#oh the way you drew ven is really fucking cute

[bruhnushka]

perfect storm [pt 1] (ruby martinez x reader x cesar diaz)

PART 1 | PART 2

request : n/a

summary : someone from cesar’s past with a past of her own causes a stir in his current life.

warnings : flirting, cussins

pronouns : she/her

a/n : wow i love on my block. i started it on a whim and i am  o b s e s s e d. 

Spooky glared at you from the drivers seat as you flirted with someone. He was waiting at the terminal for you and you hadn't spotted him yet. He honked and you finally looked up. He rolled his eyes and made you laugh, a slight smile spreading on his face. You then grabbed your bags and waved a quick goodbye to whoever you were talking to. Spooky got out of the car and opened the trunk for you.  “Not gonna lie, this car has always been ugly”

“Shut up and get in the car or you’re walking.”

“I mean it looks like you need the exercise more than i do.” you laughed, making him glare at you. You sat in the passenger seat and watched as Spooky slid into the car. 

“So... did you tell Cesar I was coming?” you asked him, and he shook his head. 

“Nah, this whole thing was so quick, y’know? lil homie has his own troubles to deal with.”

“Are you calling me a trouble?” you gasped, fake offended. 

“maybe... but anyways how have you been? hows your sister?”

“married, first of all.” you pointed out making Spooky groan. “So you can take that off of the table. But other than that, good. School’s been a bitch but im trying to get into some good college, you feel? Get out of this life. and by this life i mean gang shit. it just follows me everywhere. one of my exes was in some san francisco street gang or shit and he tried to scare me by having one of his homies pull up. I mean... almost shot him dead right there. This shit is tiring as fuck. I just wanna sleep man” you let out a long sigh. 

“i feel. cesar wants out of that life too. he's been clawing at some hope that in the future, he won't have to worry about gangs. He doesn't get that it follows you wherever you go.” 

you turned to look at Spooky. “Oscar” you say, and Spooky turns to you, knowing its serious now, “Is he in? the Santos? Is he- did he get jumped in?” you asked him. He nodded slowly. you kicked the car. Spooky put his hand on your shoulder, but you were silent the rest of the car ride. 

you hopped out of the car and stretched out. immediately you heard wolf whistles all around  you.

“Damn ma, only been gone for a few years but you been aging like a fine ass wine, you know what im sayin” you heard one of Spooky’s friends say. You turned and rolled your eyes. Picking up your bags, you walked into the house. 

“wheres cesar” you asked, and they all shrugged. Spooky answered instead “probably at Ruby’s. ill drop you off” 

as you walked to Ruby’s, you took in how nothing and everything had changed. it was exactly how you remembered it, but somehow so different. You reached Ruby’s house, hugged Spooky, and rang the doorbell. Abuelita opened it and shrieked in joy. "¡Mi precioso! ¡Mi hija! ¡Mi princesa!". You laughed and hugged her as she cried tiny tears. 

“¡Ven aca! Ruby! Look who's here!” 

Ruby slugded to the door expecting a tía or tío, but his mouth dropped in shock at seeing you and your well... packages. He immediately covered his shock and apparent boner by displaying a fake confidence. 

“Well, well, well, guess who decided to come back to this tiny little town of Freeridge. San Francisco too much for you?” Ruby smirked, but the little crush of you inside of him squealed. 

“No, I came here because I missed you.” you made eye contact with Ruby and watched his mouth go dry, “and Cesar, and Monse” 

and as you said his name, Cesar walked in. 

“y/n/n?? no WAY! oh my god!” he ran towards you and picked you up in a dramatic hug, twirling you around. “how long has it been? 8 years? God i missed you so much! Where are you staying? Why didnt you tell me you were coming?” He gushed and you laughed in response.  “Im staying in your room, and Spooky was supposed to tell you but apparently he didnt. i really did miss you too”. you pressed your face in his shoulder and the two of you stood their for a little too long. You cleared your throat and got out of the hug, both you and Cesar looking awkwardly towards the floor and rubbing your necks. Monse was glaring at Cesar but you didnt notice. Instead you went to Jamal, hugging him awkwardly. 

“How’s my token black boy doing?” you asked him. 

“Opposite of a stereotype as usual. I have to fake being on the football team so my dad does kick me in the balls. Sad face” he drew fingers down his cheeks to imitate tears and made you burst out laughing. Then you turned to Monse. Things had always been awkward between you too and you could never tell why. Every conversation with her created some weird situation that both of you wanted to get out of. 

“hey... monse” you said, trying to break the now-awkward silence inhibiting the air. 

“hey.” she replied back, looking you dead in the eyes, then at your boobs, then at her own. Yours were about the same size as hers, maybe bigger. And thats when it hit you. This was not a friendship being initiated. This was war. 

“so... you look nice today. thats a cute shirt!” she said, smiling fakely. 

“oh thank you! did you buy that shirt from the clearance rack of justice? it reminds me of my little sister! and you're really growing into your moms bras! finally am I right?” you smiled back, keeping the sickly sweet accent in your mouth. 

“those shoes are so nice! were they your grandmas? so vintage!” she said, tilting her head to the left. not the right. oh this meant hell. 

“aww thank you! is that a zit on your face right near- oh never mind thats just your nose! just looking out for a sister!” you titled your head to the right. 

ruby looks to jamal and cesar and begins to translate everything for them as you and Monse continue to exchange banter. Cesar and Jamal glance at each other, both making eye contact which said this is intense. 

ruby had finally had enough and stood in between the two of them. 

“Stop! ¡Ay dios mios! Monse- you look like a four year old lumberjack! (y/n)! you have the fashion sense of every girl in california. Both of you calm down and back off. Now, (y/n) come chill in my room with me.” He said, and walked into his room. Moments passed and he peaked his head out the hallway. 

“Arent you coming?” he said. you sighed and walked. As you slugged into his room, Ruby sat cross legged on the bed with a serious expression. 

“Ok, so heres what you need to know.”

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

yes i am doing a multi part!! plse reblog and like and also comment if you'd like to be tagged in the next one ! ❤︎ !

[memoryxtoxdreams]

I’ll be going through the trios first

Wayfinder Trio

Aqua: Holy shit I had a feeling this would happen. Okay so, the whole fight with Ansem SoD and Guardian. That felt confusing as hell like I’m with SoD on this where was Eraqus’ keyblade and why didn���t she have it on her? Then after that whole Anti fight, Aqua really should’ve had rested before going to CO/LoD to wake Ven with the Trinity Trio, but she didn’t because Mom mood kicked in. Her battle with Vani made sense considering she didn’t rest, but the fact she was still kicking ass is amazing and Vani saw that. So he went ahead and used her protective nature as he needed Ven awake as well, so that’s my view on her fights before the Badlands battles.

Terra: THIS MAN IS SURPRISING NO MATTER WHAT! Alright this dude was in a suit of armor and IN FUCKING GUARDIAN! So when Ansem SoD went after Ansem the Wise, he witnessed that shit! He saw everything went through in KH1 and 358/2 through Riku, ya know that moment, so when Terranort was pulling that shit with Aqua and Ven, he went ahead through Guardian and said fuck you this is it. The whole time he had me screaming holy shit and I wanna cry sometimes man- 

Ven: Breaking news- Sleeping Union Leader finally woke up after 10+ years! The whole thing with Ven seemed right, one thing I’m pouty about is that he still doesn’t remember what happened to him and his Chirithy knows this. I was hoping he would get some memory of his past back after waking up, maybe Chirithy will help him remember after THAT ENDING

Sea Salt Trio/Quartet??

Lea: I’m still calling him Lea, no way am I calling him Axel again, you can’t tug at my heartstrings more then you did game. Lea’s scenes were cute and 4th wall breaking but also way, way wrong. Like, yeah have him befriend the girl he kidnapped to remember the friend he’s trying to remember but also have him try to talk to her as they were both used by Ansem the Wise and Xehanort, along side Isa, to help Kairi remember her time in Radiant Garden. Both him and Kairi really shouldn’t have been involved in the Badlands battle because they were still freshly trained Keyblade wielders, that was a bad call on frankly Yen Sid and Merlin’s part, the crap with Kairi proved it, they weren’t ready, maybe have him use his twin chakrams as a secondary weapon like in DDD?

Isa: HE FINALLY ADMITS IT! Honestly I’m mixed at this dude, but he at least brought up the plans he and Lea had when they were in the first organization. I was so confused as to who this mystery girl he keeps mentioning, I thought it was Kairi but nah, both of those dorks would’ve recognized Kairi from the whole thing from my point with Lea. The ending with him and the sea salt trio on the other hand it’s like his fresh start and first step with gaining at least Xi and Roxas’ trust.

Xion: SPEAKING OF! Okay I dreaded it, but the fact that she was the one pointing kingdom key hurt, but I noticed she wasn’t herself. When Sora called out her name, she was holding her head in pain like she was brainwashed once again. Frankly that made sense, Xemnas pointed it out when she grabbed that damn blade in this hand, he didn’t want her to turn on them again, but she did. She finally fights Saix which is a big Yes, she took her place in the Guardians of Light, because Kairi got snatched by Xemnas this time, she also reassured Sora that Kairi is going to be okay which is adorable. AND HER OUTFIT JUST BLESS! My only wish is that she just visits the others at Twilight Town and not live there because why would you want to live in the place you first kicked at?

