#or alternatively he could have underworld creatures

[i-love-ulysses-butterflies]

Nico headcanon

Nico would probably have scavengers hanging around him, such as crows and vultures since,

He is canonically said to smell like death which would be another factor to attract scavengers, (I heard there was a butterfly that was a scavenger or something), I feel like this would be really cool and it would be nice for Nico, (he is too traumatized he needs a little bit of happiness)

[the-monkey-ruler]

i've been seeing so many comments about the possibility of wukong (after rebirth) and/or many yaoguais/mortals going to war to overthrow the heavenly palace and seize the emperor after the events in black myth: wukong. is that possible to happen? i've read something in your posts about how despite their actions, the heavenly palace/jade emperor is needed to balance the three realms? if that is so, how is overthrowing going to solve any problems? like i get the unfairness of the treatment of yaoguais but ngl, going to war felt like an even worse solution. idk im not knowledgeable of the rules.

i've been seeing so many comments about the possibility of wukong (after rebirth) and/or many yaoguais/mortals going to war to overthrow the heavenly palace and seize the emperor after the events in black myth: wukong. is that possible to happen?

Think of it like this.

There needs to be a Jade Emporer in charge of heaven without a doubt. I've seen some adaptions have it that if he does fall then the world goes through a small apocalypse but isn't unsavable or unliveable. Personally, I think that the world is more likely to fall into an unliveable state, with no weather regulations, ghosts could leave hell and haunt earth, there would be nothing separating the three realms and honestly, humans would be taking the full brunt of the impact. With at least someone in charge of most of the large phenomenons on the planet I do think that would make earth, the underworld, and heaven into a mess of chaos where maybe ghosts and immortals could survive but humans would be nearly wiped out.

That being said while there needs to be a Jade Emperor for sure but that doesn't always have to be the same guy. I believe the original plan was something like Sun Wukong was going to overthrow Heaven and then take over as the Jade Emperor. I've seen this taken in the Lotus Lantern series in a 'what if' dream if Wukong 'won' the fight in heaven and now HE was in charge. One thing that you have to understand that Black Myth Wukong is taking GREAT LIBERTIES with is that Wukong is fighting for yao rights when in the original novel Wukong was fighting for himself. I have to give credit to the detail that Black Myth put into the game but it HEAVILY changed the lore of the story and can almost be an alternative universe within itself with how heaven functions in relation to earth.

Like there are cultivated creatures in heaven, even in the game we see many heavenly beasts that still keep their cultivated form in heaven and are treated as works/disciples/coworkers. The Zodiac animals have humanoid forms. The Plum Brothers, originally Yao in FSYY are Erlang's sworn brothers. Black Wind King and Red Boy are Guanyin's disciples. Yellow Wind Demon is an OFFICAL disciple rather than being a lil mongoose thing that just run away pet. If anything in Black Myth it just shows how maybe Yaos are in heaven. Sure it frames it as them being oppressed but I truly don't think this reflects the original story.

In the original book, Wukong wasn't trying to overthrow heaven in order to overthrow an oppressive regime against yao, but because he broke the laws, ran away, and knew that war was inevitable. He wasn't looking to dismantle an oppressive system, he was going to become the new head of the system and rule it in a way that only benefited himself.

WUKONG IN THE BOOK IS THE BAD GUY.

We love him, we adore him, but HE IS THE BAD GUY.

You can argue that maybe the Jade Emporer wasn't using Wukong to his full ability with how powerful he is, sure, absolutely, but also he had TWO FORMAL COMPLAINTS about him from KING YAMA and ALL FOUR DRAGON KINGS. He wasn't starting his new job with any good recommendations on his resume so it could also be understandable why he started with a low-entry position and maybe worked his way up. This is a job at the end of the day, Wukong COULD have just worked his way up the corporate ladder, that isn't impossible and with how strong/powerful Wukong is, he could def have done that personally.

i've read something in your posts about how despite their actions, the heavenly palace/jade emperor is needed to balance the three realms?

If Wukong won then he would undoubtedly try to take over as Jade Emproer but considering that Wukong at the start of the book had very lil care of humans or yao (I think people forget how Wukong didn't care that his non-monkey yao army was captured and he was only pleased not a single one of his own monkeys were captured) so that he would only rule the heavens where only monkeys made rights and would benefit him and his Sun Clan. He would be grandfather of the year but the rest of the world would be in shambles. Wukong was never trying to overthrow the system, he was going to be in charge of that system and just choose who he wanted to oppress instead.

The Jade Emporer is the Jade Emporer because he has spent his entire lifetime training his mind and body to balance all three realms to keep all life protected. He studied for about 327 million years to get this job, it is not just something you can casually fight him for and take it, like there needs to be credentials. Ghosts are directed to the afterlife, humans stay on earth to live, love, cultivate, and die, and cultivated humans turn into immortals who then can turn into gods who are in heaven to help continue to keep the balance of the world.

if that is so, how is overthrowing going to solve any problems? like i get the unfairness of the treatment of yaoguais but ngl, going to war felt like an even worse solution. idk im not knowledgeable of the rules.

I love that we are getting more media with Yao being sympathetic but the original creation of Yao is that they are unnatural beings. They go against the balance as they are animals/objects that skip their reincarnation process and just jump into being sentient beings without being reborn as humans first. While not inherently evil it does mess with the flow of nature and does make them more prone to be chaotic as it is in their nature to be unbalanced.

Wukong going against heaven was more for the sake of his own ego at the height of his warlord years and could have been completely avoided. The reason that it seems like a bad solution to fighting for Yao rights is because modern writers make it so.

There is no changing the outcome of the story. Wukong has to lose if the plot is to resemble anything like the original tale. And modern writers know this. The war was NEVER INTENDED to be a good solution because it is a plot device to make Wukong look better and make Heaven look bad. Writers don't have to worry about a 'what if he won' because that isn't possible and was never made to be possible.

Wukong was written to fight a war that could never be won to highlight the hopelessness and powerlessness Wukong is facing, making him more human and sympathetic to a large audience. I've spoken about this maybe times before but the plot of Bio of Wukong 悟空传 from 2000 NEARLY 20 years ago really made this popular. That kind of "It is better to die trying than to live a slave" mentality that Wukong is going to lose this fight but at least he is going to fight at all. It is that early 2000s angst that affected many movies and shows after it and even 20 years later we still see how Black Myth Wukong is following this old plot line of "Heaven is actually the bad guy and yao are the oppressed ones." It's not that this plot hasn't been done well just that this is such a common plot point in modern media that it diverts from the original story so much.

Modern writers change it so that instead of Wukong being an egotistical warlord who doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, he is a freedom fighter who is trying to save a marginalized group. The issue is that it seems hopeless to help the Yao cause because there was never a Yao issue in the first place until this point of view came into being. We see in the story that actually many Yao Kings are taken under heaven or were run away from heaven itself who came to earth for personal power. Guanyin takes in Black Wind Demon, Red Boy, and the Centipede Demon to help her. In the book, there isn't an inherent prejudice against yao (because most of them are flat characters that just want to eat Sanzang) and there are many chances of mercy given to them despite their transgressions.

But we see in Black Myth Wukong that any of these attempts to give Yao grace are framed more as 'subjugation'. Any goodwill or olive branch is now just heaven trying to control this marginalized group and they are just manipulating them into being subservient to heaven's will. I really love that the game takes time to flesh out Yaos in the story and still doesn't shy away from showing how they are still the ones at fault for their own current predicaments. Yellow Bros is still an egoistic more worried about winning than truth, Yellow Wind was using the kingdom to his own gain, and the Elder Abbot did let his disciple die to his own greed. I will say I'm not a huge fan of Red Boy's backstory change and then him just killing himself at the end as it felt disingenuous.

What I'm trying to say is that there is no winning in these kinds of storylines. They are twisted for the sake of making Wukong as a tragic hero who is fighting a losing battle that he shall never win which they do a wonderful job at. Everyone loves a tragic hero story and even makes it relatable to people's own struggles with conformity. Wukong is NEVER going to win, Yao are NEVER going to get their rights and it is meant to be just SAD and EDGY but how people shouldn't stop trying to fight even if it is a losing battle else than fight they would in a fate even worse than death. Spoilers but the end of 悟空传 is that WUKONG DIES because he rather die than be subjugated and THAT HAPPENED IN BLACK MYTH. This is a 20-year-old light novel and they are still rehashing this plot. (I'm sorry if it seems I don't like this trope, I do, but I have seen it for years and find it unoriginal at this point. I have seen it be done very well but I shall say I did enjoy it more in my 'teen angst' years than I do now.)

The OG light novel never made it so that anyone can 'win' and the same can be said in the Black Myth Universe. It almost glorifies being a martyr rather than living in subjugation because modern writers didn't write any viable solutions where our heroes 'win'. And you can't apply this with the original Xiyouji mythos or else it starts to fall apart when looking at what ACTUALLY happened with Wukong and how yaos are treated.

Also having that the fillet isn't gone and that buddhahood is a lie in Black Myth is also a HUGE divination from canon. Just know that if Wukong is a Buddha he wouldn't be bound to the fillet because he isn't bound to his physical body anymore and IS AS POWERFUL as the OG Buddha himself making any case of this null.

Personally (we are getting into AU territory) if there was a case of fighting for Yao rights in a frame of actually trying to find applicable solutions to make a real difference in the world then I truly believe that the ACTUAL JOURNEY TO THE WEST is the answer.

I'm taking some inspiration from the 1996 TV series when Sanzang wants to actually save every demon he comes across on their journey and he believes that the scriptures can provide that way. That through the Buddhist texts, Yaos could cultivate without eating humans and they can reach full human-hood and even enlightenment with the sacred texts thus creating a world where both humans can become more enlightened and kind to one another and where Yao can live peacefully without needing to cause harm to others.

I think that if there was ever a story that really captured the essence of what Journey to the West was about, that anyone can have a second chance and that no one is beyond the line of being saved, then Wukong trying to liberate Yao kind is to find a solution to why there shouldn't be Yao Kings or yao-eating-humans and thus dissolving any reason heaven would see Yao as threats to humans. Not all Yao eat humans yes BUT MOST DO to cultivate, and if the scriptures can bring that kind of enlightenment to a human then they could offer an easy and safe way that Yao can be accepted into society.

Journey to West to me has always been about second chances and how it's never too late for people to change and learn from their mistakes. Even a warlord monkey, an ex-marshall, a disgraced general, a banished prince, or a cast-out disciple could come together on a strange journey and find that violence doesn't have to be the answer but how compassion, teamwork, and understanding lead to try change within a person.

It makes it so that the journey isn't just a 'tool of heaven' but a valid solution not only to humans but also to Yaos who are genuine in wanting to become human and not cause any harm. Even humans can learn how to let go of their prejudices by becoming enlightened and letting go of fear and hate of new things. Bringing in a better world where the goal isn't separation but learning how to connect with others through understanding and patience.

That is more MY THEORY on how a better way to handle a (hypothetical) yao discrimination issue would arise.

I'm sorry for the LONG winded answer, I did have a lot to say on the matter but I hope that clears up more why the 'Wukong fighting heaven as a rebel' is a popular trope but also why it was never written to explain how it would be a viable solution as it was always written to make Wukong a tragic hero than anything else. You are right that it would not likely fix anything but also it was never intended to 'fix' as Wukong is always fate to lose that battle.

[turquoisephoenix]

Master Eon Versus the Town-Devouring Ghoul

A Skylanders one shot

Ghost Roaster becoming a Skylander Origin Story.

Several decades before the destruction of the Core of Light and the banishment of the Skylanders, Master Eon and Hex are called upon by one of the rulers of the Underworld to journey to the Land of the Undead and fight one of the most dangerous undead creatures - a ghost-devouring ghoul. Can he and his witch companion conquer this dastardly foe, or is Skylands’ most powerful Portal Master about to meet his match?

This story takes place several decades before the events of the first game, so Master Eon is still alive. Count Moneybone also isn't considered an evil villain yet. He's on his best behavior, don't worry.

Characters: Master Eon, Hex, Ghost Roaster, Count Moneybone

Content Warning: Minor body horror.

-------------------------------------------------

Out of all the wonderful locations in the infinite realm of Skylands, one of Master Eon's most treasured places was his garden. He was picturing his idyllic retreat right now, remembering its many abundances of colorful fruits and vegetables. The ripe strawberries, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant herbs, the rows of vibrant sunflowers swaying gently in the warm breeze, and the butterflies flitting from blossom to blossom all entered his mind and he smiled. Yes, he could even hear the bees buzzing, their gentle hum harmonizing with the gentle stream trickling through the field. His garden was a symphony of Skyland's endless bounty and a peaceful retreat whenever his Portal Master duties got a little too stressful.

A femur bone struck the wall inches from his head and Eon's smile instantly vanished. He certainly wished he was in his garden right now.

Instead of spending this lovely spring morning knee-deep in loam and tending to baby trees, Master Eon had been summoned on Portal Master duty by his old friend Count Moneybone to deal with, in Moneybone's words, "a horrible creature the likes of which have been unseen in hundreds of years." So now both he and Hex, his chosen partner for his journey through the Land of the Undead, were standing in the hallowed halls of Count Moneybone's Villa, waiting for an audience.

The problem was, so was every elected official that answered to Count Moneybone's district, and some of the Undead had the tendency to be rowdy.

Both Master Eon and Hex stood unmoving and unwavering in the doorway of Count Moneybone's mansion study as they waited for the right time to make an entrance. They watched, brows furrowed and lips pursed in unison, as a crowd of undead mayors, barons, and councilmen yelled at each other in a horrid cacophony of noise. Master Eon was the only creature within the vicinity with a pulse, and yet he was far less animated than the legions of rotted corpses in front of him as decayed limbs gestured at a map on a large dining table, at the air, or at the unlucky owner of the manor.

Despite the writhing mass of gleaming bones and putrid flesh all fighting for attention, and despite his less-than-remarkable stature (Moneybone would object to the word "short"), Count Moneybone was still easy to pick out in the crowd. Unlike the ragged robes or the ghastly cloaks befitting most Undead - even the ones that held a position of office - Moneybone liked elaborate purple cloaks, fancy purple gloves, and flashy golden armor. Under the highly expensive chandelier dangling above his head, Moneybone practically gleamed like a spotlight. 

Which, unfortunately for him, made him an incredibly easy target in this high stress situation. Even from the other side of the room, Master Eon could tell that his old friend was highly stressed out from the constant complaints. With a drooping mustache and a rapidly moving golden eye, Moneybone was fidgeting in place and was alternating between a customer service smile/grimace and quick flashes of temper depending on what was being said in his direction, and he was finding success with neither approach. 

He was in the middle of yelling at a smartly-dressed skeleton of a lizardman when his eyes spotted Master Eon and he immediately grabbed for that lifeline. Moneybone straightened up, put on his most charming smile, and assumed an extremely regal, composed tone of voice that he often practiced in front of the mirror.

"Ah, Master Eon and Mistress Hex, I do hope your trip to the Land of the Undead went w-"

Count Moneybone immediately realized that he had made a mistake. His efforts were dashed as the crowd of terrified undead noticed that he was talking to fresh blood and turned its attention to Master Eon and Hex. Moneybone gave an indignant yelp as the crowd unceremoniously shoved him aside. Skeletons, ghosts, and zombies began to plead pitieously.

"DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE GHOUL!" screamed a floating skull wearing a top hat.

"Yes, we're getting to that-" Moneybone tried to interject, but he was outnumbered.

"A GHOUL! A GHOOOOOUL!"

"WHO WILL FALL NEXT TO ITS INSATIABLE HUNGER? HOW MANY MORE TOWNS MUST FALL!?"

"SAVE US, MASTER EON!"

"TURN THE GHOUL TO STONE, HEX!"

"ENOUGH!"

A ball of crackling green magic formed in Count Moneybone's right palm, and with a swift, fluid motion, he thrust his hand into the air. There was a crackle of lightning, a powerful hum of necromantic energy that smothered all sound in its wake, the harsh smell of ozone, and then the crowd instantly fell silent. 

The rest of the undead stood frozen in place, eyes wide in terror, as they stared at Count Moneybone. Arcs of green magic still raced up and down his arm as he glared at the crowd, reminding them that the last hour or so of him tolerating their complaints was actually an act of mercy and patience from their benevolent leader.

"Let Master Eon speak!" Count Moneybone ordered. Everyone in the room was more than happy to oblige.

Master Eon, now feeling every eye on him, quickly moved through the room. The atmosphere was so quiet that the rustle of his blue robes sounded deafening as he shuffled across the carpet until he was face-to-face with Count Moneybone, who was now casually rolling a spark of necromantic energy between two fingers. Eon frowned as he looked at the giant, hand-drawn map on the table. Included with the map was a drawing of the ghoul. Eon picked it up and studied it.

"From what I can gather, we've been called upon to deal with...a ghoul? I must admit, I'm not familiar with ghouls. Are they rare?"

"They're exceptionally rare monsters, yes. And damned powerful too." Count Moneybone said, the other members of the undead in the room hanging on his every word. "Ghouls are not natural creatures. Usually, as the stories go, an evil necromancer living in a castle made out of bone will capture some unlucky villagers, horrifically transform them into ghouls and thus cursing them with an eternal hunger, and send them rampaging through the countryside as they devour everything in their path. Awful creatures, really."

Master Eon nodded. He was not at all surprised that Count Moneybone of all people would know about a rare creature created by awful necromancy gone bad. Although he wasn't doing the best job at hiding it - Eon was eyeing the magic still crackling off of Moneybone's hand - it was a well-kept secret that Count Moneybone used to be a necromancer back when he was alive. As far as Eon knew, Moneybone never created any ghouls. Moneybone was more of "reanimate the bones and sinew from his wife's pig farm in wacky experiments or resurrect the corpses of his pets" kind of necromancer before his untimely death. 

