#raydan convo

[tricky-tricky-boys]

Max had gone over the spell dozens of times once he had found it. Having Aro translate it and the retranslate, gathering the ingredients, making sure everything was prepared. When they had first found the spell, it had been gifted to Aubrey as a thank you for helping to deal with a major crisis in a local vanpire coven, giving each member daylight rings but only after weeding out the bad apples. At first, it seemed like a joke, but a witch friend that was over 350 years old assured them that the spell was real and extremely rare. Summoning and binding a Hellhound was no easy feat. The Tannens toyed with what to do with the spell at first, before settling on having a... guard dog. What better protection forbthe Tannen home than a Hellhound? Days had been spent trying to see who would end up being the one to cast it. The final vote ended up being unanimous. Max would do it. Since his magick aligned with Spirit, he was the natural choice. And, though Max didn't believe his brothers, they all said he was the most powerful. It had to be him. So, as preparations started, Max had spent a few hours cleaning the basement floor so he could draw the summoning circle. It had to be perfect, and unbroken. Chalk mixed with his own blood to draw the sigils of summoning and binding, black and purple candles, herbs, and resins burning on charcoals. As Max started the chant, he could feel it almost instantly. The temperature in the room was rising. The smell of Sulphur billowing in as shadow and fire started to form in the center of the circle.

Max winced as the magick finally snapped and the being formed in the center. And at first, he had expected... well, a dog. Or something vaguely canine. But this was a man. Max watched as the man stood up, looking absolutely livid and literally fuming. The flames and shadow that danced around him had Max's breath hitching in his throat. The bracelets appearing made Max pause, looking down at it before he remembered he wasn't done. Max held up the hand that now had a bracelet on it, and he clenched his fist, irises burning a pastel blue. "Hound of Hell, I hold and fix you in my grasp. With my power, bend to my will and obey." It felt... strange. He had thought he would be saying this to a... dog. But instead, this man was looking at him like he wanted to sever his head from his shoulders. He was saying this to a very angry and very naked man. He tried to keep his eyes focused on Raydan's face, because if he didn't, he'd look elsewhere. He needed to show strength right now because if he showed fear... or Gods forbid, arousal... There was no telling what would happen. "Speak your name, Hound."

open to: m/f/anyone plot: Raydan is a hellhound with a curse on him, any magic user that summons him can enslave him & make him do whatever they like per the laws of his curse (a punishment placed on him by a vengeful witch). He spent a good portion of his prolonged life finding the spells scattered throughout time & history used to summon him but he missed one, one your muse found & has used to summon him, whether they know what they're doing/summoning is up to you! hmu if you'd like more details or wanna plot !! connection: witch, warlock or magic user that summoned him.

Raydan had almost forgotten what it felt like, that pull of magic slowly lacing through him like cold unseen tendrils of power creeping in to consume him. He'd been about halfway through a bottle of some liquor, stumbling back to the bathroom in the hallway of some hole in the wall bar. A distantly familiar hum started to buzz in his sensitive ears, his body slumping as it intensified and the tall brunette braced himself against the wall before the magic took hold of him completely. The violent heat of hellfire engulfed the drunk hound and he vanished from the plane he was existing on, thrown into shadows and flames, clothes burned from his body as the magic of the cursed summoning spells gripped him with bruising talons. It had been far too long since the last time this cursed dark magic had touched his soul and skin because Raydan had forgotten how much it hurt.

His mouth opened in a silent scream of pain as the magic grew tighter and more vicious, getting closer to where his summoner was, pulling him to them. Anger boiled in his veins along with his blood as hellfire erupted around him and spat his naked, sweaty body to the rough cold ground where burning sigils of a spell were burned into the ground. The man stayed on his hands and knees for a while, body trembling, burning, engulfed in flames for a moment longer before they settled and a deep growl rumbled up his throat in an inhuman sound. Dark eyes burned with the reflections of flames as Raydan raised his head to glance around, searching for the face he knew he'd come to hate just like all the rest of the magic users that had enslaved him.

When he met there gaze he didn't speak, simply growled, shifting slightly on the ground though his body ached with the pain of the aftermath, the magic that slipped away, died out focused in on him and circled around his wrists to form small gold bracelets, shackles that matched the singular one he knew would form around his new master. His lip twitched in a snarl before he dared to try and push himself to his feet, naked form rising to his feet with power instead of shame. He hated magic.

[the-unconquered-queen]

Who are your top 5 LIs? And name 1 LI that has a special place in your heart. Mine would be Drake Walker, Ethan Ramsey, Bryce Lahela, Damien Nazario, & Thomas Mendez. Andy Kang has a special place in my heart. ~ Btw I’m sorry if I’m spamming you with too many asks, just tell me to and I’ll stop. I’m just bored and like talking about choices but am too shy to actually DM you lmao (and has crippling anxiety)

Dude, no, I think this type of ask is so fun! I really love getting these! But also, while I get shy about DMing people, too, you should know I’m literally someone who runs a Choices blog, so I will never be too Cool to be approached, so seriously feel free any time. You don’t even gotta start with small talk, if you want. You can just act like we’re already in the middle of a convo and it’s all good, but to answer your question:

Spot #1 is a tie between Andy Kang and Tomoichi Sato. I know I talk about Andy way more because I like ILitW better than ILB, but trust me, there’s a tie.