Roxas: THE BOY CAME HOME! Instantly goes into the first replica that Ienzo gets, then drops from the sky to point Oblivion at Xemnas for his bullshit moves at both Lea and Xi, possibly more towards Xi considering the girl was down and Xemnas got his Ethereal Blade pointing at her while Lea’s on the ground, gets into Round 2 with Saix along side Sora and Xi! I loved the reunion but I wish we saw his reaction to Ven instead of Lea’s fourth wall break line as the damn moon is shooting darkness meteors over a graveyard.

Destiny Trio

Riku: This man is the older brother to his replica no one tell me I’m wrong. Playing as Riku again really felt great but oh so bittersweet, considering he fought a Demon Tower and Anti Aqua. His reaction to Mickey saying Aqua is like Sora had me dying he looked so afraid that he was going to deal with a woman who acts like his best friend. His interactions with the others was cute especially with Repliku as he was worried when he saw that he was actually fighting his replica again but a second version of him. But can I just mention the secret ending, like we see him in Yozora’s world hopefully and possibly looking for Sora, how about that table turn from KH 1 and 2 huh?

Kairi: Jesus christ this girl won’t get a break. From getting turned into a lab rat at young age, tossed into the other sky after that, dumped into Destiny islands with no memories, at 14 goes into a coma state without her heart, loses her memory of the boy she drew of sharing a destiny binding fruit with, a year goes by and she gets kidnapped not once but twice by the same group to use her as bait, gets a small reunion and it doesn’t last. Finally gets sick of it, goes into training with her former kidnapper, comes out battle ready and her first actually fight is with her second kidnapper and her actual twin, only to get kidnapped and turned into another No Name! If that wasn’t horrible enough, after everything she goes through, after her cute moment with Sora on the beach at a sunset. She can’t get her happy ending with him because he pulled a ‘Mr.Stark I don’t feel so good’! I hope she goes out to find Sora with Riku because she deserves that at least! 

Sora: Oh you dear sweet lamb you’ve been through hell. Need I say more with this saint? He didn’t deserve that mess, he honest to god didn’t deserve that mess. Witnessing all that, going into fight after fight, putting up with both Donald and Goofy’s bullshit, finding out that he had not only Ven’s heart he finds out he had both Roxas and Xi’s heart in him after finally getting told since DDD by two chipmunks instead of the man that put data in him! And the icing on this cake? After everything’s said and done, he ends up getting his own Thanos moment! I’m glad he’s shown in TWEWY but not like that holy shit I’m in tears! I’m still in denial over here!

Lost Trio

Vanitas: Where’s his redemption at? Everyone in the true organization either went AWOL or said fuck it lets see what happens. Boy got thrown by Sully, funniest shit ever, pulls a very smart move to help wake up Ven, even if it was for his own goals, only to end up saying ‘Nah I’m going to be a neutral child in your shit I’m gone’ Dude- DUDE- I hope this boy is in TWEWY too he needs a second chance to walk on his own at least! The whole ‘brother’ thing was weird though I’m not gonna lie, but at least he explains it even if it was kinda his last words

Namine: CHILD SHOWS UP AT LAST MINUTE! Look- cover wasn’t enough, flash backs weren’t enough, name drops weren’t enough! Showing her at the end that was cold. But at the very least, Nomura knew he couldn’t find a place to fit Nami in the battles so he had to place her showing up at the end, this is still a sour thought to take in but it’s better to show her instead of not doing it at all. I honestly hope she had a hand in pointing Terra/Lingering Will to the others at least because that First Breath Concert was a wow still!

Repliku: The Knight that Never Was. Dude, this boy deserves so much. I honest to god was surprised to see that his heart manged to make it’s way to Riku when he and Mickey went to the Realm of Darkness. Then he shows up to help his other not once but twice with Aqua and himself, frankly when he removed his body from possession it got me shaking my head in shock, like- the replicas really are just store mannequins! That shit is fucking creepy- My only wish is that instead of saying good luck he’d ask Riku to look after Namine, as a call back to when Riku told Sora to take care of Kairi in Kh 1

[samantha-quicks-blog]

Nancy Drew Game Revisions

Here is how I would revise each of the Nancy Drew games! I only put 1 or 2 things for each to leave room for you all to add in your own! Comment below with your additions & feel free to disagree with me!!  SCK & Remastered: CD CHANGE OH MY GOD. Hey, I can’t knock this game too much. It’s the late 90s. Plus they DID revise it so… (I never actually played it through). Open-ended for the fandom here. Overall, entirely too short.

STFD: MORE. MILLIE. Those damn riddles were pointless imo. Make her an actual relevant character!!!

MHM: Have that tapestry in Nancy’s room never to exist. Then make that zodiac animal puzzle a hotspot that Nancy realizes she needs to look out for. Because you can quickly solve that first puzzle from Abby’s book and then therefore quickly realize that you need to look for Chinese characters. Also eliminate Emily Foxworth.

TRT: Blizzard is such a cop-out. Snow, yes. Blizzard, no. I want to explore outdoors more. The garden!! So! Many! Possibilities!

FIN: Those damn fucking keys at the end sequence. The end. Bye. CHANGE THEM.

SSH: Running around aimlessly waiting for Henrik to fall. Give Nancy a reason to go all the way around the garden to cue this scene. Or maybe cue it a different way.

DOG: Man, I would have loved to have met Sally.

SHA: Oh my God this game is perfect. Um…the magnet maze puzzle, honestly what the fuck

CUR: The ghost hunt/run was cute and all but shit stressed me out being on a timer.

CLK: THIS GAME MAKES NO SENSE CHRONOLOGICALLY. MY BRAIN HURTS THINKING OF THE PLACEMENT OF THIS GAME.

TRN: Allow Nancy one punch to Tino’s face...nah (I mean yeah but…) Part 2 of the game was so short. I want more time outside of the train.

DAN: Okay this is a tiny detail but when Nancy talks to Jean about Heather and they go back and forth about Heather’s name pronunciation, I get about 10 levels of awkward.

CRE: I know it’s a dumb thing to say but…Quigley’s dialogue? I usually mute her long ramblings because I get sooooooo bored.

ICE: Fox and fucking geese. Why can’t I play by myself? Why can’t I tell Bill that I’m playing to win FOR A REASON??

CRY: Please for the love of God, Nancy, solve the mystery during the day. Also, let’s not have an 80-year-old man be creepy AF.

VEN: Water tunnels. I refrain from saying anymore.

HAU: We could have had so much Irish culture. SO MUCH IRISH CULTURE. But what’d we get instead???  A JETPACK.

RAN: -sighs-

WAC: I don’t know??? Um…the ending challenge/puzzle with the blade didn’t make sense to me. I would have hoped it would tie into the theme of the game more.

TOT: Another ending sequence complaint. It takes place somewhere you only go ONCE just for the ending. Either, one, visit the Grange more throughout the game or two, take it out. Unnecessary.

SAW: Terrible accents. JAPANESE VOICE ACTORS. Hell, I’d take at least Asian voice actors over…this.

CAP: That freaking board game. Easy but just like…no.

ASH: Hey, if you’re gonna make a game at the home base, WHERE ARE MY HARDY BOYS??????

TMB: At the very least, make it a tiny bit more challenging for Nancy to read hieroglyphs. Also, really wish Dylan’s time wasn’t cut so short.

DED: I know they’ve done it before in other games but switching days to talk to different characters gets annoying. I mean, it’s realistic and I love that but I always forgot who was when & if it was morning or nighttime.

GTH: I wish we got to see/learn more about the family’s history (the factory incident, Charlotte, Harper..) God, this game is RICH with backstory and I WANT MORE.

SPY: Don’t….don’t fuck up Kate Drew.

MED: -sighs again but adds commentary- Eliminate entire concept of a game show, focus on New Zealand culture & Sonny’s mission. G O D.

LIE: SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THE SET UNDER THE STAGE REVOLVED AND- ohmyfuckinggod.

SEA: Just a bit too puzzle heavy, personally. Again, more history. More story. I still don’t totally know what this game was 100% about.

[autumnpawtribe]

Loa Bound - Understanding

Xiao paled and slowly smiled, a tear running down his cheek. “... Venya, go put those back before he wakes up and sees us with those.” He sighed lightly and looked over at him. “He is so perfect…” He stared with love in his eyes for several moments before finally reaching for the water pipe. He found a small rune on the side and smiled as he activated it; the entire glass piece fogging up as if the inside surface was coated in a thin layer of ice. As it frosted, a small magical bubbling was heard as water was conjured inside of it to the appropriate height. 

“Tal was right, this really is incredibly convenient.” He reached for the box of Tal’s herb, not wanting to see anymore spirits for a WHILE. “... I have only done this once or twice, I forgot how exactly to... “ He trailed off before finally beginning to lightly pour some of the ground herb in until it was sufficiently packed. It was really only halfway full, Xiao not tapping it down or anything, but it was enough for him either way. He bit his bottom lip, finding himself nervous for a moment before biting the bullet. He reached for the lighter and held it to the herb, slowly inhaling an incredibly small hit. He puffed to cherry the bowl, inhaling the smoke, and holding it.