"And what makes them different from, say, an army of trolls or an army of dragons?" Master Eon asked carefully, his gaze still on the ghoul drawing. He could instantly recognize Count Moneybone's art style. The creature was very serpentine, with a snake-like tail in place of legs and a skull-like head lined with razor sharp teeth, piercing yellow eyes, and four pointy head spikes. The ghoul was depicted in the drawing wearing a black suit with a striking red collar that rose behind its head like the hood of a cobra. The drawing made sure to draw the ghoul's bony arms held outward like it was roaring in anger. 

Eon made note of the clothes. Non-sentient creatures didn't wear clothes. Creatures that wore clothes could be reasoned with...

Count Moneybone continued, tugging at one end of his mustache. "You know how, when a dragon eats someone, they don't eat the ghost part of the person, and you usually get a very crispy spirit asking for residence in the Land of the Undead? Ghouls can eat ghosts. They're eternally hungry apex predators that can send anyone alive or dead to the afterlife, and a lot of my constituents want to remain uneaten and in this current life as they work through their unfinished business, thank you very much!" 

The crowd of undead upperclassmen started to murmur words of agreement before being silenced by a glare from Count Moneybone. 

The gears were turning in Master Eon's head. So a ghoul's power was its hunger. He could work with that.

"Give me a timeline of this ghoul. When did they first appear, and where can I find them." Master Eon pressed on. If he felt any strong emotions about being asked to face a creature that could instantly send him to the next plane of existence by eating him, his voice did not reveal it. Hex was even calmer than him as she stood next to him, her face completely serene and unreadable.

Count Moneybone sighed and pinched his forehead. He was desperately fighting off the beginnings of a stress headache, despite not having any of the flesh to get a headache. 

"About a month ago, this ghoul randomly materialized near the ghost town of Ribcage, where it immediately and swiftly devoured the entire population of ghosts. I of course acted quickly and had sent the mayor of Ribcage and a scouting party to kill the ghoul, but instead of doing what they were told, they trapped it, attached a ball and chain to it for reasons unknown, and let it roam free-"

The fashionable lizardman skeleton from earlier cut in, and it was immediately obvious from the way he grinded his teeth and gestured with his hands that they had suffered this conversation multiple times before.

"For the last time, I put the ball and chain on the ghoul because the best way to kill a ghoul is to root it in place and starve it to death!" The Mayor of Ribcage said this in an irritated snarl.

"Oh? And how heavy was the ball and chain?" sneered Count Moneybone.

"About fifteen pounds, give or take."

"Fifteen?! Did you want to starve the ghoul or did you want it to work on its triceps?! My mother could lift fifteen pounds! Fifteen pounds is nothing!" Count Moneybone snapped.

"Gentlemen! I believe we're getting off-topic!" Master Eon decided to cut in before things got violent. The lizardman, finger still raised in protest, then gave a quick bow and scurried away as Count Moneybone cleared his nonexistent throat.

"As I was saying, this ghoul has spent the last month haunting the surrounding area of Ribcage, eating anything it can get its horrible claws on. We still don't know how many citizens have lost their unlives and its territory has been gradually expanding as it's hunting for more food. I want you to take care of it before this problem gets out of hand! The entire Land of the Undead is at stake here!"

Sensing that the crowd of undead was still watching both his and Eon's every move, Count Moneybone then grabbed one edge of his cape with one hand and raised his other hand in the air as if reaching for heaven's light. He raised his voice in volume, going from "conversational" to "operatic". 

"So what do you say? Will you help us in our time of need, Master Eon?"

Master Eon paused, weighed his options, and, feeding into the theatrics for a bit, smiled and performed a bow and scrape before Count Moneybone, flourishing his hand as he did so.

"Consider it done!"

And with those words, Master Eon and Hex left the room to the sound of rapturous cheers and applause.  -----------------------

After quickly and reluctantly discussing the matter of Master Eon's payment with his new employer away from the crowd ("I have no need for gold coins." "Eon, you are not doing this job for free. If you won't take money, will you at least take a rare book from my collection?" "If you insist."), Master Eon and Hex left Count Moneybone's Villa and set off towards the town of Ribcage. Master Eon, with his long grey beard and sky blue robes making a stark contrast to Hex's midnight black, merrily trudged through the desolate land of the undead with his silent witch companion by his side. 

The air was thick with the stench of decay, and eerie moans echoed through the twisted trees that seemed to reach out with skeletal fingers, but Eon's mood remained cheery. Despite missing his garden earlier in the hustle and bustle of Count Moneybone's crowded study, he had to admit, it has been quite a while since he was asked to do a more traditional "Slay Thy Monster" quest. It felt nostalgic in a way. The Portal Master and his companion pressed on, their determination unwavering, for they had a quest to fulfill!

Hex did not share his enthusiasm. She quietly floated beside him, her face still passive and unreadable, as she exuded an aura of immense power. Her eyes glowed with a faint white light that pierced through the fog that permeated the land of the undead. She was always on high alert and she refused to waste more than a single word on such frivolities as "nice day we're having, Hex" and "it's been a while since you've last traveled to the Land of the Undead, Hex."

Master Eon had, of course, brought his trusty magic staff with him on his adventure. It crackled with energy as he used it as a walking aide. In addition, he also shouldered his enchanted satchel. Made of dark brown leather and decorated with a single red jewel, it looked like a regular, unassuming traveler's satchel, but it was enchanted to hold so much more than it seemed. Why, if it fell into a lake, it would easily swallow the entire body of water without changing size or weight. No self-respecting Portal Master went unprepared, after all! 

Today, however, his satchel contained no pilfered sea. Instead, he had packed his magical antique ladle (for making magical antique soup), a thermos that was currently holding a frightening amount of ectoplasm soup, more ingredients for soup in case Eon ran out of soup, various notes on the monster that they would soon face, and a map that would lead them to their destination (that now smelled faintly of soup).

It didn't take much travel time to enter Ribcage. Like most villages in the Land of the Undead, Ribcage lay in ruins, its buildings crumbling and decaying from years of neglect. But the unnatural stillness - the lack of unlife in the vicinity, the complete absence of friendly ghosts or zombies happily forming a community through broken boards and windows - was what made Ribcage feel particularly unwelcoming. The streets were littered with debris and overturned carts, evidence of the chaos that had ensued when the entire population was devoured. Clawmarks were gouged deep into the walls of several structures. Broken panes of glass and shattered doors lay on the ground.

Neither Eon nor Hex said a word as they searched the abandoned village for their monster. They could see that Moneybone's hunch was right. There were the telltale signs of a chain dragged through the dirt, and they looked fresh. The air was thick with an oppressive stillness. Not even the usual sounds of nocturnal creatures filled the air. Even the lowliest undead cricket was terrified of a hungry ghoul.

Their search did not last that long. The ghoul's tracks led to Ribcage's largest restaurant. It was once a quaint little hangout called The Spirits' Tavern ("Where the menu is to die for and the atmosphere is positively ethereal! Four point five stars on Yelp!") and it was in the same pathetic state of existence as the rest of the town. The windows were shattered, and a crowd of overturned chairs and tables sadly lay splintered and abandoned. Despite the constant decay that surrounded them, there was also the smell of something fresh wafting through the air. Master Eon gripped his walking staff with determination. He knew that they were close. Steeling his resolve, the Portal Master pushed open the restaurant's creaking doors and held them open long enough for Hex to float in first. Master Eon always held the door open for his companions as a common courtesy, even during death-defying monster quests. Inside, the remnants of several meals lay scattered across the tables and floor. No phantom pho, spectral soufflé, or midnight macabre martini was spared. The ghoul had been feeding here; its hunger so insatiable that no scrap of food was left untouched. Hex scanned the room for any sign of movement as Eon's staff began to glow with energy, ready to strike at a moment's notice. The Portal Master and his companion moved cautiously through the restaurant and made their way from the dining room to the kitchen and food stores. Once in the kitchen, they were greeted with an odd sight. There was a large smear of food mixture sitting on the floor, still wet and freshly made, with handfuls clearly ripped out of it rather than cooked. Master Eon bent down to examine it.   The Portal Master knew enough about cooking from his centuries of living in Skylands that he could tell that he was staring at one and a half cups of all-purpose flour, one cup of unsweetened natural cocoa powder, two cups of sugar, two teaspoons of baking soda, one teaspoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of espresso powder, half a cup of melted coconut oil, two large eggs cracked at room temperature, two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, one cup of room temperature buttermilk, and one cup of coffee. But instead of baking this concoction into a fluffy, moist chocolate coffee cake, the creature skipped all of those other steps and gobbled up the raw cake mix with its bare hands. 

"I see our ghoul knows a thing or two about cooking. They even used measuring cups." Eon said in mild amusement. 

Hex didn't reply. She remained still, her entire body tense. Her head kept scanning the room, her hands raised and magic beginning to dance on her fingertips.

She could sense it. They were being watched. Inside the kitchen, next to the ruins of an uncooked cake, there were three occupants.

"Eon!" Hex cried. 

The air shimmered, and a hungry, malevolent ghoul suddenly materialized in the room. The long, sinewy creature with sharp teeth and glowing yellow eyes floated in front of them, sniffed the air hungrily, and then lunged towards Hex with a loud, wordless scream, its greedy claws extended. Hex swiftly dodged the attack, her black cloak billowing behind her, as she countered with a blast of magical energy. The ghoul howled in pain as the undead magic struck it in the chest, but instead of slowing it down, it seemed to enrage the creature further. 

"SKREEAAAA!!!"

The ghoul swung its spiked ball and chain attached to the end of its body wildly through the air in a giant arc, forcing both Hex and Eon to dance out of the way to avoid being struck. Ceramic bowls exploded into shards. Flour and sugar filled the air. An egg timer ricocheted off the wall.

'Fifteen pounds is enough to do a decent amount of damage...' Hex mused to herself as the creature swung around and pounced on her, teeth snapping at the air and the ball and chain clattering on the floor. She caught both of its hands in her's as fangs closed shut inches away from her face. The ghoul's breath smelled of rot, ectoplasm, and cake batter.

"Hex!" Master Eon yelled as magic burst forth from his outstretched hand. The ghoul was knocked aside and away from its prey but it immediately rose to its full height. It howled in hunger and attacked again, saliva foaming at its mouth.

In its frenzied, feral state, the ghoul didn't realize just how hopelessly overpowered its opponents were. The Soul-Devouring Terror of Ribcage was used to inexperienced members of the undead and the occasional poorly trained lackey under Count Moneybone's employment. As the ghoul lunged, Hex and Master Eon both focused their powers, casting a series of spells that sent bolts of lightning and a cascade of conjured skulls hurtling towards their monstrous opponent. Their magic blended seamlessly as the two of the most powerful sorcerers in all of Skylands worked together in perfect harmony. The creature roared in frustration as it tried to defend itself against the onslaught, but Hex and Eon were relentless.

"Immobilize them!" Master Eon commanded.

Hex nodded. With a final incantation, the sorcerer summoned a powerful wave of dark energy that summoned a prison of bone that burst forth from the ground. The creature was instantly pinned in place, its body wracked with pain as it let out a piercing wail. Its energy drained, the ghoul was rendered helpless, and it could do nothing but thrash weakly and helplessly like a dying fish on a line. 

"State your business," Hex commanded the growling, pinned creature as she held a ball of crackling energy near their face. 

"HISSSSSSSS!!!" answered the ghoul.

"Now now, Hex. It's hard to state your business when you're hungry." Master Eon said. Already, he was pouring some ectoplasm soup from his thermos into one of the few bowls in the kitchen that remained unbroken from the onslaught. He then kneeled next to the ghoul and gently placed the bowl in front of its face.

The monster was so hungry, so ravenous and starving, that it temporarily forgot its imprisonment once it smelled the hearty stew of ectoplasm and spirits. Greedily, it ate, its face shoved into the warm liquid like a starving dog, sending droplets of green glowing ooze flying through the air as it inhaled the food. Horrendous lip smacking noises filled the room. The contents of the bowl were gone in seconds, and the ghoul rested its head on the ground, panting from the exertion.

A second bowl slid to a gentle stop near the ghoul's face.

"Take your time; I brought plenty. I'll ask you some questions when you're feeling better." Eon said.

"Hnn..hn..wa...?"

The ghoul's expression softened a bit as the ravenous hunger subsided and higher intelligence started to flood back into the creature's brain. They coughed, ectoplasm rising from their throat, as they slowly remembered how to talk. No one has asked them to say anything in a while now.

But instead of speaking, the ghoul instead devoured the contents of a second bowl of soup. Not as greedily as the first bowl - the ghoul actually grabbed onto the bowl and tilted the liquid into its mouth this time - but still just as hungry. A third bowl of ectoplasm soup was already waiting for them before the second one was finished. 

Eon and Hex patiently watched the ghoul in silence as it ate the third bowl, then the fourth bowl, and then the fifth. With each finished meal, the ghoul changed. This creature, still pinned to the ground by a fortress of bone, became less like a slobbering, feral beast in a fugue state and more like a person. When the wooden bowl clattered to the floor for the fifth time, the creature was holding their head in their hands, like the sudden onset of lucidity was causing them physical pain.

"Do you want Hex to free you so you can get more comfortable?"

"Nnn...hhh...no, I'm fff...fine...I'm fine. I'm fine. Fine." 

The words were hesitant at first, like the ghoul was remembering how to talk as they went along. The ghoul also seemed unsure about their own voice. Their brow was furrowed, and they tentatively sounded out some vowels to themselves. The ghoul held out a hand in front of its face and tentatively wiggled its clawed fingers as if seeing its own body for the first time.

They didn't want to ask for freedom yet. As the ghoul regained their humanity, they remembered that they weren't supposed to be a ghoul.

Despite the ghoul's pleas, Hex, her eyes still watching the creature with her stern, emotionless look on her face, made a gentle motion with her hand and the bone prison shimmered and melted away like a fading summer's memory. The ghoul didn't move from his spot. Those piercing yellow eyes that once glared at both Eon and Hex with malevolence and hatred were now wet with unshed tears.

Master Eon leaned down and placed a hand on the ghoul's shoulder.

"Do you have a name?"

Master Eon's voice was calm, patient. Understanding. 

"I should have a name..." the ghoul replied, a sob escaping from the back of their throat. They...He - he remembered that part - HE dragged a hand across his face as he lay there pitifully on his stomach. Everything felt wrong.  "But I can't remember it. Can't remember much of anything..."

Eon took out his thermos and poured out another bowl of soup.

"What would you like us to call you?"

The ghoul accepted more food and pulled himself into a sitting position. Chains rattled behind him and then around him as his unnatural tail - his punishment for his monstrous acts - formed a small, tight, protective circle around his body.

"What were they calling me...?"

As Master Eon stirred the soup with his antique soup ladle, he unfolded the piece of parchment from his satchel and squinted at the various titles written on the ghoul's rap sheet. "The Soul-Devouring Terror. The Fall of Ribcage. The Ghost Gobbler. The Ghost Eater. The Ghost Roaster. The Ghost Ender. The Nightmare Beast. The Spirit Shredder-"

"I like Ghost Roaster." The ghoul said glumly, choosing the least monstrous out of the list. It was starting to dawn on him that he just tried to kill and eat Master Eon, the most famous Portal Master in all of Skylands, a couple of minutes ago. He grabbed the bowl that was handed to him and stared down at the tasty, nourishing broth.

"I remember...roasting things? Before all of this..."

Master Eon remembered the cake mixture on the ground. There was a natural talent there, he recalled. Perhaps this ghoul had a hobby in cooking?

"Ghost Roaster it is."

"This could use a little basil and maybe half a clove of garlic..." Ghost Roaster said to himself without thinking as he examined his bowl of soup, confirming Master Eon's suspicions. This was the first serving where Ghost Roaster was using a spoon, stolen from The Spirits Tavern's storage.

"What do you remember?"

Ghost Roaster gnawed lightly on the spoon and racked his brain.

"I remember..."

Then the memory struck him and the spoon fell from numbed fingers.

Hot fire. Burning. Back arching. Muscles twitching. Cry of pain. Guts rearranging. Sinew ripping, tearing, reforming into new shapes. Cry for help. Mouth forced open as teeth kept growing. Growing. Skin melting. Reshaping. Hair falling. Legs growing. Fusing. Needles of lava piercing head. Writhing. Screaming. Howling. Hunger. Starving. Famished. Hunger hunger hungry hunger hunger-

"...pain." was the only word that fell out of his mouth. He looked down at his hands again, at his claw-tipped hands made out of yellowed bone, and then looked up at Master Eon. A raw and powerful disgust enveloped his body as his chest tightened. When he asked the question now burning in his mind, his voice sounded weak. Fragile. 

"Is...is there a way to change me back?"

For the first time this entire trip, Hex's face showed emotion. She - as well as Master Eon - winced as if struck as Ghost Roaster looked up at both of them with pleading eyes. When neither of them answered Ghost Roaster's question fast enough - how could they answer such a loaded question? - he tossed the bowl away from him as his emotions got the better of him. 

"Answer me! There has to be, right?" Ghost Roaster yelled, his voice shaking. His trembling hands grasped at Master Eon's cloak.

"I-I'm not supposed to be like this! I was something else and-and-and but then I tripped! -and I fell a long way and now...now I'm a monster! I don't want to be stuck like this! What if I hurt anyone else!? What if-" 

"I know how you feel."

Ghost Roaster's complaints died on his lips. "What...?"

Hex repeated herself. 

"I know how you feel." 

Hex turned her head and looked off to the distance as her voice became pained.

"Years ago, I too became a monster. I too was hunted." 

