#that toe scene was traumatizing though

[mr-ys-phantasma]

Have you come to notice in the new KAOS series that whenever Poseidon shows up to mortals, specifically Minoas, it is always in the bathroom?

Which sort of makes sense cause he is the god of the seas and almost God of the water. So Kaos sort of establishes that Poseidon can teleport where there is Open Water? Like those ancient spirits that haunt you and can appear through clear reflections?

Now, this also brings me to another question. When Ari rules, will he also dare to show up while she is in the bathroom? Because I am sure my girl Ari would not take it kindly being invaded in her own bathroom, god or no god.

P.S. It definitely it was a nice touch because it shows how little the gods think or care about humans. To invade their privacy to such degree and not give a shit.

[arsenicflame]

i sometimes get the impression that a lot of people forget that while our flag means death is a comedy, it does know how to handle trauma well within the narrative. we are shown it over and over with the flashbacks for ed and stede and jim. at no point do they play the real trauma of the situation for laughs, its treated with the weight it deserves, while still being part of a comedy show

[defire]

So it frustrates me (in whump movie scenes) when you can tell the actor has never been in this kind of pain before (or at least they're not translating it to the scene!)

Like.

Caning. Whumper should yelp and flinch, then groan and cover the spot protectively afterward.

Whipping, whumpee should should SCREAM. Do a lot of shrieking and then shudder and whimper and huddle into yourself.

Also the pain BUILDS. Even if they don't strike the same spot (they probably will though).

If whumpee is trying to be stoic, what are they doing to hold in their screams? Gripping a chair leg? Holding their breath? Cursing? At every blow, they're still going to wince, flinch, clench their fingers and toes, hyperventilate, and every other reflex your body does to get you away from danger. and if they have to hold a position they WILL be shaking by the end.

Gun pointed at they're head? Flinch. Look away for a second. Something to show that they're scared of dying or AT LEAST scared of the pain on the way.

Got cut? That pain often comes in waves (especially with infection!) so they'll be talking, then they'll wince and grab the spot with a grunt of pain, then like, "shhit." or something. Grab another shot of whiskey.

And sudden traumatic injuries they've never had before, yes, they can walk it off for a minute, if the limb is mostly functional. But as soon as that adrenaline fades and they feel like it's safe, they are going to drop, screaming.

Tied up. The instinctive reaction is a quick tug at the bonds and then start panicking at having their arms trapped.

On that note: with their ankles and wrists tied behind them, you may still be able to roll just as fast as crawling!

Also a note for whumpers, if you're threatening whumpee with a stiletto:

You are threatening to STAB into the SIDE of their neck, not slice their throat across the front!! You also want to keep them very close to you (manhandle them!) so they can't worm out of your grasp while you're threatening them. Think like a hug. <3

[verysium]

ACT 1, SCENE 3: blue lock headcanons

sae is into skincare: lotions, serums, the whole set. he and rin used to have self-care nights as children during which they would sit in bed with matching face masks and watch cartoons on the family tablet. if they were in a good mood, they would let you join.

barou listens to classical while working out. no joke. this man is so insanely focused he will shoot goals and play paganini at the same time. his work ethic is low-key why you were attracted to him the first place.

nagi is lazy to the point he will deliberately buy five pairs of the same exact pants just to save himself the trouble of having to choose an outfit in the morning. thank god for reo otherwise nagi would still be dressing like he just crawled out of bed. he still can't do much about his bedhead though.

rin desperately wanted to join sae in the deeper end of the community pool; however, he was deathly afraid of drowning. his only logical solution was to cover himself in pool floaties while he dipped a single toe into the water. even to this day, he still has traumatic memories of that experience. you need to hold his hand every time.

kaiser acts like his football prowess comes entirely from natural talent. in reality, he trains to an obsessive degree behind the scenes. you could come home at midnight, and he would still be there replaying every single highlight of his recent game. he is the type to keep detailed notes about all the players he went up against.

isagi likes to walk around his hometown of saitama and just observe the snapshots of life around him. whether it's a street vendor, children playing on a grass patch, or a couple in the sunset, he secretly enjoys these little vignettes of human experience. he would become sentimental when it comes to you. sometimes you have to pull his head out of the clouds.

nagi has parents who work overseas, so the most he sees of them is through video calls or holiday presents. occasionally, he also gets a birthday card shipped through international mail. when you threw him his first surprise party, he secretly felt touched because his family was never big on physical celebrations.

sae is ridiculously good at anything that involves data and calculations. he participated in a math competition one time in junior high, and he would have made it to the national level had he not been entirely focused on football. refused to tutor rin in algebra though because apparently his little brother has to figure out everything for himself. if it were you though, he would begrudgingly agree.

bachira holds the world record in procrastination. his notebook, pencil, and eraser are still as untouched and pristine as they were on the first day of the academic school year. he does not know what a book is, nor has he read one. he only studied because you refused to cuddle with him otherwise.

ego eats so many cups of instant ramen noodles that his glasses begin to fog up from time to time. anri has to clean the frames and lenses weekly just to make sure his myopic self can even see. at this point, she's the real MVP of the entire series.

barou likes to open the windows right after it rains because he enjoys the sweet smell of petrichor. his ideal day would be spent lounging on a couch with some tea and a novel. it would be even more perfect if you snuggled under the blankets with him.

niko sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night, immensely insecure about his forehead. he thinks it looks giant though it really isn't. you have to brush his fringe back and pepper kisses down his face and remind him that a big forehead means a big, sexy brain, so it really isn't that bad. he believes you and goes back to sleep.

shidou would make fun of boomers. in fact, he'd ridicule every single person he considers past their prime. he does not believe in any form of authority, nor does he like being told what to do. if he had his way, he would have turned the entire world into anarchy a long time ago. the only reason why he doesn't wake up and make himself everyone's problem is because he doesn't want to upset you.

kaiser knows he is very well-endowed physically, so he purposefully walks around your apartment shirtless. if he catches you eyeing him, he will make a big deal out of it. tries to not-so-subtly flex his biceps every time he reaches for the milk carton.

reo loves cocktail dresses, especially in the wine red shade. something about the accentuated figure and natural curves gives him goosebumps. his favorite part of you is when your tummy slightly protrudes after you've eaten too much. you might think it's embarrassing, but he thinks it's adorable.

rin only uses shower gel, mostly because he learned his lesson after using the locker room shower stalls. never use bar soap, always use bottled. he's also the type to always have shower shoes. sae taught him that.

bachira is the type of student to completely misread the question and still not feel bad after the teacher points it out. oh no, he was actually supposed to solve for x, not just circle it? he'll shrug it off like nothing ever happened. at least he tried. the teacher should be grateful for his effort.

sae says he does not understand the sentiments behind cute couple traditions but then proceeds to get upset when you show up to his game without wearing his jersey. would definitely get you matching bracelets for your anniversary.

aiku has a high spice tolerance. he would definitely drown his food either in sriracha or buldak sauce. if you can't handle spicy though, he would set aside a separate plate just for you and manually spoon out the food just to make sure you have something to eat too.

aryu never has dry cuticles. he is always trimming and filing to perfection. sometimes he has beef with your nail tech because he thinks he could have done so much better on your acrylics. refuses to let you go to a salon because he already has all the tools and expertise necessary.

sae does not know how to cook. his manager has always ordered take-out for him. the one time he tried to use a microwave, he completely misread the package instructions and nearly burned the entire building down. called you up with the straightest face afterwards to tell you that the smoke alarms were not shutting off.

barou unconsciously caves into peer pressure. every single new trend makes him rethink his personal style. however, he views it all with an old man mentality. like what are these youngsters doing these days? dying their hair every possible color of the rainbow? he has to do that too. proceeds to call aryu to add red streaks into his own hair. sometimes you have to remind him that external opinion should always taken with a grain of salt.

chigiri has a major sweet tooth. if you so much as bake him one single treat, he will have made plans to put a ring on your finger before he even finishes the damn pastry. his ideal partner is someone mature and understanding who can take care of him well. definitely likes the homemaker type.

gagamaru is the seeing friend in your relationship. no matter how many trips he makes to the optometrist, he will always come back with perfect 20/20 vision. definitely a nature enthusiast, and he loves hiking. even if you're blind as a bat, he will always be there to hold your hand in the dark.

© verysium 2023 / please do not translate, repost, or plagiarize any of my works

[purple-obsidian]

hi so sorry if this is awkward asf im genuinely so bad at asks lmfao-

but i wanted to know your take on how you think both reader and ak!jason would react to jason having a nightmare? the pt2 to the ak!jason fic ended with them sleeping side by side and i was just wondering like what you think would happen if jason has a nightmare while sleeping beside reader. would he be embarrassed or angry, and try to lash out, or would he be cold and nonchalant and pretend he's fine? idk its just a thought thats been floating around in my head recently!!

i love ur fics esp ur jason fics all ur works r genuinely so good and i love reading anything you write. anywayss have a good day/night!

hi there rose!

i am so glad you asked. plz never apologize, your asks are always welcome, awkward or not. jason has nightmares frequently, as mentioned in part 2:

He’s insisted on having you stay with him, but sharing a bed is a luxury you’ve been without, being forced to sleep on the couch every night instead. It’s surprisingly comfy, but good rest is still hard to come by, given the frequent, violent nightmares that plague your boyfriend’s mind and make him cry out in his sleep.

so it wouldn't be a first time for reader. but this is the first time her and jason are actually sleeping in the same bed since they've been reunited, so it's a good question to ask.

i imagine that the first few times she woke up from his night terrors, reader tried to comfort him and offer support, but jason lashed out at her, similar to how he did after the scene in the bathroom after she patched him up. so reader got used to just leaving him be, not bothering to get off the couch. it hurts her though, knowing that he's suffering and she can't help.

but now that he's allowed reader this new level of intimacy, would reader feel bold enough to try and comfort him again? lets say for the sake of your question, yes.

and my answer is it depends on what the nightmare is about. if it's a vivid nightmare [as described above] reliving a traumatic memory of his torture, jason would most likely be more worked up/fearful and therefore take a bit longer to calm down once he wakes up. he'd probably be embarrassed, as as soon as he's regulated his breathing and become aware of where he's really at, he'd shrug reader's loving touch away and be standoffish. it's just something he isn't ready to talk about and he scared to be so vulnerable around her.

if it was a less violent/vivid nightmare, where he wakes with a start but isn't hyperventilating or panicking, i think he would deny it and tell reader to go back to sleep even though reader can obviously tell he was in anguish. i don't think, at this point, he would allow himself to accept reader's comfort, but he's let his guard down enough that he wouldn't like get violent or yell at her for trying to help unless she pushed him.

i dunno. i feel like it could really depend on the day. i'm portraying jason's emotions as especially tumultuous, so any of your suggestions could be a fair guess too! he keeps reader on her toes, fr.

i'm happy to hear that you love my fics! thanks for being patient with me while i work on what's next.

xoxo sid

[a-court-of-fics-and-errors]

Keep Moving Forwards, Part 20

Azriel x Reader Fic

Summary: After finally deciding to leave your abusive and manipulative mate for good, you find unexpected companionship with Azriel, the Shadowsinger of the Night Court. As you navigate the aftermath of your traumatic relationship, you struggle to understand where the mating bond went wrong and contemplate your path forward, vowing never to return to the past.

Find other parts here: Master List

To follow this fic, follow tag "Keep Moving Forwards Fic" or comment to be tagged in future parts.

