mountain. Shen Qingqiu took several of his disciples on a low-level mission to teach them how to not cause more harm than good when saving a village from a havoc-wreaking beast. It’s easy to fight with reckless abandon; it’s much harder to keep the local people’s property safe while subduing the danger.

They’ve done well. As a reward, Shen Qingqiu has bought them each a tanghulu on their way back. With how their eyes shine, nobody would ever be able to tell they are young men and women but rather believe them to be little ducklings!

The ducklings have just tripped towards the mountain, chattering around the sticky treats, but Shen Qingqiu himself has stayed behind. A nearby stall has caught his eye.

“Ah, the Esteemed Master has an eye for exquisite goods!” the vendor said in a greeting, spreading his arms over his wares. “Only the highest quality here! Is this Master looking for a jade pendant to gift to his beloved? Or maybe a hair ornament to add to the guan he’s wearing?”

Before Shen Qingqiu can get a word in, the man looks to the side, where a lone duckling shyly steps closer.

“Shizun…”

The vendor smiles. “Or maybe a sword tassel for the Young Master?”

Shen Qingqiu sighs and shakes his head. “This one is simply looking.” Then, when the vendor lets him be for the moment, he glances at his disciple. “What is Binghe doing, not getting back with the others?”

Luo Binghe, who’s holding the tanghulu stick with both hands as if it’s a priceless offering rather than a common candy, pinks a little. In embarrassment, surely.

“This one was worried somebody would bother Shizun and wanted to be there to help, just in case.”

Aiya, what a sweet sheep!

“This Master doesn’t need protection,” he says gently, “but if Binghe is already here, he should stay close so nobody bothers him instead.”

“Yes, Shizun!”

Shen Qingqiu turns back to the stall and looks over the spread of the trinkets. On a closer inspection, the goods really do look quite well-crafted. His eyes are immediately drawn to the collection of hand fans. There’s quite the variety: simple fans made entirely of carved wood, bamboo and paper ones with auspicious characters and romantic poems written in elegant calligraphy, ones with painted scenes of nature…

He glances at Luo Binghe when he shifts a little closer, his eyes also on the fans.

“Does Binghe like any of them?”

Luo Binghe looks up at him, startled, then looks away just as fast. He points at the fan with two graceful cranes spreading their wings, ready to take flight, and mumbles:

“This one looks the most up to Shizun’s tastes.”

What a filial disciple, thinking of his Master first!

Warmth expands in Shen Qingqiu’s chest as he points at the fan. “I’ll take this one,” he tells the vendor. He glances sneakily at the flustered Binghe from the corner of his eye, then back at the stall’s trinkets.

Surely, a little spoiling won’t hurt? he thinks, nodding to himself. It’s just to curry favour.

“This jade pendant, too, please.”

The stall seller bows with a smile and wraps the two objects into separate parcels. “This Esteemed Master has wonderful taste, wonderful taste, indeed!”

Shen Qingqiu pays for the purchase, takes both parcels, and leaves for the entrance to the sect, Luo Binghe in tow, even if he keeps falling several steps behind from time to time.

Before they reach the bottom of the stairs, he stops and turns to the boy. He holds out the smaller parcel to him.

“As Binghe so graciously helped this Master pick his new fan, this Master picked this trinket for him.”

Binghe stares at the gift, then looks up, wide-eyed, and stares at him instead. The tanghulu is still held tightly in both his hands.

He’s… very quiet.

Shen Qingqiu can feel a drop of sweat form at his temple. Has he said something out of line…? Cover up! Must cover up!

“It’s for protection and good luck,” he says in his best Immortal Teacher voice, “but Binghe can just as well keep it and sell it later if he ever needs—”

“No!” Binghe cries, so suddenly that the mask of Shen Qingqiu’s Shizun face falters for a split second. “This Binghe will treasure it! A gift from Shizun… This one will never take it off!”

Can a chest burst from such overwhelming fondness?

Luo Binghe reaches both hands to accept the parcel with bright, bright eyes and coloured cheeks, and looks adorably distraught when he realises his hands are still too full to respectfully receive a gift.

Shen Qingqiu sighs a soft smile and unwraps the parcel. The pendant has come with a string long enough to make for a comfortable necklace.

“Shizun will put it on Binghe for him.” This way he can keep holding onto the tanghulu; a very pragmatic decision.

Luo Binghe stays very still when Shen Qingqiu carefully loops the new trinket around his neck, not a breath in or out. The string catches on the curly hair, so he gently pulls the strands away and pats them over.

There, that shouldn’t have tugged at all.

Binghe looks so moved, Shen Qingqiu can’t help himself and gives the top of his head one last headpat, before he turns towards the stairs up the mountain.

“Let’s go home, now,” he says. “Everybody must be waiting.”

It takes a while before Binghe catches up to him this time.

#svsss #svsss text #svsss fic #bingqiu #white lotus lbh #my writing #m #10 years of svsss #the moment i saw that art piece i was overcome with such incredible fondness 🥺 babbling in the tags was not enough #that's the last one i think 🙏 happy 10 years svsss friends!

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quack-quack-snacks · 4 months ago

Text

Time Will Tell - Chapter 1.12

Can you tell that I'm having trouble finding gifs that fit the chapters?

My Time Will Tell Masterlist

My Cha Hyun-su Masterlist

My Navigation and Masterlist

The Time Will Tell Glossary

Warnings: Minor character deaths, passing out 🤪. Word Count: 1,706

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According to the clock on the wall, it was 5:13. When your legs got tired of wandering in circles, you chose to join Eun-hyuk in the surveillance room. It had been a while since you’d talked to him since he spent all his time in there, just waiting for his sister to come back downstairs and for Yi-kyung to return from her brave venture into the basement.

A knock on the door brought his attention away from the wall of screens and over to you as you entered into the room.

