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warping-realities · 1 year ago

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Dalton Academy - Consuming Rage

Jaime was in a modest kitchen, a strong wind was blowing outside, lashing the walls, but he knew he was safe inside, smelling the familiar smell of sugar and cinnamon that reminded him of someone, someone he knew, someone who was important to him. Someone who he hadn't seen for a long time. And so he knew he could only be dreaming.

"Hola mijo..."

"¿Abuela? ¿Donde estamos? ¿Qué está pasando?"

"No tenemos mucho tiempo Jaime cariño. Siempre fuiste mi pequeño rayo de sol, tan brillante, capaz de iluminar el mundo entero...

...todavía...

.... este lugar en el que estás no es para ti...

...él cambia a todos....

...sal de ahí Jaime...

...este lugar te chupará la luz... te apagará...

...este es un lugar de depredadores...

...y en él sólo hay lugar para ellos...

...sal de ahí Jaime...

...antes de que tu luz se apague...

....antes de que te quedes atrapado en la oscuridad....

...con ellos....

...como ellos..."

The scene changed, he was no longer in his childhood home, but in front of the entrance to a cave where that same wind was blowing, stirring his clothes and hair. He was standing still, unable to move. Next to him were a bunch of puppies, three of them playing and a fourth sleeping by his leg. The mouth of the cave was dark and impenetrable and he couldn't stop staring at it. Until a figure slowly emerged from it, a creature, huge, covered in fur, eyes with a predatory gleam and fangs in a long snout, fangs that seemed almost to smile. The wolf stopped at the entrance to the cave and lay down, staring at him and the cubs with those bright eyes. Until one of them defiantly approached the cave and its occupant.

Jaime wanted to yell at him to stop so he wouldn't go. But he went. Before going back to where he had come from the wolf looked back towards Jaime and the other puppies, who were no longer playing.

Everything was silent for a moment, even the wind seemed to stop... until the yelps started.

The cubs scattered in all directions, and the same instinct to flee took hold of him, but he was still paralyzed, incapable of any movement and remained so until the yelps were drowned out by a howl, loud and aggressive that made his blood run cold. But not as much as what came next, the pup's yelps slowly becoming a howl of their own, just as loud and aggressive as the other, until both combined in unison with the rising wind noise. So loud that he didn't even realize that his own screams had joined that sinister melody.

….

"Michael, no, Michael..."

"Sanchez wake up... Sanchez!"

"Ngh... agh..."

"Sanchez! Jaime! Wake up man!"

Jaime opened his eyes, it was the middle of the night, he was lying on his bed, with the sheets turned over and his body drenched in sweat.

"Are you okay, man?"

Asked Jacob Miller, his roommate.

"I… yeah… it was just a nightmare."

"It must have been a bad one...so who is Michael?"

"Michael?"

"Yeah, you kept mentioning that name."

"I…I don't know…a friend…maybe?"

But Jaime didn't have any friends by that name. Not that he remembered.

But then why did thinking about that name bring him a strange feeling of emptiness, he thought as he listened to the rumble of his colleague's breathing in the bed next to him.

….

"Did you hear that Sanchez wet his bed yesterday?"

"Why would I care about that, Mike?"

"Because from what you told me he..."

"Not here, let's have this conversation at the club later."

It was the end of PE class and Chad and Mike were in the locker room getting changed for next period. Surrounded by classmates and the gossip that had spread through the school like fire through dry straw.

"Besides, people are making too much of what happened, as far as I know he just had a bad dream."

Chad continued as he took off his sweat-soaked training shirt.

"But what if this is a sign or ..."

"Michael!"

"Sorry, we'll leave it for later, you're right."

"And when I'm not correct?"

"Asshole"

"What happened to the King of Cleverness, Big Mike?"

"He befriended a fucking asshole."

Mike responded laughing at the inside joke and being accompanied by Chad.

"Like I said, let's talk about this later, when we're alone. Until then, we have other matters to deal with. Are you prepared to do what I instructed you to do?"

"Yes, but I don't understand how that can be possible."

"I already told you, wait and see... trust me."

"Well, I don't think I have any other choice, do I?"

"Not if you want to expand our little brotherhood with the right men."

"Edward Chang is not exactly my definition of a man, right or wrong."

Answered Mike looking at the thin young man sitting on a bench, looking extremely out of place in that environment and probably waiting for everyone to leave to change.

"What you need to understand is that he doesn't need to fit your or my definition of right, not now, aniway. Right now what our colleague needs is someone to help him fit that definition. And no one better than we to do that"

"I still don't understand how that could be possible."

"Don't make me repeat myself, Mike, you'll soon understand. Edward Chang is about to receive an upgrade and you'll be the one to deliver it."

….

To say that Edward's life in Dalton was bad would be a giant understatement. The naturally shy boy had by no means managed to find his place at school. Though every now and then he got the feeling that things should be different. But then he would shake his head and think why would they be different? All his life he had difficulty making connections due to his shyness, or as his father was fond of reminding him, his cowardice. His father could hardly believe it when Chadwick Hartfield Sr. informed him that there was a vacancy for Edward at Dalton. And this one in turn was forced to abandon the few friends he had at the old school to live with Chadwick son and his minion Michael Jones.

To be fair, none of them pestered him even once, in fact it was as if he didn't exist to them, until that morning at least. As people tended to ignore Edward's presence, sometimes even forgetting that the boy was present, he went through many situations unnoticed, which allowed him to see much more about others than others about him. And while he was waiting for the school locker room to empty so he could change without exposing himself, he couldn't help noticing that Chadwick and Michael's gazes were directed more often than usual in his direction, accompanied by that arrogant smile that both shared and that made a shiver ran down Edward's spine. He suspected that nothing good could come of it. He just didn't know he was about to find out how much.

….

"Is this seat vacant?"

Asked a bass voice, sending a shiver down Edward’s spine, who at that moment was sitting at his desk and looked up to stare at the imposing figure of Michael Jones.

What does he want with me??? It was the first thought to run through Edward's mind. He had already suffered his fair share of bullying and assaults and he knew that someone like Michael was a risk. But at the same time, looking closely for the first time into the other boy's brown eyes he felt a sense of familiarity, as if for some reason he could trust Michael, which of course was utterly absurd and...

"Dude, is everything okay? Can I sit here or not?"

"Ahn, y-yeas, there's nobody sitting there."

"Great, I believe we haven't been introduced yet, I'm Michael Jones, but everyone calls me Big Mike."

Said Michael sitting next to Edward who remained silent, not knowing what to say.

"Usually at that point the other person introduces himself."

Michael continued.

"Ahn, ahhh...yes...I'm Edward...Edward Chang."

"Edward Chang? Son of Emett Chang's ? Owner of Red Panda?"

"Y-yes...but how do you know that?"

"Well it's one of the biggest oriental fast food chains in the country, anyone with an interest in finance would know that. You must be very proud of that, no?"

Once again not knowing what to say, Edward chose to remain silent. Which this time seemed to bother Michael.

"Is there something wrong with me, Eddie? Maybe I'm not good enough for a millionaire's son to spare his attention?"

He spoke with an air of someone who thinks he's good enough for anything.

"I... no... it's not that... it's just..."

"Hey Chang, is this idiot bothering you?"

Interrupted a thin boy with black hair sitting at a desk a few seats away.

"Who are you calling an idiot, Roberts?"

Asked Mike getting up and turning towards his colleague, looking like a giant standing in the middle of the room before concluding

"Mind your own business Roberts it's all right between Eddie and me. And if you call me an idiot again I'll come over there and rip your skinny ass."

For Edward that was a frightening scene, never in his life would he have the ability to stand up and make threats like that, of course he wasn't a behemoth like Michael...

"I'm not talking to you Jones. Is this idiot bothering you, Edward?”

Repeated Jonathan Roberts, Edward’s roomate, in a display of defiance and courage that Edward knew he himself would never be capable of. It was easy to be aggressive and confident when you were the size of Michael Jones, but Jonathan was the same size as Edward and he still managed to hold his own. Edward knew what his father would say about that and it made him deeply saddened.

"You little shit, I'm going to finish you off!"

Michael said making mention of complying with the commitment.

"No, no need... I'm fine, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You can sit here next to me Chang, you don't have to put up with that one."

Edward felt an urge to do just that. Something told him to do this. He disliked Michael and feared him, the other boy was too reminiscent of some of the former classmates who had hounded and humiliated him over the years. And precisely because of that, and because he was the avoidant of confrontation that he was, Edward decided not to follow his intuition and stay where he was.

"Yes, I'm fine, really."

"Well, it's up to you, but..."

“Stop being a pain in the ass Roberts, pick someone else to be your social project this time, Chang already said that everything is fine."

Mike said, sitting down again.

"Asshole, just because he's a senator's son, he thinks he might be some kind of social justice beacon. He came after me the first few days of school, thinking I might be some little project of his, but he was wrong. I know what I'm getting at and it won't be through his charity. Which brings us back to our conversation. It seemed to me for a moment that you didn't want to talk to me Chang. But now you've chosen to side with me. If the problem isn't me then what is ?"

Well, he was part of the problem, since Edward really didn't like him and felt scared in his presence, but precisely because of that he wouldn't do anything to displease his colleague. So he decided to be honest and say what in fact had always been his biggest problem.

"It's... that... I... it's... very difficult for me... to interact with others. Not after I know the person... but to start conversations... to impose my presence. I ... I just can't take the initial step. My dad thinks... he thinks I'm a wimp and a... a coward. That's it, it's not you but me... that... I just I am unable!"

"Well, it seems that with the right stimulus you can, after all you just did it. What you lack is a little... aggressiveness."

"I... I could never be aggressive... I'm a pacifist by nature."

"Come on man, all that genetic heritage, you're not going to tell me you've never tried some Kung Fu moves or something like that."

Completed Mike making a stereotypical move. Which for some reason triggered a flash of anger in Edward, a previously unknown feeling in him.

"Hey, not cool, man. I hate those kind of stereotypes, what would you say if I looked at you and started talking about Rap Music or basketball?"

He snapped in a firmer voice than he'd ever had before.

"Whoa, calm down brother. Apparently there's a spark of aggression in you after all."

Mike replied with that characteristic arrogant smile.

"And about your outraged statement. I don't care one bit if you think I like basketball just by looking at me, after all I might be a pro one day. And while I really appreciate the work the brothers of rap do, lately I've been trying to... refine my tastes."

"I…sorry…I've never acted like this before…I don't know what came over me."

"You don't have to apologize for everything Eddie, let alone expressing your opinion, I bet there's a lot of stuff stuck in there wanting to get out, a lot of pent up anger and aggression just begging to be tapped out and I think it's time for you to let it go.”

Once again all Edward did was stare at his colleague while analyzing his own emotions, that outburst was totally uncharacteristic, but he had to admit that at the same time it was... liberating. And digging inside himself he found exactly what his colleague had told him, not an amount, but a small knot of anger, indignation and aggression that he could have sworn had not been there before. But then again it should have been, just intentionally ignored by him, just as the others ignored him. And just thinking about it made that little knot expand.

"And there you go again, talk to me man."

"Will you shut up for a second?"

Edward exploded with irritation and a flash of red anger filling his vision. But instead of being offended Mike just widened the smile and returned:

"That's right, bro. Let it all out, but maybe this isn't the best place. Everyone's looking at you."

Which was true, Edward looked around and saw that he was being stared at by everyone, including the teacher who had just entered the room.

"Is there a problem Mister Chang?"

He asked, causing Edward to blush a shade of red as intense as his rage had been.

"No sir, I'm sorry"

He replied in a firm voice.

"I suggest you save your aggression for the courts or the mats, Mr. Chang."

"Yes sir."

Edward replied, while wondering what the fuck the professor was talking about. To then hear Mike whisper next to him:

"He's right, Eddie. It's time to put that aggression to work and I know the best way for you to do it."

"Yeah, in what way Jones?"

"Meet me at the gym after lunch."

Edward had never even set foot in a weight training gym, but he now really felt the need to blow off some steam, something that had also never happened before. Apparently today was a day of firsts for him.

"Fine."

He answered simply.

"That's my man! Eat a nice meal, loads of clean carbs and a nice steak, you'll need it."

"I'm a vegetarian!"

"Ha, the King of Char Siu Pork son a vegetarian? What a joke!"

"If you have a problem with that keep it to yourself, Jones."

He replied raising his voice.

"Calm down Eddie, we'll figure it out in the afternoon. I bet you'll find we have a lot more in common than you might think."

Concludes Mike with the brightest smile he's displayed so far.

….

At the end of classes Edward went to the school cafeteria with the biggest hunger he had ever felt in his life. As he was away from Michael for the rest of the morning the waves of anger stopped and he felt more like himself again, but the question he asked himself throughout the rest of the morning was whether he was really comfortable with being "himself," voiceless, without initiative, put down by others, including his own father... just thinking about it made him feel that pulsing energy again, coming from that unknown piece of himself that occupied a dark corner of his mind and seemed ready to expand if he gave the slightest opportunity. And as he avoided looking in that direction, he found himself invaded by another sensation, right in the middle of his belly, a hole, giant, growing bigger and bigger, a hunger that seemed want to consume him from the inside. In such a way that he was forced to act again against his habits and run to feed. He was one of the first to get in line to help himself. Dalton had an excellent team of nutritionists and cooks, capable of providing everything needed by the developing young men who attended the school. Edward had always been frugal in his eating, selecting a varied and moderate diet of vegetables, fruits and grains. But not that day. His plate was a smorgasbord of all of these in proportions that could feed three of him in an average day. But he was so hungry at that moment that he didn't mind, just as he didn't mind sitting isolated at a table as he usually did, sitting in the first empty place he found and starting to eat in large quantities the slop that formed on his plate at least until he was interrupted.