Content Warning: This story contains depictions of extreme emotional manipulation and abuse, detailed descriptions of direct physical abuse, and scenes of men hunting women with implied sexual assault. Please read at your own risk. Additional warning for this one in particular, it's got some smut adjacent romance in it.

Word Count: 3.5K

Author's Note: This is a multi-part series. Unlike my previous works, this fanfiction delves deeper than just fluff, exploring complex emotional landscapes. As I navigate this new writing journey, I kindly ask for gentle feedback. The topics addressed are profoundly impactful, touching many lives with diverse experiences. Please be gentle with yourselves and others. Healing is a journey, and everyone processes it differently. Be kind to yourself. Take what resonates, and leave what doesn’t.

Please continue reading, being aware of the above content warnings, ensuring you are in a healthy headspace. Give yourself time to process and be gentle with yourself.

Night seemed to pass quickly, and it felt as though you had just closed your eyes when they opened again. You tried to orient yourself to the unfamiliar wooden wall in front of you. Stretching slightly, your movements caused Kai to grumble and bury his face deeper into the pillow, one arm stretched lazily over you, tightening you into him.

You heard Kai’s father’s bed creak, followed by the thud of his feet hitting the floor before he rose and quietly opened and closed the door of the room. You flipped onto your side to look at Kai, or more accurately, the side of his head, which was thoroughly tousled from his night of sleep. “We need to get up,” you whispered, running your hand down the side of his face. Kai merely grumbled, pulling the blanket up higher around his chin. You sat up, inching your way to the end of the bed and tugging on your pants before rising to your feet. The wood was cold beneath your toes as you stretched.

You pulled on the wool sweater you had lying around and the socks you had shoved into the side of the bed during the night, brushing your fingers through your hair, trying to comb out the knots. All the while, you snuck glances at Kai, who lay in bed face down, his breath rising and falling softly. As you braided your locks and tossed them over your shoulder, you’d had enough of sleeping beauty. You grabbed the corners of the blankets near the end and, with a mighty heave, ripped the warmth from Kai, who immediately curled into himself, wearing nothing but his undergarments and undershirt. He groaned, “No,” as he tried to shield himself from the cold.

You smiled, chuckling slightly at how much he sounded like a child, and dropped the blanket to the ground. Walking to the side of the bed, you leaned over him, resting your hands on his arms as you shook him. “Get up!” Kai merely moaned in response. “I’m hungry!” You continued to shake him until Kai opened one of his eyes, glancing up at you with a scowl.

“My head hurts like a bitch,” he said, shutting his eyes again.

You let go of his arm, huffing slightly as you settled into the armchair, pulling on your boots and lacing them. “Do you remember last night when you came in and insisted that you hadn’t had too much to drink?”

Kai sat up slightly, his face a bit pale as he rubbed his eyes with the base of his palms. “Mildly,” he responded.

You clapped your hands on your thighs as you rose, walking over to him again. He looked up at your face, squinting in the dimly lit room. “Do you remember trying to go to sleep in your coat?”

Kai’s brows furrowed slightly. “Not at all,” he replied.

You laughed, pressing your shins into the mattress as you leaned forward, your face close to Kai’s as you pressed a kiss to his forehead. He smiled, his eyes shut as he wrapped his arms around your waist, the side of his face resting against your stomach as you ran your hands through his wavy hair. You pressed another kiss to the crown of his head as he loosened his grip on your waist. “I need to get up,” he said. “Dad’ll skin me if we’re late setting up.”

As though summoned by the mention of his name, Kai’s father appeared back in the room, dressed for the day. For the first time since you’d known him, it looked as though he’d washed his face and brushed his hair. He flashed you a smile before telling you and Kai that he would be heading down to the stable to get the cart and that you should meet him at the stand within the next half hour. Kai, hopping on one foot while trying to force the other into his pants, agreed, and his father turned and left. As soon as the door shut, Kai lost his balance, falling to the floor with a thunk as you laughed at him. He looked up at you through his hair. “Stop laughing, I’m ill!” he joked.

You picked up the blanket you had discarded at the end of the bed, throwing it back over the mattress. “I have no sympathy. You did it to yourself.”

Kai merely rolled his eyes as he stood. In just his undershirt and pants, you could still make out the faint muscles underneath it all. He wasn’t strikingly gorgeous, with his muddy brown hair and thin frame, but his smile and eyes caught your heart in your throat, and you felt a sense of pride walking alongside him, his hand wrapped in yours. Kai searched the floor for his discarded shirt, and as he did, you came from behind him and wrapped your arms around his midsection, nuzzling your nose into his shirt.

“Hi?” he asked, peering over his shoulder at you.

You smiled up at him. “Carry on,” you urged.

Kai continued bending down and standing up as he dug through his bag. Each time he did, your feet left the floor for a moment and dropped back down. After the third time, you realized he might have been doing it on purpose. You let out a light giggle, and then, without warning, Kai leaned so far forward his fingers grazed the ground as he arched his back, a playful growl emerging from his throat. You squeaked out a faint cry as your feet left the floor and dangled, your face pointing toward the ground as Kai laughed. “Put me down! Put me down!” you yelled, “I’m serious, Kai!” although your serious tone was masked with laughter.

Kai pushed his hands up to your hips as he leaned farther forward, throwing you from his back so you flipped over top of him and onto the bed, a fit of laughter erupting from you as you smacked down onto the mattress. Kai quickly hopped onto the bed next to you, straddling you under his hips as you giggled out, his weight pushing the air from your stomach as you laughed. Kai’s smile peered down at you as you settled. “We have to go!” you urged.

“I have a beautiful female pinned underneath me. I think I can stay here for a few minutes,” he smiled back at you, and you rolled your eyes.

“Wouldn't you rather get some breakfast instead?” you teased.

Kai pretended to ponder the question, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm, beautiful female or food… It’s a tough choice.”

You smacked his shoulder playfully. “Food, obviously.”

Kai leaned in, his lips meeting yours in a gentle, lingering kiss. His mouth carried a faint taste of cranberry and icing sugar, inviting and comforting against yours. As you responded, he braced himself with his arms on either side of your shoulders, his chest pressing against yours. Your arms lazily wrapped around him, pulling him closer as he peppered your cheek and neck with small kisses.

A rosy warmth spread through you, cheeks flushing with contentment as you melted into his touch. Kai's faint moan resonated against your skin as he delicately traced your collarbone with his lips, eliciting a gasp from deep within you. His weight pressed into you, his arms bending to explore, one hand trailing down your side, fingertips teasing your hips.

His touch sent shivers down your spine, goosebumps rising on your skin in the chilly morning air. His fingers ventured beneath your clothing, tracing patterns against your skin as he returned his kisses to your mouth. But your focus wavered as he traced higher, barely grazing the soft flesh of your rib cage, pausing just below your breast.

With a slow, deliberate movement, he curled his hand around your ribs, his fingers flexing against your back as you yearned for more. A whimper escaped your lips, earning a smile and a soft laugh from Kai as he continued his exploration. His warm hand slid under your undergarments, pressing against your breast as he kneaded the soft flesh beneath his palm.

You couldn't help but moan in response, the sensation sending waves of pleasure through you. It was the first time he had touched you this intimately, after months of restraint, and you melted into the newfound feeling blooming in your core. Your kiss deepened, fingers gripping into his shirt and hair as he continued to explore, teasing your nipple with a gentle pinch that caused your legs to instinctively curl around him. 

Without hesitation, your fingers trailed along the hem of Kai's undershirt, gradually pulling it free from his pants. As the fabric lifted, exposing the smooth skin of his lower back, you reached around to the front, your hand finding Kai's growing arousal. An almost primal growl escaped him, and you glanced up to find him hovering above you, lips parted in anticipation as you stroked him.

"F-fuck," he breathed out, his grip on your breast tightening momentarily before he refocused, his fingers kneading circles as you continued your ministrations. He sucked his lower lip between his teeth before leaning back down to claim your lips in a hungry kiss.

Your palm pressed firmly against him as Kai's touch grew more commanding, trailing from your breast down your stomach to your waist. With a sense of urgency, he untied the front of your pants, both of you shifting to create more space. His hand moved swiftly, slipping under the outer clothing and over your underwear, a soft moan escaping him at the wetness already pooling between your thighs.

In response, you echoed his pleasure-laden moan, feeling his cock twitch slightly against your touch, as though he was already on the brink just from the warmth of your core. His fingers grinding into the wetness, exploring as he continued to kiss you, the once precise kisses now becoming sloppy and forgotten as you both reveled in the intoxicating sensation of each other's gentle caresses. 

Just as your hand hovered near the knot of his trousers, you both froze at the sound of the bell outside, tolling six times. With a sigh of resignation, Kai's eyes opened, his head dropping onto your chest. "We really need to go," he whispered.

Reluctantly, you withdrew your hand as Kai rolled off you, a playful smile flickering across his lips as he retrieved his shirt, adjusting his attire while you straightened out your clothes and tousled hair. Slipping on your coat, you headed for the door, Kai quickly following suit, hopping into his boots.

With one hand on the doorknob, Kai turned you around, his grip on your shoulder guiding you until your back met the door with a soft thud. He kissed you deeply, an intensity and hunger sparking between you that hadn't been felt in a long while. When he pulled back, your eyes fluttered open.

"We aren't done here," he murmured, his voice filled with promise. "Just hold on to that feeling."

You playfully bit your lip. "It's going to make this day so much more challenging now," you teased, your hand trailing down to his pants again, eliciting a soft moan from Kai.

Just as he leaned in for another kiss, you swung open the door, causing Kai to stumble forward with a shout. Laughter bubbled up from within you as he regained his balance, shooting you a playful glare. "You know what? Scratch that. Forget I said anything. I just want to be friends," he joked.

Wiping tears from your eyes and finally standing after doubling over in laughter, you were met with Kai's adoring gaze. Softly, you kissed his cheek, intertwining your fingers with his as you descended the stairs of the inn and stepped out into the crisp morning air of the Winter Solstice Market.

________________________________________________________

As Velaris slowly awoke to the holiday cheer, vendors bustled to and fro, preparing their stands for the influx of last-minute shoppers. You and Kai made your way toward the booth, stopping at a bakery just raising its curtains to buy a cup of tea for the two of you to share and a cranberry croissant, which Kai let you have most of. When you finally arrived at the booth, his father was already unloading the carvings and placing them on the table. Kai immediately jumped in to help, while you stood back, watching the two of them. This was a routine for them—twice a year, every year, for the last hundred and twenty years. You were content to stand back and watch as Kai silently handed his father the carvings.

The booth was filled with all sorts of handmade items: animals, landscapes, bowls, spoons, forks, cutting boards, all crafted throughout the year whenever his father had spare time and lumber. They were beautiful and delicate, a stark contrast to the hands of the lumber workers, which were often calloused, cut, and large. These carvings required patience and the fine movements of a skilled craftsman. By the time they were finished unloading, most of the market had been set up. You took a few moments to stroll between booths, investigating what other vendors were selling. Some sold rare stones and gems, others paintings, drawings, or pottery, and some sold herbal medicines found only in other Courts, while others offered homemade pastries or pastas.

Everyone seemed to know each other, as the same vendors had been coming here for centuries, much like Kai’s family. Kai wasted no time in introducing you to each and every person. They fawned over you as Kai held your hand, swooning over how adorable the two of you were together and expressing their happiness to see Kai finally with someone. Kai’s father, ever the stoic introvert, stuck to the stand, chatting with a few other burly men about this or that. Meanwhile, you and Kai were out socializing. Kai took much more after his mother, always making time to chat with those around him, always with a compliment, and seeming to know the more intimate details of their lives, checking in about elderly relatives or asking after children.