The face Xiao made was quite hilarious, his eyes bulging, his hand coming up to his chest, and his nose twitching as if it tickled. He sputtered out a small puff of smoke and tried not to cough, instead wheezing lightly before doing something they’d likely never seen before. The Pandaren’s face scrunched up, his whole body tensed, and a gasping squeak escaped him as his entire body flinched with the sneeze that overtook him. He also sneezed out a little smoke in the process, coughing lightly after.

“Fa… Vol’raka just .. shotguns it to me.  I don’t get the pipe.”  Aret held Xiao close, Venya grabbing Tarja away from both.  “Oh…”

“No Tarjas around Papa’s smoke.”  The girl was cuddly and asleep, rubbing her face on Venya’s chest as he sat in a chair.  “Those were not cheap rings…”  Ven smiled as he let Tarja get deeper into sleep before taking her to her own room.  “We need to do something for him.  Not just..  What’s he call them?  Mouth presents?”

Xiao blushed a bit. “Sorry, I did not even think about Tarja. I forget about all of the restrictions.” He said sheepishly, taking another hit now that she was further away. As if taking Aret’s hint, he took a slightly bigger hit and then pressed his lips up to the prelate’s mouth and exhaling so he could share in the smoke with him. He wrapped his arms around him for support after that bigger hit making him practically go limp and elicited a small ‘Whoaa…’ as he hung onto the large Zandalari.

“Mouth presents… yes, mouth presents. I want to give him mouth presents…” He murmured, licking his lips lightly. “Sorry, this… wow…” He smiled tiredly and looked at the food now. “Venyabiii… I… uhm.. .who cooks? Who made the… things of good taste?” This was Tal’s herb, after all, so it hit Xiao like a damned freight train. It was rather adorable.

Venya was the reasonable one right then, shaking his head as Tarja sucked her thumb.  “No mouth presents today.  Are you saying you want dinner?  It sounds like you want dinner.”  Venya was hiding his smile, because this was funny.  “Or are you talking about something else?”  

Xiao made a little ‘Mmh!’ noise much like Tarja might when she wanted something. “Yes, who made… the eating things. Can I have… uhm… more? Fresh?” He bit his bottom lip. “Dumplings… I… craving dumplings…” He paused to gasp. “Ooh! Jasmine rice...  oh and rice pudding!” He wiggled a bit. “Melons…!” At least he was going to be eating now… and perhaps now his plan would become clear, that was why he wanted the herb, to help ease him into eating again.

“Xiao…  Next time you get stoned off your ass, I’m setting up that recording thing Vol has.  Entertaining.”  He stood, shaking his head and heading to the door.  “Come downstairs in a little bit.  Aret…”  

The Paladin stopped moving his hand down the front of Xiao’s shirt, looking like the kid with his hand in the cookie jar.  He blushed, pulling his hands away and putting them behind his back.  “Master Vol’raka likes it.”

“Master Vol’raka likes it and is hurt.  Master Xiao is stoned out of his gourd.  No fucking in that bed until He..”  his head nodded to Xiao.  “Eats a decent meal.  AND…”  He nodded to Vol.  “he is well enough that moving the bed won’t cause him unwanted pain.”

Xiao let out a little noise of want as Aret let his hand wander down his front, blushing as Venyabi caught them even though he wasn’t hiding. “Mmh… eat and then... “ He glanced over at Vol. “I don’t want to leave him, but…” He trailed off, biting his lower lip. “I think he will be okay for a little bit... “ He said as he slowly stood and hung onto Aret for balance. He tried to walk and stumbled, giggling a bit. “Whoa… the floor is moving. Or… I am moving. They’re both moving!” He finally said resolutely. It may be better if he was carried.

“Torcali help me, I am nursemaid to the injured, the horny and the inebriated.  Stand riiiight there until I put her to bed.  Don’t go downstairs.  Bouncy ass is great, but yer higher than a drunken pterrodax.  Arie…  DON’T let him go anywhere or Wake Vol up.  And …”  he walked out of the room still speaking.  “Hands to yourself.”

Xiao just made a quiet mewling noise and looked over with want at Vol. He knew he couldn’t have him, but he did have a gorgeous burly Zandalari holding him up. “You… are beautiful…” He murmured to Aret with a love-drunk grin. Without any restraint, he leaned in and began to nibble and toy with Aret’s exposed nipple, tonguing it playfully. Perhaps it was just something about Tal’s strains of herb in particular that made people so erotically charged, but whatever it was it had Xiao making happy little noises as he chewed on his new toy. That, or he really was just THAT hungry and didn’t want to wait to go downstairs. Given that his bites and nibbles weren’t that forceful, it was likely not the later… yet.

Venya came back out, staring at Aret now.  The prelate had a mildly chastised look on his face.  He was not going to deny that he was unlacing his pants and slowly guiding Xiao's head down.  

"Janaret..."

"He licked me first!"

"Maybe because you were trying to put your hand down his pants."  The smaller of the Darkspears moved to grab Xiao around the waist and huffed.  "Food.  If you are too weak to eat, you are too weak to fuck."

Xiao squeaked and blushed, whining in dissent as Venyabi hooked him around the waist and made him tottle off. He reached over for Aret’s hand, tugging him along with him.”I get Zandalari treats after I eat my other snacks…” He murmured in an adorably petulant manor, clinging to Venya for balance, the man practically limp against the poor Darkspear. It seemed he was on cat herding duty today. Well, Pandaren herding.

“Sex Loa…”  Venya did think it was funny, but he’d heard Vol’s order, even if Xiao hadn’t given it to the pandaren, but to his brother-mate. 

‘Make him eat.’

He placed Xiao next to the window, the chair one that they used to corral Zakin when he wanted to not be at the table anymore.  He hoped it would keep Xiao in one spot.  Aret came back down, the prelate adjusting himself as he sat next to Xiao, sitting on his hands.  “Melon?”

“Yer cute when you know you just got busted.”  

Xiao sat down as instructed, squirming a bit as he looked around and waited for food. Then Aret mentioned melons. “Melon?” He asked excitedly, then frowned. “Wait, not melon, mango. Can you bring one of uhm…” He paused, his face blanking. “Uhm......” The word drew out, his brows furrowing as he failed to think of a name. He whimpered lightly. “The sexy furry one with…” He cleared his throat, blushing as he did. “The thing that… makes certain things a lot more intimate… because of… uhm… limited movement?” He bit his bottom lip, swaying a bit where he sat. “Can you bring me one of the things he gives me?” Time to figure out if they could decipher stoner Xiao.

“If you want mango I will send Arie out to get it.  If you want Jura’s furry balls, no.”  

Aret just started laughing, getting up and giving Xiao and Venya kisses on the lips.  “I’ll get some mango.”

“Make sure you don’t bring back troll cockflesh, Xiao will try to eat it.”  He shook his head a bit, moving to grab the dumplings they kept ready in the cold box.  “Horny lil fuck.  How can you be .. Have so much sexual desire in such a little package.  How did he keep up with you before…”

Xiao giggled a little before responding. “... Both?” Did he just ask for mangos and Jura’s balls? Yes, yes he did. He blushed still, but had less shame than normal. When Venya spoke of him being horny and having so much desire, he just wiggled where he sat. “I was… ah… word for not… taking things into any of my holes. Sell… selling bait? Cel… CELIBATE!” He nearly shouted in triumph as he thought of the word. “Yes, cell-ih-bit… for most of my life. Now… I am surrounded by… mnhh… all of you… so yummy, it is like… a fantasy so extreme I could never even… begin to fantasize. Now I have you in my bed every night, all of you. I would have to have a broken dingly dangly thing  for it to not be constantly hard or leaking for one if not all of you.”

“Xiao…  do you usually get this horny when you smoke, or do you smoke so little that this is what happens?”  he shook his head, moving to fry up the potstickers.  “Did..  did you just call your...  You did.” There were words in Zandali that were too fast for Xiao to hear as Venya took to cooking.  “Mangos.  Dumplings, do you want rice or anything else..  That is not between either your mates’ or lover’s legs!”

Xiao would have had trouble understanding normal speed Zandali right then, so he definitely didn’t catch whatever Venya muttered. “I… do not know. I have smoked Tal uhm…” He immediately stopped to guffaw and giggle. “Well I have smoked Tal a lot of times, hee hee hee…” He giggled happily, swaying where he sat. “I have only smoked Tal’s herb… one other time I think. It was only one hit… I took… three? Yes, three, and one big one too!” He suddenly began to open and shut his mouth, his tongue flapping unnaturally.

“Mh… my tongue feelth weird… feels… weird.” He stuck his tongue out and grabbed it with his fingers. “Ith tho thry!” He whimpered and sucked his tongue back in, trying to wet it and only half succeeding. 