Ghost Roaster gazed at her in shock. He let go of Master Eon's cloak. Master Eon gently placed a hand on Ghost Roaster's shoulder but the ghoul didn't feel it.

"I was also cursed to join the Undead against my will, long ago. I hated myself too, at first. My skin was cold, my heart was still. I was a living corpse, forever tainted by undeath. I was abandoned by the people I once protected. Hunted by the people I once protected."

Hex turned her head to look at Ghost Roaster. Their eyes met. 

"I have wasted years trying to find a cure for my transformation. What I learned...is that the most common solution for an undead curse is destruction. You have been changed permanently and the sooner you make peace with that, the better."

But then, in a rare moment, Hex smiled.

"But you don't have to suffer your curse alone."

Hex held out her hand towards Ghost Roaster. Ghost Roaster, misreading her gesture and forgetting that handshakes exist, rushed over to her and instead swept her up in a hug. 

Hex awkwardly floated there, arm still outstretched, constricted in a rib-bruising embrace, as the ghoul that once tried to eat her was now loudly sobbing into her shoulder. She could feel her shoulder become wet with tears. 

Master Eon walked up to both of them, a warm smile playing on his lips. Hex shot Master Eon a look that screamed "do something!"

So Master Eon did the thing he was most known for.

"Have you considered joining the Skylanders, Ghost Roaster?"

---------------------

Count Moneybone sat at his mahogany desk in his office, organizing paperwork. The soft glow of the chandelier above him (for Moneybone had a chandelier in almost every room of his manor) cast a warm light on various office plants and stacks of paper from the various undead towns and provinces that surrounded him. Politics was rapidly becoming a fun pastime for him but bureaucracy also took up lots of room in his office. 

'Mental note - hire a secretary,' Count Moneybone thought to himself as he sipped on a cup of tea, and that was when the door loudly burst open, sending some of his paperwork flying. Count Moneybone, his floral printed teacup still hovering near his mouth, narrowed his eyes as Master Eon triumphantly entered the room in a flurry of blue robes and greying facial hair. 

"Well!?" Count Moneybone asked, mildly annoyed. "Did you take care of the ghoul?"

Someone behind Master Eon cleared his throat. A spiked ball and chain dragged itself and dug grooves across Count Moneybone's plush purple carpets as Ghost Roaster, still signing official paperwork marked with Master Eon's signature with Master Eon's favorite fountain pen, floated into the room.

"He did, yes."

Count Moneybone said nothing as his teacup fell from his hands to the floor.

--------------------------

End

[intimidating-fettuccine]

Offenderman,eyeless jack,and toby with a blood-drinking creature reader who's a nurse that secretly steals and drinks the blood bags from the hospital that they work at (they're trying to survive don't judge them)

Offender:

In a situation like this, Offender is quick to put his connections throughout the Underworld to good use. He worries that one day you'll get caught and possibly lose your job, and that's the last thing he wants, so in order to help you, Fen ends up using those connections to procure blood for you. You don't have to steal from people if you'll always have it provided, right? Even though you try and protest, try and say that he doesn't have to do such a thing for you, he's going to do it anyway because he loves you and he wants you to be well nourished and cared for, and he doesn't want you to feel like you have to resort to stealing just for your own survival. He'll do his best to get whatever blood it is you prefer, although, on the off chance he can't, he'd even be willing to offer up a bit of his own blood for you. Eldritch blood is seen as very rare and very powerful, and a little bit of his blood could quite honestly go a long way for you, and he'd never allow you to feel bad for taking a bit of it. Nothing is too much for his precious Darling, not even his own blood as your meal. He loves you, and he will make sure you're cared for.

Eyeless Jack:

Another creature that feasts on flesh and blood, Jack's slightly twisted moral compass will absolutely not allow you to continue stealing for your job, and instead encourages him to take blood for you, hunting it down himself. Jack often disposes of the bodies they get from their assassination missions himself, taking what he needs from the bodies and disposing of the rest, but in this instance, he starts to get blood for you. He tends to keep extra blood bags on hand at the mansion as a snack for himself, and so he just keeps a few more for you to take when you need them. He's not going to let you jeopardize your job for the sake of a meal, so he uses his own job to mutually benefit the two of you by keeping you both stocked up on whatever you need. Whenever you get thirsty for it, you're welcome to stop by the mansion for a meal whenever you're coming by to see Jack, and if you're not able to come by and see him for a while due to both of your jobs taking up your time, he's fine to send a few bags home with you for you to store and keep ahold of yourself. He doesn't want you going without, not when he needs the same food source as you and can help you.

Toby:

The thing you weren't expecting upon sharing this information with Toby was for him to show up on your doorstep the next night with a bucket of blood. He doesn't say where or how he got it, too evasive to admit it, but you drill into him that that's not a safe alternative and that he needs to be careful with what he's doing, although you appreciate the help. The two of you come to an agreement, after Toby's endless anxiety and worry that you'll get caught, that every now and then, a few meals during the month, Toby will help you get some food. Whether he's getting it himself from the job, or getting it through other means in the Underworld, Toby will bring you a nice big, fresh bag of blood so you don't have to steal as often at work. He wishes he could get you every meal, but he's not as efficient as the other two boys at it, and he doesn't have the connections to get a whole lot of it. He does, however, end up helping you a whole lot, and it makes it easier for you to blend in and not get caught at work. And, of course, you always repay him for it by making him his favorite meals on the nights he helps you, a nice touch that makes him extra giddy.

[pasta-in-the-pudding]

Hello! I love your work a lot and was wondering if you could do the creeps with a child reader that’s an angel? 😊

(Like, they have wings and such)

Omg this fits with my current divider rn so well. Also i love getting to write for such cool creatures <3

Credits to divider go to saradika-graphics! Go follow them and support their work

Thank you so much for requesting!!

Ticci Toby

The manor houses a lot of random creatures of all sorts

But Toby never gets tired of seeing someone new come around

Especially someone that's an angel

Angels are already rare, and especially so in the underworld

That's probably why you are in the manor in the first place tbh

Slender just couldn't resist getting his hands on an angel

Anyways, I think he'd like to hear about where you came from!

He loves to hear stories of your home

He will listen to the wonderful tales whilst removing loose feathers from your wings

Or alternatively, he will listen to you sing in the garden while brushing your hair

And he loves to hear you sing

Being an angel, your singing is rather, well, angelic

Because of this, your singing usually draws in anyone close enough to you into your general area just to hear you sing

So Slender asks that you sing outside to avoid people forgetting to do their tasks

Toby is fine with this, as he just follows you around

Jeff The Killer

Honestly you kind of annoy him at first

Like everyone is fawning all over you because you're an angel, but he doesn't get the hype tbh

He sees you as a Mary Sue for a while

But then when he actually gets the opportunity to talk to you, he gets it

Like you were so nice and genuine to him???

Even though he's been nothing but mean to you???

He still doesn't really like you as a person, but seeing that you can still be nice to people just because you like being nice gives him hope for future generations if that makes sense

Like maybe the world is finally healing and becoming a happy place

He gets really curious about your halo

Like he wants to hold it

The first time he touches it, he is surprised to see it feels like metal

If it wasn't attached to your literal brain he'd be chasing people around with it threatening to cut them with it 💀

Also it'd probably burn his hands to touch it since it's like, radiating with holy light and all that good stuff

Ben Drowned

Even with as out of touch Ben is, he (like everyone else) was drawn to you

He's always wanted to have wings as a kid, so seeing yours was really cool to him

He loves to watch you fly with them, and he loves to help you keep up with them

He will help you wash them when they get dirty, he will help preen your feathers, etc

And mind you, he's not a huge "studies" guy, but he would totally study the anatomy of angel wings

Like....humanoid....with bird wings???? How????

Other than that, you're just like any other kid to him

He'll bid you a hello in the hallways, and if he's tasked with helping you with something he will

But other than that, he doesn't really go out of his way to interact with you

Toby is probably the one on this list that cares about you the most tbh

But Toby loves all the kids, he's a pushover for them lol

[whereserpentswalk]

The people of this land built a burial mound for their dead. They fell in a conflict with the hobgoblins of the western hills, more bodies may be added as warriors fall with honer, and spear heads of bronze and copper are placed upon their chests. Nobody will write of these stories, but they will tell them for as long as the people exist.

It was a cold autumn day. For the gift of conquering a new region, the grand lord of the infinite empire built a fortress for his troops on what was once a burial mound. Though the mound is older then memory can tell nobody will think to honer it, to the infinite empire those people who have no writing are thought to have no gods, and those who have no gods have no souls.

The fortress holds strong as countless people riot outside. Food supplies from the far south aren't coming in, as barbarians raid the land using a strange shadow colored metal known as iron. Only the faries remember when this fortress was built, since then it's defenses have only existed in theory, but tonight they prove themselves strong, the old stone standing true. The soldiers tasked to defend this place will never seed the empire's might to the peasants. But food runs scarce for them too, and time only ever marches forwards despite their prayers.

The fortress of bone looks high upon the grand city. Legends say it's older then the rest of the city, taken by the ancestors of the current population from the infinite empire, the soldiers inside starving to death rather then fighting with honer. Though the infinite empire is only a myth. The high king of the city looks down at his people with pride, the gods have smiled upon him. He waits in the balcony of the fortress for his brother to return to his room, with a sword at his side and the attendents called away for privacy. There is conspiracy that his priests favor his brother over him on the throne. They will talk, hold eachother, think of times long gone, and then one of them will perish.

The high king addresses his men. Above him stands a statue of a mythical ancestor, who strangled his older brother in his bedroom after he tried to slay him. The legend brings the king a sense of power as he addresses his men. Invaders come from the west, sources say three quarters of their soldiers are human, and a quarter undead. And though the city is grand and shining tonight, it may be nothing but ash soon. He could tell his men to fight to their last breath, to let the city burn, all so that he may be king. But, as he stands atop the fortress of bone, he declares his conclusion, he will not let his city burn for honer, if his ancestor could face the dishonor of kinslaying for his life, he could face surrender. He will be duke instead of king, and many of his people will be sacrificed or enslaved, but he'd rather it all then his death or torture, rather keep his house then his people's freedom.

The dutchess thinks back to her ancient ancestor, the one who bowed to the empire long ago. He was remembered as a hero by some, but a coward by others. Though her house is loyal, war wyverns still stand atop the walls, waiting for her to make a choice. Ten years ago the king of kings declared himself part of a new faith, of the God of the stars and moon, and all other gods to be demons, idols and angels. This day, the option for the people to stay true to their local gods have been taken away. The dutchess has two choices, she may convert, watch as her priests are sacrificed, the gods she holds dear are burnt, and accept the place of women in the new faith as she lets her brother take the throne. Or alternatively, she may die with her gods and priests. She has made her choice, though her attendants will not agree, her gods will honer her, and she will rule from the underworld. She will be asked to convert, as her head is shaved, as her bones are broken, and as she has taken to burn, but she will not betray the gods.

A band of knights rips through feral undead, creatures that have long outlasted the ancient empire they once served. No wonder why this place is called the fortress of bone. The abandoned fortress, surrounded by a long ruined city, may seem disturbing now. But once the undead are cleared it will likely all be taken by one of the local kingdoms. Though most princes want to build a new castle for this type of thing, the fortress could serve well as a temple, the one God of the moon and stars will smile upon this new city, built upon the dead.

Muskets fire off in celebration, as a red, blue and black banner is raised above what was once a temple. People sing songs, play games, and drink blue wine, and they cheer as the nobility and priests of the city meet their end, some by hanging, some my gunfire, some by blade. A great leader gives a speech, a black and gold coat and red cape is all they wear, no gold nor gemstone for they are one with the people, their face covered in the tattoos of a common soldier or sailor. Tonight the people celebrate, for they will fear neither God nor king, and live and fight for themselves. Though it was built as a defensive structure, the wyvern skulls serving as a reminder to why it was called the fortress of bone, cannons will make short work of it if the temple returns to its purpose. The revolutionary council will decide the temple must become a university, people will study literature there that barely escaped the fires of tyranny, and they will study gods long ago thought to be demons.

The old university was a fortress once, it's probably a better place to hide them most. Though as grenades and tankfire can be heard blasting as the millenias old stone, it's proven to be only a matter of time. Two soldiers crawl into an empty classroom, machine guns still in hands they embrace. They're alone, the city will fall, and only death surrounds them. They put their gas masks down, as chemical weapons won't be needed to kill just two men. They talk about their past, their childhoods, things they'd want to do in a future they'll never have. And they'll kiss, and their eyes will be closed when they're found, and they'll barely hear the bullets.

The old fortress is being torn down today. They're building new condos there. They could have made it a museum, but a lot of it was ruined by the war, and there might be some unexploded shells down there. Really though, it's just more profitable for the city to build condos there. At least some archeologists will get to dig through everything first, so there is a bright side. They'll find a lot of things they didn't expect. It's pretty old. When they finally break the floors to see what's underneath they'll find skeletons from before the fortress was built in the hill below, with bronze and copper spear heads of their chests. And they'll know that those people had gods, and that those people had souls.

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Beelzebub come to God killer cat who is in the domain that no one in the underworld dear to come, but he dose and this area belongs to the cat who is in one of the many forms of the head of the dog and body of a skeletal figured and asked about the cursed he have

And cat just said " Oh yeah you curse alright but not from me as I just do my own things, but seem you are cursed since if your birth by someone else, I can reverse it but you'll have to be bound in a new curse "

-Throughout Valhalla were quiet areas, mostly in the underworld, where others would dare not come, which gave you the perfect place to get away from everyone and just relax and be alone for a while.

-It also gave you an opportunity to play around with your alternative forms, not your cat-like form or your humanoid form, as you could change into anything you wanted.

-You heard footsteps approaching you from behind as you had the body of an unknown creature, but only the skeleton, tall and foreboding, with the head of a dog with large fangs and bright glowing eyes.

-Nobody came to this section of the underworld, due to dark curses that supposedly loomed there, there weren’t, at least not anymore, as curses meant nothing, they were just as easy to destroy as anything else.

-To hear footsteps was surprising enough, but when you saw who approached, you couldn’t help but grin, baring your abnormally long teeth as you lowered your head, leaning over Beelzebub who didn’t look frightened in the least.

-You chuckled, “You are either very bold or very foolish to come here, young one. To what do I owe your visit?” he bowed his head to you, being respectful, “I saw how easily you took care of those curses that Hades asked you to get rid of. I came to ask for your help.”

-You knew the curse that he was speaking of, and your body shrunk, to not be looming over him, but remained in the unsettling, at least to others, form you were now in.

-You leaned in close and inhaled his scent, smelling the curse, “Ahh- you were cursed by one before you were even born, and you have carried that curse for so long, and lost so much to it. It is not one of my curses but I can remove it, for a price.”

-Beelzebub’s eyes went wide, hearing this information, hearing there was a chance to be finally rid of this curse, “What is the price?” he knew not to be too excited, as while you had not shown your cruel side to anyone in Valhalla, besides scaring them a little, he needed to be careful.

-You pointed a bony finger at his chest, “The curse is a part of you, without it, you will die. I know that is what you wish for and what that succubus’ curse aims to prevent until there is one strong enough to kill you, curse and all. I will not kill you, as it is not your fate to die by my hand, but I can remove this curse, but another will take its place. I will leave the choice in your hands, young one, it is a risk of your own choosing.”

-Beelzebub hesitated in accepting immediately before he spoke, “May I ask what kind of curse you would replace my own with, should I decide to go through with it?” Your hand lifted to his cheek, stroking gently, bone fingers against his skin, “Having lived with a curse for so long and wishing for death- what a sad little god you are. The curse will be as strong as the one you hold now, but you will be able to control it except for one week twice a year.”

-You didn’t give him an outright answer, giving only a vague idea before he took your hand, immediately accepting.

-You bared your teeth in another smile as you shook his hand and instantly his world spun before everything went dark.

-When Beelzebub awoke next, he was in his bed, you sitting on his chest in your cat form, looking amused before he sat up, feeling tired before he looked at his hands, seeing nothing different.

-When he entered the bathroom to see if there were any physical changes, he stomped back out, holding a long black tail and pointing at the fluffy black cat ears on top of his head as his face was burning bright red, “What is this?!”

-You licked your paw, not at all bothered, “Your new curse! You now share your body with an ancient cat demon, and it gave you a tail, fangs, claws, and cat like ears.” Beelzebub calmed, hearing this, realizing a cat demon would be better than Satan.

-He thanked you for this kindness, as he felt lighter, freer before he paused, “Wait- so what are the two weeks a year that I won’t be able to control this curse?”

-You said your answer like it was no big deal, “Oh- you’ll go into heat twice a year and you will need someone to *explicit* your *explicit* and *explicit-explicit-explicit* you at least twice a day for a whole week to keep you under control or you’ll go crazy.”

-Beelzebub was white, collapsing to his knees in shock, hearing of his new fate as you licked your paw, “Do you have someone who can do that for you?” he didn’t answer, instead falling to his side, his eyes spinning as his processed this new curse.

-What has he done to himself?

[yourneighborhoodporg]

The Guardian

Chapter 4: Arrival (Part 2)

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Reader

Warnings: Mention of slavery, mention of canon character death, near-death experience (kinda), angst, fluff, banter, flying, grief, Reader & Anakin making questionable decisions, oh and poor sad Ani :(

Summary: To cut loose, you and Anakin visit one of Coruscant's largest garbage pits, known for a famously exhilarating, dangerous, and illegal sport��� pit racing. Time spent in the planet's underworld is always ripe with nearly lethal encounters and moments to bare your soul.

