#spike layouts

[kurapipin]

言葉よりもっと強RESONANCEい響きが今聞こえるか

[delulukittyy]

cigarettes and daydreams

[skullislandproductions]

Baby Wile E. “meets” the Road Runner as a Jack-in-the-Box surprise, in this layout drawing from the short “Little Go Beep.”

[serexvu]

spike spiegel from cowboy bebop

[icarianarts]

I think people just need to sit back and let designers and design history nerds name specific periods of design "aesthetic" because people are just pulling out random surface level buzzwords that never exactly apply to what vibe they are trying to encapsulate

[eyessfullofstarss]

emilia clarke as sally in spike island icons

[acmeoop]

Production Art “Little Go Beep” (2000)

[p3achfilm]

since you want requests!!! Connie’s a fucking hoe, always cheating/ got bitches in his phone. But when y/n do something she gets fucked UPP😩

figures. connie s. 2k.

cw𐙚 cheating, fingering, choking, dirty-talk, squirting, multiple orgasms . . . connie springer is a fucking asshole and you’re stupid. minors shoo!

everyone referred to connie springer as the college campus ‘playboy’. even connie welcomed this label openly and confidently. he wrapped before he tapped, and that was all that mattered. he wasn’t ashamed that he liked to mess around, no harm no foul in his eyes.

the college buzzed with gossip when he’d revealed he had a girlfriend.people thought you were an airhead for dating someone of his status,little did you realize they’d been right.

you’d transferred colleges mid-semester because you found your original one lacked basic principles and adequacy. not to mention the professors seemed to resent their jobs and took it out on the students.

on your first day at the new college, you were completely lost. the campus was enormous, easily twice the size of your old one, with room to spare. despite receiving a layout of the school, you continued to get confused and turned around. your frustration had grew as your social anxiety spiked.

a man came up to help you, surprising you. you couldn’t deny how cute he was—with his athletic build, short sandy buzzcut, pretty smile, and the most enchanting eyes you'd ever seen. they were hazel, a mixture of green and brown speckled with gold.

“you seem a little lost,you must be new?” connie questioned, a warm smile on his face. he’d stood so close that his cologne had been practically smothering.

you’d laughed softly,shifting your book-bag on your shoulder.

“that obvious,huh?"

connie had nudged you playfully with an inked arm and quipped, "just don't see pretty girls like you around here often.”

you had felt your face burn at the compliment, looking down sheepishly at your white-painted toes.

“i’m connie by the way”

you smiled,”y/n”

you wish you could rewind time to this exact moment and warn yourself to run away from connie springer as fast as you can. he had a way of making you feel important, but underneath it all, he was nothing more than a sex addict narcissist.

he’d decided to take the opportunity to talk to you when he saw you standing there with a quizzical look on your face. up close, you were even more beautiful with your curls that smelled like coconut swaying in the wind, smooth skin, two-tone plump lips lined in brown covered by a glossy top coat, soft eyelashes that shaped your eyes beautifully.

connie never intended to date you, but the more he spent time with you, the more his feelings grew. maybe it was the way your nose scrunched when you focused or your laugh that always made him smile. or perhaps it was your radiant smile that could light up a whole room.

after six months of talking and meeting almost daily, connie asked you to be his girlfriend. you said yes without hesitation, which later became your greatest regret.

the first time you realized connie was cheating on you, you’d slapped him right across his stupid fucking face with your ring, leaving blood dripping down his cheek.

“you think you’re slick? unlock the phone cause settings isn’t texting you at three am!” you seethed,you were in your bonnet and robe. you’d been laid up with connie in your dorm when his phone kept vibrating,and to your surprise he had the contact saved under ‘settings’.

the fiery look in your eyes terrified connie who had never been hit by a woman. he unlocked the phone and sat on the bed, simultaneously pulling his shirt over his toned frame.

you laughed and warned, “yeah, you better put your clothes on because you're about to get your dumb ass out of here.”

you looked through his phone and discovered his conversations with numerous girls that he had been hiding from you. he assured you that he hadn’t met with any of them, but you found it hard to trust his words. the sting of betrayal hit you deeply, and you cried into your pillow all night.

the initial three days following the breakup were extremely hard, and crying every ten minutes made it impossible for you to go to classes. missing connie amplified your agony.

connie, naturally, felt awful about hurting you. he tried to find you during his breaks between classes but kept missing you, assuming you were avoiding him. every glance at his scar in the mirror reminded him of his mistake.

you had already eaten half a box of snickers ice cream when your phone pinged.

it was connie.

you blocked his number, but he continued to text you from burner numbers, pestering you until you unblocked him. you foolishly chose to talk to him in his car and found yourself wedged between the headrest and the backseat while connie had rough sex with you.whispering sweet nothings and apologizing. with cunning precision, he prodded into your g-spot with that devil of his while asking you to take him back.

lost in the moment, you nodded your approval with a whiny ‘okay’

despite everything, connie continued to cheat consistently. whenever you saw incriminating messages on his phone or caught him flirting, you'd leave him. he’d then flood your phone with calls until you agreed to meet him, where he would persuade you to take him back.

it was an endless cycle that you couldn't escape. even though you wanted to leave connie and never look back, your love for him remained strong, and he knew it. your friends called you a fool, and they were right—you felt incredibly foolish staying with a man who had proven unfaithful time and time again.

one night during a girls' get-together, sasha, one of your best friends, said, 'treat him the way he treats you. seriously, men cannot handle a taste of their own medicine!” she threw you a knowing look while munching on a handful of Skittles.

“connie’s ego is so damn big y/n.how do you tolerate him? it’s almost suffocating," annie,your other friend budged in.

“yeah,tell me about it,” you responded with a scoff.

three weeks have passed since your last conversation with connie, and you find yourself lying in bed reflecting on sasha's words from the sleepover.

you never imagined conjuring up plans to cheat on your partner, never envisioned dropping to connie's level. an idea suddenly struck you—to send connie a text 'accidentally' inviting another boy over.

you wanna come over eren? me and connie are fighting right now, i could use some dick

eren jaeger was a boy from your english classes, you two had went on a date.you really liked him but you were still in love with connie, so not wanting to lead him on you broke things off after a month.

eren had grew furious as he struggled to comprehend why you kept allowing yourself to get hurt. you two had gotten into an heated argument and you’d stormed out of his car, never to talk to him again.

you pushed eren from your mind. it felt incredible to come at connie like this as you typed out your message. you were pretty sure he was balls deep in some other girl, so you didn’t expect your phone to buzz right away after sending it.

you couldn't deny that it was exciting to provoke connie like that, it felt good giving him a taste of his own medicine. to your surprise, twenty minutes later, he was standing outside, hammering on the door.

you considered opening it as your anxiety grew as you feared he might yank it off its hinges. his constant calls aggravated you and all this while he stood on the other side of the door.

you’d forgotten to turn your ringer off and he could hear the default iphone ringtones as he spammed your phone.

“y/n open this door. i know you're in there,you’re being mad childish.” connie yelled,irritation evident in his tone.

you could barely believe his nerve for calling you childish, which made you scoff aloud.anger now pulsing through you, you yanked open the door ready to retaliate in words but were silenced when his lips collided forcefully with yours.

his kiss was so intense it left your lips feeling immediately tender; unable to control yourself, a whimpered sound left through your lips. his hand wrapped around your throat, other closing the door shut.

with connie's tight grip on you, one hand tangled in your hair and the other wrapped around your neck, you two walked backwards to your bed.

he had a look in his eyes you'd never seen before, and you felt a hungry tingling sensation in your clit for him.

you realized in that moment you were just as toxic as connie. here he was was choking you up, making you wet; his hands spreading your legs and moving your panties aside.

as he slid a finger into your wetness, you let out a pathetic moan.

"are you planning to sleep with jaeger behind my back?" he whispered sinisterly, and you stayed silent. you weren’t about to reveal that it was just a ruse, because his cheating ass deserved to feel exactly what you felt. because he’d make you feel like that for half a year.

“oh now you ain’t got nun to say? watch how i fuck this confession outta you.” connie muttered,his hands cupping your thighs and placing you on the bed.

connie fucked you relentlessly that night, pounding into you with unbelievable speed. you couldn't keep track of how many times you climaxed and squirted, and despite your soreness, connie kept going without concern.

he choked, spanked, and demanded you to take all of him.

all you could was lay there and take it, he’d fucked your mouth,your ass, and now he was back in your quivering pussy.your voice was hoarse from moaning all night and all you could do was whimper and whine as he stroked your pussy.

you couldn't stand the way connie knew your body so well; with one touch, you would become immediately wet. he was aware of every position that made you orgasm fast,aware that if he licked your nipples you’d squirt, and even though you weren’t keen on anal, he made it enjoyable for you.

"whose pussy is this?" connie panted as he drove into you, his thumb tucked in your tight asshole.

"y-yours, connie," you moaned out in joy, tears streaming down your face as the sound of slaps filled the room. your eyes shut tightly, biting back a cry as connie employed a deep thrust.

"am i the only one who can fuck you like this?" he asked, scalp stinging as he forced your head back by your hair.

"yes,” you whimpered.

“good, don’t forget that mamas.”

y/n girllll…you weak in the knees.STAND UP.

masterlist 🎀

@ CINNN4MON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.DO NOT STEAL OR MODIFY. MWAH, BYE

[hhmnya]

7:13PMㅤ★ㅤ lee heeseung x femreader

you hate scary movies, loathe them even. hyeju, on the other hand, was obssessed them. so obsessed that she practically dragged you out of the comfort of your shared apartment to the movie theatre because they were going to be having a 'horror movie night'.

why she was so obsessed and why anyone would willingly go to an event like that? you have zero clue.

you couldn't see at all what made horror movies so great that they’re the only genre currently being massed produced within the entertainment realm. surely it wasn’t because the gross amount of gore, the heartstopping jumpscares, or insane— unrealistic storylines.

maybe they just found the actors attractive.

that’s what you chose to focus on, at least. the protaganist is a fairly decent looking guy, almost enough to distract you from the creepy ambience that was making you feel like you were about to throw up from anxiety.

keyword: almost, because as soon as the music spikes and something pops up on screen— you don’t look long enough to see, your eyes immediately squeezing shut— your hand shoots out to grab onto something.

you inhale deeply, trying to steady your breath, hand gripping onto hyeju's. as your heart rate returns to it's normal rate, you loosen your hold on . . . hyeju’s hand?

um . . . no.

what you’re holding does not feel hyeju’s hand whatsoever. hers is much smaller and definitely not as rough as whoever's hand that you’re currently holding is.

you open your eyes and glance to your right, where hyeju is definitely not sitting. instead a guy is there— a very attractive guy, at that— looking down at your hand in his.

eyes widening, you quickly pull away and let out a mumbled apology.

you can't help but internally groan and sink down in your seat, imagining yourself falling into a hole six feet deep. you can’t believe you just embarrassed yourself in front of someone who looked like they could be an idol. first you’re forced to watch an awful movie and now this?

you are not having a good day and you swear it’s going to get worse when you hear him let out a quiet laugh.

he’s for sure laughing at you and he’s going to make fun of you with his friends after the movie is over and you are never ever going to be able to step outside again. at least some good will come out of this— hyeju will never be able to force you out to another event like this one.

except it doesn’t get worse.

instead, he leans closer, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers, “if you want you can hold my hand again whenever you get scared. i don’t mind,”

you blink, opening and closing your mouth as you try to think of a reply. however, before you can think of something that’s not along the lines of ‘let’s get married’ (you're a weak woman, what can you say?), something else jumps out onto the screen, surprising you for the second time.

unconsciously, you take him up on his offer, your hand finding his once more. to which he responds by lacing your fingers together, giving your hand a gentle squeeze.

"my name's heeseung, by the way," you can feel his smile as he whispers, "figured you should know my name if you wanna keep holding hands,"

sinking down even further into your seat, you feel your face heating up to a degree that could probably rival the sun's.

note. hi i found this in my drafts and since i have rlly bad writers block here u go!!!! srry for the lazy layout LOL im planning on remaking my current one but i cant be bothered to rn oops

[rainyatrium]

MOTH AND LOPER!! YEAH!!! ft. @heavenhearst under the goggles... The mindspike articulates and is motorized... it gave up the goat literally as soon as the cosplay contest ended, lol Did not get to finish the lenticular film glasses in time, but such is life!!!! We got 4th place honorable mention in the group costume contest so i am pretty happy :) further thoughts and WAY more images below!

loper thoughts we know from the game that Loper is in some kind of hazard gear, so i gave them the jumpsuit (in the tradition of ellen ripley, real astronauts, and ghostbusters) as opposed to a labcoat or anything like that. we took in the waist to make it fit better. i think with the mindspike on, it made the resemblance even stronger.... these ghostbusters did not quite get why i was so amused at taking a photo with them, but i think this is a pretty good image nonetheless.

observin' makes me feel good! and speaking of the mindspike: this is my first time working on anything to this level-- I am not a robotics person! hell of a learning experience & i already have plans for version 2. mindsci i am not but i think i did pretty ok... the spike has two controllers: a modified slotcar controller & a separate knob that sits in one of the pockets (controls left/right axis). the other knob is pretty discreet and allows for puppeting the spike without a bright yellow Device in my hands. the RCA jacks on the back hooked up to Moth's laptop, so for photos it looks like they are hooked up to the spike and taking readings.

the claw was made nearly 1:1 to the game model to save on time and weight. con crunch wahoo! some extras: i put together fake 'e-paper' displays for our ids. if you have seen my prior posts, these will look familiar! i had a blast designing a seal for the FBX and a layout for these ids. i wanted to give them a better finish (hide the obvious 3d printing), but.. time crunch.. oops... the Moth id also has a little incandescent bulb in it, though I have no photos of it active. for my gloves, i intended to use gloves for high-voltage electrical work, but i was allergic to the latex, so i grabbed some dishwashing gloves off amazon and glued the label to them, hehe.

shoutout to the tf2 medic who was wearing the same pair of gloves! moth thoughts for moth, we had the benefit of the wonderful official cosplay by Shaman-- which you can see all over corru.store! (thank you shaman for the pointers!!!) Heaven thought it would be fun to take him in a more "I'M IN!" direction, so our Moth has painted nails and fingerless gloves and a great big coat over his button-down and slacks. complimented with some pins from hot topic and i think he assembled a pretty comprehensive vibe! i made the goggles out of some blue LEDs, rice paper, and a pair of costume goggles off Amazon. they are entirely opaque. moth is just such a gamer he knows exactly where everything is anyway.

you can also see the FBX patch that is present on both our Loper and Moth!

everything else wtf you read this far? cool! i don't really have anything else to add... but maybe you will see Loper at Supercon Miami in 2025.... only time will tell.....

[cotc-terminal]

Clash of the Cubes - Challenge TWO

“Welcome back to the Clash of the Cubes! Hopefully everyone’s over the shock. But now, I’m gonna give the next challenge!”

“…”

“…”

“…..”

Someone asks where the challenge is.

“…Aaaaany second now…. and bam.”

Everyone who shook Pulse’s hand, shocked or not, suddenly loses consciousness. As for Cube Leangel….

.

.

.

.

Everyone wakes up in separate cave-like rooms, suspended in a cage.

A TV inside the cage turns on.

“Surprise!!! My hand was also laced in a substance that makes anyone who touches it faint in 3 days.”

“Anyways, you’re currently in a cage in a cave suspended above spikes. The cage’s bottom will detach in approximately 1 minute when this recording’s gone.”

“Your challenge is to either get out the cage in time, or call for help loud enough so that that guy over there will come over to help. Dunno how, but that thing will.”

Your gaze pans to a spiky-headed blue flower dressed in military clothing. It seems to be asleep.

“Okay, so…. Your challenge starts… now.”

The tape recording ends.

// OOC, IMPORTANT:

The room’s look is similar to the overworld in the lost cavern, but there’s an image provided for the layout

Also, ima provide a ref of the flower (whose name is null)

btw if you wanna, you can make more nulls appear when you decide to call out for it since there’s canonically a lot of em

oh yeah null doesnt wake up if anything below 80 decibels doesnt enter his ears (directly btw)

@lumhere @shaidai @orchuris @itzhosya @missmaydae @alionanight @dragongirl2k6 @acn97414 @mahoganystudios830 @pricklythepearcat @blockheadblog @nacora-najita

[lanawinterscigarettes]

hi!! i absolutely love the layout of your account <33 i was wondering if i could request a joe goldberg x fem! reader where you’re as obsessed with him as he is with you and you manage to get him into a situation similar to the ending of season 3? like you drug him. but he REALLY doesn’t expect it. so you’re planning on keeping him for yourself and he’s trying to figure out a way to escape?? you can decide the ending <3

aw, thank you so much! you're the very first person to request something for joe, which makes me unbelievably happy <33

All Tied Up (Joe Goldberg x fem reader)

Warnings: the reader is obsessed with Joe to an unhealthy degree, swearing, restraints via rope, drugging, kidnapping, mentions of murder, brief mention of Joe being a bit of a pervert, drinking (wine), manipulation/blackmail, kissing that could technically be seen as dubcon since Joe's drugged/tied up when it happens

Shit, this wasn't supposed to happen- that's where his mind immediately went when he woke to find his arms and legs restrained to a chair with some rope, his vision blurry. You'd drugged him. Great.

