#that whole game is a dead dove do not eat situation

[snudibranchs]

Bandwagoning mfs on twitter and reddit be like "ewww, that coffin of Andy and leyley game is so gross" and then have kill la kill/ouran host club/Hannibal/homestuck icons, and that's just to name a few.

No hate towards these things but can we please not doxx people and agree that there are things in the public consciousness that we don't apply the same level of scrutiny to despite them containing the same thing, and admit there's a double standard here?

At least the shit in that game is avoidable man, I can't say the same for the shit listed above.

it all seriously reminds me of the immature ass time where twilight hate was the norm because guys were mad that it was slop but not slop targeted at them, and then they would go online and talk about their favourite harem animes.

I'm seriously sick of this shit man.

[nyxronomicon]

no, cause you're absolutely right with your tags. i too put that thought in the bag of dark thoughts that i should never open but i thought of you and said there is always someone who will be able to understand me lskdk and your tags,,, nodding fervently at your tags because i don't see him as a stepbro cause i love the age difference too lol but

i love love love love the idea of him coming into your room at night and waking you up with his fingers inside you and the bulge in his pajama pants pressing from behind. I also imagine him sitting on the couch when it's just you two, he invites you to join him to watch the game or something and it ends in him cockwarming you while playing with your nipples, you can't do anything but take it and feel it throb inside you until he finally cums inside you, but you have to do it fast before your mom/brother (choso maybe megumi) gets home from work <3 so the idea of being caught is very attractive to me

Sigh... *opens dark fantasies filing cabinet and pulls out stepdad Toji folder*

omg you did this on purpose... cockwarming while he plays with your tits??? my WEAKNESS and you added the risk of getting caught RIP RIP RIP i'm DEAD .... i'm sorry... i'm sorry for the sins... my pussy wrote this i swear...

cw: !! DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT !!, stepdad!Toji x f!reader, reader is university age, age difference, dub-con (coercion & implied somno), reader has major daddy issues, reader is touch/attention-starved, corruption, pussyjob, cockwarming, praise, titplay, risk of getting caught, slight edging, size (emphasis on Toji's big dick) pet names: princess, angel, good girl, reader is referred to as "step-daughter" but not as a pet name lol 2.2k sinful, sinful words

Your mother didn't even tell you she remarried. You got home from college for the summer to find a stranger and his son living at her place. You were resistant to the whole idea, but she made you promise to give them a chance and spend time with them. They were family now, after all.

Megumi was just a year older than you. He had one more year of university before graduation, so he was in a similar situation as you. You thought maybe you could bond about it, but he wasn't very talkative and showed more interest in his video games than you.

Your new stepdad... Toji Fushiguro. You didn't even know where to start with your thoughts on him. He was sleazy, shameless, and a little more friendly than you'd like. You couldn't really figure out what he did for work, and to be honest, you wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do anything. Your mom was a chronic workaholic, constantly gone on work trips and spending late hours at the office. She could easily support the three of you on her own.

There was another thought about him that clawed at the back of your mind. The one you immediately compartmentalized, the forbidden knowledge that once fully synthesized in your mind, you wouldn't be able to erase. It remained in a little bottle, threatening to shatter every time your stepfather got home from the gym. Or took you out to dinner. Or watched a movie with you.

You tried to include Megumi as much as possible at first, if only you have a buffer. Hanging out alone with Toji felt weird. It felt wrong, though you couldn't quite pin why. But Megumi was entirely disinterested in spending time with his dad, and only marginally more interested in getting to know his new stepsister.

After a couple of months of getting used to Toji, you were starting to notice things you liked about him. He was actually there for you, for one. Your mother was never around and in the past, and she never kept a man around long enough for you to have any kind of father figure. It was just you and her, but more often than not, it was really just you. You didn't realize how lonely you were at home but with him here, at least you had someone to talk to.

You let his sleazy comments slide. The few times you'd gone out with friends, he made sure to tell you how sexy you looked. And when you got home, he grilled you on if there were any guys you had an eye on. It always flustered you, reminding you of the forbidden thought trapped in that bottle. But as long as you didn't think about it too hard, it would stay bottled up, where it should be.

You hated to admit that your mother was right. That you liked your new stepdad after giving him a chance. You liked the banter, and he was always complimenting you. He made you feel good about yourself. So in turn, you let him get away with more. When you'd watch TV with him at home, you started cuddling with him. He was warm, comforting. Maybe you were a little old to be cuddling with your stepdad, but he smelled so nice and you always wondered what it would be like.

Your mom was at a conference. Megumi was gaming in the other room. It was like any other night, and you and Toji would be left alone as usual. You were half asleep, cuddled up to his chest, when you felt a hand on your breast. It took a second to process, your gaze suddenly shooting up to your stepdad, who froze in place.

"Oh," he smiled sheepishly. "Still awake, huh?" He whispered.

Your mind instantly replayed the number of times you'd innocently fallen asleep like this, only to wake up horny and wet. He was always sleeping himself, but surely he wasn't so brazen that he made a habit of groping you, his step-daughter, while you slept.

"What are you doing?" You whispered back, glancing at Megumi's door, which was open just a crack. You wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but his hand remained on your tit.

Toji pouted a little, gazing down at you. He knew it was wrong but he always had a weakness for naive college girls. "Sorry, your mother has been gone so much lately, I'm a little... pent up." His finger lightly brushed over your nipple, sending pleasure up your spine.

"Toji, we can't..." You whispered, though you made no motions to stop him. It felt good. He smelled divine. The living room was dark, only lit by the glow of the TV screen. Megumi could emerge from his room any minute and that only made this hotter.

"I know, I know." He agreed with you, but his fingers kept kneading your breast. "I just really like spending time with you. I wanted to take it a little further. Make you feel good." Heat flooded your body. You were sure if he could see your expression, he'd know about the dark thought threatening to take over.

You and your mother had the same taste in men. Admittedly you'd always been fixated on older men, maybe trying to fill the void the lack of a father had. But he filled that void perfectly. The reason it felt weird to spend time with him was because you wanted this. You wanted him to touch you and praise you. And you wanted more.

"I'll stop if you want me to." He added. It was too late, the desire in your body burning a hole in your innocence. The buried feelings you had for him shattered that tiny bottle. You wanted to fuck your stepdad.

Your face felt hot. You looked at the TV, playing sports highlights that you couldn't care less about. The sound was loud enough that you couldn't hear the clacking on Megumi's keyboard. And the sinful thought that entered your mind was that Megumi couldn't hear anything happening in here, either.

"No..." your voice was nearly silent. "Don't stop."

His eyes widened for a moment, movements paused. "Oh?" The empathetic smile on his face was replaced with one of a predator. The man could have torn himself away from you a moment ago but now? Even if you changed your mind he'd be playing those words in his head over and over until he could coerce them from your lips again. "You sure?" He added, in an attempt to appear more respectful than he intended to be.

The glow of the TV highlighted your features as you looked back at him. Your eyes were big and soft, like you were on the verge of taking back the permission you just gave him. Before you could say a word, his free hand tilted your chin, pressing a tender kiss to your lips. All the while, he massaged your breast again, your body melted against his.

"It's ok, princess. Just say the word and I'll stop." His voice was sensual, a soft murmur in your ear before his lips pressed to your neck. Shivers ran up your spine and you arched your back, giving him easier access to your collarbone.

It felt so good. His undivided attention, his touch, it was like a drug that you couldn't get enough of.

You knew you should tell him to stop as he tugged you onto his lap. You straddled his thick thighs, feeling his bulge against your clothed cunt. You knew how wrong it was for you to let him lift your top. The feeling of the forbidden pleasure coursed through you as he peppered kisses on your breasts. He was married to your mother. Thoughts of her long erased by his lips wrapping around your nipple. His tongue flicked the bud as your breathing became unsteady. He had a kid your age. But Toji Fushiguro doted on you, his son in the other room nearly forgotten as his thick fingers felt your pussy through the thin pajama shorts you wore.

Finally, finally you were the favorite. His fingers pushed your shorts and panties aside, sliding his cock into the space between the fabric and your wet cunt. It didn't matter that your mother ignored you in favor of the revolving door of your her lovers anymore. His thick girth was nestled perfectly between your pussy lips. You didn't need to grasp at straws trying to relate to your uninterested stepbrother. Toji's tip danced at your entrance, making you tingle with anticipation as you let yourself drown in his affection.

"So fuckin' sexy..." He mumbled against your breast. The praise nearly made you whimper, glancing at Megumi's cracked door as you bit your lip. "Wanna do me a favor?"

Words still escaped you, meeting his gaze with a shy nod of your head. It was almost cute, as if you were trying to play up the innocent act. Toji wanted nothing more than to flip you on your back and fuck you mercilessly on the couch until you were screaming his name. Get you to admit you'd been flirting and leading him on this whole time. After all, what kind of a slut shows this much interest in her stepdad? But with Megumi in the other room, he needed you quiet. And he knew just the perfect way to tease you.

"Just want you wrapped around me for a minute." He pushed his hips up so you could feel his cock sliding in your folds.

"Toji, we..." you trailed off a moment, considering how desperately you wanted to say yes. Your eyes were on Megumi's door again, dreading the idea that he could get up at any moment and find the two of you like this. "We shouldn't." You whispered.

"It's not sex." His hands were on your ass, encouraging you to grind against his dick. Your body moved with a mind of its own, the friction adding to the heat bubbling in your core. "Just a little cockwarming. It's no big deal."

"I don't know..." You knew there were reasons to say no but none of them came to mind anymore. You were so needy and horny and you felt yourself melting into every touch.

"It'll feel good. Don't you want to feel good?" He pressed his lips to your ear, whispering softly. His finger found your clit, toying with the sensitive bud as you rolled your hips against him.

You didn't answer, freezing up while pleasure coursed through you. Your cunt ached, desperate to be filled with him. You buried your face in his neck, panting as you whined silently in response.

"C'mon, princess." He fingered you faster, a sadistic grin spreading on his face. You were close. He could tell you were close from how fucking wet you were. Even his balls were soaked. "You want me to stop?" He slowed his ministrations, watching your reaction carefully.

"Don't stop." You immediately murmured. Your core frustratingly teetered on edge, frowning at your stepfather for toying with you like this. "Fuck," you moaned softly, careful to remain as silent as possible. You'd had sex before but college boys were nothing compared to him. You'd never ever wanted someone so bad. "I wanna cockwarm you..."

"Good girl." Toji grinned, and the praise went straight to your cunt. He lined himself up, your natural slick more than enough lubrication despite his size. It was a tight fit, he slowly eased your hips down until he bottomed out with a groan. "So good for me... my perfect angel..." admiration dripped from his lips.

The praise alone was enough for your pussy to flutter around him. Your back arched, a lewd expression on your face as your gaze met his. He smirked, now knowing how easy it would be to make you cum. "Stay still for me, princess. No matter what." You eagerly nodded your head, hoping for more praise. But he said nothing, instead groping your tits before latching on again.

He paid close attention to your irregular breathing. As his tongue and teeth tugged at your nipple, one of his hands toyed with your other breast. His free hand slid down your torso and into your panties, swirling around your clit. Your breath hitched, your cunt tightening around him. Feeling how full his big dick made you. You were getting close again as desire bubbled in your core.

You sighed with ecstasy, obediently doing your best not to move around. Slick now drooled onto the base of his cock, your sweet pussy clenching around him as your pleasure heightened, a familiar heat swirling within you. You felt so sensitive, fighting the instincts that were desperate for friction. You bit your knuckle holding back the moan that threatened to burst as Toji's movements sped up.

Your whole body tensed up, your orgasm suddenly and violently washing through you. Your cunt squeezed him as he helped you ride through the pleasure, his hands now gripping your hips to hold you in place. He continued to suck your tit, although his movement slowed to allow you to breathe. Still, he refused to pull out until he felt an aftershock or two strangle his cock.

"Such a good girl." Toji murmured in the shell of your ear, tugging you against his chest and leaning back onto the sofa.

@sourpeachsayshi

[ladylaviniya]

AVATAR: THE NEW MISSION

Chapter 1 || Masterlist || Chapter 3

Chapter Summary: Miles makes a deal with you...a deal that he violates when he doesn't take the answer "No."

Pairing: Recom!Miles Quaritch X Na'vi Reader

Chapter Warnings: 18+ Dead Dove Do Not Eat, Dubious Consent, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Weapons, Death Threats, Coercive Control, Rape, Forced Mating, Forced Orgasm.

Author Notes: I am incredibly grateful for your support and enthusiasm for the story! Liking, Reblogging, and Comments mean the world to me, and your engagement helps me greatly. I must confess, I have a particular fondness for comments, as much as Miles has for the reader ;D (though that's a whole different topic)! I make an effort to reply to most thoughtful comments, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts or ask any questions you might have. Your input is truly valued and greatly appreciated.

Inspiring Song: "Girl With One Eye" By Florence & The Machine

Waking up in a different body is always difficult. But waking up where you don’t know is worse.

Your eyes opened slowly, the unfamiliarity of your surroundings heightened by the soreness in your face. The intense light stung your vision, one eye struggling to open as widely as the other. The sensation of nausea overwhelmed you, and you groaned, feeling bile rising in your throat.

You instinctively lifted your hand to cover your mouth, attempting to suppress the rising nausea, only to feel the cold touch of metal. Confused, you looked down at your body, resting on a soft white cushion surrounded by little metal rails. To your growing horror, you realized that your hand was ensnared in a clanking rope of cold iron – you were shackled to the bed.

Panic and anger surged through you as you furiously sat up on the bed, using your free hand to desperately attempt to tear off the restrictive chains. Your body tensed as you crouched on the bed, exerting all your strength to tug and push against the unyielding metal contraption. Frustration and desperation overcame you, and you let out a tormented scream, the sound bouncing off the walls of your confinement.

With determination, you frantically searched the space, desperately searching for anything sharp or heavy enough to cut through the chains. Your eyes darted around the small room, noting the pristine white walls. The single light bulb above cast an intense fluorescent glow, blindingly bright, like the glowworms back in the caves you called home. The prolonged exposure to the harsh light caused your eyes to water, further irritating your vision. The room was starkly clinical, bathed in a sterile white hue. The walls seemed to enclose the space like a cold embrace, their smoothness offering no solace or comfort.

Frustrated and desperate, you returned your attention to the chains, determined to escape. Your teeth bit down against the cold metal, you persisted despite the pain. As you reflected on the recent events, the memory of fleeing from the demons flooded your mind. You realized the urgency to warn your clan. Rawm, the wise and experienced warrior, would know how to handle the situation. Only he could protect the village and ensure safety for everyone.

Your heart sank as you noticed a small black eye peaking down at you from the corner of the room. It made noises, purring at you with its red blinking iris. Despair overwhelmed you as you gazed at the purple marks rising on your trembling wrists, the result of your futile attempts to break free from the chains.

Tears streamed down your face as you silently pleaded to Eywa for salvation, making a pact with the Great Mother that you would willingly submit, accepting the role of Pukxaw’s obedient bride without complaint. Anything to escape this nightmare.

You swore to yourself that you would heed your mother’s words and never again embark on forbidden journeys to play games.

Suddenly, a wall beside you slid open silently, and the one who had captured you entered the room. As the wall moved back into place, it sealed the gap without leaving a single trace behind, as if the open wall had been nothing but a fleeting illusion.

The towering figure of the Uniltìrantokx known as the Colonel entered the room, his presence imposing and intimidating.

“Well, good morning there, sunshine.”

His gaze was unwavering as his golden eyes met your watery ones, and his smile sent chills down your spine.

Desperation taking hold, you tugged anxiously at the shackles that held you captive, the rattling of chains filling the air as you pleaded, “Tokx oyeä lonu, ruxte.”

The Colonel’s eyes darted to the cuff encircling your wrist before returning to your pleading face, a malicious glint was filling his gaze.

“English,” the Colonel spoke firmly, his gaze fixed on you. “I know you understand it. So, what did you say?”

Tears streamed down your face as you pleaded, “Please, let me go.”

His smile widened as he leaned towards you, unlocking the cuffs with a loud clatter. In an instant, you found yourself cowering in the corner on the other side of the room, holding your purpling wrists tightly against your chest, attempting to shield yourself from further harm.

He release you, it’s what you wanted, but you were scared, he took you from your home. What did he want with you. Why were you here?

The Colonel knelt down on one knee, his gaze locked on your trembling form.

“Why did you...” you stumbled over your words, struggling to find the correct translation in English, “stolen me?”

His smile widened, revealing his sharp, canine-like teeth. He repeated your question with a hint of surprise. “Why did we steal you?”

You nodded frantically, desperately seeking an explanation. “Greenhome, I want,” you repeated, trying to keep your voice steady. “Brother, I want, Mother, I want.” Tears welled up in your eyes, threatening to spill over as you fought back the sobs that threatened to escape your throat.

With a deliberate move, the Colonel stretched out his large hand, and you instinctively flinched away, anticipating further harm. However, his touch was surprisingly gentle as he carefully caressed your shoulder and pushed your hair away from your ear. He inched closer cautiously, bracing himself for a potential attack, as if prepared to deal with a primitive, savage creature.

The Colonel settled down beside you, his hand softly rubbing your back to comfort you. “I bet you want your family, don’t you?” he continued in a deceptively gentle tone. “Now, here’s the deal. I will help you get back to your family if you do something for me in return.”

Your lips parted slightly as you focused intently on his words, your ears perked up anxiously as you tried to comprehend his meaning. You shifted onto your hands and knees, adopting a hunched position in an effort to understand better.

“A deal?” You sniffled.

“That’s right sugar cube,” he chuckled, “If you teach me the Na’vi way, I will let you go, you won’t be couped up in this here box.”

Your brows furrowed, “Na’vi way?”

He pinched a strand of your hair and you fought the urge to bat him away.

“Like,” he pondered, swiping a hand down his face and sighed, “Na’vi lì’fya, ‘okrol, syvue and um traditions, hunt ah taron?.” Na’vi language, history, food, hunt.

Your mouth felt dry and you tried to understand his terrible translation, he sounded very dim when he said your peoples words.

“I teach?” You asked, “And I go home?”

He nodded, “See, you have the idea! Pretty sharp.”

You didn’t understand how you were sharp, your skin might’ve had a scar or two but it was very soft to touch.

Sitting on your knees before him, you bit nervously at the inside of your cheek, torn between loyalty to your own kind and the possibility of sharing knowledge. This Uniltìrantokx was undoubtedly a demonic entity, yet he had demonstrated a desire to learn. Growing up, you had been taught that knowledge was a potent force, that all beings were entitled to the opportunity to learn and grow.

“What’s your name, sugar cube?” the Colonel inquired, waving his fingers playfully in front of your face, sensing the depth of your thought process.

Your immediate internal reaction was one of guarded caution. If you revealed your name, could that knowledge be used against you?

He paused for a moment, his lips momentarily retracting into his mouth before announcing, “Alright then. I’ll tell you mine. My name is Miles.”

Your gaze fixated on his outstretched palm, its size impressive and intimidating.

“You’re supposed to shake it,” he exclaimed with a slight cough.

Your gaze shifted back to his face as you tentatively grabbed his fingers and gingerly moved them around in a tentative motion.

A deep chuckle escaped him, and he withdrew his hand, shaking his head. “No, no, no, here, let me show you. Give me your hand.”

There was a hint of uncertainty in her face. With trembling hand, you cautiously extended it towards him, your fear evident in your hesitation. What if he intended to bite it?! However, his much larger fingers enveloped your hand tenderly, gently squeezing your palms together before slowly moving them upwards and then downwards in an up-and-down motion. This unexpected contact triggered an involuntary happy surprise on your face. It was funny. You wondered if all Uniltìrantokx created each other like this.

Miles continued, “See?” he began to explain, “That’s how humans greet each other after sharing their name.”

Your hands were still connected, the warmth of his touch creating a sense of comfort. You responded, “My name is [Y/N].”

His reply was laced with a pleasant hum, “Pleasure to meet you, [Y/N].”

In an attempt to mirror the behaviour you observed, you responded with a hum of your own, believing this was indeed part of the meeting ritual.

"Where did you learn to speak English?" Miles queried, his eyes watching you closely. "Was it Grace Augustine's school?"

You shook your head in response, taking a moment to carefully choose your words. "No," you explained, "My... mothers, sisters, son, he learned English and he taught me because I wanted to become a wise teacher."

He figured you meant to say ‘cousin.’

His laughter filled the air as he exclaimed with glee, "You're in luck then! I want to be your student!"

The situation was becoming increasingly overwhelming for you. Your tail anxiously flicked, betraying your desire to create some distance between yourself and him.

Miles observed your unease and seemed to understand. “[Y/N],” he said softly, “I may not have been born here, but I am one of you. I want to help you, I want to learn.”

His words carried a hint of reassurance, and his pet name, ‘sugar cube,’ added a touch of innocence.

Your teeth clenched tightly as you pinched your eyes shut, deep in thought. Could you actually do this? Could you teach these demons from the stars? It was a tale passed down that the great Toruk Macto, the legendary figure, had been a Sky People – yet he had worn the same skin as the Na’vi. His transformation into the revered leader of the Omatikaya stood as a testament to the power of change.

You pondered over the potential impact this dim-witted kidnapper could have on the Tawkami. Your fingers gently rubbed against the tender, reddened skin of your injured wrists.

He promised to return you home.

You turned to face him, your voice firm and resolute. “Your name,” you gritted out, “Miles, yes?”

He nodded in affirmation, a smile spreading across his face.

 “I will teach you the ways of my people,” you declared with determination.

“Great to hear,” he replied eagerly, his eyes lighting up. “Care to join me for a walk?”

Your eyes widened with excitement as the realization sank in – an opportunity to escape! Miles tapped the wall, and it obediently expanded, creating an opening. He stepped through, gesturing for you to follow. You were initially hesitant, but his hand reaching out to grasp yours forced you into motion. The touch of his larger hand enveloped yours, making you feel unusually small and insignificant.

Miles took charge, guiding you firmly through a dimly lit hallway. You stumbled along beside him, adjusting to his quick pace as he led you through a maze of corridors.

During the journey, he suddenly remarked, "First, let's get an ice pack on that shiner of yours."

He continued walking, his grip on your hand tugging you along as he instructed you to keep up. Unconsciously, your feet moved in sync with his as you walked alongside him. You glanced down and noticed the stark difference between your feet and his. He wore some sort of binding made of animal hide, secured in place with ropes. In contrast, your feet were completely bare. Your twitching nose betrayed your curiosity as you observed the unusual difference between his footwear and your lack thereof.

Miles led you into a room where you encountered the same Uniltìrantokx warriors you had confronted in the forest. Some engaged in an odd activity, lifting strange objects overhead, while others were fiercely punching sacks suspended from the walls. As your gaze fell upon them, your teeth bared in a defensive display, and a loud hiss escaped your lips.

One of them sprang to his feet, brandishing a long thick blade in his hand. "Colonel, what the fuck is she doing in here?!"

"Shut your pie hole, Pike!" the Colonel retorted firmly. "This is our guest, [Y/N], also known as your new Na'vi teacher."

As you watched, the soldiers' faces displayed a mix of shock and confusion. Pike, in particular, seemed to struggle with the sudden change of plans.

“But boss,” he protested, his voice laced with disbelief. "The mission was..."

“Do you Nittwits think I’ve forgotten the mission! No! So shut up and listen to what I tell you! Zhang, get us an ice pack. Seems you hit the lady a little too hard yesterday.”

Your eyes fixated on Miles, the venomous aura surrounding him palpable. You couldn’t help but take a small step back, feeling a mix of fear and unease in his presence.

Although you didn’t fully comprehend the words he spoke, their tone and inflection conveyed an underlying malice.

When the soldier named Zhang returned, clutching a very cold rock wrapped in woven clothes, you observed him with curiosity. However, his hesitancy was apparent as he offered the item to you.

“…You put it on your face darlin’, here,” Miles instructed, gently guiding your hands up to apply the cold object, known as an ‘ice pack,’ to your face.

He tugged on your elbow, leading you to the front of the room, positioned in front of a large mirror. Surprisingly, he allowed you to take a seat on a sizeable plastic box.

