#that's me clapping to summon the council

[podcastwizard]

🦐

council of morally dubious advisors interpret this omen for me at once

[pukefactory]

Since we’ve all been completely charmed by Eternal Sugar Cookie, I would like to request something.

I would like to request a (Platonic) Eternal Sugar Cookie & Beast reader who is treated like a child by the by all the other beasts (including ES) simply because they’re the youngest and the shortest one

(I was thinking about the reader having an attitude like that of a whiny, short tempered child who wants to be taken seriously by grown ups)

₊˚⊹⋆ ♡〜 YOU MAKE ME BLIND 〜♡ ₊˚⊹⋆

˗ˏˋ ♡ Summary: A Compilation of Headcanons Featuring Eternal Sugar Cookie X A Child-like Beast Cookie Reader

˗ˏˋ ♡ Character(s): Eternal Sugar Cookie (Cookie Run Kingdom)

˗ˏˋ ♡ Genre: Headcanons, SFW

˗ˏˋ ♡ Warning(s): None - Completely Safe!

˗ˏˋ ♡ Image Credits: @fluffsugars

❤︎ Eternal Sugar Cookie greets you each morning with a patronizingly soft “Good morning, my sweetest fledgling,” like you’re still in a crib and not actively gnawing through a golden gate in protest. She knows full well how much you hate it—how your face scrunches, how your claw twitches—but that’s exactly why she sings it like a lullaby. She genuinely thinks it’s cute. She genuinely believes you’ll grow out of it. You, meanwhile, vow to eat her lyre by the end of the week.

❤︎ You once tried to assert dominance during a Beast Council meeting. You stood on the table. Clawed it. Gave a speech. Called yourself “The Future Monarch of Ferality.” Halfway through, Eternal Sugar floated a marshmallow pillow beneath you and gently patted your head. “Such big dreams in such a tiny storm cloud,” she sighed. The other Beasts cooed. You exploded. She kissed your forehead mid-tantrum.

❤︎ Whenever you growl or snap at the other Beasts, Eternal Sugar doesn’t chastise you—no, no. She clasps her hands with tragic delight, eyes shining as if you just performed a school play. “So fierce… So precocious,” she murmurs, like you’re not currently threatening to rip out someone’s vocal cords. She views your rage not as rebellion, but as a developmental milestone.

❤︎ You once ran away to prove your independence. You got exactly 50 feet past the lush grass before Eternal Sugar summoned a floating swan-boat to carry you back, arms gently folded like a disappointed Victorian mother. “Oh, my dear little crescent beast,” she cooed, voice calm and thick with glittering sugar-syrup, “you mustn’t wander where the wild dreams scream. You’re still so breakable.” You screamed harder. She handed you a glass of juice.

❤︎ You tried to demand respect by crafting your own terrifying beast title—“The Teeth That Bite Back.” Eternal Sugar clapped. She wept. “It’s simply adorable, how creative you’ve become! Oh, the others must hear this.” She made you recite it in front of the entire garden, where Pavlova Cookie laughed so hard he cracked a rosebud in half. You’ve never recovered. She still keeps the title on a commemorative doily.

❤︎ You once asked why everyone treats you like a child. Eternal Sugar just blinked—slow, sweet, offensively serene. “But you are a child,” she whispered. You are centuries old. You roared. “Yes, yes,” she hummed, brushing your hair with her pastel nails, “even little thunderstorms grow tired eventually.” You weren’t sure if it was affection or a sedative suggestion.

❤︎ Eternal Sugar Cookie has a special shelf in her sanctuary labeled “Precious Mementos from My Little Beast.” It includes your first fang, a crayon drawing you scribbled in rage (titled “All the Ways I’ll Kill Pavlova”), and a bottle labeled “Baby’s First Howl.” You insist you’re not her child. She insists children say such silly things before their naps.

❤︎ Your shortest tantrum lasted exactly nine seconds. It ended not because you gave up, but because Eternal Sugar distracted you with a riddle in the form of a sweet that was shaped like a question mark. “If you solve it, I’ll let you sit at the grown-up table,” she whispered conspiratorially. You tore through it. It was hollow. Inside was a message: You already sit at the center of my world, little one. You bit the table. She offered another.

❤︎ Eternal Sugar Cookie always picks you up like a misbehaving kitten, never harshly—but like some divine being carrying a wet sock. You flail. You scream. She simply hums a Hellenistic hymn as you threaten her with “the full power of carnivorous vengeance.” You never win. But you do get swaddled in the most expensive silken shawl while ranting. She always listens. Smiles. Tucks you in after.

❤︎ Despite everything—the baby-talk, the cuddles, the infuriating condescension—you’re the only one Eternal Sugar ever lets scream without silencing. She lets you rage. Lets you cry. Because somewhere in that childish fury is the last bit of raw feeling the Garden hasn’t polished to death. She adores you—not because you’re small, but because you’re alive. In a world where happiness is frozen still, your little fire means more than you’ll ever know.

[batsybat91]

When you became Darth Vader's Left Hand, it was because of your brutal efficiency. You had swiftly moved through the ranks, from stormtrooper to Inquisitor within the first few years of his time as Lord. Eventually, you were promoted to your current position. Left Hand.

A Left Hand is essentially a spy. Emperor Palpatine's Right Hand is Lord Vader. He gives the emperor a far reach and the ability to rule several planets. You are Lord Vader's Left Hand. You find weeds and pluck them.

You sit in all of Lord Vader's councils, offering advice when necessary. He gave you a custom armor set, similar to that of which you wore when you were Inquisitor. The cape is orange, yellow, and red on the inside to match the flowing lava of Mustafar. Your helmet and heels are created to be combat-ready while also intimidating. When any rank lower than you - all ranks except Vader's are lower than yours - hears the tell-tale click, click, click of your heels, they know there is trouble.

Today, you are summoned to Lord Vader's quarters, where his Bacta tank sits. For the first time in the several years you have worked for your Lord Vader, you recognize him. Anakin Skywalker. Anakin was your friend on Tatooine. But he left you behind for the Jedi order. You became a mercenary. And you forgot entirely about the love you held for him. Until now.

The sight of him makes you want to break down and weep at his feet. He is suspended in the Bacta tank, like a creature meant to be shown off at a zoo. But no one sees him like this. Not even you - until today. All of his limbs are missing, while every inch of his body is burned beyond burned. Crisped and shriveled like coals in a fire. He's gone through about as much pain and suffering as anyone you've ever seen, and the both of you still have Hell to look forward to.

"Lord Vader." You bow respectfully, though your voice cracks.

"You-" His voice hisses through his respirator "-Have done... well."

"Thank you, my lord." You clap your right hand to your breast; a symbol of respect.

"Do you... know me?" he wheezes. You wince behind your helmet at the pain in his eyes. No one should endure such agony.

"Yes, my lord. I recognize you," you reply respectfully.

"I... should have... taken you... with me." Vader's eyes are cast down when he says the words. They're blue. The very same blue you remember.

"I am who I am because Anakin left me." Your voice comes colder than you intended.

"You loved... loved me... did you... not?" he asks through his deep, mechanical breaths. "Ran... to Coruscant... to see me?"

"I broke from my slavery to see Anakin Skywalker, my lord." You can't look at him anymore. You choose something else to focus on, while still keeping your helmeted head facing toward him.

"And did you... love him?" he asks - a heartbreaking wheeze escaping his chest. A tear slips from your eyes.

"I did, Lord Vader." You refuse to let your voice break again. He can't hear your weakness.

"Perhaps... I was too hasty... to love Padmé... when you were... in front of... me." Lord Vader closes his eyes.

[tytarax]

gen z, or just any reader, looks like they were picked up on the street like a wet garbage puppy and left nearby because at first it was a pity, and then they got used to and attached to the creature in their space (I feel this energy from Zeno and the Grand Priest)

Any humor and jokes are inappropriate, the person is extremely annoying, but as long as it's fun for Zeno and directs his energy in the right direction, is everything okay? At least when a person goes home, everything is quiet and peaceful in the House of God.

It's like another toy for Zenon, who would lose interest even in Goku. I guess?

And then probably Zenon (And Daishinkan!) start wanting interaction with the reader, they start to like their presence, it's tolerated.(I'm not sure, but let's pretend they genuinely want to)

Lmao maybe Both Zeno and Daishinkan are starting to understand the damn memes and communicate on them

And imagine how that will change. The gods, accustomed to the background human noise, discover the silence that destroys the "vibes atmosphere"

(no, no, I don't mean the person's rapid old age and death!)

I couldn't help it, I love memes, enjoy this shit

The Grand Priest sighed as he glanced at the human sprawled on the pristine steps of Zeno’s palace, their odd human device glowing with shifting images. The mortal had been unceremoniously “picked up” by Zeno during a routine inspection of Universe 7. At first, they had been just another curiosity—like a kitten too scrawny to leave behind. Now, weeks later, their persistent chatter filled the once-silent halls.

Zeno perched on his floating throne, his childlike face bright with curiosity. “What’s this one mean again?” he asked, pointing at the glowing screen.

The human, unfazed by addressing the Omni-King, lazily waved their hand. “It’s a meme. This one’s ‘me when I stub my toe at 3 a.m.’” They made a pained face for emphasis.

Zeno clapped his hands. “So funny! Show me another!”

The Grand Priest, ever composed, tilted his head. “Lord Zeno, perhaps it’s time for today’s council session—”

Zeno cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Later. Show me the ‘cat screaming at salad’ again!”

The human complied with a theatrical sigh, muttering about how they needed a nap and a snack. Somehow, the Grand Priest found himself glancing over their shoulder. He didn’t quite understand the humor but felt something shift in his perception of the human. They weren’t just noise anymore.

The turning point came when the human left for the day.

Zeno tapped his fingers against his throne. “It’s quiet,” he said, frowning. “Too quiet.”

The Grand Priest, for the first time in millennia, found himself unsettled. The silence he had once cherished now felt oppressively vast. The palace was too orderly, the air too still.

“Shall I summon them back, Lord Zeno?” he asked, his voice measured but laced with an unfamiliar edge of yearning.

“Yes!” Zeno exclaimed. “And make sure they bring more ‘memes.’”

The Grand Priest hesitated. He couldn’t admit it, but he missed the mortal, too. Their chaos had woven itself into the very fabric of the palace. “As you wish,” he said, hiding his relief.

When the human returned, munching on some snack they claimed was “essential,” Zeno lit up like a supernova.

“I brought new memes,” they declared, holding up their device.

The Grand Priest offered a rare smile. “Welcome back.”

And with that, the palace hummed with life once more, the silence banished, replaced by the absurdity of human existence—and the unexpected comfort it brought.

@ultimate-percussionist

[smallblueandloud]

caterpillars

read this on ao3

“Skywalker!”

Luke glances up. It’s the middle of the night, but the base’s command center is still bustling, albeit more mutedly than during the day. It takes him a moment to figure out who’s calling. Eventually, he spots Leia on the other side of the central command table, standing next to an imposing-looking woman. Both of them are watching him.

He turns back to the commander next to him. “Sorry, I think I gotta go.”

She grins. “Don’t worry, kid -- they both outrank me. I’ll see you tomorrow in the hanger, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am,” says Luke, smiling back. She’s been helping him learn the Rebellion attack patterns. Tomorrow she’s going to walk him through the hacked-together add-ons that unite the Rebellion fleet. “Thank you for your help.”

“Of course, kid,” she says. As she passes him to leave, she claps his shoulder.

He makes his way through the room. Leia and the woman are standing at a display screen, but neither of them are watching it -- Leia’s gotten distracted by her pad, and the woman still has her eyes on Luke.

He pauses a few feet away from them. “You called for me, ma’am?”

Leia puts down her pad as the woman and Luke look each other over. She’s wearing a white tunic, a gold chain draped over her shoulders. He doesn’t know who she is, but she stands like someone who’s used to having her orders followed. The way she’d summoned him from across the room would be enough of a clue, even if Luke’s mentor hadn’t mentioned rank.

Next to her, Leia is tense -- she’s looking at Luke, but her attention seems focused on the woman next to her. Instinctively, Luke’s shoulders straighten to match the set of Leia’s.

The woman bestows him with a smile. “Do you know who I am, Skywalker?”

“No, ma’am,” says Luke.

Leia’s gaze slides towards the display screen next to them.

“You’re the new pilot, aren’t you? The one who got the lucky shot on the Death Star.”

Luke winces. “It-- wasn’t lucky, ma’am,” he says, trying his best not to sound obnoxious. But the distinction is important. “It was the Force.”

“You and Leia must get along wonderfully,” she says, raising her eyebrows. But she smiles when she holds out her hand to shake. “I’m Mon Mothma. It’s good to meet you, Skywalker.”

Luke shoots a look at Leia, who gives him an apologetic shrug. He’d asked her to point out the generals so he didn’t make a fool of himself.

Then he takes Mothma’s hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, Senator,” he says. “You can just call me Luke. Everyone does.”

She has a gentle grip. “It’s not Senator anymore, Skywalker. The Emperor dissolved our legislative body just before the deployment of the Death Star.”

Something tightens in Leia’s face.

Luke refocuses on the woman in front of him. Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila: former Senator, now. Served in both the Republic and Imperial Senates. Famed for her speeches on the Senate floor. And, as Luke has recently learned, leader of the Alliance Council.

Last stalwart of the Republic, now that the Organas have died.

Aunt Beru had liked watching Senate speeches -- especially the almost-seditious ones given by Senators Mothma and Organa. She’d compare them to the way liberators spoke to Hutts.

“Luke also rescued me from the Death Star,” says Leia. Her face softens, a little, as she looks at Luke. “He was the one who got my message to Obi-Wan.”

Mothma blinks, releasing his hand. “Obi-Wan Kenobi?”

“Yes, Senator,” says Luke. “He lived near me on Tatooine. He knew my father.”

“Your father,” says Mothma. “Of course.” She glances at Leia -- Luke bets Leia’s the one who told her. “Anakin Skywalker?”

“Yes,” he says. “He was killed by Darth Vader when I was very young. I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle.”

“Was he.” Mothma watches him for a moment, then says, “I met Anakin a few times on Coruscant. He was a good man -- I’m sorry for your loss.”

“--thank you,” says Luke. He hadn’t realized -- but his father being a Jedi means he must have done important things. Met important people, like Mon Mothma. And others.