Bryce Lahela could be #3.

For four and five I don’t have a solid ranking, so they change a lot depending on my mood. Sometimes the list includes LIs like Tyril, Aiden Zhou, Diavolos Nevrakis, Raydan Lykel, Damien Nazario, and honestly? Shoutout to Damien and Raleigh Carrera for being my Puerto Rican rep. Definitely gonna always stan them for that.

[tricky-tricky-boys]

It seemed like Max needed to earn this hound's trust if he was going to get anywhere even close to... well, close to him. It was evident in his aura what had earned thos distrust. Trauma. Had he had previous masters? Had they mistreated him? His heart broke at even the thought of someone harming someone like Raydan. Underneath the extremely rough and guarded exterior, there was something endearing. Max couldnt quite place it. If his previous masters had forced him there and then mistreated him? The thought of it sickened him, and he mentally vowed to at least... give him a good home? Would that phrase even be applicable? Now he sounded like a pet. He was shaken from his thoughts at the sound of the man's voice, and he shook his head. Although curious about the Hell Hounds canine form, he didn't want to see it just yet. It would make communicating with him much more difficult if he decided to stay that way. Although... he could always order him to change. But if he was going to be building trust, it needed to happen organically. Minimal use of commands that would have to be obeyed. "That won't be necessary, Raydan. We'll just need to adjust. So, like I said. You'll sleep in my room until we get a mattress. I'll place an order tomorrow, and then we'll see how long shipping will be." He smiled, watching him closely. He noticed that he was quite expressive, at least his face was. He was sure he didn't need to be an empath to know what was going on with Raydan's moods. "I know that you don't trust me. And you have no reason to, so I understand. But I'm not going to intentionally or maliciously mistreat you or let anyone else. So... you can be honest with me. If there's something you need, don't be afraid to ask for it. And if you have any questions for me, you can ask them." He hummed up until their first touch, and Max tensed. It felt like he had just grabbed a hot plate. He flinched, the initial pain of it making his hand clench a bit right as Raydan squeezed as well. It was like a shockwave of heat rocketing up his arm. Infernal energy. "Holy... wow, that was intense. Did you feel that?" He chuckled incredulously, grinning ear to ear as he gestured to the stairs. "My family is away right now. They gave me privacy for the spell. We have the house to ourselves. Come on, I'll lead you up to my room and I'll give you some clothes before we tour the rest of the house." He bounded up the stairs, knowing that Raydan would follow.

Max could feel the pure and unfiltered disdain coming from the man before him. Part of his power was Empathy, after all. He could feel the swirling of emotions, and he wondered if it was somehow heightened because of the magickal bond that now dangled from their wrists. Distrust, rage, disgust. All of it was blaring like sirens, and all of it was directed at Max. He understood, and felt guilty about the entire thing. He straightened a bit as Raydan took a step towards him, and he was about to order him to stop, but the man spoke. Then called him Master in a tone that made him want to apologize. Raydan clearly did not want to be here. That made things different, although if he had gotten a canine Hellhound, he still would feel guilty if it was forced there. But, he had no choice now. With the nearly murderous air about the man, he had no doubt what would happen if he released him. As the man's gaze flickered over him, he picked up different emotions. Curiosity, suspicion, expectation. He was looking for something. "If you're looking for the spell, I had it memorized. The physical copy is hidden." He took in a deep breath and let a soft smile grace his features. "I'm Max. You... don't have to call me 'Master', Raydan. We prepared a room for you, but we were expecting... someone a little more canine in appearance. You'll sleep in my room with me until we can get an actual mattress ordered, and then you'll have your own space. All that I... my will is that you protect this home, this family. You will protect me. You'll be given your own room, food, clothing, and toiletries. Everything you'll need. I won't bark orders or force you to do anything you don't want to. You'll be expected to clean up after yourself, clean any messes you make, and help around the house occasionally. But though you may be a slave, you won't be treated as such. Not by me or my family." He hummed, taking in a breath before crunching his face and holding out a hand for the other to take. "Would you like to take a shower or anything? I can get you some sweatpants and a shirt until we can go shopping tomorrow for some clothes. But let's get out of the basement. If you don't want a shower, I can show you around the house."