Song Inspo: Dog Days Are Over — Florence + The Machine

Words: 4.3k

A/n: Y'all fill me with so much joy with every like, comment, and reblog. Keep 'em coming :D (and lmk if you wanna join the lovely, growing taglist)

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Series Masterlist

Crying does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive — Charlotte Brontë

Your nose crinkled as the rising fumes of rancid waste, rotting meat, and rusting metal invaded your nostrils. At least in your mind, the virulent smell of artificial manure, which coated the air, had a more defined, less convoluted source. The garbage worms— genetically engineered creatures capable of processing billions of pounds of organic and inorganic debris into tiny, yet smelly, pellets.

You rolled your shoulders in alternating circles, hoping to release the back tension inflamed by your malodorous surroundings. You stared out as far as your eyes could take you, into the barely lit darkness of the Coruscanti night in what Anakin called the Wicko District, home to one of the planet’s largest garbage pits.

You stood just behind the cavernous pit’s edge, its two-kilometer-long path dotted by the luminous glow of lane lights stationed every 250 meters on either side of the trench. The structure’s mechanical whirring echoed off the walls with the essence of a credit falling down a deep well, clinking across the stones in its long descent. From the trough’s middle, a garbage pod instantaneously shot up from blackened obscurity with the speed of a lightning bolt. Your eyes tracked it upwards, watching it leave the atmosphere in mere seconds. Dropping your head down toward the cavern once more, you rested your eyelids, hoping to sense an estimation of the trench’s depth.

“Found another one!” Anakin cried from your rear as you sensed him toss a large, hefty object.

You swiveled on your heels in time to catch the winged glider.

Once more you faced the other thrill seekers who were scattered behind you, either in the process of tinkering with their own pit racers, wagering rather large bets on some of the more experienced racers, or actively diving into the cavernous pit. Out of your peripheral, a dark purple pouch hung from the extended index finger of a hooded Handler who carried a particularly devious smirk. He was collecting credits from a number of excited beings, dressed in athletic gear and forming a semi-circle around him, likely for some unofficial competition that was to take place soon.

You examined the contraption as Anakin stuck his arm through his own glider, noticing its loose flimsisteel composition. The rickety shoulder straps and stiff handles that stuck out on each side did not fuel your confidence in the parawing’s stability

Another throw from Anakin.

“Your optical cup!” He vocalized as the device rolled into the air, gently landing in your outstretched palm, which you extended easily.

You continued to examine the vehicle’s mechanisms.

“You know, Anakin.” You began as you turned back toward the trench to shrug on the pit racer. “This isn’t exactly what I’d consider, leisurely.”

“Trust me.” He swore as you heard his optical device click into place and whir to life. “You’re about to have the most fun of your life.”

You approached the cocky Jedi. “That’s not hard to do.” You nudged the man with your elbow as your stance rested beside him.

Similarly activating your cup, you sealed it to your eye with a slight twist to initiate the suction. “Anything beats living in the excitement graveyard that is Hoth.”

Another dauntless glider charged the cliff’s edge from your right. You felt the wind of his movements brush against your cheek as he launched down into the depths. The whistling cry of the racer disappeared into the cloud of darkness below as fast as his straightened legs vanished over the edge.

“Like I said.” He smirked, studying you out of the corner of his eye as he leaned into your ear.

“The most fun of your life.” He whispered.

“Alright, wise guy.” You lightly palmed his warm cheek, pushing his encroaching nose to the side as he chuckled. “I’m holding you to that promise.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less.” He assured with a grin. “Now remember, there’s no engine on these things, so use the tractor field boosters for lift. The person to collect the most worm scales wins.”

“Got it.” You said as the two of you approached the cliffside. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

You stilled, feeling as if you could almost curl your toes over the edge.

“Oh!” He glanced down at you once more. “Don’t forget to avoid the rocketing garbage pods around those gun machines. Or else you’ll join the space junk.”

You laughed, gripping the racer’s handles firmly, feeling its connection to the glider’s wings.

Your eyes twinkled at the taller man in teasing anticipation. “May the best Jedi win.”

Anakin scoffed. “Being a Jedi has nothing to…”

And with a thrust from the Force in place of a running start, you leapt.

The wind struck your face with the strength of a violent tornado, the blend of foul stenches emanating from the cavern absorbed you into its noxious, blackened haze.

“Hey!” Anakin yelled from the skirt before hastily springing after you.

You bursted into a fit of laughter, stuck in carefree stitches as you descended deeper into the trench. Grappling with each mirthful breath, you simultaneously endeavored to focus on the rapidly developing path ahead.

You manipulated the racer’s handles to maneuver yourself around the luminescent maze of unpredictably intersecting conveyor belts, carrying raw waste or garbage pods throughout the cavern’s complicated mechanical system. As you descended further, the inner workings of the garbage pit came into view. Where debris was roughly compacted into transferable pods, and hundreds of meters ahead, where the neatly packaged waste was launched into the depths of the galaxy.

At the bottom of the pit, flourishing around these nuts and bolts, dwelled your prized amber garbage worms, slinking through their endless food supply in mindless satisfaction, squirming at the size of a Land Cruiser.

As you scanned the array, you spotted a particularly large worm chomping away at an old cerise hovercraft. You noticed the creature’s advanced age, apparent from the stark molting of its superficial scales and fading tinge.

Target acquired, you thought inwardly.

You continued your rapid dive, spotting a field booster in your left peripheral just as it sent another garbage pod down a conveyor belt. Tilting your glider, you graced the booster the instant it became vacant, taking in the momentary lift to steady the racer’s downward trajectory toward the old, plump worm ahead.

Your speed increased in the final stretch, blowing your hair like a whirlwind behind you. Your optical guide read a speed of ten meters a second, signaling you to slowly free a hand in preparation.

Nearly on top of the worm, you squinted, reaching out to grab a particularly glittering scale that hung loose, fluttering like a stuck leaf on its back.

You were close enough to practically taste the musty worm, fingers inches from the slimy scale when a metal arm swooped in, grabbing the flake with a fist before departing with great haste.

“Come on!” You complained as Anakin caught the drift of another field booster to expedite his escape.

“I thought we were playing dirty!” He hollered over his shoulder, waiving the scale at you with a victorious grin.

Your jaw dropped, eyes goggling in levity at his absolute gall as you slanted to gain lift from the same booster. It launched you toward the retreating Jedi at breakneck speed while he aligned himself to dive at another distracted worm.

“Okay, smarty!” You exclaimed as you gained ground. “You asked for it!”

You flew parallel to him, using the opportunity to gently tilt the tip of his left wing with your own from underneath, causing his glider to spin off-course like loose space debris.

“That’s illegal!” He shouted as he attempted to regain control.

Using the booster he fumbled toward, Anakin halted his rotations and steadied his flight upwards.

You tightly kept his original trajectory, easily permitting you to peel off a flaky scale from the curious worm he’d earmarked below, before hijacking a nearby tractor field.

“Now you’re worried about things being illegal?!” You scoffed. “This whole game is illegal!”

You glanced at him, catching his narrowed eyebrows and challenging stare.

“Oh.” He chucked darkly with a cunning simper. “You’re on.”

The two of you continued to twist and weave throughout the dark, stench-filled abyss. Kicking garbage pods off conveyor belts in front of each other to force a change in course. Driving one another into a booster to knock one of you into a completely obscure direction. Even shattering the scarce power relays with a carefully thrown pod, plunging you both into darkness and startling the worms’ stagnation.

As you stretched a hand toward another rapidly approaching scale, you felt the wing of your glider capsize from the flick of Anakin’s force-wielding fist, sending you into a spin.

Inwardly groaning, you attempted to straighten your racer, but to no avail. Your glider wasn’t responding to the handles’ commands. You’d pull to the right, yet the racer would barely react, as if you only tapped the wing’s tip.

Suddenly, you were met with a powerful blast from an unexpected tractor field, vibrating your brain against your skull and simultaneously sending you into dangerous territory.

The impact dizzied your senses as you lost all perception of your surroundings.

A high-pitched beeping rang in your ear. It took you a moment to register the eye cup as the source as it warned you of your hazardously accelerating rotational frequency.

Out of the blurry corner of a lulling eye, you narrowly recognized Anakin’s face, etched with concern. He had seemingly long forgotten the worm he was trying to usurp.

Still, you failed to stabilize the parawing.

“You’re about to cross an acceleration shield!” He called out urgently.

You gritted your teeth in concentration as you careened toward the gun machine.

“I know!”

You continued to try readjusting your flight, desperately pulling at the handles to steady the glider, but it wouldn’t budge. Briskly, you peered over your shoulder at the contraption as a wave of nausea overcame your senses from the endless spinning. Immediately, you noticed a large opening in one of the wings.

“Well, that explains in.” You mumbled under your breath.

How something could have penetrated the glider’s flimsisteel was anyone’s guess.

No time to theorize— you were beginning to feel increasingly woozy as your gyrations accelerated. You needed to use whatever was left of your mind to come up with a plan before losing consciousness.

“There’s a hole…in my racer!” You endeavored to yell.

“What?!” Anakin exclaimed.

You needed to think fast.

If you let go of the glider, you weren’t sure you’d be able to calibrate your surroundings fast enough to cushion your fall into the pit below. Then again, if you continued on this path, you would meet a comparably deadly fate in the cold arms of space.

Make a decision, now!

Looking up, you noticed that the garbage pit’s end was only 50 meters away.

And that’s when it clicked.

You glanced at Anakin, registering his predicated path, displayed by a dotted red line through your optical guide as it continued its shrill blare.

“Stay on your trajectory!” You called out as you continued to spin. “I have a plan!”

“Does it involve a deadly shoot-you-into-space machine?” Anakin quipped, unease lacing his voice. “Because if so, I don’t like it.”

“Have faith, Chosen One.” You gasped, trying to lighten both your spirits as dark spots splotched your sight in the unending rotations. “My plans usually work.”

And with that, you let the final flips of your glider lead you into the all-controlling hands of the acceleration shield while it prepped a launch. As its large spring pulled back, you removed each arm from the racer’s control, triggering another set of vocal alarms in your optical sensor, before letting the contraption fall into the pit in a crumpled heap. You heard the repeated call of WARNING WARNING from the female voice ringing from the optical cup in your dive toward the acceleration shield. Using the Force, you bounded into the gun’s path as the machine released with a bang.

You were hit with the force of a thousand Wampas as you flew up, catching the remnant power of the apparatus behind the garbage pod. As your careening self neared Anakin’s passing glider, you put your plan into action. The moment his racer cleared the gun’s trajectory, you harvested any remaining energy to drive a soaring escape from the shield’s trapping energy, launching yourself toward him.

In a millisecond, you were close enough to clasp onto one of his straps. Using it as a handle to swing your other arm around him, you tightly gripped the other side. The dead hang lasted only a moment as you found the momentum to thrust your legs upwards, lodging each foot behind his ankles.

You dangled parallel to him, chests nearly touching.

“See?” You exclaimed out of breath as you watched his bewildered eyes connect with yours. “Piece of cake.”

Anakin’s brows furrowed in disbelief.

“Don’t fall.”

“Wasn’t planning on it.”

The two of you swiftly reached the cavern’s end, allowing you to demount with a skip as Anakin’s feet met the edge. You dusted off your knees before turning to your companion who was in the process of relieving himself from the racer’s grasp.

“Now that.” You breathed deeply as you continued to steady your breath. “Was awesome!”

“See?” Anakin emphasized as he dropped the glider to the side before twirling on his heel to fall to the ground in exhaustion. “What did I say? The most fun of your life.”

You chuckled as you approached the tuckered-out Jedi, kneeling down to sit beside him as his chest rose and fell freely. “Yeah, you weren’t kidding.”

Your words seemed to spark a flare of anxiety in Anakin as he shot up beside you to send a very deliberate look.

“Remember.” He began with a pointed finger while he recuperated. “This is our little secret. Obi-Wan cannot know we were here.”

“Yeah, I get it now.” You sighed as you relaxed, hugging your knees and peering out into the distance.

Other pit racers continued to weave throughout the garbage labyrinth, catching the occasional ray of golden light as they catapulted upwards, only to dive back down into the trough’s bowels.

“You almost killed me. Imagine explaining that one to Obi-Wan.”

Anakin watched you, unimpressed. “Like I said.” He bumped your shoulder with his own. “Our little secret. I’d be the dead one if Obi-Wan ever found out I took you here. Can’t kill The Guardian only days after finding them.”

You both relaxed into the cool night’s air.

For some reason, the garbage pit’s rising stench was less potent on this side of the trench, permitting you to take in the other essences of Coruscanti city life.

Even from the lower levels, the energy you sensed around you was immense. As you felt beyond the trough, you could almost see the thousands of beings living in towering, dark gray structures that connected from the level’s floor to the ceiling like stalagmites, stretched similarly to Tepasi taffy. Some shorter, rounded structures filled the spaces in between, all dotted with little orange and white glows in the blackness of nighttime. You stared up at The Hole, acting as an aperture of light for various speeders and land vehicles that descended and ascended in slow hovers. Other smaller openings from the floor above resembled the pockets of storm clouds, acting as an additional source of illumination to the main pathway to the lower levels.

You rested your chin on a knee, taking a deep breath to blow a stream of fog into the cold air.

“How are you feeling?” You asked.

Your gaze locked on a distant speeder, dodging surrounding vehicles to continue its whirlwind dash through one of Wicko’s primary skylanes.

You listened as the uncharacteristically hushed Jedi sighed beside you. “Honestly? I don’t know.”

A breathy laugh dripped from your lips. “Same here.”

You tightened each arm around your bundled legs, taking in the sudden breeze.

The sound of distant sirens from a police skimmer rolled into the atmosphere before just as swiftly fading in the city’s background noise. You sensed Anakin peer at you timidly from the ground, encouraging your own gaze to meet his over your shoulder.

“This is all…just so…very, strange.” He expressed earnestly as he sat up, crossing his legs.

“You’re telling me.” You huffed in a jocular cadence. “Here I was, thinking I’d trained all my life to meet and protect a grand, wise, and humble Chosen One.” You held your arms wide as if hugging the world.

“Okay, okay.” He lightly flicked your outstretched arm, causing you to giggle while you gently slapped his hand away.

He stared back out into the distance. “Message received.”

As your laughter died down, you eased further into your loosened muscles, stretching out your legs and leaning back on the palms of your hands while staring out at the beyond once more

“Honestly?” You exhaled. “I’m pretty nervous.”

You glanced at Anakin almost immediately, watching as he visibly calmed.

“Same here.”

His eyes softened as he twisted back toward you. “I just… never thought that I’d be sharing this prophecy with someone else.”

Seeming to notice your distant stare, Anakin gently touched your arm, turning you toward himself. “And to be perfectly clear, I wasn’t super happy when I learned about you at first. I just…don’t like the idea of putting my fate in someone else’s hands.”

You stayed carefully silent as you stared at Anakin, soberly. It felt as if his words had grabbed you by the chest, holding it in limbo while sending a chill down your spine that felt colder than Hoth’s worst days.

Holding your breath, you patiently waited for him to continue.

“But talking to you a bit more these past few days, thinking more about what your destiny means, it’s challenged my thinking.” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s good to have another person on my side. And from what I’ve seen so far, I’m thinking that I couldn’t have asked for a better Guardian.”

You beamed at his words ever so briefly. Then, your gaze dropped subtly, a hint of embarrassment ticking at your cheeks. You could feel him eyeing you curiously, witnessing a deep sigh escape your mouth. Even you felt the air of insecurity that swirled around your being.

“That’s kind of you to say, but to be perfectly open with you, Anakin, I don’t know if Qui-Gon spent enough time with me. Even if the Force brought us together. Even if my eyes have changed, and my path has begun. I just don’t know if I’m fully prepared for this journey.”

“Hey.” He said softly, tapping your chin upwards with a knuckle, thrusting your vision toward him.

“Qui-Gon was originally supposed to train me too. Yet I turned out fine.” He reassured.

You smiled to yourself, thinking about your late Master once more. He could have opened up a private school for Jedi with the number of Padawans he tried to take on.

“He saved me from a life of slavery on Tatooine,” Anakin revealed as his eyes drifted to the side.

A wave of sympathy washed over you for the solemn Jedi.

You had no idea.

“That must have been very difficult for you.” You spoke.

“It was.” He admitted. “But the hardest part was leaving my mother behind.” He avoided your gaze.

Your compassionate eyes scanned his hunched figure. “Is she still there?”

Rather coldly, Anakin answered.

“She died.”

You paused for a moment, before tenderly placing a hand on his warm shoulder, squeezing gently.

“I’m sorry.” You murmured.

For a brief instant, his carefully constructed display of indifference cracked under the pressure, coercing a deep-rooted rage to ooze from his being.

“You know.” You started, eyes glued to the back of his skull. “It’s okay to be angry.”

Anakin’s head whipped toward you with the expression of a dugar caught in a tractor beam.

You smiled reassuringly. “It’s true! It’s normal.”

Your head bobbed to either side in rumination.

”Frankly, I’d be concerned if you weren’t feeling some sort of fury.”

Anakin’s brows furrowed toward his feet, lips creased. He was seemingly unconvinced of your words. You watched as he started to nervously pick at an index finger with his thumb.

So you snatched his hands, drawing them in between the two of you and forcing his stoic stare to once again raise and meet yours.

“Anakin, words cannot describe how livid I am. How betrayed I feel, since learning of my Master’s death. I’m angry at the galaxy, at myself, and even at Qui-Gon. He left me stranded on a barren planet for a decade, Anakin. It wasn’t his fault, but I still blame him. But feeling these things doesn’t mean I’m any less a person, or any less a Jedi. It means I’m human.”

You closed your eyes, taking in a deep breath to try to calm your thoughts before releasing them open as you exhaled. You pressed your thumbs into his sweaty palms in a comforting manner, his unwavering gaze piercing your very soul.

“Tragedy is a part of life. And emotion is a part of tragedy. It’s how you face those parts of yourself that will determine your ability to move forward. Not just for yourself, but for the people around you.”