When the clock tower finally rang out, announcing it was nine in the morning, Kai brought you back to the stand and informed you that you would be helping with transactions, writing down profits, and recording trades if there was a barter. With a wink, he also added, “Plus, you’re good advertising.” You rolled your eyes at that statement.

As fae from all walks of life rolled into the market in their solstice best, you couldn’t help but track the mothers walking hand in hand with their children, who pointed in awe at the many sights and sounds before them. Fathers hoisted their children onto their shoulders to get them out of the crush of people, and small babes wrapped in swaddling blankets cooed and babbled over their mothers' adoring faces. You tried to picture yourself here as a child, though no memory arose from it.

A small girl approached the stand, barely able to peek over the edge of the table as she surveyed the carvings. Her curly brown hair was pulled back with a dark red headband, exposing her delicate alabaster skin and rosy cheeks. You smiled down at her as she looked at the items.

“Mama, Mama, look!” the little girl cried out. Her mother, with a babe strapped to her chest, approached from the neighboring booth. The girl's mother looked much like her, with the same curly hair, though her face was slightly more angular. She placed one hand delicately on the back of the babe’s head, which was covered in a dark red hat. “What do you see, darling?”

“It’s a horsey!” the little girl pointed. It was indeed a carving of one of the lumber horses, mid-gait.

“It is!” The mother’s voice was light and excited as she looked to you and smiled. “It’s a big horse.”

“I wanna play with it,” the little girl reached forwards for the statue, and her mother gently pulled her back, crouching down so her forest green dress and matching coat swayed just above the ground.

“No, no, honey,” she said softly, “These aren’t toys. These are very fragile.”

The little girl’s face dropped slightly as she looked to her mother, her large blue eyes seeming to grow wider. “But... but I have horses at home.”

The mother nodded, the babe fussing slightly as she ran her hand down their back to soothe them. “I know, but those are toy horses. Those ones don’t break, and if you play with these too much they might.” The little girl looked back at the statue on the table and then back to her mother. “So we can look at this horse, but we can’t play with it.”

The little girl frowned, gazing longingly at the horse.

Seeming to overhear the interaction, Kai moved in next to you and glanced between the horse and the girl. He placed his hand on your lower back to scoot you forward as he crossed behind you, grabbing the horse on the way and coming out to the front of the booth. He crouched down next to the girl, who shied slightly away from him.

“You know,” Kai said gently, “your mom is right, a lot of these things are really fragile.” The little girl scanned his face. “But this horse is very strong.” He seemed to weigh it in his hand. “My dad made this to look like my horse, Ingrid, who’s really big and super strong.” The little girl took a tentative step towards him. “So I think,” Kai continued, “that if you just play with her a little more carefully, she could be a good addition to your herd.” Kai smiled at her and handed her the horse.

The little girl beamed in delight as she took it from him, turning back to her mother, who gave Kai a soft, appreciative smile. “How much do I owe you?” she asked as the little girl squeezed the horse to her chest.

Kai stood, shaking his head and hand, “Nothing.”

The mother stopped, pulling her purse around from her side as she bounced the babe in the carrier, “No, I have to give you something.”

Kai slipped back behind the stall and just repeated, “Don’t worry about it. Consider it a solstice gift!”

The mother nodded and smiled, asking the little girl to thank him. She looked up at him, and with a grin revealing a missing front tooth, she said, “Thank you!” prolonging ‘you’, before her mother beckoned her to move on.

Kai continued to smile and waved them off before turning to you and saying, “Don’t tell my dad I did that.”

You looked over Kai’s shoulder to where his father was speaking with another craftsman, seemingly unaware of what took place. You simply crossed your fingers over your lips, feigning locking them, and chucked the imaginary key away. Kai chuckled, ruffling his tousled hair, and gave you a playful wink.

The market continued to bustle with life as more patrons wandered through the tight aisles. Sylvan even made his way through, stopping to chat with Kai about last night’s antics. He revealed that Kai had, in fact, had more drinks than he had ever seen him have before and that it took them an extra hour to get back to the inn because Kai kept going down the wrong streets. Sylvan took particular joy in telling you that the entire night, Kai only talked about you and how “pretty your hair was,” and how “nice your smile was.” Even as Kai tried to silence him, Sylvan noted that Kai seemed particularly interested in how nice and white your teeth were, which made you blush. Kai merely beckoned Sylvan to go find someone else to bother. His father shook his head and rolled his eyes.

The booth was doing so well, in fact, that Kai’s father asked you to return to the stable to grab the rest of the boxes of figures from the cart and bring them back to finish out the day. You hurriedly made your way down towards the entrance of the city, pushing open the door of the barn and pulling boxes off the cart, even stopping to stroke Lila for a moment. You stacked the boxes on top of one another and headed back out the door, pushing it open with your back.

Suddenly, you heard a familiar voice. “Hello, my love.” The boxes fell from your grasp as you turned to see the imposing stature of your mate, his shadow towering over you and sending a freezing cold chill down your spine.

The world seemed to narrow to just the two of you. His piercing gaze locked onto you, and the barn's light seemed to dim as though the very air grew colder with his presence. Your heart pounded in your chest, a mix of fear and disbelief rendering you speechless. The warm, bustling market felt a million miles away as you faced the reality you had been running from.

To my readers - Sorry. @thatacotargirl @mcuamerica @lilah-asteria @florabelll @fightmedraco @marvelbros-oneshots @mariahoedt @quinzzelx @romantasyreader28 @minnieoo @mysteriouslydeafeningwerewolf @annabethgranger123 @krowiathemythologynerd @scatteredstardustt @romantacyreader28 @caroline-books @slytherintaco @sevikas-whore @sidthedollface2 @405rry @sleepylunarwolf @acourtofbatboydreams @quiettuba @julesofvolterra @skylarkalchemist @darling006 @rhysandorian

[chuplayswithfire]

Edward Teach and his relationship to violence and power and the cycle of abuse is so fascinating, because Ed grew up in a household where he was intensely, constantly vulnerable, where he and his mother were at the whim of his incredibly abusive father, and so he escapes by committing the most understandable and well justified murder in the entire show, and it traumatizes him -

Not just because it was murder

Not just because it was his dad

But because he was able to plan it out and make it happen at all. Killing his dad is this moment of terrifying strength and courage at the heart of him and it's the birthplace of the Edward that does what needs to be done to survive, no matter the emotional consequences. Ed thinks he is a bad person specifically because as a child he killed own father so he and his mother could survive, and then had to keep committing acts of violence to survive long into adulthood.

I don't think Ed worries about becoming his father. I think he sees himself as someone much worse - because he was able to kill that man, to plan out and complete his murder, even though that was his dad.

The show never once treats Ed's anger in the show as unreasonable or problematic - his flashes of temper throughout the show are always in very understandable moments and they're played for drama (french captain), furthering the romance (wanting to shoot the rich people party vs stede offering to handle it), or comedy (snake snack/punching izzy in ep 9).

Even Kraken is deliberately not particularly shown to be an expression of Ed's anger, which is hot, but that deliberate ruthless problem solving spirit that comes after the anger passes and the knowledge of exactly what to do washes over him; following his father to the dock and strangling him; skin him, and fang? use the snail fork; toe scene and sitting exactly at Izzy's bed side for it and telling him what will happen if he threatens him again. Even marooning the crew is not an act committed with anger, but a muted sorrow.

Piracy is a culture of abuse, mistrust, and backstabbery, this is established in episode one, further emphasized in episode 8 with both Spanish Jackie and Calico Jack and the tales of Hornigold, and demonstrated yet further with Captain Hands in episode 9.

Ed escaped the abuse at home, but found his place in the world in the abusive professional and interpersonal relationships of piracy, which is one reason he's so drawn to Stede - because he's doing it differently, he's trying to build a form of piracy that doesn't rely on the traditional forms of abuse that manage piracy - and because his people positive management style works, as demonstrated throughout the length of the show. Not everything Stede does works out or is ideal, but his people positive management style is.

When Stede leaves and breaks Ed's heart, and Ed starts to recover from that heartbreak only for Izzy to kick him back down with another threat to his life and for him to hear the crew calling for another song and wonder if it's mockery instead of friendship -

Yeah, Ed turns back to the familiar culture of abuse, mistrust, and backstabbery that piracy has. Shoving Lucius, the one most likely to see through him, overboard. Using Izzy's preferred language, violence, to get him to back the fuck off and fall in line. Violence against Jim and threats against violence against Frenchie, to get them to comply. Abandoning over half the crew.

Ed tried something new and at the end he feels like it fucked him over, made him weak, and vulnerable again, and he reacted exactly as his childhood self did - by creating and executing a plan to remove the threat and position himself out of harm.

That's what Ed's journey is likely to be about, in season 2, by my estimation - understanding what he actually wants in and from life, and having to recognize that he 1) deserves that life 2) can't get it by retreating of self-destruction and abuse that he's grown familiar with. Not a fear of being like his father (he's really not imo, and I could go on about how throwing a knife past your subordinate who has betrayed you and threatened to kill you is vastly different from throwing plates at your cowering wife because you're mad about dinner are not the same, but I'd hope it's unnecessary), or anger issues in general, but recognizing that his retreat from his authentic self into the mask of Blackbeard we see at the end was wrong and doomed to fail.

[magpiepills]

En El Mar

Rating: EXPLICIT 18+ MDNI

Pairing: Joel Miller x f reader

Word count: 727

Summary: you and Joel on the beach just like in that scene in From Here to Eternity.

Warnings: smut. Sort of non con? No express consent is given and both parties have just washed ashore from a shipwreck. They are traumatized, but horny! PWP, PIV, kissing. Javi’s curls.

A word from the author: This is a repost! Y’all saw that SAG awards shirt, right? And you know the black boxers from that one leather jacket selfie, right? This is like those things combined. Also An Affair To Remember tidbit in there and if you spot it you get a kiss.

He drags you to shore and begs you not to die, not here, not now. He’s only just felt the warmth and the weight of the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen in his arms, it’s too soon to lose you. When you open your eyes, he kisses you and doesn’t stop kissing you until he realizes he’s grinding his cock against you. This isn’t him. He’s a gentleman. He needs to wait, to woo you, make you love him. The salty water laps at your bodies, though and he feels there may never be a dinner to go to.

Overcome with lust he rips your shirt open and kisses your chest and up your neck. You’re still delirious from nearly drowning, limp in his arms as the sun sparkles on the crystal blue water and glints off the white sand of the pristine beach. Despite the tropical heat, your nipples pebble, drawing his lustful eye. He drags you further up the beach, the sand shifting beneath you when he repositions to draw your peaked bud into his warm mouth.

Your weak moans mingle with the crash of waves and the call of seabirds. He is helpless to resist you, the arch of your back and the adrenaline urge him on, easily tearing the fabric of your shirt the rest of the way off. He pauses, unable to believe that he is alive and so are you, the beautiful and charming stranger from the doomed ship. You cup his scruffy jaw in your hand and pull him to your lips, parted and waiting like petals of a drowsy rose. He kisses you deeply, soundly, the way he wanted to the moment he laid eyes on you. As he licked into your sweet mouth, you pull at his white shirt, half unbuttoned and hanging open, tearing it from his broad shoulders, exposing his strong, golden chest.

Impatiently he unzips your shorts, tossing them to the dry sand. He presses his chest to yours and rolls you on top of him.