“Hey, everything okay?” He asked once he turned around to look at you with his normal blank stare. His voice was quiet but had the slightest hint of concern.

“Yeah, everything’s good. Seok-hyeon has selfishly completely blocked off the market to everyone except him and his wife, so our food source is down unless that opens up again,” you sighed and propped yourself up onto the table next to him as he returned his gaze to the camera. After opening your wallet, you saw the limited amount of cash you had. “I was thinking we could all combine our cash and use it to buy as much food as possible. At least that way Seok-hyeon would open the door for us,” you theorized out loud. He refocused his attention on you as you came up with ideas for what you could do about the food situation. “Maybe we could just steal some,” you theorized again, this time much quieter and sneaking a look at the door to make sure no one was coming in to hear you.

Eun-hyuk softly laughed at that idea and you shot him a sheepish grin. “That doesn’t sound like a terrible idea honestly.”

Your grin turned more confident and teasing. “Exactly! Wow, Eun-hyuk, never expected you to be one for thievery. Such a rebel,” you teased with a light laugh.

“We need as much help as we can get,” he said, his voice starting out with a light tone but fading to a more serious one.

You nodded, the smile on your face becoming more subdued. “Yeah of course. Oh! That reminds me, there’s a new guy in the lobby now. He came down with a suitcase full of food that he shared with everyone.”

“That’s good at least, we have a better hold of the food situation for now,” Eun-hyuk nodded.

“I guess, but he seems… off. I don’t know what it is but I don’t trust him,” you confessed, fiddling with your fingers as you remembered the feeling he gave you when you saw him walk toward the group with that suitcase.

“Okay,” Eun-hyuk started, trying to reassure you and validate you about your feelings. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

You nodded and smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you, Eun-hyuk,” you told him. He nodded in return and looked back at the cameras, occasionally glancing back at you as you sat there in silence. When you felt the air start to thicken with a bit of awkwardness due to the silence, you took it as your leave and stood up. “Well, I’ll see you later, yeah?”

“Yeah, see you later,” he replied. “If you see my sister, could you send her my way?”

You nodded with a reassuring smile. “She’s tough, she’ll be okay.”

He nodded, looking down at his lap. He was worried but he knew your words were true. Eun-yu was tough, tougher than he wanted her to be. He knew it was the trauma of losing their parents that caused her to be that way, just like how it caused him to become the caretaker of the both of them.

Even if she hated him for it.

He shook his head when the daily music sounded from the speakers, realizing he’d been staring at the door where you’d just walked out of. Instead, the music reminded him of when he tried to use the speaker system to call for other survivors. He tried the other day to announce it over the speakers but it didn’t work.

‘Maybe this time…’ he thought.

And so, he stood up to try again. It was the same as before for the first few tries, just straight static and no connection to the building’s speakers as he tested it with his voice.

It was only after he kept trying, attempting to keep his mind off his wandering sister, that it finally worked.

You were just wandering around when you heard the speakers projecting Eun-hyuk’s voice all over the building.

“Survivors,” he announced. “The first floor is safe now. Come to the first floor. We’ll be safer together. We survivors… Must stick together. Please come down. Come down here now… I said, please come down-” His voice cut off and the speakers went back to being silent. You sighed, hoping there would be some people who would be brave enough to get down to the first floor and bring some food and water, but you weren’t going to place any bets on it.

Your pacing stopped when you heard distant screaming and arguing and you started running towards it. Once you saw the group, you ran up beside everyone. “What the hell is happening?” You asked Eun-hyuk, who looked spooked by your sudden presence.

“Min-ju! Run!” The woman screamed again just as the young girl was fully in view and revealed herself from behind a flipped-over truck. She sprinted as fast as she could towards them, not stopping or slowing down and not even looking at the ground as she ran. That was her downfall when she tripped over a pothole in the ground, spraining or possibly even breaking her ankle. Jin-ok continued to scream for her daughter as she limped towards them, pain and fear showing on her face.

“Shouldn’t we do something?” Jae-hwan asked. “We need to decide now!”

“What do we do?” Seung-wan screamed out.

Just as you had made up your mind that you wouldn’t just let this girl die without any help, you quickly started to step forward. You couldn’t get more than a foot forward when Eun-hyuk protectively wrapped his arms around you, stopping you from moving any further.

“No!” You screamed. “Let me go! She needs help!” You protested, he just tightened his grip around you without saying a word. You struggled and screamed some more until the two of you were bumped into, stumbling to the side as Su-ung - the resident dressed in military clothes - ran forward, nudging everyone out of the way as he sprinted out of the gate toward Min-ju. Your struggling stopped as you watched him get closer and closer, getting nearly within reaching distance of her until-

Stab!

The tongue of the monster you’d fought off during the first night pierced its way through the chest of Min-ju and through the stomach of Su-ung. With his hand still outreached for the girl, he coughed up blood and fell to the ground with a slap from the tentacle. Min-ju was even more unlucky. The tongue stayed pierced through her as it seemed to be stealing her life, just like it did to that man that first night. It lifted her off the ground, everyone too much in shock at the moment to do anything besides watch in horror as she was harshly dropped onto a concrete slab on the ground.

Blood dripped down each of the two’s faces, scattering the red liquid all across the bricks underneath them.

Jin-ok finally broke out of her shock, wailing as she watched the life drain from her daughter’s body.

“She could still be alive, you know,” the new man said quietly as he approached from behind you and Eun-hyuk. His words broke you out of your stupor and you shot him a glance before moving into action. You watched as Seung-wan and Jae-hwan ran to close the gate and you sighed slightly in relief as you saw it start to close ever so slowly.

“No way,” Eun-hyuk said as he ran to pull everyone away from the entrance. You took the next step of lifting the storage cabinet to block the entrance again. Eun-hyuk came up to help you when he saw you struggling slightly from the weight and you both succeeded in lifting the box.

