#robes in the pack too! :D

[that-wizard-oki]

The Fanciful Fairy Kei Pack released today!!!! This was a pack idea/theme i pitched at the end of last year, which was incredibly exciting for me!! To celebrate it's release, I wanted to share one of my animations I did for the mount, a cutesy crescent moon with some star friends that follow you along :3 it was the only item I personally got to work on for the pack, all other items/art/anims were done by other artists on our team!

In general been trying to be an advocate for more like... Wizard-y gear, as i feel we've strayed away from that style of gear and i MISS IT :(( I also felt Lolita/kawaii j-fashion in general could really fit into the wizard aesthetic... it also helps that I'm a bit of a fan of the fashion style myself hehe :'D also it was a fun work around so boys can now kind of wear pink thru this pack! And also a dress if they so choose!

Anywho. I know this pack was highly anticipated so I really hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did when i was pitching it!!!! :D

[storiesabouteli]

Stillness. // Elijah Hewson X Reader! (Fluff)

request: Anyway, I had this idea of Eli being absolutely exhausted (from either rehearsals or gigs) and reader noticing that he hasn't been taking care of himself. So, when he gets home one evening, she takes care of him and they shower together with all just being pure fluff. Maybe something like reader washing his hair and telling him that everything will be alright.

words: 1,4K.

 Eli had left everything ready before heading out—coffee brewed, fresh eggs and bread, and hot water for tea. Your schedules had been clashing more than usual, and lately, you hadn’t seen him leave the bed in the mornings. Still, it was sweet how he always found a way to care for you. You weren’t the best at keeping yourself fed when he wasn’t around. Cooking wasn’t exactly your strong suit, and after getting used to Eli being the one who took charge in the kitchen, you often ended up living off takeout or skipping meals altogether in his absence.

 Even during his tours, Eli would arrange for a relative or a nearby restaurant to send your favorite meals whenever possible. It had become a small comfort you’d grown used to.

 You answered the FaceTime call with your plate balanced on your lap and your cup of tea nearby, soaking up the sunlight as you ate. Eli looked tired. He rarely showed signs of exhaustion, but today was different—the dark circles under his eyes and the weary lines on his face were unmistakable.

 You waved, but he stayed quiet, pressing a finger to his lips. It was a gesture you recognized well. On his vocal rest days, Eli would often call you just to be there, even if it meant staying silent. His phone was so close to his face that you could hear his breathing through the mic.

 "I ate, El," you reassured him, panning your camera to show the plate with only crumbs left and lifting your cup as if to toast him. "Thank you—it was really good."

 A faint blush crept onto his cheeks, and he rubbed his eyes in that familiar, unbothered way of his. You smiled softly, wishing you’d been awake to see him off that morning, to hug and kiss him before he left.

 "I wish I’d seen you leave today," you said, blowing a kiss into the camera. He mirrored the gesture, then formed half of a heart with his hand against the screen. You completed it with yours, smiling as the silent “I love you�� hung between you.

 The call fell into a comfortable quiet. You could hear the faint chatter of his bandmates in the background as you sipped your tea. Eli looked like he was on a brief break, squeezing in this moment with you amidst his packed schedule.

 "I’m working from home today," you told him. "So I’ll definitely be here when you get back. Do you know if it’ll be late?"

 He shook his head, mouthing a soft "no."

 You tilted your head, grinning. "No as in ‘not sure,’ or no as in ‘not late’?"

 Eli held up two fingers—not late. Your smile widened at the answer, and he noticed, his shoulders visibly relaxing. He had been feeling the strain of not spending enough time with you lately, and seeing your happiness at his news lightened his load.

 He was wearing a gray cardigan you suspected was yours, and even through the tiny screen, he looked impossibly endearing.

 "Alright, El. I’ll take care of you when you get here," you teased.

 Eli chuckled, the warmth in his chest spreading as he imagined the small moment you’d share later, even if it was just falling asleep together, wrapped in each other’s arms.

 "See you soon," his eyes seemed to say, and you couldn’t wait.

…

 You had a bath bomb you’d been saving for a while, one of those that dissolve into fragrant, bubbly water, and you decided tonight was the perfect occasion to use it. You felt like it was Christmas, waiting for the moment to open your gift—except, in this case, the gift was Eli coming home.

 Wrapped in your robe, you had set aside one for him too. The hours crawled by as you anticipated his arrival. When he finally walked through the door, setting his bag down with a tired sigh, you practically launched yourself into his arms.

 Cupping his face, you peppered kisses across his cheeks and temples, slowly making your way to his lips. His arms held you firmly, his eyes slowly tight, grounding you both in the moment, accepting that he wouldn't go anywhere you were not.

 Tugging him closer by the fabric of his cardigan, you guided him through the motions, and within minutes, Eli was ready—prepared for the warm, soothing bath you’d been waiting to share with him. 

 You ran your fingertips along the back of his neck, gently brushing the curls away before pressing a soft kiss to the skin there. Eli grew quieter when he was tired, and the tension in his shoulders under your touch made it clear just how much the day had worn him down.

 You had left only the secondary bathroom light on, accompanied by a few scented candles on the floor. The space felt warm and inviting, and the soft sighs Eli let out confirmed he felt the same. Slowly, he rested his weight against your chest, pressing down just enough for it to feel comforting. His eyes, heavy with exhaustion, opened just enough to take in your face, studying you in the dim light.

 Your hand moved from his neck to his shoulders, applying just enough pressure to ease the knots without overwhelming him. "This feels so good," he murmured, his eyes slipping shut again. His features became more vivid to you—the slight curve of his nose, his slightly parted lips. You leaned down, kissing the bridge of his nose before scattering kisses across his face, following the freckles that trailed down to his shoulders.

 Sometimes, when life became chaotic, Eli found himself wondering how much of this you could take. He wanted to believe he’d grown past those doubts, but with bigger tours and busier schedules, the thoughts always got back in.

 “You’re not a second thought or a backup plan,” he admitted suddenly, his voice open and raw.

 You laughed softly. “I don’t feel like one, El. You’re really good at making sure of that.”

 He nodded, his expression softened as he melted further into your touch.

 The progression of your relationship struck you as funny sometimes. In those early months, you’d worried endlessly about how Eli saw you—not in a harsh way, but enough to make you hesitate. And now, here you were, sharing a bath together, completely at ease in your vulnerability with him. It was a level of comfort you couldn’t have imagined back then, one that didn’t seem to even cross his mind now.

 Eli murmured sweet nothings, or something close to it, though the words barely made sense amidst his sighs. His heavy-lidded eyes and relaxed demeanor hinted that this was simply his way of letting himself unwind as your fingers worked through his scalp. His body seemed to melt into yours, his head perfectly nestled against your shoulder while your legs wrapped around him protectively. The warm water soothed his tired muscles, its calming effect evident in the way his breathing slowed.

 You rinsed him gently, careful not to let the soap run into his eyes. Once done, you leaned in, pressing kisses to the freckles scattered across his forehead. His hands wandered softly along your legs, stopping to rest on your knee, their warmth sending a comforting heat through you. He was fully present, fully with you, and even in such a small moment, that awareness felt profound.

 "Should we get out?" you asked softly, your voice vibrating through your chest as you smiled.

 He chuckled at the sound, his laugh warm and light, but groaned in mock protest. Instead of answering, he wrapped his arms firmly, though clumsily, around your torso, nuzzling his nose into the crook of your neck like a stubborn child refusing to leave his safe place.

 Your fingers were wrinkled from the water-his too-but the bath still retained enough warmth, and neither of you felt much urgency to move. You could wait until it starts to cool down. The comfort of the moment was too good to end.

 "All right, El. Just a few more seconds," you conceded, brushing your cheek against his in an slow, affectionate drag, enjoying the faint scrape of his freshly grown stubble. He responded in kind, playfully nipping at your skin, a silent agreement that staying a little longer wouldn't hurt. Everything was fine, and in that small bubble of warmth, it felt like it always would be.

[suugarbabe]

Lover (II)

[Chapter 2]

this is the final part do not ask for a third pls

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x Reader

Word count: ~1.8k

Warning: none

You were fighting to keep your eyes open. Normally you loved charms, loved learning new spells and mastering ways to mess with the boys. But the stress of your other classes was keeping you up at night. 

Mattheo knocked his shoulder into yours, “You still with us, love?” You made a soft grunting noise in response, earning a chuckle from him. He pulled on the sleeve of your robe until your head fell to his shoulder. 

He let you lightly snooze like that until class was over, tapping your nose several times until you stirred, “Wakey wakey, princess.” You sat up, eyes shooting open, “W-what did I miss?” 

Pansy snorted beside you as she packed her bag, “Just all of charms. Don’t worry, Matty boy let you take a nap on his shoulder.” She winked at Mattheo, who only glared at her for the teasing. 

You didn’t notice this interaction as you were covering your face, groaning, “Teo, why did you let me sleep during class?” 

He sighed, “Maybe because you’re the smartest witch in charms class and you needed a break. You’re stressing yourself out, all the lads can see it, too. They’re just too afraid to tell you to your face.” 

You grinned at this, “I like that they’re a little afraid of me.” Mattheo laughed, leading you out of the classroom and down towards lunch, “They’re a lot afraid of you, love. And I know you like it you little psycho.” 

You punched his arm playfully. Despite you not nearly being strong enough to inflict pain on him, Mattheo grabbed his arm, displaying a large pout. 

You entered the great hall together, making your way to your group of friends. Enzo barely let you both sit down before he started talking, “You both attending the party tonight?” 

Mattheo looked at Enzo like he had two heads, “Do you know who I am?” 

Enzo nodded, “Yeah, good point.” He turned to you then, “Y/n/n? Party?” You smiled, “Course, Enzie. Wouldn’t miss it.” 

Mattheo felt a stirring in his chest, like a bubbling, or burning when you used your nickname on Enzo. His face must have displayed his inner feelings because Draco leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Careful cousin, your little green monster is showing.” 

Mattheo turned to him, “What are you on about?” Draco smirked, “You’re jealous. That Y/n is being sweet to Enzo, of all people.” 

Mattheo’s shoulders relaxed a little. Draco was right, he was being ridiculous. Enzo was like everyone’s child, you were just being sweet to him because that’s how you were. 

“What’re you gonna wear, y/n/n,” Pansy always tried to get you to dress the most scandalous at parties, especially one’s your house hosted. Usually you just opted for something simple, but tonight, you were on a mission. 

“I was thinking maybe we could get ready together? Maybe you can even pick an outfit out for me, Pans?” Pansy was giddy with excitement. 

Mattheo’s cheeks grew warm just thinking about the outfit Pansy might pick out for you. Pansy was a confident woman and, thus, wanted every woman around her to feel as confident. Mattheo thought you were beautiful, no matter what you wore. However, you usually stuck to more moderate clothing choices. He wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to handle it if Pansy dressed you in anything remotely similar to how she went to parties. His head might explode on sight. 

“Oh that’s the one. Yes. You have to wear that one, please, y/n/n,” Pansy was fawning over you in the outfit she had made you try on. You had on a pleated leather miniskirt with a velvet cropped tank top that was the prettiest emerald green. 

You did a little spin, “You don’t think it’s too much? You know I don’t usually dress up like this for parties, or in general.” 

“Yeah, I know. But Mattheo will be absolutely drooling over you when you come down in this.” Thankfully Pansy was digging through her jewelry and didn’t see the way the blood rushed to your cheeks. “W-why would I want him to do that?” Your voice came out more cautious than you would have liked, wanting it to be stoic and nonchalant. 

Pansy gave you a knowing look in the mirror as she clasped a silver necklace around your neck, “I see the way you look at him, love.” 

“I don’t - I, erm, what I mean is- ugh, fine, yes, okay.” You were a stuttering mess, not able to hide the truth so you just admitted it. 

“I fucking knew it!” Pansy was bouncing on her toes now. You shushed her, “Calm down, it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t feel the same way about me. Just sees me as a…friend.” The word felt like vinegar in your mouth. 

“I think you should talk to him about it,” Pansy said it so casually, like she suggested you ask him about potions homework. 

You couldn’t help but scoff at her, “Are you mental? I could never risk our friendship like that. He told me the other night at the lake that I was his best friend. Emphasis on the friend, Pans. That’s all I am to him.” 

“Right,” Pansy’s tone told you she was not convinced, “You mean to tell me the boy who who willingly carried you on his back to a ‘special spot’ that’s just for the two of you, who took time out of his night to sit with you while you were freaking out, who laid with you to watch the bloody stars over the lake and then carried you all the way back to the castle and tucked you into bed, only sees you as a friend.” 

Pansy shook her head as she walked into the bathroom. You looked at yourself in the mirror again. Observing the way the skirt fell to your mid thigh. Would Mattheo like that? Would he see you and, as Pansy put it, ‘drool over you’? The other things she said played in your mind. How differently Mattheo seemed to treat you. You never really put two and two together. 

You had always figured it was because you were the first girl in the group that he was nicer to you. He was always affectionate with you, giving you long hugs, kisses on the forehead. Holding your hand to stop you from nervously biting your nails. 

He was always there to calm you down, rub your back and hold you when you cried or someone broke your heart. Always promising to hex anyone that did you wrong. You always told him it was unnecessary but one look at Theo or Draco and it would get taken care of somehow. 

You found yourself sat next to Lorenzo on one of the love seats in the corner of the party. Your group had formed a circle, Mattheo sitting across from you. His eyes seemed to never leave you, whether you were aware or not. He was watching closely to every move Enzo made, making sure he kept his hands to himself, appropriate distance from you. 

He was paying so little attention to the game he didn’t even realize that the bottle had landed on him. “Truth or Dare, cousin?” The smile Draco was adorning was not one Mattheo was fond of.

“Erm, truth.” Mattheo figured this would be the safer choice, but soon learned it was anything but.

Draco leaned back in his chair, glancing around the circle until he met your gaze, then turned back to Mattheo, “When are you and Y/n going to admit you’re in love with each other.” 

You nearly choked on your drink, causing Enzo to pat your back viciously while trying to hide his laughter. The entire circle seemed to agree, but you and Mattheo were quick to deny the allegations with a chorus of “he doesn’t see me that way” and “she’s way too smart for me” with some “we’re literally best friends”. 

The group was not happy with either of your responses, and before you knew it you were being dragged by Pansy toward the broom cupboard while Theo and Draco dragged Mattheo. You both were shoved into the small closet, leaving very little room between the two of you. 

The door was slammed shut while Draco muttered a locking charm. “You two are going to stay in there until you admit your feelings for one another,” Theo shouted. Pansy’s voice was heard next, “I’m tired of you two ignoring it, just bloody admit it.”

The floor was suddenly the most interesting thing you had ever seen. You both were silent, avoiding the other the best you could. You could hear the music blaring through the closet door. You flicked your wand, casting a silencing charm. 

“Sorry, music was…hurting my head,” You spared a glance at Mattheo only to find he was already looking at you. Mattheo’s eyes were one of your favorite things about him. Where everyone else just saw brown, you saw honey and autumn leaves. When he looked at you his eyes were soft, flecks of gold dancing within them that reminded you of a flame. 

You opened your mouth to say something the same time as Mattheo, but where you were at a loss of words Mattheo’s seemed to pour out of him.

“Y/n/n, I love you. Like really, truly, all encompassing in love with you. Merlin, I have been for years. And I know you don’t feel the same but-”

“I do,” you had to interrupt his ramblings, he had to know the truth. 

“What?” 

“I love you, too, Mattheo.” 

He took a tentative step closer, like he was making sure you were real. Making sure you really just echoed his confession. Your back was to the wall as he cupped your cheek, his other hand gently gripping your waist. Your hands were flat on his chest as you looked up to meet his eyes again. 

His body seemed to work faster than his mind as his lips met yours in a searing kiss. Years of passion coming out in a single moment. Your arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer. 

You were so enthralled with each other that neither noticed the sound of the door unlocking until it swung open, cheers and whistles of encouragement from your friends bringing you both down to reality. 

“Bloody finally!” Blaised shouted, causing you and Mattheo to look shyly at the floor. The rest of the group shouted a mixture of congrats and relief that you two seemed finally together. 

Mattheo stepped out of the closet first, holding out his hand for you to take hold, “C’mon, lover. Let’s rejoin the party, yeah?”

[ghoulette-knell]

Humiliation

Sodo x Fem!Reader

You piss Sodo off, and he has the perfect punishment lined up for you.

🔞MDNI🔞

TW: Public Humiliation; Collaring; Dry Humping; Rough!Dom Sodo; Hate Fucking (if you squint).

Word Count: 8,981

As the newest Ghoulette in the ministry, as well as the newest air-ghoul to join the ministry's social program, 'Ghost,' you faced a lot of setbacks. Such setbacks included having a difficult time making friends. All of the Ghouls already had their little groups (Sodo, Phantom, and Swiss. Or Aurora, Cumulus, and Cirrus), and you just didn't fit anywhere.

You would do anything to fit in, even taking stupid advice from a certain playful Ghoul.

A certain playful Ghoul who went by the name of Phantom.

"Dude, you know what would make everyone laugh?" the guitarist asked while plopping down on the couch beside of you, directly before a ritual with thousands of starstruck fans, "Untune Sodo's guitar right before his 'Respite on the Spitalfields' solo. Everyone loves a good prank."

Your face paled underneath your mask and balaclava, your head shaking side-by-side in clear dislike, "Heck no, Phantom! That sounds like a terrible idea! Pranking someone like Rain is one thing, but Sodo? You know he has a temper!"

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you," Phantom commented with a little shrug, his spade-tipped tail flicking in a nonchalant manner, "If you're ever wondering why no one in the ministry even blinks in your direction, it's because you don't know how to have fun."

You should've not let the Ghoul's words bother you, but you simply couldn't help it. The lack of attention that you were getting from your fellow Satanists was beginning to take a toll on you.

You wanted friends.

Badly.

"Seriously? Did you have to do something this stupid to get accepted into the pack?" you mumbled, a little vulnerability beginning to bleed through despite yourself.

Phantom shrugged, his fangs curved into an amused smirk, "I'm not telling you that you have to do it... but yes. I hid Papa's robes right before one of his sermons. Copia was forced to wear his Cardinal robes again... and he punished me severely... but hey, I have friends now.

"Aurora ended up rearranging Swiss' room due to the guidance of Cirrus. We all have to do something risky that'll get a kick out of the others if we wish to be welcomed into this little family."

You had a bad feeling about this. You were not a troublemaker and definitely weren't a prankster. You were a bit shy and timid, especially around Sodo.

He was the pack leader... the only man the fire-ghoul listened to was Copia...

This seemed too risky... but the wish to be accepted was a little stronger than your fears. Sodo was a grown Ghoul, he would get over it eventually, even if it did mean guaranteed punishments.

"Are you positive it'll get the others to like me?" you asked in a meek manner.

The quintessential-ghoul chuckled and wagged his tail enthusiastically, "Trust me, (Y/N), it'll work. I already like you more that you're considering it. Come on. Everyone has to do it."

That decided it. Those simple words leaving Phantom's lips.

'I already like you more that you're considering it.'

Shit.

"Fuck. Okay, I'll do it," you murmured lowly, your head lulling backwards as you fought an intense wave of anxiety, "However, if I get caught, I'm throwing you under the bus."

Phantom t'skd and shook his head, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, kid. Just don't forget to do it."

That night came very, very quickly. Perhaps it was because of how nervous you were. Songs seemingly blasted by, until it was time for that dreaded song. Sodo was hyped, per usual, but little did he know that the newest air-ghoul in his pack would ruin everything.