The full length of his turgid member throbs against your own aching core. All inhibition lost along with the wreckage of the SS Consitution, you roll your hips suggestively, and run your fingers through the beautiful man’s thick, graying curls. You sweep them away from his forehead and trace his sloped nose with your lips, kissing his face while his strong hands anchor your hips just above his own.

No words are spoken, silent understanding passes between you. You may die together on this remote island all alone, but you have right now. He lifts his hips and pushes down the tight black briefs that kept him from you, then gathers the scant lace of your underwear in his thick fingers. Teasing at your slit with his knuckles, he looks at you, and tells you his name before joining your soft, supple body with his hard, aged one. The first word you speak to him is a staccato moan of his name. “Joel!” He’s slow and languid in his motion, holding you with firm yet gentle hands on your hip and cheek. Your knees and toes slip in the wet sand. You’ve no choice but to take every solid inch of him.

You can’t keep your eyes open. You’ve never felt so full, he coaxes you to move, he needs to feel you as you surrender yourself to him, your beautiful tits, the nipples he longs to tease swaying so erotically above his face. Your throaty moans drive his hips upward, fucking into you with abandon as you find your own matching rhythm, grinding your clit into the coarse dark hair beneath you. You’re overtaken by your orgasm, it bolts up your spine and down every nerve, rendering you nearly drunk on his cock. He can feel the ripple of your pleasure pulling at his own, and he can’t stop until he has filled you with his seed.

He doesn’t let you go. He can’t. He pulls you to his chest, bodies joined, breath escaping you both in ragged pants. As the tide rises and the sky darkens, he holds you, kissing your face, your hair, your lips. You stroke his chest, twirl a lock of his hair around your finger, and vow to live the rest of your life, however short it may be now, with him.

[carefulfears]

literally thinking about how mulder is the softest man. and he loves beautifully. he's so focused on his quest because of how much he loves samantha, and his parents. he tries to hope, desperately, that samantha is alive & he'll find her even though he knows how unlikely it is. and without scully, it would have taken him much longer to face it. no one ever looked into the darkness with him or loved samantha with him or believed in him so much they always followed him & stayed present with him in those really difficult moments he couldn't get away from the grief. and everything scully does for him, he returns. he responds to how she cares, and her boundaries. and they talk but they don't really talk, so he toes the line. he's always checking in with her.

the x-files is about love because everything mulder does is through love does everybody get it!! god, it’s just so major to me, that he’s this iconic sci-fi hero who’s just 100% grounded in kindness and generosity. there’s nothing hiding around the corner. he’s not the bad boy in the basement, he’s not the maverick with a secret heart of gold, he’s just fucking nice. he cares about people. he sees people. he wants to help. he loves his sister. loves his shitty parents. loves his evil ex-partners and ex-wife. loves his friend. there’s always something deeper in mulder, but it’s always just pain. he’s not hiding anything away. he refuses to let go of anything, but never wants anyone to fall into the same trap, his or their own. he tells traumatized women who’ve been abused and imprisoned that he needs their help, that they’re capable of contributing, that he wants to know what they think. while every other cop tries to lock them up. he feels every loss, carries every ghost, never stops trying.

i just watched irresistible again, and god. the way that he pulls scully aside and tells her, it’s okay to be affected. it’s normal. “i’ve seen agents with 20 years fall apart on cases like this.” he doesn’t say that it’s because she’s a woman (like the cop in 2shy does) or because she’s young or because she’s traumatized. he never brings up her recent abduction. he just tells her that it’s okay to need space, that she can talk to him.

and scully is trying so fucking hard to be that perfect navy captain’s daughter. that girl who straightened before looking up at her father to say goodnight. that girl who, as her mother says, has “always been the strong one.”

and she tries to be the strong one. she takes a step back. she goes to therapy. she tells her therapist that she trusts her partner more than anyone, but she does not want him to know that she’s struggling. when she decides to come back, and calls him, she plays it off with a joke. (like he does). “besides, you could use my help.” when he responds, “always.” it’s so earnest and direct, without breaking her cover or stepping out of the box she created. yes, of course, agent scully. come help.

in the end, she can barely choke out that “i’m fine,” her signature move. he doesn’t say a word. he tips her chin so slightly, so that she looks at him. it’s one of the most special moments of the series, to me, the way she just breaks when she sees him. grabs him and sobs. and how you can just barely hear him whisper: “it’s alright.”

the police are still cleaning up the scene around them. i don’t think we ever see her do that again, in front of other people. but we do see her do it with him, when they’re alone, because she knows she can. that strong captain’s daughter. it’s like someone talked about on one of your posts before: scully has to be put together. she has to be the strong one. she’s trying to maintain a fragile place in “the boy’s club” (she talks about this herself). she’s trying to present respectability and a certain image.

and maybe she does have to be that person, for her parents, for her brother, for the FBI, the doctors. but mulder thinks that it’s okay to be affected. he just wants her to be able to talk about it. he wants to see her vulnerability, and shield it. in that house in minneapolis, his face breaks, but he just holds her and whispers. and she rarely falls into it, but she knows that she can, since the motel room in bellefleur. and that means something.

it’s just impossible not to soften around him. and that’s something really special, for scully, for the victims and witnesses he works with. he values their help, he already views them as strong, he wants them to express everything that they’re feeling. he believes it helps.

(mulder has said that line too, “you’re the strong one.” - to lucy householder when she was crying in the dirt)

this show was always realistic. you do have to present a certain image. most people are gonna think you’re young and weak and traumatized and stupid. but it also centered this whole thing around this one person that didn’t require any of that, and that’s why it works. why it’s so special.

[spacerockfloater]

House of the Dragon, Season 2, Episode 1: Discussion

Overall, I did not like the episode at all.

First of all, am I crazy or was the whole scene at Winterfell and the Wall purely fanservice so that HOTD can gain the sympathy of old fans? I mean, it lasted like, 2 minutes, and added nothing to the plot. Cregan’s speech was amusing though.

Daemon didn’t let a single moment go to waste before he started acting like a king. Typical and at least consistent with his character.

Sigh. Preparing myself for the backlash I’m going to receive for this. I did not like the way Rhaenyra’s and Jace’s emotions were portrayed. Where was the shock? The agony? The horror? The pain? Too much silent grief for someone who just found out that their son/ brother was murdered. Hell, Rhaena showed more emotion than both of them combined and we saw her face for merely a second.

Good for my girl Alicent for finally getting some I guess, but the Alicole sex scenes were weak as fuck. No passion, no chemistry. It was robotic as shit. All that subtle tension between them during the first season led to nothing. Rushed as fuck and not at all what they made us think it would be. Provided absolutely zero context. Boring as hell, too. Thank fuck that it was leaked because it would have been a jumpscare. Nothing could have prepared me for it, it came out of nowhere.

Alicent standing her ground against Otto was surprisingly very good. I loved seeing her take the lead. And it was touching to see her light a candle for Luc, too.

Aegon II was very entraining. Refreshing to see him try to be a good king, actually care for his subjects and love his son. Distracts you from the fact that he’s still a stupid unseasoned teenager. Looking forward to some more character development on his part.

Now, what the actual fuck could Aemond ever possibly have to be angry about? Didn’t he just have his revenge? Who is he so pissed at?

Daemon and his murder cloak are the strongest ship in HOTD, which they should rename to “House of Misunderstandings” at this point.

I nearly pissed myself when Cheese’s super secret hidden path through the castle, that only he as a specialist knows, was crossing the fucking throne room on their tippy toes. Did they sneak back outside to meet Daemon the same way while leaving a bloody trail behind them? Are the writers actually insane? Who gave that shit the green light? Why does the door to Aemond’s room open by a lever? Is he Batman? Where the actual fuck was literally everyone? The guards? The servants? The ladies of honour? How was the fucking queen all alone?

And lastly, speaking of the queen… Oh my God. This was the most anticlimactic scene in the whole episode. I nearly fell asleep. I don’t know what’s Helaena’s deal, like is she neurodivergent? Is she just not fazed by anything because she has already seen everything play out in her head before it actually happens? It’s never explained and it makes it so infuriating that she looks just… concerned. Not traumatized or shocked, just perplexed and worried, lol. She pointed to her son faster than lightning. Did she just want all of it end as fast as possible? No idea. All the tragedy of the situation was removed. Luc’s death was much more impactful and shook the audience. This seemed so underwhelming and stale. And then Helaena quietly goes to her mother’s room, walks past her riding Criston like this happens to her every Tuesday, sits down, refers to her own son as “the boy”, and looks slightly distraught. Dian Doesn’t even shed a single tear. Nothing like the mourning woman gone mad by grief we saw in the trailer, though maybe we just have to wait I suppose. Like, lol okay. This was not giving like y’all promised it would. The only grotesque thing about it was listening to them sawing Jaehaerys’ head off.

The episode felt rushed as fuck and has severely reduced my interest in hating or loving any of the characters. There’d better be some top notch acting next Sunday or I’m dropping the show.

All opinions are welcome, just please be civil to one another!

[izzysillyhandsy]

I sometimes wonder if the Izzy hate would have reached those dizzying heights if S1 had ended on episode 9.

Izzy would still have done almost all the bad things: making Ed unhappy, duelling Stede and wanting him gone, the deal with the English, his past with Ed/Blackbeard - except for hurting and threatening Ed after the breakup.

And even though all of this can be seen from different angles, it is possible to interpret it from the most damning perspective - and that should be enough to hate him, right?

But Ed wouldn't have turned into the Kraken, he wouldn't have killed Lucius, marooned half of the crew and cut off Izzy's toe.

And I am almost 100% sure that most of the Izzy hate comes from seeing Ed's drastic change in episode 10. Without it, sure, some people might have found Izzy unsympathetic or just unimportant, or a little shit. But that level of hate?

I guess what I'm saying is that a lot of the Izzy hate comes from "what Izzy made Ed do" and not from "what Izzy did to Ed".

Also, it is a way of dealing with the shock/cognitive dissonance of seeing a very beloved character turn "evil" after 9 episodes of being a gentle and misunderstood guy who is a pirate, yes, but who's fundamentally non-violent and good. How can you reconcile this with Ed suddenly killing a beloved (and completely innocent) character? And the extreme violence of the toe-cutting? (And yes, I know Ed burned people alive before, pirate-typical violence etc. But we didn't know these people and we didn't see them in close-up.)

But to blame Izzy for everything and to make him this evil part of Blackbeard - completely separate of "true Ed" of course - lets Ed still be the same gentle soul that loves a fine fabric, fell in love with Stede in the sweetest way and, although traumatized by his childhood, is at his core an innocent person that can be saved by removing the rotten influence of Izzy Hands - without confronting the self-hatred, self-centeredness, mistrust of others and tendency to violence that might be a part of "true Ed" as well.

And of course, if a group of fans started liking Izzy and maybe even defended/found understanding for his actions to a degree - where would that leave Ed? Is it really justifiable to fly into a murderous rage because your heart was broken (by a man you've known for a few weeks), because you're deeply unhappy and you've outgrown your pirate persona?

If Ed wasn't mentally abused by Izzy for decades, if it wasn't Izzy alone that drove Stede away, if Izzy hadn't duelled Stede out of the evilness of his heart, if Ed didn't desperately want to leave but Izzy forced him to stay in their toxic relationship, if it wasn't just Izzy and his hurtful words that drove Ed to become the Kraken...

...then maybe Ed wouldn't be an innocent babygirl anymore, and it would be much more difficult to see Ed/Stede as this perfect, unproblematic and sunshine-y couple.