“I have only smoked… three times every- ever… maybe four. S’... Mh… not often. I thought it would help with the… chewing of the yummy things so I don’t go to sleep standing up.” He paused again, flailing his tongue in his mouth a few more times. “Mango… dumplings… jasmine rice… rice pudding…”  He gasped. “Ooh, what… Areeeeeet!” He whined for the prelate. “What were those yummy things you made for me and Vol in Zandalar? It was… deep fried? Sweet? One had meat in it too… it was so good! Oh Celestials I want the Zandalar thingies so bad…!”

“Mon’dazi?”  Aret came back in with four big mangos, confused.  “I can make mon’dazi.  Xiao, are you ok?”

“Get him water.  He’s higher than the damn pyramid.”  Ven set about getting Xiao what he wanted, their lunch interrupted before.  “I’ll peel these, make some mon’dazi after he gets water.”  

The two set about cooking as Jura and Tsal wandered in, Jura kissing Xiao on the nose before being yelled at by Venya.  “No, he’s high and horny and Vol told him to eat.  He hasn’t eaten anything real since the ritual.  “No food in your belly, no sex.  I might not be the high and mighty dominant male in this house, but You, little monk are not in a position to do anything.  Aret was giving in.  Someone has to say no..  JURA!”

The druid put his hands up.  “He’s my lover, too.”

“He’s my mate, your brother’s mate and has not had more than broth and a piece of chicken in three days.  Hands off his ass and help Arie make mon’dazi.”

Tsal just sat, laughing at one end of the table.  “I should come visit more often.”

Xiao took the water and drank the entire glass in one go, letting out a heavy gasping sigh of relief and grinning. Then Jura came in. Oh sweet sexy Jura. He licked his lips and leaned up to wrap his arms around Jura’s neck and deepen the kiss up until he squeaked in surprise at Venya’s yelling. He blushed, yet he didn’t seem to be /TOO/ put off as he tried to reach out rather blatantly for Jura’s bulge, trying to grope him through his pants before Venya scared him away. “C’mere I wanna be ‘knotty’...” He said before giggling and grinning like a fool, so proud of himself.

“Jura.  Move.”  The druid put his hands up and moved next to Tsal, the ‘blue tauren’ shaking his head.  

“This.. This is why I didn’t sleep with any of you three crazies.”  Tsal shook his head, taking a mango to help Venya peel.  “Not frowned upon, but well.  Are all pandaren this constantly in a state of heat?  Is that why Raptorblood likes him?”

“Probably, but he’s Vol’s and…”

“Master Vol let’s Xiao do a lot of things, like play with troll cock flesh!”  Ven slapped his own forehead, letting Aret talk.  “Master Xiao loves sex.  Master Xiao said in his sleep that he wanted to play with Uncle Jack!”

And apparently that was how you got Darkspears to stop talking…..

Xiao was still giggling at his knotty joke when Aret spoke of his want for Jack. He paled and his eyes widened, looking over at Aret like a deer in headlights. His cheeks slooowly turned a crimson under his white fur, but then the Pandaren grinned. 

“He looks like my Lok’dim… just a more mature, rugged version. You are lucky I have not asked Vol to turn me into an inter-generational sammich at this point!”

"Well seeing as Jack is not a lover of men.."  Tsal took a knife cutting up mango quietly.  It was Venya who turned to him, confused.

"Yes he is.  I caught him screwing Papa when we were like.. 12."

"Well everyone knew Ma'da wasn't putting out.  Blamed Vol for that."  Jura handed Xiao a dumpling.  "Eat.  Auntie Ikke died, when a man's lonely.."

"Papa joked that Vol was really Jack's since that they looked so much alike."  Venya sat down, waiting for the rice to boil.  "But Ma'da was too much of a frigid bitch for that.  I think Papa got more play from Jack."

Xiao listened as best he could, seeming intrigued but also incredibly distracted as he was handed a dumpling. His usual cute nibbling? That was out the door. He ravaged that dumpling like a rabid starving bear. It was gone incredibly fast, the Pandaren’s stomach rumbling angry. “... Mmh… more?” He asked sweetly, as if to juxtapose the roar of his stomach.

“Annnnd Xiao goes after a dumpling like he goes after cock in the morning.”  Ven handed him three more, piling mango next to it and leaving a glass of water on the table next to him.  “It’s nice to be able to make dirty jokes around these two.”  Ven pointed between his two mates as he got up and rescued the rice.  “One turns more purple, the other more red.”  He dished up bowls of rice for all five of them, leaving a bit in the bottom for Vol when he woke up.  

Aret stuffed a dumpling into his mouth to cover it up.  It didn’t work so he just focused on the mon’dazi.

As if to accentuate Venya’s point, Xiao did indeed turn red under the white fur of his cheeks, though he still smiled. When he was given more dumplings, he gasped and shoved one in his mouth whole and then chewed viciously. By the time Venya had dished up the rice, Xiao’s dumplings were gone and he was halfway through the pile of mango he had been given. He gasped again and squeaked. “Jasmine riiiiiice…!” He wiggled and began to shovel it down with a shocking amount of dexterity for someone who was using chopsticks that seemed to somehow shovel more food than a normal person could with a spoon. 

“Mnhh thoo gooh…!” He murmured with a mouthful as he plowed through his bowl and then frowned as he saw the wooden bottom. He then grinned as he saw the serving bowl with leftovers in it. “Ooh, seconds!” He squeaked as he reached over and devoured the remains of that rice before anyone could even dare to stop him. Between not eating for three days and extreme herbal munchies, the small Pandaren was putting down his weight in food at a startlingly fast pace. Who knew someone half their size could out-eat all of them.

“Loa he’s gonna eat us out of house and hut.”  He slid his own rice to the pandaren and pulled out leftovers from the feast days before.  “Not feeding you that.  Tsal…  You still eating people.” “Gave it up.  Too fatty.” Venyabi poked his nose up and glared.  “Smart ass.”  He pulled out packs of cooked meat that was wrapped in paper for storage.  He put all of them in front of Xiao and put them out like a spread.  “Raptor, yak, goat, chicken, blood troll, frog…  pick two and you will eat the WHOLE package.”

Xiao mowed down on the bowl of rice from Venya now, though his attention was lifted when he saw all the meat. He squeaked a bit and wrinkled his nose at the mentions of blood troll.

“What about my mon’dazi? Ooh and the rice pudding?” He wiggled with anticipation at the idea of the sweet treat and those delicious savory deep fried snacks as well. Yet still, his attention turned back to the things in front of him.

 “... Uhm…” He bit his lip. “I have a weird one... “ He blushed as he thought about it. “I don’t know if Vol has any… or if anyone does…”

Aret waved a spoon around, still covered in flour.  “Almost done it takes a little time!”  

Venya waved his hand to get the horny and high little pandaren’s attention.  “Pick two  I was ordered to make sure you ate.”  He took the pack of blood troll and put it in front of Jura, giving his brother, once lover a kiss on the cheek.  “Finish this.”  He turned to Xiao, confused.  “Any what?”

Xiao giggled at the floury Aret, watching him for a moment before Venya waved at him. “Hm, oh, ah…” He bit his lower lip. “Tal had me meet one of his old friends from… well, old friends. He had a certain meat I never thought I would eat. It was… so juicy and… honestly probably the best meat I had ever tasted.” He blushed before speaking it. “He had dragon meat. Non-sentient races, but… dragon meat. It was so goooooooooood.“

He whined at the memory, feeling guilty for liking the meat of something that could be sentient, not realizing the irony in the fact one of his lovers was just asked to finish the meat of a woman he killed not too long ago.

“IF Vol were here, he could figure it out.  He’s got some really…. OFF contacts.  However.  We do not have dragon, and I am not sure *I* could get you any, sweets.  You’ll have to pick from what we have.”

Oil could be heard frying something as Aret was finishing the mon’dazi and dropping the little balls of dough into the oil.  Ven came up behind him, kissed his shoulder and wandered to grab something else from the cold box.  He started looking for anything he could feed Xiao, picking up a box and inspecting it.  “Noodles from the Inn in Binan?”

”Venya…”

The small darkspear took off like a bolt, taking the stairs two at a time.  “I’m comin’.  Jura!  Make him EAT.”

Xiao nodded understandingly, biting his lower lip and squirming a bit where he sat. When Venyabi scampered off, it gave Xiao an opportunity. Aret was cooking and Jura didn’t know he was being corralled. He was out of food, but there was a sexy Amani man beside him. He went to slink out of his chair and go sit beside Jura, smiling up at him and looking to rest his head on his shoulder. “Hi…” He murmured dreamily, giggling a little as he did.

Jura smiled, putting a hand on Xiao’s.  “Lover, I would be happy to slake your unstated wants.”  He smiled, giving Xiao a kiss between the eyes.  “I promised Vol that I would tell him, before I took you to bed.”  He pulled away a little and smiled.  “I have seen that Raptor fight.  I have had a dagger at my neck.  Let’s not poke the hornet’s nest.  I am sure that your mates can feed your ardeur later.”  

Xiao whined quietly, peering over Jura’s shoulder to look at Tsaal. “... You are very yummy looking, by the way…” He murmured without a filter. “Hey Jura…? Are lap cuddles okay at least?” He asked hopefully, his interest in food waning as he was so desperately touch-starved with Vol unable to even hold him.

