#not the best for procreating but not the end of the world

[madtomedgar]

I think I'm like. The only person in this fandom who thinks the implied wedding night sex in cql wasn't morally reprehensible, but was incredibly sad and probably a little traumatic.

[lxnarphase]

𓇼 FUCK HER, FLIP HER, BEND HER BACKWARDS !

❤︎₊‧⁺...synopsis : the church always says sex for pleasure is a sin, and nanami kento is a man of the lord. but fuck, if his wife isn't worth sinning for. wc: 4.3k

❤₊‧⁺...cw : n. kento x fem!reader, religious themes, traditionalist views on sex and marriage, loss of virginity, missionary to mating press, breeding kink, overstimulation, unprotected sex, nanami loses himself in your pussy, slight cum play, dirty talk

❤₊‧⁺...lunar's note : am i unintentionally coping with religious trauma? possibly but it is fun :33 anyways based of this! forgive me if my writing is a bit rusty, it's been a while but enjoy !!

the two of you have spoken about eventually having children many times, but knowing the steps it took...it kept you both pushing it back, knowing eventually you'd both be ready.

after speaking with doctors, asking for advice from the church, and having you grumble about the neighbors who welcomed a cute baby girl, the two of you figured it was time.

you did your best to act normal all dayl, trying not to seem to nervous or too excited as you went about your chores for the day.

it may just be an act to procreate, but...it's still your first time with nanami. you want it to at least feel special.

there was nothing in the bible that went against that, right?

well, you have plenty of time to overthink since it seems that your dear husband will be at work late. to pass the time, you wait upstairs in your shared bedroom, the TV on as a distraction.

you're so stuck in your own world that you don't even notice him in the doorway before he clears his throat, leaning in the doorway. "oh! hi, honey, welcome home!" you go to stand up, but he holds up a hand, making you stop before you can get up from the bed.

it's silent, aside from the noise from the TV, and you can feel your stomach flip in anticipation.

has...has he always looked that handsome?

he continues to stand by the door, still not making eye contact. "you said it...starts today, correct," nanami questions, focused on undoing the straps of his watch. it shouldn't be attractive, it's such a simple task...yet it has your stomach doing flips as you nod.

"mhm, my, uh...ovulation starts today." it's such a weird thing to say, it just makes everything feel so...clinical. but that's how it's supposed to be, right? those who use sex for pleasure instead of procreation are sinners, or whatever the reverend at the church says.

"mm."

slowly pulling it off, he sets the watch on the dresser before shutting the bedroom door

"good."

dear god in heaven, you think to yourself, struggling to swallow the saliva pooling inside your mouth as he starts to undress. please forgive me for such inappropriate thoughts about my husband.

he removes his suit jacket—black today, it seems—placing it carefully on his desk chair, followed by his cufflinks and tie. his shirt is next, each button popping to reveal his strong, well-maintained physique.

you have to stop yourself from pumping your fist in the air for getting so lucky with such an attractive man as your husband. too busy ogling him like a horny teenager, you miss him undoing his belt before tugging them down and stepping out of his boxers.

once you do realize he's fully undress, you blush hard once he approaches the end of the bed—it took everything out of you not to stare at that...monster hanging between his legs, dear lord—and climbs onto it, making his way to hover over you.

his eyes roam up and down your body, taking in the pretty silky night dress you had on. It’s a soft blue with lacy white trim with little intricate flower designs.

modest, yet sensual.

"this is new," he comments, voice low and sultry. you can't help but wonder if he meant to sound so...so...

you don't find the correct word for it, but this new tone lights a fire in your stomach that has your r thighs squeezing together just a little bit.

"well, i figured it was an important night...you know, finally popping our cherries a-and starting a family?"

it's a weak attempt at humor, your voice clearly giving away your nervousness. you just pray that he ignores it.

a soft hum leaves him, his fingers playing with the intricately designed lace trim. the idea that you want to make this whole ordeal special, that you want to give yourself to him wholly, and that you want to swell with his child...

it pleases him greatly, a small smile touching his lips.

"well, aren't you sweet, my dearest?"

such simple words, yet they relieve so much tension from your shoulders. you can't help but smile back before a little gasp falls from your lips when his hands start to lift the dress up. his hands, they're so big, so hot on your skin.

It's a struggle to remember that this is for the purpose of producing offspring and nothing else, but you try, you try so hard.

but when you hear the hitch in his breath at the realization you didn't have anything else underneath the dress after he pulls it over your head, it's hard to remember.

the thought just about completely leaves your mind at the way nanami, your usually put-together husband, looks so hungrily down at you, a look you've never seen before in those pretty hazel eyes.

his gaze lingers on your body for a moment, mouth opening before shutting instantly, preventing himself from saying something he'd likely regret.

calm down, kento, he reminds himself, taking a second to clear his mind. this is for the purpose of family, not sinful and carnal desires.

even so, he's drinking in the sight of you, unable to stop his hands from rubbing up and down your sides, the soft skin of you, his wife, warming his palms. all his.

"gorgeous," he mumbles, unaware he even said it.

the moment you feel his leaking cock brush against your leg, a thought occurs to you.

neither one of you has a single idea of how to do this.

sure, you both know enough about putting it inside and moving, but that was about it. is there something else you should do? things you should say, places you should touch to aid in the process?

they never explained the actual process of sex in church, and lord knows your mother and father would've keeled over and died instantly if you were to ask them.

'it comes naturally when god deems it your time' the reverend stated once during a sermon. you fight back a frown, realizing that man probably had even less of an idea of how to do it.

however, the feeling of his tip nudging against your slit rips a gasp out of you, bringing you back into the present.

"are you alright? you left me for a bit there," nanami asks, his brow furrowed in worry. if you weren't ready, he was willing to back off. he may want to fulfill this important aspect of marriage, but...not if you don't want it.

"n-no, i'm okay! just...wondering how all of this is going to work out," you softly reassure, giving a weak giggle.

he can't blame you, he isn't very sure either. but as the man of the house and as your husband, he didn't plan on letting you worry. he would do all the work, you just needed to lay there looking so pretty, so soft, so...he realizes he's doing it again, letting his mind wander to places it shouldn't.

"just...j-just relax, we will figure it out as we go along."

with your silent nod, nanami starts to push his hips forward, hissing silently when he realizes the wetness that greets him.

you were this aroused just from...talking?

the thought of scolding you for letting your mind wander crossed his own, but...it would be hypocritical when his cockhead is dribbling precum all over your soft mound.

you choke out a noise of pain when his cock finally notches onto you and starts to push inside. sure, your wetness helped get the tip and the few inches after it inside, but just that is already too much for you, and you're expected to take all of it?!

you do your best not to move, not really sure what you should be doing. you'd be a good wife and bear with the pain if you had to, your nails digging into the pillow under your head as you braced yourself for the rest of his cock.

but this is absolutely unbearable, how do other women bear with this and have 6 or more children?!

a flicker of concern flashes through nanami's eyes at the sound you made, and he stops moving forward. he may be a bit mean sometimes, but he wasn't cruel.

if you both are going to go through with this, he is not going to make you suffer and nor is he going to force you to endure a painful experience.

no true man of god would do such a thing.

"breathe, don't hold it in," he instructs, his voice somehow calm and collected. one of his hands laces with yours, hoping to provide some sort of comfort as his lips brush against your forehead. "i've got you, darling, the pain will pass, just...tell me to stop if it gets too bad. don't hold it in."

giving a soft nod, you try to match his breathing, your body relaxing and making it easier for nanami to slip the rest of himself inside, a near silent sigh escaping him. the tightness and initial resistance that greeted him nearly made him moan, his cock twitching violently inside of you.

something about the physical feeling and knowledge that you saved yourself for him like you promised years before you both got married sent a surge of possession and pride, knowing he has such a loving and faithful wife who is so willing to give herself up to him like this...he can only hope you feel the same knowing he saved himself for you and only you.

so, as a 'reward'—and totally not because he fears you'll strangle his cock off with how tight you are—he's so gracious to you, not moving to let you get used to the stretch and feel of him inside, the room silent except for your matching breathing.

a few moments go by, and you should feel embarrassed when you feel slick drip out of you and down your ass. the realization that your dearest husband, one of the most faithful men of the church, is letting his cock soak inside of your hot cunt makes you whine a little, slick walls fluttering around him.

he's so fucked.

"a-ah...i'm going to move now," he warns, taking your sudden noise as a good sign. nanami shifts his legs just a bit before giving an experimental thrust, his brow furrowing as he slowly finds a rhythm.

the feeling of your hot and gummy walls is absolutely intoxicating, divine, nothing he's ever felt before.

this is what it felt like?

this is what he waited for?

fuck, it felt...it felt so good.

too good.

for you, the pain completely melts away, and you silently thank god and the angels above for giving you a merciful husband who is so kind as to wait for you to loosen up around him.

little do you know, he would rather kill himself than start moving when you're still adjusting to the pain and stretch.

his gentle movements make you all but melt under him, your eyes fluttering at the unbelievable pleasure coursing through your veins.

no wonder your parents preached about saving yourself until marriage, and thank the heavens you listened.

the very thought of feeling this way with anyone but your kento puts a bad taste in your mouth.

meanwhile, nanami chants prayers in his head over and over again as he tries his best to focus on the 'true' purpose for this.

the sticky, wet, and gooey sensation of your plump cunt sucking him, practically weeping each time he pulls out is just unfair.

the poor man, he's fighting so hard to maintain his composure, to not succumb to the base instincts that those soft moans of yours are beginning to stir within him.

"s-shush, darling," he grits out, hips still following his slow, deep pace. "don't...don't make such noises," he all but pleads, voice tinged with a huskiness that betrayed his growing need for you.

“i-i’m sorry! just, it...feels good, y-you feel good, feels s-so good,” you whisper, hands coming up to cover your mouth and stifle those sickeningly sweet noises.

but of course, that isn’t enough because each push and pull of his cock stirs your drooling cunt, filling the room with wet, filthy squelching sounds.

nothing about this is holy, nanami thinks as he grits his teeth, hands fisting in the sheets next to your head.

look at her.

those soft, muffled noises are truly music to his ears, his pace morphing from the slow, deep grind into a faster pace as your soft body gives into the pleasure.

so wet, so damn tight around my cock., like she never wants to let me pull out.

"k-kento, y-you're goin' too deep, i-i can't be quiet, s'too much!"

messy little pussy, 's beggin' for cum, needs it, needs to feel my tip kissin' her cervix as i pump load after load into her womb.

he knows what that little voice is, and no matter how much he wants to claim that it’s the sound of demons pouring their sinful words into his mind, he knows that it's his thoughts, fueled by those dirty little noises that she can't hold back.

how pitiful, how sinful, doesn't she know she's going against all the teachings they've heard preached every weekend in their church?

doesn't she know she's giving into lust?

doesn't she know her pretty sounds are making his dick throb, painting her insides with his hot, gooey precum?

"hush, 'm not going to t-tell you again, you...you need to be quiet," he growls, the command lacking its earlier authority.

nanami also knows lying is a sin, and he's doing a damned lot of it right now as he tries to convince himself that you need to stay silent. after all, this—this is just a process of giving you both a child, just like you wanted, and nothing else.

but he's lying to himself.

he needs you to be quiet or else he'll lose it.

the poor man is barely holding onto his restraint, and these sweet noises pouring from your mouth aren't helping at all.

"y-you make this so difficult sometimes, my dear..." his voice is rough with need and desire, a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor. "but, by god, you're...you're. absolutely. exquisite."

he punctuates his words with a particularly hard thrust, grinding his hips into you in a way that has the coarse hair on his crotch to rub against your clit. the pleasure it gives you is electric, your legs coming up to squeeze his hips as you try to grind with him.

his words, his simple praise only makes you hiccup his name, crying out louder as your watery eyes roll back as your needy cunt squeezed down on his fat cock.

you're such a sweet thing, trying oh-so hard to mute your sounds. each snap of his hips is all but driving you insane.

“i-i can’t, ken, y-you don’t understand, i-it feels so good, i-i’m so full! you’re pressing against all the good spots, kentoo, i-i love you s' much, b-but i can't!”

be a good fucking husband and do what you were made to, nanami kento.

his teeth dig into his bottom lip, trying to hard to ignore that temptation purring in the back of his mind.

the voice is so much louder now, echoing throughout his mind and muting any prayers or pleads to be mindful of the sanctity of this whole process.

fuck her. give her what she needs, what she deserves.

but it's too fucking hard, he can't his hips are speeding up, his strong hands moving to grip your thighs, unaware of how they start to anchor behind your knees.

breed your pretty little wife and give her a baby like she deserves.

with a deep groan, nanami finally loses all control, fingers digging into your supple thighs to push them to your chest and practically folding you in half.

this new angle has him openly moaning like a dirty whore, allowing him to plunge even deeper into your tight, gummy walls, the head of his cock kissing your cervix with each and every deep thrust.

"k-ken, kenny, k-ken," you sob, tears catching onto your lashes as your entire being is assaulted by the endless pleasure your husband is giving you. he doesn't even look like your kento anymore, his pupils blown so wide that you can barely see the ring of greens and brown of his iris.

"f-fuck. 's all your fault, you know that," he hisses, eyes narrowing as he weakly glares down at you. but you can see the hearts in his eyes as he gives in to the pleasure.

his dark eyes bore down into yours, the wet plap plap plap plap of his hips slamming into yours almost overpowering his voice. "if y-you just stayed quiet like i asked, w-we wouldn't be here."

a little spurt of wet gushes out of you, making his fall forward into the juncture of your neck with a groan at the dirty noise it makes,

"god, i-i can feel it, y'know? can feel this sticky pussy—such a dirty little pussy—makin' such a mess. saved it jus' for me, didn't you, baby? mmhm—fuckin' hell, 's tight—thank you god f' giving me such an angel of a wife." nanami is huffing nonsense against your neck, pounding into you with a force that has the bed creaking loudly.

if you weren't being fucked stupid, you would be worried he was about to break the bed.

"you can keep that pretty mouth of yours shut, b-but you jus' had to have the noisiest little cunt."

he's so mean, but it only serves to make you gush even more, the way juices pour out of you and only make the already filthy noises even nastier.

"she's talkin' to me, baby, y'hear it? i'm...i-i'm gonna breed you," he manages to whine into your ear, pulling away to press his sweaty forehead against yours.

his tongue, so pink and pretty—you want it in your mouth, want to taste it want to feel it against yours—runs over his top lip as he watches drool drip down the corner of your mouth while you nod brainlessly.

nanami's never felt so dirty, so unhinged, but it feels so right, feels so fucking good. he never wants to leave your pussy, never wants to pull out, this is where he belongs, buried deep inside you as his cock pumps load after load right into your tummy, giving you what you need, what you deserve.

"yeah? you want that? i'll give it to you, baby, promise, 'm gonna be a good husband a-and knock you up, gonna make you a mommy."

that has you keening, tears pouring down your cheeks at the pleasure it shoots up your spine. you know you're close, but it's different.

it feels different, feels too much, there's pressure you've never felt before from the few times you'd cave in and play with your puffy, swollen clit in the shower when you waited for nanami to get home from work to kiss you to sleep.

no, you feel like you are about to fucking explode. "ken, i-i can't, 'm gonna—s-something's coming," you try to warn, your hands fisting in his hair as you tug and tug and tug.

the pull of his hair makes him moan like a slut, it sounds so fucking good. his eyes are rolling back before he rushes to comfort you, pressing soft little open-mouthed kisses against your lips.

you don't need to fight it, you just need to give it to him, give him what he needs.

"shh, shh, don' cry, y' look t'pretty, honey. l-let it happen, cum for me, i've got you, angel, cum for me s-so i can fill you up," he coos, his hips growing erratic as he feels your silky walls starting to fluttering around him, feeling you teeter on the edge of release.

he shifts, just barely, just enough to better position himself to fuck deeper into you. but that slight movement has his cock smushing against something soft and spongy that makes you sob, growing softer and more pliant under him, and you know you are done for as all you can do is wail his name.

"please, pretty girl, cum for me, show me how good 'm making you feel, soak my cock, c'mon, you can do it."

with a loud mewl that nearly has nanami soaking your walls in cum, you dig your nails into his biceps as you finally, finally cum. and you're right, it is different, your cute pussy squirting and creaming all over his dick.

the poor man is choking back a whine, eyes wide in shock as your cunt just gushes slick everywhere, clenching around him like a vice as you cum.

your juices are soaking his cock and balls, splattering against his lower abdomen obscenely. the thought of making you do that again crosses his mind for a split moment before the need to fill you up for being so good overpowers any other thought.

not giving you a break, he continues his unforgiving fucking, ignoring your cries and pleads for him to slow down.

"nonono, shh, shh, shush, you can take it," he coos against your lips, no longer caring if this was sinning or not. all he could think about was the constant squeezing and spasming of your poor overstimulated slit that was milking him toward his orgasm.

you try to squirm away, but the way he has you folded in half has you unable to do anything but accept his stupidly deep thrusts that make you swear you can taste his cock in the back of your throat.

"t-tha's it." he's panting, slurring his words, his fingers digging into the fat of your thighs. it’s so wet, so messy now, but he can't find it in himself to care.

no, all he can think about as he looks down at you is how you'll have that angelic glow as you grow round with his baby, and everyone will know you're his, that he knocked you up, he pumped you full of his cum, that you're his you're his you're all fucking his—

"f-fuck, honey, i-i can't..." his hips stutter as he does his best to maintain his rhythm, but his own release is barreling down on him. his heavy balls are drawing up tight as they slap against your ass, your juices still pouring out and soaking all of him.

"'m gonna fill you up, 'm gonna pump this—this sinful little cunt f-full of m'cum, angel, gonna knock you up, gonna have you drippin' with me, g-gonna give you a fuckin' baby, shit—"

with a deep, guttural groan, nanami hisses your name as he buries himself as deep as possible, his hot tip kissing your cervix as thick, hot ropes of his potent cum pour right into your womb, hips grinding into you and giving little thrusts as you milk his cock weakly despite your overstimulation.

it's—it's so much, he's still cumming, how was all of this inside of him? you can practically feel it sloshing around inside of you, and you whimper when you feel it gush out around his now softening cock, dripping down your ass onto the bed.

a moment or two passes, and he sits up, pushing his sweaty hair out of his face and looking down at you.

oh.

you sweet thing, you're an absolute mess. you have tear streaks down your cheeks, your lips swollen from him unknowingly biting them between the little kisses he was giving you, a pretty sheen of sweat on you, and...

his eyes trail lower to where his dick is still nestled inside of you, and it takes everything in him to not accidentally thrust his hips a little bit.

it's a creamy, sticky mess, a mixture of his and your cum seeping out your poor, abused pussy.

"o-oh. sorry, my love. i'm...not quiet sure what happened there. i apologize for such...foul language," he mumurs, his hand stroking your hip. "'s okay," you softly coo back to him, your eyes fluttering shut as you try to catch your breath. "i-i liked it..."

but you quickly learn you've married both a man of god and a curious, insatiable bastard who can't help but drag his cum all over your pussy, quickly finding your clit. and the reaction you give him is one he decides he likes, your hips canting up as your soft, oversensitive walls squeeze around his cock again.

"k-kento, that's nasty!"

all you get in response is a grumbling noise in his chest as it takes you weakly slapping your hands against his chest to get his eyes to snap away from your gooey, creamy pussy.

clearing his throat, he looks down at you, that heated look slowly creeping back onto his face. "perhaps we...we should try once more. just to ensure it takes," he states, doing his best to show some semblance of dominance.

but it's impossible when his hair is sticking to his sweaty forehead, his pupils blown as he gazes down at your panting form like he's about to devour you whole.

"after all, a...a big family is what god wants from man and woman, right? so we...shouldn't delay and keep trying." his hand trails up your side before finding its way to your breast, squeezing the soft flesh.

his thumb experimentally rolled your nipple, and the way your body reacted, a soft gasp of his name...how is he supposed to explain the feeling he's getting in the confessional booth?

"y-yeah," he gulps, leaning his head down. you can feel his hot breath against your tit, and you swear you feel drool drip onto your breast. "w-we'll keep trying. jus' to make sure w-we do what the scripture asks."

may god forgive him for being such a fucking liar and a damned bad one at that.

all rights reserved © lxnarphase | do not repost, copy, translate, or alter my work

[eddiesxangel]

Be Quiet Darling | Eric x Reader

Cw: aqpdo, porn with an end of the world plot. Oral (m receiving), p in v, use of breeding, no use of pronouns for reader but reader has breasts and a vagina.

Wc: 2k

The city loomed in darkness; its once vibrant streets were now shrouded in an oppressive shade of gray. Following the invasion of New York City, layers of ash and soot blanketed every surface. Despite the efforts of millions to escape, a few thousand souls remained trapped within its confines.

You were among the few thousand who were not so lucky to be stranded in the city, hiding underground in the basements and parking garages.

The bunker was the only place you could call home. It was a sealed-off parking garage located on the lower levels of a towering skyscraper. Months had passed since you had seen the light of day, and the absence of natural light had become the new normal. Quietness enveloped the bunker, and you longed for the sounds of the outside world. Anything but the rumbles of the military battling those creatures. Those aliens who had ultrasonic hearing could still hear you even though you were deep in the ground.

Even if you couldn't speak, you bonded with the people around you, mainly the law student you met named Eric. He had made an impression on you. An ever-growing crush was forming, and you didn’t know how to deal with it. The world was ending, but Eric was in your mind twenty-four-seven. You wanted to be near him; you longed to hear his voice; you wanted him to hold you and tell you everything would work out, that you’d escape this place and live happily ever after with the white picket fence.

Only in your fantasy would that happen, but it was nice to hold onto that dream as you learned the military was on its way to the last remaining survivors. They radioed the bunker to say it wouldn’t be easy, and you may die as the death angels were waiting and hunting still. There were thousands of them in New York State; even up north near the Canadian border was invaded.

The plan was to move everyone at dawn; it was going smoothly, and you and Eric stuck together throughout the march. Holding hands as you silently made your way through the rubbled streets that once held so much life, then the worst happened. Someone sneezed, and they were on you in an instant. Eric pulled you, and you ran with him. Neither of you knew where you were going; the subway was your best bet. You found a staircase that wasn’t barricaded and stumbled your way down as quietly as possible.

It must have been hours. You and Eric were hiding in an isle of an abandoned shop, munching on a bag of cookies that hadn’t been broken. Half an hour ago, you heard the sirens warning you to stay put. It sounded awful in the streets above. The sounds of guns and bombs, the shrieks of the creatures, echoed through the underground tunnels.

You mouthed, “I’m scared,” tears breaching your lash lines.

Eric nods, and you can see his eyes are wet before he reaches over and cups your head into the crook of his neck. You both silently cry before you lift your head and do the unthinkable at a time like this. You kiss him.

Surprisingly, Eric kisses you back, but you’ll take anything from him that he will give.

The moment your lips touched, you felt his weight sink into you, like he wanted this just as badly as you did. You desperately wanted Eric to hold you, tell you everything would be okay, and protect you from the abovementioned monsters.

Your hands found his waistband and tugged on the belt loops to pull you in closer. You knew it would be so stupid to do anything else; you could die in an instant, but your primal need to procreate and survive was taking over.

His hands grabbed your waist as he pulled you closer to him as well, so close you could feel how hard his cock had gotten. You both have wanted this for so long, but you dare not utter a sound as the passion grew stronger.

Your hands bravely went lower, and Eric pulled away, looking at you with those eyes that make your heart race. He bobbed slowly to confirm this was okay, and you slowly pulled the zip to make as little noise as possible.

Eric’s chest fell up and down with each breath of anticipation as he watched you so close to where he wanted you to touch him the most. Through all of this madness, he had fallen deep and had for you and yearned for your affection. All he wanted was to hold you, for you to tell him that it would be okay, that you both would survive this and live happily ever after.

You fold down his dress pants and hold back a giggle when you see his cowboy boxers. He rolls his eyes in embarrassment; of course, these were the only other pair of underwear he could find this morning. However, that didn’t deter you from kissing him deeply. You kissed him passionately, letting your tongue slip past his plush pink lips as your hand ran the outline of his cock through his corny boxers. His endearing ways made you want him much more now that you’re alone, hiding from what was above.

Eric wanted to let out a moan so badly when your fingertip grazed the head of his cock through the thin cotton. He was already leaking so much precum there was a little wet patch that had formed. You circled it with your thumb before you slipped your hand under the waistband and pulled it out.

The lighting in the small store was dim, but your eyes had adjusted so you could see what you were working with. You smiled to yourself as you observed the thick shaft in your hands. Your pussy clenched around nothing as visions of him stretching you out flooded your thoughts.

“So big,” you mouthed, and Eric bashfully looked down, shaking his head. You hooked your index finger under his chin for him to look at you again, and you nodded yes while biting your lip.

You don’t break eye contact as you sink down to take him in your mouth.

The moment your hot, wet tongue touches his head with a kitten lick, he has his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise he was about to make. You would have begged him to hear those moans in any other situation, but you’ll now yearn in silence.

You want to praise him, tell him how good he was for being so quiet, and tell him how strong and handsome he is.

Eric ran his hand over the top of your head, gripping your hair l, surprising you a little. Your soft sweet teddy bear of a man taking a little bit of charge on how you sucked his cock was so hot. He only puts a little pressure on your head to take him further and releases the tension when you take him the furthest you can. The velvety walls of his shaft guided against your tongue so smoothly that you loved feeling him in your mouth. You couldn’t wait for him to split open your pussy.