Miles spoke quietly to the female Uniltìrantokx named Walker, who diligently jumped up to retrieve a box from a shelf. She handed the box to him, and Miles quickly flicked it open, retrieving a peculiar cloth from within. He extended it towards you with an expectant expression.

“Here ya go, put that on. My boys won’t stop perving at your chest.”

You found yourself puzzled by the unfamiliar English word he used – “perving” – but from his reaction, it appeared to be a negative term. You wondered if wearing a shirt was forbidden in the ways of your own clan, yet you considered the item a gift and believed there was nothing wrong with accepting it.

As you fumbled with the shirt, attempting to figure out the correct holes to insert your head and arms through, Miles observed your struggle. However, before he could intervene, you successfully managed to put it on.

You heard the others snicker, “Ah, our teacher huh Colonel? Maybe next lesson she can teach us how to put on pants.”

“Or boots.”

“Or a G-string.”

“Shut it Sampson! Or you’ll be doing laps in the rain” Miles barked.

“Yes sir.”

Miles gently removed the ice pack from your face and replaced it with a book. You studied the unfamiliar symbols on the front, struggling to recall their meanings.

As you carefully opened the book and flipped through the pages, you discovered an alphabet and a numbering system. With every glance, you felt a sense of familiarity, drawing parallels to the lessons you had listened to from your cousins.

“You’ll need to be teaching us basics sweetheart, or else you might not ever see the other side of these walls, do you understand what I’m saying.”

Miles’ gaze bore intently into you, a stern expression upon his face. His personae was firm yet different when addressing his men. Feeling intimidated, you swallowed nervously and responded with a nod, saying, “Yes.”

He quickly corrected you, “Say ‘yes, sir.’”

Confusion crossed your face as you wondered if you had made a grammatical error. Not fully understanding the meaning of ‘Sir,’ you echoed, “Yes, sir.”

Your response prompted a wide grin from him, seemingly pleased with your compliance.

“Good girl, now let’s go back to your room and I’ll have you fed some good grub from the kitchen!”

As you silently returned to your cell, a feeling of trepidation washed over you, causing you to clench the book tightly in your hands. Initially, you had agreed only to teach Miles, not the entire group. The realization of having to teach them all now filled you with unease.

The rough, hot fabric of the shirt against your skin caused discomfort, prompting you to tug it off as soon as you entered the cell. A deep longing for home consumed you, and the urge for a comforting embrace grew stronger with every passing moment.

Miles observed your troubled expression, easily deciphering the anxiety written on your face. He held a small, plastic box in his left arm and sat it down on your bed. Opening it up, he offered it to you with a gentle touch.

“It’s food,” he reassured you.

Your nose instinctively wrinkled at the unappealing smell emanating from the contents of the box.

Miles chuckled, attempting to reassure you. “It’s not so bad. It’s definitely better than just mud and twigs, right?”

You frowned and asserted, “I do not eat mud and twigs.”

Miles’ interest piqued as he found himself enjoying the sound of your voice. He closed the cell door by tapping on the wall, securing it shut.

He observed you descending to the ground, your fingers delving into the gray goop within the small food box. You brought the morsel to your lips and slurped it down with relish.

Miles was well aware that you would never utilize the spoon that he had provided. He found himself taking a strange pleasure in observing you eat in this primal manner, devouring the food directly from the box. The sounds you made while consuming it were loud and wet, arousing a certain sense of lewdness. A wicked part of him said it was probably what you sounded like if you sucked cock...

A wicked part of him fixated on your innocent mannerisms, captivated by the contrast between your naïveness and his own desires. There was a sweetness, gentle shyness and innocence he really loved about you. The thought about corrupting the little naive na’vi woman was making his pants a little tight.

As he took a seat on the edge of your bed, Miles caught your eyes as you looked up at him. A sly smile tugged the corners of his mouth as he began to fidget with the end of his queue, his fingers pinching and twisting the tendrils, causing them to move wildly in the air.

He cleared his throat before asking nonchalantly, “So, what’s all this about?”

Leaving the food momentarily forgotten, you moved closer to Miles and took a seat beside him on the bed. Eager to share your knowledge, you presented him with your own queue and began to explain, "This connects all living creatures. It connects us to Eywa. She resides within us, just like this."

With a touch of innocence, you placed your hand gently on Miles' stomach, guiding him to breathe deeply and synchronize his breaths with yours.

“We feel each other, and help one another. We ride and connect with pa'li which help to carry many items long, far, far away.”

“I have a banshee,” he proudly cut in.

You didn’t understand.

“Uh - An ikran!” He corrected with a chuckle, “Named him Cupcake because he was sweet enough to try and kill me.”

The unfamiliarity of Miles' words left you puzzled, but you understood that his claim of possessing a banshee without undergoing the Iknimaya ceremony was indeed unprecedented. Even you, yourself, had not been able to attain an ikran.

In response, you leaned back a bit and observed his captivated fascination as he toyed with his own tendrils. Without thinking, you instinctively smacked his arm in reprimand.

“Tìftang si, ngeyä tswin fil ke!” Stop, it is not a play thing, You scolded.

Miles chuckled upon witnessing your reaction, holding his hand up in a gesture of apology. "Sorry, sorry, I was just curious," he expressed.

He then took your queue in his hand, lifting them up and bringing them close together, contemplating the possibility of connecting their queues.

“What would happen if we connected?”

However, your response was immediate and embarrassed. "Not right," you explained emphatically, shaking your head. “Not allowed! Done only between mated couples."

Your cheeks flushed with embarrassment as you realized the implications of his suggestion. He still held it, his grip growing tighter making your breath catch. You tried to take it back but he moved it away.

“This is not funny, Miles.”

He joked, “Come on sweet cheeks? Why, don’t ya wanna mate?”

You shrieked at him, “Not a game, it is sacred!”

His grip on your queue became increasingly tight, creating an excruciating pain that triggered a flood of tears to stream down your face.

"Let me go! Ah, let me go!" You pleaded, frantically clawing at his bicep in a desperate attempt to alleviate the torment.

He clenched his teeth and stared at you with unwavering determination, pressing you hard against the bedhead. With a forceful tug on your braid, you cried out in pain. Effortlessly, he secured both your wrists underneath his knees, applying uncomfortable pressure onto your sore wrists. The agony intensified as his kneecap rubbed against your injured wrist, prompting a guttural howl.

He snapped “Enough!”

Miles grasped your tendrils tightly and brought them up to your face, his gaze locked onto yours as he forcibly connected them. The connection erupted a series of shrill wails and curses from you in Na'vi. The intensity of his essence invaded your being, burning your soul and forcefully tearing you open, as he siphoned off your energy mercilessly. You felt vulnerable and violated as you desperately struggled to break the connection before the damage became irreversible.

With the unwelcome union of your tendrils, you felt a surge of intrusive sensations as Miles' heartbeat, breath, anger, and hate penetrated your senses. The heat of his blood and veins pulsated within your own body, forcibly connecting your souls deeply. His essence burrowed into your very core, writhing and wriggling savagely, seeking to fully consume and possess you.

His physical form above you trembled with violent intensity, the bedrailing shuddering under the impact. Your tormenting screams were perceived by him only as the symphony of his conquest, a sound of submission to his authority. His lips curled back into a wicked grin, revealing clenched teeth in a fierce expression. His body shifted and writhed with unrestrained ecstasy, the power flowing through him like a potent intoxication. The tight fabric of his camouflage pants strained, tenting and bulging beneath him, betraying the primal lust that consumed him.

“Mine,” he growled, “You belong to me.”

The most distressing aspect of the ordeal was the conflicting feelings within you, the equal surge of power and desire coursing through your body despite your unwillingness to submit to him. You felt torn apart, the struggle between your own resolve and the primal urge to yield to his dominance. Your mind was ready to just accept his seed by the will of Eywa and make babes.

A guttural grunt escaped Miles. He tore off his shirt with a loud rip of seams and buttons while he tore his belt and spit his pants down the middle, kicking his boots off.

You were in a similar rush, your face flushed and sweaty while you tugged at the strings of your tweng cloth. Flipping yourself onto your belly as you pressed back to him. Your tail curled back and around his thigh, tugging him, encouraging him to take your slick flower.

It was fast, he entered quickly and felt you squeal from being taken so hastily. Surprising even himself he muttered, “sorry” and pushed deep before pulling back out and designing a rhythmic thrust. You were both hissing and panting. Trying to feel each other more an more.

With this connection it was a strange and exciting feeling. It was like you were controlling his movements but you knew he must’ve felt the same about controlling you.

Did he feel that growing warmth of the wet moist pad being grazed with every movement? You felt his length and how his tip was happily strangled inside.

“F-fuck,” Miles groaned into your ear. His fingers wrapped around your waist and savagely hauled you back onto his abusive cock. His face dug into your neck and he began to lick and suck the crease of the shoulder.

Your eyes were tightly shut but they managed a peak when you felt his desperate hand explored you. Your small swaying breasts were like soft pillows for him to grip and pinch. You turned your face into his and nibble his ear, he gasped and shut his eyes.

He took control once more and this time he shoved his mouth over yours. His mouth was hot and wet, coating yours. His sharp teeth tugged you lips before his tongue stabbed its way into your mouth possessively.

His thrusts started to falter, his knees on the bed were trembling and you turned to face back at the mattress. Feeling his body lift off you a little and slam into your now sore core.

A few more lazy pumps inside of you and he finally fell out, soft cock drowned from your pussy and his cum. You felt it…your hand gently moving beneath you, feeling a light patter on the bed and drip on your hand. Your eyes flutter. Your queues separated and you both tried to catch your breath.

When you managed to swallowed and steady your beating heart, your eyes drifted down the foot of the bed where Miles was slowing his breath and trying to understand what just happened.

Frustration and agony consumed you as you desperately attempted to kick him, but your quivering legs lacked the strength. When the intended blow connected, it was as a meek touch only, failing to cause any real damage.

With a cold detachment, Miles stood upright and walked away, not sparing even a glance back in your direction.

Desperation etched itself on your face as tears streamed down your cheeks, the pain of his rejection stinging fiercely.

Miles had committed an egregious act – he had plundered something of profound spiritual significance and meaning from you. Without a hint of care or empathy, he left you broken and alone, oblivious to the magnitude of the harm he had inflicted upon you.

The depth of his transgression was immense, leaving an indelible mark upon your very soul.

The pain you felt between your legs was like a inner burn. You felt incomplete…..you felt like you’d been played with and that the world would now have its back turn on you. You felt violated. You had firmly asserted your refusal but Miles ignored your protests and proceeded with his own desires, binding you to him in a cursed union that would persist until the final breath of either one of you.

Anxiety gnawed at your heart as the gravity of the situation became clearer. Doubt haunted your mind, leaving you to ponder if Eywa would ever pardon you for your role in this unwanted arrangement.

Exhausted and defeated, you muffled your screams into the mattress, eventually succumbing to sleep as fatigue overpowered you.

★HELPLINES★

If you are a victim of sexual abuse, assault or domestic violence or know someone who is please reach out to these links that share helpline services, phone numbers or emails. Consent and respect is important in every relationship whether between friends, family or even strangers. .

Australian Helpline Services

UK Helpline Services

American Helpline Services

India Helpline Services.

[corazondebeskar-reads]

fic recs - Joel Miller (one-shots pt. 1)

fic recs for one-shots starring Joel Miller.

Key: 🏴 = dark, 💕 = fluff, ⛓ = rough/bdsm elements, 💀 = dead dove do not eat

Mind the warnings, and please read responsibly. you control your own media consumption.

All Fic Recs | TLOU Fic Recs | Joel series | one-shots pt. 2

dark!Joel

*note: if fics fit multiple categories but contain dark!Joel, they will go here only. Mind the warnings, and please read responsibly. you control your own media consumption.

🏴💀 Nightmare Before Christmas by @katiexpunk

Summary: As an escort, you’ve found yourself in some pretty fucked up situations before. Years of experience have taught you to navigate such situations with a combination of tact and assertiveness. Most of the time the men who exude an air of sleaze shrivel back into the corner, embarrassed and limp dicked.  Most of the time.  Tonight is not one of those times.

🏴⛓ truth or dare by @joelscruff

summary: a harmless game of truth or dare ends with you tied up in a certain mysterious neighbor's garage.

🏴His Protection by @absurdthirst

summary: When David's group takes you and Ellie to their settlement, you warn them that Joel will come for you. Knowing that he will do whatever it takes to get back those under his protection.

🏴 hostage by @atticrissfinch

summary: when you get lost in the woods, a stranger offers to help you get back to your camping site. when your gut tells you to run, you run--until he catches you.

🏴 ensnare by @ozarkthedog

summary: despite your reluctance, joel wants to fill you up.

🏴vicious by @sinsofsummers

summary: joel fucks you in his gas mask.

🏴 mothman fever by @beskarandblasters

summary: You and your friends head to Point Pleasant, West Virginia in late September for the Mothman Festival. And that’s where you meet Joel Miller, a fellow Mothman enthusiast. But once you spend some time alone with him you realize that he’s not who he says he is.

🏴 Joel Fucking Miller by @pedroshotwifey

summary: You and Joel Miller have been sworn enemies from the very start, both of you at each other’s other's throats since the first glance. What he can't know is that you have been harboring a stubborn crush on him this whole time---It’s not until he has you up against a wall that you realize he feels the same way.

🏴 Keep Cry'n & Cry Harder by @romana-after-dark

summary: Joel kidnaps you, but can't even wait long enough to put his dick inside you to cum.

🏴 keep on your mean side by @milla-frenchy and @aurorawritestoescape

summary: Joel takes you to Degradation Town

🏴💀 Mercy by @lokischocolatefountain

summary: Stranded alone in the woods and left to die, all you can ask of Joel Miller is the mercy of a quick death. He is willing to give it to you, but he needs something for himself as well.

🏴 Hurt and Protect by @lokischocolatefountain

summary: In a world where politeness wasn’t part of trade, it helped to have someone like Joel Miller as your protector. But to be his to protect also meant being his to hurt.

🏴down to the ankles by @atinylittlepain

summary: monsters are made of myths. in this story, two myths become one. two myths are in love. they are in wretched love.

🏴💀 no soul to sell by @atticrissfinch

summary: divorced joel is fucking his way through his newly acquired bachelor status, when he remembers you—the (recent) ex-girlfriend of his son—are now an option for him. 

bdsm

fics with explicitly d/s dynamics or play, not just rough sex/kinks, dom!Joel unless otherwise noted

⛓ Push & Pull by @javiscigarette

summary: Joel just realllyyy likes your dress

⛓ curled in by @bonezone44

summary: joel ties you up and makes you suck his toes and get off on his foot

⛓ something new by @atticrissfinch

*this is technically part of a series but it's a standalone piece.

summary: Joel wants to introduce you to a new kink (watersports).

⛓ spend all your love making time by @haylzcyon (sub!Joel)

summary: You're everything Joel never knew he needed.

⛓ slumber by @cool-iguana

summary: Joel needs you, but you’re asleep. Giving in to desperation, he can’t help himself from making you feel good.

⛓ what do you need? by @whatsnewalycat

summary: brat tamer!Joel and brat!reader in an exploration of a scene where reader is overwhelmed/stressed and needs Joel to help her find peace through submission.

⛓ kinktober day 30: free use by @softpascalito

summary: Joel comes home urgently needing some relief. Its a good thing youre there- and the first time Joel makes use of an ... interesting agreement.

jackson!Joel

observations by @ezrasbirdie

summary: You're not like the other girls, but it'd be easier if you were. Joel Miller doesn't see it that way.

One and Done by @moralesispunk

summary: Joel never leaves you wanting more, but sometimes you do like to tease him

old habits by @wheresarizona

summary: Back in Boston, Joel Miller was your favorite client who frequented your services, exchanging ration cards and other items deemed illegal for sex with you until he just disappeared one day. It’s years later, and now, by a stroke of dumb luck on your journey out west, you’ve found yourself in the town of Jackson and in close proximity to Joel once again, the two of you immediately falling back into old habits

⛓ cruel by @notjustjavierpena

summary: Joel and you never attend the rest of Jackson’s population when it’s movie night. Instead, you become one messy tangle of limbs and oh, how you love him being a meanie.

 

qz!Joel

Pistol by @cosmictheo

summary: during a stormy night at bill and frank's house, joel teaches you how to hold your gun, and this opens up the perfect opportunity for the two of you to finally release all the feelings of longing and lust you've been repressed for each other over the past few weeks.

What Happens Here, Stays Here by @fettuccin-e

summary: anonymous sex with qz!Joel

signs I don't read by @pascalisbaby

summary: joel likes things done his way, especially when he’s fucking you

⛓ kinktober day 28: cuckolding by @absurdthirst

summary: your boyfriend owes Joel and can't pay up, so Joel takes you as payment instead.

🏴 The Stranger by @nala2811

summary: You and a certain stranger are hurled away to somewhere else within the QZ, where you both are required to perform a very particular task…

angst

september by @cavillscurls

summary: Joel hates his birthday. You discover why.

born lucky, under a bad star by @softlyspector

summary: Joel has always been lucky, in the worst of ways.

nobody's son, nobody's daughter by @fragilefable

summary: When you and Joel get separated the night of the outbreak, you spend the next decade searching for him. Just when you've given up— a miracle occurs.

[apathetic-dry-rot]

Wilting Nerium- Chapter 3: Sex, Drugs, Ect.

Lawrence Oleander x AFAB!GN!Reader

CW/TW: Mild smut, drug consumption, panic attack, wlw-coded, hallucinations, mentions of marijuana and alcohol consumption (Not by reader)

Dead Dove: Do Not Eat

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Disclaimer: I do not condone any of the content in this fanfic or game in real life!

Lawrence Oleander belongs to Gatobob

NOW PLAYING: Sex, Drugs, Ect. by Beach Weather

The only bad thing about working at a nature reserve is once you’ve been left to die in the woods, you kinda get a bit anxious when in a forest. However, I knew these woods. These were my woods. I don’t have anything to fear at work.

Work is the one place where I’m truly safe.

The readjustment was a bit difficult, but I needed to get back to my job, for both the money, and the fact that if I didn’t, I was gonna go fucking crazy.

It was a relatively simple job, but I’d been doing it for years, so of course it’d be simple to me. I was in charge of checking up on all of our tagged wildlife and making sure that none had gotten killed by hunters or poachers.

It was a soothing routine, but as per usual in my life nowadays, there was something different.

One of our stags had been attacked. By something much larger than anything we had on the premises, and it’s highly unlikely that any predator from outside the reserve wandered in and went for the stag itself.

“Something got Milo?”

Milo was one of the four stags we had at the reserve, and the most docile, which makes the whole situation even more weird.

“Yeah. Uh, whatever it was was pretty big. Bigger than anything that uh, we’ve got here.”

Lola was a nice coworker, on the shorter side with short, poofy auburn curls- almost like an afro, and had wide, light brown doe eyes. Also her smile was entirely too bright and she had a short temper, but she loved the animals and never pressured me into talking or anything, so she was good in my book.

She let out a melancholy sigh, running a thin hand through her boingy curls.

He’d never go after someone like her, she’s far too intimidating for him, and-

Stop. You’re at work. This is the only safe space left.

“Down to three, then, I guess. How unfortunate.”

The frown wrinkled her face in all the wrong ways. It looked unnatural on her.

Luckily, she quickly ‘turned that frown upside down’ and grinned at me, not much different than a cheshire cat.

That smile was almost as unsettling as her frowning.

My name slid off her tongue slyly, she was planning something. She wanted something from me.

“Hey, I’m throwing a party this weekend, if you’re interested.”

I must’ve not been hiding my emotions that well on my face because she scrambled to convince me.

“It’s gonna be super small, just a few coworkers and some of my friends, no more than like, I don’t know, thirty people, maximum. If that, even, I swear. Just stop by for like, half an hour and you can leave whenever you want, I just…”

She sighed softly, her face filling with concern. I know where this is going.

“I was hoping to get you some fresh air, in a more societal setting after, y’know,” she gestured slightly at me, her eyes trailing the visible scars on my neck, face, and arms; “Everything you’ve been through.”

I exhaled deeply, rubbing my wrists.

“I’m not sure, Lola.”

I don’t know what she was thinking, I couldn’t look straight at her, like she was the sun, it was hard to look anywhere near her general direction.

“Please, just for a little while, you don’t have to stay for long, I swear to you.”

Awkward silence filled the air as I discreetly shuffled towards the door and shifted my weight back and forth on my legs. My hand held the doorknob tightly, knuckles white and twisting the cold metal.

“I’ll… I’ll think about it.”

She beamed, I didn’t even have to look at her to know it, I could feel her overjoyed grin radiating sunlight throughout the room.

“Yes! Sounds great!”

I furrowed my brows and glared slightly at her tiny button nose, not looking her in the eye.

“No promises, though, okay?” She practically pirouetted past me, giving my shoulder a light pat as she went by.

“I’ll be looking forward to it!”

At least Lola was right about the size of the house party being small, but this place absolutely reeked.

Of weed. And other drugs.

I’d worn simple clothes: a black tanktop, light blue high waisted jeans, my old black Doc Martins, a green flannel. Enough to not look like a hobo, not too much so I’d look like an overachiever.

It wasn’t too loud inside either, just some 80’s rock playlist playing for ambience in the background, humming of chatter in different rooms as people mingled with one another.

And here I was, alone.

I knew this was a horrible idea. I should’ve just stayed home.

I sort of just stood there for a few minutes before making my way into the kitchen, where I walked through an almost heavenly cloud of marujuana smoke lingering in the air.

“Hey there, stranger!”

I nearly jumped all the way out of my skin as a hand clasped around my left shoulder and tugged me into the side of a girl a bit taller than me.

Her physique was lean and slightly muscular, with a strong jaw and sharp nose, her eyes mismatched colors of olive green and honey brown, with a light dusting of freckles adorning her cheeks, and long golden blonde hair reaching to her waist.

Aka, REALLY FUCKING PRETTY.

Oh, shit I’m staring-

“Oh, uh, hi. Sorry.”

She laughed, soft and sweet and I could feel the heat rising to my face because ohhhh myyyyy god, she’s so gorgeous and her laugh is perfect and adorable and-

Her hand landed on my shoulder giving it a small squeeze.

“My name’s Aiden.”

I cleared my throat and held my hand out in greeting.

Do people even do handshakes anymore? I mean like, it’s 2023-

She shook my hand gently, and I wanted to collapse.

Oh fuck, my name. Dumbass you’re introducing yourself, you need to tell her your fucking name.

“Uh, I’m-”

I could hear my name being called from the living room, causing me to freeze in my spot, Aiden and I both turning to the source- Lola- her strong and lightly calloused hand not leaving mine.

I repeated my name slowly, smiling awkwardly. “Yeah, that's… that's me.”

Lola looked between the two of us as she approached, gasping excitedly and gesturing at Aiden and I in a wild fashion.

“Oh my goshhhh! You guys are getting alongggg! That's so totally fucking awesome, my besties are befriending each otherrr!”

She's high as shit. Probably drunk, too. I mean, it is her house, she has every right to get crossfaded if she wants. 

Aiden let out a noise of realization, squeezing my hand and patting it lightly with her other hand, grinning wider before releasing my- probably sweaty- palm from her grip.

“So you're the coworker from the reservation that I've heard so much about? It's so good to finally put a face to a name!”

I let out a nervous laugh before nodding with a small ‘yeah.’

Lola dragged us off, parading us around the house, encouraging me to open up to a few people, and no one was sober enough to recognize me.

Which was actually a huge relief that helped me talk to them. They couldn't pity me if they didn't even know who I was.

Intoxicated people are funny.

At some point I had been offered a sort of gray-brown, shriveled up lump, causing me to turn to Lola, who was next to me on her sofa, Aiden resting her legs on my lap lazily.

“What… is this?”

Lola giggled slightly.

“It’s shrooms, y’know?”

I hummed, rolling it around on my hand while debating.

“If you don’t wanna like, eat it, you could brew it into a tea, I think.”

A shiver crawled along my spine, the scar on my neck tingling, and I shot the brunette an uneasy smile.