Sodo's solo was an absolute disaster. He played the notes perfectly, of course, but instead of being tuned to the D minor, it was in E major... it sounded outright disgusting.

Sodo's reddened eyes locked on you, and you knew you were done for. How the hell did the fire-ghoul know it was you who tampered with the tuning? How did he know?

You’d pissed the Ghoul off on so many levels, and now you were gonna pay.

The rest of the show went smoothly after one of the stagehands corrected the bad tuning, but that certainly didn't mean you were out from underneath the fire. You were screwed no matter what.

“Why the fuck did you have to publicly humiliate me, whelp!?” Sodo screamed at you while stomping into the Ghouls’ common room after the ritual had ended, “In front of the entirety of our fans! What the fuck is wrong with your head! Do you even think about things, or are you simply that desperate for attention?"

Fear coursed through your veins at the fire-ghoul’s words. It had been a dare… that’s all it was. A promise that you would find acceptance amongst the hard-to-please group.

“Sodo, I’m sorry. It was a dare… just a little prank,” you murmured timidly while keeping your head low, “Phantom told me everyone would accept me if I could prove I had guts. Make them laugh over something stupid like this.”

That seemed to make Sodo even angrier. “Your excuse is that you humiliated me because of a dare!?” He yelled, getting in your face as the air began feeling hotter.

“This is my reputation we’re talking about, (Y/N)! The entire ritual was ruined because of your stupidity!” His tail wrapped around your ankle, tugging you closer.

You stumbled forward as Sodo’s tail, which was as thick as a jungle vine, yanked at your limb. A little gasp left your lips as you wobbled and caught yourself before plummeting to the floor.

“I-I’m sorry, Sodo,” you stammered, actually beginning to grow terrified at Sodo’s reaction, “Phantom told me-“

Sodo interrupted you before you could come up with another excuse.

“Stop giving me excuses, you fool!” Sodo snarled, pinning you against the wall, “And don’t think pinning the blame on Phantom is going to get you out this. I know he probably put you up to it, but you’re the one who did it.”

His arms caged you into place, his body practically pressing against yours. “What the hell am I supposed to do with you?”

You trembled in between Sodo and this wall; your eyes wide with fear, unseen due to your helmet. You felt so small. So stupid. So naïve to think Phantom would actually want to help you.

“I-I’m sorry, Sodo,” you meekly whispered, your words barely audible.

Sodo could practically feel your body quivering against his own, and he almost felt a sense of satisfaction at your submissive state.

With his helmet on, he couldn’t even see your face, but if he had been able to… he would’ve seen the fear in your eyes so clearly. The fire-ghoul could smell it on you, and was it ever intoxicating...

“Sorry doesn’t even begin to cut it, whelp,” Sodo hissed, pushing himself against you more, “I think you’d look good in a leash and chain right now.”

What the fuck kinda punishment was that? What weird shit was Sodo into? Collars and leashes?

Huh. It could be worse, you supposed.

“A leash and chain?” you asked slowly, staring up into Sodo’s face, “You can’t be serious? I’m a Ghoul! That’s beyond…”

You were going to say ‘that’s beyond humiliating,’ but that wouldn’t be the right wording to appeal to Sodo. You had humiliated him… this was his payback.

Sodo chuckled at your response, pushing his weight harder against you and causing you to gasp.

“Oh yes, I am very serious,” Sodo murmured into your ear, “It’d only be fitting considering what you did to my guitar.”

The guitarist chuckled darkly before pulling away from you, giving the both of you some space. “Come on, kit.”

Your spade-tipped tail dipped in between your legs.

You were about to open your mouth to make some more weak excuses to try and weasel yourself out of this demeaning punishment, but that was when the rest of the Ghouls decided to take a convenient trip into the common room... led by Phantom.

The rhythmic guitarist simply smirked as he saw you and Sodo; the fire-ghoul looking legitimately angry, "Heh, good luck, (Y/N)! This is what you get for being an asshole to Sodo!"

"You act like you didn't tell me to do it!" you hissed, your eyes lighting up in hatred as Sodo wrapped a hand around your arm, pulling you back.

"Stand down," the guitarist hissed in your ear, causing Phantom and his accompaniment to chuckle in satisfaction, "You're already in deep enough shit. Keep your mouth shut."

Phantom just smirked, knowing what was going on, before sitting down on the couch. They would all get to witness this once Sodo was done. Every single Ghoul would see... your reputation successfully tarnished.

You followed Sodo, burning with anger. How could Phantom do this to you?

The fire-ghoul basked in your angered silence. Your reaction caused his tail to subtly sway as he paced down the halls, still holding onto your arm hard enough to leave little indentations.

You couldn't focus on anything, which caused a dissociation to lightly haze over your brain. You didn't snap out of it until Sodo stopped in front of a door.

It was his dorm.

Sodo led you into his bedroom, and as soon as the door was closed, he started rummaging in his closet.

“Come here.”

The lead guitarist held out a hand for you, his voice suddenly lower and more commanding, “Don’t even think about arguing with me right now, kit. I know you’re pissed at Phantom, but you got yourself into this mess… with me. And I am going to correct it.”

You sighed and took Sodo’s hand, your own hand shaking in fear. This fucking sucked, “I’m gonna beat the shit outta Phantom for this,” you murmured while stepping towards Sodo.

Sodo chuckled lowly, “You’ll have to get in line, first. No one humiliates me in front of thousands of fans and gets away with it. You made me look like a moron!"

His gaze trailed up your body, “And you shouldn’t have done it either. What’d you think would come out of it, whelp? What would you have possibly gained by messing up the most anticipated solo of our fanbase?"

“Phantom promised me friendship amongst the pack. He said I’d get accepted and I’d be able to start making connections in the band. I know you don’t care about my sob story, but acceptance is all I care about,” you murmured, slowly pulling your Ghoul helmet off your face as Sodo motioned for you to do so.

Sodo hummed, taking your mask from your hands and setting it aside. He began slowly looking over your revealed face.

“You’re pretty desperate, aren’t you?” He sneered, his fingers gently tracing over your features, “Acceptance... Pathetic.”

You pulled your balaclava down and stared up at Sodo in annoyance, “It was promised to me! I know it was stupid, but I just want to be friends with everyone! Trust me, I won’t be making that mistake again… I won't trust any of you enough for that bullshit!"

Sodo chuckled, his fingers trailing down to the base of your neck. His hands remained gentle as he continued studying your face.

“Acceptance does sound nice, doesn’t it? Too bad that’s not how the pack works, whelp.”

His fingers tugged at the top of your collared shirt, as if silently telling you to take it off.

Your eye twitched as a wave of anxiety hit your stomach. On top of collaring you, he wants you to take your shirt off? Great…

You huffed and slowly pulled your uniform off your body, your bra as dark as the night in comparison to your fair skin.

Sodo chuckled again, his eyes trailing slowly down your now exposed torso. He couldn’t help but appreciate the view. You’re a very beautiful Ghoulette...

“Oh there’s a good girl,” he hummed, gently guiding you backwards until your legs hit the edge of his bed. “Sit down, (Y/N), and don’t move.”

You mumbled incoherently while plopping down on the bed; your face flushing as Sodo took you in like a horse drinking water. It was embarrassing. You didn’t like being looked at like this.

Sodo chuckled at your embarrassment. That look was just too cute. He took in the sight of your pretty blushing face before making his way over to the closet, where he pulled out a small bag.

He sat down next to you on the bed, opening the bag to pull out a collar. It was thin, with a nice silver buckle; black as night. There was also a matching leash.

“You’re not seriously going to put that on me right?” you grumbled while staring at the collar, leash… and a wired muzzle??? That was too much…

Sodo’s eyes narrowed, “Are you seriously questioning me?” he shot back. “Yes, I am going to strap every single one of these pieces onto you.”

He leaned a bit closer to you, his voice lowing into a dark growl, “And if you try to complain, I’ll add more to the pile. Understand, whelp?”

An unknown sensation wracked your stomach. You felt… a bit sick. Regretful… big time regretful.

Why did you have to listen to Phantom?

Now you were gonna get walked around like a fuckin’ mutt... in front of everyone in the ministry.

“Understood,” you grumbled, your eyes dark as you stared up at Sodo.

A grin stretched across Sodo’s face. “Good girl,” he hummed, reaching for the collar and sliding the leather around your neck.

He made sure the fit was just perfect and not loose at all. He’d definitely be yanking you around a lot, and he wanted to make sure the collar didn’t slip off your throat.

You slammed your eyes shut as Sodo strapped the collar around your neck. It was a bit tight, but you could still breathe okay.

Next, he reached for the wired muzzle, taking your chin in his hand to keep you still as he began strapping it to your head.

The muzzle was uncomfortable. It dug into your skin painfully, and it was actually pretty heavy. This was somehow the worst part of it all. The leash and collar was one thing, but the muzzle was just demeaning. Your fangs… held back by wire.

Sodo chuckled darkly at your obvious discomfort. He loved seeing you like this, and he was glad his idea to force you to wear these kinds of things came to mind.

He took a few moments to admire his handiwork before standing up. He held the leash in his hand, giving it a sharp tug for you to stand up.

You grumbled and quickly got to your feet. Goosebumps flowed over your exposed torso due to the cold air in Sodo’s room.

“I know you ain’t about to take me around this ministry lookin’ like this,” you grumbled, wrapping your hand around the leash as you looked up at Sodo, “That’s dehumanizing.”

You weren’t a human, but ‘deghoulizing’ isn’t a word…

Sodo rolled his eyes, “I’m fully aware of that, whelp,” he replied. “That’s the point. You humiliated me in front of a sold-out stadium of our fans. I’m humiliating you in front of the rest of the pack. It’s payback.”

He gave the leash a sharp tug, forcing you to stumble forward and right into him; a growl leaving your throat.

“Now come on. Let’s go for a little walk.”

Your fangs poked out from your lips. The urge to punch Sodo in the throat was so strong. The urge to punch Phantom in the throat was even stronger.

You walked behind Sodo, the humiliation burning you up like a thousand suns as the two of you approached the Ghoul common room. You could hear their voices inside.

When Sodo walked into the common room again, holding your leash, all the Ghouls looked up at the pair of you. It was quite the sight.

All of them looked slightly amused at your current state, but they also looked a little taken aback. None of them spoke up, but Phantom’s eyes were practically glowing.

“Well, Sodo,” he spoke up, his voice almost cheerful. “I see you have (Y/N) on a leash, hm? Perfect punishment for what she’s done.”

“It’s fuckin’ your fault!” you screamed angrily while stepping forward and staring at Phantom, “If you would’ve have lied to me, this wouldn’t be happening! You’re cruel! Absolutely cruel!”

Phantom couldn’t help but smirk, clearly amused by your outburst. The other Ghouls chuckled lightly at your response.

Sodo, on the other hand, didn’t look happy with your retort. He tugged on the leash, forcing you to stumble back and fall against his chest.

“If you keep speaking out, I’ll add a ball gag to this list,” he warned. “You’re already wearing a muzzle, don’t push it.”

Your face contorted with dislike at Sodo’s threat. You nodded slowly and dipped your head, feeling a bit nauseous. You fucking hated the two guitarists. After all of this was over, you'd definitely be reporting them to Papa Copia, or even Sister Imperator. Who knows if they'd even care, though.

“Sorry, Phantom,” you grumbled lowly, obviously trying to hold back an angry outburst.

Phantom chuckled and gave you a dark smirk, clearly enjoying your punishment. This was all too sweet.

Sodo tugged at the leash again, “Apologize to me, too. Don’t forget who’s holding your leash right now.”

You gasped as Sodo pulled at your collar, your eye twitching.

“I’m sorry, Sodo,” you continued through clenched teeth, your arms wrapping around your bare chest in clear dislike of everything happening.

Sodo chuckled and gave you a condescending pat on the head for the apology.

“Good girl,” he hummed, keeping you close to his side as he sat back down in his seat. “I think we’ll spend a good chunk of time here, so make yourself comfortable.”

He gave a light tug on the leash, forcing you to sit down on the floor.

You stumbled to your knees, wincing as they came into contact with the hardwood floor below. Sodo was standing directly in front of you; your eyes glued to his boots as you stayed silent.

With you on the floor now, Sodo took the opportunity to give the leash a few light tugs, silently commanding you to move forward a bit more.

The other Ghouls took note of this, watching with slight interest. Phantom looked the most intrigued by your current state; his tail lashing around in focused interest.

Sodo continued to tug you forward until you were situated right in between his legs. He let out a low hum as he patted his thigh, indicating he wanted you to lean against him.

“Sodo, come on. This has gone too far,” you grumbled, your face directly in between his legs, “I’ve learned my lesson. Nothing like what happened at the ritual will ever happen again. Please just take the leash off… this is so embarrassing."

Sodo chuckled, his fingers gently weaving into your hair as he began playing with it.

“Oh, I know this is an embarrassing position, whelp,” the guitarist said, “But the lesson needs to sink into your pretty skull. I need to make sure you’ll remember not to do anything stupid ever again.”

The fire-ghoul gave the leash a harder tug this time, “Now sit up against my leg.”

You wheezed, the tight collar tugging at your throat. With no other option in sight, you groaned and leaned your head onto Sodo’s thigh, your eyes locked on his face. They were burning with clear dislike at this situation.

You wanted to punch that smug look right of the lead guitarist's face.

Sodo chuckled at your look of clear anger and distaste. Your face was so cute when you were mad, and Sodo couldn’t help but taunt you.

Suddenly, his boot gently knocked against your side. He clearly wanted you to stretch out more, to lie your torso against his leg more.

You gasped and quickly adjusted your positioning to the way Sodo wanted it. Your breathing was uneven as you heard the Ghoulettes giggle; your eye twitching once again.

Sodo chuckled as he saw you obeying so easily. The Ghouls had begun watching you intently, clearly enjoying your current state. A lot of them were giggling, seeing you look so meek and pathetic.

As for Sodo, he gently wrapped his arm around your shoulders, keeping you practically held against him. He was definitely taking advantage of this situation.

"Stop fuckin' egging them on," you hissed as Sodo's hand lightly caressed your chest, his slim finger flicking against your hardened left nipple through your bra in a teasing gesture.

Sodo chuckled once more, a wicked gleam in his eye. He gently tightened his grip on your shoulder when he heard your little comment.

“Keep that mouth shut, or I really will silence you.”

He ran his fingers through your hair. All of the other Ghouls snickered and chuckled at the little exchange, enjoying the show that was unfolding before them.

You grumbled, your eyes lazily staring up at Sodo.

It felt like hours had passed, when in reality, you'd only been leaning against the guitarist for a little over 30 minutes. The rest of the Ghouls eventually got bored of this spectacle and started playing video games, or even left to their dens to sleep for the night.

You were drifting to sleep at this point; your legs completely numb from being in this position for so long.

Considering circumstances, Sodo's thigh wasn't a half-bad pillow.

Sodo had finally taken notice of your heavy eyes and dazed look, and it only took a few moments for him to realize that you were getting tired.

The Ghoul hummed, gently running his fingers over your shoulder once more.

“You look tired,” he said, quietly so the other Ghouls wouldn’t hear.

“Mhm,” you hummed lightly, slowly opening your eyes, which were glazed over with sleepiness, “A bit…”

Sodo chuckled. You looked absolutely adorable when you were tired like this. He gently patted the top of your head, like how he would pet an animal.

“I think I’ve made my point by now,” he mumbled so only you could hear. “I’m gonna take you back to my den. Get you all cleaned up. Can you get up?”

“Honestly… I can’t feel my legs,” you softly replied while carefully shifting, falling onto your ass off your knees. You grabbed onto Sodo’s thighs and slowly pushed yourself to your feet. Pins and needles. Fuckin’ ow!

“Yeah, I can walk,” you mumbled, shaking your legs slightly to try and stimulate blood flow and get rid of that overwhelming sensation of blood loss.

Sodo chuckled and grabbed your arm to hold you up, seeing you immediately stumble. He knew you weren’t quite ready to walk just yet.

“No you can’t,” the fire-ghoul teased as he kept a firm grip on your arm, “Your legs are just a little numb from sitting like that for so long. You’ll need to lean on me, (Y/N).”

“No thanks,” you mumbled while staring at his hand that was holding onto your arm, “I’d rather not after the night you just put me through. My reputation in this band is soiled, Sodo. The last thing I need is your help.”

Sodo huffed, his grip on your arm tightening a bit. “You don’t exactly have a choice either way,” he shot back, “You’re not going to be able to make it all the way back to my room without my assistance-- or anywhere at that. You can either lean on me, or I can make you crawl again. Your choice, darlin'.”

You grumbled and hesitantly fell into his side, allowing him to lead you as you leaned onto him, “Anything to avoid crawling like a damn dog.”

Sodo chuckled at your grumble as he started walking, easily guiding you down the corridor towards his room. He made sure to keep a firm hold on you, not that the Ghoul really needed to.

It took little time to get back to his room and he quickly closed the door behind the two of you. Sodo gently pushed you over to the bed, giving you a silent indicator to sit down.

You sat down and flopped backwards onto the bed. After doing a whole hour-and-a-half ritual, then staying up until 3am for your punishment… you were quite exhausted.

“Please tell me this bullshit is over with, Sodo. I just want to sleep,” you yawned loudly.

Sodo hummed, slowly approaching you as you laid back on the bed. He sat down next to you, his eyes tracing over your body again.

“Mmm… I’m not sure if it’s over just yet,” he replied, his fingers sliding up your legs. “Maybe I’ll keep that pretty new collar on you tonight.”

You groaned and looked up at him as his fingers teased your pants, not expecting that. So… he really was turned on by your humiliation. Interesting…

Sodo denied it earlier while he was collaring me to begin with... so this was some kind of dirty little secret of his.

“Really?” you asked in legitimate surprise.

Sodo chuckled as his hands continued to gently slide up and down your legs. “Oh, sweetheart,” he hummed, “The entire pack saw you. You in a collar, on your knees, right in between my legs… of course I enjoyed it. You looked gorgeous like that.”

You huffed, your face flushing. You didn’t want to enjoy that comment, but you couldn’t help it. The sight of you tonight was driving Sodo crazy, yet he hid it so well…

“Is that how you treat everyone you want to fuck?” you asked slowly, grabbing the muzzle and slipping it off your face. There were red lines highlighting where the muzzle was digging into your face for quite a long period of time.

Sodo chuckled, his hands gently sliding up higher to rest on your hips. He began slowly pulling your body closer to him, causing you to slide up against his own.

“Everyone I want to own,” the lead guitarist corrected, “And I definitely own you tonight, princess. No arguments.”

You huffed through your nose. This didn’t feel like a punishment anymore, yet you still had your sassy and annoyed demeanour due to what the guitarist had put you through tonight.

However, as Sodo’s body slid up against yours as he pulled you closer, you couldn’t stifle the gasp.

“No arguments here,” you mumbled softly, almost timidly.

Sodo’s chuckle grew deeper as he continued to pull your body against his, making sure his own was pressed tightly to yours. He could feel the heat of your body through your clothes, as well as from your exposed breasts, which were hardening against your bra once against from the contact.

It made something in Sodo's chest stir.

The Ghoul leaned a little closer, his lips gently brushing against your ear. “Are you too tired to keep going, princess? Are you going to chicken out on me, right before I get exactly what I want?"

“Nah,” you shivered, your eyes locking on Sodo’s face, “Not too tired for one round. I doubt I’d be able to go on for as long as you want, though. I am a bit sleepy.”

Sodo chuckled and gently nipped your earlobe. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep it quick then, hm?”