A small gasp escaped his throat that sounded like a “fuck,” but you stopped and froze in place to make sure that nothing heard it.

You looked at him through your lashes, and he mouthed a “sorry.”

You pulled up off him, and he thought he had ruined it, thought you no bother trusted him to continue, but when he saw you were unbuttoning your jeans and lifting up your top, he relaxed his tense shoulders.

“Please,” you mouthed, as sores your legs wide for him to come between. You wanted to feel him inside of you, and you didn’t know how much longer you had.

Eric nodded his head percussively as he crawled towards you, and you lay down, resting your head on an unopened cardboard box.

You hold in a moan as Eric kisses your exposed body. He started at your lips and worked his way down your neck, to your shoulders, to your breasts, staying as he paid close attention to each nipple. He looked up at you with those big brown eyes as he sucked and flicked your sensitive buds. Your pussy grew wetter by the seconds as he kissed your tummy and stopped right above the tufts of hair that led to your needy pussy. You wanted nothing more than to have him go down on you, but your need to be filled was stronger.

You shake your head before he can move an inch closer, and he looks at you in confusion. Eric knows he gives amazing head. He wants to feel you cuming on his tongue for him, to taste him, but when he sees your plead for him to fuck you, he can’t say no.

You watch as Eric nods and aligns his cock yo to your entrance. You watch his face as he slowly sinks into you, your pussy aiming him in so tight that he lets his mouth fall open but doesn’t dare let out a sound as you kiss him. With an elbow propped up beside your head, he takes your face in the other as he ungulates his hips to thirst up into you with such precision.

The way he slowly rolled his hips so that he couldn’t make a sound made you want to cry out. It felt so good. You haven’t felt good in weeks. You slowly leaked a few tears as it was all so much to handle. You break as you hold back a sniffle, and Eric kisses your tears away; he coos you silently, whispering so lowly that he’s got you, that you’re doing so well for him, how you’re taking his cock so good.

You wanted to beg him to fill you with his cum, that you’ll be so good for him, that you love him, that he’s all you have left in this world. You want to be his so severely that it hurts. Even now, as his hips roll into yours, as his cock is hitting that spot deep up inside you, you want to scream that you want him to mark you, claim you, breed you.

But you can’t. All you can do is kiss him and pull him in closer; your feet wrap around him, making his thrusts sharper as your pussy clamps down on his thick hard cock that is making you see stars.

Your wet pussy threatens to echo throughout the tunnels of the subway, but Eric slows down and reaches down between you to circle your clit. You let in a sharp breath as he massages your swollen bud. You’re so close you can feel it. You stare at him, not daring to look away to break you into reality.

Right now, it was you and him. Nothing else mattered. You both needed this to feel something other than fright and loneliness.

As you unfold for him, you and Eric stare into one another’s eyes. A silent scream of pleasure doesn’t dare leave your throat, but you let your jaw fall open and arch up into your orgasm. Eric wants to tell you so badly that you did so good for him that your pussy feels so delicious as you cum on his cock. The way you clamp down on him has his head spinning as well, your hot spend coating his cock, making your wet walls all that much warmer, tighter and wetter for him. He can’t help but release himself deep inside of you.

With heavy breath, you both lay there in silence, unable to say anything, but you both know that it was good, great, fantastic sex. Eric kisses you again for confirmation, and you gladly roll your hips into his softening cock before he pulls out.

What could be between the two of you with words could be amazing, but for now, this is what you have to survive.

[sourcherryandsprinkles]

What about Coryo and childhood friend reader who are very close and spend all their time together. They gossip about a classmate getting rumorly pregnant and the conversation turn into sex and they talk about experiences (lack of) and end up doing stuff and learning together about pleasure. I’m a sucker for virgin reader and coryo smut

Request: Virgin coriolanus and reader touching each other in secret

Request: young snow with prompt 2 ehehe ‘’No one needs to know.��’

Warnings: 18+, smut, ooc!Coriolanus, virgin!Coryo, virgin!reader, mutual masturbation, p + v (just the tip), let me know if I missed some

my taglists are here + you can send requests here at any time

—

‘’Some people should not be allowed to procreate. The world does not need more superior thinking brats like Arachne Crane,’’ Coriolanus said concerning the rumors about your classmate’s alleged pregnancy. 

It wasn’t a very nice thing to say, but you had to agree with him. 

‘’Who do you think is the unlucky father?’’ you asked, getting deeper into the gossips instead of focussing on the subject you were studying. ‘’Festus?’’

Coriolanus shrugged, taking a pen and scribbling down some notes. ‘’I don’t know. Probably. I doubt it’s true, though. Because if it were, Arachne’s dad would arrange a marriage to cover up the pregnancy. Can’t have his darling daughter pregnant with a bastard.’’ 

The conversation died down and you both went back to your textbooks. Exams were in a few weeks, and you needed good grades to get into university. You also promised Coriolanus to help him and make quiz cards. If he doesn't get the best grades, the Plint prize will go to another student and he won’t be able to attend university with you. 

‘’Have you ever…?‘’ you asked in the quiet of the bedroom, curiosity hanging in the air. 

Your question had him confused at first, but it clicked and he shook his head. ‘’No.’’ Coriolanus cleared his throat, uncomfortable to dive into a private subject. ‘’I mean, I have…you know. Myself,’’ he corrected, always honest with you. ‘’Just, not…with someone. Have you?’’

By your parents’ request, you were preserving yourself for marriage. You never understood why they insisted on you being pure or how it was any of their business, but you respected their request.  

You shook your head. ‘’No.’’ Grabbing a piece of paper, you searched for your pen, which seemed to have gone missing on Coriolanus’ bed. ‘’Do you have a pen I can borrow? I’m gonna get started with the flashcards.’’

He grabbed a spare one from his desk and handed it to you. ‘’Why did you want to know?’’ 

‘’Just curious.’’ 

You began writing down some questions, your pen gliding over the flashcards. 

It wasn’t until your pile of flashcards tipped on the side and fell on the bed that you realized how many you had made. You chuckled at the little mishap, and the sound of your laughter caught Coriolanus' attention.

‘’Wow. How many are there?’’ he asked, looking over at the scattered flashcards.

You shrugged, gathering the flashcards into a neat pile. ‘’Lost count. Are you ready to be quizzed?’’ 

He closed his textbooks and joined you on the bed, sitting criss-cross. There was a nervous look on his face, but you reassured him. 

‘’Don't worry, you've got this, Coryo.’’ You gave him an encouraging smile. ‘’If you get ten right…I’ll reward you with a kiss.’’ It was meant as a joke, but Coriolanus didn't get it.

‘’A kiss?’’ the blond repeated, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He expected a cookie or a strawberry, not a kiss. 

‘’Unless you don’t want me to kiss you—’’ 

‘’I didn’t say that!’’ 

The sun started to go down when you made it through half the flashcards. As expected, Coriolanus did a great performance. He was always on top of his subjects, focussing on his academics instead of social life. All his hard work was paying off. 

It also meant that you owed him a kiss. 

Biting your bottom lip, you suddenly felt shy. Why did you make that deal?

‘’You do remember we were each other’s first kiss, do you?’’ Coriolanus reminded, sensing your hesitation. 

Although it happened three years ago, the image was vivid in your mind. It was your fourteenth birthday. You asked him to kiss you as a birthday present so you wouldn’t have to lie to the girls at the academy when they asked if you had kissed anyone yet. Any other boy would have laughed, but Coriolanus just nodded and pressed his lips on yours. 

You took a steady breath, telling yourself you had to honor your promises, and leaned over the space between you to kiss him. You counted to five, then pulled back slightly. Coriolanus opened his eyes, their ocean blue hue appearing brighter from up close. They were so beautiful — he was so beautiful.

Before you could break your staring, Coriolanus cupped the side of your face and drew you back in for another kiss. You kissed him back by instinct, but you were confused. Was he not satisfied by your kiss? Maybe you should have counted to ten instead of five? 

The delicate brush of his thumb against your cheek pulled you out of your thoughts, luring you into a bubble of warmth and tenderness. His lips were soft against yours, and the faint scent of roses enveloped you. He always smelled of roses. 

His hand settled at the small of your back, pulling you closer across the bed. You let him guide you, pawing at the front of his button up to hold yourself up at his height. A soft gasp left your lips when Coriolanus slipped his tongue to deepen the kiss, a rush of emotions flooding through you. You tangled your hands in his hair, letting your pulsions lead until you were both breathless.

‘’What are we doing?’’ you asked quietly, almost a whisper. 

You were delving into uncharted territories, taking untraveled roads of your friendship without knowing where they would lead you. 

Coriolanus didn’t respond, not knowing what to say. 

Your fingers brushed his curls from his eyes as his nose brushed yours, eager to get his lips on yours again. He glanced at you, searching your eyes for some guidance, but you were just as lost as him. 

‘’I want to kiss you again,’’ Coriolanus confessed, the hand on your back moving to your hip. ‘’I want… I want you.’’

Have me, you wanted to tell him. Take all of me, but a small voice at the back of your head reminded you of the promise you made to your parents. 

‘’If you don’t put it in, you’re still gonna be a virgin,’’ he said, as if he had read your mind. 

Coriolanus used his desk chair to block the door, ensuring no one would come in. Tigris was out and Grandma'am was tending to her flowers, but he didn't want to risk it. You felt also more comfortable with the door blocked and his makeshift curtain slightly closed. The Snow penthouse was so high, it was impossible to see inside from another building.

You began taking off your clothes in a comfortable silence, your dark pink dress joining Coriolanus’ button up and trousers on the floor. Left in your undergarments, you sat on the bed facing each other. You bit your bottom lip as you averted your eyes from your friend’s half naked body, uncertain if you should be looking. 

Holding your breath, you reached back and undid your bra while Coriolanus removed his white boxers. It wasn’t as nerve-wracking if you both undressed at the same time. You felt your face flush as your eyes lowered to his cock, seeing it soft and resting against his thigh. There was light blond hair at the base, which matched the hair on his head.  

Coriolanus’s cock twitched as he glanced at your chest. Your breasts were full enough to not be considered small and your nipples were perfectly peaked. You were the prettiest girl he ever laid his eyes on. 

Not giving yourself time to feel shy, you followed suit by taking your last layer off, lifting your hips to pull it down. There wasn’t much room to move around so Coriolanus helped you get your panties down the rest of your legs, and dropped them on the bed. 

‘’Thanks.’’

You fought the reflex to clamp your legs shut the way a lady should, and instead parted them, revealing your glistening core. From this position, your labias were parted like a flower, completely exposed to your best friend's eyes. 

You dipped between your folds to collect moisture and started rubbing your clit with the tip of your thumb. 

Coriolanus scooted closer to you, and effortlessly gripped his hand around his cock to stroke it nice and slow while he watched you. He followed your pace, leaned his head back when he swiped his thumb over the leaky red tip, and tried not to make any sound. 

You looked over at Coriolanus, and your core clenched. Now you understood what Clemensia was talking about in the girls locker rooms. Without stopping your motions on your clit, you brought two fingers and slowly slipped them inside of you, making you gasp. You usually started with one, but you needed something bigger that you didn't want to admit out loud. 

Closing your eyes, you let your imagination run free, imagining Coriolanus' cock inside you, filling you up. ‘’Ah, Coryo,’’ you slipped, letting go of your clit to grope one of your breasts and pull on your taut nipple. 

Coriolanus couldn’t stop the groan from escaping his lips when he heard you moan his name. He picked up speed as he stared at you, the springs on his mattress creaking underneath. This is why he always did this in the shower. 

When you opened your eyes, you pulled out your fingers andrested your hand on Coriolanus' knee. ‘’Can I try?’’ 

The room hung in a momentary silence, the weight of your question settling between you and Coriolanus. His usually composed demeanor faltered, and he was momentarily lost for words, caught off guard by the words that left your mouth. 

‘’I-if you want to.’’ He removed his hand from his cock and followed with his gaze as your hand bravely traveled up his thigh. 

Gently, you wrapped your hand around him. It was heavier than you thought, and warm. You began moving your hand up and down, but it wasn’t slippery enough for your liking so you dipped your fingers between your folds to collect some of your arousal to lubricate your strokes. 

‘’That’s better,’’ you said to yourself. 

Coriolanus wanted to kiss you. That was hot. 

Not wanting you to be neglected, he grabbed your ankles and pulled you closer, draping your legs over his so he could play with your clit and breasts. Lewd noises filled the room, coming from both of your mouths. It was a blessing Grandma’am had hearing troubles because the walls at the penthouse were thin. 

As you began to work towards your climax, you directed Coriolanus’ cock toward your pussy and pressed his tip against your folds. If you don’t put it in, you’re still gonna be a virgin, he had said. The pressure situated onto your pussy felt so delicious. 

Sensing what you were trying to do, Coriolanus got a better idea. He moved your hands away and rubbed his tip against your puffy clit. The tingling sensation began to overwhelm you, bringing tears to your eyes while he continued to stroke your folds and clit with his cock. 

‘’Ahh! Yes, Coryo— That feels so good!’’ 

The both of you were making a choir of beautiful whines and moans as you could feel your release approaching quickly. You came with a cry when you felt his tip pushing through without getting in fully, quivering against him.  

Coriolanus couldn't look away from your core, overwhelmed by how warm and wet you felt around him. He continued to rub himself against you until white strings dribbled out of the head of his cock, painting your pussy with a beautiful mess. 

‘’That was…’’ you panted out, looking down at yourself. ‘’No one needs to know, right?’’

‘’No one needs to know,’’ he confirmed.

''Should we get back to the flashcards?''

—

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[alphajocklover]

Alpha with a Capital A: Big bro and Lil bro

As Alphas grow older they start to feel a natural urge, just like a lot of people. They start to wonder what they’ll leave behind, who will take care of them when they’re older. They’ll never be frail or pathetic like a lot of us regular human get as they age, because by their nature they will never be frail much less fucking pathetic, but even their domanice over reality can’t stop the hands of time, not forever. As they go from beefy college studs to manly muscle daddies they long for something more than the betas, twinks and bimbos. They start to long for a lil bro.

To clarify I should mention I’m not talking about a biological brother. Due to the nature of Alphas there’s rarely ever more than one in a family, especially in a single generation. Lil bros are the way Alphas make more Alphas, the way they… procreate. That probably surprises you, since Alphas are absolute studs that have sex all the time. The thing is that, while the sons of Alphas have a higher chance to become Alphas than regular people, there’s no guarantee. Whatever makes Alphas the dominant manly men they are isn’t truly hereditary. If it was, we'd have billions of Alphas in the world in just a few generations. So, instead of hoping one of their kids will end up as an Alpha like them, older Alphas seek out newly awakened Alphas. Younger studs who have just discovered their dominant nature and need guidance, need a big bro to show them the ropes and help them be the best Alphas they can be. Lil bros and big bros often act like true brothers, or even father and son, and don’t suffer from the same issues that most Alphas do when they spend time together. Sometimes big bros and lil bros even share betas. Let me tell you, getting fucked by two Alphas at once… is indescribable.

[lieslab]

I am the face of love's rage

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎ ꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

Pairing: Han Jisung X gn reader

Summary: After snapping at your boyfriend, it feels like the world is spiraling out of control

Genre: Angst

Word Count: 1.6K

Trigger warning: Grief, anger, child neglect and implied child abuse, domestic abuse, a moment of self-harm, depression, and self-hatred.

_ _ _

It’s just not fair. It’s not fair that you weren’t asked to be born. It’s not fair that you didn’t get to play a role in this. You were forced from the womb against your will; procreated by two people who were in over their heads. You were shoved into this brutal world with nothing. No hope, no love, no faith, nothing. 

Some people have consequences for their actions, but not your parents. Life went on and you grew. You grew up full of envy when it came to your friends. How much you wished you had their parents instead of your own. 

Family movie night seemed like heaven on earth. Being tucked in between your best friend and her mother. Fizzy soda poured and pepperoni pizza shined with grease. It stuck to elementary fingers and you accidentally got it in your hair. 

As you washed it out in the unfamiliar bathroom of your best friend’s house, you found love in unexpected places. The fuzzy oversized bright blue bath towel. The ones back at your house hadn’t been replaced since the early 2000’s. 

It was the way her mother tucked her in and included you. Pressing warm lips in a foreign way against your forehead. She insisted that she loved you, but you didn't know her long. How strange it was for love to float up unexpectedly. 

It came in high school sporting events when the stands sat abandoned. Not really, they were full of cheering parents, but none of them were yours. They were always too busy with work or maybe they were at home swinging verbal assaults at one another. 

Even when you graduated, you scanned the crowd hoping that by some miracle, they’d finally show up, but they didn’t. The cheers from the crowd and shrieks from your friends fell upon deaf ears. How wonderful it was to be created and getting nothing in return. 

Maybe parents don’t owe you anything besides a roof over your head. The food on your plate. Clothes that will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Maybe that’s all they’re meant for. 

At least, that’s what they think. Sometimes they never asked for you. You were a mistake and they didn’t think it through. Five minutes of fun suddenly became a future full of responsibilities and we’re all only human in the end, so some of us choose to run. 

You can outrun your past mistakes, but somewhere along the way, they will knot together and tangle. They will leave you suffocated and struggling to breathe. No matter where you go, karma has a funny way of catching up. 

Even if that means waiting to show its face until it snatches your soul from your body. Sometimes the only sense of justice we have in life is that which becomes buried beneath six feet of dirt. It’s not enough to stitch the wound, but enough to temporarily numb the hurt. 

You can raise a child in a plethora of ways. From drilling the growing brain full of political ideology to believing in a damning God. Fairytales and happy endings or demons that will wreck havoc across barren plains. A child can be full of whatever you want them to be. 

Children are a lot like flowers. When given the nutrients and water, when the love is piled high, when mistakes are teaching points instead of crucifixion, you can turn the world into a better place. A kid can go so far, but if you choose the opposite, how does a kid survive as an adult? 

Sometimes self-love isn’t enough. Those positive daily affirmations seem silly when you hate who’s staring back at you in the mirror. There will always be a dark void inside that doubts the love we’re granted. If our parents didn’t love us, then who would? 

It takes a village to raise a kid, but sometimes villages become abandoned. They starve to death, they take off for a better life, they become the people they swore they hated. Things happen and kids become abandoned. 

Physically, emotionally, verbally. A man-made damnation that has much more in common with a rabies filled wolf than anything. Snarling and growling; snapping and charging at anyone who gets too close.

You’re just a wild dog. Please forgive them, they don’t know why they bite. They don’t know why they isolate and self-destruct. They blow a fuse, intertwine themselves with self-pity and hatred, and then fall victim to the vicious cycle again. 

And then it repeats and it repeats and it repeats. 

Friendships shatter like glass that glistens in the flames of fire. Rage builds and words shoot to kill. A ballerina forced to dance on tip-toes while foot skin shreds apart and blood soaks the tips of pointe shoes. 

Sometimes you meet someone who feels soft enough to tame that wild beast. Han Jisung was full of flaws, everyone is. Insecurities sat between the heart and chest cavity, but he gave you a chance. He gave you a chance and you ruined it. 

Hands slammed into your skull as if that’d fix it. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” Your head throbbed and a headache formed, but you couldn’t stop. You deserved the punishment, at least, that’s what you thought. 

Some people aren’t born with the art of self-regulation. Some don’t know how to stop until it’s too late. You were angry and upset and a fuse was blown. You blew up, skyrocketed, and you didn’t stop the shrapnel of sharp words that flew from your mouth. 

They echoed in your head over and over again. You screamed until your voice gave out and you choked on your own frustration. You begged him to go away, chucked a book at his head in the process. 

Tears flooded his eyes, but he refused to budge. It killed you, you hated that look. With a quivering bottom lip, he spoke the soft words that wouldn’t leave your head. 

“I’m not going to leave you because I love you. So throw what you must. Scream at me until your lungs deflate, damn me to hell, I don’t care. I will love you until I’m old and gray. I will love you until the stars burn out and even then, I’ll find a way.” 

A gentle softness against the shrieks in your head. A hand wiped away your tears, after he took the risk and shuffled towards you. You shoved it away and slammed the bedroom door in his face. 

It was something so childish, so stupid, something that your parents used to do to you. You remembered what it was like when that gust of sudden wind hit you. It was a reminder that love was meant to be earned, not freely given. 

You didn’t deserve his love, his support, his softness. You didn’t deserve Han Jisung and you knew that, but why the fuck did he not know that? He was a thorn in your side and you hated him. 

You hated him because you loved him. You knew you were awful. You couldn’t control your emotions. You were the rain of an incoming tornado. Too hot, too humid, cold rain, and a chance of sudden hail. 

 A kid without guidance. One that had grown up and found themselves tangled in their mother’s misses. Your father’s regrets were imprinted in your skull and no matter how hard you tried to get through bone to rip out the stitches, they were always there. You could grit your teeth and scream, but you were always going to be a product of your parents. 

When you grow up without everything, it’s hard to figure it out. Self-love can be conflicting. Positivity feels impossible. The past creeps around you like a cobra and strikes when you least expect it. 

A victim. 

A survivor. 

A monster. 

An abuser. 

The words spun around in a cyclone and became tangled. Did you blame your parents for this mess or would you blame yourself? You could have been better, they should have made you better, but you were grown. 

Tears stung your eyes and everything swelled. It compacted into a lump in the back of your throat. It sat there and wouldn’t move. No matter how many times you tried to swallow, it wouldn’t go away. 

So you collapsed against the side of the bedroom door, just like Han knew you would. He was pressed against it from the other side. He listened to you silently as you spun out of control. Tears slipped down his cheeks, but he didn’t intervene. 

Your ragged breaths caused him to shut his eyes. He worried about you far more than you’d ever know. He cared too much and he’d never stop. He meant what he told you, he meant it with every fiber of his being. 

Snot strung from your nose and slipped down your upper lip. It tasted like defeat and failure. You squeezed your eyes shut and a whimper slipped out. 

Han couldn’t reach you through the door. As much as he wanted to grab you and smother you with love, you wouldn’t allow it. You had to take time to calm down. You had to figure yourself out. 

In the meantime, he’d be here singing softly. One of his songs that he wrote years ago. A sweet voice murmuring a symphony while your entire being crumbled behind the door. A lullaby to soothe your tired and weary soul. 

If only years ago, it would have been coming from the larynx of your mother instead.

| ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ | ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ | ♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡ |

Taglist: @lina-linny @straykidsstanforeverandever @seungnishi @stellasays45

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[mswyrr]

kanthony thoughts: wrestling with love and death

The bee is such a perfect symbol for the love story of S2 - it symbolizes the duality of life. It is a symbol of fertility: bees are associated with spring, the act of pollination, and sex (e.g. "the birds and the bees"). But here it is also a symbol of death and trauma. It is what killed Papa Bridgerton, took Violet's true love, stole a father from the kids, and what (in this patriarchy) forced an 18 year old boy to become the "father" of the family, trapping him emotionally in time at that period of loss which Anthony never processed.

Through this duality, the bee embodies the themes and core struggle Kate and Anthony are confronted with. It is both Eros, sexual love and reproduction, and Thanatos, a representation of death. Both are interwoven throughout our lives. And we all end up in death's country eventually, some sooner than others. People like Kate and Anthony, who've met the heartbreak of the world very young, often see death and loss everywhere - because it is everywhere, but so too is life.

There is another fertility symbol that is also a death symbol: the pregnant Violet in flashbacks. The great love she and Edmund shared has brought beautiful children into the world - but the act of creating life can kill a mother. Violet herself has suicidal thoughts about wishing the act of giving life had killed her. It is an inescapable part, even with the best modern medicine, of procreation for someone who gives birth. Bringing life is also risking death.

This is the truth that Anthony and Kate both know and fear and have shaped themselves around. They fear living because they've both suffered losses young and known, from a young age, that death is always there. Uncertainty and loss are woven throughout all joy and love. Their solution to this problem has been simple: they will choose to not participate in living.

They both make statements to this effect. Anthony to Violet, saying he will be not happy but "content" without love.

And Kate shares her similar plans for a miserable "contentment" without love:

Anthony will make himself the image not even of his vibrant and loving father, but of something worse: an old man before his time. No joy, no pleasure, no love. Just duty and a rigid focus exclusively on the mind over the heart. Violet tells him - your father allowed himself to love. The truth is Anthony cannot be like him like this.

Kate has a similar scene - she has made herself exiled from life by choosing to be a spinster. As she explains, she wants to be like Lady Danbury, but in the same way Anthony cannot be like Edmund without letting himself live, Lady Danbury tells her: you will *never* be like me if you go on like this. I had a life! I lived and now I enjoy my social games very much because I am satisfied that I have lived.

These two young people, they're not even thirty yet, and both of them have buried themselves alive. They've done it in a futile effort to escape the pain, the loss, that comes along with the joy of living. We open ourselves to it when we open our hearts. And keeping our hearts shut is not an escape from death, it's giving our lives up to it before we've even had our measure of joy.

In case we missed the point, Kate and Anthony's little sisters come in to drive it home: you think we respect you for the things you do, emptying your life of anything but duty, Daphne tells Anthony, knowing that he longs to be the respected and great figure their father was. We don't. We pity you. OUCH. Harsh but so so necessary - when someone has created a toxic and false narrative in their mind and they're giving all their energy to it, sacrificing everything to this... broken coping mechanism, sometimes a jolt is required. Daphne is letting him know that the thing he consoles himself with, the idea he is respected by his family for his dutiful sacrifice, is a lie.