When Joe met you, it was like a dream come true. You were so much better than Candace, or Beck, or any other girl he'd ever been with before in the past. You were perfect. Or so he thought.

He really should've known it was too good to be true. After all, he'd been down this road before so many times, always expecting a different outcome, but there never was. Excuse him for being optimistic.

The problem was that you weren't a bright-eyed, innocent good girl like Beck. Not like he'd thought. Instead, you were obsessive, almost like a leech with the way you latched onto him so quickly.

At first, he was flattered. He liked not having to be the one to iniate everything. He liked being taken care of the way he took care of you. And he like all the time you spent together.

What he didn't like, however, was your obsessive nature that rivaled his, and even Love's. In fact, she paled in comparison to you.

He really should've learned after what happened with her. If something seems too good to be true, it's most likely because it is. But alas, he did not, which is why he now found himself to be tied up in your kitchen.

Why did he have to go and mess everything up by confronting you with the bloody shirt he found at the very bottom of your laundry hamper? He could've just put it back and you would've been none the wiser, then none of this would've happened. (Of course, if he wasn't poking around your dirty clothes like a creep in the first place he wouldn't have known about it at all, but it was a little too late for that.)

You insisted the murder was only a one time thing, that the girl you killed had gotten too close to him and he hadn't realized it. For one thing, he didn't believe you in the slightest, and for another, he was offended by the implication that he was unaware of other people's actions.

He obviously knew that she liked him, he just didn't think it was that big of a deal. Not big enough to address, certainly not big enough for her to be killed over.

Apparently, you disagreed, which naturally led to a huge fight. God, it was like Love all over again. Except you did something she'd never done, which was apologize. That certainly threw him for a loop, one that was big enough for him to let his guard down.

You even offered to cook dinner to make up for it. No problem, right? Just the two of you, spending some quality time together. If only he'd known you were going to spike his glass of wine, and maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to agree.

It was partially his own fault, he could admit that. He should've been more suspicious with how easily everything seemed to get cleared up and how quickly it took for you to calm back down.

But that would've been making comparisons with you to his past girlfriends, and he didn't want to do that. He didn't want to compare you to Beck. He didn't want to compare you to Love. It felt like an insult to your relationship for him to do so.

God, why did it always have to be the perfect ones who ended up being crazy?

The sound of your footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up the best he could, his gaze foggy from whatever it was that you put in his wine.

"Oh, Joe," you sighed as you knelt down on the floor in front of him. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to have to hurt you."

Then untie me, you psycho bitch, was what he so desperately wanted to scream at you, but the alcohol combined with the drugs in his system made his mouth dry and tongue heavy, and because of that it was difficult for him to speak.

"You always look so pretty, especially when you pout." If he could, he would've moved away from your hand when you reached out to touch his face, but there seemed to be a disconnect between his brain and his body, causing him to stay still.

"I have to go check something really quick, okay? I want you to behave while I'm gone." He watched as you stood, gently running your fingers through his hair before leaving him alone again.

He had to get out of there. He couldn't be stuck with you the same way he almost got stuck with Love. He needed some sort of plan to escape.

Unfortunately, whatever the hell you used on him to keep him immobilized was doing a pretty damn good job of it. Even without the ropes keeping him tied up, there was no way he'd be able to get together the strength to move.

Maybe if he closed his eyes for just a second, he'd snap out of whatever sort of haze he was in and wake up to find out that this was all just a bad dream. You weren't crazy, you hadn't murdered anyone, you were just a sweet, normal girl who he happened to be in love with.

He must've fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew he was being jolted awake by the feeling of his body being moved around without his control, which was followed by a sharp jab to the back of his head.

Blinking a few times, he opened his eyes, realizing he was no longer in the kitchen and was instead in the basement to your house, laying on the floor as his head throbbed. You must've accidentally dropped him at one point when transporting him from one place to another, which certainly explained the welt he had forming, not to mention the headache.

He looked around, still a little groggy from a mixture of sleep and whatever you spiked him with. You weren't there from what he could see, and the rope you'd use to tie him up with was loose. Maybe this was the opportunity he so desperately needed to escape.

It took several tries, but finally he was able to untie himself. After a minute or so of trying to get over the light-headedness he felt, he got up and slowly started to make his way over to the steps that led back upstairs.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Your voice suddenly cut through the air, causing him to freeze in place. Looking up, he saw you standing at the top of the steps with your hands placed on your hips, watching him with a stern expression. He was screwed.

Unfortunately for him (and luckily for you) he was still feeling a little disoriented and dizzy, so it wasn't very hard for you to get him tied back up again. "I knew I should've used a better knot," you muttered to yourself, ignoring his fruitless attempts of squirming free. "Stop that. I gave you some more of the stuff I put into your wine while you were asleep, so I wouldn't waste your energy."

"Now-" You began as you stood back up again, staring down at where he sat on the floor. "-I want you to know that I really didn't want to have to do this. Nor did I want to have to do this, either."

He could only watch as you took out your phone and pulled up a collection of evidence- all of the evidence that directly linked him back to his string of several murders, including that of his wife, Love. Joe was speechless. How did you manage to get all of this stuff?

"Where I found this isn't important," you said casually, as if you could tell what he was thinking. "What is important is you knowing that the account where all of this information is kept needs to be logged onto at least once a day, or else it'll automatically send to the nearby police department, and the local news, and whoever else could make good use of it. And you don't have the password, so you can't just murder me and delete it all yourself."

Safe to say, he was in disbelief, too stunned to say anything. His past girlfriends may have provided some difficulty in getting rid of, but they were nothing like this. And now he was really screwed.

You looked smug, clearly proud of yourself for being able to outsmart him. "Now, I'm going to give you a choice. You can either leave or kill me, both of which will result in the information I know about what really happened to your past girlfriends and belated wife to be released. Or, you can stay, and no one will have to know but us. Choose wisely."

It was then he realized what he had to do meant he was never going to be able to be truly free. He was going to be stuck there with you, forever. Was prison really that bad that this was the choice he had to make?

Swallowing thickly, he opened his mouth to speak, uttering out one little sentence that was only two words. "I'll stay."

He could tell from the giddy look in your eyes that you were excited by his answer. "Good choice." You knelt down on the floor next to him, wrapping your arms around his neck as you leaned in to give him a brief kiss. "Oh, baby, we're going to be so happy together."

His past caught up with him in a way that he never thought was possible, and now he was stuck in a trap of his own making. At this point, he truly did only have himself to blame.

End notes: idk if the bit with the evidence makes a lot of sense but I just thought it was a fun idea so 🤷 some artistic liberties may have been taken but that's okay

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[skullislandproductions]

Wile E. Coyote from the “Mad Max” sequence of “Space Jam 2.” This is one of the layout drawings I did before the scene was issued into animation. This was done to help guide the animators, as well as to help visualize the scene for the edit, for preview audiences.

[callmeagardengnome]

𓆩 bless me 𓆪 - chapter 5

w.c - 3.9k

pairings - demon!ateez ot8 x demon! fem! reader

genre - demon au, hint of royal au, possible yandere themes (?), romance, slow burn

synopsis: as hell's receptionist, you only wished to talk shit and stay out of trouble. yet, you happened to be the one that the two social clans in hell start fighting for.

cw: foul and intense language. other than that it should be fine :)

not proofread!

previous / next

masterlist

“Wake up, Walker.” Seonghwa snarled, bringing you back to reality.

You blinked repeatedly, realising that you fell asleep in the meeting room. You had gotten there earlier than you’d like which led you to take a short nap.

Hongjoong sat at the head of the table with Seonghwa next to him, looking at you in disgust. Mingi sat across you, leaning back in his chair casually while Yunho sat with a serious demeanour, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

“Sorry about that,” you muttered, slightly embarrassed. “It won’t happen again.”

Hongjoong cleared his throat, drawing the attention to himself. “Now that everyone is awake, let’s start. We need to finalize our plans for the Hala extermination.”

You felt a chill go down your spine at the term ‘extermination’. You struggled to keep a neutral face as you thought about the potential destruction.

Yunho leaned forward, his voice calm but authoritative. “I’ve reviewed the records that Ms ‘____’ gave me and drafted out a map with all the Hala’s houses marked out.”

“Good,” Hongjoong smirked. “We need to ensure every detail is accounted for. The operation must be flawless.”

“That means that any deviation from the plan would not be tolerated,” Seonghwa said, his intense gaze locked on you. “Make sure to stay in your lane, Walker.”

You rolled your eyes. “Understood.”

Yunho glanced at you, smiling. “You’ve done well so far. Now, everything has to go smoothly.”

“We will set off the explosives in three days,” Hongjoong announced. “But we need to ensure that the demons planting them are discreet.”

Your pulse raced as you listened. “How do you plan on doing that?”

Seonghwa’s eyes narrowed. “We have our methods. All you have to do is remain silent.” You snorted, the feeling of annoyance evident on your face.

“We will deal with any complications if they arise,” Hongjoong sighed. “Our priority is the execution of this plan.”

Mingi nodded, his face troubled. “I’ll make sure the troops are prepared.”

You felt your anxiety spike. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

“Just cooperation.” Seonghwa studied you. “We wouldn’t want any… unexpected issues.”

You met his gaze. “Of course, I want the plan to be a success.”

The room fell into a heavy silence, each demon lost in their own thoughts about the plan. You could feel your lies pressing down on you, reminding you of what was at stake.

“Very well,” Hongjoong broke the silence. “Let’s proceed with our preparations. We cannot afford any mistakes.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖⊹₊ִ ࣪𖤐๋࣭ ⭑⊹₊ 𖥔.

As you walked back to your room, your mind started to race with what had been discussed earlier. You needed to tell the Halas that the explosion would be soon- but how?

You noticed a pile of boxes outside of your room, labeled: ‘RECEPTIONIST’ in a bright red. You sighed deeply, you forgot that you still haven’t unpacked your things yet.

Entering your room, you started to unpack your items. You carefully placed your clothes into the large wardrobe and decorated the room with fake plants that you had.

By the time you were done, the sun was setting, casting a warm glow in the room. You sat on the edge of your bed, feeling worried. While the Halas knew that there were explosives, they didn’t know when it would set off. You had to find a way to talk to them.

You stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. You figured that it would be good to familiarise yourself with the Palace. After all, memorising the layout of the Palace could be useful in the future. You also felt like it would be a good way to clear your head with everything that’s been going on.

You wandered the corridors, taking in all the details around you. The walls had intricate gold carvings imbedded in them, showcasing different drawings of demons. There were also crystal chandeliers, ones that only emitted a faded light.

As you looked around, you stumbled into a familiar Eternal. He stopped abruptly, surprise flashing across his face before his expression softened.

“Receptionist,” Mingi greeted, his tone slightly confused. “What are you doing here?”

“Exploring the Palace. Just trying to get a feel of the place, you know?” you replied as you shifted your weight from one foot to the other.

Mingi’s eyes flickered over you as if he was gauging your truthfulness. “It’s easy to get lost around here. All the hallways look the same.”

“Right?” you agreed. “What are you doing?”

“Patrolling,” Mingi sighed. “With everything that’s going on, the King made more demons patrol the Palace.”

“Uhuh..” you nodded awkwardly. “Is it fun..?”

Mingi leaned on the wall, glancing around the hallway. “It’s boring.” A silence fell between the two of you, stretching on as he seemed lost in thought.

You shifted uncomfortably, waiting for him to go on, but no words were spoken. Mingi’s eyebrows furrowed, his face becoming more obviously frustrated.

Finally, he groaned and broke the silence. “I didn’t train my ass off to end up patrolling the Palace for hours.” Mingi said bitterly as he ran his fingers through his hair. “And for some reason, I’m assigned to babysit you.”

“Am I that shitty to be around?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

His dark eyes scanned you. “I didn’t say that, but take it how you will.”

You leaned on the same wall as him. “I swear I’m usually more fun to be around. Just not during a revolt.”

“Sure,” Mingi replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I’m just annoyed that way more demons are patrolling the Palace than needed. I’d rather be doing something that actually matters.”

You mumbled to yourself, “You’re not the only one.”

“What did you say?” Mingi’s expression shifted slightly.

“Nothing,” you covered up quickly, changing the subject. “Have you tried changing your task?”

“I’m not in a position to argue with the King or Duke,” Mingi shrugged. “Orders are orders.”

You nodded slowly. “So you’re just going along with whatever they say?”

“Yeah,” Mingi confirmed, his voice tinged with resignation and exhaustion.

“Right..” you trailed off. You finally found an opportunity - a way to sway an Eternal. The slightest chance of him being unhappy with the whole situation could be life-changing. “Can I ask you something?”

Mingi looked at you suspiciously. “Why?”

“Why? What do you mean why?” You looked at him in confusion.

Mingi arched an eyebrow, his expression guarded. “I mean, this is the longest I’ve ever talked to you. You can’t blame me for being cautious.”

“You just said that you were bored. Since you’re stuck with me, might as well make it interesting.”

He paused, mulling over your response. “Okay,” Mingi said. “What do you want to ask?”

You hesitated for a moment. “How do you feel about the whole.. revolt thing?”

Mingi pushed himself off the wall, glancing around the hallway again. He made sure that there was no one around before leaning back on the wall once more. “Why do you want to know?”

“Just curious. I want to hear our beloved General’s opinion,” you said, grinning.

“And I’m not snitching if that’s what you’re worried about,” you continued, your expression turning serious. “Who would I even tell- the Duke? He hates my guts.”

“That’s true,” he chuckled softly. Mingi’s laughter faded as he studied you carefully. “I feel… conflicted.”

You nodded, encouraging him to continue. Mingi leaned closer to you, lowering his voice.

“I’ve never cared about the Halas- I actually hated the fact that they were revolting,” he admitted. “But the way we Eternals handled it was.. disturbing. First, the massacre, and now there’s explosives? There’s other ways to deal with those pests.”

“If you don’t like what they’re doing then why stay on their side?” you asked.

You knew that Mingi held a great amount of loyalty and respect towards the Eternals - which meant that you needed to play your cards right. You needed to get to the bottom of how Mingi felt about the whole situation. If you managed to persuade him, a General, it would help the Halas significantly.

Mingi had just begun to reveal his doubts towards the Eternals. However, pushing him too hard could close off any chance of working together. The both of you stood in silence, your question hanging in the air.

“The Hala’s aren’t that great either. They’re violent to everyone. They shouldn’t even be considered demons at this point.” He sighed. “At least helping the Eternals has benefits. I mean- I get to live in the Palace and I’m protected. I don’t want that taken away.”

“But do you think that the explosives plan is right?” you pressed.

Mingi looked away. “It’s not my place to question the King’s orders.”

“And it’s your place to murder innocent demons?” you asked, your voice being more harsh than you expected.

A quiet tension settled between the two of you. You could see the worry in his face, even if he tried to hide it.

Mingi turned back to you, his eyes hardening. Without warning, he grabbed the collar of your shirt, pulling you closer. “It’s not that simple, Walker,” he hissed. “Going against the King would kill me.”

You met his stare. “You think you’re the only one at risk of getting killed? What about the Halas?”

“You think I enjoy this?” Mingi’s grip tightened, his eyes burning with frustration. “We’re not that different, Receptionist. I’m doing what I can to survive.”

His jaw clenched as he continued. “You don’t understand the position I’m in.”

“I understand more than you’d think,” you countered. “But that doesn’t justify taking lives.”

Mingi’s eyes narrowed, his voice becoming defensive. “Are you even on our side?” Mingi accused, searching your eyes for answers. “Why would you join us if you hate the things we do?”

You scoffed, “Who are you to judge?”

Mingi’s grip on your shirt loosened slightly as he took in your words. The two of you were locked into a fierce stare, both refusing to look away first. You could feel the anger bubbling within him, making you nervous. Did you overstep? Did you go too far? Did you mess up? These questions raced through your mind, almost missing his intense gaze softening.

“I just don’t get you,” he muttered. “Why choose to join us now?”

You let out a deep sigh. “I didn’t really have a choice,” you started. “But I had to find a way to help the Halas from the inside.”

Mingi released you, the grip on your shirt loosening completely. “You’re risking your life for them..” he said in disbelief.

“I am,” you confirmed. “And I need your help- think of all the lives we can save.”

“Saving Halas?” He frowned, his mind wrestling with his decision. “We’ll be going against the King and the whole Eternals..” he groaned.