Anakin stayed very still, searching your eyes like he was scanning for any quiver of doubt, any inkling of a catch. A complication. But you were unwavering, only offering a dulcet countenance to support the simplicity of your words.

His features remained steadfast, except for the slight flicker of hope that kindled behind his irises like a budding flame.

“How do you deal with it?” He barely uttered, gaze dropping to the floor.

You thought carefully, exhaling the bubbling emotions that this conversation had meticulously simmered. Your words seemed to be of some importance to him, and you wanted to present your thoughts in the most helpful way possible, as clear as possible, and not tainted by your own internal conflicts.

You opened your mouth to answer when a mechanical whistle buzzed through the cold, decaying breeze. It jolted the two of you from your quiet conversation, signaling Anakin to release your hands into the chillier atmosphere as he reached to address his flashing wrist comm.

He tapped the answering button. “Anakin here.” His voice slightly croaked from the weight of your hushed conversation.

“Anakin! Good, where are you?” Obi-Wan’s voice fizzled through the speaker. “I checked the refractory and your quarters but you weren’t there. Ahsoka didn’t know where you were either. I also cannot find our new companion.”

“Everything’s fine, Master,” Anakin assured, placing a hand confidently on his hip. “Silvey and I decided to leave The Temple. We’re exploring Coruscant.”

You shot him a glare for his steadfast use of that unimaginative nickname. His self-assured grin shut you down.

“I need to meet with you both urgently.” Obi-Wan projected. “Where are you?”

“Uh.” Anakin eyes shifted toward you in minute panic. “We’re in the Uscru District.” He blurted out with flimsy confidence.

Your brows furrowed. “Uscru District?” You mouthed in a questioning manner.

Anakin placed a finger on his lips, pleading for your silence as he focused on the comm link.

“Anakin…” Obi-Wan chided. “Where exactly are you?”

He was apparently unconvinced by that answer.

“In the Outlander Club. Can’t get enough of those nerf burgers…” Anakin trailed off before chuckling nervously.

He glanced at you again, doe-eyed for silent support.

You rolled your eyes, collapsing backward onto the firm, cold ground, arms sprawled out in defeat. Lifting an arm lazily, you gave him a big thumbs down to formally protest this terrible plan. Anakin was going to keep digging himself into a deeper hole and all you could do was watch and listen.

Well, at this point, it was too hard to watch. So you instead distracted yourself with the passing land vehicles that soared above you in perfect harmony.

“You’re going to the wrong place for nerf burgers.” Obi-Wan challenged.

You could envision the bearded Jedi crossing his arms while peering at the comm skeptically from the tone of his voice.

“And why of all places did you decide to take them there?!”

“Because it’s a great first taste of society! You can’t find a better place to watch intergalactic pod racing matches.”

You barely heard Obi-Wan’s audible, yet defeated sigh through the crackling speaker.

“I see.” He conceded. “Stay where you are. I’ll be there soon.”

And with that, the call ended with a click.

“Alright, get up!” Anakin exclaimed as his mechanical hand extended into your vision.

You grasped the steely limb tightly, letting him tug you upwards with a start. As soon as your feet touched the ground, Anakin took off in a jog toward the Coruscanti Hole, briefly yanking you along before dropping his arm from yours as he hastened.

You caught up with the Jedi, matching his dash.

“Where is the Uscru District?”

“It’s somewhat close.” He puffed.

“Then why are we running?”

He glanced at you with a meager grimace.

“Because The Temple is closer.”

You groaned. “Well, how many?”

“Huh.” He glanced at you quizzically.

You stuck a hand into your pocket as you continued your sprint, rummaging around to collect the worm scales with your fingers before pulling them out and counting them silently.

“I got five.” You peered at his rushing figure. “How about you?”

Anakin’s gaze locked with yours. Seeing your indomitable stare, he did the same. Extracting the scales from his robe, he counted them once, twice, then three times in the palm of his hand before letting out a defeated huff.

“Five.”

“Ha ha!” You exclaimed victoriously before taunting him again.

“Look at that. We balance each other out.”

Taglist

@js-favnanadoongi

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@randomwriter435

[starkstruck27]

Was listening to Skyfall by Adele last night and thought of this. Enjoy!

This place, whatever it was, was gross. Slimy, cold, dangerous, and gross. It reminded Billy of that one part of that Jim Henson movie that'd just come out that he'd taken Max to see, the Labyrinth. There was a part where the girl and some of the other characters almost slipped and fell into the Bog of Eternal Stench, and that's what the place was like. Well, if the Bog of Eternal Stench were shaped like Hawkins, Indiana.

And not only did it stink, but it was cold. Billy had never liked the cold, but this was nearly excruciating, as if he'd gotten locked in a giant freezer. Max had apparently been here before, because she had told him to bring a heavier jacket, but Billy had insisted he would be fine with just his bomber. He privately wished he wasn't so stubborn when it came to listening to Max, but that was something to unpack at a later time. Right now he was too focused on trying to get her and the other nerds to where they needed to be without any of them getting eaten by any freaky creatures.

When they were still back on planet Earth, before diving headfirst into the literal Hell hole in the Police Chief's living room, they'd all been assigned tasks to try and get this shut to stop. The Chief and his old lady had been designated ground support, since they weren't as young and spry as everyone else, so they stayed topside, guarding the hole and doing what they could on earth to help guide them. Jonathan and Nancy had been assigned as patrol in the Upside Down (that's what the kids called the place) so that if any creatures tried to attack, they could try and stall them while Steve, Robin and Billy did their jobs.

Theirs were arguably the most important, other than the kids' jobs, of course. They were assigned to protect the little brats as they did their thing, helping them to get from place to place safely and do whatever needed to be done to get this pocket of the underworld closed off again. Robin was supposed to stay with Erica and Mike in the zombified version of the Wheeler's place, relaying the messages to the real world and the Upside Down world between people so that the signal would reach. They were also look outs, so that if any monsters slipped past Jon and Nancy, they could warn the others. Billy was tasked with guarding Max, Lucas and Dustin at the junkyard, also to relay messages, but also as a last line of defense between the last group. Steve's job was going to be the hardest. He had to make sure Eleven and Will were protected, but he also had to get them to the source of all this madness and hold off all the nasty vines and creatures so that they could do their thing to end this. He also had to make sure they all got out before it was too late, which would be easier said than done when you consider he'll have to tote out two pre-teens who have a penchant for fainting after overexerting themselves to save the world. It was certainly not an easy job for any party concerned, and there was no guarantee that any of them would make it out alive.

That was all Billy could really think about as they snuck around through the muck and debris of their alternate town, the fact that they could fail and potentially all die. He didn't really fear dying itself, but he wasn't exactly ready to die yet, either. Especially when he knew that if he died, everyone else could end up dead, too. He didn't want that to happen. He'd become strangely fond of everyone that had become involved in this shitshow, and he didn't know if he could handle being responsible for their demise. Still, it was all he could think about, how they might die and he would never get to see them or talk to them again. And there was still so much he wanted to tell some of them. If he or they died, he'd never get the chance, and that didn't sit right with him.

His mind was so clouded as they marched through the barren landscape that he almost didn't notice when they got to the Wheeler's house to drop off Robin and the two kids. He only came back to himself as he nearly tripped on a vine on the way down to the basement, just barely catching himself before he took out the lot of them in a domino effect. After that, he forced himself to be in the moment, if for no other reason than to keep them from getting found and being put in danger.

"Alright, you guys got your walkies, your weapons and you're gonna be okay down here, right?" Steve asked as Robin nodded, Mike and Erica rooting through their backpacks to make sure they had everything they needed.

"Yeah, but just an fyi, if I die, I will be back to haunt all your asses," Erica said, sass dripping from her words, as usual. Billy wasn't even sure she could speak any other way.

"You're not gonna die," Steve said, rolling his eyes fondly, "As long as you stay with Robin and don't trip any vines. And don't forget, I promised an ice cream party at my house once this is all over, so there's some extra incentive to protect yourself and these other two. Do that, and you'll make it to Uncle Jack's, I promise."

"I better," Erica said, giving Steve a half-hug before settling on the couch next to Mike. Nobody but she, Robin, Steve and Dustin seemed to understand that code, but it always helped Erica to calm down whenever things got weird in Hawkins, so none of them questioned it when Steve always brought it up.

"Steve, come on! We don't have all day!" Henderson called from the steps, already halfway back up them as Steve seemed to linger for a second longer.

"I'm coming, Dustin!" Steve yelled, then turned to Robin again. "You're gonna be okay with these two?"

"Yeah, I just gotta keep them both in my line of sight at all times and make sure none of us gets killed. Piece of cake," she said, shrugging before yanking Steve close and hugging him hard. "Be careful, Dingus. You know I'll kill you if you die, right?"

"I know Robbie. We'll be okay, I swear. Rendezvous at Hop's cabin in two hours if you don't hear anything on the walkie, alright?" Steve said, hugging her just as hard.

"Got it," she said, and finally, the two parted.

As they crept back up the stairs and out into the ugly, awful world again, Billy marched at the back of the remaining brood of kids, making sure none of them strayed away or got lost as they trekked to the next spot. Steve was at the front, leading the way and letting them know if there was something to watch their step with or something to duck away from. Billy was kind of disappointed that he couldn't get close to Steve, he wanted to talk to him, but instead he had to listen to Max and Lucas jabber on with Henderson about something they planned on doing when this was all over. The other two kids would interject a comment here and there, but for the most part, they kept quiet, the boy's hand often coming to touch the back of his neck and the girl almost constantly wiping at her nose.

Soon enough, they were at the next point, the junkyard. There was an old school bus there, even more decayed in this world than in the real world, but it was the only structure big enough and with enough shelter for the four of them that were going to stay here, so it'd have to do. They all clambered inside, Dustin, Max and Lucas immediately starting to set up their things among the empty seats and Eleven and Will waiting at the front for Steve. He and Billy were standing in the center of the bus, going over the game plan one more time and waiting until the kids gave the OK before starting to part.

"You gonna be alright?" Steve asked, looking at Billy with an intensity the other boy could only hope to understand.

"Yeah. The brats seem to have their stuff covered, so all I gotta do is keep 'em alive. Easy as pie," Billy said, his heart rate picking up as he tried to keep up the illusion that he wasn't nervous.

"And don't forget, you gotta keep yourself alive, too, understand?" Steve asked, putting a hand on Billy's shoulder.

"Who do you think you are, Freddie Mercury?" Billy asked back, trying to make him smile. It only half worked.

"I know I'm being overbearing, but I always get worried when my friends are in dangerous situations," he replied, and Billy nodded.

"I know. I promise you, we'll both make it out of here alive. I'm gonna make absolutely sure of that," Billy said, his voice strict, as if there were no room for argument.

"Okay," Steve nodded, smiling a little more as he turned to go, "Same rules as with Robin: If nobody says anything in two hours, head to Hop's cabin. Stay safe, alright?"

"You got it, Pretty Boy," Billy said, but he could feel a sharp tug in his chest as he saw Steve head for the doors. He knew he had to do something. He still had so much to say to him, had so much to tell him and he didn't have time to say it all, he barely had time to scratch the surface. But he had to at least try. After all, this might be his last chance.

"Steve!" He called, catching him just before he left, the two final kids in tow.

"Yeah?" Steve asked, turning around, his face full of worry.

"It's just- um," Billy was floundering, and he was running out of time.

"What is it, Billy?" Steve asked, stepping closer.

"I-I," he swallowed, steeling himself. "Just, you made me remember a bunch of shit, I need you to remember a few things, too."

"What?" Steve asked, his eyes locked on Billy's. It was now or never.

"Just this," Billy said, "Plant your feet. Draw a charge. And I'm only doing this because I might never get another chance."

Billy didn't wait anymore. He wasn't going to be scared about it. He didn't have time for fear, and it had no place in this fucking hellscape. And if Steve reacted badly, well, there were probably a lot of those hungry demo-thingies that were just itching for a Billy-shaped midnight snack. So he just did it. He grabbed Steve by the front of his jacket, yanked him in close, and kissed him with everything he had.

It didn't last long. They didn't have time for that. But it was everything. Billy didn't care if the world ended anymore, not if he could be kissing Steve while the sky fell down. He couldn't hear the shouts of the kids, he couldn't smell the mold and decay of the rotting bus, he couldn't see the red lightning and disgusting grays that colored the outside world, all of his senses were flooded with only one thing, and it was divine. But he knew he couldn't let it go on, so he pulled himself back, letting go of Steve and stepping back to encourage him to leave now.

"Go," he said, "Go put an end to this shit. But for fuck's sake, don't you dare die on me, you got that?"

Steve just stared at him a second, but he seemed to snap back to reality as Billy turned to go back to the kids he was in charge of, hunkering down with them as Steve just gave a small nod and led his own charges back out into the danger zone.

Billy ignored Max's pestering about "whatever the hell that was between you and Steve" for as long as he could, shutting out anything that wasn't an outside noise or the crackle of static from the walkie until Steve's voice came through, telling them they were finally at their destination. Lucas relayed the message to Mike and he then relayed it to Jonathan, who finally got the message to Hopper and Joyce. After that, all they could do was wait.

It seemed to take forever. Billy had been ignoring Max and her friends so well that they'd started playing some sort of game to try and pass the time, but Billy still didn't pay them any attention. Instead, he paced throughout the bus, twisting the axe he'd chosen as his weapon in his hands and keeping an eye out for anything outside. His mind was racing again, but this time it was less thoughts of death and more thoughts of 'what the fuck did I just do?' There was still some death mixed in there, but it wasn't nearly as much as before. Now he was more worried about what this would mean if they made it through. Would Steve hate him? Would he let it go if Billy apologized, saying it was just pressure of the moment and paranoia and he forgot himself? Would he forgive him, but then things wouldn't be the same between them again? And worst of all, would he survive the desolate terrain, the freaky creatures, the government cover-up and the probably cancerous fallout, only to be killed by a bunch of small-minded hicks for kissing the wrong boy at the wrong time?

"Billy, calm down! You're making us nervous with all that pacing! And we can practically hear the gears turning in your head! Just come sit down, we only have an hour left until we have to go and meet up with everyone else, it'll go by quicker if you'd just rela-" Max tried to tell him, but she was interrupted when everything started to move.

The ground was shaking. The kids clung to the seats they were sitting in, and Billy gripped onto a few of them before he lost his balance. His axe clattered to the floor, just barely missing his toes. The Earth was screaming as if in pain, and dust and debris were falling from the decrepit ceiling as the earthquake ripped through the place.

"Guys!" Steve yelled through the radio, barely audible through the static and the noise around them. "El and Will closed the gate, but Will fainted, and it tripped a vine! Get to Hop's place, now!"

Billy didn't need to be told twice. As soon as the shaking stopped, he gave the kids the two seconds it took for him to relay the message and find the axe again to get their shit, then he practically dragged them out of the bus. He held onto Lucas's hand, pulling him along through the place, and in turn, dragging the other two as well, as they were all holding hands and forming a human chain to make sure no one got left behind. They ran like Hell through the place, doing everything they could to not trip, but they didn't care anymore if they stepped on the squishy vines that littered pretty much the entire ground. All bets were off with them now that one had been tripped, so Billy hoped that at least if everyone stepped on them as they ran to Hopper's cabin, whatever creature was coming after them would get confused and wouldn't be able to pinpoint the exact location of any of them.

It felt like hours of running. Days even. They had to stop every so often when another earthquake hit, but they would take that time to at least catch their breath before continuing on. Finally, the cabin was becoming visible on the horizon, and they could see Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, Mike and Erica waiting for them just inside. But there was no sign yet of Steve, Eleven and Will.

Still, the sight of the rest of their friends seemed to give the kids an energy boost, and Dustin, Lucas and Max broke away from the chain to run forward, hugging their friends and catching their breath before Nancy herded them inside, she and Robin helping them to start climbing back through the portal and into the real world.

"Where's Steve and the others?" Billy asked Jonathan as he finally met him in front of the cabin.

"They didn't get here yet," Jonathan answered, shaking his head with a nervous expression.

"Then we gotta go find them! He's trying to tote two exhausted kids alone, and they were at the epicenter of the chaos! Fuck, why did we let him go alone?!" Billy rambled, shoving a hand through his hair as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Because there wasn't enough of us and the radio signals don't reach far enough for us to eliminate one of the other groups. But you're right, we gotta go find them. I'm not leaving Will down here again, and I'll be damned if the other two get stuck with him," Jonathan said, taking the shotgun Nancy had loaned him and following Billy into the trees.

They didn't want to stray too far from the cabin, but both of them were determined to find Steve and the kids. They went as far as they could before they could hear screeching from some kind of creature, and then they fell back a little, both of them raising their weapons in anticipation.

"Billy, what if-" Jonathan started, but Billy cut him off.

"No! Don't say it. Don't even think it. They're fine, we're gonna find them, we just have to keep looking," Billy said, gripping his axe tighter.

"Dude, I want to believe you, but we gotta go back! If not, they might not end up monster chow, but we will!" Jonathan tried to reason, but Billy wasn't having it.

"None of us is gonna end up monster chow! Just- We just gotta- Fuck! We just gotta think-" he rambled, fear crawling up and making a home in his spine. But then he saw it. A flash of yellow through the trees. Yellow like the shirt Will had been wearing.

"There!" He yelled, pointing, grabbing Jonathan's arm and yanking him along through the trees, going as fast as he could and shouting Steve's name.

The trio stopped in their tracks and turned to see Billy and Jonathan speeding towards them, and they took off as well, meeting them halfway. Eleven was crying a little bit and her nose was bleeding again, and Will was barely conscious, but they were all alive, and for the most part, unhurt.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!" Jonathan said as they met, hearing another screech in the distance, only a lot shorter of a distance than the last one.