He cannot be the man he wants to be if he won't let himself live, like Edmund did. Edmund spent every moment of the short time he got on earth living and loving deeply. And when he died, it broke so many hearts. But, as Violet tells Anthony later: I'd do it all over again, I'd suffer the pain again, just to have the time we got together. The love Edmund and I shared was worth all the pain.

And Edwina, for her part, is brave enough to see the truth. She finally realizes that Kate has inadvertently been living vicariously through her - trying to give her little sister her own dreams, not realizing the problem with that. Edwina is a grown woman and she still doesn't actually know what she truly wants her life to be. Again, this is such an OUCH moment. Kate never would have intentionally done such a thing to her beloved little sister. But she needs to hear that she has!

The kind of repression Kate and Anthony engaged in - it comes from a place that makes sense, they even mean it lovingly, but it doesn't work. As Daphne said earlier: these kind of feelings will find a way out. Kate accidentally imposed her own dreams on her sister and thwarted Edwina's growth and choices.

Both younger sibs are courageous enough to demand more, for themselves, and for the elder siblings they love - even though they can be overbearing. Even though, in this moment, both of them need their younger sibs to give them some "tough love" to shock them out of the nonsense they've fallen into and dragged their families along with them.

The parallels are so gorgeous. And the power of these two fearful people, who have buried themselves alive, choosing risk and joy and love finally? Embracing life and all its pain for the joy it brings? Soaringly romantic and such a beautiful affirmation of life.

I adore this romance!

[thechekhov]

Dungeon Meshi Quick Reacts

Monster Tidbits: 3 & 4

Forgot to do this for some of them so I'm going back and getting the ones up through chapter 28

I read this tidbit and immediately went 'how close ARE squid and octopus phylogenetically?' And it turns out they're kinda close, but also. Vampire squids are closely related to octopods! Moreso than to other squids. That's neat!

Anyway.

The dungeon and its vast resources are really wasted on hack-n-slash adventurers. It feels like only Senshi really appreciates how much you can strip and use from such a large animal.

Though I suppose the ecosystem gets it in the end anyway so it's not a complete waste....

I'd forgotten Laios hates kraken lmao.

.................dude really pointed a sperm tube at his own face and shot a load at his forehead. Incredible. World's least sexy facial, confirmed. Congrats, Laios. That's the worst anyone's ever done it, buddy.

Chillchuck, you only live to be like, 40. Maybe stop trying to reinvent the wheel capitalism in your lifetime....

Meaning Chillchuck can live to be poor enough to travel with them another day! Hoorah!

...can this translator just not ever spell the word tentacles?

You don't need a brain to grow in good places. You just need to grow in good places and survive to have progeny that also favors good places to procreate and then-- ah, nevermind. Why am I explaining evolutionary pressure to a manga.

You did your best, buddy.

didn't you guys encounter mermaids? Or were those... sirens...?

hang on, what do you mean they die?!! Just from being the first one to hear it?!

Oh, wait, you mean like, they hear it and jump in first? Damn.

Ah, right, they're completely different species.

go, girl, get your calories.

.........how much mana can a dragon store, huh marcille. How much.

no need to brag....

need me that meme of a fat kitten that's full of milk, but make it Namari, full of mana.........

I was gonna say 'fluffy pitbull' but then I saw 'clever'.... ah, bully breeds. Braincells are in short supply.

GET. THAT. MAN. A. PUBBY.

Listen, you. Laios is a treasure, you hear me? He's a treasure. He's also way too much of a freak for you to reason with. Just leave him alone with his warg plans.

Bag of Holding MIGHT actually be the most broken thing there is. Hm.

THE BULLYING! WHO IS IT FOR?! WHY ARE YOU GANGING UP ON HIM

Laios: If I can't be THE MOST OBSESSED then what's even the point?

King shit. Absolutely pathetic meow meow. There is so much wrong with him.

[heartfullofleeches]

Nymph Idol

Yan Church + "Incubus" Priest/Cult Reader [18+ Mdni]

Tw/Tags Religious Themes/Slight Trauma, implied underage drinking and dubious activities as a result (All parties are 18/19), Reader is G.N but mentioned to have a penis in some parts and is called "Mister" once. Reader (obviously) has no set features, but they do have a birthmark.

Faith had always been a unwavering staple in your life.

Raised by the people of your procreators' church; you were versed in literature beyond levels for those your age so you had voice to praise your Lord. Head of the youth choir, and the one chosen to begin prayer at dinner as you got older. Early on, the seeds of your influence on others sprouted during the primary years of your innocence. Walking into class that chilly winter morn, a classmate greeted you at the door, declaring their love to you with a letter in hand. They wanted to be the first, as your heart may have been lost somewhere in the clutter on your desk. Valentine's day - the day when those playground crushes could be seen as more and those holding passing stares could finally look you in the eye. A moment before, you never realized you had so many admirers. What could it have been that made so many look your way? You'd never know, not in this school - as once your parents found the notes in your bag you were shipped straight off to a school of the faith. And thus the cycle repeated.

For you, life was pretty much the same after the change. Go to school, study, help out the surrounding community as best you could. Outside of the little bubble you made for yourself, yet another flock of worshippers came to plate. They saw you as the silent, dedicated and hard working type - enamored by every word that came from your mouth. Even rejection fueled their desire as you let each person down with respectful and caring approach. They invited you to parties and hangouts, and while you never touched a drop of whatever they gave you - you agreed every time. Out in the real world, you came to the conclusion you were still that same sheltered child from years back. You'd neither kissed nor felt first love like those around you and in films you saw. You longed for the freedom of you, but the life of a priest was chosen for you before you were even born, and you had taken the vow of celibacy to heart.

You achieved your first taste of freedom at the end of highschool. To celebrate the graduating class, a nature retreat was scheduled. Seated between two of the most determined of your suitors - you could already tell this trip would change you for better or worse. Had the seats not been assigned, it would have been another hour before the bus took off with everyone dragging you around. These two were sure to win you in the end with their records and authority over their peers. One had been arrested and agreed to go to your school if the charges were dropped, the other forced with no benefit on their part - until they met you. Together, the pair grew close over their shared hatred of their environment, and become inseparable from their shared intrigued in you. When no one would look their way, you meet them with a smile whenever your paths crossed. So cute - just like an angel. The entire ride there, neither party removed their hand from your thigh.

"Wow, Y/n - your legs are really nice... You brought shorts with you right?"

"If you didn't, we have something you can put on."

The heat was instantaneous. Alone on a hot bus, your head swam from their gentle touches and praise. Noting the way you squirmed in your seat and squeezed the hem of your shirt over the source of your discomfort, they couldn't ignore you any longer. They were ready to suck you off right then and there under the cover of a blanket and let the whole class hear you sing. Alas, their fun was temporarily delayed by the arrival at your destination. You were the first off the bus with an express trip to the bathroom. Getting away from those two wasn't going to be as easy as you thought as they were your bunkmates.

Your only bunkmates.

Things started off harmlessly enough. Down at the lake, one would splash water at your shirt while the other whined that their bottoms were too lose. They'd complain about you wearing a shirt in the water, but you excused yourself due to the strange birthmark on your chest. They asked you to pick their outfits for the day, and snuck in your bed at night for nothing more than your warmth. As your days decreased, so went their subtlety. They'd stand in front of you in lines with the sole purpose of rubbing their ass against your crotch; their partner getting their share when you finally sat down and they sat in your lap. They'd walk around the cabin in nothing else but their underwear saying something about losing the towel tucked under your bed. When sleeping with you, one moaned so sweetly in your ear as their legs tangled with yours. Of all the nights they haunted your dreams, that was the first you woke with stained shorts.

Overtime you suspected they were finally giving up. They wore modest clothing, and you hardly ever saw them outside of activities or meals. You became alone due to them always sneaking out and in that solitude you committed acts of self pleasure you'd never done before. Your untaught hands felt like they'd been graced by touch of an angel as you chased your long awaited high - shooting ropes into the dainty fabric left under your pillow. The shame you beared for using their underwear mixed so perfectly into the pleasure that your vision went white as you came a second time. It wasn't long till the thing was soaked with so much of your release there wasn't any where for it to go, but your damp things. They left them there for that purpose, so it was okay - right? You'd rinse them and hand them to dry before anyone came back. It was one mistake that you could easily come back from.

"Well, well, well-"

Shit.

"The wait was longer than I'd like, but the results definitely make up for it. Come outside, "Mister Priest". We've been listening to you since you started and you're even cuter than I imagined. We'll treat you right."

You wanted to come up with an excuse or to at least be given the opportunity to clean up, but your mind was anywhere but your head at this point. They helped you fresh up partly by tongue-cleaning your navel and thighs with their tongue before leading you outside into the thick forest where their companion was waiting by the fire they'd built. They had two water bottles in their hands. One clear, and the other filled halfway with a dark liquid. The pair had stopped drinking for a while so your first kiss didn't taste like whiskey, but after both had explored the reigns of your mouth with their tongue it was back to gunning the alcohol. You drank a little too, or rather it was siphoned down your throat as they took turns spitting it in your mouth between kisses.

The rest of the night was a blur after that. You were talking about... something, but soon enough your cock was stuffed down one of their throats and all conversation was lost - your lifelong vows tarnished in one, sin-filled eve. Come morning, you woke with their numbers in your phone and their nude bodies against yours. Your head was killing you. Some water, and some gentle reassurance by your new lovers soothe the ache, and woke you to the world you now lived in. Drinking, having sex- What would they think? The people back home.... None of the people in your church did anything like this in their youth - as far as they'd tell. What were you supposed to do now?

"Baby...Relax. There's no harm in a little indulgence every now and then. You're still that same angel in our eyes. Horns just fit you a little better."

They.. They were right. You did have horns - presented in the lustful urges shunned and magnified by your upbringing. It wasn't you - it was a demon. That mark proved it. An insatiable beast. Your body was sensitive from the night prior yet you wanted more. To taste the flesh of anyone willing to give it to you. Slipping back into the covers - those believes were etched into your heart as you guided their heads down to the heat of your lust, mouths ready to please their new lord.

Life moved on after that. The goodbyes you shared with your lovers were more tearful than the nights you choked them half to unconscious only to lick their tears as they'd instructed. You saw each other on occasion, but moving to different parts of the country with no way to make visits permanent at the time shorted your hours together. When college began, they assured you their hearts would belong to you, and if you decided to seek out others they'd be fine with it. Their permission was not needed, but a nice gesture as you had already been scouting out your new playmate. The believes of the supernatural were strong in the new community, but faith prevailed. Show them a little proof and they'll take it that extra mile. Luckily for you, you had been born with all the evidence you needed.

"I try not to show this to everyone, but I know I can trust you now. I know you probably won't believe me, but it's the only excuse I have."

Taking off your shirt, their eyes always shoot to that birthmark on your chest, nestled on the skin of the cage shielding your heart. Some have described it as charred wings, others a crown of thorns. When you were in that stage of curiosity about the world around you, you always wondered what a hypothetical partner would think of it. Your first thoughts were fear or disgust, but the only thing you've ever seen on their faces is pure awe and need.

"I...was cursed by a demon at birth. My faith will always remain in the hands of God, but the effects of the devil's influence are relentless. I'm not strong enough to take care of it on my own... Will you help me?"

"..y-yes!"

With your charms, more eyes were drawn your way. Your lies kept your image clean. Day by day, it became easier for you to sneak your way in the beds and hearts of your peers. While your end goals were far from the realm of innocence, you still cared for this people and their well-being. It's what kept them crawling back -- following you after you graduated.

In priesthood, dozens came from all counters and backgrounds to see you in your prime. Many were old faces - awaiting the day you'd open your arms to them once more. If we're being honest here you've probably seen some of them during the weeks before. You never lied about your involvement with others, and if someone were to grow more jealous than you'd like them to be... they were taking care of before you had the chance to block them and move on. You still blocked them anyway, and messages from unfamiliar numbers claiming to be their families were deleted before you even knew about them.

In the eyes of your flock, you could do no wrong. An innocent member of the church, and a solider of their lord in need of their aid. Most have already abandoned their loyalty to that figure - use its name to raise your own. They whisper to those in the surrounding area about an idol that can teach them the true freedoms of life and erase loneliness from their hearts for the rest of their days. You're sure to give those brave and willing enough a private sermon they're sure to never forget. You finish every public prayer with a straight face and smile as you're serviced by your most loyal followers beneath the podium and your robes. A quick look underneath and you'll find whoever brought you to climax sharing the fruits of their labor with their neighbor through a sloppy kiss, savouring all you have to give. It took quite a while for you to detach your facial expression and sounds from such pleasure, but you've had years of practice by now. Your faithful pets and servants attempt to break that wall with every stroke and curve of their tongues fingers, or bodies - and you're more than welcome to let them try.

[greenflamedwriter]

The First Husband.

Tianglang-Jun X Transmigrated Shen Qingqiu. Instead of burying and chaining the Heavenly Demon into a mountain, instead he's chaind by marriage. The sects sent forth cultivation partners and required offspring with Heavenly demon blood.

With the entire cultivation world threatening him and his son, Binghe, Tianglang-jun had to accept...

Prompt:

 Instead of destroying Tianglang-Jun, the sects realised the heavenly demon actually kept the demon realm in order.

  if he died it would create a power vacuum they knew about his love for human culture, and if demons ruined that, he couldn’t enjoy their plays and literature-

 But with the death of his empress the Huan Hua Su Xiyan leaving him alone with Luo Binghe, Huan Hua planned revenge assuming that the demon killed their disciple.

The other Sects disagreed and wanted no part in it, with no proof why would they take down someone who kept the realms at peace?

So the Old Palace Master devised a new plan. His eyes on Shen Qingqiu, smile growing making the other mans skin crawl-

But to the others they thought nothing if it.

 “Then a marriage, if Tianglang-jun is as powerful as they say his off spring should be powerful also, if we choose who to marry that could give us some assurance.”

 Instead of chains, instead it was wives hand picked from each sect, pointing daggers at Tianglang-jun, surround him with disarming smiles but at a hidden signal will strike.

Each Sect had to volunteer someone and of course two sects denied.

 They were faithful to their cause both the nuns and daoist priests snd choose to remain celibete and so they offered themselves as servants to the wives in the harem to be their ally afterall, he is a demon it’d be best to have cultivators to face any threat.

“What about the men? How could Tianglang-Jun have for us if we can’t aqquire offspring?”

The old man nodded “Their are ways for men to procreate, some with elixers, flowers. Before we discuss we’ll make sure everyone is well informed.”

Shen Qingqiu spoke up.

“Hild on a moment, had Tianglang-jun expressed his desire for wives? Especially after the loss of his empress?”

 The Old Palace Masters eyes narrowed.

“Of course, the sect leaders had discussed it.”

More like cornered the man and threatened him till he had no choice butbto comply or inact war any other time he would put these cultivators in their place.

But his sons cried snapped him out if it, Xiyan gave her life for him and Tianglang-jun other than his nelhew had no one. He needed help.

 Maybe not all the women sent to him would be cruel…

Shen Yuans heart panged for Tianglang-jun. As he read this stkry abkut the demonic emporer who would chain himself for the sake for his son, would place his head beneith the cultivatirs heel just to save Su Xiyans child. And all kf that to be in vain! He was a giid father! Itbwasn’t his fault the cultivators took advantage of his vunerable state and tricked him into a contract that made him take wives and make off spring! He sidnt want to do it but itvwas either that or bloodshed!

The cultivatirs feared Tianglng-jun but his power was ridiculously op if they could choose canditates they can in turn gain powerful soldiers.

 Luo Binghe was left in the care if these wives since tianglang-jun had to keep the peace only he could face powerful demons and keep the cultivators apoeased when he kept his demons in line.

 Leaving Luo Binghe alone with his cruel step-mother.

Its what everyone calked Shen Qkngqiu, and the man abused Luo Binghe each chance he took but he wasn’t stupid enough to leave obvious marks for Tianglang-jun to notice!

 And the blood parasotes? 

There was a loop hole, unless Shen Qingqiu saw it as discipline, they never alerted Luo Binghes father.

And in thrn Luo Binghe assumed his father disnt care ans knew about the abuse.

Shen Yuan hated the story and how it ended that Luo Binghe after bejng pushed into the abyss came back killing both Tianglang-jun and his step-mother. 

 It was just too cruel that Tianglang-jun did all that for Luo Binghe and his son didnt see his suffering.

And then in a stupid twist Luo Binghe took over the harem, he ended up killing all Tianglang-juns offspring and took the wives himself, it apoeared that Binghe ahd a tyoe and that was cougers!

He was too young for them, Shen Yuan was spitting fury and not only that-

 There was some build up with Huan Hua! That they were evil and instead of revealing that they just went-

“Oh well whatever we don’t care abkut demons anymore!”

The fuck! It made no sense that the ending…fizzled out like that.

It sucked, it hinestly sucked!

“Stupid dumbfuck author!”

_________________

Shen Qingqiu took his eyes away for a moment, distracted by Ming Fan, the son of Ning Yingying he was only three but a hellion and liked to bully the crown primce Binghe-

Splash!

Shen Qingqiu turned in alarm and saw Luo Binghe disapear into the pond in their courtyard.

 “Binghe!”

Shen Qingqiu flew forward reaching out and pulling Luo Binghe out the pond, just in time for Luo Binghe to cough and hack up water, but his lips were already turning blue-

Shen Qingqiu shed Luo Binghes robes and wrapped him up in his outer layer.

“Xiao- get Tianglang-jun!”

Gongyi Xiao was the same age as Luo Binghe he was the son of a servant. When Qin Wanyrue had her miscarriage others assumed she would want no children near here-

But she took in Gongyi Xiao raising him.

And made him a playmate for Luo Binghe but even so he was faster knew the servant quarters and shkrtcuts and clukd get their junshang in time.

“Ming fan go to Ning Yingying!”

 He moved with haste to Mu Qingfangs quarters.

The man was at his desk and turned pleasent.

 “To what do I owe the visit-“

“Its Binghe! He fell in the pond!”

Seeing his frantic face, Mu Qingfang set to work.

And thats hiw Tianglang-jun flound them. After dismissing Gongyi Xiao, he entered but was halted by Mu Qingfang.

“A word, Junshang.”

Tianglang-jun trusted this man, su Xiyan swore he was a friend and he even helped with the birth of Luo Binghe and tried to save Su Xiyan tk the best kf his ability.

And she would’ve been alive if it wasn’t for the cultivators ambush…

 “There is no need to test Qingqiu anymore. If he were to harm Binghe he would’ve dine so by now. But this almost harmed Binghe there is ni need to lretend.”

Properlly chastisied Tinaglang-jun finally entered and saw his son swallowed in blankets- 

And Shen Qingqiu holding his hand, looking worried.

 “Shizun, I feel bad…” Tianglang-juns beart squeezed. Luo Binghe sounded so weak.

 To think when Binghe cried saying Shizun was kind and he didn’t want to be mean anymore Tianglang-jun told him he had to, once Shen Qingqiu reveals his true colours and yet it never came.

It was too cruel to cintinue on, Binghe almost got hurt.

 “I knkw it feels bad, Binghe. It’ll pass, you’ll be up on your feet in no time.”

 “Wheres Baba?”

“He’ll be here soon-“

Tianglang-Jun finally stepped into view noticing Binghes weak smile, Shen Qjngqiu thrned then stiffened, face pale as he ripped his hand iut if Binghes to bow-

“J-Junshang! Apologies it was this ones fault, I took my eyes of Binghe for a second-“

 Tianglang-jun help him stand up straight.

“Its alright, young Xiao told me everythkng.��

Shen Qingqiu nodded, “This one will accept any punishment as he sees fit,”

“Enough of that now, no ones getting punished. You did the right thing bringing him to Mu Qingfang,”

As Tianglang jun settled into the bed he patted the other side and Shen Qingqiu who almost thought he was dismissed settled on the other side of Bknghe who thanks to the medicjne was dozing off.

 “This Lord had his nephew raise Binghe. But during the talks of marriage and oeace treaties rebellions began to rise, Zhuzhi-lang had to deal with them in my stead.

 And I had no one to watch Binghe who was only one years old at the time.” He spoke gazing at his son.

 “Qin Wanyrue was a charming girl, but after her miscarriage was not suitable so I trusted her little sister to watch him, as well as other concubines and servants.”

Tianglang-jun sighed.

“This lord felt someone strike Luo Binghe, and the worst thing is that I cant tell who did it only that he was hurt. When they were caught out, they were banished or punished but Binghe refused to speak.

 So I made it a game, for Binghe to try to expose thise women with warm charming smiles and saw how quick their real faces showed when a child acted like a child.”

 Tianglang-jun looked at him with guilt, and Shen Qingqiu was entranced by it feeling his chest grow tight with that attention.

 “This Lord and his son were testing you. That seems wrong but for the sake of my son and to keep him safe that was what I could think off.”

 Shen Qingqiu found himself smiling.

 “This one understands, I would do the same thing.”

“It was not my intention to lie to you for so long though.”

“Well better safe and sorry, Luo Binghe is your sole heir.” 

 Although there was a plot hole here-

If Tianglang-jun knew Binghe was abused why didnt he stop Shen Qingqiu in the originol story?

 It didnt seem in character but if he knew then he let Binghe get abused and did nothing about it, turning a blind eye.

 But what changed? Was Tianglang-jun tired?

Did he think humans were softer and saw the blatant attacks as being sinilair to demons and thought it was normal?

Shang Qinghua, the son of Qiu Haitang.

Blth were awful characters in Shen Yuans opinion, both using under handed tricks to make it worse for the protagonists and scum villain alike-

 What was gross he thought with a sneer, was that neer the end in one line, it said Shang Qinghua married Mobei-jun.

Nkthing too bad unless you forget their siblings!

 Qingqhua was a prince but was the lowest of the low, meanwhile Mobei-Jun was the son of Tianglang-jun and the Mobei Elder.

 Shen Qingqiu found this out when he was trying to pursuade Binghe from calling him mother.

“I am not your mother.” Seeing the hurt, Shen Qingqiu tried to explain.

 “Your mother was Su Xiyan and she loved you very much, this one does not want to replace her but I do see you like a son, you’re my family. I just dont want you to forget about her, and how much she means to your father.”

“Does Shizun…hate mama since she was BaBa’s first love?”

Shen Qingqiu laughed “No, I wish I had tge easure of meeting her. They say you look just like her.”

Luo Binghe grew mullish.

“Is that why Baba doesnt visit anymore?”

Yeah, Tianglang-jun defiently was busy with his own rule, the other wives and rryjng to father one kther offspring or they’ll see this whole thing as a waste of time.

But Luo Binghe was starting to look more and more like her and Tianglang-jun was being obvious about his abscense.

Shen Yuan would have to beat it into him.

 And then for some reason he can’t remember when- but he ended up explaining the birds and the bee’s to Binghe. 

 And of course that was when Tianglang-jun appeared Shen Qingqiu smiled always delighted tonsee hisbfavourite character then stiffened to see a dark bruise on Tianglang-juns neck.

A kiss bitten mark.

 “Thats one way to do it, but men can create life too.”

He gave Shen Qingqiu a knowing look and Shen Qingqiu gaped-

Male preg?

“Men can conceive like women can or the oreffered method to demons and humans is sereogacy.”

Tianglang-jun sat with them leaning one arm on his leg.

“This lord was thinking about it, after talks with Mobei-Jun he wants this Lord to sire his child to pass down the line, and to keep the child safe till the time comes. The Mobei Clan has been nkthing but loyal,” he glanced at Shen Qingqiu whos insight has helped the lord more than he can say.

If Qingqiu hated they idea Tianglang-jun would do nothing.

 “Yes, it can be beneficial to both, and the long run. With two princes both can watch assist wach other and create a united front- but my Lord you couldn’t carry the child- and neitger can Mobei-jun they are weak during consumtion when they pass on the title that burden would make it worse for them.”

“Hmm, which is why I thiught you should do it.”

“Hmm- what!?”

Tianglang-Jun leaned closer nuzzling his shoulder.

 “That child will have the power of the heavenly demon clan and Mobei Clan but he’d just be a shell, he would be Qingqius child entierly he will look like you, and take after you.”

Shen Qingqiu was stiffening even more.

“T-that I din’t think I can-“

“It wont hurt, its not the same as a typical pregnancy.” He placed his hand on Qingqiu’s stomach right where the dantian is-

“Only our spirtual energy goes through here along with the help of a flower and it should form a spirtual womb we just need to keep feeding it the energy and Mobei jr will be born!”

“Im gonna be a big brother!”

Luo Binghe looked so excited and Qingqiu found it hard to say no.

 “How do you get it out?”

“The same way as putting spiritual energy in, if Qingqiu using his spiritual cultivation and pushes can eject the baby that way, its why most people end up with child during qi deviations.”

Ah, he kept getting confused that men can be impregnated.

“What else is tgere? There has to be a catch.”

Tianglang-jun looked sheepish.

“Well the flower that creats the spirtual womb will be permanent, so theres a chance that Qingqiu can create life but wont go back to normal.”

That was the catch?

“Okay.”

“You don’t have to decide now- what?”

“Okay.”