“I have a wife.  Unlike my brothers, I prefer women.  I also have two concubines.  Pass, little brother.”  

Jura sighed, nodding.  “No wiggles?”  

Xiao smiled at Tsal, nodding. “I know… still pretty.” He murmured happily before climbing into Jura’s lap, totally not answering his question of no wiggles. He wrapped his arms up around Jura’s neck, legs straddling his waist and wrapped around him, and his face nuzzled into his chest. He took in a deep breath, inhaling his scent, and exhaled with his whole body as he quite visibly relaxed. “Thank you…” He murmured quietly, kissing Jura’s neck ever so tenderly to show his gratitude.

Jura sighed, leaning Xiao back.  “No sweet love.  I won’t be able to stop and I am not going to awaken a predator who is sick”  He turned the pandaren around, sitting him sideways as Venya came back down, carrying the tray of food, the one left on the bed and it was empty.  

“He’s eating and awake.  I think he went back to sleep.  Someone he loves was not taking care of himself.  Did he eat his rice?”

Xiao whimpered as Jura turned him to face sideways but he was distracted from his disappointment when he saw Venya come back. When asked of the rice, he blushed. “Ah… I… that was his rice?” He asked sheepishly now.

“No, he ate what we left up there.  I mean you.”  Venya sat next to Jura and Xiao, Aret finally bringing two plates of Mon’dazi.  “I know you are wanting.  He said you could play with Jura… Later.  When you are sober.  Completely sober.”

There was something in Venya’s face right then, but it disappeared quickly.  He grabbed a mon’dazi, pulled it apart to find a hint of roast chicken and popped it in his mouth.  “Hmm thank  you Arie..”

Xiao normally would’ve caught the look, but he was still in a relaxed cloud. He climbed out of Jura’s lap and into Venyabi’s, deciding to try and sit with him in the same position he did with Jura. Legs and arms wrapped around him, face nuzzling against his chest. Then he remembered he was supposed to eat.

He turned his head, leaned down, fully nommed a Mon’dazi up off of his plate, tilted his head back, aggressive nibbled and chewed the filling treat down his gullet, and then nuzzled his face back into Venya’s neck. He would have both of the things he wanted, damnit.

Jura and Ven just grinned and shook their heads, Venyabi used to seeing and experiencing “Pandaren Leech”.  Xiao would find his arms wrapped around his back, the small darkspear pulling him in for a hug.  “He said to say he loves us all three, and he’s sorry you hurt.  He can’t make you happy right now.”  Venya smiled, poking the stoned pandaren in the nose.  “In time.  He needs to rest.”

Xiao nodded meekly. “I know he loves us. I just want him to be better. I miss the contact. It is why I am leeching… I feel touch-starved.” He murmured quietly, sounding a tad ashamed as he buried his face in Venya’s neck again.

“Well, rely on us huh?”  He let what was bothering him go for right then.  He would deal with it when his brother was well.  “Where is Jack anyway?”

Tsal nodded toward where the other house would be.  “He and Pahre know some of the same people.  A bit of an evening with her, Drash and Bron.  Nielka is there as well.  She seems like a good kid that won't annoy Drash, too much.”

Xiao was slowly starting to sober up after eating all of the food and only taking the three hits. He yawned lightly against Venya’s neck and then reached out to him and him alone on the link.

“Did I do something to upset you? You seem… subdued?” 

He asked tentatively as he peered up at his chin, looking up ‘at’ him without actually making eye-contact as he was too busy getting cuddles.

“We can talk about it later, okay?”  

Venya went back to eating, making small talk with the ones around him.  He let Xiao stay where he was as they all spoke, random matters, chewing the fat really.  It was near midnight when the other two went to the other house and Aret went up to the bedroom.  He heard Vol wake up, the prelate the closest to the stairs.  “I’ll come back for leftovers if he is hungry…”

Xiao remained mostly silent, cuddling on Venyabi and remaining in his lap for some time before migrating to Aret’s. He had several pieces of Mon’dazi before getting his fill, moving back toward Venya’s lap near the end. When they were finally alone, he looked up to the man whose lap he was warming. “Will you talk to me now?” He murmured in a quiet whisper, almost afraid to speak.

“I don’t understand.”  Ven sat looking at Xiao, not cross, but very confused.  “Vol asks that we wait, that if it’s that bad that Aret and I can show you our love later, because he can’t.  I get Jura is your lover, but…”  Ven shook his head.  “I guess to me it makes more sense to go to the one you are in a committed relationship with.  I know Jura is good.. REALLY good in bed.  But.”  He flicked a finger at the earring that sat just behind the bone of his son.  “Mates.  Loves.  Partners.  Your husbands.  I’d hope you’d want us to come to you first too.”

Xiao paled, his ears pinned back as he looked up at him sadly. “Venyabi… I was feeling playful and flirtatious, I gave into it. When I got handsy with Jura? When I was hanging all over him? That wasn’t because I wanted him to bed me. Without Vol, I am… I feel so incomplete. You and Aret mean the world to me, it would be the same if one of you were unable to be held or hold in return. I just feel so… touch-starved. This was the first time I left Vol’s bedside since the ritual to do anything more than go to the bathroom. Every single moment away… it hurt. I had to force myself not to hurt. Being in your arms, it hurts less. Jura’s arms, too. You were upstairs, Aret was cooking. I just did not want to be alone. I wanted someone from my tribe to hold me.” 

He sniffled lightly, his eyes watering a bit as he fought back emotions. “I miss how things were… everything feels like it is spiraling out of control. I just want my loves again. I just wanted comfort, Venyabi… like I do now.” He whimpered and hugging him tighter, hiding his face in the man’s chest now as he tried to remain emotionally stable.

“Xiao.”  Venya sighed, closing his eyes for a bare moment.  “We live in Pandaria.  Yes.  Established.  But you fell in love with and were chosen by trolls.  You accepted them into your life.  We are chaos.  Our family is made up of blood magic bearing witches and rituals.  Loa and beasts.  Our grandmother was performing magical experiments on her children and grandchildren.  I and two of my brothers and I sleep together on the regular.  I asked one to be with me as a mate Twice.  He turned me down the first time.  Chaos is going to happen with us around.  That is life.  I have tried the pandaren way of life, and it does not work that way for most of us.  We are not nomads, but we like to move.  People of action.  So there will be times where it is quiet and Vol meets his buyers, we train raptors, sell them for a mint, and in the afternoons we spend the heat of the day with our children and family, relaxing.  Then there are going to be days where something happens and there's a whirlwind of…  the word Chaos is not even good enough for it.  Comfort is ok, but I watch you, Xiao Chun.   When you nibble on someone’s neck, I notice that is when you end up having fun.”  He sighed, holding the pandaren close.  “I know we are busy and taking care of Vol.  And you, and Tarja.  But.  Love on us.  Come to us for what you need first.  We’re not Vol, but We’ll try and fill the gap.

Xiao whimpered lightly, shaking his head and wiggling a bit in Venya’s lap. “Hey, no… I did not nibble. I specifically made sure I did not nibble.” He leaned in and replicated the kiss, gentle, light, and tender on his neck. No teeth, not even any tongue. Just tender and grateful. “I did not wiggle, either. All I did… was kiss. I was thanking him for bringing me comfort.” He said with a hint of sadness. “I was trying to be good.”

“Maybe I am feeling as territorial as Vol.  I don’t have rights to that.”  He kissed him back, though on the cheek and stood.  “I’ll get over it.  I know my place.”

Xiao squeaked and clung to Venya as he stood, leech panda indeed. “Venyabi, damnit, wait!” He whined, trying to tug him back down. It seemed baked Xiao had a slightly lowered filter.

“You do not need to ‘know your place’. Your place is in my heart.” He forced the man to look him in the face, finally saying the words. “I love you, Venyabi. You are my Chi-ji… my beautiful Tiger’s Eye. You can feel territorial… Vol’raka may be my dominant, but so is Aret in some senses… you can be too. Aret is my submissive, but I bow to him too, I cry for him and submit to him just as much as I would for Vol. I want you to be happy… and I want to be yours. Please… don’t go quiet, don’t ‘learn your place’. This is different. I want you to tell me what you want, what you desire, not what you think is expected. Please… If not with anyone else, with me? I always want the real Venyabi… not who he thinks the world needs.”  

“I don’t know HOW to be a dominant Xiao.  Not really.  I am at the bottom.  I get that.  I am happy, but I DON’T have the strength to be a dominant even close to Jura or Vol.  What I want is to be loved, never used again, judged again for what I am.  Who I was born as.  I want to know where my place in this world is and the closest I have gotten in thirty years to finding it is up there.”  He pointed up the stairs, not sure what he was feeling, but Since the Fel taint was gone, he’d gotten more verbal about what he wanted, or at least how he felt about things.  “I’m not a dominant, not really.  And I am not submissive as Aret.  I have one foot in one thing, and one foot in another.  Sometimes, thats ok but here, in our home, where I want to be comfortable in my own skin..  I don’t know where I stand.”  He turned, leaning on the wall with a sigh that held the world.  “I am not making any sense, am I?”