[tricky-tricky-boys]

Max could see the cogs turning in Raydan's mind when offered to seat himself at the table. There was so much that he didn't know about the other yet, but he planned to make it a point to really get to know him. Now, as they ate in silence, Max just smiled. It was a comfortable silence, one that was only filled by the normal sounds of eating. He did note that Raydan seemed rather hungry, but Max didn't mind at all. He liked when people enjoyed his food. He wanted Raydan to get used to this, as much as he could. He had a small inkling that he was different than Raydan's previous masters, but the depth of that difference still eluded him. When asked about enemies, Max paused before setting his fork down. "Enemies? Not that I can think of. But I guess your busiest day will be Samhain. My power allows me to see and commune with the dead. And on Samhain, the spirits of the dead walk freely. We ward the house, but I can't leave the grounds during that night. When ghosts know you can see them, they can sometimes get… violent. Sometimes, they break through and come to the house. Normally, I have to banish them, and it takes a lot out of me energetically. So, it would be your job to protect me if any do get through. There's only one spirit allowed here on Samhain, and that would be my mother. I'll show you a picture of her when we get closer to the day. It's in October. Regular humans tend to call it Halloween. Yule sees a lot of spirits too, but none that come here except mom. Other than that… no. But, you never know when something might happen. Thats why we wanted an extra safety measure." 

Max finished his plate, leaning back in his chair to give himself a moment to digest. He looked across the table, taking in the sight of Raydan for a moment before he sat up straighter. "Is the breakfast alright? I tried to make some things that would be universally liked, but I would like to know what some of your favorites are, in terms of food. I do wanna get to know you, and have you get to know me. As for my brothers, you can get to know them too, if you want. So, tell me about you, Raydan. I know you're a Hellhound. I know you were bound by a curse to answer a summoning spell. And I know what you look like naked." He laughed softly. "Other than that… nothing." There was so much that he wanted to know, but he knew he'd have to go slowly. "Also, what would you like to do today? We can go out, we can stay in? Up to you."

As Max observed the hound, he noticed the subtle shifting of his aura and his emotions. He was relaxing, little by little and the thought made Max smile softly. It would be a process, but this told him that he was getting there. Stepping in the right direction. Max could also feel how… intense their bond was. But, with no frame of reference like Raydan had, he had no clue what it meant. Or that it was different for Raydan in the sense of this bond being like no others before him. He wanted to explore it, test what could be felt through that bond but perhaps that could wait. Max watched for a reaction to the healing magick, and when Raydan actually thanked him, he could see the genuine relief in both his tone of voice and the colors of his aura… Max just grinned. It was worth it, to see Raydan not be in pain. To hear the gratitude in his voice. It made him hope that this could be the start to at the very least an amicable bond. "You're welcome, Raydan." He sat down once everything had been brought to the table and he started loading up his plate. "Go ahead and help yourself. I know you must be hungry, since your stomach was growling like a… well, hellhound, I guess." He laughed brightly at his own joke as he started cutting up his food, starting with the bacon. The smile faded a bit when the other started to apologize for his words and actions, and Max sighed. "I understand. And believe me, had I really understood the full scope of the summoning… I would have never cast it. But I did. And you're here. So, I want to make the most of it." He took a bite of his food, letting the silence be a moment for him to gather his own thoughts, but that was interrupted by Raydan's words about not being like other hellhounds, and Max winced at the words 'not just another guard dog.' He had regretted the words as soon as he had said them, but he said nothing as Raydan continued, deciding to instead keep eating but occasionally nodding to show that he was genuinely listening to what was being said. He wanted… well, he wasn't really sure what he wanted. But, as he stared at Raydan as he talked, he noted the blush that had played across his face, his furrowed brow that displayed the emotions he was feeling, the way his eyes caught the natural light. Seeing Raydan in the morning sunlight made Max's heart beat a bit faster, and he almost zoned out as the hellhound was speaking. 

It was all so much for Max, the events of the past 24 hours were still swirling in his mind, but it was almost like he didn't care. Like there was a pull towards Raydan that he was only noticing because he was looking at the man. Truly looking at him now, and analyzing every detail. He wanted to test it, and his mind told him that he should get closer, he should reach out and touch. He quickly shook himself out of those thoughts and took a drink of his orange juice. "Sorry… yeah. I just… sorry, you look good in this light. I know that's probably weird to say, but I know you can probably smell the change in emotion or hear my heartbeat… I just… I guess it makes me able to really see you for the first time, if that makes sense? But yes, we'll answer each other's questions. You go first. Since… I still need to think of what to ask."