It happened in the story too, Shen Qingqiu had to hold the off spring it was an honour and most women were failing to make children so they decided a string cultivatir would do-

 But still to marry him to Qinghua? Airplane got so many death threats for that.

 So when he was babysitting the brat along with the others- ckz yeah as a shizun he wasnt just teaching Binghe he taught all the offspring.

Only Gongyi xiao who attented was the odd duckling out as he was adopted by Qin Wanyrue so he faved discrimnation.

Only Luo Binghe stuck up for him remaining sticky with his little brother it was sweet.

But that rat Qjnghua was watching him.

 And he didn’t like it.

“Wait so- no one is Tianglang-juns son!?”

“It was Gongyi Xiao who created the idea when the servant died and Qin Wanyrue took him in most wives adopted sons and daughters. 

 They all panicked not knly cknfortable with their life, but the pressure frkm tge sects to bear children and make sure that children is a high ranking prince! But Demon blood is incompatible to weak cultivators- they inly sent the weakest and they’re not string enlugh tk host a demon offspring.”

Meanwhile Su Xiyan was too of her class almost Yue Qingyuan.

After hearing the draft, Shen Qjngqiu was crying.

Luo Binghe yelled “You made Shizun cry!”

Oh well at least he learned qinghua wasn’t related to his soon to be born son, Mobei-jun. It appeared Qinghua did that to protect himself when both Mobei-jun, who was also abused bejng kidnapped by Linguang-jun and Shen Qingqiu too weak to save him- so when all their siblings died he lived.

But after the cruelty kf Binghe and Mobei-jun wished he was dead instead kf a life as a host creating offspring when Luo Binghe realised the same problem and his father was facing.

Only strong cultivators can host a heavenly demon, the same strength as a peak lord.

And the cultivation world sent disciples…

Even so, Shen Yuan didnt mean too cry it was too tragic!

 To think Tianglang-jun was fightjnf monsters body ripped tk shreds so of course he didn’t notice Qjngqius abuse to Binghe-

And then Qingqiu he had his own misunderstood arc.

 He was a burden child and hated himself, and saw how honest and sweet Tianglang-jun was and how he was enslaved to the cultivators.

 They were both prisoners and Shen Qjngqiu related and felt touched by that and thought it was unfair his life was over but tianglang-jun deserved better so he figured if he killed Binghe the reason Tianglang-jun was suffering then Tianglang-jun would be free. 

So Tianglang-jun was blindsided and he lost his son but he was so busy he barely even got to know him.

Letting hinself die at his sons hands and uncaring of Shen Jiu’s death, feeling as if the man becane a stranger before his very eyes and instead kf behng angry, destirying the world…instead he became tired.

Shen Yuan found himself in his husbands arms, tears streaming down his face.

“Husband, whats the matter?”

Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt embarresed scrubbing at his face, “This one is fine, just told a sad story that moved me. Shang Qinghua is gifted and this one will have to sponser his pursuits in the arts if he so wishes to be a writer.”

 Tianglang-jun hummed uncknvinced, as Shen Yuan released a shaky breath.

 “Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“You fight so much, for us, for your son Binghe. But one day you’ll turn around and see him as a man, his life passing like sand and you wint know him and he wont know you. Try, try for me to soend time with him. Do sonething tigether, make memories…”

Tianglang-Jun smiled pressing his lips to Shen Qingqiu’s neck hiding his smile and tears.

“Yes.”

_______________

So heres what Qinghua told him.

The Shens were a shady family whk dealt with demonic cultivation butvwere never exposed as such, too well hidden and acted like rich nobles.

 The Lord and Master was called Wu Yanzi, but his civilian name would be Shen -something-Zhu

And he visited brothels and had a son calked Shen Jiu.

Xiao Jiu was raised by a women who wanted nothing to do with him and saw him as a burden. When she died and he was trapped in the brothel the women urged him to find his father or he would end up like them, he had the fave for it.

 So when he found Master Shen.

The man sneered in derision at the audacity at this bastard of his, and to make sure he would never plague his doorstep or even dirty his name he sold Shen Jiu to another Lord, Qui Jianlou two towns over as far away as he could and the man did good on his word to travel even further away from the Shen estate.

 But during that time, he found a servant but named Yue Ge-

 But thats not important, Shen Jiu cane back to the shen estate older, stronger and strangely enough had cultivation and bloody.

He had massacred the entire Qui estate.

And Master Shen was proud and took Shen Jiu in for this showing, his own son was too weak to take over and Shen Jiu showed promise.

 And to be unafraid to spill blood?

After fighting Shen Jiu was then sent to Cang Qiong mountain, and told if he failed to become peak lird to never come back.

 And then it turns out that Master Shen had a sponsor a client who asked him to…get rid of conpetition and in turn he delivered as Wu Yanzi he killed Su Xiyan, poisoning her as she was with child but failed to kill the offspring as well.

 Luo Binghe’s existence proved Tianglang-jun loved a human.

 So Shen Qingqiu became a peak lord.

He only became such to escape, he only went to the shen estate because of his mother, and he only went there because thats all he knew.

  And then was giving a mission sent by the huan hua master and his own father.

 To kill Tianglang-jun.

But then he would be killed for treason. He laughed mirthlessly. As if he would do such a stupid thing.

 He was a peak lord, he didnt have to answer to them anymore.

And his own peak lords sent him in- uncaring.

No matter what he was sold from one master to another.

When he embarresed himself as the old palace master called his name as first husband along with the other canditates, he blee up denying it.

The old palace master was told the vote was unanimous.

 The peak lords had a meeting a voted him with shen qingqiu absent, with no say. They didnt look at him, most of all Yue Qingyuan.

 Hurt, and publically shamed, Shen Qingqiu felt empty.

The peak spoke of unity, ascend together and all that.

He never realised he was sold from one master to another.

His wedding, he was barely paying attention. He let Tianglang-jun do whatever he wanted, it was no different than Qiu jianlou.

And when it appeared that Tianglang-jun was sweet in his rare moments-

 How shocked Shen Qingqiu was to realise both where in the same boat.

His ire turned to Luo Binghe, his burden, same as how Shen Qingqiu was a burden…

Tianglang-jun was killing himself for this brat…why not free him of his obligation?

Or better yet, Qingqiu showed how dishonest he was that all humans would do nothing but hurt both of them for being demons.

He wanted Tianglang-jun to look at him.

 He will not waste away in this palace like this. He hurt Binghe taking it out on the boy.

 He tossed him into the abyss.

 And still tianglang-jun did nothing, didnt hurt him or kill him instead of rage or anger it was apathy.

It infuriated Qingqiu.

 But he never could give him a response, all the times he was kind, how he protected Qingqiu from his own father and the palace master.

Qingqiu had to repay that by helping Tianglang-jun settle a dispute with the northern clan.

 They needed a host to carry Mobei-Juns offspring and not have his brother take the throne.

Qingqiu was willing.

 But he didnt have the aptidude to be a mother so he let the clan take it and was done with it.

 Mobei the youngest almost died, he was alone at Huan hua left there by his uncle and planned revenge on those who hurt him.

When his brother Binghe killed Qingqiu he felt nothing for the one who gave him life.

 But kept one of Tianglang-Juns sons.

 Just because…

Qui haitang mascaraded as a servant, helping Luo Binghe take revenge for her brother and became first wife.

And thus, with both Tianglang-Jun dead, Huan hua came in giving Binghe the same deal. Already marrying off the same women from one heavenly demon to another. 

 Luo Binghe had no plan outside his revenge but learned that the palace master was a sponser who made qingqiu marry the emporer.

And it was him that killed Su Xiyan so Luo Binghe kills him and the shens leaving Shen Qingqiu alone a husk in the dungeon. Knowing all if this was his fault…he laughed, they wanted an assasin to break the royal family apart he succeded.

_______

Shen Qingqiu tried to keep his excitement locked in, he barely let it show on the surface, he had shut his face down to keep the surprise a secret and yet his Emperor knew him too well it seemed.

 “Hmm, is something the matter Husband?”

 Dammit.

“Nothing.”

“You’re being quiet, should this Lord be worried.”

“It’s uh, nothing too bad. Can’t this one be happy his Emporer has some free time to spend with Binghe?”

Well sure he was happy for that he just loved seeing Binghe being spoiled by his father, it was healing for all the truama and angst he was subjected to read.

 Seeing Tianglang-jun bounce Binghe on his leg and show him a new toy he found on his travels.

 It defiently dimmed Shen Qingqiu’s mood.

 It was the contract the heavenly demon signed, at sword point, to protect Binghe and the realms it was just unfair that he only had so many fleeting moments.

 The two barely had time to even have a painting together…

Now that was a thought…

No, he mentally shook his head, he planned a speical day for both of them, they couldn’t leave the palace but Shen Qingqiu thought of the next best thing.

“Junshang, young Prince, this one has planned something just for the two of you.”

 Tianglang-jun opened his mouth, he really didn’t like that Shen Qingqiu never called himself his husband or Binghe’s mother, he deserved the highest honour and he can be shameless if he wanted too, seeing him hold himself back and distance himself was heartbreaking-

 But Tianglang-jun said nothing, maybe it was a boundary and his Husband only felt comfortable showing affection this way-

“What has Husband planned in mind?”

But Tianglang-jun wants it to be known that he values his First husbands time. The marriage may have been for political reasons both never having a choice or say in the matter but making the best of it.

And yet even though Shen Qingqiu could just wile away in his pavillion and even give the responsibility to someone else and do what he likes he never had to do so much as a husband to take care of them both.

 “Well you both like stories, so this one had asked the servants to put on a performance for my Lord and the crown prince.”

 Shen Qingqiu was a little nervous but Tianglang-jun and Binghe perked.

-cue the servants beinging a large tapestry with curtains and placing a stage in the courtyard, Shen Qingqiu took his Qiqan and sat and at the nod of the servants who wore cloaks to hide their costumes nodded, the performance began.

 Shen Qingqiu played his instrument and began to narrate the story, and he made one up of Luo Binghe, the same story he used to trick the prince into reading.

He saw the prince perked and gave a secret smile as he told the adventures of Luo Binghe.

 It was airplanes first chapter before he got cyber bullied then had to rewrite the whole story as some japanise cinderlla story.

But Shen Yuan liked it the story, but then realised by trying to get Luo Binghe to read he’d have to rewrite the whole thing.

As well as not mention Luo Binghe’s parents. 

 “Luo Binghe, after losing his mother kept the jade amulet close to his chest, he climbed the stairs if Cang Qiong-“

Luo Binghe gasped “That's the Sect Shizun is from!”

 Shen Qingqiu smiled, “Correct.” He continued with the story anticipating the surprise, both Tianglang-jun was glued in fascinated with the show, and Shen Qingqiu was loving their expressions as he went into detail about Luo Binghe’s journey, bravery and perseverance at the trials.

 “And then…” he began to pluck the strings but kept the melody on loop like a pause in the story

“Which peak should Luo Binghe go to?”

He did have to think on the fly, but luckily all the stories were the same at its core so it rarely mattered just changing the peak name-

“Shizuns peak!”

 Shen Qingqiu smiled, “Very well, from the top of the summit a voice spoke after observing the hard working youth-“

 “This one will be my disciple.”

And on the stage a man appeared, looking uncomfortable and borderline crying.

“Uncle!”

“Nephew!”

Both Tianglang-jun and Binghe gasped to see Zhuzhi-lang dressed as a peak lord.

 He just came back and he admitted to Shen Qingqiu that Binghe’s birthday was coming up and they both planned this surprise.

“Shen Qingqiu was a harsh man,” Shen Qjngqiu reminded his wayward actor who stood up stiff.

 “Borderline cruel, and when Luo Binghe came before him…”

 Shen Qingqiu voice became melancholy and even the tube plucked sadly.

 “He asked why Luo Binghe wanted to be a cultivator,” He played the notes slowly, on the stage both Zhuzhi-lang and Gongyi Xiao who was the same age as Binghe kneeled before the master in this story.

 It’s all that Shen Qkmgqiu remembered of the first chapter and it was too sad, but he wanted to know what happened next but Airplane changed it, giving in to the masses.

He wondered if it was a good idea to use Binghe’s name…

“To make my mother proud.” Luo Binghe spoke, a smile on his face.

 Both Tianglang-jun and Luo Binghe watched in bafflement as Zhuzhi-lang poured cold tea on Gongyi Xiao’s head and sneered.

 “What a sorry sight to behold, no one would be proud of this.”

 Gongyi Xiao had practised this and Shen Qingqiu asked a million times if he was okay and Gongyi Xiao nodded passioned.

And his acting payed off, Luo Binghe had tears in his eyes. Shen Qingqiu was worried for a moment but had to keep going it gets better Binghe! He promises!

“Luo Binghe had no idea what he did wrong, but his Shizun seemed to be very strict with him, talking back earned him a beating, failing to understand his manual? Another beating.”

 They used shadow work for this part, and Gongyi Xiao’s pained cries was oscor worthy.

 “But one day, Shen Qingqiu began to pace in his room, his qi fluctuating, and anger in his heart.”

 Shen Qingqiu narrated and Zhuzhi-lang was playing this perfectly.

“What no one knew, and of course Shen Qingqou wouldn’t tell a soul. Was that he was not as lofty as he appeared, he himself had no mother, he had grown jelous of Luo Binghe and his potential. Shen Qingqiu was fit to qi deviations and had a faulty base, his own maritial siblings sneered down at him for it, and to see a child with potential, who had similar circumstances have the ability to surpass the master? Shen Qingqiu couldn’t bear it-“

Zhuzhi-lang coughed blood and fell over in a slump-

“Uncle!”

Luo Binghe looked like he was going to run over and see if he was alright.

“This one is fine young prince-“

“Zhuzhi-lang stay in character!” Shen Qingqiu snapped making the man flinch and slap back down on the ground.

Tianglang-jun laughed and it diffused the situation.

Maybe this was too subject heavy for Luo Binghe- he’ll do a romance story after.

“After being cared for, Shen Qingqiu had suffered a qi deviation. His…his brother stayed up with him, waiting for his Shidi to wake up.”

Shen Qingqiu still felt the lump in his throat of the betrayal but shook it off.

“Where is Luo Binghe?” The first thing that cane out of Shen Qingqiu’s mouth as he awoke, and his brother face fell.

“After you beat him isn’t he where he always is? In the woodshed?” His brother spoke.

And Shen Qingqiu felt his heart skip a beat.”

He played his qin, as the actors dragged in Gongyi Xiao to his knees and zhuzhi-lang face grimaced into pain and sympathy.

 Shen Qingqiu began to pluck his strings more.

“Shen Qingqiu’s had died, the young master had perished and no one noticed. Even the anti-possesion talismans failed to pick up on such a thing. But the soul that was placed in the body of Shen Qingqiu knew Luo Binghe, it knew if he had a kind a caring master he would be the treasure of Qing Jing peak, a renowned cultivator and the pride of Cang Qiong Mountain, on the other hand if he was treat cruelly and these shadows unchanged he would come back swearing revenge on his Shizun and relaying that cruelty tenfold. The soul, easily masqueraded as the Scum Shizun with none the wiser and decided to be kind to the young disciple only to save itself, if this powerful person became indebted to him that was even better.”

 All the actors bowed.

“And that concluded part one.”

Luo Binghe was crying, and Shen Qingqiu regretted using airplanes chapter for the first part no wonder so many people hated it.

“Shizun isn’t a villain that can’t be the end!” Even Tianglang-jun looked put out.

“That was too tragic, do humans always have such sad tales?”

Oh Shen Qingqiu laughed, as he moved over towards the two as the actors began to take the set apart.

“No this is an intermission. The play is in a couple parts, this is so you can have a break, drink, go to the bathroom or stretch your legs.”

Shen Qingqiu took a drink his own throat parched.

“Its also so the actors can change costumes for the next part.”

 “But Shizun isn’t cruel…” Luo Binghe spoke and Shen Qjngqiu patted his head.

“And Luo Binghe was never raised in poverty, and had a washerwomen as a mother. This is a story but sometimes it’s based on peoples experiences. It has character arcs, and unreliable narration, things in books you’ll see, but this is also a learning tool for Binghe to learn that not all is at it seems that most people will say one thing then then their actions say something else.”

Tianglang-jun hummed “Of course, this lord doubts your Shizun would ever hurt you or even raise a hand against you.”

Shen Qingqiu’s face fell in guilt.

“This isn’t too scary for Binghe? This Shizun can tell a different story or use different names-“

“No- it’s just getting good!” Luo Bknghe pouted.

“It’s just…Shizun isn’t bad…”

Shen Qingqiu patted his head with a find huff.

 “The Shizun in this story is…complex. Some people…don’t realise they are hurting others until it’s too late, its thanks to Binghe that his Shizun goes on a journey to become a better man, the student educates the teacher and all that.” Shen Qingqiu explained, then placed a hand to his lips.

“I’m saying too much, it’s time for the second part.”

 After the messy beginning, this was when Shen Qingqiu really became passionate, it was what he envisioned for the continuation of PIDW.

 But With the twist of a transmigrated soul, how the soul kept claiming that it only wanted Binghe to like him to save his own neck in the future when the time came, but would place itself in danger during the skinner attack, as well as the attack on Cang Qiong mountain and was then took the brunt if the attack saving Luo Binghe.

 At first Shen Qingqiu thought of being hit with without a cure then felt embarrassed and how that would set up the story, so he lost his arm.

  And then the next part as the qin picked up a battle tempo about how blth Binghe and Shen Qingqiu fought side by side at the Immortal alliance, Binghe was attacked by a monty Python rhino and fell down the cliff.

 Shen Qingqiu tried to find him but his search was in vain, Luo Binghe had perished and Shen Qingqiu mourned making a burial mound and wasting away on his mountain.

 It was his fault, he wasn’t strong enough to save Luo Binghe, his cultivation lacking and nothing but a hindrance he became more strict with his disciples needing them to get stronger and learning his lesson to never get attached ever again.”

Luo Binghe when he had fallen had fell into a pocket, it transported him to someplace else and when he found himself tumbling through a cave, sore but otherwise uninjured he sensed something and when he came forward using his spiritual qi to light the way he froze to see a man wrapped up in chains, trapped in this cave for years and someone who looked familair.

 The man trapped beneath the mountain was tianlang-jun.

 And curtains fell, and Shen Qingqiu took another drink, he could see both father and son were really getting into the story. 

 He had to include the emporer! A cute father son duo story they could bond oved this.

-

After the story, after seeing Luo Binghe falling asleep, Zhuzhi-lang offers to take him to bed.

Blushing when Tianglang-jun compliments his acting.

 Shen Qingqiu fanned his face as he followed down the pathway, missing the starry eyed looks and gigles from his court.

  “Does Master Shen like his new fan?”

Shen Qingqiu hummed, it was a gift from the emporer not only was it beautiful, it was even a spirtual weapon. After teh failed assasination attempt Tianglang-jun figured it’d be best if his husband was armed.

 “Yes, it’s been very useful.” He praised, and Tianglang-jun preened.

 It seems his nephew was right that his husband would like the fan.

 He cleared his throat.

 “If in the future, this Lord has free time…would he like to accompany this Lord to the town, I hear theres a play in production there about [the man and women who can only meet once a year for the doves wings etc]”

Shen Qingqiu brightened, “Yes! This Master thinks Binghe would enjoy a proper show, this one could only do so much, but Binghe needs to learn more than to life ohtside this courtyard.”

 Tianglang-jun deflated a little, he only wanted to go with Master Shen, his nephew even lffered to babysit-

Although.

“Hmm Zhuzhi-lang should come too. Master Shen has been nothing but a diligent Shizun, but he deserves a break.”

Maybe it might make Shen Qingqiu anxious bejng away from his son, so a compromise sounds better.

-

So Tianglang-jun buys shen qingqius books for him as a surprise then blanches in horror when Shen Qingqiu says he’ll go to the bookstore. So in a panic Tianglang-jun pays more to make the owner close his shop only until the emporer leaves and payed him for his trouble-

No good for Master shen to pay for his books twice it was a surprise!

Alas when they went to get a meal, Tianglang-jun patted his pockets and realised he had no money.

Shen Qjngqiu laughed “Thank god the book store was closed.” Tianglang-jun wilted when Shen Qingqiu payed.

 And he looked like a right idiot while he was at it.

 So when they got home he requested Zhuzhi-lang reimburst.

“N-no its fine! It was your money anyway!”

Tianglang-jun took his hand, “Even so it was this Emporers fault for putting his husband in that position. Especially after asking Shen Qingqiu out in the first place, this one should be taking care of you and Binghe-“

“Silly, we’re partners. We can take care if each other.”

 Tianglang-jun looked at him in wonder.

He wanted to kiss him. So so much.

And yet that would frighten his husband, he only felt confortable knowing it was fake and Tianglang-jun never wanted to ebar his heart more-

But he’s been burned before.

He retreated.

“Very well, you did enjky yourself?”

“Very much, yes.”

“Then the day wasnmt a conplete failure.” He laughed, and even when beinging a small chuckle from Shen Qingqiu he took hisbhand and kissed it.

“Goodnight, husband.”

Shen Qingqiu was stunned,  Tianglang-jun leaving while Shen Qingqiu tried to pick up his face from the floor hiding behind his fan, When he walked into his room he saw the books piled on his desk with a note from his husband he checked them over mouth gaping in stunned surprise to know Tianglang-jun bought them-

Thats why the book store closed don’t say the emporer bought the entire shop!?

 Even so, Shen Qingqiu placed the fan to his lips, cheeks flushed feeling too much at once.

 What a silly demon. Too soft even the humans would take advantage of how sweet he was.

 It made Shen Qingqiu feel even more to protect them, in anyway shape and form from the plot.

A/n: Ironic since the mindset of Shen Qingqiu had not changed, he figured one was a burden and should die to set Tianglang-jun free. Either it was Binghe in one life and in this one himself.

________________________________

When an assasination attenlt happened it was from a demon, from the south who like Qingqiu had the same idea.

Disgusted at the idea that the Heavenly Demon their soverign leader would bend over for the humans was too disgraceful!

 So Elder Hammer who wore poison on his arm had managed to get into the courtyard declaring if the spawn didd Tianglang-jun would be free!

 Of course as if Shen Qjngqiu would sit and nod going sure have fun while your at it-

No! All that hard work will not go to waste!

Using his qi and still training even if he was a pampered wife he waan’t a layabout!

He was a cultivator!

He kept Binghe close aiming sharpened bamboo blades and they shot forward slicing agajnst the demon and all his major arteries but someone that size and with demonic healjng it would only slow him down.

“Gongyi Xiao!”

He pushed Binghe into the young lads arms “take him down the servants quarters alert tianglang-jun!”

As Gingyi Xiao slipped away, Shen Qingqiu sealed the door ripping a tailsman.

Hopefully. Tianglang-jun might make it in time.

When Tianglang-jun gkt the summons he rushed back home, the old Palace master be damned!

 Master Shen wouldn’t activate the emergency tailsman for something little- and he was right. Seeing his palace under seige he was able to make way striking down the rebellion as soon as he could.

 Gongyi Xiao the elder ran forward.

“Junshang! Thank goodness!”

“What happened?”

And where were his generals? Where was Sha Hualing?

 “Demons from the south charged the attack, Luo Binghe is hidden in the servant quarters but Master Shen.…”

Tianglang-juns heart seized.

 Did he finally do it? Did Shen Qingqiu finally reveal his hand and tried to assasinate his child?

“Master Zhuzhi-lang barely got their in time- Shen Qingqiu is in the medical bay he was struck with without a cure!”

Tianglang-jun gaped-

“What?”

“Hurry! There isn’t much time!”

Since the rebellion were defeated, and Sha Hualing also dealt with and banished for her treason Tianglang-jun found Luo Binghe picking him up close and trying to soothe his tears as they bith made their way to the medical ward.

“The man was after me- and Shizun…”

Shizun…?

 Is that what his husband told Luo Binghe to call him? Instead of father…it was probably a strange human custom.

When they entered Tianglang-jun masked his oresence and told Binghe to remain silent as bkth Qingqiu and the doctor was speaking.

 “How much time do I have, months, days?” Shen Qingqiu spoke, bracing himself for the worst.

 “You’ll live,” Mu Qingfang was their doctor who was requested to live in the palace and take care of allthe Emporers spouses.

“You’re cultivation however can halt at any time, someone has to cleanse your meridians nightly so you can ck tinye cultivating but Shixiong…you won’t be able to ascend or even progress your cultivation this way.”

“Thats fine, have you checked Binghe?”

“Binghe’s fine, had quiet a shock though.”

“Hmm, and it wont be the last, other demons and humans will stop at nothing to attack the royal family.”

“…shixiong, you can leave if it beckmes too much being struck with without a cure is grounds that the emporer is unfit to keep you safe-“

“It’s managable. And he came just in time, theres no need for such fuss.”

Tianglang-jun knocked and both Peak Lords straightened as he entered.

“See Binghe, he’s fine.” Tianglang-jun spoke placing the lad down and watching the toddler climb up Shen Qingqiu’s lap, the other adjusting his son and resting back against the pillows looking soft.

Tianglang-jun couldn’t explain what he was feeling, only frustration that he didnmt cone in time.

 Shen Qingqiu’s arm was bandaged and bleeding, Tianglang-jun used his blood larasites to scope the area and felt without a cure festering away at the limb, if it continues the man could lose the use of his arm-

 The blood larasites swarmed eating the poison, and using the energy to heal the wound.