"Yeah, I know. But the gate is closed and now all we have to do is make it out alive," Steve said, adjusting his hold on Will and making sure El was okay beside him. Another screech sounded, and the little girl went white.

"They are coming," she said, her eyes wide with fear. "They don't know where we are, but they know we were all going to the cabin. They are going to attack soon."

"Fuck!" Billy yelled, then remembered it was probably their best interest to keep his voice down.

"El, how much time do we have?" Steve asked.

"Not long. Maybe thirty minutes," she said, swaying a little on her feet. It was clear she was tired, but she was pushing herself to keep going.

"Okay. I think I have an idea," Steve said, his face going as serious as possible. "Jon, Billy, you guys take Will and El and make sure they get through the portal safely. I'll hang back and cover you, just in case."

Jonathan nodded, handing Billy the shotgun to hold so that he could take Will from Steve, then took it back as El stood closer to Billy.

"Hold on, wait," Billy said, stepping closer to Steve, "You can't stay out here and fight these things on your own."

"Billy, we don't have time to argue about this," Steve said, clearly annoyed that he wasn't just taking El's hand and walking away.

"I know that, but what do you want me to do, leave you out here by yourself?!" He asked, exasperated.

"Yes!" Steve said back.

"Like Hell I will! Jon can handle the kids. I'm not leaving you out here alone!" He said, crossing his arms and staring Steve down. They stared at each other for a tense moment, but finally, Steve broke, they didn't have time to be fighting about this.

"Ugh, fine! Jon, take the kids and get home. We'll be right behind you. If we aren't back within fifteen minutes of you, or if anything happens within those fifteen minutes, help El close the portal."

"But what if-" El tried.

"It doesn't matter. You all get out safe. Whether or not we make it back, fifteen minutes and then it's closed. If anything happens that puts you and everyone else in danger, it's closed. Understand?" Steve told her, but then his voice softened. "We'll make it back, El. This is just a precaution, just in case. I promise you, we'll make it back, but on the off chance that we don't, you gotta promise me you'll close it so that everyone else is safe, okay?"

Eleven looked terrified, but she sniffed, swallowed, and looked Steve in the eyes as she nodded. "Okay."

And with that, Jon made sure El had a good grip on him, that he had a good grip on Will, and then they left. They didn't run this time, it was kinda hard to do that, and they had to be more aware of the vines now, but they still rushed as fast as they could. Billy and Steve hung back, giving them a bit of a head start before starting after them, keeping their weapons close as they continued to hear the screeching getting louder and louder, closer and closer.

"Shit!" Billy tried not to yell as the earth began to shake again, more violently than ever. The sky was angry and throwing a fit in the form of red lightning and freaky bats flying towards them. The monsters kept screeching and it was close now, almost on them, and the vines seemed to be retracting, being pulled into their source as the ground began to split open in places. Billy was glad he wasn't going to have to worry about them anymore, but then he saw one wrap around Steve's ankle as it was pulled back, and his heart stopped.

"Steve, look out!" He screamed, no longer concerned about his volume as he jumped over to nearly tackle Steve, swinging the axe wildly and praying that it would cut the vine with just one swing. Steve was screaming by this point as he was pulled down, being dragged along the ground until he was able to hold onto a tree, hoping his grip would stay strong until Billy could cut him free. It finally happened, he was free, but more vines were trying to grab them as they were able to get back up, and they knew they had only two choices: Fight or flight.

"Come on, come on!" Billy yelled, pulling Steve up with all his strength and gripping his hand hard as they began to run. Jon and the kids had to be safe by now, and if they weren't back yet, they were at least close. That meant that Steve and Billy had about fifteen minutes to get back before they got stuck here. They figured it was more than appropriate to start running for their lives.

"Fuck! Come on! We're almost there!" Steve shouted, seeing Hopper's cabin just over the horizon.

"Can you see Jon?" Billy asked, his legs burning from running so much.

"In the window, they're inside! I think he's about to climb through! We're gonna make it!" Steve said, hope and relief clear in his voice. Billy could see it, too. Jon had just climbed through the hole in the floor. It was almost over. They were going to make it.

A loud screech stopped them in their tracks as a demogorgan came out of nowhere, standing between them and the cabin and seemingly trying to decide which way it wanted to go. It was growling and even though its tulip-shaped face was closed, it's nasty drool and a few teeth were still visible as it stood in a stand off with Billy and Steve.

"I want you to run to the portal as fast as you can," Steve whispered, not looking away from the horrifying creature. "Don't stop, don't look back, and make sure El keeps her promise. If I'm not back in a few minutes, close it."

"But-"

"Don't fucking argue with me," Steve hissed, "Just fucking run."

"No, sorry, can't do that," Billy mumbled back, "I gotta keep my own promise before I worry about anyone else's. We're both getting out of here alive, Steve. I'm gonna make sure of it."

Billy glanced over at Steve, too afraid to move anything but his eyes, and he squeezed the hand that he still held in his own, adding another promise to the one he'd already made. Steve didn't look away from the creature, but he gripped his bat harder, and he squeezed back.

And then, it was as if everything moved at once. He and Steve dropped each other's hands in favor of brandishing their weapons, and they ran towards the creature, fear coursing through them as it charged right back.

When his axe made contact with moist, saggy flesh, it set something off in Billy, and he fought as hard as he could with every ounce of energy he had left in him. He was deaf to the screams of agony the thing was letting out, and only fought harder as it began to thrash around under their blows. Steve hacked away at its face with his bat, ripping out chunks of flesh, teeth, and black, sticky guts with each strike. Billy was hitting as hard as he could at what he assumed would be the weak spots, the spine, the neck, the stomach, the ankles. Anything he could get at, really. Until finally, the creature stopped screeching, and it fell down limp between them.

Billy didn't even notice it was dead at first, and he just kept hitting it, until finally, a noise cut through the ringing in his ears, and he looked up.

"Come on, Billy, it's dead! We have to go, now! We only have a few minutes!" Steve yelled, grabbing Billy around the waist and hauling him backwards until they were a few feet away from the creature, and Billy finally stopped swinging, taking a second to reorient himself as he caught his breath.

When he finally had it, he looked up to see Steve in front of him, gripping his shoulders and making sure Billy was back with him.

"Hey, you okay?" He checked, leaning down to look Billy in the eyes as he tried to steady him. Billy nodded, breathing heavily. "Good. Now let's haul ass, El's about to close the portal."

Steve grabbed Billy by the hand again and ran with him to the portal, both of them feeling like their lungs were about to explode. Even during basketball games they never ran this much, and with both of them having been smoking since they were the kids' age, they were not exactly fans of cardio.

They had just made it to the door when another gut-curdling screech sounded through the air, and the two turned their heads just in time to duck as a few of those disgusting bats flew in after them. They couldn't tell how many there were, anywhere from three to five, but they were too all over the place for them to count properly. Their hearts sank as they saw them, though, and they picked up their weapons again, beginning to swing.

They were so close.

They just had to jump through the floor.

But they couldn't let these things get out.

They had to stop them.

Steve was able to punt a few away with his bat as he and Billy backed towards the hole, but it wasn't so easy to hit these things with an axe. And just before they got to the edge of the hole in the floor, one managed to wrap its nasty tendrils around Billy's neck and start to drag him back in.

"Billy!" Steve yelled, hitting bats out of the way as he tried to fight his way back to Billy. They could hear more screeches coming, meaning more bats were on their way, and Billy was already starting to feel lightheaded as he struggled against the bat as it choked him. He waved his arms at Steve, trying to signal for him to just go, but he knew that no one could match his stubbornness like Steve could, and he wasn't gonna go anywhere.

"El!" Steve shouted as he finally got to Billy, the rest of the bats knocked away for now, but they didn't have much time, maybe a few seconds before the next wave hit. This was it. "El, close it now!"

"But Steve-" She shouted back, a sob clear in her voice. It broke Steve's heart.

"NOW!!" He screamed back, his throat hurting from the combination of yelling so hard and the emotions crashing over him, but he shook it off. He only had one shot at this, he couldn't afford to be emotional now. He could save that for if his plan didn't work and he and Billy got eaten by bats or severed in half by the closing portal.

His heart rate spiked as he heard El screaming again, but this time it wasn't words, and he knew she was closing the portal. He had maybe five seconds.

He grabbed the bat with his bare hand and pulled with all of his might.

Four seconds.

Billy was choking, eyes rolling back into his reddened face, but he was still shredding at the tendrils around his neck.

Three seconds.

The hole was already closed about halfway.

Two seconds.

Steve screamed as hard as he could as he finally ripped the bat in half, tossing it to the side.

One second.

He didn't think twice as he tackled Billy through the tiny portal opening that was left, just barely making it through as El finally sealed it up. They missed the girl only by a hair and fell in a heap on the floor of Hopper's cabin. They were tired. They were in pain. But goddammit, they were alive.

"Holy shit!! Are you guys okay?! What the hell happened?!" Nancy asked, she and the rest of the group crowding around the two as they tried to get ahold of themselves. Steve rolled off of Billy and sprawled out on his back, his heart, lungs and stomach all in his throat as he tried to make sense of everything. He took a mental inventory of his body, but found it was futile, everything hurt just about the same. Except for his elbow, which is what he and Billy had landed on when they torpedoed through the portal, everything was just one dull, continuous ache. His elbow felt like it was on fire, and honestly, Steve wouldn't have been surprised if it was, but he knew it was more likely that it was just broken and that he'd need to get it looked at sooner rather than later.

Billy wasn't faring much better. His throat was raw and tender to the touch, and it was already forming a deep purple bruise. His shoulder hurt to move, most likely a pulled muscle from swinging that axe around so much. His entire body ached from overexertion, and he had a bad headache from being deprived of oxygen for so long, but nothing too serious.

"Um, hello?! What the hell just happened, Dingus?!" Robin was asking now, leaning over Steve and blocking his eyes from the bright lights. He was glad for that at least.

"Demobats," he finally croaked out, his throat sore from yelling. "They started swarming us just as we got to the cabin. We were fighting them off, but one got Billy and was dragging him away. But more were coming and we didn't want to put you all in danger, so I told El to close it up. We got him free at the last second and I threw us through the portal just before it closed."

"Jesus Christ, you're both nuts for even attempting that stunt!" Hopper said, shaking his head as he knelt down over them, too. "But I'm goddamn glad you did. This town has seen too many funerals because of this shit already, we don't need any more. Come on, I'm gonna get you to the hospital."

With the help of Jonathan, Robin and Nancy, the two boys were helped off the floor and into the back of Hopper's police car, then buckled, then whisked away down the road complete with lights and sirens. They pulled up to the ER and there were already doctors waiting for them, thanks to Hopper calling it in as a hit and run accident he'd happened to witness. They put the two on stretchers and took them inside, taking Steve to get his arm put in a cast and Billy to get a head scan and make sure getting "strangled by his seatbelt" didn't cause any real damage. After that, they were each carted off to be assessed for any other injuries, but other than a few scrapes and bruises, they were pretty much okay. Finally, after all of this, they were put into a room for observation, and were told to just relax and get some rest.

Steve got to the room first, the cast taking a lot less time than the head scan, and he closed his eyes to try and sleep, but it was no use. He needed to know Billy was okay. He needed to make sure their friends knew they were okay. He needed something to eat. Then he could rest.

After what felt like forever, Billy was finally brought into the room, and Steve could feel his heart beating faster as the nurses set up his IV and heart monitor. He had been given one of each, too, but the doctors had assured him that it was just a precaution. Billy, on the other hand, looked like he actually needed them, and it made Steve nervous. Billy looked nothing like his larger-than-life self lying there in the hospital bed, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know the reason for that.

"Okay, you're all set," the nurse said after a minute of fiddling with the buttons and wires of Billy's monitors. "If you boys need anything, just push the button."

"Oh, uh, can I ask you a favor real quick?" Steve asked, making his best sad puppy eyes at the woman. "Our friends are probably out waiting to see us, would you mind bringing them back to see us? They should be with Chief Hopper."

"Sure thing, sugarplum," the nurse said, and with that, she was gone.

"Hey," Steve whispered over to Billy as the nurse left them, "Billy? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Billy wheezed, nearly inaudible, "My throat hurts, but no brain damage they said, so I guess that's something. Lost my voice, though."

"Yeah, I could tell. It sounds awful. We don't have to talk then, I just wanted to make sure," Steve said, smiling over at him.

"No, no, I'm okay. I wanna talk. Makes it easier to stay awake," Billy said, his voice still tiny. "How's your arm?"

"It'll be fine, just need to keep a cast on it for like three months. But I'll take a broken arm over being stuck in the Upside Down and dying by bat bites, so," Steve shrugged, going for funny, but Billy hardly smiled.

"Yeah, me too," he said, then went quiet, and so did Steve. It was the kind of silence that was charged, like the words unsaid made the air thicker than the ones that were. The nurse hadn't returned with the rest of the group yet, and they were both tired, so Billy figured if he wanted to talk to Steve, now would be the time. Still, it was hard to figure out where to start.

"I'm glad this is all over," he started, testing the waters, "but there was one part of the whole ordeal that I didn't mind. I actually really enjoyed it."

"Really? What?" Steve asked, confused for a moment, but then it hit him, just as Billy said it.

"When I kissed you. I never would've had the balls to try if I wasn't convinced I was gonna end up dead by the end, so I guess that place wasn't all bad," he said, swallowing thickly and clearing his aching throat. He really should stop talking, but he had to know what Steve was thinking.

"I guess when you put it that way, it really wasn't," Steve chuckled, tapping his fingers on his cast nervously. "In fact, it was a really good thing that it happened."

"What do you mean?" Billy asked, his voice somehow even smaller, as if he were afraid of the answer.

"I mean that it gave me an extra incentive to fight, to make sure we both got out of there alive... so that I could, maybe... do it again?" Steve bit his lip, gripping the plaster on his arm tightly as he glanced over to look at the other boy.

"Really? You mean it?" Billy asked, his voice cracking in excitement as he sat up quickly, and regretting it just as quick as his body zinged with pain. Steve couldn't help but smile a little.

"Yeah, I mean it. But why don't we wait at least until we're out of the hospital, okay? Don't want to give the poor nurses a heart attack if they walked in to take our vitals and caught us necking," he smiled, reaching out between their beds with his uninjured arm and holding it up for Billy to take. He did, reaching out and holding Steve's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Okay, Pretty Boy," he said, smiling brightly at him.

They dropped each other's hands as the nurse finally returned with all of their friends, all of them having taken the time they'd been spending in the hospital to clean up and change clothes, and apparently, Joyce had even found time to make some kind of casserole, which she brought for them since she thought they needed something more nutritious than hospital food. She dished it out onto paper plates as everyone else milled about. Hopper had taken up the one chair in the room and was quickly falling asleep. The kids were all sitting on one of the two beds, jabbering on about how awesome it was the way Steve saved them or how brave Billy was for refusing to leave him behind by himself. They'd also each taken a turn with Will's markers to sign Steve's cast, adding drawings or little messages, just filling the ugly thing up with color. Nancy, Jonathan and Robin were all standing around making small talk, clearly exhausted, but listening intently as Steve told them about the demogorgan they'd taken down before the thing with the bats. They were all impressed, and even though Billy was trying not to talk, he couldn't help but keep smiling as they told him how insanely ballsy he was to stick it out with Steve, even though he'd never really dealt with one of those creatures before.

Finally, it was starting to get late, and visiting hours at the hospital were ending, so everyone had to start heading home. They all hugged the boys as they left, telling them to get some rest and they'd all be back at some point or another to see them again. And after the last few lingering hugs from Dustin and Max, it was just them left in the room.

"I guess we should try and get some sleep," Steve said finally, after neither of them made a move to get up and hit the lights.

"Yeah," Billy rasped, clearing his throat again.

"You don't sound too excited about that," Steve observed, glancing over at Billy again. He looked nervous.

"I'm not," he admitted, "I just know I'm gonna dream about flower faces and teeth and wings flapping all over and I'm not exactly looking forward to that."

"I know how that is. The first time I went through this, the nightmares seemed unbearable. At least, they were if I was on my own. Nance and I were together at the time, and as long as she was with me, I wasn't afraid, and it kept the nightmares away," Steve said, finally getting up and moving to the light switch to turn it off. His heart stuttered as he heard Billy squeak once they were in the dark.

"Hey, it's okay," he said, coming back over to the beds, but instead of climbing back into his own, he sat on the edge of Billy's. "I know we probably shouldn't be sleeping in a cramped little bed like this when we're both recovering from injuries, but it's better than getting nightmares, right? Scoot over."

Billy did as told and scooted a bit to the side, finding a position of relative comfort on his side as Steve settled in behind him, laying his casted arm gently over the both of them and getting as comfortable as he could under the thin, itchy hospital blankets.

"If this ends up not working and you want me to go back to my own bed, just let me know," he whispered, his eyelids already beginning to droop. "Sweet dreams, Billy."

"Okay," Billy murmured, "Sweet dreams, Steve."

When they woke up the next morning, their bodies were still sore and aching. The cramped positions they'd been in certainly didn't do their physical selves any good. But Steve had been right. Neither of them had a single bad dream wrapped in each other's arms. And even if a demogorgon or a demobat or anything else did appear, it was quickly vanquished by a knight in shining armor. Only, instead of a sword, the knight always fought with a nail bat in Billy's mind, and an axe in Steve's.

[vyragosa]

fucks me up that years after, the absolute best piece of writing that wow has ever offered, is a single boss’ monologue, that left such an impact that almost everyone remembers it crystal clear

it could also be what i’m seeing in the possibilities of higgs, a man who realized he was mistaken about the fate of the planet, who was made to believe there was no alternative by a false “perfect” god, who profoundly cares for the whole of humanity like an observer from the underworld...someone who changed course and might have returned to his initial wish, of changing the world 

“Planetary re-origination requested.”