[tricky-tricky-boys]

As Max observed the hound, he noticed the subtle shifting of his aura and his emotions. He was relaxing, little by little and the thought made Max smile softly. It would be a process, but this told him that he was getting there. Stepping in the right direction. Max could also feel how… intense their bond was. But, with no frame of reference like Raydan had, he had no clue what it meant. Or that it was different for Raydan in the sense of this bond being like no others before him. He wanted to explore it, test what could be felt through that bond but perhaps that could wait. Max watched for a reaction to the healing magick, and when Raydan actually thanked him, he could see the genuine relief in both his tone of voice and the colors of his aura… Max just grinned. It was worth it, to see Raydan not be in pain. To hear the gratitude in his voice. It made him hope that this could be the start to at the very least an amicable bond. "You're welcome, Raydan." He sat down once everything had been brought to the table and he started loading up his plate. "Go ahead and help yourself. I know you must be hungry, since your stomach was growling like a… well, hellhound, I guess." He laughed brightly at his own joke as he started cutting up his food, starting with the bacon. The smile faded a bit when the other started to apologize for his words and actions, and Max sighed. "I understand. And believe me, had I really understood the full scope of the summoning… I would have never cast it. But I did. And you're here. So, I want to make the most of it." He took a bite of his food, letting the silence be a moment for him to gather his own thoughts, but that was interrupted by Raydan's words about not being like other hellhounds, and Max winced at the words 'not just another guard dog.' He had regretted the words as soon as he had said them, but he said nothing as Raydan continued, deciding to instead keep eating but occasionally nodding to show that he was genuinely listening to what was being said. He wanted… well, he wasn't really sure what he wanted. But, as he stared at Raydan as he talked, he noted the blush that had played across his face, his furrowed brow that displayed the emotions he was feeling, the way his eyes caught the natural light. Seeing Raydan in the morning sunlight made Max's heart beat a bit faster, and he almost zoned out as the hellhound was speaking. 

It was all so much for Max, the events of the past 24 hours were still swirling in his mind, but it was almost like he didn't care. Like there was a pull towards Raydan that he was only noticing because he was looking at the man. Truly looking at him now, and analyzing every detail. He wanted to test it, and his mind told him that he should get closer, he should reach out and touch. He quickly shook himself out of those thoughts and took a drink of his orange juice. "Sorry… yeah. I just… sorry, you look good in this light. I know that's probably weird to say, but I know you can probably smell the change in emotion or hear my heartbeat… I just… I guess it makes me able to really see you for the first time, if that makes sense? But yes, we'll answer each other's questions. You go first. Since… I still need to think of what to ask."

Max felt the shift of energy in the house when Raydan woke up, and he only paused for a moment before continuing his cooking. It bled out from his room and permeated the rest of the manor. Suspicion, then he relaxed after a moment, but there was still hesitation in him. Max could tell that this was going to be an arduous task, but if anyone of the Tannens were up tomit, it was Max. Because of their bond, he assumed, he was fine tuned to Raydan's energy and emotions already since he was able to pick up his emotions from across the house. He ignored it for now, in favor of a favorite song that started playing which made him hum along as he danced. Mostly everything was done by the time Raydan finally made his way down to the kitchen, and he swayed in place while flipping the bacon. But as the hound made his way closer, he could feel another sensation. Pain. Discomfort. Soreness. He lifted his head in time to see the man standing near him, and he just smiled while he turned down the music. He did look disheveled and sleepy, and it was honestly… attractive. The hostility was mostly gone, thankfully, so now Max could really see him, and by the gods… He had to look away from the man before he did something stupid like just stare at him. It was true what they said about morning voice, and it was a slight weakness of Max's, so the husky tone of Raydan's seemingly playful irritation made a small shiver roll down his spine. He hurriedly talked, hoping to hide the small spike of arousal that just went through him and trying to not make it seem obvious. "I am. And yeah, I always do. I kind of have to, living with my brothers so this morning cheeriness is trained habit. Aro is the real morning person. On the days where I know Aro is gonna cook breakfast, I'll usually sleep in." He turned off the stove in time to hear the rumbling of Raydan's stomach, and he chuckled. "Don't worry, this is for both of us. I figure Hellhounds might eat a lot, so I made alot." He scooped out the bacon onto a waiting plate and pointed over to the breakfast nook off the kitchen, that had a bay window where the booth seat and table sat to overlook the night garden that Max had carefully curated to have a vast array of differing night blooming plants and flowers. " Can you help me bring everything to the table? Then we can sit down and eat together. But, umm… first… that has to be uncomfortable so let me…" He paused for a moment, reaching up slowly so Raydan could see him moving. He touched the hound's shoulder with only his fingertips, keeping in mind that even this much touch might not be accepted so he was trying to keep it minimal, drawing out the pain and soreness from sleeping on the chair with his magick and after a few seconds, he let go. "There. Sorry, I could feel it bothering you and… I know sitting in the booth might make it hurt more so I wanted to… well, I didn't want to know that you were in pain and I did nothing about it. Anyways, help me set the table?" Max started grabbing plates, settling and balancing some on his arms like a waiter as he carried the plates of food to the nook, setting them down before going to grab cups, plates for them, and cutlery. 