You looked at Mingi’s stressed state - he wasn’t even focused in patrolling anymore. You understood the dilemma he was in, after all you were in his position a few days ago. Somehow, his decision felt a lot more serious than yours.

“Not all Hala’s are bad,” you reassured him, hoping that it would sway him. “They can be really friendly, I promise.”

Mingi ran his fingers through his hair, exhaling deeply. “Fine,” he said finally, reluctance clear in his voice. “I’ll help you. But if anything goes wrong, you’ll be the first one I blame.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖⊹₊ִ ࣪𖤐๋࣭ ⭑⊹₊ 𖥔.

The next few hours passed by in a blur. You didn’t expect that amount of honesty, especially from an Eternal. You weren’t complaining though, having Mingi’s help could make a huge difference in the revolt.

Having a General’s help meant that you had strength on your side. It also meant that you had a powerful ally that could sway other Eternals to join you. But of course, you shouldn’t be too hasty.

You sat near the side entrance of the Palace, watching the large grandfather clock tick away the minutes. It was nearing midnight which meant one thing, Mingi’s patrol shift was ending.

You managed to convince him to bring you outside the Palace and find your Hala friends - a necessary part in your plan as you weren’t supposed to leave the Palace unattended.

A hooded figure approached you, moving swiftly. “You ready?” you heard Mingi’s voice coming from within the cloak he was wearing.

You nodded slowly. “Yeah.. what’s up with the outfit though?

“Eternals don’t really have a good rep right now,” he reminded. “I’d rather not get attacked by showing my horns.”

“Fair enough,” you replied, walking over to the door. “We should get moving.”

The walk to the Market was tense and quiet. You weren’t too sure of where Wooyoung or his friends were, but the Market would be a good place to start. The Market was always filled with a mix of Halas and Walkers, making it an ideal place to search for demons. It became popular due to its variety of products and its mostly reasonable prices.

You and Mingi squeezed through the demons, the chaotic atmosphere making your stomach churn. “Don’t get lost,” Mingi said, reaching out for your hand.

His grip on your hand was firm yet reassuring, making you feel less anxious moving through the crowded Market. As you continued to walk, you couldn’t help but notice how Mingi stayed very close to you, almost acting like a shield.

“Do you think it would be better to split up?” you suggested, getting tired of walking around for ages.

“Huh?” Mingi stopped walking and turned to you almost instantly. “What if you get lost? How am I supposed to find you in this place?”

“True- but I think I can find you pretty easily. You’re basically towering everyone here,” you pointed out, a faint smile appearing on your lips.

“Still, it’s so crowded..” he trailed off, the grip on your hand tightening briefly. “I don’t like it, but it would be faster..”

“Exactly. Let’s meet back here in an hour,” you said, making a sound of agreement. “Do you still remember the photos I showed you?”

The hard drive you took from the office did not only contain the address of the demons in Hell, it also had photos of each and everyone one of them. You sifted out the four Halas that you knew and showed them to Mingi right before the two of you left.

Mingi nodded hesitantly, slowly letting go of your hand. “Just be careful,” Mingi said. “I’m responsible for whatever happens to you.“

He reluctantly went in the opposite direction you were going in. The Market was filled with the noise of demons shouting and haggling. You struggled to move through the crowd, scanning the faces of the demons for any signs of your friends.

Navigating the streets, you started to feel nervous. You understood what Mingi meant when he said that splitting up was risky, but at this point, you couldn’t turn back.

After what felt like an eternity of searching, you slowed down your pace, feeling exhausted. Someone bumped into you, pushing your shoulder with a force that made it ache slightly. “Watch it-“ the demon started, but then stopped abruptly. “Receptionist?”

You looked up and met the familiar eyes of a Hala. “Wooyoung,” you breathed out, relief washing over you.

“Thank the Fires,” Wooyoung said, pulling you into a brief, tight hug. “What are you doing here? We’ve been worried sick.”

“I was looking for you,” you replied quickly. “We need to talk- urgently.”

Wooyoung glanced around, his expression turning concerned. “It’s not safe to talk here. We should find somewhere quieter.”

You nodded, scanning the crowd for Mingi. “Mhm.. but I need to find someone. You’re going to want to meet him, he’s pretty important.”

“He?” He raised his eyebrows in curiosity. “I thought I was the only demon-man in your life,” he said while pouting.

“Shut up, Wooyoung. You literally introduced me to your friends,” you pinched the bridge of your nose. “Seriously, we need to find him. He’s going to be very helpful to us.”

Wooyoung crossed his arms, pretending to feel hurt. “But Receptionist.. tell me who’s this mystery man stealing my spotlight.”

“No one’s stealing anything,” you rolled your eyes. You glanced around the crowded Market, spotting a tall hooded figure in the distance. “There he is. Come on.”

Wooyoung followed you, muttering under his breath. “He better not be funnier than me.”

After several minutes of forcing yourselves through the demons, you saw that Mingi was near a stall, his hood hanging low, covering his face.

“Gener- Mingi!” you called out, waving to get his attention. You remembered that the Eternals, especially the military demons, weren’t necessarily liked around these parts. After all, they were all seen as murderers.

Mingi turned, his stiff posture visibly relaxing when he saw you. He made his way over to the two of you. Wooyoung’s eyes narrowed on Mingi, his eyes filled with suspicion.

“Mingi, this is Wooyoung,” you introduced. “You remember his face from the photo I showed you, right?”

“Photo? What photo?” Wooyoung echoed, sounding confused. “Receptionist, I didn’t know you kept photos of me.”

“It’s for my job, dumbass,” you rolled your eyes.

“Let’s move somewhere else,” Mingi suggested, his voice low. “Do you know any quiet places?” he asked as he turned to Wooyoung.

“Where’s the ‘hi’ or ‘hello’?” Wooyoung remarked, you nudging him harshly in the process. “Receptionist, I didn’t know you made friends with a rude demon.”

Mingi sighed. “Hi, Wooyoung. I’m Mingi. Nice to meet you,” he said, his voice laced with irritation.

“Better,” Wooyoung smirked. “Let’s see if you’re as ‘helpful’ as ‘____’ says. Follow me.”

The three of you left the bustling Market, the noises fading as Wooyoung led you through the narrow alleyways. Finally, you arrived at a secluded, run-down building. It was much quieter than the busy Market earlier.

“What is this place?” you asked, looking at the building in shock. “I don’t remember seeing this.. a building this big should be registered authorities.”

“Jongho found it,” Wooyoung bragged, standing proudly. “He wanted to find a safe place to stay at after the uh.. explosives news.”

Mingi surveyed the area. “It looks like an old government building,” he said. “It’s basically ancient.”

“Yeah, you guys are lucky because this is completely off the grid,” you added, taking in your surroundings.

Wooyoung led the two of you inside, stepping over the debris scattered across the floor. “We’ve been using this place as a temporary ‘home’,” he explained. “It’s not much but it’s safe.”

You nodded, seeing the shabby yet surprisingly organised space. There were healthcare supplies stacked on the side of the wall and a few makeshift beds and mattresses arranged in the corner.

The two of you found a cleaner corner to settled down. Mingi followed behind, removing his hood.

“So Receptionist, what did you want to talk abo- what the fuck,” Wooyoung snarled when he saw Mingi’s purple horns. Wooyoung grabbed a knife that he had tied to his shoe and lunged forward.

Wooyoung shoved Mingi to a wall, the knife scarily close to Mingi’s face. Wooyoung used all of his strength to press Mingi into the wall, Mingi’s muscular build making it difficult for him.

Mingi’s eyes widened in surprise and raised his hands instinctively to defend himself. “Wait- Wooyoung stop!” you shouted, stepping forward and grabbing Wooyoung’s arm. “He’s with us, don’t do stupid shit,” you seethed.

Wooyoung grunted, maintaining his hold on Mingi, who looked confused during the entire interaction. “Receptionist, explain why an Eternal in front of me?”

“He’s here to help us,” you said urgently.

“Help?” Wooyoung repeated. “‘____’, This Eternal was at the massacre, leading his demon clique to kill thousands of us.”

“Demon clique? That’s low, show some respect to my troops.” Mingi scoffed.

“Not even denying the killing part? Where are your priorities?” Wooyoung exclaimed.

While you knew that Mingi was involved in the execution of certain plans, it completely slipped your mind that he was the frontrunner of the massacre. The idea of him killing innocent demons sent a shiver down your spine. However, you needed to quickly compose yourself before anyone started to get hurt.

You pulled on Wooyoung’s arm. “We don’t have time, Wooyoung. Let’s talk this out peacefully.”

Wooyoung’s face twisted with effort as he continued to push the knife closer to Mingi. “You brought the epitome of evil into my home, ‘____’. You should be glad he isn’t dead on the floor right now,” Wooyoung hissed.

“What happened to Hala’s being friendly?” Mingi said, making eye contact with you. “I’m starting to change my mind about the whole thing.”

“I’m friendly to friends, not murderers,” Wooyoung shot back, his grip on the knife tightening.

You took a deep breath, stepping closer. “Wooyoung, please trust me on this. We’re in the middle of a revolt. We shouldn’t be fighting each other- Mingi wants to make things right.”

“It could be a trap,” Wooyoung spat out. “This bastard isn’t sorry about what he did.”

Mingi raised an eyebrow. “Why should I apologise?” he questioned. “I’m only here to stop it from happening again.”

Wooyoung snorted, unconvinced. “You still did it. How do you go to bed at night, knowing you killed thousands of demons?”

You felt your blood boil as Wooyoung’s words came out of his mouth. Sure, you sided with him, but it still irked you that Wooyoung couldn’t see past his anger. Without thinking, you kicked Wooyoung’s leg hard enough to make him lose balance.

He fell back, his knife dropping onto the ground with a clang. “What the Hell, ‘____’?” he shouted, glaring at you in shock.

“Enough, Wooyoung. You’re not listening to me,” you snapped. “The both of us are risking our lives trying to save your faction. The least you could do is trust me and my choices.”

“Oh I trust you,” Wooyoung’s eyes shifted from you to Mingi. “Just not him.”

“Then let’s have a civil chat,” you pleaded, gesturing the two demons to the corner where you were at earlier.

Mingi and Wooyoung exchanged a look before reluctantly following you. The air was charged with unresolved tension, but you didn’t care as long as the fight stopped.

Once you all settled, you took a deep breath and began. “Now, the both of you need to trust each other, whether you like it or not. Everyone’s lives are at stake, we shouldn’t be doing this petty shit.”

“I get it,” Mingi said, straightening his back and brushing off his clothes. “He has the right to be angry- I did kill a lot of his demons.”

“Yeah, that you’re not sorry for apparently,” Wooyoung scoffed.

“I don’t need your forgiveness,” Mingi uttered, sounding angry. “We should focus on stopping the Royals and their plans. We can deal with personal grudges, or ‘petty shit’, after.”

Wooyoung’s glare softened slightly. “Fine,” he muttered. “But if I see any signs of you betraying us, I’m going to kill you and feed your flesh to a family of Hala’s-”

“-Okay.. let’s move on,” you interrupted, stopping Wooyoung from continuing. “We don’t have time for threats. We need to start planning on how to save demons.”

author's note: i hope yall enjoyed this ;-; it took a while but i hope this was entertaining.. FOR YALLZ WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE ROMANCE, please be patient. i like to write slowww burns so romance will be coming up soon. remember to like and repost my chapters if you like them! any and all feedback is much appreciated <3

series taglist [OPEN] - @binchanluvrr @hiddlestandom @avantalem @hecateslittlewitchling @iarayara @thunderous-wolf @jaerisdiction @mallielovssyou

[the-once-ler-in-superjail]

CHAPTER 36: The Asylum - Part 2

Finally here, sorry this one took so long, we both got really busy this time but it's here!

Lineart/cleanup, flats & writing- @wiggybe

Layout/roughs, shading/lighting & writing- @self-made-madman

(TW: Mental illness/health/asylums.)

PART2

Once-ler: *He holds the Warden in his arms, relieved to have another moment alone with him, knowing that they're going to get out of here and that people are following his orders. At least he can have his glasses, they're just glasses, prisoners get to wear their glasses because they're visually impaired, this should be no different. He sniffs and wipes his tears with his hand, whispering.* I love you too. *Kisses the Warden's head and sighs out, hooking his chin over his head and bundling him up in his arms.* You're going to be okay, we- we're going to get you out. *He can't let him down.*

Warden: *His eyes shut, and as he floats in the vague numbness of what's been done to him, he absorbs all of Oncie's love, the feeling of his arms, the scent of his clothes and the way his voice vibrates through his chest. It helps to calm him, more than anything else ever could, but there's an instinctive part of him ready to have it all ripped away.*

Dr. Zazzerzump: *She strides straight into the room and states in a simple, curt voice.* Mr. Once-ler. *She has the air of a headteacher who won't be suffering nonsense, but because she isn't a blustering, loud older man, and hasn't brought the chaos of a crowd with her, she doesn't cause the same flinching reaction in the Warden as everything else. To him, this is just one more thing to trust Oncie to handle for him.*

Once-ler: *Pulls his head back from his boyfriend and looks over to the new doctor walking into the room. He knows this lady to be the woman in charge here. Good, that means he can sort this out properly rather than having to slap drones around. He doesn't get up though; he won't leave Edmund unless it's necessary, and he doesn't care how he looks holding him. If anything it only shows that he means the man no harm and that they do share a relationship.* Hm. *His eyes meet hers and he lets out an acknowledging grunt.* Doctor... *He looks her up and down as for a moment her name escapes him, but he does know all the names in charge of his cities' institutions.* Doctor Zazzerzump. *That's the one. He frowns, glancing around at the other nurses as they follow in behind her as if he's pretending to wonder where the Warden's glasses are, like he's making a point. Two male doctors join also, including Snickberry-Shoo, who all keep their distance.* Thank you. I requested the nurses bring this man’s glasses to me, where are they?

Dr. Zazzerzump: *Her eyes flit to the way the Once-ler is holding the patient only once, to take in the information and judge it. It's inappropriate, maybe, but it is proof that they know each other. Or proof that the patient has been so well-drugged that he doesn't know what's happening. Well, the Once-ler is a sane man, so it's presumably the first one. And yet, policy is policy for a reason.* The patient is in here because he proved to be a danger to himself and others. We can arrange for his glasses to be reconsidered, but he cannot have them back just because you asked... *She searches for a word that isn't rude.* 'nicely'. I will have the administrators put in a request, and he will be re-evaluated for his tendencies.

Warden: *He curls tighter, pushing his bare face against the Once-ler's chest so he doesn't have to see the world without his filter.*

Once-ler: *Feels a spike of adrenaline in his chest when he's refused, the thought of having to wait making his frustration build all over again.* That's not soon enough. Can't you make an exception?! Look at him, he needs them. Even prisoners don't have their own glasses confiscated. What could be so bad about him having his when I can supervise?

Dr. Zazzerzump: They could break - he could break them - and then we have glass shards, sharp wire, and an unpredictable man in the same room. The hospital would be liable if any harm came to either of you, even - *she anticipates the potential solution he might offer* if you were to sign a waiver. I'm afraid your friend must follow the rules like everyone else in the secure wing - no special treatment. But we can have him seen by our resident optician if necessary.

Once-ler: You’re already causing harm to him by treating him like this. *Breathes in a sharp, frustrated breath as he clutches onto Edmund harder. He knew these were the reasons. He doesn't care. Edmund is more dangerous to himself without the glasses. Besides, it’s not like he isn’t already drugged up to his eyeballs, bound in a straight-jacket, and not being watched over by a sensible and powerful man.* Don't you have security cameras here for the same reason? Just keep a closer eye on him for god sake! *He knows that what he's asking is exactly special treatment, but why shouldn't he? Parole exists so that those facing trial can pay to be in a comfortable environment while they wait. He raises an eyebrow.* I'll sign whatever the hell you like, if any harm came to either of us I'd take that responsibility on myself and see to it that no repercussions fall on the hospitals reputation. I can do that. *He tilts his head to the other side, frowning harder.* On the other hand, however, I can't promise the same should my requests be refused. *Hisses as one hand releases Edmund to slip into an inner pocket inside his jacket to fine his cheque book.* Fuck sake, how much do you want for them? *Looks at her like she just personally hurt him* He’s not dangerous, not with me and not right now, look at him. I’ll pay you extra if we could just arrange to have him monitored so that he can have what he really nee-

Dr. Zazzerzump: I cannot be bought, Mr. Once-ler. *As corruptible as the bribe of money can make people, sometimes those with the a more selfish agenda than just greed can be more malicious.* *She doesn’t care for money, she cares for maintaining an old archaic institute that she holds power over. Taking small wins, keeping control over anyone in her immediate vicinity, and insisting on her old fashioned ideals. And it just so happens the vulnerable patients in this place make those objectives a lot easier. She remains totally unmoved, as cold as steel, although she does for a moment feel a skip in her chest at the thought of more money towards their operations here. Still, she will have no preferential treatment for the wealthy or connected, even if the town's founder himself starts writing a check. She doesn’t quite realise that anyone, poor or wealthy, known or noone, would be willing to give up everything in their possession for the people they love. She holds a fundamental belief, a false ‘moral’ virtue about herself, that those of the mentally impaired are a danger to be hidden rather than human beings to be treated, despite having little to no modern research supporting her biases. There is no grey area that could suggest that the pain of others might warrant an empathetic reconsideration of the ‘rules’, she just holds onto these old ideas being ‘correct’. It’s as if Thneedville, and the people in it, are a product of a time where mindsets like this were the modern standards.* As I said, we cannot sign our duty of care away.