He leaned back a bit to look at you. “Arms up,” he instructed, already slipping his fingers under the bottom of your bra.

You slowly raised your arms to the sky, Sodo easily slipping your bra over your arms and tossing it somewhere in his room. You grabbed onto his shoulders lightly as you straddled his lap; a tired, yet intrigued look in your eyes.

Sodo hummed as you straddled his lap, his hands reaching out to lightly grip your bare hips. The fire-ghoul could feel the heat from your body on his legs, and it began to send a wave of slight excitement through him.

The guitarist leaned forward to place a trail of kisses up your neck, occasionally stopping to suck on your skin and leave a mark behind.

You gasped slowly, your eyes fluttering shut as Sodo left little love marks on your pale skin. Despite how much you wanted to hurt Sodo tonight, this made it worth it… almost...

“I’m still mad at you,” you mumbled, digging your claws into Sodo’s shoulders as you began to slightly swivel your hips.

Sodo chuckled against your neck as he continued to leave marks on your pale skin. He had no doubt that by tomorrow, you were going to be covered in them. At least he had you as his own for the time being.

The guitarist gripped your hips a bit harder as you began to rock against him, a low hum of approval escaping his throat.

“I know you’re still mad, princess,” Sodo responded, “You’ll get over it by morning.”

“Fuck that,” you grumbled while wrapping your arms around Sodo’s torso, pushing his face into your breasts, “You’re gonna have to do a lot to make me get over what happened. I’m so pissed, Sodo.”

Sodo chuckled against your chest as he nuzzled into your flesh. He gently nipped and bit at your skin, his hands beginning to guide your hips against his own. Feeling your warmth on him was already clouding his mind to some degree.

“Maybe I’ll have to buy your forgiveness, hmph?” he teased, “Get you something shiny.”

You laughed a little bit, your hands wrapping around your belt and quickly discarding it; laying it on the mattress beside Sodo's leg, “I like that idea. How about you buy yourself a shiny new collar and I can walk you around like a dog when you piss me off.”

Sodo’s breath shuddered as he felt you remove your belt, the sound of the metal clicking against his bed causing his skin to prickle. However, he wasn’t exactly pleased with your smartassed reply.

He pulled away from your chest, his eyes locking onto yours with an intense look. The guitarist suddenly shifted, forcefully flipping you onto your stomach and pinning you beneath him. The bed let out a slight creak.

“Don’t be a smartass,” the Ghoul mumbled as he began working at the button of your jeans; his arms wrapped around your hips so he could reach it. “You’re not the one in control here, princess.”

You groaned lightly, moving upwards so you were flush against Sodo’s chest as he swiftly and expertly undid your pants.

“You know I can’t help but be a smartass, Sodo. I like seeing you mad.”

This was a new side of you. Before tonight, you'd always been quiet and timid; afraid of your new Ghoul accompaniment. Sodo’s words and actions have changed you a bit.

Sodo chuckled. You being a smartass was one of the qualities he found both attractive and annoying about you. It both turned him on and gave him a headache; it just depended on what you decided to be a smartass about.

He quickly slipped your jeans off your legs, now only leaving you in your undergarments. The fire-ghoul shifted so he could sit himself in between your legs, his own pressed against yours.

“That habit of yours is going to get you into trouble someday,” Sodo muttered.

You softly grabbed Sodo’s thighs as he slotted himself between your legs; his knees pressing into the mattress below. You rubbed your thumbs on his clothed limbs, “I think tonight was enough trouble for a lifetime, Sodo.”

Sodo chuckled as he felt your hands gently rubbing his thighs. “Oh, I don’t know about that, hmph. I think there’s still more trouble I can get you into… at least once tonight.”

He gently lowered himself down on top of you, the lead guitarist's chest pressing against your back as he settled on top of you. He leaned his head down and began gently biting and sucking on your neck, as he began to roll his hips into yours.

The air was sucked back into your lungs as Sodo began to rock his hips into yours. Dry humping. Teasing you.

Asshole.

You gasped as you felt Sodo yank on that Lucifer-forsaken leash, suddenly reminding you that the collar was still around your neck.

“No teasing!” you snapped as you felt his hardening length rub against your panties, a blush on your face.

Sodo chuckled, his lips still against your neck, as he felt you gasp. “Mmm… are you trying to give me orders now, princess?” he hummed.

He gave the leash another sharp tug, causing the collar to dig into your neck. At the same time, he also grinded his hips right back into yours, pressing his clothed length right against you.

“I don’t think I’ve given you that power, hm?”

You gasped, your head pulling backwards as your back arched. You could feel Sodo’s length throbbing against his tightened jeans; the Ghoul's hands multitasking between tugging at your leash and pushing his pants down.

“I’ve already had enough punishments tonight, Sodo,” you whined while craning your head backwards so you could lock eyes with the Ghoul, “I deserve my reward!”

Sodo chuckled. He loved the way you were whining for him. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he found it cute. And the fire-ghoul wouldn’t admit that he was a sucker for those pretty eyes of yours, even before the two of you got this close.

He let go of the leash, though the guitarist made sure to keep it taut, and began working at his pants. “I suppose you do deserve a reward, princess,” he teased, “You were so well-behaved in front of the pack tonight.”

You hissed in annoyance as Sodo brought that up again. Anger festered in your stomach once again, but you kept your comments to yourself. You were this close to getting pounded and you didn’t want to ruin it by snapping at Sodo again.

“Yeah, whatever you say. I just want your dick. That’ll make it up to me,” you mumbled while side-eyeing the fire-ghoul, watching him discard his pants.

Sodo chuckled at your snarky response. You really knew how to get the better of him sometimes.

The guitarist lowered his body again, now only leaving his boxer briefs on as he settled back on top of you. “Is that right, huh?” he teased, “Just what I thought.”

You grumbled and lightly bucked your hips backwards to rub against Sodo as he settled back down, “Don’t act like you don’t want to sink inside of me, you jerk. Just do it and make both of our nights better.”

Sodo groaned as he felt you buck your hips back against him. The feeling of your skin against his still-clothed cock was beginning to become too much for him. You were right. He did just want to sink into that tight pussy of yours... make you his.

“You really are a smartass,” he muttered, “Fine. I’ll give you what you want, (Y/N), but don’t expect things to be gentle.”

At that, a small, sharp moan escaped as you felt a pair of fingers slip underneath the material of your underwear. A pair of cold Sodo’s fingers, that now gently dipped between your legs.

Your eyes squeezed shut as those slim fingers began to dip inside. Sodo was finally giving you some stimulation besides dry humping… thank Lucifer for that. You felt like you were going to die if he didn’t touch you.

“S-Sodo,” you whispered in pleasure while spreading your legs further apart, “Nnmghn… s-shit…”

Sodo continued to rub his fingers gently between your legs, a sly smile gracing his features as he watched you spreading them. He was pleased to hear you moaning for him again.

The guitarist lightly scissored apart your folds with his pointer and middle fingers; his digits immediately getting soaked.

“Are you enjoying yourself, princess?” he teased, “Is this what you want?”

“Your fingers can only do so much for me. You know what I want,” you grumbled, beginning to challenge Sodo as well as you could considering the position you were in beneath him.

Sodo chuckled. You were really testing his patience, hm? You were so incredibly desperate, but too proud to actually admit it. How cute.

The Ghoul leaned down close to your ear, his breath sending a shiver down your spine.

“Say it,” he lowly commanded, “Be a good girl and tell me what you want.”

A growl rumbled in your chest; your cheeks flushing from embarrassment. Sodo just wasn’t going to quit with this humiliation high he’s been on tonight.

“Fuck, Sodo. I don’t wanna say it,” you mumbled bashfully, a moan leaving your lips as his skilled fingers rolled over your clit, causing your eyes to bulge.

Sodo chuckled, the laugh being as smooth as silk, as he noticed your cheeks, and even ears, turning a deeper shade of red. He loved seeing your pride slowly chip away, and you slowly become more submissive for him.

“That’s not what I told you to do, (Y/N),” he reminded you while clicking his tongue in disappointment, “Come on. Be a good girl and use your words, hm?”

You sunk your fangs into Sodo’s pillow, immediately feeling feathers tickle over your tongue as you punctured it. Asshole… such an asshole!

“I want your dick, Sodo!” you shouted while grabbing at his wrist; his hand deep in my panties, “I want it now! There! I said it! Give me your dick!”

A pleased hum escaped Sodo’s throat as he finally heard the words he’d been wanting to hear. It was satisfying to hear you, especially after being such a brat all night, finally break down and ask for it.

He pulled away his fingers, bringing them up to his mouth and giving them a quick lick to clean them off. The lead guitarist pulled himself off of you, moving to get off the bed.

“Stay put, (Y/N),” he commanded before heading over to the dresser. You couldn’t see what he was doing, but you could hear shuffling. After a few moments, he finally returned to his position on top of you.

He leaned down and nipped your ear before speaking again, “You’re going to keep your legs spread for me, right?”

You squealed as you felt those fangs graze your skin and those dirty words leave Sodo’s lips. My pride was beginning to fizzle away into nothingness; your dignity slipping away.

“Yeah, definitely,” you mewled while letting the fire-ghoul slot in between your legs again.

Sodo chuckled as he got right back to where he had been a few moments ago, his lips against your ear. “That’s a good girl,” he praised, “You’re being so well-behaved now.”

You felt a hand reach down and grab the waistline of your panties, giving them a tug. “Lift up.”

You arched your back again and adjusted the weight on your knees to allow Sodo to swiftly pull your soaking panties from your lower half. You felt cold as soon as the garments were removed… that’s how wet you were.

Sodo felt a hint of a shiver run down his spine as he realized how wet you were. The Ghoul didn’t expect you to be that turned on and he couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride at the thought that he was the cause of that. Sodo's fingers were the cause of that. Sodo's diabolical words were the cause of that.

That fucking collar and leash were the cause of that.

He quickly shifted, moving so his knees were right between your legs. There was a sudden shift in weight as Sodo leaned over you and began reaching for something.

You heard a small click, followed by faint squirting sounds. You were able to look back to see that Sodo was holding a familiar-looking bottle of lubrication. He had a sly smile on his face as he began to pour a good amount onto his fingers; pumping his cock in his hand.

“What? Am I not wet enough or something?” you asked while watching that smug smirk on Sodo’s face, “I promise you’ll have no trouble.”

Sodo chuckled. The amount of sass you still had was astounding. “No, princess, you’re plenty wet. It’s just nice to be thorough, hm?”

The lead guitarist pumped his dick a few more times to spread the lotion, feeling your eyes on him the whole time. He then tossed the bottle off to the side, not caring where it landed.

You nodded in agreement, shifting your head back to the forward position as Sodo prepared himself. That was sweet… he was dead set on making sure you didn’t have any pain throughout any of this. You doubted you would’ve anyway, but the thought was nice.

“Yeah, it is nice to be thorough. Thanks,” you mumbled with a small nod; appreciation evident in your tone.

Sodo smiled down at you, his expression seeming almost soft for a moment. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of something in his chest. Was it affection? Well, he could worry about that another time.

The fire-ghoul lowered himself a bit, his chest pressing up against your back, and he settled one arm on either side of your head, caging you in. Then, he gently placed a kiss against your cheek. “You’re welcome, princess,” he mumbled.

Sodo intertwined his fingers with your collar, forgetting the leash for a moment.

The feeling of his warm lips against your skin made your heart pound just a little harder than usual. He was acting so tender all of a sudden. Was this what it’s like to be with a fire ghoul? From absolutely unbearable to unexpectedly loving? Maybe this was just what it was like to hookup with Sodo.

You didn’t have time to dwell on it for long though as you felt Sodo press his chest into your back a bit harder.

You grunted in pleasure as you felt Sodo slowly slip inside. The stretch was immaculate… absolutely perfect. Sodo was a smaller Ghoul, unlike Mountain or Swiss, so his dick wasn’t going to hurt you too badly, but it also wasn’t going to leave you wanting more.

It was perfect in your humble opinion.

“A-Ah, yeah,” you whispered, arching your back into the Ghoul’s hips, “There you go…”

Sodo grunted and dug his head into the crook of your neck. He wanted to give you a chance to adjust before he started really going. Judging by how you were pressing back into him and the sounds leaving your mouth, you were enjoying himself. He took that as a sign to continue.

He quickly began rolling his hips, slowly, into yours, his breaths leaving his mouth in gentle bursts.

As Sodo rolled his hips into yours, you put all of your weight into your arms; your elbows bent to absorb the thrusts. It was too soon for you to get forced face-first into the mattress.

You also didn't want to give the fire-ghoul that satisfaction of fucking you blind. It hadn't even been a minute since he began fucking you. Nah, that would come later.

At every thrust, your body shook. Although Sodo was small, he was strong.

You nibbled your bottom lip; your eyes squeezed shut as Sodo finally began delivering you what you wanted. Despite how much you wanted to hide your pleasure, delicious moans began slipping from your lips.

Sodo hummed as he picked up the pace. He noticed how your weight was all being held up by your arms and it was beginning to get harder for you. The guitarist wasn’t exactly keen on you tiring yourself out so soon, so he figured he needed to get some more leverage on you.

Sodo suddenly grabbed the leash as it had been mostly lying forgotten and gave it a firm jerk.

You gasped, your head getting pulled backwards. Sodo began to angle his thrusts, using that leash as leverage. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head; a guttural moan slipping from your lips.

“Y-Yes… oh… fuck!” you screamed, the words coming out in time with Sodo’s thrusts. You were certain that the other Ghouls would be able to hear your screams, as well as skin slapping against skin through the thin walls, but you couldn't give less of a fuck.

You truly felt fantastic in this moment, tangled up in Sodo's arms, getting railed into the next dimension.

This angle was absolutely perfect. Sodo was slamming right into your g-spot, making the pleasure astronomical.

Sodo groaned, a slight smirk on his face as your words echoed through the small room. Such disgusting, vulgar language for such a new Ghoulette…

But, for the time being, he’d let it slide. At least you weren’t being a smartass about it. Usually whenever you shouted swears like this, it was because you were angry… especially at Sodo.

You were shy of course, but there had been moments since you were summoned that you'd lost your shit. These words weren't completely unorthodox when leaving your lips, but within context, these ones were.

“Does it feel good, princess? Do I get a ‘thank you’ for this?” he teased between heavy, laboured breaths; his dick sliding in and out of you like a piston.

Your arms wrapped around your torso as Sodo yanked at that leash again, practically pulling you from your stomach on that mattress and onto your knees. Your breasts bounced gorgeously, causing the lead guitarist's eyes to bulge.

“You’re… such… an asshole!” you huffed, drool dribbling down your lips and dotting over your bouncing breasts, “I a-ain’t gonna… thank you!”

Sodo chuckled at that. Even in a position like this, you were still as bratty as ever. He figured he should still try, at least a little. And a little punishment might be necessary as well.

The Ghoul suddenly halted the movement of his hips; a low groan leaving his lips as he did. “You really aren’t going to thank me?” he asked, “Not even after all of this?”

An annoyed moan left your lips as you craned your neck; locking eyes with the fire-ghoul. Anger was in your face as you wiped the drool off your lips with the back of your hand, “Sodo, this is a new low, even for you.”

Sodo couldn’t help but chuckle again as he saw the annoyed look on your face. “Hey, I’m just teaching you some manners, sweetheart,” he retorted, “If you want me to continue, you’ll say please and thank you. That’s it. That's all I need to hear."

You rubbed your eyes; fighting the urge to just push Sodo onto his back and ride him until you were satisfied. The last thing you needed was another punishment from the guitarist.

Swallowing your pride, you scoffed and nodded, a hint of anger still present in your tone, “Thank you for fucking me, Sodo. Please continue.”

Sodo chuckled as he heard that annoyed tone in your voice but he was satisfied seeing you swallow your pride. He also felt a twinge in his chest at this. Was he enjoying this new side of you? Was he actually enjoying you?

“Atta girl,” he said, a bit of a smirk still on his face, “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

The fire-ghoul slowly started rolling his hips again, but instead of being rough and quick, he was trying to be gentle. He released the tension on the leash and lowered his body down on top of yours, caging you in between his arms.

You let your anger melt away as soon as Sodo began to move again. These long, deep thrusts were much more sensual than the rapid movements the fire-ghoul was doing before. You could feel every inch of Sodo sliding in and out... in and out... in and out...

It was like heaven... ironic for a demon from Hell to say it, but yes. This was like heaven.

You moved in time with the guitarist, your eyes lightly squeezed shut. The two of you moaned together in sync; fully enjoying each other’s bodies to the fullest.

Sodo breathed in through his nose and planted his face into the crook of your neck. He had one arm supporting himself while the other had found its way to your hip; wrapping it around to deepen his thrusts.

A strangled moan forced its way through your lips; your pussy tightening around Sodo's leaking cock. This forced another moan to leave the guitarist.

He was enjoying this so much, the way your bodies were moving together, the sounds you were making, the way you tasted on his tongue as he lazily licked up your neck... your sweat getting lapped up. This was just incredible.

Sodo suddenly found himself speaking without thinking. “You feel so good,” he said between breaths.

You carefully craned your neck as the Ghoul lapped and nibbled at it; capturing Sodo’s lips with yours. This was the first time the two of you had shared an authentic kiss.

You moaned into his mouth, your hand coming up to cup the Ghoul’s cheek as you continued to move. Sodo’s sweet talk was making your stomach do all sorts of flips and leaps. You loved this side of Sodo… he had shed that asshole side that he showed everyone. He was actually enjoyable right now.

Sodo’s breath hitched as he felt your hand on his face. In all the time that he knew you, you two had never kissed before. And this tender moment, it just came out of nowhere.

And yet, he didn’t pull away. He leaned into the kiss, his tongue gently swiping your lips as he felt his stomach swirling with a new feeling.

Was he feeling something for you?

Sodo was hitting all of the right spots within you. Your eyes were tightly shut as you lovingly-made out with Sodo; his cock doing amazing things to your body. You had been with tons of partners before, but none compared to this moment…

“G-Gah,” you hissed out, biting onto Sodo’s bottom lip as you felt pressure beginning to skyrocket in your abdomen.

Sodo groaned as he felt your teeth against his skin. Having you bite and kiss on his lips just made him want to pull you closer to him.

He continued his steady, deep thrusts, wanting more of that reaction you were making to him. Seeing you like this, he had a nagging thought in the back of his mind.

He didn’t want to share you with anyone else.

A little scream left your lips, your fangs colliding against Sodo's for a moment as you came. You shuddered around Sodo’s length, your arms giving out as you flopped down onto the mattress.

Tears winked in your eyes, wave-after-wave of moans leaving your mouth. You were simply overstimulated from the pleasure; the sensation eating you alive.

Sodo winced at the painful feeling of his fangs striking yours but it was quickly replaced by pleasure as he felt the overwhelming sensations through his body alongside you.

“F-Fuck,” he groaned, pulling his face away from yours, “Did you—“

He quickly realized that was a dumb question. After seeing your body shake so much and hearing those lovely sounds leaving your mouth, he knew exactly what had happened.

The guitarist was starting to get a bit winded anyway, so he was fine with slowing down a bit. Sodo wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled your back flush against his chest.

You were absolutely star struck right now as Sodo chased his own release, rutting into you like a toy. He was close, you could tell.

Your head pulled backwards and you sucked lightly on his earlobe. That was all you could muster. Your muscles were stiff from your orgasm, and the fact that Sodo was still going... great Lucifer below...

Sodo’s breaths were shaky and heavy as he felt your lips against his ear, your teeth lightly scraping his skin.

He suddenly wrapped his arms around you and dug his nails into your stomach, burying his face into the crook of your neck.