As he started grabbing everything, he looked over his shoulder, keeping up with opening cabinets and drawers with the practiced ease of knowing exactly where everything was. "So… Raydan? Do you want to know anything? About me, I mean. I know you might have questions, so you can ask me anything you want to know. I'm an open book, I promise. Plus, can't hellhounds tell when someone's lying? I know werewolves can, based on heartbeat and scent, I think. Is it the same for you? I'm actually super curious about you. Apparently my knowledge of hellhounds is more lacking than I thought. Would it be okay for me to ask you about it? About… well, you?"

[tricky-tricky-boys]

Max felt the shift of energy in the house when Raydan woke up, and he only paused for a moment before continuing his cooking. It bled out from his room and permeated the rest of the manor. Suspicion, then he relaxed after a moment, but there was still hesitation in him. Max could tell that this was going to be an arduous task, but if anyone of the Tannens were up tomit, it was Max. Because of their bond, he assumed, he was fine tuned to Raydan's energy and emotions already since he was able to pick up his emotions from across the house. He ignored it for now, in favor of a favorite song that started playing which made him hum along as he danced. Mostly everything was done by the time Raydan finally made his way down to the kitchen, and he swayed in place while flipping the bacon. But as the hound made his way closer, he could feel another sensation. Pain. Discomfort. Soreness. He lifted his head in time to see the man standing near him, and he just smiled while he turned down the music. He did look disheveled and sleepy, and it was honestly… attractive. The hostility was mostly gone, thankfully, so now Max could really see him, and by the gods… He had to look away from the man before he did something stupid like just stare at him. It was true what they said about morning voice, and it was a slight weakness of Max's, so the husky tone of Raydan's seemingly playful irritation made a small shiver roll down his spine. He hurriedly talked, hoping to hide the small spike of arousal that just went through him and trying to not make it seem obvious. "I am. And yeah, I always do. I kind of have to, living with my brothers so this morning cheeriness is trained habit. Aro is the real morning person. On the days where I know Aro is gonna cook breakfast, I'll usually sleep in." He turned off the stove in time to hear the rumbling of Raydan's stomach, and he chuckled. "Don't worry, this is for both of us. I figure Hellhounds might eat a lot, so I made alot." He scooped out the bacon onto a waiting plate and pointed over to the breakfast nook off the kitchen, that had a bay window where the booth seat and table sat to overlook the night garden that Max had carefully curated to have a vast array of differing night blooming plants and flowers. " Can you help me bring everything to the table? Then we can sit down and eat together. But, umm… first… that has to be uncomfortable so let me…" He paused for a moment, reaching up slowly so Raydan could see him moving. He touched the hound's shoulder with only his fingertips, keeping in mind that even this much touch might not be accepted so he was trying to keep it minimal, drawing out the pain and soreness from sleeping on the chair with his magick and after a few seconds, he let go. "There. Sorry, I could feel it bothering you and… I know sitting in the booth might make it hurt more so I wanted to… well, I didn't want to know that you were in pain and I did nothing about it. Anyways, help me set the table?" Max started grabbing plates, settling and balancing some on his arms like a waiter as he carried the plates of food to the nook, setting them down before going to grab cups, plates for them, and cutlery. 

As he started grabbing everything, he looked over his shoulder, keeping up with opening cabinets and drawers with the practiced ease of knowing exactly where everything was. "So… Raydan? Do you want to know anything? About me, I mean. I know you might have questions, so you can ask me anything you want to know. I'm an open book, I promise. Plus, can't hellhounds tell when someone's lying? I know werewolves can, based on heartbeat and scent, I think. Is it the same for you? I'm actually super curious about you. Apparently my knowledge of hellhounds is more lacking than I thought. Would it be okay for me to ask you about it? About… well, you?"

Max woke up rather early the next morning feeling like he was hungover. It was typical after big spells to feel like this, so he just fumbled for his phone to text Aro that he'd need to be the one to make breakfast. Aro replied back fast, texting that they were all at a hotel eating a continental breakfast. "Of course they're not back yet." That made Max groan and get up, padding to the bathroom to relieve himself. As he washed his hands, he remembered Raydan. He hadn't been in bed with him, which he had expected that. So, he poked his head out to see the hound passed out in one of the chairs. It would likely be better if he let him sleep, but he couldn't help but watch him for a moment. Even asleep, the man looked… troubled.  He wondered what his dreams contained.  Were they about Max? His abusers? He stood there for a moment, taking in the sight. Even with how uncomfortable he looked… Raydan was still stupidly attractive. A pit formed in Max's stomach as he thought it,  knowing that currently,  he would never be able to admit that. Guilt tore through him. He knew that he shouldn't even think it… but he could stop the slight surge in his chest from seeing Raydan. He sighed, walking out to head to the kitchen so he could make breakfast for the two of them. He figured if the man had a human body, he could eat human food. So, he made the works. Eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes, sausages, biscuits, gravy, toast, coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice. He made sure to make enough just in case he was hungry,  and he hummed softly to himself as he cooked. It was a welcome distraction from the events of the previous day. He turned on a playlist on his phone, hooking it up to a speaker as he danced around the kitchen,  humming along in nothing but his sweatpants and the pastel blue apron that was protecting him currently from the splattering of the bacon grease as it cooked. The distraction let him lose himself, forgetting the outside world as he just swayed to the beat. 