Warden: *He shifts, yielding as easily as a doe when Oncie's hand releases him to pull out his cheque book, but never stops gripping onto him. It's all going over his head, whoever that voice belongs to. Oncie is fighting a battle above the surface of the water while he sinks down below, and all he can do to avoid going (further) mad with fright is to hold on and make sure he never leaves him by himself. Right now the world is very simple - everything outside of their arms wants to hurt him or worse, abandon him to his own mind. Everything inside their arms is safe and loves him.*

Once-ler: *Sneers at her through his teeth in a low voice.* Ev-ery-thing can be bought. *He lets her speak, and as she does, he removes his thneed from his neck as if he's already made up his mind about something, not needing to hear the rest of it- because one can’t reason with a person who’s already accepted their own world view as fact. One can’t engage debate, even the most civil, with a person who has already made up their mind. The only thing that matters now is protecting his own pack. Something about the way this woman speaks is making it both harder for him to breathe the fire he usually does and at the same time makes him want to burn it all down with even more fury than when he spoke to the previous doctor. It isn't just a bigger dog biting at a smaller yappy dog, it's a fox VS a snake, both fighting for the fallen rabbit, and he's met a snake like this before. Thankfully the two women are nothing alike, but that doesn't stop the vitriolic, rebellious feeling in his gut needing to prove her wrong. He hisses again, almost scoffing at the irony of her words.* Your ‘duty of care’… *He glances to the Warden in sympathy, then back to her with far less.* Why is he so out of his mind?

Dr Zazzerzump: *Adjusts her glasses.* Is that a trick question, Mr Once-ler? All of the patients here are ‘out of their mind’, that’s what this place is for. We haven’t begun analysis or treatment on this particular patient yet, but he’s here for a reason-

Once-ler: That’s not what I meant! *He steams. Treatment of this sort has nothing to do with the rationality of the person involved, they shouldn’t be strapped up, sedated, and left in a cold corner for someone to find them- if someone ever comes to find them- without sympathetic care.* I meant why is he so sedated? Why is he all drugged up out of his mind?

Dr Zazzerzump: He was acting out, Mr Once-ler. a danger to everybody. We sedate all of our patients. It makes them feel better and it makes it easy for us to handle them and treat them. *Of course, she has no understanding of how these patients might truly feel, she’s just trying to come across as caring to hide that all she really cares about is the efficiency of her control here.*

Once-ler: *He almost screams out lout to her; ‘Even when he’s already in a straightjacket?!’ But he doesn’t, it wouldn’t help. He looks down at Edmund who can barely hear this conversation through water, he just knows Oncie is there somewhere and is trying to protect him, but if the man wasn’t here then the confusion would only be making him panic more as he looses an extra layer of stability and understanding.* He’s not comfortable at all, he doesn’t feel better at all, he’s scared. *Maybe he was being a menace, maybe he did deserve to be brought somewhere, but then shouldn’t he have been brought to a jail cell for disorderly conduct? Somewhere he can be held for safety reasons, call someone he knows, speak to a lawyer and at least be reviewed before taken to an asylum? Who authorised that he be brought here? Were they called before the police and just snapped him up to fill one of their patient cells?… He had no idea this sort of conduct was going on here, in his own city. This is old, archaic stuff. For as abstract as Thneedville is, sometimes he does feel that it’s oddly stuck in the 1970’s, as if it’s a product of a mind that’s frame of reference is a world straight out of the late 60’s. Maybe after all of this is over he really should review this place top to bottom officially and write up a report, not just because he’s been personally hurt by it and it’s employees, but because there might be things here he’s not looked at, that could seriously do with reforming.*

Dr Zazzerzump: *Says nothing. She hasn't spared a second glance at Edmund, she's been too busy watching the angry man making his demands and she clearly has no intention of treating these patients like human beings.* If you have no further requirements, I shall leave you two in peace. Visiting hours close at 6.

Once-ler: *Almost hisses at the way she ignores his genuine concerns.* That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?! *He huffs, and in a sweep of his tailcoats, he turns back to the Warden and strides strictly over to him. He glares over his shoulder to the doctor.* I’m not going anywhere, I’m staying here with him.

Dr Zazzerump: *Suddenly spikes. He can’t stay here! That’s an obstacle between herself and the power she holds over everyone in the place.* Visiting hours close at 6 Mr-

Once-ler: I heard you! And I don’t care. If you won’t let me take him out then I have no other option than to stay with him overnight while I make preparations to have him removed.

Dr Zazzerzump: *Sneers* Mr Once-ler if you do not leave, I will have to have you removed by security.

Once-ler: *Turns around and folds his arms.* Who do you think your security is funded by? Who do you think your very institute is funded by? *He squints and tilts his head.* The Thneedville government? *He scoffs at her*. You think your governments have more power than corporations? Where did you hire your security, from the government or from a company?

Dr Zazzerzump: *Remains quiet and clenches her jaw.*

Once-ler: That’s what I thought. *He tilts his head to the door.* Go on, call them, tell them to remove me… If you really think they’ll listen to your orders over mine. *Fine. He’ll play her games of ‘procedure’ and ‘protocol’, she can make this harder for him as much as she wants, that doesn’t mean she’s going to enjoy it.*

Dr Zazzerzump: *Her icy demeanour starting to crack, she tries to hold herself together, keep her composure, refrain from forming shaking fists with her hands at her sides. By the second, the Once-ler is revealing to her what little power she has, despite her doing her best to hold onto it.* Fine. *He hisses under her breath.*

Once-ler: *Turns his back to return to the Warden.* You understand then. Good. I’ll stay here with him for as long as I need. *He won’t leave until Edmund is in his custody, until he can take him out of this dreadful place. Every part of him just wants to drag him our right now, hire his own security, pay theirs off, rip him out of the straight jacket and take him home, but the amount of chaos that that would cause in both the short and long term just isn’t worth the trauma that it’d have on Edmund. For one thing he’d need to leave him to get it all done that fast, and he couldn’t bear to leave him with them- who knows what they would do while he’s unsupervised? The manic of all the action and panic could have a terrible effect on him, while doctors are grabbing at them, large security men are shouting and the Thneedville public are watching him like a spectacle. It’d be cruel to drag him through that. It’d also cause more problems in the long term for them both if if he acted so unofficially. The best thing he can do is be sensible and assertive, plan his escape right by his side, make sure it’s as easy as it can be, and never leave him alone so long as he’s still in here. He’ll need important files and equipment to do it, and that’ll take time to arrange that if he wants to stay with him the whole time, but it can be achieved. Anything can be achieved by the Once-ler. He leans down by his boyfriend and tucks the thneed into Edmund's bound arms across his front so that he can hide his face in it. He leans into his ear.* I'm not going anywhere. *He straightens up and turns to the doctors, standing between them and Edmund and acting as a barrier while looking incredibly tall at his full height and the extra tower of his hat.*

Warden: *He curls up when Oncie gives him the thneed, and the scent of butterfly milk and truffula tufts proves to the animal in the back of his mind that he's still safe. Still, he shivers when he feels Oncie pull away, and buries himself in the fluff, focusing on the gentle way Oncie spoke to him as his sluggish mind tries to hold on to whatever it can through the grey and depressing mire. He doesn't even remember what he did to deserve being locked up in here.*

Once-ler: I didn't get to where I am today, to owning all of your jobs today, under the false idea that 'not everything can be bought'. *His hand forms a fist by his side, the other one pointing a sharp finger.* I've been nice, I’ve played your game, now you're gonna listen to me. This man is leaving this building no later than tomorrow.

Dr Zazzerzump: *Opens her mouth to speak*-

Once-ler *His index finger and thumb pinch together before anyone can interject, as if making a ‘zip it’ gesture.* I don't wanna hear anymore goddamn bullshit recited from ancient documents! You can either make this easier for me or you can make it harder on yourselves, either way I'm getting what I want. I don't care what strings I have to pull, he's leaving tomorrow. You wanna know why? Because if you won't comply, then I can have all of you replaced with people who will by just making three phone calls. So it makes no difference to me other than the fact you're wasting my time!

[The nurses behind the head Dr Zazzersump and take a step back, they straighten up with a spike of adrenaline in their chests, listening to the orders like soldiers. Dr Zazzerzump blinks at him, momentarily surprised and panic setting in at that threat, which quickly turns into cold anger to hide it. She looks around her staff and can feel her own sense of control slowly crumble as the medical teams have their attention stolen away from her by the Once-ler. The man has always been very good at claiming almost anything as his own.]

Once-ler: *Starts to count on his fingers. Without shouting, now sounding more like a very strict, growling army general. Suddenly they all feel like they work for him.* I want his discharge signed. I want his duty of care handed to me. I want his clothes ready. I want him off whatever shit you've been shoving down his throat. I want his goddamn glasses! And I want it all done by 3pm tomorrow because that's how fast it will take me to fuck up your whole system here and make it mine. *If he were an animal, the hackles of his fur would be rising and his teeth would be bearing, the gruffness of his voice growling through with that last word.* Every single one of you is going to be bought because all of these procedures you're following can be bought, so you better not waste any of my goddamn time once I slam that gavel down onto your precious procedures and shove them in my back pocket! *Points a finger towards each of them.* Get it all done by 3pm tomorrow and not a second later, because The Once-ler will not be late.

[The frightened shocked doctors and nurses behind Dr Zazzersump all stare at her with gormless speechlessness. They’re ready to skitter away and do everything he’s asked without question, because, SHIT, they need to get on this fast to have it all ready by tomorrow. Dr Zazzerzump herself is sweating, and every bitter bone in her body wishes she wasn’t. How dare he turn the tables on them and make such unrealistic demands with such a short deadline, they’d have to drop everything to get this done by then.]

Dr. Zazzerzump: *She attempts to straighten up at the same rate that the Once-ler rises, meeting his eyes and paying cold attention but not interrupting him now he’s on a roll. She holds rigid against his threats and swallows, but as she notices her staff becoming more restless at the mention of procedures and paper work, she can’t find a reason to oppose it. What he's asking for is technically reasonable, if unorthodox, so he’s trapped her in a dead end, all her talk of procedures turned back on her, and thrown the threat of a deadline at them all. Thank god that it is reasonable though, in the tightest possible way of tip-toeing around all the orthodox rules, because by this point not even she wants to deal with what wrath he might bring if she refuses him again. At the end of the day, he owns this town more than anyone else, more than she owns this asylum- regrettably.*

Warden: *He hears a man yelling, and like a dreamstate he simultaneously recognises the voice as his Oncie, and expects it to belong to a very different, much more violent man - because that's the man who would normally be in a locked cell like this with him unable to fight back. It’s confusing as his hearts instinct battles his learned neurological instinct. He curls further, clenching his eyes shut even tighter and reminding himself beneath all the numb and rubbery haze that Oncie is protecting him, Oncie will come for him, and that despite the sound of that powerful voice reminding him of things more dangerous, maybe it’s only so powerful because for once it’s actually protecting him. It does sound a lot like his strong Oncie after all. He’s safe.*

Once-ler: *Pulls in a deep breath and grabs the lapels of his jacket, pulling on them to straighten them. Clears his throat.* I will stay with him here overnight, I will keep the button alarm on me should I need to make anymore requests, no-one is to come near him unless it's for very specific medical reasons I'm unqualified to perform. Food, drink, medication, cleaning, anything else will all be handled by myself, and I want him weaned off the medication ASAP. *He raises an eyebrow.* You better hurry up then.

[The nurses scatter like a flock of pigeons, forgetting for a moment that Dr Zazzerzump needed to give an official before they can, but the Once-ler is right, they do need to hurry up if they want it all done on time. They need to turn the place upside down to avoid his wrath if he’s ready to leave tomorrow at 3pm and they’re late for it. How can the man work so fast when there’s only one of him and he can’t leave a cell? They have an entire team of people but they’re the ones frantically panicking for a deadline.)

Dr Zazzerzump: *Behind her, the doctors and nurses have backed off skittishly and darted off to work, trapped between the demands of two different dangerous animals who could both ruin their lives if they make a wrong move, but the bigger one clearly won. After a pause to collect her thoughts, Dr. Zazzerzump clears her throat and raises her hand to them. They’ve already made up their minds who they’re taking orders from now, but she throws out an official instruction, just to maintain a semblance of composure.* *Clears her throat.* Yes!- Mh.. Do as he says. For 3pm tomorrow.

*They scatter out of the door like spilled marbles, leaving the two alone. Then Dr. Zazzerzump continues.*

Dr. Zazzerzump: *Bitterly* The medication is a temporary sedative; it will wear off by morning and I shall make a note that no further doses will be required. There will be a nurse on call to arrange for overnight accommodations. *Grimaces, but tries to maintain professional. The decision has already been made now, all she can do is go along with it and appear as reasonable as she can to avoid receiving that harsh report.* Should you require anything further, the staff will assist you. Is that everything, Mr. Once-ler?

Once-ler: *Finally seems like he might consider withdrawing his claws the moment people start following his orders, especially when the woman confirms it to her staff. The fact that she doesn’t even question his power, influence or ability to have everything done by tomorrow in order to take Edmund out, goes a long way to placating him. He’d have really started ruining lives, he doesn’t care who the head doctor in this place is, if she’d said something like ‘we can’t guarantee, sir, that the changes you claim to make will be completed by then, if at all, and so signing documents and making preparations for rules that aren’t already in place would be a misdirection of time as well as possibly setting us up for illegal- blah blah blah.’ Good thing they all know when they’re in the jaw of the lion.* Yes. You can leave us alone.

*Dr Zazzerzump leaves with a slight twist in her expression, letting out a silent frustrated, but almost relieved that it’s over, sigh of relief. As she and the rest of the staff move away down the corridor and the door swings shut with a heavy thunk, she can be heard issuing clipped commands to everyone else. She tries not to rush too much, because rushing tends to make mistakes, but these things will move quick.*

Once-ler: *When everyone leaves and they’re finally left in private again, he turns back to Edmund, curled up on the floor, and all the anger sighs out of him (at least for now). Drops back down to his knees and leans over him, places his hand on his shoulder.* Edmund…? *His eyebrows knot up.* Edmund it’s me, they’re all gone.

Warden: *He pulls slightly tighter around himself when he feels the pressure of someone's footsteps on the floor beside him. The pressure on his shoulder doesn't make him jump - it can't – but he feels a spike of fear, in automatic self defence he tries to strike like a cornered rat and bite the hand. In reality though, he just manages to turn slowly and gasp. And then Oncie speaks, and he forgets everything except that his knight in shining armour is here.*

Warden: *He cracks open his eyes and looks up at Oncie, his brow creased with worry, desperate to get himself moving enough to talk but unable to force it.* O-okay. *He needs those bright blue eyes so much, but they're so bright he can barely look at them. His pupils visibly shrink against them. He shuts his eyes tight again with distress, hating the grey and how close he is to everything terrible around him.*

*This is so much. The cogs in his brain try to turn, and he thinks that he wants to break the bad feelings with a joke, or a flippant comment - it's not a conscious thought, but it's what the instincts in him tell him to do. He forces himself to speak again, his voice a hushed whisper.* ...I’m s- I'm really... Really scared.