It was so fast you almost didn’t see it happen when the cabinet’s door swung open, knocking Eun-hyuk away with the force and sending him onto his back while you stood less than an inch away from the creature’s tongue. It opened and closed its ‘mouth’, slithering around while it searched for its next meal. You became a statue with how still you stood. You didn’t breathe, didn’t blink, didn’t do anything in shock and fear of the creature. You could hear Eun-hyuk quietly calling your name but you had no reaction, not until the creature slithered back out of the hole when it started to be crushed by the lowering gate.

You panted heavily as Jin-ok started to sob loudly. Eun-hyuk stood up, stumbling over to you, probably just as much in shock as you were, if not a little less.

“Are you okay?” He asked. His voice was breathless and shocked but still had worry lacing each word for you.

You didn’t respond. You couldn’t. How could you respond after having the fear of God put into you when you almost died.

“It’s all your fault!” Jin-ok sobbed out, standing up and going to Eun-hyuk. He turned around to face her, his face blank of anything as he tried to comprehend everything that was happening. “I should’ve gone out!” She started to punch at his chest in her sorrow. “It’s your fault. You killed her!”

You wanted to stop her, tell her she was wrong with her words and Eun-hyuk wasn’t at fault at all, but you just couldn’t move. It was like your brain had disconnected from everything else. Your feet were cemented to the floor, your eyes glazed over and unfocused, even your ears made everything sound like you were underwater. You could hardly even breathe.

Correction, you couldn’t breathe.

Everything was light and bright and you could see and hear things the way they were, and then there was only darkness.

#Time Will Tell 💌 quack-quack-snacks #sweet home #cha hyun su #cha hyunsu #cha hyunsoo #cha hyun soo #cha hyun su x reader #cha hyunsu x reader #cha hyun soo x reader #cha hyunsoo x reader #sweet home x reader

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nahoney22 · 11 months ago

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New Years Kiss

All Bad Batch Boys X GN!Reader

Sharing a New Years Kiss with your favourite Bad Batcher.

warnings: none, complete fluff. Mixture of established and non-established relationships. Gender neutral reader, first kiss, love confessions.

authors note: HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉 (I wrote this on 28/11/2023 lol)

Echo 🎊

In the enchanting, snow-kissed ambiance, the town's New Year countdown becomes a magical moment, with you standing side by side by Echo.

As the countdown echoes, faces close, hands entwined, and laughter fills the air, Echo interrupts with a breathless revelation. "Can I tell you something?" he hurriedly asks, tightening his hold.

Amidst the dwindling seconds, curiosity lingers. "Of course, what is it?" you prompt, noticing his flustered expression.

"I know we've only been together a few months," he rushes, "but I love you. I love you more than anything in this galaxy."

With the cheer of "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" enveloping you, his lips find yours in a kiss that seals a confession of love. Among the celebratory chaos, your kisses ignite like fire on snow as you both exchanged whispered 'I love yous'.

You just can’t wait to see what the new year has to bring.

Hunter 🎉

As the countdown commenced, you sat at the bar, tapping your rings against the glass in frustration, abandoned by your supposed date. The prospect of entering the New Year alone dampened your spirits.

“Mind if I join you tonight?”

Surprised, you turn to find Hunter approaching, dressed casually and looking remarkably handsome, as always. "Hunter? What are you doing here?" you inquire with a laugh, standing to embrace the Sergeant in a hug.

"I heard you got stood up, and nobody should be alone on New Year's Eve," he smiles, joining you in counting down the seconds.

Shoulder to shoulder, the final moments arrive, and as the bar erupts with cheers, you share a glance with Hunter, a silent understanding passing between you.

He leans in and so do you, sealing the night with a soft kiss. It’s quick and simple but it spoke a thousand of unsaid words too.

"Happy New Year," he whispers against your lips.

"Happy New Year, Hunter," you reply, grateful for the twist of fate that brought him to your side when your plans fell through.

Wrecker 🎂

"I can't wait to spend New Year's with you," your boyfriend exclaims with a wide grin as you stroll hand in hand through the bustling market, alive with music, dancing, and delicious food—a perfect setting for both of you.

"I wouldn't want to spend it any other way," you reply, beaming up at him. The day unfolds with carnival games, your boyfriend's enthusiasm occasionally needing calming as he becomes determined to win despite your reminders of the games being rigged.

Time slips away unnoticed until fireworks light up the night sky. "Wreck! I think it's New Year," you call out.

His amazement mirrors yours as he gazes at the sky, then down at you. "I think it is too... and I owe my sweetheart a kiss."

You smirk, feeling your knees weaken at his charm. "That you do." He effortlessly lifts you, planting a warm, loving kiss on your lips, ushering in a moment that holds the promise of many more years together.

Tech 🎉

"I do not understand the importance of celebrating a day that leads into a new day," Tech explains for the fifth time, despite the lack of plans for New Year's Eve. You explain again the essence of celebrating New Year's as a way to mark new beginnings and enjoy time with loved ones.

"Because it's a nice thing to do, Tech," you explain, trying to convey the sentiment. "It's about celebrating new beginnings, having fun, and spending time with those you care about."

As you both navigate through hyperspace, Tech, stealing glances at you, detects a hint of dissatisfaction, realising that being stuck in a ship might not align with your desires for the occasion.

"According to my device, New Year commences in twenty-seven seconds on Ord Mantel," Tech informs, adjusting his goggles, sensing your subdued response.

"That's nice," you reply softly, masking your disappointment.

Fidgeting nervously, Tech clears his throat, breaking the silence. "That gives me fifteen seconds to prepare to kiss you."

Your eyes widen in surprise at his unexpected declaration. "Kiss me? What?"

"Isn't that what people do when New Year begins? Kiss someone they care for or are acquainted with," Tech rationalises, his desire to share that moment with you becoming apparent.