"My God Chang, I've seen pigs eat without doing so much damage."

Said a blond portly boy with a southern accent, sitting a few seats away.

"What?"

Edward asked in between mouthfuls"

"A pig, a fucking animal, like the ones my father slaughters."

"Mind your own business, Miller."

"Eating like a pig and now picking a fight with someone who might crush you. Not what I expected from you Chang."

Gregory Miller replied, taking a large piece of steak to his mouth.

Hearing and seeing that Edward found himself invaded by two unheard of desires for him, the one to punch his colleague in the face and the one to steal that piece of meat for him. But he was prevented from doing both by the arrival of a third student at the table.

"Okay, what's going on with you Chang? First that scene in class with the prince of jerks Michael Jones and now this?"

"What's happening is that it seems everyone has decided that today is the day to meddle in Edward Chang's life."

He replied, with the anger rising inside him and being directed towards Jonathan Roberts who will sit right in front of him.

"Come on Edward, you're not like that!"

"And how would you know that? We've only been studying together for two weeks, we're not friends, you ignored me for two weeks! All you know about me is nothing!"

"I... I... you're right of course, but can't you see, Michael Jones is trouble, even more so for someone like you!"

Hearing that made the anger inside Edward boil and boil over.

"Fuck off, Roberts. I can decide for myself what's a problem for me and what's not. And I'm getting out of here before I become a problem for you!"

He said getting up from the table, without looking back, leaving the two colleagues looking at each other with dumbfounded looks.

Edward walked through the cafeteria with firm steps seeing only a big red blur in front of him, and ready to go after the first one who dared to address him. With every step he took his uniform seemed to shrink, the tie around his neck was suffocating him, the sleeves of his jacket constricting his movements, his pants seemed glued to his thighs and his shoes seemed to be at least two sizes too small. He felt like an animal, trapped, tied up, huddled, ready to attack...

"Hey Eddie!"

A deep bass voice echoed through the room causing Edward to immediately turn, ready to attack.

"What?"

"Calm down man I just wanted to know if you want to sit with us."

Asked a smiling Mike Jones accompanied by a also smiling Chad Hartfield, who Edward would have judged as nice if he didn't know what an arrogant asshole he actually was. But Mike had been nice in his own way to Edward that day, so...

"Fine."

Edward replied, sitting down in front of the two of them and the biggest mountains of food he had ever seen, making the plate that he had made look small, a fact that was reinforced by the huge growl that his stomach released at that moment.

"Dude, I said you need to eat if you want to train seriously with me today."

"I ate more than I ever did in my life."

"Your belly seems to disagree..."

"If you'll excuse me a comment, a man needs meat to grow properly."

Chad interjected, popping a chunky piece of steak into his mouth.

"Apparently today really is the day for people to allow themselves to comment on my life decisions."

Claimed Edward, but with his eyes locked on his colleague's chewing. Something that both Chad and Michael did not fail to notice.

"Here, keep my plate, I'll pour myself another one."

Mike said getting up, taking off his jacket and pushing his plate towards Edward, who salivated at the sight of the miscellany of potatoes, rice, vegetables and meat, lots of delicious meat. Still he controlled himself and didn't pick up the fork.

"I was surprised when Mike told me that you decided to train with him today, in our meetings over the years I never thought you would like gym training, Edward. I would have asked you to train with me if I knew we shared that common interest."

"It's because we don't share, to be honest I don't even know why I accepted his invitation..."

"Really? I could swear you already have some training experience, the way your uniform is tight, it looks like you're wearing your little brother's clothes."

"They must have shrunk or something."

Edward replied, knowing that was not possible, as the uniform had been made from his exact measurements and had fitted perfectly in the morning.

"I didn't poison the food, you know? And I can guarantee you I don’t have a contagious disease neither."

Mike said with indignation in his voice, as he sat down at the table again with an even fuller plate than the previous one. Edward simply stared at him without answering, as was his custom, but this time the look he cast in his colleague's direction wasn't his typical shy and embarrassed look, but one of challenge.

"Okay, here, take this one."

Said Michael exchanging the new and untouched plate for his old plate. And taking a mouthful of that delicious looking food to his mouth, making Edward look away so he wasn't staring, which unfortunately made him face the new pile of food in front of him, looking just as delicious.

"What's the matter now?"

Mike asked with his mouth still half full.

"Manners, Michael. I think what Edward means by the silence and the defiant look is that he won't eat."

"Come on bro, if you don't eat it you won't grow."

"And who said I want to grow?”

"If you don't then why did you agree to go to the gym with me?"

"I don't know... to blow of steam I... I guess."

"And what steam will you have if you don't eat, dude? Eat!"

"I already ate!"

"Do you think a handful of vegetables will get you this?"

Mike teased, crossing his arms making his muscles bulge.

"You need meat, the more meat on your stomach, the more meat on your bones! Come on, you know you want it!"

Edward's instinct was to deny it, but the smell of the roast beef, the juiciness of the meat, next to the mashed potatoes felt like a calling. And the size of Mike's flexed arm was also, of another kind, but it was. He felt hunger, hunger for the food in front of him and a different kind of hunger he'd never felt before, something awakening inside him, a companion to the rage that expanded inside him and had grown claws that dug in his very being. But this was different, it was a well, dark and deep, it was hunger and thirst, it was desire. Desire to grow, desire to be a giant like Mike and Chad, and that desire shot through his body like lightning, strangely erotic, until it hit his cock, which instantly became erect.

"Eat, man"

Edward looked back at Mike, who had an encouraging smile and Chad who again seemed to drop his usual superior air, and shared a knowing smile with him. And he felt it all together, the excitement, the desire, the erection and the rage, the hot, searing rage, enveloping everything. He wanted to scream, he wanted to punch the colleagues who encouraged him to betray his principles, he wanted to go to his house and have a fight with his father, demonstrate to the old man that he wasn't a bloody coward. But he didn't do any of that, what he did was take a mouthful full of food to his mouth and chew. And he chewed, initially letting the taste of meat he hadn't consumed in years overwhelm his senses. The pleasure that the food gave him was added to the pleasure that deep well of desire brought him which almost made him cumm in his underwear right there, in the middle of the cafeteria, surrounded by his classmates. But nobody noticed. And he, who a few minutes ago would have been mortified by what happened, barely paid attention. Because a second mouthful followed the first and then many others, fast, full of food, in a frenzy, turning the plate of food in front of him into a kind of sickly porridge. Which Edward looked at with a startled look as he finally set his fork down beside his plate. Had he done that? Eaten all that? What the fuck was going on!?

"Here, drink it, it'll help all that food go down."

Chad said in a much friendlier tone than Edward remembered hearing from him as he handed him a box of milk, which he unthinkingly picked up and downed in one gulp, with milk dripping down his chin, mixing with the food remains that were there and falling on his uniform.

"Who knew you were such a pig, Chang!"

Mike commented with a cheerful mocking tone.

"Fuck off, Jones"

Edward replied, while he began to feel a strange bubbling sensation in his stomach that rose through his chest until...

Burrrp

"Such a pig, Chang! But I expected more from the Pork King's son. Something more like ….

Buuurrrp

"You guys are disgusting."

Chad commented, but with an appreciative smile.

"I'm sorry your majesty if the nouveau riche and the children of workers don't share your elegance."

"Shut up, Michael. I can't believe I'm going to do this..."

Said Chad, taking a second box of milk, emptying it under the watchful eyes of his two colleagues, without spilling a single drop of the contents on his impeccable uniform, returning it to the table and...

Buuurrrrrrrp

"That's how it's done, you assholes. Eddie may be the Pork Prince. But here at this table, I'm the king...."

Buuuuuurrrrrrrrrrp

Edward let out the biggest burp up to that moment, interrupting Chadwick's speech and making the two colleagues look in his direction and burst out laughing, in which he accompanied them for several seconds.

He didn't know why he did all that, none of it was natural, he had avoided meat for years and he was lactose intolerant!!! Although that explained the belching! A thought that renewed his laughter.

As that scene unfolded the colleagues at other tables watched, some with looks of disgust, others admired, others like Jonathan Roberts truly confused with no idea what was really going on there. And neither does Edward. The erotic feeling was gone, the rage was pulsing slowly, appeased and the well of desire was placid, sated by the hour. So was his belly, which was straining the buttons on his shirt and jacket. As he laughed, he felt a feeling he'd rarely felt before, a sense of belonging even though he knew he wasn't like Mike and Chad, that he didn't have their size, their strength, their courage... it made the waters in the well inside him stir as he realized that he really wanted this for himself, wanted to train with Mike and even wanted the company of Chad, which he had avoided for so many years.

"Damn, I really look like a pig."

He said as he wiped the laugh tears from his face.

"And definitely that uniform has shrunk, it looks like I'm all wrapped up."

"Let's do this, first we go to your dorm so you can change in your training clothes and then to ours so I can lend you spare uniforms. They'll be big on you, but that's good, it means you can grow in them."

Mike said, still smiling

"Thanks bro."

Edward replied, which further widened the other's smile.

"That's nothing, bro. Are you coming too?"

He concludes by looking at Chad.

"Go ahead, I'll meet you later at the gym, I won't miss this.”

………

Changing clothes was a bizarre experience. While taking off his shoes he didn't find the small, delicate feet he remembered but two big, smelly ones. Edward didn't have an explanation for that, although a little voice in the back of his head told him it was wrong. Strangely, with his rage asleep he didn't seem to be able to care. The same happened with his uniform, which even ripped when removed, exposing a defined physique. Which made Mike comment admired:

"Wow, man! I had no idea you were hiding the game. You'll have a much better starting point than I expected."

The truth is that Edward wasn't expecting that either, and looked at himself in the mirror.

As he admired himself that voice in the back of his head returned: that's not right you're not like that! Which in turn send a red flash inside his head, causing the rage to take over again.

"Why the astonished tone Mike? You thought I was some wimp, is that it?"

"No man, I'm just glad you have a good foundation to work on."

Edward accepted his colleague's explanation, as he looked for a pair of shorts, all concern with the changes in his body forgotten. His boxers were tight, but he would never take them off in front of another man. Before looking for a T-shirt he took another look at himself in the mirror. Damn, how had he never noticed he was hot?

Edward ended up opting for a tank top that his father had forced him to bring and that he thought he would never wear. But then came the biggest problem, none of his shoes seemed capable of supporting the size of his feet, what the hell was he going to do? That's when he saw Jonathan's closet and with a sly smile grabbed a pair of his roommate's sneakers. Under Mike's watchful eye and equally mischievous smile.

"I didn't think you'd be capable of something like this, Chang."

"I'll buy him a new pair, I'll have to buy new ones to myself anyway."

Edward replied as he slipped on his roomate size 11 sneakers which he thought would be a little big but in reality were a perfect fit. People tended to think that small feet were a feature of all Asians, well that wasn't the case for him, after all at 6 feet tall his base of support should be good.

"I wonder what that crybaby Roberts will say... probably something like: it's the principle of the thing that matters and not the material value!"

"I'll deal with Roberts later, I'm looking forward to getting back to training and I want to see if you're going to be a good training partner or if you are full of bulshit."

"Do you have the nerve to say that to someone my size, scrawny boy?"

"In a fight, size isn't everything, Big Mike."

"I thought you didn't fight... that it was a stereotype and blah blah blah..."

"You think I'm obligated to know how to fight Kung Fu is a stereotype. Which doesn't mean that I don't know how to fight and that what I fight is Kung Fu."

"And what is it then?"

"Soon you will find out."

Edward replied, as memories of hours and hours of training took up a permanent place in his mind where an annoying little voice once dwelt.

….

While the two kept their things in the locker room at the academy, Edwar voiced a question he had been dying to ask

"So what's it like sharing a dorm with Chad Hartfield?"

"I don't know man... He's cool, he asked me to join the Crows and everything. But you've known him all your life, not me."

"We haven't met that often...in fact before today I...well...I kind of avoided him, but now… Like you said, he's cool. I never imagined he was capable of doing what he did at lunch today, You know? Chill Out and just be one of the guys. He always gave me an air of arrogance and superiority...

"Perhaps if you had given yourself the opportunity to get to know him better... and besides, why would he be your superior? Your father is much richer than his."

"That's not how it works, Mike. My father may have more money, but the Hartfields are Old Money, they have a name, status."

"I know that, and you think Chad himself doesn't suffer from it? Do you think he can be the way he was with us today with anyone else? With everyone around him ready to judge him for stepping outside of what's expected? What did he do in front of you today, exposing himself like that he won't do with anyone else he doesn't consider a true friend and you can bet that at the tables next to us there were people in his circle judging him for doing what he did did and he will probably have to pay for it. But I'm actually glad we gave him the chance to be exactly what you said, one of the guys.

"I... I never thought there was more to him than... well... than the arrogant asshole who seems to have the world at his feet."

"Ah, but he really is an arrogant asshole who has the world at his feet."

Mike said bursting out laughing before continuing.

" And that's exactly what I admire about him, he's relentless, ambitious and knows his place in the world, but he's loyal to his friends. The kind of man I admire and want to be. In fact, today I saw some traces of that in you brother, I think you should explore them more."

Traces of that in him? Never! Edward thought, but at the same time he had stood up to Gregory and Jonathan and shared a laugh with Chad and Mike who were exactly that kind of people and there was still that anger boiling inside him... maybe he wasn't so different from Chad after all. ...

"So are we going to wait for him or what?"

"Nah, he catches up with us later, plus I want to see you demonstrate the crane move or whatever you call it."