Once-ler: *Sees the way Edmund almost tries to flinch and his eyebrows knot up harder. He can't even protect himself, it's so sad. Then that recognition comes and he swallows, his stomach fluttering with sad little butterflies but fluttering nonetheless.* I- I know, I know you are. *Sighs out and immediately drops down to wrap his arms around him and bundle him up again. He knew he'd get nowhere asking for them to release him from the straight jacket, not if they won’t even let him have his glasses because he's too unpredictable apparently. He was hoping he might be able to fumble with it himself once alone, but as he hugs him and feels around the back of it, he feels the padlocks and realises that not just anyone outside of the wrapped patient himself is free to mess with it. He mentally sighs, but just becomes more kind and gentle in response.* It's okay if you're scared. *His voice becomes thick but he holds himself together.* It's okay, but you don't have to be scared now, because- because I'm here s- so you're safe, and nothing is going to hurt you or scare you anymore. *Cups his hand around the back of his head and pulls him into his shoulder, and plants a long pressed kiss into his head.*

Warden: *His arms shuffle what little they can in an unconscious attempt to reach out and hold onto Oncie, but the best he can do is curl up as close as he can into the hug. Eyes shut, surrounded by his scent, he listens to the words and slowly translates them - he has to wait for each word to pop into meaning like bubbles from the ocean floor. His body relaxes a little bit, unable to protect himself anymore - no powers, no strength, not even his special filter that means nothing is real and nothing really matters. Suddenly everything matters, and it all wants to hurt him. Except Oncie. He's still here, he didn't leave forever. He sniffs, still tearful, and nuzzles into his shoulder and the thneed still tangled up between them. That kiss sends a wave of relief and love through him, and he realises without surprise that he's crying again. He shuffles again against the jacket, not enough to be considered 'a struggle', but miserably testing what it is. In a slightly thicker voice of his own, he asks,* What did I do? *He's obviously in trouble, he obviously did something, because he's in prison. If he wasn't so addled he'd be mad on his own behalf and flailing about it again, but all he can figure right now is that everyone's upset with him except Oncie, and that doesn't feel great.*

Once-ler: *Opens his eyes wide when he's asked what he did wrong, and he doesn't know how to answer. Even if the Warden wasn't sedated and put up a good fight, he'd crack eventually. He might go feral for a bit, but these people are… ‘trained’ to handle a dangerous, damaged psych patient like him. He's the Warden to himself, he's The Once-ler's soulmate to the man holding him, but the reality is that to them he's just another severe case like so many other names on a list and fading faces in the facility rooms. Their treatment of him is completely wrong, but he’s not a stable man, that’s the reality, and right now there's a lot of reality, there isn't a lot of Edmund. A runt might try to put up a good fight with it's teeth and it's ratty snarls, but in the end it'll still drop down under the teeth of a dog bigger and scarier than it, when it’s adrenaline has worn off and it knows it can’t put up a fight, when it's instincts tell it how small it really is and that it should just conserve it's energy and lie down. Edmund, at his heart, is a meek man. The thought of him being lost here, hiding fearfully in the corner of a room away from the dogs that beat the defences out of him, just like his father did, is the worst nightmare he ever could have conjured up.*

Once-ler: *His arms grip around him tighter, tighter than the jacket, and the way he feels him weakly squirm makes his heart break. He pulls back just enough to see his face, hand still cupping the back of his head, so it isn't heavy for Edmund to hold up.* Ohh... *His eyebrows knot.* It was just... *He doesn't even know what to say. He glances down his body and starts to shuffle them so they can rest against the wall in the corner of the room where it's most secluded.* You must be cold, let me help. *He shuffles up into the corner, carrying his boyfriend slowly with him, and takes the thneed back. He lets him rest between his legs against his front while he stretches out the thneed and turns it into a blanket. His heart is pounding and he's trying to swallow down an emotional lump, then he lays the thneed blanket over Edmund and then shuffles out of his own green tailcoat and lays that over him too to create a second, heavier layer to keep the warmth in. Pressed between Oncie's front, then the thneed and Oncie's weighted jacket, he wraps his arms around him and hugs him to his chest.* There. There, that's better.

Warden: *When Oncie cups his face, he looks up into his eyes as best he can and tries to understand what he did. Deep down, beneath all of his delusions, the current sedatives, the self-denial and the fantasies, he knows he's doing bad things. But if he didn't do those bad things, he'd be doing something even worse by letting down the terrible spirit of his father. To be good he has to be a good prison warden, and a good prison warden is vicious, cruel and controlling. But, because he's always been an empathetic baby, he knows that to be vicious, cruel and controlling makes people hate you and makes you a bad person. He can't win. There is no condition where everyone likes him and is pleased with him, so the only conclusion he has ever been able to come to is that he's just an inherently bad human being. But that's okay if he's louder than everyone else, insists to everyone else that he isn’t until he’s *delusional*, and tries to make them happy occasionally by making things fun. That's why he includes the prisoners in his science fairs and vacations and car races – bad, boring wardens wouldn’t do that, right?*

 *His expression breaks, tears filling his eyes as his mouth quivers and devastation spreads across his features. When he was a little boy, the scariest thing in the world was the thought of being abandoned for being bad. Now, here, it feels like reality itself is doing just that - he's been shoved out the way and left behind. He clamps up and tries not to make a sound, in case that's bad too.*

*He's completely pliable as Oncie moves them, trying to help but he can only move his legs and he can't move them much. When they settle, though, and he's covered in layers of warm weight and held all tightly in his protector's arms, reality feels that bit further away and he remembers that he's not been abandoned. Not fully, not by everyone.* *With a little bleat, he nods. It is better. His bare feet push against the cold floor beneath the blankets so that he's pushed against Oncie's front.* *After a moment, he finds the words to say.* Whatever I did... I- I didn't mean to... *That's a lie. But he'd do anything to be kept.*

Once-ler: *Feels his heart break when he sees the tears and tries to catch them with his thumb as he cups his cheek. He hugs him to his front, treasuring him like he's the only teddy-bear his parents have ever been able to afford, and clinging to him like a child hiding from the shadows in a wardrobe. Gasps at his words and whispers.* You didn't- It was an accide- it was a mistake- *He feels distinctly, innocently, devastated and sick to his stomach with guilt and worry, in an almost confused way that a juvenile would. As if he's at fault of doing something so bad to the younger kid living next door, who he often goes out to play with, but it's also his responsibility to take care of. But this time he convinced him to jump into the lake, climb too far up a tree, go too close to a wild animal, and it's his fault now that something terrible happened to him, and he's terrified of being told off by both their mom’s. So he just hides in the woods with him, trying to fix it and not knowing how, and just telling him that he's okay and everything will be fine, but he also feels sick with horror. His voice breaks.* But- but I'm going to fix it- I will! I'll fix it!

*He gasps as tears form in his own eyes and he curls around him. He's letting him down, he can't do anything right, he can't even get him out of this place in a city that be basically owns.* I- I'm so sorry- It's my fault. *His expression breaks down and he pulls him to his front, hooking his head over his shoulder and shaking it with guilt. He's useless. He can't even protect him from his own damn city.* I'm sorry, I'm s- so, so sorry, Edmund. I'm so sorry.

Warden: *He nuzzles against him, drying his tears on Oncie's front and pressing against him for safety until his muscles start to soften - he can't keep the effort up for very long, but he always stays hugged up in his arms. He lets out a soft hiccup when he hears that it was an accident, or a mistake, whatever it was. He can't remember how he ended up here - every memory is fuzzy and indistinct like a dream that fades faster the more he tries to grasp for it - but at least Oncie doesn't blame him. Right now that's the very final thing that matters, like the last star still burning in the sky. Everything else has failed, but Oncie is always there, and he never leaves him.*

*He doesn't quite understand when Oncie says he'll 'fix it'. He doesn't know what there is to fix, because prison is an inevitable force that can't be changed. It's like saying you'll fix a sunset. His eyes crack open again, wet eyelashes fluttering against his boyfriend's neck while his own dears don’t cease.* Hm? *The cogs try to turn again.* W-Why? *His voice is hushed, but it's still his usual loopy, lyrical lisp, with a quiver of sadness.* You're here. *That is the only thing that matters. The only thing.*

Once-ler: *Looks down at him with wet eyelashes too.* Because, well because you're still here too and I think it's my fault you are. *He sniffs and begins wiping the Warden's tears away with his hand, since he can't do it himself.* But- but like I said, I'll fix it. *He makes sure not to talk too quickly, to let the words sink in.* I'm going to take you back home, I'm going to make you feel better. It just- *he hiccups as another tear appears and he wipes it away on his shoulder,* It just won't be right now. But I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here with you until I can make everything okay again- and then forever after that.

Warden: *He looks up at Oncie with half-lidded eyes, still tight enough in the corners that the middle-aged creases around them are visible, but more relaxed than they have been thus far. He blinks slowly when Oncie wipes his tears away, foggy from the sedatives, believing everything he says because he has no choice but to do so, and trusting him because how could he not? He knows in his heart that nobody should like him enough to be here, but Oncie is because they're in love.*

*His subconscious can't quite believe it when he's told they're going to get out of here, not because he doesn't trust Oncie but because he's never known a reality where a prison wasn't an ultimate and inescapable thing. If he was sober he'd believe him, but he can't right now. However, when he says he'll be with him forever 'after that'... something shifts. To hear that Oncie wants to be with him forever shakes up the foundations he otherwise fully believed in, and the idea that there might be a forever after this suddenly becomes plausible. His eyes widen just a little bit more - even as glassy as they are - and a smile slowly spreads across his face, welling up with hopeful, emotional, grief-stricken tears as raw feeling is able to bleed up through the sedation.* Ye... yeah? *He sounds so hopeful, and with the tone of a soldier wanting someone to keep talking to him as he bleeds out on the battlefield, his chest shuddering with emotional hiccups. Nuzzled up against him, able to feel his heartbeat and bury in his scent, looking up at him and hearing his voice - if he can't have his glasses, he can put a new barrier between himself and the rest of reality.*

Once-ler: *His heart breaks and clutches at the hope in the Warden's voice, seeing him smile makes some ray of hope bloom in him too. Nothing can stop the happiness that the Warden brings to the Once-ler when he smiles, no amount of sedatives or guilt, when the man shows that grin, shows the cute gap in his teeth and has that hope in his eyes, it can’t stop Oncie from smiling back to greet him. As his eyes well up again with painful love at the way the Warden’s overflow, he smiles a little too.* Ye-hes...* He almost sobs out silently, between his quivering, smiling lips. He sniffs, then leans in slowly, gently cups Edmunds cheek to tilt towards him, and presses his lips to his. The kiss lingers in softness, barely any pressure applied but the sentiment still clear. His arms squeeze him tenderly a little bit, and after he pulls away he gazes into his eyes and replies in a low voice.* Yes. I promise.

Warden: *He drinks in Oncie's smile like it's sunlight, fortifying him a little better and feeding that faith that everything is going to be alright. He can't envision what it might look like (which spooks him, because he has a very vivid imagination) but he believes that he'll feel better soon. Like a feedback loop, Oncie's returned smile only makes his bigger too. Then they kiss, and under the sedatives it feels like his stomach has erupted like an underwater volcano, something hot and wild and frantically desperate, dampened by a thick layer of vacuum, but unmistakeably there. It feels like he’s been kissed for the very first time, by the only person he’ll love for the rest of his life. It takes him a second to react before his lips twitch and then he's kissing back too - with a similar light pressure, but still very much a presence. Oncie is here, and Oncie loves him, he’s been saved. They draw back, and he looks up at him with utter trust, wide and glassy-eyed, but believing in him as the most powerful force of nature to exist. His eyes might be foggy, but his smile shines through for him.*

Once-ler: *Pulls away from the kiss and adores the smile on Edmunds face. He desperately needs that belief- because no-one else has ever believed in him. Strokes his thumb over his cheek as he cups his face and he gazes into his eyes, wiping away some more tears for his boyfriend. His eyebrows knot up as he blinks his own away and he sighs out sadly.* My little bunny... *Kisses his forehead again and tilts his head in concern, squinting his own eyes as if trying to stop them from being so bright, because he knows they're bright for the Warden without his glasses.* Do your eyes hurt?

Warden: *The combination of Oncie's gentle handling, the safe weight of the covers and the kind tone of his voice softens the Warden's body until he's a warm, heavy weight against his front. He still squints as he looks up into Oncie's eyes, but he doesn't want to lose him by shutting his own.* *It takes him a moment to translate the question, especially since he's still glowing over the kind and loving pet-name, but then he replies quietly,* Mmhmm... a little. *He doesn't care anymore, though. As long as his world is so small that it's only the two of them, he can survive even if they do ache.* I-it's okay.

Once-ler: *Eyebrows knot up in sympathy.* I can't get your glasses but- *Reaches up above his top hat where his sunglasses rest on his head and takes them, while also removing his hat and placing it down.* You can wear mine if it makes you more comfortable. *He helps him try them on, knowing that they're not yellow lenses so can't make anything warmer, but they are dark and so might helps soothe some of the brightness or overwhelming peripheral vision. The weight of glasses on his face might also just provide something of a placebo effect, who knows?* Does that feel better, or no?

Warden: *He watches with glassy docility as Oncie places the glasses on his face, and as darkness falls over his vision he blinks in curiosity. Then the unseen tension in his shoulders relax and the lines around his eyes soften. That feels much better - even if they still aren't right and don't make him feel like he's in his own little fantasy world, he does at least have the separation and some rest for his weak eyes.*

*He smiles up at him from behind his sunglasses, looking quite the picture in his colourless hospital clothes, restraints, and Oncie's sunglasses.* Much better. *He shuffles against him, unable to inch any closer but just wanting to feel the action of drawing nearer to him anyway.* Thank you... *He thanks him as innocently as a child knowing to be polite, but with all the love they share together.*

Once-ler: *Gently smiles when he sees that it's made him feel somewhat better.* Good~ *Leans down and kisses his forehead.* You're welcome. *His stomach squirms as he feels Edmund shift and for a moment wonders if he's uncomfortable, but then he settles against him.* They suit you. *He says with a quiet chuckle, wanting to ease some tension with a playful compliment.

Warden: *Blinks at Oncie with his own, slightly delirious, giggle. He looks up at him with endless gratitude, even just for the slight attempt at play with the compliment, because any amount of play is a good distraction away from bad feelings for the Warden.*

Once-ler: *He smiles back with depth behind his gaze. His heart then skips a beat as he thinks about saying it again, and maybe hearing it back, although he wouldn't worry if he doesn't because knows now that he's capable of it at least. His arms squeeze around him gently, lovingly and he mumbles by his ear.* I love you.

Warden: *He's so glad he's squeezed back, too. He wants that tangible sense of being as close as possible, so his senses are full with the fact that he's protected - because it's really spooky being unable to do anything to defend himself. When he hears those three words again, his body rises with a deep breath of relief and a rush of giddy - if woozy - happiness. Hearing those words still doesn't feel real, those words never applied to him before this man came along, and on some foggy level he understands that even now in all this bad feeling Oncie still wants him enough to be here and say that. Emotion rises in the back of his throat and for a moment his heart flutters. He loves him too.*

*He wants to say those words back. In the addled and muzzy confusion of the past few hours, he's not sure if he's ever been able to or not, but those are also dangerous words that might mean something very bad happens if he says them out loud. He doesn't want to bring down an axe on Oncie right when they're at their weakest, but at the same time he wants to say it so bad.* I-I... *He swallows, then quickly nods as a lump rises in his throat. Silently, he begs Oncie to understand.*

Once-ler: *His hand rises into the Warden's hair and he strokes his fingers through it. He smiles as he watches him try to reply, and doesn't force him, the fact that he's trying to is proof enough, it always has been. His stomach flutters and he leans down to press his lips against his head. He adds quietly when the Warden stops himself.* I know.

Warden: *He's so relieved to hear that Oncie doesn't need him to say it. If he did, the pressure would be too much, especially right now, and he wouldn't know what to do to make it go away. As it is, rather than struggle with the darkness, he's able to float in his arms, and even though he's far from home and can't move his body and doesn't know what to do, he's still kind of cosy. Even a little bit happy.*

*A few moments ago, he said those words because he wasn't sure if he'd ever see Oncie again, and if Oncie was getting away from him then... he was escaping, so maybe he'd hear them and wouldn't be hurt. That was the thought process, the desperation, that managed to coax those words out of him. As he clings to his soulmate's front as best he can, calmer and more aware that they're both here and both 'in danger', he isn't sure they have that freedom. A big man with an axe might enter at any moment. But somehow he still feels like Oncie might be a bigger man. He tilts his head closer to Oncie's chest and says very quietly, forcing the words forward,* A-are we safe?

Once-ler: *His hand comes round and clutches his head protectively when he feels him tilt towards his chest, and when he asks that question he opens his mouth to reply, but then a quick knock taps against the door and the sound of locks clicking with keys echoes through. His attention flicks to it and his grip tightens around Edmund, not to worry him but to make him aware he's protected. He stares towards the incoming sound like a wolf ready to pounce with sharp eyes, ready to snarl at the threat. But he suddenly remembers to collect himself.*

*The knock isn't so much of a request to enter as it is a warning someone is entering, the kind of half assed knock an aged mother gives on her teenage sons bedroom door before sweeping in to dump a pile of laundry on the bed. It's not so much of a knock and entry as it is two hard taps and the immediate creak of the metal hospital door as it sweeps open and white light floods through. An older, plumper woman enters with a younger nurse by her side. The former has been a carer for forty years, the latter didn't want to come back here alone.*

Older nurse: Evenin' Mr. Once-ler, sorry to disturb, but we've brought the overnight stuff by instruction of Dr. Zazzerzump. *She has bags under her eyes, her voice is nasally and she speaks her words with a slow drawl. She's a chunky, round figure and is the type of old nurse who has changed so many bedpans over the years that nothing disgusts or surprises her anymore. Although some patients occasionally do, including this one, but she's good at brushing it off and getting on with her job.* C'mon Lissie! *She enters further into the room holding a large roll of bedding like a lady Viking shifting a boulder. Lessie, a younger, fairly new nurse shuffles in hesitantly after her with pillows.* Do you want it assem-ba-lin' for you, Sir?