He looks over at Leia. As if she can sense the direction his thoughts have gone, she’s gone back to studying the display next to them.

As far as Luke can tell, the display is showing a simple map of the planet they’re on. He turns back to Mothma. “Did you need something?”

“Yes, actually.” She folds her hands together. “I need you to take Leia to her quarters and make sure she gets some rest.”

Luke says, “Excuse me?” at the same time that Leia says, “What?”

They both look at each other, momentarily embarrassed. Then Leia turns back to Mothma. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” corrects Mothma. “It’s been a week, and in that time, I haven’t seen you leave this command center.” She pauses, something about her getting more gentle. “I know you want to help, Leia. And I know you’re an adult. But you’re no use dead on your feet.”

Leia glares at Mothma, who placidly meets her gaze. Even after only a week, Luke knows Leia would rather die than admit weakness -- but he also knows that Mothma has spent nineteen years waging war with the Emperor in his own Senate.

Leia crosses her arms. “I’m staying.”

Mothma doesn’t say anything, but Luke can feel the tension of the room rising. He’s the first one who breaks.

“Leia, it’s late,” he says. It isn’t very hard to push aside his nerves when he’s focusing on his exhaustion. “Let’s go, okay? Han’s probably going to finish today’s repairs on the Falcon soon. If we stay, you might run into him.”

And the whole base knows how much you want to do that.

Leia turns her scowl on him like she knows what he’s thinking -- but she also takes his olive branch. “Fine,” she says. “Mon, we’ll keep going over this tomorrow?”

It ends like a question, even though Luke is pretty sure she didn’t mean it to. For all of Leia’s bravado, she’s still Luke’s age, and it’s been a week since she lost her entire planet. It’s easy to forget sometimes. Other times, it’s hard to see past it.

“Yes, we will,” says Mothma, gentle yet firm. “Goodnight, Leia.”

Mothma turns back to Luke -- there’s a moment of silence, stretching out, as she looks at him. Though they have very different relationships with her, both Luke and Leia stay as silent as they can.

Eventually: “It was nice to meet you, Skywalker,” says Mothma. She folds her hands in front of her, gives him a small smile. “I’m glad to have you with us.”

She turns away from them. It’s only when she’s out of the room that Luke and Leia both exhale, almost in unison.

Luke says, “She’s-- wow.”

Leia runs a hand over her forehead. “Yeah,” she says, tiredly. “She’s no joke.”

[liviavanrouge]

Lesson

Livia sat beside Sebek, Seon sitting on her otherside with Florina sitting beside him. "Can anyone tell me what an Elemental Spirit Fairy is?"Nilo asks looking at them. A total of eight kids were here, not counting Sebek. Henry attended this class alongside Billy, Seon, Florina, a girl named Mina, and two twin boys named Zack and Cale. When she arrived Seon had immediately changed his spot and sat down beside her without sparing her a single glance. "Yes, Seon"Nilo smiled nodding to the boy. "Elemental Spirits are like pixies or the fairies from Fairy Hollow, the difference is that Elemental Spirit's have bug wings of different variety, Dragon Spirits have dragonfly wings, Nature spirits have wasp wings, Ice spirits have fly wings"Seon answers. "Good job!"Nilo praised nodding. "Just as Seon said, each Spirit Fairy is different, nature spirits are green and have wasp wings, dragon spirits are purple and have dragonfly wings"Nilo smiled.

"Only one being is known to be able to summon Spirit Fairies and use their powers"Nilo went on. "The Spirit Saintess, the first Saintess was Queen Virda, she made a contract with a Spirit who's element is still currently unknown"Billy explains. "Yes, and only an ancestor of the queen would inherit the ability, what else does a Spirit Saintess have?"Nilo nodded. "Oh a Spirit Guardian!"Mina gasps. "A Spirit Guardian is summoned when the Spirit Saintess turns ten and accomplishes something most wouldn't be able to do"Cale adds on, Mina huffing. "Yes, Queen Virda's Spirit Guardian was a Holy Dragon named Lumion, they were great friends and partners, but one day Lumion asked The Lord of the Light Spirits to turn him human because he had fallen for Queen Virda, The Lord accepted his wish and Lumion was able to be with his love, they had a daughter named Theema but she vanished one day after she turned seventeen"Nilo nodded.

"It was a horrible loss and Lumion blamed his Lord for it, he ended up paying the price for attacking The Lord...Queen Virda was forced to watch her husband die that day, held down by Lumion's three elder siblings...then she too was killed but not before cursing The Lord to never find another Spirit Saintess ever again"Nilo went on, unrolling his scroll showing them a picture of the queen. "The queen removed the power, so her ancestors never received them"Florina gasped Sebek looking alarmed. "Yes, and due to that the Spirit Faries are becoming restless, wanting to meet a new Spirit Saintess and feel at ease"Nilo sighed. "H-How long has it been since then?"Livia asks. "15,568 years"Nilo responds. "Woah, she wasn't playing around with them about her husband!"Mina gasped. Nilo chuckled, looking amused. "She most definitely wasn't but without her and Lumion's deaths, none of the kingdoms today would have been established, we would've had one ruler who controlled all of Twisted Wonderland"Nilo smiled.

"But Council Head Nilo, weren't the Draconia Family a kingdom she refused to control?"Sebek asks. "Yes, she didn't trust dragons even though her husband was one"Nilo nods. He looked at the clouds then clapped twice. The kids raised their hands clapping twice back, letting him know he had their attention. "Homework for tonight, draw a Spirit Fairy of your choosing and show it off tomorrow afternoon"Nilo smiled. "Dismissed!" Livia walked beside Sebek, holding his hand. "That was crazy, who knew there used to be a queen who controlled all but the Draconia Family, that's...insane"Sebek says looking down at her. She giggled at the amazement, joy and pride that waved off the male, knowing he must've enjoyed the lesson as much as she did. Speaking of lesson, if Chrissy is Malleus' magicked daughter she is supposed to attend these classes as well so she could become Crowned Princess of the land. Yet, Chrissy hadn't even bothered to show up.

Maleficia stood with Mayhem, the two talking in hushed tones. "GRAN GRAN!!!" Maleficia's eyes lit up as she turned, holding her arms out, Livia leaping up into her embrace, the two laughing. "Gran Gran, Malleus says he has a surprise for me!"Livia beamed. "Well go see and tell me what it is afterwards!"Queen Maleficia chuckled setting her down. "I will!"Livia beamed. She ran down the hallway, wondering what the gift could be. She already told Malleus the gift she wanted to receive but she'd have to wait a few years to get it. Talon came into view, talking excitedly with Malleus in front of a building she's never seen on the grounds before. "Malleus!"Livia calls. "Hey Livia, here's your surprise"Malleus greets picking her up. He beckoned to the building, the small child looking at it curiously. "Your very own library, Talon asked your parents what books you liked and we sent soldiers to other kingdoms to retrieve extra copies of the books"Malleus smiled.

He waved his hand, the doors swinging open allowing them to step inside. She stared in amazement, her eyes sparkling at all the books inside. "Can Chrissy join me here!"Livia beamed looking up at him. Talon looked nervously at the silent prince, Livia feeling a wave of irritation coming from the silent male. "You don't have to be nice to that pest"Malleus suddenly says. "She's not a pest, would Malleus treat me that way if I was magicked!"Livia protests. He stared down at her then sighed deeply, chuckling. "No I would not"Malleus smiled. She giggled, beaming up at him. She didn't know why Malleus disliked Chrissy, but if she could get him to love and cherish her that would be a great accomplishment for her personally. Malleus smiled, carrying her back towards the castle, Livia hugging a fairy tale book to her chest, looking excited. Maids bustled around the castle, already preparing for Livia's upcoming birthday party. "Will Chrissy get a party"Livia asks.

"No, and she already received a gift"Malleus responds. "What'd you get her"Livia beamed. "A reason to stay out of my way for the rest of her sorry life"Malleus responds. Livia's eyes widened in alarm, wondering just how deep his hatred for a child he's never met before ran. The angry glint in his eyes, the small puffs of smoke managing to escape from the corner of his lips should've said it all, but his anger seemed much worse. She looked down, wondering just how she was gonna get them both together. "Gran Gran!"Livia beamed reaching for the queen. Maleficia chuckled, taking her from Malleus. "Nilo is waiting for you"Queen Maleficia informs. Malleus walked away, Talon following him. Maleficia carried her down the hallway, Livia beaming. "Anyone specific you wanna invite?"Queen Maleficia asks. "I wanna invite my classmates...well everyone except Henry, he's mean"Livia responds.

Maleficia chuckled, carrying her back to the garden so she could read her book. She set Livia down, and sat at the tea table Malleus had set up. "Hey." Livia looked up, Seon standing there. "Hey-"Livia greets. "SEON!!" A white haired girl rushed over, and grabbed the males hand. "Layla"Seon mutters. "I told you not to get close to Lilia's Monster! She's evil, she'll mind control you!"Layla cried. The queens eyes shot up, staring Layla down as the girl cried. "I don't want my future husband to become a slave to our homes darkness! It would be absolutely tragic"Layla sobbed rubbing her eyes. "D-Don't cry"Seon mutters startled. Livia blinked, then felt hands underneath her pits, lifting her up. Maleficia carried her away, Layla smiling in amusement as Seon hugged her tight to comfort her. "Ignore Layla, Owen spoils her so she doesn't know her place"Queen Maleficia frowned. "Oh..Okay, I will then"Livia blinked.

@anxious-twisted-vampire @yukii0nna @writing-heiress @marrondrawsalot @abyssthing198 @zexal-club

[morningdawnknight]

My Duel Academy Life is Wrong as I Expected Chapter 2 - We Opened the Map of Youth and, on a Ship without a Compass, Headed to Uncharted Waters

Fandom: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Yu-Gi-Oh!

Series Summary: Having zero passion for Dueling or even Duel Monsters, Hachiman Hikigaya is the last person you would expect to even attempt to enter the most elite high school for upcoming Pro-Duelists and Card Designers in Japan and yet here he is. Wielding an Ojama Deck, this loser loner is forced to but into the lives of other students after his dorm Resident Advisor, forces him to join the Service Club along with Yukino Yukinoshita, the Ice Queen of Obelisk Blue. Together, their clashing personalities and viewpoints must compromise as they attempt to solve problems around Duel Academy Island.

Chapter Summary: Having passed the Duel Academy Admission Test, Hachiman Hikigaya heads to Duel Academy Island where he watches the school year’s inaugural Duel between Yukino Yukinoshita, the freshmen representative, and Meguri Shiromeguri, the student council president, and the subsequent aftermath of such a Duel.

AO3 Link

Excerpt:

The Duel Academy entrance ceremony was the same as any other senior high school entrance ceremony: a long, boring speech by the superintendent and a long, boring speech by the person who got the highest score in the admission test.

“Thank you,” Yukino Yukinoshita, the supposed smartest and most talented student of our batch, concluded her speech. With icy blue eyes, stormy black hair, and skin like freshly fallen snow, there wasn’t a single girl more objectively beautiful than her even if she was lacking something. Well, she was the most objectively beautiful girl in Duel Academy. I was certain my own super cute little sister cleared her by light years.

Just as people were beginning to clap, she interrupted them with an icy glare and a cold voice, “Now the inaugural Duel of the school year between me, the freshman student representative, and the student council president, Meguri Shiromeguri.”

Of course. This was Duel Academy.

She went off to one side, putting on her royal blue Obelisk Duel Disk and Duel Gazer, as a girl with shoulder-length brown hair in braids, with similar Duel gear, entered the stage.

Yukinoshita bowed her head, saying something.

The President said something back, smiling. 

Yukinoshita twitched.

They both readied their Duel Disks as everyone put their Duel Gazers on.

“Advanced Duel!” they both shouted, as my Duel Gazer connected to their Duel and mics.

“The freshman always begins, Yukino!” the President said.

“Thank you, President Shiromeguri,” Yukinoshita said. “Draw Phase. Standby Phase. Main Phase 1. I’ll start by Normal Summoning Sky Striker Ace – Raye.”

A young blonde girl in a white school uniform appeared on her field.

“A Sky Striker Deck, huh?” the President said aloud. “That’s a Midrange Spell Deck.” She closed her eyes, crossed her arms, and tapped her feet. “Something, something… a low floor but a high ceiling, huh?”

It was expected for our batch’s number one. The Sky Striker archetype is a Deck that truly discriminates. Its consistency and ability to have every out is nearly unmatched but virtually useless in unskilled hands.

Opening her eyes she exclaimed, “You really are Haruno’s little sister!”

I stared at the video feed of Yukinoshita, examining her. The way her eye twitched and her lips lightly pursed. The way she placed her hand on her chest as she lightly breathed.

“I’ll use Sky Striker Ace – Raye,” she continued, “to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku.”

A Link Circuit appeared over her Left Extra Monster Zone. Raye, instead of turning into a red arrow and going to the top right Link Arrow, jumped through the Circuit. She was suddenly wearing a white bodysuit as the Shizuku blue mech armour started attaching itself onto her body.

“I set four cards face-down.”

Her cards had Neko Mane King sleeves, a clear intimidation tactic.

“End Phase,” Yukinoshita declared. “I use the Monster Effect of Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to my hand.”

And now the combo was complete. Her set Spells would cripple the President and, next turn, Engage would get the exact card she’d need. Depending on what the President played, Yukinoshita basically already won the Duel.

[butternuggets-blog]

FOR WANT OF A NAIL

@baldwin-montclair @adowobsessed @sylverdeclermont @nicki-mac-me @thereadersmuse @kynthiamoon @wheresthesunshinesblog @adowbaldwin @beautifulsoulsublime @lady-lazarus-declermont @adarafaelbarba @dogblessyoutascha

Part Thirty-Five

Summary:  Baldwin Montclair had a string of ex girlfriends, a single child, and a  lifetime longer than most people could dream of to make all kinds of  mistakes. His family knew one which kept coming out of the woodwork to  irritate him every other century.

Also on AO3

Jerusalem had always had a bandit problem. The hills surrounding the city were full of hidden spaces, and pilgrims travelling along the winding roads were often dragged into them by gangs of thieves and murderers.

The rest of Outremer didn’t fare much better. An upswing in pilgrimages since the capture of Jerusalem had seen hundreds of devotees of the Christian faith slaughtered as they travelled across the desert to visit different holy sites.