Your breath catches as realisation dawns. "Yes, I suppose they do."

As the clock strikes midnight, Tech moves closer, his hand finding your waist, drawing you near, and without hesitation, he leans in, his lips meeting yours in a tender moment, marking the start of the New Year in a way neither of you anticipated.

“Just so you know, if we travel someone more the time zones will set to change meaning that we can do this again?” Tech mentions sheepishly as you both break away from the kiss. You like the idea of that.

Crosshair 🎆

In the quiet confines of the ship, you're ready to head out and enjoy the fireworks when you spot Crosshair meticulously cleaning his Firepuncher on his bunk. His piercing gaze meets yours as you ready yourself to step out. “Are you coming?”

"Why would I do that?" he retorts, his tone indicative of his disinterest.

With a deadpan expression, you suggest, "It's a good way to spend time with your brothers, sister... me," hoping to coax him into joining the celebrations. But Crosshair remains unimpressed, continuing to attend to his weapon with an air of indifference.

Deciding to take matters into your own hands, you stride purposefully toward him, deftly taking the weapon from his grasp. "Give it back," he demands, a note of irritation in his voice.

"Not until you've been outside," you insist, gesturing towards the gangplank. "Listen," you raise a hand to your ear, "they're counting down. It's almost New Year."

"I'm not interested in New Year," he grumbles, attempting to retrieve his weapon, but you effortlessly evade his reach, circling around him.

"Why's that? No pretty barmaid to kiss this year?" you tease, trying to crack his stoic exterior, earning a sharp glance from the Marksman.

"That was just a rumor," he grunts, crossing his arms defensively. "It's not even true."

Surprised by this revelation, you pause momentarily. "So, you don't want a kiss?"

Crosshair maintains his steely composure, replying with a raised brow, "Why? Are you offering?"

As he approaches slowly, you find yourself backed into the ship's doorway, the countdown to midnight resonating in the background. The explosive bursts of fireworks illuminate the sky, creating an enchanting backdrop as Crosshair leans in, allowing you a fleeting chance to retreat. Instead, you surrender to the moment, closing your eyes as his lips find yours, initiating a tender yet passionate kiss that leaves you breathless and unsteady.

"Happy New Year," he whispers as he pulls away, leaving a gentle peck on your cheek before swiftly retreating to secure his weapon. The odd and unexpected nature of Crosshair's actions leaves you in a whirlwind of different feelings. What a man.

Masterlist

My Ko-Fi

Tags & TAGLIST: @andyoufollowyourheart @littlefeatherr @kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @captxin-rex @jesseeka @ezras-left-thumb @ashotofspotchka @theroguesully @ladykatakuri @jambolska-grozdova @arctrooper69 @padawancat97 @either-madness-or-brilliance @staycalmandhugaclone @ko-neko-san n @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog @chrissywakingup @pb-jellybeans @nunanuggets @sleepycreativewriter @erellenora @zippingstars87 @tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi @greaser-wolf @tinyreadersmur @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420 @ladyzirkonia @raevulsix @mssbridgerton @imalovernotahater @id-rather-be-a-druid @the-bad-batch-baroness @green-alm0nd (if your name is crossed you need to alter your settings so I can tag you 💜) @cw80831

#happy new year #the bad batch #bad batch one shots #Hunter bad batch #Wrekcer bad batch #tech bad batch #echo bad batch #crosshair bad batch #nahoney22 writes #tbb

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kingkatsuki · 9 months ago

Text

— need

It took me way too long to write something for this man, but he has me completely deranged.

You manage to get hit by a Vandals lust jinki, but luckily for you Tamzy is there to help you out.

I was originally keeping this idea for Bakugou but somehow Tamzy just fit better.

Pairings: Tamzy Caines x f!reader.

Warnings: 18+, non-con/dub-con, sex pollen, dirty talk, fingering, Tamzy ties you up, choking, Tamzy cums untouched.

Word Count: 2.2k.

“Please, help me Tamzy.” Your voice is choked and desperate as you look up at him with wide eyes. Your hand trapped between your thighs as you grind on your palm beneath your skirt.

Tamzy’s panicking now, wide eyes look back towards the door as he keeps his mask firmly over his face to protect from the pink toxins that now float through the air. The Vandal and their jinki move fast enough to escape, but it wasn’t fast enough to protect you from the after effects.

“Where’s your mask?” Tamzy pushes, rushing over to you as you practically hump your hand. Nose scrunched in irritation as it does little to satiate the throb between your thighs.

“It’s not enough.” You whine pitifully, ignoring his question as Tamzy stops in front of you. Chancing pulling off his mask when the rest of the air dissipates as he cups your cheek in a palm. You’re burning up—

“You gotta help me, Tamzy.” You push, and your smaller hand reaches up to encircle his wrist, tugging his hand down to your chest to press his palm against your breast.

It’s wrong. He should wait for back up, for the professionals to get here. Enjin would know exactly what to do in this situation, what needs to happen to fix whatever this is. He’s heard of these kinds of aphrodisiac jinki before, listened to Delmon talk about Vandals who ransacked his farm in search of these plants that held amatory properties that held a high price on the black market.

But all of his training couldn’t have prepared him for the unadulterated sight in front of him, and the desperate way you tried to grind your hips against his thigh as Tamzy tried to keep you pinned against the wall. Worried what you might do if you managed to flee the scene to chase your release, or what real creeps that roamed the Abyss could find you at this hour and do god knows what to you. Never mind the Vandal that did this to you in the first place—

It was lucky he’d been the one to find you.

“Tamzy,” There you went saying his name like that again. The desperate, pathetic whine to your tone had him scrunching his nose in irritation as he secretly committed the noise to memory. Something that would fuel his lonely nights as he fists his cock to the thought of you like this for him, “Please, I need you.”

Fuck.