Edward braced himself for another wave of rage, but this one didn't come, because to his complete astonishment, he ended up laughing.

"Dick."

That's what he managed to say between laughs to his new friend. As he felt his perception of the other change he realized that this is what Mike had become, a friend. A kind of friend he didn't think he could enjoy having so much. Mike didn't care much if he was going to offend someone or not, he said what he thought and if someone got offended… they will have to deal with it. And Edward...Eddie...realized he liked that, that freedom to say whatever he wants to say. There was no need to be offended, it was a silly joke, made in camaraderie.

"What? Want a taste of it?"

Answered his friend, holding his pouch and bursting into a laughter so genuinely that Eddie followed him again without a flash of anger. It seemed Mike and his ways appealed to that new corner of Eddie's personality in such a way that it would take more than a few jokes to rouse the abrasive waves of anger he was now familiar with. And Edward was fine with that, because if he could be honest with himself he was scared of what he was becoming. However, before that thought could gain strength, it was interrupted by Mike

"That's enough, otherwise we'll never train, I thought we'd lift some weights and then you show me some of your moves, no jokes this time, I really want to see what you're capable of, bro."

Said the other boy with his usual smile.

Eddie could have sworn he'd lifted weights before, he had the memories to prove it, didn't he? But as Mike guided him through the different machines and stations it felt like the first time. He would have given up if he didn't hate the idea of being seen as a weakling by his colleague. So every time that cowardly urge to stop took hold of him he gladly embraced the wave of red rage his brain sent throughout his body giving him the necessary strength to continue. Mike's encouragement helped too, ranging from jokes that eased Eddie's tension, teasing that fueled his anger, and praise that softened his ego.

They had opted for a full body workout. Starting with the work on the arms. But when he saw the weight of the dumbbells that his friend handed him, Eddie faltered.

"What? Those weights are supposed to warm you up brother! I thought you knew how to train..."

"Shut up Jones..."

He said taking the dumbbells and starting the exercise. And indeed, with each curl he did the weights felt lighter. So much so that at the end of the series Mike placed dumbbells in front of him with twice the weight, without saying anything, just staring at his friend with a challenging look. Edward in turn responded by picking up the weights and nearly dropping them. Which sent his anger shooting up, giving him the strength he needed to reposition himself and try again.

"Come on brother! I want at least 10 reps, no excuses."

He urged while positioning himself next to Eddie.

"... seven... let's go."

"Talking is easy..."

"...so don't talk man, do it!"

"... nine and ten! Two more let's go!"

"But you said ten..."

"And I thought you weren't a wimp."

Anger exploded inside Eddie.

"I will kill you!"

He said, while doing another curl

"You can try, but first make one more! And... twelve! Hell Yeah! Who's the man, you're the man!"

Mike spoke, as Eddie's anger dissipated, for the joy of having achieved it and for what seemed to be genuine joy in his friend's voice.

"Look at those arms man, you're exercising your constitutional right to own guns!"

And Eddie looked, he didn't remember his arms being that big, it must have been the pump,... although arms that big didn't grow overnight and... whatever... he flexed both arms, that it was so badass!

"Look at this!"

"Yeah, man! Come on, two more times and then triceps!"

After the triceps it was the turn of the shoulders, and the chest. Again Eddie was amazed at the weights that his friend put on him, only to him overcome them with ease and see them being doubled.

"...come on man, even my sister can bench press more than that."

"Shut...up...you piece of shit!"

"...ten, Man Up, dude! Eleven and... twelve! Well done Chang! Now legs! Let's turn those little chicken legs into something respectable!"

"I'll show you what those little chicken legs can do, dickhead"

"I really hope so, because at the moment I'm not impressed. Let's go there, barbell squats and deadlifts and then you can try to fulfill all your empty threats."

"....and twelve! Well done brother! Look at those quads and those calves! They belong to a real man and not a wimp!"

"Who are you calling a wimp, Jones??"

"Certainly not you, Chang!"

Said Mike extending his hand to a High Five that Eddie was delighted to reciprocate. Yeah, he was a real man, more than that, he was a god among lesser men, he thought as he admired himself in the middle of the gym.

"If you're done admiring yourself pretty boy, I think it's time for you to put yourself to the test on the mat."

"Are you sure about that, Big Mike? I'm not going to feel sorry for rubbing your face in the ground just for the pleasure of getting your annoying smile off."

"You might be surprised, Chang."

"Unless you train in some kind of martial art and haven't told me it's unlikely."

"Basketball has always been my sport, bro. I never trained in martial arts and kept off the streets. Still, I want to see you try take all this down."

Said Mike taking off his tank top and showing muscles definitely much bigger than Eddie's.

"I've told you before Mike, size isn't everything in a fight and besides I'm not that much smaller than you."

"In your dreams, scrawny boy!"

Mike retorted, leading his colleague to the mat in one of the multiple training rooms of the giant Dalton sports complex, taking off his sports shoes and socks and putting himself in a waiting position, while he waited for Eddie to do the same.

"Come on, show me all you've got... wimp."

Even though Eddie was no longer irritated by his friend's teasing, he let the anger overwhelm him, this was a fight after all and he didn't lie when he said he wanted to rip off his friend's arrogant smile. He then went all out on him, aiming a punch at the other's face. Who deflected it with one hand as he slapped Eddie lightly across the ear, as if he wasn't even worthy of receiving a real blow, which made his anger boil with indignation.

"That's all you've got, Chang? It’s pathetic!"

"You'll see who's pathetic, Jones."

Eddie replied, the red wave of anger involving everything around him as he applied a kick, once again deflected by his friend, who even took the opportunity to knock him to the ground.

"Like I said, pathetic Chang. I thought you knew how to fight."

"I know!"

Eddie responded by standing up and ripping his tank top off.

"Empty words, Chang. Maybe I was wrong, maybe you have nothing in common with me and Chad, maybe you're just a weakling."

Said Mike while dodging another punch given by Eddie knocking him to the ground.

"I'm not a weakling."

Eddie replied, repositioning himself.

"Then prove, prove that you don't belong there, on the ground, crawling around like a worm!"

"Ahhh...."

Eddie yelled, delivering a new blow only to see him dodged again.

"It seems you are nothing but a coward and a weakling."

Said Mike turning his back and giving the impression that he was going to leave the mat, his face and voice mixing with those of Eddie's father in the red mist of his conscience.

In the middle of it all Eddie launched himself on Mike, trapping his friend's neck in a powerful rear naked choke and then taking him to the ground and repositioning himself on top of him in a mount.

"Who's the weakling now? Huh? Who, Big Mike?"

Eddie asked, full of rage.

"Never turn your back on the enemy, bro. Who's the weakling?"

He repeated, seeming to grow in size, muscles pulsing and swelling. Holding tighter and tighter as his friend tried to free himself from that deadly grip.

"Don't even try to let go, I'm a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you were right, the ground is where I belong. But I'm not crawling, I'm not a worm. No worm is my size."

And he was right of course, he was big by any standard of comparison, giant arms, powerful legs ending in huge feet and a chest bigger than a barrel, and contrary to every stereotype a huge dick and a couple of big balls. Which even motivated his next provocation.

"Hey Big Mike, tell me, how does it feel to have a real man's dick rubbed in your face?"

"Ungh..."

"I didn't understand, sorry, I don't speak weakling language"

"I give up, man I give up."

"Who is the king of the mat?"

"You you!"

"Great, next time save your opinions for the basketball court where it belongs, I'm in charge here!"

Eddie said, finally getting off his friend and letting him recover.

"Wow man, if I had known that I would never have accepted your invitation to train. You fooled me so well."

"I didn't fool anyone, you fooled yourself and I wonder how it ever crossed your mind you could win to all of this!"

Said Eddie showing off his powerful and huge physique to his friend.

"Come on brother, we're almost the same size, but I’m still bigger than you."

"I know, but I'm tired of telling you that size isn't everything in a fight. Even if I were a twig I could still take you out. Ask Chad, he's been following my fights since I started training."

"I know, I know. He told me that, I knew what I was getting myself into, but I still couldn't resist, a mistake I won't repeat. Man, I stink, I need to take a shower before next class."

"Me too...shit, now I'm really going to have to buy Roberts a new sneaker."

Eddie replied showing a torn tennis shoe to his friend, who once again burst out laughing.

"But what was the idea of getting such a small sneaker? How much do you wear anyway?"

"I wear a size 13 but I don't know what happened to my stuff, I think the staff sent my brother's clothes by mistake... so it was either Roberts sneakers or going barefoot but I could have sworn they fit right ."

"Well, now you're going to have to go barefoot anyway, dummy. I could have lent you a pair of mine, but I wear a size 15. Or you could have told Chad, he wears the same size as you ."

"I don't know man, I didn't mean to bother him."

"What are you talking about? You've known each other your whole life, you've been friends since childhood, of course he wouldn't mind! Why you would think that?!"

"Well, so far he hasn't asked me to join the Crows and... don't take this the wrong way, you're a cool and you're his roommate, but given our history I thought I'd be the first to be called."

"Assholes, both of you! Chad was worried because you hadn't asked him in yet, he thought you knew you were in without him needing to call."

"Fuck! I thought..."

"Clearly thinking is not your best asset, Chang"

"Want another demonstration of my best asset, Jones?"

"I'm good man, I'm good."

Mike responded by raising one hand in peace as he called someone with his cell phone in his other hand.

"Hey, dumbass. I thought you were going to come train with your best bros. Ah, an important matter came up...more important than us? We'll show you who matters most. Eddie and I will be waiting for you in the locker room, bring a pair of your shoes because the idiot forgot his. Oh, and bring along a formal letter inviting him to the Crows, because apparently for you rich kids if things are not done formally it has no validity."

"Asshole."

Eddie said, apparently at the same time Chad was saying the same thing to Mike on the phone.

"Oun, how beautiful is the harmony of childhood friends. A tear came to flow here."

He said pointing to his own dick. Though only Eddie could see it and burst out laughing once more.

"See you later Chad. We'll be waiting for you in the locker room, don't forget the shoes for Chang."

He ended it by hanging up the phone and looking at Eddie.

"Problems solved. Frankly, I don't know what you rich guys would do without me. Just don't expect me to wash your gorilla backs, Chang."

“Are you kidding Jones? I bet you'd love the chance to admire a real man."

"You better save your bets for my games or your fights, man. I know that you have a lot of money to spend, but it's better not to waste it on things that will never happen. Also, when I want to see a real man I just need to look in a mirror."

…..

"I thought you'd stick around to help me with Chang's transition."

"I went to make sure everything was going well with Sanchez."

"And?"

"Apparently that sort of thing is to be expected."

"Fine, not pretending I totally understand, but fine."

"Even I don't fully understand Mike. I've prepared my whole life for this and yet I've had surprises. That... clowning... at lunch today, I'm pretty sure I've never done anything like that in my life and yet it came naturally to me."

"I thought it was awesome, I used to have burping competitions all the time with my friends at my old school."

"Disgusting, Michael."

"You didn't seem to think so while you were doing it."

"Yes, and that's what's weirdest, I really enjoyed myself in an unexpected way. But that kind of thing can't happen anymore.”

"Man, letting go a little from time to time will not destroy our plans, on the contrary, I believe that was precisely the moment that secured Chang for us."

"Maybe... then how well did you do?"

"Soon you'll see, but I admit it was... strange, you saw the beginning, but then things accelerated and I... just went with the flow... as if the right words to get the result I wanted pop out of nowhere in my head and... it was bizarre... it was like turning him inside out... you should have seen it to understand."

"I believe I understand Mike."

"No man, there's no way you can understand, not without seeing it. There's no way to fully describe the transformation from a wizened boy to a mean muscle mountain."

"You'll have to trust me on that one. What about the rest?"

"Like I said, it was like he turned inside out, we might have issues with his aggression at some point, but to be honest I liked this new him, liked a lot. He's the type of guy I'd like to have by my side, a bit crude but really fun. And he seems to think of you as a dear childhood friend."

"Great, so now we just need to formalize the thing."

Well, there won't be a better time than now. He's just getting out of the shower.”

"You took your time Chang, I thought maybe you drowned or something."

Commented Chad with the giant totally naked in front of him.

"You should know how long it takes a man my size to wash up, Hartfield. And Jones hasn't even had a bath yet. What was it that the two of you had so important to talk about?"

"About you actually."

"Oh, and may I know what you had to say about me?"

"How my childhood friend could be so stupid as to think I wouldn't invite him to join my club."

"Well, you took your time too Chad."

"Only because I thought it was obvious that I wanted you there, Eddie."

"So I'm in, simple as that?"

"Simple as that brother, what won't be so simple is the task I have to give you, but I bet you'll still enjoy every moment of it."

#male tf #mind change #reality change #jockification #corruption #fratification

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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 1 year ago

Text

Nightlife 5

Warnings: dark elements to come. Proceed with caution.

Note: I know what you’re thinking, why the fuck are you doing this? Well, you wanted bouncer Lee and I did too. Also, short!reader, not sorry.

Walking home from the library, you find yourself checking over your shoulder. Each set of headlights has you envisioning the bronze corvette, every shadow of a passerby appears first as Lee's broad silhouette. Your eventual arrival is a relief, but not for long.

You look at your phone as it vibrates. You clutched it the whole way home. You see Lee's message floating below the time.

"Sup?" Raquel asks as she lazes on the couch.

"Oh, just studying," you answer as you take off your shoes, "feel better."

"Feel like shit," she answers without looking up from her cellphone. "Want some pizza? Was gonna order from Guillaume's."

"Hm, not really hungry," you shrug and your bag slips down to your elbow.

"Fine," she replies glumly, "guess I'll just get a small."