“Your actions are illogical. All possible results for this encounter have been calculated. Farewell mortals. Your bravery is admirable for such flawed creatures.”

"See your world through my eyes. I have seen worlds bathed in the Makers' flames, their denizens fading without so much as a whimper. Entire planetary systems born and razed in the time that it takes your mortal hearts to beat once. Yet all throughout, my own heart devoid of emotion... of empathy.I. Have. Felt. Nothing. A million-million lives wasted. Had they all held within them your tenacity? Had they all loved life as you do?"

“Save...your world.”

"Perhaps it is your imperfection... that which grants you free will... that allows you to persevere against all cosmically calculated odds.”

[stoptellinglieslois]

Love fair Act 12

Clark Kent human x Dick Grayson vampire no capes and tights only fangs and might alternative universe Clark pov.

Clark pov

"Come Clark you can't stay here bring your family with us and stay with me." The vampire said I stood still like everything was in slow motion. "But I.." I stammered. "But nothing you want to stay in the rubble of a home. I have shelter and I have a warm stay with me please I will state it is not safe here anymore." What do's he mean not safe anymore why would he say that.

But I was planted in place like a lug. "Please I promise you will be safe with me Clark." He held out his hand like an invisible offer. I looked at my mother who never missed a beat of what was going on watching between me and Richard, I had no words to describe her expression she knew exactly what he was and that is a revelation of it's own.

"Why does my son need to go with you my house is burned down to chard, This whole thing with that man coming to my house with all those beasts does it have anything to do with you." Mom got closer to us and got even closer to Richard's personal space.

Richard stared at mom for a few moments and nodded his head to her to answer her question. A sharp slap across Richard's cheek and his head went back to one side long dark locks flung to one side.

But Richard's composer is calm and collective he faced mom and his reaction is as if she never hit him. "If he stays here he will be hunted like a dog I have been running forever, I will take him with me he can't stay here anymore and have a normal life." Mom looked at him sternly. "Who is after you." Mom spat out she hates this more than I ever will.

"Witches are after me one in particular is very much more skilled then the random every day run of the mill witches how burn sage and wood." I went still because I knew what he meant by the witches or wizards. "He will come here and I am not prepared to fend him off." Richard said as honestly as he could be and I didn't know why but I knew inside of me he was being honest but I didn't know why maybe just gut instinct.

"I will treat him well I will give your son the world and back but if we stay here we will be major targets for the mages and wizards. I hope to leave here as soon as possible I have a place where we could go and I am a better candidate to protect your son against these creatures." I wish I had this type of confidences.

"May I know how you discover me so quickly." Richard asked my mother calmness and quietness only the dead know as he regarded my mother sky blue eyes examined her. "A mother always knows what's going on in his son's life." He nodded his head and took my arm and pulled me hard away from my mother.

"Wow wait hang on where are we going."

"I've explain enough we need to go."

"Hang on Richard."

"We are not alone we need to move." Richard whispered and guided me to my car.

"Get in quick."

"Hey stop it your hurting my arm." I yanked my arm hard away from him.

"Drive I will tell you where we need to go on the way." I am scared because this is a faze in my life I was not expecting nor was I willing to change anything in my life, My nephews my parents my teaching career I can't just get up and leave just like this I have responsibility's I have hope for me for them for there future.

But the air surrounding my family burnt home is eerie and thick with something malice and nefarious as it hung in the air like a bat. I didn't know why but something or someone is watching I could feel piercing red eyes watching us like hawk in the sky.

I got in. "Mom go take the boys and don't come back till I tell you." I didn't know why but I felt compelled to tell her that, I never thought I would ever think of uttering those words to her, It was scary but it was there I was stepping into the underworld with unknown medieval vampire prince.

I drove off as I knew I wouldn't see home in a very long time and that's when I knew I was all but cursed.

End of act 12 next is act 13

Thank you for reading

[somnesca]

Fuck it.

The Polycula as Disney Princesses*

*includes non-official ""princesses"" because I don't care about that branding crap and this is more fun

Mina Harker: Some might think Belle is the obvious parallel here but imo she's better suited as Tiana. No one works harder, deserves better, or handles malevolent harbingers of the underworld with more guts and grace. Plus: she's got a beautiful fancy best friend.

Jonathan Harker: ...honestly I had too many options here but our good friend is taken hostage by a lord of a creepy castle with dark secrets, avoids a pack of wolves, wanders into forbidden wings, and bonds with said lord over their mutual interest in books. Jonathan is the OG Belle and there's nothing I can do about it. Plus: he loves his "monster" (Mina, of course, not Drac) and WILL defy all of society to defend that love if he has to.

John Seward: Suddenly overwhelmed with evidence of creatures and beings that don't make any sense? Check. Firmly believing there is "madness" in others while avoiding confronting his own? Check. Baffled by seemingly nonsensical wordplay of one of his helpful companions? Check. He's Alice in Wonderland, all right. Someone come get him out of this rabbit hole.

Arthur Holmwood: Ok bear with me on this one, it's kind of a deep cut. I was leaning toward a classic princess at first, but then it occurred to me: a character who is glamorous and elegant and comes from high society, but who will jump into action when innocent lives are on the line, even using their connections to travel to far-off lands... well that's the lovely Miss Bianca from The Rescuers, baby.

Quincey Morris: This was harder than it should have been because not enough classic Disney princesses are allowed to have guns. (But they should.) So I went with just vibes. Who loves adventure and not being confined to a single place? Who's great with horses and quickly befriends tough guys and thieves through sheer earnestness? Who would absolutely fuck up an intruder (whether human or bat) without hesitation and with any weapon that's available to them? None other but Rapunzel.

Abraham van Helsing: I love the thought of a curious and passionate academic who winds up in a land very different from their own, who pushes through the difficulties of language barriers to connect and communicate with locals through compassion and understanding. Sure, his attempts are a bit clumsy from time to time and the locals may never fully understand the nuances of his culture, but he becomes a most beloved protector nonetheless. Ergo: Jane Porter from Tarzan.

Lucy Westenra: Now we could go the Aurora route and that suits me just fine (both are victims of a sleeping disorder and don't get that much screentime) buuut she is the fairest in all the land, charms the hell out of older men, and is released from her supernatural death curse with a gesture of true love...Snow White, is that you?

Renfield: Look at his stuff. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think his collection's complete (although adding a kitten would be nice)? Poor Renfield's got a strong voice with a lot to say but no one listens to him, because he's angling for something more by striking a deal with a dark power. Despite all his best efforts, he does not end up being part of that world. (But he can be a part of ours! Tumblr loves you, Ariel Renfield.)

I invite alternatives and arguments if you feel so moved, it shouldn't need to be said but this is not to be taken seriously by any means.

[demonprincezeldris]

Alternative S1 ending for an au where only the DK and those loyal to him got sealed

“Henderickson!”

“Ah, Meliodas… you’ve arrived.”

“Stop this nonsense at once! You have no idea what your doing!”

“What I’m doing!? Why, I’m releasing the demon clan from their seal! It will be a glorious war that brings power to the kingdom!”

“Your releasing a 3000 year old seal keeping a tyrant and his followers locked away. Let Elizabeth go and stop this, now!”

“Come now, we’ve studied the clan extensively and there’s nothing-“

“You mean that weak ass red devil corpse!?”

“Weak!?”

“The phrase ‘demon’ is a blanket term for denizens of the Underworld. That demon you’ve got there, the red one? It’s a red devil, the weakest of the the underworld creatures! They’re little more than wild beasts. The creatures in that seal far outrank it.”

“W-well we weren’t just studying that one. We found a gray-“

“Still weak. Parasitic Grays are more powerful but still considered lower demons. I’ve only ever met one that reached a high ranked status. She was a special case.”

“I-I… well I’m sure your exaggerating. We’ve discovered you to be a member of the demon clan and you’re hardly a threat, Dragon Sin of Wrath.”

“That’s cuz I’ve been holding back this whole time, dumbass! I took on a human form when I left the clan and sealed my own power away!”

“Wait… what!?”

“N-no way…”

“If you want I can show you… can’t guarantee your survival, though.”

“Don’t make me laugh! You have the same power and strength… as… me… wh-what is… what is this feeling!?”

“My power. I told you didn’t I? I sealed myself within a human form so that I could live peacefully in the human realm. I’ve been holding myself back for centuries.”

“It… it suddenly got so dark! It was a bright sunny day!”

“Wh… what is this stuff rising from the ground!?”

“M-m-m-Meliodas?”

“This is the power of the demon clan, Hendrickson. This is what I’ve spent 3000 years guarding the human realm against. Do you really think your little army of artificial demons can stand a chance against this!?”

“Th-th-this is impossible… n-no one should… I-I-I…”

“I haven’t even released my human form yet. Do you want to continue this?”

“N-no… no I… I can’t! I have to release the clan!”

“And why is that?”

“I-I-I…”

“Someone is threatening you too, aren’t they? A demon.”

“…”

“Who are they holding hostage? Who is forcing you to do these things and destroy your own humanity. Tell me!”

“I… Dr-Dreyfus. They possessed Dreyfus and were gonna… if I didn’t…”

“I see.”

*darkness recedes, Meliodas had pulled his power back into the seal*

“Oh my gosh… I-I can’t believe the Captain was holding all the power back all this time. He really is a demon!”

“What does the demon look like, the one holding Dreyfus hostage?”

“L-l-large purple monster. He had spikes and a booth in his chest!”

*unintelligible curse in demon tongue*

“Fraudrin! Of course…”

“Y-you know him!?”

“Bastard killed my girlfriend.”

“Wait… what!?”

“He tried the exact same thing your doing now, and he failed. In the process my home was destroyed and my girlfriend was murdered right in front of me.”

“…”

“I suggest you tell me where he went. With your friend’s body.”

“I… He flew ahead. I was just to distract you and get the remaining blood.”

“So in other words, this whole mess is pointless. I know you know how to use Purge. Get rid of that demon blood right now.”

“I- wait where are you-!?”

“I’m gonna go after Fraudrin and get Dreyfus back.”

*Several hours later*

“So we’re supposed to just sit here and wait for Meliodas?”

“Shut up, Howzer!”

“Hey, you feel that!?”

“AaaaAAAAAAAGH!!!”

*Dreyfus drops form the sky, looking up they see the furious form of Meliodas with black wings sprouting from his back. The remainder of his forearms and legs have disappeared to be replaced by a claws and his torso was covered by a black trench coat?? There was a crest in the shape of some sort of eye on his forehead.*

“Y-you damned demon! Knights! Help me to-“

“Oh shut up, Fraudrin. The jig is up!”

“Wh-what!? What are you talking about you-“

“Hendrickson told me everything. All about how your keeping Dreyfus hostage and forced the two of them to kill Grandmaster Zaratrus. You might as well stop pretending cuz nobody is gonna fall for it.”

“…shit.”

“Mm-hmm might as well let the poor man go too.”

“Y-you damned-“

“Get out of him before I pull you out of there myself!”

“Alright! Alright!”

*a purple mist began pouring out of Dreyfus’ mouth, solidifying into the form of a large purple creature with a mouth on its chest, covered in sharp spikes*

“Meliodas you damned, traitorous bastard! I should’ve killed you ages ago.”

“Yeah, because I’m the one going behind my current ruler’s back to unleash the previous king of demons and restart a war nobody wanted just cuz I’m salty about the war ending 3000 years ago.”

“The only reason we lost the war all those years ago was because of you, you bastard!”

“Oh? It’s not because the leader of the clan at the time was a tyrant with no regard to his people’s lives and needs and was entirely focused in a pointless war based in some preconceived motion that war is the only way to keep some weird balance within the universe!? That our own king was driving us to extinction!? Get a fucking clue, Fraudrin. There’s a reason both myself and Zeldris made that pact to seal him away.”

“You speak as if neither of you had anything to gain from sealing your own sire away.”

“DON’T YOU DARE REFER TO THAT BASTARD AS ANY SIRE OF MINE!”

“Eep!”

“What??”

“Did he just say-“

“…Cap’n?”

“Uh…”

“…Oh. Oh-ho, so none of the precious little humans you’re so protective of know…”

“It… it doesn’t matter. I left that life 3000 years ago and the bastard is gone. Now I’d appreciate it if you’d stop butting into my family business and get to the meat of the matter. There is no way you just decided to do this alone, someone had to be working with you. So, who are the other conspirators?”

“Tch, what makes you think there are other conspirators!?”

“Because you went after Elizabeth. Somehow you knew who and what she was and you went after her to get the key to the seal. Only myself, Zeldris, and the goddess clan know the significance of Elizabeth’s heritage, and I know my brother wants to see the return of our father just as much as I do, which is to say not at all. So which one of those high and mighty goddesses decided to bring themselves low enough to make a deal with a demon to restart the war?”

“As if I’d tell you, you filthy, human-loving, weakling of a demon!”

“Well, that’s uncalled for.”

“Captain… what did you mean by Elizabeth’s heritage being the key?”

“Sir Meliodas?”

“…”

“Sir Meliodas… did you… know my birth parents?”

“No Elizabeth, I didn’t know them. Not the ones from this lifetime at least.”

“This… lifetime!?”

“Keeping the precious goddess bitch from her heritage, huh?”

“G-goddess!?”

“You shut up! I don’t want to hear another word out of you unless your telling us who the other conspirators are!”

“Tch!”

“Meliodas, I understand your angry right now but perhaps we should… focus on securing him for now. I’m sure we can get the information from him later.”

“Hmph… fine.”

*later*

“S-sir Meliodas… what did he mean by that?”

“Mean by what, Elizabeth?”

“About my heritage and you knowing it.”

“ Elizabeth, trust me, you don’t want to know.”

“Yes I do! Sir Meliodas, I’ve been so confused about who I am, why I’m the only survivor of Danafor besides yourself. Now I hear you know that. Please tell me the truth!”

“I can’t.”

“Why!? Why can’t you-“

“If I tell you, YOU’LL DIE!!!”

“…”

“It… it’s a curse. If I tell you who you really are and you regain your memories you’ll die in three days. Please, don’t make me… don’t make me watch it happen again.”

“…I see. Alright then, I’ll trust you, Sir Meliodas. Just… promise to tell me at some point, okay?”

“I promise if it ever becomes safe to tell you, you’ll hear it from me. I… I want nothing more than to tell you, Elizabeth, but I can’t.”

“Of course, Sir Meliodas.”

*at the Boar Hat*

“So… Cap’n! You had a pretty big reveal out in that courtyard, yeah?”

“Ban… please. Not now… I just want to sleep, okay? We’ve had a long day, let’s just sleep.”

“Would love to do that, Cap’n… but I don’t think we can. If we let you go without giving us an explanation you’ll find some way to dodge it and we’ll never get to talk about it.”

“…fine.”

Oh I love this idea!

[the-masked-ram]

You Look Like Home- Chapter One

CW: Not SFW, Dark Content, Yandere themes, Monster fucking, Demon fucking, Demogorgon!chisaki, Dub-con, Later Consensual, Fem Reader, Tail fucking, Rimming (reader recieving), Slow Burn, Plot heavy, Angel/Demon relationship, Forbidden love, War, Breeding Kink, Anal, Vaginal Penetration, Oral, Choking, Corruption, Age Difference (kinda?), Alternate Universe, Loss of virginity ---- Chapter One: When He Met You

The first time Chisaki heard of you was when the world had been blessed with a new cherub. Not just any, you were a descendent of the one of the strongest lines left, one of the oldest and most awe-inspiring of the throne carriers. The cherubim of your family were known for the power they held to start natural disasters in the mortal realm with just a mood swing. You were no different with the strength of your power, no… actually if the heavens were honest, you were very different. You were stronger, too strong for anyone to control easily while you were coming into your powers. The seal along your neck and wrists proved this true as it imprisoned far more than half of your magic. When Chisaki had first heard of you, he was in the Abyssal planes. Treading the edges of the Underworld and watching those on the outskirts in the chaos of the Abyss, rip each other to shreds in the madness of hunger. He was someone who should have been at your welcoming, he also should have been at the Binding. He was considered an ‘important’ member of the council. Merely because he was the go between the Accursed and the Celestial realms, neither demon nor deity he walked the line of both. Chisaki was the Demogorgon, the Overhauler, the one who controlled the chaos and kept order. However, he had been doing his job, fixing the damned again. The creatures forced into exile from the Accursed Realm, those who had performed such heinous acts that they were pushed into the outskirts of reality where only starvation and insanity awaited; those were his charges or maybe they were his job. So Chisaki had only known of you. He had never met you. Yet the first time he saw you, he saw a young angel, probably just hitting their teenage decade. You looked to be fifty, maybe sixty at most, and his brow twitched in surprise to see you already visiting the council. Most angels did not visit the Cross Realm Councils until they were at least a century old. Yet here you were, bright eyed in wonder, grasping onto your mother’s dress with a nervous flutter to your wings that could barely lift you off the ground. Chisaki doubted you even knew how to hide them yet. He should have known then, with his thoughts, that he viewed you as something to protect. Something more important than a powerful bloodline extension. He should have known somewhere inside him that he would take an interest in you. It wasn’t until the fourth time he saw you, when you were on your third century of life that he tasted it. Your soul was bursting, pushing at the seams of your sealing charms. He tasted the strength and unadulterated flawlessness of your vitality. Then he realized his desire to protect this innocent, naïve angel had twisted into a need to claim, take, and taint the purity of every molecule in your body. “Ah! This is my daughter, say hello to the Overhauler, Chisaki,” your mother said as she introduced you to him. “Hello, sir,” you said, bowing low and looking up with a tilt to your lips, your lashes shuttering your gaze for a moment. Chisaki, the demi-god tasked to control chaos, realized at that very moment that he was in trouble. He met your gaze with a smirk curving his lips beneath his mask and a glint to his golden eyes. His tail curled behind him, the only obvious sign that he felt any excitement at all. “So lovely to finally meet the angel that everyone talks about.” You cast your eyes nervously to the side, the prisms of light that were your wings, trembling with anxious energy. Delicate hands, bearing the bright golden seal of Enochian runes, grasped at your blouse. “I didn’t realize I was the center of so much gossip,” you said quietly as you looked back up at him, and there was a challenge seated firmly in your eyes. Chisaki arched a brow, pretending to fix his glove so it fit more snugly. What did you think you were doing? Demanding respect from him? An older, more powerful being, and yes you may have been incredibly strong, but he still could devour you whole. His golden eyes fixed upon you, shining like cold gold, as he bared his teeth behind his mask, “How could someone as strong as you, as young as you, not be whispered about every day?” You rolled your eyes, “They speak of my name, my lineage, not me. Not who I am, only what I am.” Your mother had wandered off soon after introducing the two of you, and Chisaki was glad because he was sure you would have been the perfect princess in front of her. He wouldn’t have seen this intriguing fire in your eyes otherwise. “And just who are you?” he asked, a lazy intrigue sliding along his words. “I’m not sure, all I know is my name, and that I’m tired of being shoved in a box that is everyone’s expectations and being everyone’s hope for the future,” you murmured softly, as if no one had asked you this question before. “I just want to be me, whoever that is.” Chisaki was old, one of the oldest creatures in this room, in the planes in general. Only a handful were able to boast being elder to him. He was easily bored anymore, he had his reason for existence, but not something that made him want to live. That is until perhaps today. Maybe helping this angel figure out who they were, maybe being next to you, a livewire shoved into a world that had expectations for everything and everyone; would make him find something to live for.  ----  Taglist-- Find early access content and a lot more at my Patreon    

[canyouimaginethatstory]

I Need You (Lucifer X Reader)

A/N: This was written for a friend that was inspired by an edit they made of Lucifer. I kinda tweeked history a bit but I think i worked. ENJOY!