Your reflexes were quick, but he was quicker. Using Tokushin to wind ropes of yarn around your middle to try and keep you subdued, much to your dismay.

“S’not fair,” You sniffle. Your bottom lip juts out and it takes every fiber of his being not to lean forward and kiss you, “You’re always so mean to me, Tamzy.”

God, you had no clue what you were doing to him right now— you couldn’t. Not with the lust jinki clouding your mind and your senses as you rubbed your thighs together to try and alleviate the tension.

He pressed down on his collar to try and contact Enjin again, opening the connection to try and find help. The signal inside the salt cave was almost non-existent, as he tried to decipher Enjin’s voice on the other end. Hoping that by shouting a rough location over the radio waves that he’d be able to find you both on the lower floor.

“It’s okay,” Tamzy murmured, “You’re gonna be okay.”

Tamzy knew these types of jinki weren’t simple to disband. The kind of power that could invade a persons psyche and consume them from the inside out— ceasing their existence if the desire wasn’t satisfied.

But he shouldn’t be the one to help, especially when he already harboured strong feelings for you— it wouldn’t be right. Tamzy couldn’t take advantage of you, especially in such a compromised state. He’d wait for back up to arrive and Enjin would know exactly what to do.

“The others will be here soon,” He spoke calmly, contrasting the way his cock pulsed between his thighs, “They’ll help you.”

“No, no—” You thrashed against his jinki, the binds tightening as they dug into your supple skin, creating dips in the fat of your hips as Tamzy tried to remember to breathe, “I can’t wait that long, you need to help me Tamzy please.”

These jinki were dangerous, if the tension wasn’t eased it would consume you whole. Worse than any poison or toxin that could invade your bloodstream— this was a death sentence if it wasn’t satiated.

“I can’t even touch myself like this,” You huffed in frustration, pathetic tears clung to your lashes as you rolled your hips, “I’m begging you.”

Oh, he was fucked.

That was the nail in his coffin as Tamzy took a step closer to you, “Calm down.”

He only needed to alleviate the tension enough to save you before your friends found you both, just enough to scratch the itch before backup arrived. He could get you off without penetrating you and quell the ache just enough to keep you alive— it would be fine.

Tamzy’s eyes were stoic as he reached forward to cup your molten heat, hissing upon contact when he felt just how wet your panties were. You couldn’t stop the debauched moan from tumbling between parted lips at the sensation, immediately bucking your hips to try and get more.

“Don’t tease me, Tamzy. Please—” He’d never heard you sound so carnal, so desperate before. Wondering if this is always how you sounded when you were in such a precarious position, fingers plunging into your wet cunt when you were alone at night, “Just one finger, please— just one, yeah?”

His cock is damn near painful now, straining against his boxers as it leaks copious amounts of pre. Trying to ignore the throb as deft fingers tug your panties to the side, gliding through your slick as he nudges your puffy clit.

“Just one.” He repeats. As though he’s trying to fool himself that this is okay.

“Yeah, yeah. Just one.” You babble, “Please, Tamzy. I can’t take anymore— it hurts.”

Tamzy tries to ignore the persistent pulse in his crotch as his hard cock strains against his boxers, pre coats the fabric as he shuffles his legs to try and alleviate the tension. Directing his focus to you as his fingers push through your messy slick, parting your labia as he meets resistance.

“Oh, fuck.” Your chest heaves as Tamzy’s fingers find your tight entrance, blunt nails drag against the sensitive skin as he feels you flutter around him. Desperately trying to pull him deeper inside your silky depths as he revels in how tight and warm you are, “Put them in Tamzy, please.”

Every time you murmur his name so desperately it has his cock pulsing in response, dipping a solo finger inside your warmth as he immediately feels your walls cling to him. Your hips jerk as much as they could whilst subdued by his jinki as you pathetically try to fuck yourself on his finger.

“More, Tamzy, please.” You choked, “I think I’m going insane.”

“You said one.” He counters, watching the way your hips swish against him as you desperately try to coax him in.

“I know, I know,” You whine pitifully, “But you feel so good, Tamzy. I need more—”

If you were insane, he was damn near delirious as he slipped another finger in to join the first. Immediately curling them towards the spongy spot inside you as he focused his ministrations against it. Pumping his digits with skilled precision as dark eyes focused on your face to gage your reaction.

“Is this okay?” He rasps lowly, and your cunt throbs in response. He steps closer to push his fingers deeper, adding a third when he feels a lack of resistance that has you keening in satisfaction.

“Feels so good,” You pant, chest heaving as you grind your clit against his palm, biting down on your bottom lip hard enough that the metallic taste of blood coats your tongue.

All the nights he’d fucked his fist to the thought of you couldn’t compare to this. Your head knocks against the dirty brick wall as you thrash in his grip, your smaller hand fights against his yarn to reach out to grope his crotch and Tamzy is certain that his last minuscule piece of resolve has crumbled. A deep, guttural grunt spills from his lips and he can’t stop his hips from jerking into your touch. His sweaty forehead knocks into yours as he does everything he can to keep you pinned against the wall as he continues fucking three of his fingers into your sloppy cunt. If this is how tight you are for three, he wonders how you’d feel if you took his cock—

The scent of you potent in the air as his fingers continue to crudely squelch inside your dripping cunt, drooling into his palm and down his wrist as he sets a steady pace.

“I want your cock so bad, Tamzy.” You breathe out, your voice hoarse as he fucks his fingers into your needy hole.

“Behave.” Tamzy growls, certain you’re trying to garner a reaction from him now. And he’s already used up every ounce of resolve he had by keeping you bounded by his jinki.

“Please,” You push, just like you always fucking do, “I’ll be good, I’ll do anything if you give me your cock.”

“Shut up,” Tamzy grunts, pushing the heel of his palm against your clit as you thrash against him.