Warden: *Suddenly there's noise and voices and loud rattling, and it hits him all wrong because his brain can't process things properly right now. If he was by himself he'd panic and fear would strike and thrash him at them like a prey animal caught in a net. Flinching at and away from them somewhere between impulsive attempts to snap defensively and simply shriek from fright- or, that's what he'd think he'd be doing. In reality the sedative is too much to let him do anything shake out of fear and try to hiss. But his instincts are different now that there's someone else to take care of him, a bigger predator able to fight for him, and so that panicked, protective aggression doesn't trigger. Instead, he's just terrified and begging for rescue. He yelps at the sudden noise, and instinctively dives further against Oncie as if he were trying to dig himself into the ground. His body can be felt to begin to shake, and his hands tighten under his restraints as he grips onto himself in an automatic attempt to protect his organs. He lets out a small sound of fear and manages to dig his heel into the ground and shove himself as hard as he can into Oncie's arms, trying to hide in him like a deer hiding between the legs of a stag.*

Once-ler: *Is frowning towards the noise, but he blinks at the Warden's sudden rustling and hiding and feels his heart clutch in his chest as the same rate his hands clutch around him. His gaze snaps towards the door, now not so furious because things are more in his control and he has his soulmate back in his arms, but still protective. He assumes it's nurses returning to drop off the overnight accommodations he was promised, but Edmund doesn't have enough comprehension of what's happening to understand that's all this is. He pulls him into his front, hiding his face in his chest as he holds his hand against the back of his head and pulls their makeshift covers up a little more over him. He feels the shaking and hears the sound, and as his stomach clenches he can't help but whisper down to him that he's okay. Then he orders at the women.* No, just drop them down there and go. I'll do them myself.

Warden: *He's tense - really, really tense - as he grits his teeth and tries to block out the fact that reality is once again intruding on his world just when it was starting to arrange itself in a tiny little bubble he could kind of begin to handle. He was okay, for a second when it was just them. But the noise leaves him exposed to the real world again, to people who threaten everything about him. Even them just looking at him means he's not The Warden, which is the only thing his mind can deal with.*

*He's not sure if he'll end up bending his sunglasses with the force he's putting on them as he buries himself in Oncie's front. His arms shove, just once, in a panicked attempt to grab around his boyfriend's waist or flail at oncoming danger, but it's not strong and the jacket prevents anything from really happening. He can hear his breathing squeak, but he does at least calm a little bit when he hears Oncie talk to him. He stops his minute attempts at struggling, though his heart still flutters and he still freezes against him like a rabbit caught in an open field.*

Older Nurse: *Shrugs and drops the things on the floor. Lissie does the same, dropping down the pillows and a bag containing some overnight supplies. She grumbles on her way out barely heard.* A 'thank you' would be nice… Young men these days-

Nurse Lessie: *Nudges the older nurse and points over to the Warden. Whispers to her.* Nurse Julie, is that allowed?

Warden: *He doesn't really follow what they're saying, but he recognises the tones enough to hear when they drop the things on the floor - which makes him jump anyway - and start to leave. He begins to soften, just a little, but then they start talking again and he kicks at the ground beneath the covers and whispers Oncie's name in the smallest voice, begging him to make them go away.*

Once-ler: *He feels the pressure against him and doesn't care if his sunglasses are bent so long as they don't end up hurting the Warden himself. The kicking and the little whisper of his name only makes that anger surge up harder because now he's responding to his soulmates fear and feels anxious to defend his space. He just made a warm nest for him and they're invading it.*

Nurse Julie: *Huffs and looks over with her hand on her hips, adjusting her own glasses when she notices the new ones on the Warden.* Sir, I can't say that won't count as contraband like his own if he's-

Once-ler: *Is currently hooking his chin over the Warden's head and stroking his back with his hand under the coat and thneed. He rolls his eyes and snaps at her, the demand barked and final.* Just get out.

Warden: *Flinches at the sudden loud voice, his common sense even more inhibited with the sedatives and therefore his learned behaviour responds instinctively with a flinch to the shout of the angry man. But a split second later, he recognises the voice as his Oncie, which makes sense because the shout was very close and Oncie is hugging him right now, and that flinch immediately settles because he knows he’s being protected. Oncie is so powerful and has such a presence, he’d recognise that voice of his anywhere, it’s the voice that shows strength and makes demands around Superjail despite everything. Even in the jaws of Superjail, Oncie is still a force to be reckoned with. For some reason, that foggy thought almost makes his throat close up.*

Nurse Julie: *Rolls her eyes and shrugs as she turns and then leads Lessie out of the room.* There, that's your answer. *They close it all back up and leave them in peace.*

The Once-ler: *Once the women are gone, his attention immediately turns back to the man in his arms, even if a part of him is still watching their surroundings so that Edmund knows someone is.* Hey, hey, it's okay, they're gone. *He curls around him and rubs his lips against his head, speaking in a softer voice.* You're safe now.

Warden: *He's shaking like a leaf when the door shuts, eyes clenched shut, and realising beneath everything that he's in a really, really bad place, and that for him to be in this really bad place, something really has gone wrong. A certain existential understanding falls over him, but he doesn't have the processing power to handle it. He's actually in trouble. This is a situation that might not just go away like a sickness or a nightmare, but this might mean his life has really changed permanently. His eyes fly open and he looks up at Oncie like he's desperate to see something other than the terrible world he's landed himself in, and he whispers the word that signals that he wants everything to stop. His white flag, his safe-word, the sign that he wants to be in his bed now, and for the ride to stop so he can get off.* I'm sorry. *His voice is barely audible, but his expression is a mask of anguish. He pants with the appearance of falling into a pain-induced panic.* I'm so sorry.

Once-ler: *The shaking only makes him grip harder, as if it might keep him stable, especially at the way Edmund tries to hug for him but just can't. All he can do is hold him back with more strength, and at the least it keeps him warm so the chill doesn't make the shaking worse. Then he feels him lift his head and so he looks back down to him, and that expression of complete, traumatised surrender breaks his heart so hard that it makes him gasp out loud. Then those words come, and he loses his own. He doesn't know what to say, he feels his tongue go cold with a kind of horrified nausea. He shakes his head, eyes wide with knotted eyebrows as he gazes into his eyes and tries to just understand what he means.*

*Something in his expression, in his eyes, is telling him and he thinks he might just see the existential anguish in them. He just wants it to stop, he knows he's been bad - because he's in a bad place, and that's how he knows it works - but he doesn't quite know or remember what he's done. But he feels it, and he'll just apologise for anything, to anyone, to hope it might make the pain go away, that it might stop the punishment. When has he ever offered that grace to anyone himself? Maybe he doesn't even know it's an option, which makes this even more devastating if it's just a broken last cry for help that he knows is hopeless. Nevertheless, what he begs for is a thing that, in his childhood and world view, has always been nothing but an inconceivable idea that’s as real as the Easter bunny. That thing is mercy.*

*He sighs out a shuddering pained breath and cups his face gently with his hand.* Ohh... Bunny... *He swallows, feeling a small lump in his throat. He can only think of one thing to say, whether or not it's appropriate to come from him. None of this seems personal, none of it seems specific, it's all just highly emotional and much like Edmund will say anything to make the punishment end, Oncie will say whatever he needs to hear to ease him in this moment.* I forgive you. *He pulls him into his shoulder and curls around him, his knees coming up even more to cradle him.* You're forgiven. I can't make the bad things stop right now but I can promise you that you're not in trouble, not with me. You were never in trouble with me. *He kisses the side of his head a few times* And I'm staying here, and as long as I'm here with you, you're in a place where you're not in danger, you're not in trouble and you're not being punished, even if you're upset and hurting.

Warden: *His wide eyes stare up through the sunglasses and lock onto Oncie's, desperate for them. When his hand cups his face, he tilts into it so that his cheek is slightly smushed by his palm, a sliver of his teeth visible between parted lips, and big, terrified eyes filling with tears. When Oncie says those words, for a moment his world stops. His eyes can't pull any wider, but his breath pauses and something settles deep down in him - the little motor that had been driving him to higher and higher panic, telling him that he was in trouble and to run. When he hears that he's forgiven, it starts to very carefully melt down.*

*He's pulled in, and again he tries to hard to hug back but the best he can do is press against him and nuzzle into his warm embrace. His eyes don't shut but they do tighten as tears fall again, and he watches Oncie from the hug like he doesn't dare turn away and find out that he's a figment of a dream. He hears Oncie tell him that he's not in trouble, that he's never been in trouble with Oncie, and that he's going to stay here. That he's not in danger and he's not going to be hurt even though he doesn't feel good. A little bleat splutters out of him as he absorbs those kisses, needing them so badly.*

*'Forgiveness' has never been a word in the Warden's vocabulary. In day-to-day life, sure, he'll forgive a slight. He'll forgive his friends for mistakes and accidents, or deliberately pretend they don't hate him if they do something that hurts, but that's not mercy. Mercy is different. He's never once granted mercy to a prisoner without an ulterior motive. The only other time he ever showed mercy was when he dared to feed that puppy, and they both know what happened after that. Justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin, but he's never flipped his over. His father never flipped it over either - all he's ever known is black-and-white punishment for crimes. Mercy is ‘cheating’, as his Father would think. But he's so scared, and he'd do anything to make the fear go away. He'll cheat if he has to, not realising that he's not 'cheating', but genuinely crying out for help because his mind and sanity are still fighting for a shred of survival and he’s too small and weak to do it himself. His whisper of those words might as well be a scream from a burning building.*

Once-ler: *He doesn't realise that what the Warden’s psychology really reads is him granting him mercy, although that is the truth to what Oncie is offering him. Because as Edmund begs the universe for mercy in his moment of pain, the universe has granted it to him in the form of The Once-ler. Out of everything around him, this is the kind offering, the acceptance of the white flag, the hearing of the safe word and the offer to help cease the pain. That doesn't mean he can change the rest of his situation, but one corner of this situation is merciful. He does consciously know forgiveness however. He knows guilt and he knows how much freedom forgiveness can bring a person, because he knows that he himself would still be in a terrible place had the Lorax not forgiven him for all he'd done.*

Warden: *After a moment, he gives a pitiful nod. With a wet, little laugh he nuzzles his nose into his neck. He's still scared, but as Oncie insists on those promises, the dread begins to lift. He plants a gentle kiss against him.*

The Once-ler: *That lump in his throat grows as he sees the Warden's reaction, but he stays strong, his stomach flutters at the gentle kiss against him and he bundles him up in a little squirm. They couldn't be closer but he still wants him to feel cuddled.* You're safe, Edmund, it's just you and me, and nothing can hurt you when I'm with you. *His voice is low and soft and he kisses his head again.* I love you. *He pulls back just enough to look at him and cup his face, he smiles softly, wiping a tear from his cheek with his thumb.* And in a moment I'm going to wrap us up in that soft blanket, lie us down in the pillows, and we're going to cuddle up together all night. Now that doesn't sound much like punishment, huh?

Warden: *The fear leaves him in layers, each one peeling away or falling to dust, one-by-one as Oncie handles him so tenderly. The existential dread leaves him first, as Oncie promises him that he's not in trouble and reminds him that even if he's uncomfortable, he's not going to be harmed by anyone so long as he's here. Beneath that is an animal tension, ready to spring and try to run or try to defend himself, or cry for help as his instincts prepare for a wolf attack. He's so vulnerable, and he knows it, that he's been flooding himself with adrenaline that's been battling the sedatives in his bloodstream for what must be hours. As he's cuddled up and as Oncie gives him a warm place to curl, as he kisses him and cups his face and says he'll always protect him, that slowly falls away as well.*

*Soon he's left only with the fear at the very bottom of it all, that will probably not go away until they get out of this place. That fear is manageable - it's just an undercurrent of knowledge that he hasn't got his shield and that life is scary and that he's not in Superjail anymore, and that can be carried so long as he's not left by himself. As long as Oncie is handling everything else, he can handle that.*

*It takes him a second for Oncie's words to sink through the fog, but then he nods with a weary, relieved smile, even a little chuckle in his voice.* Mmhmm~ *The smile pushes a final tear down his cheek and over Oncie's thumb, and he blushes ever-so-slightly pink when he's told that he loves him. Soft blankets and a warm bed sound very good right about now.*

Once-ler: *Lets out a soft, loving hum of laughter that's only just audible. His own chest doesn't feel quite as panicked anymore even though he still wants to get Edmund out of here as fast as possible. He's accepted what he can't change and is focusing in what he can control, and now that he can tell his boyfriend's heart rate is calming down, his own is relaxing too and becomes a calm thud against Edmund's front. A hand slides into his hair and he pulls him gently down under his chin and rests his lips against his head as he softly draws his fingertips through his hair in rhythmic circles. He loves him, more than anything in the world, he loves him, so even if Edmund couldn't be released in some ridiculous universe where the Once-ler doesn't get what he wants, he'd stay here in this room with him for an eternity. He whispers.* We'll stay here a moment and then I'll sort the bed out, okay? *He kisses his head, and just so soothe him a little more, he starts to slowly hum a little jingle he once made up about Thneeds and how everybody needs one.*

Warden: *His eyes close as Oncie's hand slides into his hair, his senses still trying to be alert for danger but failing as a sense of comfort, of utter relief, overwhelms him. He curls up under his partner's chin as he's guided, and a few more tears fall down his face - healing tears after a long day fraught with terror, rather than the cry for help they were before. He makes a soft sound that he understands, when Oncie tells him he'll move in a moment to get things sorted, and the softest, most musical little laugh escapes him when he hears that jingle. If he's playing, they really must be okay.*

*The fear fades as his world becomes encapsulated in the Once-ler's arms, and the emotions rush in slowly but surely, like an avalanche of honey. He adores this man. He needs him more than he has ever needed anything else, because he's saving him - not just protecting him like his glasses or his prison. His lips quiver with just how intensely and just how truly those emotions hit, and after a moment he pushes his face into Oncie's neck to whisper words that would normally be so terrifying but right now feel like the only things that matter.* I-I... *His voice is so quiet, not wanting the universe to hear his confession of guilt and weakness, because these words were always treated like that's what they were. But if Oncie has the power to make even mercy exist, then maybe he’s right, maybe his Father was also wrong about those three words. He said them already, in a fit of desperation that he only half-understands, but he says them now like it's a secret he's privileged to keep.* …*He takes a soft, deep breath and pushes himself harder into his arms.* I-I love you...

Once-ler: *He's happily curled around his boyfriend, loving the way he nestles into his neck and starts to calm down. When he starts to speak, he thinks he's about to try and ask or say something else; it's only when he actually says the words that it surprises him.*

*He wasn't expecting to hear the response, but he realises that Edmund finally feels safe enough to say it, because he's here with him. His chest clutches, time slows down again and he feels a lump in his throat that makes emotional, incredulous tears appear in his eyes again. He sniffs and lets out a quiet breath of laughter, grinning from ear to ear. His heart can be felt racing, hammering in his chest with a rush of joy and excitement despite the terrible circumstances they're in. This could be the most happiest he's felt in a long time, despite them both being in the most awful nightmare, all because he adores this man more than life itself and the man has the courage to tell him the same, finally. He sniffs and leans in, nuzzling his nose just under his cheek to gently tilt his face like a kind, larger animal shifting a smaller one.* I love you too, Bunny.

*He meets his lips and they press together, his own parting slightly and softly to linger against his with a few nuzzling smooches, as his arms squeeze around him with the same strength of push that Edmund presses into him. He doesn't overwhelm him, but he does consume his meekness with affection and adoration, surrounding him with his arms and capturing his lips like a flurry of flowers blooming against his skin. He tilts his head into it and lets out a soft sigh as a tear rolls down his cheek. As he pulls away he gazes into the Warden's eyes, the pair of them both tear-filled over their love for each other and he smiles. He grins and whispers* I love you too.