“I’ll just eat it the normal way, thanks.”

She laughed, lightly hitting my shoulder as I put the mass in my mouth, my face scrunching up at the odd taste, making Aiden chuckle in amusement.

I coughed after it went down, the blonde reaching onto the floor next to her, handing me her water bottle for me to take, my name falling from her mouth like a small blessing.

“Here, to wash it down.”

I took it from her, our fingers brushing slightly, making me melt inside at the smoothness of her hand against mine, finally taking a gulp from the plastic Dasani bottle.

It tasted oddly familiar.

I shook the thought away, this was neither the time nor the place to be thinking about him.

I’m at a party, not a therapy session.

I turned to Aiden, my hands absentmindedly rubbing her shins.

“How long does this shit typically take to kick in?”

She shrugged, her perfect face serene, hair falling over her shoulders.

“Dunno, usually ‘bout half an hour. Varies from person to person.”

I let out a hum and nodded, zoning out at the sound of her voice.

Closing my eyes and leaning back, I sighed and picked off the loose hairs I felt on her pants.

After a while, things felt, wobbly.

It felt laggy, like a video game.

I opened my eyes slowly, looking around at my surroundings.

Everything was in slow motion. Lola was gone.

It was just me and Aiden in the room.

Alone.

She mumbled as she sat up and tucked her legs underneath her, placing her hand on my shoulder.

“Huh…?”

She leaned towards me, I could see all the freckles dusting her cheekbones and nose.

“I said you look confused. You okay?”

My eyelids drooped, her soft breath against my ear warming up my neck and face.

“I… think so.”

She feels so soft, like velvet.

“Your hands are pretty, y’know.”

She giggled, and I felt my temperature rise a few degrees.

“Yeah, well your face is pretty.”

My eyes snapped up to meet hers, her face only inches from mine.

“All of you is pretty, actually.”

I let out a small noise, akin to a whine, as her lips hit mine slowly, my eyes closing while I leaned into her, my hand tracing her jawline.

Oh, fucking god-

Her hands gripped my hips, moving me to straddle her lap as she moaned into the kiss, my lips parting slightly, her warm tongue darting to move against mine in response.

Aiden began stroking my stomach with her thumbs, filling me with butterflies and making me shiver against her, heat flooding my body as I whimpered into her, her hands squeezing the plush of my hips, holding me down.

Her lips left mine, trailing down my cheek to my jawline and neck, my small noises louder without the muffling of our frantic kissing.

“You’re so sensitive, baby.”

I groaned at her words, my fingers moving to grip her shoulders.

“Can’t help it… been a while, and you’re too perfect.”

She chuckled against my jugular, nipping at my throat softly, causing me to groan, one of my hands coming to grip the hair at the back of her neck, a moan escaping her lips.

I grinned, pulling her hair back slightly, testing the waters, her gasp on egging me on to return the favor and attack her neck with little nips and open-mouthed kissing, her small noises of pleasure fueling the fire in my abdomen.

“Fuuck, sweetpea-”

She cut herself off with a soft moan as I hummed against her throat while sucking hard at her skin. I dragged my tongue over the forming bruise in my wake, causing her hips to buck up into mine.

I leaned back to admire the red and purple blotches on her skin, sliding my hands under the hem of her shirt, looking into her eyes, silently begging for permission to take it off, her shivers and frantic nodding of her head prompting me to ease the fabric over her shoulders and head before tossing it to the side.

“Perfect, so beautiful.”

I latched my lips onto hers once more, moving my hands to palm at her bra-covered breasts. She moaned against me, her hands finding my hips again, grinding me down against her, controlling my movements while my fingers tangled themselves into her hair and tugging. She slid her hands up the back of my shirt, scratching at my lower back with need. I pulled away from her again to shrug off my flannel and tug my shirt off, the two articles of clothing join hers on the hardwood floor before moving to kiss the skin of her chest, sucking bruises into the soft plushness of her tits, taking care to bite softer than on her neck, her hand finding my hair as she threw her head back in pleasure, her figure looking divine, my head swimming from the drugs, the only thing I could think of was how perfect she felt against me. I moved back up to her lips slowly, moving my hips against hers as she continued digging her nails into my back, a groan leaving me with a shiver. The hand in my hair slid down my neck, tracing the car there making me squirm at the feeling, my brain trying not to scream at the negative memories associated with it. I leaned back and opened my eyes, only to find that her eyes weren’t the green and golden brown from before, but now a steely shade of gray-blue, her hair lightening to a straw-colored blonde. My breath hitched as my body flung me onto my back on instinct, my body colliding with the floorboards with a very loud thump, my eyes flooding with tears that began streaming down my face.

“Oh, fuck I-”

I struggled to breath, wiping at my eyes, blinking at Aiden, who had moved to the floor, her hand coming to rest on my shoulder, my skin crawling as I flinched at the contact.

She looked like herself again. Oh god, I fucked everything up again.

“I-I’m sor-sorry, I can’t, I-”

She shushed me, brushing hair out of my face.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, you’re okay.”

I sobbed, hiding my head in my hands.

I fucked up, I ruined it, everything was going so well, fuck, fuck fuck fuck.

“I- I need to go home, I’m so sorry.”

She helped me put my shirt back on, handing my jacket, reassuring me that it was okay and that she wasn’t mad.

Liar, I ruined everything, just like always.

She had Lola call me a cab before giving me her number as I apologized profusely.

The ride home was quiet and uncomfortable, the lights blending together unnaturally, trailing behind each other.

My apartment was dead silent when I finally got home.

Good. I’d probably cry if I heard noise right now.

My body and mind cried, aching to lay down in my warm bed as I changed out of my clothes, slipping into green flannel sweats and a black t-shirt.

After finishing my nighttime routine, I flopped into my bed, cocooning myself under my blankets, sighing as the warmth and exhaustion caught up to me, dragging me under the surface of the dark slumber that awaited me.

Word Count: 2546

[bitchinfawkseh]

Love Like Ghosts - Chapter Two

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Summary: They continue to desperately search for each other after getting separated during a walker attack.

Word Count: 3327

[A/N] if the cranberries exist in twd wouldn't the word zombie exist? BTW should I add gifs of Daryl to my posts idk

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It's been two days since Ruth and Dorothea had gotten separated from Estelle during the midnight attack from a herd of walkers. Since then, they've been surviving off of fish from the river and a sleeve of saltine crackers. There wasn't much else that they could eat, they didn't want to leave the forest until they found Estelle. Ruthie felt like this entire situation was her fault… if she had just stayed awake, none of this would have happened. Her sister could be dead for all they know, and it would be because of her.

Ruth stared blankly down into the water, waiting for fish to pass by. She had her jeans rolled up to her knees and had taken off her socks and boots to stand in the stream. She didn't have any fishing rod, and it was more satisfying to catch the fish by herself anyway. She felt like a badass when she did it, but it took a lot of patience. More than what she had today. A shadow passed by her left calf and she quickly dove her hands into the water to catch it, but she missed. This is the fifth fish she's missed today – she was not on her A game. Ruth let out a loud groan and kicked up some water before stomping her way up to shore. “God fuckin’ dammit!” She cursed.

Dottie, who was sitting on a fallen tree log and snacking on saltines, raised her brows and smirked in amusement. Ruth never swore around Estelle, it was funny to finally see her curse. But, she knew that Ruth has been on edge ever since they lost Estelle, she wasn't doing okay right now. “Ya alright, kid?” Dottie asked finally. Ruth plopped herself down onto the grass and rolled her jeans down before tugging on her socks and boots. Her heart ached at her question, but Ruth kept her emotions at bay. “I am fine.” She replied simply, “we need to keep moving. We need to find Estelle.”

“Yeah, yeah, just this baby has been kickin’ the life outta me. Everything hurts.”

“Are you in labour?” Ruth asked with wide eyes. Dottie going into labour while they were separated from her sister may be the worst possible thing that could happen. Thankfully, Dottie snorted before shaking her head. She was certainly not in labour, but Estelle predicted any day now as she may be further along than they expected. “Nah, I ain't in labour. Just normal aches and pains.” She replied.

Ruth's lips parted and she nodded slowly, well that was a relief at least. “Okay… um, do you want some water before we start moving?” She asked. Dottie set her hands on her stomach, rubbing it slowly for her own comfort. “Yeah, please.” Dottie answered. Ruth nodded before rising to her feet and handing Dottie a bottle of water. She gulped down maybe half of it, then she passed it back and climbed to her feet as quickly as she could. “We should travel downstream, Estelle went that way. She knows we're looking for her so she'd stay in that vague direction.” Dottie said, “we should carve a bit of bark off of the trees to show her which way we're going in case she does come this way too.”

“Good idea.”

So, they pursued down stream, going against the current and sticking close to the water. Sticking near to the river was their best bet to find Estelle, likely their only way of finding Estelle if she wasn't already dead. But they had had hope that she was still alive, they had to. Every third tree they passed, Dottie would take her knife and scrape off some bark, making a little ‘X’ mark. Ruth hiked up ahead a little bit, stopping to wait every-so-often when she sensed that Dottie had stopped. Ruth swallowed hard and bit down on her bottom lip, she wasn't sure if this whole marking the tree thing would work. “Are you sure this will work?” She asked, “I mean, what if she doesn't even come this way?”

“It helps if she comes this way.” Dottie said as she began to walk again. “It's better than nothin’, you know that.”

“I guess.” Ruth sighed.

A walker stumbled into the treeline, one who was once a woman. She had something tied around her mouth, presumably a piece of fabric that muffled her growls and snaps of her jaw. Ruth staggered back before reaching for her knife, this walker really posed no threat. Her hands were tied behind her back, no use of her mouth – she died like this. She died tied up and gagged. Ruth flared her nostrils and once the walker was close enough, she plunged the blade of her knife into her temple. She may have had a horrible death, but she wasn't worth trying to save now. The now finally dead body dropped to the floor and Ruth panted as she glanced back at Dottie who was clutching her pregnant belly. “It's fine.” Ruth said.

“I know,” Dottie replied, tilting her head. “Can’ help but feel bad for the chick though, someone did that to her.”

Ruth's lips thinned and she nodded slowly, “yeah… guess so. Hope it was painless.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––

Estelle rubbed the hem of her dress between her fingertips, pouting her lips together as she listened to the group debate whether or not she should stay. Most of them actually were for her staying and for finding her sister and friend who was a nurse. But, with adding a new person to the group obviously came immense caution. They were hesitant to trust her, and she didn't blame them. She was covered in blood and dirt. That didn't exactly say ‘doctor material.’

Rick sighed and glanced over his shoulder at Estelle, watching her pick at her dress while she sat on the dirt. Carl deserved a doctor, his and Lori's unborn baby did… she had to stay, but until they trusted her, someone had to be watching her around the clock. He looked back to the rest of the group: Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, Lori, Daryl, Carol, Beth, T-Dog, and Elias. They could all use a doctor really, and a nurse. Finally, he nodded. “She stays, and her friends too when we find ‘em. Till then, someone's always gotta be watchin’ her.” Rick said firmly.

Lori breathed a sigh of relief, “thank you.” Was all she murmured.

Daryl nodded once, “she's good at huntin’ too. Stole my game n’ shit.”

“Be good to have more hunters at hand,” Rick commented, setting his hands on his hips. He then jerked his chin in Elias’ direction, “you good to watch her first?”

“Yeah – yeah, I can do that.”

A man who was much taller than a lot of people in the group approached Estelle, he had dark brown hair that had little waves in it and some texture. It was obvious he had a haircut from before that gave him volume, and now it was growing out awkwardly. He plopped down onto the ground next to Estelle, making sure that there was plenty of space between them for comfort. Estelle raised her brows and glanced up at the man, taking note of the grown out stubble on his face. “Hello,” she said, “I'm Estelle.”

“Elias,” he smiled faintly, “you were a surgeon?” He asked. Estelle perked up slightly and nodded happily, she liked to discuss surgery. She enjoyed it quite a bit – and missed it. “Yes! I was. A pediatric surgeon.” She answered, “what did you do?” Estelle added.

Elias shrugged, “oh, you know. Operations manager. Boring stuff.” He replied.

“Every job has its equal part in society, I'm sure you did a lot.” She smiled.

“Ah… thanks…” Elias trailed off.

They both went silent, and Estelle decided to watch the birds fly above them from tree to tree. Birds had an advantage, they could fly high above from the dangers below. She found herself envying them for having such an easy way out of all of this. She inhaled deeply before sighing, “they are making you watch me, aren't they? To make sure I don't kill you all?” Estelle asked. Elias exhaled sharply before nodding, he pulled his knees up to his chest and also looked up at the soaring birds. “Yeah… nothing against you – it's just – you can't be too careful… you know?”

“I know, don't worry.” Estelle replied. She had no hard feelings towards them for this, she understood why they were doing what they were doing. She just wanted to find Ruthie and Dottie, and she knew that she'd be more likely to find them if this group helped her in return for medical care.

“Did they say anything about starting to look for my people?” Estelle questioned with raised brows. Elias scratched at the back of his neck briefly before nodding, they did, but he knew it wouldn't be as soon as she quite obviously hoped. “Uh, yeah, we're gonna start looking tomorrow morning.” He answered. Estelle's face fell and she leapt to her feet almost immediately, tomorrow morning wasn't good enough. Between now and tomorrow morning, they could die. “There are still a couple of hours of daylight! We may be able to find them in that time – I am going to look for them.”

“Whoa – whoa – you – slow down,” Elias stammered out. He didn't want her to go off alone to search for her friends, especially when it was getting close to sunset. Estelle zipped up her coat and heaved her sheath of arrows over her shoulder. “You can either come help me look, or not. Your choice.” Estelle said simply before she began to march off. Elias jumped to his feet and grasped her arm to stop her, he couldn't let her go alone – that was just plain crazy. “Hold on – wait a minute.” Elias said.

Estelle spun around and shook his arm off of her and wrinkled her nose. “Get your hands off of me!” She yelled. Now her yelling caught attention from the rest of the group, of course. The women were staring at her wildly, and Rick and Daryl had already begun to rush over to the scene. Elias quickly tore his hand off of her and raised them in surrender, showing that he wasn't trying to hurt her. Rick set his hand on his gun and strode over with purpose, “what's goin’ on?” He demanded.

“I'm going to look for my people!” Estelle told him as a matter of factly. She was used to having only herself or a few other people to rely on, she would be perfectly fine to go and look. Rick raised his brows before firmly shaking his head, “no, we'll look tomorrow morning. It's getting too late.”

“They could be dead tomorrow morning!”

“Then we'll have to hope that they can make it through the night.”

Estelle's eyes widened at his bold comment, then she scoffed and shook her head in disbelief. The audacity of this man shocked her to her very core. She took one step towards him and raised a pointed finger to his chin, “listen here, Rick.” She began; her tone very cold and posed no room for arguing. Estelle was going to find Dottie and Ruth, and someone here was going to help her. “You are going to help me find them unless you don't want a doctor for your kid and pregnant wife, alright? Because I have no problem leaving your guy's sorry asses, and finding them myself.” Estelle spat out. Rick's eyes thinned to slits and his nostrils flared, she had him. Lori and Carl needed a doctor, this unborn baby needed a doctor. Finally, Rick sighed and glanced down at his feet before looking down at Estelle again. For such a short woman, she could be quite menacing. “Fine,” he finally said. Rick nudged his head in Daryl's direction, “you willin’ to go with her? To look?” He asked, and Daryl begrudgingly nodded.

After an hour of searching through the forest, they had found no signs of Dottie or Ruth. Estelle remained hopeful, she knew they weren't completely lost without her. They were as strong and capable as she was, they weren't dead. Estelle trudged through the woods, Daryl on her left also searching for her friends nearby. It was best to stick close, but a little apart in case one caught something that the other didn't.

Daryl had his crossbow resting up on his shoulder as he perused around, he got a very detailed description from Estelle on how these people looked, so they wouldn’t be hard to miss. She was quite adamant on finding her friends, and not that he blamed her, but he found it a little annoying how persistent she was. ‘Look harder,’ this, ‘we should go further,’ that – he really wished that she would shut the hell up. When Estelle said: “hey–” Daryl had already rolled his eyes. He wasn't looking forward to whatever she had to say next. “Wha’ now?” Daryl grumbled. Estelle's brows furrowed and she shot him a quick glare before pointing ahead to a small buck that was just big enough to feed the whole group. They'd all have full bellies for once. Daryl's eyes widened briefly before he switched into hunter mode, ducking behind some bushes and aiming his crossbow for it. Estelle did the same, and she had fired her bow through it before Daryl even had the chance to squeeze his trigger. A girl who was better at hunting than him, how ironic.

Daryl's face fell when the buck dropped to the ground with a pained screech due to Estelle's arrow. At least they had food, but he would have preferred to be the one to kill the damn thing. He scowled at her for a quick moment, then raised his brows to show that he was impressed. “Nice shot.” Daryl said.

“Thank you.” Estelle flushed. Daryl didn't reply, he only rose to his feet and approached the suffering buck. They were doing what they had to do, it was the circle of life after all. Estelle followed him, stopping right at his side. “Lori needs to be eating more, from what I've seen, she's much too small to be almost five months.” Estelle said, “this will be good.”

“Yea’.” Daryl grunted, “fer everyone.”

“Yes, it will be. I'd like to see Carl eating more too.” She added. She had barely spoken to Lori and Carl, but she had noticed things – she had a sharp eye. Estelle reached for the arrow stuck in the meat of the bucks chest, and wiped the blood off on the skirt of her dress. “Well…” she sighed, “better get this back to your group.”

Daryl nodded, “better.” He replied.

Estelle glanced up at him briefly, batting her eyelashes at him. “What're you waiting for?” She asked. Daryl's brows furrowed and he looked her up and down, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “Wha’? Can't carry it yourself?”

“I can, but you're the man. It's common courtesy.” Estelle scoffed.

“Damn woman,” Daryl muttered under his breath as he leaned down to heave the deceased buck over his shoulder, “thought that chivalry stuff was dead.”

“What? Never! You should always be nice to women!” She gasped.

“Mh, whatever.” Daryl grunted. “Let's go.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––

The sound of an animal shrieking echoed through the forest, stopping Dottie and Ruthie right in their tracks. The sound came from behind them – an animal dying, and it sounded like it wasn't natural. Something killed it. Could it possibly be Estelle?

Ruth exhaled sharply before her eyes met Dottie's wide and questioning one's, daylight was running out, following the source of the sound was their best bet. Suddenly, Ruth spun on her heel and set off in that direction with determination, she believed it was her sister – it had to be. Estelle had to be alive. Dottie sighed before following after her, they had been changing directions every time they heard a noise – it was getting a little repetitive at this point. “Might not be her.” Dottie said with raised brows, “jus’ sayin’.”

“It might be her.” Ruth spat back. “We don't know for sure until we check it out.”

“Fine.” Dottie sighed. She just wanted to get some rest, her feet were aching and her back was killing her. She really, really, really hated being pregnant.

The sun had completely set by the time they had reached where they assumed the animal had died as a little bit of blood was tacked onto some leaves. Darkness had completely engulfed the forest around them, and they had nothing but the small lighter in Dottie's hand to guide them. Ruth inspected the area carefully, looking for any signs that there might have been people here. The deer didn't just magically disappear, and even then, if a walker had got to it – the remains would still be here. “Do you see anything?” Ruth asked bitterly as Dottie slowly (but surely) sat cross-legged on the ground. Dottie glanced around briefly before shaking her head, she didn't – until her eyes caught on some scuff marks in the dirt. It was like someone had kicked up some dirt on some footprints – totally an Estelle thing to do. But then again, she'd want them to find her…

Dottie gestured for Ruth to come over and pointed at the marks with raised brows, “whaddya think?” She asked. “Could it be Essie?” She added. Ruth nodded and smiled, her eyes full of hope. It didn't hurt to follow what was left of these tracks, maybe they'd find Estelle, maybe they wouldn't. It all was up to fate. “Maybe – let's follow them.” Ruth said.

“Jesus fuck… okay, help me up.” Dottie sighed, shaking her head as she outstretched a hand. Ruth took it, pulling her to her feet and making sure she was steady before letting go. One time she didn't make sure that Dottie was balanced, and she fell right on her stomach. It scared the piss out of her, and she felt incredibly awful about the entire ordeal. Thankfully, the baby was just fine and Dottie had no hard feelings about it. ‘If baby is anythin’ like their mama, they're jus’ fine.’ Is what she said, actually.

They still hopefully followed the scuffed up footprints thanks to only the flame of a Bic lighter, they continued for about thirty minutes until Dottie was growing tired and whiny. She let out a heavy pant mixed with a groan, her brows furrowing in fatigue. “Oh! Ruthie, let's just call it a night for fucks sake.” She whined. Ruth rolled her eyes and turned only to shoot her a mean glare before continuing to persist onwards. “They haven't stopped yet, just wait.” Ruth hissed under her breath.

“Ruth!” Dottie groaned a little too loud. Twigs snapped to their left, and the little flame in Dottie's hand immediately went out and she shut up. Something was near, whether that was a walker or not. Something was close, and it had found them thanks to Dottie's insistent whining. Ruth found herself wanting to slap Dottie right about now, but she resisted the urge. ‘You can't hit a pregnant woman.’ She told herself.

A beam from a flashlight swiped past their faces before it came back over as its holder realized it was a couple of women who were here. The girl's eyes widened and they stilled immediately while Ruth went for her knife. It was a single man who found them, he had short black hair and a little bit of a moustache – something Dottie would call a perv stash. He wasn't white, Ruth would guess that he was Korean or something similar – and her brows furrowed when she noticed him inspecting them closely instead of immediately killing them. As soon as his gaze locked on Dottie's pregnant belly, his eyes widened. “Wait,” he said, “are you guys friends with Estelle the surgeon?”

[whileyoureinschoolidothisallday]

OKAY SO THE POST I WANTED TO MAKE

So

The horror book community on the clock app has discovered this book called The Playground. From what I gather it's like VERY explicit, gorey, disturbing Hunger Games. All the videos about it are mostly white women that are like "Oh I'm SO desensitized! I read vile shit for BREAKFAST! NOTHING bothers me this'll be light work I'm gonna read the whole thing!!"

But then none of them can get past page 40 and refuse to read more. Of course they also don't say why in the video either.

So EYE go hunting cause 1. 99.9% of the time reactions like this leave me disappointed and 2. I WANNA KNOW THE TEA DAMMIT.

So I find what they're talking about pretty easily and read the passage. It IS hella gross and explicit. I at least wasn't disappointed. If you go looking for it, just know it is very much a Dead Dove: Do Not Eat situation. It is gross, it is meant to be gross, you will be disgusted by design.

But y'all.

It's literally just Dipper Goes to Taco Bell.

If you ever read that fic or did the challenge of trying to get through it, it's the EXACT SAME ick factors to the point where I was trying to remember if they actually copied it or were EXTREMELY inspired by it. Obviously I haven't read that since I was a late teen.

But I thought it was SO funny that these supposedly hardened horror women couldn't get through something that most of us did as a fun Internet challenge as kids 😂The era of "Cozy Horror" would not have survived the early aughts' Internet.

Also shout out to the author for using the same word-of-mouth gross out challenge as Dipper Goes to Taco Bell/Bocu No Pico and turning it into real life book sales. Get that money.

[candystore-toxins]

Gambler's Debt

Pairing: Mary Saotome x OC, Mary Saotome x Yumeko Jabami

TW: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, gambling, rape/non-con, incest/stepcest, happy ending, recovery, engagement, romance

The game was intense. And Mary was bordering on distraught in her fear.

She knew there was a danger of gambling with her dear, dear step-sister Akane Enomoto. She was, to put it lightly, fucking insane. Akane did not have a bone in her body that wasn’t made up of a sadistic urge to gamble with lives on the line.

Gambling with lives was her favorite thing. And she was getting what she wanted.

It was a simple enough game, called Odds and Evens. Each player rolls a die. Then, a card is drawn. If the player’s die is even but the card is odd, they lose the round. It was a three round game of luck, and her opponent had lots of it. 