Hugh looked down at the reports of death in front of him and sighed. This had to stop.

‘Paixão, it is almost midnight. Come to bed.’ Fernando wrapped his arms around Hugh’s chest from behind and kissed him on the cheek. ‘You need to get some rest at least.’

Hugh leaned around and kissed him. ‘I will soon. I need to finish these reports for Baldwin.’

Fernando sighed and rifled through the papers. ‘More deaths. You can solve this puzzle for your brother in the morning, coração, when you have a clear head.’

Hugh smiled and leant into him.

‘What would I do without you?’

________________________________________________________________ 

It had taken Hugh most of the day to fully pin down his plan. But he was happy with the vague scope of it, so he sent a messenger out into the city to summon his brother.

‘You have a solution to Baldwin’s concerns?’ Godfrey said, as he slid down from his horse.

'I believe so' Hugh nodded. He gave Godfrey the broad strokes of his plan and by the time they reached the study his brother's eyes were gleaming.

'A company of knights-'

'Poor, chaste knights'

'Poor, chaste knights, who serve the pilgrims and any who wish to purchase their services, and who answer to no one but the Church.' Godfrey beamed. 'Self sustaining, because every new member gifts the order their personal effects and property, thus expanding our income and land ownership. Brilliant!'

Hugh had long since given up pretending that his family operated anything for purely altruistic reasons.

'We will also implement a credit system' Hugh plucked a chart from the papers scattered around his desk. 'Pilgrims will store funds with us to protect against theft on the road. They will receive a receipt which they can use to withdraw their money at our establishments along their journey.'

'Baldwin will be very pleased with this' Godfrey clapped his brother on the back. 'I am very proud of you.'

'Thank you' Hugh smiled.

________________________________________________________________ 

Baldwin had agreed to hear Hugh's proposal at the Council of Nablus in January. He had arranged the royal court meeting to establish the first written laws of the kingdom; sixteen people were expected to attend, including Baldwin, to fiddle and fuss over twenty-five sets of ecclesiastical ordinances and regulations.

Godfrey listened in on the negotiations while he and Hugh waited as guests in the anteroom. Hugh kept himself awake by counting the wall tiles.

There was canons against adultery, and ones against bigamy. Hugh screamed quietly inside while laws prohibiting sodomy were handed down. After the final few canons were established - ecclesiastic self defence, false accusations, and theft respectively- it was time for the council to hear proposals from waiting guests.

'Jerusalem is in the grip of a crisis. The attacks on pilgrims journeying here to pay penance to God are increasing. We must find a way to cure the violence.'

Hugh paused for breath.

'I propose the creation of a company of knights, sworn to the protection of pilgrims and the poor; men who are, like the angels, warriors of Christ.'

'A sound proposal' Baldwin nodded. 'Is there any man here who will second it?'

'I second it.'

Warmond of Picquigny, Patriach of Jerusalem, leant forward in his chair, fingers steepled in front of him.

'How will this brotherhood sustain itself?'

'If donations from the church are not forthcoming-' chuckles echoed softly through the chamber, '-The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ will rely upon its members. Each man, upon becoming a sworn brother, will forfeit his earthly goods to prove his devotion to the cause and to support it.'

Warmond sat back, looking impressed.

'We have taken the liberty of designing a grand seal,' Hugh waved Godfrey forward and he passed along the table, holding out a detailed sketch for everyone to see.

'Two riders upon a horse. The reverse will be a depiction of the order's headquarters.'

'Where will that be?' Warmond asked.

'If this holy order is for the protection of Jerusalem, and under papal control, I am sure we can accommodate them at the Dome of the Rock' Baldwin piped up. 'How many potential recruits have you?'

'Other than ourselves, we are six.' Hugh pulled out a list from a pouch on his belt. 'Hugues I, Payen de Montdidier, Archambaud de St. Amand, André de Montbard, Geoffrey Bison, and Rossal, and Gondamer.'

'Impressive gentlemen' Warmond nodded, as murmurs of approval rippled along the table. Most of the men Hugh had picked came from high nobility; Payen de Montdidier was related to the Counts of Flanders, and André de Montbard was from the extremely well-connected Montbard family of Hochadel of Burgundy.

Baldwin knocked the table with his fist.

'A show of hands. All those in favour of making The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ an official military order?'

A forest of hands shot up.

________________________________________________________________ 

Hugh,

Your enquiry in your previous letter has caused me considerable amusement. The answer is before you.

André de Montbard has a nephew in the Cistercian order, Bernard, who is abbot of Clairvaux Abbey, southeast of Bar-sur-Aube, in the Val d'Absinthe glen.

His work within the order is unlike any other. I feel you and he will see eye to eye on a great many things.

Go seek him out and petition him for your order's Rule.

Martin

________________________________________________________________ 

Bernard of Clairvaux was ecstatic to be chosen to provide The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Jerusalem with a set of rules for their organisation, and set up a papal meeting immediately.

The council was over thirty people strong; a healthy combination of French clerics, Cistercian abbots, and a papal legate who had been sent to represent Callixtus II as he was too busy to make it himself.

Hugh and Bernard had spent a gruelling three days prior hammering out the finer details of the rules, so all that was really left for the council to do was hear them, amend anything that particularly bothered them, and approve the list.

From shortly after Prime until just before Vespers, the council queried, quarrelled, questioned and critised until finally Bernard stood up, smiling, a parchment scroll held gently in one hand.

'So it is decided on this day, in this house of God, before all the saints and angels in Heaven, that the good men who have beseeched our aid in the matter placed in our hands are to be welcomed into the loving embrace of his Holiness, the Pope, and of the Church.'

'Once more, before the Grandmaster affirms this work with the order's official seal, I will read aloud the list so that we may assured of its contents a final time.'

Bernard cleared his throat.

'Here begin the chapters for the Rule of the Knights of Christ. How they may hear divine office. How many Lord's Prayes they should say if they are unable to hear the divine office.'

Bernard worked his way slowly and methodically through the list, enunciating clearly as he went.

'On shunning whispering. They may not gaze at the face of a woman. And finally, that one may no longer become a godfather.'

Bernard signed the bottom of the scroll, affixing his seal next to the papal legate's. Each council member pressed theirs onto the parchment as well; finally Hugh, beaming proudly, signed and sealed it too.

Author’s Notes

Paixão - passion

Coração - heart

The design on the Knights Templar seal changed between different grand masters. The two knight seal was used by Grand Master Bertrand de Blanchefort, circa 1158. It possibly depicts Templar founders Hugues de Payens and Godfrey de Saint-Omer.

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici), also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, the Knights Templar, or simply the Templars, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the wealthiest and most popular military orders in Western Christianity. They were founded circa 1119, headquartered on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and existed for nearly two centuries during the Middle Ages. (Wikipedia)

The Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099 and the Dome of the Rock was given to the Augustinians, who turned it into a church, while the nearby Al-Aqsa main prayer hall or Qibli Mosque first became a royal palace for a while, and then for much of the 12th century the headquarters of the Knights Templar. (Wikipedia)

Prime - morning prayers at 6am

Vespers - evening prayers

Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. (Latin: Bernardus Claraevallensis; 1090 – 20 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templar, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order through the nascent Cistercian Order.

He was sent to found Clairvaux Abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val d'Absinthe, about 15 kilometres (9 miles) southeast of Bar-sur-Aube. In the year 1128, Bernard attended the Council of Troyes, at which he traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templar, which soon became an ideal of Christian nobility. (Wikipedia)

I found the Original Rule of the Knights Templar here

The Council of Noyes, where the Rule of the Knights Templar was finalised, was actually several years after its founding. I decided to speed things up a little.

[mistyeyesofthemountainpeaks]

Truth be told, I didn’t expect this to have been real. What is “this” you ask? Let me rewind about a week ago. There had been a rather recent uproar of so called ‘dragon sightings’. Several hikers in the area had claimed to have seen tracks, and nesting sites. I honestly didn’t think anything of it, just people getting excited over what was likely a large lizard or some poorly tended campfire. My skepticism only increased when I had received a summons to the ‘grand council of dragons’ to be held a week from the reception of the delivery of the letter, atop ‘the stormcrow spire’. It wasn’t until an actual dragon the size of a sedan landed on my roof while I was doing laundry that I realized this was serious.

“We are almost there.” Rumbled the creature, Cormaranth, if I recall. The council had been called by one named ‘Fastyris’. Apparently a much larger female, who my companion had described as an archdragon of the sun and moon. While I have no idea what that meant, I didn’t feel like arguing with a flying fire breather.

“And what exactly is a stormcrow?” I asked over the howling wind, noticing a peak that, according to maps, didn’t exist.

“Look there, between the southern sky and the peak, at the clouds.” Cormoranth replied, tilting his head to indicate the direction I should look.

There I saw it, what at first I had indeed taken for little more than stormclouds flew a massive crow. It appeared to be made of the cloud itself, as if the storm itself was alive, as it looked in our direction with an electric gaze, the sky above us darkened, and the crow vanished with a clap of thunder.

Looking up, a dragon many times the size of Cormaranth flew above us, it’s underbelly the color of aged ivory, the membrane of its wings fading from that to a deep, midnight black. At its chest, there was a dark purple breastplate, though if it was indeed a breastplate or a natural armor that the creature had grown, I could not tell, instinctively, I knew this to be the one who had called this council, the archdragon of the sun and moon, Fastyris.

Cormaranth circled the spire, a peak that had a large cavern inside, and waited for Fastyris to land, before entering the council room himself, dropping me at the center before leaving, all around, perched and sprawled, were five enormous dragons. Fastyris herself, sitting much like one would see a hawk or falcon, upon a large pillar of what appeared to be black onyx, her presence in the room demanding respect and even reverence, looked down upon me, her gaze not of one who saw herself above the bounds of mortality, but of one who had seen the rise and fall of the aeons. I found myself bowing, and I heard a deep, melodic rumble, before a voice that seemed to emanate from the very stone itself spoke.

“There is no need for such formality, son of Adam. You have been summoned, sit, and hearken. For you are hear to learn, and to take part in the coming ages.” As she spoke, she shifted her tail, revealing a table and chair, made from the same black stone as the pillar upon which she held herself, I obeyed, finding myself to be far more comfortable than one would expect from a stone chair.

Just as I had gotten comfortable, a voice older than time itself spoke, and a green dragon, with horns that looks as though they were made of wood, gnarled and twisted, raised its head

“The council is gathered, the human chosen, Fastyris, what is your purpose?”

You are surprised when you suddenly get a letter inviting you, a plain human, to take a seat on the grand council of dragons

[casspurrjoybell-28]

Alpha's Temptation - Chapter 39 - Part 3

*Warning Adult Content*

When I wake up my knees and shoulders are throbbing.

I'm kneeling against hard, cement ground and feel the sensation of cold metal around both of my wrists.

I blink a few times, my eyes adjusting to the dim light of my surroundings.

"Finally awake, dear brother?" Theo's snobby voice infiltrates my eardrums.

I try to yank my arms free only to realize they're chained to the wall.

I growl as I realize what's happened.

We're in some type of bunker-like room with no windows and only a dim, flickering light on the ceiling. We must be underground.

Probably connected to one of the catacomb passageways.

Theo stands before me with about fifteen Alphas behind him, all of them with the same, glazed over look in their eyes.

They're drugged up.

They look abnormal.

I recognize a few of them, absolutely deformed by steroids.

They're not the men they once were.

My brother ruined them.

All for this sick plan of his, whatever it is.

"Why am I here?" I ask lowly.

"You snooped and got caught, don't act surprised."

Shit. So he found out what Tristan and I were up to.

"You don't have anything to say for yourself?" Theo prods.

Theo steps aside to reveal my friend and the sight of him fills me with relief.

Until I realize he's avoiding eye contact with me.

Wait... he should be in chains like I am, if he got caught too.

"You're on your own now Daemon. And you alone will pay for your crimes," Theo's words seal the betrayal and I can't believe it.

I'm not even phased by Theo doing this.

He's always has it out for me.

But Tristan?

The man I have never once doubted my trust in?

This is unbelievable.

I send him an icy glare but bite my tongue.

Theo is the biggest problem at the moment.

"My crimes? Look what you've done to these men. They're not even human anymore," I say.

"Who cares what they are? They depend on me and do what I say," he shrugs.

"Only because you have them drugged and addicted."

"And so what? It turns out when you take advantage of things like drugs it reaps you a lot of rewards," he adds, grinning cruelly at me.

And then it clicks into place.

What the reward he's gotten is.

The role of Head Alpha.

Wolfsbane...

He said something about growing it.

A werewolf sedative.

The realization comes crashing down on me all at once, along with anger. Hot, boiling anger.

"It was you. You're the one who did this to Lucien. You poisoned him," I growl in distaste.

He starts clapping his hands like the madman he is.

Does he think he's some type of mastermind villain?

God, he's so pathetic.

"Congratulations on figuring that out, you dunce. But what are you going to do? Tell the council? I don't think you want to try that."

"What does that mean?" I glare at him.

"Because then I'd tell them about your little mate. You know, the Omega from the enemy pack that Lucien has been secretly keeping."

My blood runs cold.

Because by council ordinances, the punishment for an enemy infiltrating the pack is execution.

Theo laughs at the look on my face.

"Not so tough now, are you?"

"Fuck. You," I growl, trying not to lose it at him calling my mate a runt.

"Curse at me all you want. It's not going to get you anywhere. I'm in charge here. I have the power to do whatever I want with your mate."

My eyes widen, my heart seizing in alarm.

"No. Don't bring him into this. I will take the blame for everything," I quickly try to change the course of the conversation back to me instead of my mate.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes. Just don't touch him. Don't touch him. Please," I beg, a desperate tone coming to my voice.

Not Ash.

Anything but that.

"Don't try to act like you're some valiant hero saving your mate. You're rogue scum. Remember that."

I bite back any retaliation.

Let him say what he wants.

What I can't afford is making this situation worse and putting my mate at risk.

"Alright. Here's how this will go. You're going to summon your mate. Sever any bond with him. Make him hurt. And then this guy here," he taps Tristan on the shoulder. "Is gonna take you out to the pack boundary and shoot you through the skull. How's that for an end to your undeserved life?"