 “Binghe was so brave.” Shen Qjngqiu spoke looking at his son with pride, a shane his son didnt share the sentiment.

“Shizun was hurt.”

Shen Qingqiu laughed, “this? This is nothing this Master has had worse.”

And everyone in the rolm believed it.

Luo Binghe more so when he began to cry.

“Shizun should never be hurt!” 

Shen Qingqiu awkardly held his son clise but patted his back making cooing noises, Tianglang-jun asked to see the doctor alone.

 “There is a cure for without a cure- but it’s unconventinal.”

Mu Qingfangs eyes widened “What-“

“Duel cultivation with a heavenly demon. 

But Shen Qingqiu even with threat of death doesnt seem confortable with men. This Lord has respected such wishes, perhaps theres a way Mu Qinggang can convert such things to a pill for him to ingest instead.”

Mu Qingfangs hummed, “it depends on how Dual Cultivation works, is it the dual energies, or kther attributes we’ll try it one way but if that doesn’t work, this one will have to tell his Shixiong even if he’s uncknfortable it coukd save his life.”

“Only if he agree’s.”

_____

“Ah…” Shen Qingqiu stared at the packed and Mu Qjngfang lokked serious.

“Take two a day, if Without a cure doesn’t subside then there’s the next option.”

“Which is?”

“Duel cultivation with a heavenly demon.”

“Ah.”

Shen Qingqiu tyoe of embarresment was different to others instead of blushing a bright red, instead he became quiet. Too many enotions to appear on the surface so none show on his face.

 “Do I…swallow them?”

“No…” Mu Qingfangs eyes flickered down and Shen Qingqiu became more pale.

“Ah, right.”

“Does this Doctor have to explain-“

“N-no need this one understands.”

Dear lord.

When Shen Qingqiu had a bath and prepared for bed he glanced at the two pills placing one on the tip of his finger.

 He took a breath, think it could be the heavenly pillar its just a tiny pill he’ll be fine!

 But imagining Tianglang-jun doing such a thing, Shen Qingqiu wasn’t blind the man was handsome!

 But even so, he loved Su Xiyan. This was just a political marriage and havjng the man gaze at him with nothing but enptiness in his eyes…

Shen Qingqiu couldn’t bear it.

But if he inagined his emporer on the second dose and ended up going further than he should, thats between him and god.

Thankfully it only required two doses as he awoke feeling lighter like going to bed with a migraine and waking up with it gone!

 He told Mu Qingfang, ecstatic and the healer checked his meridians-

And when Mu Qingfang asked Tianglang-jun to supply him more of the ‘cure’ he was met with a dry look.

“Good doctor, it’s hard enough to satisfy my wives to bear more heirs when this lord wants nothing of the sort, I don’t think its physically possible.”

Tianglang-jun was already givjng wverything he could to the cultivation world he wouldn’t be surprised if he died they would take his body apart and make cultivation materials from his own body!

Mu Qinggang hummed, a bit miffed that someone who had the cure did nothing for others.

Although…he did supply a lot for Shen Qkngqiu, Mu Qjngfang had the thiught it the two just got over it and Duel cultivated both would have another mini Binghe on the way.

 …huh…now thats a thought…

_________________________

Tianglang-jun didn’t like his wives, and the feeling was mutual. It wasn’t hatred just nuetral bordeom.

 He was a lover of the arts, while they were warriors nothing in common at all.

 When they said it didn’t take and he had no new heirs a weight lifyed of his shoulders then dread that he would have to do it all over again.

And worse he was havimg mutinous thoughts of moving Shen Qingqiu and his son into the Sun Pavillion.

The pavillion he made for Su Xiyan. It was their home, where she was expected to live and all of them would be a family.

 It didn’t feel right, having Shen Qingqiu who stepped up in place as a mother and took care kf not knly Binghe but Tianglang-jun asking for nothing in return.

 He wasnt replacing Su Xiyan, but he felt it fair to word for Shen Qjngqius efforts.

 But then their was his first wife, Qin Wanyrue.

 The miscarriage. The girl was under a lot of pressure from her sect and from the cultivation world, the stress unbearable she was the one who lied about having a son and in a panic both adopted Gongyi Xiao.

 Then Tianglang-jun decided to use miracle elixers and yes children were born…but they weren’t demons. 

 For a demonic energy to be hosted by humans of spirtual energy it just wasn’t possible…

 And it appeared there was  some type of race whoever had a baby second to Luo Binghe would reflect on the cultivation world.

Even a lie, Huan hua were smug they had a child first [With Qin Wanyrue and Gongi Xiao only as the figure heads the palace master and princess would be in power pulling the strings once the demon emporer died]

  Tianglang-jun noticed during the demon invasion most kf the servants were collatoral- so many children left without parents.

So he gave them to the wives and told them to pretend. Until further solutions came it would shut up the sects, even so it wasn’t looking good for only one heavenly demon child and tge rest were human. 

The cultivation world will have to settle on human Princes and demon kings. No matter what Binghe will he the next emporer wether they liked it or not, but to appease the sects he tood them the order of princes since the sects were also butting heads on who was better.

 He told them the order of wives.

So Gongyi Xiao was now raised under Qin wanrong.

Ming Fan under Ning Yingying.

And Yue Zixian under Liu Mingyan.

And Shang Xihua for Qui Haitang.

The last prince and the royal familys lunshing bag.

Now they could all breathe.

______________________________

Shen Qingqiu couldn’t believe it- so they weren’t even Binghe’s siblings!? 

 Although the bullying under Shen Qingqiu and suddenly having servants treat the crown prince cruelly no wonder Luo Binghe was pissed.

And the ones with elixers- the wives just reproduced asexually!!! They weren’t tianglang-juns at all!

 Until one day, Tianglang-jun said he had a surprise for him. Most majority of his husbands surprises have never failed before.

 “This Emporor invited your brother for tea,” He moved Shen Qingqius chair as he stood gaping at the imposing figure.

 Well…there can be exceptions.

“This husband has been hogging Master Shen it appears this one has failed to be filial to his brother in law!” 

 Tianglang-jun kissed Shen Qingqiu on the head, “let this lord know if uou need me.” And activated a silence barriar for bkth him and the sect leader Yue Qingyuan.

…he bet Zhuzhi-lang put something ridicoulous in that mans head.

“Shen-Shidi, you are looking well.” 

Shen Qingqiu glared at him over his fan, still feeling the sting as his sect siblings had turned their back on him.

“Is Shidi going to talk to me?”

  “You betrayed me.”

You wouldn’t know who was more surprised, Yue Qingyuan or Shen Qingqiu.

The words slipped out, almost as if the original goods came back to spit curses at his sect leader. 

 “...Shen-Shidi-”

“You just decided…to marry off this master instead of yourself, without consulting this Master at all, my own Peak dissolved and you let this Master humiliate himself in front of the entire cultivation world by calling it into question and not once were you transparent.”

Shen Yuan tried, before the conference, thinking if he just…changed and proved he was a good Shidi and was polite and helpful to his siblings showing maybe if he wasn’t married he wouldn’t then be in such a position and they can all avoid Luo Binghe destroying them all. Or at least, they would include him in the meeting…ask- they threw Shen Jiu under the bus and Shen Yuan thought the Scum deserved it, he was crooked a villain and now? Now he realised that the entire Cang Qiong were never a family, he let his expression show, and if Tianglang-jun was peeping in on them would realise how much of a mistake this was.

 “This Master had no choice-”

“What? Too many voices saying how much they want to get rid of me? At least Qi Qingqi would make sense as she was a women and the cultivation world was looking for wives- did you hate me that much? Glad to finally get rid of such a burden?”

Maybe Shen Jiu was right, and saw through the polite mask and knew that the mountain hated him, wanted him gone-

 Yue Qingyuan sighed closing his eyes, looking pained, and for a moment Shen Qingqiu faltered feeling bad then straightened not showing weakness.

 “This one, if he had the power, never wanted Shen-Shidi to go. No one was happy with the vote and no one was pleased about keeping you in the dark.” 

 Yue Qingyuans eyes opened looking him in the eyes, “It was this Qingyuans choice to keep Shen-Shidi in the dark, to make it more believable.”

“Believable? What on earth are you talking about!?”

“This Masters hands were tied- Shen Qingqiu, the Sect Leaders kept it quiet, but the threat of Tianglang-Jun was more severe than it lead the world to believe and���other information came to light.”

Shen Qingqius eyes narrowed, “What information?”

Yue Qingyuan looked away then spoke, “Shen Shidi is the master strategist and has been doing well by integrating here as First Husband, he was the best choice to survive in this type of environment-”

“You are changing the subject, if you think evading the topic will make it easier it won’t, if you continue to talk in circles this Qingqiu see’s no point in talking to you civil like, it’d be best you leave.” Shen Qingqiu snapped.

 “Shen-Shidi-”

“Keeping this one ignorant will create more danger, so just tell me.”

Yue Qingyuan gaped then sighed, “Shen-Shidi was blackmailed, if he wasn’t sent as a candidate to The Heavenly Palace.”

“...What?”

Yue Qingyuans smile was rueful “As a…lower concubine in a less ostentatious pavilion, Cang Qiong agreed…it wasn’t our fault we couldn’t foresee the emperor…favouring Shen-Shidi so and making him first husband.”

Wait…no, he was already promised the role of first husband as-oh…

 They had no choice to give him up- but they damn well made sure he was ‘comfortable’ so what nodded and pretended they would do as the blackmailed said but actually put Shen Qingqiu in their eyes somewhere safer, like a witness protection program raising a middle finger to the blackmailer while they were at it.

“And Shidi showed no intention of hurting the emperor, and this one figured Tianglang-jun had more power and resources to keep Shen-Shidi safe.”

“Safe from what?”

“Shen Qingqius past. The blackmailer had evidence of Shen Qingqiu’s family, and their ties to demonic cultivation. Once that comes to light Cang Qiong mountain couldn’t protect Shidi from these allegations.”

…”You have no idea who sent the blackmail?”

“We are still looking into it, and the Shen Family at least your father has already been exposed as Wu Yanzi.”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened behind his fan- the hell? What type of plot twist was that!?

The only thing he knew was that Wu Yanzi assisanted…the empress.

 His face paled, his father killed Tianglang-juns wife.

“Already Shidi has proven his blackmailers wrong, if he was the son of an assassin and followed in his footsteps both Tianglang-jun or Luo Binghe would be dead by now,” Yue Qingyuan spoke. 

 It’s true it’s been years, and Luo Binghe was already sixteen, just another year for the immortal alliance conference to show off the princes skills as well as neighbouring Sects in a show of goodwill and talent.

 Even so, Shen Qingqiu was sent as an assassin? And Cang Qiong agreed to it only knowing that Tianglang-jun would keep Shen Qingqiu safe-

 Huh, it just shows what happens in the palace stays in the palace, no one knew of the assasination attempts on both Binghe and his own life!

He literally suffered from without a cure! He could’ve died!

Yue Qingyuan- the best Big Brother someone in another life could ask for, and Shen Qingqiu did still feel fod for him. 

 Felt even more awful knowing he only had good intentions. Yue Qingyuan only saw the good aspects- argh 

 When Shen Qingqiu only spoke highly and favourably of Tianglang-jun and his idolisation of Su Xiyan- it was only proving to others that he wouldn’t kill the royal family!

Ugh! Imagine if he was an assassin! 

 They make it too easy! Although same rules apply, if he was caught then he would be in trouble meanwhile the blackmailers would be fine.

“What if my father?”

“Dead. For his crimes, most of the Shen Estate has payed for it as well, the cultivation world has even demanded you as well but being the favoured first husband…” 

 Shen Qingqiu hummed closing his fan.

But inside? To think he just sailed by death without even realising- Yue Qingyuan these talks aren’t good for his Heart!

“What else?”

“By pretending to cut of ties with Shidi, cang Qiong was watching the other sects and who would be most suspicious, when the information came to light about Wu Yanzi, it came from Huan Hua.”

…hah! He knew it! Shen Yuan KNEW their was buildup from the original story that airplane forgot about!

 “The only reason Huan Hua had information is because they are the ones who had the Shen Estate under their payroll.” Shen Qingqiu hypothosised.

 His brow furrowed.

“But exposing Wu Yanzi after all those years of servitude? And only realising that this Shidi has no plan to harm the royal family is suspicious…if the goal os to eliminate Tianglamg-jun and his heirs and you get rid of the only trump card means that Huan hua-if they are the peritrators- have found someone else.”

“Who?”

“This one…doesn’t know.”

 He honestly knew nothing about Shen Jiu’s past- hell he didn't even know he was raised to be an assassin- it was so conflicting.

 He thought he was the son of a rich family a spoiled noble and yet some chapters hinted at Shen Jiu being an orphan-and if he didn't figure this out soon he could lose everything.

 Yue Qingyuan looked down.

 “This Qingyuan…this one had no intention of upsetting Shen Qingqiu or making him believe Cang Qiong didn’t want you- the opposite. Everyone wanted you to stay but knew barely keeping Tianglang-jun contained was a miracle-“

“You don’t have to explain- but…someone is going to attack Tianglang-jun or myself. And this one can’t gather information outside this palace. You’ll have to be my eyes and ears. Can you do that?”

Yue Qingyuan perked up, “Yes. Anything Xi-Shen Shidi commands this Master will do everything in his power to do so.”

Once he left both bowing and Tianglang-jun joking about his next visit Shen Qingqiu gave him an amused smile.

With Yue Qingyuan gone did he finally tease.

 “So you heard everything huh?”

Tianglang-jun sighed, “Yes it was so disappointingly boring, this Lord thought my husband would wax poetry about his handsome emporer and how lucky he was to have me and yet it was politics.” He stuck his to gue out and Shen Qingqiu gaped.

 “Did you stop listening halfway through?”

“Yes, was it important? Did you tell that young man how great of a husband this Lord is?”

Shen Qingqiu was unsure if he was being serious enough.

 “Well handsome enough to not enact an assasination attempt then yes.”

“Huh? Assasination? Husband!”

He hit him with his fan “So you wern’t listening! Always be vigilant!”

“Why!?” Tianglang-jun was fake crying, “I trust my husband!”

And that…shouldn’t break his heart as it should even Tianglang-juns teasing smile faded.

“You shouldn’t- even with me you shoukd never let your guard down with anyone, especially not me.”

 Tianglang-jun hummed, “yes yes, my little assassin. Ah I remember now all those time you tried to kill me…with kindness.”

“This Master is being serious.”

“So is this emperor.” He said in the most unserious tone ever.

“Ugh, you are so frustrating.” It slipped out, but Tianglang-Jun looked even more proud to not take this seriously at all- how is he not dead yet or buried in a ditch somewhere!?

“Husband loves me so.” He spoke, with nothing but pure joy at the fact.

…It this was Shen Jiu who was the assassin then this would’ve been so easy.

_______________________________________________________________________

When it was revealed- Shen Qingqiu couldn’t wait to tell Binghe about his new baby brother on the way, Binghe was busy following in his fathers footsteps going out and sending a commands with Gongyi Xiao as his general. Both were making headway with the sowers and doing pretty well.

 But Binghe always cried begging his Shizun for a little brother, and after talking with Mobei the Elder they had finally did it. And Shen Qingqiu held off telling Binghe until after- he was still freakin out about it unlike girls he was never really emotionally prepared for kids or even hosting them he was going to tell Binghe after, it was going so well!

 But when Qui Haitang showed her hand trying to kill Binghe, to hurt Qingqiu like how the scum villain killed her brother.

 “You stole my life from me! Now this Haitang will return the favour!” Binghe fell, but not before he lashed out, grabbing Haitang and pulling her with him into the abyss!

Shen Qingqiu couldn’t breathe- he stumbled forward throat burning and realising he was screaming, the abyss snapped shut before he could even make it to the edge.

 Shen Qingqiu suffered a qi deviation. At the death of Luo Binghe [if the cultivation world thought he did it, they were all witness to his state] He was alone in his pavilion, knowing Luo Binghe would return but he thought he spared him his fate- he didn’t push him in but if he knew there was some way- he would prepare him!

He created a quqin it was for Binghe- he wanted to gift it to him but now…when he came to it was destroyed so he started recarving the wood and remaking it- the servants unsure how to proceed when he told him it was for Binghe it had to be better-

Then one day, he realised something…something was missing.

He placed his hand onto his stomach…feeling nothing- he panicked- no, don’t say he lost them both-

He ran around frantically, the servants stopping him “Master Shen what is the matter-”

“M-Mobei what happened to Mobei!” He was not hysterical. There was a gap in his memory, it was like he was asleep and now wide awake he couldn’t remember what happened at the abyss but what happened to the child!?

 “Get the Emperor now!”

“Master Shen, please calm down!”

And he realised something even more horrifying. He did not recognise the staff, not one person. Had they changed staff or- where was Gongyi Xiao? Where was the young princes?  

When Tianglang-Jun finally found him, Shen Qingqiu stared eyes wide. Tianglang-Jun looked just as bad as he felt. “Husband.” Shen Qingqiu’s eyes burned, but this was important. “What happened to Mobei?”

Tianglang-Jun lips pressed together and Shen Qingqiu’s legs buckled, Tianglang-jun grabbed him before Shen Qingqiu could steady himself “I lost him?” Shen Qingqiu’s voice wheezed-

He already failed him once by losing Binghe and now Mobei-Jun as well? He had one job-

“Husband you didn’t lose him Mobei-Jun is healthy and alive with his father!” 

“What?” but how-

“The Qi deviation set the delivery early, husband was not…well to raise him. His Father requested Mobei be placed in his custody.”

Probably messed that up making Tianglang-jun have to fix his messes, Shen Qingqiu should be taking care of him.

 “This one made a mess of things-”

“Husband did not,” Tianglang-jun gathered him close fully supporting his weight. “Husband did nothing wrong, but please-” His voice sounded wrecked, and it broke Shen Qingqius heart to hear it. “Come back to me.”

What?

 Then Shen Qingqiu stiffened, “H-how long has it been?”

“A couple months now-”

Shen Qingqius eyes widened in horror, months- Tianglang-jun cupped his face-

“Please, don’t go away again-”

Shen Qingqiu snapped out of it shaking his head and latching onto the emperors hand “It’s fine- this Master is okay now.” 

 He left Tianglang-jun to deal with this alone- he was a terrible husband! He knew Binghe was coming back if he could slap himself in the face he would- wait.

…There was a moment where Shen Qingqiu after getting rid of Luo Binghe took Mobei to his home to see his future kingdom since Tianglang-jun was grieving for Luo Binghe [and celebrating his freedom since the contract was now void]

 And Mobei-Jun was kidnapped by Huan Hua because of Linguan-jun which meant-

“Husband- can this one…visit Mobei-Jun and apologise for the mess to the Northern King?”

Tianglang-jun wanted to say no, but after seeing Shen Qingqius face and finally seeing that light in his eyes again, he couldn’t say no.

-saving MBJ from Huan Hua- Teaching Mobei-Jun to be less rough- importance of being gentle and strength.

 After hearing the news that Mobei-Jun was missing, Shen Qingqiu knew he couldn’t just barge down Huan Hua doors with no proof and no idea where his son even was!

 So when he vanished leaving Tianglang-jun in a fright wondering where his husband disappeared off to- Shen Qingqiu donned a disguise and made his way to the south, after going to an inn to pay for some food and gossip he barely had to spare a coin as a bunch of Huan Hua disciples laughed about the little demon they had in their dungeon and how fun it was to mess with-

Shen Qingqiu barely bothered to remain, anger and frustration with himself, others would look back on that day and would say he was like a demon-

 How the great Master and Husband of Tianglang-jun blasted down the doors to Huan Hua disarming cultivators and easily invading the sect.

Most thought he lost his mind, other sects coming to arms along with Cang Qiong to see Shen Qingqiu enraged holding a demon child in his arms.

 “May Huan Hua explain why they have my son in their dungeons!” He yelled for the whole world to hear.

 After that Cang Qiong knew by the look that was a northern demon, everyone thought the baby perished but to see the man hold the child, Yue Qingyuan stepped in shielding Shen Qingqiu who looked ready to murder anyone who even so much as comes close.

 And thats when the demons arrived.

Overall Shen Qingqiu’s reputation with the demons skyrocketed, even Mobei-Jun the elder had approved finally giving his blessing to have the Southern Emperor and his Spouse raise Mobei-Jun. The youngest looking up at wonder at the one who gave his life and saved it.

The cold glare and frost directed at his uncle suddenly warmed when his eyes gazed at him. Mobei-jun never knew warmth until that moment. 

 It was drastically different living at the southern Palace instead of the north. Shen Qingqiu wrapped in layers and moved into a colder pavilion for Mobei-Jun.

Shang Qinghua always frequented being a playmate for young Mobei-Jun, Shen Qingqiu even made it mandatory.

 Qinghua didn’t like this “When I wrote the character, I loved him, but this Qinghua had no clue how much of a spoiled brat he was.”

 Shen Qingqiu paused and gazed at Qinghua shrewdly.

 “...Bro? Why are you staring at me?”

“Shang Qinghua and Mobei-Jun married in the original story, yes?”

“Uh yeah?” Shang Qinghua looked adorably confused, but Shen Qingqiu wasn’t sure who to be upset at or if he even should be wary in the first place.

 “And he’s your favourite character?” “Yes- what is this about?” “Are you planning on marrying Mobei-Jun in the future?”  

Shang Qinghua stared, “Bro don’t even joke about that-”

“Because your related? Why did you write such a thing?”

Shang Qinghua almost physically jumped in the air “Wait- no- we’re not related Tianglang-jun is not my father!”

He squeaked now Shen Qingqiu’s gaze narrowed “What?”

[Qinghua explained that none of the children are the father except for Mobei-Jun and Binghe.]

“HUh? HOW!?”

“Strong cultivators who can take demonic energy. Su Xiyan was strong enough to host a demonic offspring and so could Yue Qingyuan if he wanted- but Shen Qingqiu,” “This Master’s cultivation isn’t that strong,” he suffered from Qi deviations all the time so QInghua wiggled under his stare.

 “Well it was thanks to Wu Yanzi, Shen Qingqius body had suffered demonic cultivation as a base and uh…Wu Yanzi never wanted Shen Qingqiu recognised as his son so he basically molded him to be a cauldron…your body was literally made for this although…Wu Yanzi probably didn’t intend you to birth the new Royal family.”

Shen Qingqiu might strangle him “Why did you not write this?”

“Well I was! But you saw how people responded to my first draft! So I played it safe!” 

Anyway, Shen Qingqiu raised the two together, even though Qinghua would pull faces and pick up Mobei-Jun and play even when he looked tired it still made Shen Qingqiu feel at ease that someone was looking after Mobei-Jun.

 Although the two having a fight was to be expected.

 “Your a spoiled brat!” Shang Qinghua yelled, he looked pretty mad- When Shen Qingqiu came over his mouth fell open at the ripped paper on the floor and Qinghua in tears.

 “I’m never talking to you ever again!” He ran away before Shen Qingqiu could even ask what was going on, tears in his eyes.

 Mobei-jun glared at the paper, “This prince wanted that.” he pointed at the paper ripped on the floor, oh Shen Qingqiu sighed as he picked Mobei-Jun up and asked the servants to clean up the paper and try to fix it if they could.

 It seems he spoiled Mobei-Jun too much,

But unlike Binghe who soaked up attention and tried to be better, Mobei-Jun wasn’t learning the same way the two couldn’t be more different. He was a quiet child and didn’t speak much so it was hard to tell if something was wrong until it was too late.

 Tianglang-Jun even joked about it, “He’s more like Xiyans son than Binghe.” Then grimaced, Shen Qingqiu smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes “Yes, he might need to go to the demon clan with you instead. This one has taught him everything he can but Mobei-Jun must be stifling in this pavilion.” 

And Mobei-Jun wasn’t interested in the same things the family was, plays that used to make Binghe laugh? Mobei-Jun saw no point. Stories? He could never quiet understand the story and took it at face value.

 So Shen Qingqiu decided another outlet was probably better. He began teaching Mobei-Jun to fight.

 And that improved his mood alot, his expressions were slight but he could tell when Mobei-Jun was happy or upset. Of course Shen Qingqiu could only teach him so much…

When he came back from huants with his Father, Mobei-Jun was…bigger. When asked spiritually made children aged faster but mentally were still a child but Shen Qingqiu ended up treating Mobei-Jun like he was smarter than he was. Mobei-Jun seemed to like being treat like an adult even if he was only a couple years old. He was half Shen Qingqius height and was taught how to fight and defend himself.

He saw nothing wrong with this until one day, he found Mobei-Jun beating up and hitting Shang Qinghua.

 Shen Qingqiu immediately put a stop to it, and even yelled at Mobei-Jun and of course the boy had frustrated tears in his eyes and it was the first time he cried and for a moment Shen Qingqiu almost softened then hardened his heart. 

 Shang Qinghua face was swollen and kept flinching around Mobei-Jun it had to stop.

“Humans are more weaker than Demons- and hitting others is not okay.” 

Mobei-Jun only looked more frustrated and confused.

So Shen Qingqiu had to explain that in demon society fighting was about dominance, showing strength or even polite depending on the clan. But humans don’t like being hit, he had to be more gentle.

Mobei-Jun saw no point in this.

 “How can this one know his partner is strong, if he can’t handle a few beatings.”