She’d already lost enough money in the last two rounds to make her a housepet for life, but Yumeko’s taunting pushed her to keep playing. There was a deal this time. Whoever wins gets all the money, and gets to do whatever they want with the loser. Mary knew that whatever Akane was thinking up couldn’t be good for her health, mental or physical. She’d probably be walking around on a leash for a week or some shit like that. 

Mary shuddered. She didn’t know if it was out of fear or disgust. 

She should’ve known better than to gamble with Akane, especially at home with her step-brother as the dealer. She didn’t have a chance at cheating, and she doubted she would win. It was like standing on a mountain and begging for an avalanche.

“C’mon, kitty,” came that sickly sweet voice, “roll the die. It can’t be that hard, can it?”

She felt tears breach the soft waterline in her eyes, teeth gritted as she rolled the die. It hit the table, and it felt like the loudest noise Mary had ever heard. 

Their brother drew the card, the last of the game, and Mary threw the table across the room with a scream.

A six against the ninth of hearts.

The gleam in Akane’s eye was the most terrifying thing Mary had ever seen. Her eyes seemed to glow under the lights of their home, and the glass shield keeping Mary’s tears back shattered. She was near sobbing as Akane stood up and walked towards her. Mary was grabbed by the chin and, slowly, Akane’s tongue touched her cheek and licked away the cascading tears.

Mary wanted to puke.

“Awh,” she wished Akane would stop speaking, “I guess your my little slave now, huh?”

When no response came, Akane grabbed Mary’s pigtail and pulled. “Answer me. Tell me what you are.”

The tears fell harder as she nodded, “Yes! Yes, I’m your slave.”

“Good girl. Now, why don’t we go to my room?”

Akane led Mary to her room. She’d never been there before, and she didn’t know what she expected. The room was covered in red and black. There was a plush, shag carpet, an Alaskan King bed with silk pillows and sheets. And what looked to be a sort of hammock or swing. The world she stepped into blurred her hazy mind, and she felt like her consciousness was leaving her body.

Akane’s voice snapped her to attention.

“Strip.”

“Wh.. what..?”

“You heard me. Strip. That uniform is hideous on you.”

She was scared of what would happen if she declined and, with great shakiness, began to undress herself. She felt nauseous. Akane sat on the side of the bed, legs crossed, and watched. She stopped at her undergarments, but rushed to remove them as well when Akane barked an order at her.

She felt disgusting.

What was happening? Was she about to be raped, by her own step-sister? How filthy, how disgusting. This was awful. Chills ran up her spine, and she didn’t know if it was fear or the cold of the fan above her. 

Her blood ran cold as the woman before her licked her lips.

For no reason at all, she was reminded that Akane was two years her junior, and this instantly felt even more disgusting. Mary was smaller than her younger sister in both frame and height, despite her being a third year in highschool and the other being a first year. 

This whole situation was sick. 

She faintly heard the younger girl telling her to crawl on her knees towards her. She didn’t dare disrespect, fearful of the brunette’s wrath. As she approached her sister and sat down, a collar was brought to her neck and secured too-tight. She felt sick. The leash attached to the collar was pulled, and she was dragged against the younger girl’s lips. She gasped, and Akane took the chance to shove her tongue into Mary’s mouth. She tasted like maraschino cherries, unsurprising, and Mary couldn’t hold back a moan at the feeling. She felt ashamed at that, disgusted. This was awful. She couldn’t believe this was happening. 

When they pulled away, she saw that Akane had unbuttoned her own shirt during this kiss. She slowly unhooked her bra from the front, large, full breasts spilling out. Mary began to cry again and pulled against the leash as Akane tried to drag her closer. She was begging, pleading, yelling ‘no!’. With a slap to the face, she gave in. Her mouth latched on to a small nipple, sucking like she once had her girlfriend.

Okay, maybe she can do this, actually. If she just imagines that this is Yumeko, she can do this. She can get through this, and then pretend it never happened. It would be okay, it had to. She just had to breathe, imagine Yumeko. She felt herself calm down, imagining the soft breaths and airy moans came from her lover rather than her sister. 

Her head was squeezed tighter into Akane's skin after a particularly hard suck. Then, she was pulled away roughly. A kiss was placed onto her soft neck, and then there was a harsh bite into the skin there. She felt teeth break her skin, and cried out in pain as blood was drawn. It hurt.

It hurt so bad.

Akane licked up the blood before placing another kiss to Mary’s mouth, forcing her to learn the sanguine taste of her own body. As the kiss went on, her nipples were pinched into a vice grip. She squealed, and Akane pulled away with a laugh. 

Suddenly, she was pushed to the ground. She yelped as a hard ‘smack!’ came down onto her sensitive area, one only Yumeko had touched.

Yumeko would never do that. Yumeko would never do any of this.

Another slap came. And then three more, in quick succession. Gentle fingers came after, prodding at her entrance, tracing up and down from her clit. She was wet. This was awful. 

Akane’s rough fingers started to rub against her sensitive clit, and her tongue licked against her wet cunt. 

Hours passed from then, being brought to orgasm after orgasm by her rapist sister. It continued until she passed out.

When she awoke again, she was in her bed. The collar was gone, and she was clean and clothed in pajamas. If it weren’t for the ache between her legs she may have been able to pass the experience off as an awful, awful nightmare.

Mary sat in her therapist's office, struggling to speak through teary eyes and shaking hands. She heard her therapist’s voice telling it was okay, and that she didn’t have to talk about it if she still wasn’t ready. But she knew she needed to keep going, needed to get it out.

She had never even told the people she was closest to about this. She hadn’t let Yumeko touch her at all for months after, and it took years before she would accept kisses again. All she told Yumeko was that she was in debt, which her sweet girlfriend gladly paid off. 

She didn’t deserve Yumeko.

Oftentimes she wonders if this experience counted as cheating, if Yumeko would hate her if she knew. She knows Yumeko has seen the teeth mark scar on her neck when she wasn’t wearing her usual turtleneck. She never brought it up, though.

Her therapist asked her if she wanted to change the subject, bringing her out of her thoughts. She said yes. She thought about something good that happened recently, a technique they’d been working on to help her feel better, and she recalled that tomorrow was her birthday. She was excited to spend her twenty third with her girlfriend, probably staying home and drinking wine while watching some drama. 

When Mary came downstairs for dinner, she did not expect a full table of all of her favorite foods, nor a three tier cheesecake for dessert. She asked what all this was about, and Yumeko replied with a simple ‘just cuz!” 

Strange surprises out of the blue weren’t uncommon for Yumeko, so she brushed it off with a smile. She felt happy again. She kissed her beautiful girlfriend on the cheek, and they sat down for dinner.

Caviar complemented the acorn-fed Iberian ham in a surprising flavor, and she felt like she was in utter bliss at the taste. Wagyu beef melted in her mouth, followed by a creamy goat cheese drizzled with honey. Bluefin tuna was arranged in such a pattern as to present almost a rose made of fish, something that Mary laughed about. Her girlfriend was so cheesy. She slurped down oysters, paired with a sweet white wine. 

She felt like this was a meal fit for a goddess.

And, at the end of it all, as she jokingly complained about how much there had been, she watched Yumeko slowly walk over and get down on one knee.

Despite having an inkling of an idea of what was to come, she was still anxious. Brought back to the image of her knees against plush, shag carpet. She hated shag carpets.

Her worries melted away slowly as her beloved smiled at her, and began to speak. 

“Mary, I know when we met it was on bad terms. But, since then, we've been through thick and thin together. I know I’ve hurt you, and others have as well, but I don’t want to let you ever hurt again. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve hung the moon and stars in the sky. You’ve made me feel more whole than anything, my love. You’re my everything.

I know I haven’t always been there properly for you in the past, but I promise I’m going to change that. I’m going to take care of you forever, if you let me. I want to be with you until we’re old and gray. I want to be with you until I forget my name, because I could never forget yours.

Mary Saotome, will you marry me?”

She felt tears prick her eyes. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t crying from any hurt or sadness- she was crying from pure, unadulterated joy.

“Yes, you idiot! Of course I’ll marry you!” She rushed down to Yumeko’s height on the floor and wrapped her arms around her, effectively tackling her to the ground in a hug as she softly cried into her neck with a smile. It took a few moments for them to get up, and when they did Yumeko slipped the ring onto Mary’s finger.

For the first time, she felt like she might get better.

[septicace-writes]

Loophole

Summary: Billy Lee is away on a trip and you’re needy. Mike helps out but you get caught. Billy Lee x reader, Mike (Hellraiser) x reader

Genre: Smut

Warnings: sex, dub-con to be safe, slight degradation, voyeurism, cheating (kind of)

a/N: This has to be the most elaborate piece I’ve written so far. And it’s a rarepair but I hope people will still enjoy. And I’m just gonna tag @hope-to-hell because A) this obsession is your fault and b) I think you might enjoy this.

1.7k words

Billy Lee is a busy man. Sure, he's carved himself a life where he can do whatever he wants, more or less, but it comes at the cost of leading his people. And he doesn't call it a cult, they're more like a big family. And he's the head. Their chief. He's in charge and with that comes freedom; and responsibility. And time away from you.

But he wouldn't leave you all alone. No, not after you've tried to run more than once. Not after he's had to follow you across half the country to bring you back. So, he leaves you with his right-hand man. 

Mike is young, tall, dark, wild curls on his head and icy blue eyes. He's all harsh angles and scars and his smile will freeze your blood. He had come to them beaten and bloodied and half dead and unable to speak, but even then, he fought and thrashed like a wild animal, or a rabid dog. So that’s what they called him. Dog.

He got better, wounds healing over, finding his voice again, and immediately challenged anyone's authority. He, quite physically, fought back against the nickname and now only the chief still occasionally uses it. It's a surprise Billy Lee didn't kick him out as soon as he was healed enough. The chief doesn't take kindly to challengers. But they had their one big fight, teeth and claws and knives, rolling through the mud and wrestling and then - he let Mike stay. Let him rise through the ranks. Put him to use keeping people in line, his personal attack dog. Nobody would dare call it that out loud, but he has a soft spot for the boy. It’s the only explanation for how Mike hasn’t lost his head yet for shamelessly staring at you every chance he gets. Billy Lee let him have his choice in partners, but you were the exception. Even Mike in his ruthlessness understood not to mess with that boundary, but it happened anyways.

And it so easily could've ended in a disaster - for you and even more so for Mike. Billy Lee had been gone for almost a week, leaving things in Mike's care; including you. You were under strict instruction not to leave your room, to let Mike know if you needed anything. And not to touch yourself. And you had been good. So good. And so fucking horny. With no idea when the chief would return you cracked.

Mike, please

You know I can't

Says who? He said I can't touch myself but you're not me. And he did say for you to take care of me.

It's not like you're not worried about it. You only trust Mike on the account that Billy Lee trusts him. His hungry eyes made you uncomfortable more than once. But you need and maybe this'll be enough of a loophole for Billy Lee to let it slide.

He gets you off on his fingers the first time, methodical, learning your body and doing his best not to derive his own pleasure from it. Then, again, later the same day.

The next day, you beg him to eat you out. Your hands tangled in his hair, pushing and pulling, wanton moans escaping your lips when

Get off her

Your heart rate spikes as your hands drop to your sides. You hadn't even heard the door open. Mike is scrambling off the bed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and standing at attention. This may be the most distraught you've seen him, but he's hiding it well even now. Except maybe for the bump in his trousers.

What the fuck is this?

And his voice is quiet, calm. And it scares you more than if he had yelled the words.

I- You did have your excuse ready to go but seeing the blond man stand looming over the bed, suddenly the words get stuck in your throat.

Chief- but Billy Lee cuts him off with a look.

No, no. She gets to explain.

For a moment you consider blaming Mike, but you do want to try your best to not bar him from further exploring this. From just these three times he had potential.

Billy Lee is still staring at you, waiting for an answer. When you go to sit up and cover yourself, he gives a single shake of his head. You've played this game before. He will stay silent and not let you move until you explain.

You said not to touch myself. Your voice is only slightly shaking. And I haven't. But I needed. Sir, I needed. And so I asked Mike to take care of me. You always say for him to take care of my needs when you're gone.

Billy Lee turns to Mike, who is still standing in the same position, not betraying just how fucked he thinks he is.

And what is the second half of that request, dog?

Tend to her needs but leave her wants and whims to you He recites almost automatically, the order drilled into him.

And do you think, Mike Billy Lee almost spits the name that my little dove wanting to come is a need or a want?

Need. You pipe up against your better judgement, unwilling to let Mike take the fall for your escapade.

I didn’t ask you, did I?

Want, chief Mike sounds a little sheepish, but he holds his head high and stands his ground.

So you agree that this is outside of your duties, dog? A nod from Mike.

And what are we gonna do about that

There are a few beats of tense silence

Well- You know there has to be punishment. Billy Lee starts pacing and you feel your whole body shake in anticipation.

For you he turns towards you, still unmoving on the bed. For you it’s easy. He runs a hand up the inside your thigh, leaving a trail of goosebumps. You get one more today and then you are not going to come for at least a week. His fingers deftly avoid your slick center and travel back down the other leg. And you will be on your best behaviour or I will dig out the cage again. All you can do is nod.

As for you, dog, you’re lucky I understand it’s difficult to resist a begging pretty little thing. And I do recognise that I may have left her unattended for too long. You’ll get a chance to prove yourself so listen closely. I want you to fuck her. Like she so desperately wants. Make her shake and cry and come. If you do a good job, maybe I’ll add this to your duties when I’m gone. And to prove that you understand the boundaries, you are not going to get off here, tonight. Are we understood?

And Mike- Mike who has been standing there stoically all this time, hiding just how scared he is that he’ll get kicked out. That Billy Lee was going to beat him to a pulp and leave him on a roadside somewhere. He wouldn’t say it, but he did like the family. And he even enjoyed having found his match in the chief. Knowing there was a person he had no power over. Though he’s not ready to admit that to himself. And anyways, none of this changes that he is elated at the chance he has been presented.

Billy Lee situates himself in his armchair, facing the bed. He lazily starts palming himself and gives an impatient nod to Mike when he still hasn’t moved. Better make it good. And that’s all it takes.

He gets back between your legs, picking up where he left off before the interruption, and from the first lick you are gone. Your hands automatically find their way back to his dark curls. He groans into your pussy and the vibrations make you moan.

I believe I said to fuck her. Billy Lee would sound almost unaffected to anyone else, but you know him better than that. You know he’s getting off on this just as much as you. And it makes you brave.

Please you whimper, pulling Mike’s hair. You lift his head and pull him in for a kiss, your own taste on his lips driving you on even further. His hands frantically shove off his trousers, letting himself get lost in the frenzy and – for a moment – forget that he ought to be careful. He gives himself a few quick strokes before prodding at your entrance. Your hands flying to his back and clawing into the muscle as he slowly breaches your hole.

Fuck. Please. I need-

But he keeps the first thrust slow, letting you adjust once he bottoms out. From the side you hear a deep, familiar groan. You look over and see Billy Lee, his cock out, stroking himself to the sight of you. And just that moment Mike starts moving in you, forcing your attention back to him. A devilish grin on his face he lowers his head to take one of your nipples between his lips. It’s a lick and a suck at first but then he simultaneously bites down and gives a harsh thrust into you, coaxing a yelp from your lips.

Your legs wrap around his hips, instinctively trying to keep him as deep in you as possible, while your nails scratch angry red lines into his back. Mike picks up his pace, seemingly getting faster with every sound he draws from you. He growls when you try to sneak a hand between your bodies. Pinning your arms above your head, he brings his own fingers to your clit and rubs. It takes a second for him to find a good rhythm, but then he can feel you clenching. There’s a coil rapidly tightening in your core and you buck your hips to meet his thrusts. The tension snaps and with a scream, your orgasm washes over you. Mike fucks you through the aftershocks, and as your head clears you sense just how much he is holding himself back, keeping to his orders. Your eyes shoot to the armchair, where Billy Lee is still stroking himself. His eyes blown black with lust.

With a hiss Mike pulls out, unfinished. He gives you a tight smile and looks over to the chief as well. The blonde gives him a nod Go get yourself sorted. We’ll talk tomorrow.

Mike hastily puts his trousers back on and rushes out as Billy Lee gets up and turns his attention to you again, cock still in hand.

My turn.

Part 2

[nightmare-circus]

the path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell | elise | epilogue

Elise doesn’t sleep until she’s safely in the arms of Harry Devant once more. Luckily for her, he’s as stubborn as an ox with his daddy’s money to back it up (and some of their own, of course, because it has to be good for something) and he’s been on standby with his bags packed ever since being reached by Koten. If the police of any country wanted to arrest her they were heavily dissuaded from it by a wide range of people - from the VTF, to the other members of her heist crew, to many of those who she’d met in the circus, to even some outside parties who’d seen her true self shine through in the game in their own dreams. It wasn’t worth the trouble to keep her locked up, with so many to vouch for her, and with the proof clearly evident that she’d chosen to leave that life behind when allowed to even make the choice.

Besides, she’d died. That had to count for some kind of life sentence, didn’t it?

She arrives home to her flat in London, the one her fellow dead would recognize as the wall-to-wall windowed room overlooking a cityscape. She stands there, most nights, staring out at it until her eyes go blurry and she can barely stay upright. She stares, trying to etch it into her memory, because a part of her still remembers the distress and dread she felt as the life left her and she gasped for breath, and she isn’t sure any of this is real anymore. She isn’t sure if she’ll turn around and see an empty room, a facsimile of her memory given to her as a gift or as a curse from the dreamscape. But every time she turns, two eyes as familiar to her as her own greet her, and little by little, some of her drive for life returns.

You aren’t supposed to sleep with your engagement ring on, but Elise sleeps with two. Just in case, she says. Just in case I wake up far from here, in a dream.

Eventually, she sleeps with three.

She was supposed to get married in the spring, but life had thrown a wrench in her plans before, and it doesn’t seem to want to let up. Between bureaucratic red tape (technically she was still a felon), visa issues, and the daunting task of trying to gather all of her friends from the nightmare circus together at the same time in the same place, it took a bit longer than expected. About six months, give or take, but Harry is as stubborn as an ox and Elise as stubborn as a woman being kept from her happy ending. It happens, obstructions be damned, and it’s beautiful.

(She’d always looked good in white.)

Everyone she can convince to come is there. Hoshi, Cameron, Leslie, and Avery are in the wedding party, and Tatsuya is her ring bearer. Niko dances with her and neither of them push each other off of a cliff. Yao gives her a little two finger salute as she sweeps by, laughing as Cam spins her, and Minami goes to the bar for all of ten minutes and returns to see the heist crew gathered around Daishin teaching them how to throw knives and steal keys from the party guests. Ken sits alone, eating his wings that Elise had specially provided for him, but he rolls his eyes and grins at her with a thumbs up when she pauses to squeeze his shoulder.

And when she walks down the aisle, toward a future she didn’t think she’d get to have, she hesitates and turns and looks behind her at the little pond of people who loved her. Not a sea, but enough. You don’t need a billion people to think well of you. You just need some.

–

Time marches on, whether you’re ready for it or not.

“You’re late,” Elise says dramatically as she flings open the door to greet her visitor, who simply shakes their head and starts laughing.

“Ellie, I got here twenty minutes ago! I went to go get ice!”

“And why didn’t we have ice before?”

Cameron snorts and steps past her, into the kitchen, jerking their head to gesture to the living room. “We did! Your husband used it all doing magic tricks! I’d say we could use it as a tax write-off, but it’s not even stuff we can do on stage?” They pause, thoughtful, then smile. “It made the kids laugh, though!”

Elise smiles back. It had made her laugh, too.

She’s still not used to this. To crowded rooms, love, and laughter. To having a friend to call up every night in a panic (sorry, Avery) because she has no idea what the hell she’s doing in this new situation she’s gotten herself into. To having a best friend who’s over so much they basically live at her house, something lost to her since Reese had died. To going to the store, or the beach, or the theater, without hiding her face. She isn’t used to it, but she’s getting there, and the way the people in her home turn at the sound of her voice in the kitchen and reach out for her to join them certainly helps.

One pair of arms reaching for her in particular is healing her in a way she never really knew to expect.

“Mummy’s here, Ollie,” the former thief coos as she sweeps her baby up into an embrace, beaming at him as he grabs for her cheeks and her hair and earrings. (Must be genetics.) “Happy birthday, darling.”

Elise always knew what she wanted family to be, but didn’t know what it felt like. Here and now, she knows it feels like warmth, and joy, and a filling of empty space she’d thought was endless. His father stands up, ruffling the little boy’s head of carefully combed hair and getting a scowl from his wife, though his quick kiss to her temple predictably smooths the lines on her face out easily. Their friends are all here now, too. Some of them couldn’t make it all the way to New York, but she’d lured those of them that could with the promise of an announcement. For some, it was her invitation to attend a university in the states for an art history course, and offers from several museums for a potential position when she was properly qualified. For others, the nature of the party itself was the announcement, because as mellowed out as she’d become, she’d always be that sneak who’d tricked everyone into thinking she had powers that had nothing to do with her for fun alone, and in her opinion it was much funnier to see the look on Niko’s face when he showed up and saw her with a baby than it would be to simply call him on the phone. (Of course, she’d called Hoshi at practically 3am his time the moment she knew, and he’d woken up not only Tatsuya but his entire street reacting to it.) Regardless of intention, they were gathered to celebrate life, new or otherwise. With all of them here, or scattered throughout the world, it didn’t matter - they were connected by a string of occurrences that still couldn’t be entirely explained. Something had happened to them in that dreamscape that Elise would never be able to get across in words, and how she felt about all of them was too complex for even her to understand. But it isn’t the understanding that matters. It’s the feeling. And what Elise feels is finally, finally whole.

The group of friends in her living room, new and old, laugh as the love of her life produces a dove from behind Pepper’s ear. One day, Lucy has promised to teach her son to punch, and Ichi and Leslie agree to babysit because although Oliver is extraordinary at pickpocketing for his age, he always gives things back. Her heist crew has a new lease on life, cleared of their charges by association, and given new opportunities so they don’t have to return to the underground lives they’d lived before. (And if some fancy paintings disappear from a rich douchebag’s basement every once in a while, reappearing mysteriously on the public market again, is that really so bad?) Elise sits down with them, her life unfolding before her in a way she’d given up on, having resigned herself to always being the villain, the bad guy, the young woman staring at the inside of three walls and a cage door. It’s sunny outside, and the light streaming in through the window reflects off of Oliver’s eyes, making them sparkle like liquid gold.

When you have hope, it’s almost like having magic. You can accomplish nearly just as much, and see the world just as beautifully. One day, she’ll be a museum curator, with her facility having some of the most airtight security around. One day, her grandfather will pass on, free as a bird til the end with no hard evidence to book him on but unable to ever touch her with his power again. One day she’ll reconcile with her father, and one day she’ll travel the world. One day she’ll shake the hands of all of those VTF agents who helped to save them.

And all of the days between them and beyond, she is all she ever wanted.

Elise Devant would always be Élisabeth Cahill, and there was never any changing that. But she was all of the best parts of her, and all of the happiness she never got. She was the epilogue in a story where the ending was hard fought and won.

She was, and remains, Elise Devant, until the day she dies.

[srhlsx]

CHAPTER 11

master | ch. 10 | ch 12

You didn’t know how to react or what to do.

The match ended when the cannon of an ace from Shiratorizawa sent a rocket right past the Seijoh blockers. Oikawa and Watari had both dove for the ball to save it, but in the end they were just centimeters away. You watched from your seat up above, hand covering your mouth in shock, as the boys in teal and white fell to their knees on the floor, their fists clenched in pain and anger. The team in purple huddled together, slapping one another on the back and cheering happily.

Your stomach turned over in sickness but you couldn’t look away from the sad scene in front of you. You chewed at your thumb, unsure of what to do next. You saw that the Seijoh cheering section was clearing out and you decided to wait and avoid the crowd before moving.

When you finally got down to the main lobby some time later, you of course ran into the team in purple and white and had to stop yourself from obviously turning around and walking the other direction. You looked directly at the tall red-head, a smug smile on his face when he saw you.