I've only felt fear like this twice in my life.

The first was the night of my mother's murder.

The second was when I got the call that Ash had gone missing after the football game.

And the third time is now.

Cold, harrowing fear that spreads throughout my body because no matter how strong or capable I am, I cannot beat my brother in this moment.

Every single odd is against me.

I used to want to die.

I thought about ending it all a couple of times.

But not anymore.

Not after finding the light of my life, my beautiful, loving mate that's become my entire world.

I can't die.

I can't leave him alone in this cruel place.

I can't lose his warm touches and pretty smiles and the way he makes me feel more alive than I've ever been in all my twenty two years of life.

I can't.

I need to make Theo see reason.

"Look, I get you're mad that I snooped and shit... But why all this, Theo? We're brothers."

"Shut your trap. We're not brothers," he spits. "And you're asking why? You know why. My mother died and it was your fault. You ruined our family. You deserve this."

"I know I messed our family up. I know. But I have repented for years. Do you really think Rose would have wanted this?"

"Don't say her name. You don't deserve to," he shouts.

"Theo..."

"We had everything. Everything." 

Theo grabs at the air, as if trying to catch something that isn't there.

"I had such a bright future. Then you come along. I lose my mother and the father I once knew and suddenly I have nothing. You don't like the drugs? They were the only thing that kept me sane."

He pulls down his shirt, showing me his wrists littered with self-inflicted scars and needle marks.

"This is the future you replaced that bright one with."

"I tried to help you."

"Don't you get it? None of it matters now. She's gone. And soon you will be too."

"Can you... can you at least think this through? Do you realize what you're doing?"

He whips around, face red with anger.

"NO. WHY DO YOU GET TO BE HAPPY? WHY, WHEN YOU MADE US SUFFER SO MUCH! WHY DO YOU GET TO FALL IN LOVE AND HAVE A MATE AFTER YOU TOOK MY FATHER'S AWAY?"

Tears have built up in his eyes but I don't feel sympathy for him.

I suffered too.

But did I become like this, ruining others lives because I hate my own?

Did Ash? Did Lucien? No.

I grit my teeth, not wanting to further his hysteria.

Theo recovers from his outburst, adjusting his glasses with a cough.

"Well, if you don't like that plan, how about a new one? There are many ways I can make you suffer. Like... Oh. Why don't I bring your Omega here? And you can watch, bound by silver chains impossible to break, as every Alpha in here takes turns raping him. I'll even get Henry out of his cell and let him have his long awaited fuck."

That's when I lose it.

I wrench violently against the chains, my eyes going red.

"I'LL KILL YOU. I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU," I roar, feeling my wolf simmering to the surface.

How dare he?

How fucking dare he?

NO ONE TOUCHES MY MATE.

"He's shifting."

"Quick, boys. The tranquilizer," I hear Theo say through my blurry, rage-filled haze.

I feel a prick in my neck and start feeling drowsy.

But that doesn't stop me from jerking against the chains again, having the prominent urge to kill every single person in here for threatening my mate.

"Another, like last time. He's too damn big."

I feel a second prick in my back and unwillingly succumbing to the darkness.

[colettebronte]

Lord Bridgerton's List Day 11 - Roleplay 3: The Queen and the General: Pampering

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Lord Bridgerton's List: A Series for Kinktober Masterlist

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Pairing: Modern!Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader

Summary: Your 11th evening with your client. Day 11 for Kinktober. The prompt is Pampering

Word Count: 1.6k

Warnings: 18+ Contains roleplaying, pampering via a bubble bath, and a hand job. Minors DNI. I will eventually get this up on AO3 so please do not repost my work elsewhere.

Tonight finds you in your luxurious bathing chamber, sitting on the edge of the large stone tub, waiting for your war prize to return from his busy day of council meetings. In the short time that he has sworn his allegiance to you, he has proven himself, quickly gaining the respect of your generals and all the soldiers at your command. Even tonight, he had been hard at work, negotiating his former queen’s terms of surrender.

What he wasn’t doing however, was allowing himself to rest. He slept in your chambers every night but that was all he did. In the morning, he would rise earlier than you and then at night, he would return just as you had extinguished all your lamps. At first you thought he was doing it on purpose to avoid laying with you, but you quickly realized, the man worked non-stop, barely taking a break to eat. He returned to you exhausted each night. 

You could no longer allow the behavior to stand. So you used your power as ruler and had him summoned from his meeting to attend you.

You hear the door creak open followed by  the sound of his bare feet padding into the main area of your bedchamber. He calls out a curious, “My, Queen?”

 You dip your hand into the water and answer him, “I’m in here, My Prize. Please join me.”

You hear him huff out a laugh as he enters. “You’re back to you calling me that now?”

You smile as he comes into view. “For the moment, but let’s see how the night goes.”

He shakes his head, amused as he comes to stand before you. Tonight he’s dressed in the formal robe all your advisors wear, bright blue and gold with your royal crest embroidered on the back. You reach out to the  fabric at his waist that keeps it closed, tugging his body nearer to you. He stares down at you from under a curtain of dark brown locks. 

“What is it you need, My Queen?”

You undo the ties and stand, letting the robe fall open, admiring him in the candlelight. “What I need My Prize is for you to take a break and relax,” You pause to gesture to the tub, which is filled with various-colored rose petals, their scent thick in the air, “Which you shall do tonight.” Pausing again, you stand and press your gold chainmail-covered frame against his chest, “And with me,” you finish, tracing his cheek with a gold-painted fingernail.

He leans into your touch for a moment, before pulling back, with a heavy sigh. “My Queen, there is still so much to do, I must,” he pauses at the  dark look you give him.

You push the robe off his shoulders, watching it slide onto the floor, revealing his loincloth. You gently run your fingers through the dusky hair on his chest. “You are but one of my many advisors, My Prize,” he opens his mouth to protest but you place a finger to his mouth and continue, “And as your queen, I command you to let the others do the work tonight and spend the rest of the evening here with me.” 

With your finger still pressed to his lips, he surveys the room. You watch as he takes in the flower strewn tub, a basket holding small pots and bottles filled with brightly colored lotions and serums, a platter with chilled fruits and a carafe of wine. As you slide your finger over to caress his cheek, he closes his eyes and sighs, “Very well, My Queen.”

You clap your hands together with glee and then let your own robe drop to the floor. You turn around and without prompting, he undoes the clasp on the back of your dress. Gold chainmail slithers to the floor and naked, you step into the tub.

Settling back against the polished stones, you watch as he undoes his loincloth and joins you in the warm, floral scented water, sliding in to sit beside you. As you lean your head on his shoulder, you feel how tense he is. You run a hand through the soapy water, plucking out an orange bloom to run through your fingers. “Relax, My Prize. This is no punishment. I told you that first night that you would be pampered,” You pause to slide into his lap, slipping your arms around his neck, leaning in close. “And that is what I intend to do.”

He inhales sharply as you press your bare body into his, reaching behind him to pull out a small ceramic jar from the basket. You sit back slightly to open it under his nose. He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply the scent of green tea.

You dip a finger into the pot and start applying it to his face. He allows it as you explain, “This is a face mask. You will wear this until it hardens.” He opens his eyes to watch as you apply it carefully first to his forehead and then down the bridge of his nose, then his cheeks and lastly his chin. You hand the pot to him and without asking, he applies it to your face in the same manner you did to him.

With a sigh, you slide off his lap to rest your head back against the tub, raising your face to allow the mask to dry. You feel his eyes on you for a few moments, before you sense him rest his head back as well.

You enjoy the peaceful quiet that settles around you, water gently sloshing in the tub the only sound. Soon enough though, you feel the mask harden and you open your eyes. 

His head is resting back against the stone, breaths coming deep and even. You realize he’s fallen asleep.

You dip your face into the water and scrub the mask off. You then take a plush cloth from the basket and after dipping it in the warm water, gently scrub the mask from his face.

You’re nearly done when he sighs and slowly blinks his eyes open. “Apologies, My Queen,” he says around a yawn.

You put the cloth down and give him a gentle smile. “It’s all right, My Prize,” you say softly. Turning to the platter of fruit, you select a bunch of  chilled grapes. You give him a meaningful look and with an amused smile, he opens his mouth, allowing you to pop a few in. He chews, thoughtful as you pour yourself a glass of wine from the carafe and sip.

He swallows and then gently pulls you back onto his lap, mindful of your filled goblet. You hold the vessel up to his lips and he takes a deep drink. Placing the goblet down, you caress his cock under the water and his nostrils flare, fully awake now. “My Queen,” he groans but you shush him.

“This is all part of the pampering, My Prize. Let me take care of you.”

He nods, as you take a hold of him properly, under the water. Your hands glide easily over his cock in the warm, soapy water and it’s not long before you have a good rhythm going. He squeezes his eyes shut, breaths coming heavy as he presses the back of his head against the edge of the tub, trying not to slide down.

You increase the speed of your strokes, enjoying the breathy moans your skillful fingers wring from him. All too soon, he’s spilling into the water with a shout. You reach up to scratch gently at his scalp as he turns to you with a tired, grateful smile.

Eventually, his breathing evens out and you climb back onto his lap. Putting your arms around his neck, you rest your head on his shoulder, feeling your own eyes grow heavy.

You hear him chuckle, “Perhaps My Queen, we ought to get out before we both turn into prunes.”

You nod into the side of his neck and then gasp as he stands, with you still wrapped around his waist by your legs. You feel him step out of the tub and you release his waist, sliding down his body to place your feet down on a plush fur carpet outside the tub. You turn to take up a large, fluffy towel. He watches, eyes lidded as you dry yourself. Slipping on your robe, you take a second towel and take your time drying him off.

Starting at the tip of his toes, you work your way up his powerful legs and then his midsection, continuing to his chest and arms, then his face, before finishing with a gentle fluffing of his chestnut locks.

He moves to reach for his robe, but you still his hand, twining his fingers with your own to pull him naked, first into the bedchamber and then onto your lush, canopied bed. Finally, you help him to slide between the silken sheets, fluffing the pillows behind his head. He yawns and closes his eyes as you settle yourself beside him under the covers. You press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, and murmur a quiet, “Goodnight, my Antonius.”

Eyes still closed, he smiles softly. Voice thick with sleep, he says, “Goodnight, My Queen.”

******************************************************

Much later that evening, after having left Lord Bridgerton asleep in the master bedroom and you’re halfway home, you realize that whether he’ll remember it or not, you’ve broken one of your personal rules.

You’ve kissed him. 

And what’s more, you don’t think you’re upset about it.

Next Chapter

Writer's Commentary

[nevertheless-moving]

Star Wars AU #20: MacenJar AU Part 2

Tumblr tag, Part One

Anakin, as per usual, was vibrating with eagerness to see Padme, intensity proportionate to proximity.

And now he was back on the same planet as her.

This time he had an additional reason to meet face-to-face, one he was incredibly proud of himself for not spilling over potentially unsecured holochannels. Instead of making an excuse to drop by her office immediately, he launched into the careful plan that he had been working on since that game-changing hovervan ride with Master Windu.

Much to Captain Rex’s surprise and Obi-Wan’s suspicion, he accompanied the Open Circle’s leadership team to a long and tedious debriefing at the senatorial subcommittee chambers. As expected, at the end of the debriefing an aide appeared to request he meet with the Supreme Chancellor at his earliest convenience (which was half the reason he avoided publicly stepping foot in the Senate building—he loved Palpatine like a grandfather of course, but EVERY TIME he had to stop and have tea with the man, and sometimes he just wanted to go to Padme’s and sleep). It was already dusk when he cordially accepted the immediate summons, waving away Obi-Wan’s frown and promising he would find his own ride back to the temple.

After guiltily dodging Palpatine’s questions about his eagerness to leave (He had to be discrete. Windu was testing him. He had to be discrete.), he honestly confessed his excitement at seeing Padme again. Chuckling, the Chancellor urged him to go to her, offering to lend him a private speeder, but Anakin declined. He finally managed to exit the building via the express magnatran towards Padme’s apartment, subtly using the force to steer attention away from himself.

When he arrived, heart pounding in anticipation, he again restrained himself, stopping first at the bakery to pick up several cups of caf and a box of pastries, entering the elevator looking obviously as though he was planning on attending a large, public gathering, not a clandestine rendezvous. He even got off on the parking level, nodding to the other individuals and hid in the shadows briefly before reentering a separate empty elevator.

He reached the door to Padme’s apartment several hours after landing on world, finally letting himself in.

“Anakin!” Padme rushed over in delight the moment the door shut, and Anakin hastily half threw, half dropped his burden on a side table so he could sweep her up in his arms, embracing her passionately.

“Where were you?” she asked after catching her breath. “I was expecting you to come home hours ago.” She eyed the pastry box with some bemusement. “When I suggested you use the bakery as a cover story, I didn’t mean for you to do so on every visit.”

Anakin grinned. “Trust me it’s worth it, I’m going to have to be a little more discreet right now, visit the bakery more often, but Padme—I’ve got news that could change everything.”

“Bakery related news?” she asked doubtfully.

Anakin’s smile lit up the room. “Angel—I ran into another Jedi in the elevator when I was leaving last time.”

Padme’s eyes widened. “At 3 AM?!” she pulled away, biting her lip. “Darling, are you sure—”

“Yes!” Anakin quickly reassured her. “I wasn’t at first, but Jar-Jar confirmed it when we ran into him—”

“Oh!” the Senator clapped her hands together in delight. “Good for him, he hasn’t been with anyone in ages—” she gasped. “Or has he? Who is it? It must be someone high up if you think their relationship could change everything...”

Anakin sat on the couch, sipping caf and admiring his wife’s brilliant mind.

“It’s a council member right?” she asked as she paced back in forth; he bit his tongue as she puzzled it out. “Someone who you think could institute the kind-of change in the Order that you’ve hoped for—it can’t be Obi-Wan, you would be far more giddy–Master Fisto? Not Plo Koom?!”

He shook his head, grinning widely.

“So it is a Council Member, higher ranked then Master Fisto, the only Jedi that I recall him spending much time with besides you is—” she gasped again.

“No!”

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

She stared vacantly into space for a minute. Anakin felt his smile slowly fading.

“Angel?”