[tricky-tricky-boys]

Max woke up rather early the next morning feeling like he was hungover. It was typical after big spells to feel like this, so he just fumbled for his phone to text Aro that he'd need to be the one to make breakfast. Aro replied back fast, texting that they were all at a hotel eating a continental breakfast. "Of course they're not back yet." That made Max groan and get up, padding to the bathroom to relieve himself. As he washed his hands, he remembered Raydan. He hadn't been in bed with him, which he had expected that. So, he poked his head out to see the hound passed out in one of the chairs. It would likely be better if he let him sleep, but he couldn't help but watch him for a moment. Even asleep, the man looked… troubled.  He wondered what his dreams contained.  Were they about Max? His abusers? He stood there for a moment, taking in the sight. Even with how uncomfortable he looked… Raydan was still stupidly attractive. A pit formed in Max's stomach as he thought it,  knowing that currently,  he would never be able to admit that. Guilt tore through him. He knew that he shouldn't even think it… but he could stop the slight surge in his chest from seeing Raydan. He sighed, walking out to head to the kitchen so he could make breakfast for the two of them. He figured if the man had a human body, he could eat human food. So, he made the works. Eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes, sausages, biscuits, gravy, toast, coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice. He made sure to make enough just in case he was hungry,  and he hummed softly to himself as he cooked. It was a welcome distraction from the events of the previous day. He turned on a playlist on his phone, hooking it up to a speaker as he danced around the kitchen,  humming along in nothing but his sweatpants and the pastel blue apron that was protecting him currently from the splattering of the bacon grease as it cooked. The distraction let him lose himself, forgetting the outside world as he just swayed to the beat. 

The walk to Max's room was… awkward. Taking into account the emotions Max could feel, it seemed like Raydan was getting angrier with each step he took. The anger was hiding something, he knew it. It would just take a little digging to get to it's root. But, Max didnt want to pry. He didn't want to invade. Raydan could keep that to himself, if he needed to. Thankfully, he didn't have his brother's power of mind reading. But when they got to his room, it was there. On the surface, swirling in a mix of anger… and fear. Raydan was afraid. Terrified, even. Max's eyes scanned him, noting the sickly yellow tinges in his aura that told him that fear was the root of this entire thing. Why would he be afraid of Max? He knew what he looked like to a lot of people. He looked about as intimidating as a butterfly stuck on a marshmallow. But, after a moment, he understood. The bracelet that was around his wrist was proof. Max had the power here. And judging by that fear, there had been other masters that were far less nice than he was. At Raydan's words about being dragged and bound, Max straightened up. "Other than that, I've given you no reason to be that way, have I? Just… like I said. I'm hoping the second impression is better than the first." He shook his head, watching as Raydan seemed to be locked in some kind of… battle with himself. The steps back, the lack of eye contact. He looked scared now. Then, there it was. The last person wasn't… he didn't even need to finish that sentence. Max knew. He really had been abused. Probably by more than just the last person. This hellhound was probably centuries old, and in those centuries… how many had hurt him? How long had he been imprisoned each time? He took in a breath, his own instincts wanting him to comfort the hound before him, but he knew better. It wouldn't help. Not right now. As the man said that he wanted to cool off before the tour, he nodded, saying nothing as he watched him nearly sprint into the bathroom and shut the door. And Max? He just padded over to the closet, changing into a pair of sweatpants and a matching hoodie before flopping onto his bed, groaning into the pillows. So much of his own worries came forward now. He rolled onto his side, studying the bracelet around his wrist. Was it merely a physical representation of their bond? Did it have its own powers? There was so much to learn, and he felt like he needed to learn it quickly. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and checked his texts. One from Valor, asking if the spell was done. He replied with a yes, but the hellhound that was summoned arrived in a human form. He needed time, so they should probably stay away for at least a night. Valor just texted back an okay, and Max knew that the message would get back to Aubrey and Aro as well. They'd have the house to themselves for the night. Probably better that way.