Your phone buzzes again and you quickly forget her disappointment. You flit by the couch and pause at the end. Should you tell her about Lee? She knows more about guys than you.

Your embarrassment gets the better of you. It's obvious you're stupid about boys but admitting it is too much. Besides, she's your roommate, not your friend. Her 'friends' were nowhere to be found when she was drunk at the club.

Your kick yourself back into step and retreat to your room. You shut the door and throw your bag on the bed. You open your messages and skim Lee's texts. Asking how studying went, how you're doing.

You type in a response, not much different than what you told Raquel. You set your phone on your desk and change into a pair of pj's: polka dot shorts and matching tee. You grab your cell and hop on the bed, dragging your bag closer to take out your laptop.

You turn on the 00s teen drama you ever been binging in passing as your phone rumbles in your hand. You lau back against your pillows.

'Lazy night, I like it.'

'Class tomorrow. Should settle down.'

You send your evasive reply and turn your attention to the dramatic argument between the sophomores played by thirtysomethings. It isn't long before another text shakes your phone.

'Too bad. Was hoping for a call.'

You stare at the message. You want to say no but you don't want to be rude. You don't answer as you languish in indecision.

A new text comes in before you can come up with a response.

'Just a short call. To say goodnight. I had such a nice time today.'

Shit. You don't know how he's persuasive even through text. The walls close in as you desperately search for an easy way to let him down. You got nothing.

'Alright.'

You regret your acquiescence as soon as you hit send. You blow out a heavy breath and look up at the ceiling. You could've just said you're going to sleep, you could lie. No, you've never been good at that.

Your phone chimes with the usual melody of a video call coming in. Huh? You assumed he meant phone call, not seeing you. Oh geez.

You sit up and hit pause on your laptop. You fumble to answer the call and the image of yourself in the corner shows only the top left portion of your face. You pull the phone back and center yourself in the small box, only then taking in the sight of the man that takes up the bulk of the screen.

Lee smiles at you through the camera, "hey, little darling, don't you look cozy."

You blink and give a nervous chuckle, more a rattle in your throat. You gulp as you notice the bareness of his shoulders. Eek. He can't be…

"Like the color of that shirt, can I get a look at all of ya?"

"Um, I don't know," you adjust your grip on the phone, "I…"

"Come on, I'm sure ya look scrumptious, sweet thing."

You tug on your lip. Your head is empty. Painfully so as your heart hammers in your chest. Facing him through a lens is somehow just intimidating as in the flesh.

“Errr,” you glance around cluelessly.

“Go on,” he urges, “just wanna see ya.”

You clamp your mouth shut as an icy wave rolls over you. It’s okay. It’s no big deal. Just your pajamas.

You climb off the bed, jostling the phone and you set it on the desk, leaning it against a book as you back up. You squint at your image in the frame as Lee hums in approval. He adjusts his phone, giving a small peek of the hair along the top of his chest.

“You look delicious,” he purrs, “ain’t you so cute.”

“Thanks,” you reach for the phone and quickly focus the camera on your face.

“The way you lookin’ right now, makes me wanna come over and… snuggle ya,” he smirks, “you’re such a sweet girl, huh?”

You don’t know what to say. You rub your lips together nervously and tug on your ear. He groans again, the image on his end shifting subtly.

“Or you could come over here, hm?” He drawls, “sneak up here, climb in next to me…” his voice grits as the camera shakes, the image of him blurring. “Wouldn’t you like that, sweetheart, you could get on top–” he drones as the angle changes and you see how his shoulder moves, his arm in a steady motion. Oh my, what is he doing?

“Lee?” You squeak in horror.

“I can’t help myself, this is what you do to me,” he growls, “the way I’ve been thinking of you all day. What if I just came there and crawled up on ya–” he nearly chokes, “tuck into you. Bet ya nice and tight–”

“Please, Lee–”

“Say it again, blossom,” he groans.

“Lee,” you beg.

“Mmmm,” his hand falls down, taking the phone with it.

Suddenly, the screen dims but you can still see shapes through the shadows. The silhouette of his dick as he strokes it, his thick fingers squeezing tight as his voice rumbles in the air. You’re too stunned to say a word, to hit end. You just gape and watch him play with himself.

“You see what you make me do, little darling,” he snarls, “you got me–”

He chokes and spasms, rubbing his cocks as he stammers out a splintered moan. You see the eruption from his tip and hear the slickness as he spreads it up and down his length. You squeal and cover your eyes at last. You’re absolutely humiliated.

“Lee!” You exclaim as you peek through your fingers.

He sighs and fixes the camera, turning it back to his face. His skin is shiny with sweat and a lock of hair hangs down his forehead. His cheeks are ruddy and flushed from his excitement.

“I hadta, sweet thing,” he growls, “if I didn’t,” he clears his throat, “I woulda had to come over there and do more.”

“Wh-why… Lee, I… I gotta go to sleep. Please. I got class tomorrow,” you plead.

“Mmm, such a good girl. I’ll dream of you,” he says, “hope not too much, the way you got me right now.”

“I’m sorry, I gotta be up early,” you murmur, hoping he’ll let you go.

“It hurts, blossom, how much I want you.”

“Mhmm,” you look away from the phone, “I…good night.”

He lets out a long exhale, a thick gristle catching in his throat, “night, darlin’. Now don’t you be touching yourself. You save that for me.”

“Lee, I wouldn’t–” you bat your lashes in shock.

“I know, sweet thing, I know. I’m just teasing. You sleep tight.”

You hit end in hopes he doesn’t notice your frown. You throw the phone away from you and plunge onto the bed. You hide your head under the pillow and squeal. You can’t believe what he just did and you’re terrified of what he might do next.

#lee bodecker x reader #dark lee bodecker #lee bodecker #dark!lee bodecker #the devil all the time #au #drabble #nightlife #series

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jinxhallows · 2 years ago

Text

Unhinged . [ a skz AU fiction ]

𝚄𝚗𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍.

𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝚝𝚘 𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍 (ʏᴏᴜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘʀᴏʙᴀʙʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ʟᴏsᴛ…ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ sᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴜɴ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪs ʀɪᴅᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ʙᴇ ʟᴏsᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴜᴄᴇ)

ʏᴏᴜ, ᴄʜᴀ��, ғᴇʟɪx, ʜʏᴜɴᴊɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊɪsᴜɴɢ ᴇᴍʙᴀʀᴋ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴛᴏ ғɪɴᴅ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘʟᴀɢᴜᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ʟᴇᴀᴅs ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴs. ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀɪᴇs. ᴡɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ sᴜᴄᴄᴇᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴛᴏʀɪɴɢ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ, ᴏʀ ᴡɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴀʟʟ ᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴍ, ᴏɴᴇ ʙʏ ᴏɴᴇ, ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅs ʏᴏᴜ?

☾ -- ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: ᴀ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ (ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sʜᴏᴡ) ᴀᴜ, ʜʏʙʀɪᴅ!ᴄʜᴀɴ, ᴠᴀᴍᴘɪʀᴇ!ғᴇʟɪx, ᴠᴀᴍᴘɪʀᴇ!ʜʏᴜɴᴊɪɴ, ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ!ᴊɪsᴜɴɢ, ᴀɴɢsᴛ, ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ, sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇ, ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

━━━━━━━━

☾ -- ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛs

━━━━━━━━

𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜:

𝕒𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕠𝕣𝕤 [ you must be 18+ to ride this ride ]

𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢, 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚎, 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎, 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜, 𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎, 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑, 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜, 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚎, 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞

𝚒𝚏 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝙰𝚄, 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚢𝚊 𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚕…𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚎.

━━━━━━━━

ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ | wc: 2.0k

━━━━━━━━

2 weeks have passed since the last full moon....

The bell chimes upon your entry, as Chan holds the door open for you, ushering you into a parlor that seemed to transport you back to your childhood. The air was thick with the sweet scent of freshly baked waffle cones and cookies, and your senses were suddenly heightened, overwhelmed by the mixture of new scents and their intensity all at once. You close your eyes, taking in another long whiff, and relishing in the nostalgia that consumes you.

Guiding you towards a booth, Chan's gentle touch on your lower back brings your focus back into the present. The seats are modeled after the diners of yesteryear, with shiny red vinyl material that ever so slightly squeaked as you slide into the booth across from the handsome, dark-haired hybrid man. As you watch Chan, humming to himself and nodding to a melody that only he could hear, a comforting warmth spreads over your stomach, and you can’t help putting your hand atop it, softly.

Flipping the one-page laminated menu to the other side, Chan takes a moment to murmur the choices aloud to himself. His brows furrow slightly whenever he notes a strange flavor combination, but he goes back to softly humming again, lost in thought.

Suddenly realizing he was hogging the menu, Chan looks up at you and catches himself, sliding the sheet across the table with an apology. "Sorry about that, little witch. It's been so long since I've been in this kind of place," he says with a small smile.

You smile back, running your finger down the long list of ice cream flavors on the menu. "No worries. I was admiring you anyway."

Chan chuckles, "Admiring what? My indecisiveness?" he continues, “Really, I’ve never even heard of some of those flavors before.”

“Hey, you were the one who promised me ice cream before I died.” You say and he nods in defeat.

“I did promise you ice cream.”

You laugh, "No, I’m just admiring how at peace you looked. I can't remember the last time I heard your singing voice, even just a hum. You look so... happy. I like it."

A shallow dimple appears at the corner of Chan's mouth as he grasps your hands across the table. "I am happy. I have a second chance to be a dad. A good one... like mine was, but better. And I get a second chance to love you, and I won't hold back this time. Losing you, if only for a little while, didn't put me in a good headspace."

As you listen to Chan's heartfelt words, memories flood your mind. You had gone to literal Hell and back with this man and his family in the last few months. You had protected the family heirloom that held Hyunjin’s soul and found solace in Felix for killing the wolves that murdered your parents. You even found out that Hyunjin was the most vulnerable. You went from questioning Jisung's validity to literally relying on him to drag you from the pits of purgatory and being the source of much of your laughter throughout the entire journey.

And as for Chan, you had gone from perceiving him as a fearsome monster to someone you loved so deeply, it was dangerous sometimes.

Chan remembers how volatile he felt during that time. He could’ve snapped at any time, on anyone, and he gave in to those impulses. He was the brother that held the highest regard for mortal life, and yet he would’ve murdered anyone on the path to bringing you and Jisung back. Chan barely slept throughout the whole ordeal, he didn’t feed, and cried so much, he nearly fooled himself into believing his humanity had returned. Another human hadn’t been able to draw such profound feelings from him since Amelia.

As you reminisce, the sound of a hurried waitress draws your attention. She seems out of sorts and rushed as she takes a big sigh and puts on a smile.

"Alrighty, sorry for the wait, we normally don't get folks this late anymore these days. What can I get you two?" she asks, flipping open a small notepad and looking between you patiently, awaiting your orders.

“After you.” Chan gestures for you to go first.

You sit up a little straighter in the booth. “I’ll take the chocolate chip cookie dough milkshake.”

“Alright, one straw or two?” The waitress scribbles in her pad.

“That actually sounds really good, two, I’ll share with her.” Chan takes the chance to not have to decide between all of the flavors again as he gives the waitress a charming smile and hands her the menu.

“Be right back with your shake.” She looks a little bit more relaxed than when she first arrived, as if something eased her nerves.

That’s when you notice something is off. You look around and don’t see any other people occupying the ice cream parlor. Granted, it was well after 2am, but wasn’t this a 24 hour shop? And what did she mean by they rarely got people at this hour anymore?

“Chan…” you start piecing things together. “How did you find a 24 hour ice cream parlor in this small town?”

Chan shrugs. “Google?” he offers.

Your eyes narrow. “What did you do?”

He chuckles, his hands up as he gives in. “Alright, alright, you got me.”

“A little persuasion never hurt anyone.”

━━━━━━━━

Felix is out of answers.

His forehead rests against the side of his hand, propped up by his elbow on the desk. Tufts of his ice white hair fluffed out between the fingers he splayed along the crown of his scalp. He’s been staring at the weathered, yellow pages of an ancient book in Latin for the last three hours, flipping back and forth, trying to bring forth a solution despite his exhaustion.

Though he surprised himself at how much Latin he remembered, it wasn’t enough to figure out what to do about the curse Edith had damned to anyone who disturbed her remains. The little witch’s bloodline connection added another layer of complexity to how the curse was manifesting itself over the household.

Hyunjin’s time spent in the isolation and terror of Hell had equipped him with unique perceptive abilities and knowledge. Unfortunately, coming back to a world that had changed so drastically from the last time he was here, also made him uncomfortable and paranoid. He knew adjusting was critical to his survival, but it was no easy feat.

“The Full Moon…it's in two more weeks?” Felix asks aloud, expecting an answer from Jisung, who was seated in the leather wingback chair to the right of Felix’s desk. The vampire looks up from his book to see Jisung, nodded off, softly snoring. Felix stands up and comes around from behind the desk, ready to wake him up with a firm smack, when Hyunjin grasps his arm in midair, shaking his head in protest.

Felix gives him a bemused look, silently mouthing the words, “why not?”

Hyunjin jerks his head towards the door so they can leave the office and speak privately. Felix follows behind the youngest brother, and they leave the room. Hyunjin takes care to close the door with a soft ‘click’ before leading Felix outside, onto the porch. There is still a large, caved in hole off to the right from the last Full Moon, but the crew had other things to worry about and didn’t want to bring anyone you couldn’t trust around the new location.

This included repair people.

The scarlet haired vampire pulls a cigarette out from the back pocket of his black slacks. He lights it, taking a long drag.

“When did you start smoking?” Felix asks, stepping back and waving his hand in front of the face to clear the smoke. Hyunjin doesn’t react, instead, he takes another drag before flicking the ashes off to the side.