“W-Where do you want it?” the Ghoul panted into your skin.

“Nngh… w-wherever you want. I-I don’t care,” you groaned out while capturing his lips in yours again. If Sodo wanted to cum inside of you, then so be it. That wouldn’t upset you one bit.

Sodo groaned as he once again found himself pulled into a kiss. He never expected you to be so tender and affectionate, but it was a pleasant surprise.

He slowly brought a hand up to your jaw, holding you closely as he felt the pressure in his abdomen building. “I-Inside,” he breathed, the guitarist's voice cracking slightly.

You bit on his lip again, nodding as you heard the guitarist’s words. That was fine… and at least Sodo was respectful and asked first before just doing it.

Your arms reached up shakily and intertwined with Sodo’s fingers, which were pressed deeply into your stomach; holding you as if you were all that mattered in this world. You moved in sync with him again, yet less enthusiastically considering how exhausted you were.

Sodo felt like he was losing his mind with you. This was an incredible feeling, being so close with someone. And with you, the Ghoulette that he pretended to hate so much to everyone around the Ministry.

He felt his breaths coming out in heavy, shaky bursts as he squeezed your hands and held you closer to him. That pressure the fire-ghoul was feeling before…

And then, it happened.

It was like a volcano. You knew the second the Ghoul hit his peak. Another strangled moan left your lips as he finally let go; filling you up to the brim.

Your head hung low, the only reason you weren't back to being face-first into the mattress was because of Sodo’s strong arms holding you in place.

You sputtered and squeezed his arms, your eyes fluttering shut. Drool ran disgustingly down your lips, but you couldn't give less of a fuck.

As Sodo finished filling you up, he gently laid you down on the bed as his own body collapsed next to you. His breaths were deep and heavy as he desperately tried to catch his breath. That was one of the most intense orgasms of his life.

He gently wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you close against his chest, his face buried into your hair.

“I-I…” you whispered, unable to say anything for a moment… “That…”

“That was good, Sodo… uh, really good.”

Your words came out in gentle phrases, as you were still winded. Your heart hammered in your chest, feeling comparable to what it feels like after running a mile.

Sodo held you tighter as he heard your tired voice utter his name. That was the first time you had ever said it so soft and sweet…

“Yeah… you were great too, (Y/N),” he mumbled as he pulled you closer to his chest, his eyes slowly closing.

You slowly wrapped your hands around the collar and unclasped it; throwing it across the room (likely landing where that bottle of lube ended up).

You nuzzled into his chest; your tail wrapping around Sodo’s leg as you exhaled slowly, your heart rate beginning to even out.

Sodo chuckled tiredly as he felt your tail wrapping around his leg. He also noticed you throwing your collar across the room but he didn’t say anything. This definitely wouldn't be the last time you would see that collar.

The fire-ghoul wrapped his arms more fully around you, pressing his lips against your forehead and slowly shutting his eyes, tiredness washing over him.

And for once, you actually liked being around Sodo. For once… you didn’t want to punch him in the throat…

[muiitoloko]

YOU WRITE SO WELL!!! I think you'll figure out who I am by the way I'm requesting this but I'm doing it anyways XD.

So crezie idea, it's wedding day. And Obadiah has tried his best to encorporate both church and gypsy wedding in one. Let's say they both planned it through and they are both happy bout it. BUT of course there is still beef on his side and the girls fam.

They lowkey banter (the family) and when they cross a line (idk which fam you choose) Obadiah fights back and protects you like the husband he is (dkfhdkfnes and or maybe... Reader is strong willed too >:D then she might get the reward XD but I see how Obadiah is the protector type... And we strive for that :3) and we just get the after wedding where reader is like "yep your getting a reward for that" IDK XD but that's an idea I have aha~ I hope it sparks something in you too 😭 you could end it here... But I think we could still request an after math where Obadiah becomes a father... I'm looking too far into this XD But please tell me you'll be doing part 5 soon :"3 (no pressure tho... I'm just really happy an author like you exist... And ghorl you SERVE! 💅)

Also I'm weak by how soft he is 😩 we strive for a smp husband 😌✊

Title: The Vow in Red

Summary: Obadiah Slope's marriage to a gypsy woman defies societal norms, blending Anglican tradition with gypsy customs in a love story that overcomes deep-seated prejudices. Together, they build a life grounded in resilience and unity.

Pairing: Mr. Obadiah Slope × Fem! Reader

Warnings: Insults.

Author's Notes: Thank you very much for your order.

First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth part here.

Also read on Ao3

The day of your wedding to Obadiah Slope arrived with a tension that hung thick in the air. The town of Barchester had never been so alive with whispers and speculation. The fact that Mr. Slope—a man of the Anglican faith, deeply entrenched in the church—was marrying a gypsy woman was more than just a scandal. It was a spectacle, one that had drawn the attention of nearly every resident, and despite the intimacy you had hoped for, it seemed that the entire town had packed into the church, waiting for the ceremony to unfold.

As promised, Slope had done his best to incorporate elements of your culture into the ceremony, while still remaining faithful to his Anglican beliefs. He had listened, learned, and understood what mattered most to you. One of those compromises was the color of your wedding dress. Tradition in his world called for white, a symbol of purity and virtue, but you had chosen red, the vibrant color symbolizing passion, love, and vitality in the gypsy tradition. And though it went against convention, Slope had insisted on honoring your choice.

Now, he stood at the altar, tall and thin in his dark clerical robes, a splash of red sewn into the lining as a nod to your heritage. His hazel eyes searched the crowded church, waiting for you. The murmurs in the pews were unmistakable, a mixture of judgment and curiosity as townspeople and even some of your own family whispered amongst themselves. It was clear that few in the congregation approved of the union.

As you entered the church alone, walking down the aisle in your red dress, a hushed silence fell over the room, broken only by the sound of your footsteps against the stone floor. Your heart pounded in your chest, your hands trembling slightly as you took each step forward, feeling the weight of every pair of eyes on you. The air was thick with tension, and despite the warmth of the red fabric that clung to your skin, you felt a chill run through you as you passed rows of disapproving faces.

The gypsies who had once been your family, your community, sat at the back of the church, their expressions hard and unreadable. Some refused to meet your gaze, while others glared openly, their whispered insults cutting through the air like a blade. From the other side of the church, the more conservative townspeople, particularly the strict Anglicans, looked equally disdainful, their lips curled in contempt as they watched the woman who dared to marry one of their own.

"She’s bewitched him, surely," a voice hissed from the crowd, and you clenched your fists, trying to keep your composure.

"Red, like the devil’s bride," another whispered, the words sharp and biting.

You swallowed hard, your steps faltering for a moment as the weight of the judgment around you began to press down. But then you saw Obadiah, standing tall at the altar, his hazel eyes locked on yours with an intensity that made your breath catch. He gave you a small, reassuring nod, his presence grounding you, and you forced yourself to keep walking.

The bishop, an older man with a stern face, stood beside Obadiah, his hands clasped in front of him as he prepared to begin the ceremony. He had agreed to perform the marriage, despite his own reservations, and though he maintained an air of dignity, there was a certain stiffness to his posture that betrayed his discomfort with the situation. Nevertheless, he cleared his throat and raised his voice, addressing the congregation.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God to witness the union of Obadiah Slope and his bride in holy matrimony."

But the whispers continued, growing louder, more insistent, as the ceremony went on. You could hear snatches of conversation from both sides of the church—snide remarks about your heritage, accusations that you had ensnared Slope through some kind of sorcery, and worse, insults that cut deep from your own people.

"Traitor."

"Shame to the gypsies."

Your heart sank, and though you tried to focus on the ceremony, the words gnawed at you, each one like a stone being placed on your chest, making it harder to breathe. You glanced at Obadiah, hoping for comfort, and though he stood strong, you could see the flicker of anger in his hazel eyes. He had heard the insults too.

The bishop tried to carry on, raising his voice to be heard over the growing murmurs. "Marriage is a sacred institution in the eyes of God, a bond—"

"She doesn’t belong here," a voice from the crowd cut through the bishop’s words.

"Neither does he," came another, this time from the gypsy side of the church.

Obadiah’s jaw tightened, his thin lips pressing into a hard line as the insults continued. His gaze flicked to you, and he saw the discomfort, the hurt, the way your shoulders had tensed as the judgment of both worlds crashed down around you.

Finally, he’d had enough.

"Silence!" Obadiah’s baritone voice boomed through the church, commanding attention. The room fell still, the air heavy with the weight of his authority. His hazel eyes swept across the congregation, a mixture of anger and disappointment flashing in them as he took in the faces of those who had come not to celebrate, but to condemn.

"This is a house of God," he said, his voice firm and unwavering, echoing through the vaulted ceilings. "And you dare to bring such vile hatred into it? Shame on all of you."

A ripple of surprise passed through the crowd, and Obadiah took a step forward, his gaze sharp and unyielding as he addressed both the townspeople and the gypsies alike. "You judge us, not for the love we share, but for your own prejudices, your own fears. You speak of purity and faith, and yet you come here, into this sacred place, to spew your poison. Have you forgotten the teachings of Christ? Have you forgotten the commandment to love thy neighbor?"

There was a murmur of unease in the crowd, but no one dared to interrupt him. Obadiah turned to the gypsies at the back of the church, his gaze softening just slightly as he spoke to them.

"And you," he said, his voice quieter but no less resolute. "You accuse her of betraying her people, yet you are the ones who have turned your backs on her. She has not abandoned her roots—she carries them with her, proudly, into this marriage. I have done everything in my power to honor her heritage, just as she has respected mine. But you refuse to see that. You refuse to see the love between us."

He paused, his chest heaving slightly as he took a deep breath, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "We are here today to join in holy matrimony, not to be torn apart by your hate. If you cannot find it in your hearts to support us, then leave. But I will not allow this to continue."

For a moment, the church was silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. You could feel the tension easing slightly, the hateful whispers dying down as the crowd absorbed what he had said. Slowly, you reached for his hand, your fingers trembling slightly as you took his in yours.

"Thank you," you whispered, your voice barely audible.

Obadiah turned to you, his eyes softening as he looked down at you, his grip firm and reassuring. "I won’t let them hurt you," he murmured, his voice full of quiet determination. "Not now, not ever."

The bishop, clearly unsettled by the confrontation, cleared his throat and adjusted his vestments before continuing the ceremony, his voice more subdued but resolute. "As we continue this sacred union, let us remember that love, in all its forms, is a gift from God."

The rest of the ceremony moved forward, and though the tension remained in the air, the whispers had all but stopped. As the bishop spoke, he made room for elements of both Anglican tradition and the gypsy customs you had grown up with—simple gestures that acknowledged both sides of your identity. At one point, Slope held out his hand, and you tied a red ribbon around it, symbolizing the binding of your lives together in the gypsy way. And though the red dress had drawn disdain, it was a proud symbol of who you were.

When the ceremony finally concluded, and the bishop pronounced you husband and wife, Obadiah leaned down to kiss you, the gesture tender yet full of the fierce love and protection he had promised.

As you turned to face the congregation together, his hand firmly in yours, you saw the mixture of emotions in the crowd—some faces still hardened with disapproval, others softened with something resembling acceptance. But none of it mattered. You had each other, and you had faced the world together.

And that, you knew, was enough.

The wedding party was in full swing, the air alive with the hum of lively conversation and the vibrant energy of celebration. Beneath the canopy of stars, lanterns hung from tree branches, casting a soft, warm glow over the gathering. The sounds of laughter and the strumming of a guitar filled the night air, and you couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy and relief wash over you. The worst of the day—the judgment, the whispers—was behind you now, and in this moment, you were simply a bride, celebrating with the man you loved.

As you looked out over the crowd, you noticed Slope standing awkwardly to the side, watching as the guests began to pair off and dance to the lively tune being played by the band—a song from your people, filled with the rhythm and passion of your heritage. You chuckled softly to yourself, knowing that dancing was certainly not something Obadiah Slope was accustomed to. But tonight, with everything you had been through together, you wanted to see him let go of the rigid formality he often carried like a cloak.

With a playful smile, you approached him, reaching out to take his hand. He looked down at you, a mixture of amusement and uncertainty flickering in his hazel eyes.

"I don’t dance," Obadiah said, his voice a low murmur, though there was no real protest in his tone.

"You do tonight," you replied with a grin, tugging him gently toward the open space where others were already swaying to the music. "It’s our wedding, after all. You wouldn’t want to disappoint your bride, would you?"

Obadiah sighed dramatically, though his lips quirked into a smile. "I suppose I don’t have much of a choice," he muttered, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes as he allowed you to pull him into the dance.

As the music picked up in tempo, you began to sway to the beat, your hips moving in time with the lively rhythm. Obadiah, bless him, did his best to follow your lead, though his movements were stiff and uncertain at first. His tall, thin frame seemed out of place amidst the fluid, energetic steps of the dance, but you couldn’t help but laugh as he gamely tried to keep up. His hands held yours tightly, his hazel eyes focused intently on not tripping over his own feet.

"You’re doing great," you teased, leaning in closer as the two of you spun around, the world around you blurring as you moved together. "Maybe I’ll make a dancer out of you yet."

Obadiah gave you a mock-glare, though the smile tugging at the corners of his lips betrayed his amusement. "If I trip and fall flat on my face, you’ll be the one to blame," he warned, though there was a warmth in his voice that told you he was enjoying himself more than he let on.

As the music played on, Obadiah began to loosen up, his movements becoming less rigid and more in sync with yours. The awkwardness that had marked the beginning of the dance began to melt away, replaced by a certain rhythm and grace that surprised even him. You could see the moment he began to let go of his self-consciousness, his body moving more freely as he allowed himself to be swept up in the joy of the night.

You beamed up at him, your heart swelling with affection as you watched him adapt to the lively tune, his lips curving into a genuine smile. This was a side of Obadiah you didn’t often see—unguarded, relaxed, even playful. And as he twirled you around under the stars, his laughter mingling with yours, you realized just how much he had given up for you. Not just his reputation, but pieces of himself—the control, the rigidity—to meet you in your world.

As the song reached its crescendo, you leaned into him, your breath warm against his ear as you whispered, "Thank you for standing up for me today, in the church. I know it wasn’t easy."

Obadiah’s movements faltered for a brief second, his hazel eyes meeting yours as he slowed the dance, drawing you in closer. "I’d do it again," he said softly, his baritone voice rumbling through his chest. "I won’t let anyone—gypsy or townsperson—speak ill of you. Not while I’m around."

Your heart swelled at his words, the fierce protectiveness in his tone filling you with warmth. You smiled up at him, your hand tightening on his as you said, "You deserve a reward for that, you know."

Slope raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a smirk. "A reward, you say?" he murmured, his voice dipping into that rich, teasing tone that always made your pulse quicken. "And what sort of reward might that be?"

You grinned, feeling a rush of excitement and anticipation as you leaned up on your tiptoes, your lips brushing against his ear. "You’ll find out tonight," you whispered, your breath warm against his skin.

Slope’s eyes darkened with desire, his hand tightening around your waist as he pulled you even closer. "Now you’ve got me curious," he said, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down your spine. "I’ll hold you to that."

You chuckled softly, your lips grazing his as you pressed a quick, teasing kiss to his mouth. "I’m counting on it."

As the two of you continued to dance, the world around you seemed to fade away. The stars above, the laughter and music, even the whispers of the guests—they all blurred into the background as you lost yourself in the moment, in the warmth of his arms and the promise of what the night would bring.

And as the dance came to an end, you knew without a doubt that Obadiah Slope, despite his flaws and his past, was the man you wanted by your side—for tonight, for tomorrow, and for every day after.

Three years had passed since your wedding to Mr. Slope, and the life you had built together, despite the trials and whispers, had blossomed into something warm, stable, and full of love. The small house you shared, tucked away from the center of Barchester, was filled with the scent of herbs and freshly baked bread, a reflection of the balance you had found between your gypsy heritage and Slope's Anglican world. The house was a peaceful sanctuary, where the laughter of your two-year-old daughter, bright and infectious, filled the air daily.

It was late afternoon, and you stood by the window in the kitchen, preparing a light meal as you waited for Obadiah to return from his trip to the city hospital. He had gone to offer pastoral support to the patients, a duty that had become increasingly important to him over the years. His dedication to his work had only deepened, but so had his love for his family. You smiled to yourself, thinking of how gentle and patient he was with your daughter, even after the longest of days.

Your daughter, Emily, sat in her high chair at the kitchen table, babbling happily to herself. Her chubby hands clapped together as she kicked her legs, her bright eyes following your every movement. She was dressed in the colorful clothes you insisted on her wearing—a small nod to your gypsy roots. Today, she wore a vibrant red dress with embroidered flowers, and a ribbon tied loosely in her wild curls.

Just as you were about to call her over for her afternoon snack, the front door opened with a creak, and you heard the familiar sound of Obadiah’s steady footsteps in the hallway. You turned, a smile already forming on your lips, and when he entered the kitchen, his tall, thin frame silhouetted in the doorway, you felt that familiar warmth bloom in your chest.

"Obadiah," you greeted softly, crossing the room to meet him. He leaned down, his hazel eyes crinkling with affection as he pressed a kiss to your lips. His hand found the small of your back, pulling you closer for a moment, as though he had missed you more than the short hours apart should have allowed.

"How was the hospital?" you asked, your voice gentle as you pulled away slightly to look up at him. "Were you able to speak with the patients?"

"It went well," he replied in his deep baritone, his voice carrying the weight of the day's work but with a softness reserved only for you. "I was able to spend time with a few of the patients. There was an elderly woman—Mrs. Pickering—who had been feeling very alone. I think our conversation brought her some comfort. It’s a blessing to be able to help them, even in small ways."

His eyes softened as he spoke, and you could see the sincerity in his expression. Obadiah had changed so much over the years—his once sharp ambition had mellowed, replaced by a genuine desire to help those in need. He had found his calling not in the politics of the church but in the quiet, meaningful moments of connection with his parishioners.

Before you could respond, a joyful squeal broke through the conversation. Emily, having spotted her father, clapped her hands enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Papa!" she babbled, her tiny voice full of delight as she squirmed in her high chair, reaching her chubby arms toward him.

Obadiah’s serious demeanor melted instantly, and his face broke into a broad smile as he turned to his little girl. "There’s my beautiful Emily," he said, his voice warm and playful as he crossed the room to her. He bent down to her level, his long fingers brushing a stray curl away from her forehead before he kissed her cheek, making her giggle.

"Dressed in red again, I see," he added with a teasing glance at you, though his tone held no real reproach. "Always the brightest one in the room, aren’t you, my little flower?"

You smiled, watching the interaction between father and daughter with a sense of quiet contentment. Obadiah lifted Emily out of her high chair, holding her in his arms as she babbled happily, her tiny hands patting his chest. The vibrant red of her dress, the colors you had insisted on keeping alive in your family, contrasted beautifully against the somber tones of his clerical robes. It was a perfect picture of the life you had built together—a blend of traditions, love, and compromise.

"She loves those colors," you said with a chuckle, stepping closer to join them. "Just like her mother."

Obadiah smiled, shifting Emily to his hip as he looked at you with a soft expression. "And I love them both," he murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of your head. "I wouldn’t have it any other way."

Emily giggled again, clapping her hands as if agreeing with her father’s words, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief. "Papa!" she repeated, tugging at his collar with one hand while pointing at the window with the other.

Obadiah laughed, the sound deep and full of joy, as he turned to look out the window. "What is it, my love?" he asked, his voice still laced with amusement. "Do you want to go outside and play before dinner?"