It seems to me that seeing Izzy as "The Worst" and casting him in the role of the villain behind every bad thing Ed ever did is a quick and painless way to make Ed loveable without actually putting the work in (and the show actually avoided that up unto the death scene - one example is Izzy leaving in S1E4 and Ed manipulating him to stay; there are countless others).

I sometimes have the feeling that the hate for Izzy grows exponentially with more and more of Ed's darker side coming through in the show. And I don't get it - maybe because I am drawn to darker, fucked up characters and relationships. Give Ed his agency back and let him be cruel! Let Ed and Izzy have their mutually destructive, weird but intense dynamic!

Let Ed be a fascinating, loveable character with a (very) dark side - exactly like his partner for decades, Izzy - and you'll actually get a better character, and an additional fascinating relationship - as well as a more interesting story.

[stromuprisahat]

True love is "When he isn't horrible to her, she's horrible to herself for him..."

Siege and Storm- Chapter 21

What exactly is the purpose of this extempore performance, outside of reminding Alina he doesn't want to have anything to do with her and keep her on her toes, attempting to gauge his next mood swing?

Five seconds earlier: it has to be my way! - Now: I don't care.

*purposefully pointedly ignores Alina*

THIS is the last place I wanna be. *leaves without permission*

And with this tiny interaction Alina loses all her previous spirit, ending up emotionally drained and in tears.

Classic home abuser behaviour.

But hey- if he disappears quickly enough, there will be no consequences to his negligence. It's not like his victim will let anyone hold him responsible now that he reminded her how she cannot imagine to exist without him.

Honey, this might be THE exception.

This would be an interesting angle to explore, if they were twins or very close siblings, who were forced to depend on each other all their lives through some unique traumatic experience.

This way it's just plain boring nurtured codependence, with Alina getting the shorter straw.

You don’t care what happens to Mal ... *singsongs* I wish it were truuueee!!!

And I wish this would be a sudden emotional outburst of a wounded girl, not a part of a pattern of Alina expecting the worst for no reason.

But is this really the life you want for him? Ehm, Alina's not his mother. She's not his caretaker. She has no responsibility for him and his actions. That's all on Malyen.

So much bullshit in a single paragraph.

Malyen's purpose was supposed to be Alina's protector. Except he never even tried to do the job. If he's a soldier, he should be following his leader, not making scenes. Except for him Alina's not a person worth respect, she's always just his inconsequential girlfriend for him.

I wonder what would happen to him under ordinary circumstances (read: Nobody tiptoeing around to spare her feelings.).

Would he get away with drunkenness? Fistfights? Spreading rumours about his officer? Missing watch? Neglecting other duties of his station? Turning up unpresentable to accompany his superior?

All of his unhappiness stems from inability to respect Alina both as a leader and a person.

Am I to feel sorry for him?!

While I ~could~ understand Alina's fear of wanting more*- even though she is driven by shame- her greatest concern shouldn't be she might be truly seen by her loved one of choice. Unlike family, relationships formed by people, who simply want to be together should be about acceptance and treasuring each other's company. Not moulding one's self into what the other one wants.

_____

* Unlike Ms. Bardugo I know great power doesn't mean corruption, it's how you use it that matters.

[locallixie]

little red — heeseung

> summary. don't wander too far from the path, there's a wolf roaming the place.

> genre. dark fantasy, light horror, smut, wolf hybrid!heeseung, masc!reader, technically little red riding hood but i kind of fucked it up.

> warnings. non-con, minor gore, vulgar language, oral receiving, overstimulation, dacryphillia, sadism

Mother sent you out again, and everytime she would say the same thing. "Don't stray away from the path, my dear, there could be a wolf roaming around."

You were all too familiar at this point, she must be bluffing for all you know. You have never seen anything close to a predator in the woods, you even barely seen a squirrel. There was no such thing.

Why should she be worrying so much? You were already grown, it would be your twentieth birthday soon. She has nothing to stress, you would not take long to grandma's house. You'd be back before she could blink!

You heard from mother that grandma wasn't feeling so well, she made a gift basket to hopefully cheer her up. She, herself, couldn't go. That was why she sent you, grandma missed you very much and would love to see you.

Filled with curiosity as you were, even though you thought you've seen it all, the woods still fascinate you every once in a while. There were flowers of many kinds which bloomed oh-so nicely this spring season, birds which chirped their pleasant tune, the bright atmosphere from the sunlight seeping through every leaf. It was such a wonderful day outside.

"Where are you going, little one?" One of the townfolk appeared out of nowhere, a simple farmer he was.

"Gosh, I'm not that little, Heeseung." He wouldn't stop with his endless teasing whenever you crossed paths. He was fairly tall, and had a bulkier built than you. You swore, he always seem a bit taller everytime you see him. "Just to my grandma's, she's quite ill at the moment."

He placed on of his newly picked apples into your basket, "Here, this is for your grandma. I grew them myself." It was a vibrant red like every other apple, and like every places in this small town, most were also home-grown. But there was something about his apple that stood out, the outer skin felt particularly weird under your fingertips, it was unsettlingly soft. It felt like human skin.

Your face held uncertainty in a smile, "Thanks, I'm sure she'll like it." Maybe you were overthinking things, it was only an apple, he probably grew them a different way. There were many farmers in your town, there certainly would be some rivalry between some of them. You heard many say that produces from Heeseung were the freshest and best of them all.

You bid goodbye to the farmer and continued your journey to grandma's house. He, too, reminded you to stay on the path. That there was danger lurking when you least expected.

She was bed-ridden, was falling in and out of consciousness when you came. You left the basket on her dining table, putting the bouquet of flowers your mother provided into one of the many glass vases she had in her home. Such a shame that she lived alone and has no one to look after her, it was a luck that you came to check up on her just in case something did happen.

You washed and placed fruits on a dish for her to eat, there were grapes, and oranges, and pears. You were choping them into smaller pieces to make it easier for her to chew on.

The apple that Heeseung gave you were a bit too easy to cut through, the knife almost slide into it as if there was no core. You dropped the knife, it hit the floor a few inches away from severing your toes. Blood and guts poured out from inside the apple, you saw bits of intestine mixed in with scarelet substance.

There was a single finger, a finger that had a ring wrapped around it fell out from the fruit. This was paint, paint on human skin. "Grandma!" You screamed, running up the stairs to her. You pulled the blanket off of her, witnessing a scene which would traumatize you for life. Your grandma laid in bed with blood soiled sheets, her stomach hanging out from her torso.

In utter terror, you fled. Your feet kept running, mindlessly running throughout the deep woods. You didn't even notice that you strayed from the original path mother told you to stay on.

Heart pacing faster each step, lungs burning like there was a inferno inside of you. These shoes mother have put you in would twist your ankles, they ached as you continued to run. She refused to buy you new shoes, a pair that would fit you since you have out grown it. It was such a pretty pair yet it pained to walk in.

You let out a devasted yelp, hitting a stone on the earth ground. Luckily, before you hit the floor, someone caught you. "What's the rush, little red?"

Seeing him brought such relief, so happy that you never noticed how he simply showed up out of the blue every single time. One hand, his strength was overqualified for a plain farmer. The other hid behind his back, he too, was caught up in some business before bumping into you once more.

"Heeseung—! Oh, thank God! Call the hunter, I think a wolf got my grand—" You stopped aburptly, the realization finally hitting your dense head. He was the one who gave you that specific apple, he was the one people praised and ignored at the same time, he was the wolf.

"I— I—" Stumbling on your words as you stared at him in a slow burn fear.

"Hmm? A wolf, you say? Interesting." The corners of his lips curved, a unsettling smile he wore on his face. A smile paired with blank eyes, his sharp fangs reflecting off the sun as much as his eyes did. His furry tail wagged from side to side, taunting you. He knew what he was doing, calculated it all for some time.

You yanked yourself away, trying to get out of his firm grip. Catching him off guard, you threw one of your shoes at him. Lost, not a sense of direction, the sunlight blinding your sight. Nevermind it, you kept running, in hopes that you'd come out alive.

A breath knocked out of you, the blood stained axe flew and cutting deep into the tree in front of you. "Why are you running away? You don't trust lil' old me no more?" His tone of voice, of how sadistic it sounded, joking with your fear.

Your red hood fell from your head, pulled back, which choked you by the coat collar. You saw your feet dangling above the earth, helpless, and devastated. If only you were a little faster, if only these stupid fucking shoes didn't hurt every time you take a step. A bunny like you would quickly be devoured by the big, scary wolf.

Another prey, you were. You should've seen the blood that stained his pretty hands, should've seen the madness that glared in his eyes. You should've forseen it all! A wolf in sheep's clothing, hiding the darkness under a friendly exterior.

Free to kick and scream all you want, he already got you in submission. "Hmm, aren't you cute little thing," He sniffed your neck, licking the thin skin of yours, "And smells enticing too."

Tears filled your eyes, crying and begging him to let you go. His grip tightened every word of pleading that fell out of your lips, the more you sobbed and screamed at him, it filled him up with insanity. No one could save you now, he got you wrapped up around his claws that could easily ripped you apart. You were his prey, belong to solely him to toy with and feast on.

He dropped you, falling to the ground as you winced in pain from the impact. Coughing and trying to get every inch of oxygen into your lungs. The rough soil scraped your knees from the fall, the skin was broken and began to bleed.

Before you could even rise your head, pushed back onto the grass as he trapped you between his arms. Claws only mere inches away from tearing you into tiny pieces.

"What a nice coat, did your mother sown it herself? She sure is a nifty lady, is she?" He laughed, ripping away your layers until you were laid before him completely bare like a piece of raw meat, waiting to be eaten.

You couldn't bare having his hands all over you, staining your purity with his fingertips. Slowly sliding through every single rib, making his way to your waist. Your soft, warm skin under his hands, he could not resist nor restrain himself from wanting to do bad things to you. His sharp claws could cut you, gliding on the surface just to taunt you more.

As he breathed over your naked body, his warm breath which teased the senses on your skin. Sending shivers, and a guilty pleasure. It felt nice, your overly sensitive body was giving up underneath him bit by bit as he kept touching you in places that you, yourself, haven't went to.

His wet and long tongue dragged on your half-erect cock, exciting you just a little more. Heeseung kept his gaze on you, intense and utterly wild. He was going to eat you, but not in the way you think. He'd savor you like you were meant to, take you apart slowly until you fully submit to him.

Your breath hitched, gripping his gentle curls. You should stop him before you find yourself lost in the ecstacy. His teeth ghosting on the skin, his fangs caged your cock with threats.

"If you scream, I'll fucking bite it off." He growled. Pretty plump and pink lips wrapped around your shaft, the inside of his mouth was wet and warm. Flicking his tongue over the head everytime he got to the tip. Oh, it was absolutely driving insane!

Saliva dripping down his chin as he dived deeper, almost having you all the way down his throat. You gripped his broad shoulders, trying your best to push him off as you sensed something rising from the inside. You could not let him have the satisfaction of seeing you break down under his tongue. He was strong, as if he got a bit bigger than a few moments before.

You came into his mouth, the thick fluid spilling out the corners of his lips. But he didn't stop, kept bobbing his head by the same pace, keeping your stimulated cock in his mouth.

Your chest rising and falling, it felt hot, burningly hot. Your breathing was even worse than when he was chasing you down with his axe, you could not even take a breath without being rudely interrupted.