“Sure you want to stick around with those guys?” He called out, cupping a hand around his mouth for added volume. A few of his teammates turned to see who he was talking to, the boy with bangs sputtering a little. “There’s plenty of room on our bus for you to ride~”

Your upper lip curled ever so slightly at what he was suggesting and you sent him a sickly sweet closed-lip smile. Initially you started to wave back at him but quickly flipped your raised hand around and extended your middle finger. “Eat my ass, Tendou.” You called back, earning a few alarmed glances from the spectators that were still around.

“Some day!” He replied, biting his lip and watching you as he walked backwards, being pushed away by the ashy-haired teammate.

You turned back around and easily found the Seijoh team walking out of the locker rooms, solemn expressions on all their faces. They looked tired, worn out physically and mentally from the two-zero loss they suffered. They were close games, but you had a feeling that in their minds close wasn’t enough. You saw Oikawa and Iwaizumi towards the back of the group and in a moment of confusion, you almost didn’t know who to go to first.

“(y/n),” Oikawa greeted, his tone was sad but he put on a smile for you anyways. Iwaizumi snapped his gaze up to you, locking eyes then turning away abruptly which stung just a little. You understood though, he didn’t have the best of games and you didn’t want to bother him more.

You reached up and brushed a few locks of hair away from Oikawa’s forehead, a pout on your face and you looked into his eyes to try and read the situation. “What do you need from me?” You asked.

He looked a little taken aback at your question. He was expecting you to compliment him, tell him that he played well; he was expecting to hear everything he didn’t want to hear. He let out a relieved sigh and leaned ever so slightly into your touch that had reached up to him. He didn’t want to be told he was perfect for once, he wanted to be left alone.

“Honestly,” He sighed, grabbing your wrist gently and pulling it away. “I need to be alone. I need to go over tape and I need to go for a run.”

You nodded, you hadn’t really expected to be with him or any of the team members whether they won or lost. Of course, you had been hoping it would be because they were celebrating together. “Okay,” You mumbled, a sad smile aimed up at him. “Please ice your knee some? I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“We wouldn’t miss it. Text me when you get home.” He said, giving you a tight hug and a kiss on the top of your head before walking away to return to his team. 

Your eyes followed him and landed on the wing spiker who was waiting for his captain. You looked at Iwaizumi sadly, a brief thought flashing through your mind that you wish you could comfort him too, but there was no time or place for that. You wanted to shove those lingering feelings down, way down into the deepest part of you so they could be ignored. 

So you stood there alone as the boys left, unsure about what to do next.

- - - - -

“Oikawa! Iwaizumi!”

Both boys looked in the direction of their names being called. They saw the tall figure of Kindaichi, their first year middle blocker, waving at them excitedly from a few rows above where they stood. They climbed the steps and slid across the seats to sit down next to him, greeting one another with a variation of handshakes that boys always seem to do.

“Kiko told me (y/n) said you guys were coming,” Kindaichi said. “Pretty grateful, I didn’t really want to be alone.”

“If we knew you were coming we would’ve picked you up,” Oikawa told the younger boy, settling into his seat and looking around the packed space. They were back in Sendai Arena again, but it looked completely different from when they had been there the day before. 

Rather than volleyball courts set up on the floor, there were barriers blocking off a single large rectangle right in the middle. On one side, below where the boys were sitting, there was a designated judges table. Scattered around the outside there were cameras, photographers, and what looked like officials of some sort. The boys had never seen anything like it and were not embarrassed to admit it was impressive.

Kindaichi reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Opening it up, he showed it to Oikawa and Iwaizumi so they could read over it. “Kiko gave me instructions,” He laughed, pointing at the neatly written list of notes. “She said it’s really important that we cheer for them at the right times because it hypes up the crowd and the judges notice that.”

Oikawa and Iwaizumi both looked over the handwriting, noting they were in fact strict instructions, and getting a laugh out of them. Iwaizumi read out loud, “When to cheer: A boy’s guide to dance competitions.

When they do something particularly athletic or aerial 

When they do something with a lot of attitude

Whenever there is a solo--”

The list went on but the boys seemed to get the idea. “I think I’ll just cheer when everyone else does,” Oikawa mumbled, handing the paper back to Kindaichi who nodded with wide eyes. He then turned to Iwaizumi with a teasing grin, “All these pretty girls around, maybe we’ll finally find you a girlfriend, Iwa?”

The comment earned a hard elbow to the ribs, making Oikawa cry out dramatically. Iwaizumi couldn’t voice the thought that flashed through his head. The fact that if Oikawa had asked any other girl to fake date him, Iwaizumi would have said no to coming to their club event. You were here. He wanted to see you. 

Your team was on deck for the next group routine to perform. You saw a few nervous faces in the group you stood with, but you weren’t overly concerned. After the dead weight had dropped off, your confidence in the team you led grew immensely and you were sure they could perform under pressure. You saw Kiko spacing off just a little bit and you were wondering if she was looking for Kindaichi in the crowd. You reached out and tugged at the strap of her costume, letting it snap back against her skin very lightly but enough to get her attention. She blinked a few times and looked at you, you smiled and tugged at her cheek teasingly as she blushed.

You stood as a group in the designated waiting area, stretching and preparing for your turn, when your school name was called and it was time to start. Walking out together, you all plastered on the smiles that the judges adored, fluffing your hair a little as it fell down your back, and got into the first position of the routine. 

The music blasted through the speakers of the arena clearly and you felt it pound in your chest and you all went through the motions you’d spent hours perfecting. It was a hip-hop contemporary routine, so the moves had to be clean and precise each and every time. And they were.

Up in the stands Oikawa, Iwazumi, and Kindaichi all watched with the same enthusiasm as if they were watching Olympic volleyball - it was amazing, captivating, and very exciting.

Iwaizumi cheered whole-heartedly along with his teammates when he was supposed to, but he couldn’t take his eyes off you the entire time. Whether you were in the front making a solo statement, your hair flipping around in a way that made his stomach drop, or if you were just in the back doing moves with the rest of the team. It was clear you were the leader, and he didn’t want to miss any of you.

The way your black spandex, accented with teal and white, clung so closely to the body he had once gotten familiar with made him want to go back to that night that wasn’t so long ago. He could remember how you moved beneath him in ways that made his mind drift with thoughts he probably shouldn’t be having. Your movements were athletic, meticulous, passionate, and powerful - and they made his mouth suddenly feel very dry and his chest clench painfully. 

God, did he want you so badly in that very moment. The realization was alarming to him and he hoped he did his best to hide his emotions.

When the competition was over, and Seijoh took home awards in almost every event they performed in, you and Kiko managed to find the small group of boys who were your own private cheering section. You smiled genuinely at them, carrying your many bags filled with clothes as you walked up to them.

“You were amazing!” Oikawa cheered, spreading his arms wide. He ruffled your hair affectionately and smiled down at you. “Wasn’t she so great, Iwa?”

You looked over to Iwaizumi who stood next to Oikawa with his hands in his pockets. You saw the slightest flicker of a spark in his eyes when they caught yours and you nearly wanted to pass out from the feeling it gave you, a shock shooting straight through you in a familiar way like it did that night you shared with him. “Yes,” He agreed. “She was amazing.”

“Here, Kindaichi, take a picture of us!” Oikawa motioned to the phone you held in your hand, which you handed over to the first year and then settled together with the two third years.

You stood between Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Oikawa’s arm draped around your shoulders in the same way he always did. You pulled your own arms back and looped them around both the boy’s waists, pulling them close as you aimed a wide, genuine grin up at the camera phone. You felt Iwaizumi’s arm snake around your own waist, gripping the supple flesh right above your hip tightly, not unlike how he had handled you in your bed. 

His grip was under your warm up jacket, so no one would’ve been able to see how tightly he held you, but you felt it. You felt it down to your core.

[sareyen]

A Machine Without Feelings: A Jane Eyre AU (Part 10/11)

Read on ao3

Chapter 10

Charles kissed Jean and Ororo’s cheeks in that sequence, the women both squeezing his hands for good luck. Jean murmured that they would be waiting here for good news – because, they refused to believe that things would go badly. Charles was grateful for their positivity in a time when his stomach was tying itself up in knots.

Charles left Jean and Ororo at their hotel in the town just outside of Ironfield, the same town that Charles had been walking to when he met Erik for the first time.

It was now almost a year later that Charles has returned, and the day was bright and sunny, unlike the day he ran away. Many things had changed in that time; Charles was older and wearier, even if he did not look it. His soul, a soul that was as much Erik’s as it was his, was tired and withered. The string tied beneath his left ribs tugged painfully, but as the carriage had neared, he could feel it knotting itself back together.

People that loved each other would only part if one of them wished it. Charles had always been the one who, naively, thought that Heathcliff’s words had been beautiful. It was funny how he was the one to have caused the pain those words warned him about.

Charles had heard nothing from Erik, not that he had tried to contact him recently. Part of Charles held a fear that Erik had moved on. Unlike Charles, Erik had been in relationships with women before, and many more than one. What if Charles was just another one? One of his mistresses that he fleetingly loved because he abhorred his mad wife?

But Charles couldn’t bring himself to believe that, not when he knew Erik. Erik had withheld things from Charles, yes, but the parts of himself that he did let Charles see, they were real. Erik had shown Charles that he loved him, even when he hadn’t told him everything. While Charles still loved Erik, he was sure that Erik still loved him.

‘He’s still calling my name, I can hear it,’ Charles thought to himself, heart hammering as he hobbled out of the hotel with the aid of the walking stick Logan had made for him on his nineteenth birthday.   

The dirt roads leading up to Ironfield were impossible to traverse on his wheelchair, and Charles was resolved to get there on his own. Charles limped his way to hail a carriage from the front of the hotel, which soon dropped him off at the closest stop along the road to Ironfield. Charles paid them, before beginning the trek up to the grand house.

Charles had always enjoyed this walk, and remembered how he felt when he and Erik would walk it together in the light of dusk. Erik would sometimes tug him behind a stocky tree and press him up against its trunk, sealing Charles’s red lips with his own and kissing him until he couldn’t breathe.

Now, the walk was laborious, a little sweat building on Charles’s brow as he hobbled down the familiar road.

It was when he drew close enough to break through the veil of overlying trees that Charles stopped dead in his tracks, walking stick clattering to the ground.

Ironfield Hall, his home, was a ruin.

What had used to be battlements that stood tall and proud against the horizon were charred black and crumbled, revealing burnt exposed rafters that splintered into jagged pieces. Ironfield no longer had a roof, its walls now mere slabs of broken stone on the ground.

It looked like fire had razed Ironfield to the ground, and Charles suddenly couldn’t breathe.

Charles fumbled to pick up his discarded walking stick before hopping and dragging his maimed leg forwards and forwards, numb to the pain as he stared with wide eyes at the remains of the once-grand mansion.

Crows squawked around the caved-in roof, Charles pushing his way through the non-existent door, which had been reduced to black coal.

The inside was as bad as the exterior, if not worse. It looked like no furniture had been spared from the inferno, the wooden banisters of the staircase mere twigs on the ground. Charles wobbled forwards, heart growing more and more frantic as he realised that the estate, the estate where he had fallen in love and had his heart filled and broken, was a wasteland.

“Oh, God,” Charles choked out, falling into Erik’s downstairs study. It had also been touched by the fire, and was devoid of its books and souvenirs from abroad, his desk black and empty. It seemed like, apart from the fire, looters had ravaged the place bare.

‘Where is Erik? Moira? Alex? Where is everyone? What happened? Oh God, I’m toolatetoolatetoolate.’

“Who goes there?!” a sharp voice called out, Charles whirling around at the sound of the voice. Footsteps rushed forwards, before bursting into the study. The man who tore through the room skidded to a stop when he saw Charles, stumbling back with a double take that would have been comical in any other situation.

“Charles?!” Scott yelled, rubbing his eyes like he had seen a ghost. It was indeed Scott Summers, looking different but the same. While before he had always worn a coachman’s garb, he now donned a fine suit and spectacles. His hair was neatly styled, longer than it used to be – he no longer looked like a young coachman, but a wealthy lord. Like someone who finally married a wealthy woman like Emma Frost.

Charles was speechless and in shock, Scott recovering first and rushing towards him.

“Charles, is that really you?” Scott asked frantically, pulling at Charles’s cheeks, like he expected his hands to go right through him. When Charles yelped at the pain of having his cheeks pulled so harshly, Scott jumped, apologising profusely. “Charles, what are you- Why are you here? When did you return? We thought we would never see you again, we thought you had perished, we didn’t know…”

“Scott, what happened here?” Charles asked, hand holding his walking stick shaking desperately. “Scott, where is Erik? Is he… He can’t be…”

Charles’s mind reeled back to the night he had saved Erik from being consumed by flames in his bed. Erik had left that incident unscathed, healthy, safe and whole, but this time… If this time Erik had died in a fire, when Charles had left him…

Charles felt sick, and swayed on his feet.

Scott saw him begin to topple over, quickly rushing and catching the former tutor, snagging his arm before he fell to the ground.

“Charles! What happened… oh, your leg,” Scott said, noticing the walking stick and the way Charles didn’t put any weight on his left leg. “Never mind. Here, let’s go to another room. The drawing room is one of the only rooms that is still functional. Let’s sit there, and I will explain what happened.”

Charles weakly nodded, letting Scott help him down familiar yet broken halls to the drawing room he and Erik had shared many chess games together. When Scott led him through the doors, he could hear the clink of their glasses, the scrape of wood against wood as someone moved a chess piece, an occasional laugh, an impassioned voice as they argued, the soft press of Erik’s lips against his.

Scott lowered Charles into his old seat, which appeared to have remained in the same spot beside the chess set. There was no chess set in sight, though – it had been taken by looters some time ago as well.

Scott was about to take the seat opposite Charles – Erik’s seat – but he must have seen the pain cross Charles’s face, and stopped part way. Scott coughed, standing up to lean against a shelf instead.

“Where do you want me to start?” Scott asked, Charles licking his lips. He wanted to know if Erik was alive, but he was afraid to ask the question. If he asked, and Scott said that he had died…

“The beginning. From when I left,” Charles said, voice shaking. Scott nodded, rubbing his face and taking in a deep breath.

“We found out that you had left when we heard Erik scream out your name. He had gone to your rooms at around ten that morning, wanting to talk to you again, to try and explain himself. He had knocked on your door for a long time, until he felt like something was truly wrong, and that you weren’t just ignoring him. He burst down the door, and that was it. You were gone. He had screamed out name over and over, we could hear it from the other side of the mansion.”

‘He had been calling for me, and I had heard him.’

“Erik… Erik was beside himself, of course,” Scott said, Charles growing pale. “He ordered us to look for you, and took off on his horse himself – but by then, you were long gone. He locked himself in your chambers then, for two weeks straight. Moira had to bring him all his meals, and even then, he seemed to have no appetite. He began to eat more when we all… well, at that point, we weren’t afraid of losing our jobs anymore.”

“He recovered physically after that, and on the outside, he was the same Mr Lehnsherr. Maybe more bitter and snappy, but his mood had always been changeable. Inside… inside he wasn’t the same. We all know why you left, Charles. The master did, too. Before you ask, no, he never blamed you for leaving. He knew he had done you wrong, and he believed that he was paying for his mistake. He never stopped loving you or waiting for you, though. Moira caught him praying, every night – and you know that the master was no Christian.”

‘He never stopped loving you,’ Charles repeated, stomach twisting. Why does that make it sound like he…

“It was about a month after that. His wife… Creed’s sister, she escaped one night and took a candle from a sleeping Anna-Marie. She set fire to all the curtains, to the beds, to everything. She burnt Ironfield Hall down, Charles, but before it was completely destroyed she climbed onto the tallest battlement and threw herself off it.”

Charles gasped, somehow able to picture it clearly. The ghost – Clara Creed – with her long blonde hair and white night dress, bare footed and wild. He could see her leap through the air, thinking that she was a dove, and falling until she hit the hard stone below. She would have died instantly.

Scott paused, letting Charles stomach the news, only continuing when Charles nodded slowly.

“Moira and the other girls escaped in time, but…” Scott’s voice grew thick then, and Charles knew what was about to come. “Peter was trapped in his room, terrified. Alex and the master looked for him, and the master found him and got him out. But Alex… Alex became trapped when the rafters collapsed. He… my brother. He passed that night,” Scott coughed, overcome with emotion. “We held the funeral for him the week after.”

“I’m so sorry, Scott,” Charles said, voice shaking as he closed his eyes. Apart from Moira, Alex was the person Charles was closest with amongst the staff. Alex, the first person he had met when he arrived at Ironfield Hall. Alex, who had smiled at him and made him feel welcome, who had told him that ‘so you love a man? What is so wrong with that? Someone people never love at all in their life, and is that not worse?’

“Thank you. It was six months ago now, Charles,” Scott said, trying to give Charles a reassuring, thankful smile. “We have begun to heal. Alex… Alex considered you a close friend. Everyone did. After you left, we all missed you, and talked about you often. We all prayed for you to be safe, but we never knew where you had gone, even when Erik had hired investigators. It was like Charles Xavier had vanished off the face of the Earth. Where did you go, Charles?”

“Past the Moors, to a small parish there. I… I was taken in by the inhabitants at Eden House,” Charles said softly. “Two of them came here with me today.”

“We’d all be glad to know that you weren’t alone,” Scott said, stepping forward now to gently place his hand on Charles’s shoulder.

Charles had to ask the question now, unable to take it any longer.

“Scott, is he alive?” Charles asked, the man blinking.

“He? Oh. The master. Yes, Charles. Yes, he’s alive. I should have told you that from the start, I’m sorry,” Scott said quickly, Charles releasing a breath he did not know he had been holding, letting out a choked laugh.

“Oh, thank God,” Charles shook, folding over on himself, dropping his head into his hands and wiping his wet eyes before turning to Scott again. “Where is he then, Scott? I came back for him. I… I heard him calling for me.”

“When Ironfield burned down, we could no longer live here. He relocated to his second, smaller residence a little further into the country. It is called Genosha Manor,” Scott explained, and Charles’s legs, even maimed as one was, itched to run there immediately.

“It is small, and didn’t need many people to maintain it. Only Moira and Lorna went with him and Peter. Moira has written to me recently, though, and it appears that the master has sent Peter to school. Now, only Moira is there to tend to him. Angel found a new situation, and Anna-Marie… Anna felt guilty about not being able to stop Clara, and couldn’t bear to work for the master any more. She found new work a few shires over, for a family that lives at a place called Westchester.”

Scott jumped when Charles let out a shocked, incredulous laugh. Coincidence, or fate?

“How far is it to Genosha?” Charles asked, Scott beginning to smile now.

“Only a few hours by carriage. If you leave now, you can get there in the afternoon,” Scott said, Charles nodding, gripping his walking stick tightly with newfound determination.

“Thank you, Scott. For everything,” Charles said, Scott nodding and helping Charles to stand.

“I have to tell you though, Charles. The master, he is not the same man. When he went to save Peter from the fire, he did not come out unscathed,” Scott said, and Charles just shook his head, patting Scott’s arm.

“Neither am I. Neither of us are the same, now – and maybe, that’s why we will be fine this time.”

***

Scott did not accompany Charles to Genosha, since he had to return to his and Emma’s own home. Emma was currently with child, and Charles did not want to take him away from her side during such a critical time. He had only been at Ironfield to try and salvage what the looters missed, but found that he was too late. Scott had been too kind, still offering to escort Charles to Genosha when he saw how poorly his leg was. Scott only gave in when he met Jean and Ororo when he dropped Charles off at the hotel. Charles doubted that Scott would have left him in anyone else’s hands.

Charles told Jean and Ororo about what had happened, and they had held Charles’s hands the entire coach ride. When they arrived at Genosha Manor, within the boundaries of the afternoon as Scott had said, Charles was suddenly frozen in fear as he took in the unfamiliar building.

It was no Ironfield Hall, and was a simpler country house, though Charles knew that it would have costed a hefty price because of the sprawling lands that came with it. The manor itself, however, was small compared to the extravagant Ironfield.

The manor was made of a warm-toned stone, in contrast to the dark greys of Ironfield. Rustic glass windows spanned the walls covered with climbing ivy. The manor was not imposing compared to Ironfield, and in fact looked inviting and warm from the orange glow the early sunset was beginning to cast upon it.

Charles breathed in and out with every step Jean took as she wheeled him across the gravel walk way to the manor.

Ororo knocked on the door, before stepping to stand beside Charles, clutching his hand.

Charles’s breath quickened when he heard footsteps reach the door, the sound of a lock unlatching loud in Charles’s ears. The door soon swung open inwardly, revealing Moira, who was dressed in a dark black dress. Her hands froze mid-motion, the door only half open as she stared at Charles, like he was a phantom.

“Hello, Moira,” Charles said, Moira’s eyes immediately filling with tears as she opened the door fully, cupping Charles’s face with her hands and letting out a sob.

Moira opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by an achingly familiar, cold and brusque voice.

“MacTaggert! Send whoever they are away! I don’t want to be disturbed!”

“Erik,” Charles whispered, Moira letting out a quiet laugh, wiping her eyes.

“Charles, you’ve come back,” Moira said, taking all of him in. “I knew you were alive. Others thought that you maybe… But no, no. That doesn’t matter anymore. You’re here now.”

“Yes,” Charles said, Moira looking away from him then, finally noticing that he was not alone. “Moira, these are two of the people that cared for me while I was away. They are like sisters to me. This is Ororo, and behind me is Jean. And this is Mrs Moira MacTaggert, my dearest friend.”

Moira beamed, eyes a little wet again, and she smoothly curtseyed at Ororo and Jean.

“Charles’s family is considered my family,” Moira said, smiling at them warmly. “Come in. Charles, as you probably heard, Mr Lehnsherr is…”

“In one of his moods, like always?” Charles supplied, Moira letting out a laugh, a wondrous sound, like she still couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

“Yes, exactly. And I suspect, like always, you have a remedy to temper such a mood?” Moira said, eyes twinkling.

Charles nodded, mouth curving upwards.

“Of course, Moira. Now, where is Erik?”

***

Erik sat outside beneath a shaded tree with Magneto lying at his feet. He couldn’t see what the tree looked like, and didn’t know whether its leaves were whole and green or yellow and sparse. He could hear the wind run its threads through its branches, though, and the rustling was loud.

Whole and green then, he pictured in his mind’s eye.

It had been months since Charles had left; almost a year, now. Erik didn’t know exactly how long it had been, because the loss was still as raw as it was that first day. Erik could still feel the gaping hole in his chest when he had kicked down Charles’s locked door and seen the wide-open window and billowing curtains. The room had been so cold and so empty, so devoid of everything that was bright.

It was also hard to count the days when every day was cast in darkness. After his wife had burnt down Ironfield, Erik had gone blind. He no longer witnessed sunrises and sunsets, and simply spent his days sitting in the library or outside under this tree that he had never seen before.

Erik did not know why he spent so much time in a library full of books he could not see. Maybe it was because the room smelled like Charles, like ink and parchment, or books and dreams. Sometimes when he closed his eyes, his vision not changing at all, he could imagine that Charles was sitting next to him.

But Charles was not. If Charles was here, he would have let Erik rest his head on his thighs, gently brushing a hand across Erik’s eyelids, comforting his broken eyes. If he were here, he would clear his throat gently and read Erik passages from Brontë, or poems by Donne. He would read about Heathcliff, and Erik would have made a sarcastic comment about it. About how Heathcliff pined, and how Catherine left him.

Erik had never liked Heathcliff, but he could maybe understand him a bit more now.

Charles felt the breeze change, growing chilly. It would be around now that Moira would come to fetch him for supper, even though he was not hungry. She would offer him her arm, to guide him through thicket and the shrubbery, and he would snap at her for belittling him. She wouldn’t say anything, but would make sure her footsteps were loud enough so Erik could follow.

So, Erik sat there beneath a tree that he could not see, waiting for a person that he wished was someone else.

***

Charles saw Erik from afar, and his breath caught in his throat. Scott and Moira had told him – warned him – that he was not the same man that Charles remembered. That he was blind and hurting, much like Charles was.