“Ugh, make me.” Your tongue lolls out of your mouth now and it’s all he can do to think about shoving his hard cock inside it.

“You’re filthy.” Tamzy grunts, his palm circling your neck to squeeze at the column of your throat. Pushing your head against the wall as his warm breath fans your face, lips dangerously close to yours.

“‘m not.” You tremble, the lack of oxygen heightens the sensation of his fingers plunging into your tight cunt as he fucks them into you with vigour.

“I beg to differ,” Tamzy speeds his fingers up for emphasis, the crude squelch fills the air as more of your slick seeps out of you, cooling against your inner thighs as he presses the calloused pad of his thumb against your clit to rub messy circles against it, “You’re practically drooling onto my hand.”

“Let me drool on your cock instead.” You quip back.

Tamzy sucks a breath through gritted teeth at your lewd words, hips bucking wildly as he imagines your wet cunt soaking his cock in your essence. The moisture drooling down is length and matting into the messy hairs at the base as he fucks into you, leaving creamy rings around the base of him.

“Stop being a brat.” He grunts, but he’s not sure he wants you to.

This is already more than he should be doing, he should’ve waited for Enjin— and now he’s thinking about sinking his cock inside your wet cunt and spearing you open on him.

“Let me touch you, please? I’ll be good I promise.” He doubts that dearly as he shakes his head, sweat beads at his brow as he tries to ignore the desire building inside him. His resolve close to crumbling as he pictures sinking his throbbing cock into your silky, wet walls.

“I don’t think you will be, sweetheart.” He chastises as he continues his pace, pressing down harder which each forward motion as he pushes you closer to the edge.

“I’m close,” You trembled, your voice vibrating against his hand as it flexed against your windpipe. The coil inside you tight and dangerously close to snapping as Tamzy spend his motions up in response.

Three fingers poised to hit that same spot inside you with each forward motion, certain his pads were pruning from how wet and warm you were. Pressing down against your needy clit hard as he felt the way your cunt began to tighten around him.

“Come on, sweetheart,” He whispered, “Cum for me.”

“Oh my— fuck, Tamzy!” The sound of his name spilling from your lips is debauched, and the desperate wail that follows seals his fate.

His hips jerk clumsily as the tension inside him cuts like a knife, legs wobbling from the unabashed force of his climax as he follows you into bliss. Tamzy moans with you in tandem as he finds his release. Shooting white hot ropes of cum into his boxers that soaks his cock and balls, leaving him sticky and messy as his spunk leaks through his pants. His chest heaves as he gulps in air, hips canting forward as your desperate fingers still reach out to grab for him. Hissing when they make contact against his overstimulated cock, sending fresh aftershocks surging through him.

“I—,” You pant, tears dried in streaky lines down your cheeks as your head lolls to the side, “Did you?”

Tokushin goes lax as Tamzy comes down from his high, freeing you from the binds as you rub at the imprints against your skin. The pink lusty clouds still haze your vision as you blink up at him blearily, your palm reaches out to feel the damp spot against his crotch as Tamzy hisses in response. Still semi-hard as he throbs against your palm, caging your body in against the cave wall as he looms over you.

Oh, he’s certain you’ll be the death of him.

#tw:noncon #trigger:noncon #Tamzy caines x reader #tamsy Caines smut #Tamzy Caines smut #Gachiakuta smut #Tamzy smut #Tamzy x reader #Tamsy Caines x reader #Tamsy x reader

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t3a-tan · 3 months ago

Text

Romantic and Hopeless (6/?)

First / Previous / Next

---

Sammy kept her eyes closed after yelling, breathing heavily, her expression pulled into a grimace as if bracing for something. She was waiting for a reaction— anger, amusement, pain— it didn't matter which, but she was certain it would be one of them. It always was.

And then she felt herself being lowered down, eyes shooting open again at the feeling of wood beneath her. The fingers around her released and pulled away, and Sammy watched as those giant hands rubbed together as if his fingers had been burnt by the contact.

“I…I'm sorry…”

She bristled at the apology, eyes wide with surprise as she cradled her injury close. She scooted back until her back hit the wall, brows furrowing with confusion. Sorry was the last word she expected to come from the human's mouth. She was catching her breath, staring up at him, unable to formulate a response.

“I…” Sammy watched as Oscar bit his lip and trailed off, his expression showing clear guilt mixed in with a bit of distress. Why would he be distressed? He's the one with all the power here. He leaned forward for a moment, his mouth opening as if to speak only to hesitate again when his approach made her flinch back. Her shoulders tensed as he cleared his throat.

“Sammy… Y-you uh… you know I'm not going to hurt you…right?” She didn't respond, expression growing wary. Oscar slowly shifted back, lowering his head more. “I.. thought you knew that. I guess I shouldn't have assumed after everything you've gone through that you'd trust me… But I really won't hurt you.”

Oh how she wanted to believe it… but it simply wasn't possible. Humans were not capable of being good to her kind for long. Thanks to Ryker Sammy had been in the eyes of many humans, and thanks to Wells she had been in the hands of many more. She was an expert on how humans treated borrowers…

Sooner or later, Oscar would snap at her too.

“Yes you will. H-humans…humans always hurt people like me…” She responded, wiping at her watery eyes, her lips pressed into a scowl even as she continued to take in shuddery breaths. “You— you just haven't decided what you want to do to me yet…”

Oscar's expression turned into one of subdued horror at her words, then shifted in confusion and guilt. He leaned down a little more, his hands pressed into the floor now to brace himself, although they remained a distance away. Not far enough for Sammy to feel safe by any means, but that ship had long sailed.

“First of all— I know exactly what I want to do… and that's help you. Whatever ideas you have in your mind about that sort of stuff…I—I would never hurt you. Never.” He insisted, tone edging on pleading. His brows then furrowed as he continued.

“Second of all though… Sammy— I thought you said you got shrunk, right? So why are you saying humans like that? And people like you…?” He questioned slowly.