Then you came again, and again without one break. He was giving absolutely no room to breath, continuously sucking you off that pleasure soon turned into torture. He spat all your sweet juice out on the grass, even on your body which he disresepected.

You cried, "That's enough! I—can't—!" Face flushed, tears falling off your glossy eyes nonstop. He definitely got off to this, a wonderful sight of you embarassing yourself like this. So fucked, crying and moaning like the little bitch you were.

He flipped you over, the grass rubbing against your perked nipples, making you released a breath. Let him have his fun, get it over with and hopefully he'd leave you alone. That was what you were praying for, but putting into consideration, he might just not have that kind of mercy.

Heeseung lived in the same secluded town as you, and people adored him, who would believe you? Especially with a bold claim that stated he was a wolf in human disguise. They would gaslight you into thinking you were losing your marbles. Mother wouldn't believe you either, there was no such things as shape-shifters nor magic. Made up, no proof.

Pushing it inside of your backside, the more it streched, the more pain you felt. That big of a jump could hurt you, but that was the least of his concerns.

"Little red, should've listen to your mother. Got caught up in such an embarrasing situation, you wouldn't want her to find out, now would you? To see her little boy taking my cock so well, a natural born slut he is." His ears twitching and tail wagging as he spoke, the tone that toyed with your fucked up state, your eyes rolling back into your skull as his big size digged into you from behind.

You tried to fight the feeling, only to find yourself zoning out as the painfully nice sensation seeping all over you. He leaned down to your level, licking and pressing his razor-edged teeth against the shell of your ears.

"I'll break into your house, eat all your food, and then fuck you until you will only think of me every time you step foot into these woods." He told, slamming his cock into you. Destroying you bits by bits with his deep and hard thrusts. Holding both your wrists in his big hand behind your back, not giving you a single chance to fight. You didn't have the strength or mental stability to fight back anyways.

He groaned, your fleshy inside hugging his cock so tight. Your guts felt all jumbled up, with his seeds filling you up full, even dripping out to the ground. Your entire body twitched, having a small episode to finally cool down after having Heeseung play with your body as he wished.

You held your red coat that mother made for you, he was nice enough to keep it in on piece unlike the rest of your clothing. Covering your bare figure as you stared at the big bad wolf in front of your very eyes.

He grinned in a devious way, having intentions scattered on his inhuman expression. "Don't let me find you again, I won't so nice like this time. Run along now."

You held your coat together as tight as your weak and scratched hands could, putting your legs through pain once more. You see him in the corners of your eyes, silently admiring you from a distant, slowly fading away from your sight.

You should start listening to mother more, she warned you, didn't she? How would you explained to her when you get back? The wolf already got close enough, and he'd only get much closer if you let yourself wander next time.

[tabl3]

answering some asks in one post for the sake of laziness

Q: If there was a 6th EF member to your rewrite who would it be

A: dooley! I love his relationships with bree and chase, as well as him and kaz being besties. i think he would add enough sunshine to the team too, because the more sunshine-y characters already on the team are somewhat edgy. he absolutely would be traumatized by sharing a home with people who kiss his big siblings on the mouth though lol

Q: AO3 tag?

A: tabs_alt

Q: If the team was in college like Adam, what would their majors be?

A: chase: buisness, bree: art/design, kaz/oliver: some major for pre-med (kaz would make oliver do his homework lmao), skylar: i don't see her as a college type, but probably criminal justice

Q: Logan would like to bake

A: absolutely. that's something that could bond him and adam so he isn't afraid of being nuked by him. also,,, he just gives malewife vibes

Q: when was techertz a thing?

A: so i hinted to it in an earlier book. they were off and on for a few months before ef began and a few months into the team. long story for them lol

Q: are Tasha and Douglas a thing

A: nope. just disaster co-parents trying their best

Q: What do you think of Douglas x Horace and do you think we're gonna get some in the tabl3-verse?

A: i love the ship outside of my universe and totally get the appeal :D however brylar is more important to my rewrite and it's too weird because horace adopted skylar and douglas is bree's biological dad

Q: what are the cats names

A: Posh Spice & Georgiano

Q: So how does the family see each other in your rwite? Is Daniel their brother?

A: yes and no. it's complicated lol. daniel is biologically their brother, but they view him as a cousin and he does the same. it's like that with marcus too (if marcus wasn't evil) daniel calls tasha aunt and douglas dad, while the rats call tasha mom and douglas douglas lmao

essentially when building their family tree they go less by genetics and more by emotional connection, which is why leo is referred to as their brother and daniel isn't (which he's fine with) they used to view donald as their dad and douglas as their uncle, but the line blurred after aijaf so douglas has a weird mix of the roles now (he felt more paternal than uncle affection for them, naomi and leo included, way before but didn't want to step on the kids' toes)

Q: were Kaz nd Skylar pranking Logan

A: oh yes. they embellished adam's overprotectiveness very intentionally for their entertainment (I assume you're asking about the scene where they talk about adam threatening them)

[polyhexian]

Cait and Tell in the Runaway AU - Wait, y'know what, we can do better on the 3-Grimwalker Pile-Up, this can get so much more ridiculous.

Admittedly this only works if both Jasper and Will's staffs are out of commission for the moment. *handwave*

Jasper launches himself at Tell and thus begins their fistfight. Panicking and determined on Jasper's part, panicking and confused on Tell's. Hunter, Caitlyn, and Enoch are all like "what. what?"

But then all of Caitlyn's neighbors start crowding around hollering and shouting encouragement like "GIVE IT TO 'EM, TELL!" This is a small, tight-knit community that firmly believes in supporting their own, and also this is the most interesting thing that's happened since Old Man Jebthro caused a ratworm stampede last year. People are yelling out tips, or at least fight moves they want to see. Some folks have the gall to criticize Jasper and Tell's brawling skills. Bets are being placed. Caitlyn is peeved to hear one of her neighbors betting against Tell, but of course she would, this is the same woman who always turns her nose up at Caitlyn's pies. Hunter has started pick-pocketing the crowd; he's sure his dad has this well in hand, and at this rate they obviously aren't gonna get a job here, so he might as well get SOME value out of the place. The only person who notices is Enoch, when he attempts to pick her pocket. Assuming they are somehow both children in this timeline, they start slapfighting and yelling at each other.

This is the scene that Will suddenly stumbles into. Jasper and Tell were already freaked out enough by each other, but now faced with a third Grimwalker in full Golden Guard regalia, they freak out so much worse. Will wades into the fight with the intention of breaking it up and arresting Jasper in the process, but instead the other two just launch themselves at him. They're still fighting each other, though, and it devolves into a three-way fistfight.

The crowd goes WILD. They've had not one, but TWO outsiders show up today and immediately give them entertainment! And look at our Tell, holding his own! You show 'em, Tell! They're gonna be telling this story in the local tavern for YEARS.

Will might've assumed that his very presence was going to do his job for him, the Golden Guard tends to have that effect when he walks onto the scene, but unfortunately for him, Cait and Tell chose the most out-of-the-way location possible to hide. This is the farthest part of the toenail on the Titan's pinky toe, it's barely changed since the Savage Ages. It was never seen as profitable enough for anyone on the torso to bother with it; the whole region doesn't even have wifi. (Belos IS planning an Extremeties Outreach Program that'll start implementing the infrastructure needed to bring even these remote settlements under the coven system's thumb, but he hasn't gotten around to it yet.) The people know that the empire exists in theory and that the Golden Guard is a thing, but heck if they know what the guy looks like. Mostly they're wondering who this idiot dressed all in white is. Tell in his everyday wear and Jasper in his travel gear are looking pretty dirty too, but Will looks the worst out of the three of them.

Caitlyn, unlike her neighbors, is WELL AWARE of what the Golden Guard looks like, so she is starting to understand why her partner is panicking.

Hunter and Enoch, however, being sensible children, have, upon watching their fathers tackle the Golden Guard, looked at each other. Obviously both of them know who the Golden Guard is, Hunter from traumatic experiences and Enoch from cautionary bedtime stories. So they have a brief conference. If YOUR dad is fighting the Golden Guard, and MY dad is fighting the Golden Guard, then WE'RE DRIVING THE PLANE!

And that's how Will's shins suddenly come under attack from two small children.

Mrs. Pie Critic makes a remark about how she always KNEW there was something wrong with Tell's girl, and Caitlyn very gallantly does NOT tackle the woman into the dirt because SOMEONE in this family needs to stay calm. The rest of her neighbors are shouting encouragement at Enoch anyway.

The whole mess eventually ends with a little village elder or mayor tottering in like "what's all this?" and that's how three grown men get chastised right there in the town square. It's all "you can't just come into our home and start trouble!" and "we can't just start fistfighting outsiders, we get little enough trade as it is!" and "Tell I know you, why on EARTH did you think this was necessary?" Tell is very sheepish like yes, yes, sorry about that, terrible mistake on my part. Jasper is just vibrating while he tries to decide if it'll cause more problems to stand here and get scolded while the Golden Guard is RIGHT THERE or to just grab Hunter and run.

Will is lying on his back in the dust staring up at the sky, wondering at his life choices and making weak gestures of acknowledgement to their lecturer. He can appreciate a person who has this much control and commands this much respect in their community; even the crowd of onlookers are shuffling their feet sheepishly. This is probably when he manages to convey "look I'm just trying to ask those two some questions" at which point it's like, oh my titan you three were brawling like drunks over some QUESTIONS? For shame! Let the man ask you some questions, goodness!

That's when Caitlyn comes over like "ahaha well said, come on I'll go put a kettle on and we'll hear out these questions!" and drags the three of them back to her and Tell's house where they proceed to awkwardly sit around the coffee table. Jasper and Will aren't convinced that their tea isn't poisoned. Caitlyn has to set up a million privacy spells because, now deprived of the entertaining fistfight, the neighbors have all spontaneously decided to do some garden work or sweep the street outside the house.

"shins" hunter is the distraction so that Enoch can kick him in the nuts

[a-court-of-fics-and-errors]

Keep Moving Forwards, Part 23

Azriel x Reader Fic

Summary: After finally deciding to leave your abusive and manipulative mate for good, you find unexpected companionship with Azriel, the Shadowsinger of the Night Court. As you navigate the aftermath of your traumatic relationship, you struggle to understand where the mating bond went wrong and contemplate your path forward, vowing never to return to the past.

Find other parts here: Master List

To follow this fic, follow tag "Keep Moving Forwards Fic" or comment to be tagged in future parts.

Content Warning: This story contains depictions of extreme emotional manipulation and abuse, detailed descriptions of direct physical abuse, and scenes of men hunting women with implied sexual assault. Please read at your own risk.

Word Count: 5K

Author's Note: This is a multi-part series. Unlike my previous works, this fanfiction delves deeper than just fluff, exploring complex emotional landscapes. As I navigate this new writing journey, I kindly ask for gentle feedback. The topics addressed are profoundly impactful, touching many lives with diverse experiences. Please be gentle with yourselves and others. Healing is a journey, and everyone processes it differently. Be kind to yourself. Take what resonates, and leave what doesn’t.

Please continue reading, being aware of the above content warnings, ensuring you are in a healthy headspace. Give yourself time to process and be gentle with yourself.

Wandering through the forest in the Night Court in the middle of winter was most certainly not the best idea. As the two of you continued deeper into the woods, you felt the chill of the winter air sinking into your wet clothes, making it feel as though the fabric was melding with your skin. Your teeth clacked together wildly as you trudged up the hill, your toes frozen in your boots, and your hair essentially freezing into place as you sniffled.