“I’m sorry my dear I just—” she sighed, collapsing onto the sofa and staring hard at the furthest wall of her apartment. “I’m afraid I’m rather disappointed with myself but, oh, you think you’re so progressive and then something comes along and reveals your inner speciest biases—not that that’s an excuse—”

“It’s alright, my love,” Anakin offered softly. “I know that Nabooian culture isn’t... the kindest towards Gungans. You should be proud of how much you’ve worked past your internalized biases to amplify—”

“Still!”

Anakin chuckled. “If it helps, I was also surprised.”

Padme chewed that thought over. “Master Windu’s just so...serious,”

“I guess he must have a lighter side,” Anakin said in wonder. “In hindsight—I’m pretty sure some of the times over the years that I assumed he had to be mocking me, he was actually joking.”

“Of course he wasn’t mocking you, honestly Anakin, I know you’ve had your disagreements with the Jedi but they’ve never spoken anything but highly of you, you have to know that,” Padme responded, indignant.

“Hey, I thought we were talking about your internalized speciesm, not my issues with authority,” he shot back lightly.

Padme swatted at him. “We can do both, I’m an excellent multi-tasker, you know that.”

He caught her hand, kissing her knuckles. “Indeed you are, my lady. Indeed you are.”

She laughed, high and bright and the two came to the mutual decision that any further conversations about Jar-Jar and Windu would very well have to wait. 

- - -

It was nearly midnight when Anakin finally told her the whole thrilling tale: the terrifying elevator ride, the agonizing wait in line, the stunning reveal, and the final conversation with Windu.

“Do you really think that...it’ll make a difference? For us?” she whispered, chin propped up on his chest.

“I do.” He stroked his fingers gently through her hair, smiling softly but earnestly. “I told you—the Jedi definition of attachment hasn’t always been as cruel as it is now, and if Master Windu is on my side—”

“None of the Jedi are against you,” she scolded lightly. “Not understanding is different from being your enemy.”

“I know, I know, but if Windu shares my viewpoint, then this could mean—this could mean a return to the pre-Russo ideals! To the old version of the code, it would mean—the rest of the Jedi would think it would be heresy for me to bring it up but if the Master of the Order does it...” he trailed off gleefully.

“Maybe more people agree with you than you know. Afterall, if you never discuss it...”

He stared at her, dumbstruck. “That’s—what did I do to find someone so smart as you?”

She flushed, hands tracing abstract patterns on his chest. “You’re the one who did all that research, just to find a way for us to be together.”

“I would spend 1000 nights in the archive for you, my angel.”

They decided once again to delay further conversation on Mace Windu and Jar Jar.

- - -

It was nearly dawn when they finally sat down and discussed a master plan.

Padme had a meeting scheduled with representative Binks later that day—it would require some shifting around of her schedule, but it would be entirely possible for her to spend more time with him.

Anakin gave her a bewildered look, wrinkling his brow. "You don't already spend time together socially?"

Padme opened her mouth, looked at his earnest confusion, closed her mouth, then finally opened it again to answer, "I've just been...so busy."

His expression cleared and softened. "I'm glad you're working to find time in your schedule now."

“I would spend 1000 nights with Jar-Jar for you, my love,” she said.

“What?”

“Nothing—let’s just—I love the way you love, have I ever told you that?”

- - -

It was past dawn by the time Anakin hastily rushed out of Padme’s apartment for the Bellasun bakery. He sat for over an hour, nervous that he had missed his opportunity, but the force whispered wait and so he did.

He perked up immensely at the sight of Master Windu hah never thought I’d be so happy to see him wow wait I gotta play it casual—He deliberately sat back down in his seat, attempting to play off the motion as a stretch

Windu’s face gained a pinched expression at the sight of him. Anakin fidgeted as the Master of the Order waited in line, made his order, then slowly made his way to the very table Anakin Skywalker sat at. This it it, this is what it all depends on—if I can just get him to offer me a ride than it can become a pattern of behavior—once I gain his confidence I can bring up my plans for reforming the order in exchange for wedding planning—no wait, Padme said to hold off on that until phase fifteen, don’t mention wedding planning yet, don’t mention double dates, just secure joint transportation—

Anakin shot him what he hoped was a charming grin. Or is this the one that Padme said me look constipated—wait he’s saying something, focus, FOCUS—

Windu sighed. “This is going to become habit, isn’t it?”

Anakin beamed.

continued here

[florainkingdom]

"I suppose royal meetings aren't for everyone. I should know, I dislike them as well." A rather large fennec spoke as he entered the room dressing in a purple robe. "However, this will just be between me and my children. Though I could certainly use the company next time. Liven the meeting a bit," he said, letting out a small laugh. "I'm King Renard, though since you aren't citizens, Renard is fine."

"Father, you didn't have to come all the way here just for that." Kit was certainly thrown off guard that her father entered the room, though didn't show it.

"Yes, well, father was extremely insistent on meeting your guests as well. With that said, I have something for them." Vix tapped her staff on the ground, summoning two items that look like watches as they floated over to Sonic and Amy. "These will pull up a digital map and plan a route to wherever you wish in our boarders. I will also admit they do have trackers in them. We're well aware you two are heroes in your world, however I must ask you don't attempt to perform any heroics while you're here."

"Geez, royals wanting to keep tabs on someone with 'gifts' they give them? What a shocker," Poppy bluntly said, this time seeming to want her opinion to be let known. This caused Kit, Vix, and Friedrich all to look at Renard.

Renard simply began laughing loudly. "I couldn't agree more, though my council wouldn't stop nagging my ear off about it. Bunch of spoil sports they are. Why, back in my younger days I went all over Flora, beating the stuffing out of any bandit or wannabe gang who thought they were hot stuff. And not just me, though other royals as well. A fun time I'll tell you."

"Yes, well, with all due respect, the kingdoms were changing a lot back in your younger days sire. We are at a time of peace, and perhaps heroes from another world running around fighting criminals isn't a good idea. No offense to either of you two."

"Bah. I say let these two do what they do best. After all, I'm sure you aren't heroes for nothing." Renard certainly seemed to be an odd individual. "Though I suppose I should focus on the meeting. It was nice meeting you all. Especially you Poppy. Now, we take our leave." The fennec clapped and him, Vix, and Kit disappeared in a flash.

"...Am I the only one who thought that went all over the place for a second there?" Poppy asked, seeming a bit lost with just how all that played out. Seemed a bit rushed to her. "Also, did I ever mention my name to him?"

"Yes, that's something that happens when King Renard shows up. He simply states what he wants and leaves without giving any much time to answer. I'd say you'd get used to it, though you really don't."

"it's not a bad idea." amy was only being honest. the more precautions they took against eggman the better. the human could be crafty if he got bored enough and she didn't want to see their new friend's home in shambles if the scientist got any funny ideas.

as far as talking about themselves went, however, one of the hedgehogs was far better at that than the other. amy could have, and would have, done so for hours while sonic had little to offer. apart from what kit likely already knew, he didn't like talking about his past all that much.

but it seemed it didn't matter as the queen was reminded of the things she still had to do. and hearing that she had worked so long without resting...both hedgehogs gave a silent 'yikes' at that one.

as for the next part, amy smiled.

"i think it would be fun, as long as it's not going to be too stressful. i've always wondered what royal meetings were like, especially when it comes to introducing something so important."

❝ speak for yourself, the last thing i wanna do is listen to a bunch of royal mumbo jumbo. uh...no offense, ❞ the speedster at least offered kit an apologetic expression. ❝ maybe we take a rain check this time and catch the next one? or maybe just lily and ames can go. though we should try to head home soon. there's no telling what craziness has happened since we've been gone. ❞

[absolutepokemontrash]

MC’s Half Demon and They Look Awfully Familiar Lessons 18-20

Series Masterlist

T-the season finale… *sniffle* it’s been a wild ride y’all… I’ve never actually written and stuck through with something for so long, so this is a real achievement for me! I really hope you guys have enjoyed this completely weird fluffy/angsty/mildly crackhead adventure! Please enjoy the last part!

All is well, the family is back together, everyone’s fine, the school year is almost over-

Wait, the school year is almost over?

Upon realizing that, everyone settled into a state of mild panic.

MC couldn’t just leave, they were part of the family! An integral part! They were the only thing keeping everyone from murdering each other during family game night!

As for Lucifer’s personal feelings on the matter, things were… tough.

When the exchange program was announced, Lucifer expected it to end like most of Diavolo’s ideas: annoying to clean up, it certainly couldn’t have ended worse than when he and the Crown Prince ended up getting cursed to hold hands for 25 hours straight. What Lucifer didn’t expect was for a child he didn’t even know he had to end up as the human exchange student and for his entire life to be thrown out of whack. That child of his was busy finishing up their final paper of the year.

“Hey, father,” MC looked up from their paper with a cheeky smile. “Do you think that the next exchange student will be as fun as me?”

“I sincerely hope not.” Lucifer sighed, continuing to sift through his paperwork on his desk. “Your kind of ‘excitement’ has completely worn me out.”

“Aw,” MC giggled, then went back to work. “So you don’t want me to stay here then?”

Lucifer stiffened and looked up from his paperwork. “Don’t put words in my mouth, MC.”

“So you do want me to stay. Interesting~” MC said as they began to sweep the eraser shavings off their paper. “Well, if you want me to stay so badly, you could have just asked.”

“P-pardon?” Lucifer blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. “You want to stay?”

“Since you’d be so sad without me, I guess I just have to don’t I?” MC stood suddenly and slapped their finished essay on Lucifer’s desk. “The sacrifices I make for this family, I swear!”

We stand with you, MC, sacrifice your sanity for your weird-ass familia.

Anyway, Lucifer was thrilled that MC wanted to stay with him in the Devildom, the problem was… MC’s other parent may not have been too keen to just give up their baby.

You know, the demon child they raised all by themselves, with no help from Lucifer because he didn’t know MC existed…

Someone get MC’s ren on the phone! Stat!

“Alright dear little brothers of mine, listen closely because I’m not repeating this.” Lucifer looked over the living room couches at the other six rulers of hell. Belphie was sprawled out on one of the couches and was drooling all over Beel’s lap, Satan was making a point to look as disinterested as possible and kept sneaking glances at the book he was holding, and Mammon was wrestling Levi dangerously close to where Asmo was filing his nails.

Sighing in defeat, Lucifer continued. If any of his brothers misbehaved he couldn’t say he didn’t warn them. “MC‘s parent will be coming to visit.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to Lucifer. Wonderful.

“They’ll be staying for a few days and will decide if it’s in MC’s best interest to primarily stay in the Devildom from now on.”

Asmodeus slowly raised a hand. “Luciiiiiiferrrr!”

“Asmo, is your question overly personal in nature?”

The Avatar of lust brought a manicured nail to his cheek and daintily tapped it. “Mmm… I don’t think so.”

“Ask.”

“How long were you and MC’s parent dating for? Won’t it be awkward to be around your ex?”

Lucifer dragged a gloved hand down his face. “It was a one night thing.”

“Really?” Asmo knitted his eyebrows in confusion. “It wasn’t a long drawn out forbidden romance? You must have had some Olympic swimmers down there!”

“Okay!” Lucifer clapped his hands. “Add that to the list of things Asmo is not allowed to say.”

“We have to take something off the list then…” Beel said through handfuls of chips. “The list’s full.”

“Fine,” Lucifer grumbled. “He can say [CENSORED] again.”

“Yippee! [CENSORED] [CENSORED] [CENSORED]”

The group collectively groaned as Asmo continued to spout his profane nonsense.

“What did I just walk in on..?” MC stood in the doorway to the living room, still in their PJs.

“Oh, MC, your parent’s coming over to stay for a few days.” Lucifer quickly explained.

MC’s face morphed from confusion to horror. “What does that have to do with [CENSORED]?!”

This house is a FUCKING NIGHTMARE-

Anyway, after the initial confusion/horror, MC got really excited and rushed off to get ready. Meanwhile, the boys solemnly swore that they would be on their best behaviour!

Everyone needed to convince MC’s parent that everything in the Devildom was perfectly safe and that their little hellspawn was in good responsible hands.

Mammon tried to come up with a plan in case MC wasn’t allowed to stay with them, and let’s just say it involved kidnapping. But like- a chill kind of kidnapping where MC would be totally fine.

This idea was immediately shot down in favour of Beel’s plan B.

Beel would just… eat MC’s parent. No biggie, right?

Lucifer shot that one down the moment he heard it.

The only accepted plan for if MC wasn’t allowed to stay was just letting them go. They’d visit the Devildom. A lot. Many visits would be necessary.

So, the hour of MC’s ren’s arrival had come, and the student council assembled to greet them.

Greet the human. The completely non magical human. Greet them and then let them see the Devildom…

Was this exchange program really that good of an idea..?

MC frantically attempted to do some last minute fixes to their hair as they sat themselves down in their seat in the Assembly Hall. Ugh… stupid hair…

“Why are you so nervous?” Satan asked. “Is our visitor a neat freak basket case?”

“No!” MC huffed. “They’re not! I’m just making myself presentable so they don’t think I’ve gone completely feral down here.”

“Well, feral no, crazy, yes. Have you seen yourself lately?” Belphie snickered.

“SHUT UP BELPHIE.”

“Would you all be quiet?” Lucifer snapped. “You’re all acting like children.”

“I am a child.” MC snapped back. “What’s Belphie’s excuse?”

Belphie’s retort was cut off by the portal opening and a figure leisurely floating to the ground. They had an open parasol in their right hand that seemed to be aiding their gentle descent, and a large container full of what smelled like cookies tucked into their left side. The moment their toes touched the floor, the human gracefully closed their parasol and gave the assembled demons a sparkling smile and a polite bow.

“Thank you for allowing me the honour to visit,” the human’s voice was as soft and sweet as Cotton candy. “It’s a pleasure to officially meet the princes of hell themselves.”

:D yay!

After floating down from the sky like Mary Poppins, MC lost all sense of propriety and ran over to tackle their ren into a hug. It was that kind of thing where you really miss someone but you don’t realize exactly how much until you get to see them again.

Lucifer was, of course, the picture of elegance and “this isn’t awkward at all”-ness.

MC’s parent didn’t even seem to be all that concerned with the fact that their baby daddy was, y'know, LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR. THE MOST POMPOUS FUCKWAD IN THE DEVILDOM.