As he heard the shower start, Max sat up and grumbled. Maybe a hoodie was a bad idea, considering how warm his room had become. He peeled it off, tossing it aside so that he was shirtless and he laid back down. That was when the drain caught up to him. The summoning had been an intense spell, requiring more energy from him than he had initially thought. He blinked, the exhaustion causing a strain on his eyes that made everything blur. He had been so mentally occupied with Raydan that he hadn't even felt the drain, but now? His phone fell to the bed after a moment as Max's eyes closed, and he quickly drifted off into sleep.  A part of him didn't want to sleep. He wanted to fight it. But he was a witch. He knew that if he didnt rest, it would only hurt him. Besides, he knew Raydan couldn't hurt him. His last thought before drifting off was wondering what Raydan would do when he got out of the shower. Would he be angry that Max had fallen asleep? Would he understand why? Would he join him and take a nap as well? The summoning must have exhausted him too… 

[tricky-tricky-boys]

Max could feel the pure and unfiltered disdain coming from the man before him. Part of his power was Empathy, after all. He could feel the swirling of emotions, and he wondered if it was somehow heightened because of the magickal bond that now dangled from their wrists. Distrust, rage, disgust. All of it was blaring like sirens, and all of it was directed at Max. He understood, and felt guilty about the entire thing. He straightened a bit as Raydan took a step towards him, and he was about to order him to stop, but the man spoke. Then called him Master in a tone that made him want to apologize. Raydan clearly did not want to be here. That made things different, although if he had gotten a canine Hellhound, he still would feel guilty if it was forced there. But, he had no choice now. With the nearly murderous air about the man, he had no doubt what would happen if he released him. As the man's gaze flickered over him, he picked up different emotions. Curiosity, suspicion, expectation. He was looking for something. "If you're looking for the spell, I had it memorized. The physical copy is hidden." He took in a deep breath and let a soft smile grace his features. "I'm Max. You... don't have to call me 'Master', Raydan. We prepared a room for you, but we were expecting... someone a little more canine in appearance. You'll sleep in my room with me until we can get an actual mattress ordered, and then you'll have your own space. All that I... my will is that you protect this home, this family. You will protect me. You'll be given your own room, food, clothing, and toiletries. Everything you'll need. I won't bark orders or force you to do anything you don't want to. You'll be expected to clean up after yourself, clean any messes you make, and help around the house occasionally. But though you may be a slave, you won't be treated as such. Not by me or my family." He hummed, taking in a breath before crunching his face and holding out a hand for the other to take. "Would you like to take a shower or anything? I can get you some sweatpants and a shirt until we can go shopping tomorrow for some clothes. But let's get out of the basement. If you don't want a shower, I can show you around the house."

Max had gone over the spell dozens of times once he had found it. Having Aro translate it and the retranslate, gathering the ingredients, making sure everything was prepared. When they had first found the spell, it had been gifted to Aubrey as a thank you for helping to deal with a major crisis in a local vanpire coven, giving each member daylight rings but only after weeding out the bad apples. At first, it seemed like a joke, but a witch friend that was over 350 years old assured them that the spell was real and extremely rare. Summoning and binding a Hellhound was no easy feat. The Tannens toyed with what to do with the spell at first, before settling on having a... guard dog. What better protection forbthe Tannen home than a Hellhound? Days had been spent trying to see who would end up being the one to cast it. The final vote ended up being unanimous. Max would do it. Since his magick aligned with Spirit, he was the natural choice. And, though Max didn't believe his brothers, they all said he was the most powerful. It had to be him. So, as preparations started, Max had spent a few hours cleaning the basement floor so he could draw the summoning circle. It had to be perfect, and unbroken. Chalk mixed with his own blood to draw the sigils of summoning and binding, black and purple candles, herbs, and resins burning on charcoals. As Max started the chant, he could feel it almost instantly. The temperature in the room was rising. The smell of Sulphur billowing in as shadow and fire started to form in the center of the circle.

Max winced as the magick finally snapped and the being formed in the center. And at first, he had expected... well, a dog. Or something vaguely canine. But this was a man. Max watched as the man stood up, looking absolutely livid and literally fuming. The flames and shadow that danced around him had Max's breath hitching in his throat. The bracelets appearing made Max pause, looking down at it before he remembered he wasn't done. Max held up the hand that now had a bracelet on it, and he clenched his fist, irises burning a pastel blue. "Hound of Hell, I hold and fix you in my grasp. With my power, bend to my will and obey." It felt... strange. He had thought he would be saying this to a... dog. But instead, this man was looking at him like he wanted to sever his head from his shoulders. He was saying this to a very angry and very naked man. He tried to keep his eyes focused on Raydan's face, because if he didn't, he'd look elsewhere. He needed to show strength right now because if he showed fear... or Gods forbid, arousal... There was no telling what would happen. "Speak your name, Hound."