Warden: *It takes a moment, but when Oncie kisses him his lips respond in kind, his heart beating like a fluttering bird in the cage of his ribs, and his cheeks blooming with more colour. They part just a little bit and brush against him, as slow and earnest as a leaf bending for the sun. He bends with the gentle, primal nudge of his face, and dares to crack open his eyes to gaze up at him. The corners of his mouth weakly pull into a broad smile, all the more quavering but all the happier when they're said to him again.*

*He's so happy to hear those words returned, because even though he's certain of their love, he isn't certain about those words, and there's always a chance that they could magically make everything terrible if he's heard to say them out loud. Oncie's voice, however, is bigger than his is, and it's like he drowns out all the threats and dangers that start to clamour for his mind the moment he says the same thing.*

The Once-ler: *The Once-ler closes his eyes and pulls Edmund under his chin again, he begins pressing repeated kisses into his head and around his face, slowly and softly so he's not overwhelmed, but showering him in love still, and holding him like he's the most valuable thing the Once-ler has ever worked so hard to earn. And then, he rests his cheek on his head, safely tucked under his chin, within the warm comfort of his makeshift covers. They rest in the moment, they can face the world again together tomorrow, right now, all that matters is that they’re back together and nothing will pull the Once-ler’s greatest treasure from his greedy, loving hands.*

Warden: *He closes his eyes as he's tucked under Oncie's chin, his whole body melting against him, relying on him entirely to bear his weight. That is, until Oncie starts to push those gentle kisses into his head and face, his drugged senses reading that movement as he would a flurry of kisses if he were at his best. His feet give a very weak and heavy kick of delight as a breathy, lyrical laugh falls from him, delighted at so much fuss and adoration. The Once-ler came back for him, and that’s the only thing that matters. He's loved, and he loves, and even though everything seems to have gone wrong, and even though the whole world seems to hate him right now, and even though the loud, angry, scary voice in his head would disagree, that love is the only thing that matters.*

[magicalbats]

Kinktober 2024 Day 9: Eremites x Reader

Rating: R-18+

Word Count: 7148

Warnings: Afab!reader, coercion, dubcon to noncon, size difference, anal fingering, anal sex, anal creampie, anal gape, tag teaming, passed around, ass to mouth, cumflation, multiple orgasms, stomach distention, pregnancy mentions, implied piv, implied double penetration

A/N: Do you guys remember when I did that Eremite poll not too long ago? 🤭 Now, I do have to warn that this one got kind of gross BUT when I write any kind of butt stuff I simply pretend like excrement does not exist. Like at all. So no matter how I describe anything involving this topic there is absolutely NO scat content in this fic or any other I post. That's one of my 'absolutely not's for a reason! I promise this is a safe space for us anal enjoyers lol

⭐

The dark winding corridors that lead further and further down into the bowels of the earth seem never ending. You’d read, of course, that the construction of King Deshret’s various temples and monuments scattered across his kingdom in the now barren desert had been long, arduous endeavors each that took many, many years to finish. But somehow you hadn’t grasped the full scope of it until you were traversing one of them yourself, stomping down the same path the ancients had once walked with sand grit caught in your shoes. 

You were hot and tired, and growing increasingly more irate the further you went into the stuffy, closed off space of the underground network. Claustrophobia wasn’t usually a problem you had to deal with but it was getting harder not to succumb to that instinctive spike of anxiety when you thought about how many tons of sand and stone must be sitting right over your head. It was enough to make anyone panic. 

Luckily your guides don’t appear to have any such concerns about getting out of here or not, and that goes a long way in helping you keep your head on straight. If they were well acquainted enough with the layout of this temple to not have to worry about such things then you were probably in good hands. 

Or so you wanted to believe, anyway. 

“Sorry to ask this again but … are we starting to get close now?” 

The one who’d curtly introduced himself as Sunfrost back at Caravan Ribat huffs a faint sound of acknowledgement but otherwise keeps his attention turned forward at the path ahead. “Soon. The chamber is just a little further on.” 

Never mind the fact he’d said the same thing almost an hour ago now. 

You’d been mentally keeping track so you could notate how long it took to get from the now long distant entrance of this place to the hidden inner chamber deep within but it had quickly turned into some bizarre form of self flagellation. You were just a student of the Akademiya, you weren’t built for walking for hours on end. 

Oh, if only one of them would offer to carry you for a while, you’d happily take them up on that and probably even throw in a bonus on top of it. You didn’t have a whole lot of mora to spare but in this case it would’ve been well worth the extra expense.  

Unfortunately the Eremites were, by nature, not very fond of anyone who came from Sumeru’s rainforest, let alone those who were affiliated with the prestigious school there. It had taken you a few days just to find someone who’d even listen to your request and then a few more on top of that to find a mercenary actually willing to take on the job. They didn’t truly care about you or your wellbeing, a simple fact that had only been made all the more apparent over the course of this relentless death march they were leading you on. It felt like an eternity had gone by since the last time you were permitted to sit down and rest. 

The other one who called himself Stone Enchanter liked you even less than Sunfrost though, and he’d barely spoken more than five words to you so far. In truth you’d been more than just a little hesitant to accept their help when both of them were so large and imposing, not to mention clearly very dangerous individuals, having much preferred to work with someone who was a bit less scary, but you’d had no other option at that point. The memory of them towering over you on one of the caravan roads where they’d cornered you still sends a vague shudder racing down your spine. At first you’d thought they were going to rob you, not offer up their services. 

But you’d already made it this far and it was much too late for second thoughts now. You were miles underground in the labyrinthine maze below the Dune of Carouses with no reasonable grasp on which way was which after taking so many turns and descending an innumerable amount of crumbling staircases to get here. These two were the only thing standing between you and certain death down in the silent tombs so you had no choice but to trust them. 

And when you finally step into a spacious chamber at the far end of the corridor you’d traveled together, you think that your patience is paying off at last. This room looks virtually indistinguishable from all the others you’d had to pass through to get here with the sole exception of a massive slate door on the opposite wall. It looked like it hadn’t been touched in centuries, your eager excitement quickly making you forget your fatigue as you hurry over to examine it. 

“This is amazing.” You murmur, reverently putting your hand on top of the carved stone to feel along the hieroglyphic inscription. This thing must have weighed a ton and you wonder not for the first time how the people of Deshret’s civilization managed such a feat. What remained of their monuments on the surface was already impressive enough, but this was so deep below the sand that it was hard to imagine how they’d accomplished it. 

“Is it all that you’d hoped for?” Sunfrost asks as he comes up behind you with Stone Enchanter bringing up the rear. 

“Yes, this is exactly what I was trying to find. This should lead straight to a treasure room if the books in the House of Daena are right.” Your head positively swims with thoughts of all the ancient artifacts just out of reach as you turn to look at them imploringly. “Do you know how to open it? Everything I read just briefly mentioned some sort of mechanism but I don’t see anything like that here.” 

Silently, the two Eremites exchange a shuttered look with one another. 

“We know how,” Sunfrost says in a careful tone, somehow eyeing you through the red brocade tied over his eyes. You’re not sure if it’s genuine or just a result of the blindfolds making you uneasy, but a sharp chill works through you in response. 

“Then will you tell me? Please?” 

Another glance is exchanged between them but this time it’s Stone Enchanter who speaks. “I doubt you’ll like the answer.” 

Your surprise at hearing him talk is quickly overshadowed by the deeply unsettling confusion that washes over you. “What do you mean? Is it not like the other mechanisms we passed on the way here?” 

Breathing out a terse sigh that makes his broad shoulders rise and fall, Sunfrost steps forward to come tower over you much like he had back at Caravan Ribat. “Tell me, little scholar. How much do you know about the magick of the forgotten civilization?” 

You frown up at him at that. “I know a fair amount but I don’t think I’d call it magic. The technological advancements of King - -“ 

“Ah, but that’s not all it is, is it? You seem clever enough for someone who hails from the comfortable rainforest so you must realize that there was more at play than mere technology. What do you suppose powers those machines, hm?” 

Chewing on your bottom lip, you turn that over for a moment. He certainly wasn’t wrong about that and they did seem to be fairly familiar with this place so … 

“Alright.” You relent, bringing your head up to look at him head on. “What you’re saying is this door doesn’t utilize the same mechanical components as the others but some sort of — magic seal?” 

Sunfrost nods to make his tied off hair bounce slightly with the motion. “Yes. This leads to a very important inner chamber, after all. It only makes sense to protect what’s inside with higher security measures.” 

“Okay, what do we have to do to unseal it then?” 

“Well - -“

“The inscription says that a pound of flesh must be offered up if you wish to gain entry to what lies beyond.” Stone Enchanter cuts in, not mincing his words or sugar coating it even a little bit. “Do not look so frightened, scholar. It’s not as gruesome as what you’re probably thinking. A human offering can be made in several different ways, can’t it?” 

“That’s right.” Sunfrost helpfully nods his head again. “Sex magick was favored by Al-Ahmar and his courtiers at many times during his long and prosperous reign. It can be even more effective in stopping unwanted intruders than a true blood rite.” 

“Wait —“ Your head positively reels in outright disbelief as you hold up a hand to stop him from going on any further. “You can’t be serious, right? Do you really expect me to believe that?” 

“Believe it or don’t.” Stone Enchanter huffs, crossing his big, burly arms across his equally massive chest. “We are telling you how to open the door. It is none of our concern if you’d rather turn back now since we’ll be getting paid either way.” 

“B - but this doesn’t even make any sense.” You stammer. “Even if I wanted to proceed there isn’t anyone here who can …” 

You trail off into stunned silence at the pointed looks they both send you. It takes you a prolonged moment to fully understand what they were trying to say without outright saying it, and your face immediately burns hot enough to fry an egg on. 

“No. No way, absolutely not!” 

“Then we will leave and return to Caravan Ribat.” 

“No! Just — give me a second to think!” Hands coming up to clutch at your blazing hot cheeks, you set in to anxiously pace back and forth in front of the door while the two Eremites disinterestedly watch on. 

But no matter how you tried to slice it there was no getting around this if what they’d said was true. Either you had to resort to politely asking one of them to have sex with you or you had to return back to the Akademiya empty handed. It was truly a matter of choosing between either the fire or the pot, and you struggle just to wrap your head around such a difficult decision. 

This could not be happening. It couldn’t be! 

“Do you truly find us that disagreeable?” Stone Enchanter finally asks after a long moment of tension filled silence, making you aggressively round on him. 

“That is hardly the problem here! I - I’ve never … I didn’t plan to do something like this so suddenly, and with someone I barely even know on top of that.”

“You’re a virgin.” Sunfrost supplies, and even though you can’t see it through the headband tied over his face you can all but sense his brows lifting in genuine surprise. 

“Even putting that aside,” You hiss, shooting him a dangerous look. “I can’t run the risk of getting pregnant on this expedition. I’m still in school! I’ll never be able to graduate if I have to take care of a baby!” 

“There’s an easy way around that.” Stone Enchanter says, cooly interrupting you mid outburst and earning himself a sharp look of ire from you as well. “You have more than one hole, don’t you? And only one of them is known to result in a baby.” 

You just stare at him in numb disbelief. He wasn’t actually suggesting … he couldn’t be! 

“Wha — a - and how exactly do you expect to accomplish that, huh? Just right here on the floor like I’m nothing more than an animal to you?” 

“No. It must be done on the offering slate.” Sunfrost nudges his chin at the stout dais you’d completely bypassed in favor of the much more interesting door. 

Situated directly in front of the sealed entryway but pushed back from it by a few feet, it was all too easy to overlook in your initial excitement but looking at it now you can see the wisdom in what he was saying. You’d thought there weren’t any mechanisms in this room but it was actually right in front of your face the entire time. It was logical enough to guess that it was likely meant for some sort of ritualistic purpose given its important positioning as well as the intricate carvings decorating the slate sides of it but …

It feels like your stomach is doing anxious somersaults as you regard the fixture like it was something that might jump up and bite you, yet you still find yourself grudgingly coming to terms with the situation. If this was truly the only way then you had no choice. You’d spent far too much mora and time on this expedition, tirelessly trekked over countless miles just to get here, and you simply couldn’t turn back now. 

Resolutely bringing your head up, you look the two Eremites over with a frown. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I don’t want you touching me.” 

Stone Enchanter stiffens slightly when you point an accusing finger at him. “What did I do?” 

“You’re incredibly rude, for starters.” Narrowing your eyes at him in warning, you decisively turn your finger on Sunfrost next. “You. Will you d - do it with me, or not?” 

The ponytailed man sends his companion a silent look before breathing out another clipped sigh, this one somehow even more long suffering than the last. “I suppose I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

Your face positively burns at his martyred act but even as someone who was not overly familiar with this sort of thing you can still recognize the anticipation in his body language now. At least as a man you could trust him to not have any problems giving you what you want, and you stubbornly keep your head held high as you walk over to join them by the slate dais even though every single alarm bell in your head was going off all at once. You couldn’t actually believe you were about to go through with this, and the fast thrumming adrenaline pumping through your system seems to be the only thing that keeps you going. 

“What should I do to get ready?” You ask as you sidle up beside him, earning a brief glance from the exceptionally tall man. 

“Take off your pants and any underwear you might be wearing.” 

Well, at least that sounded easy enough. 

Hesitantly reaching for the front of your slacks, you make careful work of slowly unfastening them so you can shove the material down your legs. They’re kicked off right along with your boots and, unsure of the etiquette, you decide to take your socks off as well. Standing there in your underwear with two men you’d just met only a few days prior almost makes you second guess this decision but the promise of what lies beyond that door urges you on. The chance to make a name for yourself before you’d even graduated and earn the academic accolades that would come with it was simply far too tempting to resist. 

Resolutely sliding your panties down and stepping out of them, you find yourself fiddling with the bottom hem of your blouse as you look up to Sunfrost for his next instruction. 

“Okay, what’s next? Should I just - -“ 

A startled gasp cuts you off when he smoothly pivots towards you and grabs under your arms so he can heft you up without even an ounce of difficulty to show for it. Squeaking at suddenly finding yourself much further up from the ground than you were used to, you blindly latch your fingers onto the firm, unwavering stretch of his forearms to hold on for dear life. 

All he does is set you down on top of the carved slab and then lay you back against it though, surprisingly gentle despite the manhandling. The polished surface is infused with a deep, dank chill that makes goosebumps erupt all over your body as soon as your bare skin touches it, nipples pebbling to hard points against the interior of your brassiere. A soft whimper slips out of you as he pulls back to situate himself while Stone Enchanter watches on from the side. Despite the red blindfold hiding his eyes from your line of sight, you can tell he’s unabashedly studying the fleshy seam between your legs. 

No, that wasn’t quite right. Both of them were. 

You’d never felt quite so anxious or jittery with nerves in all your life, and you uncertainly track the motion of Sunfrost’s hand when he pulls something out of his supplies pack. “W - what is that?” 

“Oil.” 

You gulp so hard it almost makes you gag. “What … what kind of oil?” 

“Does it really matter what kind it is?” Stone Enchanter chimes in with a condescending tilt of his head. “You’ll be thankful for it soon enough so relax. You might even enjoy it.”

You very much doubted that but you keep those thoughts to yourself as Sunfrost shuffles into the space between your legs where he nudges one of your ankles upward with his free hand. “Hold them up and keep them spread for me. This won’t work if you’re trying to squeeze them shut.” 

It’s a struggle just to breathe with your heart wedged inside your throat but you slowly comply, curling your legs up and letting them fall into a shameless spread that you know completely bares you to them. There isn’t an inch of you they can’t see clearly like this, the thought alone embarrassing you enough to feel faint. 

But you just keep reminding yourself what you were doing this for, why you were sacrificing your dignity in such a humiliating manner while Sunfrost makes quick work of unscrewing the cap from the vial. You watch him reach down between your legs where he carefully upends it and you hiss at the first cool, sticky touch of the copious liquid. 

You can feel it clinging to your skin, making a goopy mess of you where it hits its mark in the center seam of your cunt. It’s incredibly watery though despite the thick consistency and it quickly dribbles down in excess to coat your twitching asshole. It’s a strange feeling, and one you don’t think you like very much, but you clench your teeth to keep silent while Sunfrost crowds his other hand close to rub the mysterious liquid over your puckered hole. 

At least he’s being gentle about it, you think to yourself. But at the same time you’re more than just slightly alarmed at how quickly the goop he spreads over your skin makes the muscle start to puff up and loosen under his ministrations. You can feel it in stunning high definition, especially when he starts to focus in on the center of it, and you soon find your breath coming a little quicker, a little harder. You were starting to get unbearably hot too. 

And then when he finally starts to ease the tip of one blocky finger into the slackened wrinkle, you choke on a haggard sound at the ease with which he penetrates you. Whatever kind of oil that is, it was incredibly efficient as a lubricant and even the sensitive squeeze of your untested passage isn’t enough to keep him out. Sunfrost just slides right up into you straight down to the knuckle, and you positively quake there on top of that slate slab. 

“Do not tense up, little scholar. It will only do you more harm than good in the long run.” He chides you, the noticeable drop in his voice registering somewhere far in the back of your mind. You’re a bit too caught up in the reeling rush of sharp edged stimuli to linger on it for very long though, shuddering fiercely as he starts to thrust in and out of you. 

“Oooh, Archons, that’s …” 

“Only one finger.” Stone Enchanter chuckles from somewhere just on the edge of your fuzzy periphery. “You’ll have to take something much larger than that before this is through.” 