“If Edith can kill one of us, she gets a free soul and a possible vessel back into the world of the living.” He turns his head, eyes locking onto his brother. “Did you know that?”

“What do you mean, how do you know this?” Felix asks. “How can she kill us if she’s dead?”

“Its her favorite form of torture. She can’t kill us, but if she makes our demons eat us from the inside out, eventually one of us will kill the other to find relief.”

Hyunjin blows out a haze of smoke, ashing once more before he holds the cigarette out in front of him. He tilts it forward and back, as if seeing it for the first time.

“We didn’t have these when I was alive…” his voice trails off, but he catches himself. “I see how humans become addicted. Brother, my demons want to gnaw off the heads of every one of you. My demons want blood, they...demand…blood.” Hyunjin takes the final hit before tossing the rest onto the wooden floorboards, snuffing it out with his leather shoe.

“Smoking gets me away from everyone else and gives me some kind of relief—but it's a foolish human method of escapism, and it won’t keep me from losing control. I’ve been training more, hoping it would alleviate the rage. Each night, it gets worse, like a burning in the pits of my stomach that I can’t fill. Jisung hasn’t slept in almost a week.”

Felix takes in his brother’s words, letting them carefully land before processing it all. He noticed footsteps in the daytime from Jisung’s room. The ancient witch had set up an altar to his ancestors and spent hours praying at it, searching for answers. He was rather withdrawn, but Felix thought it was because of how deeply he was affected by circumventing death again. His conjure capabilities still hadn’t come back to 100%.

“That doesn’t make sense, why would he stop sleeping?”

Hyunjin raises his eyebrows with a small shrug. “He says he thinks his ancestors want him to find it and end it…whatever ‘it’ is, he can’t seem to explain to me.”

Felix feels a sense of dread pouring over him. “He’s hallucinating…shit, Hyunjin, what do we do? We could survive each other, sure, but Jisung and the little witch would have no chance here. She got far into the forest, and I still found her...” His mind begins racing, flooding with new thoughts. The idea hits almost instantly.

“We have to find a safe place for them, far away from here.” he says.

“No, they have to find one. If we know about it, who knows if we’ll go looking for them if we lose control.” Hyunjin corrects his older brother. “That goes for Christophe, who I have a feeling won’t be happy about it.” Felix feels a flash of admiration and appreciation for the intelligence of his sibling. It was helpful to have someone else to fill in the blanks.

“Last full moon you had bloodlust, how do you feel now, brother?” Hyunjin asks, his hands in his pockets.

Felix slowly shakes his head. “I feel fine. I feed in town, no hunger at the moment.”

“Other than the hunger…how do you feel…brother.” Hyunjin asks again, with a little more emphasis. Felix looks up at him, hesitating in his voice before he speaks.

“I can’t stop looking for a cure.” he says, for the first time aloud, ever.

Felix had been cooped up in his office, which was a pretty normal thing, but lately, he also was choosing to opt out of daytime death on some days, feeling the urge to pore over demonology and hexes to the point of hunger exhaustion. If he were being honest, with each day, it had him visiting town more often than he’d like, because of the energy he would spend trying techniques with Jisung that would weaken him significantly. His hunger wasn’t out of control, no, but he had indeed lost control of something.

“I can’t say it's a bad thing though, we want to break this before it breaks us, right?”

Hyunjin shakes his head. “That’s the thing brother, its already breaking us.”

Felix has heard enough, and he turns on his heels, his hand clasping over the door frame as he pauses before heading back inside.

“Then we break back until we are broken.”

━━━━━━━━

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ?

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cocrante · 1 year ago

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#13 Bed Sharing

[flufftober 2023]

note: initially, there were two other oneshots on the list (found family - confession), but let's say I had already written a little something about them and for this occasion I'm exploring different scenarios to decide whether to incorporate them into the fanfiction or not :)

tag: @choicesprompts

THE FOOD WAS EXQUISITE, and so was the wine. If he continued to indulge him with all those aromas, flavors, and sugary phrases while serving, he would never be able to tell him "no". Not that this was a bad thing after all, he didn't just want to give him that feeling of control over his life, he hoped to continue to be wrapped in that subtle veil of mystery that still surrounded him, even though it seemed to be getting thinner, and his defenses were slowly coming down.

Maybe it was the wine that was dulling his senses, making him feel lighter, exposed, vulnerable. But in that house, in the company of his lover, there were no dangers. It was fine like this, he could handle another glass of wine, paired with the delicate fragrance of the new dish he had served. The steam tickled him, the spices were a sensual delight that enveloped him with every bite, and the meat was among the softest and most delicate he had ever tasted. The man sitting in front of him had truly peculiar manners, but when he entered the kitchen, he transformed every ingredient into a symphony of flavors, carefully layering and pairing them, creating a story on his palate. That evening, he was tasting the symphony of winter. Assuming winter had a melody or a taste. The only taste that came to Neuvillette's mind when thinking of winter was sugar, but these dishes were all savory, warm, and comforting foods. It was the flavor of people at home, wrapped in blankets as the night descended outside. He would never get enough of those dishes, of the food that left him feeling content and elated. Yet, happiness wasn't solely a result of those dishes, but also of the company and complicity that had developed with the man who had prepared them. During daylight hours, it seemed impossible to him that an old man could still experience such emotions, thinking they were a privilege of young boys who experiment with their peers. He had already had his dose of adventures, he was no longer a young and inexperienced boy. His life had been generous at times, and those memories were just that: memories. So why, in the evening when that man was at home, did he feel like he was burning as if he were a third of his age? He still felt like a schoolboy dealing with his first crush, with the only difference being that there were no more mysteries, and everything was clear now. It was tender of the man giving him a second chance, giving him a new love, more warmth, and kindness that he believed would no longer be a part of his life, nor would he have to deserve them anymore. Hoping deep down that it wasn't too hasty to think this, but he felt genuine feelings for the man who had reignited his life. It was probably too early to talk about love, even though perhaps it was so for the other, but for Neuvillette it was romantic affection. At the moment, it was all he could grant and give, and he knew that Wriothesley was fine taking it slow. Both were no longer young, his man also had a daughter, and they had their fair share of youthful escapades. So what was wrong with taking it all lightly? And enjoying the simplicity of their relationship.

Smiling, he reached out his hand, intertwining his fingers with those of his lover. "Thank you for inviting me" Neuvillette said, gazing affectionately at the man. "You are and will always be welcome" he replied, playing with his fingers as well. "Did you enjoy it?" he asked, noticing that the plate was practically empty. "It was all delicious. How do you make everything taste so good?" he inquired, even though he didn't think he'd get an answer. However, Wriothesley smiled. "Honey makes everything better" he stifled a laugh. "Honey?" a note of incredulity escaped his lips. "Yes, sir" he confirmed. "It draws out the subtlest aromas and nuances of the herbs" he explained, closing his hand over his companion's as if it were a treasure chest closing around its treasure. "It's also an excellent carrier for them, it moves through the meat fibers more gracefully than salt" he continued, although his attention was on the man's hand, caressing the delicate skin with care and attention, leaving Neuvillette only time to breathe with desire, biting his lips still flavored with the taste of the meat. That man enchanted him with every move, word, gesture, he was speechless in his presence, and it wasn't the wine's fault. Whatever he asked, he would have answered yes. "I hope you have some room left for dessert" with that sentence, Neuvillette was brought back to reality. "If you don't mind, I wanted to experiment a little" he kissed his hand, taking his leave for a moment, disappearing into the kitchen, leaving him alone at the table to compose himself. He nervously passed his hands over his cheeks, which felt warm and undoubtedly embarrassed. That man knew exactly what to say and do to have free access to both his heart and soul. He was succeeding, but Neuvillette wasn't stopping him. He wanted to play that masochistic game of languid glances, caresses, and small provocations as well. Although between the two of them, he would certainly be the first to give in, not that it was a bad thing. Many times, Wriothesley had told him that in life, everyone deserves a second chance to love again, and he said it himself, even though he was a divorced dad with a job that occupied most of his life. Yet, he was giving himself a new chance to love and be loved. It shouldn't be the opposite for Neuvillette either. But sometimes, the guilt for a nonexistent betrayal devoured him, still too bound and tied to the shadow of the man who had filled his past. He was caressed by that sweet memory, it wasn't wrong to turn the page. It was right to seek refuge, comfort, and even new love in the arms of others. At the end of that thought, the chef returned to the table with two delightful white plates, each holding a fragrant little cake topped with a whole peeled pear. It was interesting, certainly delicious. The knife sliced through it as if it were made of foam, and the taste of the wine in which the pear was soaked didn't diminish its sweetness but rather enhanced it. And the cake on which it lay wasn't chocolate as his eyes had deceived him, it was something else, sweet, aromatic, fruity—a spice he couldn't quite grasp. After all, he barely used the supermarket's rosemary; everything else was alchemy. But that delicious cake spoke for itself. If winter had a symphony, it was enclosed in those dishes, and if love had a taste, it was encapsulated in the tenderness of that little cake.

After the delicious dinner, he helped him clear the table even though Wriothesley had told him there was no need, but he felt obliged to lend a hand. In the kitchen, washing the dishes, they had fun like two children, playing with the foam and the splashing water droplets. The dinner had been perfect, the company even better, but everything has an end, and so did this magical evening.

"Maybe it's the wine speaking for me, but I feel intoxicated when I'm in your company" Neuvillette laughed, holding his hands, just a few steps from the front door.

"If you're so intoxicated, why don't you stay with me tonight?" Wriothesley murmured, moving closer, playing with those fingers he wanted to feel on his cheek.

"It's only a few steps, I can go home by myself" he smiled, secretly wanting to stay and remain there forever.

"I would like you to stay" he kissed his wrist, his eyes never leaving the man's.

"Are you perhaps taking advantage of an old drunk gentleman?" he laughed to himself, drawing near and pressing himself against the body he was now desiring and burning for, suppressing a sigh when the man's lips touched the hollow of his neck. "I could and I'd eagerly do so" he replied to the teasing, moving his lips up to his ear. "But I just want you to stay" he whispered, making himself let go and taking him by both hands, kissing them like lovers do. "You're being unfair" he complained, eager to have those lips on his skin and feel his flesh against his. "You're right" he smiled, aware that he had dared too much and had also aroused himself. "As punishment, I'll keep you in my bed, so I can be embraced by the most beautiful man in all of Paris and the rest of the world" he caressed his face, adoring that so resentful and frowning expression.

"It seems like a victory for you rather than a punishment" he grumbled, playing along with their absurd game.

"Do you agree to stay?" he asked with a candid and hopeful voice, playing with the fingers of his lover's hands. Neuvillette bit his lip, knowing he couldn't deny anything to the man who had managed to capture his heart. "I agree to stay" he granted, moving closer to give him another kiss, and then another again.

[CONTENTS]

chapter 1

chapter 2

chapter 13

↬ masterlist

#🖇️ : challenge #🖇️ : oneshot #📌 : wip #wriolette #modern au #family au #genshin impact #wriothesley #neuvillette #choicesprompts #flufftober2023 #ao3 writer #ao3 link #genshin wriothesley #genshin neuvillette

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jasminelyoko57 · 6 months ago

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Melody in the Dark (TVB Jade subtitles ver.)

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃!! 𝕎𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕌ℕ𝔻𝔼𝔸𝔻!!

The HK VAs of UNDEAD:

Eddie Li Chun-yin (李鎮然) as Sakuma Rei

Domanic Chan Cheuk-chi (陳卓智) as Hakaze Kaoru

Gil Kwan Ning-kiu (關令翹) as Oogami Kouga

Ricky Lau Yik-hei (劉奕希) as Otogari Adonis

#ensemble stars #enstars #undead enstars #rei sakuma #kaoru hakaze #koga oogami #adonis otogari #sakuma rei #hakaze kaoru #oogami koga #otogari adonis #cantonese dub

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appears · 9 months ago

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25th Anniversary

Faye Wong: Eyes On Me (1999.02.24)

While I'm not much of a gamer now, I used to play video games a lot when I was in grade school, and my top two favorite game franchises of all time also reflect two of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time: the original Spyro the Dragon trilogy, composed by Stewart Copeland (and famously, tragically, never officially released in either physical or digital format until very recently), and Final Fantasy VIII, composed by the prolific Nobuo Uematsu, who wrote the music for the Final Fantasy franchise in whole or in part through Final Fantasy XI.

Besides the gorgeous orchestral arrangements that make up the bulk of the soundtrack's sprawling four discs, there was also a notable vocal version of the central love theme. The central romantic story line in FFVIII was a notable game-changer for many young people who might not have found any reason to play video games before, bringing in many new players who would grow up to help expand the demand for alternative gaming, so its importance cannot be understated. The love theme between the characters Squall and Rinoa (and Laguna and Julie/Raine) was sung by ultra-popular Hong Kong-native Faye Wong, one of the most well-known figures in Asian pop culture at the time. Besides a storied career in films, Wong also had a history in popular music, having recorded several of her most well-known albums throughout the 1990s. I'm not sure how Uematsu was able to snag her for this soundtrack, but it created that delightful moment when the perfect song meets the perfect singer. "Eyes on Me" was released in Japan in February 1999, about two weeks after the release of the video game, and is a sweeping love ballad expanding upon the themes heard throughout the game, notably with cues like "Waltz for the Moon" and "Julia" (in fact, Wong is singing as the character Julia in the game, who is confessing her feelings toward Laguna during a performance). Wong's voice is lithe enough to keep the song light and sweet, rather than moody, which is perfect for the tone of the game, which is exciting, occasionally dangerous, and sometimes sad, but never dark or grim. There are many beautiful instrumental iterations of this theme throughout the game, but the song plays in its full vocal glory only twice: once toward the back half of the game, and again with an expanded orchestral arrangement upon the game's completion. They're all fantastic.