Emily squealed in response, kicking her legs excitedly as she wriggled in his arms, clearly eager to be let loose in the garden.

"I think that’s a yes," you said with a grin, moving to take the tray of biscuits you had prepared off the counter. "But first, let’s have a little snack, shall we?"

Obadiah set Emily back in her high chair, and the three of you settled around the table, sharing the simple meal as the golden light of the late afternoon filtered through the kitchen window. The house was filled with the quiet sounds of family—laughter, the soft murmur of conversation, and the occasional babble from Emily as she enjoyed her biscuit.

As you watched Obadiah gently wipe crumbs from Emily’s cheek, his hazel eyes full of love for the little girl he adored, you felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the life you had built together. Despite the challenges, despite the whispers and the judgment from both sides, you had created something beautiful. Something real.

And as you sat there, surrounded by the people you loved most, you knew that no matter what the future held, you and Obadiah would face it together—side by side, just as you always had.

[tales-of-wocdes]

Hello!

How about a little scenario of treat or trick with little MC.

MC confused about all the idea but happy to taste all this sweet and yummy little things.

Really like the differents scenario you wrote.

I may be too self indulgent :D Oh well, happy Halloween! Possibly a day late, but still.

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

It was an odd new trend in Firgrat, this trick or treating thing.

Havard had made a whole thing about the kids dressing up, and going around asking the Protectors and Custodians "trick or treat".

Then it had been decided that the Orpahange would go out into the city to expand the game...

So you were currently dressed in luxurious black robes, and had snow white hair, and a beard. A real, magically grown, beard. You had also gotten a potion that made your eyes glow. You were dressed as something, the Ancient grandpa that had saved you. This was apparently how he dressed most of the time. The best part? You wore your cloak, and it was perfectly aligned with your costume. It had been grandpa's cloak after all.

You didn't really understand the whole thing but Havard and Lexia had really liked the idea. Besides, all of the outfits had been provided by the Ancients at Havard's request. Everyone had wanted to dress up as the Ancients, who had delivered hundreds of authentic costumes of each of them with the necessary enchanted items and potions to really match their look. You don't think something was a very popular choice though...

Though Havard had confiscated some of the delivered stuff. One of your fellow orphans had wanted to be the Havoc Keeper. True to form, the enchanted amulet that would have helped to achieve the wanted effect had summoned and bound three dozen hell-hound puppies. Which were cute, but set stuff of fire far too much, and had left a huge mess. There had also been some talk about some of them possibly growing to the size of a small house... You had been too busy playing with said puppies to pay attention.

"Hey kid! Time to get some more treats! We are approaching some willing victims, right there in that in. Time to look cute." Lexia whispered to your ear from behind.

"Lexia... could you not call them victims." Havard whispered. "We are not cheating people. This is more a game for the children."

"Sure, sure. But the goal is treats." Lexia whispered back. "So kid, you need to do your best. I have a bet with Sandor we can get more stuff than their group."

Havard sighed. "Of course, you have." He muttered. "Teaching MC how to gamble is not...."

"It's a useful life skill!" Lexia protested, loudly enough for people to look over.

Havard sighed. "Just try to have fun MC. Do not worry about anything else." He whispered to you.

You nodded. You already had a bunch of treats but that was from inside the orphanage, but that was easy. This was the city! A true test of your snack gathering prowess!

So you did your best to try and remember what something had acted like, and straightened your back. You marched to the door of the inn, and then inside, head held high.

Lexia and Havard followed you in, as a roomful of patrons turned to look at you.

You did not focus on that fact. Instead you marched to the innkeeper.

"Trick or treat?" You asked as clearly as you could, staring up at the innkeeper.

"The eyes, Remember to do the eyes!" Lexia whispered loudly.

Right, the puppy dog eyes thing... You widened your eyes as much as possible, and stared at the innkeeper... who was already putting together a snack pack. Maybe it was the glowing eyes... you had seen those. You looked cool!

The Ancients had provided each costume with a way to deliver on a "trick" if a treat was not given. In your case, the outfit had come with an enchantment to make the treats float to you no matter what the person said... so you got treats in any case! That worked for you. You sort of wanted to see it in use. You wondered what would happen if you just used it in the middle of a street....

But the innkeeper smiled and handed you a pack of treats.

You took the package and tried to keep your cool... You thought something would have been cool and dignified. So you wanted until you turned your back to sniff the pack and lick your lips. You vaguelly heard Havard thank the innkeeper behind you as you opened the pack and grabbed some kind of a baked pastry... A honey cake? You think it was a honey cake.

Life was so odd sometimes. You did not understand why Havard smiled so softly as he observed you. Nor why Lexia beamed at you. But you had a mouthful of honey cake and a lot more places to visit.

You even got to use your "trick", and somehow managed to call an entire bakery's worth of treats to you when a person told you to run off. Much to Havard's horror and Lexia's delight.

It was a good day. Even if Havard muttered something about "Irresponsible" and "Completely detached from reality."

Lexia just laughed. You were pretty sure, she would win whatever bet she had going.

[hellfire-state-of-mind]

27 seconds

pairing: Marcus Pike x reader

rating: just angst, hope you brought tissues

word count: 749

summary: Marcus never expected his world to fall apart with one phone call.

warnings: mention of drinking, kissing, nothing above PG though. reader has no physical descriptions other than wears a robe and some of Marcus's clothes. please lmk if i missed anything!!

a/n: my first submission for @beskarandblasters's Taylor Swift drabble challenge! i'm 100% a swiftie so i grabbed this with both hands and went running. this is based on the song Last Kiss sooooooo yeah it hurts 😅 oops. i do plan to write a second one so keep your eyes peeled for that if that's something your interested in?? this is only my second even piece for one of Pedro's characters and i have a particular soft spot for our Agent Pike so i hope y'all like it 🫣

Standing at the terminal, waiting for you to appear from the sliding glass doors, he checks his watch, then your flight information. It landed almost an hour ago, so where are you?

Just as the thought crosses his mind, his phone buzzes in his pocket, your name and picture lighting up his screen. He quickly answers.

“Hey, baby. I’m waiting outside your terminal, is everyth-”

“I never got on.”

---

He knew asking you to move to D.C. with him on such short notice was a stretch. You had your own life in L.A., how could he seriously expect you to just drop everything?

But you did. In a heartbeat.

Packing up your shared apartment was a blur. It mirrored the day you moved in: sitting on the bare kitchen floor surrounded by cardboard boxes, you wearing his t-shirt and a pair of his boxers, the waistband rolled so they sit higher on your thighs. You kept them when he flew out early to get your new place ready. Dropping him off at the airport, you held each other impossibly tight before sharing one last kiss and whispered “I love yous” against each other’s lips.

---

“Wait- baby, is everything okay? Did something happen?” Marcus tries to swallow his panic, fearing something had gone wrong with the airline or God forbid you’d been hurt.

“No. I just- I can’t. I’m so sorry, Marcus.”

“What d- what do you mean ‘can’t’? B-”

“It’s complicated. Just…I’m sorry.” His phone beeps as the call disconnects.

He stares blankly at the screen, 1:58 shining through the dark, taunting him.

What else can he do but just go home?

Marcus grabs a beer from the bare fridge and sinks to the floor, kicking off his shoes in the process. He stares out into the room. The space feels foreign now, hard and echoey. It’s mostly empty since you’d agreed to wait and do the bulk of the furniture shopping together. You’d loved the open floorplan, teasing him about having plenty of room for your impromptu dances. What should have been filled with warmth and laughter now just feels hollow.

He picks up his phone again, desperate to call you back and plead for answers. But you’d already given him one. You weren’t ready. When he asked you to go with him, he’d promised to honor whatever you felt. He just never planned on you changing your mind like this.

---

He throws himself into his work again. Some days, he’s okay. Others, he’ll come home enthusiastic after a big breakthrough and excited to tell you all about it until you cut him off with a kiss. He calls out to you, but your name dies on his lips.

Those nights, he’ll lie awake and scroll through your social media, careful not to accidentally like any of your photos. Dinners and drinks with friends. Fourth of July fireworks at the Santa Monica pier. But one picture stings worse than the others: a candid of you walking in the rain, your hands in your coat pockets, and a reflection in the window revealing a man behind the camera.

Marcus knows he shouldn’t have hoped that you just needed more time. That you’d wait for him until you were ready and then you’d come. He shakes the thought away before closing the app and turning off his phone, but he can’t fall asleep. His bed is too big, too cold. His own breathing in his ears is too loud, his heartbeat too heavy. He forces his eyes closed anyway, but they pop right back open. He snatches his phone off the bedside table and resumes his previous position, steeling himself for another restless night.

---

You’ve just stepped out of the shower when you hear your phone chime. Securing your robe, you perch on the edge of your bed and open the text.

I can’t forget you

Marcus’s name and contact picture at the top of the thread blurs as you blink back unannounced tears. You haven’t cried over this man in months, why now? Composing yourself, you look back down at the screen. You read those 4 little words over and over again, words stuck on the tip of your own tongue for so long but you forced yourself to never say. You finally notice the Read tag under the message, betraying your silence. He knows you’ve seen it.

Taking a deep breath, you type your response.

[bobaandasiandramas]

The Truth Untold

I hope you all like it. I'm sorry it took so long to get out.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Pairings: Lee Rang x F. OC

Rating: M+

Trigger Warning: character injuries, character death (not a big thing but I will mention it), hints of abuse (tiny bit).

Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12

Fire. 

The heat licked at Eun-ji's skin while the smokey air whipped up at her face. She raised her arms to protect herself and took a step back to escape the burning building. She was even more shocked to realize that she wasn't in the building where Lee Rang lived. 

Instead, the fire stretched for miles over an open meadow. Where was she? She was pretty sure she just walked into the condo. Was this a dream? No, it felt too real. Her skin began to sting from the growing heat of the fire and her eyes watered from the smoke.

The wolf let out a cough as she breathed in the smoky air, her lungs burning immediately in regret. Anxiety gripped her chest as she looked around for another being but she was alone with the exception of some forest creatures running past her looking for safety. She felt as if she was having an out of body experience. Everything felt real but none of it was making sense to her.

The fire was sweeping quickly toward her. Her legs were shaking as she tried to will them to do something, anything. It wasn't until hot ash hit her face that she reacted as it burned her cheek. Her feet moved quickly, running away from the fire, unsure of where to go.

A loud wailing noise reached her ears and she stopped in her tracks to look all around her. It sounded like a human crying, a child to be exact. Her heart lurched at the idea of a small kid being stuck in this tremendous fire. "Hello!" She cried out, hoping she would be heard. She received no response but she followed the sound and after a moment she stumbled upon a younger boy who was cradling a small black puppy to his chest.

"Blacky, wake up." The boy coughed a sob into the pup's chest before letting out a string of coughs. He was covered in dirt and ash, signs of being out here for a while.

Eun-ji raced over to him and grabbed onto his arms, trying to pull him up from the ground. "We can not stay here, we have to go."

The boy cried out and weakly pushed her away. "Hyung!!"

The wolf stilled for a second. The boy wasn't alone, she looked around but didn't see or hear anyone else. No cries for help, no one searching for the small boy.

Before she could turn back to the child he went into a coughing fit and slumped over the black canine. "Boy!" She tried to rouse him by shaking his shoulders. It did nothing. She could feel the tears start to roll down her face as she tried to lift him up. "Someone help!" She felt lost and confused.

There was no escape, the fire made a ring around them. She tried to find a way out but she was growing weakened, coughing from carrying the boy and dog.

'Please, please, please.' Her mind was chanting her pleas as she melted to the ground. She cradled the boy and dog to her chest, leaning over them. In a way to try and protect their bodies. She wasn't even sure if the boy was alive anymore, but she didn't have much hope. "Someone, anyone - please help."

A vortex of fiery wind whipped up in front of her and though she knew she should curl up into a ball, she looked at the swirling, burning embers in front of her. A man appeared in front of her. His form was translucent but she could tell he wasn't a figment of her imagination.

The man was dressed in traditional Royal robes, wolf ears perched on his head and gave her a most unpleasant look with his blue eyes.

"Who are you? Please help."

He scoffed. "You forget who I am and then ask for help after leaving my protection." He tsked at her. "Why should I help when you ran to the Mountain God?"

Eun-ji felt like she didn't know what he was talking about, but her body seemed to know everything. The words spilled from her mouth before she could think. "D-Doung?" She gasped. "I had to leave. The pack died under your care. It wasn't safe. I wasn't safe with you."

He looked furious. "They chose to make that sacrifice. Now look at you! You're in the same boat. Where is your Mountain God now? Not here for you."

She let out a whimper of pain as more hot ash hit her skin directly. "Please, please help." She pleaded. "He doesn't deserve this." Her attention turned to the boy in her arms.

The wolf considered her for a moment. "Even after you left, you're still mine. I can gift you your powers early. In return when you turn of age, you will forget everything and in return everyone will forget you. You will be alone, but I will care for you. Do you accept it?"

"Will it save them?"

"You can save the land, but because you're so young it puts a limit on your potential, so you may choose to save one of them."

Eun-ji's heart twisted at the words. The boy meant so much to her and she knew the pup meant so much to the boy. She, however, already knew what her decision was, if she could save both she would. She'd give up her life for him to be happy.

She paused in her thoughts, while none of this made sense logically to her, it all felt right. She looked up at the Duong above her. "I accept it."

He looked at her as if she was disappointed in her decision, his eyes going from anger to disgust. "Fine." He replied and snapped his fingers with a spark.

At first nothing happened but then she felt it trickling in, flowing through her veins. The combination of fire and ice ran through her body, it was intense having her gasping for air as it overpowered and consumed her very being. It was too much at once and she felt the need to push it from her bones. She pictured the power shooting out of her and with a small amount of effort it did.

A blue shockwave flew out from all around her. It ran across the ground, diminishing the fire in its wake.

Her eyes widened in surprise, not really expecting it to work. She turned her attention to the boy in her arms. She could feel his name leave her lips, she knew him but she couldn't hear the words that left her mouth.

She pressed her lips to his forehead and felt them tingle with power. "Come back to me, okay?" The wolf felt the wind get knocked out of her and as her eyes started to droop in exhaustion the boy's eyes started to open.

He looked at her, his eyes widened as he called her name.

****

Lee Rang was tired. His leg hurt terribly and the ghost just kept coming no matter how many times they took them down. It seemed like nightfall was already upon them. He stumbled slightly, grabbing Yeon’s as he had gotten a few steps ahead of him. The older fox stalked over to him and grabbed his arm to assist him but instead Rang shoved him off. “Let go.”

Yeon stared at him for a moment. “You’re in no condition to be proud.”

Rang looked at him. “I’m just a corpse without my pride.”

Yeon scoffed. “You look like a corpse already.”

Rang took in a deep breath and tried to push himself off the ground, he could feel his arms tremble with the effort. His attempt was in vain as he flopped down and hissed in pain.

“What is it?”

“I can’t go any further. The poison spread everywhere. I can barely see. I’m sick of walking with this leg.” He looked down at it in disgust.

Yeon couldn’t believe it. “So? You’ll sit here and become food for evil spirits?”

Rang sighed. “Go to your woman. It’s too late for me anyway.” He closed his head and tilted his head back, trying to relax his body so he wouldn’t feel the pain so much.

“You haven’t changed.” Yeon stated, causing the younger fox to open his eyes and look at him. “You’re just like when we first met. You still give up easily and you still whine. Why are life and death so simple for you?”

“Because I don’t have anything I cherish. I don’t have a first love to protect with my life as you do, and I don’t have a family that I’m waiting desperately for as she does.”

“So that’s how you feel about her?” Yeon asked with a tinge of anger in his voice.

“Who?” Rang asked, but he knew. He knew that Yeon knew. He just wanted to hear Yeon say it. Needed to hear him say her name.

“Mae Eun-ji. I’ve smelt her on you previously.”

“I had a feeling you knew.”

“I didn’t until recently. For both of you to be covered in each other’s scent and for it to mean nothing to you is ridiculous and hard to believe.”

“She’ll be fine without me.”

“Unbelievable.” Yeon scoffed. “She’s something that can be good for you, and obviously you mean something to her. I’ve seen how she has changed after her ex. I thought she could save you too. I bet she would if you let her, or are you playing with her for your own twisted game?"

"No, I wouldn't do that to her."

"Then why do you talk as if she's nothing?"

Rang remained silent as thoughts of the wolf floated into his head. He did care about her but she deserved so much better than him. If he said how much she meant to him then it was a way she could be used against him. He promised to keep her safe.

The two brothers stared at each other for a moment, each feeling a different emotion. The younger masking his sorrow with a blank face while the older swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to push down his anger.

“I shouldn’t have come. Neither then nor now. I wasted my time. I’m leaving.” He couldn’t look at his brother before stepping away.

“When I die,” Rang started talking, causing Yeon to stop in his tracks. “Bury me in the woods of Baekdudaegan where we used to live.”

“Am I your will?” Yeon continued to walk away from him, angry and disappointed.

Rang thought back to when they were younger. “I wish we could go back to those days. There were azaleas everywhere. It’s strange. I can’t remember how the azaleas tasted back then.”

Yeon couldn’t help it anymore, his rage grew to the boiling point. He turned around and started marching back to his brother. “If you don’t remember how azalea tasted, get out alive and eat some, you idiot!” He was back in front of Rang, looking down at him. “At least try to survive, will you?”

“Be honest. Why did you come here.”

“To save both Ji-Ah and you.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I don’t care!”

“I almost died by your knife.”

Yeon sighed. “You massacred an entire town. You deserved it.”

“Exactly. Why are you saving someone you tried to kill?”

Yeon looked up at the sky in disbelief. Taking a deep breath he turned his attention back down to Rang. “Listen carefully.” He squatted down to be eye level with the younger fox. “My sword never missed, not even once. I have never missed the target. Think hard with that stupid brain of yours why you survived my sword. I’m leaving and never coming back.”

Rang sat on the forest floor and watched his brother walk away. All the things he thought about Yeon were wrong. He hated his brother for so long but the older fox intentionally didn’t kill him. Rang thought about Eun-ji and how Yeon was right about that as well. He wanted to build something with her, maybe a family of just them and Yuri. He wanted to eat azaleas again. He found himself pushing off the ground and stumbling toward Yeon, who slowed his steps.

Yeon threw an arm under Rang’s shoulder and helped him carry his weight so they could advance and get out of the forest.

***

“Eun-ji, please -” The voice called out to her.

The wolf opened her eyes and found herself at the peak of a small mountain side looking over the scorched land below. She turned attention and glared at the man that stood across from her. She could feel her body shaking with a mixture of rage and sadness. How could he stand there looking so confused at her behavior? The picture of perfection, not a scratch on him while she was still trying to heal her burn scars. “Where were you?”

He stared back at her, his emotions hidden behind the calm facade he wore daily. “Pup-”

“Don’t!” She choked a sob. “Yeon, just don’t.” He took a step toward her but she threw her arms up to tell him to stay back. “I trusted you. I know you’re heartbroken over Lady A Eum. I’m sorry about that - I really am. But you had a responsibility, Yeon. You let everyone down. You abandoned him! You abandoned us!” More tears began to flow down her face.

The fox before her frowned at her words and stepped closer slowly until he was right in front of her, taking in all the words she cried at him. He carefully telegraphed his moves trying not to upset her more than she already was.

“You told me I’d be safe here. You asked me to protect the land when I was powerful enough, when I was older - but you neglected everything you swore to protect and I couldn’t let it all die.”