Please don’t tell him I said that, he’s still mad about the Go Fund Me…

MC was absolutely ecstatic to finally show their parent how much they’ve grown in terms of their demonic powers and all the friends they had made, but MC’s ren was more concerned with how much they had grown in terms of their height.

“You’re just so tall now,” MC’s ren giggled as they fixed their child’s hair. “You’ll get things off of shelves for me, won’t you?”

“Yeah yeah,” MC said, rolling their eyes good naturedly. “Like you can’t reach anything in your kitchen.”

“Okay,” Mammon, Satan, Levi, Belphie, and Beel were lagging behind Lucifer, MC, their parent, and Diavolo. “Change of plans, we ain’t eatin’ ‘em, we’re keepin’ ‘em.”

“We were never going to eat them in the first place, idiot.” Satan sneered. “And what’s with the change of tune? You were ready to wage war on the human world fifteen minutes ago.”

“…cookies happened.” Mammon mumbled. He had only gotten one of the human’s totally amazing offerings before Beel proceeded to eat everything. The cookie was perfect… so delicious…

“I say we keep the human.” Beel put a hand on his stomach. “I want more human world cookies.”

“They’re so cute too…” Asmo cooed. “A solid 10/10, and that’s such a rare ranking coming from the only 20/10 in existence!”

“Asmo, your vanity never ceases to make me want to roll over and-” Belphie’s insult was interrupted by him passing out and letting out a cartoonishly loud snore. It was a good thing Beel was able to quickly catch and throw Belphie over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

“Asmo has a point, they’re just so totally moe! Kawaii to the highest degree! That parasol, the homemade cookies, it’s just like something from a slice of life anime!” Levi squee-ed.

“So it’s settled, we treat ‘em nice, then we get ‘em to stay.” Mammon nodded to the rest of his brothers, who for the first time in the Demon King knows how long, his little brothers nodded back in full seriousness. They were actually doing a Mammon plan! Holy shit!

So, the brothers liked MC’s ren, what about Diavolo and Barbatos?

Well, MC’s ren had heard all about Barbatos’ amazing cooking from MC and Barb’s totally outstanding reputation, so the two got along swimmingly.

Dia. Loved. That. Human. They’re cute???? They’re sweet???? They brought COOKIES???! They don’t seem to be afraid of him at all????? Please be the exchange student next year :D

Oh yeah… he made a rule that said they couldn’t summon someone with kids… it would be cruel to rip a parent away from their child…

But apparently not a child away from their parent cough cough

Other than the uncle squad, MC’s ren got to meet the Purgatory Hall gang too!

MC was being just the most adorable tour guide, but that didn’t stop Lucifer from having a miniature heart attack any time a demon even looked at MC’s parent the wrong way. If MC’s ren got attacked or felt threatened in any way shape or form, he could say bye bye to his time with the one person in the HOL that didn’t live to make him pop a forehead vein. The human seemed outwardly unconcerned with any Devildom oddness and was amicably chatting with Diavolo while MC pulled them from place to place.

“And that’s Hell’s Kitchen, they have good sandwiches, and that’s Madame Scream’s, they have really good macarons.” MC helpfully pointed out the places as they passed them.

A much to familiar trio of voices called out from down the street. Father dammit, why were they here..?

“Hello Lucifer, what are you all up too?” Ugh… Simeon…

“From the sight of the rest of your brothers skulking about, it appears like they’re acting as bodyguards.” Solomon…

“MC? Who’s that?”

Oh good grief… that nasally little voice… the chihuahua was near… Now… Lucifer was a respectable demon… respectable demons don’t tease children in front of the parent of their child…

“Hello chihuahua.”

DAMN IT HE COULDN’T HELP HIMSELF!

“I’m not a chihuahua you demon!” Luke yapped.

MC’s parent daintily tilted their head and looked over at MC. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

“Right, Luke, this is my ren, ren, this is a chihuahua.” MC grinned cheekily as they gestured between the two. Lucifer suppressed a laugh which resulted in a very ugly snort. It was a good thing the sound was drowned out by Luke’s exclamations of betrayal.

The chorus of “how could you?!”s and “I thought you were over that awful nickname!”s was put to an abrupt halt when the visiting human elegantly offered a handshake to the fuming angel.

“MC spoke very highly of you,” they chirped. “It’s very nice to meet you, Luke.”

Luke blinked a few times, then quickly straightened his posture, adjusted his hat, then shook MC’s ren’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

“That’s Simeon.” MC jerked a thumb in Simeon’s direction. “And that’s Solomon.”

“Luke got a whole introduction and we get that? Come on MC, I thought we were friends.” Solomon fake pouted at MC after giving a polite nod to MC’s parent.

“We stopped being friends after one of the potions you had me test out turned me into a-” as quick as lighting, Mammon had shoved his hand into MC’s face.

“A-ah, MC’s rememberin’ stuff wrong, nothin’ potion related happened to ‘em. Right, Solomon???!”

Taking the hint from Mammon, Solomon smiled and nodded. “Nope, nothing related to turning MC into a frog for a few hours.”

“Hm, well I’m quite happy that absolutely nothing frog transformation related happened.” MC’s parent said.

“Yeah, must’ve hit their head on somethin- YEEEOW!” MC had bitten down on Mammon’s hand and slapped it away from them.

“I did not hit my head on anything!”

“Yeah,” Beel nodded. “Nothing’s hit them since the Fangol ball.”

“The what ball?” MC’s ren asked.

“The Fangol ball that hit MC a few months back and broke their glasses.” Five of the brothers slapped their hands to their foreheads.

“Oh my…”

“Eh,” MC patted their ren on the arm. “That’s nothing compared to the giant snake at the retreat.”

“Oh! Do you mind letting me tell that story, MC?”

Lucifer was frantically signalling for Diavolo to stop talking but the crown prince was already beginning his retelling of the events. Luke would chime in with an anecdote from an even worse misadventure the two had gone out on every once and a while. This… this wasn’t going well at all…

MC’s ren was… weirdly chill about the whole thing…

“Oh, it’s so nice that you’re having fun, sweetheart. That reminds me of when I was young and your aunt Clytemnestra and I would go out and have adventures.” “Really? You went on weird adventures too?” “…what kind of adventures could possibly compare to being chased by a giant snake in an underground labyrinth..?”

The side characters ended up needing to abscond for various reasons and all that was left was the brothers, MC, and MC’s parent.

They made it to the HOL without issue, which is when Lucifer remembered that he did not put all the cursed objects out of reach… shit.

“Asmo… Asmo!” “What is it?” “Take MC’s ren out of the house in half an hour, keep them occupied in the living room!” “What? Why?” “I need more time to human-proof the house! Distract them, but no funny business!” “Dear brother, for the first time in a very long time funny business is the second thing on my mind! Wait… no, it’s the third… what have I become..?”

Asmo and Satan, super graciously by the way, led MC and their ren to the living room to distract- I mean entertain them for a bit!

Lucifer and the rest of the gang got to work moving certain things around and closing certain doors- shit where was Cerberus?! Did Lucifer forget to walk him that morning?!

So much to dooooooo…

So maybe bringing a human into Majolish and letting them roam around unsupervised wasn’t the best idea Satan and Asmo had, but it sure as heck was an idea. MC looked through shelves of hairpins and bracelets while their ren disappeared around a corner to look at scarves.

“We’re doing such a great job babysitting!” Asmo clapped his hands. “If MC had just been a normal human I bet they’d last the entire year under our care.”

“Hm, you might be right.” Satan smiled and nodded. “Humans are surprisingly entertaining.”

“Yes… speaking of, where exactly is the human?”

The sudden sound of metal slamming against flesh and the delayed sound of something incredibly heavy hitting the floor jolted Asmo and Satan from their conversation.

“Honestly, some people have no fucking manners!”

It was such a different voice than what Satan and Asmo were used to that the only thing that tipped them off to it being MC’s ren was the fact that MC began to giggle. MC’s ren stepped back into view carrying a metal staff that quickly transformed back to their parasol.

Asmo and Satan rushed over to check if their defenceless little human guest was okay, only to find some lesser demon passed out on the floor with an incredibly nasty bump on the side of their head.

“I’ve heard that humans are apparently quite delicious to demons but I didn’t expect someone to actually try and eat me.”

“I-um…” Satan sputtered, looking from Asmo to MC’s parent. “We’re uh…”

“You alright, ren?” MC called from over by the bracelet shelves.

“Yes, I’m alright.” MC’s ren gave the fourth and fifth born a calming smile. “No harm done, well, except to that poor bastard. I do hope I haven’t killed him… that would be such a nasty thing for the poor sales associates to find.”

Okay so maybe the defenceless human wasn’t so defenceless. That was a good thing… right?

“So where exactly did you manage to get your hands on such a weapon..?” “Ah, I come from a family of witches. This was a college graduation present.”

…doit doit seems legit.

The four made it back home just in time, Lucifer and the others had finished human proofing the house.

Yay!

The house tour went by smoothly, everything was all well and good until Beel and Belphie asked MC’s ren to make more cookies.

Oh god dammit the human said they would.

“Oh Beel, you shouldn’t eat the cookie dough raw… the eggs and raw flour will make you sick!” “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. Besides, it’s best not to interrupt Beel while he’s eating.” “Yeah it might end like the custard incident.” “Custard… incident?” “MC and Mammon ate my custard and I ended up breaking the wall that connected to MC’s room.” “Hunger tantrums, am I right?”

After that it was Mammon and Levi’s turn to babysit. It went about as well as you’d think.

Levi explained some anime plot in an attempt to make it seem like the Devildom was totally safe and that MC and their ren could stay forever no problem, while Mammon desperately suppressed the urge to swipe the cool parasol.

Finally, it was time for the verdict. Would MC be allowed to stay in the Devildom..? Or would they go back to the human world..?

“Lucifer?”

The demon in question looked up from his paperwork and tried to nod in the most casual way possible. MC’d ren was standing in the doorway, Lucifer must have missed their knock. “Yes? Do you need something?”

MC’s ren smiled and nodded. “It’s about MC’s living situation going forward.”

Lucifer stiffened and got up from his desk. “Y-yes… what about it?”

“MC has expressed that they want to stay here full time with frequent visits to the human world.” The softness that their voice had earlier in the day was completely absent as the human stepped forward into the study and closed the door behind them. “I want to know what you think about that.”

“Well,” Lucifer cleared his throat and tried to shake off the stupid sense of nervousness that had wrapped itself around him. A weak little human’s decision should not make him so anxious! “I would like for MC to stay here as well, I think it would be best for them.”

The human raised an eyebrow and twirled their parasol in their hand. “Really now? In your year with them you truly believe you know what’s best for them?”

Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. I do.”

MC’s ren went quiet for a few seconds before replying. “I see.”

“And that means..?”

“I knew this day would come, but I didn’t think it’d be so soon.” MC’s ren sighed, and for the first time all day, they actually let their exhaustion show. “I raised MC knowing that one day they’d end up in the Devildom. They’ve told me over and over again how much they like it down here…” the human took a deep breath and slowly shook their head. “If this is what they want… then I give my permission for them to stay with you.”

A wave of relief swept over Lucifer as he finally took a breath. “Thank you.”

“Mm… I’m going to have to use my favour though.”

The relief completely vanished as the Avatar of Pride’s blood ran cold. Memories flooded back from the one night the pair had spent together, the human had offered a cursed record to him that he had spent decades trying to find, in exchange, Lucifer let them have one favour. A favour from a demon was like a single pact order, Lucifer had to do literally anything this human wanted.

“Protect MC, even if it costs you your life.” The human’s words were careful and measured as Lucifer felt the order sink in. “You’ll do that for them, right Lucifer?”

Lucifer nodded as life flooded back into his limbs. “I would have done it without the order.”

So, the brother’s plan to make MC’s ren stay forever failed because they were going back to the human world with MC for summer vacation. Listen, it was needed, MC needed to see the sun lest they shrivel like a sad houseplant.

At least Lucifer technically had primary custody of his little heathen! Victory!

MC said their goodbyes to the friends they had made over the year as they prepared to leave for the next two months, it was filled with so many bone-crushing hugs that MC was surprised that their spine didn’t snap.

MC and Luke had lagged behind the much larger group as they made their way to the assembly hall. MC’s ren was dazzling the miniature crowd with stories of just how adorable MC was as a little kid. The half demon rolled their eyes and silently mourned the loss of any cool points they had gained over the year. Their little companion was oddly quiet, MC lightly nudged him and smiled.

“Aren’t you happy to be going home? You’ve been griping about being stuck down here the entire year. Don’t tell me you’re getting sappy, Luke.”

Luke puffed his cheek out and crossed his arms. “Of course I’m happy to be leaving, the Celestial Realm is the best place ever, the Devildom is completely terrible in every way.”

MC smirked and rolled their eyes again. Just let the little guy go on his rant…

“But… I am going to miss you…” Luke mumbled, MC’s eyebrows shot upwards as they turned their head to look at him. “Th-thanks for being my friend down here… MC. You’re… you’re really nice.”

To their absolute horror, MC felt a lump form in their throat. Oh dear Grandfather… the chihuahua was what broke them?! They quickly looked around to see if anyone was paying attention, then quickly pulled Luke into a hug. The hug was over as fast as it began, but it seemed that Luke didn’t particularly care and was more shocked at the sudden bout of affection.

“If anyone, and I mean anyone asks, I didn’t hug you.” MC murmured, quickly swiping at their eyes.

Luke nodded, a small smile spread across his face. “Got it!”

So the side characters left… *sniffle* everything’s okay… the DDDs work in any of the realms… they could still talk.

Soon, it was time for the final sets of goodbyes…

“Come on, Bean, we’re going to the human world!” MC tried to take the cat from Satan, who didn’t move a muscle.

“If you think you’re taking the cat from here, you’re delusional.” Satan’s smile didn’t leave his face, but the force behind his words was almost enough to make MC back off. Almost…

“My caaaaaat!” MC whined, they ended up getting lightly pushed away by Satan.

“Remember, the summer’s a good time to catch up on anime!” Levi advised. “There’s 24 hours in a day, and an average anime episode is 22 minutes long, you have loads of time!”

“I’ll keep up with my anime only if you promise to listen to the Death Note musical, Levi.” MC giggled and patted Levi on the shoulder.

“Remember MC, take care of your cuticles and your skin.” Asmo took MC’s hand and checked their fingernails. “They were an absolute mess before you got here, so I expect you to keep up your routines this summer!”