The single's c/w track is "ACACIA no Mi," a ballad composed by Jim Lau, this time sung in Mandarin. It's a pretty, though somewhat anemic, slow number that fits the mood of the disc, but of course comes nowhere near the grace and beauty of the A-side. The single finishes with the instrumental version of "Eyes on Me."

The single came in standard 3" mini-disc packaging, with the lyrics and credits written on the back of the cover. Not surprisingly, this song ended up being one of the most popular video game songs of all time, second only to Hikaru Utada's "Hikari," written for Kingdom Hearts. It hit #9 on the Oricon chart, which was also pretty impressive at that time for a song from a video game. The entire soundtrack to Final Fantasy VIII is incredible and merits many more words of analysis and praise, but this post is just for the game's most well-known song -- the four-disc soundtrack proper was released one week later. Like the rest of the OST, "Eyes on Me" has aged incredibly well, and still sounds as beautiful as the day it was released, a testament to both Faye Wong's impeccable vocals and Uematsu's bottomless capacity for moving melodies.

Catalog Number: TODT-5271

#final fantasy 8 #faye wong #eyes on me #j-pop #nobuo uematsu #final fantasy viii #final fantasy #anniversaries

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ginevrastilinski-ocs · 3 months ago

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Glee OCs Masterlist [A-K]

Name: Alaska Devon

Pronouns: she/her

Story: Untitled

LI: Noah Puckerman

Quote: And you know damn well, for you I would ruin myself a million little times.

Pinterest: TBD

FC: Madison Iseman

Name: Audrey Clay

Pronouns: she/her

Story: The Band And I

LI: TBD

Quote: Love yourself, girl, or nobody will.

Pinterest: TBD

FC: Barbie Ferreira

Name: Benjamin Evans

Pronouns: he/him

Story: Untitled

LI: TBD

Quote: Any you've got a smile that can light up this whole town.

Pinterest: TBD

FC: Kit Connor

Name: Carina Fabray

Pronouns: she/her

Story: Untitled

LI: Rachel Berry

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#masterlist #glee masterlist #greta's blog worldbuilding

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darkdevasofdestruction · 3 months ago

Text

Chapter 10 - Dearly Departed

"Hao!" Lau smiled. "I haven't expected you could dance with such grace, little Fox Fairy." the man teased her as he played idly with the material of her silk sleeve.

"I've been pestered with dancing lessons since before I could even walk." Katrina joked lightly, continuing to play around to the melodious sound of the zither strings.

"Western dances are much different than our own." he mused, taking out his fan and unfolding in elegantly. "In England, the focus is on the harmony between the two dancers. In the East, however, the focus is on the Beauty alone." he continued, barely hiding his vague smile. "I must say, Huxian, that you do attract the looks of every man in the room. Perhaps I might need to call you now Fenghuang, the Vermillion Bird herself. "

"Now, now, you're just flattering me, little dragon." she reached out her hand to his own, revealing the dragon tattoo going up from his palm, across his forearm and to his elbow.

"It is not flattery, but the truth." he rose her chin up with the tip of his fan. "Now then, won't you thrill me with the sound of your voice? Ran Mao praised you a lot to me these days."

"Only if you accompany me, Lau, otherwise, I might be too bashful to perform, all alone." she played coy with with, skittering around in short and elegant steps, like a wild goose taking its flight.

"I will, if you agree to do me a favour." he turned around abruptly. "Of course, I will make sure to pay you back tenfold for your kindness."

"A few days ago, we discussed the possibility of being in mortal danger because of my supposed other-wordly beauty - And now, you are deliberately sending me on an errand?" Katrina grinned, silently stepping being the man, and standing on her tippy-toes, she reached out her arms around his neck, placing her chin on his shoulder. "If my golden dragon promises to watch over me with his protective Eye of Heaven, then I suppose I could indulge in fulfilling a quest for thee."

This lonesome cup of wine The beginning of spring poured at the top The gentleness in my drunken trance Accompanies me again

Lau's voice, softer and more tender than anything Katrina's heard before, felt like honey mean caressing her soul oh so gently as he sang a melody in his native tongue. Were it not for Ran Mao introducing her to this song prior, she would have had no idea of the tragically sorrowful undertone of it, for his voice was that soothing to the ear.

The piled worries blurred I watch the years come and go The reason of my pain each night Are worries that I had once forgotten

Though broken and with a heavy accent, lacking the smooth melodicity that Ran Mao previously displayed as she taught her this song, Katrina, in a tone much higher than ever she sung before, thrilled the tune of a tragic love story. She was never allowed to sing before, and with how she always kept her voice low and soft, she dearly doubted that she had any such affinity. She still doesn't think she's a great singer - Ran Mao is a fantastic Soprano. The first time she hear the woman sing, Katrina started crying, feeling her heart throbbing with emotion and impress for the first time in her life. It was a revelation.

This poem left behind I tear through the paper window Imagining your shadow Wrapped in my yearning

To think that Lau, also had such a tender voice... She wondered what it would be like, falling asleep to him humming a lovely tune. She'll have to try that out. Lau turned to gaze at her, an empty smile like that of a snake painting his features as though he was a nobleman at a banquet, courting the princess. Though the man attempted to reach out and hold her hand to dance, she playfully twirled around, looking like a beautiful peony.

This once continuous string of love Cannot be locked away forever Now we have turned into Forgotten matters of the past

Katrina continued to dance like a pretty fairy, imitating every move that Ran Mao taught her, to Lau's tune. - Every joint had to move with precise accuracy and discipline, to counter every slow move with a faster one. And smile. Smile, for you are most beautiful when you smile, when you are filled with joy.

Look at the person in the mirror, bright red face turn thin Look at this love and hatred, old and new Look at the lamp bright as the day, with tears drenched Look at who arranged to meet after nightfall

Now standing in front of him, Katrina mimicked the Beauties painted on decorative scrolls, in those coquettish positions, and sang every word like a poem, just like those wonderful ladies at a Peking Opera. Though there was no such thing in England, the many ladies that Lau has in his underground business were so talented and kind with her, so understanding and patient teaching her.

"Fènghuáng, Fènghuáng, wǒ de Huánghòu." the man hummed, gently holding her delicate hands. "Is this how you became the Queen's Fox? One woman, brilliant and talented above all - Such can only be not a human, but a Fox Spirit."

"Oh, no, nothing of the sort! I'm just smart, you see?" she smiled softly. "I had no idea I could even sing. It's all thanks to Ran Mao and all the other ladies you sent to accompany me. Truly, thank you. These days have been the happiest I've ever been."

"Women are supposed to be happy and indulge in their passions." Lau leaned down, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Alright, you flatterer. Tell me about that mission, and I'll tell you what my reward should be, for me to agree to it." though she couldn't see the blush on her face, she could feel the warmth rising.

"Wonderful negotiator, little fox." he hummed softly. "Are you familiar with the concept of a pleasure house? Not those filthy brothels that Englishmen frequent, those are filth." Katrina looked up at him, blinking in confusion and urging him to carry on. "My ladies only entertain the elite; First, with their high caliber art and intelligence, and only further, if they wish, with their bodies. As you already suspect, it's al a rouse for information gathering."

"And you want me to act as a courtesan?" she asked simply.

"Higher. The highest one can get in the hierarchy. The more unreachable and mysterious, the more wanted." he continued. "I have this... Rather pretentious and capricious client that has been upsetting my girls, you see. He comes into my home, though complains that my ladies aren't worth his money, because they are from the East. And I, my darling, want to put an end to my girls' sadness and extort every bit of information that a person of his status can have."

"A'ight, sound like a deal. I'm in. I just have to be pretty and wait for him in my room, yes?" she nodded, agreeing with the plan.

"Attract his attention first. Dance and sing on the stage, do what you like best - You will attract all eyes on you regardless." from his sleeve, he took out a veil, placing it over half of her face; A beautiful pink, sheer and delicate with fragile golden thread. "Nobody will recognise you."

"I see. Blessing the audience with the Phoenix's song. Very well, I will do that..." the woman looked up at him with a smirk; Her gorgeous green eyes only highlighted like gems with the soft red makeup and the gentle eyeliner. "I want you to sing me to sleep."

Lau's eyes opened wide in surprise for a few seconds, before he started chuckling. "Hao! I shall do as you wish... Wǒ měilì de mu lan."

Just as promised, the next evening, Ran Mao, acting as Katrina's maid, took care of her; She did her hair, her make up and dressed her up in the most beautiful outfit. Lau was patiently waiting in the corner of the main room, drinking a little wine, watching the graceful dance of the flower fairy, her lovely melody harmonising perfectly with the flute and the zither. As he expected, men were looking away from the girls serving them, their eyes lingering lecherously on the new lady so different than all the others; Red hair like the feathers of a Vermillion Bird, eyes of the most gleaming green. A foreigner, singing Chinese songs with such an adorable accent. Surely a maiden pure such as herself would be everyone's first target to taint.

As she finished her enchanting performance, she did a pretty courtesy and followed his sister to the assigned room for her, where she would patiently wait and drink her tea, gossiping with the other woman until the victim would enter her room. It took a while for the said man to walk over to the matron and request the performer with the carmine hair - And oh, how much he had to pay for such privilege! After all, not just anyone can afford to even look the Empress in the eyes, let alone speak to her.

Finally, with an exorbitant amount of money given to the pleasure house, the matron guided the man up the stairs, to the luxury suite of the mysterious lady. As the door was opened, Ran Mao scurried away, just outside, clinging onto her brother's arm, ready to attack when given the signal.

With the veil off and a demure smile, Katrina looked up at the new-comer... Only for a terrified shock to wash over her. "Wh-What are you doing here?!" on the other end of the door, Lau rose a quizzical eyebrow - Did Katrina know this client?

"So this is what you've been doing since you left? Living off as a cheap whore?" Katrina felt her body and mind frozen with terror. "We invested so much money and time into an ungrateful child who ruined everything. What will Edgar say when I tell him his fiancee is a filthy slut who sells her body to the highest bidder? Have you forgotten that you were only worth your virginity? Redmond's family is rich." was it due to past trauma of her scolding, or the image of her being ritualistically sacrificed by her own parents, that she was unable to move even a single inch of her body, nor utter a single word? "Useless child. Why did you have to be born a woman? All you're good for is being traded as a pawn. Status and money."

Katrina almost felt her body trembling with guilt and remorse - What was going on? Why was she unable to react in anyway? This wasn't her - She was reactive, she was a fighter, she spoke up and defended herself. Why can't she do it now? Why isn't she shouting for Lau? Why is she doing anything at all?!

"You're going home right now." her father's strong and fearsome voice made her cringe fearfully. "You're old enough now. Edgar is finishing college in a few months, and when he's done, you're going to marry him." he ordered sternly. "You do know what will happen after that, don't you?" the man huffed, roughly grabbing his child by the arm and harshly dragging her up. "You are going to pop children until you have an heir, and the Viscount's wealth can be divided to us after your sudden and unexpected death."

"Edgar wouldn't do anything to hurt me! He's a gentleman! He's always been very nice to me!" the vibrato of her voice wasn't missed by her father. "Let me go, I'm not returning home! That's not my home, and it never was!"

"Stupid little whore." a small squeak of pain followed by a loud thud was heard, as Katrina's father towered above her, strangling her. "You just had to bring us trouble, didn't you? You're not even worth as a sacrifice. Your mother was wrong, they all were. You're not worth a thing. No demon would ever bother showing up for a filthy wench like you!" no matter how much Kat struggled to free herself of his grasp, how she clawed at his hands, feeling the blood drench her skin, it was to no avail. Was he trying to kill her now? Or was he trying to make her faint and kidnap her home?

Just as Katrina's vision was beginning to blur and darken in the already dimly lit room, the door was slid open and the barbarian was pried off of her. Despite vertigo having captured her senses, she could feel Lau's arms wrapping protectively around her, and Ran Mao's silhouette was standing protectively in front of them, shielding the two with her two chui maces. She was ready to strike. Hard. "Wait, don't kill him!" the red head cried out, grabbing the attention of her lady friend, who could only look in confusion at her.

"He hurt you." Ran Mao spoke in a mellow voice. "A cat's job is to eliminate rats."

"He's my father." using Lau's shoulder for support, Katrina managed to stand up. "The disgusting client that you wanted to get rid of... Is Duke Raymond, the High Court Judge." she gingerly placed her hand over her neck, feeling great discomfort after being choked like that.

"Not only do you collude with these filthy chinks, but you let that bloody ching chong yellow bastard to fuck you. You couldn't get any lower than that, even if you wanted to." the duke spat on the ground, raising his sleeves up. "Home. Now."

"And people actually question why I ran away from home." Katrina scoffed, and in a rush of fury, she snatched one of Ran Mao's chui mace and hit her father in the head. His eyes rolled in the back of his head and his balance was thrown off. "I already am home." she hit him again, sending him toppling to the ground. "Now die and beg for forgiveness to my brother for killing him." and thus, Katrina maced her father's head until it looked like spilled porridge.

"That's enough." swiftly, her lady friend grabbed the weapon away and threw it away, pulling the red head into a strong embrace. "It's okay. You're safe now. Mou mantai. Don't worry." gradually, Katrina's heavy breathing began to even out in Ran Mao's considerate hug, her mind calming as her hair was being pet. "I'll take care of you. Let's go home."