Yeon grabbed her arms swiftly and hugged her close to him, her face pressed to his chest as she tried to push him away. The fox didn’t let the wolf go and it took less than a minute for her to just collapse into his arms. He allowed their bodies to sink down with the weight of her sadness. “It’s okay pup. You did well.”

Eun-ji shook her head. “No, it’s not okay.” She pulled back to look into his eyes. “I protected your land like I promised I would. I saved him. Me! I did that. It didn’t come for free. I had to make a deal with the Wolf Spirit and now I’ll lose it all one day because of you. I trusted you, Yeon. Where the hell were you?”

His eyes widened at her mention of the wolf spirit. “Eun-ji…”

Her heart was breaking, more cracks appearing by the second. It wasn’t fair. She didn’t want to feel this way. She was furious and devastated. “I hate you. I hate you so much.” She sobbed and tightened her grip on him, afraid he would disappear from what she said. She was thankful he seemed to understand that the words weren’t true and he tucked her closer to him, pressing his nose to the top of her head and running his fingers through her hair. She breathed in his mountain scent and allowed herself to fall part.

“I’m scared, Yeon. I don’t want to lose anything, I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose my memories. I don’t want to lose him. I can’t lose him.”

“I know pup. I know.”

Eun-ji wasn’t sure how long they stayed that way but his fingers soothed her until her sobs turned into gentle studders of air that would pass her lips. She curled into him as he was warm, like all foxes were, her nose pressed to the side of his neck as she twisted the fabric of his shirt between her fingers.

He sat there and picked up the tiny shards of her heart and put them all back into the right place, but it didn’t matter, once something was broken it was weaker and surely would break easier next time. Her body relaxed and she felt herself getting tired from all her emotions running haywire for the past few weeks. “Yeon?” She mumbled into his neck.

“Yes, pup?” His voice was soft, just above a whisper.

“Please don’t leave us again.”

“You know I can’t stay.”

She whimpered and tightened her hold for a moment. “I know. Please stay for the night at least.” She smiled as she felt him nod his head. “I love you Oppa.” She whispered as she let her eyes close as she drifted off into a slumber, the gentle whisper of ‘Love you too pup’ reached her ears before fading away.

***

The two foxes kept running through the forest. It was still nightfall but was now foggy. It was hard to see much further in front of them, in fact a few times they almost ran into a tree here and there.

They finally came to an area where the trees started to thin out, the end of the forest perhaps. They came to a stop at the edge of a cliff, peering out into the dark nothingness.

“The path ends here. Just keep going.” Yeon turned to his brother.

Rang shook his head. “Not on this leg.”

“A path will appear when you overcome your fear.”

Rang looked at him, chest heaving as he looked over to the nothingness. He couldn’t see anything and it made his muscles tighten. “I don’t see any door.”

“Don’t be a wuss!” Yeon yelled at him. He took in his brother’s nervous expression. “Stay strong and think of what you fear the most.”

“What…. What I fear the most?” He couldn’t look his brother in the eye. “Being abandoned. Mom abandoned me…” He turned his attention to Yeon, who was listening closely. “And so did you.”

Yeon sighed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” The older fox grabbed the younger’s jacket and tugged him closer. “I… never abandoned you.”

There in his heart Rang felt a small spark of warmth, he could tell Yeon meant what he said and he felt his lip quiver. However, before he could get too emotional Yeon grabbed onto his shoulder and faced him to the gorge. Rang closed his eyes tight and tried to imagine the door, willing his fear down. When he opened his eyes, through the fog he started to see it, a small white door appeared in the woods across from them. “I see it.” He whispered.

The brothers looked at each other and nodded, knowing what needed to be done. “Let’s go.”

Unfortunately the ghost spirits could be heard gaining on them again. They took a few steps back before running forward and while Rang leapt across the gorge, Yeon stayed behind and watched him grab onto the cliff wall. He watched Rang look back at him and nodded his head. “Make sure you stay alive.” He then turned back to fight the ghost that came upon him.

Yeon used his sword, slicing into them but he was quickly overrun, a bite to his shoulder and they were on him, pushing him toward the cliff side. He looked back to see Rang still holding on the cliffside in the same spot. “Keep climbing!” He yelled toward him and he tried to keep his balance.

Rang struggled, reaching up and grabbing a small notch in the wall to pull himself up, he tried to ignore the painful cries of his brother as surely he was being bitten over and over again. He could hear a ghost yell behind him get a little closer before a heavy weight grabbed onto him and caused him to slide down the side a little more.

“Don’t look!” Yeon yelled out to him, grabbing Rang’s attention. “She’s not your mom! Don’t look!”

Rang couldn’t help it, his eyes snapped down like a magnet and he looked at the ghost figure that resembled his mother. Flashes of her being alive danced in his memories. “Mom? Darn it.” He looked at the creature below him, snapping its disgusting teeth while making growling noises. He struggled to try and shake her off but it was of no use.

The younger fox noticed his brother had made the leap across and grabbed onto the ghost. He twisted and turned making the creature loose grip and unfortunately Yeon went down with it. “No!” Rang cried out as he reached his arm out, hoping and wishing he was able to grab his brother but he was too far gone. He lost sight of them in the fog. He just had to keep moving, he knew the door would be right at the top.

***

Eun-ji's eyes cracked open and dread filled her very soul. The old wooden door in front of her was slightly familiar and it wasn’t a good familiar feeling. She took a step back and collided with someone behind her. With her heart hammering in her chest, she looked back and found the wolf male behind her.

"Ah pup, don't try to get out of this now." He was unamused as he put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her closer to the door. "Ji-ho is a good man, we will have a very long agreement about you. He will take care of you and in return I'll take care of him and when he passes you’ll be taken care of by his children and grandchildren. You worry for nothing."

Eun-ji could feel her face was tear stained, like she had cried not long ago. She stared at Duong and felt her bottom lip start to wobble as she tried to stop it.

He frowned at her. "I don't know why you stayed with him for so long. You knew what our agreement was. Did you think I would just let it go?"

She shook her head. "No, it just hurts." Her heart had shattered again, she was whisked away before she could say goodbye to him.

"Ah, my sweet dear, it won't hurt for much longer. For him either.” Duong knocked on the door.

An elderly man opened the door and greeted Duong like an old friend, smiling and hugging the wolf spirit. “Good to see you, very good to see you again.” The man laughed.

“Likewise Ji-ho.” His blue eyes snapped over to the female. “This is Eun-ji, she is the one I have spoken to you about.”

The man looked over at her and gave her a gentle smile. “It’s nice to meet you dear.”

Eun-ji surveyed him, he seemed nice and carried a calming scent around him. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here. She tried to be positive about her situation.

Ji-ho turned back to the wolf spirit. “I was thinking about our deal. I know you said the price was set, but I was thinking I’ll have another mouth to feed since I’ll be taking her-”

“The price it set.” Duong snapped at the man. “Plus, you won’t be feeding her. She will be out of sight but never out of mind. Do you understand?”

Eun-ji looked over to Duong, confusion written on her face. She wasn’t sure she understood what he meant ‘out of sight but never out of mind.’

“Yes sir.” Ji-ho nodded his head.

“Good. Now Eun-ji, it is time.” Duong pulled out a small box that had chains around it from his robes and her eyes widened. He noticed her nervous face. “We had a deal pup.”

“You didn’t say anything about a box.”

He ignored her for a moment and turned his attention to the man. “Ji-ho, you will watch her with this. This is part of the deal she and I made a long time ago, is it not?” His eyes pierced her.

She stared at the box in his hands, flight or fight was racing through her head. She knew he said she would forget, that they all would but she didn’t think it would have anything to do with an obliviation box.

“IS IT NOT?!” Duong growled at her.

“Y-yes.” She whimpered and looked down.

“Good. The time has come. Let it go, pup.”

Eun-ji gasped as a sharp pain shot through her head. It felt like a hand grabbed her brain and began picking through it, combing all the nooks and crannies, plucking everything precious to her. The mountain, her pack, the open fields she loved to run in, Lee Yeon, cooling her feet in the river - all were grabbed from her head. She felt her own mind try to fight it, wrapping a security blanket over the most important thing to her - him, but that too was ripped from her. She found herself on her knees, gasping for air feeling highly confused. There was only a little bit she could remember as she watched a lilac orb float into the box.

“That part is done, the box will take care of the rest once you’re inside.” Duong held his hand out and with a flick of his wrist he wrapped her up in a mist.

A moment later all she saw was darkness as she drifted to sleep.

***

Shin-Joo ran as fast as his feet could carry him, shoes slapping the pavement, chest heaving with each burning breath he took. He didn’t care that people were watching him run down the hospital walkway. He needed to get there in time.

‘You must not be late. If you’re late, they’ll never be able to leave that world.’ The words echoed in his head. He needed to run faster, there was no time to lose.

As he entered the hospital emergency wing he found Ji-Ah right away. He noted that her vitals were going haywire on the monitor screen as warning alarms sounded out. Stress filled his very being as he started unhooking her from the machine. The fox hoped everything was going okay but his hope was very thin.

"It's okay Lady A Eum, I will help you." As he started to swoop Ji-Ah into his arms, his eyes slid to the bed next to her and froze. He placed Ji-Ah right back down and ran to the other bed. “Eun-ji!” He called her name in shock.

The wolf looked much like the PD, laying on the hospital cot, hooked to a monitor. Her vitals however were stable. The fox felt his anxiety grow more and more. For some reason he knew that Eun-ji was under the same spell as the PD. “I’ll be right back for you. I promise.”

He moved his attention back to Ji-Ah. Quickly, he swooped up the PD in his arms again and made his way to his car. The whole time he was letting too many thoughts in his head. What if it was too late? What if Eun-ji was also stuck? How could he save her? He didn’t have time to make another deal, even if he did, what could he possibly trade this time?

He made sure Ji-Ah securely fastened with a seat belt before heading back into the hospital. He was lucky to see that so far no one has noticed that the PD was missing, but he knew that wouldn’t last for long. He needed to grab Eun-ji quickly and get back to the car. With a last minute decision he grabbed her paper chart from the front of the bed. Hopefully this was a freak accident and she wasn’t a victim as well. He noticed, just as he was slipping from the emergency room he could hear the commotion of doctors and visitors rushing in, probably to check on the now empty beds and blaring monitors.

He placed Eun-ji in his car and made sure she was safely fastened as well before getting into the driver's seat. He looked in the rear view mirror at both females every few seconds as he drove carefully but quickly to The Snail Bride. The restaurant was closed due to what was going on. The owner was watching over Yeon, who was in the back room laying down waiting for Ji-Ah.

Once Shin-Joo arrived, he parked in the back of the building and moved quickly removing Ji-Ah from the car.

Bok Hye-Ja, the owner, came out to help him. She immediately noticed the second female in the car and gasped. "Is that?"

"The wolf? Yes, that's her. I think Eoduk Sini got to her too. I need to get Yeon and Lady A Eum set and then I'll worry about her." Shin-Joo stated as he situated Ji-Ah better for carrying into the building.

Bok Hye-Ja decided to stay next to the car with the wolf until Shin-Joo returned to the vehicle. She looked at the wolf and frowned, she knew of many wolves before and felt a mixture of sadness and joy to be in the presence of one. From what she remembered Shin-Joo telling her was that this particular wolf didn’t have any memories of her true self. ‘Poor dear must be so lost in there.’ Hye-ja thought to herself.

Not two minutes later Shin-Joo returned for Eun-ji. He carried her to the back room but placed her in her own spot away from Yeon and Ji-Ah. He made sure the wolf was comfortable, or at least looked comfortable, before he turned his attention back to the couple. He was nervous, what if this didn’t work? He shook his head and pulled the braided yellow and red cord from his pocket.

He placed them on Yeon’s and Lady A Eum’s connecting wrists and followed all the instructions that Taluipa had given him. “This is all I can do. I hope you both return.” He frowned and turned his attention to Eun-ji, he wasn’t sure what to do with her.

He crossed the room and took a seat next to her. “Eun-ji, please come back to us. Please.”

***

Eun-ji felt tired even before she opened her eyes. Her head felt like a thousand pounds and she felt like she had been asleep for years. The sound of voices reached her ears but she just curled up into a ball more before cracking her eyes open slowly. She was resting on a bed of a sort, it was raised off the ground and nothing like her nest. She allowed herself to wake up more before moving to place her feet on the ground.

She was confused, unsure of where she was exactly. Nothing seemed familiar to her, in fact she couldn’t think of anything familiar at all. It made her head throb and she felt herself get anxious. This couldn’t be a good thing if she couldn’t remember things.

She stood up feeling a little weak, pins and needles filled her feet but she knew the sensation would go away faster if she just started moving. So she headed out the doorway of the room and was met with a long hallway. She could still hear the whisper of voices and so she decided to head in that direction.

As she reached the end of the hallway, she reached a larger, more open room where two men were talking in hushed voices. One was older than the other, he was wearing traditional clothing and there was an air of familiarity around him. The second male was younger, probably around her age and was quite good looking.

As they continued to whisper the older man seemed to have sensed her gaze because his eyes slid over to hers and held her stare. It was intense and she felt her body freeze up and she slammed her eyes shut, pushing herself into the wall. She stayed that way for a few seconds before she peeked at them again, happy to see that the older man had once again returned his attention to the male across from him.

“You will continue to be paid, but since the seal is broken then I will grant you a little more since care will be a little more now. You keep that box safe, should anything happen to it there will be consequences. I’m not sure how long it will hold on its own but I’m figuring it will last for at least your lifetime.”

She was confused as to what the man was talking about but she was also intrigued. She shifted around which caused the both males to turn their gazes at her. Under the two sets of eyes, she froze, realizing she didn’t know what to think. “Um, who are you?”

“Take care of it.” The older man spoke gruffly before he left the room.

The younger man approached her slowly. He offered a gentle smile that made her feel warm and fuzzy inside but her head was screaming alarms. “Hey there. I’m Park Kyong, do you know your name?”

The female thought for a moment willing the bad feeling to go away while she talked to the man. She knew the answer to his question but she tried to calm her emotions that were going haywire. She felt out of body. “It’s Mae Eun-ji.”

He was still smiling gently. “Hello Eun-ji. I’m going to help you out. Do you know where you live?”

“I don’t.”

“Okay, that’s fine. Don’t get upset. We will figure this out together. It’s the least I can do since I found you. I’ll take care of you.”

She stared at him knowing his words should bring her comfort, and she felt her body relax at them but there were warning bells firing off in her head again - this time they warned more urgently. “Okay.” She was confused, that was not what she wanted to come out of her mouth. “Who were you talking to before?”

Kyong paused, a flash of panic crossed his face but was easily replaced. “That was Duong. He’s…. He’s my cousin. That’s right, my cousin.”

She didn’t believe him for one moment but her body didn’t care what she thought. “Oh, well hopefully you can introduce me sometime.”

“Sure.” He motioned to the couch. “Would you like to sit? We can talk and try to figure things out. I can order some food, are you hungry?”

She looked around the room, it wasn’t decorated much so she couldn’t get a feel on him. She sank into the couch while he was still talking about food.

“ - not a bad place, it can get crowded though. We could go somewhere more quiet if you feel like that would be better. It’s up to you if you want to go out or stay in - either way I have no food right now so we will have to order.”

She wasn’t sure why she decided that going out was a good idea. “Let’s go out, maybe some fresh air will do me some good,”

“Sure, let’s talk first. Maybe tell me about some of the things you can remember.

“I can’t remember anything. Just my name.”

“Okay, maybe we can start with small stuff and it might trigger some memories.”

Eun-ji shrugged her shoulders. “I guess we can try.”

Kyong asked questions like ‘What’s your favorite food? Favorite color? Favorite weather?’ and for the most part she didn’t know her answers but she explained what she might like and why. After about fifteen minutes of talking he decided it was enough for now. “Let’s get you something to eat, I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Her stomach rumbled at his words and she blushed in slight embarrassment. He walked her through the house, it wasn’t very big but it was cozy. He offered her a coat from the closet that he helped her put on. “Thank you.” She smiled at him even though she didn’t want to. This all seemed right but wrong, like things were moving fast. In her mind she knew the conversation lasted longer - Kyong had explained so much more, earned her trust and coaxed her out to dinner. But now she just followed him to the front door with no questions asked. This was wrong. Her body didn’t care, as she stepped into the hallway, she turned back to watch him lock up but he wasn’t behind her.

The door was the familiar old wooden door but slowly morphed into one that was more modern and it took her by surprise. The door made her anxious, she felt fear settle into her skin and she was no longer hungry but queasy instead.

The door that seemed warm and cozy quickly faded into darkness. She could sense a coldness from behind the door and she took a step back, not waiting to be anywhere near it.

“It’s not going to open by it’s fucking self.” The voice that just sounded so gentle a few moments ago, now sounded so harsh. “Open the door, dipshit.” Kyong grumbled from behind her as she refused to move. “Fucking really?” He stomped up to her and grabbed her arm roughly.

She pulled out from his grasp. Flashes of him hitting and kicking her came to mind, echoes of his yelling and screaming swirled in her brain. She took a step back and another, as he advanced toward her. She began to run down the hallway to the elevator. She pressed the call button and the doors opened immediately. Dashing inside quickly she then pressed the close doors button over and over again.

Kyong was getting closer and closer, steam pouring off of his angry body. “Get back here you dumb bitch.” He yelled.

Just as he was about to reach the elevator, the door snapped shut and she sighed in relief leaning against the elevator wall. She took a moment to catch her breath, eyes shut as she willed herself to relax. A moment later her eyes slid open and she looked over to the control panel but instead of floor numbers there was only one button to press.

Ah Gwi Forest

She stared at the button for a moment before pressing it. The elevator shifted as it started to descend. It took just a moment before the doors opened and surely enough there was a forest that was laid out before her. With no other options she stepped off the platform.

There was pull in her chest, she felt it leading her through the forest. She thought for a moment that she should be feeling uneasy but this was the most sure thing she felt in a while. Her body and mind finally agreed with each other. She could hear some commotion going on ahead but with all the fog she could barely see her hand in front of her. She paused in her steps. Maybe she shouldn’t be going toward the sounds of an angry mob, but as she pondered this she immediately threw caution to the wind and allowed her feet to keep moving.

The loud ‘No!’ sounded out from the darkness and she was running toward the noise. The wolf came upon a cliff and halted in her steps. From below she could hear the sound of someone panting and struggling, like they were trying to climb up the side of the cliff.

Eun-ji got on her hands and knees as she could see the person getting closer. “Here, take my hand.” She cried out but they didn’t seem to hear her other their own struggles. She waited until they were closer and her heart filled with relief. She found him. She reached down as he was reaching up and grabbed onto his hand, his eyes snapped up to hers. “I got you.”

******

Rang’s eyes snapped open, and he felt his whole body shaking, his heart was pounding in his chest.

“Lee Rang!” A voice cried to him but he looked around and took in his settings. He was in his room and his eyes landed on his wardrobe. “I need to go.” He struggled to push himself up.

“Go where?” The voice that he now recognized as Yuri asked. The vixen fretted about him as he moved into a sitting position “Where do you need to go?” She came around to the other side of the bed, trying to block him from moving more. She grabbed onto his arm to steady him.

“To Yeon and her.” He gritted his teeth in pain. His whole body was shaking in protest as he held his arm out, willing for the wardrobe to come closer to him. “To Yeon. I must go to Yeon and her.”

“Where are you trying to go? Who is this ‘her’?” Yuri asked in a panic. She was so confused. Rang wasn’t making any sense. It was bad enough she had to watch cuts and bruises appear on his body out of nowhere. She heard every whimper and gasp of pain as he lay incapacitated on the bed.