“Who told you that?” No way Mobei-Jun thought this nonsense up himself, 

So Shen Qingqiu ends up giving Mobei-Jun a fruit, that he had to peel without destroying it. Shen Qingqiu peels it easily and Mobei-jun is frustrated that he can’t do such a simple thing.

 And Shen Qingqiu wanted him to learn a lesson but when he sees Mobei-jun trying to peel the fruit everyday looking frustrated Shen Qingqiu had an idea.

 “Mobei-jun can you break this fruit for me.” Shen Qingqiu watches how Mobei-jun easily does such a thing and Shen Qingqiu eats it offering him a piece.

 And then Mobei-jun watches Shen Qingqiu struggle.

Blth try for days until one day, Shen Qingqiu breaks it looking proud and smug. Mobei-jun gapes.

“See? Still think this master is weak now?”

Mobei-jun never thought this man who gave him life was weak, he remembered how he saved him from that hot and awful dungeon.

  But if his Mama could open the fruit, then Mobei-jun can do it too. If humans can work hard to be strong, then demons can strive to be gentle. Humans strength couldn’t be measured the same.

 Mobei-jun finally peeled the fruit. 

And he gave it to Qinghua who flinched then stared at the fruit confused and even unsure.

 “For you.”

“Oh…thanks?” He saw cucumber bro giving him a thumbs up and was completely lost but took it and even ate a piece when Mobei-juns staring became unnerving.

What the hell was that about?

___

Anyway- Old Palace Master admitting to funding wu yanzi and his illegal activities.

-Luo Binghe returning from the abyss thinking Shen Qimgqiu and his father replaced him esp with Mobei-jun calling Qingqiu ‘mama’ something Luo Binghe could never call Qingqiu but Mobei-jun can?

 -Shen Jiu is reborn as a son. He and qingqiu talk that he never saw Tianglang-jun that way he was already in love with someone and when Tianglang-jun took care of him it felt transactional he had to because they were husbands if he abused Qingqiuthe cultivation world will strike.

Tianglang-jun on the rare occasions he could surprise his cute husband and son, usually struggled trying to get gifts for his hisband he got him so many thkngs but Shen Qingqiu would sniff uniterested and said it woukd clutter up his storage and if its out kf sight? What use was it? He was tricky, but then he heard him talkimgbwith Qinghua one day. After adopting him once haitang vanished the two got closer- he overheard his husbands love for demonic beasts.

Shen Qingqiu eyes widened “Husband! Do you like it!”

Give head lats please- no Even if your the emporeor you can’t just make your own demon zoo on a whim!

“Do you want to pet him?”

Shen Qingqiu’s fingers itched, he could pet a monty python rhinoceros!?!?!?!?

 “Very well simce Husband went through the trouble.”

Tianglang-jun guided his hands and watched how gentle his husband was and cooed at the beast.

And he was holding his hand. Win win.

 -Qingqiu gives Tianglang-jun a painting of Su Xiyan- talk that qingqiu is not replacing xiyan that he will hold her in his heart but qingqiu has done nothing but be the best husband and risen up to the occasion without asking for anything back? That tianglang-jun wants to spoil him, know his husband learn about him and talk through the night about the recent yellow books they’re just read how he could just watch Qingqiu rant and become impassioned and tear the book to shreds Tianglang-jun agrees but feels more flexible with the story but can see the issues meanwhile qingqiu looks like he would tear someones head of for it.

 Tinaglang-jun clasps his hands telling him he wants to marry Qingqiu, not for political reasons, not for ulterior motives. He wants to spend the rest of his life trying fo figure out his husband and keep him by his side with the possesivness of a demon.

 And Shen Qingqiu burns red unsure how to take this as far as he knows this cane out of nowhere!

Tianglang-jun tells him he wants to marry Shen Qingqiu if he’ll have him.

 T-there are plenty of people-

All the marriages are dissolved. Without binghe theres nothing keeping me here in the human realm, the cultivators can’t use me for their own agendas anymore there is nothing for me here.

Except for you. Even if you don’t want to marry this emporer and want to remain friends this one will gladly stay for you, where you go this one will follow!

 Shen Qingqiu needed to sit down- or pikch himself to wake up.

But…marriages…dissolved- Binghe was missing years ago he could’ve left any time but he stayed…

 And the thought kf waking up without Tianglang-jun… the time he can finally no longer go on missions or be in court and wake up spoiled in his husbands bed-

Qingqiu wanted that. He wanted that all the time.

 “Yes.”

The thought of going home to the sect- but no…they didn’t want him. If Tianglang-jun dismissed him Shen Qingqiu wouldn’t return. Blackmail or no- they proved they would never defend him or they wished they could but had to appease those in power. Yue Qingyuan always did that tried to appease both side with that smile on his face and mitigate the damage.

But Tianglang-jun wants him to stay, even at the thought of being free and could easily remove this burden its the one chain he wants to keep his arm wrapped in. 

Tianglang-jun was waxing poetry about his hair but paused “yes?”

When he said yes, it held everything he dared to believe his fear his hope, and longing. He wanted to stay, and Tianglang-jun saw it in his eyes, feeling breathless and elated unable to believe that his husband said yes!  

“Yes.” Shen Qingqiu nodded, with more strength and confidence, then smiled. “A demon wedding.”

Tianglang-juns eyes widened “Are you sure? Demons will try to kidnap you-“

Shen Qingqku raised an eyebrow “Will they? Or will they kidnap my husband instead.” He placed a hand on Tianglang-juns chest that was always too low and exposed skin and slid up.

 “Maybe this Qingqiu will have to rescue you…”

“Husband-“

Shen Qingqiu pushed him away.

 “Ah ah, not until the wedding. We shouldn’t even be talking without a chaperone.”

Tianglang-jun gaped “Husband!”

Afterall they didnmg really consumate the marriage so his honlur was still on the line. 

-Shen qingqiu forgot one thing…if Binghes pillar was large enough to be called heavenly then his fathers pillar would be…

…

…

…

“T-this one will go on top instead…” the room felt loud in its silence as Shen Qingqiu gaped.

“You don’t have to look too pleased ablut it!”

__________

“Just this one…just for us, after all Mobei-jun is staying at the northern palace longer establishing his rule…”

Tianglang-jun pouted “I could help! But he’s embarresed by his dad…”

Shen Qingqiu leaned on him, turns out lying on top and smothering Tianglang-jun calms him down like a dog with anxiety needing a vest.

 “He wants to do it with his own strength. He has this strange fascination with being string but its not for strength sake he’s growing up so fast.”

 “Yes soon it’ll just be us too in the sun pavillion.”

“…what if this husband and you…make another…”

“Anlther what?”

“Anotger one a sibling to mobei-jun.”

Tianglang-juns hands clenched on his arms still gentle “husband?”

“Just ours. No reason, or political gain, just ours.” Shen Qingqiu hummed, “Luo Binghe always wanted a little brother he’ll be excited when he gets back”

Tianglang-jun hands touched his face concerned “Qingqiu?”

“He’ll come back. This one knows it.” Luo Binghe survives the abyss he knows he will.

___

“Whats the name of our lotus?” Tianglang-jun asked and Shen Qingqiu hummed “How about Shen Jiu, or would you want your name?”

Tianglang-jun laughed, “Until its my turn to make offspring then this lord will name them- this lord likes Shen Jiu.”

…

“It’s funny how even this one acts with the same cold brutality of my Xiyan.” Yeah it was odd then again it could be the body of the scum villain making them all what? Dna of the evil stepmother making them evil? He hoped not.

 “They’ll thaw out after a while.” He hummed leaning against Tianglang-jun.

When Shen Qingqiu prepared for bed his one year old now standing stared at him, scissors in hand. Shen Qingqiu tensed.

 “Baobei, hmm lets put the scissors down its sharp-“

The kne year old raised it.

 “Who you calling baobei fake! Thats my body!” Huh?

“One moment its me whose married to that fool now its you!?”

 Shen Qingqij snatched the scissors tossing them and picked up the baby.

“Shen Jiu!?”

“You even called me that name??? Die! Die by a thousand arrows!”

Tears streamed down the babys face and he began to cry.

Binghe was so much better than this he could hear the jokes now “I’m the one that made the parents want more kids- you’re the one that made them stop!”

“Shh shh, its alright…”

“It’s not that beast will come back and kill us!”

“He won’t. Binghe’s a good boy and a great big brother. Shh, dry those tears.”

When Binghe was being…difficult, even he was too much of a sweet bun to leave an impact.

 Shen Jiu on the other hand was like the tasmanian devil!

Any sharp object had to be hidden the pavillion child proof and Shen Jiu had a strange habit of biting so Shen Qingqiu commisioned a teething ring for him.

Overall he was tired.

 And the worst part?

He calmed down with tianglang-jun, going limp and floppy in the mans arms sucking on his ring and glaring at Qingqiu.

The man threw his hands up.

“Fine! Since you like him more than your papa who gave birth to you! I see how it is!”

He was still fuming after having to walk away and cool off.

He wanted to just dump that brat on Tianglang-jun and wash his hands clean but decided not too.

 He commisioned tiny brushes for Shen Jius small hands and decided to write his letters wjth Shen jiu present.

 “You will begin reading and writing, you still retain your memories but your coordination will need some work.”

 So Shen jiu struggled he knew the characters but couldn’t grip his pen right he handmt practised the muscle yet.

 So Shen Qingqiu used a hair tie wrapped it around Shen Jiu’s fingers and the other began to write in wonder.

Then it became known that the new son and heir of Tianlang-jun and Shen Qingqiu was a genius. And of course the cultivation world had to pay their respects to the emperor.

 Yue Qingyuans reaction to seeing their son was like a punch to the gut.

 Of course their son looked exactly like his Xiao Jiu.

 Even the way his brat stood tall, chin raised high and nose scrunched into a sneer.

…Shen Qingqiu will have to get him a fan.

 Shen Qingqiu accepted the meltdowns if Shen Jiu wasn’t bejng cold and aloof he ended up giving into his impulse kicking, screaming-

And not a normal scream, high pitched bust your ear drums scream.

“I hate you!”

“I know…”

 Shen Qingqiu even let Shen Jiu beat him with his fists- he’s a cultivator he can handle it-

 But once Shen Jiu finally got his anger out he began to cry.

 Eyes aged beyond their years and trapped in a child frustrated to being a slave to his emotions.

 Shen Qkngqiu drew him close playing the quqin and humming a song.

 “It’ll pass, you’ll be older befkre you know. Play this yourself one day.”

 Shen Jiu clutched his robes and thats hiw Tianglang-jun found them.

 It was a routine Shen Qingqiu established. He liked being kept busy, and told Tianglang-jun he need his iwn hobbies away.

 Wu yanzi isn’t dead-

 The palace master is and-

Shen Qingqiu was on another trip with his husband and both were havjng fun lretending to be hinourable cultivatirs and even more so when Tainglang-jun purposfully held himself back so Qingqiu could look like a badass.

And wu yanzi ends up killing shen qingqiu in public loudly proclaiming-

 “This is how you assassinate, boy!”

Shen Qingqiu died.

How? How in the flying fuck is he dead!?

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes blinked open -huh? 

He could’ve sworn he died.

 “See, I told you Necromancy was my specialty. Qui Haitang is standing before you, and now my precious son and yet you still doubt me?”

Shen Qingqiu gazed up, and saw the Old Palace Master, as well as Qui Haitang along with…Luo Binghe!?

 Luo Binghe spoke, eyes devoid.

 “Why did you kill him in the first place if you needed his body?”

“The world needs to believe Shen Qingqiu died, afterall once we’re done the body will no longer look like Shen Qingqiu.”

…What the fuck? What the fuck is going on.

Shen Qingqiu gaped “Binghe!? Whats the meaning of this?”

Why was he working with Wu Yanzi and the Palace Master!

 “Don’t worry, son. Soon we’ll bring your mother back you know she would never had abandoned you and would love you always fate had other plans. Until now-”

“You’re the one that killed her” Shen Qingqiu snapped eyes filled with hatred, and replaced? The hell did he mean?

“Binghe? How can you think I replaced you? The very thought is ridiculous!”

Luo Binghe finally looked at him, black pools swirled with madness, no way- don’t say Xin Mo twisted things or maybe…

Qui Haitang is alive, the two maybe travelled the abyss together she may have fed poison of Shen Qingqiu.

“You had a son, you have Mobei-Jun and this…Xiao Jiu to replace me! You never really loved Binghe it was all an act to get to my father!”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened, what?

How…how could Binghe get this so wrong?

“This one fails to see why it has to be Shen Qingqiu’s body, why couldn’t this one have him instead?” The old Palace Master spoke enraged, 

 Hmm?

“That’s right! You promised to make my brother like himself again but now you’re doing this! My brother shouldn’t be walking around wearing the face of this old geezer!”

The old man nodded furiously.

And Shen Qingqiu realised with dawning horror that Qui Jianlou was in control of the old palace master.

 And now they were going to what…? Put Su Xiyan in his body? 

“Yes you’re brother did good on his word,” Wu Yanzi said, as he began to prepare for some sort of satan ritual.

 “For many years being my sponsor,”

Wait-

“For manipulating events to make Shen Qingqiu the bride of Tianglang-Jun…” 

Wait-!

“And for even helping dear Binghe find the truth, now Qui Jianlou can step down and be free with his sister, and the new emperor can continue assisting me in your place.”

 They brainwashed Binghe!

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes narrowed into a glare, and the Palace Master was never here! It was all Qui Jianlou and Qui Haitang both were squatting like toads at Huan Hua while helping the demonic cultivator.

 Maybe promised them revenge for his wayward bastard son.

Shen Qingqiu gritted his teeth, Wu Yanzi…really was a scumbag.

And yet, after all the things Shen Qingqiu put in place to protect Binghe, Mobei-Jun and in turn Shen Jiu- were told to always carry weapons on their person.

 If anything Shen Qingqiu was thankful that the knife he had was still on him and that his hands were tired behind his back.

With all eyes on Wu Yanzi they didn’t notice him hack at the immortal binding cables.

“Keep still, son. This won’t hurt much.”

 Shit- Shen Qingqiu screamed as Wu Yanzi touched his forehead, and Luo Binghe startled eyes wide, looking clear until Qui Haitang grabbed his arm.

 “Shh, it’ll be over soon, Binghe…”

How dare she act so overly formal!

His body burned and Wu Yanzi was speaking gibberish and Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt full, flashes and memories of things that weren’t his-

 The knife slashed through the rope, and Wu Yanzi fell over on his ass when Shen Qingqiu lunged forward.

 The old man was holding Xiu Ya.

His arms free his body moved on its own free will.

Cucumber-Bro, Shen Yuan and now holding the title Shen Qingqiu was just floating in his own state distanced from everything.

 The old man had his throat slit, dropping Xiu Ya, Qui Haitang cried out in horror, after grabbing Luo Binghe on the sword and flew down the corridors, Wu Yanzi struggled up, scowling but was grabbed by Qui Haitang.

“Save him- save my brother!”

Shen Qingqiu’s body kept running digging their nails into Luo Binghe’s arm.

 “Impertinent brat. Where are they holding your father?”

They finally made it outside, but the body of Shen Qingqiu flew shoving Luo Binghe forward on the side. It wasn’t exactly tugging him on his ear like a misbehaving boy but it was close enough.

 “You know where the locked him down. Or he would be here to save u-me.” 

Luo Binghe was lost, “Shizun?”

“Shizun? Is that what you call him? Ungrateful. And it’s that attitude that killed him.”

“What?”

Luo Binghe’s voice sounded weak and it broke Shen Qingqiu’s heart.

 The one riding the sword sneered. “Shen Qingqiu is dead, his soul ejected from this body. And now you are in the company of your darling mother.” The word carried derision.

 And Luo Binghe began to cry,

“I- I didn’t mean for this-”

“Speak clearly, boy. And intent matters. What were you expecting to happen? A happily ever after with you’re shizun oh wait. He’s dead.”

 But he wasn’t the hell-

Shut up. The brat needs some humility for the damage he almost caused and for locking our husband up. You coddled him too much, that explains the tantrum.

Shen Qingqiu couldn’t believe it- Su Xiyan was co-habiting this body? But why couldn’t he move?

It won’t last, temporary possession, but let’s make him sweat a little…

“Shizun…he’s really-”

“Yes, now…where is your father.”

“...Buried under a mountain? Overkill much?” 

“Husband…?”

He cracked. Shen Qingqiu seriously couldn’t take it, seeing Tianglang-jun trapped under the mountain, face bloody and looking like every bit the fallen hero. Shen Qingqiu couldn’t take it, wanting to rip the tailsmans of the wall and even kill the people invovled.

 “Husband!” 

Su Xiyan was promptly pushed to the back, surprised while Shen Qingqiu leapt forward grabbing Tianglang-Jun close and burying his face into his husbands neck.

 “I thought you were dead,” tianlang-jun spoke, voice watery and Shen Qingqiu was hiding his face clinging him close.

 “You can thank Wu Yanzi for that, he brought me back.”

Luo Binghe stood away, guilty look on his face. 

“Binghe?” Tianglang-jun finally looked up, tensing.

“Shh, its alright, now.” 

Shen Qingqiu stiffened as Su Xiyan took back control.

“Thank god this is temporary.” She took a step back biting her thumb and marked the tailsmans relishing in how satisfying it was to see them all snap.

She caught him and placed one arm around her shoulder to support him.

“Now where is that nephew of yours, usually joined to the hip or a second growth.”

“Husband?”

“Wife.” Shen Qingqiu smirked, glancing at her husband then sighed. As Luo Binghe gave a soft sob.

 “You! Stop crying and help me! It’s all your fault anyhow!”

“What- what happened?” Tianglang-Jun asked, as the three of them began to leave the mountain.

 “Luo Binghe this Master weeps that you only got your brains from your father- use your sword!” Luo Binghe snapped to attention and drew Xin Mo to make a portal.

 “Shen Qingqiu cuddled you too much.” She sneered and Luo Binghe eyes narrowed, “Don’t disrespect Shizun with his face!”

 Tianglang-Jun now blinked eyes wide, “Su Xiyan.”

She sighed, “Idiots, the both of you.” She then kicked them through the portal and entered their pavilion.

Miss Su?

 Su Xiyans eyes pricked with tears as she spoke softly “The Sun pavilion.” 

Tianglang-Juns face crumpled with guilt, “Xiyan-”

“No.” She took a step back, shaking it off. “This possession is only temporary and came from demonic cultivation.” She used Shen Qingqiu’s fan to place against Tianglang-Juns chest holding him back.

 “My time here is temporary. So don’t embarrass us both by doing something you’ll regret.”

Shen Qingqiu was confused, regret? Regret what?

Hey- it’s fine you can use my body, I mean it was my bastard father who-

“Hush up,” Su Xiyan spoke looking upwards, “Stop talking nonsense, and that man is not your father.”

“Shen Qingqiu? What did he say?”

“Nothing of importance.” 

At least be kinder to Binghe!

“That brat? He’s the reason we’re in this mess. You coddle him too much and you!” She yelled at Binghe who was still fuming then flinched at the duress.

 “You wanted a little brother! It was always Shizun I want a sibling, oh Shizun I want a baby brother- Mobei-Jun doesn’t count he has his own empire and won’t play with me!”

Luo Binghe’s eyes widened, “And He did! He kept telling everyone you were coming back because he believed you weren’t dead and this is how you repay him! Unfilial!”

“Xiyan! There’s no need-”

“And where were you in all this? Mobei-Jun was kidnapped and you did nothing, Shen Qingqiu always has to clean up your messes. If this Xiyan was still alive this one would divorce you!”

“Xiyan!”

Tianglang-Jun only laughed, that women always so cold! And telling them like it is!

Although, Luo Binghe fell to his knees slamming his head against the floor, Shen Qingqiu’s spirit responded making the body flinch at the action.

“This Binghe has been unfilial! This one truly thought Shizun had abandoned him,” He hit his head again, and Su Xiyan wanted to stand there still and aloof meanwhile Shen Qingqiu wanted to pick him up.

 “This one came back and saw- saw Shizun with-”

“Binghe?”

The three stiffened to see Shen Jiu, staring at the man on the floor crying his heart out. Shen Jiu scoffed.

 “It’s about time you got home!”

Luo Binghe blinked, Shen Jiu looked older, almost fifteen of course, spiritually made children aged faster and since Shen Jiu was mentally an adult man he was perfectly fine with that. 

 “Now Mama won’t be gloomy anymore!” Shen Jiu approached then proceed to kick Luo Binghe while he was down.

 “Ack-”

It barely hurt him, although maybe Shen Jiu was using Qi in his kicks.

“You made him cry! Apologise!”

Luo Binghe gaped “What?”

“Apologise!”

He kicked him again- “O-okay Xiao Jiu thats enough. Luo Binghe is sorry,” 

Shen Qingqiu couldn’t take it anymore, he crouched down picking Binghe up and tugging him close.

 “I wanted to do that as soon as I saw you.”

Luo Binghe stared ahead eyes wide his hands coming up to clutch his robes.

“Shizun,”

“You’re too big for tears, ah there there.”

“Sh-shizun won’t leave me?”

“Never.”

Where did this abandonment issue come from? 

“Qui Haitang…she kept saving me in the abyss, she…told me about you that it was all lies and- when I saw I believed-”

“It’s okay…”

Tianglang-Jun took Shen Jiu’s arm and made them all sit together, Luo Binghe flinched as he felt two more presence press against his back, then exhaled.

 “Okay- now thats enough.” Su Xiyan spoke, “We don’t know what Wu Yanzi is planning,”

“-Wu Yanzi!?”

Su Xiyan looked at Shen Jiu in surprise “Oh, you would know more about him wouldn’t you.”

Shen Jiu scowled, while Tianglang-jun and Luo Binghe looked confused.

 “Explain we don’t have much time.”

Su Xiyan stared then the lips of Shen Qingqiu pulled into a smirk “I like this boy,”

You would.

Tianglang-Jun hummed “Both cold, and brutal. You would’ve gotten along like a house on fire.”

“Yes, Shen Qingqiu would’ve made a fine first husband if this one had become empress…both of them.”

Now Tianglang-Jun’s eyes narrowed, and She smirked more before walking passed to get their palace ready.

 All wifes from Huan Hua were rejected for conspiracy, they were already divorced in name only stayed since they had no where else to go.

 Ning Yingying and Liu Mingyan maintained the perimeter, Cang Qiong and the other sects had given aid and other cultivators to assist.

 Shen Jiu stared at the man who he once called father, Wu Yanzi sneered “You look just like him, the bastard who came back on his hands and knees begging to be taken into my loving arms hah!” 

 Shen Jiu sword didn’t waver, staring straight at the threat.

He knew how Wu Yanzi operated, knew how he would access the palace.

 “So, you wanted to put Binghe on the throne a puppet to have direct power over the demon and human realm. But that plans fallen through, Luo Binghe and Tianglang-jun will never agree to your terms.”

“What If I made you my hostage? Hmm? That would be easy-”

Wu yanzi struck and Shen Jiu dodged, sending out a demonic qi blast to disrupt the talisman Wu Yanzi’s eyes widened.

 “As a body created from both Human and Demonic qi, this one has the gift to manipulate both. And with your teachings this one has an advanced handle on them.”

“My teachings…you…” Wu Yanzi’s eyes widened-

“You’re-”

The walls crashed around them, Shen Jiu covering his head while Wu Yanzi evaded until he was slammed against the wall by Xiu Ya,

“Shen Jiu!”

Wu Yanzi hesitated, “Shen Jiu?”

Shen Jiu gaped- he didn’t expect Tianglang-Jun and the others to come-

 Su Xiyan was gone. Her soul moving onto reincarnation, Shen Qingqiu stood in front of Shen Jiu raising his hands to hold the sword in place.

 “Its over Wu Yanzi.”

  The man laughed, pinned to the wall “Seems like it is-”

He raised his hand and screamed when a sword glare struck, slicing it clean off.

 “I know all your tricks, Wu Yanzi…”

The man laughed, falling back against the wall, “This Master…supposes you do.”

Shen Jiu hesitated, the warm fond look on the mans face was strange, it only made his parents more wary and Luo Binghe raise Zheng Lang, and Tianglang-Jun raised XIn Mo.

 “Not bad, not bad. The son has far surpassed the master.” Wu Yanzi raised his arms to clap then realised he didn’t have one.

 “Ah never mind.”

“Stop talking, Shen Jiu ignore him.”

 “Why should he? The brat wants to know doesn’t he. Why? Why would your old man do this, why would he sell you to the highest bidder again, and again and again.” 

Shen Jiu hands narrowed, shaking.

“Don’t listen to him-”

“Ah, a stranger shouldn’t involve himself in such matters! This is between me and my boy, isn’t that right Shen Jiu? You did the same thing I did, swapping souls? Beautifully done being the whore of the emperor was beneath you, but his son? Couldn’t have done it better myself!” he laughed loud.

 “What is he talking about?”

“It’s true isn’t it, that Qingqiu isn’t the bastard I spawned, he’s nothing like himself. You on the other hand- you’re mine aren’t you.”

Both the shens gaze narrowed as Shen Jiu raised his sword, “This one is not your anything, you made that quite clear when I returned after you abandoned me.”

 Wu Yanzi's smile was so annoyingly consistent, and Shen Qingqiu pushed Xiu Ya deeper into his arm the man grunted in pain.