But, when Charles saw him, he did not see a broken man. No, Erik was still beautiful to him, in every way. His hair was overgrown, falling over his eyes that could not see any way, and his beard was thick and messy. He did not bother wearing a neck tie these days, frustrated that it was difficult to tie without eyes, and he apparently always wore the same brown pants and the same white shirt. What did it matter, now that he couldn’t see it? What did it matter, when Moira was the only person to ever see Mr Lehnsherr, the fallen former master of Ironfield Hall?

Erik may have looked different, but the way he made Charles’s heart quicken and squeeze was very much the same. Charles still loved him, that had not changed.

Jean wheeled him as close as she could take the wheelchair, the contraption unable to weave between the bushes and thicket. Charles thanked her softly, and she gave Charles a smile, before retreating with his chair back into the manor with Moira and Ororo.

Charles gripped his walking stick, and began stumbling back to the man that he still loved, even when they were worlds apart. Even when the string between their left ribs was stretched, making their hearts bleed, it had not snapped.

No, it was still there, drawing the two closer and closer together, until Charles was standing before him.

Magneto smelled Charles before he saw him, and immediately recognised the man. Magneto rose to his feet immediately, letting out a happy bark, racing over. Charles smiled quietly, bending down to rub the dog’s head, the creature barking again.

Erik’s head snapped towards the noise, hearing his companion bark and the snapping of twigs under a human’s feet.

“Magneto, down. It’s just Moira, Christ,” Erik snapped, his dog’s barking too loud. Magneto listened to his master, but licked Charles’s hand once more, trotting with glee back to Erik’s side, sitting there with his tail wagging while looking at Charles.

Charles smiled a little at Erik’s snappish tone, glad that the man had not lost all of his fire and passion. Charles just hoped that, somewhere buried under all of that pain and hurt, there was still a man that could smile in that singular way of his that showed too many teeth.

Charles grew closer, and Erik’s unseeing pale eyes looked in his general direction. While his eyesight was no longer with him, his other senses had heightened. He heard the crunching of twigs and fallen leaves, but the steps were too heavy, the rhythm unlike Moira whom he heard every day. There was no swish of a skirt against the ground, and Erik tensed his muscles at the intruder.

“Who’s there?” Erik asked, Charles’s heart fluttering. When he didn’t answer, Erik’s eyes narrowed, the man shifting where he sat. “Who is that?”

Charles sucked in a breath, taking in the man in front of him, before finally speaking.

“Magneto knows me, Sir.”

Erik’s hand immediately flew out and grabbed at the phantom-like being, unseeing eyes widening. Erik’s hand slapped Charles’s wrist, making the man laugh a little, before reaching out to meet Erik’s touch half-way. Erik’s hands sought Charles’s, wrapping around his palm and his digits, running his fingers through them with an unmistakeable tremor.

“I know this hand,” Erik breathed out, pulling at Charles’s hand until it was close enough for him to press his mouth against, breath shuddering against Charles’s skin.

“I would hope so, Herr Lehnsherr.”

Erik let out a choked noise, kissing the hand in his before dropping his forehead to it, breathing heavily.

“Charles,” Erik whispered, the owner of the name letting out a sob-like laugh, falling to his knees, his legs unable to keep him upright any longer. Charles let his walking stick fall to the floor, using his free hand now to cup Erik’s cheek, feeling the unfamiliar beard beneath his fingers. Erik’s cheeks were wet.

“I am come back to you, Erik,” Charles murmured, craning his neck upwards to press his mouth against Erik’s. The kiss was not perfect, not in the slightest; Erik’s lips were shaking, and Charles couldn’t breathe. But, it was a kiss that was real, as real as it could be.

“Are you really here, Charles?” Erik demanded to know, letting go of Charles’s hand to grip his face, thumb smoothing over the familiar slope of his cheeks, nose, lips. These were Charles’s features, real and warm under his fingers. “I’ve imagined you like this so many times, but…”

“I am here, Erik. I’ve come back to you,” Charles assured him, kissing him again, and Erik finally kissed him back after loosing a wrecked sob.

“I thought I lost you,” Erik choked against his Charles’s mouth, Charles letting out a noise from the back of his throat. Charles shook his head, their noses bumping.

“Never, Erik,” Charles said, pressing his forehead against Erik’s. “I heard you calling for me. You never lost me. I’m here, and I’m not going to leave.”

Erik was too overcome with emotion to speak, his body, heart and soul filled to the brim with relief, thankfulness, disbelief, love, passion, everything.

So, Charles just kissed him again and again, before pulling back only a touch, to whisper;

“And don’t forget, my love – you still owe me wages.”

Erik laughed, for the first time in a long time.

And, for the first time in a new forever.

Next chapter (11/11 epilogue) →

[chantsings]

What does it mean that you're pro-ship? Sorry if this is rude

it’s not rude don’t worry. this will be a bit long and still not at all comprehensive! and it’s basically me summarizing great posts and talking points i’ve seen about, because i am at heart a historian and all i know how to do is pull and put together sources in a new way LOL

cw / pedophilia & incest mention, purity wank, discourse

let me start by debunking. the pro-ship label is a hot topic and it’s often horribly misconstrued on social media, where some people will say that being a pro-shipper = being a pedophile and having an incest kink. like, they’ll say that every pro-shipper are these things, and thus dangerous in fandom spaces and especially dangerous around minors. which is plain wrong.

because the crux of being pro-ship just means that we don’t care what people ship and we’re against harassing and bullying fans for the kind of content that they enjoy, even if it’s “problematic” or bad. “problematic” ships includes stuff like shipping siblings, underage, age gap, “unhealthy” ships, abusive ships, or ships that make your skin crawl for whatever other reason.

i usually say “i don’t welcome anti-rhetoric” as a more comprehensive statement, because anti rhetoric posits that it’s ok to actively ban certain content from ever being shown in media ever again, that fiction is an accurate way of predicting someone’s morality, and that fictional characters are equally or more important than real people. endorsing extreme censorship in fiction is like... a whole nother topic that i won’t get into, but it tends to harm vulnerable people first. you cannot get a 1:1 read on someone’s morality solely through the kind of fiction they consume, just like you’d never say that an fps game lover is ready to go outside and start doing gun violence. doing so is a false equivocation with pretty poor logic. it’d be like saying:

“gun violence is bad” > “because gun violence is bad, all fictional explorations of it must be equally bad” > “anyone who creates content with fictional explorations of gun violence is also bad” > “since people who create fictional explorations of gun violence are as bad as people who do gun violence irl, it’s okay to harm them”

...not super logical, right? replace “gun violence” with anything else and it’s the same fallacy. yes, even pedophilia. so many antis misuse the word or maybe truly think that immoral art or fiction is the same thing as csem (child sexual exploitation material. cp or child porn is the wrong term, don’t use it). authorities at child protection agencies have had to come out and ask that people stop reporting art because it literally wastes their time & resources because they’re too busy being flooded by non-actional images like artistic images & cartoons, when they could be helping real children in abusive situations. they don’t care if you really hate Ship because Adult Character A is badtouching Child Character B - your sense of censorship, your ego, your distaste for immorality in fiction does nothing to help real victims, and in fact puts victims at further risk for wasting resources that could help them & get rid of real abusers. saving real children is fundamentally more important than you worrying about your local smut artist.

and to double back even more on the point about censorship being most likely to harm vulnerable people first... there have been many instances of people getting doxxed by antis and fans contacting an artist’s workplace over their problematic fanart, making very harmful accusations directly to their employers (who may not bother with verifying if an influx of “your employee is a pedophile” accusations are true or not), thus putting their livelihood and honestly their lives at risk too. just from a trying to enjoy fandom standpoint, seeing this happen is not enjoyable.

my attitude of being pro-ship is that “don’t like, don’t read” and “dead dove, don’t eat” mentality that used to be more of a norm before the influx of purity culture ~2014. meaning if some content isn’t your thing you leave it alone instead of confronting the creator, or saying such-and-such content should never exist at all. it means that even if you do consume problematic fictional content, as a coping mechanism or just because you enjoy exploring darker themes, it doesn’t mean that you condone it irl... or that you wish to, like, spread around a harmful agenda to random innocents in the fandom. 

there’s also a common misconception that pro-shippers can’t also be uncomfortable by problematic content. haha. this is wrong. anyone can have squicks, anyone can find a certain trope/ship/character gross or disturbing or triggering. anyone can want to not see a specific creator’s content because it makes them uncomfy. i have a handful of squicks and i try to avoid them, but i don’t automatically go off to condemn whoever made it.

because, in conclusion, indulging in bad fantasies does not equal having bad behavior... fictional explorations of something are not the same as the thing itself... and immoral does not mean illegal.

personally! you will not see me talk about the problematic or nsfw stuff that i enjoy or create on main lol. i have my own people and places for that, y’know? if you scroll through my blog you’ll see that it’s totally sfw, if that’s something that you were worried. some pro-shippers are very open about posting whatever especially if it’s what they like to draw or write or if they’re just very into engaging in discourse. i am...... Not. 

so! hope this helped a little!

[crue-sixx]

Kitty Blocked

Title: Kitty Blocked

Author: tiddly-winx

Fandom: The Dirt (Motley Crue Movie)

Summary: Your cat is adjusting to your boyfriend Nikki.  Based on the headcannon where the reader's cat keeps cock blocking Nikki while at your apartment.

Warnings: Swearing, smut and kitty antics.

=====================================================

You only had been dating Nikki a few months, always hanging out at his place whenever you could and then going on dates with him.  He had asked you about going to your place for a nice meal in and cuddles on the couch, and you agreed that it was time to invite him over and introduce him to your Maine Coon, Petey.  You had made a small eggplant parmesan for the two of you and Nikki with a side of garlic bread and a cheap wine.  When he knocked, you let him in with a big hug and a deep, loving kiss.

Petey had come out of his hiding place to see who the newcomer was, smelling that it was a human male.  He trotted up to Nikki and sniffed his fingers, trying to gauge if he was a hostile force.  "Nice cat" Nikki pet his head and he purred into it "He's huge!"

"He's a Maine Coon" you smiled "its in his breeding to get so big.  Some people use them for hunting small game" Petey rubbed himself between your legs and you bent down to pet him "but I just wanna love him like he's my baby!"

Nikki laughed to himself, thinking the scene was terribly cute.  After dinner, you and Nikki sat on the couch watching a horribly acted thriller and provided commentary for each other to laugh at.  When you calmed down from a giggle fit halfway through, he got that look in his eye and a sudden heat passed through you.  He leaned in for a make-out session, which was quickly turning into something more.

Soon he had you shirtless underneath him and he was attacking your breasts with his hands and mouth.  You let out some sighs and moans of pleasure.  He came back up to kiss your lips and neck, reaching his hand under your skirt to play with your pussy.  You could feel his hardness against your thigh, but were surprised when he stopped all movement. "Nikki, what's wrong?"

"He's staring at us..."

You quickly covered yourself with your hands, thinking that there was a peeping tom looking inside while you were getting busy.  "What?!  Where?!"

"The cat..." Nikki locked eyes with the feline, who had been staring at you two the whole time.  Petey was perched on the arm of the chair right by your heads, looking in bewilderment at what you were doing.

"Keep going babe" you encouraged Nikki, taking his dick out of his pants and stroking it.  He shivered, trying not to let the cat bother him.  But now that he knew the cat was watching them, he felt like he was being watched from all sides.  The cat let out a long Mmmmmrrrrrr sound and the mood was dead for him.

"Sorry, Y/N" he let you up and he put his dick back in his pants.  "I just can't keep going if I know he's watching us..."

"Nikki, its a cat" you said, frustrated that you didn't get off "It's not like he knows what we're doing" the mood was killed for you too, so you put your top back on.

"He's staring right into my soul..."

You softened, offering "You're a new person to him, Nikki.  He just wants to make sure you won't hurt me" you turned his head and kissed him gently "all you gotta do is come around more often and he'll get used to you" you showed him out and apologized.  He kissed you before parting ways, and made plans with you for the following week.

When the next date night came, you rented a few movies from Blockbuster and made popcorn.  After you were done with the videos you had gotten, things got very heated very quickly.  But before Petey could sit and watch you two doing the deed again, Nikki carried you to your bedroom and shut the door.  You both quickly stripped off the other's clothes and you were going down on him, while he fingered your wet cunt.  Then you both heard a soft scratching at the door.

That was easy to ignore. but the loud obnoxious yowling wasn't.  You tried to keep going but the neighbors on both sides of you started pounding their respective walls "Y/N!  SHUT THAT FUCKIN' CAT UP!"

You banged back and shouted "MIND YOUR OWN FUCKIN' BUSINESS!"

Nikki was now getting annoyed "Cant we just put him outside?!"

You looked at your boyfriend in disbelief "You want to put my cat outside in the elements?!"

"If it means we can fuck, then yes!" he shouted at you.  He put his clothes back on and opened the door to leave when Petey launched a jump attack and began clawing at Nikki's face.  You pulled the cat off him and put him in the bathroom while you tended to Nikki's wounds.  Thankfully they weren't too bad because the lease required you to get his front claws removed to minimize damage to the apartment.

"Oh my God babe I'm so sorry!" you were cleaning him up, the look of complete and utter annoyance on his face.

"That cat fuckin' hates me Y/N" he put it bluntly.

"No he don't" you responded, putting some neosporin on the scratches.

"Look what he did to my face!" he pointed to it, and you secretly found it a little funny.

"Well, you can sleep here tonight and in the morning, I'll make you a big breakfast to properly apologize" you left Petey in the bathroom the rest of the night, the mood for sex having left but you two still cuddled while you slept.

You made sure to wake up before him to make breakfast.  The smell of eggs and bacon woke him up soon enough.  He did his normal routine of taking a piss right when he woke up, then walked into the kitchen where you were cooking.  He was surprised at first seeing you wearing an apron-and ONLY an apron.  He came behind you and hugged you first "Smells good Y/N"

"It's almost ready" you giggled as you turned off the stove and put the food on the plates.  After the fire was off, he turned you around and lifted you onto the counter.  He was at your throat undoing the apron as you playfully objected "The food'll get cold!"

"Then let it, babe" he spread your legs and left little love bites on your thighs "right now I have to eat something even tastier than breakfast..." he dove right into your folds, licking you like a man on a mission.

"Nikki..." you sighed, grabbing a fistful of hair and pulling.  He loved it when you did that, so when you were good and wet he came up for air and pulled his dick out, rubbing the head on your opening.  "For fuck's sake Nikki stop teasing me!"

He chuckled "Alright baby" he slowly entered you only getting a few thrusts in when he felt something fuzzy rub against his leg.  He did his best to ignore it, and tried to get a little rougher in his thrusts.  The damn cat started screaming for attention again. He cursed his own stupid self for not closing the bathroom door after he was done taking a leak.

He lost the mood again and said "That's it Y/N!"

"What?!" you shouted back.

"It's either the fuckin' cat, or me!" he gave you the ultimatum and without a second thought sent him to the hallway and tossed his stuff out.

That night at his own apartment with his friends, he told them about the whole situation and they all looked at him disapprovingly "You told her to choose between you and a pet she's had for a long time and she adores?" Mick asked, raised eyebrows.

"Dude" Tommy said, taking a swig of beer "All you have to do is bring it some cat treats and catnip toys and he'll mind his own kitty business!"

"You sound like you have some experience in this department, T-Bone" Nikki perked up "What happened?"

"So this girl I'm trying to bang had a cat, and it wouldn't leave us alone.  So I started giving it treats and catnip so it'll mellow out and it worked!"

The next day, Nikki showed up at your doorstep with flowers and an apologetic look on his face.  "Babe, what I said was so shitty.  I'm sorry" you let him in and Petey jumped on the couch to see who it was.  He seemed unimpressed to see Nikki again, but the scent of catnip wafted toward him, leading to Nikki's pocket.  He had something else in there too-treats!

Nikki took both the desired items out and laid them in front of Petey.  You both looked on in awe as the cat took his new treasures and began to play with them.  "Looks like he's forgiven you" you said, smiling.

"So do you?" he looked at you a little worried that you wouldn't be so forgiving as the cat.

"Welll...." you teased "I did get a new shower mat yesterday.  If you want to help me test it out you're more than welcome~" you slowly slipped off your clothes, exposing your shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am!" he ripped off his clothes and followed you to the shower.  

You worked up a nice lather with the soap on your bodies and let the hot water rinse it off before you did anything.  He looked you over, the steam from the hot water adding to the hungry lust "Fuck, I need to be inside you soon..." his dick was getting hard just looking at you.

"Then let's get you hard enough to fuck me" you winked, getting on your knees in front of him and taking it into your mouth.  You started bobbing your head, then licking the shaft.  He was getting so loud the neighbors banged on the wall again.

"Y/N!  SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Since your mouth was full and it was very rude to talk with your mouth full, Nikki answered for you "I GOT SERIOUS BLUE BALLS OVER HERE!  LET US FUCK!" then you deep throated him, him releasing his load in the very back of your throat.  You swallowed everything he gave you, before gently lifting you up and pinning you against the wall and lifting your leg.

"Holy shit Nikki you came so much but you're still this hard?" you were impressed.

"Well, when I let it build up like this, it's hard for me to get satisfied quickly" with a grunt he entered you and assumed a steady slow pace.  "Oh fuck Y/N you feel so warm...like your pussy's hugging my dick..." he began kissing you, brushing a thumb against your nipple.

"Nikki..." you breathed, getting close to your high "I love you..."

"I love you too, Y/N" he grunted, his thrusts getting faster and sloppier.  "Where do you want my load?" he pulled back to look you in the eye, both of your faces flushed with desire.

"Inside me..." you pleaded "Please..."

He let out a loud roar as he came inside you, pulling you closer to him with each pulsating jerk of his cock.  You came soon after, prolonging both your orgasms by a blissful few seconds.  After a few breaths, he backed up and watched his seed flow out of you and down the drain.  "Oh my God Y/N" he brushed the wet hair from your face "that was the best sex I've had in a long time..."

"Me too" you agreed, the two of you just stood there, embracing each other a few more moments before getting out and drying off.  It was then you realized that the cat hadn't even bothered to see what you were up to.  When you went to check on him, Petey was contently playing with his new mouse toy Nikki had gotten him. "Well would ya look at that?"

In his head, Nikki made a mental note to thank Tommy in anyway the younger man wanted him to for that bit of advice.  Nikki started coming over more often with toys and treats, Petey had trusted him with his human so that when they were doing the do he left them alone.  But anytime other than that, he demanded pets from both his humans. 

[anastasiaskarsgard]

X marks the spot.. PART 7 Brooke POV

End of summer

Warning: NSFW. 18+ adult themes. Coercion manipulation, toxic, cursing etc. could trigger some people I think

I’ve never seen so many people at a party in my life. When we pulled in the back neighborhood, there were cars lined up and down all the streets. Bex’s house was at the end of the cul-de-sac and was a sleek modern style home. Inside was minimalist with cool lighting, and everything just looked expensive.

These were the new houses they’d built after the homes all burned down THAT Night. Thank God I missed out on that chaotic night. It still made me a little uncomfortable when I realized that most of the people at this party, were probably present that night.

“Oh my God Mark?!” A pretty brunette girl called across the kitchen. She was wearing a knit bathing suit cover that was floor length and very form fitting. She ran over and hugged Mark a little too enthusiastically.

“Bex, this is Brooke. This is Bex.” Mark said.

It kind of irritated me he didn’t say I was his girlfriend, but that’s just me being insecure. I was really excited to meet Bex though. Mark had mentioned how she was transgender, and I’d never met anyone like her, as far as I knew. It devastated me whenever I heard about people being bullied because of their lifestyle, but I didn’t know the proper etiquette in this situation. I smiled shyly, and went to shake her hand.

Bex smiled and grabbed me in a tight embrace. “You’re gorgeous! I’m a hugger. You want a drink? Let’s get you some drinks. What do you want Mark?”

“Um we can get it.” He said grabbing my hand and pulling me near. “No stealing my girlfriend Bex.”

Bex spun around with eyes wide, and placed a hand over her heart, “Girlfriend? Wow! I never thought I’d see the day. Mark is a lady’s man my dear, there isn’t a pussy within 50 miles he hasn’t had.” She said laughing. “Oh Mark. Don’t glare like that, you’ll get wrinkles.”

Marks jaw stiffened. “That’s not true baby girl.” He said kissing me on the head. “Bex likes to give me shit.”

Bex stared at him a moment with a confused look on her face, before shrugging and turning to get a drunk. “Someone has to. Well then there goes the surprise!” Bex sighed.

“What surprise?” Mark asked suspiciously. “Did you get some molly, cuz it’s been a minute and Brooke has never tried it.”

“And I’m not gonna.” I sassed sticking out my tongue.

Bex winked at Mark and said, “ i’ve got a few pills in my room that I’d be happy to share with you but that’s not the surprise. I don’t know if I should even tell you now.” She looked at Me hesitantly.

“No worries, I’m not jealous, or faint of heart, or any of that kind of stuff.” I assured her.

“Lilly is here.” Bex said.

Marks entire demeanor changed and his face fell. He just stared at Bex frozen.

I looked from Bex to Mark, to Bex, and then back to Mark again.

“Um, why would he care about her?” I asked, looking for some kind of reaction from Mark but he still looked like he’d been frozen.

“Ummmmm, Mark has only had two girlfriends. You, my dear, and then his first love Lily. She broke his heart, and he did some fucked up shit, and it ended all bad, but she wanted to put all that behind us.” Bex said cautiously.

I couldn’t process what I’d just heard. Mark was with Lily, and they fucking loved each other? He told me he never loved anyone before. And she is here? And she broke his heart? And ....omg an anxiety attack. “I need air,” I said and jogged out the back door.

The pool was so inviting, and I could hear Mark cursing behind me, but I just wanted in the water. I flicked my flip flops off, stripped my cover up off and dove in. I am a great swimmer, so I was able to swim across the entire pool. When I came up for air, Mark was standing at the edge, scowling.

“Dammit baby, what are you doing?” Mark asked.

I didn’t want to talk to him yet. I was still processing this. I swam along in a backstroke, so my ears were under water. He was walking beside me at the edge of the pool, making angry gestures and saying my name over and over. He looked so dumb. He was totally making a scene, but I didn’t care. These weren’t my friends, and he is a Fucking liar.

“That’s it.” Mark took his shirt off, and walked over to my things, and set his phone, wallet and keys in my bag and then jumped in.

I swam away from him, but he caught me rather easily, and held me around the waist, with my back against his chest.

“Turn around.” He said thru gritted teeth.

“Fuck you Mark. You lied to me.”

“Just cuz I was young and said I loved some dumb bitch, doesn’t mean I did. Come on, baby... I love you. Want me to yell it?”

I turned around and looked at him with a smirk. “Yes, liar.”

“I LOVE MY GIRLFRIEND BROOKE! SHES THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!” Mark yelled at no one in particular. He looked down at me with the most smug look on his face. He’s so adorable. I hate him.

“Baby don’t be like that. I can explain everything.” He grabbed my ass and lifted me so I straddled him and tried to kiss me, but I turned my head so he just landed a sloppy kiss on my cheek before biting it.

“Ouch, Mark!” I said, rubbing my cheek. He giggled and beamed at me so proud of himself. I hoped it wasn’t bleeding, it had really hurt! I rubbed my cheek, and checked my fingers for red.

It’s about then I realized everyone was watching. Like staring. I was really mad at him but I didn’t like being the center of attention. I buried my head in his neck and asked “why is everyone staring so hard?” I hated being stared at.

“I’ve never proclaimed my love for anyone like that, and most of these girls would give their left tit to be in your shoes,” Mark said without a note of irony. “You may not know this, but I’m a pretty big deal around here.”

I was only half listening to him, as I scanned our surroundings. There were a few other people in the pool, and they were staring as well. All of a sudden, a girl popped up from under the water. I scare easily when things pop out of nowhere, so I screamed like an idiot, as I practically tried to climb up Mark.

Mark and several other people laughed, including this girl. I had never felt more embarrassed in my life! I just wanted to disappear, so I tried to hide in Marks chest, and he held me there snugly. I could feel his heart hammering away, While his full on erection, pressed against me. How could he have a boner right now?