Rang stood from the bed. “I need to go to Yeon. I need to find her.” The moment the words left his mouth, he dropped to the floor.

“Lee Rang!” Yuri cried out as she grabbed onto him. She didn’t know what to do anymore. With much effort she got him back onto the bed and pulled her phone out, dialing the number she needed to. The phone rang three times before he answered. “Shin-Joo…”

***

Shin-Joo’s phone started to ring, it took him a moment to get it from his pocket. The ringer ID stated that it was Yuri and he answered the call immediately. “Yuri?” He pulled the phone away from his ear a little as he was met with sobs of his name. “Yuri what’s wrong?”

He listened to her concerns about her friend, whom he knew was Lee Rang, and with every word that left her mouth, he knew Rang was stuck there too. Yuri talked about wounds that happened to appear all over his body and that he was running a fever.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I have to get some supplies but I’ll do my best to be quick.” He ended that call and looked over to Yeon and Ji-Ah, nothing had happened for them and he felt the pit in his stomach grow more. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the wolf and was beyond shocked to see her eyes opening slowly. “Eun-ji?” He whispered, worried that if he talked any louder something would happen and that the wolf would be dragged back in.

Eun-ji slowly blinked at the ceiling of the room, her head felt fuzzy - but not in a warm comforting way. It was heavy and made her vision blurry. A muffled noise car to her ear and she tried to locate the source. She blinked again as she turned her attention to a blurry blob next to her. The sound reached her ears again and she felt her brows furrowed in confusion. “What?” She blinked again, the image becoming more clear to her.

Shin-Joo was already assessing her vitals and everything seemed to be checking out normally. She had a few scrapes and bruises, alone with something that looked like a burn mark on her cheek that he didn’t really get to examine earlier. He cradled her face and tried to have her focus on him, he wanted to make sure that she still remembered him, herself and Yeon. “Do, do you remember me?”

Eun-ji blinked again and was so completely confused. “What?”

Shin-joo felt his heart sink, his hands fell from her face and he looked down. There was no hope. He failed her, he failed them all.

“Shin-Joo, what are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I know you?”

The fox perked up immediately. “You remember me?”

“Yes?” She responded. “What’s going on?”

“I can explain it all in the car but I need to help Yuri out.”

***

When they arrived at the home of Lee Rang, immediately Eun-ji sensed something was very wrong. She was being impatient as Shin-Joo grabs a few things that he had packed up in the back of the car. She was rocking on her heels, she thought about leaving him behind and making her way up herself but something told her to wait for him.

The two of them walked quickly to the residence and Shin-Joo was in front of Eun-ji, knocking on the door. The wolf realized at that moment that the fox didn’t know that she lived there. She reached past him and used her key to open the door. As she opened the door, Yuri was getting ready to open it. Eun-ji ignored Shin-Joo’s shocked face and embraced her friend tightly. “Yuri, what’s going on?”

The vixen hugged the wolf back as she saw Shin-Joo over her shoulder. “It’s Lee Rang, he’s hurt.”

The wolf felt a whine get caught in her throat as she pulled back from the hug. “How did he get hurt?”

Yuri didn’t mean to ignore the question but she looked at her friend and noticed the wolf had injuries of her own. She grabbed the wolf’s hands in concern. “Eun-ji what happened to you?”

“Don’t worry about it.” She brushed past the fox, letting her hands fall from her hold. Eun-ji didn’t have any more patience and made a beeline to Lee Rang’s room. She found him on the bed, pale as could be with blood stains on his shirt. “Rang!” She cried out and rushed over to him. Her hands danced across his burning skin carefully, noting each and every cut to his skin.

Behind her, she could hear Yuri and Shin-Joo enter the room but she didn’t listen to what they were saying, her thoughts were going a mile a minute and all the thoughts were about the male in front of her. “Rang,” she tried to rouse him gently, “please wake up.”

Shin-Joo walks into the room, Yuri talking softly about Rang and how he woke up briefly before collapsing again. His eyes traveled to Eun-ji, he watched her whispering to the fox on the bed. All the pieces clicked in and he felt foolish for not realizing earlier the relationship. The familiar scent on Eun-ji was Rang. He thought it was strange as to Yuri and the wolf being friends as well. He thought about how happy Eun-ji seemed since leaving Kyong and couldn’t believe that it was all Rang’s doing.

His attention turned to the fox and immediately he noted that Rang didn’t look at all. Chances of survival could be low - he didn’t know how he would tell Yuri let alone Eun-ji. He took a deep breath and started examining the man on the bed.

Suddenly, Lee Rang coughed, blood spitting out from his mouth. Shin-Joo was quick and grabbed a nearby cloth, handing it to Eun-ji. The wolf wiped Rang’s mouth, making sure all the blood was gone. “Hang in there for me, please.” She whispered into his ear.

Shin-Joo looked over to Yuri and frowned at her worried expression. “It’s the poison of Eoduk Sini.” He sighed.

“Do something.” Yuri started to cry.

Shin-Joo bit his lip, there wasn’t much he could do - if anything. He needed to get back to Yeon and Lady A Eum. He looked away from her. “Mr. Lee Yeon isn’t back yet.”He could see swift movement from the bed, he knew Eun-ji was staring at him as well.

Yuri moved quickly, going to the doorway, blocking it with her body. “No, you can’t go. I’ll die if he dies.” Tears were pouring down her face as she looked into Shin-Joo’s eyes. “I’ll repay you for this somehow. I’m begging you.” When he didn’t respond she tried again. “I’m begging you. Help him.”

Eun-ji removed herself from the bed by now and wrapped her arms around her friend. “Shh, Yuri. We will figure it out.”

Yuri looked at him over the wolf’s shoulder. “I’m begging you.”

The fox nodded his head after staring at the two females. He bent down and unraveled some supplies that he had wrapped up. “This will take a little while.”

The wolf took her friend’s hand. “Yuri, why don’t you make some tea for Shin-Joo while he helps Rang. I’ll be here to help him too.”

The vixen, reluctantly, nodded her head and stepped out of the room slowly, ready to find things to occupy her mind so Shin-Joo could do his work.

Eun-ji knelt down next to her boss, ready for any instructions like they were in surgery for a dog instead of a human. “Let me know what I can do to help.” She stated. “Also, thank you Shin-Joo.”

He nodded his head. “So this is him?” He questioned like he didn’t know. “He is the one that saved you from Kyung. He’s the one that makes you happy?”

The wolf nodded her head. “He is. He saved me at my lowest and helped me climb to my highest point so far. Lee Rang is his name. My savior, Lee Rang.”

Hours passed, the room grew dark and Eun-ji had to turn the lights on for Shin-Joo to see. The veterinarian had treated all minor wounds but more importantly he tended to the giant wound on Rang’s leg. The sight of it made the wolf next to him anxious, he could feel her emotions rolling off her body tenfold. Once he did all he could, the wolf crawled up the bed, carefully cradling her body around Lee Rang’s form. She closed her tired eyes as she grabbed Rang’s wrist, putting her fingers over his pulse point, feeling his heartbeat gently.

Yuri entered the room, she had been watching from the hallway - too nervous to leave the area in case anything terrible happened. “How is Mr. Lee?”

“It will take a few days for the poison to leave his body, but he will be fine in no time.”

“Why aren’t you asking me anything? You see why I approached you the first time.” She questioned and the male looked away from her. “You already knew?”

“I happened to see you two together one day. I was taken to a junkyard and beaten up thanks to that.”

“By Mr. Lee?”

“Yes.”

Eun-ji’s eyes opened and she looked over to the two of her friends. ‘Rang did that to him?’ Her eyes looked at the face close to hers. There was no way Rang did that, right? She felt her stomach flop. She did know that Rang was a dangerous man to others, but she figured it wouldn’t be something so close to her as her boss.

"My brother, he isn't the kindest person."

Yeon's words echoed in her head. Rang was Yeon's brother? Did that mean he was a fox as well? Her head was swirling but she didn't have long to think as the body next to her started to shift. "Rang?" She whispered but it was loud enough for the other two in the room to hear.

He looks at her. "Hello, wolf." His voice was soft as he grabbed her hand gently. He made himself sit up and he looked at the other two foxes in the room. "Shin-Joo?" He was confused for a moment.

"How's Yeon? Is he back?" Rang asked.

Shin-Joo frowned and looked down, shaking his head. He couldn't look the other fox in the eye.

Rang felt his eyes tear up. "Why are you here then? Shouldn't you be with him?" His voice wasn't malicious as it normally would be when talking to the veterinarian.

Eun-ji pressed her head to his shoulder. Rang confirmed it without knowing it, they were brothers. She didn't know what to feel about that but she was glad that Rang was awake. "He came to help you."

"Me? Why me?"

"I was asked. If you're okay now, I need to get back to Yeon." Shin-Joo gathered his things and headed out the doorway, Yuri followed him with a promise to be right back.

Rang looked at Eun-ji as she lifted her head from his shoulder. "So happy to see you wolf. Thank you for saving me."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You're welcome." There was a long pause. " When you're feeling better and up to it - I have some things to discuss with you about myself and you. Nothing bad."

"Sure wolf."

She looked at him closely to gauge his reaction to what she was going to say next. "Thank you, fox."

[elizabethplaid]

daily notes - dec 15, 2024

Though my hours are still sporatic, I've been sleeping well. Last couple days, I've been shaking as I'm trying to fall asleep and waking up (though less so for the latter). Woke to my "monthly visitor" today, and now this past week makes sense.

After my afternoon nap, it was too early for dinner, so I just sat in the living room with phone games. Very glad to have my mom's bear Gus, so I didn't have to bring more things downstairs with me. (I brought my striped-knit blanket, because it also makes for a good back-rest cushion.) Dinner was (frozen, store-bought) ravioli; nothing fancy.

The rest is mostly mundane day-to-day notes, below the cut.

More knitting upstairs, watching more Silent Hill 2 (remake) game play. I caught Secret Sleepover Society's live-stream of it tonight, which went a little late. I prepared to do more knitting, but I had a sudden impulse to tidy.

Managed to (mostly) put away one hamper of clothing. Technically, it was only half-full, but the accomplishment is that I freed it up and put in new laundry. I also gathered some things for a load of cold-wash: my new Wampus t-shirt, the multi-packs of tank tops (dark/bright colors), and my black hoodie. Will need to add my robe later.

====== My call with phone-friend went well last night, and we touched base again this morning. I'd mentioned wanting to buy a cd of Christmas music for their family, as it's an album that means a lot to me. They said, "Just to double-check, you know I'm not Christian, right?" (paraphrased, of course) I knew, and we discussed our mutual appreciation of the arts, how we enjoy things even if we're not of that faith. [Modern-American Christmas is pretty secular nowadays.]

This album came out in 1982, and I've been listening to it as Christmas music for half of my life. In more recent years, especially as I leaned on music during the times with terrible nightmares, I've listened to it year-round. In fact, I often forget that it's technically a Christmas album. The few songs I recognize as carols are pretty chill, and it's all piano solos - no vocals. In fact, it has the only version of Pachabel's "Cannon in D" that I can stand. Winston's variations distract me very well.

So I sent my friend a link to a youtube playlist of the album's songs. "Thanksgiving" is my fav song on the album. If you were around back in the days of 8tracks, you might remember that "Thanksgiving" and "Carol of the Bells" were the first and last tracks on my mix, "Christmas in Kodiak".

Amid discussions of the video essays I've been watching lately, my friend recommended some other youtube channels to watch. I scrolled through and recognized videos I already watched, which means I know I'll like their other stuff. Also got to mention the neat video I watched about Fred's "ascot" in Scooby Doo.

I felt so energized and alive as we nerded out, talking about these different videos and topics. We also discussed video games, as we need to make a Steam Family group later. (It's the new iteration of sharing across accounts.)

======= I need to work on shopping lists soon. Gotta pick out things for the wishlist, to send to my dad and phone-friend. I'm going to use my friend's wishlist for my gift(s?) to them, though I do want to check a couple other sites for inspiration.

Depending on whether I'm up for a Bangor trip, I might ask my dad to order yarn for me online. (It'd be nice to pick it up in-person, but I might not have the stamina by then.) I usually ask for cds and household things, like my shower seat last year. Might need a new cd album-binder soon. I haven't put them away in the binders in years, and they're just stacking up, haha.

As I noticed back in August-ish, I'm feeling better about accepting gifts from loved-ones. I had a bit of trouble at the beginning of this year, but I def feel better about it now. Yay progress!

[ginandoldlace]

As vast housing estates went up all around London in the 1930s, creating what most of us now think as London’s suburbs, all of the community buildings were going up too. The Church of England for example built about 45 new churches in London in the mid 30s with this one, the John Keble Church being one of them. What is unusual about this place though is the architecture. Whilst a lot of synagogues were designed in a modernist style (perhaps because of the amount of leading Jewish architects that had fled to England from Europe at the time) most churches were built in a more conservative and familiar way. Not so the John Keble, which was designed by D F Martin-Smith in what must have been a very daring style back then. John Keble himself was a 19th Century church reformer so perhaps it’s appropriate that 100 years later a radical new type of church was built in his name?

Although this building was officially opened in 1936 there was a temporary wooden shed on the site for about four years serving the growing new estate’s ecclesiastical needs as the permanent building went up next to it. After four years waiting and with great anticipation, on the cold December night of its consecration, 800 local people packed the building waiting for the Bishop of London to turn up and do his bishopy things to make things official. Unfortunately that night there was a full on London pea souper of a smog covering the area making the Bishop quite late and the large crowd were left waiting wondering if he was going to text his ETA at any point or just leave them hanging. He did eventually turn up and went straight to the church hall next door and casually donned his robes and bishop stuff and then eventually made a grand entrance into the main venue and started the show as if nothing had happened. It is believed by some that the events at the John Keble that night and the Bishop’s very late arrival on stage went on to influence almost every Guns n Roses concert some 50 years later. History is amazing eh?

[theknightofivanhoe]

‘Going Somewhere?’ A Wolfwren Story

“Sabine? Where in the stars are you?” the fair-skinned young woman with her bone-pale hair short and sweeping to her right was calling over the chatter of human and alien guests at the garishly-lit bar. Shin’s smoothly accented voice was barely audible over the thrumming, bopping electronic music sounding quite distorted with the chaos of the laughter and boisterous conversing. Master Ahsoka Tano was waiting for Sabine to attend more training in the ways of the Force, and Shin was shuffling her way past Twi-leks, Rodians, the occasional Klatooinian, in search of that rebellious young Mandalorian. “Where is that - Sabine!” Shin yelled, her brown Jedi robes flapping about while she briskly darted around the bar that was packed with patrons at their drinks. She gave a cursory glance over the sea of heads in the hope of singling out one that looked remotely like the wayward girl who was skipping Ahsoka’s training. The way that music thumped on, along with the flashes of different colours around the place threatened to play havoc with Shin’s keen senses, Force-enhanced or not.

“Going somewhere?” The voice of someone clearly trying to imitate Shin’s accent came up behind the blond and she turned around to find Sabine herself standing in front of her, partygoers drifting past or grooving to the music. Shin couldn’t help but notice the purple-haired Mandalorian was languidly smirking at her and standing in a slightly relaxed and listless pose. Staring back, the blond frowned a little. It was the faintly dreamy, vacant eyes and the mussed collar of the bodysuit Sabine wore under her multicoloured armour that served as telltale sign that she was womp-rat-arsed.*

“Is that meant to be me you’re imitating?” Shin questioned with a raise of her eyebrow as Sabine’s head bobbed lightly to one side. Then she started up again. “You haaave no pow-errr!” she continued to say in that rather poor imitation of Shin’s accent. Shin rolled her eyes amid the chaos of the club around her. “I sound nothing like that, Sabine!” she said in exasperation, but Sabine was already dissolving into a fit of giggles, doubling over as her drunken laughter spilled out like water leaking from a pipe. It could be that Sabine was amused by how she sounded when putting on Shin’s accent. “Oh, come on, that *is* how you sound, Shin!” she insisted, Shin just watching her convulse where she stood. “Ugh! What have you been drinking?” the short-haired blond demanded. Sabine gasped up some much-required air and looked back at Shin with that fairly fatuous smile. “Oh, didn’t have too much…” the Mando woman replied as innocently as her currently inebriated state would let her. “A likely story…” Shin bluntly pointed out, seeing as how Sabine had pretty much surrendered herself to the alcohol. “To be honest…” Sabine hazily continued, unsteadily edging closer to Shin. The distance between both women made Shin flinch only a fraction. There was no denying something about Sabine was making her cheeks slightly warm. And why was she needing to fight down a smirk at the Mandalorian’s rather un-Mando-like behaviour? “I was actually hoping you’d turn up…” Sabine confessed, her smile now morphing into one brimming with a cocktail of sweetness and mischief. “Now, Sabine…” Shin tried to warn her, only for the edges of her mouth to twitch bashfully. Starting to lose her balance, Sabine let herself slump forward. “Sabi - ” Shin wrapped her arms around her body, only to feel Sabine leaning up against her torso! Next she felt Sabine loop her arms around her sides, which sent the blond’s nerves spiking until her ears went hot. “Sabine, pull yourself togeth - Mmmh!” Sabine just rammed her lips against Shin’s, causing Shin to grunt in shock at how her own lips were caught in the Mando’s almost magnetically! Unable to so much as think through the pleasure, Shin stood where she was as her tastebuds caught the sharp tang of drink from Sabine’s mouth.

”Mwah!” Sabine didn’t release Shin from her pretty clumsy embrace, but pulled her lips back to give her a booze-riddled grin. “Sabine, not here…” Shin tried to chide her, but the pinkness glowing through her pale cheeks only betrayed her attempt at composure. The Force was elegantly coursing through both women, through every joint of their bodies right here in the middle of this splashy colourful bar. “Oh, come on, Shin…” Sabine seductively replied, propping herself up against Shin again then resting her head, which she nestled under the crook of the blond’s neck. “You’ll be giving us a bad name…” Shin protested, but there was no denying how much she was enjoying this. “You know what? To blazes with bad names.” Sabine answered, unwilling to lift her head from Shin’s chest, the sound of a rapidly beating heart filling her ears. “But I really think you should get yourself sobered up and let me take you back to Ahsoka.” Shin told her even as she kept her arms around Sabine’s midsection to keep her from collapsing. “She’s waiting to continue our traini- ”

The sudden rhythm of a particularly energetic, bubbly song being played on the club’s speakers reached Sabine’s ears, which caused her to pull away from Shin. “Wait, what - ” Shin uttered as the beat played on, only to find Sabine was jogging past some of the partygoers, up some steps, and joined a few individuals of varying species, Twi’leks included, in the dance floor. Before she could call after the Mando, Sabine started boogying with the others and sang along with the tune.

You should take it as a compliment that I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk…

A speechless Shin just watched Sabine dance and flap her hand open and closed at ‘talk.’

You should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong…

Sabine looked at Shin directly as she sang this and pointed a finger at her, the blond dropping her jaw in bewilderment.

And I got a boyfriend, he’s older than us,

He’s in the club doin’ I-dunno-what.

You’re so cool, it makes me hate you so much.

(I hate you so much…)

It was like seeing Sabine dance and sing on the raised platform with all those other partygoers, wearing a rich variety of clubbing outfits, left Shin entranced. As she sang in time to the lyrics, Sabine would use hand gestures and these dorky facial expressions that only served to awaken in Shin what could be adoration for her. Then Sabine started gyrating her hips quite suggestively.

Whiskey on ice, sunset and vine,

You’ve ruined my life, by not being miiiiine!

*Ding*

You’re so GORGEOUS!