Ran Mao didn't give Lau any second to speak, as she dragged Katrina to the carriage and the three of them left for their home. She was taken to her room, where her friend brought over a pretty, thin long sleeping dress for her and shamelessly undressed her, only to stop upon seeing the faded wounds left on her body. She sat on the edge of her bed, her finger tips gently tracing down her skin, making Katrina shiver a little, great shame overwhelming her not from being fully exposed as God left Eve in Eden, but for anyone seeing the flaws of her skin, the discipline and threats inflicted on her by others. "Monsters." she heard Ran Mao grumble, her brows furrowing a little. "Anyone who hurts a woman is a monster." she said, hugging Kat's head to her chest, caressing her hair like a mother would comfort her child. "I will protect you. Jiějiě."

For once, Katrina actually knew what Ran Mao meant. Thought she couldn't quite understand Chinese, she did pick up on enough words in the week spent in the den, after all, and learning poems and songs did help a lot. Ran Mao, who was barely a year or so younger than her, was calling her big sis. "Xièxiè, wǒ kě'ài de mèimei." somehow, hugging her supposed little sister from a completely different family reminded her of that warm feeling she always had when her older brother hugged her.

It was always such a comfort, seeing his tender smile and his warm words as she held her crying little form after a bunch of harsh scoldings and disciplinary physical tactics to forever damage her body. Didn't they know how important a woman's body was? Her husband could refuse her, if he saw her scars and thought she was ugly. Although... With the Baron having almost killed her in a ritual, and that sadistic Derek being unhinged... It only got worse. If she ever does live past the age written in the book and she has the opportunity to marry Edgar, she truly fears he might end up rejecting her, and she will end up like a discarded broken porcelain doll.

With Ran Mao having taken care of her wounds, fresh or old, she showed a small smile before leaving the girl alone to red in her bed. Incense sticks and fragrances were helming her relax, and the sweet peach wine, along with some sweets were enough to make her feel as if she belonged. She felt comfortable and welcomed, the likes that she hadn't even felt at the Phantomhive manor, where the only saving grace was Sebastian, with whom she played a constant tug of war game, though sometimes, even that became exhausting. It wasn't as though a human could keep a demon's attention for too long, and there was only so much one could play games, before they became predictable.

Whether she lives a long life, or a short one, Katrina wanted to experience all the things she could. It wasn't a smart idea, trying to do everything at once, knowing full well that she might end up screwing everything up anyway. A single girl, barely of age, left to fend for herself in a vast and cruel world. Left to learn everything to survive. A little girl, so terrified of death, that she wants to live ten lifetimes in a few months. How much more tragic can it get, she wondered. What a pitiful existence.

"I wonder if I should write a new iteration of the Ballad of Mulan, in which she actually ends up killing her father." Lau's familiar voice garnered a chuckle from the girl who lazily turned her head to look at him. He, too, was wearing only his sleeping clothes, much lighter and more comfortable.

"That would make for a most dishonorable and highly criticised piece of writing. You wouldn't make much profit out of it. Especially by Confucian ideology." the man, also, chuckled at her reply before unceremoniously letting himself fall on his back on the bed, stealing a few pastries from the tray and dragging from his pipe and letting out a puff of smoke, before offering it to the girl.

"What...? I don't smoke."

"But did you try?" of course, she shook her head. "Give it a try."

"You're a bad influence on me, Lau. You're trying to make me take up vices." she joked, gingerly taking the pipe from his hand.

"I don't see you opposing me too much." he grinned, pulling her into his side, her head resting back on his shoulder. "Careful not to drag too much, you'll end up choking." as if he predicted, she ended up doing just that. Lau chuckled, patting her back.

"Well, that was a mess." when she stopped coughing, she tried again, but she felt a little confused. "What am I supposed to feel?"

"Nothing, from a single try. Just a few more and you'll feel brand new." he assured her playfully. "Mou mantai, I'm here, aren't I? I know when to stop you."

"Fine, fine." she huffed. "Sorry for overexaggerating today. I forgot that you wanted to interrogate him. I let my emotions dictate my actions."

"Now, now, what are you apologising for? Silly girl. The Phoenix doesn't bow down in front of anyone." he chuckled, watching the soft puffs of opium dissipate into the air. "Thought you might want a little distraction after I put you through all that trouble. Feeling any better?"

"I... I'm not sure. I think so?" she looked up at the ceiling, attentively following the swirl of smoke. "I think I... Feel nothing at all."

"Hao!" he exclaimed. "Now, to turn that blank slate into happiness!" perhaps she wasn't realising it herself, or her brain processed it as normal, but she was smiling, and the look in her eyes was glazed over, as if she was feeling a child-like euphoria, like a little one being gifted a toy for the first time. He brought her into a comforting half-embrace, her head resting on his chest, just under his chin. His hand was gently caressing her body, as if to sooth her into a deep sleep. Lau kissed the top of her head, smiling as he heard a cute little giggle, and as he promised, he would sing her to sleep.

She is lightsome as a startled Phoenix, And he, as graceful as a roaming dragon; Her lovely complexion outshines the autumn chrysanthemum, Whilst his radiance surpasses the springtime pine.

She is as nebulous as the moon concealed in light clouds, Gracefully gliding, as snow spun by a flowing wind. He is gazing at her from afar, She shines like the sun rising above the rosy mists of dawn; Observing her close by, She is as luminous as a lotus emerging from clear ripplets.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

When Katrina woke up, there was no sign of Lau ever being there, though she knew she hadn't hallucinated. Regardless, it was time to return home, and when she did, the Undertaker greeted her with a strong embrace, swinging her around until she got too dizzy to protest. "How come whenever you go somewhere, you return with new injuries, you pitiful girl?" he sighed as he poured her some tea.

"Ah, right, about that..." she lowered her collar, showing off the hand prints on her neck. "My father tried to kill me last night." Undertaker's jaw dropped in shock. "Let's just say... The Queen is going to need a new High Court Judge soon."

"You know you got yourself in huge trouble, didn't you?" Katrina sheepishly scratched the back of her neck. "Didn't I warn you that the Queen likes fox-hunting? With hounds?"

"I overreacted, I know, okay? I got angry, I was terrified!" she rose her tone without realising, only to quickly return back to her seat. "I'm sorry for shouting. I didn't mean to." she muttered, looking away in shame. "I was just... Scared, okay?"

"You are getting reckless, little fox. I hope, the next time I see you, you won't have become the Queen's door mat rug." the poor man must have gotten a century older just by having her to worry about.

"The book didn't say the Queen would kill me." she muttered. "Though, even if that did happen, it wouldn't surprise me. Frankly, I don't think anything would."

"You seem to be in a particularly tragic mood. What ever could have happened?" the man asked, munching on a dog biscuit.

"I just had the best week of my life. With Lau and Ran Mao." she admitted. "I... I was... Happy." she smiled a little. "I guess I just got scared of dying so much... I got scared of never being able to feel this good ever again." her bottom lip trembled a little as she shifted her gaze towards those glowing eyes of the mortician. "I just realised how terrified I am of dying in a few months, without having lived at all." a broken sob escaped her throat.

"If I didn't know I would die so soon, it would've been fine. I'd have just... Died! Like... Like falling asleep - It's fine! But the knowledge that I... That life can just be ripped away from you so unfairly... So cruelly... Not having the chance to live out your aspirations, get a job, fall in love, marry, see the world, have fun with friends, try out new things, learn new languages, cultivate yourself -- What is the meaning of life, if not, to be lived?" she quickly wiped away the tears drenching her cheeks. "I had no room to make mistakes of my own, no room to be wrong, to fail, to grow. Everything I did was dictated by others, as if I'm everyone's marionette on a string, and occasionally, I get a glimpse of the real world and what it's like to be proactive and live out the choice that you make, be them wrong or right, or even neutral -- Only to be strung up by the neck again, and forced in my birdcage."

"You have been living in a mortician's parlor shop for months, yet death petrifies you to the core. My sweet little thing." the Undertaker knelt in front of her, his hands cupping her face. He carefully wiped away the tears, urging her to look at him. "Don't worry. I won't let you die. I promise." he smiled playfully. "Besides, I've got a little surprise for you. A three week trip on a cruise, first class tickets. How's that for an adventure?"

"Are you implying there's anything, at all, that might make being stuck on a luxury boat for almost a month... Exciting?" the mortician smirked widely, cackling.

"Don't you know, dearie, that the most bizarre of things always happen in places seemingly ordinary."

With the Easter holiday in full glory, the Campania cruise began, and the two enjoyed themselves in lavish luxuries for three straight days - Though, who paid for all this, or how was it paid, was still a mystery to her. Regardless, she accidentally met up with Viscount Druitt around one of the dinners, and they had a light conversation, mostly about Edgar and his time at Weston.

With those three days passing, Undertaker taught her a most ridiculous slogan and quite the hilarious pose, that of The Phoenix, he says - If Lau were to see her pretending to be one, he would laugh at the coincidence.

The complete flame in our chests shall not be extinguished by anyone. We are... The Phoenix!

Perhaps she should have chosen death, instead of this humiliation. "Wonderful as always, darling!" he mocked her, only to wrap his arms around her and twirl her around, fixing her jaw to look in a certain direction. Undoubtly, Ciel and Sebastian were going through the same humiliation she had gone through. Without any bit of shame, both the mortician and his apprentice laughed mockingly at them. "To think you'd ever do something like that!" Undertaker was crying of laughter by now. "Saying THE PHOENIX!!! with such a serious face - Ahahahaha!"

"I thought I was ridiculous, but you -- Both of you -- Hilarious!" Kat also giggled like a little brat, making the young Earl yell at them.

"While it's lovely seeing you - What exactly are you doing here?" Sebastian eyed the two of them with a fixed, empty gaze.

"We're working. Sort of. Mostly him. I'm here to have some fun and help out if needed." Kat shrugged her shoulders carelessly.

"Yes, yes, exactly, that's why my pretty fox is dressed so cutely." the two simultaneously did a cute pose, making the two cringe. "The hospital is a regular customer of mine."

"We're investigating the illegal human experimentation going on here. Do you know anything about the revival of the dead?" Ciel asked firmly.

"Revive the dead? Ha! What a joke. Is it tied to that mass-buying of slaves from East End?" Ciel nodded at her. "Let's see, let's see... Ah, of course!" Katrina grinned mischievously. "Payment first."

"Yes, how about you do that pose once more?" as if on cue, someone else actually did said pose, with no shame at all. It was the Viscount.

"Sorry, I arranged to pose in my own style. Aren't I so gracious, little kitten? If I knew you'd be here, I'd have told them to let you choose your own posing style also!" Aleister went over to the lot of them, clinking his empty glass with the two new-comers.

In all that commotion, with Druitt getting uncomfortably close to Ciel and claiming that Doctor Ryan could fix the boy's eyes... Kat could only start suspecting that there was more to the Revival of the Dead rumour than she knew. "Huh? Where's Undertaker?" the red head panicked a little, realising that her companion had but disappeared.

"It's starting!" Aleister pointed to the respectable looking doctor on the stage. "That's the founder, Ryan Stoker." before he presented himself, he also did the Phoenix pose, before speaking of the Aurora Society's plan of complete salvation of mankind through medicine.

Respectable doctor, Katrina thought - No, not at all. With the way she was cringing, she felt like skinning herself alive. "We will now show you, ladies and gentlemen, the fruits of our complete salvations of mankind through medicine!" the helpers brought a coffin on stage. They took of the lid, revealing a beautiful young lady, just Katrina's age. Very much dead.

"No way..." Katrina's mind went into a state of panic and alarm, watching the girl that could as well have been her, laying so peacefully on that coffin. Unconsciously, she grabbed Sebastian's hand for comfort, unable to shift her gaze from the lady.

"Margaret Connor, 17. The young lady lost her life at an early age due to an unfortunate accident. It is truly pitiful. An accident that should not have happened. Her death did not only put her, but also, her family's hearts into bad health." Kat watched Margaret's parents weeping, heartbroken, griefing. She felt her own breathing going in disarray. Was this what Undertaker wanted to show her? That reviving the dead was possible, and that, should she die, he could just as easily bring her back to life? Impossible! It can't be! It really can't!

Though Sebastian didn't wish to speak, as to not draw attention to them or disturb the display and speech, he intertwined his fingers with her own, squeezing her hand lightly. "Is the body real?"

Ciel asked. Katrina nodded, knowing from experience, whilst Sebastian approved, from his smell. "The smell of death is so intense that it's causing my nose to twitch."

"Well, ladies and gentlemen! I will show you the power of medicine! Complete salvation!" they applied some electrodes around the skin of her chest area, which they powered with electricity.

"Frankenstein's Monster and his Bride...?" Kat managed to mutter, looking in complete confusion.

"Come! Rise from Death! LIKE THE PHOENIX!" Katrina's body almost felt like giving up, watching the body of Margaret slowly raise in a sitting position, her shoulders slumped and heavy. "Take a look! With our medicine, we can even overcome death!"

"She's not alive. She's not alive. She's not bloody alive!" the red head kept repeating, watching in horror as the cadaver of Margaret, being embraced by two happy parents, opened her mouth wide open and took a large bite of her mother's shoulder.

With the tragic event unfolding before their very eyes, everyone fled the scene in complete chaos and disarray. Revealing from their disguise, Sebastian threw his butter knives at the cadaver, hitting her heart - But she still got up. "What on Earth is she?!" Ciel gasped in disdain.

"I'm sure I stabbed her in the heart. It is a being that I do not understand." Sebastian confessed, watching the cadaver stand up.

"Idiots. Both of you." with lethargic steps, Katrina stood in front of a feral Margaret. "Oh, Margaret, Margaret, ever the unfortunate. I am sorry this happened to you - And can only hope that I won't end up like you. You really creeped me out, you know? Poor girl." she shook her head, and in one swift move, she cut off her head in the middle, destroying her brain. Her body slumped motionlessly on the ground.