“You’re looking hot Mark.” She said.

“Lily, this is my girlfriend, Brooke,” Mark said with a sneer. I’d never seen this face, and I didn’t like it. He looked... mean.

Lily however, looked like she was about to cry. “But I thought...”

“Excuse me, baby, I have to get this through this fucking whores head,” Mark gently plucked me from him and set me to the side, then side stepped in front of me, as if shielding me. “We are fucking done and over Lily. I told you last night.”

“What the fuck last night?” I blurted out. “When did you even have time? You were with me the whole night.”I tried to march around him, but he pushed me behind him again, so I peeked around Mark at the girl before him. Dammit, she was pretty.

Lily looked at me with an unreadable expression, before looking me straight in the eye. “get used to it girl. He will never make you happy, and he doesn’t eat pussy. He only cares about himself, and he’s got a fucking wicked temper.” With that she stormed away, and climbed out of the pool.

Mark shrugged his big broad shoulders and turned around, pulling me back in like a little rag doll. He tried to kiss me. “Do NOT.” I slapped his chest and tried to break free from his embrace, but he held me fast. “I will make a motherfucking scene,” I growled at him.

“Do it. I fucking dare you,” He said ominously, and I saw a flash of the guy I’d never seen in him before, but then he cracked a big dopey smile.

He was so beautiful. This was so confusing.

“I love you. I’m not letting you go till you calm down. Youre breathing like you just ran a sprint.“ he said as he peppered kisses all over my face.

“I’m fucking calm. Let. Me. Go.” I pushed against him trying to break free but he overpowered me tenfold, and there was no chance of me getting away, if he didn’t want to let me. All the while, I felt how excited he was digging into my thigh and I’m ashamed to admit, I wanted him. If I weren’t in a pool, I’d still have been wet. Okay. Bad joke, but seriously.

Mark smiled, “you are so adorable, baby. Your mad face is almost as cute as your O face.”

“This isn’t a game. I am so mad at you right now; I could punch you in the face. I should slap you. You're a liar, and a very promiscuous one at that. I don’t want to be here, or near you, or being gawked at. I loved you, Mark, I really did. And I knew better too!” oh no! I could feel the tears coming on. It doesn’t matter how hot he is! He lied about ever loving someone, and all the girls here have fucked my boyfriend. Plus he’s manhandling me... why was this happening? This was not good! I could tell he was a possible fuck boy, but not this level! I loved him. Fuck. I love him.

“You still love me and I love you, and ya, I was a whore and a bad dude before, but not now that I have you baby.” He nuzzled me with his beautiful nose and gave me little kisses on my face. He was so tender and sweet and we were in front of everyone. Was I overreacting?

“You don’t have me. I have me. I’m my own person.” I challenged, looking him dead in the eye.

“Don’t joke like that.” He pleaded with those Big puppy dog eyes. He knew what he was doing.

I tried to pull away again. And he pulled me back to him hard. He was holding me so tight it hurt. “You’re hurting me, Mark.”

“You’re hurting me, BROOKE.” He bent down and kissed my neck. It felt so good, but his hands had me by the hips so tight, I worried I might bruise.

“No, you’re hurting me,” I whined.

I didn’t think it was possible, but he squeezed harder. “Then kiss me.”

“You can’t make me do anything.” I spit.

Mark smirked and kissed my neck. I was trying to ignore his erection digging into my thigh, and not feel the kisses. God he was so hot, and he loved me! I should be thrilled, I mean look at him! In front of everyone!

maybe he was just embarrassed of Lily. Was I overreacting? I was so confused. Too many emotions. I hate second guessing myself, and my hormones were not helping at all.

Mark reached down to adjust himself. Then I felt his fingers move my bikini bottoms to the side, and then push his finger inside me.

“Are you crazy?” I hissed. I didn’t dare move, for fear we’d be seen and people would know. “We are not fucking.”

“I know, I wanna be one person right now. I need to be close to you, inside of you. You’re mine. Your heart, your mind, this little pussy, this pretty face with the most kissable lips.” He deeply kissed me. He was so gentle, yet firm and passionate. “Let me just put it inside you real quick, so we are connected.”

I just stared in his beautiful eyes like he was bat shit ass crazy, but he didn’t look away. I loved how full I felt when he was inside me. I bit my lip as I concentrated. “I don’t know.”

“I do. Tell me no or I’m putting my cock in your little pussy right now.”

He kissed me deeply as I felt his cock slide inside me. I didn’t want him to lie to me, I didn’t want to lose him.

“I love you Mark. I love you so much. You can’t hurt me, I can’t take it.” I loved how his cock felt inside me. It made me feel so full. I wanted him so bad.

“I won’t. I promise. Now can we go somewhere and handle this?” He begged. “Your pussy is so good, I need it. Please.”

I smiled mischievously. “Ok. Try to calm him a bit so you can get out of the pool and then Meet me in the bathroom.”

“My dirty baby.” He growled and kissed my lips before He let me go. I jumped out of the pool and went inside. There was a line for the bathroom. Great.

Bex was standing a few feet away. “Bex is there another bathroom, I really gotta go.” I asked her as I did a little pee pee dance.

“Sure sweetie, I don’t let anyone use mine, but I’ll make an exception since it looks like an emergency. Follow me.” Bex led the way to the stairs where Lily was standing.

I met her eyes, and she looked away. I started up the stairs and turned around to see her following us. Ok, what was this about?

Bex reached the top and unlocked her bedroom door. She spotted Lily and asked if she had to pee too.

“No, I just want to talk to her.” She said, pointing at me.

Great. Fucking great.

[bluerosesburnblue]

Liz Liveblogs Bravely Second: Chapter 6, Part 2/2 *FINALE*

Well, nothing left for me to do now. I guess it’s time we finally hunker down and beat this game. I started this liveblog series on January 14, 2017 (July 23, 2016 if we include the Demo) and now, almost two years later, we finally see the end (layer) of Bravely Second

Before we get to the actual story I’d just like to say that I currently have five level 99 Apparati hanging out at Fort-Lune. FIVE. Jeez, somebody share something else for a change! This is why I share any Redshirts, Urchins, Goldies, or Turtle Doves I see! It’s also why I hate it when games make you rely on communication features for 100% completion. Stop that. It always goes poorly

Well, regardless. There’s a certain fairy waiting for... well, not us, but someone down at Norende Chasm and I intend to finish what I started. You got me into this series, Anne! You did this to yourself!

Feels weird to be back at the first ever dungeon in the series. I don’t know if it’s new for this game or if it’s always been there, but if you look off the edge of Norende Ravine you can see a river flowing at the bottom, beneath the fog. And “Dungeon of the Nature” is a great scene-setter, as always

This Party Chat is certainly something. Tiz is just reminiscing about being back and how as kids they were told to stay away due to monsters, but of course everyone played there anyway. And then when Norende was swallowed by the Chasm, he raced through here to see it with his own eyes, and there met Agnès, who would change his whole world. And they came back, again and again in each world. Finally, this was the path they took to the end last time. The place they went to reach the Dark Aurora to chase down Ouroboros. Norende Ravine is the most visited spot in the game in terms of plot, and you’d think it would get old but it doesn’t. “How many more times... will we walk down this road?” And Edea replies “As many times as we have to! Until we’ve wiped away those terrible memories once and for all! [...] The next time we walk down this road, it’ll be to visit the new Norende Village - the one you helped rebuild!” I never expected the game to bring up the Norende Village... minigame, I guess you could call it? I’m so glad they did, and I’m so glad that Magnolia and Yew declaring that all four of them would visit it together is what cheered Tiz up

...I didn’t realize I had 99 X-Potions? I guess my healers have just been really good so far

Oh Aaaaaaaaanneeeeeeee~ Guess who’s heeeeeeeere~ I’m gonna straight up kick your ass for what you did last timeline! And, presumably, whatever you were up to last game!

How predictable that we’ve come to stop you? Do you know what we’ve done since I found out you were here? You had every opportunity to disappear and didn’t! What, have you just been sitting here for a week? I think you’re the predictable one

Also, nice demonic cloud cover. I’m really feeling the glowing red mass underneath these near-black stormclouds

“Your master? But the kaiser is... Denys is gone...!” Bold of you to assume Denys was actually in charge of anything. I thought it was pretty obvious he was out of his depth when Anne mentioned her master and even Denys was confused by it

Hm. “Lord Providence, ruler of the Celestial Realm!” I’d heard that name thrown around before I even started playing the game, but “ruler of the Celestial Realm” is new. Given that his name means “God’s protection,” I guess you mean ruler as in “a deity” and not “a high ranking political figure”

Man, at the angle her head’s at, Anne’s hair protrusions really do look like antennae. It just hasn’t been obvious before I got this angle on her

How the hell is Providence supposed to enlighten anyone if they’re dead, Anne? That’s dumb. Your master’s dumb. Death isn’t enlightenment, it’s just death.

And Providence got all upset that the Moon people were killing his Ba’als, so he sent Anne to deal with it by destroying the moon. But screw that plan! There’s a Celestial shortcut right here! But you know, if something can get from the Celestial Realm to Luxendarc, then I don’t see why the opposite can’t be true, too

And, well, shoot. If Providence is the “ruler of the Celestial Realm” then we couldn’t have Ouroboros getting in! So Anne had to deal with Airy. Or rather, have us deal with Airy. And then she had to get someone to summon the Holy Pillar to take out the moon, and found Denys. Both games have all been thanks to her manipulations. Man, fuck Cryst-Fairies

“Hold it right there! That’s my brother you’re talking about!” You tell her, Yew! Rip her a new one! I’ve got your back!

Fuck, she did the same thing to Denys that she did to the player at the start of Bravely Default. Read us like a book and played to the key aspects of our personalities. Denys’s sense of duty and idealism, the player’s sense of duty and determination to see things through... hell, it’s almost like she read into my completionist tendencies and knew I’d do dumb shit like grinding to max level and job levels and getting the best equipment. Ouroboros didn’t stand a chance once that was thrown into the mix

“Why, he was even ready to kill his own precious little brother for his ‘duty.’” Can I take the use of “precious” as confirmation that it was actually a hard choice for him? Because Denys isn’t here to defend himself and never did get around to talking about it when he was here

I don’t think I’ve ever heard the word “dupe” used as an adjective. Most people go with “dope.” You’re weird, Anne! You’re weird and also a huge bitch!

“Denys died to save this world...” Is he actually dead though!? Like, no seriously, is he? Or is he just stuck in a situation that he will probably die in? Because one of those is potentially fixable in a sequel. ...actually, maybe both of them are fixable in a sequel. Situation’s unclear at the moment

“When Lord Providence descends, Luxendarc as you know it will be completely and utterly destroyed.” If he descends. If.

Yeesh, Anne, cool it with the shade! I know Denys’s kind of an idiot, but you don’t need to say it every other line!

Oh wow. Whoah. This... everything on screen is gorgeous right now? The glowing blue and gold bits on Anne’s final form, the translucent pink butterflies in the background against a starry night sky... yooooooooo. And I thought Airy’s final form was pretty

“Wicked Flight” is still a better boss song, though. Heck, the music right now isn’t even as good as Anne’s last battle theme, and it’s just a remix. I think removing the Spanish guitars and replacing them with a wailing rock guitar really does the song a disservice

That T-pose looks real dumb, Anne. Knock it off

It’s really fascinating what she says here. Humans are born without purpose, so they spend their lives lost and weak, constantly searching for something to live for. She, however, was made with a specific goal in mind, and always feels fulfilled because of it. And I don’t think she’s entirely wrong to observe that human beings spend so long looking for acceptance and purpose, and that the struggle to find some is central to most people’s lives. Heck, I don’t feel like I have a purpose most of the time. But I think, until I find one, if I just keep trying to do good then it’ll be enough. And the good thing about being born without a purpose? You get to find one you like, eventually

Cryst-Fairies are created by the gods to serve them. Anne is the older sister, but never really cared much for Airy, since Airy served someone who would destroy the Celestial Realm, where Anne’s master resided and controlled. Which... I suppose leads me to believe that they were created by different entities, and yet all Cryst-Fairies see themselves as siblings, regardless. Maybe it’s because they’re made of the same stuff? Like a half-sibling thing? Where one “parent” is the magical essence that they’re made of, and the other is the god that used it to create them?

Did Airy even know she had a sister? Like, was she even aware Anne existed? I don’t think she ever, once, mentioned her

Man, this game has a weird theme of “older siblings attempting to murder their younger siblings for a cause”

Oh, good. She can set someone’s max HP to 1. And she used it on Edea. Because even at level 99, Edea has to die at least three times per fight

I don’t think she expected Quadruple Meteor Rain Yew, though. That’s what you get for shit-talking a Geneolgia’s family

Oh. She didn’t even revive. Nice

Funny enough, Anne, Yew learned that secret technique after I knew you were here. So, you know, you had plenty of time to avoid that

If Lord Providence is gonna be here any moment now, then he is really taking his time meandering down the Celestial shortcut

Oh, geez! Altair, don’t sneak up on me like that! Holy shit, the sound of his voice startled me

There’s no need to apologize for Providence using Vega to create the Ba’als. You’re both just victims of an uppity god. Though, as a Celestial, I don’t suppose you have any info on your supposed “god,” Providence?

I love how on the same page Yew and I always are. Altair is family now, of course we’re gonna save Vega. Even if none of us know her, she’s special to Altair. And family of our family... is as good as family, too

Ahahahahah! “Yeah! We’re going to crush a god!” Never change, Edea. We’re upgrading from Ba’al Busters to God Crushers!

Altair just called them “my children”! Team Dad! Team Dad! Team Dad!

“Come, Yew! Let us deliver our pièce de radicchio!” ...let us deliver our piece of leaf chicory? Excuse me? Is that supposed to be like “Let’s serve Providence a bitter meal he’ll regret eating?”

Altair, normally I can at least follow your vegetable proverbs, even if they fall flat, but that one was really... uhhhhh?

So the evil fog in the Chasm is a sign that the Dimensions are in flux. “A holy battleground and an angel’s descent. A chasm of darkness and a glimmering ship.” Would that be the Ouroboros fight, or whatever Sylvie was prophesying about?

Clear the mists and reveal the path to the Celestial Realm. Hey, can’t all of us summon Hresvelgr right now? Can we get him to blow it away?

Ah, we’re using Agnès’s pendant, which can connect people between various worlds. It’s already a spacetime anomaly. Neat! I love it when they use lore, especially something like this, which has been established since the start of Default!

And now they pray, with the help of the pendant, to lift the fog. It’s not enough, so they call Agnès to pray, too! It’s still not enough. Yew cries out for help, for anyone to give them strength. In other games, I could see this leading to a pan-out where everyone in the world prays with them...

But here, they just need me. Time to mash “X” like the good old days and clear the clouds away for my favorite team

Aaaaahahahahahahahah. Ahahahaha! Oh. Oh god. So they use the 3DS camera to put your face in the Chasm once the clouds are cleared but oh man. Oh nooooo, that angle. That was not a good look. At all. I started laughing so hard I had to put my 3DS down. Ohhhhhh. Oh man, that’s a heck of a look for the first time the party gets to see my face. Imagine the first time you get to see your spirit guide and it starts cackling and the connection dies for a few minutes. I’m sorry, guys! I’m really - ahahahaha - really sorry!

I do adore how the Bravely series utilizes the fourth wall. The Celestial Realm is (or is at least based on) our world, and every time they depict it (so, this scene and the Ouroboros fight in Default), they use the 3DS camera. The player is every bit a real character in this game’s universe, and they do a hell of a job merging the two using existing elements of the 3DS hardware

God, nope. Still can’t look at it. It’s like a fun house mirror in there! I get that it’s supposed to be at the bottom of the Chasm, so that’s the angle it’s at, but it looks freaking funny!

I’m glad you’re all so focused on Vega and none of you are reacting to my mug plastered at the bottom of the Chasm. It’s still there, even after the cutscene

Oh. I know that place. That’s the background of the Snowcap Ba’al fights. Welcome to the Via Celestio, path to the Celestial Realm, altered based on Vega’s memories

And I guess Altair is going to explain what each Ba’al represents as we go though, which he’s only willing to tell us because we’re all pals now

Ba’al vi: Snowcap - Represents the day that Altair and Vega met, with ski lifts as its background. Altair was vacationing at a ski resort, and sat next to a young woman on the chair lift. They got stuck up there when the weather got particularly bad, and Altair noticed how scared she was, so he picked a flower from one of the trees their lift stopped near (good reach, buddy) to cheer her up. Despite that moment, though, Altair never got her name, and never saw her again before his vacation was over

Oh, don’t be so cheeky, Magnolia. “Though some might say giving a flower to a girl you just met might be a bit forward.” It worked on you, didn’t it?

So, I guess Altair and Tiz are going to be switching back and forth for this dungeon. And Tiz is conscious when Altair’s in control, since he heard that? That’s existentially terrifying

The glowing gold platforms, surrounded by the already very pretty Ba’al fight backgrounds makes for a gorgeous area... but I’m not feeling the music at all. It’s way too dramatic, with blaring sounds, militaristic drums, and weird wind ambience. I get what it’s going for, since this is the final dungeon and should be suitably intense, but it’s really incongruous with the location’s aesthetic, and also doesn’t fit the emotional tone of Altair nostalgically recounting his life together with Vega as we go to free her spirit. Something like this would fit better in a final dungeon like the Dark Aurora, where we were in an unearthly void on our way to the Infernal Realm. I know I mention “Dungeon of the Nature” a lot, but I really wish the Via Celestio music was more similar to that than, say, “Tower,” which is the music they used for locations like Eternian Central Command, like what we got. I’d actually have really loved if the music here was just Altair’s theme, but with the larger, orchestral sounds of “Dungeon of the Nature.” Something melancholy and soft, but no less grand. Altair’s theme played on piano, but with chimes and a string backing track

I actually don’t like “Tower.” At all. I think it’s probably the worst track in the game. It’s just so dissonant, and I turn my sound off every time I go into a dungeon where it’s playing

Alright, kids, it’s been fun, but you’re gonna have to turn off Obliterate for a sec so we can get those last three Catmancy skills

Okay, I don’t get Luxendarc sometimes. You kids have ketchup and baseball, but Altair had to explain what skiing was? You mean to tell me someone figured out how to make a specific type of tomato-based sauce and independently came up with the rules for baseball, but no one thought to tie planks to their feet and slide down a snowy hill with them on? Seriously, guys

Yew asks everyone what their plans for the future are. Edea says she’s gonna help with the Eternia-Orthodoxy peace talks, so she and Yew will probably still be working together. Tiz just wants to retire to Norende at age... 19? I mean, I don’t really blame him. He did die several times and kill multiple gods. I’d want a break, too. And Magnolia feels she has to return to the Moon and finish helping everyone there recover. Yew is disappointed. It’s a hard position to be in, you know? He loves Magnolia and will miss her dearly, but he also knows how much the people of her home mean to her and he would never come between her and them

Ba’al v: Urchin - Represents the day Altair and Vega met again in the spring, when Altair was transferred to work at the place Vega did, with its background being the rainy exterior of an urban office building with a couple that occasionally passes by, sharing an umbrella. There are little flower gardens, and a city skyline can be seen in the distance. As Altair tells the story, we see silhouettes of himself and Vega acting it out. Or at least, I assume it’s them, since “Altair” looks a lot like Yew in an ankle-length trench coat and “Vega” is just Magnolia’s researcher costume. Altair was an extremely successful scientist, but his superiors grew jealous of his skills and transferred him to a remote, less prestigious location. Altair was so distraught to be there that he ran right out into the storm. Right into acid rain, due to severe pollution in his homeland. Unbeknownst to him, however, he had been transferred to the very place Vega worked, and when she saw him run out, she followed him and offered to share her umbrella. Altair muses how this means that at the time, Vega must have remembered their first meeting on that ski lift, since it became a Ba’al, and he chuckles quietly to himself. Fate, indeed

So the last room had little snowy trees peppering the walkways, and here it’s rainy streetlamps and road signs. God, I love the visual design here. And now that I’m not fighting the Ba’al, I can get a better look at the gorgeous backgrounds

Ba’al iv: Goldie - Represents Altair’s first date with Vega that summer, where he confessed his growing love to her, with an absolutely gorgeous background of a Japanese festival. Lanterns and trees surround a single torii as fireworks go off in the sky above. The appearance of Goldie comes from their attempts to play the goldfish-scooping game they have at Japanese festivals

This is all coming across as so incredibly sad. Altair loved Vega with all his heart, but it sounds like he didn’t even really realize how much she cared for him until right now, where he’s seeing exactly what memories she treasured. And is seeing them twisted and used against the both of them

And Edea’s noticed something else. Meeting in the snow, sharing an umbrella, goldfish scooping... Yew and Magnolia have been unintentionally reliving Altair and Vega’s romance. No wonder he’s so adamant that Yew confesses sooner, rather than later. Altair knows how this story ends

Our little set dressings this time around are floating lanterns. I’m actually surprised there aren’t mini fireworks bursting around them

Most of the enemies in the Via Celestio don’t add a heck of a lot to the lore, but one does: the Spartan. It’s the final variation of a specific type of automaton we’ve been seeing throughout the game, that Altair comments on every time they show up. Turns out, Altair invented them to be caretakers for the Celestial Realm! They uh... I don’t think they did that great a job, but it’s the thought that counts!

And the Bestiary entry is basically “Okay but how do rocket punches and optical camouflage... help? With caretaking?” “I dunno! But isn’t the technology awesome?” Altaiiiiiiiiir

Ba’al iii: Apparati - Represents the struggle Altair and Vega faced together as they tried to continue their research despite the improper equipment and poor funds afforded to them, enhanced by the depiction of the interior of a laboratory with static-y, crackling monitors all over in the background. If we’re following the pattern, then the falling leaves and bare trees outside the window indicate autumn. Vega really kept Altair’s project going, by sneaking restricted data out of the archives for him and coming up with creative solutions whenever he hit a mental block. And when their hard work paid off and Altair’s hypothesis was accepted as scientific fact, then he knew he was absolutely in love with Vega, the woman who supported and aided him and who constantly encouraged him to be his best self. He was a different, better person around her, and he knew it

“If attraction is gazing into one another’s eyes, then true love is setting those eyes on the same shared goal... or so my theory goes.” I can’t say I have a lot, or really any, romantic experience, but this is something I believe strongly. A romantic partner is someone whose skills and personality differ from yours, but also complement yours, and yet who strongly value the same things you do. If you can’t agree on what’s most important to you, then you can’t connect on a deeper level. And I’m not saying, like, find someone who thinks exactly as you do! Because that’s not healthy. But find someone who you can agree on the important things with

Also, love that Altair distinguishes between “attraction” and “love” because they’re very different things, and I so often see people conflate the two

Seriously, guys, leave Yew alone! He’s 16 and this is his first foray into romance. That’s scary and overwhelming!