 “And that Qui abomination of a family…they were made to train you…you didn’t kill Qui Jianlou, I did. My own bastard son…a prodigy, better than my own son. The bullshit that is society saying you weren’t my true heir out of wedlock. And now, the slate is wiped clean.”

Wu Yanzi smile widened and Shen Jiu face fell in horror “Don’t-”

 “This Father…wishes he could do better, but as a crooked man of demonic cultivation everything I gave you would’ve been poisoned. A Demon emperor was fitting for your station. Do with this gift as you will.”

Shen Jiu almost lunged forward, “No!” Shen Qingqiu held him back not knowing what the man was planning-

 Until he self destructed, warm smile still on his face.

 Tears streaked from Shen Jiu’s eyes as he fell to his knees.

 Shen Qingqiu fell with him, holding him close. He didn’t understand-

“W-why would he do that?”

“Maybe he felt cornered.” Luo Binghe spoke, “Or maybe a spare body to hop into-”

“Binghe, enough.”

 Shen Jiu sobbed into his arms, “Why would he do that?” 

 Shen Qingqiu looked at the body of Wu Yanzi.

…Was he instead an a morally grey character? Who had done everything for his son? Who knew his reputation and the eyes of society would hold Shen Qingqiu back?

 Shen Yuans eyes widened.

He must have observed how he was treated on Cang Qiong, knowing no matter what a honourable cultivator may well as still be a dirty slave to those above.

 So he manipulated and pulled strings to make him the beloved husband of Tianglang-Jun knowing no one would cross him or harm his reputation with a renowned demon lord such as that-

The only thing Wu Yanzi didn’t factor in, was that Tianglang-jun wasn’t demonic enough to protext Shen Jiu’s reputation especially with the loss of his wife and that Shen Jiu’s own self hatred would doom himself not seeing it for the gift it was.

 Protection, and stability. Knowing no one was good enough for Shen Jiu so he created this marriage for him.

 Shen Jiu wailed, beating his arms against Shen Qingqiu’s body.

Wu Yanzi was a demonic cultivator, a cruel and cold father…but his actions said otherwise.

“Let’s go home.”

Tianglang-Jun and Luo Binghe were useless as always. Shen Qingqiu picked his son up holding him close as they stepped away and back towards their home.

 “Husband,” Tianglang-juns eyes were burning with curiosity “Explain.”

With no system in this transmigration, Shen Yuan had to break under pressure and explain.

Tianglang-Jun nodded, the thought of two souls inhabiting a body his husband and wife, this wasn’t that far fetched.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Hmm, you should tell Shang Qinghua, this sounds like an amazing story.”

[bettyfrommars]

Death Becomes Us//Part 2: When Doves Cry vampire!Eddie x supernatural!fem!Reader//True Blood AU

⚠️18+Only pls⚠️ adult themes, blood, drinking blood, enemies to lovers, eventual smut, violence, reader and vampire!Eddie both get physically hurt--but they end up okay, talk of needles, alcohol consumption, talk of addiction, mention of sex, sanguivoriphobia, talk of the supernatural, death. Word Count: 6.7k

Series Masterlist

Summary: You start your first day at Main Vein, the vampire/human crossover bar owned by Bob Newby, flanked by vampire!bartender!Argyle and you learn what a risk humans can be to vampires as you begin to navigate their world. You and Eddie have to rescue each other as you're forced to share an intimate exchange that brings you irrevocably close. Playlist

Important words/phrases for this chapter: Fanger (derogatory term for vampires) Fang Banger (derogatory term for people who like to be bitten by vampires during sex) Sanguivoriphobia (fear of vampires)

✂️

If you are in the group of people who are familiar with True Blood, parts of this chapter will feel familiar. I won't be sticking to the storyline of the show religiously, but there are so many clever elements I wanted to incorporate. Please read the warnings above, as some of the things mentioned in this chapter might not be for everyone. ❤️

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Death Becomes Us Part 2: When Doves Cry

For years, you tried to cover your scars up with makeup, but then they ended up looking lumpy and odd, and it made people stare even harder trying to figure out what was under the heavy layers of foundation and powder. You’d never met anyone like you before, and it made you feel a type of deep loneliness that you never talked about because you knew no one would understand.

You’d left some tuna on your porch for Dio before you went to bed, and you were pleased to find the saucer licked clean when you left your trailer the next day. You could tell that she was well fed and that your nasty vampire neighbor was taking good care of her, but you wanted to reward her for proving to Eddie that she did, indeed, like someone other than him.

The white BMW was gone, and the old van was back, parked next to Eddie’s trailer. You were more curious and interested in whatever he was up to than you should be, considering you wanted nothing to do with him.

It was still daylight out when you rolled up early to Main Vein, and Bob got you to work writing out the specials on a sandwich board in your best handwriting, to hopefully attract customers in as they strolled by on the sidewalk. You shadowed Bob as he taught you the basics of tending bar while a couple humans (also known as “breeders” in the vampire world, because vampires, of course, could not procreate) came in for a few simple beers, and one guy ordered a jack and coke.

As a child, you were always an emphatic soul; you could tell what a person was feeling, even if they told you with their words that they were feeling something else. It was a trauma response to surviving in the emotional chaos you grew up in. Now, since the accident, you could read human emotions and intentions with ten times the intensity.

Vampires, on the other hand, were impervious to your gift—or, curse, as you often referred to it.

For instance, you could tell that Bob Newby had a heart of gold; his enthusiasm was not a fake front to hide dark intentions. He truly loved his vampire girlfriend, whom you had yet to meet, and he harbored nothing but the best intentions in the brainstorming of his human/vampire crossover bar Main Vein. He believed that vampires were good people who just happened to be dead, and that we were all equals, despite the fact that they were stronger, faster, immortal, and subsided on blood alone.

You were behind the bar, concentrating on putting the exact amount of alcohol in a drink that the recipe card in front of you called for, when Argyle slid in next to you and bumped your arm. His skin felt like ice.

“Careful!” He snickered. “Don’t spill any,” but half of the liquid had already dripped down your fingers. Since you couldn’t get a read on vampire’s emotions, it was a relief for you to be around them. Feeling other people’s emotions often meant that you had to experience them, and that was not to your benefit in many cases. Being around crowds of people sapped your energy in a way you still struggled to recover from.

Argyle wore his black hair straight and parted down the middle; it was shiny and soft and you wanted to touch it. He had on a colorful, button down shirt, and a blue visor that said Main Vein on it. He nodded at what you were working on, wiggling his eyebrows. “Whadda we got going on here?”

You sighed and told him what the customer ordered. Argyle smiled and waved you off. “I got this, foxy dudette. Let the master take over,” he cracked his knuckles and interlaced his fingers, flexing his palms out before he brought things from the under bar at lightning speed.

You were more than happy to shove off and get to the group at the front waiting to be seated.

When you were half way there with menus tucked under your arm, you realized that this group was mean and anxious and desperate; a combination that made alarms go off inside of you as your skin exploded in a wash of goosebumps.

They were nice enough to your face, though. It was a woman with two men, all dressed in denim and plaid; one of the men had an American flag on the front of his t-shirt. The other one had his greasy hair squished under a trucker cap, and two missing teeth in front. The redhead woman wore an Ed Hardy tube top under her flannel, and she was pretty in a whiskey and Marlboro reds kind of way. Her smile was big and gracious as she smacked her green gum, and they followed you to a booth.

They ordered a round of beers with potato skins from the appetizer menu, and just as you excused yourself to give their order to Bob in the kitchen, the woman grabbed your wrist.

You squeezed your eyes closed until you could calm the surge that went through your body when you felt threatened, waiting for the fire behind your eyes to settle before you met her gaze again.

“Sorry, darlin’ but this is a bar for vampires, too, right?” She was bent forward, whispering to you, her pupils tightly pinned in her dusty blue eyes. There was a faded, long stem rose tattoo on her white freckled forearm.

“Um, yes,” you looked around. “Will there be more with your party? Should I bring over a menu with our plasma options?”

The two men chuckled across the table at each other as if you’d just made a joke.

“That’s okay, baby,” the woman said sweetly, releasing your arm. “But, are there any vampires in here right now? Me and the boys were just hoping to see one up close, is all.”

You thought about what they were asking you, and the fact that their emoting of desperation was getting stronger, and decided not to point Argyle out to them. They’d eventually figure that one out for themselves because he loved to show his teeth. “I’m not really sure,” you lied with a shrug. “I never can tell the difference.”

The woman frowned and turned back to the two men as they started to discuss something.

The other waitress, a human named Erica Sinclair, tucked her Main Vein t-shirt into her shorts as she joined you on the floor, rolling her eyes. Bob introduced the two of you in a rush as he flipped a burger, and Erica gave you a bored look, but her gaze did not linger on your your scars like most. “You’re new here, right? You’re smiling, so you must be. Nothing much to smile about around here.”

You told her you’d only been in town a few days as you grabbed a second round of beers for the table that had been asking about vampires. You weren’t paying too much attention when the front door opened, but then some of the other customers seemed to still, conversations coming to a halt, and Erica’s attention shifted over your shoulder, eyes narrowing.

The song When Doves Cry by Prince was playing on the stereo system as you turned on your heel to witness your neighbor Eddie step across the threshold with ease; one initial invitation was all that was needed, apparantly. According to Bob, invitations could also be reversed if necessary. It was the couple waiting behind Eddie for their invitation that alerted everyone to the presence of something supernatural.

The two behind him could’ve easily passed as “regular” mortals. They had a very mom and pop look about them; she was a brunette in a floral dress and he was in trousers, a dark blue button down, and had a receding hairline. She clutched her white handbag at her stomach, and the man with her had his hand at her back, coaxing her in.

Eddie pretended not to see you there as he cupped a hand to light his cigarette and made his way over to the bar to take his normal seat at the end to order a Fang Tang, not even giving a second glance to the vampires stuck outside. Maybe they weren’t his friends? Not all vampires were friends, surely, as you were not close with all humans.

Bob would’ve been the first to greet them and welcome them in, but he was knee deep in the kitchen, wearing his “Bob the Brain” custom embroidered apron, and when you turned to Erica, she shook her head. “I’m not a fan of the Fangers myself. It’s going to take me a minute to get used to this new world.”

Your eyes snapped to Argyle, but he was busy at the other end of the bar doing a Tom Cruise juggling act with the booze to impress two of the local Fang Bangers.

So you straitened your shirt, squared your shoulders, and made your way over to greet them.

Meanwhile, the redhead woman with the rose tattoo on her arm and the two men with her were hyper focused on the new arrivals; you could feel the cold, wet tug of some kind of rot in their veins, surging though them and clouding their rational thoughts.

At the time, you did not know that there was an underground market for vampire blood, not only for its healing properties, but the euphoric high and transcendent experience it gifted the user. It enhanced sexual performance and gave humans the mental prowess of superhuman strength. Needless to say, it was a highly prized commodity; expensive and addictive.

Hunched at the bar in his leather and battle vest, and a handkerchief hanging from his back pocket, Eddie appeared to be ignoring you as you walked to greet the newcomers. You had never professionally invited a vampire in before, so you might have overcompensated with how cheerful your tone was. “Welcome to Main Vein,” you plastered a smile across your face. “Please enter and follow me. I will show you to your seat,” you also added a slight bow and extension of your arm like you were back in theater class again.

They stepped inside with a swoosh—a sound like they were breaking some invisible barrier you couldn’t see. They asked for a booth, and the only one out of the five that was available happened behind the party that was eager to see vampires up close: now they would get their chance. This vampire couple was not at all what you envisioned when people talked of “bloodsuckers from hell”. They seemed grateful to be able to come out to a bar with regular people---perhaps it reminded them of the human lives they’d once lived.

The guy in the trucker hat with two missing teeth turned around in his seat to get a better look as they sat and you offered them the plasma menus. You explained the different categories for synthetic blood, and how each offered the same taste and nutrients as real human blood. They offered replicas of a whole range of blood types, for those vampires with discerning palettes. You frowned at the guy in the trucker hat to make him turn back around and take his seat.

On your way back to the kitchen, Erica caught you by the elbow, her eyes wide. “What did they say to you?”

“They just wanted menus,” you said with a shrug, glancing over your shoulder at the couple in question. “I don’t think they’re all as bad as they seem on the news.”

“Oh, believe me,” She gave you a dire look. “They are evil. Don’t let the Laura Ashley dress and the Newport loafers fool you.” Truly, Erica had not yet properly met more than a handful of vampires in her life, she’d only heard the rumors.

“Have you ever met one?” You asked, assuming that she’d known plenty.

“I’ve met enough of them,” she promised, hands on her hips, and then she gestured to your neighbor at the end of the bar. “I know Eddie. But that’s only because I met him...before the change. And I’m forced to be around Argyle because I work here.”

When Erica walked off, you made the mistake of glancing over at the Eddie in question, and he tried to lower his eyes to his synthetic blood beverage as if he hadn't been watching you.

Argyle was working a metal cocktail shaker over his shoulder when you came back to the bar, and he nudged his chin at you. “What’s up with the freaks?” He asked, referring to the redhead with the rose tattoo and the two beefy men with her. He filled two martini glasses with a dark red concoction and trimmed each with a tiny pink flower.

You leaned forward a bit so you wouldn’t have to yell, tilting your head. “They specifically asked if there were any vampires here tonight,” you glanced over at Eddie again, but he was engrossed in something he was doodling on a napkin. “Do you think they’re tourists?”

“Nah,” Argyle wiped his hands on the rag at his waist, eyeing the table in question. “That’s Angie Klemp and her inbred brothers. They’ve been around forever.”

You could tell by his expression that he was weary of them, and you knew that he had excellent hearing which probably allowed him to listen in on some of what they were saying as they huddled together at their booth.

Wanting to change the subject, Argyle winked at you. “You’re doing a rad job, surfer girl. These are for the vampire couple that just sat down,” he pushed the two martini glasses toward you. “It’s our signature synthetic blood cocktail. Tell them it’s on the house.”

As the night picked up a bit, you took an order to the wrong table and fumbled a glass that shattered behind the bar. While you were cleaning that up, and mumbling apologies to Argyle, a woman wearing glasses and her honey-streaked brown hair in a bob took a seat at the small table by the window. Erica had a tray of drinks in her hand, so you dumped a dustpan full of glass in the trash and went over to wait on the new guest.

“Do I know you?” You asked as you took your pad and pen out to take her order.

She clamped her top teeth over her bottom lip, tucking hair behind her ear, shyly. “I own the bookstore down the street,” she answered. “You were in earlier, but I never got a chance to introduce myself.”

Of course, it came to you almost as quickly as she said it. You’d been so early for work that you took a walk around the block and ended up wandering into the quaint bookshop on the corner with the wind chimes made from seashells in the window. You had mentioned to her as you purchased a used paperback that you were starting work that day.

“The bookstore with the cats,” you grinned, pointing your pen at her. There had, indeed, been two resident cats in the shop, lazily draped over their carpeted perches in the sun, and sleepy, cream colored bigger dog behind the front counter.

“That’s the one,” she nodded, and then she stuck her hand out to introduce herself. “I’m Robin, in case you ever come back in, you can ask for me,” that seemed to fluster her and she shook her head. “You don’t have to ask for me, I’m usually there, but if you ever come by again, that would be nice.” Her cheeks got pink as she fumbled for the glass of ice water in front of her and took a sip.

You met her eyes and told her that you be back in soon to finish the series you were reading, and then she ordered a glass of wine with her salad. You could tell her heart was racing. She was nervous and excited to see you, as if maybe she’d had to give herself a pep talk before she came in. You noticed there was a certain warmth about her that wasn’t present in other humans. Whereas vampires were abnormally cold; Robin was pumping off heat like she had a temperature, and you were instantly fascinated by her.

----------

A bit later in the evening, Eddie said his goodbyes to Argyle, and you took casual note of his departure out of the corner of your eye while you bussed a table.

What you also noticed was the way Angie Klemp and her brothers paid quickly, and got up to follow Eddie out only a minute behind him. They’d had 6 beers and just as many tequila shots between them, and you got the feeling that they were up to no good. The two men were tapping their knees under the table, and scratching their necks and hands as if being actively attacked by ants.

The pulses of emotional electricity coming off of them instantly made your pores on your scalp blossom with sweat at how panicked they were; how hell bent. But again, what would they want with Eddie? To take their picture with him? That was a common tourist occurrence in Hawkins. But, the tourists in question usually preferred the subject to look like a stereotypical vampire; maybe wearing a cape, or dressed like Elvira. As far as you could tell, vampires usually kept with the same style they had when they were turned.

Eddie did naturally have that “vampire” look, though. He was a loner, he wore all black, he had spooky tattoos, and that long dark hair framing his pale face.

You were refilling someone’s water when you overheard Erica tell a guy at the bar to stop staring at her ass before she stabbed his eyes out with her pen, and it made you chuckle, mostly because you knew she wasn’t bluffing.

Ten minutes or so later, you were grabbing napkins from the storeroom in the back hall when you heard high pitched voices, screaming at each other from the alleyway parking lot. You hesitated with your hand on the shelf, wondering if it was just two people arguing and probably none of your business, but then you heard another scream, and decided to crack the door and peek out.

You had to scan the area at first, but then your eyes widened as they took in what was happening: against the brick wall of the next building, in a parking space between two cars, your neighbor Eddie was on the ground, his neck and wrists wrapped in silver chain, pinning him to the ground. You gasped and swallowed as you saw the steam rise up from where the silver was burning his flesh, his mouth set in a grimace.

Angie Klemp made fast work of jabbing a needle into the crease of each of his elbows draining his blood through tubing into clear bags. The brother in the American flag shirt paced at Eddie’s feet, barely able to contain his need for the drug, and the other one with two missing teeth kicked Eddie in the leg and then spat on him. “Yeah? Whadda ya think about that? Not so tough now, are you, Fanger?”

You stepped inside only to grab the fire extinguisher off the wall before heading back out, careful not to make any noise as the door shut. You tip toed around so that you were hidden behind the van next to them.

Angie seemed to be doing all the work, jerking the port out to fill another bag on the filthy pavement. “Goddamn it, I knew we should’ve taken him home first. This is risky as hell.”

“There’s no time for that!” The brother with two missing teeth took his hat off and scratched his head viciously. “I need some of the blood now, can’t I just have a little bit?”

Angie threw him a disgusted look. “You’re a fuckin’ addict, Clyde. How are we supposed to make money on this shit if you drink up all the profits? Get your shit together!”

You peeked your head out from behind the van, and Eddie saw you. His eyes were black and his fangs were out, but the silver had him rendered completely incapacitated. You could only imagine that the amount of blood they were taking was also making him weak.

You lifted up the fire extinguisher to let him know you were coming to his rescue, but he shook his head, trying to warn you off.

The two beefy men were too caught up in the throws of withdrawals and had their backs to you as you came up behind them. With a mighty heave, you cracked one in the back of the head with the big metal canister, and then when the other one turned around, you sprayed him in the face with the foam that comes out of the nozzle, blinding him. He clapped his hand to his face, yowling, and tripped himself on his own feet, going down hard.

Angie slowly stood, realizing that both men were on the ground, dazed, and she gave you a nasty snarl. “Why, you stupid, cut face whore,” she bit out just before she lunged at you.

You were about to swing the canister at her face when, from out of nowhere, a huge, boxy, beige pit bull terrier lunged from the darkness, barking and growling at Angie, barring its teeth, forcing her to back up. You looked down, a bit shocked: you’d never seen that dog before in your life. Would it attack you next? Hesitant, you let the dog move between the two of you, protectively, as it curled its lip and growled.

You pointed the nozzle at the woman. “Try us, bitch.”

The pit bull started barking a loud alarm that would soon have people coming to see what the hell was going on. Angie clenched her hands in the air as if she wanted to wring your neck, and then she was shouting for the two stumbling men to get in the truck.

“Go, go, go, you dickheads,” Angie demanded, grabbing the one covered in white goo by the collar, dragging him along.

The one with the crack to his skull was bleeding down the side of his head. “But what about the blood? Let’s take the blood!”

You and your new, aggressive pit bull friend stepped in front of Eddie, your weapon ready. “Don’t even think about it, fucker.”

You waited for them to pile in the truck and speed away before you dropped the fire extinguisher to the ground with a thunk and got on your knees next to Eddie, bits of gravel cutting into your shin.

The pit bull licked your cheek and stood guard next to you, looking from you to Eddie as if it understood everything that was going on, head tilting every so often. You were too concerned with how the silver was sizzling on his skin like bacon on a frying pan to wonder about your new companion. There were still needles in his arms and you slipped them out, cringing as you did so. You watched in awe as the hole marks in his arms disappeared and healed right before your very eyes.

“Can you move?” You asked him.

Eddie could barely talk, the pain of the silver was so excruciating. That, and he was extremely low functioning after so much blood loss. If those three had wanted to end him, they very well could have. He wondered how many vampires they had trapped and drained over the past few years.

He managed a scratchy, whispered, “no. It’s...the silver…”

With a gulp, you went to work unwrapping the chain from his neck and then his wrists, peeling layers of skin with it. He was an immortal vampire, but you could only imagine how much it must hurt, and yet, he hadn’t even made whimper.

His eyes never left you as you worked on him so diligently, your brows knitted together with focused determination. His neck was kinked forward, as his head and shoulders were propped up against the brick wall.

Unwrapping the last coil from around his wrist, you noticed that the wounds were staying the same, and you met his eyes. “Why aren’t you healing?”

“I’m too weak right now,” his eyes flicked away from you. “I won’t be able to heal until I feed.”

At that, the pit bull whined, and took its cue to turn and disappear back into the night.

You looked over your shoulder at the door to Main Vein. “Would synthetic blood work?”

He closed his eyes and shook his head once, rolling it against the wall. “Has to be...human,” he breathed, bangs sticking to his clammy forehead.

His once rosy lips were pale and the mangled wounds left from the silver made you feel bad for him, even though you weren’t even sure if you liked him.

“What if I just left you here?” You asked, raising an eyebrow. “Would you die?”

The corners of his mouth stuck together as he talked. “If I don’t feed soon, I won’t be able to protect myself. More will come to take my blood, and if I’m still out here at daybreak then, yes, the sunlight will kill me.”

Your gaze moved from his ripped throat to his eyes again, hovering there. There was a thick leather cuff on your wrist that you used to cover up your scar, but you undid the buckle, exposing the underside of your forearm. You wondered if he was too weak to expose his fangs, so you used the back of one of your earrings to slice a thin opening across your skin, wincing in pain as you did so.

Eddie’s breath hitched in anticipation as you lifted the bleeding gash to his mouth. He couldn’t lift his arms, so you pressed it there, and his eyes locked on yours as you felt his tongue lick across the cut just before his eye went black and he began to suck, moaning, drinking you as a small trickle of blood dripped down to his chin.

At one point, he got some of his strength back, and his hand with the three silver, chunky rings came up to push your forearm against his eager mouth as he fed, and your heart raced at the sight of it. The passion of his need made your pussy clench around nothing as you knelt there in the grimy parking lot.

When his swallowing finally slowed, you tugged your arm away and clutched it to the underside of your apron. Eddie licked his blood-stained lips and met your eyes again. “Seriously,” he was strong enough now to brace his hands and push himself up so that his back was no longer on the ground. He leaned close as if he could read the answers in your eyes. “What are you?”

Your face was inches from his. “Do I taste different?”

“Yes,” he returned, without hesitation. The mauled skin around his neck and wrists were completely healed. “I’ve never tasted anyone like you before.”

You got to your feet, clipping your leather cuff back on, realizing you’d need to find a first aid kit before you went back to work.

“I owe you big time,” Eddie looked you up and down as he sat for a bit to catch his breath. “If you ever need---”

The back door to Main Vein opened and Erica was standing there with her arms crossed, shouting across the parking lot at you. “What the hell is going on out here? Am I working the floor by myself tonight or what?”

You walked to the back end of the van to tell her you’d be right in, and when you turned back to say something to Vampire Eddie---he was gone.

-------

“What the hell were you thinking?” Erica blanched as she helped you wrap up your arm at the desk in Bob’s office. “You know these Fangers eat people, right?”

She was still yelling, but you were trying not to take it personal. “Well, he didn’t eat me, so I guess there are exceptions.”

“What the hell do you call him drinking your blood, then?” Erica had a very soft touch while bandaging you up, careful to make sure she cleaned the wound and inspected you to make sure you didn’t have a bite mark.

“You girls okay?” Bob came around the corner, flushed, his face red and glistening in sweat from a long night behind the grill.

Erica jerked her thumb over her shoulder at you. “This one decided to play vigilantly in the parking lot to save one of your vampire buddies.”

Bob beamed. “Aw, you made a vampire friend? They’re awesome aren’t they?”

This time, you and Erica exchanged a confused look.

---------

At the end of your shift, Bob and Argyle stayed to finish up with two vampire customers at the bar who were lingering. With a heavy sigh, you took your blue, blood-stained apron off, grabbed things from your wood cubby in the back, and then walked with Erica down to the end of the sidewalk. The two of you had to split up and go in separate directions because your hearse was parked at the curb, and Erica only lived a few blocks away. You offered her a ride home, but she declined. You could feel that she had some personal issues weighing on her heart, and besides that, she had a deep well of emotions inside for the people she cared about, and it took her a while to trust people and open up. If you didn’t have your curse, you’ve might’ve just assumed she hated you.