“Yeeeeeeeeeeees siiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrr.”

“Bye MC,” Beel handed MC a half opened cup of custard. “I almost ate it, but I didn’t. Make sure you don’t skip any meals this summer.

MC jumped up and gave Beel a quick hug. “Thanks Beel! I’ll be sure to enjoy the custard!”

“Bye, MC. See you next year.” Belphie stood awkwardly stiff, not exactly sure what to do. MC pursed their lips, then quickly wrapped him up in a hug.

“Bye Belphie, I hope all your pillow forts are structurally unsound.”

The avatar of sloth snickered and rested his head on MC’s. “I hope you get really comfortable and are fully ready to go to sleep, then realize you have to pee.”

MC gasped in fake offence and swatted Belphie on the arm.

Mammon put both his hands on MC’s shoulders, his face unusually serious. “Do ya remember what the great Mammon took painstakin’ effort to teach ya?”

“Payday loans are scams, witches are scary, bowline knots are the easiest to undo, don’t wear reflective sunglasses to a poker game aaaaaaaand…” MC grinned mischievously. “Any plan thought up by the Great Mammon should be subject to intense revision.”

“That’s ri- hey!” Mammon laughed and shoved MC towards Lucifer.

MC looked up at Lucifer, the pride demon looked down at them fondly. He reached out and gently ruffled their hair. “I’ll see you next year, MC.”

“Y-yeah…”

Lucifer crouched down slightly to get to their level and gave MC a smile. “I’m very proud of you, you’ve been an immense help this year. Thank you for everything.”

“Thanks for not being a stereotypical supervillain dad, father.” MC smiled softly and fixed their glasses. “Loveyoubye!”

MC turned and rushed to their ren’s side as Lucifer let out a soft chuckle.

“I love you too, MC.”

As Barbatos readied the portal to send the pair to the human world, MC couldn’t wipe the grin off their face. Geez, if this year was a metric mess of fun and insanity… what was the next year going to be like? The half demon’s grin morphed into a bit of a smirk. No way in hell their next year in the Devildom was going to be as insane as their first year.

MC almost giggled as they gave their family one last wave. That wasn’t the time to think about the future, besides, MC knew that it would take two insane chaotic humans to be summoned into the Devildom to even come close to the chaos MC managed to create, both on purpose and by accident.

And what were the odds of that happening?

——————

Authors Note: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ITS DONE SEASON ONE IS DONE!

I wasn’t able to fit the Anti Lucifer League stuff into this one, I’ll put it in a separate fic later!

I NOW NEED TO WORK ON GETTING THROUGH SEASON 2 IN THE ACTUAL GAME. To get mildly serious for a second, thanks to everyone who has stuck around to listen to me spout my fic-y nonsense, you all are nerds (affectionate) and I love you.

[raccoonskoodilypoopdungeon]

My Duel Academy Life is Wrong as I Expected Chapter 2 - We Opened the Map of Youth and, on a Ship without a Compass, Headed to Uncharted Waters

Fandom: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Yu-Gi-Oh!

Series Summary: Having zero passion for Dueling or even Duel Monsters, Hachiman Hikigaya is the last person you would expect to even attempt to enter the most elite high school for upcoming Pro-Duelists and Card Designers in Japan and yet here he is. Wielding an Ojama Deck, this loser loner is forced to but into the lives of other students after his dorm Resident Advisor, forces him to join the Service Club along with Yukino Yukinoshita, the Ice Queen of Obelisk Blue. Together, their clashing personalities and viewpoints must compromise as they attempt to solve problems around Duel Academy Island.

Chapter Summary: Having passed the Duel Academy Admission Test, Hachiman Hikigaya heads to Duel Academy Island where he watches the school year's inaugural Duel between Yukino Yukinoshita, the freshmen representative, and Meguri Shiromeguri, the student council president, and the subsequent aftermath of such a Duel.

AO3 Link

Excerpt:

The Duel Academy entrance ceremony was the same as any other senior high school entrance ceremony: a long, boring speech by the superintendent and a long, boring speech by the person who got the highest score in the admission test.

“Thank you,” Yukino Yukinoshita, the supposed smartest and most talented student of our batch, concluded her speech. With icy blue eyes, stormy black hair, and skin like freshly fallen snow, there wasn't a single girl more objectively beautiful than her even if she was lacking something. Well, she was the most objectively beautiful girl in Duel Academy. I was certain my own super cute little sister cleared her by light years.

Just as people were beginning to clap, she interrupted them with an icy glare and a cold voice, “Now the inaugural Duel of the school year between me, the freshman student representative, and the student council president, Meguri Shiromeguri.”

Of course. This was Duel Academy.

She went off to one side, putting on her royal blue Obelisk Duel Disk and Duel Gazer, as a girl with shoulder-length brown hair in braids, with similar Duel gear, entered the stage.

Yukinoshita bowed her head, saying something.

The President said something back, smiling. 

Yukinoshita twitched.

They both readied their Duel Disks as everyone put their Duel Gazers on.

“Advanced Duel!” they both shouted, as my Duel Gazer connected to their Duel and mics.

“The freshman always begins, Yukino!” the President said.

“Thank you, President Shiromeguri,” Yukinoshita said. “Draw Phase. Standby Phase. Main Phase 1. I’ll start by Normal Summoning Sky Striker Ace – Raye.”

A young blonde girl in a white school uniform appeared on her field.

“A Sky Striker Deck, huh?” the President said aloud. “That's a Midrange Spell Deck.” She closed her eyes, crossed her arms, and tapped her feet. “Something, something… a low floor but a high ceiling, huh?”

It was expected for our batch’s number one. The Sky Striker archetype is a Deck that truly discriminates. Its consistency and ability to have every out is nearly unmatched but virtually useless in unskilled hands.

Opening her eyes she exclaimed, “You really are Haruno’s little sister!”

I stared at the video feed of Yukinoshita, examining her. The way her eye twitched and her lips lightly pursed. The way she placed her hand on her chest as she lightly breathed.

“I’ll use Sky Striker Ace – Raye,” she continued, “to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku.”

A Link Circuit appeared over her Left Extra Monster Zone. Raye, instead of turning into a red arrow and going to the top right Link Arrow, jumped through the Circuit. She was suddenly wearing a white bodysuit as the Shizuku blue mech armour started attaching itself onto her body.

“I set four cards face-down.”

Her cards had Neko Mane King sleeves, a clear intimidation tactic.

“End Phase,” Yukinoshita declared. “I use the Monster Effect of Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to my hand.”

And now the combo was complete. Her set Spells would cripple the President and, next turn, Engage would get the exact card she’d need. Depending on what the President played, Yukinoshita basically already won the Duel.

[fallen-gravity]

our hearts are heavy burdens

The Ghost Council learns the truth about Scratch and his relationship with Molly, and sends him away as punishment.

Scratch isn't willing to let go that easy.

Notes:

I'd love to give a huge shout out to Mollycord for inspiring me to write this! I've had an absolute blast the past couple nights plotting angst with you guys, and I consider this to be something of a gift to everyone who heard me out on my angsty ramblings.

I hope you enjoy! >:)

AO3

The Ghost Council rarely summons a ghost for no reason. 

Maybe to the recently deceased, it seems like they call upon them all the time. It may seem erratic, and out of nowhere, and quite poorly planned on their behalf, since they always seem to summon them when they’re busy with some time-sensitive task. It seems random, and unfair, and as though they never have any rhyme or reason as to when or why they decide it’s an important time to talk.­­

Not to the experienced ghost, though. The experienced ghosts who've been dealing with them for years know that they’re very particular with their reasoning, and none of them are ever good. They’re either about to ridicule you for the numbers on your scare report, banish you to the Flow as punishment for some awful crime you weren’t even aware you committed, or both. 

Scratch knows this better than any ghost. Thankfully, there’s always been something preventing his banishment, usually at the last moment, but it doesn’t make being summoned to the ghost realm against his will any less terrifying.

In fact, he’d almost say that this time around is even more terrifying than all the rest, because he knows he triple checked his scare report before he turned it in. After that close call with the Sart Duan Sib fiasco, he silently vowed to himself that he’d do his best to never be that careless with the Ghost Council again.

Especially not after seeing the look on Molly’s face when he said he could be taken away. He never wants to see that look on Molly’s face again.

So if there’s nothing wrong with his scare report, that could only mean that they brought him here for one thing, and-

“Scratch,” the green ghost sitting at the center of the Council begins, interrupting his thoughts. “Do you have any idea why we’ve called you here today?”

He honestly and truly doesn’t, but he knows if he says that then they’re just going to get angrier. 

“Uhh…is it because you found an inconsistency with my report?”  He squeaks, twiddling with his thumbs as sweat drips down his forehead. “Oh, boo, that’s too bad, if you could just point it out to me real quick so I can just…take it and go and stop wasting your time, I can get right into fixing it, promise, I’ll even throw a few more scares in there for good measure, just in case I have any accidental repeats, or-”

“That’s enough, Scratch” the purple ghost sitting on the far left interjects. “Don’t play dumb with us. You know exactly why we called you here” 

“I do?” Scratch replies, his voice jumping up a number of octaves in the process. “B-because, you know, my memory is awful, just the absolute worst, and it would really help if I received a reminder as to-”

“Scratch, what’s the most important rule of being a ghost?” The purple council member interjects again, not even taking the time to listen to what he has to say.

Scratch swallows hard. “K-Keep your assigned town as miserable as possible?” 

Apparently, that was not the response they wanted. All four council members and the Chairman squint suspiciously at him in response. 

“What’s the other most important rule of being a ghost?” 

Scratch sighs, his entire body drooping downward. “Nobefriendinghumans,” he mutters, just barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that? I couldn’t quite make it out”

“...No befriending humans”

“That’s right!” the council member beams eerily, clapping her hands together. “And we have intel that you’ve been lying about your relationship with a very particular human”

If Scratch’s heart could still beat, he knows it would be slamming against his chest. “Wh-what? C’mon, pssh…you know me, I hate everyone and everyone hates me. Simple as that” 

The council members exchange glances, and they all collectively nod before collectively flashing sharp, dangerous grins in his direction. 

“Oh, then I suppose you wouldn’t care in the least if something bad were to happen to…Molly, then, would you?” 

Okay, if Scratch’s chest could still beat it would be bursting out of his chest completely. His mouth opens and speaks before he has time to stop himself.

“H-How do you know her name?”

“Oh, would you look at that?” the green council member clasps his hands together with glee. “You do care about her. Befriending a human and lying directly to the Ghost Council? My, my, Scratch, aren’t you having a field day with breaking our sacred laws today?” 

Behind the council, the Chairman slowly begins to rise from his chair, and Scratch slowly begins to back away from the council. “N-No, wait! Y-you don’t understand! We-we’re not friends! She’s the one whose family moved into my house, remember? I- I only know her name because I’ve been trying to scare her out of it!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Scratch” the green council member shakes his head. “If that were the case, then why were we able to gather evidence of you calling yourself a…what’s it called….a McGee?”

Scratch freezes. He knows that either way he argues, it’s not going to look good for him. He opens his mouth to try and come up with a last-minute argument, but no sound comes out. 

“Oh, well” the councilman hums, wiping a fake tear from his eye. “I guess you’ll have all eternity to think about what you’ve done” he turns around and gives a silent nod to the Chairman, whose giant boney hand morphs into a thumbs-down position, summoning the Flow of Failed Phantoms above his head. 

“W-wait!” Scratch pleads, looking all around the ghost realm for some sort of answer as he finds himself slowly getting dragged into the Flow. There’s nothing around to help, and in a blind moment of panic, Scratch can only find himself scrunching his eyes closed and blurting out the honest truth. 

“She needs me!” 

Silence.

Even the Flow itself seems to have stopped making noise, and when Scratch finally finds the courage to open his eyes again, he notices that all four of the council members are staring deep into his soul. For the briefest of moments, he’s convinced that he somehow got through to them, but the relief is extremely short lived when they all start laughing hysterically like he just told him the funniest joke they’ve heard all week. 

“The human needs you?” The purple ghost on the far left wheezes out in between fits of unhinged laughter. “Oh, please! This is the most pathetic excuse we’ve ever heard!” 

“She does!” Scratch throws his arms into the air. “She needs me! She’d be a wreck without me!” 

“She’s a human,” the council member continues. “The last thing she needs is a pathetic waste of ectoplasm breathing down her neck all the time. What she needs is other humans. She needs to be with people of her own kind who can actually provide something useful for her. It’s why humans are always gathering in groups anyway, isn’t it?”

“That…That’s not true!” Scratch shouts back, his voice suddenly wavering. “She chooses to be with me! She tells me I’m her best friend any chance she gets!” 

“Are you quite sure she’s not just saying that to keep you complacent? That she knows how insufferable you would be if she didn’t have to constantly spare your feelings?”

N-no.

Molly would never. 

Molly would never. 

He starts tugging at his hair. “She wouldn’t! She cares about me! She…she needs me!” He pulls harder, and harder, not at all missing the anxiety in his stomach churning and slowly becoming something much, much darker. 

“Oh, well,” the councilman sighs, seemingly not even paying attention. “I guess we’ll never know,” he says, and snaps his fingers to summon the Flow again. This time the pull on Scratch is just a bit stronger, and pulling him in just a bit faster, but he still fights with everything that he has.

“No! Molly!” he screeches, his vision starting to grow all spotty. “Molly! She…she needs…I….I need…”

He barely has time to notice the Flow disappearing behind him, or the council members suddenly staring at him with horror, or even the portal to the living realm opening beneath his feet.