[tricky-tricky-boys]

While Max noted the reaction to their touch, he decided against saying anything else. Maybe bringing more attention to it would not be a good idea. He did look down at his own hand, noting that were wasn't any mark or sign of what he had felt just moments ago. At the biting humor, Max just rolled his eyes and smiled. "Point taken. Come on, let's go." As Max led them out of the basement, the stairs led out into the kitchen, where the true size of the home could be glimpsed. The Tannen home was more a manor than a simple house, and the kitchen reflected that. Built by his great grandfather, the large manor had a large kitchen, with original appliances that had been carefully maintained in the decades of use by the family. 8 bedrooms took up most of the second floor. Max had taken the bedroom that was most east in the home, as he was the early bird. "You'll have free reign of the house. I do most of the cooking. Myself and Aro are the only ones allowed in the kitchen normally. I have banned Aubrey and Valor from it, since Aubrey blew up the last microwave we had, and Valor started a small fire while making cereal. He still refuses to tell us how he did it, and it's been 5 years." He hummed, continuing past and leading Raydan past the formal dining room that was used for dinner only, past the formal living room that was rarely used, and into the grand foyer that held the wide staircase that led to the second level. He jogged up the steps, turning right to head to the east wing. "Aro and I usually take turns making food, but if you're hungry, feel free to make something for yourself or you can wait until whichever meal is next."  He led them down the long hallway lined with doors to different rooms. The wallpaper was a deep viridian green, with patterns of golden vines and leaves twisting and twirling throughout. The entire home was decorated in a sort of… modern bohemian vibes that very much spoke of the family of witches that lived there. But their rooms, as Raydan would likely find out over time, reflected each individual Tannen.

As they got to the door, Max opened it and left it open as he made a beeline for his closet. The room was modest, whites and pastel blues took up most of the color pallete. The shelves were decorated with books, different divination tools, and plants were the pops of color that broke up the brightness. From the door, the king sized bed was to the left, a seating area with a chaise and two chairs half circling a coffee table was straight ahead, and to the right was the doors to the closet and bathroom, as well as his TV between them and the entertainment center that had his gaming consoles. He had a desk as well, on and around it was his equipment for his YouTube videos. The room looked… lived in. As he rummaged around in his closet, he found a pair of grey sweatpants and a black tanktop that was probably Valor's, and came back out in time for the outburst from Raydan. That made him tense up for a moment before he kept walking towards the hound, holding out the clothes. "Yes. I expected a canine spirit to appear. But I didn't plan to just bark orders and treat it like nothing. It was going to be a part of this family, and we would treat it as… well better than you're currently treating me. I understand that you don't trust me, or trust this situation. But I have been trying to treat you as well as I can given the adjustments that I'm making in real time. If you had been a dog, I was going to find out what hellhounds eat, what they might like as treats, get things that you might like. Now, I'm still willing to do that. I just need to redirect my own brain. But even knowing the context of your distrust… it doesn't make the blatant and open hostility hurt any less, Raydan. You've made up your mind about me, and you did so before I even finished the spell that summoned you. I can only hope that the second impression you obtain from me is better than the first. I know these aren't much… but I hope they're okay until we can go shopping tomorrow." His irises flickered weakly, the pastel blue of his magick reacting to his own emotions. Max had always been sensitive, a drawback to being an empath. Tears were threatening to spill, making his eyes watery and his vision blurring slightly. "Take them. They're yours now. If you still want a tour, we can do that. If you'd like to shower or bathe, the bathroom is right there."

It seemed like Max needed to earn this hound's trust if he was going to get anywhere even close to... well, close to him. It was evident in his aura what had earned thos distrust. Trauma. Had he had previous masters? Had they mistreated him? His heart broke at even the thought of someone harming someone like Raydan. Underneath the extremely rough and guarded exterior, there was something endearing. Max couldnt quite place it. If his previous masters had forced him there and then mistreated him? The thought of it sickened him, and he mentally vowed to at least... give him a good home? Would that phrase even be applicable? Now he sounded like a pet. He was shaken from his thoughts at the sound of the man's voice, and he shook his head. Although curious about the Hell Hounds canine form, he didn't want to see it just yet. It would make communicating with him much more difficult if he decided to stay that way. Although... he could always order him to change. But if he was going to be building trust, it needed to happen organically. Minimal use of commands that would have to be obeyed. "That won't be necessary, Raydan. We'll just need to adjust. So, like I said. You'll sleep in my room until we get a mattress. I'll place an order tomorrow, and then we'll see how long shipping will be." He smiled, watching him closely. He noticed that he was quite expressive, at least his face was. He was sure he didn't need to be an empath to know what was going on with Raydan's moods. "I know that you don't trust me. And you have no reason to, so I understand. But I'm not going to intentionally or maliciously mistreat you or let anyone else. So... you can be honest with me. If there's something you need, don't be afraid to ask for it. And if you have any questions for me, you can ask them." He hummed up until their first touch, and Max tensed. It felt like he had just grabbed a hot plate. He flinched, the initial pain of it making his hand clench a bit right as Raydan squeezed as well. It was like a shockwave of heat rocketing up his arm. Infernal energy. "Holy... wow, that was intense. Did you feel that?" He chuckled incredulously, grinning ear to ear as he gestured to the stairs. "My family is away right now. They gave me privacy for the spell. We have the house to ourselves. Come on, I'll lead you up to my room and I'll give you some clothes before we tour the rest of the house." He bounded up the stairs, knowing that Raydan would follow.