Xiao stood behind Venya silently, listening as he spoke. “It makes sense, Venya, I just do not know what to do. You know you will never be judged here, that I love all of you, no matter what. Maybe I just need to do a better job of showing it. I just want you to be happy… and if I am lucky, be part of the reason for that happiness.” He paused, looking up at him solemnly.

“For what it is worth, there is no bottom.” He held up his hand at about waist height. “Here is everyone else.” He raised it slowly, listing as he went. “My students, my friends, my family, Zakin, Tarja, and finally…” He reached as he high as he could. “You three, up here. Vol may be part of my core, and there may be some unspoken hierarchy… but you will never be in the bottom when it comes to how much you mean to me.”

“People always have hierarchies.  It is how we address things.  You don’t like chaos, order well orders things, puts them where they belong.”  He thought a moment, remembering the word.  “Tushui?  Am I saying that right.  You get what I am saying.  Maybe I wandered too long.  I’m too independent to belong in one place.”  Even saying the words hurt his heart.  “I want to belong.  I think I don’t know how to.  I’ll figure it out eventually.”  He looked at the one he called mate, giving his usual goofy grin.  “Can ya just..  Put me a tiny bit ahead of Jura?”

Xiao winced slightly at hearing he thought he couldn’t belong. “You will always belong here, in our hearts, Venyabi…” He said quietly. “I wandered, too. I was… distant from Vol’raka for a few months out of fear for not being able to care for our family. You remember it, I’m sure. It was the biggest mistake I made… and it took me far too long to realize. If you wander… just remember where your heart lives. I was without mine for too long and it hurt. I don’t want to hurt like that again. You’re part of my heart, Venyabi… so please, don’t go away.” He offered a weak smile up at him after a moment. “Like I said… You, Vol, and Aret...  you are all heads and shoulders above anyone else. The only other one who even comes close is Tarja and Zakin. Jura is fun to play with, he is supportive and helpful to the family, but he is not my mate. You are… you will always be ahead of him.”

"I don't want to wander.  I ... looked for a place to settle and I know it is here.  I dunno if I accept myself, not really, so it makes me want to go.  Since your friend made everything stop hurting, I have... felt more at peace, able to sleep, but I don't know where I fit in.  I am not dominant, nor am I a submissive person.  I am both, and neither?  I don't have the strong wills, but I don't back down and get more assertive than Aret."  He sighed, looking deflated and not sure why really.  "I need a place, to find my place.  Where I stand.  Vol being hurt, I take over the care of our family, that just .. feels right to me, even if you are his first.  Is that my place, to cover for him?  What Am I here?"  He'd not practiced this talk, but he knew it needed to be had.  "And please don't say mate.  I get that I am mated, and loved and all that but Aret is the one everyone coddles and cuddles.  He guards and he guards us well.  Vol provides, he fights to make sure we are all safe, happy and healthy.  You heal hearts.  You are the heart and the one that we really kinda gravitate to.  Where do I fit in?"

Realization his Xiao’s eyes and he actually broke into a grin. “Venyabi… I have told you from our first night. You are our Chi-Ji.” He moved in to try and gently cup Venya’s cheek and press a kiss to his nose. “You are our wisdom, our voice of reason. Our support, our backbone. Vol provides, Aret guards, I heal… you support and provide a rock to anchor us in place in this chaotic world. You are our Chi-Ji. He is the Celestial of wisdom, kindness, understanding. Think, when crisis strikes, what happens? When Vol’raka went mad with territorial rage, when Aret was panicked and uncertain what to do, when I was sobbing and breaking down from guilt… what did you do? You stepped up, you kept your calm. You supported us and guided us. If we are the ship out at sea, lost in the fog, you are our lighthouse. You are our beacon… you are our rock. That is where you fit in.”

The once-wanderer smiled, a sheepish look as he glanced at Xiao.  “Never thought of it like that.”  He was smiling and silent as he took Xiao’s hand.  “I.. guess that I have been put in my place, huh?  A good place, not a bad one.”  A gentle kiss was placed on Xiao’s knuckle as he turned to the stairs.  “Thank you.”  He stood, dusted himself off a bit from crumbs on the floor and pulled the pandaren along with him gently.  “Let’s go see if he is awake.”

Xiao grinned now, happy to see that smile on Venyabi’s face. “I will be glad to remind you how important you are to this family and me anytime you want.” He leaned in to nuzzle Venya’s cheek as he leaned in for the hand kiss. 

***********************************

“Just water, Aret.  All I really want right now.”  The prelate was doting, worried eyes on his Master and lover as he moved to go get water from the pitcher they kept because Venya drank a lot of it during the night.  Vol’s color had perked up, getting closer to his natural blue. 

When Xiao saw Vol in the bed, awake and not looking as deathly, his smile widened. 

“Hey… how are you feeling?” He asked quietly, nervous and trying not to get his hopes up as he walked to his mate’s bedside and tugged along his lovely Tiger’s Eye along with him.

The big troll stretched a little, before laying back down.  “Weak as fuck, but food helps.  And water.  I need a loa damned shower.”  He looked at Venya as he nodded to Xiao.  “Did he eat too?”  

“Like a starving raptor.  Mangos, rice, dumplings, anything we put in front of him, except troll of course.”  Venya shook his head.  “He needed a little help.  Apparently your Tal’s herb is enough to make him WANT to eat and get very cuddly.”  He rubbed Xiao’s back as he went to sit in the chair.  He didn’t want to jostle the bed.  “Good conversation.  Tsal apparently took two concubines.  Must have bought them somewhere.  He’s got friends in the Gurubashi and Shatterspear.  Would not surprise me.”

Aret came back, a fresh pitcher and glass in hand.  “Do we need to make more food, Soup?  I can make leftover soup.  There is Mon’dazi too…”

“I’m full and fine for now Aret.  I hurt a bit less too.  I would take some of Tal’s…”  He stopped, remembering what was up there and sighing.  He perked up, hope on his face and saying nothing about the rings he’d hidden with the ice magicked pipe.  “But I am in no condition to service anyone right now.”

Xiao blushed a bit at the mention of the herb and how he got cuddly and ate so much. “I thought… after essentially not eating for three days, that would help my appetite return without the nausea.” He shifted his weight slightly as he peered down at Vol, smiling at him with a mixture of love, concern, and longing. 

“We know you are in pain, Lok’dim. You need to recover, we know that.” He bit his lip again before speaking. “Nothing happened with Jura, just… so you know. Nothing was going to. I just… wanted to be held.” He said with a small sheepish smile. “You said you want to shower? Are you able to clean? I would offer to bathe you here, bring in sponges, towels, buckets. The bed can be cleaned after so getting it wet isn’t an issue. I just worry about you being in pain. Will the water on your skin hurt still?”

There wasn’t an ulterior motive there, despite how it might seem. While he would be ecstatic if Vol could do anything like that, his main concern was his mate’s comfort and well-being above all else.

“What happened with Jura?”

He moved, shifting to sit up, Venya moving to help him as he swung his legs off the bed.  He made a noise that did not hide his pain as he held still for a bit, obviously dizzy.  “No, I want an actual shower.  Hair and everything  I still smell like ritual smoke and blood..”  He let Venya hold him up, swaying a moment as he found his balance.  “All I want is a shower.. And yes Aret.”  He smiled, looking up at his youngest love.  “Food.  Now I’m hungry again.”  

That made Aret trot downstairs, leaving Venya holding Vol up with arms around each others back and shoulders.

Xiao scooted a bit closer, wanting to help but unsure how he could. “Ah, I was… wanting to be held. I… had not left your side, even while you were sleeping, except to go to the bathroom. It was the first time I really left this room for more than twenty minutes since the ritual. Venyabi saw me hanging all over Jura and thought I wanted more than just comfort. He said that you said I could play with Jura if I wanted to, once I was sober. I just… wanted to let you know nothing happened. That’s not what I want right now, or wanted then… at least not with him, not yet.”

“You can play with Jura.  I can hear Venya in my head too, Xiao.”  His collar was still on, but was crusty with sweat and a little blood.  “I don’t blame him for wanting attention first.  Even busy, They would comfort you.”  He leaned more on Venya than before, his brother able to hold him up.  “I can’t stand much longer.  Shower.  Can you take this off and clean it for me?”  He touched his collar, leaning over a little for Xiao to take it off.  

“I love you, little love.  You mean everything to me.  You need comfort, I know, and Jura will give it.  Trust in them too.  It hurts, hurts less as I go along, and I want to hold you too.  I miss your touch, your fur on my skin.  Soon enough we’ll be able to cuddle and rest together again.”

Xiao frowned and actually huffed a bit. He didn’t put up a fuss, letting Vol lean down and waiting for him to finish speaking through the link before carefully taking the collar off; trying not to hurt him.