With your limbs stiff from the cold, every step felt like you were tripping over yourself. Branches snagged at your feet, you misstepped into holes, and your knees buckled beneath you. Though you caught yourself each time, the knees of your pants were now thoroughly muddy.

Caelum pushed forward ahead, only a few paces in front of you, occasionally looking back to ensure you hadn’t run off or tried to hide. He didn't say anything, and for that, you were grateful. He must have been cold too, and his footing was less sure, but he kept silent about it.

Before either of you spoke, the sun began to set, and Caelum started scrutinizing the surrounding areas more intently. The temperature continued to drop, and soon, even taking steps hurt more than you could bear. "Caelum," you called up to your mate, who was still trampling through the undergrowth. He didn’t turn back. "Caelum!" you shouted more firmly. He finally stopped and glanced over his shoulder at you. "We need to stop and get warm." Your voice was hoarse, as though the chill had permeated your vocal cords.

“I know,” he shot back and continued forward. You didn’t follow, standing there shivering. When he didn’t hear your footsteps, he turned and looked back at you. “Come on,” he ordered.

“No,” you said back.

Caelum growled, “You going to stand out here and freeze?”

You stared back at him, “I want to stop now.”

Caelum brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “We can’t stop out in the open. If we make a fire, anyone can see the smoke from the city.”

“I don’t care,” you shot back.

Caelum glared at you. “You want me to go to prison?”

“I don’t care what happens to you.”

You could see Caelum’s jaw locking and his blood beginning to boil as his stare hardened. Then he released it with a sigh. “There’s a cave somewhere near here. We can stop there. Make a fire.” He turned around and began walking again. You didn’t move. He turned back, staring down the hill at you, “So you’re just going to freeze to death down there?”

You weighed your options. Freezing to death didn’t sound that bad, given whom you would be spending the evening with, but Titania would have alerted someone by now, or at least you hoped. And Kai would be at a healer. If you had any chance of seeing him again, you would have to make concessions. 

With a deep breath, you began trudging up the hill, following Caelum into the growing darkness of the forest. The thought of warmth, however fleeting, propelled you forward, step by agonizing step.

Caelum continued silently in front of you, the only sounds besides your footsteps were the occasional sniffling and the crunch of ice beneath your boots. The winter sky faded from pinks to purples as the shadows elongated into the coming night. Finally, after what felt like hours, you arrived at the mouth of a cave. Caelum picked up a large stone and hurled it into the darkness, listening intently as the sound echoed off the stone walls and floor. When no additional noises followed, Caelum turned to you. “Grab some firewood.” 

The two of you turned back to the forest and began collecting dry branches and brush, carrying them back to the cave. Caelum picked up one of the longer branches and used his hunting knife to peel back some bark, pressing it into the sap leaking from a nearby pine. He wrapped torn cloth around the end and set it alight using two rocks. When he stood, the torch blazed, and he took a few steps into the cave.

The cave sloped downwards, with loose stones lining the floor, descending for what seemed like forever. Caelum looked back at you, motioning with his head and a grunt for you to carry the collected wood behind him. Scowling at him, you picked up the wood anyway. Caelum stepped further in, the torch illuminating only a bit of the wall and ceiling. Once you were a yard into the cave, Caelum ordered you to drop the wood. It fell with a loud clatter, and you stared at him, crossing your arms.

“Charming,” he said.

You planted yourself on the rocks, still shivering, as Caelum moved some stones to create a small pit and set to work lighting the fire. You curled your knees to your chest, trying to retain body heat, but your whole body shook with chills. Once the fire started, you felt the tantalizing licks of warmth. Caelum warmed his hands by the fire, then stood and began removing his wet clothing. He placed a large branch between two stones, hanging his shirt and pants to dry, then turned to you. You tried not to look at him, at his nakedness, as he stood with so much confidence.

“Well?” he asked. You didn’t respond. “You going to get dry?” He continued. You flicked your eyes up to his face, which had a sneer plastered on it. “You know if you keep those wet clothes on, you’re going to freeze.”

You looked to the fire, its warmth barely touching the parts of you still clothed. As much as you hated his existence, he knew how to survive in the wild and had taught you as much. “Turn around,” you instructed.

Caelum scoffed and rolled his eyes, still facing you. “Turn. Around,” you repeated.

“You really expect me to turn around? We’ve spent the last century together, at least a year of it naked around each other.”

“Turn. Around.”

“Oh, what? Suddenly you’re shy? Seems like you’re more than happy to open your legs for anyone these days. I don’t see why they get to have all the fun.” You swallowed down the angry remark boiling beneath you, staring back at him. “If you won’t take off your clothes yourself, I’ll come over and do it for you,” he threatened.

Knowing he would have no issue ripping your clothes off, you hesitated. He took a step forward, and you immediately reached for the hem of your shirt, pulling it off. “Good,” he said, turning back to the fire.

You felt disgusting. Every inch of exposed skin felt dirty as you pulled off the damp cloth from your body. You stripped down to nothing, standing with aching joints from the cold. As you moved closer to the fire to hang your clothes, warmth radiated up your legs and back, and you hungered for more. You sat next to the fire, drawing your legs to your chest, covering yourself from Caelum’s inspecting gaze.

“You have some new scars,” he noted. You didn’t respond. “Pretty nasty one on your side there. Was that from the fall?”

The fire crackled in front of you as you stared into it, the smoke leisurely floating out of the cave, hopefully signaling your presence.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said. You still didn’t turn to him. “I’m sorry it all had to happen like this.” A crack of wood snapping in the fire. “If it had been up to me, we would have walked out of that front gate with my pack.” He paused, waiting for your response, then continued, “I even packed you some extra clothes and that blanket you love.”

The red and black quilt you had made during your first winter together, lined with the expensive fleece Caelum had given you as a solstice gift. Knowing it was left behind meant one less piece of comfort for you to return to.

“I had it all planned out,” Caelum continued, his voice smooth and calculated. “I was going to find you in the city, bring you flowers, or something.” The fire crackled, sending sparks into the air. “Then I’d ask you to take a walk with me, spend the day in the city, have a good time. And then you’d come home with me, and we’d travel back. Maybe even stop and see my family.”

You laughed lightly without realizing it.

“What?” Caelum asked, his eyes narrowing.

You raised your brows, still staring into the fire, shaking your head. “Nothing.”

“No, you laughed. Why did you laugh?” he demanded.

You rolled your eyes, pressing your chin into your knees.

“If you think this is so funny, care to enlighten me?” His voice turned stern.

You turned your gaze to him, bile rising in your throat at the sight of his face. “You’re a clueless bastard,” you spat.

He seemed taken aback, not used to your insults. His face hardened, then he took a breath. “Why is that?”

“You thought you could just show up, use that fake charm, and I’d come crawling back with you?” You shook your head. “Is that really what you thought would happen? Do you think I’m that easy?”

“Seems like it isn’t too hard to convince you of things these days,” he finally replied.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Raising his voice, Caelum spat back, “Do you know how hard it is to feel your mate lust after someone else? To smell another male on you and not want to rip them to shreds? Do you know how much self-control it took to not completely slaughter that kid?”

“You stabbed him! You would have killed him if you hadn’t gotten caught!” you screamed.

“Oh no, he’s definitely dead.” Caelum’s smile was sinister. “I stabbed him right in the heart, felt it pop when I crushed the artery.” He laughed. “I just wish I’d had the chance to rip his beating heart out.”

Your lip quivered, hot tears welling in your eyes as you pictured Kai bleeding out in the street, his eyes wide with fear.

“Oh,” Caelum said, tilting his head, “did that strike a chord?”

You gulped, your breath ragged.

“He deserved it. Fucking someone else’s mate,” Caelum said, nudging the fire with a stick, sending embers into the air.

“You are a cruel and foul male. I hope someday you choke on your own blood so you can taste the poison that runs in your veins,” you hissed. “I hope you feel every bit of pain you inflict on others. You’re a predator. You’re vile, evil, and incapable of love.”

Caelum looked at you. “You used to love looking at me,” he whispered. “I used to catch you staring when we were out in the field. You’d smile and look away when I looked back.”

“I was a child,” you shot back.

“No, you knew what you wanted. You’d follow me around all day in those woods. Watching me, hiding from me.” Caelum paused. “Do you remember when I taught you to swim?” Your jaw tightened. “When you found me by the lake, after I’d been out, and asked me to teach you?” Your jaw hardened. “You took off that dress my mother gave you and asked me to turn around, but when you caught me looking, you didn’t tell me to close my eyes. No, you put on a show. Then you got in the lake, walked over to me, and climbed onto my back while I took you out deeper. Do you remember that?”

You tried to push the memory from your mind—the feeling of Caelum’s warm skin, the smell of his hair as you pressed into his shoulder.

“I remember how you wouldn’t let go until I let you rest in front of me, with your arms around my neck while I taught you to float.” He continued, “And you just kept holding on, begging me to keep holding you.”

“Stop it,” you said.

But he didn’t. “You remember how we’d meet every day, even when we stopped swimming? And you still insisted we undress.”

“Stop,” you hissed again.

“See, you can pretend I trapped you or that you don’t love me. But I know deep inside, you’re still the Y/N who would’ve done anything to get me out of my clothes.”

“That isn’t love.”

Caelum's head tilted quizzically sideways. “And you would know what love is?” he asked, his voice laced with mockery. “Because it seems to me like you’ve never really known love before me. I mean, come on, your mother?”

“Don’t talk about her,” you threatened.

“She didn’t love you,” he continued, ignoring your warning. “She raised you in a whorehouse.”

You growled at him, but he pressed on. “You were conceived because someone paid her to fuck her and then she couldn’t even remember who it was because she fucked all the way up and down Velaris.”

“Shut up,” you hissed.

“And then she had you, and instead of raising you, she pawned you off on others while she fucked, and fucked, and fucked, and snorted shit off the street.”

“Stop!” you screamed over and over, but he wouldn’t stop. 

“Even still, she didn’t give two shits about you. She left you in the fucking woods to die so she could go back to her old life.”

“Shut up!” you screamed, tears streaming down your cheeks.

“She didn’t fucking want you!” he screamed back, his chest heaving. You rocked back and forth, your ears covered under your palms as you cried. “She left you to die because she didn’t love you!” Caelum stared at you, his gaze intense. “You didn’t know love until you met me.”

You tried to block out his voice, but it seeped through. “You used to cry yourself to sleep every night, and I would come in and let you sleep on my chest until you fell asleep. Hours. I would spend hours doing that. Running my fingers over your back, holding you. And even after you fell asleep, I would stay until I knew you wouldn’t have nightmares.”

Caelum’s gaze was locked on you, unwavering. “Every time we’d go out hunting, I’d bring a bag to pick blackberries for you to bring back, even though every other male would give me shit for it. Because when I’d bring them home, you’d smile. I would do anything for that smile.” He ran his hand through his hair. “And when you wanted to live in a bigger cabin, a place for us, I didn’t ask any questions. I just started building. You know why?” He looked at you, though you didn’t respond. “Because I love you. I do all that shit because I love you so fucking much.” He shook his head, tears welling in his eyes as he pushed them away. “And the day that mating bond snapped, I just—I felt so lucky that someone as wonderful as you was made for me.”

You coughed back a sob, tears streaming down your cheeks and snot dripping over your lips.