“It’s working though.” Sunfrost adds. “Look at the door. That should be all the proof you need to know we’re telling you the truth.” 

Feeling dizzy and disoriented now, you slowly loll your head back against the surface they’ve got you laid out on to peer over at the sealed entrance. Sure enough, the center node fitted into the meticulously carved stone was starting to glow the faintest blue, as if it were actively getting a charge from the scene playing out before it. 

You knew you should have been excited and happy about this revelation but somehow you’re just a little too distracted by the constant push and pull of Sunfrost’s hand to really focus on that right now. Especially not when you were keenly aware of the fleshy cling of your asshole gripping him on the way out before readily accepting the stretch on the next inward plunge. It was strange and borderline uncomfortable, but at least it didn’t hurt. 

Even when he adds a second finger to further open you up for him, it just makes you squirm at the odd sensation of it all. The strangest part though was the sympathetic reaction in your cunt which gradually starts to grow hot and sticky the longer this goes on, almost as if it too wanted to be stretched and filled. You couldn’t make any sense of it when your head felt like it was stuffed with cotton so you just lie there and take it, hoping this ordeal would be over sooner rather than later. 

“That’s still a tight fit,” Sunfrost murmurs after a prolonged stretch of silence only interspersed by the soft, sticky click of your asshole accepting his fingers and the strained inhales you suck in. “Guess you really are a virgin.” 

“What else did you expect after the way she was carrying on?” 

Your annoyance with Stone Enchanter only seems to grow every time he opens his mouth but this, too, doesn’t seem half as pressing as your slowly building arousal. 

You were a bit miffed that this was actually having some kind of positive effect on you despite your best attempts to ignore it and remain impartial. That was a losing battle though, and you can only whimper a high strung sound when you feel him start to work a third finger into your loosely clenching hole. Now it starts to toe the line of painful, prompting you to hiss a sharp breath as you thunk your head back against the slate. 

“I - it hurts!” 

“You need to relax, or it really will hurt here in a moment. How do you expect to take my cock if you can’t even handle a few fingers?” 

Seething a wounded little sound, you turn your head to look over at the door again. It was still just barely glowing and it didn’t look like it had increased in strength at all since the last time you’d checked. You really were going to have to see this through all the way. 

“Can you bear down slowly?” Sunfrost’s voice pulls your attention back around with a tiny broken whimper. 

You aren’t sure what else to do with your hands so you resort to reaching out to either side so you can clutch at the ledge of the dais in a death grip. Screwing your eyes shut in an attempt to dissuade the embarrassed tears that form in them, you hesitantly do as he’d requested and push down on his fingers, allowing him to slide the additional digit in right alongside the rest. You couldn’t even believe how stretched out your ass felt around him or the vaguely burning throb that comes with it. Worst of all is your cunt and how very empty it feels, your toes helplessly clenching and unclenching in the air as you try to suppress the urge to start squirming. 

Your pussy felt like it was soaked and nobody had even touched it yet. How were you possibly supposed to get through this without mindlessly begging them to fuck you? 

“There,” Sunfrost murmurs, adding a small twist to the thrusting motion of his hand so he can thoroughly stretch out your tight inner sleeve. “That’s much better. Just focus on your breathing and it’ll be over before you know it.” 

All you manage is a faltering mewl in response, feeling so overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensations and the rush of stimuli that you can hardly even think straight anymore. 

You’re so lost in the punchdrunk haze that you’re not quite certain how long he actually spends working your asshole open, but you are keenly aware of the muscle struggling to close again when he finally pulls back some time later. It’s like there’s a second heartbeat mirrored in your lower body, echoed twice over in both your pussy and your ass, and you’re really not sure how to process any of it. 

So you just lie there while he fumbles around between your legs for a moment, drunkenly lolling in and out of reality until you feel Sunfrost shuffle right up against you. The nudge of something smooth and fleshy pressing in on your back entrance startles you out of your stupor though, and you quickly snap your head up to look down. 

Your eyes almost pop right out of your head when you see how very large and rigid he is, frightened panic quickly rushing in to drown out some of the delirium. Sucking in a frazzled breath, you start to shove yourself upright but he’s quick to grab hold of your ankles, keeping them elevated and forcing you to stay down in the process. 

“W - wait, I can’t - - it’s too big!” You wail, uselessly twisting your legs but his hold on you is as good as iron. It was clear you wouldn’t be going anywhere soon, not until he decided to let you go. 

“You can.” He intones, nudging his hips forward to just dip the head of his cock past the struggling ring of muscle to rest along the inner rim. “And you will. Just breathe through it and bear down when I start to slide in.” 

You can see Stone Enchanter stiffly shifting his weight at the edge of your peripheral but you’re a little too focused on not devolving into a full blown panic attack to pay him much mind right now. It would have been a frightening prospect to have that huge thing bullied into your cunt but your asshole … you genuinely didn’t think it would fit. No matter how much he’d stretched you out beforehand, there was a problem with the logistics! 

To your rattling surprise though he does indeed start to slip inside you one torturous, slow moving inch at a time. A little nudge here, leaning into you to let his weight do the job there. You’re horrified at how wide your asshole actually spreads open around his girth to grant him entry to your body, that viscous lubricant making the slide as easy as it probably could be given the size difference. And he just keeps coming, feeding more and more of his cock into you until it feels like he’s reaching deep enough to press in on your guts. 

You’re not sure when exactly the tears start up in earnest but your face is coated in hot, salty tracks by the time he finally nudges his hips up against your ass. Rapidly sucking in one ragged breath after another, you just lie there and pitifully shake while the sensation of being so deeply impaled on his length threatens to send you teetering right over the edge. It was inconceivable that you should feel this horribly close to an orgasm when your ass was the only thing being stuffed full at the moment. 

Heaving a low, masculine grunt, Sunfrost gradually starts to move then, halfheartedly rocking his pelvis to give you a chance to adjust. Everything from the waist down is so sensitized and tender that even that much you feel in blinding starbursts of friction which practically has your eyes rolling back in your head. 

“How do you like that cock in your ass, little scholar? Does it feel good?” 

Blubbering a weak, faltering moan into the stuffy room, you plaintively shake your head. You didn’t like this, you didn’t! 

Stone Enchanter chuckles a rumbling sound somewhere just off to your left as Sunfrost starts to pick up the pace, easing himself out only enough so he can then push back in. It was clear even to you that he was building himself up to fuller strokes though, something you couldn’t even conceive when your ruined asshole was already weakly clinging to his thick shaft, and you have to force yourself to shoot another bleary look over at the door. 

It was indeed glowing a brighter color now, as if it really were responding to the defilement of your body. You probably would have laughed if you’d had the extra oxygen to do so. You weren’t sure how you were ever going to recover from this so you sorely hoped whatever was waiting on the other side was well worth the price. 

And as the minutes continue to tick by in this fashion, Sunfrost becomes ever more uninhibited both in the way he eagerly fucks into your ass and the resounding noises of pleasure he lets out while he does it. At some point he even lets go of your ankles, confident you wouldn’t be going anywhere, and he allows your legs to weakly curl around his sides while he braces his hands along the top of the slab. Even in your intoxicated state of mind you can tell he’s longingly watching your tits bounce underneath your blouse with each and every thrust he gives, but you don’t quite have the presence of mind to scold him for it. 

The fact they’d even left you that small dignity was probably a miracle. 

Luckily, though, it doesn’t take too long for him to finish and you roughly hiss through your teeth when his once steady thrusts start to lose some of their rhythm in favor of jerky, shuddering jabs up into your guts. Then he grunts a heaving, bestial sound that seems to rush straight down to your cunt, making it pitifully squeeze around nothing, seconds before you feel the vague sensation of him shooting off deep within you. It’s an exceptionally odd feeling, particularly when you were keenly aware of that foreign sensation settling inside you in heavy, clinging clumps. But you just let him do it, glad that it was at least over. You weren’t sure how much more you could’ve taken if he’d decided to take his time with it and drag it out.  

“Gods, that’s a sweet ass you’ve got.” He heavily breathes out, head hanging low between his shoulders while he recovers. 

“Thanks,” You bitterly murmur as you reach up to lightly press on his hard stomach. “But can you get off me now? I’d like to keep going.” 

Languidly laughing, Sunfrost gives his head a brief shake to send his ponytail swishing back and forth before he pushes himself up to stand straight. Hooking a hand around one of your ankles, he nudges it a little higher while the other reaches down to help ease himself out of you. He’s intentionally slow and careful about it, and you soon realize why when a dribble of fast cooling semen rushes out after him the second he slips free of your pitifully clinging hole. 

Groaning a deeply embarrassed sound, you fitfully squirm on top of the dais as you desperately will your ass to close shut again. It’s an effort in futility though, and even when it starts to gradually return to its usual state you can tell by the looseness of the muscle that it was probably never going to be quite the same ever again. Damn him. 

In fact, damn both of them. A little warning before they took you this deep into the monument ruins would have been appreciated. Your one and only consolation was that the door was now wide open, and there was nothing else standing in the way of your objective. 

“Here, let me help you up.” Sunfrost says, offering you his hand which you somewhat grudgingly accept. You weren’t exactly happy about it but you knew your own body well enough to realize just how sore you were going to be after this. 

Using his arm to steady your balance, you gingerly scoot to the edge of the raised slate and slide down to your feet. You’re beyond horrified when your ass instinctively clenches against the sudden flood of cum that rushes down with the shift but you valiantly hold it in for fear of further humiliating yourself. You’d already suffered more than enough as far as you were concerned. 

“Alright, let’s get going.” Stone Enchanter says as he bends down to grab up your discarded clothes from the floor. 

You’re almost fooled into thinking he’d had a change in attitude but then you watch him start to walk away with your pants and shoes in his arms, and your heart plummets straight into the ground. “W - wait, those are mine!” 

“And you’ll get them back when we’re done.” He calls over his shoulder. 

Deciding you really didn’t like that guy, you shoot Sunfrost a wide eyed look. “What is he talking about?” 

“You’ll see.” Is all he says, further bewildering you. 

You’re in such a confused state of shock that you don’t even think to protest it when he takes you by the arm and starts to guide you forward, making sure you don’t fall when your legs threaten to give out under you. The only thing you could seem to fully process in that moment was how utterly ridiculous you felt walking around in only a shirt with your sticky cunt making an even greater mess between your legs. 

When was this going to end, you wonder. 

Not any time soon, you realize only a moment later when the short walk down the unsealed corridor takes you to another door and a second offering slab. 

For a long moment you just stare at it in slack jawed disbelief. No way this was actually happening. 

“Do you understand now, denizen of the rainforest? Our people do not give up their treasures so easily.”

Eyes flickering to Stone Enchanter, you numbly watch him drop your clothes at the foot of the new dais. That’s also when you notice the intimidating tent poking up through even the red sash that hangs down in front of his waist. He must’ve been quite large as well then, a thought that doesn’t exactly come as a surprise but still disarms you a great deal. Surely he wasn’t actually going to … 

“I told you I didn’t want you touching me.” You intone, trying your damnedest to keep your voice even and steady. 

“Doesn’t matter. This offering requires two pounds of flesh to gain entry.” 

You suck in a sharp breath, intending to scream at him to fuck off, but the words abruptly catch in your throat when Sunfrost uses his hold on your arm to steer you forward. Bare feet stumbling across the stone block floor, you wildly wrench back in an attempt to free yourself but it does you no good. He’s too strong and you’re more than just a little outclassed when you didn’t even have any pants on to put up a proper fight. 

Fresh tears spring up in your eyes as he roughly passes you off to his partner who grabs you around the middle so he can lift you. All your kicking and thrashing doesn’t even seem to register as he moves to pin you on top of the smooth surface, belly down to leave your ass vulnerable and defenseless in the air. 

Real panic grips you in a chokehold now as you frantically try to push yourself upright but he easily keeps you in place with one massive hand splayed out across your lower back while he fumbles with his pants using the other. Your sobbing pleas go completely unheeded as Sunfrost comes around to stand just next to your head. He makes quick work of wrestling your trembling hands into the hold of a single fist so he can then reach down with the opposite hand to release his now flaccid cock again. 

“Stop!” You shriek at the top of your lungs, stomach painfully roiling with the debilitating pangs of fear that crash over you. “You - you can’t do this to me, do you understand? I’m — oh god, I’m a student of the Akademiya! When they find out what you’ve done - -“ 

“If they find out.” Stone Enchanter chuckles behind you, mere seconds before you feel his hand take pinching hold of your ass cheek so he can spread it apart from the other and bare your abused hole at him. Your mindless struggle immediately ratchets up another notch but they’ve got you completely trapped between them. 

All you can do is suck in a rough gasp when you feel him carelessly squirt another healthy dollop of that mysterious oil over your puffed up entrance, pausing only long enough to wedge his thumb inside you to test the give. Meanwhile, Sunfrost has taken his soft cock in hand and he coaxingly nudges it towards your mouth but you quickly jerk your head away. 

“What makes you think I’m going to - -!” 

Your shrilling abruptly cuts off when he reaches under your chin to forcefully yank your face back around, meanly squeezing your cheeks while he does it. “It’s not a matter of thinking it, little scholar. You will.” 

His fingers tighten until your lips start to push out in a loose pucker and you issue a dire whimper when he pulls you down to just ease the wrinkled tip of his foreskin into your mouth. An undignified, faltering wail rises up in your throat at the salty, bitter taste that immediately floods your mouth but you’re not sure if you should be more alarmed about that or the fact Stone Enchanter was using his thumb to hook the inside of your rim so he can tug it open again. 

The inside of your body is a creamy mess with the first load you’d had to take but that doesn’t seem to deter him at all. You can feel his cock pushing in on the loosened muscle to fill the space he creates with his hand, and you outright wail when he starts to slide in despite the tight clench of your sore asshole trying to keep him out. Unfortunately Sunfrost takes advantage of that opportunity to feed more of his spongy, flaccid cock into your mouth to stuff it full and smother the sound, leaving you stretched terribly thin between the two of them. 

And they're relentless in the way they use your body, each of them just as insistent and merciless as the other. While you’re made to clean Sunfrost’s cock and slowly coax it back to full strength again, Stone Enchanter takes his time slowly working his thick, rigid length in and out of you with savoringly measured thrusts that force you to feel the wide stretch of your hole. It was far too much for you to handle on any level, least of all physically, and it doesn’t take long for you to slip into a doped out, semi comatose state like this. 

Distantly, you’re aware of the moment when Stone Enchanter finally reaches his peak some time later, shooting off a fat, heavy load deep inside your ass while he grunts his pleasure. The amount of cum you can feel sloshing around within your guts somehow manages to register as surprising to you but you’re a little too far gone to linger on it. 

Especially not when Sunfrost pulls his now fully hardened cock from your mouth, leaving you in a puddle of your own drool while he walks back to take up the spot between your legs that Stone Enchanter vacates with a rumble of satisfaction. You brace yourself to be penetrated again, knowing the fresh stretch to your gaping hole was coming, but he manages to catch you off guard as he pulls you back by the hips to half slide down off the ceremonial dais. 

You immediately collapse when your legs buckle as soon as your feet touch the floor and the only thing that keeps you semi upright are his arms around your waist. Hanging limp from Sunfrost’s hold like a puppet that’s had its strings cut, you let him jostle you around until he’s got you positioned how he wants with one arm slung back behind his neck and one hand hooked under your knee. 

All at once he’s lifting you, and you plaintively squeal when the sudden shift of your body makes your loosened asshole give out to dribble thick, sloppy clumps of semen onto the ground. Lurching in horror at the apparent loss of your muscle control, you jerk your chin down as if to check yourself over and assess the damage, but the sight of your vaguely rounded belly stops you dead in your tracks. 

The entire world suddenly feels like it’s crashing down around you as you struggle to make sense of it even though on some basic, intrinsic level you understood that it could only be the result of one thing. They’d filled you up with enough cum that it was not only squirting right out of you but it was also starting to distend your stomach too. 

Worst of all, they didn’t appear to be done just yet as Stone Enchanter shuffles into the space between your spread legs, idly stroking his cock while he grins in your face. You aren’t sure what to make of it at first, suddenly finding yourself sandwiched between the two of them like this, but then Sunfrost nudges you lower to just brush his cock over the puffed out rim of your asshole. 

Sucking in a half strangled gasp, you jerk your wide eyed attention up at the red brocade on Stone Enchanter’s face, knowing he could still somehow see you even with it in the way. “Please,” You warble, dread making your voice sound tiny and frail. “Don’t do this to me. I’m begging you. I - I can’t - -“

“Take care of a baby?” He helpfully supplies as he shifts even closer to line himself up with your cunt, just barely touching your labia with the fleshy tip. “Well, let’s just say you won’t have to worry about that out here in the desert. You’ll have plenty of time to devote to motherhood without any school to get in the way.”

⭐

Crossposted: here