"So... The brain...?" Ciel guessed right.

"It is not the heart, but the brain that is the core of any living being. Common misconception, I know. The basic idea is that, if the heart doesn't pump blood to the brain, it dies - But her brain is already dead, you see? The brain works with electric impulses, and those electrodes were put on her heart and brain. The brain dictates the activity of every part of the body... So..." the woman used a drape to wipe the blood and filth off her sword, looking with worry at the two. "Mary Shelley's book became reality, and Doctor Frankenstein brought to life her creation... Though, the monster could speak eloquently, at least. That is, however, not possible, no matter how far medicine goes. I don't think even supernatural magic can reverse death."

Out of nowhere, a Shinigami using a lawn mower appeared to collect the souls of the deceased, complaining that Margaret was already long dead - Though he was surprised that someone guessed so shrewdly the means of defeating the undead. This Shinigami was called Ronald Knox, and he already knew Sebas-chan and Katrina thanks to the gossip of Grell. Awful way to be known.

Unfortunately, the Shinigami also don't know any details about this mess, though they had reports of corpses whose souls had surely been collected, moving around. As the trio were ready to move away and investigate for themselves, Sebastian found himself with his face almost mowed off by the Shinigami. "Are you crazy?! We've got dead people roaming the place, and you're trying to attack the living?! If my unfortunate premonition comes true, and there actually are a bunch of dead people brought on this accursed ship, then a demon is the only thing that could keep the living people safe!" Katrina yelled at the obnoxious brat, only to see the weapon being pushed further close to the demon's face.

"Nahh, can't do that. Shinigami can do the same thing, and better, missy." Ronald smirked wickedly. "If administration gets wind of there being a demon on the board, you betcha they'll be going - Aren't you just hiding the fact that you let the beast snatch all the souls away? - Dontcha think that those kinda false accusations will get me into a looooot of trouble? And I'll totally pass on overtime! So, won't you just vanish?"

"Are all Shinigami screwed in the head, or is it just the reason you and that Ophelia-wannabe get along?" Katrina looked at him weirdly, only to get tugged on the sleeve by the Earl.

"We'll go on ahead! After you're done playing, hurry up and follow me!" Ciel ordered his butler, dragging the Duchess away.

"Will he be alright? That weapon is really nasty." she asked, but Ciel didn't seem to care much. He knew Sebastian wouldn't let himself just die, especially to some lowlife Shinigami.

The Earl got her all the way towards the lowest levels of the ship, where they met not only Lizzy, but Snake also - Silly girl followed them with a piece of cake. He told her to go back to her mother, Aunt Frances, because it was dangerous, but it was too late, another undead already found them. With Ciel only having his pistol, he couldn't use it carelessly. As the undead tried to attack Lizzy, the Earl brought his fiancee away, as Katrina slashed his brains out. Perfect sync.

Only for Snake, who became the Phantomhive's new servant, showed them that the sigil of the Aurora Society was printed on a shit ton of coffins, being hung everywhere, left, right and center. If those things escape, they are screwed.

Never mind.

They managed to claw their way out of those coffins.

"We have to get the hell out of here. Now." Katrina and Snake were the first to react, grabbing and pushing at the two younger ones to escape - But they were flooding the exit also.

"Snake, take Lizzy to the top of the luggage, quick!" Ciel instructed his servant.

"Go up, too. I don't want you to alert them with the gunshots." Kat pushed him away, getting in an offensive stance and slashing away at the approaching undead. "They stink so bad!" she whined comically.

"You work in a funeral parlor, why are you complaining about the stench?!" Ciel scolded her.

"Vixen, come quickly while we restrain them! ... says Oscar." Snake was bent down from the top luggage, offering his hand to her.

"I can't. I have to keep them away from the crates. If they managed to get out of the coffins, with how many they are, no doubt, they could end up destroying the luggage and ambush us." she pointed out. "Snake, don't let your snakes bite them, they might get sick. They only stop when you destroy their brains."

Katrina continued to step around, making sure to make some noise with her echoing heels to confuse the undead. Ciel quickly picked up on what she was trying to do, so he shot his gun in the opposite direction - Only to gasp, seeing that none had reacted at all, and their theory went down the drain. "Katrina, they can't hear either!" the boy shouted at her, seeing her alarmed expression. She was almost trapped.

"Then how are they following us?!" she yelled back, a little annoying that now, of all times, she had to wear a cupcake dress. She should have worn her work clothes - Maybe that way she would have been more agile and fast. Damn her stupid mind.

From the other end of the corridor, the undead there kept biting and scratching and their luggage, and nothing that Katrina did could hinder their obsessive attention from destroying that crate. She only got heavily surrounded. "I'll definitely protect you, no matter what happens!" she heard Ciel hugging Lizzy protectively, bracing for the impact of the crate falling down.

"How admirable, Young Master." Sebastian's amused baritone voice called smoothly through the chamber. "That's how an English gentleman is supposed to be." the butler's mock-praise earned a bratty comeback from the Earl as Sebastian quickly killed some of the undead closer to the red head. "And so I should be also, following my Master's suit." the demon picked her up in his arms, leaping away from the abominations as he placed her in a safe spot. "I, also, protect My Fair Lady." his eyes turned fuchsia, rejoicing in the way his kitten's face burned pink like a pretty flower - He could feel how entraced she was with him, even after spending days away with other men.

"Don't just stand about - Clean them up already!" Ciel yelled at his distracted butler, who simply smirked, unwilling to look away from that cute and innocent expression he managed to get out of the little Duchess.

"As you wish."

Like a blood-thirsty beast, unhinged, lusting for blood, the demon unleashed the second death upon the abominations roaming the earth without a soul. Snake was shocked at what he was seeing, Lizzy was disallowed to look at the carnage being done in front of her, and Ciel was reliving past traumas still haunting him.

But Katrina was different.

Splattering crimson, a dancing demon, with a wicked grin on his face and glowing eyes, ripping away at rotting flesh, drowning the place in darkness and sin.

For the first time in her short life, Katrina felt her whole body glowing aflame, and her heart was pounding shamelessly against her chest. Katrina felt arousal, watching the gleeful demon massacre and destroy away at the human husks of what once were living beings that threatened their own. Why did she feel so attracted to that smiling face, so innocent and pure, painted carmine with the blood of the deceased, as though he did nothing wrong in the world? Why was she pulled towards him, unable to escape the magnetic force?

She could marry Edgar, who was treating her so tenderly. She could continue courting with Lau, who was understanding her like no other, and making her happy. Hell, she might even end up coercing Charles Grey into a most flirtatious teasing dance.

So why, oh, why was she so smitten with an immortal demon, a sinner, a being incapable of feeling the way the heart of a mortal human does? Why was she so taken with a man she could never have? Why was she so hopeless? Was it because she was young and inexperienced, that her heart still managed to dictate her feelings, and ration was often overwhelmed by the overflowing emotions? No matter how many scientific or logical reasons she made up - The truth still remained - That no other man could make her heart beat the way he does.

After changing his gloves, Sebastian was allowed to help Ciel and Lizzy of the luggage, before returning to Katrina, who was still awkwardly sitting there, in a mesmerised trance. "My Lady, I wonder, what could have caused you such distress? Have I not promised to keep you safe?" he asked in a low voice, whispering in her ear.

"Oh, Sebastian, if only you knew. I fear that not even a demon can save me from this mess." she smiled, bittersweet, craving his touch some more after he helped her down, her heeled boots staining crimson with the pool of blood.

"Be as it may, you must be greatly underestimating my skills, My Dear Lady, and of that, I am greatly saddened." Sebastian lightly teased the woman, though he could see the half-hearted and empty replies and smiles were caused by deep worry.

"It is not your skills that I am underestimating, but my situation that I am overestimating." she chuckled softly, stepping back to the group.

"Katrina, you work with the Undertaker. Did you have any idea of this? Why are there so many of these things on the ship?" Ciel asked, only to receive a negative answer.

"Beats me. I wish I knew. Undertaker never really mentioned anything about reviving people - We just did autopsies and such, you see. But, uh..." how could she explain she was away, studying at an only-boy college, and had no idea what her own master was up to? "I knew that this hospital bought a lot of slaves - He and Lau both told me briefly about this - But, uhm... That's as far as my knowledge goes, unfortunately." how could she tell them that she feared Undertaker's obsession with the cycle of life and death got her worried?

"I propose that we ask him." Sebastian threw a few knives in the direction of the hiding, terrified doctor Ryan.

"I-It's not like that! That was an incomplete-complete salvation and -- I didn't plan on reviving them in this unhealthy state... Please listen to me, I'm in a hurry, and... Ouch!" the demon, with a smile on his face, immobilised the doctor, hindering his escape.

"No need to be hasty, there is plenty of time until we reach New York, so we'll listen to your story leisurely." the demon threatened so beautifully. "What is it? I already cleaned them all up, so..."

"It's not that!" Ryan snapped at him. "This ship has the latest gigantic voiler with a reciprocating steam engine installed at the center. This place is divided in two sections, the boiler separated them." he continued. "In other words, this ship is divided into a front and a stern - There are TWO freight storages!"

"Please, for the love of - Don't tell me you have more of these freaks stored up in the front freight storage. Please, I beg of you, don't say that." the red head pitifully whined.

"... Ten times as many samples as there were here." the somber answer earned different reactions.

"TEN TIMES AS MANY?!" Ciel was incredulous, Lizzy was depressed, Snake was stunned, and Katrina started laughing almost hysterically.

"I can't believe I'm going to be ripped apart by a bunch of zombies!" she cackled, almost as maniacally as the Undertaker. "Well then, time to get killing~!" she did a weak peace sign. "I need to find Undertaker and that stupid Aleister. I hope they're fine." she muttered to herself.

"Well, this turned into something unpleasant." Sebastian declared with amusement.

"Do you think 'unpleasant' covers it? Even one of those monsters is a hassle... Imagine tenfold!" Ciel grumbled. "Sebastian, go ahead and take my aunt and the others to a safe place."

"What are you going to do?" the butler asked.

"We'd just be a burden. I also have a gun, Katrina has her sword, so we'll be okay for a while. Come back as soon as you're sure they are safe." Ciel ordered the demon, who sprung away, out of sight. "Well then, how about telling me everything? And be brief, because I'm not very patient." with the doctor tied up with a snake, and Ciel's gun at his temple, he was forced to confess all he knew.

He spoke of some kind of machinery that exposes the undead to a special kind of supersonic waves, and it's supposed to inactivate them again. This machine is his his room, first class. "I don't believe that one bit." Katrina huffed.

"Wh-What do you mean?! We tested that, it works!" the doctor defended himself.

"It hardly has any logic to begin with - I get why it's the brain you have to destroy to stop them - But the truth is... No matter the electric voltage you shock the brain with, it won't create an undead capable of... Everything these freaks have been doing; So, naturally, I don't believe that machinery is going to work in stopping them." the red head cut him off harshly. "I would much rather want to know about Aurora Society and why the hell were you so obsessed with resurrection. Is it a religious thing, like Jesus, or what?"

"Regardless, take us there." Ciel ordered, and the doctor took them towards the stairs of the boiler room.

Ryan Stocker confirmed Katrina's theory with the electric current in the brain, and Ciel was left to believe whatever he wanted - Whether the electricity could truly have such an effect, it was up to him to believe whether it was true or not. He said that a company called Osiris, rumoured to be working on a new drug, bought the technology behind the Complete salvation thing.

Once they reached the turbine engine room, Snake released the doctor as a human was approaching, and with the PHOENIX pose forth, they became friends, and he guided everyone towards the elevator. In the Second boiler room, they were comforted with the company of more living people, only for a powerful shock to shake the whole ship horrifically, making some of them fall to the ground.

"What was that shock just now...?" as Ciel asked that question, the wall surped and waterfalls of water began flooding the place; the alarm was blaring loudly, announcing the water tight doors closing. "LIZZY, KAT, HURRY UP, WE'LL BE LOCKED IN!" Ciel cried out as the elevator man helped Ryan and Snake to the other side of the door before it continued closing.

"Worst time to wear a heavy dress!" the girls' heavy dresses weighted them down even more, being soaked to the bone, and no matter how much Kat kept dragging and pulling at Lizzy, they were still too far away from the door. "LIZZY!" Ciel cried out desperately, and in a fit of madness, he leapt to stay with his fiance

"You are one crazy little man." Kat found herself laughing weakly.

"CIEL, WHY?!" Lizzy wailed, crying desperately, unable to cope with the idea that the boy she loved so much was facing almost imminent death, just because of her.

"I promised I'd protect you at all costs!" the Earl declared sternly - What a beautiful love story, Kat thought, smiling at how sweet those two are. "Snake! You guys go on ahead!"

"I CAN'T LEAVE YOU BEHIND - SAYS EMILY!" Snake was pounding on the door.

"Don't worry, we'll escape via the duct! Your friends can't be soaked in cold water for too long, right? Go!" Ciel ordered his servant.

"Smile! Vixen! Keats will guide you through the duct! We'll meet up later - Says Emily." Snake yelled, before he, too, departed.

"Yeah, I'll definitely see you later!" Ciel thus grabbed his fiance's hand strongly - He looked at the duct, before frowning with worry at the two girls, soaked to the bone and barely keeping themselves standing up straight, all because of those heavy dresses that were hindering their chances of survival. They were already trapped there because of those garments - Like hell he would allow them to die because of a stupid thing like a clothing item.

"Take off those clothes, now!"

Was Ciel beginning to take over Sebastian's reverend persona?

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