It was late, but because of growing vampire population in civilized areas, there were several lights in windows, and the low hum of conversations drifting down from higher up apartments. There were streetlamps on each corner, but the dark side of the building cast a heavy shadow on you as you fumbled for your keys.

You were just about to unlock the door when you heard the shuffling of footsteps, and then before you could turn, the hard edge of a rope edge dug into your neck, gagging you, and then you were yanked back, off your feet. You tried to scream, but it only came out as a gargle. Your ass caught most of the fall to the pavement, but then your head clapped back onto the hard surface and it caused a ringing sound in your skull. The person holding the rope around your neck pulled it tighter, and you struggled, kicking your feet, trying to get free.

Angie Klemp and her brother in the American flag t-shirt were standing above you, sneering. She kicked you in the ribs and you wailed at the pain. She squatted down to mock you. “Oh, darn, I guess that fanger boyfriend of yours isn’t around to return the favor now, is he?”

They were dragging you now, pulling you by the neck around into the alleyway where no one could see what they were about to do to you.

Your vision was getting blurry as you heard the woman's voice again. “You cost me five thousand dollars worth of fanger blood, and we’re gonna take it out of your ass.”

The rope burned as it slipped off your neck and you were somehow able to roll on your side and stand, just as one of the men punched you across the face and you went down again, coughing, tasting blood. You were on your hands and knees, trying to catch your breath, and one of them kicked the steel toe of their boot into your stomach, making you double over in pain as they laughed, tears squeezing from your eyes as you tasted bile.

You wondered if you were going to die there.

In a blink, with spots in your eyes, you tried to focus as you swore you saw the guy in the trucker hat get his neck broken right there where he stood. His head twisted all the way around, forced by seemingly invisible hands, and then he slumped to the ground, dead. Before the other two could figure out what was happening, you saw Eddie pick the guy with the American flag shirt up and throw him onto the hood of a car, his head crashing through the windshield with a bloody splat. Angie tried to run, but Eddie caught her by the back of her neck and picked her up off of her feet. With one hand, he threw her into the nearby dumpster and slammed the lid with a bang.

This had all been done in seconds; he moved at the speed of light.

You were on your side, choking on blood, feeling scared as your vision began to tunnel. But then, strong arms were lifting you up as Eddie scooped you against his chest, “I got you, I got you,” he murmured against your bloody head. “You’re gonna be okay.”

You might have blacked out for a bit because when you opened your eyes, you were on the grass in the park across the street, propped up against a tree. You mewed in pain as your head throbbed and you choked on a sticky pool of blood in the back of your throat.

Eddie took his jacket and denim off as he knelt in front of you, revealing the Metallica t-shirt he had on. You tried to hold your head up as he produced his fangs and sank them into his own arm, and then held the leaking bite marks out to you.

“You need to drink my blood, so you can heal,” he said. He didn’t want to scare you in that moment, but you had a serious gash in your skull, and he had no idea how bad that kick you took had affected your internal organs.

You tried to push away from him, your eyes wide. “I don’t want to be a vampire.”

“You won’t be,” he assured you. “Believe me, I don’t want this for you, either.”

There was a tenderness in him then that you were noticing for the first time. You’d been taken by surprise, but under normal circumstances, you would’ve been able to handle the Klemps on your own. You weren’t used to feeling helpless and in need of someone’s care. You could feel the blood dripping down your neck and your vision was starting to fade again.

“Just a little bit,” you breathed, sticky lips parted.

Eddie cupped your head in one hand as he brought his arm over, similar to how you had fed him earlier. The weeping holes from his fang marks were right in the middle of one of his tattoos and you closed your eyes as your mouth latched on, nursing on him like your life depended on it---which it did. It tasted ordinary, like sucking on a penny, but it felt like velvet on your tongue, warming your insides.

Consumed with a sudden lust for the juice in his veins, you sucked harder, whimpering, and you didn’t see it, but Eddie’s eyes went back as he growled in the back of his throat at the pleasure of the sensation. You drank until your brain stopped throbbing, and then you rested your head back against the tree, a smear of his blood across your chin.

You noticed Eddie was close to you, his mouth at your temple as he licked a bit of your blood from a scratch there as it was healing. You jerked to the side, surprised to catch him wanting to sample you again.

Your eyes locked. “What do I taste like?”

He searched your face, aroused by the sight of his blood on your mouth. “Like...memories. Like ice cream and summer breeze and suntan lotion melting on warm skin.”

Your lips were almost touching as he confessed this to you. There was no vocabulary for him to properly explain the many layered depth to your blood; it was sweet and savory, and it also tingled in the back of his throat like pop rocks or fireworks and made him feel alive again if only for a few moments.

You lifted your hand to your throat to find that the rope burn was gone, and your ribs didn’t feel like they were broken. You were just about to ask him another question, but then he was on his feet in a flash, putting his jacket on.

“Also,” he flipped his hair out of the collar of his leather. “Now that you have my blood in you, I’ll always know where you are,” it sounded more cryptic than he meant for it to, and so he added, “just in case you ever need my help again.”

You frowned. “But, how will you know if I need help?”

He busied himself rolling his cuffs up. “I’ll be able to sense your fear.”

You were letting that sink in when he spoke up again. “And don’t be surprised if you have some dreams about me.”

“Dreams?” You raised an eyebrow.

He turned his head and rested his tongue between his teeth as he figured out how to say it. “The sexual kind.”

“Oh,” you looked down, suddenly embarrassed. He stood there shuffling his foot on the grass and you had so many questions for him. How had he become a vampire? Was it something that he chose, or was it forced on him? How long had he been one? You were trying to choose which one to ask when he spoke.

“Hop up,” he said, gesturing for you to get on his back like you were a little girl. “I’ll take you back to your hearse.”

Normally, you hated when men tried to pick you up, but Vampire Eddie carried you across the street like you weighed no more than air. You had your arms around his shoulders and his hands were cupped under your thighs; the vanilla sandalwood of his hair blew across your face in soft tendrils. He lowered you to the ground once he got to the parking lot, and you both looked down the alleyway at the Klemp bodies that Eddie had dropped in his effort to rescue you.

You swallowed. “It’s illegal for vampires to kill humans,” you said in a hush. “I don’t want you to get in trouble for this. I’ll tell the police I was---”

“No police,” Eddie stopped you in a gruff voice. His jaw muscles flexed as he turned to you. “It’s also illegal for humans to drain a vampire for sport,” he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his inside pocket and bit one with his teeth to pull it out of the pack. It bounced there as he talked, squinting one eye at you. “I’ll take care of them, you don’t have to worry about it, princess.”

Since he’d just saved your life, you decided to let him get away with the pet name.

He lit his smoke and took a tight, hissing inhale before aiming the exhale over your head. “I’ll stay here to make sure you get on the road okay.”

You looked down at yourself. “Yeah, I suppose I should get home and take a shower,” you noticed that your bag was in the gutter next to your front tire and you bent to pick it up, along with your keys up. “Guess I’ll see you around the trailer park.”

Inside the hearse, you watched from your rear view mirror as vampire Eddie leaned his back against the wall to smoke and make sure no one bothered you. He picked something off his tongue as you started the engine, and then you lowered your head to shift into gear.

You were not surprised this time to find him gone when you looked up.

-----

"Dig if you will the picture of you and I engaged in a kiss The sweat of your body covers me Can you my darling? Can you picture this? Dream if you can, a courtyard An ocean of violets in bloom Animals strike curious poses They feel the heat The heat between me and you How could you just leave me standing alone in a world so cold?"

-- When Doves Cry//Prince

------

Part 3: The taste of you

——-

Thank you for reading!

[monsterpr3y]

The first draft of The Lab

Lying on the floor of my cell, filled and covered with cum, I began to reflect on how I got here. Go on an adventure, I thought. See the world and find yourself, I planned. Well, I did a little bit of that. in the end, it was finding myself that lead me here. I found that I got a rush from stealing and cheating people. That sneaking in the shadows and liberating someone's purse gave me such a thrill. The richer the mark, the more exhilaration in taking their most prized possessions. I once stole a whole ass tapestry from the wall of a manor while the owner watched me. 

That way of life caught up with me. 

As you probably suspect by now, I stole from the wrong person. A mad scientist is going to have cool shit, so when I heard rumors of one living in a secluded tower all by himself I knew I had to hit it. 

This man was devious. And I mean that in all ways. Before I even got inside he'd clocked me, magic or some invention alerting him to my presence and went completely unnoticed. Then there were the booby traps (in one case literal) everywhere, so cleverly hidden that the master thief I'd become caught maybe one in five. I didn't even notice the one that drugged me, as it was through skin contact and brushed my face. I'd like to think that without that I wouldn't have walked right into thin wires that constricted on my arms and legs, but also onto my breast's, like it was waiting for a female to walk into it.

Everything went dark after that. When I came to, I was on a cold metal table, naked, and restrained, staring up into the oversized eyes of the scientist examining me with some vision magnifying contraption.

“Wonderful, you're awake! I am so glad you came to join us!” He hustles off the stool he'd been standing on and somehow I was taken down by a scrawny halfling? I'd never live this down with the other adventurers if they found out.

“I'm sorry for trying to sneak in, but I'd heard rumors about your lab and couldn't resist wanting to take a peek” maybe if I flatter his scientific ego he'll let me go.

“Oh my dear you're about to have the best seat in the house when it comes to my experiments!” 

I didn't like the sound of that. I needed to get free, but none of my skull with lock picking would help when my hands were restrained above my head, and whatever was holding them to the table was below the table. I could barely even wiggle my fingers.

“The only intruders I've had to date were men, and they just won't do for the experiments. Their primary motivation seems to be procreation, and they are smart and can tell a human male from a female. Watching them be torn apart in the arena was enlightening however!” 

“Excuse me! You plan to do what with me? Let me go right now!” I'm finally starting to struggle, as I realize my predicament. What the hell does he mean procreation? I thought I was naked on this table because he was going to play with me, which as a female adventurer is nothing new to me. Whatever he's talking about sounds a whole lot worse.

“Oh, but you're never leaving. Who knows, maybe they'll break you so badly you enjoy it” and he's out a side door. I struggle almost manically, desperate to get away of whatever hell hole I've fallen into, but he knows what he's doing with these restraints. I would almost be excited to be restrained and taken by the scientist, bondage always made sex hotter for me, regardless of my level of willingness.

The table begins to move, but it's not just a table. It lifts so I'm in a standing position and then it begins to retract in multiple pieces, leaving me bound with my arms and legs spread in an X in the middle of the room.

“Now I'm going to start you off with just one, so I can gage what you can handle” the scientist shouts down to me from a platform about 20 feet above me, where he's sitting cross legged holding a notebook and pencil in one hand, and the other is about to pull on a rope.

Metal grates and a chain clanks behind me, but I don't have enough slack to turn and see what's coming for me. I hear a slithering coming upon me, but slimier somehow. Thrashing against my bonds I realize that his experiments are monstrosities, and he's unleashing one to fuck me. 

My inner thigh is stroked by a slimy… appendage? I can't see what it is but it's not a finger or hand, and it's joined by another and another, until 8 or more are stroking my legs and torso, the slime on them oozing and coating my skin. Without warning 2 of the appendages find what they are searching for and my cunt and ass are both invaded. I scream and struggle harder, but there's still no wiggle room in my restraints. I begin to sob as the creature moves below me, and I see a Catacomb Slug take shape, the tentacles on its bulbous head now using my holes.

I get a brief respite as it moves far enough past me that the tentacles no longer reach me, but now I can see what's coming for me, and I've never wished to be blindfolded more ardently in my life as I see it's mouth open. 

“We need to lower you by increments for the next parts” the scientist is entirely way to enthusiastic about this, completely deaf to my sobs and pleading. I lower by about 2 feet, right above the grotesque mouth with its jagged teeth, and I'm sure I'm about to die… tho death would probably be better than whatever comes next.

It's tongue inches out of its mouth, long and rough looking, with even more slime dripping from it. I will never feel clean after this. As it extends it splits in 2, as if it's been forked, as I've never seen one do that.

“Now you get to see where the experimentation has come in. It's fascinating really, I've had this pet since it was a baby, it was actually cute back then, but I wanted to see what would happen if I introduced other DNA to it while it was still in its egg sac. I didn't know what I was doing as well back then, so it was a cocktail of things and he got the forked tongue of a snake, am amphibious nature from the frog, but also that DNA mutated it's slime. Instead of having a hallucinogenic property like the frog, it first numbs it's prey, and then it begins to tingle on the skin, and as it absorbs it creates a euphoric effect”

The tingling had already begun, tho I wished I'd stayed numb. It builds and builds, somehow centering on my clit, and I am breathing heavier than I should be for how little I'm able to struggle. But then a glorious detached feeling occurs, and my mind feels released from my body as pleasure courses through all my veins. 

At that moment the 2 tongues begin to probe my holes, a glorious friction from the rough texture they have, and between that and the tingling I know I'd be soaked even without the slime. A low moan escapes me, and suddenly I no longer want to fight back. No man's cock has felt this good, no finger has elicited such pleasure as the sensations building in my clit as I'm fucked thoroughly and my first orgasm builds so intensely that my screams reverberate off the walls.

“Interesting, the subject has a much stronger response than expected. I anticipate great fun in witnessing my creatures break her.”

As my orgasm subsides I begin to lower again and the slug moves forward, its tail right below me. It lifts it up and it's cock emerges from the tip, and I suddenly am glad for any numbing and euphoria, as it's bigger than even the tongues, and knotted all along its length. 

“And now we see the results of the werewolf DNA that was added in. Surprising result really, that it's cock was the only part affected, I do hope that it doesn't break you before we're barely started, but he's never gotten a chance to use it and I feel sorry for the poor lad”

It slams it into my cunt up to the first knot, filling me so full, but feeling good so far. The first knot pops inside me, and now I'm stretched and I'm sure would be screaming if it's slime hadn't prepped me. It stays at this length and roughly fucks me, my body in pain but the slime still working on the pleasure. Faster and faster he pumps into me, a mewling sound emitting from it, and just before it cums, a secondary cock emerges and slams into my ass, just as the second knot enters my cunt, and both absolutely explode with cum, my stomach bulging from the pressure of how much has been secreted into my body. Both cocks slip out of me, and it curls up in the corner ready for a nap.

“Not even any bleeding, fantastic, excellent! You'll do wonderfully my dear” the scientist says as my bonds loosen, and he enters the room again, putting a collar and nipple clamps on me and using a chain attached to all of them to pull me from the room and lead me to the cell where I'm now laying and reminiscing, covered in the cum of multiple monsters, and replete from all the orgasms they gave me in the process.

[centuryberry]

I left this question on QOTM in the comments on AO3, I left it in Chapter 1, but I didn't really thought much about it. What if there's an AU where Yue was abandoned as a (sorta) newborn on FFM? Like, either her father, out of jealousy, decided to leave her there, or acting on her mother's wishes to protect Yue, Shanzha breaks through the wards, leaves Yue in a basket and runs off before she was caught. How would that work?

Who will be the one to find her? One of the Generals? A soldier? Wukong himself? And if someone does find her, perhaps they find a note by Yue's mother asking for Yue to be cared for, while also saying that her father's clan will most likely be cruel to her? If a soldier or one of the Generals find her and bring her to Wukong (and possibly Macaque?), how would Wukong react to baby!Yue? What about Macaque? Would they adopt her?

Who knows, but I'll admit that I'm especially curious how would the Brotherhood would react, especially DBK, PIF and Red Son when she's slightly older. Speaking of, how different would Yue be like if she was raised by Wukong on FFM?

Oh wow, I must've missed this one! Well, it's a good thing I'll answer this here!

(More below)

So, I can't imagine a likely scenario where Shanzha just up and leaves Yue at FFM's doorstep. Come over there with Yue? Yes. Leave her there and go back to LoES? Very not likely. Also, Yishen would've rather dropped Yue off a cliff instead of going through the effort of safely leaving her at an island paradise.

The best scenario I can come up with would be Sangshen, knowing that she didn't have much time left in the world and not trusting the Zodiac Clan at all, taking the initiative to send Yue away somewhere safe with the help of some artifact. Maybe some one-way transportation circle type thing. Either way, baby Yue ends up on FFM's figurative doorstep with a blanket, a milk bottle, and a note.

It's Beng who finds her. As he is in charge of patrolling the kingdom's borders and being a father himself, he was able to recognize the faint cries of a baby monkey even as the sounds of the forest almost completely drowned out her voice.

Yue's six ears almost immediately gain the General's attention and she's brought over to Macaque. Everyone by that point is convinced that Yue is his. While insistent that he's NOT the father, he still takes her as his own and accepts single fatherhood.

(Lol not on Wukong's watch.)

Wukong is super curious and definitely not-at all jealous about Macaque procreating without him involved, so he comes to meet the baby.

It's love at first sight. Baby Yue is so, so cute. Her little nose scrunches up so adorably. Everything comes out of her mouth in chirps and squeaks. Her ears were darling. And she looks so much like Macaque! Wukong eagerly helps out with child-rearing (since he's such a good friend) and unofficially takes the role of another father. They're both so disgustingly domestic.

All of FFM would hear about Yue's achievements and everything she did would be hot news. She grabbed Wukong's finger! She ate her solid foods for the first time! She's babbling! She's crawling! She's-

You get the point. Wukong even commissioned artists to make multiple paintings of her.

The Brotherhood would be far less antagonistic and threatening in this scenario though Azure would be salty as hell to see Shadowpeach live the domestic dream without actually being married. Yellowtusk would congratulate the new parents and look to Yue very fondly. Peng would be ambivalent.

The Demon Bull Family would react very differently. DBK would cry and hold bb!Yue so tenderly. She's so tiny! And PIF would spoil her with all the baby toys and clothes. Red Son would think she's pretty useless and boring at first but that changes as she grows.

Yue in this scenario would still grow up to be endlessly curious and super responsible, but she's also less tense and paranoid. She's a bit cheeky too. She would be so loved and so happy.

(Shanzha and RinRin would come to FFM for sanctuary one day but that would be another story...)

[mariacallous]

It’s almost that magical time of year that the Humane Society of America likens to a “natural disaster.” Kitten season.

“The level of emotions for months on end is so draining,” said Ann Dunn, director of Oakland Animal Services, a city-run shelter in the San Francisco Bay Area. “And every year we just know it’s going to get harder.”

Across the United States, summer is the height of “kitten season,” typically defined as the warm-weather months between spring and fall during which a cat becomes most fertile. For over a decade, animal shelters across the country have noted kitten season starting earlier and lasting longer. Some experts say the effects of climate change, such as milder winters and an earlier start to spring, may be to blame for the uptick in feline birth rates.

This past February, Dunn’s shelter held a clinic for spaying and neutering outdoor cats. Although kitten season in Northern California doesn’t typically kick off until May, organizers found that over half of the female cats were already pregnant. “It’s terrifying,” Dunn said. “It just keeps getting earlier and going later.”

Cats reproduce when females begin estrus, more commonly known as “going into heat,” during which hormones and behavior changes signal she’s ready to mate. Cats can go into heat several times a year, with each cycle lasting up to two weeks. But births typically go up between the months of April and October. While it’s well established that lengthening daylight triggers a cat’s estrus, the effect of rising temperatures on kitten season isn’t yet understood.

One theory is that milder winters may mean cats have the resources to begin mating sooner. “No animal is going to breed unless they can survive,” said Christopher Lepczyk, an ecologist at Auburn University and prominent researcher of free-ranging cats. Outdoor cats’ food supply may also be increasing, as some prey, such as small rodents, may have population booms in warmer weather themselves. Kittens may also be more likely to survive as winters become less harsh. “I would argue that temperature really matters,” he said.

Others, like Peter J. Wolf, a senior strategist at the Best Friends Animal Society, think the increase comes down to visibility rather than anything biological. As the weather warms, Wolf says, people may be getting out more and noticing kittens earlier in the year than before. Then they bring them into shelters, resulting in rescue groups feeling like kitten season is starting earlier.

Regardless of the exact mechanism, having a large number of feral cats around means trouble for more than just animal shelters. Cats are apex predators that can wreak havoc on local biodiversity. Research shows that outdoor cats on islands have already caused or contributed to the extinction of an estimated 33 species. Wild cats pose an outsized threat to birds, which make up half their diet. In Hawaii, known as a bird extinction capital of the world, cats are the most devastating predators of wildlife. “We know that cats are an invasive, environmental threat,” said Lepczyk, who has published papers proposing management policies for outdoor cats.

Scientists, conservationists, and cat advocates all agree that unchecked outdoor cat populations are a problem, but they remain deeply divided on solutions. While some conservationists propose the targeted killing of cats, known as culling, cat populations have been observed to bounce back quickly, and a single female cat and her offspring can produce at least 100 descendants, if not thousands, in just seven years.

Although sterilization protocols such as “trap, neuter, and release” are favored by many cat rescue organizations, Lepczyk said it’s almost impossible to do it effectively, in part because of how freely the animals roam and how quickly they procreate. Without homes or sanctuaries after sterilization, returning cats outside means they may have a low quality of life, spread disease, and continue to harm wildlife. “No matter what technique you use, if you don’t stop the flow of new cats into the landscape, it’s not gonna matter,” said Lepczyk.

Rescue shelters, already under strain from resource and veterinary shortages, are scrambling to confront their new reality. While some release materials to help the community identify when outdoor kittens need intervention, others focus on recruiting for foster volunteer programs, which become essential caring for kittens who need around-the-clock care.

“As the population continues to explode, how do we address all these little lives that need our help?” Dunn said. “We’re giving this everything we have.”

[mellosdrawings]

What do you use to draw with? Like what device and drawing app? I finally graduated high school and want to get back to drawing and maybe start posting it but I wanted some advice

Hi~

I'm just gonna go and give you my full setup (plus health advices coz trust me they're important).

These days I use an IPad Pro 11" and Procreate. My friend has the bigger version but I hurt my elbow using it because it made my moves too big, so I settled for the littler version. I suggest you chose based on your feelings for that. If you want a bigger screen to see more of your work, it's perfectly valid.

If you do take those two, I suggest you also take the ICloud save. (I have the 200Go save and that's only 3€ a month, but the 50Go save in free!) Should your IPad eventually break, you'll be able to retrieve ALL your art files from the Cloud, which is a huge lifesaver!

(I used to use a simple computer plus graphic tablet plus Adobe Photoshop, but it kept crashing so much that I had one too many rage quits. Plus it's super expensive since it's subscription based, and nowadays they take your art from the Adobe Cloud to feed their AI, so I can't really recommend that. Photoshop is an excellent tool but the direction Adobe is taking does NOT suit me.)

For brushes I just use the default Procreate Pencil. For the eraser I use Syrup, which is found in the default Inking Brush set.

My base canvases are 4000x4000px with a DPI of 300 (I suggest you improve the DPI if you do illustrations or really precise work. I only do little fanarts and comics with that DPI). For posting online please be careful to chose an RGB color profile (I use the default Display D3). If you ever want to print though, you should chose a CMYK color profile (I use the Generic CMYK Profile then).

Now back to the real world! I'm going to strongly suggest you make sure your paper/computer/screen is at least at an angle, at best right in front of your face. The least pressure you have to put on your neck (bending), the better it will be. If you do traditional art, I'll suggest actual art tables that you can adjust in size and angle. Here's mine.

To prevent any pain in my thumb I use one of those hold-helpers thingies kids use to hold their pens properly! It increases the size of the grip which prevents from holding the pen too tight (trust me, it's important). You can also find special tape to roll around your pen if you need an even bigger grip.

I wish I had a proper desk and chair because that will also be very important for your posture and health, but rn I'm not in my own flat so eh. What I'll encourage you to do instead are stretches and exercises BEFORE and AFTER an art session. Fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulder, back, neck. If you want to avoid medical costs (masseur, kine, osteopath) you need to take great care of your body. You can also find little self-massaging gadgets in sports shops to help with your muscles.

(Talking from experience there. I'm only 25 and I already had to undergo surgery on my writing wrist because I f*ed up. Your health is important!)

I'm aware most of those are extremely expensive to get (it took me half a year of intense working and savings just to get the IPad) but I've found that they were 100% worth it in the end. It's alright to get things little by little if you feel they are going to be important for you. I strongly suggest you invest in your health first though!

Once you have decided on your preferred setup, I guess the only thing left to do is train, experiment and have fun!

I think that's all? If you need more advices on setups or art or whatever, I'd be happy to help, my DMs are always open!

Also congrats on graduating highschool!

[starry-miki]

I did the three comfort characters that was trending on twitter, I don’t have a 3rd character so uhhhhhhh we just going only to these two, old man also decided to be a goofy goober and crash my program and restart my iPad, while he was deleted in the procreate program (which I was also almost done), I accidentally deleted the layer of old man when I was cleaning my layers and if you didn’t know once your deleted something and you get out of that canvas you can’t get your deleted stuff back. So I did the second best thing, I got some inspiration from one of the older post for luck on exams from @nevvn, old man really like testing my patience as if I’m not busy and have a schedule I need to keep up, especially if I want to start posting semi often. 😵‍💫

But Obey me in general is my comfort characters and I wouldn’t trade them for the world 🥰

For those I need to make Chibi’s for if you see this I will get to it but I need to balance with posting and progressing so it might be a little while but I hope to be able to finish all by the end of January. So don’t worry I didn’t forget about you if you see other people with their Chibi’s 😘