“Vol’raka… I do not want to play with Jura. He is lovely… and he held me, and he is good to the family. I would rather be in Venya or Aret or your arms. Venyabi was upstairs helping you. Aret was cooking. I was not going to… to detract from everything else just because I was trying to hold it together and wanted to cling to someone for some comfort. I have felt… so incredibly useless since the ritual and Venyabi and Aret have already talked to me about it. I am just… struggling to be helpful, useful… something, anything to make my mate happy and healthy again so we can go back to being happy together. So when the opportunity to cling to Jura was given rather than being alone while Aret and Venya did things they needed to do, I took it. I don’t want to play with him, I want to be with you, Aret, Venya… my family. Whether that is play or just sitting in the same room only able to hold hands. I just want to be with you, Vol’raka… it just hurt so much to miss you.”

He tried to keep his voice even, struggling to not get emotional again. He was fighting like Aret and Venya told him too, but it was still hard. Everything was so chaotic and he felt lost. The thing he would turn to for comfort was a mess. His family was busy and there were more important things to do than coddle him with affection just so he felt less lost. He knew that. He just wanted to make it through to the other side of this mess.

“Hearthealer, love of my life.”  Vol smiled, looking down at him.  “Can you help me shower, Venya, can you clean my collar, lover?  Not that I don’t want you to help me, but I need to talk to Xiao.” The smaller Darkspear smiled, nodding.  He leaned up for a kiss, gentle, even if he wanted affection and touch too.  “Sure.  Aret is making savory mon’dazi.  I can smell the chicken.”  He actually moved to let Xiao closer, snatching the collar.  “You heard our husband…  help him get clean”

Xiao blushed a little, nodding as he stepped closer to swap places with Venyabi and help support the large Darkspear who nearly doubled his height. Luckily, he was considerably strong despite his size; so unless Vol went completely dead weight, he should have this covered.

“Save me some mon’dazi? That stuff is like a drug.”

He smiled over at Venya as he asked, though he made sure to keep Vol support as he started to orient him toward the shower so they could start moving slowly.

“I’ll make sure he makes plenty.  We can have a picnic on the bed.”  Ven wandered out as Vol and Xiao went to the bathing room.  He turned around a bit, limping and holding on to the wall and Xiao as they headed to the large shower.  “Can you pull my braid out?  I won't be able to stand long.”  He looked exhausted as it was, and his body, though not as bad as a few days ago, felt on fire.

Xiao guided him in and nodded. “Actually, here hold on.”  He paused and reached out through the link.

“Venyabi, could you bring us up a chair? Preferably a metal one, if we have it. It will take less damage from water than a wooden one.”

Xiao nodded after a moment. “Alright, that will be here in a moment. Let me work on your braid.” He said as he rather suddenly floated a few feet higher to be the same height as Vol, looking face to face. An inconspicuous Chi cloud formed beneath him, aiding in lifting him so he could remove the braiding without having to have Vol’raka bend or crouch in his already weakened state. “I will try and be gentle…” He murmured as he started undoing the bindings. “What is your pain level at, from a one to ten?”

“Pain level is fuck this, drug me.  Tal’s smoke sounds good.”  

Ven silently acknowledged Xiao, silent for a bit.  “No dice.  Only one we know of is in the barn and probably covered in Raptor shit.  We can replace a chair.” “It’s fine, Xiao.  If you can get me up, the floor looks good right now.”

Xiao bit his bottom lip as he pondered. “I think I can. It will be hard, but I should be able to. I was going to have Venyabi bring up a chair. Are you sure you do not want to do that instead?”

He wasn’t opposed to him lying down, he just wanted Vol to be as comfortable and pain free as he could manage. All the while he was still removing braids, tossing the ties and decorations to the side carelessly, knowing they were likely too dirty and matted to be saved.

Moving to the wall, he moved down to plop his Darkspear ass on the ground.  “Hot water..  More than warm… please.”  He looked defeated, but looked up at the spout above him.  “I’m gonna scrub myself raw.”  He picked at his ear, dried blood making him make a face.  “Everywhere.”  The usually gentle giant turned his head to see Ven bring a pile of towels into the room, setting them to the side.  “I’m bringing Tarja into the bedroom for the night, Kin wanted to go stay with his grandmother.”  He grinned, looking around.  “Need anything while I move her crib?”

“Water..”  Vol let Xiao unbraid and take the feathers and debris from the ground that stuck in his hair.  “And ice.  I think Im just too damn dehydrated.  Cloudy..”

Xiao luckily finished unbraiding shortly after Vol sat down. “I will do that for you, of course.” He murmured as he hurried over to the knobs and turned it up to nearly as high as it went. He’d seen Vol’raka need to scrub himself raw at least once or twice before for one reason or another, though he could not recall this very moment; but he did remember what temperature was hot enough to sate his need but not too hot to cause actual damage. He made his way back toward the water, though not going in yet as he was still clothed. 

“Should I wash your hair while you… make yourself raw?” He asked with uncertainty, not seeming to like the idea but understand Vol’s need. Either way, he began to disrobe, setting his clothes aside so he could make his way under the water with Vol.

He winced a bit from the heat, but he could handle it. He would bear just about anything to be around Vol right then, so hot water wasn’t too big of a sacrifice.

“I just want to be clean.  Not stink.  How the fuck have you three been in the bed with me like this?”  His hand reached up for the bottle of soap that smelled of nothing, but he gave  up, exhausted by the simple act.  “You can wash my hair.  Can you grab that brush and the soap.  I can’t do it by myself.”  He sat back in exhaustion, closing his eyes as he let the water just wash over him.  “Heaven.  Hot water is heaven.”

“Xiao!”  Aret poked his head in and smiled.  “Can we bring melon juice into the bedroom?”

Xiao nodded to Aret. “I don’t see why not. If you spill, it will just get washed down by the water anyway.”

He reached for the requested items, giving Vol the soap he had failed to reach and then moving to slowly brush out Vol’s hair and go about detangling it. He wanted to get rid of the bulk of the grime first, then he would move onto using actual cleaning products in it.

“Thank you…”  Vol looked up, sighing as he scrubbed himself from face down, the rough sponge he used making his skin violet as he went over every inch he could manage to reach.  He grabbed for an easier to reach cloth for more delicate areas, trying to get the blood from his ears and neck.  “Did Jack say shift earlier or was I delirious?”  He was picking at his claws and making sure he was completely clean.  “I am hoping to fuck I was hearing shit.”

Xiao finished rinsing out Vol’s hair, reaching over for his special cleaning recipe now. If anyone’s hair or fur could use the Autumnpaw family secret right now, it was Vol. He began the process, hoping to return the beautiful mane to its former glory with the intricate deep clean. “You… are not delirious, actually. I think he wants you to start training as a Druid. I suppose our monk teaching will have to go on hold for a while.”

He did not seem upset, simply making small conversation as he cleaned his mate’s hair with love and care.

“I don’t have that kind of fuckin’ patience.”  He grunted as he felt Xiao’s hands in his hair.  It hurt, but not near as much as he thought.  “Never did.  As much as that cunt wanted me to train, I despised it.  Rather skulk around in my own skin, not a cat.  I mean I like fuzz and fluff, but rather it be YOU with the fluff, lover.   Ow…”  One pull too hard made him give the soft exclamation.  “Not doing any shifting shit.  There are enough damn raptors around here.”

Xiao winced a bit at the ‘ow’, murmuring quietly in response. “Sorry, sorry… I will go slower.” He began to lather the messy locks with his magical family shampoo, being careful not to hurt Vol any further. “He said it will help things remain in control more, help you become Raptorblood at times rather than be at odds with him, if I understood right.”

“Not sure I want to become an obstinate asshole of a raptor who …  well ok.  I am not on the fence about him thinking he owns you, claims you.  That is bothering me enough.  I worry something will happen to you, the other two, Kin, Tarja..  Hell, the rest of the family.  And I won’t be able to do anything.  You and I both know how much I so enjoy being helpless.”

Xiao shook his head. “That will not happen if you two work together. We almost did have to go on with you able to do nothing because… you would be dead.” He murmured sadly, trying not to let his pain come back again. 

He finally finished lathering up his mate’s hair and began to guide the water to rinse off his head carefully to go about the cleaning process further.

“So you think I should go through with this?”  Vol tilted his head, grunting at the effort.  “You were in there, you saw what happened first hand.  You probably know it better than me.”

Xiao shook his head again. “I still am unsure, to be honest. There was so much going on. It was all so chaotic…” He rinsed out Vol’s hair and then nuzzled the long clean locks now. “Jack has control of his, and it is Raptorblood’s father. If anyone would know, I hope he would. I say listen to him, he is your best bet. I… do not have much trust for Kit’raka right now, hopefully Jack can help in her place.”

“Kit’s gonna get ripped a new ass.  She was a better mother to me than mine, but I don’t want her playing with blood magic like that.  I know SOME blood magic is a thing but..”  He sighed, feeling more weak than before.  “I gotta get our family back on track.  Ven is going to have to take over running the day to day of the house..  I hate being so useless.”  Amber eyes closed as he turned his head to Xiao silently.  “You three .. I don’t want you having to deal with my burdens.  I don’t have a damn choice do I?”

“Nope!”  Aret smiled as he and Venya both stood in the doorway, a babbling Tarja on the other side.  “No choice!  Master Vol’raka is going to be resting until He’s all better.”