Sammy froze. In the panic of everything she had completely forgotten that she answered yes to his question earlier about being shrunk— Oh God. This makes it ten times worse.

She could feel her breathing getting faster again, her mind immediately going to the fact that she knew borrowers sold for a lot of money on the black market. Even just the thought of being back in the hands of Wells or others like him made her skin crawl.

“Please, Sammy… please explain everything to me— I… I just want to help you. I can't help when I don't even know what's going on…” Now he really was begging her, and he sounded so sincere… Sammy opened her mouth but hesitated and averted her gaze, staying quiet.

After several seconds passed, a warm sigh washed over her and she cowered back as Oscar began to stand up again, meeting his concerned eyes with surprise. Why isn't he breaking character? I already called him out…

“Please wait there. I'm just gonna…I'll get the first aid kit. And some ice…if we have any.” She watched as he walked away, her eyes following him into the kitchen but her back remaining pressed up against the wall.

He's…leaving me unattended? Again? After I just tried to escape? I know I'm injured, but…

Sammy looked down at her twisted ankle, gathering her breath as she inspected the sprain. It wasn't too severe, but it was noticeable… Maybe a week of healing? It might give her a limp if she rushed things, but she might need to rush things in this situation.

She glanced towards the doorway into the kitchen again, gaze wary and discerning. She could see Oscar's towering figure in the distance as he searched through the cupboard under the sink, presumably for the first aid kit.

She wiped her eyes again, some of the adrenaline that had been rushing through her beginning to fade, and leaving her leg to ache even more. Sammy winced, hunching over and hugging onto her knees, still staring in the direction of the human.

Her soulmate.

Why is my soulmate a human? I don't think I could ever love a monster like that… even if he sounds so nice, he's lying. He has to be… Even when he listened to me, it's a trick. It's not real.

And yet, Sammy stayed where she was, waiting for him to return with the first aid kit and ice. Soon, after rummaging around in the freezer he seemed to give up and started walking in her direction again.

After being lost in her own thoughts watching the giant move about from a distance Sammy couldn't help but be a little startled by his approach. She shifted away once before managing to stay where she was sitting, her body trembling.

The red box was set down a foot away from where she sat, and she flinched as it was. Oscar followed soon after, crouching, then kneeling. He clicked open the box and Sammy watched those giant invasive fingers delicately brush through the contents of the box; searching for specific supplies no doubt.

“We didn't have ice.. um… but I'll go out and get an ice pack from the shop in a sec. First you should disinfect those scrapes and wrap up your ankle…” He placed a few different things close to her and Sammy bristled once she processed his words.

“..me…?”

Oscar paused, looking down at her and offering a sad half-smile.

“Well yeah. You said you don't want me to touch you after all… My hands are probably too big to do it properly anyway, so yeah.” He explained. His smile then fell and he let out a sigh. “And I'm sorry— about grabbing you like that? It was pretty bang out of order… I just saw you were hurt and wanted to help, but I should have asked first.”

Sammy blinked in surprise, her eyes widening just a tad at his words.

He's…apologising… again? I don't understand.

Hesitantly, she shuffled over to the disinfectant wipe and bandages he had set down, first picking up the wipe after giving Oscar a confused side glance. As soon as she had grabbed it she quickly scooted back into the corner again. He made no moves to grab her…

Sammy swallowed nervously and began to dab at the scrapes, face scrunching into a wince at the cold sting it caused. Even so, she continued cleaning them before glancing up at Oscar again. He had moved back a bit since putting the supplies next to her. She bit her lip.

“I… I-I'm a borrower… Not a human…” She admittedly softly. Her eyes quickly shot up to inspect Oscar's expression to watch his reaction. She expected anger, or maybe a smirk, but he just seemed…confused. His head tilted sheepishly.

“What's a borrower..?”

Sammy flinched at the question, looking back down at her ankle again as she began to carefully wrap it up. She thought about her words first, still considering not telling him anything else…but something about the way he was looking at her made her want to tell him.

“We're…little people… that live in the walls of human houses, and take stuff that won't be missed. Like paperclips, scraps of paper, crumbs, that sort of stuff. Some borrowers live in the trees instead. But we try our best not to get seen by humans…” She explained.

As she heard the floorboards creak again under Oscar's weight her gaze quickly snapped to focus on him again, only to see that he was laying down; his cheek now rested on his forearms folded in front of him. The tension in her body faded once she realised he was just getting more comfortable.

“Makes sense… Humans can be pretty shitty about new discoveries and all. And most people would be pretty peeved about someone stealing their shit.” He remarked with a hum.

“..not you though..?” Sammy asked, noticing that he said most people would, not I would.

Oscar shook his head, his strawberry red hair falling in front of his eyes slightly. A gentle smile formed on his lips. Sammy felt her heart hammer in her chest again, but this time it wasn't accompanied by the usual cold terror pumping through her veins.

“Be pretty hypocritical if I were. You know I don't have a great track record with the law…and it's because I've stolen stuff before. Mostly food, sometimes other stuff.” He explained. “A lot of humans don't like me much too for that reason.”

Sammy tore off the edge of the bandage as she finished wrapping her ankle, making sure it was secure. She frowned. I thought humans didn't have to steal food… They always seem to have it…

The rustling of clothes moving met her ears, causing her to look up at Oscar again as he leaned forward a little more. From this close she could see his green eyes through the blue lenses; shining with concern.

“So did you get…caught? By humans? Is that why you were in that…oddly high-tech basement?” He asked softly, his expression turning more sombre with the subject matter.

Sammy averted her gaze again, nodding slowly. She could remember that day like it was yesterday. The panic and chaos as her mum tried to get her and her brother to safety. The sight of her dad trapped under bits of smashed up wall, unmoving, bleeding. The first time she felt the now-familiar sensation of giant fingers wrapping around her.