“We were made for each other,” he said, scooting closer, the rocks under him tumbling deeper into the cave. “You make me better. Even now, this is all just a challenge to make me better.” As he moved closer, you thought about moving away, but every part of you felt trapped, encased in a war of emotions. He had taken you in with no questions. He had loved you, in however way he could. He tried to make your life better. And yet, you were disgusted by the way he touched you; your skin remembered the bruises he had caused, and the vile poison he spat at you.

But as he closed in on you, wrapping his arm around your shaking body, you felt defeated and did not push back. Caelum pulled you into him, your limbs heavy as he did. He grasped you under your bent legs and pulled you into his lap. The muscled strength of his legs and arms curled around you until he cradled you with his body, his chin resting on the crown of your head as he rocked back and forth with you. “We can make this better,” he whispered. “We’ll have a better life. And we’ll love one another the way we deserve.”

Had you any strength to push back, you would have, but your forehead ached, your shoulders felt as though you had been slammed into concrete, and your whole head swam with uncertainty, grief, anger, regret, yearning, fear, and denial. Nothing in you felt a glimmer of happiness or hope. Part of you wished that the cold would blow out that fire and kill you.

___________________________________________________

Caelum continued to hold you long into the night, staring into the fire while you, facing the mouth of the cave, silently prayed for rescue. But no one came. Neither of you slept. Caelum kept you pulled to him, your combined body heat maintaining a rather comfortable temperature. When the sky began to lighten with the early morning sun, Caelum finally placed you back onto the rocky ground and stood, stretching his muscular arms high above his head. You glanced up at him as he yawned, the sight of his unguarded moment almost surreal.

He checked the clothes nearby, seemingly satisfied with their level of dryness, and tossed yours to you across the fire. The clothes were less wet, but the slight damp made you shiver as you pulled them on. Caelum snuffed out the fire, covering the ashes with rocks to hide any trace you had been there. “Ready to go home?” he asked as you stood near the cave mouth, looking into the forest. You didn’t respond.

Caelum stepped out of the cave, looked up towards the sun to get his bearings, and then turned to walk through the woods. He had an innate sense of direction and, having been raised in a hunting group, he lacked no skills in wayfaring. The air was slightly warmer today, which would be helpful given the climb into the mountains. The morning passed with no conversation, not even Caelum filling the silence with his idle thoughts. You kept your gaze pointed to the ground, trying to get your bearings. As you hiked higher, the temperature began to drop steadily, and your legs ached more with each step up the mountainside.

Caelum didn’t falter in his pace, though you found yourself panting, cold biting wind slicing into your lungs. Finally, after hours of silence, Caelum called back, “There’s a village ahead a mile or so. We’ll stop there. Get some supplies.”

You knew that village; you had passed it on the way into Velaris with Kai and his father. You were only a half a day from your cottage in the woods and a full day from Caelum’s cabin. Knowing where you were, and how to get back to your own home, you felt a rising sense of bravery, quickly followed by dread. If you could get back to your own cabin, you would have the upper hand in knowing the lay of the land. If you could reach Kai’s village, you could find protection. But you would have to act quickly and in secret, and you would have to do it before you reached the next village.

Caelum hadn’t eaten in two days and hadn’t slept. He was bound to be slower, weaker. If he managed to refuel and get supplies, there would be no way you could escape with any chance of making it.

You continued trudging up the path, your mind racing with plans and contingencies. The forest around you was eerily quiet, the only sound the crunch of snow underfoot and the occasional snap of a twig. The cold air bit at your face, your breath visible in the crisp air. You glanced at Caelum, his back turned to you, his posture tense but determined. He was always so sure of himself, so confident in his abilities. But even he couldn’t ignore the exhaustion creeping into his bones. You had to use that to your advantage.

You stumbled slightly, your foot caught under a root, and you fell to the ground, landing heavily on your arms as you cried out in pain. Caelum whipped around. “Get up,” he ordered.

You pulled your foot up, wincing as you did so and pulled your pant leg up around your right ankle. “Something’s wrong,” you said, your voice laced with pain.

“We don’t have time for this, get up,” he insisted.

You tried to stand, shaking slightly, and yelping a bit as you put weight down on your leg, quickly faltering and landing back in the snow with a hiss. Caelum groaned and approached you as you slid onto your rear. He kneeled down in front of you, pulling the leg of your pant up slightly to investigate. You groaned, pushing him back slightly.

“I have to look at it,” he instructed. You looked at his face, tinged with concern, before you pushed your leg out to him. He pulled up your pant leg slightly. You harnessed any sense of strength you had left and pulled your knee up, slamming into his nose with a resounding crunch before kicking him back. He let out a yelp of pain before falling back.

You scrambled to your feet, kicking snow out behind you as you turned and took off into the woods. You could hear him groaning as he called out, “You bitch!” But the pounding in your ears almost drowned it out. You leapt through the woods, jumping over downed trees and skidding across frozen sections of leaves. Caelum wouldn’t be far behind, and the minutes you had to start ahead were invaluable. You hauled yourself over a series of boulders, your muscles straining as the rocks cut into your palms, scuttling your feet up as you crested them, and then jumped down the other side. You did your best to avoid snow patches—tracks were deadly.

You slid between a downed log, too tall to jump over, and pulled up on the other side, your entire left side caked in mud and refuse. You could hear Caelum calling out for you, trampling through the woods behind. He would follow your scent, and he had speed and footing you didn’t, but if he caught you, you didn’t want to consider what would happen next. The bare branches of the trees clawed at your face and clothes, leaving thin, stinging scratches on your exposed skin. Caelum moved with a terrifying combination of speed and power. Each of his strides covered twice the distance of yours, closing the gap with alarming swiftness.

Your mind raced as fast as your feet. You had to find a way to lose him, to outsmart him in these woods, which slowly grew more familiar. You veered sharply to the left, darting down a narrow path between heavily packed underbrush. The forest thickened, the trees growing closer together, their branches intertwining like skeletal fingers. You could hear Caelum’s breathing now, deep and steady, a stark contrast to your own ragged gasps.

You spotted a fallen log up ahead, half-buried in the snow. Desperation fueling you, you dove down behind it, pressing yourself parallel to it and flat against the icy ground. The cold seeped into your clothes, but you barely noticed, only focused on being silent and invisible.

The footsteps slowed, then stopped. You held your breath, every muscle tensed. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional creak of the trees in the wind. You could feel your mate’s presence, a looming shadow just beyond your sight.

Minutes passed like hours. Slowly, you dared to lift your head, peering over the edge of the log. The shadows, that seemed to move on their own, danced along the trees, but revealed nothing but the stark, empty forest. Had he gone? You stayed still a moment longer, straining your ears for any sign of movement.

Then, a whisper of a sound—a crunch of snow underfoot, far too close. Your heart seized in your chest. You bolted upright, abandoning any pretense of stealth. You ran, your legs pumping with a newfound energy born of sheer survival instinct.

You heard the crashing behind you, more frantic than before. Caelum was on your heels, his pace relentless. You could feel his presence like a weight bearing down on you and the trees became a blur as you tore through the forest, every ounce of your will focused solely on your escape.

In the distance, you saw the faint glimmer of a frozen stream. Hope flared within you. If you could reach it, follow it across, you’d be close to the cabin. You were unsure how you had made such good time, but perhaps by sheer will of survival you had crossed miles without realizing. You pushed harder, ignoring the raging burn in your muscles, the freezing air scraping your lungs.

When you reached the creek, your feet slid on the ice as you turned, sharply following its winding path. The cabin was just a few more bends, and you could see through the trees the rickety structure that seemed like a lifeline in the darkness. You sprinted towards it, though the footfalls behind you remained heavy.

As you rounded the bend, a large hand reached out and gripped you by the collar, slamming you into the ground, your head impacting with the ice as you screamed out. Caelum straddled you, as you struggled against him, the blood from his nose pouring down his face in a red stream. “You fucking bitch!” he screamed as he shook your shirt, your head slamming into the ice over and over again. You screamed out in pain, your hands beating against his chest as you tried to grip his face, but no matter how you tried, you couldn’t get a good grip. Caelum continued to bash you into the ice, and you were unable to tell if the cracking beneath was your skull or the ice. Your arm fell to one side as you inched your fingers towards a rock on the bank of the creek, digging your fingers under it and ripping it from its icy confines before bringing it up and smashing it against Caelum’s temple. He dropped your shirt as you slammed it into him again, pushing yourself from beneath him and sliding across the creek. But before you were out of arm's reach, he gripped your ankle and pulled you back. Your fingers tried to grip anything but the ice made it impossible to stop while he hauled you back, gripping you by the base of your hair at the root and hauling you up to face him. “You’re a fucking bitch!” he screamed in your face as he reared his hand up in a fist.

Suddenly, a shadow swooped down from the treetops, and before Caelum could react, a powerful force yanked him off of you, sending him sprawling onto the ice. Your mate scrambled to his feet, his eyes widening as he took in the sight before him.

Standing there was Azriel. Tall, muscular, in his full armor, with his broad bat-like wings stretching out behind him, shielding you. The wings almost seemed to shimmer as the light ran through them.

“That’s enough,” Azriel said, his voice calm but filled with undeniable authority.

Caelum sneered, wiping blood from his lip. “Who the hell are you?”

Azriel stepped forward slightly, his wings folding. “I’m the one who’s going to beat the shit out of you.”

With a roar, Caelum lunged at him, his fists swinging wildly. Azriel sidestepped him easily, his movements fluid and graceful. He countered with a swift punch to Caelum’s ribs, the impact sending a shockwave through your mate's body, and subsequently, a sharp pain down the bond.

Caelum staggered back, clutching his side. He was strong and brutal, but Azriel was faster, more precise—a warrior's calculation. Desperation fueled your mate's next attack. He charged again, throwing a punch aimed at Azriel’s head. This time, the warrior caught Caelum’s fist mid-swing, twisting his arm and forcing him to his knees.

Caelum growled in pain, and you winced as you felt your own arm light up in anguish. But before he could react further, Azriel lifted Caelum by his collar and threw him across the ice. Your mate slid, his back slamming into a tree at the edge of the creek. He lay there for a moment, stunned, the cold seeping into his clothes.

Azriel advanced, his eyes burning with fury. “Stay down,” he commanded.

Caelum, however, was not one to give up easily. He reached for a broken branch, his fingers closing around it. With a snarl, he swung it again at Azriel. The warrior blocked the attack with his forearm, the branch snapping in two, and retaliated with a powerful kick to Caelum’s chest, knocking the wind from him, and it seemed also from you.

Gasping for breath, Caelum’s eyes darted to the dense forest beyond the creek. In a last-ditch effort, he scrambled to his feet and bolted, slipping across the ice. He plunged into the forest, branches whipping against him as he fled.

Azriel watched Caelum flee, his wings unfurling slightly as if preparing to give chase. “Stop!” you wheezed out. Azriel turned to you, his concern immediately shifting. He quickly moved to you, falling to his armored knees as he knelt beside you, gently lifting your head.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice soft and filled with worry.

You winced and nodded slightly.

Azriel moved to put one arm under your shoulders. As you leaned forward, your midsection screamed in protest, and you yelped in pain. Azriel paused, examining you more closely. The back of your head was matted with blood, and your arms were covered in cuts from the trees. “I know it’s going to hurt,” Azriel said gently, “but I need you to hold onto me.”

You nodded, bracing yourself. Between a cry of pain and a scream, you pulled your arms around his neck, breathing in his scent—a mix of leather, metal, mist and cedar. Azriel held you securely, his grip strong yet careful. 

In a moment, the world blurred and twisted around you, and Azriel winnowed you away.

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