Lucifer was sitting on the porch of a small little cabin that was hidden away. It was a cabin he himself had designed. True the devil didn't really need a house. He could go wherever he wanted. But after whats happened he couldn't bring himself to go anywhere else. But he also couldn't stand to go inside. The small building held good memories. It also held memories that crushed the celestial being every time he stepped inside. Especially since those events had happened just two days ago. The memories caused more pain to the fallen angel than even his punishment from his father. The day he lost the one being he had come to truly love. And to top it off she was human. Her name was Y/N and Lucifer knew for the rest of his existence he'd never love another. Lucifer snapped his fingers and a bottle of liquor appeared in his hand.

He downed a drink full as memories of her played in his mind. The archangel had met her shortly after returning from the alternate world. she was a hunter from that world. Lucifer couldn't explain it. The minute he spotted her standing in the bunker library he felt drawn to her. He remembered how confused and scared she looked. Over time Lucifer would come up with small things to say to her. To his shock unlike everyone else who glared at him or avoided him she didn't. Y/N always replied back. Always offered him a warm smile. He often found himself smiling back. Not his usual cocky, menacing smile. But a genuine smile. As time went on they spent more together. Lucifer found himself growing very fond of her.

Unknown to Y/N when she would go on hunts Lucifer always stayed close to her. She never saw him but he was determined to make sure she always returned safe and sound. During one hunt a wendigo managed to corner her. Before it could hurt her she watched as it poofed away into dust. Y/N was confused until she sensed someone standing beside her. She looked over to see Lucifer looking at her. She swore she saw worry in his eyes. He wasted no time making sure she was ok. Lucifer took notice that she was looking up at him kind of weird. He was starting to worry again when she gently grabbed his face and pulled him down enough to place a small, soft kiss on his lips. He gently wrapped his arms around her and happily kissed back. And that's when their romance was born.

In his eons of existence no one of any kind of being made him feel like Y/N did. Loved, wanted. Around Y/N Lucifer felt more like an angel than the monster most other humans and beings saw him as. He truly loved her. Every time that fact hit him he would chuckle. He had despised the human race and yet he fell hard for one of them. And this fall he enjoyed. Not to say that the relationship didn't come with worry. Y/N was a hunter after all. Lucifer knew she wouldn't give up the life. So every hunt he was secretly there with her. He smiled remembering how she always referred to him as her guardian angel. He loved how it sounded. She has had currently been on a hunt. Tracking what seemed to be a goddess of some kind. That had Lucifer on high alert. If he were to pick a being that annoyed him more than humanity it would be gods and goddesses. Y/N was slowly scoping the rundown house her lead had brought her to. When she rounded the something grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. She looked and noticed it was vines.

"Well what do we have here?" she heard a strong female voice say as a figure walked out of the shadows. The woman had long red hair with back roses braided into it and she was wearing a flowing black gown.

"Who are you?" Y/N asked.

"I go by many names," she said, "but I think your kind mostly knows me as Persephone,".

"The goddess?" she asked a little shocked. The goddess nodded.

"Why are you hurting people?" Y/N asked, "aren't you suppose to be good,".

"Oh I was," she said, "but then I was taken to hell. To be the dark princes' queen," Lucifer shuddered from the shadows he hid in. "Who knew I would actually fall in love with Hades,".

"Hades?" Y/N asked. Then her eyes widened, "You mean Lucifer?". Again the goddess nodded.

"I was given a special spell to enter his cage," she said, "but then one day he decided I needed to return to my family. I begged him to let me stay. I loved him. But he said he didn't love me,".

"So all of this for an eons broken heart?" Y/N asked.

"Oh no," Persephone stated walking closer to her, "it was to Lure you here Y/N Y/LN,".

"Why me?" Y/N asked.

"Because your the one he wants," she said coldly, "and I want my prince back,". Soon Persphone's hand was around Y/N's throat.

"Let her go Persephone," Lucifer ordered suddenly appearing.

"I will only spare her if you let her go," she said, "you belong with me Hades,".

"The hades you know is long gone," Lucifer said, "First to all of any kind Hades was a god. But I'm not a god. You gods and goddesses are lesser creatures than I. I am an archangel. We were only a thing because of one of my father's failed attempts at storytelling," Lucifer's eyes glew red, "Now let her go!".

"Fine," Persephone said, "but if I can't have you back. Have my throne in the underworld back. Then neither can she," Suddenly a bolt of light flew from her palm and hit Y/N full force. The pain through her body was so intense she couldn't even scream.

"No!" Lucifer screamed and raised the goddess up in the air by her neck. Anger fueled the angel as he slowly drained the life out of the goddess. And just let her lifeless body turn to ash in his hand. He snapped out of the state of red he was seeing when he heard Y/N gasping. Like she couldn't breathe. "It's gonna be ok," he said kneeling down beside her. He placed his hands on her and started letting his grace flow. But something was wrong. It's was like his grace was blocked. Y/N saw the fear in his eyes. He couldn't heal her. "No no come on," he muttered to himself. Trying so hard to get his angelic powers to work. "come on!" he yelled as he kept trying to heal her. Y/N gently grabbed his hands.

"Lucifer," she said to get his attention, "Just take me home,". Lucifer still determined to heal her gently picked her up in his arms and zapped to the little cabin. When things got serious between Y/N and himself he had conjured the small house so they could have a place to hide away together whenever they felt like it. He gently laid her on the bed in the small building.

"I'm gonna heal you just hold on Y/N," he assured her kissing her forehead. Again trying to get his grace to work.

"Lucifer," she said gently touching his cheek. The sadness and fear playing in his blues eyes broke her heart, but she knew for her this was it, "just sit here with me,".

"Y/N please," he tried to plead.

"There's no curing me," she said right before a small coughing fit hit, "whatever she did to me is stronger than your grace. And I can't fight it,".

"Y/N please let me try," he said. Tears clearly forming, "please hold on. I need you,".

"My guardian angel," she said placing her hand on his chest where his heart was, "you'll always have me. Right here,".

"I won't have a heart if I lose you Y/N," he said. She reached up and wiped a tear from his cheek as it slid down.

"Yes you will," she said taking a big breath of air. It was becoming harder to breathe, "I want you to do me a favor Lucifer,". He nodded. Clearly trying to hold himself together. "Don't let yourself be the monster other beings think you are," she gasped again, "be the angel I know you are,". He leaned down and kissed her softly.

"I love you," he said as he gently held her close to him.

"I love you too Lucifer," she said softly as she closed her eyes. And he knew. She was gone. She didn't witness the full blown angel meltdown. With tears freely flowing Lucifer took out his hurt and anger on the inside of the small cabin. Breaking and smashing anything in his path while letting a pain filled inhuman screech escape. And now he was sitting on the porch of that same cabin. it felt like years had passed by but had only been days since he lost her. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to give her the goodbye she deserved but what was it? Then a thought came to him. She was a hunter. Was. That word sent a bolt of fresh pain through the archangel as it reminded him that his true love was gone. Really gone. He finished the bottle of liquor and smashed it on the ground next to the countless others that he had downed before it as he stood up. He walked up the small pebble path that lead from the house to the road. And just stared at the place that for short while felt like a home. But it only felt that because he had her.

"I'm sorry," was all he whispered as he waved his hand and the cabin was soon engulfed in flames.

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[kryptsune]

World Building Wednesday! ~Felldritch

🌼I got a request to do a WBW for Felldritch and since there have been updates to the overall world and lore I wanted to make sure this was all in a nice little package! If you have questions and want to learn more let me know the ask box is always open!  So let's get started! Oh and here is a link to the fic! FELLDRITCH

Felldritch

Classification: HorrorFELL

Cult  Alternate “Nicknames”:

Red: Saw Boss: Corvus

Gaster: Sephtis

Asriel: Saber Toriel: Ameria

Asgore: Kirnon

Undyne: Ryx Alphys: Vesh Muffet: Carmilla Grillby: Noire MTT: Faust

Doggo: Croix

Riverperson: Bastet (Tet)

Main Plot Synop: Felldritch takes place after a pacifist run by Frisk. The story briefly goes as follows. Frisk ends up in the Underworld (Underground) and befriends the monsters and wants to set them free. It is basically a way watered down version of WTU in essence. Once reaching the end of her journey the monsters refuse to let her be that final soul. They would rather wait and figure out something else but with her Determination she promises to return to them and set them free. At this point in time she is around 18-19. Asriel sacrifices himself to that end to see her leave through the barrier only for the humans to capture the poor girl after she leaves. They conclude that she is not mentally stable due to her insistence that monsters are real and throw her into an asylum/sanitarium to be “treated”. Nearly 5+ years later and she manages to escape finding herself once again in the Underworld only it is far different from what she remembers. At this point, she is questioning whether anything is real or not. After being “treated” for so long she doesn’t quite know which reality is the true one. As Red (aka Saw) points out:

The Brothers: 

Red: The younger brother of the two. His attachment to Frisk stems into more of a relationship though he blames himself for loosing her all those years ago. This psychological state causes him to throw himself into the problem that is befalling their world. At first nothing seems to combat this intrusive forest and horrifying beasts but he learns to utilize his magic in a different way. Prior to this he is what one would think of a a Red type but after meeting Frisk he promises to not only change his heart but also the hearts of others. Instead of destructive magical ability he follows in his brothers footsteps and takes up healing practice. 

In the world he is known as the merchant, the one that tends to give out healing items in exchange for coin but the bulk of his business relies on talismans or charms to ward off the evil plaguing their home. As far as they all know these magically infused charms are powerful and have incredible protective capabilities. He runs a wagon that travels around the entire Underworld.

In the current timeline he more sympathetic and empathetic. The concept of Kill or be Killed is no longer a factor. This is mainly about survival and for the most part the other monsters are aware that working together is their best option though their heightened paranoia (validly founded btw) makes it difficult sometimes. His personality is lighthearted on the surface, making jokes, and being a good guy. In a way he reminds me of Jester who tries not to dwell on what is going on but is fully aware of the situation. Red wears a blindfold in public to keep up appearances but he has no vision or eye light problems.

Boss: After Frisk’s departure from the Underworld, Boss, takes her words to heart. Unlike the majority of Fell Pap characterization he is very soft. When he feels his brother no longer needs his guidance he begins to feel purposeless until he learns that like his brother he has the magical ability for healing. As Red is the charm merchant of the two, Boss is the apothecary. His design harkens to plague doctors back in the 17th century. He grows all his own herbs and spices but he is particularly fond of tea. He also wears a blindfold just like Red but unlike Red he does in fact have damage to his left eye socket where the teal color of his eye lights no longer inhabits. 

The two combined help their fellow monsters as much as they can but in a world of uncertainty how are you supposed to know who to trust? 

Frisk’s Mental Demons: The psychological toll on Frisk is great as she has been told constantly that she made up her time in the Underworld in order to shut herself away into a fantasy world. A world where she had a family… where she is loved and wanted. This happens frequently as the “Doctors” continuously try to refute her experiences or sensations medically.  Every time she goes to sleep in the Underworld she ends up back at the Asylum tied down kicking and screaming. 

She only wakes up again when she is sedated. Rinse and repeat. The question is… is it real? Or rather which is real. The doctors go on to state that her dark state of mind twisted her original concept behind her “family” making them this eldritch styled horror. He also goes onto explain that the reason she is so drawn and close to Red is that it is her “flirting with death”. That she is accepting that outcome because if she continues to resist treatment she will die and the moment she trusts him in her “fantasy” that will be the end. These kinds of situations happen a lot.

There are also instances when the lines between real and fiction are blurred as Frisk's behavior consists apparently of defensive aggression, auditory, visual, and olfactory hallucination, acute paranoia, anxiety, and PTSD. One such example of this is her apparent psychiatrist, Dr. Cyrus Reycroft, who happens to have an uncanny resemblance to her skeletal friend if he was human. 

The Beasts: Felldritch plays off Eldritch horror aka the fear of the unknown. As Frisk reunites with Red she is subjected to a rather concerning conversation in which he explains the situation they are in. He mentions having crossed into an upside down broken and colorless world which drew both himself and his older brother into. It is implied that the two stepped into a dimensional space that was able to then afflict those within their own dimension. Over time the inhabitants begin to go missing and great otherworldly hellish beasts begin appearing. The inhabitants come to the conclusion that these creatures can not afflict you with their corruption if you can not see, hear, or speak in their presence. This mindset has some rather gruesome implications as inhabitants become irrationally desperate mutilating themselves to adhere to the new "See no evil, Speak no evil, Hear no evil”.

The Occult World: The cult as I keep referring to it as is a group of powerful monsters. After the deposition of the King the other monsters begin to become influenced by outside sources. They begin to believe that any fallen humans are the angels of death and because of this they will kill humans on sight, of course, they want to live in denial of their horrible deeds because monster souls are supposed to be made up of love and kindness. Unlike the cult that wishes to break the barrier, the rest want to stay hidden from the beasts above believing that the humans are to blame for all that has happened.

The senses play a huge roll in this idea as the beasts are rumored to be able to use souls like puppets, as in spys, if they are corrupted. It essentially becomes like a hive mind with the main entity being able to see, hear, and speak through those it comes in contact with. It’s no secret that Red is in fact infected by this entity in some form as this is a quote from the fic:

A set of antlers snagged the velvety cape as he worked the metalwork to release its hold on the material around his throat.

Bony fingers tugged on the bunched up fabric and pulled it back, revealing a charcoal grey sweater underneath. It was soft to the touch but just hidden beneath the wool she caught a glimpse of off white colored bone. There were bits and pieces that had been chipped off, knicks, and cuts. Even before they had met Red had some scars especially around his collarbone but that was not what caused her to gasp. His hood remained over his head as if using it to shield his expression from her view, “See?” He flinched when her fingers traced some of the scars.

She didn’t want to appear like she was fearful of what she was witnessing but her fingers quivered, pulling them back toward herself. A soft whimper of a voice left her, “R...Red…” There intertwined with the magically composed vertebrae of his spine were branches. The same deep blackish red wood that plagued this entire forest. It wove itself through the bone engulfing portions of his ribs, twisting it into chilling patterns. If it was allowed to continue its infestation it would crack his ribcage open in a bloodless gaping fissure. She could just make out that gentle white and crimson glow shrouded by the wood. Was that his soul? There was no other explanation.

It looked like the branches were trying to worm their way toward that glowing heart, pierce it, and absorb it into its oily black, almost pulsating bark. That was only one singular aspect of horror that she was now subjected to. Her eyes followed the trail that crept through the bone following the knots and twists that crept up and underneath where his skull attached to his spine.

The grip that he kept on her hand only tightened while the other shifted to pull the hood off his skull. Her eyes widened, reddish-brown irises wavering within a sea of white. A hand rose to land on her mouth, now agape in a silent gasp. She could see the same strange bark that comprised his antlers exited straight out of his skull. There were fractures that radiated from above the temporal portion of his cranium in concentric circles. The same kind of patterning one would see from blunt force trauma. Only this had pushed out the bone externally rather than internally. His sockets no longer contained those ever dulling carmine eye lights as her own eyes traced the hairline cracks along his head. She could not imagine the kind of pain a transformation like that would have caused him. There were places where the bone had tried to heal and suture itself back together, forming around the bark.

Angel of Salvation (a.k.a. The Eldritch Horror)- What the cult has been working toward is summoning their “savior” with the help of the human souls they are bound to. It gives them extra abilities and power. Each within the ranks is bound to a human soul. Their leader ??? wants to use this power to summon an “angel.” It turns out that is actually an unholy amalgamated eldritch beast/god out for blood instead. Humanity will perish and the monsters will take control of the surface once more. That is the reality. (The cult including Red is told otherwise).