“MOLLY!”  He howls at the top of his lungs, and then everything goes black.

~~~ 

Molly hasn’t seen Scratch all day. 

Sure, she knows that he likes to have his alone time every now and then, but she knows he can usually be bribed out of it with food, and nothing she’s tried placing in front of his little offering house or even simply mentioned has been enough to drag him out. She’s tried looking in every single little window she can find, and knocking on every little door she can access, but there’s no sign of her ghostly friend anywhere. 

“Scratch?” she calls, cupping her hands over her mouth in case he’s just taking a nap, or he can’t hear her, or something like that. But even after a whole minute of waiting, there’s no sign of Scratch getting sucked out of his little house, or from any of the other rooms in her house, for that matter. 

She frowns, tapping her foot at the ground and looking at the nonexistent watch on her wrist. She may pride herself on being super patient and collected at like, all times, but there’s gotta be something going on if summoning him isn’t working, either. 

“Scratch?” she calls again, louder this time. She plops down on her bed, but even after what feels like ages, there’s still no sign of her friend anywhere.

He’s not…upset at her for some reason, is he? She racks her brain trying to figure out why that could possibly be, but…no, even if he were upset at her, it wouldn’t cancel out her summoning, he’d just be…grumpy that she summoned him. 

Groaning, she throws her head down on her pillow, and stares up at the ceiling trying to figure out what could possibly be going on. Even if by some crazy chance that Scratch figured out how to break their curse, and that’s why summoning him isn’t working anymore, he’d at least have told her that, and even that wouldn’t really explain why she doesn’t have a clue where he is, because this is still technically their shared room in their shared house. 

Before she even has enough time to even think too much about it, though, something cold and wet drips on her forehead from above her, and she bolts upward to scrub it off.

“Ugh, stupid old leaks from stupid old houses” she grumbles, but her heart instantaneously leaps to her chest the moment she catches glimpse of the substance on her fingers. 

Ectoplasm.

She eagerly lies back down in her bed, heart beating out of her chest to look for the source of the drip. There’s still no sign of Scratch anywhere above her, but she does see a big splat of ectoplasm on the wall beside his cobweb hammock, which Molly supposes is a good enough start. 

She sighs in relief, and racks her brain to try and think about why he’d even leave any ectoplasm on the wall to begin with. She knows he’s well past trying to scare her awake in the middle of the night anymore, and the last time he’s ever accidentally left ectoplasm somewhere he didn’t want it to be is when he was summoned away to the ghost realm, and he didn’t want to go, so he grabbed onto the wall with all of his might to try and stop it from happening, but-

Oh.

Oh no.

She jumps to her feet. 

Molly, if they find out I’m friends with a human they’re going to take me away from you forever!

There’s…there’s no way, right?

There’s no way they found out, is there? She was so sure that they were being so careful, that they were doing the absolute best they could to prevent it from happening, that she had all the right preparations in case they needed to fight, and-

No. She shakes her head. She refuses to believe he’s gone for good. She knows Scratch would be willing to fight harder than defeated acceptance. She knows that he’s just as willing to fight back as she is. 

He was probably just…summoned for his scare report check in, right? And her summoning didn’t work because he was on his way back through the portal home, and summoning him doesn’t work when he’s between realms, right?

In any case, Molly can’t just sit around and quietly accept his absence, either. She opens the drawer of the nightstand behind her bed and pulls out a flashlight and a half-eaten bag of shrimp-flavored chips, and messily shoves them both in the pockets of her vest. She’s going to go look for him, and she doesn’t care if it takes until well past nightfall to find him.

She opens the hatch door that leads her out of the attic, and rushes down the steps as quickly as she reasonably can. She waves a quick goodbye to her parents in the living room and heads for the back door, but just as she reaches for the doorknob to leave there’s a loud bang coming from somewhere downstairs. 

“What was that?” Molly’s mother asks, rising from her seat on the couch. 

Her dad scratches at his chin. “I dunno, it sounded like a wild animal. Do you think we should call someone?” 

…Wait.

WAIT.

“Dad, don’t you dare!” Molly practically screeches, and frantically sprints for the door leading to the basement. She flings the door open, clicks her flashlight on, and sprints down the stairs as fast as her legs can carry her without stumbling down them.

 With a shaking hand, she flashes the light around the basement looking for the source of the noise, and the moment she flashes her light on…something is the moment she realizes that whatever it is, it’s making noises; the soft, desperate choking of someone who’s crying. She squints at it, and when she realizes that her light is flashing on something blue, a gasp escapes her throat.

“Scratch!” Molly beams, and scrambles around the dark room until she finds the light switch to turn the lights on. She clicks the light on as fast as her trembling hands can handle, but when she turns back towards Scratch to dive on him and give him the biggest hug she can, she ends up dropping the flashlight tucked under her arm in shock.

That’s definitely Scratch curled up in the corner, alright, but there’s something…off about him. For starters, he’s twice as large in size, he looks all jagged in places where he usually looks…wobbly, his ectoplasm is actually closer to a deeper purple, rather than its usual sky blue, and there’s bits and pieces of him dripping to the floor like wet paint. 

“Scratch?” she tries again, calmer this time, and Scratch turns to look in the general direction she’s standing in. He’s not looking directly at her, more like straight through her, but Molly can see the tear streaks running down his cheeks clear as day. There’s something hauntingly…familiar about his appearance, but Molly can’t quite place why until he opens his mouth.

“I-I need…” is all he manages, his voice distorting so much that Molly hardly recognizes it. Once she realizes why it all feels so familiar, she gasps, and slides to her knees and crawls to his side.

He’s corrupted, just like Howlin’ Harriet was.

That would explain why summoning him wasn’t working earlier. Something terrible must’ve happened to him when he was summoned to the Ghost Council that scared him so bad it caused his mind to corrupt, and he won’t be able to come back down from it until he gets whatever it is his broken mind thinks he needs. 

“C’mon, buddy, spit it out” Molly gently encourages him, patting him on the side. “What do you need?” 

Molly learns very quickly that touching him while he’s like this is a big mistake. He lashes out at her friendly gesture, leaving a number of deep scratches along her arm. Molly winces when she pokes at them to inspect them, but she still sighs and scoots backwards to give him some space.

“Right, right, sorry” she rubs awkwardly at the back of her head. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you, okay? Just tell me what you need so I can help you”

As if in response to her words, Scratch starts desperately looking around the room for something, whimpering like a lost puppy when he can’t seem to find it.

“I...I need…” he starts, his voice breaking as tears pour uncontrollably from his eyes. It hurts Molly���s heart that she can’t just grab him and hug him and make everything better, but she knows things will probably go over smoother if she lets him figure some of it out on his own.

“Need…” he starts, and then visibly sighs. “M-Molly…” he moans, and it’s as if hearing her name on his tongue just has him panicking even more, because he starts hyperventilating the moment it leaves his mouth.

That’s…not what Molly was expecting at all. “Scratch? It-It’s okay Scratch, I’m right here,” she whispers, and tries to reach out for him, but the moment she tries to get even remotely close to him he lashes out at her again. She frowns, and scoots backwards again.

What was it that worked last time? Giving Harriet exactly what she wanted? Maybe that worked for her, since they were able to just make fake toes out of crafting supplies and leave them out for her to take, but how is she supposed to give Scratch…herself? She racks her brain trying to think of something, like maybe she could give him one of her old vests, or a hair tie she never uses anymore, or an old stuffed animal of hers, but…no, that still doesn’t solve the problem of giving them to Scratch, since he still doesn’t seem to want anyone coming close to him. 

Think, Molly, think… she knocks on her forehead, trying to think of something that’ll work, when-

It hits her. 

Scratch was with the Ghost Council before all this mess happened, wasn’t he? And he’d just been worrying about being taken away from her, right? If the last thing he remembers before his mind got all warped was talking to the council, and the council was threatening to send him to the Flow of Failed Phantoms, as he’d called it, and the thing he needs is her, then-

She rushes forward and wraps her arms around him in the tightest hug she’s ever given anyone in her entire life. “It’s okay, Scratch” she whispers, crawling ever closer to him still. “It’s okay. It’s Molly. I’m right here” 

For the briefest of moments he freezes at the sound of her voice, but he’s back to panicking just as quickly. He’s trying to squirm his way out of her grasp, screeching and digging his clawed hands into her skin in an attempt to get her to stop. She simply shakes her head no, and each time he squirms or each time he claws at her arms, she only hugs tighter. “I’m not going to hurt you,” she whispers, and squeezes her promise into her hug. 

“But I’m not letting go, either, Scratch. I promise. I’ll never let you go”

~~~

Someone’s trying to wrap their arms around him.

He doesn’t know where he is, or who this person thinks they are, but they better let go of him right now if they value their own life. 

They’re trying to speak to him, but he’s not listening. Their voice sounds like Molly’s, but that’s not possible, since they took him away from Molly, they laughed in his face about Molly, they told him Molly didn’t care, and he’s not sure how much longer he can handle these cruel games. 

The last thing he remembers is being sentenced to the Flow, and Molly, and being told he’ll never see her again, and being told she’s better off without him, and Molly, and Molly, and Molly, and if whoever this wise guy thinks they are, using the sound of Molly’s voice against him, they’ve got another thing coming.

He lashes out, but their grip on him only strengthens. It’s driving him up the wall, because they even hug like Molly, but it can’t be Molly, he knows it can’t, because he was taken away and he doesn’t remember where he was taken but he’s sure this is torture, he’s certain the pain and agony gripping at his undead heart is because the council members are torturing him with the spitting image of the only person he’s ever loved, of Molly, whose name will not stop repeating itself in his head, whose name hurts on his tongue when he speaks, of Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, over and over again. 

This…apparition, this…illusion of Molly just keeps talking, and keeps tightening her hug, but it’s not real, it isn’t, it can’t be, because he was torn away from her and he needs her, her needs her more than anything, he’s terrified and alone and someone is playing tricks on his mind, and the only person whose ever been able to pull him from that ledge is Molly, and she’s-

~~~

Molly pulls away from the hug.

She didn’t think she would have to resort to this, but if hugs aren’t working than it’s clearly the only option she’s got left. 

She shakes her arms, both to relieve the sting from all the scratches he’d left on her arms and to remove the excess ectoplasm from them, and she stands to allow herself to be at eye level with the larger-than-usual Scratch. 

She grabs him by what she assumes are his shoulders, pulls him into the gentlest, most delicate hug she’s ever given anyone, as if to avoid fracturing him to pieces, and whispers four simple words to him.

~~

“I love you, Scratch” the voice speaking to him suddenly whispers, and it’s so fragile, and so gentle and delicate and…genuine, that something inside of him snaps. There’s something so…caring, and kind, and so…Molly-like to the voice, that it eases the tense feeling of pain and agony gripping his heart and clears the storm clouds in his head. 

Instantaneously, he feels as though the weight of the world is coming off of his shoulders, both figuratively and literally. He forces an eye open, not even realizing that he’d been forcing them shut from fear, and words cannot even begin to explain the amount of relief he feels when he sees he’s somewhere in the basement of the McGee family household.

He’s also just now realizing that there’s still a pair of arms wrapped gently around him, and a choked sob escapes his throat when he glances downwards and recognizes them belonging to Molly.

I love you, Scratch

She…

She loves him? 

Molly McGee, the only person he’s ever opened up to, the only person he’s ever loved, the only person willing to give him the time of day, the one person he needs more than anything in the whole world?

She honest and truly loves him, even after seeing him like that? 

I love you, Scratch

The words bounce around in his head like the old pinball machine at the arcade he’d possessed once for a scare, like an old fashioned computer screen saver, just bounce bounce bounce bouncing around in his mind without any sign of stopping. 

Molly loves him.

Molly loves him. 

His arms act before he can process his actions, and he winds his arms around her to cautiously return her hug. There’s all kinds of cuts and small gashes running up and down her arms, and he doesn’t even want to think about how she probably got those for even a second. He shakes that thought off with a shake of his head, but the moment he makes physical contact with her, Molly sucks in a loud gasp, and Scratch quickly pulls himself away. He’s about to apologize profusely for...well, everything, but before he can get a single word out she grabs him again and yanks him into a super tight hug.

“Scratch! You’re okay!” she squeals, and though Scratch can’t see her face he can practically hear the smile splitting her face in two. “I just knew you’d be okay!” 

Scratch feels like laughing himself to tears. He can feel it bubbling in his chest, but the last thing he wants to do right now is anything that could potentially upset her, so he swallows his pride and just wraps the full extent of his arms around her, just tangles her up in a big ol mess of goop and ectoplasm, and returns her hug so tightly that her legs momentarily leave the ground.

“Well, yeah, Of course I am,” he tries for calm and collected, but the waver in his voice gives him straight away. “I, uh, I love you too, Moll”

She squeaks in response, attempting to wriggle out of his mass of arms so she can hug him back equally tightly, and the whole thing is just a big mess of tangled limbs and unspoken unconditional love. They stay like that for a few brief moments of deafening silence, and when Molly’s finally able to untangle herself from all that mess she’s smiling brighter than Scratch has ever seen before. 

It’s incredibly contagious, and he can’t help but offer her a smile in return, but…

He still feels pretty awful for scratching up her arms. 

As much as he’d hate to ruin the moment, he knows that it’s gonna bother him for the rest of his afterlife if he just up and decided to never bring it up again. 

“Hey, uh, Moll…?” he starts, but can’t quite find the right way to phrase the apology.

Molly must have some weird power that lets her know exactly what he’s thinking, though, because her gaze falls to the gashes on her arms the moments his voice trails off. “Oh, these?” she shakes her head. “You don’t have to apologize, Scratch”

He frowns. “But-”

“No buts!” she pouts, crossing her arms over her chest. “I mean, yeah, these are probably gonna sting like crazy for the next few days, but I made a promise to you, and all I see when I look at these is my word of honor that I’ll never break that promise” 

Scratch doesn’t really like that answer, because he knows he still hurt her, and it almost sounds as if she’s prioritizing his feelings over her own, but she continues on before he can interject. 

“I promised that I would never let you go. Even when you might hurt me, I just know that deep down you care a lot about me too, and I can always heal from it, and that’s the most important thing in the world to me”  

She wraps an arm around him in a side-hug, as if in demonstration. “I’ve never had someone I could say was always there for me. Mom and Dad and Darryl are great, sure, but we move around an awful lot, and it’s been…hard for me to accept having friends who will stay my friends for the long run, so…” she trails off. “...I know how it feels. I really do hope I can be that person for you, Scratch, because I really do love you.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t just say that because I thought that’s what you wanted to hear.” She pats at her chest, a soft smile spreading to her face. “I Molly McGee guarantee it.”

For the briefest of moments all Scratch can do is stare. 

Of all the humans in the world to eternally bind himself to, and he happened to choose the only one in the world who’s actually capable of caring for people like him.

He returns her side hug by wrapping an arm around her, too. 

“You too, Moll,” he replies. “I Molly McGee guarantee that I love you too”