She shuddered at the memory.

“Just…one day they broke down the walls, and before we knew it we were being handed over to Dr. Ryker. It's been so long, it feels weird to be outside of his lab. I-I just feel on edge. Nothing makes sense anymore like it used to…” Her shoulders tensed again as she hugged underneath her knees, looking at the grains on the wood below instead of up at Oscar.

“Hey… I…It's okay if you feel on edge and stuff. I'm still not gonna hurt you… And I won't let that monster get a hold of you again.” He sounded so serious, Sammy wanted to believe that he would protect her.

Her eyes widened and quickly looked up again as she realised something.

“Shit. Ryker's probably noticed I'm gone by now… Oscar— Did you take care of the cameras when you came in?” She asked urgently. In the heat of the moment she hadn't even thought to ask, and now that she was thinking about it she felt nauseous.

The red-haired human paled at her question.

“I-it was dark— I didn't even…” He stammered as he immediately realized how badly he had fucked up. He genuinely hadn't thought about there being cameras in that secret lab, because it was dark and definitely an illegal lab. He hadn't seen any red dots in the corners to signal that a camera was running, and he let his guard down.

Sammy felt a cold chill run up her spine.

“He— he's gonna find me again… He'll probably kill me…” She breathed, her vision unfocusing for a moment before darting up to meet the human's gaze, eyes wide. “Oscar— he's gonna kill you. You’re literally walking distance away from his lab. H-he might already be on his way..!”

At the very least she had her size to her benefit in terms of hiding… Oscar on the other hand was a sitting duck. If Ryker found out where he lived…

“We need to leave.”

“Wh— I-I can't just leave. I have no clue when my mum will be back— what if she gets hurt?” He protested at her suggestion. Sammy grimaced at the mention. As much as she viewed humans as monsters, she could definitely empathise with that sentiment. She wouldn't be much better than a human if she ignored Oscar's feelings on the matter.

“I.. I don't think he would hurt her. Ryker's a prick, but if there was nothing to gain I don't think he would just hurt another human randomly— if anything she's more likely to get hurt if you stay here, because Ryker can use her as collateral with me.” She pointed out.

As soon as she said that though she regretted it and her eyes went wide, body tensing. What if he decides to hand me over now just to avoid getting hurt? I know it's understandable, but I don't want to go back. I-I can't…

She scooted herself back slightly again, glancing towards the shelves that were a few feet away. Even if she got there it would only be a temporary solution. She looked back up at Oscar, but he didn't seem to notice her anxiety, his expression concerned and in deep thought, not even focused on her.

Soon enough, he reached a decision. Sammy bristled as his gaze fell upon her again, awaiting her doomed verdict.

“Okay. Okay… I'll text my mum and tell her I'll be at Freddie’s in case she gets back. I know a place we can stay. Nothing homey…not that this place is that homey either, but it'll do.”

She blinked in surprise.

What…he'll actually help..? But…

“You’re not going back there again. Over my dead body.” He spoke firmly. Her heart fluttered and a warmth filled her chest at his words, not expecting him to be so resolved about keeping her away from Ryker. Her muscles relaxed slightly, the urge to dash for cover fading quickly as she stared up at him.

“I…I'll have to put you in my pocket again though so we can get there… Is that okay?” He asked softly. This time Sammy didn't feel as petrified over the idea. Sure it would be uncomfortable— one good thing wasn't enough to get rid of the years of bad she had been through, but it was progress.

She nodded, feeling heat rise to her cheeks again as Oscar smiled. Although she couldn't help but flinch as he began to sit up, when he lowered his hand towards her palm up she couldn't help but feel…almost safe. She was sure the feeling would fade soon enough…

“Here. I'll pack some stuff first, then we can head off, yeah?”

Sammy nodded once more, and after a brief moment of hesitation she climbed onto his hand so they could get going as soon as possible.

. . . . .

A light flickered in the distance.

Tanner almost forgot what light looked like. It was that same odd feeling you would get after closing your eyes in a bright room for longer than a few seconds— he knew his memories were bright, but after being surrounded by this all encompassing darkness for so long he just struggled to picture it.

“H-hello…?” His voice echoed in the void, repeating back to him, taunting him with the idea of not being alone. How long had he been stuck here? It could have been a day, it could have been a year, Tanner truly couldn't tell.

He was afraid to go towards the light. Isn't that what people say you see when you die? Am I dying..?

He felt so cold he wouldn't be surprised. Maybe it would even be nice to embrace it. Will it be warm? Maybe I'll see mum and dad again…

Tanner shook his head quickly to dissuade those thoughts. I can't see them. Sammy's still waiting for me… She'll save me soon.

As his gaze fell downwards he let out a small gasp, finding that because of the faint light he could actually see himself again. It was dim, but tears sprung to his eyes just watching his fingers move, staring at them and feeling them with his other hand. They're still here… I'm still here…

The light in the distance flickered again and Tanner's eyes widened as he realised he was going to be plunged into darkness again. He began to try moving towards it, but in a space with no walls, floors, or ceilings, moving felt practically impossible.

“No!”

Please don't make it dark again..! Just a little bit longer!

At this point he had spent so much time isolated that he couldn't tell the difference between thinking and speaking. He reached out in desperation, the light dancing across his skin and making it almost glow red. The sunlight. I remember.

And then it was gone.

Tanner's breath hitched. In the darkness he couldn't see anything. Eyes open or closed, it didn't make a difference, so he wasn't sure which one he picked as tears began to stream down his cheeks, a sob held in his throat and coming out as a whimper as he curled into himself again. He trembled, the abyss swallowing him whole again.

She'll save me soon…

#g/t community #ocs #g/t artist #g/t writer #g/t #borrowers #giant/tiny #g/t fearplay #g/t fluff #g/t writing #giant/tiny writing

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