“I will concur with my mate.  He is going to listen to his big brother.”

“I am bigger than you, Venyabi.”

“Ok  He will enjoy the wisdom of his older brother and mate.  Rest.  Enjoy a little time where we take care of you.  It’s going to drive you BATSHIT, but it’s gonna happen.  Agreed, Xiao?”

Xiao shook his head. “You do so much for us, Vol… you can have some time off where we wait on you and take care of you.”

When Aret and Venyabi came in to say similar things, he smiled and nodded at Venyabi specifically. “Agreed.” He then leaned in for a hug, about to make contact when he froze dead still and then slowly backed up. “Sorry…” He murmured meekly. 

“Your hair is done, what about other parts? Do you need help washing anything else?”

“Don’t want time off.  I want to be back to normal.  And I got everything else.”  He winced, but not as bad as he thought. Venya shook his head.  “Normal is gonna be a new normal Vol.  Deal with it.  You have a beast, a minor loa, living in you.  This is your normal now.  If you are clean, this room is steamy, and you are really hard to see.  Even hurt, I think all of us like your body.  So.  Up ya go.”  He turned off the water fully and moved in to help lift him up.  He was in a soft cotton kilt, not caring if he got a little wet.  “You smell like Xiao.”

Xiao smiled at the mention of him smelling like him. “I had him use my special blend, his hair is as good as new now. I wonder which will hurt less, to use a towel to dry off or let the drying vent do it… or just lay in bed wet and dry over time?”

“Laying in bed wet sucks unless fun times came with it.”  Venya grabbed a towel, handing it to Xiao as did Aret.  “You get the bottom half, I get the hair, Aret.. top half.  Gentle boys, wobbly alpha…”

“You’re an ass…”  

“And four days ago you were enjoying that ass.”  Venya gave a rather sly grin and went to work gently drying the long green and gold hair.  “Heal up, I have gone a while without, but I am sure that these two can’t go that long without.”

Xiao took the towel and ever so gently began to pat Vol’raka dry, making sure to not rub dry as one normally would, instead blotting the water off to try and avoid the sensation of scraping on raw flesh.

“We love you, Lok’dim… sometimes you have to let us take care of you.” He said with a gentle smile as he worked up Vol’s legs and then got to his dangly bits. He licked his lips. He was a professional healer, he could do this, he could be a good nurse and not let his desires dictate him. He took a slow inhale and steadied himself as he carefully began to lift up Vol’s sack, drying all of the skin as best he could, and then gently patting dry his manhood itself. He bit his bottom lip. “Should I let you… pull it back yourself to dry that part off yourself? I do not want to hurt you.”

"Xiao, you turn me on, but I don't think I'm getting it up tonight so dry whatever.  I'm just too tired and …". Aret moved to hold Vol up, an arm under his and holding him behind the shoulder.  

"Master..". 

"I'm fine sweetheart.  Bed, bed… sounds good.". 

Xiao shook his head. “I know you are not going to, I do not expect you to or want you to if you want. I just wasn’t sure if drying it yourself would hurt less.” With that, he went about very gently drying the rest of Vol’s dangly bits and then moving around to dry his rear and make sure he was fully dried now. “We should get him to bed, get him some food, and get him some of Tal’s smoke. His is going to be a lot better than Kit’s right now.”

"Dry balls  and food.  A typical Wednesday".  He leaned on Aret as he got back in bed.  "No smoke.". He smiled at Xiao and closed his eyes.   "I feel better.  Just hungry.  Food. A bit more rest and I want to try to hold my family.". He gave a smile to Tarja who was babbling.  "My ancestors fucked me over, my own family will make it better.*

Xiao smiled lightly at him. “Take care of him, you two. I will dry off while he eats. Just give me a few minutes to dry off over the air vent.” He then made his way over to the grate, standing over the magical heated airflow to dry his wet fur off while Aret and Venya helped get Vol situated and get him some food.

After a few minutes, he came back without any clothes, not really having a need yet until he made it into their bedroom and pulled out a simple pair of cloth pants to lounge in.

“Are you sure you do not want any smoke? It might help you.”

“Xiao..  smoke no.  Chocolate?”  That interested him more, and didn’t usually incite his lusts for his mates as much.  “I could use that.  Not Kit’s  Until she and I have a sit down, She's on my shit list.”  

It pained him to say it and his brother matched his mood.  “Right now..”  He picked up Tarja and crawled on the bed, pulling apart a peice of Mon’dazi and happily chewing.  Tarja sat in his lap, flapping her arms and squealing.  “How did you get so loud kid?”

Xiao nodded. “Is your chocolate in your office, too? I can go get you some.”

He reached for a piece of Mon’dazi, taking one to nibble on it lightly as he watched his family trying to regain some sense of normality.

"Aret's cookie jar.". He smiled.  "I've been stashing.  And besides. No smoking around Squeally over there.". Tarja was trying to eat Venyabi's food, the older male holding it away.  "I figured this out the other day.  Four fathers is better than one.  More arms to keep food not for Tarjas out of her hands."

Xiao smiled a bit in understanding. “I will be right back.” He hurried off to go get some of the chocolate for his mate, coming back with the entire jar because honestly he had no idea how much Vol would want to dose himself.. 

“I wasn’t sure how much to get so I just brought the entire thing.” He said with a small guilty smile as he set the jar down beside Vol so he could get what he wanted. “Is there anything else you need? Anything else we can do?”

"Love and family time.  I have a few days to rest before I follow my mates’ advice and their wisdom.". He smiled at Xiao then Ven, willing and wanting to take their hand.  "I'll confront the thing in my head."

Xiao sat down beside Vol, taking his mate’s hand gently, afraid to hurt him but so cherishing the contact. “Anything to make you better…” He murmured, leaning down and pressing his lips in a feather-light kiss on the back of Vol’s hand to try and not cause him any undue pain.

****************************

"Do it one more time."

"We're tired."

"I do not care, Vol'raka.  Once more."

The naked troll and his uncle were in a far paddock, one that afforded them a little privacy.  they had been working every morning for a week to get the control Vol needed over the beast who shared his skin.  He wasn't exactly liking it, but they had come to an understanding now.  Most of it over Xiao and his mates, what Raptorblood could understand about them.  He still considered the small pandaren his own mate, independent of Vol's mating.  The hunter had to learn to let it go.  His mating with the ones that he called his own, that was his.  He was working toward finding out what was the traits of Raptorblood, and what was Vol'raka alone.  That was more difficult.

"I can't"  Vol sat, exhausted against a fence post and drinking water to try and get some sort of energy back.  "He doesn't like coming back to being me."  

Jack squatted down in front of his nephew and poked him between the eyes.  "Don't matter what HE wants.  Do you want him to control you, or you to control him.  I think your mates will be happier if you two got along. I hear Aret has been nervous and Ven irritable.  Something about a link?"  His finger flopped the chain on Vol's neck.  "Those things encourage empathy, share emotions if I read that right.  Your choice to not establish your dominance over an animal, even if it hurts your body a little to find your partnership.  He's been in your head, awake for about a year.  you and he were not at odds until Jura and Xiao became lovers.  You understand Xiao has needs and wants and will share him if it makes him happy.  Raptorblood does not understand that yet.  He understands only that another male might have a chance on fathering on what is his.  He'll get it eventually and I hear you've done much better curbing his aggression?"

"Someone telling you what's going on in our bedroom?"  He grinned, taking another gulp of water.  "not like I care if you know."

"No one but Aret and Xiao limping less.  You don't attack Ven, because he is more delicate than he lets on to anyone but you three. You aren't as aggressive with him."

Vol nodded.  "Shinza and her demons...  I can understand why he fears my friend Tal.  Fel blood.  Demon Hunter.  I'll hurt him.  Least now I can't unknowingly and accidentally knock him up."

Jack nodded. He remembered the day he'd seen Ven after he was freed.  "Kid gloves with your brother, nephew.  Right now.  One more time.  Then food and the afternoon off."

Vol sighed, getting up and stretching.  In his mind, he reached out, this time willingly, to the raptor who lazed in the sun that was his mind.  "C'mon you.  One more time...Today."

Venya and Tarja trotted up, Honor being a mount today because he was Tarja's favorite, the little girl held in a basket on her De'de's back as they approached, bareback and bridleless.  Vol trusted this raptor over all, so he had nothing to worry about.  

"Look Tarja."  They slid down off the blue raptors back just as Jack and Vol had slipped into the form of a raptor.  Jack's scaled gleamed in the light, the dark colors a stark contrast to Vol's blues, greens and gold.  "Papa is playing as a raptor today."  

The tiny troll squealed so loudly the Valley of Eternal blossoms at the bottom of the mountain probably heard her.  The raptors definitely did, Vol racing over to greet his brother-mate and daughter.  Tarja laughed loudly, grabbed her father's snout and popped him in it.  "Papa boop!”

"Violent, kiddo."  He smirked as he saw Tarja stick a finger in her giant of a father's nose and made him huff.  "You encourage her to do it to me, shes gonna learn to do it to you."