I can’t say anything to your face…

‘Cause look at your face!

As she danced, Sabine would wiggle her bottom in Shin’s general direction, which left her cheeks turning as hot as the surface of Mustafar.

And I’m so FURIOUS!

At you for making me feel this way.

But what can I say? You’re gorgeous!

Sabine topped the chorus with a grin and a quick, teasing wink at Shin. By now Shin’s heart rate was thrumming in her ears. Why did Sabine have to do this to her?

You should take it as a compliment that I’m talking to everyone but you.

(But you…But you…)

As the song started to get all dreamy, Sabine sinuously raised her arms, twirled her hands and wiggled her hips. It was growing hard for Shin to not get absorbed into the pretty Mando girl’s ability to actually dance in flow with the song.

And you should think about the consequence of you touching my hand in a darkened room.

(Dark room…dark room…)

Still singing and spinning herself round, Sabine glanced back at Shin, then raised a hand and flicked her fingers towards herself. Shin’s still thumping heart leapt into her throat when it grew explicitly clear; Sabine was beckoning her into the dance floor! How she just wanted to vanish into the crowd watching the dance and get out of this place right now.

If you’ve got a boyfriend I’m jealous of her,

But if your single it’s actually worse,

‘Cause you’re so gorgeous, it actually hurts.

(Honey it hurts.)

It was clear Sabine wouldn’t take no for an answer, and she advanced on Shin who was at a loss on what to do. Before the blond knew it, Sabine’s hand was curled around hers and she was being pulled up onto the stage where revellers were shimmying and swinging to the music. By now Shin was shaking like a leaf as she found herself beside Sabine, in view of the audience that had formed in the club. It took Sabine’s gentle touch and her adoring, undoubtedly still drunken smile, to keep Shin from wanting to curl up into a ball and die. With their hands interlocked, the Mando still swayed herself about and went on singing.

Ocean blue eyes, looking in mine,

I think that I might sink and drown and diiiiie!

*Ding!*

Then Sabine launched herself into a full-on dance, Shin’s eyes simply welded to her moves, never mind all this going on in public in the city.

You’re so GORGEOUS!

I can’t say anything to your face!

(To your face!)

‘Cause look at your face!

(Look at your face!)

With no other way out, Shin started to move her body about, pretty awkwardly compared to how Sabine simply let her hair down as she danced on, adding some more wiggles of her bum as a little flourish. All this was getting Shin red-hot all over, the other woman’s carefree cheekiness serving to draw her in, no matter how embarrassing her current position.

And I’m so FURIOUS!

At you for making me feel this way…

But what can I say?

You’re GORGEOUS!

As the tune played on, Sabine turned to Shin even as her hips went side to side, Shin trying to keep up with her. “Sabine, I really don’t think we should do this…” Shin reminded her, only for Sabine to flash her a grin that showed her pearly white teeth. “Come on, you love this…” she teased the blond who did her best to move about along with the other partygoers. “Yeah, but…” Shin stumbled with her words as she shook herself about. “We really should be training the ways of the Force with Ahso - ” “Doesn’t this count as training though?” Sabine lightheartedly asked, turning to the people watching her and saluted them with her two fingers raised. “Since when did getting tipsy and dancing at a club count as training?” Shin asked, despite finding herself still making an attempt to dance along. “We’re moving about, aren’t we?” Sabine pointed out, before blowing Shin a kiss and continuing to bop along to the tune. “Look, Sabine, Ahsoka’s not going to be happy abou - ” “Oh, Shin, shut up and party!” Sabine interrupted the blond and threw her arms up, still grinning and shaking her armoured breasts at her quite provocatively.

Make me so happy it turns back to sad,

There’s nothing I hate more than what I can‘t have.

You are so gorgeous, it makes me so mad…

Now Shin couldn’t hold in her giggles, nor resist joining in the groove of the dance. As she sang along and stepped left to right, spinning on hand in the air, Sabine pointed at Shin again at ‘gorgeous it makes me so mad.’ It sent Shin blushing crimson, but how could she not love all this? Dancing with Sabine and absolutely basking in the affection that kept their connection so strong? The Force was flowing through the two women like water through a river.

Make me so happy it turns back to sad,

There’s nothing I hate more than what I can’t have,

Guess I’ll just stumble on home to my cats…

At ‘cats,’ Sabine made a cat paws gesture with both hands. Shin just popped her hands on her head to imitate a cat’s ears. Her grin spreading from ear-to-ear, Sabine ‘clawed’ at Shin that made the other woman smirk with glee, her crystal-blue eyes gleaming at the Mando through the colours flashing around the club.

Alone…unless you wanna come along.

*Ding!*

Sabine broke into a haughty strut and Shin sauntered beside her, both of them gazing into each other’s eyes even as the purple-haired woman raised the note at which she sang.

You’re so GORGEOOOOUS!

I can’t say anything to your face,

- To your face -

‘Cause look at your face!

- Look at your face! -

With a joyful grin, Sabine swayed her hips in a rather sultry way to tease Shin even more.

And I’m so FURIOUS!

At you for making me feel this way!

(Feel this way!)

But what can I say?

You’re GORGEOUS!

At this chorus, Sabine and Shin hopped side-to-side together as the others on the dance floor whirled around them like schools of fish.

Make me so happy it turns back to sad,

There’s nothing I hate more than what I can‘t have.

You are so gorgeous, it makes me so mad!

You’re GORGEOUS!

The two strode along the platform past the aliens and humans they were partying with, the crowd cheering them on excitedly. Both Mando and Force-wielder performed their moves in perfect harmony as their strutting served to dominate the spectacle.

Make me so happy it turns back to sad,

There’s nothing I hate more than what I can’t have.

- What I can’t have! -

You are so gorgeous, it makes me so mad!

Mmm!

You’re GORGEOUS!

The song ended, the audience that had gathered in the bar bursting into raucous applause, yelling, screaming and clapping for every being who had just put on that tremendous performance. Shin and Sabine glanced at the crowd clapping for them, then turned back to one another. Though the whole thing made them a bit shy, their faces going pink, there was no fighting the wonder and delight they felt in one another’s company.

It was Sabine who made her next decision, snatching Shin by the back of her head with both hands and caught her lips in hers! Shin let out a muffled grunt, her eyes going wide at how they were doing this in public. But then, blast the public. Blast the rest of the galaxy. Feeling the Force coursing through both herself and Sabine, Shin kept her mouth wrapped up against those of the gorgeous Mandalorian woman holding onto her. All Sabine did was smother her lips against Shin’s, shutting out every other presence and sound even as the applause went on. That raw, wonderful power surrounding and penetrating Shin and Sabine was binding them together, just as it bound every living being in this galaxy.

For @wolfwrenweek

[sanccharine]

TEASER — mishaps gone right | ty

hogwarts au

pairing: hufflepuff!tzuyu x slytherin!reader genre: fluff, slice of life word count: 0.5k for teaser

warnings: none in the teaser; warnings will be mentioned per chapter and on the masterlist when the series starts

summary: whether on the field or during class, you never shied away from trouble. and in your sixth year, trouble seemed to follow you like a shadow, though you couldn't complain. especially when that series of misfortunes led you to the transfiguration prodigy, chou tzuyu. includes: when series starts—red velvet’s yeri, viviz’s sinb, ateez, dreamcatcher’s gahyeon; idols from 98 line and forward

status: ongoing a/n: inspired by @foolish-sparrow and with encouragement from @kingmaker-a this fic is finally leaving the google docs dungeon. i haven't finished the fic/series and is currently an unedited 30k+ mess :D

masterlist

The Hogwarts Express' deafening whistle greeted you when you stepped onto the platform. Young children—witches—too young to attend Hogwarts dashed past, laughing. Huffing behind them, their parents pushed trolleys with luggage threatening to fall. The commotion was expected. Missing the train was one of your deepest fears and you were pushing it being as late as you were.

In hopes of finding an empty coach, you rushed towards the end of the platform. The first few coaches would be packed with the early birds. Here and there, you could recognise your friends and classmates. The flash of green robes, a glimpse of the newest Nimbus, and a familiar head of bleached blonde hair in the crowd. The thought of seeing your friends made you smile.

Until someone crashed into your back, pushing you straight into your trolley.

“Move along, L/N!” You could single out your best friend’s scream from a raucous crowd, it was as lithe as its owner.

It had been a while since you heard Yeri.

Before you could take your revenge, the young woman was already ahead and left you sputtering in her dust. Yeri shoved her trolley through people and forced them to jump away as she flashed her blinding smile over her shoulder. Shaking your head at her antics, you decided to follow her. When you stopped by Yeri’s trolley, she had already headed into the train, probably trying to find an empty seat. As you pulled up your largest suitcase onto the train, Yeri appeared in front of you.

“I found one, just three down,” she said before jumping down to the platform to get her things. “Go quickly!”

You made your way down the train with your suitcase and shoulder bag. On occasion, you pressed yourself to the wall to let other students pass. Having found the empty coach, you opened the door and haphazardly threw your bag to the cabin above. Mustering all your strength, you lifted your luggage and tipped it in as well. But, it seemed to be too big to fit.

To get a better view of the cabin, you climbed up on the seat with a groan. Impatient as you were, you miscalculated the effect of dragging your shoulder bag out. A terrible decision on your part.

It happened in a matter of seconds.

The corner of your suitcase in front of your eye.

Your feet slipped away from the seat.

Your left hand yanked back by force.

Your shoulder bag spilt your stationery.

You bumped back into someone.

And finally, your suitcase toppled over.

Instinct finally kicking in, you turned on your back and raised a hand over your head. You waited for the deafening thud but it never came. After taking a second to get your bearings, you glanced over your shoulder.

Your suitcase levitated an inch above the ground. A deep sigh escaped from your saviour as your suitcase finally landed on the floor. When you turned, you found a pair of glassy brown eyes staring back at you with concern.

Non-verbal spellcasting. Quick thinking. The colour yellow in your peripheral.

Chou Tzuyu.

tagging: @someone-who-likes-broccoli

[luckytealover]

This drawing in particular is extremely lovely. The character design is eye pleasing and unique to me and the hat. I want her hat haha. But yes i do wish to know how you you made such a wonderful character design? Any tips?

Wow, thanks for your opinion!

I like her hat too :D (Witch hats are cool!)

In general, this is a long story, but if we talk about it briefly...

Pumpkin is a comical fan character for one fandom. I just had an initial limited set:

- Three main colors orange, red and brown (I also added black for contrast)

- Associations with the Ace of Diamonds and Pumpkins

- A couple of initial traits like eccentricity, playfulness and a passion for drinking

I'm not particularly good at giving advice, but try making a limited pack of associations with the character. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just a couple of things that you think will fit together. Then you just mix it up and carefully develop what you get over time. How did they say? Everything ingenious is simple?

My Pumpkin generally walks around in a robe and pajama pants, so don’t worry, you’ll definitely be fine :D

Oh and of course she'll let you wear her hat

[tryslora]

recent publications & stuff

So, it's been a big few weeks around here, and I haven't said a word... but... here's an update!

My original erotica short story Warm Anything You Want was published by Duck Prints Press in July. This story was originally published to the DPP Patreon, but is now available for general purchase. This story takes place within the Seven Lakes 'verse, and the three characters are part of the werewolf pack in that world.

In other publication news, the anthology Game On! (edited by Stephen Kotowych and Tony Pi) from Zombies Need Brains was officially released in July, with my story "Worldplay" as one of the stories selected for inclusion. This is big--it's a SFWA qualifying market. I'm very excited to be a part of the anthology, and it's been fun reading the other stories in it (I'm about halfway through so far). You can purchase directly from the ZNB store or find it on your favorite book site (search for the title + editor name).

And the final bit of news: my story "Annie" is one of the ones selected for the Rise anthology from Queer Sci Fi for their annual flash fic contest. Every year they host a contest for flash genre fiction with queer content, inspired by a single word. The stories that will be included in the anthology were announced today. The specific stories out of those that received honorable mention, judges choice, or are winners have yet to be announced. The anthology will be released in October.

Some teasers for both "Warm Anything You Want" and "Worldplay" are behind the cut! No teaser for "Annie" because it's too short for that. :D

"Warm Anything You Want"

Win kisses Crys’s head, then moves to do as directed, lining mugs up along the counter. “I need to remember to thank our boy for taking care of the snow.” “He always takes care of the snow.” Crys flips four pancakes from the skillet and pours four more. “I cook. He handles things outside the house. You sleep.” Win puts a hand on his furred chest where his robe gaps open. “I do more than sleep.” “You distract us.” “I take care of you.”

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

"Worldplay"

My gaze narrows. “You have to be a member of the convention to be—” He pulls aside his flannel shirt to show his badge: Luke, he/him. “That good enough for you…?” His voice hangs on the question as he leans in, attention on my chest where my lanyard hangs. “Devon?” He snickers. “I like it.” Kal knocks the cards against the table with a sharp rap of his dark umber knuckles, straightening each deck before he sets them in position. He gives me a look across the table, brown eyes flatly unimpressed. He knows enough of my history that Luke’s words probably have him curious.  Me, I’m wary. If we have met, and it’s been a while, that’s for a reason. I haven’t exactly gone out of my way to find my own kind.

[webslingingslasher]

foaming at the mouth FOAMINGGGGGWHZISNCOWBCIWBDOEBDOWNCJSWBUXIWNCODUE (im very excited for ur upcoming work ❤️)

:D here’s another one!

this is from ned’s little sister and peter 🤠

———

You brushed down the sides of your robe and stepped into the closet, then sighed and kicked a shirt on the ground. This was your karma for making fun of Ned, at least he had the comfort of a relationship, you knew this was a hookup but only once, you wanted to impress but not seem desperate.

You wanted causal but sensual, sure you have him but you want him to want you too.

“I fucking suck at this,” you mumbled the words to yourself before tugging open your lingerie drawer, you chose your most complimenting and sexy pieces.

Should you pack pajamas? He said prepare to stay the night but it wouldn’t be hot to go from naked to pajama pants. What should you wear over? Something revealing or comfortable? What would he be wearing? Are you sleeping in his bed? Is this the first time you’ve seen his bed? This is the first time you’ve seen his bed.

You breathe in deep, you won’t freak out over this. You won’t be that cliche.

You approach it from a different way, you pull the pieces you like the most, the ones that you feel confident in. In five minutes you’re packed and dressed, you zip your bag close with a satisfied smile.

peter (neds friend)

‘Be here at 7. Let me know when you’re downstairs, I’ll come let you in.’

You bit your lip, ‘yes, sir.’

‘And delete everything I send you.’

————

[fourseasonsfigs]

Sunglasses Husbands

With the Word of Honor Concert being one of my favorite things, of course any fig celebrating it would be an instant buy!

These figs capture of course the delightful hairpins-and-nails game the two were playing on the first day of the concert. We have Gong Jun in his sunglasses:

And Zhehan scratching out a beat as a DJ in his:

I remember when I was watching this live, and I was laughing so hard the whole time. This game was so fun! The teams themselves are hilarious. All the fans of course loved this game, and we are fortunate enough in this fandom to have wonderfully talented people in it!

The person that designed the art for this figs is a wonderfully talented artist. She originally designed them for her own use, and 3-D printed them.

She posted the handmade results to Weibo, and as expected, the crowd went wild! I certainly went wild myself - I had to have them. After a ton of urging from fans, the artist eventually partnered up with a fig maker, and these went into production!

The partner group sold them either white resin as a DIY paint project, or pre-painted. I have marginal painting skills and also no paints, and the nervousness it would cause me to do it myself isn't worth thinking of, so of course I bought them pre-painted.

These two delights powered through production and shipped quickly, and soon they were at my doorstep. I realized when I unpacked them that somehow in all the merch fog of war at the warehouse, I had somehow neglected to air wrap them. I normally air wrap all my resin figures like so:

It increases the volumetric size and therefore international shipping costs, but my rationale is that if I spend all this time and money and effort buying them and shipping them from China, better I spend a few bucks more than have broken figs.

Which....is exactly what I got.

You'll notice these two came in styrofoam boxes instead of the typical carved polystyrene case, so that may also have attributed to the terrible outcome (she says, lamely trying to justify her mistake in not having them well packaged).

Which was this! A decapitated Gong Jun! Horrors. The stuff of figthusiast nightmares.

When I unpacked the figs I realized why - these are immensely heavy. They are, without doubt, the heaviest figs I have. Junjun's fig must have been at the wrong angle, and the downward force just was too much for that thin neck. Frankly, I'm surprised Zhehan made it unharmed.

The force of the breakage also made the break a little less clean than I would have liked, but that's on me for not packing them well. So I pulled out my glue and gently fixed his precious head to his precious neck.

And ta-da! A little banged up and worse for wear, but it could have been a lot worse.

Fans were pretty unhappy online about the strong yellow undertones of these figs, saying they looked jaundiced. Mine are actually on the lighter side of some examples I've seen, but they are indeed the yellowest-skewing figs I have. The original sample the seller made has a beautiful diffuse golden warmth to it that didn't quite come through with the painting in the mass-produced version. I don't mind it myself, but there's enough of a difference from the original that I can see why some folks might be unhappy.

The main problem with these figs is that the manufacturer quality in general isn't super high. The design is delightful, but there's more small flaws than you typically see.

They are so cute! They have so much personality and attitude, even though you can't see most of their faces! I love them.

The ears don't quite seem molded on all the way, and the there's a fair bit of discoloration on the tops of the hair. There's a little splotching and holes and little nicks in the paint all over. However, you can see from this angle just how wonderful the hair actually is - tons of movement! The pose and robes also look fantastic.

Another great view of the hair. I appreciate how they got the ink black of A-Xu's wig in there and Lao Wen's slightly lighter tone. The tails are super cute too.

Nice job on Lao Wen's hairpin too (I subsequently broke it off later, which is the first self-inflicted fig injury I've done, aaarrgghhhh but that's another round of patient gluing and a story for another day). These figs are SO CUTE and I love them so much! I just wish the execution had been a tiny bit cleaner.

I would say you could see from the mass of hair why these are such heavy figs, but in reality the body is insanely heavy too. It's like half resin and half compressed gravity just given how solid these things are.

The ears and tails are cute from this angle too. Poor pink costume on Junjun, you can really see where it broke and I mended it.

Gosh the hairpin looked nice before some clumsy person broke it!

One solid mass of resin! Worryingly enough, Zhehan's figure is not ultra well balanced, so he's a bit wobbly standing up. It doesn't seem super possible looking at these bottoms, but somehow the one I got is like that.

The last thing I want is any more damage to happen to these two cuties! I put them right on fig stands, and as you can see they are so big they almost cover them completely!

An optional additional magnet purchase was available of some spectacularly cute art. I adore it!

Despite the quality issues with the particular manufacturer / factory, which honestly are fairly minor anyway, the figs remain wonderful, and I'm so pleased and happy to have gotten to get them at all. I give many kudos to the artist for, first, being so talented, and second, for going out on a limb and bravely getting into the merch business, which has got to be a ton of work and hassle, even through another party (maybe especially through another party!).

I was worried that the artist might be a bit discouraged from this initial foray, just given a few customer complaints, but she is not at all phased! In fact, she's boldly gone on ahead with all kinds of artwork and other merch and even more figs to come. I'm so happy - all her art is gorgeous (as you can tell from the magnet above).

Since there was no box or box cards, I'll just leave you with a final screen shot of one of the hilarious moments of pandemonium from this game:

Material: Resin (and like the compressed weight of the Earth's core, what the heck)

Fig Count: 233

Scene Count: 18

Rating: DJ, drop the beat!

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]