And there’s bookshelves and stacks of books with desk lamps on top littering the pathways

Ba’al ii: Redcoat - Represents the night that Altair proposed to Vega over dinner. Honestly, this is my favorite Ba’al fight background. It’s just a very pretty, snowy, city skyline with a tall tower and a suspension bridge in the center, but there’s something so beautiful about how simple it is and the shade of light blue they used for it. Altair describes it as a holy night, and since Redcap is a demonic Santa hat tangled in lights, I can only assume he means Christmas. Poor Altair, however, couldn’t afford a wedding ring. Their program funding was awful, after all, and what they gave him for personal pay, he spent on more research to make up for what they didn’t give him. Vega told him she didn’t mind, but he still felt incredibly guilty about it. They married with a small ceremony, and Altair eventually bought her that ring... right before the trip to Luxendarc that tore them apart forever

Altair tells everyone not to despair, since he lived a good life and had goals that he truly believed in that he knows he gave his all working towards, and I can’t help but think back to Anne’s speech about purpose. Altair isn’t technically human in the Luxendarc sense, he’s a Celestial, but he managed to find his own greater purpose and it made him stronger

“You must all live your own lives as well. Have courage! Be brave enough to default on the expectations of others!” WE DID IT BOYS, PACK IT UP, WE GOT A TITLE DROP. In all honesty, though, I love what the games say the symbolism of each title is. To “Bravely Default” is “to have the courage to go against the expectations of others” and to “Bravely Second” is “to have the courage to try again,” and by doing each of those can you get the best ending in each game, further enforcing their message (even if I thought it was a little botched in Default. You're supposed to be going against what Sage Yulyana says... by following Airy, who you were going along with from the start, so there’s really no “courage” involved. Gameplay-wise you never actually disobey anyone, because you completely obey Airy, though I suppose you still have to disobey Sage to an extent, who you trust more at that point)

Tiz has a point, too. Maybe Altair is content with the life he had, but it’s still not fair for all of his efforts to be rewarded with his and Vega’s suffering

Our road-markers in this room are banquet tables with a nice Christmas dinner on them. I was hoping for Christmas trees, but that’ll work, too

Seems like this is our final Tent Event. Magnolia’s cooking is fantastic as always, but the stress is getting to Edea. She’s so worried she can barely even eat, and Altair’s story has really shaken her. Of course it would effect her the most. She knows better than anyone what it feels like to be separated from someone you love across time and space. They’ve packed the leftover food for sandwiches. They’ll eat when they’re ready. One more megalixir, as a gift from our fox friend who I notice found his way into a dimensional rift, and we’re on our way

The final room is a straight bridge, adorned with roses, candles, and floral archways. The background is a church on a hill, blossoming trees on either side and doves soaring across the sky in the background. Ba’al i: Turtle Dove. Altair and Vega’s wedding. This one doesn’t need an explanation from Altair. Just one last save point between us and the end. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve somehow gotten in here, too, Adventurer.

“This is it... our final battle!”

“Let’s do it!”

We’re in a chapel, with nothing but soft wind. Unlike the silhouettes of the Ba’al backgrounds, this is undeniably physical. And gorgeous. Very Baroque in its architecture

Vega’s voice is so much softer than I imagined it would be

I thought she sounded familiar. It’s Eden Riegel, who also voices Anne, so her range is commendable. For those curious, she also voices Iris in Final Fantasy XV, Devola and Popola in NieR and NieR Automata (I think what tipped me off was how similar her Vega and Popola voices are), Marie in Persona 4: Golden and its spinoffs, and Estelle in Tales of Vesperia. And those are just the ones I recognize! Her older brother is Sam Riegel, also a voice actor of renown and player on the D&D show Critical Role, which exclusively stars voice actors. Sam’s great, and probably one of the funniest people on that show. Good to see Eden’s doing great work, too

I guess the thing of note, though, is that she is NOT the voice who narrated the ends of Chapters 1-4 as I had suspected. Her voice is decidedly softer and not British. But if that wasn’t Vega, then who?

She’s so lost in her despair. She’s begging Altair to explain why he left, and why he didn’t come back. She won’t even listen to him explain that he tried, that he died and just couldn’t make it back

Someone told her the wrong meeting place to meet Altair that day. The reason she wasn’t on the ship was because someone didn’t want her on the ship

Ohhhhhh I did not like the voice distortion on “Why didn’t you protect me? Why didn’t you keep me safe!?”

Fuck, Altair? Altair! He just collapsed screaming with black and purple mist coming off of him. Black and purple mist that just formed a robed raven-faced humanoid with the worst voice distortion I’ve ever heard

Hey, are you Providence!? Get off of my weird vegetable-proverb spouting friend, jackass!

I can’t tell if that’s Vega’s voice layered under Providence’s or just another feminine voice. Could be Anne’s, too, since they’re both Eden Riegel

Also, Providence’s theme is pretty great? It’s got hints of the Ba’al music boxes, with a one woman wail in the background

“I’ve never tasted anything so exquisite!” Were you eating her despair? Of course that’s all she was to you. A food factory. And the sadder and more hopeless she got, the better for you, right? God, you’re like depression made physical. I’ve always wanted to punch the concept of depression

She’s held on for so long because she desperately hoped to see Altair one more time. And you used it against her!

And you saw Luxendarc, the world that was intended to be her safe haven and the place Altair was, and decided you were going to use her to power its destruction to break her further by making her feel guilty. What did she ever do to you!?

Okay, two things. One, you’re a fucking dick and I’m gonna strangle you with your own ribbons. Two, the T-pose doesn’t look any better on you than it did on Anne

That’s my boy! “We deny you because we are mortal! [...] our emotions, the memories we create with others - good or bad, this is all we have! I deny your right to claim them for your own!”

“I’m done letting you use the hearts of our friends as your personal plaything! We’re gonna send you flying to the edge of time and space!” Crush a god, Edea! This jackass has no place ruling anyone

Oh, Tiz. “He might be goofy on the surface... uh, like a cantaloupe? But inside is a sweet and sensitive soul! He’s suffered long enough, Providence! It ends today!” This is as much for Altair and Vega as it is the safety of Luxendarc. But, like, I am especially going to kill you for what you did to Vega. No one deserves God Depression

“Nothing is ever hopeless! It’s never too late, you’re never too weak to fight for what you truly believe in! I believe in a world ruled by hope, not despair. And thanks to my friends, I have the courage to fight for it!” Bravely Second, Magnolia. Bravely Second

Oh, poor baby. The light hurts your eyes? Shut them and make it easier for me to end you

That fight background is awesome! We stand in a grassy field, surrounded by telephone lines. A city skyline in the distance. A freaking GALAXY in the sky, with red-violet clouds. And this music is perfect. So perfect! Grand orchestral scores, with sections of electric guitar and lo-fi beats, all held together by sweeping chants. Holy shit, Providence may look pretty dumb, but this fight’s oozing style

What... so Providence can force a party member to do do his bidding? Like having Magnolia try to strike Yew down. That’s not great, but your first instance of doing so is using my healer to attack. And I’m supposed to be scared of you!?

Get him down enough and he starts consuming Vega’s energy to heal up 10,000 HP every few seconds. Fucking rude. Altair’s so upset he took over Tiz and is screaming for Vega... who can hear him. And she’s fighting back! All Altair had to do was tell her the compass was completed and their dreams could come true and her hope reignited!

This ass can still cast Doom, though

OR HE CAN JUST SAY “YOUR LIFE ENDS HERE” AND WIPE THE PARTY. God... dammit. Like, actually damn this god. What a dick. This is what I get for trying to have Yew conserve his MP. Chainspell Meteor Rain is prepped for next round, bitch

I could easily skip replaying this scene, but I wanted to watch my kids trash-talk Providence’s ideals again

God, I forgot to take Obliterate off of Tiz AGAIN. I know it won’t ever work and it’s just wasting a slot right now. I’d still die laughing if it worked, though

That can’t be the end. This is a JRPG, there’s at least one, probably two more forms coming. And come on, you only drop 980pg? What, are you a broke god? What an ass

Vega’s pink soul seems to be freed, though. And Altair’s spirit finally leaves Tiz, his color being blue. They’re really cute together, even if they are just floating, colored orbs

Is... is Tiz gonna be okay, though? Altair’s soul was kinda fueling his... everything

We shouldn’t keep them, though. I think it’s time for both of them to move on. Gonna miss ya, Altair. I know I’ve made fun of you in the past, but I’m glad you were part of this journey

“Keep your hearts like chamomile!” Just had to get one more in there, huh?

I’m so glad Vega’s here to make sense of this. “Chamomile is said to grow best and strongest when trodden on, you see.” So learn from our hardships, and continue to grow ever stronger. Stay stalwart in the face of adversity. Can do, you crazy, crazy Celestial man. Can do

Oh, so I have Vega to thank for your absurd produce tirades? She started the proverbs to get him to eat vegetables. Jeez, Altair, you sound like my dad. The man’s in his mid-50s and still refuses to eat any vegetables but corn and peas. Which SUCKS because I LOVE vegetables, and we only get to eat a bunch of ‘em at family dinners if he’s not around. I had a vegetable burger last night and it was GREAT

“And eat your vegetables.” YEAH, THANKS. I will! Somebody get me a carrot right now! (I’d get one but I don’t feel like peeling one at 9:30 at night, which is when I’m typing this)

Awwww. Altair finally ate vegetables once he got to Luxendarc because they reminded him of Vega

Yew should confess to Magnolia, WE GET IT. Let him figure out his own emotions! Stop pressuring my boy!

Bye, you two! May your afterlife together hold only the best!

Ohhhhh that’s what happened. Okay. So when Providence used Mandate of Heaven to have Magnolia attack Yew, she wouldn’t actually do that on her own. I had to make her do it, and because I didn’t in the set timeframe he used Divine Punishment to wipe the party. I totally misunderstood what was happening there, since Magnolia had negative BP and couldn’t move, and the very next turn was when I triggered the mid-boss cutscene with Altair. The second time I simply killed him on the turn after he cast it on Tiz, so it didn’t matter. That’s a very bullshit tactic and I am eternally grateful to Meteor Rain Geneolgia over there for ending the fight in a timely fashion

WAIT. Remove Obliterate from Tiz, genius. And heal. Trust no one

Hahahahaha okay, yeah. Yeah. I was expecting a cutscene before round two, and I’ll admit the harsh cut to the screen-shattering battle intro when I tried to leave the room made me jump a bit

This is what I saw a screenshot of before I played the game. Before the game even came out in English, even. I was looking up Airy’s sister after beating Default, because I saw the art of the Kaiser and Anne, assumed she was Airy’s sister, and wanted to know if she had a name. Saw the line “Anne works for Providence” and a low-res picture of Providence and clicked out immediately, but was left with the knowledge that the final boss was a purple pyramid named Providence. Seeing it now, there’s so much more to it than I remembered

We cut to the sky, a brilliant blue galaxy that the party is floating in. Magenta clouds adorn the top and bottom of the screen, and from them semi-mechanical, semi-organic looking hands of magenta and black descend, fingers wiggling. An inverse pyramid comes out of the cloud, and the gigantic eye in the center opens and glances around manically. An inverse Eye of Providence, that grants only poor fortune

Tiz, you should know better than to think this was the end. Ouroboros had, like, two forms and five phases

Providence’s voice is distinctly feminine now. And now that he’s unchained from Vega... there’s no internal fight to hold him back

“Who is it that controls you?” *Providence’s eye looks directly at the camera* What? What? I’m his aunt/mother figure/big sis/etc.! And I’ve done a hell of a job keeping him alive, thanks. I don’t see you standing against that Meteor Rain for long!

Man, what is up with this naming scheme? The hands are labeled Providence B and Ab, and the pyramid is labeled Providence Aa

O-oh? Providence can use its own Bravely Second while I’m in the menu? It... did barely any damage, but that’s startling

He’s pulling a *redacted character* Undertale and I will not stand for this! (I actually super love Undertale and I’m excited that Bravely’s pulling the same meta nonsense in battles that the final Genocide run fight of Undertale did)

I... You’re talking to me? Me, Liz, the person sitting here. I... look, I know these kids don’t actually know who I am, that all of the affection I have for them is one-sided. I know my poor decisions have gotten them hurt on occasion. Would you rather I have never played the game? What would that have gotten them? Sometimes you have to struggle for a resolution that benefits everyone, for a good resolution. I will never regret getting Tiz out of that Chasm. Or saving Yew from Denys. Because all of those kids standing there deserve a happy ending and I want to see them get it!

“Persist in this battle, and Yew and his friends will only feel more pain.” Said in a tutorial description box. Look, I want Yew Geneolgia to be happy, okay!? I’m gonna get him a good end! If I stop he ends up stuck in the Via Celestio for eternity! I’m getting him and Tiz and Edea and Magnolia home and you. Can’t. Stop me.

“Isn’t it enough? How much more must they suffer to satisfy you?” Ideally, none! I don’t want to see them hurt, but I want to see them fail to save their world and lose everyone they love even less. Tiz is gonna retire, Edea’s gonna be Grand Marshal, Magnolia’s home is gonna be safe, and Yew is gonna make a new family legacy that he can be proud of! That’s all I want out of this!

You think you can make me feel bad by treating me like I’m just here for the gameplay? Because battles are fun? Joke’s on you, I don’t really care about gameplay! I’m here because I love these kids and I want to spend more time with them! I want to see them grow and find their happy endings, and they give me hope that someday I can find one of my own. SO FUCK OFF

You aren’t my god, bitch

It... means you can cause screen and audio static? Hey, idiot, I do that to myself, accidentally

You don’t control me! You control my input device at best!

Stop that. Stop making my kids hurt each other. I’m not the one who wants them to suffer, that’s clearly you. I would never have the game play at normal speed. 4x or bust

Despair? Oh, this isn’t despair. I’m just fucking pissed. Sorry. I don’t really get sad when there’s a target to take my anger out on actively taunting me

Yeah, fine, just boot me to the start screeeeee-NO. Hey. NO. Take that cursor off of delete. I’ve accidentally deleted save files before don’t do that! Mmmmmm every button just makes it go closer to “Delete All” come onnnnnnn. I will replay this game over if I have to, Providence! I’ll be back in another two years you can’t stop me

I don’t want to press the button. I know I have to. I know the game devs couldn’t possibly be so cruel as to actually erase the files. Not to constantly bring this fight back to Undertale, but it didn’t get me when your save file got “deleted” at the end of a neutral run. It’s so much worse in this game when you have to press the button multiple times and inch it ever closer to delete, knowing full well that the only way to avoid it is to give up and turn the game off

...I hope the game, like, records how long it takes me to finally press that button. I’m just making entries here to stall at this point

Changed into pajamas, went to the bathroom, and messed around with the current timed quest in Hogwarts Mystery for a bit and they still want me to press the button, huh?

...fine. Supposedly there’s a shield that you can only get if you play through the whole game on Hard (EDIT: Nope! The wiki was wrong again) so I’d have to go another round, anyway. Do it, Providence. I dare you

JUST LET ME PRESS “NO” YOU WIGGLY FINGERED BITCH

Yew! Yew, buddy, I’m trying!

THANK YOU MY PRECIOUS BOY. I DID NOT EQUIP YOU WITH A SWORD BUT THAT WAS STILL BADASS AND I’M SO PROUD OF YOU

Ahhhhh! Orchestral version of his theme! I’m actually crying I love this boy

“There’s someone who’s been here, supporting me, all this time.” Yes, hi! Hi, kiddo. You’re great! You’re so wonderful. You probably didn’t see me wave at you when my face appeared in the Norende Ravine, but you’re awesome and I’ve never been prouder of someone

“I’m fighting for you, too!” And I want you to be happy! (I’ll be honest, having Yew talk directly to me is really powerful. I just wanna, like, poke the screen where his hand is and high-five him. Best boy)

YEW GENEOLGIA LOVES ME MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD DOES

Nope, I’m actually crying. Hahah. My favorite character thinks I’m cool. That’s a hell of a self-esteem boost

“It’s your will, and mine! We’re in this fight together!” Always, buddy. Whenever you need me

He used the letters SP from the title screen to activate the hourglass. That’s so smart I love the nerd kid

Yeah, Agnès, I love you guys! I’ll always come back to defend your world, even if just to see you again!

Janne. Janne, I really do not like you. Please shut up. Your encouragement is just making fun of me for helping Yew? Wow. Okay. I see you’ve learned nothing

At least Nikolai is grateful for me giving even the empire’s people a second chance

You know what, Minette? I’m glad you’re happy. I hope you get therapy! But a new dad is okay for now

Bella is... smiling? AND HELL YEAH, MAN. I’ll keep fighting for you, Cú! Some conceited eyeball ain’t gonna stop me!

Norzen you-you had glasses this whole time? Wow, I could not tell from a distance! Sure, cloud grandpa. Stars. Yes

Aimee did you and Angelo... really do anything? A’ight, sure, I’ll save your romantic future

Yeah, I can make it as if Providence never existed, Geist. “‘Cause this is our world, right? And you were a part of it, too!” Yeah, I was, Rev. Thanks, kid

So the screen shattered and... DENYS! Hey! Hey someone grab his ass right now! Someone save Denys please he’s right THERE!

“Promise me... that you will watch over my brother. Farewell, my friend... and thank you!” You deserved so much better, Denys. Sorry it doesn’t seem like saving you is in the cards right now. The second I can, I will. Then we can look after Yew together!

My emotions hold power... OH I’M PRETTY SURE BOTH MY RIGHTEOUS ANGER AND LOVE OF YEW TRANSCEND TIME AND SPACE. That’s MY BOY!!!

...oh shit he’s out of MP uhhhhhhhhhhhh

Thank god I never use items and had Elixirs

Get. WRECKED. Singlehandedly. By Yew Geneolgia triple-casting Meteor Rain after Tiz and Edea took out the hands

Also, I didn’t mention, but the music for this fight does exactly what I adored in “Serpent Eating the Ground” last game: most of it is clearly the boss’s dramatic song (already really great, as mentioned in Providence Round 1), but then partway through it cuts to remixes of each party member’s Special Attack song, melded together into one flowing number that completely overrides the Boss’s sound, in a musical indicator of our triumph. There’s some of the main theme of the game, in a sense, I guess you could say representing the player. And I think I heard a bit of Denys’s boss theme in that section. Fitting. He did send me back to the party, after all. And this section only starts up once Yew cuts through Providence’s manipulation, furthering the sense of triumph as the party actively overrides Providence

Well, that’s that, huh? Everyone’s back on Luxendarc, the path to the Celestial Realm is closed, and Altair and Vega have finally moved on together. Seems... there’s not much more I can do for you guys, huh?

...where’s Tiz?

Nonononononnooooo I knew he wasn’t gonna be okay without Altair. No, come on. Tiz, you can’t do this to me again! He just wants to retire

I... should we hang up on Agnès? I don’t know if I want her to watch this. Can’t we just shove me into Tiz again? I can keep the game running until my 3DS’s inevitable complete destruction

Y-y- ...I see. Vaguely British female voice? It was you all along, my Adventurer friend. Or should I say, miss Narrator? By what strange trick of fate do our paths cross anew?

No, Magnolia! She clearly knows... something. And I can tell she’s more than what she seems. How else... could she have made it into the Via Celestio on her own?

I can’t watch Tiz go comatose again. If you’ve got a way to save him, do it already

“But what is a soul? But the embodiment of our wishes, dreams, and desires.” Ummm... the metaphysical culmination of a person’s being? I’ve never quantified a soul before

Fill Tiz’s body... with the dreams needed to bind his soul. And uh, Yew? Yew. Is dumping the hourglass sand on him the best idea?

Oh. That’s how you ended up in those dungeons. You can just open warp gates. I see.

And she handed the hourglass to Tiz in the past... on his way to the Norende Chasm, where we first got the ability to use it in Default. And she was wearing green. I can’t for the life of me remember if she ever wore green in Default, but it wouldn’t surprise me given the amount of sequel nods there were in the international release. What, do you just change into green when you go to the past so your past self knows what’s up?

So ideally, we now have an hourglass with two games, or two and a half years’ worth of dreams in it

Did you create a time loop where the hourglass didn’t exist until Tiz had it and won’t exist after, or did we have two hourglasses and never notice?

Where would that even be hidden on Tiz’s body!? He was in a medical jumpsuit! ...oh, ew. I really hope it was in his pants legs and not... elsewhere

Oh, good, Agnès has it. Whew. Crisis averted

And the Adventurer finally introduces herself. A long, silver-haired woman named Deneb. One of Altair and Vega’s old friends. And, most importantly, probably another Celestial. Possibly the last one alive on Luxendarc

*Great Distance starts up for one last go* Run Agnès! Run with all you’ve got!

Credits are rolling. Let’s see those happy endings we all worked so hard to get

Nikolai is back in the priesthood, preaching to the New Crystalguard, of which Janne seems to be a member. I’m happy for Nikolai, still mad Janne never got over himself, but we can’t win ‘em all. Best of luck, gents! Call me in a few years when Janne has finally grown up

Bella and Cú are just walking around in... Eisen? Ah, well. They’ve got each other. Hope they find a home that accepts horsemen. And I owe you a two a special thanks! The Spellcraft and Triple Wield abilities carried this team, and the Yew Meteor Rain strategy couldn’t have happened without it!

Norzen is back to teaching, and Rifa and Pudgius are glad to have him there

Minette’s happily sailing with her new dad and his cat in his little rowboat. Remember what I said! Therapy!

Aimee and Angelo... did not set up shop in Gathelatio. Or they just haven’t moved locations yet. Pancake business is booming either way (You guys should seriously move, though. If more adventurers find out that Obliterating Chompettes is some of the best experience in the game, they’ll just loiter outside your shop all day and scare away customers! Customers that I’m surprised you even have at the deepest spot in a high level dungeon. ...maybe that’s the actual problem with your current location)

Geist and Rev are... standing around posing in the old seaside shack that was sold to Profiteur? He’d better not have gone back on his deal after I defended him like that!

Aw, Lotus is teaching Sakura to fly the Rubadub. I’m glad those two were with us through this journey

And Great Distance fades out as Agnès arrives, no more distance between her and Tiz any longer

“Good morning... Agnès.” Don’t ever scare us like that again, buddy. Happy retirement

*Great Distance back for Round 2* And now we’ve got the party epilogues!

The new Grand Marshal of Eternia contemplates what to do next, her second-in-command Alternis at her side. When faced with a conflict between two factions, Edea decides she has to go herself, because if anyone can make them see eye-to-eye, it would be her. And I believe her. Alternis declares that he would go to the ends of the world for her, in a way that makes you question whether it was Ringabel or not. Given the way Edea looked forlornly down at her feet, I’ll say “not,” making this a bittersweet end for her

With the peace talks over, Agnès has resigned as Pope, leaving everything to the Matriarch and new Vestal, Sylvie. No longer a Vestal, she has no reason to cling to the surname of those wed to the Crystals, Oblige. No, she’d rather be Agnès Arrior. And now she and Tiz are engaged and planning to move to Norende as farmers. I’m happy for you kids! Enjoy retirement with your sheep. You’ve both earned it

Music fades out again as we cut to Magnolia in the Buster Ship, musing about how wonderful Luxendarc was. Yew races to where he first met her... but her ship is already blasting off back to the Moon. And a ballad starts up as Magnolia walks up to him after he laments that he never confessed. That confession is as awkward as I hoped it would be. And then Magnolia winks at the camera (hi!) and muses about how love really can transcend time and space. Turns out, people on the Moon only tell their true names to the person they wish to marry... and she just whispered something into a very red-faced Yew’s ear. Cute! Just remember he’s 16. Give him a few years to get his bearings, Magnolia. I have no idea how old you are, but maybe take it a little slower. Best of luck, you dorks

One final shot. The Geneolgia mansion foyer, but this time Foundar’s portrait is gone. Now it’s a portrait of Yew, Tiz, Edea, Magnolia, and Agnès eating dinner together... with Denys standing behind them. This is the real Geneolgia family. The one that deserves to be celebrated.

And there goes my name in the credits. Thank you, Bravely Second team. It was a hell of a time and a hell of an undertaking. Almost two years since I started this liveblog, and it evolved rapidly from just a few reactionary bullet points to a full on analysis/reaction. And I’m really glad I did it. I’ve gotten to talk to some cool people thanks to this, and I hope they enjoyed the ride as much as I did!

I really wish I could stick around, kids, but I guess that’s just not how games work. Just let me know if you ever need me again, and I’ll be there. And this time maybe it won’t take me two and a half years to get to it. I’ll do my best!

One final scene, post-credits. Ringabel narrates that they found “the third key,” The Sword of the Brave, to a Vice President over a hyperrealistic shot of the moon

And now we have the final, true New Game+. I love the sparkly little border on the cleared file. But, hey, this isn’t the end yet! The Bestiary isn’t complete! We’re still missing items! And it’s all thanks to the three postgame dungeons! ...but I won’t bore you with that unless there’s demand for it

That being said, there’s still going to be one more update! I plan to do one final retrospective on this game as a whole. What it did wrong, what it did right, and my overall thoughts on the experience. I understand if that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, though, so for those who won’t be joining me, I hope you had a good time reading and thank you for spending the time to look at my ramblings on games I like. For those joining me for the retrospective, thanks for reading! Until next time!